My game won't start

roseinblack69

My game worked perfect till yesterday's update. Firstly I've noticed that my sims became like hypnotized: kids couldn't finish their homework, adults stood or sat moveless... Then I quited a game and I got a notice that it needs to be updated. But when Origin started update The Sims 4 it failed even few times. I thought it's something wrong because I use mods. I removed mods and deleted The Sims 4 folder, then uninstalled game wanting to start everything anew, I thought it will help me. But when I tried reinstall a game everything failed again and I got a notice that it's some technical issues with server, after I got a notice that it's some error... I decided to wait for few hours and finally downloading and installation started work. After it I started the sims 4 and set up options, quited it, added my mods back to mod folder and wanted to start my game, but it didn't work. Today I reinstalled it again and it still won't start, but The Sims 3 and The Sims 2 start and work perfect. I'm totally confused :( Does someone have the same troubles like me? If it's not some bug can someone advice me how to fix this problem? Thank you.

egwarhammer

Here's what I just finished doing:

MOVE C:\Users\yournamehere\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4 to your desktop for safety.
Uninstall Sims4.
Uninstall Origin.
(I optimized my hard drive here, but I've had LOTS of issues lately... you may not need to go that far)
Reboot

Redownload and reinstall Origin.
Check all your settings, starting fresh changes a lot of things back to default, and removes --no_tutorial from the Properties line, if you had that set.
I also had to turn off automatic updates, cloud storage... anything I can't SEE happening, I've tried to disable. Origin in game, too.
I rebooted here, too, just to set Origin up as well as I could, before I downloaded Sims4.

Download and install Sims4. Update it for yesterday's patch.
Download and install GP (camping.) Update it (but nothing should happen.)

(I did not reinstall the holiday pack or GTW, just Sims4 and camping.)
And I've even, this time, gone into my GAME's last options screen and turned off online access. I'm going to see if playing offline helps at all.

To start my game, I've been scrolling down to the last thing installed and using that Play button, then closing the Origin window in the 2-3 seconds it takes the game to get started. That does seem to help cut down on the "game data incomplete" error... I haven't seen it since I've been using newer Play buttons.

Doing things this way, I got in this morning, first try... I'm in a new game (barely) and was fiddling with graphics settings (default said medium is good, I prefer several things lower than that)... decided to drop in here and see what's new.

(I do expect to have to repair it all at some point today.)

Hope this helps... good luck! (Wish me luck too, I'm in restart-land right along with ya, this morning!)

roseinblack69

> @egwarhammer said:
> Here's what I just finished doing:
>
> MOVE C:\Users\yournamehere\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 4 to your desktop for safety.
> Uninstall Sims4.
> Uninstall Origin.
> (I optimized my hard drive here, but I've had LOTS of issues lately... you may not need to go that far)
> Reboot
>
> Redownload and reinstall Origin.
> Check all your settings, starting fresh changes a lot of things back to default, and removes --no_tutorial from the Properties line, if you had that set.
> I also had to turn off automatic updates, cloud storage... anything I can't SEE happening, I've tried to disable. Origin in game, too.
> I rebooted here, too, just to set Origin up as well as I could, before I downloaded Sims4.
>
> Download and install Sims4. Update it for yesterday's patch.
> Download and install GP (camping.) Update it (but nothing should happen.)
>
> (I did not reinstall the holiday pack or GTW, just Sims4 and camping.)
> And I've even, this time, gone into my GAME's last options screen and turned off online access. I'm going to see if playing offline helps at all.
>
> To start my game, I've been scrolling down to the last thing installed and using that Play button, then closing the Origin window in the 2-3 seconds it takes the game to get started. That does seem to help cut down on the "game data incomplete" error... I haven't seen it since I've been using newer Play buttons.
>
> Doing things this way, I got in this morning, first try... I'm in a new game (barely) and was fiddling with graphics settings (default said medium is good, I prefer several things lower than that)... decided to drop in here and see what's new.
>
> (I do expect to have to repair it all at some point today.)
>
> Hope this helps... good luck! (Wish me luck too, I'm in restart-land right along with ya, this morning!)

I just realised that my game doesn't want to start for mods I had. I moved the sims 4 folder to desktop like you said and tried to start a game and it worked. When I moved back mods to new the sims 4 folder it didn't want to start again. I guess I need to wait for new mod updates, now I'll play without mods like in the beginning when I bought the sims 4. Thanks for your help and advice, egwarhammer :) If not you I still wouldn't know what to do and how to start my game. I was very upset when I had to delete all my sims story what was very interesting, but I'll create new one again ;) And if you have mods try to start your game without mods and with new the sims 4 folder, maybe it will help you like it helped me.

Writin_Reg

MOdS have to be updated to every patch. Remove the mod folder - go to Origin and do a game repair - then try the game - but do not put the mods back in until you check at the sites they came for for an updated version or the creator telling you they are okay - Mods though are patch level made -

phoebebebe13

here is a list http://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/822737/updated-with-updated-mods-mods-that-arent-working-mar-26-patch/p1

I dont know if there is a list for the new patch or above extends to the new patch since I dont use mods ask @luthienrising

luthienrising

There's no info for the new patch because Mod the Sims' server's been down since last night
Nothing new has been reported here, though.

roseinblack69

> @Writin_Reg said:
> MOdS have to be updated to every patch. Remove the mod folder - go to Origin and do a game repair - then try the game - but do not put the mods back in until you check at the sites they came for for an updated version or the creator telling you they are okay - Mods though are patch level made -

Everything works perfect without mods.

roseinblack69

> @luthienrising said:
> There's no info for the new patch because Mod the Sims' server's been down since last night
> Nothing new has been reported here, though.

I also checked Mod The Sims at this morning, website is still down.

egwarhammer

So far, so good in my new vanilla game. Fullscreen is working okay. And at some point, they fixed the old laptop mode purple lenses bug... I enabled it just to check for that, and Cassandra and Alexander Goth's glasses are fine. Settings are mixed between low and medium, view distance is the only High. I'm leaving laptop mode enabled for now.

Townie spawning is balanced, and not too over the top numbers wise, so far... a few more elders than I'd like, but one elder female came with a grown son, which is fairly new. I've seen it before, but not too often. (Game is offline, BTW.) Couple of 4-person families, I've looked at all my 20ish townies so far, and they all have all their traits.

Of course, it's just past noon on first Sunday, Goth house, I haven't done anything or been anywhere, except chatting with passersby on their sidewalk. Scored enough points to get Mortimer, Bella and Cassandra all Observant, a big relief. CheapAspirations mod spoiled me. But I AM having some fun playing unmodded, in between bug hunts and forum checks. It's a work in progress. My brave (crazy) new world.

It's something with the lots that spawns broken sims, seems like... maybe with travel... I still haven't nailed down the cause.

The library spawned TWO YA librarians (minutes apart) with a missing trait each in my last game... one more thing that led to THIS reinstall, never mind the teen with a missing trait I found in Desert Bloom park. I'm still trying to find what causes it. Or at least, hopefully find somebody who knows what I'm talking about/looking for that isn't working exactly right for me... and a few others... fun.

roseinblack69

> @egwarhammer said:
> So far, so good in my new vanilla game. Fullscreen is working okay. And at some point, they fixed the old laptop mode purple lenses bug... I enabled it just to check for that, and Cassandra and Alexander Goth's glasses are fine. Settings are mixed between low and medium, view distance is the only High. I'm leaving laptop mode enabled for now.
>
> Townie spawning is balanced, and not too over the top numbers wise, so far... a few more elders than I'd like, but one elder female came with a grown son, which is fairly new. I've seen it before, but not too often. (Game is offline, BTW.) Couple of 4-person families, I've looked at all my 20ish townies so far, and they all have all their traits.
>
> Of course, it's just past noon on first Sunday, Goth house, I haven't done anything or been anywhere, except chatting with passersby on their sidewalk. Scored enough points to get Mortimer, Bella and Cassandra all Observant, a big relief. CheapAspirations mod spoiled me. But I AM having some fun playing unmodded, in between bug hunts and forum checks. It's a work in progress. My brave (crazy) new world.
>
> It's something with the lots that spawns broken sims, seems like... maybe with travel... I still haven't nailed down the cause.
>
> The library spawned TWO YA librarians (minutes apart) with a missing trait each in my last game... one more thing that led to THIS reinstall, never mind the teen with a missing trait I found in Desert Bloom park. I'm still trying to find what causes it. Or at least, hopefully find somebody who knows what I'm talking about/looking for that isn't working exactly right for me... and a few others... fun.

It's great :) I also hope that my couple will can have baby and guy will not get pregnant like it has happened to me before LOL I hope they'll can marry happily, because my sims couldn't do that in my previous game. I also hope that some alien will fall in love with my scientist and he'll have cute purple blue green or white like a snow baby alien :) I'm playing without mods and I'm enjoying my game like never before. I hope that new townies will move in Oasis Springs too. I wish us both great and happy simming without bugs :)
And thanks everyone who tried to help me :)

Writin_Reg

Actually if they are Maxis Sims - the ones that come with the game - they do that intentionally - and in fact have been doing that since Sims 2 with NPCs in particular - it's one of the reason I always make my own Sims to actually play with in Sims 2 and 3 - but at least in this game if you are playing them - if worse comes to worse - you can always put them back in CAS and fix their traits. But the Guru's say they give certain sims they want to behave in a certain way or those that do certain jobs just to have traits and skills to do with their job. But it is like that in everyones game. It is only an issue if everyones same sim isn't that way.

It was one of the reasons in previous Sims game marrying a maid, or papparazzi, or a fireman or any sim that was not one of your neighbors was not really a good idea because earlier sims games did not let you just put that sim back into CAS to fix it - earlier sims games when we put a sim back into CAS they were just a clone - because NPCs and service sims were actually programmed into the game and not sims that were made and just added to the game - so they were in the programming itself. Sims 4 at least that is no longer an issue - as any sims can be fixed in CAS and for the first series ever - be deleted with out corrupting the game itself. But playing any Maxis made or game produced NPC is often traits will be missing so that the sims just act a certain way or have a certain job or also have certain skills. It is not a problem in the game - though and is not a bug - it is intentional by Maxis. Unfortunately for us though because they are not programmed in like previous games - we get NPCs that just stand around and not do their jobs - like the Maids, the catera's, etc - so it's a good thing we don't have burglars, firemen, and all the service sims we had in previous game with them being done like this. (So it is both a bit good and a bit bad at the same time - I guess. LOL)

But if any of your own sims come up with that issue and you know you gave them all their traits - then it might be a bug.

egwarhammer

Thank YOU!!!

Finally, an explanation I can actually understand. "Working as intended," then, and if they look funny, so be it?

I've asked related questions for months and not once has anyone ever given me anything nearly this useful. Careful, @Writin_Reg ... you might turn me into a fangirl!

I still don't like that also happening to my teens, though. But at least I can twin 'em off, fix the clone, and mom'll never know the difference, except she gets a more-complete kid/clone from the swap.

(There's something "body-snatcher"-y about all that, isn't there? haha!)

Hmm... next time I get a teen like that, maybe I'll just add a sibling and keep the original and see what the game does with them.

Possibilities... I have plans to have Mortimer and Bella try for a baby, since that's been buggy for some. Poor Bella has been flirty for a while now, but Mortimer got held up helping Alexander do his homework. And then Bella decided to help Cassandra do hers. And I came here, to post something else entirely.

That's how this place is. i love it!

Writin_Reg

No problem - yeah I have learned more about these Sims games than i care to mention over the years - troubleshooting different issues and never turning to mods to override an issue but find a solution ( sometimes there is not a solution, it just took patience to play through the main sims, and get new generations from them - as usually the born in game sims will turn out alright despite their parents issues, ( LOL) - and it used to be very surprising things that were done intentionally in previous games especially that often gave players real headaches because they choose to play all the ingame Sims. Logically you would think those should be the best Sims to play - until you learn that is not always true. But you could usually override any weirdness in at least the original Sims after a generation -


I think in every Sims game Mortimer has been a bit of a wet blanket when it came to getting him to reproduce - but once you do finally achieve it - he seems to have no further issues with having more babies later on. I too have played every rendition of the Goths - and their first always seems to be the hardest to achieve. But it is smooth sailing after the first one - if you really want to go for a big Goth family.

roseinblack69

It's almost my style to play with all sims what exist in game, I still do that in the sims 2 although I created many sims myself and moved them in Pleasantview :) But Writin_Reg is right - it's not always true. Goth family is my favorite since the sims 2 times, but I decided to play my own family at this moment and will see if I'll not get bored like it has happened to me before in my previous games. I mean I couldn't play long with one household and I was always worried about other sims that they will die not having kids and etc. But when I tried to do that in the sims 3 I always had some weird bugs later - sometimes sims didn't need the sleep or have fun, it was funny :) I always think why EA don't think to care more about autonomous interactions between other sims - they could get married, divorce, get pregnant and have children although something is like this in the sims 3 game. I created my own world and moved in there my created sims... Maxis sims also moved in there and many of them got married, had babies without my help.
I like the sims 4 although many people complain. I hope EA will make this game even more better with time.
So do you play without mods Writin_Reg? And you, egwarhammer?

egwarhammer

Oh I *love* mods, I used to play with a bunch in, but since the 3/26 fallout with cc and mods and code changes et al... (and local problems with my laptop), I just decided to see what I could do with a vanilla but patched install. (Up to OR only, still haven't added holiday or gtw back to my game.)

Without Shimrod's population-reducing mods in, I've noticed an upswing in the rate new sims are coming into my bin. Not as alarming as this one (past) game of mine where mods conflicted and made townie-producing blow UP... I mean, I had 100 npcs the first afternoon. Epic.

I *just* installed the no culling mod... just so I don't have to keep such an eagle eye on my bin numbers. So I have one mod in. I've had over 70 before... running "naked" like this is a pretty interesting experience. fillmotives cheats FTW!

I loved Sims2 and thought Pescado (modder) was the greatest thing since sliced bread. My complete set of discs (including mods folders from MTS from back in the day) are all right next to my desk. I have the Origin Sims2 Ultimate Collection downloaded, but I haven't done anything with it yet... when I do, my mods are nearby.

I enjoyed Sims3 but played unmodded and out of touch with anybody (forums, bad net access then), so I probably didn't get the optimal experience. But Dragon Valley and Moonlight Falls were both awesome.

My daughter (13), OTOH, doesn't want to touch Sims4 with a 10 foot pole (probably partly because of all the times she's heard me turn the air blue during/after some crash or other), but she ADORES creating sims in Sims3. I fully expect her to show zero interest in 4 until and unless they add the color wheel back in. I will admit I miss it, too.

I'm on the "unfinished game" bandwagon... we definitely could have used a friendlier UI or shell, the whole game could have been made a LOT more configurable, and it could stand a whole lot LESS user-side maintenance/bugstomping to get and keep it working reliably.

Having said all that, yes, I do enjoy playing Sims4. Still waiting for that "generational" game, I've restarted so many times, and seems like i always end up needing to following a patch or game piece... so I'm going great guns at a "wide" game... "deep," though, notsomuch. Maybe this will be the one I keep.

If I had a nickel for every time I've said that...

roseinblack69

I play the sims 2 and the sims 3 with mods, everything works great and I enjoy both games :) I hope many mods will be updated for the sims 4 and we'll can enjoy it again :) Now I'm happy that my male sim didn't get pregnant like his wife (they both are human), cause my all male sims got pregnant in my previous game :D But I really dream about alien abduction for my charming scientist :) I hope it will happen someday or he will find a love of his life in alien world when he'll travel there. And yes, EA/Maxis should confess they realized "unfinished" game, my sons think the same like me. We all love the sims, especially me :)
I heard about Pescado, but can't remember what mods he created... I'll google it.
Oh, it will be great if EA would add back colour wheel. I also miss it.