Unable to return home from vacation

[caitlinrosee]

Hello all!
I have been fortunate enough to have very few issues with my Sims games, but recently I have had an unending one: returning home from vacation.
The first time, I lost my entire vacation, as I had to Ctrl+Alt+Delete and close the game that way. Afterwards, I learned my lesson and saved immediately before returning home. If the game froze on the loading screen (it allows me to continue with the "Find the.." game, but never continues to my actual game), I would just Ctrl+Alt+Delete and close the game that way. But now it's happening repeatedly and I'm unable to return home AT ALL. I really enjoy the family that I'm playing, and don't want to have to start over. Anyone have any suggestions???
Current EPs: Ambitions, Showtime, Supernatural, Island Paradise, Pets, Into the Future.

[caitlinrosee]

Okay so following the suggestion here: http://www.carls-sims-3-guide.com/forum/index.php/topic,6.0.html, I deleted my regular folder (after copying it elsewhere) and renamed the backup folder as the normal one. It set me backwards one save, but I figured what the heck. Losing 4 days of vacation was nothing compared to losing an entire game!
It still didn't work and I'm still unable to come home. I was wondering this: within the folder mentioned above, there is a separate file for each location (the different WA world and Oasis Landing). This was my first trip to China within this game, so there is no "Export" file as there is for the rest. Could I delete the China file and would that make it as though I had never gone? And if so, would there be a way to fix my game from there? (I had been having similar issues before this, but never for such an extended period of time).
Any thoughts?

[MrsFlynn]

Hi Caitlinrosee,

I have never run into this problem before. However, back up your Sims 3 folder. Then go ahead and delete your China file to see what happens. If that doesn't work, at least you're not out anything, as you've got your Sims 3 folder backed up.

MrsFlynn

[caitlinrosee]

okay so for the record, this method does not work. My family didn't exist anymore when I deleted the China file. So, no good.
I've been asking around on the main TS3 site, and everyone is suggesting mods (there are others with similar issues), while everyone here that I've seen is saying that mods are absolutely 100% no good.
I could use some guidance in this regard

[MrsFlynn]

I wouldn't say that everyone in this forum think mods aren't good. There are a few of us who like mods. I'm one who likes mods, and don't like to play without them.

I'm not sure if mods will be able to get your family back. But it maybe worth looking into.

I'd recommend Nraas Mods
http://nraas.wikispaces.com/

If you find you have questions about any specific Nraas mods, there is a message board on their site. -- http://nraas.wikispaces.com/Chatterbox

I just thought of something that might help, if you haven't tried this already. Reset the Sim person or maybe resetsim * if you have a family that is stuck.

Press these keys at the same time, Ctrl Shift C to bring up the cheat console and type in TestingCheatsEnabled on. To reset a Sim person, resetsim First Name and Last name. And to reset all Sims in the game resetsim *

I hope this helps,

MrsFlynn

[Pam]

okay so for the record, this method does not work. My family didn't exist anymore when I deleted the China file. So, no good.
I've been asking around on the main TS3 site, and everyone is suggesting mods (there are others with similar issues), while everyone here that I've seen is saying that mods are absolutely 100% no good.
I could use some guidance in this regard

Welcome to our Forum.

Your comment about everyone here saying that mods are absolutely 100% no good couldn't be further from the truth.  In fact, if you have seen even one comment in that regard, I would like to see it so I could address it personally.  Some people like mods, and others don't.  It's a matter of personal preference and that's our official stand on the subject. 

[Joria]

@ Pam:  I think, due to the very earliest posts when the forum first began, the IMPRESSION that mods were no good came about.  My impression back then was they were discouraged and not up for discussion as they caused too many problems.  However, later it became apparent that Nraas mods were safe and reliable as long as the user kept remembering to update them, (Twallen is very good about keeping his mods updated for us!), and it was allowed to discuss them more fully.  I believe a lot of issues back then were from the time that broken doll thing was hitting so many folks and it was a case of better safe than sorry.  I still don't use mods or CC in my game mostly because I'm concerned that I won't remember to update the mods and CC is iffy to use, but with as many issues I'm having with ITF I'm seriously considering go that route.

@ caitlinrosee:  Your travel issue might be part of the old travel bug that folks have had, and not found a way to fix, or it could be something entirely new.  I'm having the same kind of issue with trying to come back to the present from the future and have yet to find a way to fix it.  Even factory reset doesn't help.  Do you also have ITF installed?  I'm wondering if it could be a bug from that EP.  The only advice from the "official" forum is get mods but I haven't even read it mentioned as a bug.  By the way, WELCOME to the forum!