Invaders of the Cleaned Lot Files

[gynarchy]

I've been going through the lots I've accumulated, trying to decide which ones to keep and which ones to pitch, and on several occasions when I install one and take a peek in build mode, there is a new NPC that came along with it. There have been bartenders, register clerks, and employees (? I didn't know wtf they were, they were with the makeover chairs). At first I thought maybe the game was using the NPCs I've created but they have different names/appearances and when I check the Characters folder, there are additional files added. I check each file with Clean Installer beforehand and remove everything except the lot itself. I use SaraMK's empty neighborhood templates, generate my own NPCs, and use the norespawns/noredundancy mods. I've started removing any object that might spawn an NPC - cash registers, bars, DJ booths, etc. - before I save the lot and then putting them all back afterwards. Is there any other way to prevent these invaders from tagging along?

On a slightly related note, I remodeled a Uni Secret Society lot and I'd like to use it in other neighborhoods but I'm not sure how to go about doing so or if it's even possible. I copied the file out of the neighborhood Lots directory but when I looked at it in SimPE I saw a bunch of relationship info  in addition to the regular lot type stuff so I didn't use the file in another hood lest I fuxxor something up. Am I better off rebuilding it as a residential or commercial type lot and then changing the zoning when I start a new neighborhood?

[Jfederated]

I had this happen but a while ago.  It was a lot I'd packaged myself and wanted for other hoods.  I had packaged it when it was owned by a playable, and it was also a pay to play venue with the Bandatron.

I installed it and placed it in another hood (that no longer exists) and saw the NPC there (a DJ).  She was not a former employee, she was a whole new NPC.  I deleted her w/moveobjects on I think...I'm pretty sure I did just to make her go away (panicked), also removed the Bandatron ticket thing, made some other improvements and then packaged the lot again.  When I installed that lot, the NPC was gone and no others were present (there was a bar also).  I never thought to check it w/CleanInstaller and SimPe is a scary place for me.

I've used it since and had no issues with it at all.  That I know of, ha.  But perhaps the NPC thing is to do with the business being owned first as opposed to just built and packaged as a business?

[gynarchy]

But perhaps the NPC thing is to do with the business being owned first as opposed to just built and packaged as a business?

Interesting... that sounds like what's going on. Some of the lots creating the tag-along NPCs were downloaded from various places so I have no way of knowing if they were owned or not but I'm willing to bet that they were. I did save Club Dante myself, possibly while it was still owned or right after DACing that neighborhood (it was a long time ago and I didn't know any better) and it generates a bartender. I guess I'll keep sticking with removing anything that could possibly spawn an NPC before I package a lot. Cheers Jfred!

[Nec]

DJs and bartenders are specifically assigned to their objects. This is why you will often see them in build mode after you have installed a previously played lot. The best thing to do is replace the DJ Booths and bars BEFORE packaging, since the character data is attached to them. I found this out the hard way when packaging a lot so I could have it in another hood. Turned out, the character file number was the same as a deceaced sim, so every time I loaded the lot, it would say "so and so has died on another lot." Took me a couple of days to figure it out since I was baffled by the constant death on entry, then I compared character file numbers from the name of the dead sim with the character file number in the hood I packaged the lot in. Sure enough, it was the DJ 

[Jfederated]

Cheers back!  I hadn't thought about this in forever til you brought it up, as it didn't give me any chronic agita.  But at the time it bugged me.

And cheers to Nec - that's great to know.  You should let EAxis in on it - one of the lots that came with OFB (the coffee shop?) has a pre-manned bar in build/buy.   

[Havelock]

On a slightly related note, I remodeled a Uni Secret Society lot and I'd like to use it in other neighborhoods but I'm not sure how to go about doing so or if it's even possible. I copied the file out of the neighborhood Lots directory but when I looked at it in SimPE I saw a bunch of relationship info  in addition to the regular lot type stuff so I didn't use the file in another hood lest I fuxxor something up. Am I better off rebuilding it as a residential or commercial type lot and then changing the zoning when I start a new neighborhood?

You could use the Society Lot in other Hoods. But remove the unknown relations from the Lot file.

[BastDawn]

I get that in my community lots sometimes if I have a bar on the lot.  If I build the lot from scratch or tweak a Maxis community lot and save it to the bin, it will often come with a bartender even though it has never been played before.  Just leave the lot and load it again from the neighborhood, and the NPC should be gone.  You'll have to do that anyhow if you want to sell the bar, unless you use moveObjects on -- the bar is "in use" if a bartender is present.