Just to add that black looking sim is generally an indication of a missing default skin, and in the case of the EA sims I do know some have a EA default skin to reflect the Lunar lakes skin - I believe it first came about in Ambitions, again in Hidden Springs, and finally in LL. So sounds like the corruption was causing that skin not to work. I have no clue why - but it would be enough for me alone to restart. But no you cannot have 8 sims and a Pet. You can have 6 sims and up to 4 pets or you can have 8 sims with no pets. I know the number is 10, but where pets are involved you are supposed to only be able to have 6 sims and up to 4 pets or you can even get away with 7 sims and 1 pet. With 8 human sims you supposedly can't have any pets. I know the programming is weird when it comes to pets and them registering as Sims and not animals.
