[FIXED] Sketchpad - Loses all menu choices except "Paint from Reference"
Product: The Sims 4
Platform:PC
Which language are you playing the game in? English
How often does the bug occur? Often (50% - 99%)
What is your current game version number? 1.48.94.1020
What expansions, game packs, and stuff packs do you have installed? Romantic Garden, Grim's Ghoulish Guitar, Holiday Celebration Pack
Steps: How can we find the bug ourselves? Enter the Style Influencer Career; level to Rank 3 to gain the Digitalistic Sketchpad. Use the sketchpad to level painting skill and complete daily tasks for the career. New information (12/28/2018): The sketchpad breaks on multitasking. To find the bug, queue the sim to listen to a radio station or chat with another sim while using any of the painting options on the sketchpad.
What happens when the bug occurs? The Digitalistic Sketchpad will lose all menu choices but "Paint from Reference" and "Put in Inventory/World". New information (12/28/2018): While multitasking, the sim will paint on the sketchpad until the painting reaches the final tick before completing the painting. Then, the sim will teleport a bit away from where they were standing and drop the sketchpad. There will be no completed painting, and the menu on the sketchpad will show "Paint from Reference" as the only choice.
What do you expect to see? Full menu choices remain on the sketchpad - Painting types consistent with the sim's painting skill level and the task "Quick Sketch Impression" Ability to multitask (listen to radio, chat with another sim) without breaking the sketchpad in this manner.
Have you installed any customization with the game, e.g. Custom Content or Mods? Never used.
Did this issue appear after a specific patch or change you made to your system? Neutral/Not Sure
This Sim is the first one I've tried the Style Influencer career. I'm unsure if the issue was there since launch of the career (November 2018 GF patch), or if it was introduced in one of the December 2018 updates. She entered the career prior to the December 18 patch, and the sketchpad was working before I applied the patch (I installed the 12/18/2018 patch on 12/19/2018).
Here are screenshots of the menu choices working prior to the 12/18/2018 patch:
I applied the December 20, 2018 patch on 12/21/2018. Sometime after the patch was applied, all of the menu choices, except for Paint From Reference, disappeared. Here is a screenshot:
The only thing left on the menu is "Paint from Reference" and "Put in Inventory" (or "Place in World" if it is in inventory). The game generated a last exception file around the time that it broke:
<report><version>2</version><sessionid>7cad3c1195a08e975c1d5a2f</sessionid><type>desync</type><sku>ea.maxis.sims4_64.15.pc</sku><createtime>2018-12-21 21:39:43</createtime><buildsignature>Local.Unknown.Unknown.1.48.94.1020-1.200.000.377.Release</buildsignature><categoryid>carry_postures.py:677</categoryid><desyncid>7cad3c1195a08e975c1d5a2f</desyncid><systemconfig/><screenshot/><desyncdata>Exception in Sim Timeline: Exception resuming Element (RuntimeError: Unable to retrieve slot variable: StackVar: Found: Local Var var_map = _sims4_collections.frozendict({HAND: <Hand.RIGHT = 2>, INTERACTION_TARGET: object_Sketchpad(0x01e9089aa17d0438), CARRY_TARGET: object_Sketchpad(0x01e9089aa17d0438)}) Local Var dest_state = PostureState(stand:1403, posture_CarryNothing:1279, posture_CarryNothing:1404) Local Var slot_var = PostureSpecVariable.SLOT (<PostureTransition: posture_CarryObject:1381 to posture_CarryNothing:1404>😉._interaction = running sketchpad_Staging_SketchImpressionLoot:51974 on object_Sketchpad:0x01e9089aa17d0438 (guaranteed) Not Found: 
😉 Traceback (most recent call last): File "T:\InGame\Gameplay\Scripts\Server\scheduling.py", line 217, in simulate File "T:\InGame\Gameplay\Scripts\Server\elements.py", line 385, in _resume File "T:\InGame\Gameplay\Scripts\Server\postures\transition.py", line 412, in do_transition_animation File "T:\InGame\Gameplay\Scripts\Server\carry\carry_postures.py", line 677, in append_exit_to_arb RuntimeError: Unable to retrieve slot variable: StackVar: Found: Local Var var_map = _sims4_collections.frozendict({HAND: <Hand.RIGHT = 2>, INTERACTION_TARGET: object_Sketchpad(0x01e9089aa17d0438), CARRY_TARGET: object_Sketchpad(0x01e9089aa17d0438)}) Local Var dest_state = PostureState(stand:1403, posture_CarryNothing:1279, posture_CarryNothing:1404) Local Var slot_var = PostureSpecVariable.SLOT (<PostureTransition: posture_CarryObject:1381 to posture_CarryNothing:1404>😉._interaction = running sketchpad_Staging_SketchImpressionLoot:51974 on object_Sketchpad:0x01e9089aa17d0438 (guaranteed) Not Found: rtim=0</desyncdata></report>
</root>
I tried clearing the cache, repairing the game, placing in inventory / placing in world both by dragging and by using the menu choices, and putting the sketchpad in household inventory then returning it to the house. None of these worked.
I purchased another Digitalistic Sketchpad through build mode. The new sketchpad worked correctly; the old sketchpad remained broken.
Workaround at this time appears to be to sell the broken sketchpad (for $0) and buy a new one (for $750).
I have not been able to break the new one yet, but haven't really tried. Will update with more info as I get it. I have save files available if needed.
The Digitalistic Sketchpad will no longer occasionally lose the majority of its interactions.
Fixed in Patch 1.49.65
Please use this thread if you're still having issues: https://answers.ea.com/t5/Bug-Reports/NEEDS-INPUT-A-Creating-sketches-breaks-Digitalastic-Sketchpad/m-p/8028501
