Hey all,

Some might have seen me in other threads with problems all relating to the same lot. I’ve been building for a while now and I’m happy with my current work so it would be my first upload…. If it wasn’t for this latest problem.

I’ve used about 10 custom terrains and I’ve spent a long time working on detail and it looks really good. But just as I was going to take photos, I changed the graphics details and it gave me an instant glitch in the terrain.

All but 1 of them are from Lethe_s and his terrains are perfect but the 1 terrain - which is what I used the most, appeared blotchy. Well, in parts it’s the same but now it’s given me tons of light dots. I’ve tried painting over it and floor tiles but I can’t change it. I was ready to package it but I don’t want it to have this fault, can anyone shed some light on this for me?

Thanks - Chris

PS - A higher quality Image: http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/...an/Snapshot.jpg

read this http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=142042.

I had sometimes this problem. It never occurs if you use only a few TP and only those in a correct package not like 0025755454757_002.package, those are deleted from my building folder !

I hope you can fix your pblem

edit :
As niol say above you can re-download the terrain paint and replace the corrupted one by a correct one ( move the corrupted out of your eagames folder) I think it works as the 2 packages have the same internal GUID.


Pls dont delete your posts, every thing may be useful as a reference (avoid to re-write for the same pblem)

But, I've not got into a point to mod a lot file to get rid terrain paints yet, so I can't if that may work in my case.

But, you may seek the original terrain paints files from the original maker(s) and use them instead of the corrupted files. Hopefully, this may work out.

So you're saying I can remove the specific paint and replace it with the latest version, without affecting the lot? Because I was really scared I'd have to start over again.

By the way Patul, I have actually got a fair few packages in one of my downloads folders, only named about 32 characters with no description or type info. I'm looking for the terrain paint I used with TS2 Clean Pack Installer - which is 'Dark black Lawn' from 'Evil Lawn & Garden' and I'm still searching from where that creation came from.

Edit: I found it in the folder and it's MD5 is still random like the rest but atleast there's so suspicious code in it's name

Chris.

As a golden rule, whenever one feels unsure, back up a copy before trial.
Then, there's nothing else to lose except what it takes for a trial with a copy.


The way it sounded to me is that the copy/copies of the terrain paint packages be corrupted, and that's why I suggested to get a new copy of them.

In my oldest game copy, I used to have those small files I have no idea why they existed, and thy don't seem to be functional at all.
Also, moving game files during the game start-up can produce corrupted files as well.

By the way, are the other terrain paints working well in some empty testing lots of yours?

Does/do the terrain paint(s) in question work well in some empty testing lots?

Yeah I just tested things now. When I went back into the lot it was all fine. Let me get it out of the way and say I have lighting and texture detail on low at the moment with Sim detail on high, so the game runs really smoothly. It's only when I made the graphics change (Either of the options I mentioned) and it turns out the exact same way.

It did take me a while to find the actual source of the terrain titled 'Dark Black Lawn' with no author. I spent so long on google but finally found it on MTS2 - Sim Master's Dark Floor Collection.

I'm not sure what I should do from here, I'm about to start the game again and I know it's going to be fine but I know there's a fault on that lot if I change the graphics which doesn't trouble me but I don't want other people to be affected. I added a newer version of the file and I'll test if it does the same.

To test it, make a copy of your lot via the house bin.
dont let the corrupted package in your folder. move it in an other plce not in the eagame folder.
For myself I think the recycle bin is a nice place to save it for tests : easy to do and to restore if needed.

If the file works well when the setting is right, I guess the file is fine then.
I surely didn't suspect the running settings coz I've been assuming they're the same... a fallacious presumption sorry ...

Hey guys, sorry I've been really busy lately. After downloading a newer version of the file and then finding the older one and deleting it I ran the game and found that without touching any settings this time the same thing happened! and it's exactly the same pattern each time. This is incredibly frustrating now as I've finished but just like everybody else I've spent so much time on this! Any ideas? sorry Patul I'm not sure exactly what you mean, I still have the lot in my neighborhood without packaging it, just waiting to resolve this problem .... hopefully

Actually i don't think this is caused by the terrain itself (not corrupted terrain). While you were building this lot did you remove any terrain paints?

It is caused by missing terrain references so IF YOU HAVENT CHANGED the downloads folder till then do this:

Apply all the terrains that are in your game in the lot ( you dont have to paint just hit a click at a not visible place like under foundation for example. Package lot and reload it with all the terrains.

I 'm almost certain it is caused by a missing terrain and you shoudlnt actually remove this certain file at first place.Missing terrains can cause a lot either to flash or the rest of the terrain paints behave like in your lot. I know that if you manage to bring back to game all the terrains you used at first place you won't get this problem.

If you can't find all the terrains that initially were in your game when you started building this lot then it is lost and nothing can be done than rebuild it. I had to rebuild a lot one time and since then i'm very aware and build first (w/o terrains in my downloads folder, i move them temporarily in desktop). Then i open Clean Installer and enable the ones i want to use only).All the terrains in my downloads are disabled until i finish building. And you should read the thread patul mention for more information.

Good luck!

Corvi

(how many terrains do you have in your downloads? can you open Clean Installer and see? If there are a whole lot and you havent DELETED permanently any there is a solution and i can help you fix the problem, if you delete though and lost permanently then i cant help)

The way corvi use is good, for myself my dwls folder is empty when I build and I copy in it near only what I need, especially for terrain paints bur for all the stuff i use.

Many of us lot-builders learnt the terrain paint problems the hard ways...

In my cases, the lots were made in the base game with all those custom terrain paints, then, I removed the custom terrain paints from my packages as well as the game unaware of the terrain paint problems. I was lucky to just lost the terrain paint works only while the lots themselves are still fine and new terrain paint works are not problematic.

Probably, removal of terrain paint during a lot-making is the first step to cause the problems. Thus, terrain paint works are normally done lastly by the burnt children... or those who have heard or read of the terrain-paint-problem stories...

If that's the case corvidophile2 has recognised, try her suggestions first, and if you've got a copy of the lot file before saving without custom terrain paints, use that copy with all those previously present terrain paints to re-build the parts you added for the presently failing lot.

Yet, I've really not put my heart to try out the modding way coz I've got some lot-making and my HD is small.

Good lucks...

After all, removal of custom contents during lot-making can be a bad idea.

Yeah I have 76 custom terrain paints and I started building this house around the 24th of January I think and I'm sure that I have gone through the terrain folder while being on the lot and deleted a few. That's the really frustrating part because some of them I downloaded my accident, they must have snuck into someone's package while I've been downloading alot of lots lately.

So I did panic because re-building would be a nightmare but I just remembered.... I have game backups, 2 of them. So I have entire copies of my download folder from the 5th this month and from the 25th last month. So this means I should have all the terrain paints that I started with. Is it possible to reverse it and use your idea corvi?

By the way the links that Niol posted in the thread Patul suggested, I read alot of it but now I understand it alot more. In the future I will build differently but I don't know if I could take most of them out because my other lots need them, would they lose their own terrain?

Thanks guys, it's a relief to get some support....been a bad week lol

If this lot is important to you and find it difficult to rebuilt it then Yes you can use oyur back up bring back the 76 custom terrain paints you inititally had while building this lot and do this :

Package your current problematic lot and compress it.

Put all the 76 terrain paints in a folder named terrains and compress it.

If you want i'll give you my e-mail so you can send me those 2 fiels (lot and terrains)

I will go by elimination method and try to limit the amount of terrains that you will need for this lot. Well first you yourself can see if HAVING all 76 terrains makes the lot work normally.To do that put them all ina folder and then to your downloads folder, load game and lot BUT DON'T click on any of the terrains in BUILD mode cause we want to reduce the terraisn needed and not increase lol (if you read that thread about flashing blue you will see that even when clicking on a terrain while building and even if you dont apply that terrain the lot it will still be needed, silly uh, i hate maxis)

I'd say use the 25th last month back-up and let's hope that all the terrains needed are there.



ps: burnt children@lol niol how true this feels

Sorry, just had alot of homework but Alright thanks that sounds kool. But I actually meant I have 76 terrains after I deleted probably just 3-4 not like it matters lol... but I checked and to make it less confusing:



I'm getting so confused lol but I'm hope I read properly, I moved my current terrain paints folder out of downloads, replaced it with the older ones and I'll see if the problem still persists.

Lets us know , i can't wait :-)

OH HELL YEAH!!!

It passed both tests of working normally when I loaded it and then worked normally after turning up the graphics settings. Oh dude that's a huge relief... I need a dance smilie Thanks tons for that! you're instantly on my credits list haha so it worked brilliantly with 73 terrains did you want me to email you?

Chris.

Hehe great! Now because 73 terrains paints are way too many to include in the lot i'll try to eliminate the amount of them for you. How , it's method by SimSample, basically you divide the terrains in folders and hope you win the lottery or not. Anyway it's a bit complicated to me to explain so i prefer doing it for you . I hope i can reduce them by a lot :-) I will pm you my e-mail so you send me the current lot file and the folder with the terrains.

alright that sounds really good lol I owe Simsample majorly too

For older lots with terrain paints..., it's good to save a working copy before you decide to remove the terrain paints.
Hopefully, somedays, we can figure out how to fix this particular type of terrain paint problems thru modding.

After all, you can just reserve a download folder for lot-building alone instead of giving up the older lots made with the terrain paints for your own game-play.

Congratulations!

Alright well corvidophile2's told me that it won't work but I'm wondering if I have to include so many terrain paints how do I transfer them into the lot's package file? do I have to click on the lot with them?

Sims, dont delete your solved posts, they may be useful info in it for further members issues.

I'm bad for deleting some of my problem thread thinking they were something widely-known-already ...

I'll take the words patul said...

Sorry, basically all I said was you 3 will be in the credits :D

Thanks sims, it is not a matter of credits ! But as you can see above we link to solved threads to help the players with the previous experience of the other members.
More, next time anybody have the same problem he can find a solution in this thread without post his issue.