Mac, game keeps crashing after last update

[loestz]

Product: The Sims 4
Platform:Mac
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? 1.63.136.1210
What expansions, game packs, and stuff packs do you have installed? Cats & dogs, City living, Discover university, Eco lifestyle, Get famous, Get to work, Get together, Island living, Seasons, Dine out, Jungle adventure, Outdoor retreat, Parenthood, Realm of magic, Spa day, Vampires, Cool kitchen stuff, Laundry day stuff, Moschino stuff, Movie hangout stuff, My first pet stuff, Perfect patio stuff, Tiny living, Toddler stuff, Vintage glamour stuff.
Steps: How can we find the bug ourselves? The bug happens whenever I play for a couple of minutes, the game just crashes out of nowhere. It doesn't freeze or anything. After a couple of tries of opening and repairing the game it won't open at all. It just freezes on the loading screen.
What happens when the bug occurs? The game crashes out of nowhere, it doesn't freeze. Or it doesn't even open at all and freezes on the loading screen.
What do you expect to see? I want to be able to play the sims again! Right now I cannot play because it crashes after a couple of minutes or it doesn't open at all.
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. It appeared after the last update, I believe it was on June 4.

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My game hasn't been working after the latest game patch. I've tried it with and without mods. It just keeps crashing after a couple of minutes, the longest I have been able to play is 5 minutes. After a couple of tries I repaired the game and now it won't even open, it freezes on the loading screen.

[Bluebellflora · Accepted solution]

@loestz

As you add more content to your game, it requires more oomph from your Mac. Your Mac has very low power integrated graphics, a low power CPU and not much RAM. The hardware is aging and technology is advancing. Plus you are patching each month, adding more packs and adding CC/Mods, giving it more to do.

Your biggest issue is only having 4GB RAM and running Catalina which uses a significant amount itself. My game can use up to 3GB RAM sometimes. That is 3GB just for the game, nevermind the OS and other apps and background processes. Your Intel 5000 graphics chip also uses system RAM, it doesn't have its own dedicated RAM like the high spec. 15" MacBook Pros and some iMacs.

You may get better performance by rolling back to a previous OS, say High Sierra. That would mean wiping your Mac and installing the OS.

[Bluebellflora]

@loestz

Do you get an error message? If so what is it?

[loestz]

I didn’t get an error message. When it crashes, it just shuts down unexpected, doesn’t freeze first either. Then when I couldn’t open it I had to manually shut the sims down because it was stuck, so I didn’t get an error either

[Bluebellflora]

@loestz 

Thanks. Please can you provide more information about your Mac. Instructions on how to do so and what to provide here - http://answers.ea.com/t5/The-Sims-Mac/READ-FIRST-Sims-4-Mac-Help-Guides-and-Troubleshooting/m-p/4612...

Is there a lastCrash report in your Sims 4 folder form when this happened the last time?

[loestz]

Hi Bluebellflora,

Thank you so much for helping me! I have a macbook air, 13-inch from early 2014. 
operating system is 10.15.4

processor is 1.4 GHZ Dual-core intel core i5

memory is 4 gb 1600 MHz DDR3

graphics is Intel HD graphics 3000 1536 mb

I added a picture of the crash report that is in the folder. 

[Bluebellflora]

@loestz

Thanks. That report states that you have an Intel HD 5000, not 3000, is that right?

Could you update Catalina to the current version, 10.15.5 in System Preferences.

Then move the whole Sims 4 folder to the desktop and repair your game again. Then load it up and see what happens. It should be like new with no saves, mods or any other content.

[loestz]

Hi,

Yes, sorry 5000 is correct I made a typing mistake. I did the system update and repaired the game. However, I can’t move the game to my desktop as I have it installed on a external hard drive, I don’t have enough room on my disk to install it on my laptop itself. And it still crashes, even in the first 30 seconds now.

[Bluebellflora]

@loestz

The Sims 4 folder is in Documents > Electronic Arts and contains your saves, mods, screenshots and other user data and settings. it is not the actual game. Unless you've created a symlink to move this to the external?

[loestz]

Hi @Bluebellflora ,

I followed your instructions and moved the folder and repaired the game. However now the screen is zoomed in which makes the game unplayable. I don't know if it crashes anymore as I am not able to open a game. See the files for examples. Also whenever I click on a button it seems to zoom in more as far as I cannot see anything properly...

[Bluebellflora]

@loestz

Change to windowed mode, either in the in-game options or by holding down CMD, CTRL and F.