I startet a new game (PC - no mods).
My Packs: EP: 01-16 // GP: 01-08,10,12 // SP: 01-03,05-09,11,13-18,26,29,35,38,46,48,49
Edit: Also Photos on the wall getting black after restarting game.
I...
Ideas
Sharing some testing I have done with black photos in my game. These are black photos that occur on opening up the game from photos that were taken in preceding game session.
Low quality cameras with or without filter, possibly okay/low rate of black photos.
Higher quality cameras with filter, very high chance of black photos.
High quality camera no filter, low chance of black photos.
I tested all game cameras that I have plus one mod camera (RVSN ISO). Prior to this test I had fully replicated the photo issue in a new save with an empty mod folder. Photos go black at seemingly the same rate on wall or in sims inventory.
I ran a test and found similar results, but my test was focused around deleting screenshots. Did you do any tidying of your screenshots while testing? (Because I only noticed issues when I either deleted screenshots OR used Save And Exit.)
Note: all my testing was done by light "playing" (only taking photos, nothing else but making a sim and buying cameras), pressing save once, then exiting separately.
I found that deleting overexposed/mostly white screenshots was USUALLY safe (except for with the Crystal Clear camera - which seems to work oppositely from the rest, oddly enough).
When I deleted normal-looking screenshots, these cameras' in-game equivalent pictures were safe: cell phone, Barely Better Digital Camera, the Cozy Gamer kit's Insta Simsta camera - that's it! The Appreciably Average and all the high-end cameras I have installed were NOT safe (including the long green one and Moschino's camera).
I have no other cameras installed, so I cannot test them.
My test was ran on a NEW save game in a CLEAN/new Sims 4 folder. I haven't yet tested in my ongoing save from way before this month's patch (the one with a partial fix). That testing might be much worse, to my later dismay. We'll see.
I tested my ongoing save game without my screenshots folder (or mods).
Surprisingly, all my photos - including ones with gnomes - from the Crystal Clear camera were still there. It might have only been deleting the blurry ones, so it DOES seem this camera should be safe for most players*. (I don't know who keeps blurry pics. BTW, am I the only one who collects gnome-bombed pictures?)
Things went as hoped with the Barely Better and cell phone cameras - safe --- and almost as expected with the green camera - SOME lost (although, TBH, I don't know WHEN they were lost! *UPDATE* they were already gone!!). I actually don't have photos yet with the Insta Simsta cam.
Note: this might not work so well for unpatched games. Almost a year ago, I lost some photos (well, they showed up in the wrong households!!) after deleting screenshots taken with the Barely Better and cell phone cameras. It must be fixed now for old saves that were patched (according to my test) since I can wipe EVERYTHING without those households' data getting messed up.
It seems Maxis fixed more than they revealed, because this test went better than expected. In fact, better than my "fresh" testing session. It makes me wonder if WHEN we delete screenshots matters, even though that makes no sense. (Since I was only missed 3 photos from 1 camera - that doesn't track with my fresh test save with new deletions vs. an empty screenshots folder, curious!!)
*Due to the above revelations, the Crystal Clear camera might be relatively safe, after all.
I'll be back soon with a hand-by-hand screenshot deletion test of my actual save!
My testing is very confusing, but after a WHILE, whether it be game sessions, in-game days - WHO KNOWS - photos eventually get "baked in" to the save. Before then, they might get lost if we exit the game "too soon" (at least in ongoing saves) OR delete screenshots (even new saves).
Cameras seem to matter until photos have become "old" in our save games. How old? I hope to find out, but that might take a LOT of IRL time!
Other things I've learned: rotation is NOT required for photos to get baked in. (I don't know if going to manage worlds and/or build mode is a factor.)
I did not touch my screenshot folder while testing so no deleting of any screenshots. I also found that on opening the game any screenshots that were not black are safe or baked in as you put it. I think I saw a post from the Sims team that mentioned they are looking into an issue related to temporary data not saving properly and it seemed related to this photo bug plus the issue with paint from reference. Not sure if I am explaining how they described it properly but it definitely lined up with what seems to be happening with these photos.
Featured Places
