More Awesome Than You!

I hope I can ask this here without drawing down the wrath of He Who Must Be Avoided Revered.

I have been having a small problem with sim inventories and wondered if anyone had any insights as to what the *&^% is happening.

When I installed NL, all the mobile phones disappeared except for one which seemed to have become corrupted in the owner sim's inventory.  In that, when I clicked on it, the game crashed.  I sent all my sims out to buy a new phone and then installed the patch which reinstated all the missing phones (naturally) including a copy of the problem phone (non-corrupted).  I just mention this last bit because it annoyed me and because I also assumed the corrupted phone was some sort of copy of the original.

Anyway, despite not being able to find the corrupted phone poking about with SimPE, I decided to carry on and just cope.  But since then, I've had another problem with a (different) sim moving house.  I put a pile of stuff in his inventory, moved him and then found whilst unpacking in the new house that a computer in his inventory had also become corrupted and I couldn't move it out because clicking on it caused the game to crash.  What's particularly bloody annoying is this is probably only about the fourth crash I have ever had since I installed the game, including the crash and the 'let's just try that again crash' from the mobile.  My game seems to be stable for the most part and I can do without this.

Does anyone have any ideas and, particularly, does anyone have any ideas how to solve it?

Thanks

It's not just you having inventory problems...the inventory system is buggy.

I only use it as little as possible now since I've had some problems with it.
You might have to move the sim out selling  his stuff if you can't remove it w/o crashing.

Ah ha!!  Maybe that's why my gravestones magically embedded themselves in the concrete next to the mailbox downtown, after being tenderly placed in ground at the cemetary.

Thrice.  Each time my grieving Sim had placed them iin his inventory.

Finally got fed up and used moveobjectson and built a fence around them.   If that doesn't work and they revert back to the street,  I guess the dogs that show up in the next EP will use them to pee against.

to move a gravestone and have it stay at the cemetary and not reappear on your lot dont place it in inventory. select a sim then click on the tombstone and select Move a window will pop up  asking where you want to move it to select the location you will get a pop up stating that the tombstone will only be moved if you save your game. at that point the departed will pop out of the grave annd wave goodbye to the family and house. save and exit to the neighborhood view click on the location you sent the tombstones to and enter the lot in build mode you will find the tombstones you moved sitting next to the phone. use the build mode hand to place the departed in their permanent resting spot. when your done save and exit the tombstones will stay at the cemetary. NEVER  USE inventory if you want the tombstone to stay at the cemetary

If you go into the Neighbourhood Memory section of SimPE and locate your Sim, you will see memory markers for all the objects in his/her possession.  Just delete the one that's causing the problem, commit and save.  That should hopefully sort the problem out (the item will no longer exist in their inventory).

Thanks for that tip, Bangelnuts.  I guess I should have mentioned that I initially placed the urns in the inventory, since they were in the middle of the living room.  Then moved them to the first cemetary, where they wound up in the sidewalk.  Twice.  Then I built a new cemetary downtown but the same thing happened.

Plan to visit that cemetary tonight and see if they are where I put them using moveobjects.

its the placing them in inventory thats causing them to reappear

See? This is what annoys me about The Sims 2. There are all these options that you never find out about unless you buy those Prima guides. Other games supply detailed manuals (either in the form of bits of paper stapled together to make one of those old-fashioned booklet thingies, or as one of those new-fangled 'computer document' wotchamacallits) - but not The Sims! I really bugs me that if I want detailed information about what all the new features, objects and interactions do, I have to shell out almost as much as the expansion cost to buy a tome that repeats everything from the original guide and then has a tiny section that deals with the new expansion. But my experience with the original game taught me that each new Prima guide is next to useless because the information in them does not tally with the game/expansion itself. Vacation was the worst. It listed completely different uses of items and the treasure hunting features were all wrong because Maxis made changes after giving the information to Prima.

You'd have thought that Maxis could publish detailed manuals for each product on the official site. It's not as if anyone can get onto the site. As soon as you register a product, you should be able to download or access an up to date manual complete with an option for tips and tricks.

I've also had problems with the inventory. I had planned to take urns/gravestones with me as I moved families to bigger lots, but after reading this thread, I won't bother. I'll try the move gravestones function ... which I knew absolutely nothing about until now. So thanks for this information.

From what I can tell, you should NEVER put an object in your inventory where any of the attributes potentially references a motion-based state or an object id. Items referencing NIDs are okay, but items that contain attributes where the numbers represent object IDs on your lot are bad, because moving an object into your inventory and then hauling it off to some other lot causes these attributes to now contain meaningless garbage.

Of course, to the average bear, this explanation sounds like gobbledygook.

Short version: No object which has any association to any other object on your lot should ever be placed in the inventory. Prominent members of this classification include Bed and Tombstones.

At the risk of soundiing stupid because I probably missed something obvious: what object is a bed assosiayed with? A tombstone I get because you've got the ghost, but why the bed?

Also, JM could you possibly have a list typed up of things we should avoid putting in inventory? That would be a big help.

First - thanks to Ancient Sim.  Removing the objects with SimPE from the neighbourhood memories section (I mean, why would they be anywhere else?) seems to have done the trick.  The phone mutated it seems into a memory for a family reunion during the installation of NL.  I suppose that memory type is buggy - I spend a lot of time deleting those anyway - though why it should have got attached to a phone in my sim's inventory, I don't know.  I didn't spot that when I poked about with SimPE the first time because I had the version (48?) where they told us it wasn't working properly with the memories.  Anyway, I finally DL the newest version this week.  What is it with all those invisible memories (are they memories given by other sims)?  Can I delete them?  Well, I've been deleting some of them because they are memories of some obscure sim meeting some other obscure sim that has nothing to do with the sim who has them and who is unlikely ever to meet either obscure sim again.  umm - sorry OT.

Other points:  RMA: regarding beds, sims learn which bed is their own and will learn to sleep there and not elsewhere so there is an association set up in that way.

Thanks to everyone for their replies, especially Ancient Sim and Bangelnuts for the info about gravestones (I did that with a set of Jack Thompson graves and will have to go and retrieve them - as soon as Jack Thompson II (the only survivor - well, when I say survivor, he's a zombie but let's not get distracted) has been released from prison)  and JMP for the general guidance.

a bed ia associated with a sim. never put the family car in inventory when moving your sims to a new lot

glad I was able to help you and your welcome

Thanks guys. I never  knew that a bed would be associated with a Sim. Explains the ghost sims cheering their own bed and getting upset if you sell it. DOH! Is putting the family car in a Sim's inventory OK if I set the owner to "Nobody" first?

On last question: What about reward objects like the Reu-U-Senso orb? It still has 3 uses left but that should be alright, right?

the family car  has an owner when in us so even removing the owner doesnt resolve the problem.the Sim who owned it still associates with it and it causes carpool problems if you take it with the family when you move them.
   aspiration rewards dont appear to be a problem

The renewu orb acts like beds when placed in the inventory, it can no longer be placed in the same way it used to.  Sims can get attatched to toilets too, for example if you delete the bed and buy a new one shortly before a sim dies, they will cheer a different object which is usally the toilet in my game.

One thing I found useful with beds in the inventory is when moving a student to Uni. The bed in the inventory isn't usable, but you can sell it and then buy a new one: in other words, it's a way to allow the student addition funds to start off with without 'cheating.'  (I try not to use cheats other than moveobject after the family is initially setup fresh from CAS--that is the only time I cheat--afterall which adult reaches adulthood without ANY skills or personal property?? I 'fix' that at the git go and then they are on their own :))

AHA!!  I *thought* I'd seen evidence that Sims would prefer one toilet over another, but I've been pooh-pooh'd for it repeatedly.  By people whom we all respect and admire.  Not to mention any names, of course. :D

I put a car into a personal inventory of a Sim I was sending off to college and so far haven't had any problems with it.

Hook

I havent had problems with a"personal" car  just the family car. and yes sims do get attached to toilets. I have a sim in my household with 15 sims  that will traipse up 3 floors to use a specific toilet never mind that there are 3 toilets on the second floor where this sim has his bed.its up to the 3rd floor for that one stupid toilet he goes every time

Heh, trust me, some people get very attached to their toilets, talking about them for prolly 'bout 30 minutes.  Of course, when it can take hippo shite with no problem, I guess it's natural to get attached.  :P

Eh JM?  ;)

I maintain that this is weapons-grade bolognium. Scanning the terlet code reveals no instance of any sim memory or relational status that sims have with their terlets, unlike with beds. Terlets do not have ownership, and if a sim ghost appears to be cheering at a terlet, it's either because the terlet just happened to be in the area when they cheer, or because sim ghosts like to cheer at random objects. I've had them cheer at a lamp before.

Was the car owned by any sim, or was it unassigned?

The car was unassigned. I moved the family car into someone else's inventory, then bought a new one, immediately put it into the departing Sim's inventory, then put the family car back.

Hook

I put the family car (unassigned) into my Uni bound sim's inventory, and I don't have a problem with it either. I thought it only fitting, since I inherited my father's klapperkiste (old jaloppy (sp?) might be the correct english word, but I'm not sure) upon departing for university the first time around.  My friends immediately pounced on it and painted it (hey man, it was the late 70's.. guess what the poor car ended up looking like... ;D)

*snickers* I love your wording. "Sir, could you possibly have a list typed up? I recognise it's far too much trouble for you, but perhaps one of your lackeys could see to it? Thank you very much, Sir, greatly obliged."

ACK!  I wish I knew about this before.  I moved a sim to Uni with his car (assigned to him) AND his bed.  Haven't had any problems with either and he's graduating now.  Should I sell this stuff before I move him back home? Or just leave them on the lot for the next crop of students to move into the frat house?

So the whole point of me using an inventory was to move sim-painted portraits and stuff to a new house, and that's one of the things that gets FUBARed when you do? Where's that bloody MaxoidTom? I have a boot/buttock interface solution for him.   >:(

I hate to disagree with the Awesome One, but it's true.  The toilet that gets chosen as the next default cheering object if the bed is sold before death, is the one that the Legacy (I'm a Wuss and loving it!) sim was given immediately on moving onto the the plot.  It can't be coincidence that on at least 2 occasions I've deleted the bed that they ignore every toilet & object in the house in favour of that one toilet.  Perhaps you could play legacy style for a few generations and see it for yourself, you might end up enjoying it  :o  Seriously though, something has to be in the code somewhere for them to do that.  Even if it's just to assign the next most used object - is that possible?   What the heck is a Terlet?

The moveobjectson seems to have solved the problem of my walkabout tombstones; they are stil in place at Peaceful Dreams Cemetery.  No ill effects at the Powers home which the decedents built and where their offspring live.

It just makes no sense that putting the urns in the inventory for transport to the cemetery should cause problems.  Not everyone wants (or has room for) burial grounds or mausoleums in the backyard, and Maxis failed to include a hearse in the vehicle showroom.

On the other hand, there's lots of things in TS2 that make no sense.

I'm not sure this is the sign that sim has an associated terlet so much as evidence of "The One Terlet". Keep in mind that a thorough search of the terlet code reveals absolutely NO associational factors. Unlike with the bed, sims do not have a relationship to the terlet.

It was mentioned that the terlet in the middle of nowhere was helpfully IN USE. You also mentioned it was in the basement. One thing to note about sim-distance-checking is that it's strictly linear, ignoring the presence of floors or walls. Meaning the terlet directly overhead with the stairs halfway across the house is closer than the terlet 10 spaces away.

There may also be "The One Terlet" effect, sort of like The One Fridge, The One Desk, and various other behaviors which are based on lowest-object-ID. It is most certainly not, however, based on any kind of linkage of a sim to a terlet.

How well do the various urn and tombstone transportation options work, anyway? I heard reports that the tombstone is mangled by being "moved" in any way, and you'll lose the shiny gold ones, and numerous other problems. Is this safe to do, or are tombstones best left unmoved? I distrust this thing immensely.

tombstones move easily,however you do lose the platinum tombstones when they are moved they become plain old gray ones.

Really?  What a rip-off.  If I spend all that time making sure my Sim has met their LTW, it's a joke that I would lose it if I move their tombstone to a graveyard.

Stupid Maxis.

Yep its true you lose the platinum headstones when they are moved :(

I don't move tombstones through the inventory, but the other way of moving them hasn't changed my platinums to normal.  I've just checked and they are still platinum, and I'm pretty sure they're like that when a sim visits too.  I use the click on tombstone/move to cemetary option - the wordings a little off but you get the idea hopefully.

Terlet = Toilet  Okay I get it now, this is why no-one tells me jokes  :D  The One Desk is something I see but never really understand (sims put homework by that first placed desk and no other), I can live with The One Terlet which makes sense (as best as I can make sense of it).  Does this object ID thing mean that each object placed on a lot gets an ID specific to that exact object and if the same object were placed immediately after then that second object would get a slightly higher ID?  It's hard to ask a question when you have no idea what it is you're trying to ask  ???  If I put a bed down first, then a fridge and then a toilet would the bed have the lowest ID because it's first or does the order go by type of object?  I hope someone can make sense of what I'm trying to ask here.

My scenario was:

Both elders die during a grandchild's birthday party while in gold aspiration at their Pleasantview home.  Family mourns. 

Pleasantview zoning and sanitation laws prohibit burying dead Sims in residential subdivisions so their urns are placed in son's inventory and he drives downtown.

Son takes the urns to Gothier Green Lawns where it takes him a few attempts before he finally gets them placed so the tombstones are side by side. Your regular box-store-made-in-China type (probably plastic) grey tombstones with no chips, dents, or apparent defects.  Properly labeled "Here lies Mica Powers," and "Here lies Angela Powers." He does a bit of mourning and returns home.

I return to Gothier Green Lawns to place some flowers on their graves only to find they are no longer where initially placed, but now are on each side of the phone booth, in the concrete.  Gasp!

Son returns to Gothier Green Lawns, puts the tombstones in his inventory and replants them.  Goes home.

I return to do the flower thing and the damn tombstones are back next to the phone booth so I exit out and build my own downtown cemetery, Pleasant Dreams, next door to Gothier Green Lawns.

Mica Jr. again drives to Gothier Green Lawns, moves the tombstones from the phone booth area into his inventory and drives to Pleasant Dreams, where he picks a nice family plot and places the stones.  Returns home.

The flower girl returns only to find that once again the tombstones are next to the phone booth but this time takes things into her own hands, goes into build mode and using the moveobjectson command, slaps them back into place in the Powers family plot, builds a fence around it (with gate) and covers it all with flowers while muttering evil things about Maxis.

Mica Jr. returns to Peasant Dreams.  All okay.  I remove the fence to see what will happen, exit, then return.  No change.  Tombstones still where they were planted.

I have another set of elders who will probably kick in the next couple of Sims days and will inventory their urns over to Pleasant Dreams just to see if the incident of crawling tombstones is going to be repeated.

Besides the obvious difference in you using the inventory to move the tombstones, I notice you are sending them Downtown.  I have only transported mine to a custom built cemetary in the Main Neighbourhood.  Personally I'd stay away from the inventory moving option, people are posting about problems with that all the time.  I have no problem at all with the move grave to another lot, save, exit to hood, enter comm lot in build mode, move stones, save exit. 

I have seen the maxis made tombstones crop up on residential lots though, they came from downtown, possibly that big old house with the huge basement.

Man and here i didn't know there were problems except in the fact that beds didn't place right guess i'll toss the old and buy new ones.

Beds, Cars and Tombstones, anything else that i should watch out for?  I don't want my neighbourhood to explode in a big fiery ball visible from space.

Oh and platium tombstones DO stay platium i made a massive graveyard lot with a fancy garden for my main family and after i moved them i went to the place and arranged them and they were still platium.

Stupid tombstones.  I have moved a couple to the Gothier Green Lawns lot via "move grave" or whatever the command is, saved the game, and they are nowhere to be found.  Not only that, but ALL the tombs that were there have disappeared.  Even the Maxis ones that were already there.  Grr.