After having the problem occur a few more times with other families and successfully fixing them with the magic wand, I think I passed some point where it was retrievable, and nuked the whole neighborhood from orbit, just to be safe (and to get back the vacation homes they had ownership of!)

I wish, they are all over that computer >.<

I'm confused by it as well, perhaps the manager is being considered the owner while I am at the lot, being that she is my only controllable sim there and is "in charge" of the business?

Also let me make sure I'm applying this tool correctly: go to the collection for it, click on it, wave it out over the lot like I'm placing it, and just wiggle my mouse pointlessly for a few minutes praying to the volcano gods. Let me know if I'm just doing it wrong.

I was getting tired setting this every time I started and yes I am a worthless n00b.

Source: http://simpeforum.ambertation.de/sims2/Force-12-Hour-Clock-Fix

There is a new UserProp setting called "force12HrTime", unfortuneately EA somehow programmed it so that it's an "incompatible" setting with the current property revision, so anytime it's added to UserProps.xml, it is removed.

However, if you go into your "Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2\Config" folder, and create a file named "userStartup.cheat" (or edit it if it already exists) and add the following line:

boolProp force12HrTime true

That will make it so everytime Sims 2 is loaded, the 12 hour clock will be set. AFAIK this setting only works with Bon Voyage expansion pack.

Yes, that's correct. It's all properly linked up on the Neighborhood screen and the owning sim is shown as in possession of the lot. No sims are visible on the lot but weather effects are present and frozen in build/buy mode (rain). I'm pretty sure this came about because I saved and quit right as my owner sim walked off the lot (he disappeared as part of the walk to.../home action) and control was given over to the manager npc (as in she was the only one selectable). My guess (and I have no hackery knowledge and thus this is probably wildly inaccurate) is that the owner sim had been successfully sent home at the level of this community lot, but this information had not yet been sent onward to the neighborhood and the home lot.

The owner is not present, neither are the employees.

Trying the new version once I'm home.

EDIT: Nothing happens upon waving the new wand, is there any more detail I can provide for awesome purposes?

Actually, waving the "magic wand" (crowbar box thingy) around the lot does not seem to solve the problem.

Hey look I learned how to use the search tool!

http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php/topic,9573.0.html

Hi, I really screwed my game.

My main Sim was at his business and had just promoted a manager, he told her to mind the business and used walk off lot to go home (same way he got there), this put me in control of the manager peon, I then saved and went to play the house. Once I reached neighborhood view their house told me he was still visiting his business when I clicked it, and clicking the business (which has an occupied spinning simoleon spinning over it) brings me in in build mode with sim mode darkened out, as if I was building the lot. This happens even if I accept the dialog box that pops up telling me he's at the business and if I'd like to play there instead of the house.

Are my sims borked?

Also, no content other than awesome content from the BV directory, I have all the expansion packs and stuff packs.