Custom content won't show up after installing Showtime

[PrettySiren]

I just got Showtime today and patched my game to the new version. I removed my custom content, hacks, and backed up my saves, etc. just to be extra careful.

The game, so far, works fine vanilla. But when I try to add the CC, almost nothing shows up. By that, I mean, somethings work as in: only the default Naughty skins by Lady Frontbum and and a cigarette by Uirty (I believe). Like, out of ALL of my CC, those are the only ones showing up. Nothing else shows up in-game despite it being in my packages folder (which is in the correct directory).

I've cleaned out my cache files. I'm not super technical, but I can follow instructions -- usually. I mean, have I missed something? Have I done something wrong? Or is this a problem other people are having?

ETA: Some of the packages that aren't showing up are combined, some aren't. However, NONE of my combined packages are showing up. The only ones that are showing up are the aforementioned, and they are uncombined.

[ellacharmed]

Mkay, you used the term "vanilla" means you let the game create a new clean version, right? By which I mean the DCBackup, Library, InstalledWorlds, Thumbnails and WorldCaches folders are also cleared out, not just you manually cutting+pasting the DCCache and Mods folders elsewhere?
So place the uncombined versions in individually - do these show up? Then perhaps the combination process mess things up?
Are you combining manually with s3pe or with CC Magic?

[PrettySiren]

Wow, my original message was really confusing -- sorry about that!

I cleaned out the Library, Installed Worlds, Thumbnails, and World Caches, but I forgot the DCBackup. And I cleaned them out myself and then let the game create new ones of the ones I removed -- if that makes sense. That could be the problem. I normally just remove my mods and hacks when I install a new EP -- and that usually works for me -- but then I removed the other stuff I mentioned and now...I guess I did wrong?

I combine manually with S3PE; ironically, I could never figure out CC Magic. Is one more recommended than the other? (S3PE always worked fine for me until this new EP and patch.)

I'm so sorry if I come off as a newbie. I'm still learning and I fully appreciate you taking the time to help me!

[PrettySiren]

Update: what single packages are showing up is very hit or miss for some reason, but more are showing up than not. The bigger issue, for me now, is the combined packages, and I'm gonna make a thread specifically dedicated to that in case someone else is having that specific problem too.

----
I wrote another thread about single packages (like some eyeshadow you just downloaded) not showing up here (http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=470772&goto=lastpost#post3800995), but in this thread, I'm specifically talking about combined packages not showing up. That's the bigger problem.

I combine my packages manually with S3PE; before installing Showtime/the new patch, my combined packages worked beautifully. I've never had a problem with them before (once I got the hang of making them). I never had this issues with Pets or Generations.

So, my questions: is anyone else having this issue? Is it only packages created with S3PE or is it also packages created with CC Magic?

And the big one:

How do I fix it?

(That is, of course, assuming this has happened to someone else and they found a way to make it better.)

[ellacharmed]

I'm gonna make a thread specifically dedicated to that I rather we keep issues for each individual in one single thread, so I don't have to keep shuffling back and forth to check if this suggestion has been given or that one has been tried. And then become confusing.

I would suggest using CC Magic. It is pretty easy to use, and there are guides on it now @Granthes forums, and his support has been very prompt whenever I have any questions regarding the tool.

[Hunny]

UPDATE: I remembered I had a backup of the packages before merging them, so I tried with them, but the CC still doesn't show.

I'm having the same issue, my CC is not showing up after I installed Showtime and before it worked perfectly. I recently merged a lot of packages using S3PE, but I had no issue with them
Does anyone have and idea of what's wrong? I patched the game to 1.32 and it still didn't work and I'm getting worried.



(also, I'm sorry if this isn't the right place for this, I thought that since I had the same issue we could share solutions...and support, you are not alone PrettySiren!!)

[mslisalisa]

You are not the only one with most custom content not showing up. I only have a few that is in game right now. I didn't update to 3.2 yet since I don't use the new online feature.
I have a few ear rings, outfits and one bedroom set that is cc showing up. Otherwise nothing :-(

[Whiterudder]

People other than the OP, while reading other people's threads for a solution is a good idea; if you still have questions, please make your own thread. One person (and all their problems) per thread is the simplest way of doing things. :)

Hunny... I've checked, and it doesn't look like you're PrettySiren. Did you post on the wrong thread by accident?

[PrettySiren]

I rather we keep issues for each individual in one single thread, so I don't have to keep shuffling back and forth to check if this suggestion has been given or that one has been tried. And then become confusing.

I see what you're saying! No worries. I thought the forum was arranged by specific issue and not each poster's issue. Sorry!

(also, I'm sorry if this isn't the right place for this, I thought that since I had the same issue we could share solutions...and support, you are not alone PrettySiren!!)

It seems we are going through a similar issue. I'm sorry for it! It's not fun when you've sent time acquiring all of that CC and then it just won't show up.

My Update:

Right now, I'm able to re-download CC and place it into my game and have it work. But still, it's not showing packages I've already made. My big problem is that: once I made the combined packages, and saw that they worked, I deleted all the individual packages. (This, of course, is due to some deep ingrained need to save hard drive space when, naturally, computers -- mine included -- have more than a TB to work with.)

So, the biggest issue is:

Is there any way to make the old combined packages work? And does anyone know the reason they are not working since installing Showtime/the latest patch?

Those are my big questions right now.

[ellacharmed]

Is there any way to make the old combined packages work? And does anyone know the reason they are not working since installing Showtime/the latest patchThe warning by the CC-merging tutorial authors and the tools' creators is precisely due to this: we do not know EA's plans and thus have no way of knowing or having any sort of guarantee that the merge process won't be broken by EA changing the coding in a future update or just to make that particular patch be compatible with the next addon's features.

Or, even if there's no new CAS features (like 1.31's being able to set more than one Career outfits or set hair per outfit), the resource format can change like what happens for the Rig/Slot issues when Pets came out.

You've confirm only combined packages no longer work then? All the single package works for you after redownloading them? Both for CAS items and Buy/Build mode items?
Are you still on 1.31 or 1.32 at this point?
Can these combined packages still be opened in s3pe?

You might also want to keep track of Hunny's thread - I have some more questions in there. If you want to test and answer those questions as well, we can start collecting some statistics to look for common patterns. Especially this part, if you've patched to 1.32:Also how do you patch to 1.32? Which group do you fall into and which method within that group applies to you? State A-2 or B-1, etc.

Group A: Who has the leaked patch ?

People who used the superpatcher yesterday
People who reinstalled their game and patched from scratch
People who have not updated to 1.31 and patched directly to 1.32 with the superpatcher


Group B: Who does not ?

People who used the incremental patch
People who patched through the launcher but were already at patch level 1.31

[PrettySiren]

I've tested CC that's been redownloaded and single packages work just fine. Also, combined packages that I manually create seem to be working -- but I've only made one combined package so far, so I feel like I should make more before totally committing and saying "Making new combined packages definitely solves the problem".

As for the patch, I am on 1.32 and I used the launcher to patch.

So, since newly combined packages work...it would seem the problem is limited to combined packages that were made before Showtime/patching. But, if the method is the same...then why would that matter? Like, why is NOW different than before?

[ellacharmed]

Newly recombined with newly downloaded s3pe that has been updated for Showtime or an older version?

The process of patching means that EA has make changes to the code.
And if the tool needs to be updated, doesn't it make sense that previously combined cc using tools with previously known data, when the game now has updated code, the old data can no longer be read as intended? Or rather, the newly patched game is looking for new data that the old combined packages don't have.

[PrettySiren]

Well, the thing is, the CC is the same as it was. There was no updating on the CC. Though, most of it was updated for Pets, ALL of my downloads came from that or stuff that remained compatible throughout and was never updated. So, it's literally the same single packages and the same version of S3PE we're talking about. The only packages I combine are hair and clothes, really. And so, they have remained the same via their respective creators.

Basically, I can recreate the same packages using the same CC downloads and the same version of S3PE. So, I don't know what data there would be that's updated without me having either A) updated CC or B) an updated version of S3PE -- and I have neither.

(I'm not trying to take an angry tone with you or anyone else -- I'm just frustrated.)

[ellacharmed]

Same process, no deviations in the steps?
Are the resulting merged packages identical? Same filse size? Same number of resources?
Delphy has a tool called QADPE that can do "Package comparison between 2 packages". Maybe able to solve the "why" or the "how".

But my point still stands : 1.32 for Showtime have had changes in the code. CAS items like outfits and hair can now be set for Careers and each Outfit category.
Nothing to do with the CC or the tool. It is the Sims 3 program that is changed. If you're dissatisfied and willing to do an experiment - uninstall and revert to the patch you had before - to see if both the old and the newly recombined package works in the old game version.

Is everyone with combined packages encountering this issue or just you? Any similar complaints from others who have done this? I don't merge packages or frequent the forums where the tutorials for the combining are posted, so I don't keep up. Have you posted in those threads, what do they say?