Locking doors for dogs doesn't "stack" [ Edited ]

[xochiquetzl_xkvn]

Product: The Sims 4
Platform:PC
Which language are you playing the game in? English
How often does the bug occur? Often (50% - 99%)
What is your current game version number? 1.72.28.1030
What expansions, game packs, and stuff packs do you have installed? SO MANY OMG. All expansion packs, all game packs except Journey to Batuu, all stuff packs except Laundry Day, Backyard, Luxury Party, and Movie Hangout.. No kits.
Steps: How can we find the bug ourselves? Lock the door to household only, allow access to any employees or clubs that you want to allow, then click "lock door for dogs."
What happens when the bug occurs? This used to lock your pets in the house but keep out the paparazzi. Suddenly the paparazzi are in my five star celebrity's yard or penthouse!
What do you expect to see? Door locks used to "stack" and you could lock to everyone but the household, then lock your pets in.
Have you installed any customization with the game, e.g. Custom Content or Mods? Not now. I've removed them.
Did this issue appear after a specific patch or change you made to your system? Neutral/Not Sure 

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I locked my fence gate (but not the front door) to cats and dogs to keep my Sims' pets from wandering.  This initially worked as I intended! but I play rotationally. 

Upon my return to this household... Much to my dismay, the paparazzi started letting themselves into my five star celebrity's yard, loitering around her pool, etc.  I removed my mods to see if they were why the door locks stopped working, but the problem persisted.  So I, um, went on a paparazzi murder spree with MCCC.  (I used "make sim leave" first, but when they returned they bore the brunt of my frustration.) 

The door locks worked fine in another household, the penthouse, until the cat ran away and I locked the door to dogs so the dog wouldn't get any ideas.    Suddenly the paparazzi were in the penthouse, so I unlocked the doors and reapplied all the stacking "allow club members, allow employees" locks again, but NOT the dog lock, and the paparazzi are again congregating in my elevator lobby like a bunch of creepy stalkers but not letting themselves in. 

I don't know if this is an intentional or unintentional change to door locking, but...

[xochiquetzl_xkvn · Accepted solution]

LOL, yeah, Maja has stolen from my Sims before--a portrait of my 5 star celebrity painted by her 4 star celebrity mother--so I'm really eager to keep her out of my house!  (She went straight for the one item where I would have an absolute fit! I quit without saving.  That item is sentimental.)

It does seem to be the pet locks; there could certainly be something else I haven't noticed going on but that's what it appears to be to me. 

I instead created a club with household members and locked the door to everyone, then granted access to that club and another club and employees.  So far, so good. 

Maybe I should mark this as "workaround"?

[stjmk]

@xochiquetzl_xkvn Just wondering if the door locking has become sensitive to which way the door is facing in some update somehow? You might try reversing the doors and see if that changes anything.

To give credit where credit is due, I must say that your descriptions of your game-play and the ensuing difficulties are highly entertaining. Thank you!

[xochiquetzl_xkvn]

Thank you!  :D

I'll try that.  It might take a while for Paparazzi to respawn after my latest, er, serial killing.  Also I now have a servo bot with the Sim Defense Module and he scared off the one that's respawned twice, so... I'll let you know.

[Edited to Add...]

Alas, no, I tried that and awakened to find Maja Mertensen in their home.  I don't even feel guilty deleting her any more because she's respawned at least three times now.

[stjmk]

@xochiquetzl_xkvn Ah, the Immortal Paparazzi problem!

Seriously, though, I only bother with the "everyone but household member" locks on back and side doors to keep random Sims walking through my house in order to knock at the front door. And the paparazzi don't come into my 5 Star Celebrity Sim house at all, but hang out in the driveway a respectful distance away. Occasionally, a Stan will come in for a drink and a little chat, but they clean up after themselves, and sometimes clean up after my Sim; so that's not too bad.

Hmm... Now I wonder if the the dog/cat lock alone could be the problem.

[xochiquetzl_xkvn · Accepted solution]

LOL, yeah, Maja has stolen from my Sims before--a portrait of my 5 star celebrity painted by her 4 star celebrity mother--so I'm really eager to keep her out of my house!  (She went straight for the one item where I would have an absolute fit! I quit without saving.  That item is sentimental.)

It does seem to be the pet locks; there could certainly be something else I haven't noticed going on but that's what it appears to be to me. 

I instead created a club with household members and locked the door to everyone, then granted access to that club and another club and employees.  So far, so good. 

Maybe I should mark this as "workaround"?

[stjmk]

@xochiquetzl_xkvn Kleptomaniac Paparazzi are the worst!

It might help someone with this issue. So, yeah, I'd call it a workaround.