Sudden, Inexplicable Death

[Scorpions_Angel]

Took the whole family but her on the trip - she showed up as available, but it would not let me take her as well because 'this sim cannot travel while pregnant' or some such message. They all got to China just fine. I called them to go home - when the home screen loaded again, she was STILL NOT THERE. Gonna to try your blog thing now, and will write again with results. Regardless of what happens (and if I can't get her back WITH the things in her inventory present and accounted for, I'm ready to just give up and start a whole new game, though to do so will severely piss me off), I REALLY appreciate all the help you've given thus far.

[crinrict]

Have you checked the inventories of all your other Sims ? If the game thought the mother dead maybe the stuff got moved.

[Scorpions_Angel]

Yes, checked all the other inventories - none of her stuff is there, which is why I thought it was so strange. When a sim actually DIES (or moves out) all of their inventory goes to the next Sim. Hers just... vanished... But then, seeing as how she's still there in the family portrait, relationships, and in the list of choices for potential vacationers/movers... It's like the game SAID she died while simply making her completely invisible. I tried the unnameable option - even tried a few different mods to see if something else might fix the problem. Nope. Nothing. Took all but her on vacay (can't take her - she is/was pregnant), brought them back. Nope. Moved them out. Nope. Moved them back. Nope. Moved a copy of them. Nope. Took her out, put her back in. Nope. Every time I manage to get her to come back as playable, all of her inventory is completely gone. When I moved the rest of the family or a copy of them into a different house (or switched households and came back), every single one of them had ALL of their inventory. Not a thing was out of place. Only her. I don't know why it chose her to pick on, but I'm giving up on that game, I guess. I don't know what else to do. I didn't WANT to make another file or different characters, but I guess I have to start ALL OVER AGAIN. >.< Thank you for everything you tried to do and all the great suggestions. I'll check this from time to time to see if anyone anywhere has the same problem or a fix for it, but I guess I have no choice but to give up. Thanks again.

[crinrict]

I'm sorry to hear that.

For the future: Save in cycles, meaning have at least 5-10 different savefiles. Use save as and save under a different name. Also move one of the savegames to a save location from time to time. ALWAYS backup the games before applying a patch.

Also use other means to keep your stuff safe than the inventory. The chests you can buy on vacation are the safest (don't use the Alchemy shelf, that is buggy as hell). Hang pics on the wall somewhere.

TBH, with this game, you get used to making new saves from time to time.

[Scorpions_Angel]

I think I'll start putting everything in the chests like you suggested. I used to hang all the pictures IMMEDIATELY... and then had glitches where I would hang a picture and it would vanish never to be seen again. So I stopped doing that, and then this happened. But I've never had the problem with the chests, so I guess that's where everything will be going. Thanks again, and I'll definitely be making different save files from now on. So help this game it if happens again though... xD