Blank Want Slots?????

[Zirconia Wolf]

I had this problem only once before I upgraded to Seasons, but now it seems to be a more serious glitch.

I have tried to use the (Seasons compatible) InSIMinator/Aspiration Adjustor to Refresh Wants (which the InSIM discription says will fix errors like this) but no dice. Also, this time around it appears to be a recurring thing (the Sim will finally be okay, then slip back into blank-slotville) whereas before it was just a 1 time (and 1 Sim) thing.

So, is there any thing out there that will actually Refresh (and unlock) a want slot??? (The "usual" fixes like fullfilling a want & such will work, but only for a bit on the infected Sim. )

-ZW

Just incase you want/need to know, the Sims giving me the problem are Cassandra & Mortimer Goth (though he seems to be stabelized after moving out) & I think the problem may actually be tied partly into the Goth lot as it's been the only one that loads on "pause" instead of "normal speed" like all the rest.

[jase439]

In the past when I've seen this phenomenon, it was attributed to a corrupted objects.package file.  Try copying the one from your CD to C:\Program Files\EA Games\The Sims 2 Seasons\TSData\Res\Objects.  Then mark it as read-only.

[veash]

Have them Scope Room, this usually gets their wants rolling again.   If Scope Room doesn't show up in their menus, you need to have them do a flirt interaction so they obtain a gender preference.

[Anita du Preez]

I had this problem too, it happened to a pregnant sim. I installed the InTeen (Yippeeee!!), but can't remember whether the female sim was pregnant before I did that, or if she became pregnant after that, but she was an adult already. I moved the couple into a bigger lot, and when I went into the lot, she was standing there in a Maxis outfit, a different hairdo, and a teddybear toy attached inside her body, with the feet and arms sticking out, and all four want slots blank. This was only funny when she started to give birth, since it looked like the teddy was about to be born!! Then I discovered this happens to every active sim on the lot. So I moved them out and back into the same house again. Same problem. I moved them to another lot, and sold all their belongings this time, and gladly the teddy was gone!!
I had InSim in the game at that time, so am not sure if it was the Maxi's teddy, or the object used by the InSim. The want slots were all there when they moved into the last house.
Funny stuff hey!

[Zirconia Wolf]

In the past when I've seen this phenomenon, it was attributed to a corrupted objects.package file.  Try copying the one from your CD to C:\Program Files\EA Games\The Sims 2 Seasons\TSData\Res\Objects.  Then mark it as read-only.

Silly question, but wich CD should I copy from? I'm gonna guess Seasons, but....?

(I have all EP/SPs, including Seasons & Celebrations. )

From what I've read/experianced this seems to be mostly a problem with Seasons & the "pre-scripted" Maxis families/events. (Goths, Beaker, Grunt, etc. )

-ZW

[BeosBoxBoy]

Zirconia Wolf:

Each CD/DVD has a giant zip file on it - deep in the bowels of that file you will find a directory structure:

TSData\Res\Objects

in that folder is the objects.package

It is best to copy each one to its corresponding objects folder:

C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\The Sims 2\TSData\Res\Objects

C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 University\TSData\Res\Objects

C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 Nightlife\TSData\Res\Objects

C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 Open for Business\TSData\Res\Objects

C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 Pets\TSData\Res\Objects

C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 Seasons\TSData\Res\Objects

and if you have them:

C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 Family Fun Stuff\TSData\Res\Objects

C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 Glamour Life Stuff\TSData\Res\Objects

C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\The Sims 2 Celebration! Stuff\TSData\Res\Objects

Make certain you copy the right files to the right folders!

Some people recommend changing the file to "read-only", I don't recommend doing this since it will most assuredly interfere with any future fix-patches and by that time you will have completely forgotten that you set the file to read-only and come back here and ask for help installing the game fix-patch and I will have forgotten I told you to set the objects.package to read-only :lol:

---

Also - it should be understood sometimes Sims don't have many wants.  This is especially true of Sims that are in a state that has a limited number of options: toddlers are an excellent example of this, also teens nearing end of the life stage.  If you are a chronic cheater, this happens more frequently.

Each EP adds a few more options for the Sims in terms of new wants, but they are not evenly applied to the various aspirations and states (pregnant, sick, etc), so people with just the base game may see this phenomenon more frequently than a person with all EPs and Stuff Packs.

Usually if a sim is having no wants - not just blank slots - this is the case.  If they have missing icons in wants or the action queue (the icons at the top of the screen) - then it is usually the objects.package gone south on you.

Also, some mods interfere with the wants refreshing for any number of reasons.  So recoursing to making a sim actually sleep helps refresh their wants.

[Zirconia Wolf]

Okay, thanks for the tips!

Just to clarify my problem (which is only effecting adult Sims) what I am getting at first (on the "infected" Sims) is anywhere from 1-3 out of 4 wants slots being blank. If I use a mod (InSIM or LotDebugger) to "upgrade" to a Uni look, the "visible" want slots will re-roll but come up the same, however all the blank slots appear black & with a lock on them! "Re-rolling" gets rid of the blackout/locked look, but still leaves the same wants/unused slots. Sleeping will just "re-roll" to the same configuration. Also, the only wants the "infected" Sims seem to ever have are Ask Sim On Date and/or Purchase A Community Lot. If I have them go on a Date (usually at home with their spouse) that will "trigger" all the wants slots to work, but only while on the date. After it ends they will etheir revert imediately or after they go to sleep/wake up. I tried having one guy buy a Community Lot, and that added 2 more wants (Talent badges) but he still hads 3 out of 6 blank.

This is making it kind of dificult to play some of these Sims!

Again, I have seen the "I just don't want 5 things right now" thing before installing Seasons, but it was a temperary thing. Now it seems to be rampantly re-occuring but only for a few Sims. (Cassandra Goth, Loki Beaker & Buzz Grunt are currenly the worst offenders. )

Silly question, but if it IS tied into a corrupt object file, won't the ones on the CDs be corrupted too?

-ZW

[BeosBoxBoy]

no the ones on the CD are by nature "read-only" so pretty much tamper-proof (you could use steel wool on the CD, but that is contraindicated) - so they serve as "known goods"

Several things in the game are notorious for corrupting the objects.package on the hard drive:

the remote control car
a vampire biting Miss Crumplebottom or another NPC
cell phones under certain rare conditions
the Sims Urbz from the Maxis Exchange under certain rare conditions
the Alienware computer from the Maxis Exchange under certain rare conditions
the hand-held electronic game under certain rare conditions
the MP3 player under certain rare conditions
a non-werewolf NPC becoming infected with lycanthropy
death of certain NPCs (killing Miss Crumplebottom should done at your own peril)
etc etc etc

This file contains bits of the NPCs (cell phones, mp3 players, hand-held games, remote control cars, etc count as NPCs oddly enough) and if you make changes or conditions within the game cause changes to be made to the NPCs there is a substancial risk that these changes will make the objects.package on the hard drive wonky.

[Zirconia Wolf]

Okay, as I am poking through the CD zip files (which I copied to my desktop) I see that a couple of them don't have an objects package file included.

I will go ahead & copy the ones I have, but will this be a problem?

-ZW

[BeosBoxBoy]

The Sims 2 4-CD set will only have the file on one of the discs, same with the EPs that come on 2-CDs.

But as far as I see all have an objects.package - it is likely only one object.package matters (the latest EP) but I can't vouch for that.

[Chairman Greg]

I'm still trying to get my head around the idea of the remote control car as an NPC. :laugh:

What does it want?  Does it have needs?  Would it like to get a college education?

[BeosBoxBoy]

Don't ask me - it seems to me they cut one corner too many on a lot of things in the game.  I am equally perplexed by the relationship score and risk of falling in love with the hand-held game.

[rachel631]

Just wanted to ask... if you still have this exact same problem, and you've

a) Used SimPE to remove any memories which might be corrupting your game
b) Replaced all your object files with ones from disk
c) Played around with the lot debugger

What's the next step to resolving it? Any ideas?