Lot objects falling through the ground

[playful]

If I create a lot, share it (package it), then install it and place it, half the objects go underground. Happens with nearly every lot. I don't even bother to upload lots anymore because it looks so low quality to have the player go underground trying to reconstruct everything as it was. Is this a world issue, or something everyone is dealing with?
I have searched relentlessly and have found little info which makes me think it's just me.

I am playing on a custom map but it does not have any routing flaws. Could this be a height map issue? The map I use, uses EA default 200 height map since it has some bridgeport buildings I figured I would need the head room, did'nt think any of that would even make a difference really. It is a flat map otherwise and very close to the water if that matters. Outside of that I use about 1200mbs of CC, nearly all is CAS CC. The only objects I use are a few windows and 1 fence. It's all been checked a million times, very organized, and pristine. The only mods I use is Claeric's Bright Blue Water, and a few of HP's. All clean.

I have so little to go on that I am not even sure where to begin in trying to solve it or what's causing it so I could avoid it. I need serious help. :help:

[JadedSidhe]

I know I've read more than this one thread on this issue. http://modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=346395&highlight=lots+not+level


I had something a lot I built in another world and tried to put it into Bridgewater. The result was really ugly. There may be more threads on this issue, but I can't think of any others off hand.

[simsample]

Try the 'SetImportedTerrainOffset' cheat as in this thread:
http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=426932

[playful]

Ah thanks for the point in the right direction! :faceslap:

I had read somewhere on the concerns of building with CFE, That's why after I completed two more buildings with no cheats or cc installed I was starting to get worried it was my world. I plan to do alot more testing and will add my findings over there. Like skmt999 said I am really scratching my head over this one because the last few tests I did do were not altered after adding to the bin (or packaging) and used no cc, cheats, and properly patched.

After placing a lot that had 30% of it's objects located underground in one of EA's worlds it was perfectly fine. I am still not quite convinced it's not my custom world. That's scarey.

[playful]

Ok, I decided to post here because although I just ran into the elevation problem as well while checking a few of my pre-built lots this is'nt my OP problem.

As an example I loaded up Bridgeport, Saved the Butterfly Park to the bin, Saved the game and returned to the Main Menu. Loaded up my test world and placed the Butterfly Park and this is what I get in the screenshot. I tried using the SetImportTerrainOffset and although that DID work on the elevated lots I found it won't work for nearly all my lots that have objects floating underground.

http://www.colorgazelle.com/playfulsims/underground.jpg

I do think the two are related in some odd way however, as just like in the thread you linked, if I create the lot until finished and save to bin only one time everything seems to work. (still testing that) It's when I have gone back in and re-edited these lots and saved to bin a second time that objects float or the lot itself becomes elevated/sunk.

Sadly I still think it may be my world? Because if I take the same lot and place it in a EA world everything is normal. Which brings me to my next question, am I screwed?
I am happy I found the SetImportTerrainOffset cheat for those lots that need it but this floating object underground thing means I am sitting on a ton of lots that are basically useless. :blink: Any insight is mega appreciated.

[playful]

Finally after hours of testing I have solved this. I cannot fix my already borked lots which bums me out. :( But I at least know exactly what is causing this. It's not "stairs" or adding upper levels, or editing the lots in general as previously thought.

It's lots that have a basement or pool only and have been saved to the bin more than once in a CAW world.
(What makes my world do this or is unique (anyone else even seen this?) is beyond me.

I tested so many different combinations and it seems that you can edit a lot and save multiple versions to the bin with or without saving (did not matter) just fine, (even using CFE ) but if that lot contains a basement or pool, or you've added a basement or pool and save that lot again to the bin it will be borked. At least this is what's happening to me.


Update: Sadly this does seem to be a CAW world issue. No matter what I have tried I cannot replicate this in Sunset Valley ( I'm assuming of course if all EA worlds perform the same way.) What I did notice though was if I used the cheat SetImportedTerrainOffset (#) it effected all new lots placed on the map, not just the one I was in.

So since I really don't have any elevation issues and everything points to my CAW world the only thing left to try is using that cheat inside CAW to set all the imported terrains to zero. Yeah, I highly doubt that will do anything as the cheat did'nt solve anything intially but I have nothing left to go on, the only other thing I can figure is my land is too close to the water. Mind you I have no sunken lots or any other signs that, that is the case. Major CAW glitch :lol: .

[armiel]

I'm not poking in to why and how, but I have had this happening in EA created worlds plenty of times.

[playful]

Np, but thanks for letting me know it's not just me. After more tests in a new world I cannot even replicate this problem at all and it's really bugging me.

http://www.colorgazelle.com/playfulsims/utoh.jpg

On the left I flattened the land just like in my world, close to the water but hey it's flat land. On the right is the default height of the new map when opened. The butterfly park in the back is fully intact. I've tried to make the problem on the left front lot to no avail. So now I don't even know if the water height is the issue. (so confusing) I slapped a road down just for a "what if" scenario but nadda.

The only conclusion I can make at this point is my world is old. How old? Nearly two years old. I have been building it for a long time, it has buildings from nearly all expansions all rolled into one. Nothing fancy either just EA lots atm untouched (all my lots are binned until I sorted this out) I have never had any errors. The world has precise measurements though between lots and roads (some scenery) and that took ages - I really don't want to accept that this world is ruined. :cry:

[simsample]

From your image in post # 5, I don't think this has anything to do with the terrain offset, as I thought originally.

I think this is just a bug with objects and plants placed off-grid (using either moveobjects on or else the ALT key). Certain debug items, like the wooden boxes, always remain visible on lower levels if you place them upstairs, and the farm windmill does too (I placed it on a roof in one lot I built, and it shows from underneath).

To minimise this happening, place plants on grid, and don't use too many of them with moveobjects on (for example, to create foliage on a pergola) as they can show through then too.

I don't think it's a problem or that it will cause any ill effects in-game, it's purely graphical. Although sometimes the objects can obscure the lower levels. To fix it, you just have to grab the plant/ object on the level it's showing, and then go up a level to the storey you want it on and drop it again.

It seems that this will re-occur when you lotbin, place the lot in a world or sometimes just play. I don't think you should panic unduly, or that it has anything to do with lot elevation/ position. It's certainly not a problem with your world, as I've seen it in EA worlds and my own creations. :)

[playful]

I know you can grab them and replace them, I've been at this map for such a long time so not panic'd but would love to resolve it and appreciative that your dropping your insight. The problem is that it effects every lot I have in my world. So if someone just wants to edit a house or upload a house they are going to run into this anytime the lot has a lower level. What do you mean by place on grid? If you mean using the grid in CAW then I have done that. I never used moveobjects on with this project because it was going to be given to the public so no cheats were used, I do notice sometimes though things don't place properly on grid in game.

You are correct, I do notice that some objects are not aligning with the in-game grid as they should be I actually thought this was something that was added for more freedom in placing objects, so I'm laughing quite a bit at myself atm. I also wonder why I cannot replicate this anywhere else except my map, or why it's effecting every lot. Thanks so much for your advice.

Update: Found what I needed as far as the grid in this thread http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=371418 and a few plants and objects would'nt matter true, but I have a few lots where almost every object sinks. Again, thanks for your tips I'll keep testing and post if I find anything else.

[playful]

I feel half brain dead right now so bear with me. I have not been successful in finding a snaptogrid cheat for ts3 like there was for ts2. Maybe someone could confirm if this is normal game behavior..

http://www.colorgazelle.com/playfulsims/chair1.jpg

http://www.colorgazelle.com/playfulsims/chair.jpg

When you say on the grid I assume you mean:

http://www.colorgazelle.com/playfulsims/chair3.jpg

[armiel]

All of those objects in your above pics are on grid. They have "snapped" to their place when you placed them. TS3 is different from TS2, as you may have noticed :)
What is off grid in TS3, is an object you have placed by holding ALT while placing it. When doing that, the object doesn't "snap" but can be placed on any spot, in any rotation. Try it, you'll notice the difference :)

Disclaimer: This is how I would separate on grid and offgrid. :P

[playful]

Thanks for confirming that I am brain dead. :rofl:

I see what you mean, and I have not used ALT to place anything which is why it's so confusing. It appears this seems to be a random thing, or at least that is the impression I get from the other comments, or this might be too big of a problem to nail down. I've never really had a problem with ts3 such as this and can live with it, but since it's sinking so many of my objects sometimes it gets super annoying. It used to be only certain plants and trees, but for me, now it's windows, arches, doors, lights, just about everything.

More wierdness ..

http://www.colorgazelle.com/playfulsims/wth.jpg

The last lot on the right places perfectly with no problems. The thumbnail is also different which is puzzling. I have about 10 instances of the same house in the bin atm and only that one places correctly. It's not the first to be saved in the bin either, but I cannot package it or it does the same as the others. Even stranger still is I cannot reproduce the zoomed thumbnail, I tried packaging, saving to bin 20+ times, even exiting the house on every level. Btw I love all of your creations, thanks for the info.

[simsample]

Are you running any mods? It might be worth checking the lot (and packaging it) without CC just to see if that makes a difference. Backup first though!

Otherwise, is there anything else unusual about the way you've built this lot, or the way the plants are placed (have you used moveobjects on, for example?)

Perhaps you could upload the lot to a file host so that we could see if we get the same results as you do when packaging.