Hey all!A common point of failure for Sims 4 users seems to be attempting to run with Sim 2 or Sims 3 mods. Running with Sims 2 mods will result in a cryptic “required game data is missing” error. We can definitely improve that error message which hopefully will eliminate some noise.But Sims 3 mods are a little more tricky because Sims 4 currently does not even recognize these mods as coming from Sims 3. It will try to load the mod and usually crash. The reason for this is because we bumped the version of the .package format to 2.1 (Sims 3 was 2.0), but didn’t change the runtime to reject 2.0 packages (oops). I would like to change the engine to reject 2.0 packages. But since this is a significant change in behavior I wanted to pose this question to the group: Do you know of any Sims 4 modding tools that currently or ever created .package files with version 2.0?I have not been able to find any Sims 4 mods using version 2.0 packages, but have only tested a relatively limited amount of content.Thanks,SGMS

Anyway creators are well used to having to update work to allow for patches etc, it won't be a huge shock, compared to the hours that must be spent by EA helpdesk on players wondering why their game won't run.

I agree with _A_ and IngeJones. The handful of creators who will need to update their CC are creators who were using an alpha tool and they're aware that the use of an alpha tool will often result in the need to update the content made with it so it is compatible with a patch. The small number of creators negatively affected by the suggested change is far outweighed by the much larger group of players and EA help desk employees who would benefit from it.

Ok great, thanks for the feedback. I will let you all know if we make any changes here.

Changing that error message for TS2 packages would be a very helpful move. While you're at it, would it be possible to also get an error message that tells the user when one of the game packages is still open (in some CC creation tool)? I also get that "game data missing" notification when that happens (which will be very confusing in case any of the game data ever actually goes missing). Also, how about your "simsmodsquad-novelist" example package that's been distributed with the CC guide -- is that perhaps an old version or something? Asking because I've tried to edit that at some point (a long time ago), and unlike all other packages I've ever seen it didn't work when I just saved and closed it -- copying over the contents into a new package did work though. So that one seems to be different from other packages in some way.

If you like working on .packages directly from the Sims 4/Mods folder and starting the game with the .package still open in your creation tool you could use Studio...it does not grab hold of the .package so it's possible to do this. If you prefer some other tool perhaps you could contact the developer of that tool and request that this feature be added to that tool also. Alternatively, you could adapt your workflow to fit the way that tool works. The easiest way to go about that would be to simply create a project folder outside the Sims 4/Mods folder and work on the .package from the project folder. Then, when you're all set to test your .package, you can copy and paste that right into the Sims 4/Mods folder. It's an extra copy/paste step, yes, but it will allow you to avoid the disconcerting "game data missing" notification in the cases where you forget to close your project.package prior to starting the game.In the case that game data goes missing one easy way to make sure it isn't because you have a .package open in a custom content tool unable to allow the game to start if something in the Mods folder is open in it would be to hit the Ctrl key, the Alt key, and the Delete key on your keyboard all at the same time to bring up your Task Manager. This allows you to view a list of all the applications that are running. If your CC tool is running you can close it and then restart the game. If the game still returned a "game data missing" notification then you would know it wasn't the fault of your custom content tool's grabbing something in the Mods folder and was actually due to missing game data.The problem s4pe has saving the Maslow example .package is a known issue that was reported long ago and has, apparently, not been addressed. The problem was first reported by players who were ending up with corrupt .packages when using s4pe to merge multiple .packages into one. If, for some reason, you need to save the Maslow example.package directly rather than creating a new shell.package for the resources first, Studio is able to do that with no difficulty :)

Package Version Question | EA Forums

tastytourist
10 years ago
The first post in this thread is about “a cryptic “required game data is missing” error. We can definitely improve that error message ”. Hence why I thought this might be a good place to point out another cryptic error message that could be improved at the same time.

Other than that I’m under the impression that they can decide for themselves what to do in what order .. I didn’t claim it was a priority or would affect players (of course not - but this is the modding forum, not the general gameplay bug report forum).
orangemittens1
10 years ago
The problem s4pe has handling the maslow.package is occurring because s4pe is not completely compliant with the way game.packages should be managed.

It is unclear to me why you think anyone should have reported this to EA or why you are doing so now. It's a tool developer's responsibility to bring their tool into compliance with how the game is made...not the game maker's responsibility to bring their game into compliance with a modding tool that is doing things the wrong way.

EA was kind enough to give us an example gold standard .package. The idea being that tool developers could use it as an example to guide development of their tool. s4pe isn't capable of dealing with it properly and that means s4pe is, in some fundamental way, lacking compliance with the game...that is, there is something wrong with the tool. When something is wrong with a modding tool the appropriate place to seek bug fixes for it is the developer's web site. In this case, s4pe's problem goes beyond a mere inability to manage the maslow.package. That failure is symptomatic of the same problem that causes it to corrupt some previously game-safe items when it merges them. This would be of some concern to the Sims 4 community if there was no other tool to use for merging .packages. Fortunately Studio is able to both manage the maslow.package correctly and merge content without breaking it. Because EA does not advocate merging .packages, and they don't work on s4pe, s4pe's failure to successfully merge .packages isn't their concern nor can they do anything about it. The only people that can do something about it are the people developing s4pe.

This thread is about people putting Sims 3.packages into their Mods folder and having the game not start as a result. The question was: would it cause the community any distress if the game was made to skip over these .packages instead of failing on them. I don't see any post in the thread indicating that it is a general request thread. Of course EA may choose to change the error message the game gives...that's up to them. I agree with Nearia35 though...I would hope that creators understand how the tool they're using works and manage to close files before starting the game if that's what the tool they're using requires. I don't see this as an issue of such proportion that a special request to "fix" it doesn't look a little out of place in a thread that was started as a courtesy to our community not as an open invitation to vent pet peeves resulting from user error.
IngeJones
10 years ago
Does Studio also have a "Grid" type of view for editing? There is one in TSRW though it's not as comprehensive as the s?pe one. I saw that studio allows the import and export of resources in a package list view but have not yet attempted direct editing within the tool other than for tuning xmls (which it's brilliant for).

Edit: Oops sorry this is getting way off topic :o
orangemittens1
10 years ago
Yes. Studio's Warehouse tab is a fully functional resource editor that allows direct editing of .package resources.

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