[INSTRUCTIONS] How to troubleshoot and test a broken game

If your game is executing any of the following behaviours please read on for basic troubleshooting steps:

• bouncing in the Dock then disappearing
• black screen
• crashing
• freezing
• eternally loading
• freezing sims but time progressing
• any unusual and unexpected behaviour

Repair the game:

Make sure the game is not running. Open EA App, click on Library in EA App, then click on the 3 dots in the top right corner of the game and select Repair. Once it has finished repairing attempt to launch the game. If it still doesn't work your next step is to try a clean Sims 4 folder.

Testing a clean game:

You need to test a fully clean game without any of your current user data. User data are all the files and folders in the Sims 4 folder located in Documents > Electronic Arts. The files and settings stored in this folder make your game unique to you but they can also be the cause of a game not working, typically due to out of date or conflicting Mods, corrupted saves, or other potentially broken files. This screenshot shows the contents of the Sims 4 folder with the most important data highlighted in red:

1. Make sure the game is not running then rename the Sims 4 folder. This can be renamed to anything, just add OLD to the folder name for example. Renaming the folder forces the game to create a new one when you next launch it. None of your user data will be in the new Sims 4 folder the game creates but is still safe in the Sims 4 folder you renamed.
2. Launch the game. If it will not launch start Start a new save, create a household and place them in-game. If your game has normally been breaking in build or live mode at this point, play for a bit in this new save, trying to reproduce the scenario that your game broke previously. If it starts breaking again create a new thread in the Mac Sims 4 Tech forum or post in an existing thread if you have been directed here for troubleshooting. Make sure you include a clear explanation of when your game breaks, what happens, and what troubleshooting steps you have tried.
3. If your game works in the new save it's time to test the user data in your old Sims 4 folder. We do this in several steps in a precise order to try and narrow down the problem based on the issue you were having. Make sure you have the game fully closed before testing.
   1. Delete the new save you just created. COPY a save from the old Sims 4 > saves folder you renamed into the new Sims 4 > saves folder the game has created. Launch the game and attempt to load the save. If it loads great! Quit without saving and move to step 2 and gradually add your user data into the new Sims 4 folder. If it will not load the issue is with the save file. Quit or Force Quit the game, do not save. The save file may be corrupted due to whatever reason, sometimes this can be because your save may depend on specific Mods to properly load. If this is the case download a new copy of the Mod from the creator and put it in the new Mods folder then relaunch the game. If it works great, move onto step 2. If it doesn't work head over to the Mods forum for further help.

   2. Start moving the rest of your user data from your old Sims 4 folder into the new Sims 4 folder, removing the existing files and folders the game has just created. You do this in small batches, loading and quitting the game after adding each batch to test the game is still working. Start by adding the rest of your saves then move onto the Tray folder, then add the Options.ini file, then Screenshots, then Recorded Videos, then VideoCameraStates, then Custom Music, then ConfigOverride, then UserSetting.ini, then accountDataDB.package, then the content folder. All other files and folders can be ignored. Lastly, if you are a Mods user, move over your Mods in small batches (the 50/50 method), do not move the entire Mods folder in one go. Test the game after adding each batch of Mods. If your game breaks after adding a batch remove that last batch, trash the localthumbcache.package file, then add the Mods in one by one, testing after adding each one. When it breaks again you know the issue is with the last Mod you added. Remove it, trash the localthumbcache.package file again then head over to the creator's website for an updated, compatible Mod, if one exists. For further help with Mods visit the Mods forum.

Explanation of important files and folders in the Sims 4 folder:

Really important folders in red and highlighted in the screenshot above.

accountDataDB.package - contains data for in-game events launched by the Sims team
ConfigOverride - if you have edited the core graphics files and stored a copy here, your game will default to the system graphics files within the app if you trash this folder or its contents
Content - this is where SDX files are stored until the next patch
Custom Music - if you have custom music in your game it is stored here
Mods - if you play a modded game this is where your CC and Mods are saved and most likely the culprit of a broken game, especially after a game update
lastCrash.txt - files that are sometimes created by the game when it crashes. You may be asked for this if a helper/EA is trying to pinpoint the cause
lastUIException.txt - sometimes created when the game encounters an error. You may be asked for this if a helper/EA is trying to pinpoint the cause
Options.ini - your in-game graphics and UI settings. This should be trashed to test a laggy game to rule out too higher graphics settings
Saves - contains all your saves
Screenshots - your in-game screenshots when pressing C
Tray - contains the files that make up the Lots/Households/Rooms you have saved to your in-game Library
UserSetting.ini - in-game account settings, UI settings, tutorial settings
VideoCameraStates - your in-game stored camera positions (CTRL + 5,6,7,8). Trash this if you're camera is jumping around and misbehaving.