Unusual start-up methods, loading times and a weird Future Glitch *Edit*

[NeroKVH]

Hi guys! I'm newly registered here 

Well for the last 3 weeks or so managing to load my Sims 3 (all expansions and the Town Life stuff pack) 'cause usually starting up my game will go no further than the black loading screen that you get after pressing 'play' in the Launcher, and it'll just perpetually stay black; but the solution of this restarting my PC and it'll load the game and my saves... I find that weird and time consuming (+ I loose everything else that I have running on my PC then)
BTW my save is 1GB, I've been playing with it for some 6months or so.

Second is that suddenly in those 3 weeks my save will take 15-20m to load. i do have plenty CC and my save is  in a CC hood (New York City Seasons which is full of CC but never got an issue from it, I've been using this hood for over 2 months, I've implemented more lots from other expansions into it, too), my sim also lives a Custom Lot (from TSR) it's a big lot but I deleted all unwanted CC from it. My Sim also has CC, one is a mod to add more tattoo body locations and new tats and hair, but he works fine.
One of my dogs is CC (a groenendael begian shepherd from MTS)

Now the last issues is when loading to travel into the future the loading stops (the background loading EA publicity stops too) I check my task manager it shows that the Sims is running and I've waited so see if eventually it would starting loading again, didn't work, the loading bar never improved and the background loading wallpaper also didnt change. And if I get to the future (the regular Oasis Landing) my sim doesn't show up (I try resetting my sim, which also doesnt work.. I can see him he's interacting but cant control him, there's no sim on my CP)!! everything else goes just fine, sims are interacting, bird sounds, trees moving a little, cars, etc. I read over this last type of issue and showed that it could be corrupted CC on your sim (i.e clothes) so I changed my sim's wardrobe to non CC but it didn't work.

 I've read that also plenty items in your sim's inventory also lags, so empyted all unnecessary  items (worked) and tried selling everything in the family inventory (causing my game to crash) and everytime i try selling the family inventory but it hasn't worked, I also deleted all memories from my sim and pets to expect a slight improvement, and deleted all mods that i download within the last 3 weeks (before the issue started), also deleted unneeded scripts and items in the DCbackup folder except for the ccmerged.package for store content.

Any solution and maybe an explanation would be very very appreciated, and please maybe no re-installing the game.. it'll take too long with all my expansions and hopefully not just starting a new save, i'm commited to my current save (I only one save btw) Thank you!! 

------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 3/17/2014, 16:35:25
       Machine name: MYPC-PC
   Operating System: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit (6.1, Build 7601) Service Pack 1 (7601.win7sp1_rtm.101119-1850)
           Language: French (Regional Setting: French)
System Manufacturer: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
       System Model: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
               BIOS: BIOS Date: 10/17/12 16:52:07 Ver: 04.06.05
          Processor: AMD FX(tm)-4100 Quad-Core Processor             (4 CPUs), ~3.6GHz
             Memory: 8192MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 8148MB RAM
          Page File: 3675MB used, 12620MB available
        Windows Dir: C:\Windows
    DirectX Version: DirectX 11
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
   User DPI Setting: Using System DPI
 System DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent)
    DWM DPI Scaling: Disabled
     DxDiag Version: 6.01.7601.17514 32bit Unicode

------------
DxDiag Notes
------------
      Display Tab 1: No problems found.
        Sound Tab 1: No problems found.
        Sound Tab 2: No problems found.
          Input Tab: No problems found.

--------------------
DirectX Debug Levels
--------------------
Direct3D:    0/4 (retail)
DirectDraw:  0/4 (retail)
DirectInput: 0/5 (retail)
DirectMusic: 0/5 (retail)
DirectPlay:  0/9 (retail)
DirectSound: 0/5 (retail)
DirectShow:  0/6 (retail)

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
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       Manufacturer: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
          Chip type: AMD Radeon Graphics Processor (0x6819)
           DAC type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
         Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_6819&SUBSYS_042C1043&REV_00
     Display Memory: 4095 MB
   Dedicated Memory: 2030 MB
      Shared Memory: 2065 MB
       Current Mode: 1920 x 1080 (32 bit) (60Hz)
       Monitor Name: Generic PnP Monitor
      Monitor Model: G246HL
         Monitor Id: ACR02FF
        Native Mode: 1920 x 1080(p) (60.000Hz)
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Driver File Version: 8.17.0010.1191 (English)
     Driver Version: 12.104.0.0
        DDI Version: 11
       Driver Model: WDDM 1.1
  Driver Attributes: Final Retail
   Driver Date/Size: 3/29/2013 03:37:02, 1155264 bytes
        WHQL Logo'd: Yes
    WHQL Date Stamp:
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          Vendor ID: 0x1002
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[MrsFlynn]

Hi NeroKVH,

Can you tell us about your computer - Make/model and other info?
This will help us find if your computer will handle Sims 3 and expansions and stuff packs plus all the CC you have.

Topic: How To: Find System Information - Window 8
http://www.carls-sims-3-guide.com/forum/index.php/topic,18902.0.html

How To: Find System Information -- Window 7
http://www.carls-sims-3-guide.com/forum/index.php/topic,18710.0.html

In the meantime, have you tried any of these tips?

Have you tried starting a new game to see if things run smoother. Just as a test-play or to troubleshoot.

Make a copy of your save-game and use the copy to test-play without cc?

As sometimes CC does mess the game up for whatever reason, regardless of it's good or bad.

Removing Bad Custom Content
http://sims3.crinrict.com/en/custom-content-cc/bad-cc

Something else it could be is that because the save-gave is so large it's causing problems and getting harder for your computer to handle it. There may not be much that can be done about that other than save off families, houses, etc. that you want to keep and create a few different saves to help lessen the load.

I hope this helps some,

MrsFlynn

[NeroKVH]

I removed the bad CC, started a test-play (things worked fine), dont know how to test my save without CC since the lot that my save lives in is CC, and i cut my save file (TravelDB) in half to see any improvements, that has solved the loading times (thankfully!!) but my sim still cant go into the future.. loading freezes right at the beginning, the loading wallpaper and tips also freezes, and it could stay like that forever, i let it 30m load but nothing changed and the task manager shows that the game is working just fine..

Edit i checked my travelDB and its back to its original load... issue unsolved

[Flynn Arrowstarr]

I removed the bad CC, started a test-play (things worked fine), dont know how to test my save without CC since the lot that my save lives in is CC, and i cut my save file (TravelDB) in half to see any improvements, that has solved the loading times (thankfully!!) but my sim still cant go into the future.. loading freezes right at the beginning, the loading wallpaper and tips also freezes, and it could stay like that forever, i let it 30m load but nothing changed and the task manager shows that the game is working just fine..

Edit i checked my travelDB and its back to its original load... issue unsolved

Hi, NeroKVH.

Thanks for posting your system specifications. As far as I can tell, your system should have no problems with playing The Sims 3. However, if you have the exact model of the Radeon 7800 series graphics card you have, it could help us troubleshoot a little better.

As for your problem traveling to the future, it's possible something didn't install correctly when you installed the expansion. Try uninstalling just Into The Future and re-installing it. Then try traveling to the future again. Use a copy of your saved game to test with in case something goes wrong.

Hope this helps and happy Simming.

Flynn

[NeroKVH]

Hi, NeroKVH.

Thanks for posting your system specifications. As far as I can tell, your system should have no problems with playing The Sims 3. However, if you have the exact model of the Radeon 7800 series graphics card you have, it could help us troubleshoot a little better.

As for your problem traveling to the future, it's possible something didn't install correctly when you installed the expansion. Try uninstalling just Into The Future and re-installing it. Then try traveling to the future again. Use a copy of your saved game to test with in case something goes wrong.

Hope this helps and happy Simming.

Flynn

I did that; plus i set the game back to factory settings. But now my save wont even finish loading.. with or without CC. This is going on only in my save. I downsized by save from 1GB to 344MB (I deleted all images in the travelDB). it loads quickly all the way to about 90% then slowy to 95% and then freezes, but my taskmanager says its working properly. I also deleted the DCbackup but it regerates. I dont think that reinstalling will help.. i cant start a new save and delete my current one 'cause its in the middle of something!.

[MrsFlynn]

Hi Nero,

Hubby and I put our heads together on this one to see if we could come up with an answer.

We're curious, are you trying to delete your old save while in-game? If so, try getting out of the game. Go to:  Electronic Arts > The Sims 3 > Saves >

Backup your saves just in case. And then delete your old save from the Saves folder.

Go back into the game and try starting a new game to see if that works?

Something else I wanted to share with you, that I thought might be of interest.

Saving folders/files to use on a different computer or to use as backup
http://www.carls-sims-3-guide.com/forum/index.php/topic,16414.msg313134.html#msg313134

MrsFlynn

[LivvieLove]

Hi there!
Ok, while agreeing completely with Mr. and Mrs. Flynn I must say that you and I have almost exactly the same setup for computers! Fascinating - well, graphics card wise you're one step above me but I think I can help you with some of the issues you're having. I run a Windows 7 64 bit setup with an AMD Radeon HD 7770. The problem that I've found with my system is that AMD doesn't like to play very nicely with games as much as NVidia does.
While numbers on paper always point to me and say my game should run perfectly on high with no problems, I often find I have a lot more trouble than my boyfriend who is on a seemingly less powerful computer with an NVidia card.
AMD in general tends to focus their stats more for energy saving rather than cutting-edge gaming.
So while you're computer may seem like it can handle the Sims (on paper) it will actually struggle a bit more with certain aspects of the game, specifically: a lot of CC, town longevity and save bloating. Now obviously this varies a lot based off of different computer setups, but that seems to be the problems you're having.

The tips I have along with the great help you've gotten here is to just know you're computer. I loved CC for the longest time and Mods (I would have a lot of hair and clothing and all kinds of stuff), but I learned that CC can cause major problems in game if not done correctly, and even if they are put in cleanly and well-maintained it still can be a problem for some.

>Do a complete Factory Reset of your Sims 3 folder, you can keep the old one, just rename it something else and boot up the game. Getting a completely clean game should test to see if the problem is deeper than just some mods and CC. If you're still struggling with loading times, getting into an EA neighborhood and doing a small test file, then we may have to examine the amount of power you're computer is allotting to the game or if the game just got a buggy file that needs to be cleaned up deeper.

>If the problem appears to be deeper, boot up the game. Now we're going to minimize it, hit: ctrl-alt-delete to and open the task manager and go under Processes to see how much memory your computer is allotting to Sims versus other things. If you have a lot of things open in the background, you may not have enough memory to get your Sims game off the ground (as in, opening the game). If all seems normal and nothing is running in the background then we might have to assume it's deeper in the games code which will require and Uninstall and Reinstall - painful, but that should fix the problem right up.

>If your Factory Reset Folder ran just fine, then we'll move on to cleaning up the folder (or do this after an uninstall/reinstall). CC is a very tricky thing, it looks so harmless and it looks like you can just put it in and pull it out whenever, but it's a lot more complicated than that. So keep that in mind when you're adding CC to your game. Once you add it, it should be absolutely last-resort to take it back out again, as that will help keep the life of your files going for longer. Think of it this way, if you add a custom content dress or hair, put it in your game and play a file for several Sim-weeks, imagine how many Sims could age up in that time or go to the salon or move into town with your custom hair/dress. Now when you pull it out, the game suddenly has to compensate for where that went. This can cause errorlogs to start showing up and clogging down your game as it has to work extra hard to compensate for the lost CC. Doing it once or twice isn't a total file destroyer, but just keep that in mind as you set up a save file you want to keep for a long time.
----> If you have CC you want to take out (as in, a lot of it) be prepared to start a new save with your old family you were playing. The best way to do this is to save your family to the Sim Bin, go into a new neighborhood and place them down on a lot with a dresser and a mirror. Strip them down of all their CC they have on them and re-save them to the Family Bin. Now quit the game and remove the CC you don't want. The next time you boot up your game you'll want to start in a new neighborhood of your choice and place the family down there to prevent the CC from becoming a problem to your game.

>Now, every computer has a limit to the amount of memory it can handle. CC does put a little bit of pressure on your memory to work harder, stuff made by EA tends to (I'll say "blend" for lack of a better word) blend in better with the game and cause less stress than non-EA made things (such as Custom Content). BUT, even a lot of store stuff can cause your game to slow down significantly. You really have to find a good "sweet-spot" with your CC and mods and store stuff. The equilibrium that your game can handle that won't push it over the edge but still lets you enjoy the things you like from your CC packs.

>Where you get your CC matters. I'm not talking about specific websites so much as I am about the Sims 3 Exchange. When I didn't know anything about CC I used to just browse the Exchange and download Sims that had hair and clothing I wanted. This is an awful, awful idea. Not only does it make it harder for your game to find and sort the CC from the actual parts of the game, but it oftentimes will come up bugged and mess around with the gamefile. This doesn't seem to be your problem, but I mention it anyways whenever someone talks about CC.

As for your CC world, get a clean download of it when you do a factory reset or unisntall, and make sure that it runs fine on a clean, new file of it. If it doesn't it could be the world that's bugging down your game.

Honestly, the Sims is a very, very finicky game. I've played quite a few games in my life from linear to open-world, but the Sims is one of the most finicky games I've ever played. Even if you don't use mods the game will always seem to bog itself down and need a factory reset and a good cleaning after a long time (for me, it's about every year to a year and a half or so and that's if I'm lucky). Because the computer has so many options for modding along with all the Stuff/Expansions it makes patching the game for EA and finding bugs that much harder.
Oh, sorry, I'm kind of writing this as I think about different things, so it will seem all over the place.
A double check, did you pull out all mods AND CC when you downloaded and installed ITF? If you didn't that could be the cause of your Future Travel issues. All mods and CC should be removed when adding a stuff pack or expansion (especially expansions which add new features). A lot of people will take out mods, but forget their CC.

Also, finally, do you use Overwatch and Errortrap by Nraas Industries? I highly recommend them for getting a larger save going and keeping it clean.
Also, on the subject of old saves, how do you save? Do you Save and Quit? Do you Save As (and if you do, do you do it often?) or do you Save and then Quit as separate options?
This could be a minor factor in your save being so large. I like to use Save As or Save then Quit but never "Save and Quit" if that makes any sense.

Ok, I'm really almost done here. I know doing a Reinstall in so, so painful. It really sucks, it's long and tedious (I know, I have all expansions and all stuff packs minus maybe one or two). Try doing a factory reset according to the rules here step-by-step:
http://www.carls-sims-3-guide.com/forum/index.php/topic,7507.0.html
Open the game from there (without adding anything) and go into a clean, EA world. Sunset Valley would work. If you can't get it open then I really hate to say that you're problem is simply deeper than a Factory Reset can fix and the only thing that will take care of it is doing a clean uninstall and reinstall. It's painful, and that's the last thing you want to hear, but the longer you wait the worse the problem could be, and the last thing you want is for your save to suffer corruption from your game not functioning. Just try another factory reset, don't do a single thing extra and boot the game to see how Sunset Valley loads. If everything works great then we'll know it's not as deep and we can look into your CC town as likely being the issue.


Long winded response. I'm done. *phew* 

[NeroKVH]

Hi there! ...
Long winded response. I'm done. *phew* 

Thanks so much for your time in responding 

My CC is only downloaded from TheSimsResource and ModTheSims. I've always "save and quit" my game (oops!) Ive only done "save as" once (when i moved to my CC world)
I did all that; deleted caches, the factory reset, i DVD reinstalled every game  (except pets and uni i downloaded those from origin -my pets dvd came broke and im missing the Uni DVD-, got the Nrass Overwatch and Errortrap + 2 stroy progression, tattoo locations, traveler and master controller and MCCheats)

 ***My save loads much faster, but when I my save is done loading the mods make pop ups and i accepted them all (theyre in french, i installed my sims in french, since im learning it and translate isnt helping..) and my game freezes, time, CP, sims also freeze except for all the rest animations. Then I denyed all on the nraas pop-ups and my game still froze.. I highly suspect Nraas mods being the culprit now. But its so contradictory!! the Sims3dashboard shows no errors and i downloaded all nraas up to date! ..
 I also blame EA, for making this game so buggy . I mean check FlightSim X its an 8yr old game, which still has graphics that are ahead of this time, you can give it almost any CC you want and nothing will ever happen! if something does is just bcause your pc aint godd enough!***

OK. I removed the ErrorTrap and Overwatch, those were the culprits for my sims 3 mishaps today (wierdly enough they were up to date)  i still have plenty of CC and my legacy save is fully running like a charm. I guess my game has recovered for now.

Thanks guys for all the answers they really helped me a lot. All your tips will make my game and save a much better one!!

[LivvieLove]

I'm glad you were able to get it working! Strange that Overwatch and Errortrap caused problems, but when it goes through cleaning up the town it can definitely slow down things for a bit. I'm sorry you had to go through the painful reinstalling, but I'm glad everything is working!

[NeroKVH]

Really thank you so much guys    You're all so nice in helping me out