Unfortunately, the Sims 3 has many things that can corrupt your save game. Without using a mod, there's not much that can be done about that and once a game is corrupt, it's corrupt and you need to start a new one. I know this may sound a bit pessimistic but with all the threads here that ask about and no real solution, I decided to make a thread where everyone can share their non-mod solutions (we can't talk about the mod ones here on the AnswerHQ although it would be the most easy fix). Disclaimer Be aware that I don't work for EA and this is not an official statement. It's about what I as a user learned about this game over the years. Corruption Causes The following symptoms point towards corruption Invisible Sims Invisible Sims occur when the Sims outfit gets corrupted. There are two different kinds. The one that started occuring around the release of supernatural is easy to solve. You can either switch the Sims outfit or use the cheat resetsim fistname lastname (name of your Sim) Invisible Sims Blank or Missing Portraits If a portrait is blank in the portrait panel or missing altogether, there's not much that can be done. Sims missing from the portrait panel Corrupt Family Tree When you click on the family tree, nothing happens. Family tree most often corrupt if there's a relationship in the genealogy messed up. Those are very common and have something to do with the way handles relationships. I don't have a solution for this. Unclickable Sim & Phone Something has corrupted the Sim. There are two issues that I know can cause this bu there could be others Duplicate relationship. A sim occurs twice in another Sims relationsship panel Steady gigs for propriortors that are no longer availble Sometimes resetting the Sim helps with that but most of the time, it simply doesn't. Multi-Select Portraits After trying to switch portraits, the game selects them both and the panel doesn't change to the new one. The game runs into an error and fails when trying to load the new panel. This can often be resolved by restarting the game. Multi-Selected Portraits Missing Sims and empty UI when arriving in vacation town The Sims is completely absent when arriving in the vacation town. This happens if any corruption of outfit or family tree (or other reasons) has already occured. The game fails to load the UI Here's a few suggestions to that issue: Sims not arriving at Travel Destination Sim not arriving at University This is the same issue as above. When the Sims arrives at Uni, he's not there and you're asked to choose a family Sim not arriving at University Sim can't travel home after University This is probably also a sign of corruption. Sim can’t return home from University Solutions The easiest solution is to pack up your Sim (aka save to the library) and start a new game with the Sim. This will solve a certain degree of corruption. You won't loose your progress, just the relationships to other Sims, any open opportunites as well as your open wishes. If anyone has more solutions, they are welcome to post them. I can't help with troubleshooting this cause it's EA that needs to fix this. I'm happy to answer questions if I can so please post those as well as any additions you have. ------------------------------------ Did this FAQ help you with your issue ? If so, please consider pressing the XP button

actually and not to be rude there is a partial solution to this. it worked for me at least. go to town edit mode save a copy of your sim and household not just the sim and evict the non copy then replace the non copy with the copy and your sim will show once your game is saved and you return to the household.

Go to C/Documents/Electronic Arts/The sims 3/Saves and find all .bad files and remove them. It will solve your saved game corruption issue.

I'm not sure if this is a game corruption or not, but invisible sims doesn't cover it. I've checked your site Crinrict, thank god for that, and checked the forums on the Sims 3 site. To no avail. Here, I flipped through the how to post and how to help helpers and even the known issues but nothing. I do like all of your links but I think you should mention the underground bug. It's corruption with clothes I think. I have a sim who both times I've come into the game has appeared underground. I'll see her thought bubbles popping out of the ground and stuff like that. I can move her, talk to others but can't see her. It's strange. I thought it was me logging in before I started playing but it wasn't that. I tried deleting my saved game. That didn't work either... So I read up and found an idea about clothes. I would make sure to link or mention Sims underground as an issue that's being worked on or that's been mentioned because all of those links don't lead to a solution for that. I've checked most of them before from the sims 3 forum ;] I might make a thread instead of bumping up this thread but I just wanted to let you know that there's a possible clothes corruption (it's supernatural pack stuff as well) and that it's different then all of that.

- Reserved in case I need more space -

I just thought it would be important to mention that as a different issue :] I've had this happen 2 times so far but it's every fresh start (everytime I start the game, not new game.) So that's my little addition Seperate maybe related issue as a subtitle maybe?Edit: A fix to the Underground bug is getting a dresser and changing that persons outfit.. Might be a temporary fix but I'll let you know if anything changes. Moving out the person who was Underground and ONLY that person works, and then you can move them back, should work upon moving from Original house to house A. Not sure if moving back to Original house will help if they're still stuck underground with a plumpbob above them.

Forum Discussion

crinrict

Hero+

13 years ago

[ISSUE] Savegame Corruption

Unfortunately, the Sims 3 has many things that can corrupt your save game. Without using a mod, there's not much that can be done about that and once a game is corrupt, it's corrupt and you need to start a new one.

I know this may sound a bit pessimistic but with all the threads here that ask about and no real solution, I decided to make a thread where everyone can share their non-mod solutions (we can't talk about the mod ones here on the AnswerHQ although it would be the most easy fix).

Disclaimer

Be aware that I don't work for EA and this is not an official statement. It's about what I as a user learned about this game over the years.

Corruption Causes

The following symptoms point towards corruption

Invisible Sims

Invisible Sims occur when the Sims outfit gets corrupted. There are two different kinds. The one that started occuring around the release of supernatural is easy to solve. You can either switch the Sims outfit or use the cheat resetsim fistname lastname (name of your Sim)

Invisible Sims

Blank or Missing Portraits

If a portrait is blank in the portrait panel or missing altogether, there's not much that can be done.

Sims missing from the portrait panel

Corrupt Family Tree

When you click on the family tree, nothing happens. Family tree most often corrupt if there's a relationship in the genealogy messed up. Those are very common and have something to do with the way handles relationships.

I don't have a solution for this.

Unclickable Sim & Phone

Something has corrupted the Sim. There are two issues that I know can cause this bu there could be others

Duplicate relationship. A sim occurs twice in another Sims relationsship panel
Steady gigs for propriortors that are no longer availble

Sometimes resetting the Sim helps with that but most of the time, it simply doesn't.

Multi-Select Portraits

After trying to switch portraits, the game selects them both and the panel doesn't change to the new one. The game runs into an error and fails when trying to load the new panel. This can often be resolved by restarting the game.

Multi-Selected Portraits

Missing Sims and empty UI when arriving in vacation town

The Sims is completely absent when arriving in the vacation town. This happens if any corruption of outfit or family tree (or other reasons) has already occured. The game fails to load the UI

Here's a few suggestions to that issue: Sims not arriving at Travel Destination

Sim not arriving at University

This is the same issue as above. When the Sims arrives at Uni, he's not there and you're asked to choose a family

Sim not arriving at University

Sim can't travel home after University

This is probably also a sign of corruption.

Sim can’t return home from University

Solutions

The easiest solution is to pack up your Sim (aka save to the library) and start a new game with the Sim. This will solve a certain degree of corruption. You won't loose your progress, just the relationships to other Sims, any open opportunites as well as your open wishes.

If anyone has more solutions, they are welcome to post them. I can't help with troubleshooting this cause it's EA that needs to fix this. I'm happy to answer questions if I can so please post those as well as any additions you have.

------------------------------------

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technical issues

13 Replies

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Anonymous
11 years ago
Thank u for ur help,but I'm not that bright trying to move things around,I don't even know how to get mods.I don't know how can I separate the household & put them individually into the library,so if I want to use them later in a different game.I have this new laptop,my other one went kaput,so I lost a lot of good stuff & this one doesn't seem to handle much.So when I create a sim,why am I NOT able to share it w/ others..
cutiepatooty123
8 years ago
I just came out of a game to try & see if my game was corrupt. After 2 years of not playing The Sims 3, I decided to come back! I played for 2 days straight!<--This being my 2nd day.
Anyways, this is more like..."Signs that your Game is Corrupt:"
1. The Z's as your Sims sleep stop suddenly, & then go back to floating in the air.
2. Some object doesn't work properly. Examples: Your Sim's Limo clips onto your Sim's Household Lot or Your Sim's Baby Stroller is stuck or Sims are stuck on Lots where it seems like they should have enough room to move around.
3. Your Game Crashes or Freezes
Soulution to #3 (usually works, not always): #3 is usually because your Memory Meter on your computer is too hot. When you are in game, try clicking on The 3 Dot Menu Button aka Options Button, or whatever that button is called. Then...if you have a Windows Button on your Keyboard, you can just hit that button & wait until you can see your Windows 7-10 Background pops-up. If you listen for the 3 Dot Menu to make its noise, then...usually, you can just go back into your game & save it! 🙂
Before "Answers HQ" there was something called "The Forums" which was similar to this. It was there where I received an answer that noted why I couldn't play for very long, anymore: "It's automated," they said. Well, I say, "REMOVE THIS "AUTOMATED" TIMED PROGRAMMING & WE'D HAVE A PERFECT GAME!"
Oh, wait, & my Startup/Autorun Page does say, "Some of the Content will ruin your game. Click CANCEL to keep your choices."<--So, that's a 4th Sign that your Game is Corrupt."<--This warning does say you can go back into The "Expansion Packs" Tab & remove those "outside your neighborhood games"<--This what annoys me, as well. As I like to play with ALL OF MY PACKS!
OK, sorry about that last part, but seriously...you are right, ppl need to come back here & fix things.
xostaxceeox
8 years ago
Thank you sooooooo much! Making a copy of the family and house fixed my problem. I missed going to he future.