HELP: Sims stuck between vacation home and university lot!

[katya917]

Four of my favorite sims lived in a fraternity house in the university expansion pack.  One of them had just graduated but was still on the lot (since the game allows them to stay for 3 days after they graduate) and I decided to send the whole household on vacation to celebrate that sims' graduation before she had to move out.

Since none of the sims owned vacation properties, I sent them to Potterhouse Bungalows on Twikki Island.  At first everything was fine, but then one of my sims wanted to go on an outing with another.  So I had them have an outing at one of the community lots.  When they returned, I could control them, but the other two sims in the household became "guests" and I couldn't control their actions.

I knew something was wrong so I immediately called the shuttle to take them back home.   They got into the shuttle ok, but then instead of returning back to their university frat house, I suddenly got a screen that the game was loading a household in Pleasantview, owned by the graduating sim's sister.  The sister used to live with them in the frat house until she graduated and moved back to Pleasantview.  

Except when the game finished loading, it loaded the vacation house that the sister sim owned in Takemizu Village!   And when it loaded, it was only in buy/build mode.

I left without saving but when I went back to the university, the game said that the household is still on a lot in Takemizu Village and would I like to play that lot.  When I do, it only appears in build/buy mode.

My sims are stuck between the vacation home that they weren't supposed to be in and their fraternity house!!!

I've tried bulldozing lots, moving lots, packaging lots and none of it works because it says there's a game saved on the lot.   I've tried inviting the missing sims to friends' houses but they are unable to move in with them.  I even tried killing them at friends houses, but they cannot be killed.  

I don't know what to do!  4 of my favorite sims that I've played since they were children are missing in the netherworld!

Some have suggested using summoning objects or the insiminetator to summon sims and then ask them to join the household but I can't find exact instructions anywhere!

Could anyone help me get my sims back?!  If you suggest using any summoning objects, could you let me know step by step how to install them and use them.  I downloaded one and unzipped it but it doesn't appear anywhere in the game.  

Thank you! :smt120

[Theraven]

Some have suggested using summoning objects or the insiminetator to summon sims and then ask them to join the household but I can't find exact instructions anywhere!

well, that's one thing you can try. you spawn the thingy called "summoner" (looks like a cardboard box), and then summon the sims you want to fix to a lot where there's someone living already. then, you make them selectable (also insim - you can choose to have the "... make selectable/make unselectable" menu in the simmies' pie menu if you want)
then, you move them into the household with the family tree (also insim).

[katya917]

I am fairly new to sims and have never even heard of the insiminator until yesterday when i was trying to figure out how to get my sims back.

could you please tell me exactly where I find the insiminator, exactly how to download it, how to install it so it works in the game, and exactly how to find it in the game, and then what options to click.   I have no idea where to find the selectable/unselectable menu and how to make lost sims become part of the family tree of another household.

I don't know even what an Insiminator is or where to find it... I'm totally clueless.  Yesterday I downloaded the teleporter painting (which I was told was the same as the teleporter shrub) and I unzipped the downloaded file but I have no clue what to do afterwards.

My computer asks me what program I want to open the unzipped file with because it doesn't recognize the .package extension.  Is there some kind of special folder that I need to put the unzipped file in?  If so where is it?

I know I have a lot of questions, but I am literally 100% clueless how to do any of this so I need some kind of a step by step instruction if possible.

Thanks so much!

[katya917]

also I have no idea how to spawn summoners or even what that means. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[Theraven]

read the insim user manuals. they explain everything about each part of the insim machine.

[katya917]

thanks, i was able to find the manual regarding how to download the insimenator, where to find it in the game, and what options it has. I'll try it when I get home.  What I'm still a bit unclear about is how to use both options--summoning my lost sims to another lot AND adjusting the family tree to make them part of a new family...  Also, I can't find anything in the instruction manuals regarding whether I have to summon each lost sims one by one and keep adding them to the family tree.... and once they are all part of the same family tree, how do i sever those connections?  only two of my missing sims are actually related--they are sisters... the other two sims are not related to one another or to the two sisters.  if i make them all part of the same family tree, will they all become brothers and sisters forever?  i can't find anything about that in any user manuals.

Thanks for your help!

[Mihura]

Katya917 the problem is the Sims blocked in a vacation lot isn't it ? Bring them back first. After you will verify if relations have changed but I guess it won't be the case.

[katya917]

I got my Sims back using the summoning and add to household options!  All their relationships were maintained.  One of the Sims wasn't recognized as having gone to college anymore because at the time the glitch happened she had finished all her coursework but hadn't had her graduation party yet.  So I had to revert her back to a teenager and send her to school again.  She lost her skills also but that's ok.  

I had to bulldoze all the affected lots, including the nice vacation lot, so now I have to build a new one.  Oh well, at least I got all my Sims back!

[Mihura]

Good for you ! Nice game then.