[NEEDS INPUT] Not able to create new save if prior one has no active family [ Edited ]

[Crystal_Talian]

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? Up to date as of 7/26/2018
What expansions, game packs, and stuff packs do you have installed? Base Game All expansions All game packs Cool Kitchen, Kids Room, Laundry Day, Luxury Party, My First Pet, Perfect Patio, Spooky, Toddler stuff packs
Steps: How can we find the bug ourselves? I believe it occurred when I either created a save without placing or family - or saved a game with no family active/played.
What happens when the bug occurs? Instead of loading a new, clean game when I click the new game button, the game loads a save with no family placed! I don't get asked to pick a season or anything.
What do you expect to see? I expect the game to ask me when season, and have me place the family. Or more simply, to actually load a new game.
Have you installed any customization with the game, e.g. Custom Content or Mods? Never used.
Did this issue appear after a specific patch or change you made to your system? Neutral/Not Sure 

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I believe it occurred when I either created a save without placing or family - or saved a game with no family active/played. Instead of loading a new, clean game when I click the new game button, the game loads a save with no family placed! I don't get asked to pick a season or anything.  It does take me through CAS, it just loads the wrong world - one I've edited and picked a season on instead a clean one. I've been modifying a clean world for fresh saves for a while now and it's never done this before!

If I place the sim and leave him active, this doesn't seem to occur. So I would say it only seems to happen when there are no placed/played sims in the world.

The only thing I could potentially link it to is that I downloaded a save and placed it in my game. However, that save was deleted and problems didn't occur until later.

I did temporarily fix the problem by deleting all my saves, but it recurred as soon as there was a new save available.

[crinrict]

Hi @Crystal_Talian

moving this to tech for troubleshooting. 

Have you repaired your game yet and also try renaming your entire user folder to see if it re-occurs ?

[Crystal_Talian]

I repaired the game and cleared the cache - those were the first two things I tried. Neither worked.

[172e3cda00349872]

Does the same thing happen after you've done a Sims 4 factory reset and try creating a new game?

Sims 4 Factory Reset -

Rename your Sims 4 folder to Sims 4_Backup. The game will create a new one next time you play. - Renaming it or moving it to the desktop will help you have a backup and keep your Sims 4 files safe.

Try a new save. If it's still giving you issues, then do not save it.

However if it does work, then start putting the files back. (list of files and folders below).

- Options.ini (User game settings)
- Tray Folder (Sims/Houses/Commercial lots and rooms)
- Screenshots/Videos/Custom music
- Rest of the save games, if any.
(leave out slot_00000001.save which is the autosave. It is not used anymore.)
- Custom content like clothing, hair, skins, and makeup
- Mods (Put these back one by one to make sure they all still work)

More information - Resetting the game to factory settings without reinstalling
https://answers.ea.com/t5/Technical-Issues-PC/READ-FIRST-Troubleshooting-your-Game/m-p/3621199#Reset...

[crinrict]

Hi @Crystal_Talian

I've re-read your post a few times now and I am bit unsure now if I understand your issue correctly though:

If you start a new save but don't actually place any family, then leave the game and then start yet another you can't ?

I actually think you do need to place the family for the game to consider it a 'finished' save. So when you don't place the family, it will prompt you to 'finish' your setup.

I can try that on my own game if that's what you're saying.

[Crystal_Talian]

So here is exactly what I did.

1. Start a new game. Create a sim and go to place it.

2. Placed the Sim, then promptly went into "manage worlds".

3. Deleted the sim I just placed. (So there are no active/played sims in the game.)

4. Then I lwent around and edited some lots, etc. Just kind of setting up a basic template town for myself.

5. Saved and exited to main menu.

6. Clicked new game, created a new sim.

And this is where it was weird. When it took me to place the new Sim, it took me to the town I edited instead of a clean one.

I feel like it's not supposed to do that?

Now if I place the Sim and don't delete it, it doesn't do this.

[crinrict]

Hi @Crystal_Talian

I've tested your steps and yeah, I can duplicate what you're seeing. Looks like the game can't handle a save with no active family.

Not sure if this is a bug but moved it back to the bug forum for now.

I'll see if I can get some info on this.

[crinrict]

Added as unsure

[TopNotchToddler]

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? 1.47.49.1020
What expansions, game packs, and stuff packs do you have installed? EP 1 2 3 4 5 GP 1 2 4 6 SP 1 2 4 5 6 8 9 10 13
Steps: How can we find the bug ourselves? 1) Start a new game and move a household into a random lot. 2) In "Manage Households" move that household to "Other Households". 3) Save game and exit to main menu. 4) Create a new game. The household can still be found in the lot and under "Manage Households". See discussion at https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/951176/why-is-a-new-game-not-a-fresh-game
What happens when the bug occurs? After starting a new game households from the last played game are still present.
What do you expect to see? "New Game" should create a virgin game with only the premade sims from the game and should not have households from previously loaded/played games.
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? No

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‌The screenshot shows households downloaded from the Gallery during a previous game still present after starting a new game.

[crinrict]

The issue with this is that you don't have a played household anymore if you do this the way you described.

If you pick another household after moving them to unplayed, it should not occur.

I noticed you also can't pick your season (I think).

This issue seems to be evolving as it had another outcome before (need to find the thread on that).

Thanks for the report anyways, I'll add (or merge with the other if I find that)