The Sims 3/Removed features

Although The Sims 3 added new features, some features from older games (Mainly features from games up to The Sims 2 and The Sims Stories) have been removed or changed in The Sims 3 and The Sims Medieval, some features were later restored in later versions.

Startup

 * The Sims 3 and The Sims Medieval cannot be ran directly by using Run even if TS3.exe and TSM.exe are typed. Shortcuts such as -w (WIndowed) are no longer supported.
 * The notice Game Experience May Change During Online Play has been replaced with Online Interactions Not Rated by the ESRB. This is also seen on The Sims 2 Double Deluxe, FreeTime, IKEA Home Stuff, The Sims 2 Store Edition and The Sims Castaway Stories.
 * However, the Online Interactions Not Rated by the ESRB is no longer shown in The Sims 3 Fast Lane startup. This is also seen in The Sims 3-The Sims 3 Ambitions if the update is released on or after Fast Lane.
 * The Sims 3 is no longer ran directly as it opens the Launcher. However, a shortcut can be made to start The Sims 3 and The Sims Medieval directly.

Options

 * Although music can be previewed, it is not possible to stop the current music from being played.
 * It is not possible to prevent a specific song from being played as it could be done in The Sims 2 and The Sims Stories.
 * Edge Scrolling is now disabled by default in The Sims 3 and The Sims Medieval whereas it was turned on by default in The Sims 2 and The Sims Stories.
 * Freewill is now a slider rather than being a checkbox.

Files

 * Although The Sims 3 supports Custom Music, mp3 files cannot be put in different categories; therefore, music cannot be put in Build/Buy Modes and CAS.

Hardware/Software

 * Support for PowerPC Macs have been removed as well as Mac OS X Panther and Tiger.
 * Support for Windows 98/Me, Windows 2000, Windows XP RTM-SP1 and Windows Vista RTM have been dropped; The Sims Medieval also drops support for Windows XP SP2 and 64-bit versions of Windows XP.
 * Support for CD drives. The download version can be used to run The Sims 3.
 * SecuROM is no loner included in DVD copies but still included in download versions. The Sims 2 University Life through The Sims 2 Fun with Pets, however, retained SecuROM.

Restored Features
Here are features that have been restored in The Sims 3.