i'm really curious as to how i can use downloaded sims. they're properly installed, in program files and whatever. i just never seen anything in CAS similar to ts2 where you can select a downloaded/already created sim. could anybody let me in on this secret? please and thank you (:

You put .sim files in your My Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\SavedSims folder - just make the folder if you don't have one. Double-click sims3pack files and they install themselves. You find them in Create a Sim in the premade sims bin - there's a big button at the very bottom, looks like six silhouettes.

If you look in creat a sim to the lower left a gray boy click it and it brings up most dl sims from thesims3.com

They are under pre-made sims.