Hi there! You are currently browsing as a guest. Why not create an account? Then you get less ads, can thank creators, post feedback, keep a list of your favourites, and more!
Field Researcher
#51 Old 22nd May 2006 at 6:03 PM
Thanks for that link Niol, I wish I could remember which house it was I placed there, but I don't, I've downloaded some really nice houses because I don't like the cottagy type that are already in the game...and that was just the result of moving one, lol I'll check out that link and see what I can find, thanks again
Advertisement
Test Subject
#52 Old 24th May 2006 at 7:01 PM
Also having flashing problems
Just wanted to let you know Iam also having flashing blue terrain problems. But Im sorry to say I have no clue as to how to fix it...sorry!!
Test Subject
#53 Old 24th May 2006 at 7:02 PM
Has anyone figured it out yet? I Love this house!!!!!!!!
Top Secret Researcher
#54 Old 25th May 2006 at 12:18 AM
Hi this one still flashes but only in two small parts as i 've been informed for people who tested it.Since i have come to close to fixing this i'll keep trying.This version is without terrains however, you can test it.

http://www.yourfilelink.com/get.php?fid=106385


Well i have uploaded a new summer villa if you are interested i hope this makes up for it.

Will keep testing the old one though.

You will find my older and newest creations here
Instructor
#55 Old 26th May 2006 at 6:50 AM
Waaaaaaaaaa The new summer villa "Myconos" is doing the same thing as "Summer Breeze", another blue lot. I have decided to just give up. It seems only a handful of us are having this problem, some kind of glitch I guess. Unfortunately it has only ever happened with these 2 lots and for that reason I wont download a patch as it may affect the other houses I have. Corvi you are a brilliant creator and who knows maybe one day I will be able to use one of your outstanding designs!
Mad Poster
#56 Old 26th May 2006 at 8:35 AM Last edited by niol : 26th May 2006 at 8:51 AM.
That reminds me of a simple possibility that the user side is also important to determine if a lot can work fine. If a user has some conflicting terrain paints, they can affect the show-up of the terrain paint work as well.

so, on the side of a user, one may try to ensure as fewer temporarily unused terrain paints in their custom content folder(s) to diminish the likelihood of conflicts between custom terrain paint files.
Slacker of Immense Slackness
retired moderator
#57 Old 26th May 2006 at 2:33 PM
K simple explanation for what is happening. When you use a terrain in a lot the game packages:

1) any terrain you actually use
2) any terrain you even click on in the catalog AND
3) the first terrain in your catalog regardless of whether you click on it or not.

It is safe to clean 2) from your sims2pack. However, if you don't include the terrain at 3) OR if the user chooses not to install it - you get the flashing blue thing happening. LL's fix does work but some people would rather ditch the lot than fix it.

Installing and deleting terrains while in the middle of building a lot should be avoided at all costs. If you delete 3) while still building the lot you will probably be unable to package it at all (crashes).

To combat all this hooplah - I only install terrains after a lot has been finished and packaged etc because I learnt my lesson bigtime. I had to restart Gillisims Island from scratch 3 times before I figured out what was going on =D

However, I HAVE noticed that with OFB the phantom 3) terran doesn't seem to be packaged and may not be referenced. I need to test this out - which I will do and post back =)

<:3))~~ Loverat
"In some cultures what I do is considered normal"

www.loverat.net Check it out for other recolours & lot uploads =D
Mistress of architectural mishaps
retired moderator
#58 Old 27th May 2006 at 12:13 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Loverat

However, I HAVE noticed that with OFB the phantom 3) terran doesn't seem to be packaged and may not be referenced. I need to test this out - which I will do and post back =)


Well I have tested this as well trying to figure out Corvidophile's lot problem,
these are the results:

The phantom terrain does not get automatically packaged anymore, but it is still needed for a lot to work - otherwise it will be flashing blue.

I have all my terrains in a separate 'Terrains' folder in my downloads - and the terrain needed for the lot to work is not the first terrain paint showing in my catalogue but the first in the 'Terrains' folder alphanumerically speaking.

Anyway, as Loverat put it:

- Build your lot without terrains, than package it.
- Move all your terrainpaints to the desktop except for those that you intend to use on your lot.
- Do your terrain painting and package again.

This way the game cannot reference 'terrain paints' it does not even have knowledge of.

I hope this is understandable in some way

Retired from Simming
Top Secret Researcher
#59 Old 27th May 2006 at 3:38 PM
First of all Nengi65 i will be forever grateful that you took the time and help me on this.This terrain that is first alphanumerically as yous said , i have applied it to the lot and i got this when i reloaded ( invisible and you can only see neighborhood terrain)




I'm afraid there is more to custom terrains than that.
I moved my downloads folder to desktop and checked myconos again with the gravel grey added

No flashing but here is what i got



Terrains spread like that and square pixels


Here is what i get trying to remove terrains
(gravel grey seems to become default neighborhood terrain?)



If i have all downloads in my game all lots work just fine.
If i remove them problems appear.So i call R.I.P all my lots that include custom terrains and start from scratch, without custom terrains this time.It's a pity cause this seems like a Maxis fault afterall which needs to be adressed.I doubt they even are aware of the custom terrains problems.WHich seem to be numerous and extremely severe.If they dont plan on checking this they'd better add some maxis custom terrains in their future expansions because they add so much to building.

I am extremely sad and annoyed and since i can't seem to be able and handle the terrain problem i will refrain from using terrains.Sure lots wont be the same but at least they will work for everyone and not only for me.

I want to apologise to everyone and thank SimSample and Nengi65 for testing this with me .I dont think there is a solution, the only thing that would make this work is adding ALL my custom terrains to the lot LOL Which of course is ridiculous.

My question is:Why doesnt this happen with custom walls or floors? Is it really something that maxis overlooked?Can terrains be customized without any problem at all?Why do the phantom terrains exist and why even a click in catalogue is enough to hide the terrain to the lot?Can this be fixed?

Thanks everyone


Corvi.

You will find my older and newest creations here
Mistress of architectural mishaps
retired moderator
#60 Old 27th May 2006 at 6:49 PM
Corvi, just a little question....I just noticed (blind as a bat ) but are you using a custom neighbourhood replacement terrain or whatever it is called? Your neighbouring lots don't look like default Maxis terrain... just wondering if that isn't causing problems...

Retired from Simming
Top Secret Researcher
#61 Old 27th May 2006 at 7:28 PM
No nengi what you see is bluewater village and when you place a lot on the strip of beach the terrain turns into sand and it looks like that the whole neighborhood from inside the lot.I thought it was a glitch in the beginning but it happens to others as well.I don't know if it is like that for everyone though.I dont have any custom neighborhoods in my game and no custom neighborhood terrains( i dint even know these existed till now lol).Still even if that's an OFB glitch i shouldnt happen in summer breeze lot as this want placed in bluewater village but in strangetown .I have re-installed OFB now and test all over these lots, i am really pissed off.I've found a way i think to fix this but still didnt manage to figure it out completely, if you remember the summerbreeze lot i sent you it was only flashing in 2 spots.Will see if i can fix that also.

Love

Corvi

You will find my older and newest creations here
Mad Poster
#62 Old 27th May 2006 at 7:56 PM Last edited by niol : 27th May 2006 at 8:10 PM.
Quote: Originally posted by corvidophile2
...
My question is:Why doesnt this happen with custom walls or floors? Is it really something that maxis overlooked?Can terrains be customized without any problem at all?Why do the phantom terrains exist and why even a click in catalogue is enough to hide the terrain to the lot?Can this be fixed?
...



Anyway,
How terrain paint works is more like doing some simplied painting on a paint programme window and seemingly have that resultant look presented on the "ground" level layer over the default terrain paint layer but under the "ground" "mesh" for floor tile. Terrain paint files are of their own kind with some puzzling referencings or structures. I don't know why it has to have 2 texture files graphically identical to my eyes while one of them doesn't seem to affect its presentation in the game. The textural directional presentation in the game is also different from the floor tile. The input texture can be quite different from how the texture in-game is presented when you mix terrain paints over one another repetitively probably with some erasing with the "ctrl" key, kinda like drawing.

Floor tiles are more like object recolours but with certain different default properties. The lighting effect seems to be quite different from the latter.

Wallpapers are yet another sort of file type with seperate set of properties and definitions. To tell you the truth, wallpaper has some interesting properties. Oddly many settings were changed but nothing presented in the game has been changed. Seemingly, the "seen" properties are either dysfunctional or re-enforced settings. Only the textural referencing is the known most important for a wallpaper file. Yet, missing properties will cause problems.

So, these common custom contents are actually quite different from one another structurally, functionally, renderingly... despite similar file type structure.

But surely, we all know that Maxis messed the terrain paint system up from the start.
Top Secret Researcher
#63 Old 28th May 2006 at 12:27 PM Last edited by corvidophile2 : 28th May 2006 at 1:02 PM.
Thank you for explaining niol, i kinda understand now.Nengi has found the missing terrain in both lots( the one that seems to be causing the flashing that is) but even with that the terrain paint doesnt work correctly .The missing terrains act like default ground and they are pixelated (dont know if this is a correct word) i mean they spread in squares.I managed to removed one and paint with the same terrains i used in the lot and didnt spread but when i re-enter the lot , the spreading re-appears.


To be more clear. I had in my game only the terrains this lot had when packaged plus the mising one Nengi suggested.The blue flashing disappears the above problems appear.Pictures here


Some of the terrains work others dont.Sometimes they are pixelated others aren't ( all these whiel painting) . And one time whichever terrain i clicked it would paint like the missing terrain .I spend many hours yesterday testing this and i had reloaded the game 50 times at least and now i am totally exhausted and disappointed over this matter, i dotn even wanna build anything again.


It looks like that with some try




But like that when you re-enter(the white was the missign terrain)




And here you can see clearly how some terrains work and others dont






If anyone could explain the spread terrain problem and why it acts like default ground then maybe we are getting somewhere.

Nengi65 has found the terrain causing the flashing problem.And was correct in both lots.


Anyway,i am guessign it has to do with other terrains missing from this lots too( i have a galore and if i put back the file all lots work normally).


Thanks again


Corvi


edit: As a last resort everyone that wants to play these lots or anyone that wants to test here is the file with the custom terrains

http://www.yourfilelink.com/get.php?fid=110343

If you add this to download folder everything will work fine.(add the folder as it is so you can remove it anytime, and definitely remove this folder if you are planning on building , lots of terrains..lol).I apologise again.Thanks.

You will find my older and newest creations here
Mad Poster
#64 Old 28th May 2006 at 2:13 PM
corvidophile2,

May relax and take a rest... This's a game and not worthy doing it so hard. Besides, things may have a turning point if time not to think about it and rest (probably doing some new lots with the suggested or alternative ways or doing other things) are given.

In my case,
At first, I failed to make some cool tiles back to the beginning of March, and I tried so hard to think how to get it done and why I couldn't get it, but no success. I dropped it to do other things. Then, in the beginning of this month, I was doing other tiles and suddenly realised how to do those cool tiles. Although not perfect, some significant advances happened.


Seemingly, tiredness can increase the likelihood to over-look certain things, some rests may help reorganise the thinking pathways and notice what couldn't be seen.
Top Secret Researcher
#65 Old 28th May 2006 at 11:17 PM Last edited by corvidophile2 : 29th May 2006 at 12:05 AM.
Well niol sometimes being stubborn and persistent helps.I managed to fix it without having to add to this lot a gazilion terrains.The file only got double, 2 mb that is.And.....

I am SO thrilled!!!!! I worked almost 6 hours testing the terrains , trying to remember which ones i clicked etc etc.LOT of testing but i think it worth it!

I'd like to thank everyone, especially Nengi for finding the terrain causing the flashing, i have found the terrains the lot had reference to by testing , adding and removing continuously. I cant even remember how many times i reloaded the game again LOL

But since its fixed , i can rest now( until i fix the summer breeze lot that is lol)

Anyway, the new rar is awaiting for approval as we speak.


Thanks again and i apologise to everyone that got the previous version!


Corvi

:D

You will find my older and newest creations here
Mad Poster
#66 Old 29th May 2006 at 8:19 AM
Top Secret Researcher
#67 Old 31st May 2006 at 1:08 AM
Well, i've learnt my lesson now, for good.Unfortunately i couldnt fix summer breeze villa so i spend the last 3 days building it from scratch.This time my game had only the terrains i was going to use in the lot, and yeah it doesnt flash lol Phew! It was great reviving this one though and it's updated also, waiting for approval.I just felt i had to remake it as many people liked it and were disappointed of the flashing terrain.Unable to play it also.

Lot of work but bad things happen and you gotta be responsible. LOL

Thanks everyone, couldnt feel more informed about terrains now.

Corvi

You will find my older and newest creations here
Test Subject
#68 Old 19th May 2007 at 12:05 AM
Lyriclee, ur method of re painting the deleating with Ctrl did not work for me... maby im doing something wrong..tell me if i am

Best Online Game EVER
RUNESCAPE!!
Top Secret Researcher
#69 Old 19th May 2007 at 12:21 AM
Flashing lots are pretty much lost cases.If it is a house you downloaded , try and remember were you got it from and re-download w/o removing the terrain paints and this will solve the problem.If it is a house you made, you will have to remake it unless you remember which terrain paints you used and deleted from your game , if you put them back it will make the blue flashing disappear.

In a few words, never remove terrain paints when installing a lot , and always start building a lot without terrain paints in your downloads ( you can put them on a different folder in your and remove to desktop each time you want to build, then use Clean Installer to pick which ones you want to use on your lot after you have packaged a terrain-less finished version first).

You will find my older and newest creations here
Mad Poster
#70 Old 19th May 2007 at 1:45 AM
Now, I'm seeking flashing lots... ! :D

Anyone, wanna upload some somewhere or here, so I can grab them...! :D

I need some flashing-blue-ready lots for my experiments... Thanks...
Test Subject
#71 Old 20th May 2007 at 3:37 AM
ok, here is a lot that flashed blue for me,it will only *flash* if your in live mode playing the game but if ur on the lot with no1 living there it will only stay blue or black, heres the lot which is, La Falaise , also known as The cliff by brouillard, here is the link but im not sure if it will work, http://www.modthesims2.com/member/s...ad.php?t=232238

Best Online Game EVER
RUNESCAPE!!
Top Secret Researcher
#72 Old 20th May 2007 at 9:37 AM
It;s missing terrain paints then, you might want to direct the creator here to get all the answers needed and possible solutions by reading the whole thread, even if he/she wont be able to fix it he /ll now what to avoid in the future. :-)

You will find my older and newest creations here
Test Subject
#73 Old 20th May 2007 at 6:18 PM
i talked do him/her and they said that the lot did not flash blue for them and all they said is to re-download after they fix it, the weird thing is, the paints showd up in the terrain catelouge but not on the lot... also for some reason, there are some shrubs in my catelouge*sp) that are blue and flash, is it because the game cant recognise the color of the objects, or terrains?

Best Online Game EVER
RUNESCAPE!!
Mad Poster
#74 Old 21st May 2007 at 4:24 PM
I'm too late to grab the lot, anyone can give me a copy of the problematic lot, please... ?
Top Secret Researcher
#75 Old 21st May 2007 at 4:54 PM
Quote: Originally posted by AaronWuzHere
i talked do him/her and they said that the lot did not flash blue for them and all they said is to re-download after they fix it, the weird thing is, the paints showd up in the terrain catelouge but not on the lot... also for some reason, there are some shrubs in my catelouge*sp) that are blue and flash, is it because the game cant recognise the color of the objects, or terrains?


They work in his game because he has all the terrain paints needed. The lot in his game doesnt have missing terrain references.

The flashing srubs are due to missing recolors if they are new meshes.

For the lot to work he could package the terrains in his download folder ( if they arent hundreds of them that is) and offer them for download along with the lot.

He'll know the lot is not working properly if he removes his download folder and install the lot as is to check in game.

Anyway...most builders have been in the same situation at least once, the terrain paints problem isnt very well known.

Tell him to read the thread for future reference.


niol: you can create problematic lots yourself ;-) Just make empty lots, apply terrains (or click on terrains while in the lot without applying them, or do both ) , then delete(remove better if it's for testing purposes) some of the terrain paints from your downloads, then package lot, and there you have your own blue-flashing lots lol

You will find my older and newest creations here
Locked thread
Page 3 of 4
Back to top