Game Help:Intermittent Freezes

Issue & Symptoms

Lags: this could be describe as certain screens loading slower than normal or certain actions took longer to complete in SimTime

Freezes: this is characterize by Sims being frozen on certain actions and yet the background is moving, or sound continues playing

Some symptoms are:

• stop-n-go jerky motions, trees swaying, background moving and music playing but Sims frozen
• freeze when entering a catalog category
• freeze when entering CAS
• freeze when switching to Build from Buy or vice versa
• game freeze and never recovered and have to be terminated in Task Manager
• dropping framerates

Causes

Lags

• when there are too many .package CC
• when the CC is incompatible with your patch versions or broken
• when you have Sims 2 content in the mix

Freezes In-game lags/freezes can be caused by a few things, some that we know of so far...

1. stereos not turned off in inactive Sims homes
2. derelict vehicles
3. homeless Sims - causing overpopulation
4. broken links due to the Relationship bug and the game is still trying to link up people they never met in a WA locale or sudden, random marriages or children, resulting in invisible and/or missing Sims. This can be accompanied by missing UI (User Interface, the Panel) or a Sims with a borked thumbnail on the UI.
5. actual stuck Sims - between floors or into the ground/basements or stuck looping in an action
6. faulty routing - causing stuck Sims and route-failure tantrums
   • Breaking NEWS (6) is also causing freeze/lags in Bridgeport, based on new findings in this thread Target NPC's over yonder - see the suggested fix below
7. Sims changing to their work uniforms and/or sleepwear

Solution

Standard troubleshooting procedure

Test CC-free on a new town. Do Game Problem FAQ to rule out Custom Content conflict/incompatibility

Test on another Household by switching to other families to determine if it affects one Household or the whole town

Plus all the ones below

Lags - loading lag, CAS lag, general lag in gameplay

Make sure to do the Standard troubleshooting procedure above and the fixes for Freezes below

Package File Lag has other suggestions using tools like Process Monitor and Dashboard Tool

Too much CC? Try Combining Packages

Freezes

Use Overwatch to remove derelict vehicles and other stuff during its nightly runs, or do an Immediate action

Use MasterController to reset stuck Sims or worlds

Use Awesomemod if you prefer a core mod to handle some of the fixes automatically

(1) - (5) can be controlled and fixed by StoryProgression mods like AwesomeMod @MATY or Twallan's StoryProgression and one or more of his other mods @NRaas Industries.

If you have (4), be sure to also read Game Help:UI and Sim Issues

(6) is caused by placing a custom Lot that does not sit flushed with the road's edge or poor routing by the creator in a custom world.

• If you suspect (6) and you have just downloaded & placed a new Lot, test it out by having your Sim try to reach all the spots a Sim would normally go to autonomously.
• If you have (6) and you're using a custom world, check back with the creator's item page to see if others are experiencing the same issue.
• Breaking NEWS (6) Bad routing in Bridgeport: suggested fix in Testers Wanted: Stupid Bridgeport Routing Fix (Experimental!)
  
  

For (7), just pause the game and let the processor catch up with the game-engine.

Certain Lags and freezes need a 2nd reload of the game before clearing up. So, after applying the fixes by removing CC and using mods - save, quit, clear caches and reload the game.

Warning:

Standard cautionary advise applies: check for version compatibility and please RTFM on the mods features and how to use. Seek support from the modders, and Happy Simming!

Further reading

• from MTS Discussion threads
  1. Target NPC's over yonder
  2. What causes low framerates and other slowdowns?
  3. Why does it take so long for Sims to do simple things, like get in the shower or go to work

• from MTS Downloads
  1. Testers Wanted: Stupid Bridgeport Routing Fix (Experimental!)

• from MATY
  1. The Neverending Pause
  2. Exit Stage Left, Please

• from MTS Help
  1. Late Night freezes at 12:17 pm
  2. Loading takes forever, Lagging in game play
  3. Custom Content - Game freezes
  4. The Stop-Go glitch
  5. Kinda freezing...but graphics and audio are fine...?
  6. Sims 3 half freezing, sims and time stop, other things move

Seeking further assistance

Before you post in the MTS Sims 3 Help Forums, please try all the above suggestions, and answer the questionnaire in [Common]Data collection and analysis: Intermittent Freezes and Lags sticky.

We probably won't have any further tips to suggest other than the ones above, so creating a new thread might not yield any results. If you do decide to create a new thread anyway, be sure to mention you've done this FAQ or you'll be directed to this wiki again. Not mentioning it is our clue than you have not done so.