More Awesome Than You!

I'm having a perpetual loading problem. I haven't done anything out of the ordinary or downloaded anything. I was able to play just fine yesterday. Today, however, the loading screen just goes on and on. I had the radio on until just the last time I tried and noticed that I can hear the sims doing things in the background...the tv, carpool, whatever, but the loading screen doesn't go away. What the heck did I do and is there any way to salvage it?

I don't get any error messages or crash messages.

Which EP are you running?  If you are running Pets did you just recently load it while leaving in your existing The Sims 2 folder?  Do you have any hacks at all in your game?  Did you recently download a house?  Have you tried moving your downloads folder over to your desktop and tried loading the game?  Is this happening on just one lot or all of them?  Have you tried deleting your groups.cache and cigen.package files from The Sims 2 folder?

Sorry for all the questions, but a little more info would help diagnose the problem.  ;D

I'm running pets and it's been installed since the day it came out. I've tried everything you mentioned already. I did download a house by nengi65 at MTS2, but I was able to enter lots yesterday after I had installed that house. The only out-of-the-ordinary thing I've done is create a new neighborhood, but the problem happens with all lots in every neighborhood so I don't think that's the problem.

It's just wierd. I can hear my sims talking and walking...it's just that the loading screen never goes away.

Did you try running it in window mode (the "-w" command line option)?

When the sounds start, try hitting Tab or clicking the mouse.  (You prolly already did this...)

I will try running it in window mode. I never really understood what that did...but what you suggest, I shall try.

Edit: Window mode didn't help. I guess I just really broke it...

Yup. You broke it. If this happens, it's because some part of the "curtain" process in loading is buggered. This is why you should save your game only when paused to avoid these things happening.

I never knew you could save when you weren't paused...

Well, there are the automatic saves when you go to community lots, but otherwise, yea -- how can you save without pausing? The game automatically pauses when you go to the F5 menu.

Pause first, then press F5. When you load a lot that was not paused before saving the sims can get themselves into trouble while you are waiting to regain control. Especially if you let them run around on free will.

Hmm, I usually save when all the household residents are asleep, so I've rarely paused first, and never had a problem.  But it's interesting to know that problems can occur.

Either the computer gremlins fix it last night or creating a family in CAS and trying to move them into a house fixed it. I was able to load all the houses in my new hood today. Good for me! *passes out chocolate chip cookies

I'm not sure whether I pause it or not...I'm pretty sure I do, but I never really pay that close attention. Well, I will from now on, that's for sure.