Can't return to present

[Joria]

My Sims can't return to the present.  They enter the time machine and it starts the process.  About half way through and after waiting over an hour for it to complete, the little swirly thing is still turning but everything else, including the little information boxes that appear, are frozen.  It never gets past half way.

I do not use any mods.
I do not have any cc installed.
I do not have any cheats active, (tce or buydebug, or any of those are not active)
I am traveling with my entire family after being instructed to go back home.
I keep my caches clear.
This is an old file.  Works fine as long as I don't try to go back to the present.

[Pam]

I don't know of any other ways to get back to the present.  The fact that it's an old file may be working against you as they are more prone to bugs and glitches in general.  I don't have any suggestions to help, but maybe someone else has an idea.

[Joria]

Thanks, Pam.  I've pretty much given up.  I'm not sure what is going on, whether it's just that this EP is buggier than most, whether it's the file, or what.  I've started a new game so will try to do the various things with this new file, meanwhile saving the old one in the hopes I can continue it.  At least I've had fun exploring the new world and learning new things so we'll see what happens.

 It was interesting to me to see that the last time I went into the future ALL my descendants were fairies but they also were ALL grumpy, all 7 of them.  They also all had white hair and neither my Sim nor Stiles had white hair.  It wasn't from age either as even the youngest members sported the white hair.  It would be interesting to me to see how the Dreamweaver's coloration came through, if it did.

[Pam]

It was interesting to me to see that the last time I went into the future ALL my descendants were fairies but they also were ALL grumpy, all 7 of them.  They also all had white hair and neither my Sim nor Stiles had white hair.  It wasn't from age either as even the youngest members sported the white hair.  It would be interesting to me to see how the Dreamweaver's coloration came through, if it did.

I've had a number of Banana's descendants have white/gray hair.  Of course, they change every time she does something major like get married or have a child.  Some of the descendants have her blonde hair and some have her husband's dark hair.  Almost all have her blue eyes and Christopher Steel mouth.  The white hair is a mystery to me, but it sounds like it's not limited to my game.

You say your descendants were fairies?  They actually had wings and showed up as fairies in the relationship panel?  I haven't heard of this before and it's rather exciting. 

[Joria]

I've had a number of Banana's descendants have white/gray hair.  Of course, they change every time she does something major like get married or have a child.  Some of the descendants have her blonde hair and some have her husband's dark hair.  Almost all have her blue eyes and Christopher Steel mouth.  The white hair is a mystery to me, but it sounds like it's not limited to my game.

You say your descendants were fairies?  They actually had wings and showed up as fairies in the relationship panel?  I haven't heard of this before and it's rather exciting. 

Christopher Steel's mouth is one of the strongest genetic things in the game.  Once it's there it's there for eternity!   

The hair was really white.  Not just a light grey but bright white.  I've tried for that color before and not quite gotten it as bright.  I rather liked it but would love to know where it came from.

Yes!  True fairies with wings and all the fairy stuff.  What surprised me even more, though I'm not sure why it was a surprise, was the wing style and color were exactly the same as my Sim.  They had a great time fairy frolicking, even got over being grumpy doing it, and since mine had Queen of the Fey LTR, she could call them and have a fairy party in her fairy house.

I've made a new game with a copy of the old file and another with nothing old in it.  I'm going to try another fairy and see what happens.  This one won't have all the baggage from doing the gnome collecting but I'm not sure if I want her to just go for the future or actually do anything to get LTR and her LTW done.