❓[FAQ] Mods and the Bug Forum
When reporting in the bug forum, you're asked to remove your mods/cc. This is very important and this FAQ will answer some of your questions as to why that is.
Remark: I'll be using Mods as a general term going forward. This includes all third party content you add to your game except for Sims, Custom Music and lots.
The most important thing about asking for help is to be truthful about mod usage. Do the steps you're asked to do and don't just skip some and then say you did them. It helps no one if the people that are helping you think that the situation is different then it is. It's like taking something in for repair and then saying you hear some funny noise while in fact there's a bad smell.
There is nothing shameful about using mods and it's up to you which ones you want to use. No one has the right to judge you for it (although any mod that raises the rating can't be discussed here at all). Mods/CC are a big part of the Sims experience but leading people trying to help you in the wrong direction is a big no-no. Being truthful can help you get back into your game very fast.
Start here if you need help with your mods: Mod & CC Issues: START HERE (patch 1.118) | EA Forums - 5035292
The best and safest method is the Clean User Folder Approach. Play a new save game while you wait for the mods to be updated and see what issues occur in that state. Report any issues you have.
Mods change aspects of the game so you can play in a different manner and with different features than what the game offers. The problem with this is that if Maxis updates the base on which these mods depend, the mods become incompatible with the new game version. Modders then need to update their creations. Most modders do this quite quickly and reliably but they aren't updated at the time a patch or a pack hits. Unfortunately new game bugs are also introduced into the game at the same time. It is now important to know, if the issue is coming from the game itself or a mod/cc item. So you need to test on the game as it is shipped by Maxis - without mods.
Mods themselves also aren't bug free - hardly any software is. So even if there wasn't a patch/pack, if you run into an issue with your mods in, it can potentially be related to said mod, especially when said mod had an update.
So the first thing you do before reporting something or seeking help is to test on a vanilla game as it's called.
Unfortunately that is a very unreliable method for several reasons. A lot of people only disable script mods and leave the Custom Content option ticked or don't delete the localthumbcache file after disabling them. Removing is the best method.
Testing vanilla doesn't mean you need to get rid of your mods. It just means you need to test without them. Create backups of your save games and/or play a new save to find out if something is caused by the mods you are using or is an actual game bug.
It can happen that mods are no longer supported and they break. In this case you'll remove them for good unless they get picked up by another modder to be updated. You can put everything else back and play until you run into the next issue which you will need to test on vanilla again before reporting. Try the multiple folder method to easily switch back and forth.
This doesn't matter. Remove them. CC can break too and often there's a misunderstanding about what counts as a mod and what is cc. Rule of thumb: If you're reporting something in the bug forum or seeking help in gameplay issues/the tech forums, remove everything.
Again, no. Many mods also have optional settings that can lead to undesired effects or have bugs themselves. Only testing without can guarantee that something is a game issue.
There are a few details that don't get removed if you remove your mods. These alterations can lead to further issues that you need to be aware of. If you have mods that change major aspects of the game, just test a new save game.
Known things that don't get removed are
- Extra lot traits you added to your lot (these can also come through the Gallery)
- Lot traits that weren't supposed to be on a certain lot type in the first place
- Overstuffed households (aka > 8 Sims). These are only removed if you take them to CAS
- Milestones attached to objects. If you remove those objects from your game, the game will endlessly load (use Lumpinou's CC/Mod Object Fix to fix this. You can remove the mods afterwards)
- Empty plates left over from custom foods can cause Load errors. Edit the lot in build mode and delete those
Because issues can still occur even when a mod was removed, it's important to know which case is true in your game.
Normally if you did a clean folder and tested a new save, that's the same as never having any mods but there are a few mods that change game installation files. These do not get removed by doing a clean folder. The repair steps should help with putting edited files back to their original versions but if something added a file to the installation folder, not even a repair will remove it. The only option to thoroughly get rid of everything is a clean reinstall of the game (PC Instructions) and clean folder approach.
The cry wolf effect. Too many people are not truthful so those who are suffer. Do state if you don't have any mods but follow the troubleshooting steps anyways even if they sound like they are only for mod users. They are not, they can help you get back into the game as well.
