[WORKAROUND] Problems playing Sims 4 on the 16" MacBook Pro

[BirteMn]

I'm having the same issues. CAS usually works just fine but the problems start as soon as I move onto a lot (regardless of the world). Sometimes I manage to play for a bit and sometimes the issues start immediately. The screen freezes (mainly when turning the camera), there are weird glitches, black lines, the floors go missing, the rainbow wheel spins forever and pretty much everything else that has been mentioned in this forum. Sometimes I manage to force-exit the game and sometimes it's so bad that I've had to force shut down my whole laptop. Sometimes I can access the "exit game" option blindly - the menu won't load but I'm still able to click the options I've memorized by now. 

For me, the issues started in San Myshuno I THINK in September as some of the others have mentioned but I'm not completely sure, it might have been earlier. For a while, playing in other worlds worked just fine so I didn't pay it much mind in the beginning, but by now the game has become unplayable.  

I feel like I've tried it all: emptied all caches and repaired the game multiple times, disabled iCloud Drive, played around with retina mode laptop mode and vertical mode, played in windowed mode (I've given up playing in full mode since I then can't access force-quitting the game), reset NVRAM, disabled automatic graphic switching, uninstalled and reinstalled the whole game and downloaded gfxCardStatus. From what I've gathered Big Sur is probably coming out in the next week or so so I haven't downloaded the beta, but apart from that I'm not sure if there is anything else I've missed or might try. I really am at my wits' end.

Specifications: 

AMD Radeon Pro 5500M, 8 GB VRAM

2,3 GHz 8-Core Intel Core i9 Processor 

32 GB 2667 MHz DDR4 Memory

all packs installed, no CC or mods (any I've had I've deleted) 

[Delphis517]

I am having similar issues with the Sims 4. Seems to happen more often in build mode. Mostly freezing and crashing. I can't play more than 30-40 minutes before encountering a freeze. I'm forced to keep saving every minute or so so my building progress isn't completely lost. 

Here are my specs:

  Model Name: MacBook Pro

  Model Identifier: MacBookPro16,1

  Processor Name: 8-Core Intel Core i9

  Processor Speed: 2.3 GHz

  Number of Processors: 1

  Total Number of Cores: 8

  L2 Cache (per Core): 256 KB

  L3 Cache: 16 MB

  Hyper-Threading Technology: Enabled

  Memory: 16 GB

  Boot ROM Version: 1037.147.4.0.0 (iBridge: 17.16.16610.0.0,0)

  Serial Number (system): C02CHAJBMD6N

  Hardware UUID: 987A9A39-BAA6-55EF-B40A-E771B9CB8D30

  Activation Lock Status: Enabled

AMD Radeon Pro 5500M:

  Chipset Model: AMD Radeon Pro 5500M

  Type: GPU

  Bus: PCIe

  PCIe Lane Width: x8

  VRAM (Total): 4 GB

  Vendor: AMD (0x1002)

  Device ID: 0x7340

  Revision ID: 0x0040

  ROM Revision: 113-D3220E-190

  VBIOS Version: 113-D32206U1-020

  Option ROM Version: 113-D32206U1-020

  EFI Driver Version: 01.01.190

  Automatic Graphics Switching: Supported

  gMux Version: 5.0.0

  Metal: Supported, feature set macOS GPUFamily2 v1

[kkllasse]

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? 1.68.154.1220
What expansions, game packs, and stuff packs do you have installed? Vampires, Discover University, Island Living, Cats and Dogs, City Living, Strangerville, Spa Day, Parenthood, Get Famous, Seasons
Steps: How can we find the bug ourselves? I'm not sure. For me, it happens in literally any building I choose to play, but ESPECIALLY Vlad's manor.
What happens when the bug occurs? Vlad's manor has huge black streaks that are based at a certain point, and will shift based on what angle I'm looking. So at one angle I may see almost no streaks, but when I "turn around," I can't see anything at all. It's like a black hole. Specifically, all ABOVEGROUND floors are just like...absent. They're still usable, so the game is recognizing that there IS a floor there, but stairs aren't usable. Weirdly, basement levels are totally perfect. Can't get to them though. If I try to play Vlad's manor, the game instantly crashes.
What do you expect to see? I would like to see floors again, please! And I'd love to play good ol' Vlad.
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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I have tried every method to fix it I can think of. I've uninstalled the game, repaired game files a thousand times, removed all mods, deleted all saves, etc. It doesn't seem to matter. The game only crashes with Vlad's manor, due to the huge black streaks. I've tried bulldozing terrain, I've tried deleting Vlad's house and putting in a tiny house, doesn't matter. I tried deleting trees - nope. This is so weird. It started happening almost randomly. 

Interestingly, the "black streaks" seem tied to Vlad himself! When visiting the manor with a different Sim, there is no crashing. Just no floor. Vlad's also totally normal - just your average ancient immortal being. 

[Bluebellflora]

@kkllasse 

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...

Can you move your Sims 4 folder from Documents > Electronic Arts to the desktop and launch a brand new clean game to see if it still happens.

[kkllasse]

@Bluebellflora
Operating System (Version): MacOS Catalina, 10.15.7
Mac model: MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)
Processor: 2.3 GHz 8-Core Intel Core i9
Memory (RAM): 6 GB 2667 MHz DDR4
Graphics: AMD Radeon Pro 5500M 4 GB
Intel UHD Graphics 630 1536 MB
Chipset model: AMD Radeon Pro 5500M

My electronic arts has been on my desktop the majority of the time I've tried to play it, unfortunately.

[Bluebellflora]

@kkllasse

The game will not load your game data if it is on the desktop. There will be an Electronic Arts > The Sims 4 folder in your Documents folder where it will load your saves from.

I've merged your post into the ongoing thread for users with 16" MacBook Pros. There have been issues with them since they were launched over a year ago. Have a look at the opening post and try the workaround in the accepted solution on page 1.

When did this start happening? Can you pinpoint exactly?

[kkllasse]

Whelp. I've tried everything at this point, except for Big Sur, which is currently downloading. The "discrete" from the gfxCardStatus app removed the crash-inducing black streaks, but otherwise...still no floors. I'm at a loss haha. 

It started when I bought this computer! I definitely think it's computer related. 

[militarymama27]

Hi.  So I am STILL having the issue of missing floors in the game (in both build and live modes) and crazy black lines/angled shapes forming in build mode.  I upgraded my MacBook Pro from the 15" to the 2019 16" model and since doing so, have not been able to play the game properly on it.  I was able to work out the crashing and windowed screen and resolution issue but I still do not have floors.  My game is up to date and I am running Mac OS Big Sur on the machine now.  I have uninstalled and reinstalled the game countless times, I have removed the mods, saves and tray folders, I have gone through and repaired the game, my mods/cc,  I have and run the gfxCardStatus program when I play the game, and still no floors and still crazy black lines/shapes.  I am at a loss as to what to do.  I have tried everything and I am really frustrated and upset. I spent so much money trying to get a better laptop to store and run the game and this is happening.  I don't know if anyone else who was having this problem while running Catalina and has upgraded to Big Sur is still having this problem like I am.  I was hoping that the upgrade to Big Sur would remedy the problem (it was my last hope) since others said running the Big Sur Beta worked for them but nothing.  Can someone please help me?  My specs are attached.

[militarymama27]

@kkllasse Same! I still get the funky lines/angled shapes when in build mode and still no floors in either build or live modes. Did not have any issues on my 15". And here I thought I was upgrading and my game would run better 🙄. Have you installed Big Sur and tried your game yet?

[Amberlily]

@militarymama27 Hey! I upgraded to the same laptop a couple weeks ago. For the most part, my issue with playing The Sims on my MacBook has just been consistent locking and crashing. The only time I ever got the missing floors bug was when I was playing around with the graphics options during my troubleshooting and I set them too low. Surprisingly, my laptop runs the game best on high graphics or better. Lines appear at medium, floors go missing at low. So I'd recommend trying out the higher graphics settings if you aren't using them already.

The fix I've found that has helped most with the crashing has been Macs Fan Control. It's an app that lets you control your fan speed and at which temperature they'll kick in. Your laptop will throttle its speed if it gets too hot, to a point that your lowered specs can no longer handle gameplay. If I keep my fans at full blast, especially if I turn them up a couple minutes before launching my game, my game lasts significantly longer before crashing. Some days are worse than others at it'll crash for me after 1 or 2 minutes, but it usually goes back to normal the next day or after a couple hours of putting my laptop in sleep mode. Sometimes, especially since updating to the November patch & Big Sur, it won't crash at all. I hope this helps!