Common Issues Since the July 26, 2022 Game Update (Sims 4)

Updates as for Aug 2 Game Update & Video

Link to Aug 2/22 update notes: https://www.ea.com/games/the-sims/the-sims-4/news/update-08-02-2022

Link to EA’s Mod Policy: https://help.ea.com/en/help/the-sims/the-sims-4/mods-and-the-sims-4-game-updates/

Link to Sims4Studio: https://sims4studio.com/board/6/download-sims-studio-open-version

New bug reports referred to in video:

Aging Settings Broken: https://answers.ea.com/t5/Bug-Reports/Aging-Settings-Broken/td-p/11668082 Sims Greyed out When Travelling for Festivals: https://answers.ea.com/t5/Bug-Reports/Sims-greyed-out-for-quot-Travel-with-quot-option-for-Festivals/m-p/11692219#M224695

Original Post After July 26/22 Update:

There have been a number of issues with the game since the July 26, 2022 game update and I will try and summarize some of the more common ones here.

The biggest issue is with aging, both on the long lifespan and short lifespan. This issue is so big EA has a message about it on your main menu, this appeared on July 27:

They are recommending you back up your saves and temporarily play on a Normal Lifespan. I recommend avoiding any saves where you currently play on Long or Short Lifespan. Also, while turning aging off is one option, make sure you change the Lifespan to Normal before turning off aging, otherwise there are reports that the issue persists.

I did a separate video on the long term issue and how to use the no aging option.

I also did a video on how to recover your save for those who play on computer. Unfortunately that’s not an option for console.

Link to Bug Report for the Aging Issues:

Issues with Long Lifespan but there is a little discussion of the issues with a Short Lifespan too. Note sims get days added if you play on a Long Lifespan, they seem to get days removed, i.e. they become younger, if you play on a Short Lifespan

Other Non Mod Related Issues Since the Update:

Here are some other issues I’ve seen noted on EA AHQ with links to their bug reports. If your issue isn’t here, I recommend going over to the Sims 4 Bug Section of EA AHQ and looking for the issue you are experiencing.

Here’s a screenshot of a Tweet by SimGuruNick re the first issue noted here:

Wants/Fears: Sim wants to ask a relative to be GF/BF Note EA Cade has responded to this report to say the Sims Team is looking into this. SimGuruNick has also tweeted (see above screenshot) to say they can reproduce this and are working on it. I have uploaded a room to the gallery with 5 want refresher potions so you can use that to get rid of wants you don’t want and not use any reward points (each want refresher potion is 200 reward points).
Lifespan duration for teens and adult sims changed on Normal Lifespan Now 21 and 33 days respectively, normal lifespan, I’m wondering if this is by design.
Sims turning into celebrities since update
Most sims greyed out when trying to travel
Excessive use of cell phone while walking
NPC roles not filling regular positions I was playing in Henford-on-Bagley so noticed that there.
Sim resetting when queueing livestream (no HSY Pack) This impacts Sims in the Tech Guru career & Social Media career. LittleMsSam has released a mod to fix this, see her Random Small Mods.
Child sims can’t quit afterschool activities
Elders can’t retire Carl’s Sims 4 Guide has a mod (free Patreon) that fixes this.
Traits from other packs don’t have wants associated with them
Note this doesn’t have a lot of Me Too’s but I did also see this Twitter response from SimGuruGeorge re wants and packs.

10. Elders can’t retire. Carl Sims has a mod for that now. His Patreon link (free)

Bug Template to Use When Making Reports on EA AHQ

You should be prompted to use this template, however if you aren’t, then just copy and paste this and fill in the details.

Product: The Sims 4
Platform:
Which language are you playing the game in?
How often does the bug occur?
What is your current game version number?
What expansions, game packs, and stuff packs do you have installed?
Steps: How can we find the bug ourselves?
What happens when the bug occurs?
What do you expect to see?
Have you installed any customization with the game, e.g. Custom Content or Mods?
Did this issue appear after a specific patch or change you made to your system?

Mod Issues

Most mods broke with the game update so make sure to check all your mods to see if they broke and if they’ve been updated. Many have already been updated including MCCC, UI Cheats, Twisted Mexi mods, Wonderful Whims and LittleMsSam mods.

As of early on July 28, 2022 here is a statement re Kawaii Stacie mods:

One common issue I see mentioned is not being able to change your hair colour in Create-A-Sim, my understanding is this is caused by the More Columns mod by Weerbesu which has been updated.

There’s a Sim forum post that tracks what broke, what’s been updated and what’s fine which is a great source to check.

Another source is Scarlet’s mod tracking list, this includes mature mods, the Sims forums don’t allow mention of mods that increase the games’ rating.

Contact Me:

If you have any questions, need troubleshooting help or want to share your own Sims game play with other friendly Simmers please head over to my Facebook group, Sims Sanctuary or my Discord. Either I or other members will try to answer any troubleshooting questions and I also have some guides that can help in my Facebook group. I can also be found on Twitter and Instagram

Pre High School Year’s Game Update (Sims 4, July 2022)

Video link

After the Update:

Link to Update Notes: https://www.ea.com/games/the-sims/the-sims-4/news/update-07-26-2022

Link to Forum Post Tracking Mod Impact: https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/1001789/broken-updated-mods-cc-july-26-22-sexual-orientation-high-school-etc-patch/p1

My video on the Aging Bug after the update, this goes over what it is and how to work around it & link to EA AHQ bug report.

Expected Timing

Game updates usually go live at 10 am Pacific, therefore based on that here’s when the update is expected in some time zones:

Link for when that’s expected in your own time zone.

How to Prepare (Computer Players)

Before you update:
1) Make a back up of your saves
2) Move your mods folder to your desktop
After you update:
3) Repair your game in Origin
4) Delete your localthumbcache file

Note mods and custom content will be automatically disabled. This is a big update so mods are expected to break.

Luth always has a good mod tracking post over on the forums. I’ll add a link when it’s available. Here’s a link to the Werewolves tracking post to start, it should also link to the new one once it’s available.

For more details see my (Maple Simmer) tutorial video

What’s Expected

What’s New:

1. Body Hair – for arms, legs, torso (chest) and back. It’s supposed to be available for both genders.

High School Years Expansion Pack adds the ability to shave, this also includes facial hair.

2. Ability to set your Sims’ Sexual Orientation:

From gender settings which is available for teens and up
Note the default settings are what the game currently goes by, just didn’t show before and now we can change and set it as we wish. Existing sims will keep default settings unless we change them.

EA Blog post with more detail

3. Wants and Fears (replaces whims),
There are three want slots and three types of wants – long term, short term & situational.

Wants are supposed to be based on traits & desires.

We will also get one fear slot.

Similar to whims, we still earn reward points from them.

4. New Phone UI & More Phone Skins

5. Curved Rooms

Three curved room sizes.

There is a sort function for doors and windows that should work better with curved walls and it’s sorted based on size of curve.

Can’t free build with curved walls, work similarly to current curved porches.

James Turner has a good video where he did some building with curved rooms

Bug Fixes:

Per the Jul 19/22 laundry list:

https://www.ea.com/games/the-sims/the-sims-4/news/laundry-list-july-19th-2022

I did a separate video on the laundry list.

Contact Me:

If you have any questions, need troubleshooting help or want to share your own Sims game play with other friendly Simmers please head over to my Facebook group, Sims Sanctuary or my Discord. Either I or other members will try to answer any troubleshooting questions and I also have some guides in my Facebook group. I can also be found on Twitter and Instagram.

Honeymooners & Proud Parent Scenario (Sims 4)

Now that the No Skills, No Problem scenario is done, I’m going to do the Honeymooners and the Proud Parent Scenarios with Sebastian and Fern.

Honeymooners Playlist

Proud Parent Playlist to be added when we get there!

Scenario Goals:

Honeymooner Scenario Goals:

Proud Parent Scenario Goals:

Proud Parent goals will also be added once we get to that point.

Additional Goals:

Along with the scenario goals, I’ll also be working on the following goals with them while doing these two scenarios:

Have them complete the frog collection.
Have at least one of them complete the following aspirations:
* Country Caretaker
* Freelance Botanist
* both Spellcaster Aspirations
Have both of them complete the following aspirations:
* Painter Extraordinaire
* Soulmate Aspiration

Please let me know if there are any other goals/aspirations we should try and work on with them.

Gallery:

I’ve put their current version, i.e. as of the end of the No Skills, No Problem Scenario Let’s Play, on the gallery, if you’d like to play along with them. The home they move into during the first part is also on the gallery, this includes their garden & collectibles. There is also a mostly unfurnished version of their new home on the gallery. Both versions are modified micros, i.e. the core is on 32 square tiles, the rest is unconnected walls with roofs covering them.

Contact Me:

Explore the Night Scenario – Rags to Riches Edition (Sims 4)

I’m attempting this scenario with three spellcaster sims (an engaged couple Felicia Flores & Jax Story and Jax’s father Ellis Story). The twist is they will be starting with nothing. Will that slow them down in completing this scenario? Playlist link

Meet our Sims:

Gallery link TBA (they’ve been uploaded, the gallery isn’t working for me, but you can find them under my gallery ID MapleSimmer).

Scenario Goals:

Unlike many scenarios, which rewards satisfaction points, the reward for this scenario is supposed to be the Seldom Sleepy Trait.

Rags to Riches Element:

Our sims will be starting with nothing. Their lot is off the grid and they will have to pay 6,055 to connect to the grid (starting value of their lot, 2 Olde Mill Lane, which comes with some landscaping, but no home or amenities).

Similar to many of my other rags to riches LPs, as an added challenge, I will not let my sims sell directly from their inventory/directly off the plants until they buy a yard sale table (street gallery for paintings). Some ways to make money to get the yard sale table are to do odd jobs (requires Island Living) or to sell items, including harvestables and fish, at the grocery and plant ‘shops’ (requires Cottage Living) or flowers to the plant shop (requires My Wedding Stories).

There’s no goal for what they need to finish the challenge, however one of the goals is to make and drink coffee. I will require that they do that on their own lot, so they will need to either connect to the grid or have a power source to do so, as well as the counter and coffee pot at a minimum.

For more Rags to Riches guidelines, see my blog post.

Contact Me:

If you have any questions, need troubleshooting help or want to share your own Sims game play with other friendly Simmers please head over to my Facebook group, Sims Sanctuary or my Discord

High School Year Expansion Trailer & Blog Post Overview (Sims 4)

My Video Overview

Releases Thursday, July 28, 2022

Available for preorder now, no real benefit to preordering.

If you buy the pack by September 8, 2022, you get three bonus items:

Deep Dive Livestream for pack and base game update that precedes it: July 15 at 11 am Pacific on the Sims’ Twitch and their YouTube.

Link to reveal trailer

Link to features blog post

Link to ‘guided tour’ blog post.

Link to Luth’s forum post with all Maxis/SimGuru sourced information on the pack

Contact Me:

Surprise SDX & Expected Timing & Content of Jun 14/22 Game Update (Sims 4)

See my video overview here

This blog post includes links & summarizes what was in the video::

I) June 13/22 Surprise SDX
II) June 14/22 Game Update (expected timing, what’s expected in it & how to prepare, &
III) Random Tweets re Items in the Werewolves Game Pack (Jun 13/22).

1) Surprise SDX (June 13/22):

FYI, if you go in your game you will see there is an SDX, this is just to prepare the game for tomorrow’s update, no new content was added per this tweet by the Sims. But it looks like we’re getting meteors to go along with the new ‘back pocket observatory’ (i.e. the new telescope, see below for more information on that!)

II) June 14/22 Game Update

Expected Timing

The usual time for game updates is 10 am Pacific, here’s a screenshot of when that is in a few time zones:

Link for when that will be in your own time zone.

What’s Expected in the Update

A) New Stuff:

1) New telescope

Watch out, Backyard Observatory. It's time for the… pic.twitter.com/CkzcrixLiC
— SimGuruNov-AWOOO (@SimGuruNova) June 13, 2022

https://twitter.com/SimGuruNova/status/1536408680022675456

https://twitter.com/SimGuruNova/status/1536414213777657856

2) Lunar cycles

Lunar cycles affect werewolves (and other occults) more than regular sims, but regular sims are impacted a bit too. Kids can ask about the lunar cycles. You can customize lunar cycles, i.e. their length, freeze it on one cycle and turn it off completely.

3) New beard

Screenshot from livestream, same beard, two different angles:

4) Two new terrain paints

Note new items added to base game do not show with a ‘new’ flag.

B) Bug Fixes from May 31 Laundry list

Laundry list link

How to Prepare

Basic Steps to Prepare for Computer Players

* Before you update:

1) Make a back up of your saves
2) Move your mods folder to your desktop

After you update:

3) Repair your game in Origin
4) Delete your localthumbcache file

* for more details see my tutorial video

⚠️Reminder: Mods & CC are automatically disabled with most updates⚠️

If you want to temporarily avoid the update, turn off automatic updates & go offline with Origin.

Forum Mod post tracking impact of Jun 14 game update on mods:

Note Luth is on vacation until Thursday per this tweet:

III) Random Tweets re Items in the Werewolves Game Pack (Jun 13/22):

New ‘night light’! (Link to tweet)

Information on the new ‘bus object’ (Link to tweet):

Link to my blog post overview of the Sims 4 Werewolves livestream.

Contact Me:

If you have any questions, need troubleshooting help or want to share your own Sims game play with other friendly Simmers please head over to my Facebook group, Sims Sanctuary or my Discord

Highlights from the Sims 4 Werewolves June 10/22 Livestream

Link to their YouTube livestream and their Twitch vod.

Link to my highlights video.

Main Items Covered:

*Including Items Coming to Base Game

Create-a-Sim (‘CAS’)
World
Gameplay, including Lunar Cycles
Brief look at Build/Buy

CAS:

Regular CAS:

Majority of assets are gender neutral
Two cute outfits for toddlers
Something for kids – showed hat, 3 hairstyles & one outfit but I wasn’t sure if that was everything.
One new aspiration in CAS (new category too), once you complete it, you unlock four other aspirations, so five in total.

New fuller beard coming to base game with update.

Werewolf CAS:

You can link/unlink forms
Werewolf fur has the same customizations that cats and dogs fur has
Werewolves can wear clothes or not
Werewolves don’t wear shoes
While toddler and up are considered werewolves, only teen and up have beast forms.

Some werewolf examples from the livestream

Note I included a sped up version of the CAS in my highlights video, this shows CAS items available for everyone & items for creating werewolves.

World:

5 lots but large neighbourhood with various area.

Tweet with lot sizes (1)

and explanation of what’s in the world (2)

Gameplay:

Note along with the beard, lunar cycles are coming in the base game update, as are two new terrain paints. Lunar cycles affect werewolves (and other occults) more than regular sims, but regular sims are impacted a bit too. Kids can ask about the lunar cycles. You can customize lunar cycles, i.e. their length, freeze it on one cycle and turn it off completely.

They showed how the tunnels worked.
They are rabbit holes with pop ups where you decide what to do (reminds me a bit of space adventures).
You can unlock paths to quick travel between the 3 tunnel entrances.
They can be more dangerous for non werewolves.

We see Greg, who is a werewolf, seems to be a loner and is hard to befriend. But if you do, you can woohoo with him.

Werewolves, including Greg, can be seen in other worlds. However, you can disable that under pack settings.

Here are the ways to become a werewolf:

Create a new sim as a werewolf in CAS
Born in game (greater blood vs dormant?)
Create in game:
- ask to be turned into a werewolf
- or get werebies (from bite or from tunnel adventures).

Being asked is the quicker of the two options to turn a regular sim into a werewolf, but the second one you can be ‘cured’ before you turn into a werewolf.

They showed a sim turning into a werewolf after asking to become one and showed the different stages (they get very uncomfortable and their hunger goes down very quickly so they need to eat a lot during the time between getting bitten and becoming a werewolf. They will rampage the first time they become a werewolf. My highlights video includes footage from the stream where the sim was bitten (after asking) and when the sim becomes a werewolf for the first time.

There are two werewolf packs, Moonwood Collective (Kristopher is the leader) vs The Wildfangs (Rory is the leader). Here is a screenshot of some of the sims in the pack, Kristopher and Rory are shown.

There is lots of lore in the new pack. You can learn some by talking to the residents of Moonwood Mill. You can also learn some lore on the new Werewolf Books. Werewolves, especially those with certain abilities, can get more from the books (these aren’t skill books). More details on new books, from tweet shared after the livestream:

Only teens and up can have a ‘beast’ form, but toddlers and children can learn to howl, they can get growing pains, toddlers can bite their toy, and children will get excited about beating up their siblings like they are the alpha of the house.

They showed ‘fury’ and what it does, if it maxes they will go on a rampage, temperaments can build fury. Werewolves can have 22 temperaments, 18 appear naturally and 4 are unique (see tweet).

Werewolves have abilities – some (25) you buy with points as they level up and 6 that are dormant. Here’s a link to the SimsVIP article where they show the ones they were able to see when the SimGurus hovered over them in the livestream.

Build/Buy:

The objects look grungy to tie to the look of werewolves reclaiming things from abandoned buildings. They mentioned learning more in the game, so I expect we will get more information in their catalogue descriptions.

We will be getting two new terrain paints in the base game update that have been used in the new world.

I show a sped up version of what was shown in the livestream in my highlights video, but here’s a couple of screenshots:

Telescopes coming with the pack, however there is a telescope coming with the base game update that precedes the pack. Link to tweet.

Sundry Tweets from After the Livestream

Fated mate tweet :

Tweet re hunting food and vegetarian werewolves:

Link to The Sims 4 Werewolves trailer

Link to The Sims 4 Werewolves blog post

If you have any questions, need troubleshooting help or want to share your own Sims game play with other Simmers please head over to my Facebook group, Sims Sanctuary or my Discord.

Best Friends Forever Scenario – Rags to Riches Edition (Sims 4)

How long will it take to complete the scenario with the extra goals added on? First part goes live tomorrow, Sunday May 29, 2022: Playlist link

Sharon is creative, an animal enthusiast and a freegan. Ashlynn in creative. They are on the gallery if you’d like to play along.

Best Friends Forever Goals & My Tweaks:

Our sims will be starting with nothing. Their lot is off the grid and they will have to pay 6,500 to connect to the grid (approximate starting value of their lot, which comes with some landscaping, but no home or amenities).

Ashlynn will also be joining scouts and have the additional goal that of completing all four childhood aspirations. She will also work on getting positive character values; at a minimum she will need to get her conflict resolution to be positive before she ages up to a teen.

For more Rags to Riches guidelines, see my blog post.

Contact Me:

If you have any questions, need troubleshooting help or want to share your own Sims game play with other friendly Simmers please head over to my Facebook group, Sims Sanctuary or my Discord

No Skills, No Problem Scenario (Sims 4 Rags to Riches)

I’m going to attempt the No Skills, No Problem Scenario with my young adult sim Sebastian Meyers. He’s also going to do the parts of the Frog Scenario that don’t require skills & complete the curator aspiration (at a minimum).

How long will it take him to complete the scenario? Playlist link (first part goes live tomorrow, Sunday May 8, 2022).

Meet My Sim:

Sebastian is a creative freegan who is also an animal enthusiast with the bonus collector trait from choosing the curator aspiration. While he can’t learn any skills, as a spellcaster he can still learn magic. If you’d like to play along, Sebastian is on the gallery under my Origin ID MapleSimmer.

No Skills, No Problem Goals & My Tweaks:

Your sim starts with no money and had to have 400,000 simoleons before the scenario ends. While the scenario is active your sim will be unable to learn any skills. He’ll be starting on an empty, albeit beautiful, lot in Sulani (Key Point). I’ll be playing in the same save that my Plant-Sim Fern Pruitt is in, she’s just recently had her home moved to another lot in Sulani.

As an added challenge, I will not let my sim sell directly from their inventory/directly off the plants until my sim buys a yard sale table. Some ways to make money to get the yard sale table are to do odd jobs (requires Island Living) or to sell items, including harvestables and fish, at the grocery and plant ‘shops’ (requires Cottage Living) or flowers to the plant shop (requires My Wedding Stories).

For more Rags to Riches guidelines, see my blog post.

Frog Scenario Add On:

Here are the 8 of the 9 goals of the frog scenario, we will do seven of the 9 goals (we can’t fish while using frog as bait or make the frog hot pot goal not shown here, as those goals require skill in fishing or cooking respectively).

Written Summary of Frog Fanatic Scenario Goals Sebastian Will Do:

Catch a frog from a Log	1 time
Catch a frog from a Pond	1 time
Catch a frog from a Water Pump	1 time
Breed 9 Frogs	9 times
Catch or Breed 8 (of 8) unique Common Frogs	8 Common
Catch or Breed 6 (of 11) unique Uncommon Frogs	6 Uncommon
Catch or Breed 4 (of 6) unique Rare Frogs	4 Rare

If you have any questions, need troubleshooting help or want to share your own Sims game play with other friendly Simmers please head over to my Facebook group, Sims Sanctuary or my Discord.

Plant-a-Sim Scenario: Rags to Riches Edition (Sims 4)

I’m going to attempt the Plant-a-Sim Scenario with my young adult sim Fern Pruett; the twist? She’s starting with nothing (see note 💰 below) on an empty, albeit beautiful, lot in Sulani (Key Point).

How long will it take her to complete the scenario and will she have a home by the time it’s completed? Playlist link (first part went live today, April 17, 2022).

Meet My Sim:

Here is what Fern looked like before she became a PlantSim. She is creative, loves the outdoors and an animal enthusiast with the freelance botanist aspiration.

Details on Becoming a Plant Sim:

Here is the notification the game gives when your sim becomes a PlantSim. Keep in mind only non occult sims can become PlantSim. I tried with a spellcaster and when she ate the forbidden fruit, nothing happened!

Plant-a-Sim Scenario Goals:

Written Summary of Plant-a-Sim Scenario Goals:

Eat the ‘Forbidden Fruit of the PlantSim” from your inventory	1 time
Have your PlantSim Talk to Plants	5 times
Harvest from a Perfect Quality plant	1 time
Satisfy Water Needs	5 times
Absorb solar energy from plants	5 times
Photosynhesize by absorbing sunlight	25 times
Care for Plants as a PlantSim	99 times

💰 Rags to Riches Element:

Note that while I am doing this as a rags to riches challenge, your sim is given 5 forbidden fruit and one starter package of vegetables. I am letting my sim keep them.
No selling into inventory/directly off the plants until your sim buys a yard sale table. Some ways to make money are to do odd jobs (requires Island Living) or to sell items, including harvestables and fish, at the grocery and plant ‘shops’ (requires Cottage Living) or flowers to the plant shop (requires My Wedding Stories).
For more Rags to Riches guidelines, see my blog post.

Note I have no target for money earned, this is just an added element to see how my sim manages after starting with no money or home, and only the items given to her for the Plant-a-Sim Scenario.