Please forgive the newbie question, but what does this bug entail exactly? When I load the game it runs for a moment and then crashes, but there's no harp noise. Is that the same thing? For the record, I don't have the Wiggum house yet (I was just logging in to build it).
I've loaded it over and over from scratch and from the quick-start menu with no luck on my iPad or iPhone. I reinstalled it on my iPad and can't get more than 10% of the update to download.
Please forgive the newbie question, but what does this bug entail exactly? When I load the game it runs for a moment and then crashes, but there's no harp noise. Is that the same thing? For the record, I don't have the Wiggum house yet (I was just logging in to build it).
I've loaded it over and over from scratch and from the quick-start menu with no luck on my iPad or iPhone. I reinstalled it on my iPad and can't get more than 10% of the update to download.
That sounds different to the Harp Freeze problem, maybe uninstall and redownload the app.
Please forgive the newbie question, but what does this bug entail exactly? When I load the game it runs for a moment and then crashes, but there's no harp noise. Is that the same thing? For the record, I don't have the Wiggum house yet (I was just logging in to build it).
I've loaded it over and over from scratch and from the quick-start menu with no luck on my iPad or iPhone. I reinstalled it on my iPad and can't get more than 10% of the update to download.
No worries... It sounds like you may have a different issue. This issue is where after you click the tap here to begin screen, the donut spins for a few seconds and then stops. Gives the appearance it's frozen. However if you have the sound on you can hear multiple instances of the hard strumming. Basically it happens when the town should begin to display on your screen but something runs in a loop and the town never loads.
Since it sounds like you do get in and then knocked out, couple with when you try to reinstall you can't fully download it is that your Internet connection may not be very stable right now.
If you had the harp glitch and was allowed back in after the level 26 upgrade on the 15th I don't suggest building El Chemestri. It rolled back my XP from 60,000 to 12,000 and gave me back the harp glitch when I logged out.
The way to contact EA/Origin Support is to download Origin to your laptop and run the program. From there you can access live chat help.
I did this today, and it appeared that this was the first time the rep I chatted with was made aware of the issue. I informed her of the discussions on this board, and the many users being affected by this problem. The problem was not fixed through the one chat, and the issue is being escalated to someone who can apparently do more than the initial rep.
At least I can confirm EA is now at least aware of this problem on some level.
Again, my feeling on this is that the more of us that contact them, the faster it will be taken care of. It is painfully obvious that these boards are not monitored by any EA or Origin support staff.
You have to go to Origin.com and download the Origin program and access the chat support from there. YOU WILL HAVE A WAIT OF 45 MINUTES or longer before you get a rep based on my experience...
Good luck to everyone.
My Tech Support Chat Transcript: (Some names and personal information has been changed to protect the innocent... or at least protect me....)
Chat Transcript
info: Your approximate wait time is 49 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 42 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 38 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 33 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 27 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 27 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 24 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 19 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 15 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 14 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 15 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 13 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 13 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 12 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 12 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 11 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 10 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 10 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 10 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 8 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 6 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 1 minute.
info: You are now ready to chat with Aleece.
Aleece: Hello
Aleece: Thank you for contacting EA.
Aleece: How may I assist you?
you: Hello, I am having a problem with an Origin bug on the mobile game The Simpsons: Tapped Out. Upon attempting to log in to the game, the main screen freezes while playing a short harp sound in a loop. This has been occurring since on or around 2/15/2013, and I have been unable to access the game. This bug had been reported dozens of times by dozens of EA / Origin customers across multiple message / answer boards with no response or help. The bug occurs with individual Origin Ids only. Meaning that the app functions properly when logging in as a different user or anonymously (as long as the user is at a lower progress level than the ID used to log in that receives the bug). Uninstalling / re-installing the app and logging in on a different device have no effect on the issue. It appears to be solely linked to the Origin user ID and game progress. I was wondering if you can tell me how to correct this problem.
Aleece: How may I assist you?
you: Hello, I am having a problem with an Origin bug on the mobile game The Simpsons: Tapped Out. Upon attempting to log in to the game, the main screen freezes while playing a short harp sound in a loop. This has been occurring since on or around 2/15/2013, and I have been unable to access the game. This bug had been reported dozens of times by dozens of EA / Origin customers across multiple message / answer boards with no response or help. The bug occurs with individual Origin Ids only. Meaning that the app functions properly when logging in as a different user or anonymously (as long as the user is at a lower progress level than the ID used to log in that receives the bug). Uninstalling / re-installing the app and logging in on a different device have no effect on the issue. It appears to be solely linked to the Origin user ID and game progress. I was wondering if you can tell me how to correct this problem.
Aleece: I do hate to hear that that is going on with your Simpson's Tapped Out game.
you: I was wondering if you can tell me how to correct this problem.
Aleece: I want to be able to assist. I will need some information to be able to look at your account.
you: ok
Aleece: I am going to try, if not I will get you over to a mobile advisor. I am with Origin, but I am limited on my tools right now to see mobile.
Aleece: Your first & last name, please.
you: ok Thank you
you:XXXXX
Aleece: Thank you XXXXX.
Aleece: Your email associated to the account.
Aleece: Thank you.
Aleece: Yes, let me get you over to a mobile advisor, because I do not have any troubleshooting steps that I am trained to provide.
you: ok thank you
Aleece: Absolutely, it will be a moment or two.
you: ok
Aleece: XXXXX, sorry. I do apologize. I will have to get your case to email support.
Aleece: I understand this maybe frustrating, but a mobile advisor will email you. You did provide a lot of information in your chat, so I will include that in the case notes.
you: I appreciate that, but I would like to let you know I have opened multiple cases and have sent multiple emails with no response in the last few days. This also seems to be an issue with other customers. Your message boards are developing into a mutiny, Just thought you should be aware
you: I understand your process though
Aleece: I am checking on any other cases you may have out there.
Aleece: I see one other case for your email.
you: That would be the case I opened on the website. No response thus far.
Aleece: It was submitted on Saturday.
you: I believe it was, yes
Aleece: We are here Monday-Friday, it can take up to 5 business days for a response.
you: I was not aware of that.
you: I appreciate you taking the time to work with me today
Aleece: I will make a note in the case that our message boards.
Aleece: Absolutely. Like I said I would want to help as much as possible.
you: yes.. the EA boards are pretty alive under posts regarding "Harp Freeze" and other topics regarding crashes. EA fans seem to be pretty intense.
Aleece: Some of these things are out of control when an it is designated for email.
Aleece: Yes, people LOVE Simpsons: Tapped Out.
Aleece: I just came from phone to chat, and I had my share of contacts regarding Simpsons.
you: I can't imagine. Thank you again for your time today, should I just be on the lookout for an email?
Aleece: I am going to close out the one from this weekend, just because this case has more information.
Aleece: But yes, keep an eye out.
Aleece: Is there anything else I can assist with?
you: thank you! That's all I had for you. Good luck out there
Aleece: Thanks, you too!! Thank you for contacting EA. Enjoy your evening!!
Thanks Dom. It's hard to believe EA didn't know about the HF. It's been all over this and other boards. Even the Apple App Store is starting to collect a plethora of comments on it. Not to mention all of us who have opened tickets with their tech support.
I hate to report that the harp hit me too yesterday morning. I'm on level 26 and about 80000 of the required 126000 xp to level up (or get the next bonus level). Here's what happened to me:
-at the evening the day before I noticed that the game did have extreme long loading times when visiting neighbours
-when logging in yesterday morning I first tapped some characters and collected some hearts
-I then finished building El Chemistry which led me to the bonus donut screen, meaning El Chem must have brought me about 46000 xps, is that realistic?
-got 2 donuts from the bonus game after spending 50000 for a second try and started the next "level" with 1200 or 12000 xp (not sure)
-went on to collect from Cletus' finished mission and that's when the game froze with the harp
-I haven't been able to get back in, nothing from this thread worked so far...
Hope this will get fixed soon. One question though:
I was playing anonymously for almost a year before finally logging in to Origin for the Valentines special. What happens if I start the Game logged out again? Will I be back to where I was before logging in? Will this in some way interfere with my logged in-town when it works again?
So I can get back in for now. However I'm missing a little over 150 donuts most of my cash supply is gone and Cletus's farm which was only a day away frim competing corn when I got locked out is gone as well. This blows. I have no clue what to do.
The plugging in your charger and taking svreen lock off really works I couldn't get on simpsons all day yesterday and was getting the harp noise so when I got home form work plugged my phone in and took screen lock off and left it for 15 minutes, and was able to get back in then go 155 donuts with another glitch, but I am not going to complain about that if you are having the same proble try what I have said above
Sorry to hear that it really did work for me and since I did that I have had no further problems getting in dont know what else to say
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to direct any anger towards you! :-) I'm just letting my frustration out since I'm not one of the lucky few who managed to get in by trying that trick.
Nah don't worry I didn't take any offence just gutted it didn't work for you I know how you feel I was ready to give up with the simpsons yesterday, had that not worked for me last night I would have deleted the game end of!! but hopefully when you do get in the glitch with the free donuts will still be there and you will end up getting loads
Been locked out 2 days now. Half the time I get the harp noise and the other half no noise at all. Just finished sending an email to EA support. Hopefully I'll get a response in a few weeks.
After about 24 hours of being locked out by harp freeze, and about 5 attempts to leave the app open for 15-20 minutes, finally got in to... win 937 donuts playing the bonus game repeatedly!!! If that's the pay off for not being able to play for a day, EA can stuff up anytime it likes! Working perfectly ever since. Now to find the time for a major redesign to incorporate the new Volcano Lair, Krustylu Studios, Frink's Lab, ...
After about 24 hours of being locked out by harp freeze, and about 5 attempts to leave the app open for 15-20 minutes, finally got in to... win 937 donuts playing the bonus game repeatedly!!! If that's the pay off for not being able to play for a day, EA can stuff up anytime it likes! Working perfectly ever since. Now to find the time for a major redesign to incorporate the new Volcano Lair, Krustylu Studios, Frink's Lab, ...
Replies
I've loaded it over and over from scratch and from the quick-start menu with no luck on my iPad or iPhone. I reinstalled it on my iPad and can't get more than 10% of the update to download.
That sounds different to the Harp Freeze problem, maybe uninstall and redownload the app.
No worries... It sounds like you may have a different issue. This issue is where after you click the tap here to begin screen, the donut spins for a few seconds and then stops. Gives the appearance it's frozen. However if you have the sound on you can hear multiple instances of the hard strumming. Basically it happens when the town should begin to display on your screen but something runs in a loop and the town never loads.
Since it sounds like you do get in and then knocked out, couple with when you try to reinstall you can't fully download it is that your Internet connection may not be very stable right now.
Please help!
I know I'm totally Harp-broken!
The way to contact EA/Origin Support is to download Origin to your laptop and run the program. From there you can access live chat help.
I did this today, and it appeared that this was the first time the rep I chatted with was made aware of the issue. I informed her of the discussions on this board, and the many users being affected by this problem. The problem was not fixed through the one chat, and the issue is being escalated to someone who can apparently do more than the initial rep.
At least I can confirm EA is now at least aware of this problem on some level.
Again, my feeling on this is that the more of us that contact them, the faster it will be taken care of. It is painfully obvious that these boards are not monitored by any EA or Origin support staff.
You have to go to Origin.com and download the Origin program and access the chat support from there. YOU WILL HAVE A WAIT OF 45 MINUTES or longer before you get a rep based on my experience...
Good luck to everyone.
My Tech Support Chat Transcript: (Some names and personal information has been changed to protect the innocent... or at least protect me....)
Chat Transcript
info: Your approximate wait time is 49 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 42 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 38 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 33 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 27 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 27 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 24 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 19 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 15 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 14 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 15 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 13 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 13 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 12 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 12 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 11 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 10 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 10 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 10 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 8 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 6 minute.
info: Your approximate wait time is 1 minute.
info: You are now ready to chat with Aleece.
Aleece: Hello
Aleece: Thank you for contacting EA.
Aleece: How may I assist you?
you: Hello, I am having a problem with an Origin bug on the mobile game The Simpsons: Tapped Out. Upon attempting to log in to the game, the main screen freezes while playing a short harp sound in a loop. This has been occurring since on or around 2/15/2013, and I have been unable to access the game. This bug had been reported dozens of times by dozens of EA / Origin customers across multiple message / answer boards with no response or help. The bug occurs with individual Origin Ids only. Meaning that the app functions properly when logging in as a different user or anonymously (as long as the user is at a lower progress level than the ID used to log in that receives the bug). Uninstalling / re-installing the app and logging in on a different device have no effect on the issue. It appears to be solely linked to the Origin user ID and game progress. I was wondering if you can tell me how to correct this problem.
Aleece: How may I assist you?
you: Hello, I am having a problem with an Origin bug on the mobile game The Simpsons: Tapped Out. Upon attempting to log in to the game, the main screen freezes while playing a short harp sound in a loop. This has been occurring since on or around 2/15/2013, and I have been unable to access the game. This bug had been reported dozens of times by dozens of EA / Origin customers across multiple message / answer boards with no response or help. The bug occurs with individual Origin Ids only. Meaning that the app functions properly when logging in as a different user or anonymously (as long as the user is at a lower progress level than the ID used to log in that receives the bug). Uninstalling / re-installing the app and logging in on a different device have no effect on the issue. It appears to be solely linked to the Origin user ID and game progress. I was wondering if you can tell me how to correct this problem.
Aleece: I do hate to hear that that is going on with your Simpson's Tapped Out game.
you: I was wondering if you can tell me how to correct this problem.
Aleece: I want to be able to assist. I will need some information to be able to look at your account.
you: ok
Aleece: I am going to try, if not I will get you over to a mobile advisor. I am with Origin, but I am limited on my tools right now to see mobile.
Aleece: Your first & last name, please.
you: ok Thank you
you:XXXXX
Aleece: Thank you XXXXX.
Aleece: Your email associated to the account.
you: [email protected]
Aleece: Thank you.
Aleece: Yes, let me get you over to a mobile advisor, because I do not have any troubleshooting steps that I am trained to provide.
you: ok thank you
Aleece: Absolutely, it will be a moment or two.
you: ok
Aleece: XXXXX, sorry. I do apologize. I will have to get your case to email support.
Aleece: I understand this maybe frustrating, but a mobile advisor will email you. You did provide a lot of information in your chat, so I will include that in the case notes.
you: I appreciate that, but I would like to let you know I have opened multiple cases and have sent multiple emails with no response in the last few days. This also seems to be an issue with other customers. Your message boards are developing into a mutiny, Just thought you should be aware
you: I understand your process though
Aleece: I am checking on any other cases you may have out there.
Aleece: I see one other case for your email.
you: That would be the case I opened on the website. No response thus far.
Aleece: It was submitted on Saturday.
you: I believe it was, yes
Aleece: We are here Monday-Friday, it can take up to 5 business days for a response.
you: I was not aware of that.
you: I appreciate you taking the time to work with me today
Aleece: I will make a note in the case that our message boards.
Aleece: Absolutely. Like I said I would want to help as much as possible.
you: yes.. the EA boards are pretty alive under posts regarding "Harp Freeze" and other topics regarding crashes. EA fans seem to be pretty intense.
Aleece: Some of these things are out of control when an it is designated for email.
Aleece: Yes, people LOVE Simpsons: Tapped Out.
Aleece: I just came from phone to chat, and I had my share of contacts regarding Simpsons.
you: I can't imagine. Thank you again for your time today, should I just be on the lookout for an email?
Aleece: I am going to close out the one from this weekend, just because this case has more information.
Aleece: But yes, keep an eye out.
Aleece: Is there anything else I can assist with?
you: thank you! That's all I had for you. Good luck out there
Aleece: Thanks, you too!! Thank you for contacting EA. Enjoy your evening!!
From the sound of it there is not an easy fix.
-at the evening the day before I noticed that the game did have extreme long loading times when visiting neighbours
-when logging in yesterday morning I first tapped some characters and collected some hearts
-I then finished building El Chemistry which led me to the bonus donut screen, meaning El Chem must have brought me about 46000 xps, is that realistic?
-got 2 donuts from the bonus game after spending 50000 for a second try and started the next "level" with 1200 or 12000 xp (not sure)
-went on to collect from Cletus' finished mission and that's when the game froze with the harp
-I haven't been able to get back in, nothing from this thread worked so far...
Hope this will get fixed soon. One question though:
I was playing anonymously for almost a year before finally logging in to Origin for the Valentines special. What happens if I start the Game logged out again? Will I be back to where I was before logging in? Will this in some way interfere with my logged in-town when it works again?
I'm so upset, El Chemistry had finished building, but I didn't even see it ready
because I coldn't start the game. Got the harp loop all day....
I tried closing the app from multitask many times, restarting the Ipad, but nothing worked.
I even tried waiting about 20 minutes, but the game crashed and nothing changed....
I'm going through withdrawal......i need to play ASAP
Please EA, give us a solution
Lol nice one beats my 155