Forum Discussion

5 years ago

Solved

Sims Won't Use Countertop Front, Can Only Use Back

Product: The Sims 4
Platform:PC
Which language are you playing the game in? English
How often does the bug occur? Every time (100%)
What is your current game version number? 1.65.77.1020
What expansions, game packs, and stuff packs do you have installed? ALL EXCEPT: Eco Lifestyle, My First Pet, Nifty Knitting, Tiny Living and Moschino
Steps: How can we find the bug ourselves? Try to prepare food
What happens when the bug occurs? My sims refuse to use the front of the counters. They prepare food on the back of the counters.
What do you expect to see? My sims not giving up on their garden salads when I'm trying to get them to cook lmao
Have you installed any customization with the game, e.g. Custom Content or Mods? Yes
Did this issue appear after a specific patch or change you made to your system? No

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I want to specify that this problem occurred today BEFORE I installed any CC/Mods. So yes while I do have mods installed, this is a problem I've had before the game was ever modded (this installation anyway. I've recently re-installed it on a new PC)

So I wanted my teenage sim to make her first garden salad and she was like "nah I can't reach the counter". I had a look and nothing appeared to be blocking the counter at all, but I moved it by dragging it out slightly and turned it sideways for a different angle to see if it fixes the issue.

It did, but not in a way I expected. she used the back of the counter.

I put the counter back after she had done and surfed around for a fix and I got distracted by "oh yeah I've not put my mods back yet" and so I spent a while shopping for new mods / updating my mods and I returned after exiting and reloading the game. I got another teenage sim to prepare his first meal, but I faced the same issue. This time I didn't move the counter away, I just turned it around so that it was facing the wall, and as predicted, he started cooking on the back of the counter like the was no original placement issue at all.

Like I mentioned, this is a relatively new re-install on a brand new PC so I don't imagine I'd have to repair the game. I don't know how long this has been going on as the sim before this cooked only with the cauldron and ate harvestables.

I have a possible separate or related issue with the same save; my teenage sims wouldn't use the tall desk that came with City Living. They were like "I can't write my journal on there. The chair is in the way."

Me??????

I eventually replaced the desk with a CC desk (this issue came up before I installed CC, but I didn't bother to change out the desk it until afterwards when I got tired of replacing the chairs). The CC desk and original chair works.

I've not yet tried replacing the countertop with another variant countertop (either in style or section type of counter if you get me?).

Has this been raised before? I noticed another user mention something similar back in January (?), but they were talking about the counters purposely not being against the wall, not that they refuse to use the front when placed against a wall.

gameplay issue

zanthiathemysti
5 years ago
Hi sorry late reply;
I managed to get the counter to work after I deleted the floor and put it back in. I'm still convinced it was the fire that caused the issue. I noticed my sims were still doing the "ew this place is filthy" action, but there was no rubbish, water, unclean surfaces or dirty burned floors to take care of. Perhaps it was invisible???
I do now have a NEW problem since the game update. The shower can't be cleaned??? Either by scrubbing or by magic and it does not matter where I move the damn thing. I can't can't cheat it clean because if I shift-click on it to "make clean" it just says "make dirty" as if it's already clean. I have chosen the "make dirty" option and then the option to "make clean" appears, but it does not work. I can only delete the shower and buy a new one....
And yeah I've removed my mods, cleared the cashe and repaired the game, nothing is working :V
This is an issue for another thread though I'd imagine.
Thank you for helping me with the countertop issue what an odd problem xD invisible dirt

19 Replies

Psychotps
Seasoned Ace
5 years ago
@ZanthiatheMystic Can you upload a pic of the counter in question? I do this all the time and never saw it. The only thing similar is when sims will use half-walls to cook on... which is just weird. Never had a problem with counters.

... Unless you are using the counters that double as tables? (Forget what they're called) The ones you put bar stools in front of. Sims will often use the back side of those to cook on. Those aren't intended to be put flat against the walls.
zanthiathemysti
5 years ago
Yes of course!
Annoyingly after a full gaming session of my Sims refusing to use the front, when I moved the counter out to get a screenshot of them choosing the back... they chose the front twice.
However, they still cannot use the front while it is placed in this section [image 1] but are perfectly fine using that exact spot when the counter is turned backwards [image 2]
As you can probably see, it's a regular countertop and not of the barstool-using variety (I don't know the name either). It's the one from the Jungle Adventure pack. Can't imagine what the problem is tbh
crinrict
Hero+
5 years ago
@ZanthiatheMystic I tested what I think is this counter top and have no issues.

Could you test if you have issues with all counters or just this particular one ?

If you can duplicate it with other counters, does it happen in all your counters or just this particular one ?
manzana0807
Seasoned Ace
5 years ago
I don't have these counters in my current household's lot, but I am using the City Living desk and it works fine.

ETA: You didn't happen to use MOO by chance when you placed your desk chair the first time (with the City Living desk)? In my experience that always makes surfaces like desks and dining tables not work right.
Psychotps
Seasoned Ace
5 years ago
This is the Selvadoradian counter? At you can see, it works fine in mine.
The only thing I can think of is you have a mod that's changing the counter slots. You should try it again after removing ALL your mods and deleting the cache files.
(BTW, it's called a counter island)
zanthiathemysti
5 years ago
I've never had that problem, but no actually, the study room was built after I reloaded the game to retest the counters and I specifically didn't turn cheats on
zanthiathemysti
5 years ago
I could try the cashe, though it's a new install and I can't see that being a problem. I'll get back to you on that one.
The bug occurred before I put in my mods. I was playing the game for about an hour before I decided to look for a solution online and got sidetracked by the fact I hadn't put my mods back in yet
Psychotps
Seasoned Ace
5 years ago
@ZanthiatheMysticWell, the thing with mods and the cache, is it's persistent. If you have mods in, and remove them, the mods information can sometimes remain in the cache. So, the mods will still cause problems even if the mods aren't installed, until you clear the cache.

So, if you remove mods, clear the cache.
If you add new mods, clear the cache.

Basically, any change you make, clear the cache.

So, if you had a mod that changes the counter slots, and remove the mods, it may still cause problems. until you clear the cache.

You'll want to try it again. Remove ALL MODS, clear the cache, and try it again.
If it STILL does it after, then your game's corrupted and you have much bigger problems. Like completely removing everything and re-installing. Trying a completely new game also.
zanthiathemysti
5 years ago
It happens with all the counters I've tried;
Perfect Patio
Parenthood
Vampires
Base Game S Cargeaux Counter and Tall Order Vintage Counter
Here's the topdown view of the counter location. To me it looks like there's nothing wrong, nothing blocking the path. It wasn't placed with MoveObjects, nothing in the kitchen was aside from the cauldron. There was a time when the counter placement was working just fine (in the playtest) but come to actually play in the house, it's got issues xD
zanthiathemysti
5 years ago
I should probably explain;
I had issues with a laptop I purchased and eventually after the RMA was screwing me around, I asked for a refund. I re-installed The Sims 4 several times on that laptop before it had to be wiped again to be "fixed" over and over again in RMA.
This is a brand new PC I just bought with the refund money. The Sims 4 has never been installed on this PC before, and neither have the mods. It's a brand new install so there really shouldn't be much of a cashe to clear, but I just have.
I have no problem removing the mods to test (I did testing the other counters), I just want to make it clear that the issue presented itself on a new install and before any mods were ever put into place at all