[CURRENT ISSUE] [PC] Lags/Freezes since Patch 1.88 (Pronouns)

[JDLgnd]

I noticed this lag too when I went to start a new game to check out the pronouns feature. I don't have any mods installed and I have all the DLC's.

[raspyb3rry]

• Did you have lags before this update ? If so, where ?

Visually that took place during gameplay itself, but nothing that made it unplayable. Otherwise it ran perfectly fine on my computer.

• Where does the game lag now ? Everywhere or specific areas ?

Everywhere, I can't even make it past the main menu to load a game without my game freezing for a solid 30 seconds, unfreezing for about 10, repeat.

• Do you play a fresh or an existing save game

As said earlier, it's unplayable to the point I can't even open a save. I've been able to barely open my already existing saves to try the pronoun update, and what usually would take me about 5 minutes took me closer to 10 because I just can't open anything.

• Are you using mods/cc and if so, have you tested without them ?

Yes and I've tried, I can't even go to make a new save because CAS is just horrible to navigate right now.

I've never had any update break my game this badly, I swear it was the update itself and nothing to do with my computer itself because my game ran perfectly fine prior to this update, and as most people here have mentioned, they've had the same thing happen to them.

Config.log

[jimblejamm]

i’ve been dming with ea help on twitter and made them aware of this issue, they recommended i download the ea app which is in beta. it installed sims and my packs and loaded up but i am still experiencing lag and freezing in main menu and gameplay. very frustrating

[RadTigerrr]

Product: The Sims 4
Platform:PC
Which language are you playing the game in? English
How often does the bug occur? Every time (100%)
What is your current game version number? 1.88.213.1030
What expansions, game packs, and stuff packs do you have installed? Cottage Living, Snowy Escape, Eco Lifestyle, Get to Work, Get Famous, Discover University, Get Together, Cats & Dogs, City living. Spa Day, Jungle Adventure, Dine Out, Dream Decorator, Outdoor Retreat Mosh., Laundry Day, My First Pet, Backyard, Movie Hangout, Spooky, Perfect Patio, Luxury Party
Steps: How can we find the bug ourselves? The bug usually shows even in the load screen. It will freeze but music still plays, cursor moves, nothing else freezes etc. Then it will either speed up quickly as if to catchup on the lost time or just go back to normal.
What happens when the bug occurs? The video seems to freeze but all audio and the cursor, rest of pc etc. function normally
What do you expect to see? Game freezing every couple of seconds then returning back to normal
Have you installed any customization with the game, e.g. Custom Content or Mods? Yes
Did this issue appear after a specific patch or change you made to your system? Yes
Please describe the patch or change you made. I downloaded the newest patch 1.88.213.1030 on my PC

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Although I am not certain this is because of the patch, I only started having this issues AFTER I downloaded it and after I got Snowy Escape. Even with my CC/mods and installing new expansion packs etc. my game ran fine with the occasional lag but nothing like this! I can't even really play the game. 

It starts when I boot into Sims 4; the loading screen goes to black then to the iconic Sims 4 intro where the diamond floats around the screen. Then, after that, a loading screen where the diamond is turning. After a few turns, the diamond freezes; music still playing and cursor can be moved. It's very strange. After about 10-15 minutes of waiting on the freezing loading screen, then I get to the main menu. Everything loads fine and I can hover over things fine but after a minute or so it freezes again (music still playing, can move cursor) and then unfreezes. I even tested it in CAS; it is almost like the video/graphics isn't loading? I try and click onto a new outfit or to scroll down and it will be fine then everything on screen will freeze besides music + my cursor and then it will quickly speed up and go back to normal or just skip frames or something.

I've disabled my mods and CC, turned my graphics all the way down to Low/Min. even reinstalled the game and tried to run it on 32-bit...I also updated my drivers plus opened task manager to see if maybe my GPU or CPU was clocking but when it freezes it never affects anything else on my pc.

Any takers?

I will try and capture some video of it to show it.

[puzzlezaddict]

@taffster74  Last I checked, the working theory was that this had to do with AMD graphics cards, perhaps a subset of cards or a certain driver or drivers.  So it's not that helpers are saying it's any player's system's fault, only that perhaps the game is responding poorly to specific configurations.  That's important info for the developers to have, and this thread is still in the information-gathering stage.

[taffster74]

@puzzlezaddict , i'll pay that ..... to an extent. What about those who have graphics drivers that aren't AMD , that are up to date, yet they still have this same issue? Simply saying that the current theory EA has is that it is a compatibility issue with AMD graphic drivers is EA once again passing the buck - "We didn't do it. It's someone else's fault." It's a poor effort on EA/Maxis' behalf. And it is not good customer service/ public relations practice to shuck the blame elsewhere. 

[BHopper2]

@puzzlezaddict If it is AMD chipsets/Drivers/etc. What if anything can we as end users do to correct the issue?

My rig is completely updated. The only thing I haven't done was run a Windows 10 reset, to put me back to factory, and update everything again. This is my gaming system. Which every other game I play is perfectly fine with. Including other EA titles like Mass Effect and Dragon Age. Also, Bioware SWTOR on full graphics. I'm a fairly open-minded person, and frankly can wait for the Sim Guru team to fix their patch, before playing again. But if there is something I can do in the meantime, please let me know.

[taffster74]

Latest in this new fiasco .... after a complete refresh and new repair of the game, Sims 4 will not even load. I've tried every angle - the sims 4 icon, origin even AMD itself .... nothing. So it seems like EA/Maxis have right-royally broken the game and yet, instead of admitting they've broken it and fixing it, they're looking for a convenient scape goat and are being supported by the moderator's in this farcical fallacy. It is not an end user issue, it is not an AMD issue - it is an EA/Maxis issue.

Look at it this way, let's say that it is an AMD issue. Wouldn't the problems be evident elsewhere? Logic and common sense would say yes. But - and here's a shocker - the problems are not evident elsewhere. As a matter of fact, they are non-existent elsewhere. The only place these problems exist is in the game itself. And only since the latest patch. I'm sorry, but putting 1 and 1 together does not make a window. In this case, it equals a resounding "EA/Maxis stuffed up royally and they need to fix it.". It is no wonder the company has been constantly rated lowest in regards to product quality, customer service and public relations for the last 13 years (since 2009). It is also no wonder the owners of EA are trying to dump the company on someone else. Maybe this is why FIFA has cancelled their license with EA?

[taffster74]

Hmm, after a bit of sticky-beaking/browsing around, it would appear that the issue since the pronouns patch is not just with pc. It's also on mac and console - and it appears that mac's are getting it far worse than PC users. So, maybe not an AMD issue after all? Maybe a patch issue?

[CoyoteGoddess]

@taffster74 You are saying EVERYTHING that's on my mind! It just makes me roll my eyes when constantly asked if the "driver is up to date" or "what graphics cards you're using" because WHY should that matter? If my game was literally working a DAY before the SPECIFIC update - and apparently MANY others were, too, and we're all experiencing quite similar issues, then I really do feel like it's the fault with the game itself - not the computers.

I really hope it gets fixed, because I'm quite frustrated, and I got a new EP coming in the mail that I wanted to look forward to playing.