Problem With Some Default NL Lots...

Zirconia Wolf · 09-16-2007, 09:44 PM

...that has finally made me a member of the "My Sims 2 Crashed Out Of The Blue & Consitantly" club.

You can just imagine how happy this makes me.

Before I toss my computer out the window (which at this point seems more desirable than trying to track down which of my 8,697 downloads is suddenly giving me grief) I will just ask:

Has anyone here ever had (or heard of someone who had) problems with the following NL Community Lots:

FM
Lucky Shack Cards
Cold Issue Clothing
One-Twenty-Five-Cafe
Han's Trap Door Club, or
The Hub

By "problem" I mean being unable to access the lot from the neighborhood screen. ("This application has terminated" )

(Oh lord how I hope I don't have to re-install this friggen thing!!! )

Miros1 · 09-16-2007, 10:06 PM

Not those lots.

I've heard of problems with the club with the spotlights, which can be fixed by simply opening the lot from the neighborhood screen and deleting the spotlights, but that's all!

If you decide to delete the Downtown subhood from that 'hood, make a new custom one first, then delete the Downtown subhood.

Zirconia Wolf · 09-16-2007, 10:35 PM

Oh pumpernickle.

I was afraid it might be something like that.

I just read over on InTeen that custom content has been known to cause these kinds of lot crashouts, which is basically a case of "congratulations, your game files are now corrupted & you will most likey have to re-install the bloody thing again".

Wondering if I can get away with just re-installing the Objects files from the disks (which I have pulled off & zipped up for just such an emergency) rather than a complete wipe/install.

On the plus side, I won't be able to bother with BV untill the Offical Patch (& my favorite mods) are available.

Small blessings I guess...

Miros1 · 09-16-2007, 11:16 PM

Actually, you should be able to search through Program Files\EA Games\The Sims 2 (et all) and see which files changed in the last couple days... then just replace them.

I've got all my package files in Program Files\etc. write protected to help reduce the chances of this. Speaking of which, don't think I've done that since installing Celebrations and GL...

Greg · 09-16-2007, 11:19 PM

Yes, I have had that problem with The Hub. If I recall correctly, deleting the groups.cache file somehow miraculously fixed it.

Zirconia Wolf · 09-16-2007, 11:26 PM

Miros: How do I set up my files to be write protected? (I used to use the "Read Only" program fom KillerSims all the time in Sims 1...)

Greg: So deleting the cach file did the trick for you, eh? Can't remember if I tried that or not! I just resorted to bulldozing the darned things...

Miros1 · 09-17-2007, 01:17 AM

1) Start->Search
2) Click "All Files and Folders"
3) Type "*.package" in the top entry field and "C:\Program Files\EA Games" in the location entry field.
4) Click "Search" and let it run.
5) Hit Ctrl-A (Select All), then right click and pick "Properties."
6) Click the "Read Only" checkbox until it turns to a check mark (not empty or a green square).
7) Click "Ok" and let it run.

Greg · 09-17-2007, 12:23 PM

Bulldozing works, too!

Zirconia Wolf · 09-21-2007, 03:40 AM

Just thought I would post to say that- after a long & tedious battle of wills- I actually did figure out what was causing those 6 lots to crash my game.

Turns out it was a lil old user made decrotive plant causing all the trouble. Yes, one stupid little plant was responsible for the crash outs which lead to me re-installing my friggen game.

You wanna know the real kicker???

I never even used that bloody plant....

Miros1 · 09-21-2007, 03:59 AM

Dang! You've got our sympathy!

Greg · 09-21-2007, 03:46 PM

Eeeek!

Erm... can you tell us where that plant came from so that we know not to do that?

Zirconia Wolf · 09-21-2007, 07:19 PM

The plant in question was actually a "Bathroom Plant" from Sims Republic of all places. Everything else I have from Kelly is just peachy. I love her stuff & don't "blame" her at all: it's just one of those stupid computer things!

The package file's last few digits (all I jotted down) were 60106_D (A, B & C were just fine) and it has now been exiled to wherever game-crashing package files go after I hit the Empty Recycle Bin button. (I hope it's really hot & has many pokey sticks... )

Why exactly there was a problem with it I don't know (possibley a corrupted file, but I never re-downloaded it to test that therory) but all seems well now that it's out of my Downloads folder. Interestingly enough, the thumbnails for the Sims Republic laudry detergent- which always showed up as a blank white box before- now generate correctly.

On a semi-related side note, I thought all you "testingcheat" fans would be happy to know that I actually used that alphebet soup of a cheat code today in an effort to figureout what was causing a rash of bizzare jumpbugs in my fresh (but very modded) Seasons/Celebrations install. Suprising (well, to me anyway) it worked like a charm & I corrected the problem (which turned out to be a conflict with TwoJeff's Smart Beds mod & CBoy's Nudist hack) with ease.

Think I'll go & play my (currently) bug-free game now....

Miros1 · 09-21-2007, 08:49 PM

Thanks for the partial file name; checking for it now!

Greg · 09-22-2007, 02:03 PM

Oh, that is peculiar! The only problem I've ever had with Kelly's stuff is that there's so much of it!

The file might have become corrupted along the way, or maybe lightning struck and it has a GUID that overrides some important game code.

Miros1 · 09-22-2007, 02:41 PM

And maybe she got a GUID a long time ago that Maxis just happened to use in a newer EP...

Greg · 09-22-2007, 03:04 PM

That would explain why the problem didn't show up right away.

If I understand Kelly's filenaming conventions, that bit in the filename means she created it on January 6, 2006. That would be after Nightlife (released September 13, 2005) but before Open For Business (released March 2, 2006).

I don't see that file in my Downloads folder so there's no way to tell.

Miros1 · 09-22-2007, 03:40 PM

I don't see have it either... but I'm not that big into decorative plants.

Zirconia Wolf · 09-23-2007, 01:58 PM

I'm not nonmally that into them either, but I've been trying to train myself to use more "useless" decore items to make the houses look more homeish & less plain-old-boxish.

Off topic but does anyone know what the limit is on the number of Download files TS2 can handle?

Miros1 · 09-23-2007, 02:58 PM

Probably some nice big number like 64K items. Memory consumption is dependent on how much memory you've got in your box. I figure when you get too bored waiting for your game to load, you've got too much stuff in your game!

My problems, which I was starting to ascribe to "too much stuff," turned out to be video driver issues, caused by too many high poly objects on the lot, such as the Energizer, autumn trees and leaves, or the ladybug house. Any lot with any of those quickly developed rendering problems, and who plays without an Energizer?

Zirconia Wolf · 09-23-2007, 03:38 PM

Hmmm.

I can't imagine that 8833 files (my current count) is over the limit, but I have just run into a case of several Maxis re-colors not showing up in my game & am trying to figure out why. I even re-installed some of the offenders yesterday & still no dice.

I do NOT want to do- yet another- roll back/install!

09-16-2007, 09:44 PM	#1
Zirconia Wolf Reticulated MoonBat Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: My trusty computer in Issaquah WA, USA. Posts: 848	Problem With Some Default NL Lots... ...that has finally made me a member of the "My Sims 2 Crashed Out Of The Blue & Consitantly" club. You can just imagine how happy this makes me. Before I toss my computer out the window (which at this point seems more desirable than trying to track down which of my 8,697 downloads is suddenly giving me grief) I will just ask: Has anyone here ever had (or heard of someone who had) problems with the following NL Community Lots: FM Lucky Shack Cards Cold Issue Clothing One-Twenty-Five-Cafe Han's Trap Door Club, or The Hub By "problem" I mean being unable to access the lot from the neighborhood screen. ("This application has terminated" ) (Oh lord how I hope I don't have to re-install this friggen thing!!! ) __________________ Long Live All Wild Canines! Leader Of The Moon-Bat Revolution!

09-16-2007, 10:35 PM	#3
Zirconia Wolf Reticulated MoonBat Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: My trusty computer in Issaquah WA, USA. Posts: 848	Oh pumpernickle. I was afraid it might be something like that. I just read over on InTeen that custom content has been known to cause these kinds of lot crashouts, which is basically a case of "congratulations, your game files are now corrupted & you will most likey have to re-install the bloody thing again". Wondering if I can get away with just re-installing the Objects files from the disks (which I have pulled off & zipped up for just such an emergency) rather than a complete wipe/install. On the plus side, I won't be able to bother with BV untill the Offical Patch (& my favorite mods) are available. Small blessings I guess... __________________ Long Live All Wild Canines! Leader Of The Moon-Bat Revolution!

09-16-2007, 11:19 PM	#5
Greg Da Guy Wut Owns Dis Joint Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 3,566	Yes, I have had that problem with The Hub. If I recall correctly, deleting the groups.cache file somehow miraculously fixed it. __________________ Who are all these people and what do they know?

09-16-2007, 11:26 PM	#6
Zirconia Wolf Reticulated MoonBat Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: My trusty computer in Issaquah WA, USA. Posts: 848	Miros: How do I set up my files to be write protected? (I used to use the "Read Only" program fom KillerSims all the time in Sims 1...) Greg: So deleting the cach file did the trick for you, eh? Can't remember if I tried that or not! I just resorted to bulldozing the darned things... __________________ Long Live All Wild Canines! Leader Of The Moon-Bat Revolution!

09-17-2007, 12:23 PM	#8
Greg Da Guy Wut Owns Dis Joint Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 3,566	Bulldozing works, too! __________________ Who are all these people and what do they know?

09-16-2007, 10:06 PM	#2
Miros1 Goddess for Life Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: NY State Posts: 3,303	Not those lots. I've heard of problems with the club with the spotlights, which can be fixed by simply opening the lot from the neighborhood screen and deleting the spotlights, but that's all! If you decide to delete the Downtown subhood from that 'hood, make a new custom one first, then delete the Downtown subhood.

09-16-2007, 11:16 PM	#4
Miros1 Goddess for Life Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: NY State Posts: 3,303	Actually, you should be able to search through Program Files\EA Games\The Sims 2 (et all) and see which files changed in the last couple days... then just replace them. I've got all my package files in Program Files\etc. write protected to help reduce the chances of this. Speaking of which, don't think I've done that since installing Celebrations and GL...

09-17-2007, 01:17 AM	#7
Miros1 Goddess for Life Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: NY State Posts: 3,303	1) Start->Search 2) Click "All Files and Folders" 3) Type "*.package" in the top entry field and "C:\Program Files\EA Games" in the location entry field. 4) Click "Search" and let it run. 5) Hit Ctrl-A (Select All), then right click and pick "Properties." 6) Click the "Read Only" checkbox until it turns to a check mark (not empty or a green square). 7) Click "Ok" and let it run.

09-21-2007, 03:40 AM	#9
Zirconia Wolf Reticulated MoonBat Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: My trusty computer in Issaquah WA, USA. Posts: 848	Just thought I would post to say that- after a long & tedious battle of wills- I actually did figure out what was causing those 6 lots to crash my game. Turns out it was a lil old user made decrotive plant causing all the trouble. Yes, one stupid little plant was responsible for the crash outs which lead to me re-installing my friggen game. You wanna know the real kicker??? I never even used that bloody plant.... __________________ Long Live All Wild Canines! Leader Of The Moon-Bat Revolution!

09-21-2007, 03:59 AM	#10
Miros1 Goddess for Life Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: NY State Posts: 3,303	Dang! You've got our sympathy!

09-21-2007, 03:46 PM	#11
Greg Da Guy Wut Owns Dis Joint Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 3,566	Eeeek! Erm... can you tell us where that plant came from so that we know not to do that? __________________ Who are all these people and what do they know?

09-21-2007, 07:19 PM	#12
Zirconia Wolf Reticulated MoonBat Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: My trusty computer in Issaquah WA, USA. Posts: 848	The plant in question was actually a "Bathroom Plant" from Sims Republic of all places. Everything else I have from Kelly is just peachy. I love her stuff & don't "blame" her at all: it's just one of those stupid computer things! The package file's last few digits (all I jotted down) were 60106_D (A, B & C were just fine) and it has now been exiled to wherever game-crashing package files go after I hit the Empty Recycle Bin button. (I hope it's really hot & has many pokey sticks... ) Why exactly there was a problem with it I don't know (possibley a corrupted file, but I never re-downloaded it to test that therory) but all seems well now that it's out of my Downloads folder. Interestingly enough, the thumbnails for the Sims Republic laudry detergent- which always showed up as a blank white box before- now generate correctly. On a semi-related side note, I thought all you "testingcheat" fans would be happy to know that I actually used that alphebet soup of a cheat code today in an effort to figureout what was causing a rash of bizzare jumpbugs in my fresh (but very modded) Seasons/Celebrations install. Suprising (well, to me anyway) it worked like a charm & I corrected the problem (which turned out to be a conflict with TwoJeff's Smart Beds mod & CBoy's Nudist hack) with ease. Think I'll go & play my (currently) bug-free game now.... __________________ Long Live All Wild Canines! Leader Of The Moon-Bat Revolution!

09-21-2007, 08:49 PM	#13
Miros1 Goddess for Life Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: NY State Posts: 3,303	Thanks for the partial file name; checking for it now!

09-22-2007, 02:03 PM	#14
Greg Da Guy Wut Owns Dis Joint Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 3,566	Oh, that is peculiar! The only problem I've ever had with Kelly's stuff is that there's so much of it! The file might have become corrupted along the way, or maybe lightning struck and it has a GUID that overrides some important game code. __________________ Who are all these people and what do they know?

09-22-2007, 02:41 PM	#15
Miros1 Goddess for Life Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: NY State Posts: 3,303	And maybe she got a GUID a long time ago that Maxis just happened to use in a newer EP...

09-22-2007, 03:04 PM	#16
Greg Da Guy Wut Owns Dis Joint Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 3,566	That would explain why the problem didn't show up right away. If I understand Kelly's filenaming conventions, that bit in the filename means she created it on January 6, 2006. That would be after Nightlife (released September 13, 2005) but before Open For Business (released March 2, 2006). I don't see that file in my Downloads folder so there's no way to tell. __________________ Who are all these people and what do they know? Last edited by Greg : 09-22-2007 at 03:44 PM.

09-22-2007, 03:40 PM	#17
Miros1 Goddess for Life Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: NY State Posts: 3,303	I don't see have it either... but I'm not that big into decorative plants.

09-23-2007, 01:58 PM	#18
Zirconia Wolf Reticulated MoonBat Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: My trusty computer in Issaquah WA, USA. Posts: 848	I'm not nonmally that into them either, but I've been trying to train myself to use more "useless" decore items to make the houses look more homeish & less plain-old-boxish. Off topic but does anyone know what the limit is on the number of Download files TS2 can handle? __________________ Long Live All Wild Canines! Leader Of The Moon-Bat Revolution!

09-23-2007, 02:58 PM	#19
Miros1 Goddess for Life Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: NY State Posts: 3,303	Probably some nice big number like 64K items. Memory consumption is dependent on how much memory you've got in your box. I figure when you get too bored waiting for your game to load, you've got too much stuff in your game! My problems, which I was starting to ascribe to "too much stuff," turned out to be video driver issues, caused by too many high poly objects on the lot, such as the Energizer, autumn trees and leaves, or the ladybug house. Any lot with any of those quickly developed rendering problems, and who plays without an Energizer?

09-23-2007, 03:38 PM	#20
Zirconia Wolf Reticulated MoonBat Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: My trusty computer in Issaquah WA, USA. Posts: 848	Hmmm. I can't imagine that 8833 files (my current count) is over the limit, but I have just run into a case of several Maxis re-colors not showing up in my game & am trying to figure out why. I even re-installed some of the offenders yesterday & still no dice. I do NOT want to do- yet another- roll back/install! __________________ Long Live All Wild Canines! Leader Of The Moon-Bat Revolution!