[closed] Mods and CC Known Bugs and Issues: September 26th, 2023 Game Update

Introduction

If you’ve come to this thread, it’s probably for one of two reason: [1] you use game mods or custom content (CC) and something went wrong in Sims after the game updated or [2] you use game mods or custom (CC) and you heard that you should do something about game update time.

Mods (game mods and CC) aren’t created by Maxis — they’re created by Simmers, who tie into The Sims 4 game code. When the game is updated, the code that gets updated is going to be the code that some mod out there “talks” to, which means that mod can “break”. A mod that uses code that almost never changes will almost never “break”. A mod that uses code that gets changed a lot will need updating a lot. This is nobody’s fault: it’s just how mods and games work together.

So how does this affect you as a player who uses mods? An outdated mod (one that’s fallen behind the code it relies on) can cause you problems. It might only result in last exception (LE) error files and not seem to do anything in your game. It might make parts of the game inaccessible or really weird looking. It might make a “save” permanently unplayable, especially if you’ve saved when you exit. It might stop the game or your save or a household opening at all.

So here you are! This thread is here for support in handling your game and mods after the most recent game update, to help you solve mod problems that come up (and give you extra guidance on what some commons mod-related problems are right now), and as one way for players and modders to pass on news about mods.

Index

• Tips and Tricks for Mod Users at Update Time — including how to find what “broke”
• Current Mod-Related Issues

Other AHQ Resources

• Broken/Updated Mods and CC, September 26, 2023 Update — now here on AHQ!
• How to Use Mods/CC
• The Sims 4 Bugs  — for when it turns out your problem wasn’t because of a mod
• Common Game Fixing Mods - Hero Approved
• Troubleshooting Your Game — beyond mod-hunting

Tips and Tricks for Mod Users at Update Time

Before Sims Updates

Because some outdated (“broken”) mods can actually corrupt your save file, before you let the EA App update your game, back up your Saves folder. If you aren’t sure when an update might come out, you might want to get in the habit of doing this regularly.

“Backing up” a folder or file means making a copy of it in a different place. You’ll find your save files in Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4 > Saves. You can copy that whole folder to somewhere else — your desktop, say, or a different folder you make yourself, like Documents > Sims Backups. Now you’ll have a pre-patch copy to fall back on in case you run into serious problems.

It can be very tempting to just set up a syncing app, like OneDrive, to sync your Documents folder online as a way to back up your saves. Don’t do this. The Sims 4 and synching programs hate each other. You’ll run into whole new problems, including things like the app putting mods you delete back.

It can also be very tempting to rely on a mod manager to handle your mods folder for you. Mod managers from sources that aren’t working with Maxis can also cause you more problems than they fix by doing things like renaming files (so that you end up with duplicates eventually) or putting back files you deleted. The best way to manage your mods is generally to take the responsibility for it.

One way of taking that responsibility is to have an organized Mods folder. If you don’t have a lot of mods and have Curseforge doing your installations, you can ignore this: you don’t want to be making subfolders and moving things into them. But if you download mods manually or have a lot of mods (in which case, download them manually!), having subfolders that organize by, say, the name of the creator can help you when you’re doing a 50-50 (more below) or hunting for a mod that needs to be deleted or replaced.

After Sims Updates

Many patches change enough in the game to trigger it to turn off the setting that lets the game “see” your Mods folder. If you save like that, everything that those mods effect — your Sims’ hair, their kitchen cupboards, their careers and aspirations, their height, etc. — will be stripped from that save and need to be put back in by you. You don’t want that to happen. You also don’t want to have that save corrupted unexpectedly.

So, after the game update,

1. DON’T delete your Saves backup. You might still need it.
2. Check to see if mods you use have been reported “broken” (outdated) or obsolete (for example, a bugfix that’s no longer needed) so you can remove those or wait for them to be updated.
3. Check to see if mods you use have been updated. Some modders will update very quickly. Others need more time for various reasons, all of which are absolutely okay — the update might be complex, they might prioritize more popular mods than what you use, they might be very busy with other responsibilities; they might be unwell. Please give them space. Too many modders have left modding because they were tired of being asked “Are we there yet?” by impatient players.
4. If you really want to play now but mods you use aren’t updated yet, consider making a new save that doesn’t rely on the outdated mods. (Select “New” on the home page. If you have multiple “saves” after this, you can use “Load” to pick out the one you want to play next.)
5. If you do play your “old” save that relies on mods, don’t save it if you haven’t re-enabled mods. To re-enable mods, head to your Settings, under Other. But keep that backup of your Saves folder!

When Problems Happen

If you use mods, someday problems will happen, especially if you use a lot of them. Of course, not all problems after game updates are caused by outdated mods! So this section includes a test for that.

1. Check to see if mods you use are known to be outdated or have been updated. This applied to all mods — both game mods and custom content. Yes, your Sim’s eyelashes can break the whole game! Delete and replace updated mods, after checking for new installation instructions. Delete obsolete mods. Delete outdated mods that haven’t been updated. Often this is enough to solve your problem. If not, keep going!
2. Check if the symptom you have is commonly mod-related for this patch or a recent patch. You'll find some info about this in the next post.
3. Test whether the problem was caused by Mods. This is called testing “vanilla”. To do this, exit the game (especially if you forgot to back up your Saves folder, don’t save first!). Go to Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4. Drag your Mods folder to your desktop, or cut (NOT copy) and paste it. Now delete the file called localthumbcache. Restart Sims 4 and check to see if the problem is still there. If it’s not, it was probably caused by outdated mods. Either way, exit without saving. (Extra tip: Sometimes deleting a mod and localthumbcache isn’t enough to make a problem go away in a save. You can test a new save as well.)
4. So, now you seem to have, somewhere in that Mods folder, an outdated mod that isn’t on the “Broken/Updated” list. Isolate the outdated mod. One way to do that is to do a “50-50” of your mods folder.

How to “50-50” Your Mods Folders

To figure out which game mod or piece of custom content is causing problems, you can test mods in increasingly small batches, systematically.

1. Move your Mods folder to your desktop, and delete the localthumbcache file from Electronic Arts > The Sims 4. Make a new, empty folder there called Mods.
2. Make a test copy of your original folder on your desktop. You'll use the test copy for the 50-50 so that you don't lose the organization of your original folder.
3. Divide your folder up into batches. You don't have to start with two huge batches. You can start with more medium-sized batches, depending on what's comfortable for you. Name each batch something like "Untested 1" so you can keep track.
4. Some mods depend on other mods to work. That might be a CC mesh or a mods like XML Injector. Make sure those dependencies are with the mods they depend on in eac batch. Otherwise, a mod might seem to not work, but it'll be not working because it's missing its dependency.
5. Start with one batch. Copy it into Mods. Try it out. Is it all okay? Delete it from Mods, delete localthumbcache, and rename the desktop batch something like "All Clear 1".
6. If a batch fails, divide it up. Somewhere in that failed batch is a problem. Make it into smaller batches and test those separately. Remember to keep track of what's already tested and what isn't, and remember to keep deleting localthumbcache.
7. Retest the full folder. Delete the problem file from the original Mods folder, move that into place, and test it. With some luck, you've now found your problem.

A 50-50 won't always solve a problem. It will, for example, miss issues that aren't a result of a game patch, like duplicate files, mod conflicts, missing dependencies, having mods you don't have required packs for, and wrong mod installation.

An additional note about cooking mods: Some of these have very particular instructions for removing them. Consider removing your Saves and doing any 50-50 testing on a new save or new household if you weren't able to follow those instructions before mod testing.

Still Stuck?

This thread is here to help! You can also start a new thread in this forum. But please be descriptive: To help you, we need to know what symptoms you have in your game and we need to know what steps you’ve taken to try to isolate the problem.

Current Mod-Related Issues

New Issues This Patch

Symptom: Cooking UI is empty; Sims can't prepare meals

Known Causes: Color Sliders (thepancake1 and MizoreYukii), 15 Clubs Per Sim (King Zace); TOOL Mod is also affecting UI

Note: Updates are available.

Symptom: Sims can't put food in oven or refuse to cook; a last exception file might be produced

Known Causes: This is NOT mod related. It's caused by the DHD Standard Gas Oven from Blazin' Ladles. Replace the oven.

Note: Don't try to place the oven in Build/Buy; it can become much fussier to delete. A bugfix is available from thunder1183.

Symptom: Simple Living and grocery shopping don't work. Ingredient requirements don't work. New categories for cooking aren't available. Cooking remains possible, though.

Known Causes: various cooking mods, including Srsly's SCCO and SCCOR

Note: Some cooking mods require that you make changes in game before removing the mod to prevent more serious errors. For SCCO, this means deleting all food and plates. Other mods may have similar requirements.

Older Issues

The issues listed here are mostly for mods that don't yet have updates. Keeping mods updated will help prevent many issues. Consider catching up on mod news if you've been away from the game for a while. Some other, less common symptoms are listed with mods known to cause them in the current Outdated and Updated Mods thread.

Symptom: Aliens (and possibly other Sims) are missing their heads

Known Causes: various outdated CAS default mods, especially eyelash mods

Note: Check default CAS mods for updates and alternatives

Symptom: Horses don’t appear in the relationship panel

Known Cause: No More Relationship Culling by Neia

Note: Other mods are available to replace this one

Symptom: Horse interactions not available

Known Causes: various outdated mods, including PlantSim Inheritance v1-A, Be a Little Serious

Symptom: Sims can't ride horses

Known Causes: mods for belly size, mods for pregnancy walk

Symptom: Sims Infants gameplay fails

Known Causes: Fixed Nyx's Enhanced Aliens, Children can live alone after all elders died

Note: There are likely other outdated mods with this symptom

Symptom: Lot fails to load for Live mode gameplay

Known Causes: noextramoneyonpromotion (Bienchen); outdated versions of Meaningful Stories, SNB-Bills

Note: This can be caused by game bugs and by outdated mods, especially complex script mods (mods that include a .ts4script file). The error message is important. Test without mods before posting a thread; include a screenshot of the error message. Note also that in some cases, that household will have become corrupted and you'll need to go back to an earlier version of the save.

Symptom: Game stuck in loading

Note: No known single cause; try a 50-50

Symptom: Sim profile (in Live mode) broken

Known Cause: AD(H)D trait by FiendMods

Note:When a custom trait is removed, Sims will lose the trait and not be automatically given a new one.

Symptom: Male Sims are invisible

Known Cause: Various sliders

Note: These mods can be removed without your Sims' shape changing. Many have replacements available.

Symptom: Sims arms and legs stretch or disappear, and other Sim glitching in Live mode

Known Cause: outdated height sliders

Symptom: Food stall and Festival vendors only sell produce

Known Causes: Custom Food stalls, playable NPC jobs

Note: Possible permanent corruption if you load a save with broken food stalls. Make sure to update any food stalls before playing or remove them before updating.

Symptom: No beds can be placed in Build/Buy mode

Known Cause: outdated CC beds

Note: Find replacements or batch-fix in Sims 4 Studio. If Maxis adds a new function to beds again, working CC will not be available until Sims 4 Studio is reupdated to include that function in a new batch fix.

Symptoms: Sims won't eat; Sims reset when doing homework

Known Cause: outdated CC, including phone mods

Common Issues at Game Updates

Some mods are especially sensitive to game updates. Most of these mods that you can temporarily play without with no harm done to your save. They are also generally quickly updated, so watch for those updates!

Symptom: Blank icons and UI glitching in the CAS, Build/Buy, or Live mode UI; Main Menu and the Gallery showing "wwwwwwwwww" instead of text; Build/Buy GUI missing

Known Causes:  Color Sliders (thepancake1 and MizoreYukii), 15 Clubs Per Sim (King Zace), UI Cheats Extension (weerbesu), Better BuildBuy (TwistedMexi), More Columns in CAS (weerbesu), CC wrench icon mods, and other mods that change the UI

Note: Playing without 15 Clubs Per Sim may result in Sims losing club memberships. UI Cheats Extension generally isn't the cause of CAS glitching.

Symptom: All color options are broken in CAS. Color does not change.

Known Cause:  More Columns in CAS (weerbesu)

Symptom: The Gallery won't load

Known Causes:  Color Sliders, 15 Clubs Per Sim

Symptom: World map has overlying text

Known Causes:  UI Cheats Extension, Better BuildBuy, and other mods that change the UI

Symptom: When trying to load a new world, only a white screen is shown

Known Cause: T.O.O.L Mod (TwistedMexi)

Symptom: X on an accessory is missing in CAS

Known Cause: More Columns in CAS

Symptom: The mouse cursor has weird icons

Known Causes: various CAS mods

After yesterday's update some of the options in my game look like this. Can someone please help me?

[Thank you for your post, but you've posted in the Portuguese forum. I'll move your topic to the English board so you can receive responses.]

Hi @whyxgui ! You probably have an outdated copy of TOOL Mod, which was updated after yesterday's patch. You can also check the lists here for other outdated and updated mods: https://answers.ea.com/t5/Game-and-Mod-CC-Issues/Broken-Obsolete-and-Updated-Sims-4-Mods-1-101-Sept-26-2023-Game/m-p/12938280#M48214

Product: The Sims 4

Platform: PC

Which language are you playing the game in?: English 

How often does the bug occur?: Every time I try to get my sims to 

What is your current game version number?: 1.101.290.1030

What expansions, game packs, and stuff packs do you have installed?: Get to Work, Get Together, City Living, Cats & Dogs, Seasons, Get Famous, Island Living, Discover University, Eco Lifestyle, Snowy Escape, Cottage Living, Outdoor Retreat, Spa Day, Dine Out, Parenthood, Strangerville, Dream Home Decorator, Luxury Party, Perfect Patio, Cool Kitchen, Movie Hangout, Romantic Garden, Backyard Stuff, Vintage Glamour, Bowling Night, Fitness Stuff, Laundry Day, My First Pet, Moschino, Tiny Living, Paranormal Stuff

Steps: How can we find the bug ourselves?: Cook using fridge or stove/oven alone

What happens when the bug occurs?: Just seeing the old recipe menu, no cooking filters (they only show up using "cook together")

What do you expect to see?: The new recipe UI cooking filters when sims cook alone

Have you installed any customization with the game, e.g. Custom Content or Mods?: Yes, and tried taking some out to test

Did this issue appear after a specific patch or change you made to your system?: Yes

Please describe the patch or change you made.: Sep 26 patch

You need to take out all your mods, not just some I'm afraid, and delete the localthumbcache.package file. And test without any mods.

I suggest to check the post in the Game and Mods/CC section of the forum

Broken-Obsolete-and-Updated-Sims-4-Mods-1-101-Sept-26-2023-Game 

Just want to add in particular that if you use any "cookbook" type mods, those have UI that will need updating to see the new filters. Some have already been updated, so check the list in this forum or with your cookbook's creator.

I updated the game to the latest patch and have removed all my mods and still am unable to see the new recipe UI for the sims 4