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Problem loading save game from custom world
halitabug
Posts: 35 New Member
I have a few downloaded worlds that other people made using CAW that I have found on the exchange and a few custom content websites. The worlds work fine, I'm able to build houses, make families, play the game exactly the same, and it also allows me to save. The problem is that none of the saved games are playable from the main menu. The save is greyed out and it tells me the game can't be loaded because it might have been created with an expansion pack that is no longer installed. I have World Adventures and High End Loft Stuff, but I haven't deleted or modified any of the folders involved with expansions or save games aside from my custom content. It has done this with two different worlds, yet I'm able to play games saved in Riverview and Sunset Valley. I'm sorry for the long post I'm just trying to give as much information as I can. I know that my computer is more than able to handle the game as I checked everything before even buying the game. BTW I'm using a Mac if that makes any difference and I have updated to the latest patch. It did this to me before I installed HELS.
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Personally, I think this is easiest of all methods as you can then save your game normally and don't have to mess with removing other world files. In the end, all that will be required is overwriting ONE file before each play session.
**Before doing this, make a full copy of your old unusable saved game and put it aside somewhere. While I never had any problems using this method, it is always a smart move to back up your files.
PREFERRED method:
1. Start a "new game" of your world.
2. Create one sim (you won't be keeping him so don't spend too much time)
3. Use "motherlode" cheat and immediately send him on vacation (anywhere)
4. The minute the vacation area loads. Save and then exit the game.
5. Go into your "saves" folder (in My Documents) and open the save folder you just created. Make a copy of the file called Meta.data. Save it to your desktop as you will need it each time you want to play your world.
6. Locate your previously unusable world's saved game. Open the folder and overwrite the old Meta.data file with the new one that you copied.
7. Load the game and have fun playing!
NOTES: (Two things)
1. When your game is loading, you are going to see the name of that dummy sim you created, don't worry about it, once the hood fully loads, it will be as if he never existed. Only your recovered saved game data will be there as normal - just like you want it to be.
2. Each new time you save, it will still appear grayed out in your "Main Menu" - but no worries, next time you are ready to play, just overwrite that same Meta.data file and you will be good to go.
I tested this with about 20 various "grayed out" saved games and it worked each and every time flawlessly. Your old save games will still contain everything they had before - your sims do not lose relationships, skills, jobs, lifetime happiness, inventory, etc - everything will be exactly how you left it.
I also tested with adding additional skills and other changes then saving and using the Meta.data replacement on the new saves - everything was retained by the game without issue.
If you don't have a previously unusable saved game, you can start a new game, knowing that you will be able to play them by simply replacing the Meta.data file before each play session.
NOTE: You CAN simply use another world's Meta.data file and it does work. However, I feel less comfortable merging two different world's data so that's why I recommend going the vacation save route to generate a new Meta.data file specific to your world and using that one.
For info, It seems that the minimum number of files created during a save game are:
Neighborhood file (this records the current state of the map, including who lives there - do NOT replace this or you will lose your families!)
Traveldb file (this seems to record your overall hood progress in the vacation areas - not necessary to replace)
random letters file - I believe THIS is the file that maintains your actual sim data for each save - never overwrite this file.
Meta.data file (this seems to be the general game info, exp packs, patches applied, etc)
My PC Crashed last night and then cleaned itself this morning and dumped some META DATA files...I'd spent all day yesterday building a beautiful house and thought I'd lost it...
This tip saved my sanity