Wonky Colored Question Mark Tiles

[caterpillar]

I mean game patch.

[coconnor]

Could you both also try replacing your Sunsetvalley.objectcache file as I mentioned in my previous post? Also delete the four cache files in your userdata folder. I'd be interested to know if this affects any currently corrupted lots. It's worth a try at least.

Okay, I'll do this first.  FYI, my game is fully patched to 1.4.6.00001 and I am running the latest AwesomeMod (I update before each session).  Also, I've been starting my new neighborhoods from Twoftmama's Awesomized version of Sunset Valley, downloadable here in the Pudding Factory (but I believe all she did to this neighborhood was to add the cribs to the houses required by AwesomeMod for reproduction to occur).  That should not affect anything.

There have already been people in this thread with no CC except for store content who have said they've had a problem, so I don't think it's CC either. It might be helpful though to know what game version people are running, whether the hood is started from a 'clean' template or not and whether they have in the past had any custom content or core mods in game. I'm trying to think of the types of situations which could possibly cause data corruption of any kind. For example, I am fully patched (1.4.6) and my game contains only store items, but I recently added Twallan's supercomputer which I used to 'fire all NPCs' and remove a stuck car. My 55-week old hood which has no problems is started from the original Maxis templates, and has no 'riddler' tiles, nor have I ever had error 12 or 13 when saving (in case it's relevant). All subsequent hoods seem to suffer from no riddler tiles too, although I have not played another for so long. I have altered and played the wolf house, but only visited the Goth and Art lots.
Also I just thought of this: Sunset Valley by default uses the Sunsetvalley.objectcache in Program Files \Electronic Arts \The Sims 3 \Caches. It is worth deleting that one and replacing it with a fresh copy off the install disc; I think the size should be 979kb.

EDITED TO ADD:  The Sunset Valley object cache file on my disk is 1,003,277 kb (the same as the one I would be replacing).  I am trying it anyway. Nevemind, MB/kb.  It is copying over and correctly states 979 MB.

[Simsample]

D'oh, sorry coconnor- I meant Mb not kb! Thanks for pointing it out. It does sound as though your cache is intact, though. The other possibility is that there is some corruption in the game data files somewhere, as opposed to the savegame itself. I wonder if anyone is willing to zip up a fresh savegame that has the wonky tiles so that I can test it in my game? This will tell us whether it is a savegame error immediately.

[coconnor]

D'oh, sorry coconnor- I meant Mb not kb! Thanks for pointing it out. It does sound as though your cache is intact, though. The other possibility is that there is some corruption in the game data files somewhere, as opposed to the savegame itself. I wonder if anyone is willing to zip up a fresh savegame that has the wonky tiles so that I can test it in my game? This will tell us whether it is a savegame error immediately.

Will do.  After performing the actions requested, I still have the wonky colored tiles at both the Goth & Wolff homes.  Will attach here when I have zipped the file.

Edit:  Having a problem attaching the zip file here, so here is a link to get the file @ 4Shared:  http://www.4shared.com/file/136359234/3279776a/autosave1.html

[Simsample]

Okay, I can confirm that the problem is with the savegame as I can see the 'riddler' tiles when I put your savegame in. The Art Gallery looks normal in low res, but the 'Riddlers' show up when it renders fully.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Bluefunk/Screenshot-37.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Bluefunk/Screenshot-36.jpg
The same goes for the Wolff lot. However the Goth lot seems to have more severe corruption and the 'Riddler' pattern even shows up from hood view.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y288/Bluefunk/Screenshot-38.jpg
So I would say that the best thing to do would be to bulldoze the lots, and see if you can rebuild without any reocurrance. For those people who are saying that they are getting the corruption in a fresh game, as soon as it is created then it may be a good idea to replace the SunsetValley.World file in case there is some corruption in that. It is located in Electronic Arts\ The Sims 3\ GameData\ Shared\ NonPackaged\ Worlds. However, I think it's more likely that there is some problem with the way the game is handling the save file, so perhaps relating this to the error 12 & 13 problems.

[Tangie]

Just FYI, I just recently got the riddler tiles at the Art Gallery after patching to 1.4.6. I decided to play an older neighborhood that started lagging for me pretty badly, but didn't delete it in the hopes that someday I could go back to it. I also recently remodeled the Wolff house to add a bathroom and two small bedrooms on the second floor. After that I noticed the Art Gallery with the Riddler tiles when my sim sped by it on its way somewhere but did not go check Wolff or Goth afterwards to see if they were also affected. I haven't played that 'hood again lately so I'll have to go check it. I've also been building an "ideal" neighborhood (which had taken me about a week!).

BTW, I did a search on the EA tech help section and one person claimed that it was related to the fences railing (indoor) they put on those lots. The developers used railings that matched the stair rails, but these fences/rails are not available in the game. Hence, the theory was that they created them using some kind of method that would eventually bork those lots. I take that with a grain of salt, but an interesting theory regardless. If you check, all three of these lots DO have railings that match the stairs, and they are not styles that are available in build mode.

[coconnor]

Thanks Simsample!  I will try that with this game, and eventually try to rebuild Sunset Valley to both Awesomized & my standards (I can't stand most of the existing houses).  When I have started a game in the past with Twoftmama's Awesomized save file, though, I have not noticed the problem.  This is only recently after actually trying to revise the Goth & Wolff houses.  Subsequently started a new game with the same file and the problem is still there, even though these are the original houses, which makes it seem that it is a cache issue, but I deleted all of those files and replaced the Sunset Valley object cache file.

I am also going to try your other suggestion to replace the Sunset Valley World file.

[Havelock]

I have used Coconnors Savegame and repainted the Library. I saved the Walls and Floors used on the Lot from a fresh created Hood into CaSt, and repainted the Library. The Lot is fixed with doing so.
It looks like the Lots are corrupted and have lost the information what Floor- and Wallcovers are used. You have to replace all tiles on the whole Lot not only the riddler tiles.

[coconnor]

I have used Coconnors Savegame and repainted the Library. I saved the Walls and Floors used on the Lot from a fresh created Hood into CaSt, and repainted the Library. The Lot is fixed with doing so.
It looks like the Lots are corrupted and have lost the information what Floor- and Wallcovers are used. You have to replace all tiles on the whole Lot not only the riddler tiles.

Thanks for the info, Havelock!

[Simsample]

I have used Coconnors Savegame and repainted the Library. I saved the Walls and Floors used on the Lot from a fresh created Hood into CaSt, and repainted the Library. The Lot is fixed with doing so.
It looks like the Lots are corrupted and have lost the information what Floor- and Wallcovers are used. You have to replace all tiles on the whole Lot not only the riddler tiles.

Rosharley mentioned this fix in #38, however there is also indication that this is a temporary fix (toward the end of the post).
http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php/topic,16410.msg486123.html#msg486123
It would be good to find out why the corruption is occurring, and prevent it.

[Havelock]

I have used Coconnors Savegame and repainted the Library. I saved the Walls and Floors used on the Lot from a fresh created Hood into CaSt, and repainted the Library. The Lot is fixed with doing so.
It looks like the Lots are corrupted and have lost the information what Floor- and Wallcovers are used. You have to replace all tiles on the whole Lot not only the riddler tiles.

Rosharley mentioned this fix in #38, however there is also indication that this is a temporary fix (toward the end of the post).
http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf/index.php/topic,16410.msg486123.html#msg486123
It would be good to find out why the corruption is occurring, and prevent it.

I have loaded several times the game now and looked into the affected lots they are fine. But as i mentioned in my post you have to replace all Wall and floortiles with new ones because they are corrupted. If you use the CaST tool on any tile even they one who stay with the pattern visible you get the popup there is nothing to recolor.

Edit: Have read the post you mentioned. Then it must be a difference between my game and the other ones who get riddler tiles, because i have never seen them in my Game and i have played Goth Manor and Wolff house in many different hoods and never got them.
My last hood has a complete renovated interior and facade at the goth manor but i have only used the CaST tool on the original walls and floors still no riddler tiles.

[Simsample]

Havelock, I'm thinking that whatever caused the corruption in the first place must still be present in these people's games to make the issue reoccur. So we really need to find the cause and fix it. I'm not having the issue in my game, which is why I can't test for a solution. It is difficult even to discern whether it may be caused by custom content, as there are so many variables involved and so many people with the issue. I've been attempting to eliminate causes but so far I can't even pinpoint a commonality between these people's games.

[Havelock]

Coconnor i have repainted the lots in your hood, cold jou look if they stay intact if you load the lots? Hood has now about 4 Sim hours timeprogress caused by me switching between lots. I have saved in edit hood mode.

Get it here: autosave1.rar

[coconnor]

Coconnor i have repainted the lots in your hood, cold jou look if they stay intact if you load the lots? Hood has now about 4 Sim hours timeprogress caused by me switching between lots. I have saved in edit hood mode. Get it here: autosave1.rar

Yes, I will load it, look, and let you know what I find.  In the game that I have continued, I decided just to bulldoze the lots and replace them with other lots.  Hopefully, the tiles will not appear on totally different lots.  I will also report on that, since you and Simsample have kindly taken it upon yourselves to investigate this matter.

Thanks again to both of you!

EDITED TO ADD:  Havelock, just went in and entered all three properties.  Goth Manor and Lone Wolff Manor look fine.  The Art Gallery also looks fine, but I noticed that there were still some question marks on the roof within the top red elongated pillar and two quarter tiles in each of two pillars on the ground floor.  So, I used the method described to find the correct original flooring tile and replaced those as well.  Other than that, the changes have held so far.  I shall continue to check this and let you know here how it goes.

[simbolic]

I've been having the same problem also.

Is anyone here playing Riverview?  It would be interesting to see if to see if that problem showed up there. So far I have only heard these reports from Sunset Valley.

[Havelock]

EDITED TO ADD:  Havelock, just went in and entered all three properties.  Goth Manor and Lone Wolff Manor look fine.  The Art Gallery also looks fine, but I noticed that there were still some question marks on the roof within the top red elongated pillar and two quarter tiles in each of two pillars on the ground floor.  So, I used the method described to find the correct original flooring tile and replaced those as well.  Other than that, the changes have held so far.  I shall continue to check this and let you know here how it goes.

They are not new, sorrry i have missed the groundtiles at the roof Pillar and in the two Pillars under the yellow room have them also in my save game. Art Gallery was the first lot i repainted.

[coconnor]

They are not new, sorrry i have missed the groundtiles at the roof Pillar and in the two Pillars under the yellow room have them also in my save game. Art Gallery was the first lot i repainted.

No problem!  At least they didn't spread!  I will keep looking in on that save file each day to ensure it remains "riddler tile" free and let you know.  As previously mentioned, in the game I am currently playing I decided to just bulldoze both lots and replace the houses with different ones.

I've been having the same problem also.

Is anyone here playing Riverview?  It would be interesting to see if to see if that problem showed up there. So far I have only heard these reports from Sunset Valley.

I've been playing Sunset Valley, but IIRC I believe other people have mentioned playing Riverview.  If you scan the thread, that may give you the answer.

[shadow]

Here's the latest from my game. I play with lots of mods and CC but nothing new recently except the latest AM update.  I completely bulldozed the art museum and Goth residences. I rebuilt the art museum on the same lot and it is okay. I don't remember exactly where the Goth house was but I know I haven't built anything near there. I rebuilt the Wolff residence after tearing it down wall by wall (didn't want to lose the beautiful vista moodlet) and rebuilt it. I had removed all walls, floor tiles and even went over the entire lot with new terrain paint. I just went to play that house and nearly every surface, floors and walls, are riddler.     Apparently, bulldozing works, tearing down doesn't. I'm going to evict that family and bulldoze the lot as I now have the vista moodlet restorer thing.

[coconnor]

Coconnor i have repainted the lots in your hood, cold jou look if they stay intact if you load the lots? Hood has now about 4 Sim hours timeprogress caused by me switching between lots. I have saved in edit hood mode. Get it here: autosave1.rar

Yes, I will load it, look, and let you know what I find.  In the game that I have continued, I decided just to bulldoze the lots and replace them with other lots.  Hopefully, the tiles will not appear on totally different lots.  I will also report on that, since you and Simsample have kindly taken it upon yourselves to investigate this matter.
Thanks again to both of you!
EDITED TO ADD:  Havelock, just went in and entered all three properties.  Goth Manor and Lone Wolff Manor look fine.  The Art Gallery also looks fine, but I noticed that there were still some question marks on the roof within the top red elongated pillar and two quarter tiles in each of two pillars on the ground floor.  So, I used the method described to find the correct original flooring tile and replaced those as well.  Other than that, the changes have held so far.  I shall continue to check this and let you know here how it goes.

Havelock, I've checked this again today and all is still well.  Perhaps completely repainting with originally used tiles will work in addition to bulldozing lots.  In my current game, on the lots I bulldozed I am also still "riddler tile" free.

[rosharley]

I transferred the Goth lot into Riverview AFTER having replaced all the riddler tiles which appeared during play in Sunset Valley, riddler tiles re-appeared almost immediately and continued to appear even after cleaning them up yet again in Riverview, I have since then bulldozed the EA lots and replaced them with my own lots (in Sunset Valley AND Riverview) and have had no further problems. I think this is the only way to purge the Riddler tiles completely.

[ladycoelura]

So if all I have that has this screwy problem is the art gallery do I have to redo my whole neighborhood? I don't want to loose any family I have made. I just want to make sure and I have never really understood about doing anything to the town outside of whatever home I am playing without starting something new. In that way I miss the way they did TS2. And my art gallery seems to have went bad after the last AM update too.

[snowbawl]

So if all I have that has this screwy problem is the art gallery do I have to redo my whole neighborhood? I don't want to loose any family I have made. I just want to make sure and I have never really understood about doing anything to the town outside of whatever home I am playing without starting something new. In that way I miss the way they did TS2. And my art gallery seems to have went bad after the last AM update too.

The best way to rid yourself of the problem seems to be bulldozing the EA lot and replacing with one of your own manufacture.  In your case, bulldoze the art gallery and build a new one.  Keep an eye on the Goth and Wolff lots, and bulldoze accordingly if you intend to play them and they show signs of corruption.  You do not, however, need to re-do your entire neighborhood.

[rosharley]

For those of you who think that EA's use of fences or rails not available in the game might be the cause of the corrupted lots you may be interested to know that these very objects have now been extracted from the game and are available at MTS along with some recolours, click on link  http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=372486
Personally I still believe the lots were corrupted in other ways but I have an open mind and would be interested to hear if installing these cures anyones riddler tiles, I have installed them myself but not yet tested them out as a potential cure.

[awwboo]

I have them in my damn art gallery too.

[Luna Doll]

I replaced all three riddler lots with custom made ones yesterday, and haven't seen the riddler tiles come back yet.  I'd like a different fix though because I liked the original Goth house and I can't find a custom house that matches it enough. And I'm no good at building lots.  So in the meantime I'm using a custom made house that's actually a replica of the Goth house from the sims 1.  Brings back memories.