Okay, so here's what's going on.

I CAN'T FIND THE PROGRAM.  It's not in Program Files/Electronic Arts.  The only thing that's there is the EA Downloader.  When I search for "Spore" or "Creature Creator", nothing is found on my computer.  I can only run my game through the Downloader, and that's a problem, because:

I need to try compatibility mode, because my graphics card is a laptop graphics card (I have a desktop, the iq770, with an nVidia GeForce Go 7600 card).

Why?  Because it "freezes".  I can't get the next screen to load unless I hit Ctrl/Alt/Del then Cancel.  When I re-enter the game, the next screen is loaded.  I'm assuming this is a graphics issue, because when I exit the game (after Ctrl/Alt/Del/Cancel to get the "Are you sure?" page to load), the screen flickers.

HALP.

I have searched high and low today, and found a couple of people with a similar problem, but as of yet, no solutions.

Seriously, HALP!!!   

ETA:  People are saying their Vista problems are fixed when they uninstall the Downloader, but I can't do that, because it's the only place I can run the game from (because I can't find the danged Creature Creator file anywhere else).

Avalikia, I am absolutely interested in the details.  Actually, if you want to make it simpler on yourself, you could just upload a package file of the building and I'll install it and study it! 

Everyone's suggestions so far are really good--it's like a brainstorming group or something.  Keep them coming! 

Good suggestion.  I'll give that a try and see what happens.


No, because the tile it goes over is stretched to the ground, and it has to go over a flat tile.  If that WOULD work, I'd be willing to compromise on it, but it doesn't. 

No, that won't work, because you can't modify the terrain right next to a wall, meaning there's nothing to hide the HUGE slope, meaning I can't get them to walk outside on the third story in the back because there's a floor tile stretched all the way to the first floor and they can't cross it.


Yes, the # of clicks issue sucks, but I don't think that's the problem (I can get ONE wall to match the foundation, but I need to build another foundation on top of the FIRST foundation, somehow, to get the second story all the way underground--or, figure out how to stack TWO walls to a two-story foundation).

The links for tutorials I provided are from MikeInside...I love his tutorials, but even THEY don't seem to do the trick for this (look at the pictures in the links and I think you'll understand why).

Thank you for the suggestions so far... 

I wouldn't have any idea how to BEGIN to search for something this complicated, so let me just tell you what I want to do.

I'm trying to build a three-story house. 

In the FRONT of the house, the first story is at ground level.

In the BACK of the house, the THIRD story is at ground level (basically, the house is built into a mountain). 

To add to the complication, the Sims must be able to walk out onto the yard (I can compromise a patio) on the third level in the back. 

I've tried this tutorial, resigning myself to making the third story the same height as the sidewalk and just digging a pit for the first two stories, but even this doesn't work, because I can't stack two walls in order to reach a two-story foundation (one story, I can).  Also, I need a two-story foundation in back because it is the only thing that would allow Sims to walk out the third story (because it hides the huge slope inside). 

If the Sims didn't actually have to walk outside in the back, I could use this tutorial, but for obvious reasons, I'm fairly certain it won't work.

I feel like I'm back in C Programming class or something...I know there's an answer to this, but I can't wrap my head around it.

Do you understand what I want?  Do you have any ideas/suggestions/links for this?   

I suggest Merola's multi-painting for this.  You can only fix their ages by 3 days at a time, but so far, the painting has been compatible with every version of the Sims. 

Also, (I think this is true) if you go here the hacks are listed in descending order by date modified. 

Yep, just changed them for the first time (lasted a WHOLE YEAR!).  I changed the batteries a few days before the problem started.  I'm using some sort of fancy batteries with a lowercase "e" on them that are supposed to last till Jesus comes to visit us again or something.  The mouse has been working okay the past day or so, so hopefully it will STAY that way.  I'm still convinced that the hardware is just wearing out. 

Honestly, I haven't put my Sims on vacation more than three times, so I didn't notice.  I thought I was doing something wrong until I saw someone else had the problem.
I've used L & D, but to be sure, I shift-click the local, right?

I searched and didn't see this bug listed yet (it IS listed on one of the bug threads on the BBS):

There are ZERO locals doing their dance on vacation lots.  I max-motived for three Sim days, going from lot to lot, and no one ever danced, thus my Sims couldn't learn the dance.  I don't know if this was the case before FT or not.

I've heard that an instructor can teach the dances to you on the secret lot, so there's a workaround, but it's pretty annoying, nonetheless.

I have antivacationactions and vacationfixes, so I don't know if those are doing anything to prevent it or not.

Intriguing.

I will give that a try and post the results. 

Thank you, Emma.  I'm going to go ahead and download it, whether it works for her or not.  The FM says it stops DUPLICATE grad memories, which I don't think is my problem, but the hack certainly can't hurt my game anyway.
I figured the phoning part wasn't a bug, but a "feature," as there's text written for it.

The weird thing is that she's got the same LTW (Graduate  3 children).  Now that she's an elder, I'll probably just use the debugger to re-roll it, but it's still a little strange. 

Oh, well, they're elders, and I don't plan on moving anyone else into that house, so hopefully the bugginess is only with the mother or the lot and not the daughter. 

Thanks for your help!

I had a teen sim go on a date (dream date).

When she returned home, she got flowers, and soon after, I sent her to college.  I followed her there, graduated her (sped up using simslice's college cheat sheet), and moved her back into the bin in Pleasantview.

Then, I went into her parents' house (where she lived during the dream date).  Her date came by with a hot-tub, even though she doesn't live there.  Then, he called the house, and I got a notice with him saying, "Oh, Teen Sim isn't there?  I'll call back later."  Could he have done this because she was in the bin with no phone?

Additionally, her mother had the LTW to graduate three children from college.  She actually graduated FOUR (the teen had a twin brother) when I re-entered this lot.  She's permaplat, but still has the same LTW.  I can't remember if she had the memory of the daughter growing up well or not.  Her HUSBAND had that memory...

So, is anything actually going WRONG here?  If there is, is it the lot, the mother, or the daughter?  I've never had a sim call a household for someone who moved out, and I don't know why the mother's LTW would re-roll as the same thing, seeing as how all her kids are adults and she was only 2 days away from becoming an elder. 

Only Awesome hacks, by the way, and thanks. 

Update:

I've come to the conclusion that the hardware is in fact worn out, as I can get the click to function every now and again.

Thanks all, for your suggestions. 

And I love having a wireless mouse.  This is the first problem I ever had with it, and it's about a year old. 

I checked my drivers, and they're up to date already.

It wouldn't be a 3rd party mouse, would it?  It came WITH the computer, both HP products.  Well, the mouse is identified as "HID compliant mouse"  and there's three different drivers, one has something to do with "the transceiver", and the other two have to deal with USB's. 

Thank you for brainstorming with me, at any rate. 

I haven't found anything like that in my mouse options.... 

It is an HP wireless mouse that came with my computer, the IQ770.

There's no option for that in the wheel properties.  Scrolling still works, clicking does not. 

Hey guys,

I played FT yesterday and did NOT have this issue.

Today, I downloaded these hacks:

nohumble
relevantwages
wfsanity
nohobbyspam
nostupidonreset

They probably have nothing to do with this, as I took them out and retested to no avail.  Additionally, I don't see how it's possible for a hack to change my hardware's behavior.

Anyway, when I get in-game, my mouse wheel doesn't work anymore.  Usually, by holding the wheel down and moving the mouse, the camera rotates.  It's not responding anymore, and the camera refuses to rotate in the neighborhood or on lots with the wheel.  The camera still rotates by using the arrow graphics, and I can move side to side/up and down with edge scrolling.

I checked the Options screen:  Edge-scrolling is On and Camera Rotation is on Default (ie. not Sims 1 Style).
Also, I put a fresh battery in the mouse three days ago, so it's juiced up.  And I checked the Wheel settings in the Control Panel.  There's no option to "turn it off", so that didn't happen.

Any ideas, suggestions? 

I hate not being able to rotate the camera with my mouse.

ETA:  Did a restart, turned the mouse off, rotated batteries, still won't work.  It's not just an in-game problem after all.  The wheel click is not working, period.  Still could use some advice though. 

Thanks for these options, everyone.  I give them all a go, and see which one I prefer.

Thanks again! 

So, I have the daily gardener, and in the fall, all she does is rake leaves, get exhausted, and leave (this annoyance was mentioned in the thread "Seasons: What mods are you already begging for?").

Does the Winter Flower Fix do anything for this behavior, or should I just give up and get Always Perfect Plants and fire the gardener?  And if I get Always Perfect Plants, would I even need the Winter Flower fix?

I downloaded Moniques NA water balloon hack a few days ago, and it seems to work everywhere BUT on vacation lots...but then, maybe I'm crazy.   Oh--nevermind.  I have two hacks dedicated to this action, which I'm sure is causing an issue.

I'm still waiting for a completely pillow fight free Sims world.  I have JM's noroadpillows, and while it works correctly, I swear my Sims find an excuse to wander into a bedroom just so they can have a friggin' pillow fight!

Also, for those of you sick of the ridiculousness of the action, I recommend finding the noautonomousdanceontoes.package.  I think it's a Squinge hack that I found in the graveyard (it's in the wrong damn folder, so I'm not sure), but regardless, it has saved many Sim lives.

Pes, quit being a douche--don't fuck up TJ's farewell thread with your damaged ego.  Don't you have a Ness to congratulate or something? 


I'll keep an eye out for you, Mr. TJ--love your mods!   

Thanks, I managed to find Inge's here, but she's says it's obsolete since there's a better hack somewhere. 

I love that too, except when I take one of my neat Sims to a community lot, and instead of looking for a date they start doing the dishes at restaurants. 

I'm pretty sure you're right.  That's why I suggested downloading the Original patch before installing University, because then you don't have to deal with University installing the patch for the original.  I had quite a bit of trouble installing the base game into my new computer (Original CD is scratched) and this way worked best for me.