NRaas Mods crashing game?

[Tori-Alice-8D]

So basically my game keeps crashing. It stops working and a window tells me that the sims 3 has stopped working. My game used to crash lots but not recently, until now.

I have lots of mods from NRaas, I installed all of the ones needed for overstuffing about a week ago (MasterC, MCintegration, Woohooer, Portrait panel, mover, and I also got saver.
More recently I got Careers (most but not personalities or assassin mods) MCprogression, story progression (again most but not all included parts). It's only after these that it started crashing.
I also have another, but it's against forum rules to mention it, it's from NRaas and I've had it for a long time.
I have a few custom skins (that have to be installed in the mods folder) which I have had for a long time and I use most of the time.
I have lots of CC, but I don't think it would be buggy because all of it is from The Sims Resource, and had lots of downloads.

Any suggestions appreciated! 

[Tori-Alice-8D]

Would overwatch or error trap help?

[BlazeGirl12]

Those might help, but first, are you sure you downloaded the most recent versions of those mods?

[LivvieLove]

Depending on your system you may have overloaded your Sims a bit. NRaas has a few great mods for keeping the game clean and long-lasting (such as Overwatch to clean the cars up and Errortrap to watch for stuck sims/aging stuck sims as well as unnecessary copies). Those are usually my go-to strategies for games. I guess we need to know more about your problem to pinpoint the source of the issue.

By "crash" I'm assuming you've gone into an old file and played for a while prior to the game telling you "The Sims has stopped working" right? If it only happens in old saves, you are likely just having a file bloating issue (or are in a particularly poorly routed town - like Isla Paradiso) which is causing issues with your saves.
>>If an old save is being used, and you frequently change out CC or Mods that can also cause major problems. CC and mods, though everyone acts as though you can change them out easily, are very permanent parts of the game once you add them. Think of it this way, you add a CC dress to your game, play the game for a while and decide you don't like the dress so much so you take it out. You can be causing some major issues with the other sims in your town who may have aged up into the dress or gotten changed into it by the stylist career. By taking it out, you're creating error logs that can really bog down your files causing lag and eventually cause bigger issues (like crashing). If you do this on a larger scale (removing whole mods that affect the game like story progression, or all of your CC) it can make those issues happen a lot faster.
So once you get your mods in, try to keep them in for the duration of your saves. I, stupidly, once added some hats to my game thinking I would like them, and found out I didn't, I was doing a legacy at the time and now I'm stuck with them until all of my saves that I've opened and played with those in are finished and I can take them out (or I could just take them out, but like I said, that can cause issues long-term, especially since it's at least a 10 generation legacy I'd rather not mess that up).

As for if your game crashes on a new save (brand spanking new from the menu), then you probably have a conflicting mods or outdated mods. There's also the case that you're overloading your computer with so many mods and CC. Even though CC only changes appearance and adds clothing, it still functions like a mod and takes up space like one, which can cause bloating and larger save files. This is why we really don't dabble much in CC on this forum as it can be dangerous to the game though it appears harmless in general as it doesn't affect major gameplay. When you have a lot of mods and CC on a lower end computer (even high end computers can struggle with this) it can cause issues with loading and crashing.
Story Progression by Twallan is a great example of how games can get bogged down fast. My old computer couldn't handle basic Story Progression by Twallan, but when you add more on to it (like Extra and Personalities) it starts to need a lot of extra power to load.

So in short, your crashing depending on how/when it crashes, could be many things.
>Your old gamefiles are simply getting bloated with boats/cars/stucksims/etc and need a cleaning.
    - The fix would be Overwatch and Errortrap by Twallan as that can help remove some of the excess that gets stuck.
>Your old gamesfiles are getting over crunched by removal of mods/CC over time, thus causing errors to bloat the file.
    - The permanent fix is to simply not remove your CC/Mods once you decide on your lot (of course remove them for updates, but put them back in when you open certain files). If you like to play with different Mods for different saves, start to develop a system of folders to remove/add back in when you plan to play a file - just make sure that every save remains consistent with the mods you've added, even if you don't want them any longer. If you wish to remove a mod/CC I would say this: If it's CC you're removing, I would save the Sims you're playing to the bin, open a new world and place them in it, now remove them of all CC you plan to remove - DOUBLE CHECK EVERYONE! - then save the newly cleaned family to the bin. Now, remove the CC and put the clean family down in a new neighborhood for complete assurance that the CC won't follow you around and bog up your game with errors because it suddenly disappeared! For Mods, I would simply save the family to the bin, take the mod out, put them in a new neighborhood and save them again just to be sure they're very clean and won't drag errors with them when you put them down in a neighborhood again. It's not pretty, really, but it's a great way to ensure file cleanliness and longevity when playing and also helps combat those pesky crashes.
>Your system struggles to run so many mods and it's causing crashing issues.
   - This one is always a very hard and sad one to deal with. Back up all your saves and just start testing your game. Take out a few mods (especially bigger ones that can bog down games like Story Progression) and just keep testing on a NEW file until you find your mods that your computer can handle. This takes a lot of trial and error and a lot of rebooting the game and goofing around on test files to see what your system can take. If you have mods you simply can't live without try to make compromises. If you simply MUST have story progression (I know I do) then take a look at other mods/CC you'd be willing to live without. Try removing all CC and adding in 5/6 at a time until you notice your game is taking hits from excess. Obviously put in the stuff you want first. It's really just about finding the sweet spot your computer can handle when you have a system that is lower-end/older.
>You have an outdated mod.
    - Super easy to check, just go to all of the Mods (CC doesn't apply at this time) and download the newest version of all of the mods you have (obviously, if you're patched up to date). Make sure you pay close attention to when they were updated and if they're out of date you likely won't be able to use them (unless stated by the person who created them that they won't need updates) as using an outdated mod can be a real bugger when it comes to all game files.


Hopefully this helped! Sorry if it's long-winded!

Also, if you are going to do a complete overhaul of your mods because you found out your system can't handle it, I often recommend doing a Factory Reset on your game and starting fresh. Back up all of your saves and always take your mods out when updating! Happy simming!

[Tori-Alice-8D]

Depending on your system you may have overloaded your Sims a bit. NRaas has a few great mods for keeping the game clean and long-lasting (such as Overwatch to clean the cars up and Errortrap to watch for stuck sims/aging stuck sims as well as unnecessary copies). Those are usually my go-to strategies for games. I guess we need to know more about your problem to pinpoint the source of the issue.

By "crash" I'm assuming you've gone into an old file and played for a while prior to the game telling you "The Sims has stopped working" right? If it only happens in old saves, you are likely just having a file bloating issue (or are in a particularly poorly routed town - like Isla Paradiso) which is causing issues with your saves.
>>If an old save is being used, and you frequently change out What does change out mean? CC or Mods that can also cause major problems. CC and mods, though everyone acts as though you can change them out easily, are very permanent parts of the game once you add them. Think of it this way, you add a CC dress to your game, play the game for a while and decide you don't like the dress so much so you take it out. You can be causing some major issues with the other sims in your town who may have aged up into the dress or gotten changed into it by the stylist career I think I'll delete the salon, it may help a tiny bit. By taking it out, you're creating error logs that can really bog down your files causing lag and eventually cause bigger issues (like crashing). If you do this on a larger scale (removing whole mods that affect the game like story progression, or all of your CC) it can make those issues happen a lot faster.
So once you get your mods in, try to keep them in for the duration of your saves. I, stupidly, once added some hats to my game thinking I would like them, and found out I didn't, I was doing a legacy at the time and now I'm stuck with them until all of my saves that I've opened and played with those in are finished and I can take them out (or I could just take them out, but like I said, that can cause issues long-term, especially since it's at least a 10 generation legacy I'd rather not mess that up). Good luck on your legacy!

As for if your game crashes on a new save (brand spanking new from the menu), then you probably have a conflicting mods or outdated mods. There's also the case that you're overloading your computer with so many mods and CC. Even though CC only changes appearance and adds clothing, it still functions like a mod and takes up space like one, which can cause bloating and larger save files. This is why we really don't dabble much in CC on this forum as it can be dangerous to the game though it appears harmless in general as it doesn't affect major gameplay. When you have a lot of mods and CC on a lower end computer (even high end computers can struggle with this) it can cause issues with loading and crashing. I have an asus laptop that I bought because it had a good graphics card, but it turns out that it doesn't really
Story Progression by Twallan is a great example of how games can get bogged down fast. My old computer couldn't handle basic Story Progression by Twallan, but when you add more on to it (like Extra and Personalities) it starts to need a lot of extra power to load.

So in short, your crashing depending on how/when it crashes, could be many things.
>Your old gamefiles are simply getting bloated with boats/cars/stucksims/etc and need a cleaning.
    - The fix would be Overwatch and Errortrap by Twallan as that can help remove some of the excess that gets stuck.
>Your old gamesfiles are getting over crunched by removal of mods/CC over time, thus causing errors to bloat the file.
    - The permanent fix is to simply not remove your CC/Mods once you decide on your lot (of course remove them for updates, but put them back in when you open certain files). If you like to play with different Mods for different saves, start to develop a system of folders to remove/add back in when you plan to play a file - just make sure that every save remains consistent with the mods you've added, even if you don't want them any longer. If you wish to remove a mod/CC I would say this: If it's CC you're removing, I would save the Sims you're playing to the bin, open a new world and place them in it, now remove them of all CC you plan to remove - DOUBLE CHECK EVERYONE! - then save the newly cleaned family to the bin. Now, remove the CC and put the clean family down in a new neighborhood for complete assurance that the CC won't follow you around and bog up your game with errors because it suddenly disappeared! For Mods, I would simply save the family to the bin, take the mod out, put them in a new neighborhood and save them again just to be sure they're very clean and won't drag errors with them when you put them down in a neighborhood again. It's not pretty, really, but it's a great way to ensure file cleanliness and longevity when playing and also helps combat those pesky crashes. Will do this later
>Your system struggles to run so many mods and it's causing crashing issues.
   - This one is always a very hard and sad one to deal with. Back up all your saves and just start testing your game. Take out a few mods (especially bigger ones that can bog down games like Story Progression) and just keep testing on a NEW file until you find your mods that your computer can handle. This takes a lot of trial and error and a lot of rebooting the game and goofing around on test files to see what your system can take. If you have mods you simply can't live without try to make compromises. If you simply MUST have story progression (I know I do) then take a look at other mods/CC you'd be willing to live without. Try removing all CC and adding in 5/6 at a time until you notice your game is taking hits from excess. Obviously put in the stuff you want first. It's really just about finding the sweet spot your computer can handle when you have a system that is lower-end/older.
>You have an outdated mod.
    - Super easy to check, just go to all of the Mods (CC doesn't apply at this time) and download the newest version of all of the mods you have (obviously, if you're patched up to date). Make sure you pay close attention to when they were updated and if they're out of date you likely won't be able to use them (unless stated by the person who created them that they won't need updates) as using an outdated mod can be a real bugger when it comes to all game files.


Hopefully this helped! Sorry if it's long-winded!

Also, if you are going to do a complete overhaul of your mods because you found out your system can't handle it, I often recommend doing a Factory Reset on your game and starting fresh. Back up all of your saves and always take your mods out when updating! Happy simming!

Thanks for the responses! I have a fully patched game and fully up to date mods. Livvie, pretty much everything that you've said is applicable, and I was playing a legacy at gen 3 in Dragon valley when I got the mods, and when I started a new game in Isla paradisio, it also crashed within the first sim-week. It doesn't crash straight away though. I've NEVER removed any of my CC, so I suppose I would have lots, thanks for explaining bout removing it, I've never heard that before and it makes so much sense! I've bolded all things that apply in your response, thanks sooooo much!

[LivvieLove]

I'm glad I could help, now to help with some of the questions.

What does changing out CC/Mods mean? I meant if you like to install clothes/mods for your Sims, start playing your old save, then eventually take a mod or two/CC clothes/whatever it is out of the game, then boot the game up and play that same old save. I just basically meant removing the CC in the middle of a Save game (meaning one you intend to continue playing, but not while you're actually in the game). Starting a new game won't cause problems, it's the old ones that already had those mods/CC existing in them.
I suppose I should point out that adding mods into old saves is fine, but removing them is where the issue happens.

As for the computer - that's very common. It's very easy to get mixed up in jargon when you're buying thinking you've got a really good laptop/desktop then you come home to discover it's actually not.

Also, not that you don't already know, here is our guide to Factory Resets (which is a really great way to fix minor issues in your game without having to completely re-install everything). Very quick and easy. Hopefully we've found you a solution, but if what you said is true and your having troubles with your computer it could be a bit of a tedious process. That said, even on old computers, I highly recommend Overwatch and Error trap (even though it sounds counter-intuitive to add more mods to your game to fix a problem with too many mods) as they help with overall bloating. Overtime boats/cars/stuck Sims don't get reset or removed, they just stay there unless you physically remove them or reset them, occasionally the game will force-fix some of these issues, but it's not very common. Overwatch and Errortrap is designed to handle those issues (as well as minor glitches, at least that I'm aware of - like the Adventure Board glitch while Traveling gets fixed by one of those mods) which, when you think about it, will really help with lagging and possibly crashing. They also really don't take that much space. If you're going to use Story Progression mods where Sims will be out and about and forcing your computer to think about that, I would recommend those other mods as they can help reduce what other things your computer also has to think about at the same time.
A lot of times, it's when the computer gets overloaded that the game will crash (too many error logs catching up in a lagging town will cause your game to lag very hard, to the point where it may eventually crash).

Anyway, tricky business. Feel free to ask any questions if you get stuck or are ever unsure!
Best I should point out the only reason I know of all this fancy information is because I found it out myself the hard way. My boyfriend is really into computers and he spends all of his time taking care of his (like it's a child haha!) so he was explaining why overmodding the game can cause issues as well as pulling mods out at random when you're in an old save file. It blew my mind.

[Tori-Alice-8D]

Thanks again for your speedy reply.
I've bookmarked the factory reset page and will read up in more detail later.
So I should get overwatch or error trap? If so which one/s and can you explain what they do in more detail?

[LivvieLove]

Ok, well I'll do my best to explain to you the different functions of each, I'll try to use the info from the NRaas site.
Overwatch is the overseer, it just stands on guard and overlooks the file for issues you may have. For instance, NRaas says that on the startup of a save file, Overwatch does (I'll edit some of these to make them more understandable, as well as shorten the list - this is not ALL it does, this is only a few of the things it watches for on startup of your file) :

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

>The aging is disabled on the Grim Reaper, Deer, and Raccoon sims
>Sims in recursive postures are reset (Sims in areas that are considered "stuck" or glitched)
>Newspaper articles that reference a lot that no longer exists in the game are removed
>Bonehilda coffins that reference a sim that no longer exists are repaired (A common issue for Bonehilda is she'll sometimes disappear and stop coming out when you call, this fixes that minor glitch and prevents other glitches).
>Sims with corrupt skill lists are repaired
>Broom Riding skills that reference a lot that no longer exists in the game are repaired
>Sims who reference a missing career outfit index are repaired
>Careers with corrupt coworker lists are repaired
>Careers referencing a career location that no longer exists in the game are repaired or ended
>Sims exceeding the maximum celebrity level are corrected
>Sims missing their cell phone, or have multiple cell phones in their inventory are corrected
>Collecting skills that are missing GlowBugData, MushroomData, HarvestData fields are repaired
>Collecting skills are reconciled with the Gardening skill to ensure that the information displayed in the Collection Journal is complete
>Lots with corrupt SavedData entries are repaired
>Occult sims which do not have the proper hidden traits or occult states are repaired
>Corrupt opportunity histories are repaired
>The CAS pattern list is reprocessed, and any unreadable patterns are logged to file
>Long-term relationships assigned to sims that no longer exist in the game are purged (Relationship Panel Cleanup)
>Show stages with corrupt objects assigned to them are repaired (such as Venues from Showtime)
>Sims whose "Household" field does not match the household they are actually assigned to are repaired
>Duplicate alarms assigned to process the exact same task, at the exact same time, are purged
>Zombie Spawn alarms found running on load-up after ended
>Sims who have traits assigned that no longer exist in the game are repaired
>The Consignment system is cleared of "negative day" objects and sales objects that cannot be properly listed
>Counters lacking proper PetSurfaceComponent entries are repaired
>Imaginary Dolls lacking their associated service sim are repaired
>Fix for cumulative skill gain issues caused by positive moods
>Fix for corrupt rock band skills
>Fix for broken mounted fish objects

In general, Overwatch also checks for stuck stuff every Sim Hour and every four Sim hours it double checks everyone in town to make sure they don't need to age up (or if they are due to age up at all).
This mod in general makes sure that your Werewolves age up on time, that Stuck Sims always get reset at 3 am every Sim day, and that Sims in general are less buggy. Overwatch is basically for Sims and the things Sims are interacting with at time of issue.

Errortrap handles corruption and error logs. When an item gets corrupted (it can be anything) it's kind of like a virus. It can spread easily, so Errortrap scans for those issues and cuts them off to prevent it from spreading. Things this usually pertains to are items that get bugged, like things that get stuck in your Sims inventory, where as Overwatch is more for when your Sim goes running to collect a gem and finds himself/herself in an unroutable position and cannot move.

Here's a great example of overwatch at work: whenever I adopt children from the Service menu, the Social Services woman will arrive, but the kid will not. The portrait will show up on the side and join the rest of the family, but when I click to find out where she is, it's usually not on the map. Now, I can reset her myself because I'm aware of the situation, but otherwise she'd be stuck there causing massive errorlogs to bog down my game. Overwatch, after a few Sim minutes of realizing that she won't walk out of the unroutable area she's in, will reset her automatically to the house.

Errortrap will find corruption and cut it off at the source. Easiest way to say it is, if your Sim goes to Graduation at the City Hall, but suddenly Sims decided to put a protest there as well as a pregnant Sim giving birth because she couldn't get to the hospital (true story, did happen) your Sim could wind up interacting with the City Hall as it bugs out, thus causing Corruption. This is where Errortrap comes in. Normally it would cut off the source of the bug, but at this point it's already interacted with my Sims so it lets me know that there are some massive errorlogs (by giving you notices where you normally receive information about leveling up in skills/career/etc). I reset the whole town, then reset my Sims lot and that took care of the issue before it became a massive problem.

Overwatch fixes, Errortrap prevents.
Simplest explanation.

[Tori-Alice-8D]

Wow! Thanks for explaining that so clearly, I will be sure to get both and hopefully they may help to clear up my town. Thanks so much!
Also, since this problem started, I've noticed lagging. (not sure if that's the right word choice). Every so often my sim and the clock will freeze while animated objects (Radio, plumbob,) will stay on. I used to get this lots (I think just before ItF) but not recently.

Thanks again,

[LivvieLove]

Yes that's what I would call lagging by definition. I always imagine it's kind of like a youtube video (that you've likely run into) that needs to buffer. It takes time and needs to load everything but eventually will catch up to itself. The only differences is occasionally I run into that issue and it never comes back and I have to force quit the game. Make sure you save and save often. Those mods should help a little with the lagging, but if it ever gets too bad just save the family you're playing to the Family Bin (along with any other families you want to take along) and start a new save file.

\

[Tori-Alice-8D]

That's a perfect definition of the lag! I've never really thought about saving the family to the bin when it happens, thanks.
My game's only crashed once today, but that may be because I was in China for most of it, I didn't lag all that much in China, only for a few seconds at a time, less than normal.
Thanks for helping me, once again.

[Tori-Alice-8D]

Update, I clicked save and quit, and while saving the dialogue box appeared with 'sims 3 has stopped working'.

PLEASE DON'T HAVE MESSED MY GAME UP

[LivvieLove]

Ah, the Save and Quit function.
Well tell me, did the Sims finish saving before it crashed (as in the little loop that says "saving" went away)?
If it did, you should be fine, if it didn't you could be looking at some complications and corruption in your save file. I would look for a backup of the file. Also, I highly recommend the Save and the Save As function over the Save and Quit one. I think many people on the forum have had issues with the "save and quit" button and save corruption. Every now and then I save as under a new name so I can have backups that I can go to if my file gets a little too buggy/an issue happens were my save gets corrupted.

I know that may not fix the issue now, but sometimes it's good for the next time.

[Tori-Alice-8D]

I use the saver mod, so I have many save as files to refer to. I've just been playing the game, and it doesn't seem to have messed up, thank god. It's still lagging, and I keep getting notices every few sim hours saying 'unroutable sim found: Igor Huntley' I keep getting this, and I can't see him when I click the picture, as it's blank.

[LivvieLove]

That mod can be a lifesaver! Have you tried resetting Igor manually (through the cheats box?) Normally mods will take care of him, but sometimes he gets glitched. If he gets overly glitched Nraas may prompt him to move out of town.

Unusual, yes, but I've seen it happen. In a Dragon Valley save the O'Shea brothers got very glitched and ended up being moved out of town shortly after (even though my founders were friends with them) I kept getting those notices.