Apartment Life Borkiness, or how i ended the world in 1 hour.

[iHateyou]

How can I confirm anything when I don't know anything? Anyway I took the hack out and still have problems.

[Alex]

Is there some way to get the tombstones back once they are moved?  I haven't been able to find mine yet (they weren't where it said they were), but I'm wondering how I can get them back to a playable lot once I do find them.  I don't have NL, so I can't use the "move tombstone" feature, and inventories aren't accessible at community lots...

You can interact with the tombstone by clicking it and selecting "Add to inventory" or something to that effect. Likewise, you can click the ground and select "Place %'s grave here".

I thought moving tombstones was a feature carried foward?

[socurious]

Anyone else experiencing these borkiness(es?)...

1 - Carpool coming for playable sim neighbor (while playing another apt) but not returning them to the lot. Even when existing and reloading. When I play the "lost" neighbor lot they are there. How can I get this "lost" sim back when playing neighbors lot?

2 - If/when apartment door becomes stuck and you buy a new one, the apartment will become vacant and the sims living there will begin to reset and portraits will change repeatedly.

3 - Can't move occupied apartment lots from neighborhood view

Yup...

1.   I had a siituation where the playable sim wouldn't be returned home.  Then after using the "batbox", the sim would be returned but without being paid.  Then the following morning, the stupid carpool wouldn't show up to take her to work.  So, I clicked on the sim to get her to walk to work; she returned home (again without pay), and I get a message that she missed work. 

2.  Get the stuck doors, but didn't buy new ones.

3.  Haven't experienced this yet.

[trlaavh]

Help me! Teh Closets iz teh stoopid!

Everytime I try to place a closet, a stupid error pops up saying 'reference to tree parameter where no parameter is set'. I doesn't matter if I press cancel reset or delete (Although they all usually do the same exact thing anyways) !!! What do I do? I am very non awesome, and need help, pretty please?

I am going through my downloads folder as we speak, trying to see if its a conflict. Other than that, any suggestions? I'm Sim PE illiterate, so if I need to do something there, I need a manual for idiots.

I have all the EPs, and most of JMP's hacks, along with some non-awesome stuff.

[jsalemi]

1) take out non-awesome stuff
2) make sure all awesome stuff is updated for AL
3) try game and see if problem remains.
4) if yes, remove everything
5) if no, start putting back other stuff 1/2 at a time, play game, see if problem exists -- repeat as needed, until you track down the problem child.

[trlaavh]

Nevermind... I'm just retarded. I have a hack that unlocks some buy/build mode objects for various types of lots, and what i thought was a closet door was really a apartment door. Stupid me, there ARE NO closet doors. >_< Anyways, I now just know not to use that on a residential lot. Whoops.

[jwaas]

Well, I seem to have figured out how to fix one problem, and have noticed two others that I don't think have been mentioned yet.

Others have mentioned Sims with stuck skill-bar blue-thermometer things, that then won't disappear after cancelling out the skill-building action, following the Sim around everywhere.  Simply deleting the blue thermometer by use of moveobjects fixes that problem.  I can then have the Sim restart the skill-building activity, and it works fine.  The problem seems to have something to do with entering a lot after having changed some hacks around, kind of a lesser version of the problem where Sims that were at work or school when you last saved, show up at the mailbox upon reloading the lot.

And the new problems:

1.  This has happened several times.  An NPC who comes home from work with my Sim, will (as they often do) spend the night in the hot tub or at the chess board or whatever.  A dialog box comes up the next morning where the NPC angrily says, "You invited me to spend the night, and didn't even let me get any sleep!  I'm leaving!"  This in spite of the fact that (a) I thought being invited to spend the night, and then the other party not letting you get any sleep, was considered by many people to be a good thing? (b) My Sim did not, in fact, ask the NPC to spend the night; and (c) There is always a perfectly serviceable sofa, or even the other half of a double bed, in any of my Sims' houses, where the NPC could have slept if he/she really wanted to.

2.  This I only noticed once.  I had one of the Cordial sisters, after she became a witch, get some form of the plague.  So since she had learned it, I tried having her cast the spell on herself that makes a sick Sim healthy (I forget its name).  Two dialog boxes popped up:  "I'm cured!" followed immediately by, "Kimberly has the flu!  She must blah blah blah" etc.  The spell looked like it worked, but maybe it actually failed?

On an unrelated note, now that we have an EP with evil green witches and annoying toy dogs, I suppose it's only a matter of time (if indeed it hasn't happened already) that someone posts a screenshot with the caption, "I'll get you, my pretty!  And your little dog, too!" 

[fanseelamb]

AL Medicine Cabinet + OFB Stage = FAIL   

[fanseelamb]

*giggle* Why'd you place the cabinet so low? 

You can't shift the medicine cabinets up or down.   That's what happens when you try to use them in a bathroom built on an OFB stage.

[Knukleur]

This is a very annoying issue.

Inconsistent borkness is borky!  My problem stairs-with-stages lots were all self-made.  Maybe there is a downloaded angle, though.  I usually do a few saves during the design & build phase of my projects, while the lot would still be residential.  My testing lots all had an extra step (no pun intended) where I moved the lot to the bin while it was still residential, as a backup, then placing a copy from the bin and going to the lot to rezone it as apartment.  Sort of a download within a sandbox?  I didn't package the lots, though.  I'll try building some more test stage apartments without the extra saves, and without the shift in & out of the bin, and see if that makes a difference.  I hope to get this done this weekend, but sometimes my free time gets diverted to playing rather than testing this game, and then there's these people and cats that keep insisting I do things like feed them and take a shower every day.

EDIT: Avoiding an in-progress save while the lot is residential doesn't prevent me from having stage/stairway issues.  I've found a pattern that I seem to be able to duplicate with successful L-shaped staircases.  I feel like I've been playing with one of those sliding tile puzzles most of the afternoon.  These patterns were observed in 2 and 3-storey apartments built on ground level (no foundation) with the apartment door leading directly outside and parallel to the street.  I assign the direction North to the back of the lot for this puzzle, and ascend one section of stairs to a stage before turning 90 degrees and finishing the ascent to the next storey.  So for instance, N,W, means the shorter run up to the stage is ascended with the Sim facing the back of the lot, and then turning left to finish the climb to the next floor.

Works:  N, W.  E, N.  S, W.  W, N.
Breaks:  W,S.  S, E.  N,E.  E, S.

I got the same results in the "works" pattern on single and double width runs of stairs, using 1 tile of stage for the single run and 4 tiles for the double run.  My butt got sore before I could try whether there might be a difference if the apartment door is perpendicular to the street, so I'm taking a break but posting what I believe is true.  As Anne B. Elk might say after explaining her theory of the brontosaurus, "AHHHHH-HEMMM!!"  I'll get around to testing U-shaped landing runs when I feel like it!

My test buildings all had a range, a refrigerator, and an end table on each floor.  When my test Sim arrived at the lot, units that had broken stair runs from the first floor would still show the end tables (in addition to the appliances) on the upper 2 floors, and it would disappear from the "rented" floor.  One test unit that had good stairs to the second level broke going to the third, and it showed a table only on that floor.   If the test Sim rented a broken unit, he could still reach the upper levels and fix himself toaster pastries without being charged for the food, but I couldn't add any furnishings or place anything on the end table.  When neighbors moved in to the remaining vacant units, if their unit had broken stairways then only the lower floor or floors would darken.  Rent in one test lot was $377 if just the first floor was recognized as an apartment, $754 for the lonely unit with 2 floors recognized, and $1,131 for the all-working units.

[Crash]

Interesting finds knukleur. Still, it doesn't explain why an apartment lot can work perfectly in the creators game, then magically bork when downloaded.

Could the placement of the lot have something to do with it? I don't claim knowledge in this area, but could the surrounding area when placing the lot effect the outcome? - As cardinal points seems to have something to do with it...

[jwaas]

I ended up deleting the sleeping sim in front of the stairs, yet my sims still can't use the spiral stairs.  They stomp with pics of stairs in their thought bubble.  This is the DeBateau maxis family in a fancy apt building.

Are there any reports of the spiral stairs being borked? or did I break the game by deleting the sim?  She lives in a neighboring apt.

The same thing just happened in one of my Sims' apartments, except the passed-out Sim was the landlord, and she passed out next to the side of the double bed that my Sim was using.  He then couldn't get out of bed the next morning, until I moved the bed (with him in it) using moveobjects.  Then I deleted the landlord -- big mistake.  That part of the floor next to that side of the bed had something invisible there that I couldn't remove no matter what, not even with the sledgehammer.

In the end, I moved my Sim out.  Word to the wise:  if you befriend the landlord, and he/she asks, "Now that I'm done with work, would you like to hang out?" say NO.  Somehow it made her go into literally three different needs failures, sitting in my Sim's apartment and crying until she passed out in the worst place possible....

[fway]

This will probably bug only me, but the poor kids get the "Walk to School" option when it's a snow day. I'd hate to be that kid to tell you the truth, walking to school only to find it closed. Lulz.

I will have a follow up and tell you all what happened after I sent him to school. He currently needs to get his grades up anyhow, with a C+ he probably won't like having that for long.

That part of the floor next to that side of the bed had something invisible there that I couldn't remove no matter what, not even with the sledgehammer.

In the end, I moved my Sim out.  Word to the wise:  if you befriend the landlord, and he/she asks, "Now that I'm done with work, would you like to hang out?" say NO.  Somehow it made her go into literally three different needs failures, sitting in my Sim's apartment and crying until she passed out in the worst place possible....

You could have tried using the BatBox to see if there was something down there.

[spaceface]

That would be the Stuck Object Remover. It burninates invisible stuck objects and destinations.

[GayJohnScarritt]

Interesting finds knukleur. Still, it doesn't explain why an apartment lot can work perfectly in the creators game, then magically bork when downloaded.

Could the placement of the lot have something to do with it? I don't claim knowledge in this area, but could the surrounding area when placing the lot effect the outcome? - As cardinal points seems to have something to do with it...

   During the L&P phase, i remember a tidbit of information that was mentioned. 
Quote: "Different living experiences based on the surrounding communities impacted by rent and noise"   http://www.simprograms.com/?p=429
   Yet this wasn't mentioned in either of the chats nor since release.  It makes me wonder if they left code-remnants (GASP!) in the game relating to what type/quality of lots surround the apt lot?
   Questions arising that need answers: (My gaming comp is on the fritz, so unable to play me sims right now).
   Would leaving the custom lot as residential until after placement and then making it an apt building alleviate the dreaded borkness?
   Do surrounding lots actually have an effect on the rent prices?
   Could this be the reason why occupied apt lots can not be moved?
   Would changing surrounding lots after setting up occupied apt lots, bork those apt lots?

[jwaas]

You could have tried using the BatBox to see if there was something down there.

Actually I tried that too, selecting everything on the Batmanbox of Awesomeness that looked relevant.  However, I do not have the Stuck Object Remover -- I'll definitely go find and download that now.

I also just thought of something else, based on some comments of those more awesome than I am, to the effect that NPCs' needs decay differently depending on whether or not they interact with playable Sims.  In fact, it might be worse than that -- it seems as if sometimes NPCs become unable to take care of their decaying needs, even if there are perfectly serviceable beds, terlets, etc. available.  I suspect that the passed-out landlord on the one hand, and the "you-didn't-let-me-get-any-sleep" problem I mentioned earlier on the other hand, are symptoms of the same thing.

Before AL, my thought always was, "If Joe Carr wants to play chess all night long, that's his problem.  It's time to put my household to bed."  But from now on I'm going to change my gameplay with guests, such that I always choose Say Goodbye or Ask To Leave before putting my Sims to bed -- especially now that they try to put themselves to bed, as we've all noticed.

This will probably be trickier in apartments, since it seems less clear which NPCs are flagged as "your Sims' guest."  It seems it can even be apartment neighbors whom you didn't specifically invite, but they chatted in the hottub with your Sim, so now they're "guests."  Either way, I'm clicking on NPCs before putting my last household Sim to bed, whether they're in the residence or not, until I'm able to choose either Say Goodbye To/Everyone or Ask To Leave/Everyone.  Same thing with NPCs that come home from work or school.

If I forget, and a Sim winds up passed out and stinky in an awkward place like next to the bed or at the bottom of the stairs, I guess the thing to do is NOT delete that Sim under any circumstances.  Instead I'll use moveobjects to move my Sim to a better location, and have him/her wake up the passed-out Sim, and then Say Goodbye or Ask To Leave.

And we'll see whether that helps.  Not that I'm not still snagging that Stuck Object Remover. 

[Lerf]

I just moved an empty Apartment Building I'd made -- furnished but with no Sims living in it -- from the house bin to another neighborhood.  All the furniture in all the apartments, except for the bathroom and kitchen stuff, is invisible in live mode.  If I use the boolprop and have them rent the apartment furniture there is still furniture in there, but it's invisible.  I can't delete it even with move_objects.  Stuck object Remover works though.

If I have them rent it unfurnished everything's OK, the furniture isn't there.

Anyone else notice this with apartments, classified as apartments not residential, from the lots and houses bin?

[burnished_dragon]

DD is playing my (her) game, the hacks are Maty's the AL fix (lastest) and the two recommend with the AL fixes. Working with migraine here not thinking clearly enough for names. Anyway has anyone found that the food in inventory goes bad right away when taken out of inventory? This includes food bought at business.  She was having trouble with making single servings of cheese cake and other desserts to restock the store.
She also has a Sim who is a Rock god but cannot get her career reward.
There might answers here already, but my head can't deal with all the reading

[Liz]

She also has a Sim who is a Rock god but cannot get her career reward.

Can't speak to the cause of the problem, but unlockcareerrewards should enable all the rewards for her to yoink the guitar.

[burnished_dragon]

She also has a Sim who is a Rock god but cannot get her career reward.

Can't speak to the cause of the problem, but unlockcareerrewards should enable all the rewards for her to yoink the guitar.

Yes did sort of think of that, just didn't get the chance to try it, llike I said thinking and migraines do not mix, but that still doesn't explain the problem.

[burnished_dragon]

Anyway has anyone found that the food in inventory goes bad right away when taken out of inventory? This includes food bought at business.  She was having trouble with making single servings of cheese cake and other desserts to restock the store.
There might answers here already, but my head can't deal with all the reading

Another thing with the food the pie menu give the option to eat; clean up or resume cooking (the items are already cooked) no ability to call to meal. As for the not being able to make single servings, I actually have not test out all the stoves or ovens, but since she was playing Bluewater Village and the bakery there, I believe she had the right stove /oven.

[Chain_Reaction]

I have a major bork now. I invited a roommate to stay with my sim and she showed up in seconds and I mentioned she was a drunk and wouldn't stay off the bar. Back story aside, I went back to play that apartment yesterday and the roommate is gone from the UI but still in the apartment and appears to be working normally. I guess I can fix this by throwing her out and asking for a new one. Anyone else have this problem?

[rufio]

Anyway has anyone found that the food in inventory goes bad right away when taken out of inventory? This includes food bought at business.  She was having trouble with making single servings of cheese cake and other desserts to restock the store.
There might answers here already, but my head can't deal with all the reading

Another thing with the food the pie menu give the option to eat; clean up or resume cooking (the items are already cooked) no ability to call to meal. As for the not being able to make single servings, I actually have not test out all the stoves or ovens, but since she was playing Bluewater Village and the bakery there, I believe she had the right stove /oven.

Yeah, the stuff that J'Adore comes stocked with is broken and it has to be cleared out and restocked.  I don't think it's possible to make single servings of desserts in the game, but I have heard that there is hack that will let you do that.

[burnished_dragon]

Yeah, the stuff that J'Adore comes stocked with is broken and it has to be cleared out and restocked.  I don't think it's possible to make single servings of desserts in the game, but I have heard that there is hack that will let you do that.

I think now I could be wrong as that might be the only bakery she is using it was happening at all food type business.  I may get a chance to try my grill cheese store and see if I have the same problem.

[userunknown]

I have one if not already mentioned...

I created a pond on a residential lot,decided to flatten lot in build mode...here's the kicker
My family keeps wanting to fish!I even tried adding new grass.They keep walking around the area where the pond was & have in their cue fish using....