Fun (and less fun) moving issues

[jdratlif]

There seem to be a lot of issues with moving.

You can't take your garden with you, which I find annoying. I had just planted the 4 varieties of French grapes you get from the special merchant. I did some reading and found out that your garden will flourish without you there, so I left anyways. Sure enough, I can go back to the old lot and harvest all my old plants. Money trees keep getting better, and plants keep growing (grape sprouts have since yielded fruit). I didn't want to water the plants by hand, so I left the sprinklers there. They're still there and auto-watering just like always. In addition, I found duplicate sprinklers in my family inventory after the move. How nice to get free sprinklers already equipped with auto-water.

edit: This brings up interesting questions. Will the garden plants die? Do they need to be watered? The ones on community lots are obviously untended. Could you plant a perfect garden and then move and have perfect garden plants that flower forever untended?

I noticed in a previous move that my car was stuck at the old lot, so I put that in my inventory before moving. However, it doesn't seem to be specific to the car. Anything outside your house won't be packed unless you do the packing manually. Glad I saved prior to the move. My nectar maker, trampoline, car, and martial arts equipment would've been stuck at the old lot.

The last fun thing I noticed is that my old house has a copy of my stereo with the wire-house upgrade playing all the time. Whenever I go harvest my old garden, he still enjoys the music, though at a lower moodlet value than it should be. The music is still right though (playing 'Roots' I mean).

edit: I just noticed after seeing a new wish popup that my music box disappeared in the move.

[wildredchild]

Yes, you can plant a perfect garden and then move and it will continue to flourish without any help at all.  You do not have to water it either, so you can take those sprinklers with you.  The plants will not die except for the deathflower plant.  That only dies when you harvest it. 

When I have moved lots in the past, the lot I leave behind with all those perfect plants, I set to community lot and then there are visitors as well as yourself going back to it.

[Pam]

If you select "pack furniture" when you move, you'll take everything from the old house with you.  Yet all that stuff also stays with the old house.  If the stereo was turned on when you left, it will stay turned on unless you go back and turn it off.  I don't know why you were missing some things.  Everything on the lot should go with you when you move.  Did you check your family inventory for the car?  That's where I've found mine.

[NeoFelis]

I had all the sketches my Stylist Sim had done on the walls of the house before I moved and they weren't in my regular or family inventories after I'd arrived at the new place. Since I'd already done a lot of re-decorating, I decided not to go back to the save game before the move for them. In Sims2 you couldn't take anything with you that was being used or left on, so I waited until everyone was up and dressed before the moves in Sims 3. Usually my plan when moving is something like, 'when in doubt, put it in inventory' (not very pithy, but oh well) but here I had no reason to think that items hanging on the walls wouldn't be moved. Paintings my Sim had done made the trip, as did purchased art. My sprinklers made the trip, too. Next time I play, I'll go back to the house and see if there's any of my Sims' property still there.

[jdratlif]

Pam, now that you mention it, I'm not sure if those things that were outside were left behind or just copied. I do remember losing my cop car in a previous game after a move once. It wasn't in any sim inventory or my family inventory. I've also read posts from other people who lost the cop car after a move. I used the mailbox cheat to become a lieutenant again and get a new one.

As for everything else I saw on the lot outside, I did not check to see if it was in my family inventory. I assumed seeing it there meant it wasn't, but the sprinklers were copied, so maybe everything was cloned, too. Regarding the music box, it's just gone. No big deal, I bought another one.

Inventory is a funny thing sometimes. My sim stole books from the French bookshelf he was reading when the trip ended. (and no, he's not a klepto) It was a race against the clock to see if he would finish the last book for the read 50 books wish. The message popped up and said it was time to leave, but before the loading screen came back up for sunset valley, i saw the points thing flash. When he got home, that book was in his inventory. After reloading the game, another French book spontaneously appeared in his inventory. I sold them both.

In addition, I know on my first trip to France that I bought grapes from the special merchant. They disappeared when I came back home.

[NeoFelis]

I had all the sketches my Stylist Sim had done on the walls of the house before I moved and they weren't in my regular or family inventories after I'd arrived at the new place. Since I'd already done a lot of re-decorating, I decided not to go back to the save game before the move for them. In Sims2 you couldn't take anything with you that was being used or left on, so I waited until everyone was up and dressed before the moves in Sims 3. Usually my plan when moving is something like, 'when in doubt, put it in inventory' (not very pithy, but oh well) but here I had no reason to think that items hanging on the walls wouldn't be moved. Paintings my Sim had done made the trip, as did purchased art. My sprinklers made the trip, too. Next time I play, I'll go back to the house and see if there's any of my Sims' property still there.

Okay, I found the small house I started in and everything was there, including my Sim's sketches. The only things missing were two or three rocks I was using as paperweights for the moment. One other thing was left behind: a music box. I hadn't even remembered it since I was so busy with the new place. So I put my two favorite sketches on the outside of the house and the music box on the lawn so that I can see if one of Sims can go over there and grab them. I'll update you when I've tried that. At least we'd have the option if something(s) had sentimental value. 

[NeoFelis]

Okay, I found the small house I started in and everything was there, including my Sim's sketches. The only things missing were two or three rocks I was using as paperweights for the moment. One other thing was left behind: a music box. I hadn't even remembered it since I was so busy with the new place. So I put my two favorite sketches on the outside of the house and the music box on the lawn so that I can see if one of Sims can go over there and grab them. I'll update you when I've tried that. At least we'd have the option if something(s) had sentimental value. 

Nope, could only pick up the music box to close or use it and couldn't do anything with the sketches. I even tried the moveobjects cheat. I'll just have to be more careful when moving. That means more stuff goes into family inventory manually, I guess. If anyone comes up with any ideas on how to retrieve 'lost' move items, I'd love to hear it. Okay, I'm done talking to myself now. 

[Saltypaws]

I know it is alot of work, but I have moved sims out and then just moved them back.  I basically just moved them back to the old house long enough to grab the stuff and then move back to their new home.  I know it sounds stupid and if it had not been something that I had really wanted back, then I would not have gone through the trouble.  I had to make sure they had the money for the house, usually they did though. 

[bshag]

My sim Renee just moved her family and had to leave a big, beautiful garden.  Since she has the meditative trance sleep, she gets up at 4 AM anyway, I just have her go over to the old house and harvest.    Thank heaven no one has moved in yet. 

[NeoFelis]

I could move one out, use motherlode (the old house is worth just under 50k) so I can buy the old house furnished, grab the stuff, move back into the new place, then use the familyfunds cheat to subtract the 50k. Technically, I wouldn't be cheating.  

Edit: Just realized that won't work. Darn. It has to be everybody back to the old house. May still try it, and at least there'd be no need to cheat.

2nd edit or postscript; take your pick: Did what I said, retrieved my sketches and music box, then moved back to my new place. It was annoying, but at least I know how to fix it if it happens again. Now if only the game would just stop kicking me out without warning. Because it takes so long to load my saved games, not to mention how late it is here, I'm not starting back up again until I get some sleep.