Drop in Frame Rate When Camera Moves in One Direction But Not in Another

[BansheeHVO]

Over the last couple of weeks I've noticed that when moving the game's camera in one direction (let's say from north to south) on a lot there is a serious drop in frame rate. However, when I turn the camera around and move it in the opposite direction (from south to north), the frame rate returns to normal.

I play on a gaming laptop I bought in September 2010 and don't run any other programs when playing. I DO have mods, but have removed them and the lag remains. 

[puzzlezaddict]

@BansheeHVO  If you spin the camera around so you're looking in the opposite direction, do you see lag when moving towards the same end of the lot?  It sounds like this is the case from your wording; I just want to confirm.  Additionally, does this happen on any lot, or just one?

If it's just that lot, there might be an item coming into view that's causing the issues.  As an experiment, try deleting items as well as any landscaping/pool/basement in that area.  You can delete a few items at a time and test; when the lag stops, you'll know that it was caused by one of the items you just removed.  You don't need to save your progress.

If the problem shows up on other lots too, please test on a blank lot as well, facing different directions, just to see whether it's always an issue.

[BansheeHVO]

Yes, that's exactly what happens.

It happens on practically every lot now, as well as general lag with my sims (delay in switching between family members, time delays etc). 

[puzzlezaddict]

@BansheeHVO  Which one happens: that moving the camera in one direction (for example down) makes fps drop no matter which part of the lot you're moving towards?  Or that moving the camera towards one end of the lot drops fps no matter which way the camera is facing?

Please also test in a clean user folder.  Move the entire Sims 4 folder out of Documents\Electronic Arts and onto your desktop, and when you launch the game, a clean folder will spawn with no content.  (Your saves and other content will be intact in the folder you've moved but temporarily not read by the game.)  Don't add anything to the new folder yet; just let me know whether the problem happens in a new save.

[BansheeHVO]

@puzzlezaddict Moving the camera, let's say, from north to south of the lot drops the fps regardless of the lot (unless in the basement). If one turns the camera around and moves it from south to north, the fps returns to normal. When moving the camera in bird's eye view, however, there is no noticeable drop in fps.

I tried to test it in a clean user folder just a couple of days ago, but I'll do it again now, just to be sure.

[BansheeHVO]

@puzzlezaddict Just tried it and you were right! It doesn't happen in a new save after a folder refresh. >.<

[puzzlezaddict]

@BansheeHVO  Does it happen in your current save if you move it to the new user folder?  You can copy it over if you don't want to test without any mods or custom content.

[BansheeHVO]

@puzzlezaddict It does, unfortunately. It happens in even my smallest, newest save. >.<

[puzzlezaddict]

@BansheeHVO  Do you have Eco Lifestyle installed, and if so, do you have the eco footprint effects enabled?  It's worth turning them off to test; you can use a mod or cheats if you don't want to play through changing the neighborhoods.

[BansheeHVO]

@puzzlezaddict Yes and yes.

Should I turn off the eco footprint effects before testing my existing saves in a new folder again?