Game Version: 1.108.349.1020Just reinstalled a brand new version of the Sims 4 with a nuked user folder and no mods/custom content to confirm that all the issues I have are with the base game. In its current state, the game is unplayable. Sims regularly ignore commands. If they do happen to interact with an object, they will appear to perform the interaction while standing idly in place. An example of this is shown in the picture below, where a command was sent to sit in the park bench at the top right corner.Commands also do not cancel. Clicking on a task to cancel it will result in the task being greyed out with an X over it, though it will remain visible in queue. This prevents commands that come afterward from being carried out as well. Interestingly enough, the only command that seems to be cancelable so far is using the toilet. But other bathroom-related commands such as washing hands cannot be canceled.Sims also cannot socialize. When attempting to talk to another sim, both sims will dance indefinitely unless one of them is forcibly reset through cheats.In my other save file of the game (before I nuked my user folder), sims weren't even able to travel from lots. The sim would enter the travel animation (talking on the phone) and remain in it indefinitely until reset. I'm assuming it's related to the other issues.All of this happened after the Loverush update. I didn't post right away because I assumed emergency hotfixes would address these issues or that there would be other posts with similar problems, given how many bugs were reported after Loverush. But I haven't found any solutions yet and so I still can't play the game. It's worth mentioning that CAS is working perfectly fine.

@Dislimited Are you downloading any sims or lots from the Gallery (or using your own Library content, if you saved any)? If so, please try another new save, this time without any added content at all. Even if you didn't use any outside content, please test again in one of the base game worlds just to be absolutely sure this isn't world-specific. If you still see the same issues, please run a dxdiag and attach it to a post. https://help.ea.com/en-us/help/pc/how-to-gather-dxdiag-information/

No, I didn't interact with the Gallery for any of my tests. I reinstalled the game with a brand new user folder and created a random sim from the game's tutorial. The interaction and command issues occur in all worlds, both from base game and DLC. I just tested again in Willow Creek and Oasis Springs to make sure. I'm using an i9 processor with an RTX 3070, so I know I can run the game just fine. DxDiag file is attached.Edit: Just an update, figured any extra info helps. I noticed that while I can execute simple commands like making sims walk to a different spot, the command doesn't disappear from queue. If I reset the sim using cheats, they teleport back to where they started. So I suspect the walk command is only working visually, not mechanically.

@Dislimited Some of the errors in your dxdiag are generic Windows issues, so please run a couple of basic checks of your Windows system files: Hit Windows key-X Choose either “PowerShell (Administrator)” or “Windows Terminal (Administrator),” whichever option is offered Inside the window that appears, copy and paste “DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth” without quotes, and enter The system will start validating soon. If it throws an error, please list it here After it reaches 100%, hit Windows key-X again Again, choose “PowerShell (Administrator)” or “Windows Terminal (Administrator)” Inside the window, copy and paste “sfc /scannow” without quotes, and enter Post the message you receive here Restart your computer, hit Windows key-i, select Update & Security, and click the box to check for updates. If any install, restart again afterwards. If that alone doesn't help, please try playing in a clean boot: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/how-to-perform-a-clean-boot-in-windows-da2f9573-6eec-00ad-2f8a-a97a1807f3dd The one service to leave enabled is the EABackgroundService, which the EA App needs in order to run. Disable the rest as described. When you reboot your computer, go through the Task Manager's background processes list shutting down any service that doesn't absolutely need to be running, for example anything from MSI Afterburner to RGB software might still be enabled. If you accidentally kill a critical process and it doesn't restart on its own, just reboot your computer again. Don't open anything other than Sims 4 and the EA App while testing, not even a browser window.

I followed everything in your reply (took a photo so I wouldn't have to reopen a browser), including the clean reboot and disabling of all services minus EABackgroundService. Ran the Sims 4 with a save file separate from the one I used for the examples. Still had the same issues. Some new things that happened this time:I was able to cancel commands from queue this time without resetting the sim, although the sim still couldn't perform commands properly (same as before).When I attempted to perform an introduction with another sim, the game rapidly filled the queue with the same command, and there was a repeated clicking sound in the background (the same in-game sound that occurs when you assign a new command). This didn't happen again (at least not visually) when I reset the sim, then reattempted an introduction.I didn't mention this before, but the text near the top of the screen that describes the type of conversation sims are having (Casual Discussion, Awkward Conversation, etc.) was bolded. I don't believe this text has ever been bolded in the past, unless the Loverush update changed the font (Upon checking other user posts in the Sims 4 reddit, I think this is due to the update).Sims are still dancing instead of socially interacting.I don't think I have any other system programs that are interfering with the game. Still find it very odd that I am repeatedly installing a faulty version of the Sims 4. The Loverush update must have made changes to the code governing sim interactions that my game is downloading/interpreting incorrectly, or something to this effect. I strictly encountered all of these issues after updating to the Loverush patch. That, or maybe the Loverush pack is conflicting with another DLC pack?

Sims Cannot Socially Interact or Follow Commands

15 Replies

puzzlezaddict
Hero+
8 months ago
@Dislimited Are you downloading any sims or lots from the Gallery (or using your own Library content, if you saved any)? If so, please try another new save, this time without any added content at all. Even if you didn't use any outside content, please test again in one of the base game worlds just to be absolutely sure this isn't world-specific.

If you still see the same issues, please run a dxdiag and attach it to a post.

https://help.ea.com/en-us/help/pc/how-to-gather-dxdiag-information/
Dislimited
8 months ago
No, I didn't interact with the Gallery for any of my tests. I reinstalled the game with a brand new user folder and created a random sim from the game's tutorial. The interaction and command issues occur in all worlds, both from base game and DLC. I just tested again in Willow Creek and Oasis Springs to make sure. I'm using an i9 processor with an RTX 3070, so I know I can run the game just fine. DxDiag file is attached.
Edit: Just an update, figured any extra info helps. I noticed that while I can execute simple commands like making sims walk to a different spot, the command doesn't disappear from queue. If I reset the sim using cheats, they teleport back to where they started. So I suspect the walk command is only working visually, not mechanically.
DxDiag.txt134 KB
puzzlezaddict
Hero+
8 months ago
@Dislimited Some of the errors in your dxdiag are generic Windows issues, so please run a couple of basic checks of your Windows system files:

Hit Windows key-X

Choose either “PowerShell (Administrator)” or “Windows Terminal (Administrator),” whichever option is offered

Inside the window that appears, copy and paste “DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth” without quotes, and enter

The system will start validating soon. If it throws an error, please list it here

After it reaches 100%, hit Windows key-X again

Again, choose “PowerShell (Administrator)” or “Windows Terminal (Administrator)”

Inside the window, copy and paste “sfc /scannow” without quotes, and enter

Post the message you receive here

Restart your computer, hit Windows key-i, select Update & Security, and click the box to check for updates. If any install, restart again afterwards.

If that alone doesn't help, please try playing in a clean boot:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/how-to-perform-a-clean-boot-in-windows-da2f9573-6eec-00ad-2f8a-a97a1807f3dd

The one service to leave enabled is the EABackgroundService, which the EA App needs in order to run. Disable the rest as described.

When you reboot your computer, go through the Task Manager's background processes list shutting down any service that doesn't absolutely need to be running, for example anything from MSI Afterburner to RGB software might still be enabled. If you accidentally kill a critical process and it doesn't restart on its own, just reboot your computer again.

Don't open anything other than Sims 4 and the EA App while testing, not even a browser window.
Dislimited
8 months ago
sfc /scannow result attached.
Dislimited
8 months ago
I followed everything in your reply (took a photo so I wouldn't have to reopen a browser), including the clean reboot and disabling of all services minus EABackgroundService. Ran the Sims 4 with a save file separate from the one I used for the examples. Still had the same issues. Some new things that happened this time:
I was able to cancel commands from queue this time without resetting the sim, although the sim still couldn't perform commands properly (same as before).
When I attempted to perform an introduction with another sim, the game rapidly filled the queue with the same command, and there was a repeated clicking sound in the background (the same in-game sound that occurs when you assign a new command). This didn't happen again (at least not visually) when I reset the sim, then reattempted an introduction.
I didn't mention this before, but the text near the top of the screen that describes the type of conversation sims are having (Casual Discussion, Awkward Conversation, etc.) was bolded. I don't believe this text has ever been bolded in the past, unless the Loverush update changed the font (Upon checking other user posts in the Sims 4 reddit, I think this is due to the update).
Sims are still dancing instead of socially interacting.
I don't think I have any other system programs that are interfering with the game. Still find it very odd that I am repeatedly installing a faulty version of the Sims 4. The Loverush update must have made changes to the code governing sim interactions that my game is downloading/interpreting incorrectly, or something to this effect. I strictly encountered all of these issues after updating to the Loverush patch. That, or maybe the Loverush pack is conflicting with another DLC pack?
puzzlezaddict
Hero+
8 months ago
@Dislimited The sims dancing instead of following commands is a known issue but, I believe, more of a symptom than a proper bug on its own. It's more like they can't do anything else, so they dance. And given all the other issues you're seeing, it doesn't sound like this is THE problem so much as a side effect.

What kind of install is this: EA App, Steam, Epic, mixed, or something else? (This affects how to repair and how to clean-uninstall/reinstall.) And does it help to disable Lovestruck? Here's how:

https://sims4.crinrict.com/eng/2017/03/disable-single-packs/
Dislimited
8 months ago
I use the Steam version of the game, although I use the EA app to log in. I don't mean to say I have the Lovestruck DLC installed, just that my game was updated to the patch including Lovestruck.
puzzlezaddict
Hero+
8 months ago
@Dislimited Try playing with your computer offline. You can sign into Steam and the EA App first, put the App in offline mode, then disable wifi and/or disconnect the ethernet cable. If this helps, try playing with the App in offline mode, and with it online but with Online Social Features (Options > Game Options > Other) disabled. If it doesn't help, try playing offline with a clean boot.

If you still see the same issues, please create a new admin Windows account and repeat the test there. Make it local, as in, don't link it to your Microsoft account. You'll be able to sign into your Steam and EA accounts and launch Sims 4 without reinstalling anything.
Dislimited
8 months ago
Sorry for the delay, but it seems there's been a development. After deleting all of my DLC folders, the base game seems to function normally. So obviously Loverush must have clashed with one or two DLC packs. Now I just need to restore half at a time to find out which folder(s) might be responsible.
Edit: The exact same bug is being caused by several stuff packs, so it'll take a while to test and figure out which ones are the culprits.
puzzlezaddict
Hero+
8 months ago
@Dislimited That's not normal at all. Steam should give you only fully-updated versions of each of your packs, and if any packs were inherently incompatible with each other, we'd see a lot more reports. Did you install any of your packs through the EA App rather than Steam, and/or did you at some point need to copy pack folders around to get everything recognized?