Multiple Saves, CC, MODS, and More

[candiecoatediv]

Hello,

I’ve tried locating something in the web but I’m not getting exact answers. I want to know how the save files work within the game. I’d like to try custom content and mods but I don’t want to ruin my current game so I’m hoping there is a way to create multiple Saves so I can try these features. I also want to learn more about the save files and how to determine which saves are which within the game. Currently when I play, I only use the large play button. When I save I only save the game I do not select “save as”. I also want to try challenges without ruining my current game and I’m hoping there is a way to do this with multiple or separate Saves. Additionally, I play my game as I always have for years and years and years with the aging off so my sims never die as well as unplayed sims, but, I want to change this but I’m a separate game not the one I’m currently playing. I tried searching the forum but it’s so jumbled with having to search in so many places for information that I haven’t been amble to find anything. Thank you in advance for any help. 

[stbnchristine · Accepted solution]

Yes move it somewhere else and then launch the game from origin and the game will build a new The sims 4 folder.  Then click the three dots at the top and select game options. Choose the other tab and check enable custom content and mods.  Apply the changes and quit the game.  Add cc/mods to Mods folder and launch.  Now you have a Mods game to use and your old NoCC game is safe to use when you want.

[Bluebellflora]

@candiecoatediv

I've moved your post to the general Sims 4 forum as it is a general gameplay question and not Mac specific. You are most likely to get better help here

[SheriGR]

@candiecoatediv At the load screen click "New Game", create or select a household (doesn't need to be one you'll use), after exiting the CAS to the worlds screen, go to the three dots at the top left of the screen and choose 'save as', give this game save a unique name you'll know, then save. Now when you enter your game, at the load screen if you hit the blue play triangle it'll fo the last game you were playing, or you can choose the 'load game' button and select which game you want to play.).

You should have separate 'Game Options' settings within each new game. All of the settings on your other game should remain separate. You can adjust the aging, weather, etc., in each game separately.

When you begin a new game it is a fresh, new one like you began with in the first place. If you want to move any of your households into it you can by first saving them into your library in the gallery, then add them to the new game. They will load into the new game with their skills, but lose their inventory and money. They will just have the base household money like others in the library.

You can save multiple games this way. Just name each one something different so you don't get them confused. The following should help to clarify this more.

Before you begin it's always good to save a backup of your current game save, though.

This video shows how to save a new game for different households, for example: https://youtu.be/zWuCxjTlJf0

This thread discusses 'save', 'save as' and 'new game' a bit, which may clarify a few more things: https://forums.thesims.com/en_us/discussion/808391/what-do-load-game-new-game-and-save-as-do

More info on new game saves: https://forums.thesims.com/en_us/discussion/870322/if-i-create-an-all-new-game-will-my-existing-game...

[candiecoatediv]

@SheriGR Thank you! I will take a look at the links below. Now will the game options for CC and Mods work the same way. For example if I have them enabled in one save but not another it won’t effect the save without then enabled?

[candiecoatediv]

@Bluebellflora Thank you! Do you know where in the forum I can find this question so I follow it for replies? 

[SheriGR]

@candiecoatediv I don't use mods or cc, but from the location of the mod folder in the folder I would assume that any mods will apply to all games. Do you know this answer, @PugLove888 ?

This is the thread where it is appearing on "Game Information", and where I am answering and viewing it on: https://answers.ea.com/t5/Game-Information/Multiple-Saves-CC-MODS-and-More/m-p/7336725#M9866

[stbnchristine]

The mods will work in the other save(s). I always move the entire sims folder to a backup location and launch the game allowing it to creat a new The Sims 4 folder when I want a game without any or different mods.  Then from my backup folder I can copy whole games back into the Electronic Arts folder to play it. This is important because if you have any cc in a save and load it without the cc it will get broken and need to be reapplied. 

The path to to where we are talking about is Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4 inside this The Sims 4 folder are the folders Mods and Saves which are where these files are stored. 

[SheriGR]

@stbnchristine Thank you for the additional information. So to clarify, you are saying this is how you 'clear out' the mods folder from your games & from a new game you want to begin - you remove your 'The Sims 4' folder, let it regenerate a fresh folder, (with an empty mods folder), then just re-add your saves into the new game? (So there is an empty mods folder and all mods are gone for all games at that point.) If so, does this mean Mods not game/save-specific?

[Bluebellflora]

@candiecoatediv

It's here in Sims 4 > Game Information

[stbnchristine]

@SheriGR Let me try again as this is confusing. When you launch Sims 4, PRIOR to the main menu where you choose saves and hit the big green arrow, mods are loaded. In fact you get a splash screen listing the mods and have to ok it in order to hit the big green play button. So you cannot play two saved games where one has mods and one does not.

The cleanest way to do this is to keep two copies of the This Sims 4 folder somewhere else. I do it like this:

Documents/Electronic Arts/Sims Saves/Vanilla/The Sims 4

and

Documents/Electronic Arts/Sims Saves/Modded/The Sims 4

Then I move the one I want to play to the Electronc Arts folder to play it. That way all my mods and stored with my saved games and my modded households in one folder and the other is cc free.