[NEEDS INPUT] Strange black streaks on map (Newcrest)

[Shinjukai7]

I recognized the same issues in my game (in different save files but caused by the same lots).

It often happens with lots from the galerie that where created by Simlicy but also with lots from some other creators. Simlicy also offered a save file to download where the problem occurs in different neighbourhoods (Willow Creek and Oasis Springs, as far as I can see). She made a video on youtube where the streaks or dark spots are also visible. Her houses don't have CC in it and the save file is also CC free.

I don't know wich characteristics of the lots trigger the problem. The solution with bulldozing the lot and then use the terraint paint works for me too but I had to bulldoze more than one lot to see a clean map.

I have no Mods or CC in my game.

[aadamoo]

I had this problem in Willow Creek when I was renovating/rebuilding Foundry Cove and placed my lots from the gallery in a new save file. While finding this thread I did a lot of trials and error testing.

(I removed all mods, not using any CC in the builds, have all packs up to and including Eco Living)

How I tested: Saved an empty neighbourhood after bulldozing all lots in Foundry Cove. Place lots - got lines, returned to Main Menu without saving - loading savefile and place lots again. Repeat and repeat and repeat...

I found a couple of things - it will be kind of step by step of what I tested and how I reached my ideas, so it will be kinda long.

1. All my houses work if placed alone in their intended lots.
2. Many lots add this strange black shadow/streaks sometimes - might depend on which order the lots are placed
   The example I tested with: Placing my house for Crick Cabana first, and then adding the one for Streamlet Single I get black lines. But placing Streamlet Single first, and then Crick Cabana there is no black lines.
   • Same problem with and without moveobjects on.
   • Same problem when placing lots in build mode instead of "world mode" Same problem with bulldozed terrain paint on both lots.
   • Same problem with switching the house (Crick Cabana house on Streamlet Single lot, and vice versa) - the LOT Streamlet Single needs to be placed first to avoid black lines.
   • Same problem with the same house on both lots - LOT Streamlet Single first.
3. Resized debug & liveedit landscaping might be causing the problem
   • NO PROBLEM when placing the lots without furnishing (which also removes debug-landscaping) - regardless of the order of placement, I do not get any black lines. Idea: Debug landscaping is causing the problem
   • NO PROBLEM when placing the Crick Cabana lot and then removing all (debug) landscaping (keeping the terrain paint and furniture) Verifies: Debug landscaping is causing the problem
   • Same problem with Crick Cabana house only having (debug) landscaping - the actual house removed.
   • NO PROBLEM when removing (debug) landscaping at the front of Crick Cabana house, but keeping the ones in the back. Idea: Placement of debugging landscaping is causing the problem
   • NO PROBLEM when moving the whole Crick Cabana lot back 8 grid squares (anything less caused black shadows). Verifies: Placement of debugging landscaping is causing the problem
   • Same problem with rotating Crick Cabana backwards. Idea: Not specific landscape design causing the problem.
   • Same problem with only a line of debug plants in two sizes placed overlapping on Crick Cabana and the same placed on Streamlet Single. Idea: Resized debug plants is causing the problem
   • NO PROBLEM with only one (default) size of the debug plants, still overlapping. Verifies: Resized debug plants is causing the problem
   • Same problem with two sizes but no overlapping plants. Verifies: Resized debug plants is causing the problem
   • Same problem with ONLY two debug landscaping bushes sized down 1 step (placed on both lots) (plants placed close to the front edge of lot). Verifies: Resized debug plants is causing the problem
   • NO PROBLEM with two debug plants on Crick Cabana and placing EA's build on Streamlet Single saved to my gallery from a new save file Idea: Need resized debug plants on both lots placed
   • NO PROBLEM when moving the resized plants to the middle of the lot instead of the edge. Verifies: Placement of debugging landscaping is causing the problem
   • Same problem when building directly on the lots as when placing them from the gallery.

I’ve attached images for how the world looks in a new save where I placed the broken two-plant lot on Crick Cabana and then on Streamlet Single. The other image is an image on the lot, to easier see which plant I used if anyone wants to test in their own games. I only have access to the one game/computer, so don’t know if this “cause” is a me-problem or general-problem. It is base game debug (or rather liveedit) plants so no packs needed.

This doesn't really help me though, cause I don't want to redo all my landscaping, but I wanted to share my findings since I did try to find a possible cause to fix it in my builds... I might just have to live with the streaks (after figuring out the order of lot placement that causes the least shadows). I'll see if I might go back and redo the landscaping anyway and avoid the free stuff if the shadows bother me too much later on. (I haven't tested with "normal" plants, but I assume the liveedit objects have som bugs that is causing this since I guess they aren't as tested as actual build items. But that's just me guessing.)

First, I haven't checked Simlicy savefile, nor any of her build videos, so I don't know if she uses debug landscaping.

Second, I'm feeling kinda lost after this pretty much mindnumbing repeating action, so I might have tested some steps wrong, but the end result with two sized down debug plants I've tested so I'm quite sure that this is reproducing the problem for me. I've tried it in two unplayed save files, and both building it from scratch and placing as a lot.

[Shinjukai7]

Thank you aadamoo for your detailed testing!

I checked Simlicys save file and she hasn't used debug plants, but she used many plants in general and obviously placed them with the moveobjects cheat, on all lots that are involved in the problem. Also many of the plants are changed in their size and placed very close to the edges of the lots (some of them are actually placed beyond the edge). I know, she is using debug objects on some lots, but I did'nt find some in this cases. Therefore I would assume that the problem can also be caused by resized plants and their position that are not from buydebug.

I also checked some other lots that caused problems in my game:

- On two lots I found buydebug plants and other buydebug objects, some of them close to the edge

- On another I found objects that were changed in their size very drastically (toy cars)

- And on one I also found rezised plants (not from buydebug) very colse to the edge

[Shinjukai7]

In the meantime I found a solution for the problem (at least for Simlicy's save file). On nearly all lots, that are part of the problem in my game, resized plants or trees are the root of the black streaks/spots.

In this case you can fix it this way:

1. Visit the lot, find and delete or replace all plants and trees that where canged in size

2. Save the "cleaned" lot in your library

3. Bulldoze the lot and paint it

4. Go to the neighbourhood screen (I'm not sure, if you really have to do this) and place the cleaned lot

Do this with all involved lots.

I also recognized, that the problem was very drastically in Newcrest. In this neighburhood I bulldozed and painted all lots and the black streaks/spots where still visible. Only after I placed new clean lots the problem vanished.

[kappkappkapp]

Thank you @Shinjukai7 @NorahSu @aadamoo for the solution. It works. After I bulldozed and painted with terrain brush all the lot in the same district, the black spots are gone. 

[WingedGoddess]

Same issue started for me after one of the patches during lock-down (March 2020- and continuing). The only Mod I previously used was the OMSP Red Shelf. Which I removed even though it does not seem to be the culprit. I delete the houses that seem to cause the problem and place a new CC free house the problem persists. I start a new save same problem, I've gone into Build Mode and removed any Debug objects, Live Edit Objects, Terrain Paints, anything near the perimeter of the lot and still black streaks. I have included a screen shot of the original issue. I wouldn't care so much except I am making videos of my builds for Youtube and the map looks terrible. Help!!!

[joshallxn]

this problem comes from shadows on debug plants used when landscaping a build. You need to redownload the house form the gallery with bb.show hidden objects off there will be landscaping missing which u can replace with items in the regular build buy menu.

[Crystal_Lily14]

@sunddee4 I have this issue too. It has only happened on one lot. (Asphalt Abodes, the 30x20 lot in the section of big lots in Newcrest) I got the issue to go away temporarily after moving a house off that lot onto a different one. I built a new house there and it happened again. I have no idea what’s causing it or how to fix it, it’s very frustrating because I don’t want to just stop using that lot because it’s a great spot to build. A hope a solution is found soon.

[Crystal_Lily14]

@Shinjukai7 Oh sorry I didn’t see your comment. Thank you for the solution! I will try this now. I’m going to miss my nice landscaping (

[LonelyFew]

Weird black shadows show up on some of the lots. Not sure what's causing it.