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Do you recommend merging CC?

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Are there pro/cons to it? Is separating mods into sub-folders a reasonable alternative to merging? I'm considering doing one or the other with my own but don't know much about it in terms of benefits or potential problems.
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Comments

  • zombiesuezombiesue Posts: 148 Member
    If you merge CC then it will be much more difficult to remember what comes from where. You can always google the filename if someone asks you where you got somthing when they're in separate packages. I keep my mods subdivided in folders and that keeps it organized enough for me.
  • FlanodaaFlanodaa Posts: 56 Member
    It's helpful to an extent. I use it a lot to keep furniture/clothing sets in a single file. I personally use the Sims 4 Tray Importer and Sims 4 Studio if I need to find one specific piece from a merged package. It's not a good idea to merge a large group of packages (ie. merging everything from a specific creator) because then it does become pretty difficult to keep track of things. Merging packages can also make it easier for your games to load since it can help reduce the amount of files in your mods folder. Merging can be really beneficial- as long as you're mindful and careful with it!
  • CupidCupid Posts: 3,623 Member
    it apparently helps reduce load time by a lot. I would do it, if I used a lot of CC, but as I only use 1 gig I don't see the point. The thing is that you'd have to be responsible about maintaining it. Make a back up of the unmerged packages and be prepared to have to remerge things if something breaks, etc.
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  • AKLSimmerAKLSimmer Posts: 78 Member
    I do not recommend merging CC because then you wouldn't be able to take a single one out.

    Once in a while I use Sims 4 Tray Importer to take out some CCs that I don't like anymore. I put all the clothes and hairs that I don't like on a cc-free household, and then find every single one using S4 Tray Importer. If I merged them, then I wouldn't be able to take that one out without clearing my cc folder, which I wouldn't ever do.
  • Silverfox13425Silverfox13425 Posts: 60 Member
    I agree with the above. Recently had to go through ALL my CC and weed out the 3 or 4 that were causing game crashes. If you merge, you won't have that ability and it could literally break the game.
  • CalebFillionCalebFillion Posts: 293 Member
    I put my CC into files. Just don't bury them again as they won't show, so do not sub folder your folder lol
  • NaomiSImblrNaomiSImblr Posts: 158 Member
    I merge everything but core game mods. If you have one folder for new downloads like clothes check them in game then merge it's fine. I have back ups incase but my sims game has no lag what so ever since I merged cc the only thing I don't merge is mods such as mc command centre as they need updating everything else is fine so I merge it !!!
  • aloadaialoadai Posts: 51 Member
    Yes, definitely do merge your packages. I have faster loading times and smoother playing experience. Do not merge game mods or anything that changes the XML files. And if you merge your cc, keep a backup of the individual files in another folder on your computer so that when there is something wonky going on in your game or you just don't want this piece of item, you can delete it from your individual files. Granted, you'll have to merge again, but it doesn't take very long using S4S. Also, don't merge a package to over 1.5 GB, it doesn't seem to work well for the game.
  • PurrdaleckiPurrdalecki Posts: 972 Member
    I've heard it has good results. I've tried merging before, I don't merge right now. If you use sims 4 tray importer to find broken cc I believe it still tells you which file is the culprit, even if it's merged, it will tell you the exact one out of all the packages merged into one is the one that isn't working i.e if I had a hair merged in with some other files and I use the sims 4 tray importer to find this hair bc it's broken, even though it's in a merged file it will still tell me THIS specific hair is the bad hair and not the whole merged file folder, if that makes sense. Or I think so, unless it's changed. But I would suggest you be hella specific with your file names - well I'd suggest that regardless of whether you're merging cc or not,
    but if you're downloading something, be sure to put what website you got it from, which creator, what exactly it is and it's name, and also special characters (characters that aren't letters or numbers) take up more space and can slow your loading times so try to exclude those.

    Like others have said, you'll need to keep a backup of the unmerged package files should any cc turn out to be corrupt or you want to get rid of it, bc once you've merged there's no going back unless you have backups of the files that went into the merged one. I personally am not sure whether it's worth it bc obviously you need back ups but it seems rather tedious to me just to get faster loading times. I don't know if it makes the game run smoother too but it's your decision to make anywho so... And then if you download new cc and then you need to do more merging... I don't know, I don't think it's worth it but you do whatever you want.
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    My sims 4 studio with poses for download and stuff: click
  • Kitkat1515Kitkat1515 Posts: 5 New Member
    > @AKLSimmer said:
    > I do not recommend merging CC because then you wouldn't be able to take a single one out.
    >
    > Once in a while I use Sims 4 Tray Importer to take out some CCs that I don't like anymore. I put all the clothes and hairs that I don't like on a cc-free household, and then find every single one using S4 Tray Importer. If I merged them, then I wouldn't be able to take that one out without clearing my cc folder, which I wouldn't ever do.

    You can now unmerge merged packages with sims4studio.
  • jprich99jprich99 Posts: 39 Member
    What I do is merge similar cc made by the same creator.
    Best example possible.
    Madlen and his shoes.
    I think last time I merged his shoes it was 120 something files.
    I also move the files that were merged to a different drive in a folder so if something goes wonky I can go look at the ones that are merged.
  • Meonly12Meonly12 Posts: 3 New Member
    I do recommend it, just be sure to create folders with each artist name, and when you merge, write the date down on the merged file. That way you know what you have download, lets say I've merge all my Anto on july 28 and on august 3 there's new content, I know I don't have it. I have 39 Gig of CC and it takes only 3 minutes to load my game, and my PC is at least 8 years old.
  • Meonly12Meonly12 Posts: 3 New Member
    Also, all Scripts mods that you need to update should be in a folder with a notice that say *update frequently* like MCC commands, basemental, whickedsims etc
  • Goth583Goth583 Posts: 1,203 Member
    All of my script mods are in their own folders which makes updating quick and easy. I put the date the file was downloaded after the name so that I know the last update of those mods. Its my regular CC that I need to reorganize as I only have them in folders with general names (clothing, shoes, objects, custom build, etc...).
    https://originalsimmer.blogspot.com - Check out my current TS4 Legacy!
  • friendlysimmerfriendlysimmer Posts: 45 Member
    Use sims 4 studio

    i7-3770
    GTX 1060
    16gb DDR3

  • rosemagwinrosemagwin Posts: 25 Member
    Personally I like to check first if everything works in game. I tend to merge everyhting from the same creator or either same categories (Like merging a whole bunch of hair) I tend to not do it with script mods, because of random updates that break one and it will become impossible to find the clashing one.
  • SimCatLadySimCatLady Posts: 1 New Member
    Guys, please, help me. I've just tried to merge some files as an experience but I'm not sure about something. Once I merged the files, the individual items were still there as well as the merged files. Have I done anything wrong? Is that what's supposed to happen???? I'm really confused because I've never done it before! Thanks a lot!
  • CupidCupid Posts: 3,623 Member
    SimCatLady wrote: »
    Guys, please, help me. I've just tried to merge some files as an experience but I'm not sure about something. Once I merged the files, the individual items were still there as well as the merged files. Have I done anything wrong? Is that what's supposed to happen???? I'm really confused because I've never done it before! Thanks a lot!

    It's likely intentional; you should remove the unmerged files and keep them somewhere as backup.
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  • beesley12beesley12 Posts: 4 New Member
    I was experiencing some serious delay in the loading of the game, and lag during gameplay after installing Seasons. I went through and cleaned out any broken or unwanted CC, then organized all my cc into a desktop Mods folder, with subfolders such as tops, bottoms, makeup, accessories, tattoos, etc. I then merged by subfolder into the Sims Mods folder. My game when from 6 minutes of loading time, to 2. the lagging has significantly improved.

    I figured if I organized everything into subfolders, and merged only the CC I placed in that folder, in the event that something breaks, it will be fairly easy to find. Here's hoping that theory proves true :smile:
  • jbt18jbt18 Posts: 41 Member
    Question about merging CC.

    I am about to try merging my cc for the first time using the Sims 4 Studio. I don't want anything to do wrong. So far I have read that merging mods is not recommended. I also have read that some people organize their cc merges (separating hair, clothes, furniture, etc). Is it really necessary for me to merge hair packages only with hair and clothes only with clothes or can I merge hair, clothes, and furniture together with no issues?
  • CupidCupid Posts: 3,623 Member
    jbt18 wrote: »
    Question about merging CC.

    I am about to try merging my cc for the first time using the Sims 4 Studio. I don't want anything to do wrong. So far I have read that merging mods is not recommended. I also have read that some people organize their cc merges (separating hair, clothes, furniture, etc). Is it really necessary for me to merge hair packages only with hair and clothes only with clothes or can I merge hair, clothes, and furniture together with no issues?

    It won't cause any issues if you merge furniture and hair together, as an example.

    But let's say they come out with a patch that breaks furniture and only furniture. Having everything merged together is going to make it much more of a hassle to pick the furniture out and remerge again. Whereas, if I have all my furniture merged into one "Furniture" package, I know exactly where to look for the broken furniture to unmerge, remove, and remerge easily.
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  • witchofsweets96witchofsweets96 Posts: 1 New Member
    What I'm merging at the moment are recolors or meshes together, for now. Since I read there are many ups and downs with merging random things. I just change the name to add the name of both the creator and the person that recolored the cc.
  • toxikittentoxikitten Posts: 26 New Member
    I merge things that are pretty similar, but it' d be hard to find broken cc if all of it is merged. I have some broad folders like CAS, BUILD, etc then I can put whatever in specific folders within the broad folders
  • PotatoHaileyPotatoHailey Posts: 1 New Member
    I recommend merging because it will make your game faster. I would just keep a backup of everything you merged in a different file. It could make it easier to find everything!
  • MaddMartiganLVMaddMartiganLV Posts: 2 New Member
    I'm hopping some one can answer this for me. I'm using Tray Importer to find any broken mods/CC. Under the listing of "Conflicts" I've got several CC that seem to conflict with each other such as Hair with recolors and the original Hair or Outfits from one creator conflicting with another creator. I was wondering if using S4S to merge the files together would fix the conflicts or because they use the same lines of code at one point that they would cancel out one of the packages out leaving only one of the CC usable?
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