90% of Sunset Valley lots gone after returning from vacation.

[shadow]

As I stated in a previous post, I do not have WA and was getting the "blue lot." So it definitely is a patch issue. (I'm patched to 1.7   ) I reinstalled intending to go back to a previous (1.4) patch but couldn't find them. I removed all lemoncandy CC and got rid of blue lots but still had a couple of other issues that I finally narrowed down to a few CC files. I'll test those one by one to see which cause problems. One problem was no thumbnail pictures on the active family list just a blank green square so I couldn't select anyone; whoever was selected when saved was the only one playable. The other problem was weird and caused sims to immediately jump out of bed when directed to relax or freeze if directed to sleep. On the pie menu when selecting the bed it had 'enterrelaxing' and 'bedrelaxing' plus the usual 'sleep.'  

ETA: I just started a new, clean neighborhood. I built a house, being careful to use only EA stuff, saved and exited. Went back in and the lot I was working on is blue. I don't have any lemoncandy stuff, I did not use any CC building stuff and I hadn't even started furnishing it. Now I'm really upset! 

[daisylee]

anelca and shadow, if I am reading your posts correctly, this is more confirmation that the problematic items simply need to be installed in the game possibly to cause the blue lots.

I cannot remember whether I actually had ever used the lemoncandy plants in the hood where I have had the problems. From your posts it seems that even if not used on lots, incompatible items can cause problems.  And I think Shower Scream had that too, if I recall correctly.

[Sparks]

So you got the problem again simply by placing the items in the game without actually using them, correct? If so, that means that they do not have to be on a lot to cause problems.  Hmmmm ....

I am going to stick the CC that I have in at the moment on a blank lot and see what happens. I have not added back lemoncandy items yet.

Yes, that is what I meant. I just added them to my Mods without actually accessing the files and still get blue lots.

Also, there's no 5 second rule with blue lots; once the file has been opened, it's infected and can't be salvaged. Back up your saves before any testing.

BUT, I have made some strides afterall. I downloaded a Resource.cfg file that had never been opened on my computer and made new Mods/Packages folder (in both the base game directory and WA directory, just in case?) and added a ton of items in, namely in the category of shoes, cars, hair, clothing and miscellaneous accessories that were downloaded from everywhere from Lillisims to TSR to MTS and am happy to report, NO BLUE LOTS. What did cause blue lots for me at the beginning of my CC trials was patterns. I don't know which ones but, just to make everyone aware...I think I might have had a Lemoncandy terrain paint in with the patterns so, that folder is quarantined for now.

I'm going to be adding back my objects folders soon and will report back (500 MB).

[shadow]

anelca and shadow, if I am reading your posts correctly, this is more confirmation that the problematic items simply need to be installed in the game possibly to cause the blue lots.

I didn't have any lemoncandy stuff installed at all. 

I'm still testing. I'm now rebuilding the house in another new, clean neighborhood. I've save twice and no blue lot. I'm thinking maybe custom design colors, the ones you make in game, may be a problem. I painted some walls a custom color and a floor. We'll see. 

[Krib]

There's no doubt that it's the patch and not the expansion (I don't have WA yet). For me, there's something else in there fucking things up other than Lemoncandy and Vitasims stuff. Really though, I can't be bothered to go through 1,000 custom content files to track down what it is. Why should I do free testing for EA? Since playing without CC is just retarded, looks like it's time to catch up on other games for now.

[shadow]

I'm with you, Krib. I don't have WA either and I'm sick of this. I just started the game and my one and only lot is blue. No CC, custom colors, nothing; I'd just built the shell and was going in to decorate. 

I'm going to try one more time then, I quit! EA can shove it.

[daisylee]

What is driving me nuts is there is no consistency from what I am seeing and hearing. Per my earlier post I threw in stuff from about a dozen sites and was fine. And those included plants which are on the bad list per the poster at the bbs.  I was OK with them in the game and not on the lots. I then added the lemoncandy and other items to a lot and had the blue.

Sometimes the lots are bad when the items are not on the lot at all as in your case, and sometimes they are fine even with the bad items in the game and not in lots.  

Aaaaaaaaaaaaargh!

[Krib]

On the bright side, Dragon Age: Origins is quite a good little game.

[Death-Jester]

On the bright side, Dragon Age: Origins is quite a good little game.

Completed it with the good ending, and I not enough of a bastard to try for the bad one 

[shadow]

Ok, I think I've narrowed it down to some custom stairs. I'll put everything else back in and see what happens.   

[brownlustgirl]

This may help those with Vista as the OS, but I had the bright idea of opening my game with "run as administrator", played a little and closed by "save and quit".  Started the game again and was surprised by no blue lots.  Tested my hood again, only saving the game, no "save as" and haha, no blue lots.  Stupid me, I never opened the game with "run as administrator" before the patch, always double clicking the desktop icon.

Noticed another thing, the beautiful vista restores when plopping down a lot from the library on it. Don't have to build on the lot to keep it. Something that held true from the patch notes.

Fake Edit:  I deleted all my CC stairs and fences. I am editing all my lots now and the all my stairs are designable. Well, the ones I have edited so far.

[Slymenstra]

I haven't finished testing everything but so far I have not had any blue lots or random CTDs since my previous post.  After I stuck in a large chunk of furniture my game got jerky when spinning the camera.  I got to sort that out.  I guess I really don't need all of these sofa sets!

It'll get worked out and I hope a smart Modder will figure out what is the cause of the object problem.

[daisylee]

Ok, I think I've narrowed it down to some custom stairs. I'll put everything else back in and see what happens.    

Please let us know. I got rid of all recolors but so far have kept all new fence and stair meshes.

I have been wanting to do some weeding of my downloads and think this may be a good/forced opportunity. I think I am going to check all I have site by site to see what works and what I want to keep. This has NOT been a fun way to force me to do some download maintenance!

[shadow]

I put everything back into my game except all custom stairs and so far everything is good. I'm too tired of the mess to try each individual stair so, for now, I'm leaving them all out.

I'm with you, Daisylee. I thought games were supposed to be fun.

[daisylee]

This is crazy that we have to do this! I just went through my Desdren and Simpossible items and so far found that I got a blue lot from the Desdren shelf DSD02 from the Elegance dining set, I believe it is called. I thought the candles I had might be a problem but was OK with them, and then when I added the wall shelf the lot went blue the next time I opened it.

[anelca]

I completely reinstalled.

Everything worked tickety boo so I added in floorthickness, nointro and nomosaic mods....still fine
ditto with some CC sofas (Karlstad)

added in Aikeas default skins and Morgades nipples ...OK

added in more CC mainly paintings...still OK

Loading times so far reasonably quick and game runs quite smoothly with all graphic options high and on, except for distance and neighbouring lots.
I only can have 2G RAM and have an ATI X1300 card, so not superspecs

added in some CC from Stylist...loading time to Lot absolute pants, therefore removed which improved that

yeah, it's trial and error, and we might have to be very choosy about our CC.
Over at MTS there is a thread in Sims discussion which is suggesting CC of .package variety is causing a lot of people's problems, whereas EA content is fine. I have Store stuff by the ton (thanks to sharing by others here) and loath as I am to say this, it seems not to negatively impact on my game.

[Krib]

I'm finding now that there are two ways I can glitch it --

1) If I load a save from before the 1.7 patch with all my CC (Lemoncandy included), it's instablue once I've opened that game, saved it, and reloaded. As with everyone.

2) If I remove all my .packages, and run from the launcher with the "disable CC" box checked (so no .sims3packs either), when I load one of my saves the Goths house and the museum are blue. Once I've saved that and then reloaded / played with it awhile (sometimes it takes a few reloads), everything's blue.

The fucking question mark tiles are to blame here, I just know they are.

The only way I can avoid getting the blue is by making a new town in my 1.7 patched game and then playing the game, Let's Sort Through Millions of .package Files. I can delay the process by removing just Lemoncandy .packages along with plants and clutter, but the Goth and Museum lots are always blue when I load an old save.

[shadow]

If you have any stairs remove them. I've put back everything but lemoncandy and stairs. It's working, not great but playable.

[Moryrie]

I had an issue with some candle recolor by Damned Citizen. Caused the blue lots. No issue with that now though.

[Krib]

If you have any stairs remove them. I've put back everything but lemoncandy and stairs. It's working, not great but playable.

I did. It happens on all pre-patch saves, even with zero CC included. The solution for me is just to make a new town and add my lots. Sucks, but there it is. I don't want to spam the thread with my personal game issues though, so I'll just hang back now and see if anyone comes up with something that can fix my old saves.

[mandababy]

Krib, it has been stated here, and on the official EA forums, that once your lots go blue, there is no getting them back. Unless you have a back up save, that wasn't blue, there is no hope as far as I can see/tell. Unless EA releases a patch to fix them, but I would not count on it.

[Skadi]

For those with WA, be aware that the no mosaic mods will stop new effects like fireworks and waterfalls.

[Spacerox]

Over at CustomSims3.com Amjoie has been pushing through all CC in her game and testing what does and does not bluelot.

So far the objects she's discovered were all clones of the orchid vase or the fig tree and the foosball table was the other major culprit she found.  Lemoncandy did use the orchid vase as the clone base for a lot of her smaller plants and the fig tree for the floor plants, those and any objects by other creators cloned from those objects are at least part of the issue.  Amjoie has been procedurally checking through all of the CC she uses to compile some lists of verified good (at least in her computer) and bad CC.  If you'd like to take a look at the objects that she has found to compare notes or report any specific objects that you've discovered, feel free to check out these threads.

Good CC Thread

Bad CC Thread

Thanks for your time.  Hopefully this will shed at least a little light.

[daisylee]

Very good information! Thank you!!!!

[MokeyHokey]

For those with WA, be aware that the no mosaic mods will stop new effects like fireworks and waterfalls.

And, it seems, red assassin bugs. Problematic when you're working on that part of one of the quests.