Re: Sims 3 University Life "serious error"

Thank you for the quick response.

The backup folder for that family is empty. Is there another place to find that?

I'm willing to try mods if that might help. Can you tell me which ones to download? I've only used mods for one game before, World of Warcraft, so I'm not sure how to make them work for Sims 3.

Edit: I went and downloaded NRaas Traveler. I cannot open it because it's a .package and I don't have a program for it. 

If none of the above works, I also have no clue how to share a save, but I would be willing as a last resort.

Thank you!

@14c697a6e1d69acb  You don't need to and shouldn't try to open mods.  They're installed in .package form, and the game can read them fine.  Here are install instructions:

http://modthesims.info/wiki.php?title=Game_Help:Installing_Sims_3_Package_Files/Setup_and_Files

In addition to NRaas Traveler, add ErrorTrap, Overwatch, MasterController, and Register.  Be sure to delete the five cache files in your Sims 3 user folder as well:

• CASPartCache.package
• compositorCache.package
• scriptCache.package
• simCompositorCache.package
• socialCache.package

Load the save, let the game clock run for a few sim-minutes, click on the admin building (this stands in for City Hall in the University world), and select:

NRaas > MasterController > Town Options > Reset Everything

When the reset is done, let the clock run for a few more sim-minutes, then use "save as" to rename the save, so the original remains intact under its old name.  Quit to desktop, delete the cache files again, reload, and see whether your sim can make it home.

If that alone doesn't help, try to lower the stress on the game engine as much as possible:

• Empty out your sim's inventory as much as is reasonable.  Having a few items is fine, but not much more.
• Save the game immediately before you want your sims to travel.
• Exit to the Main Menu and lower all the graphics settings to the minimum.  Turn off the in-game shopping experience and the interactive loading screens as well, then quit to desktop.
• Delete the five cache files in your user folder (listed above) again.
• Take your computer completely offline.  You can sign into Origin and put it in offline mode before disconnecting your computer and launching the game.
• Load the game let your sim (try to) return home.

If none of this helps, you could share your save by zipping the folder (right-click, select Compress) and uploading it to a free filesharing site like Google Drive or Dropbox.  Then either post the link here or send me a private message.  I'll take a look.

If you do send me the save, please list all the expansion and stuff packs you currently have installed as well as the Store worlds.  I own everything except Katy Perry, so other than that, I can mimic your setup.

I cannot thank you enough for all this.

I did all the mod stuff and tried a few times but still the same issue. I've got a save that's right before the loading screen comes on to go back home, but I think that's too close to the travel maybe. I need to go back in and do one a bit sooner. Tomorrow. Or maybe in a couple days. I'm weary!

I'm going to create a new Sunset Valley family and send someone to university and see what happens. MAYBE, just maybe part of the problem is her trying to go home and there are so many sims in the house it's having trouble? I also want to see if it's a Sunset Valley problem in general since Bridgeport appears to work okay. I don't want to risk losing any of my other Sunset Valley families though.

Thank you again and I will be in touch soon to possibly send you a copy of the save.

@14c697a6e1d69acb  I haven't heard any association between the "serious error" messages and a full or overstuffed household.  The "serious error" usually means corruption to that world that goes beyond the game's ability to repair, but there are sometimes ways to work around it.  It's definitely not a problem with Sunset Valley, just the instance of SV in your save.

If you do want me to poke at your save, let me know whenever you're ready.

Hello again!

EDIT: After posting this, I went back in and put all my settings to minimum. My Sim made it home!!!! Was it perhaps a RAM issue? My laptop isn’t exactly made for gaming. 

So I started a whole new family. The kid went to university for 2 terms and didn't graduate. The third time he graduated, and every time he tries to come home, the game crashes. It's not the error message as with the other family, the game just closes. So the connection is graduation back to SV for some reason. I tried having him attend graduation and not attend. He never invited anyone. I guess it's time for me to send you the save file. ☹️

@14c697a6e1d69acb  The transition back home is definitely a problem in the 64-bit Mac version, not just for you but for a number of players.  Lowering the settings to the minimum can help because it lowers the stress on the game engine, but that only makes a difference if the homeworld is intact enough to load at all.  I hope that's the case for your current save, but if not, you may need to revert to a backup save from before your sim traveled this most recent time.

Or, if you want, you can send me the save to test myself.