Saved game disappeared after update

[eilisomg]

1) I last played my saved Sims4 game in Jan 2019. 

2) Updated Origin (I think) around March 2019.

3) After update, my saved game had completely disappeared. No trace of it on the app. Now, when I log onto Sim4, it takes me to the beginning make-a-character section. 

4) I googled for some solutions. On one site it said the saved game progress is still present on your computer under a title like 'slot_00000004'. I have found multiple of these files, however I cannot open them. I am given limited apps on my Mac to open them with, however none of them are suitable (examples: Microsoft Word, Notes, iPhotos). 

5) As my computer never did anything that could have caused this (that I know of) - such as breaking or failing - I believe it was the updating of the Origin app that caused the saved game to disappear. 

I never backed up my games because a) I didn't know that was a thing (until after they disappeared), and b) I assumed saving them was sufficient to ensure the game progress did not disappear. 

I would prefer to retrieve my saved game, if anyone has any solutions!

Thank you in advance  

[Bluebellflora · Accepted solution]

@eilisomg

The problem is the location of your Electronic Arts folder. Take it out of ‘misc’ and put it directly in the Documents folder.

[Bluebellflora]

@eilisomg 

Origin has had updates since March and is likely not responsible for your saves disappearing. Have you checked your iCloud Drive settings? If your Mac is storing your Documents folder in the cloud the game will not 'see' your game user data so will regenerate a new game every time you load it. Could you please confirm the location of one of the save files?

There is no need to try and open a save file, what were you trying to look at?

[eilisomg]

I have now checked my iCloud documents and found a folder titled 'Electronic Arts' that had a folder inside it titled "Sims 4'. However, all the documents inside that 'Sims4 folder' either cannot be opened or open to txt files. The 'Electronic Arts' folder, and all its aforementioned contents, are stored in my 'Documents' on my computer as well. 

To answer your questions:

1) The location of the 'Slot_0000004.save 25ver1' files (title used as an example) are in Documents>'Misc' folder>'Electronic Arts' folder> 'Sims 4' folder> 'saves' folder. (I have attached a screenshot of the 'Slot' documents in the 'saves' folder).

2) I tried to open the save files as I believed they may have been my saved games because a person on another forum suggested that this was the case. 

[Bluebellflora · Accepted solution]

@eilisomg

The problem is the location of your Electronic Arts folder. Take it out of ‘misc’ and put it directly in the Documents folder.

[eilisomg]

omg it worked!! Thank you so much!

Why did that work?

[Bluebellflora]

@eilisomg

Because that is the file path where the game looks for your data when it launches, Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4. If it's not in that exact location it will just create a new Electronic Arts folder and Sims 4 folder

[barborabikkyova]

I'm here because of the same problem. After the actualization my saved game disappeared and yes I have the folder in Documents and no it's not on iCloud Drive. What can I do! All the playing is completely lost! I'm freaked out

[Bluebellflora]

@barborabikkyova 

Please could you click on your saves folder once to select it then go to File > Get Info. Under the General > Where section near the top of the info window please copy and paste the location of your saves folder here.