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Test Subject
Original Poster
#1 Old 21st Mar 2019 at 12:00 AM Last edited by Annamally : 23rd Mar 2019 at 10:32 PM.
Default Unwanted visitors invading my apartment
Hello, everyone! Lately I've been having this issue when playing in apartments: neighbor Sims won't stop literally invading my apartment, it doesn't matter if it's in the middle of the night, or if I have the door set to locked ("Only me" option). I've also noticed everyone else is able of freely entering my house at all times, but not our butler (had to fire the poor man).

The door wasn't locked before I fired the butler though, just tried locking it after I fired him to see if the neighbors would stop coming in, but it didn't work at all. Asking them to leave also does nothing; they keep loitering around in the house, watching my TV, playing on my computer.

I've searched for a mod that could potentially stop this, but it was all for naught I'm also certain no one made the Genie a beauty wish. Does anyone have a solution for that, be it using a cheat or mod or anything? I just really want to solve this, it's driving me crazy since the Sims in question are a couple of vampires, so neighbors entering the house during day wakes them up. I almost lost the vampire lady a few minutes ago because of that, so I thought it was time to get desperate... orz

I'm playing Origin's Ultimate Collection in a Windows 10 notebook, but had no issues running it so far. I have some mods and CC installed, but none that could potentially be causing this. Can anyone help me?
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Mad Poster
#2 Old 21st Mar 2019 at 1:26 AM
This is, alas, a common issue with apartments. It's not a glitch in the standard sense of "probably a mod conflict, got to do a 50/50," but in the sense of "they didn't playtest AL nearly enough."

In theory, locking the apartment door will keep neighbors out, and you can unlock it and relock it to let in the nanny, invited guests, maid, and so on. In practice, once you've unlocked it for anybody, some apartments are never truly locked again. I've never been able to fix it except by moving out - the next family occupying the next interation of that apartment may be luckier. Or, they may not.

Do not despair, however - this is a problem I've only ever had in Maxis lots, not in apartments I build myself. That doesn't mean it's impossible for player-built lots to glitch; just I haven't encountered it; but it means that there is hope!

One thing I have found, however, is that all apartments will glitch sooner or later and force your sims to move. The apartment code is notoriously buggy and nobody has gotten to the bottom of all the bugs and fixed them all, or even a significant percentage of them. A lot of people won't play apartments at all for this reason, which is a shame, because when they work right and are designed well they've got a lot of fun potential; but we all have our individual tolerances for different annoyances.

All that said, I will be ecstatic if someone posts right after me and says they've found a mod or mod combination that solves this particular bit of bugginess. So don't rush to move them out on my say-so; give three or four people a chance to respond. But the best advice I can give you is, to move them out and build your own apartments.

ETA: Oh, and never assume that just because it doesn't make sense for any of the mods you have to cause a problem, they aren't causing the problem! The code here is sufficiently complex that chaos theory applies. We all have our stories. You will too, someday. The blouse that crashed the game when someone wearing it used the photobooth for its intended purpose. The simple LTA mod that froze the vacation clock - but only for some people. The only way to be 100% certain that a mod isn't causing your problem, is to test the game without it.

Ugly is in the heart of the beholder.
(My simblr isSim Media Res . Widespot,Widespot RFD: The Subhood, and Land Grant University are all available here. In case you care.)
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#3 Old 21st Mar 2019 at 1:56 AM
I don't have them invading my apartments even without apartment mods. They should not walk in if not greeted. I would test. I don't use butlers though, so maybe it's connected.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Test Subject
Original Poster
#4 Old 21st Mar 2019 at 2:07 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Peni Griffin
This is, alas, a common issue with apartments. It's not a glitch in the standard sense of "probably a mod conflict, got to do a 50/50," but in the sense of "they didn't playtest AL nearly enough."

In theory, locking the apartment door will keep neighbors out, and you can unlock it and relock it to let in the nanny, invited guests, maid, and so on. In practice, once you've unlocked it for anybody, some apartments are never truly locked again. I've never been able to fix it except by moving out - the next family occupying the next interation of that apartment may be luckier. Or, they may not.

Do not despair, however - this is a problem I've only ever had in Maxis lots, not in apartments I build myself. That doesn't mean it's impossible for player-built lots to glitch; just I haven't encountered it; but it means that there is hope!

One thing I have found, however, is that all apartments will glitch sooner or later and force your sims to move. The apartment code is notoriously buggy and nobody has gotten to the bottom of all the bugs and fixed them all, or even a significant percentage of them. A lot of people won't play apartments at all for this reason, which is a shame, because when they work right and are designed well they've got a lot of fun potential; but we all have our individual tolerances for different annoyances.

All that said, I will be ecstatic if someone posts right after me and says they've found a mod or mod combination that solves this particular bit of bugginess. So don't rush to move them out on my say-so; give three or four people a chance to respond. But the best advice I can give you is, to move them out and build your own apartments.

ETA: Oh, and never assume that just because it doesn't make sense for any of the mods you have to cause a problem, they aren't causing the problem! The code here is sufficiently complex that chaos theory applies. We all have our stories. You will too, someday. The blouse that crashed the game when someone wearing it used the photobooth for its intended purpose. The simple LTA mod that froze the vacation clock - but only for some people. The only way to be 100% certain that a mod isn't causing your problem, is to test the game without it.


Oh no! sobs I sure hope there's another way other than moving them out, because not only I really liked the apartment's space and interior design, I took my time to properly furnish it with the fanciest and more expensive stuff in preparation for the future headmaster invitation (they've just had a baby), it took me some hours and redoing it would be a pain ç_ç

As for the mods thingy, I noticed this started happening after I downloaded a mod that allows teens to use the face surgery career reward (I had a really ugly alien girl living in one of the neighbor apartments), so even though it's not in the same apartment, it's still in the same lot? I'll take your advice into account and test my game without this one mod and see what happens!
Test Subject
Original Poster
#5 Old 21st Mar 2019 at 2:11 AM
Quote: Originally posted by joandsarah77
I don't have them invading my apartments even without apartment mods. They should not walk in if not greeted. I would test. I don't use butlers though, so maybe it's connected.


It started happening after the same vampire Sim I almost lost had her baby, once the birth cutscene was over, all the neighbors were in my house and things just went downhill from there :'D I've had the butler for a while now, since I first started gameplay, and it has never occurred before.

But as I've said in my previous reply, I had just installed a new mod that, while it has nothing to do with visitors and the like, it'd be worth trying to play without just in case. I'll give it a shot!
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#6 Old 21st Mar 2019 at 3:31 AM
And you told everyone goodbye? Because they are acting as if your sim invited them in.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Test Subject
Original Poster
#7 Old 21st Mar 2019 at 5:35 AM Last edited by Annamally : 21st Mar 2019 at 5:45 AM.
Quote: Originally posted by joandsarah77
And you told everyone goodbye? Because they are acting as if your sim invited them in.


Yes! I've clicked one of them and "Say goodbye" > "All", and even so they'll keep doing stuff in my apartment such as watching TV and using the computer. I'm really sure none of my Sims invited them because welp, it's pretty easy to keep track of their habits since they need to spend the day inside their coffins haha I have no idea what has caused this odd behavior, my best guess would be some mod screwed things up. :'D

EDIT: Forgot to mention that, even if they do act like saying goodbye to them worked, they'll step out my apartment, go back to theirs, and come back after a few irl minutes. And of course, they'll come in uninvited. 8'D
The usual "knocking on door" animation that happens whenever a neighbor visits you doesn't happen as well, they just come in unceremoniously.
Mad Poster
#8 Old 21st Mar 2019 at 6:35 AM
I had this problem recently when I was testing without hacks and as soon as I put my hacks back in it stopped. Unfortunately, I have a lot of hacks and no idea which one might be doing it.

This might work for your vampires though. http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=95517
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#9 Old 21st Mar 2019 at 7:15 AM
That's always possible too, that its annoying game behaviour and some mod is stopping it. If it is I will guess its a Pescado mod and that maybe it's one of those undocumented 'features'

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Mad Poster
#10 Old 21st Mar 2019 at 8:07 AM
I don't use butlers either, Jo! It appears to be random. This isn't the first time I've seen people complain about it here, but it's nice to know some people have managed to avoid it. It'd be nicer to know how it was avoided, but that's life.

The apartment I had it worst in, it seemed to be triggered by a baby being born, which might cause me to speculate that the overriding of the lock by the imperative to come see the baby might have broken the lock; except that the first apartment I had the problem in, the sim had no baby. I really think it's "just one of those things."

Ugly is in the heart of the beholder.
(My simblr isSim Media Res . Widespot,Widespot RFD: The Subhood, and Land Grant University are all available here. In case you care.)
Mad Poster
#11 Old 21st Mar 2019 at 8:40 AM
The one mod I thought of first, although I read the read me and it wasn't listed as a feature, was interactwogreet by Pescado. Do you have that one?
Alchemist
#12 Old 21st Mar 2019 at 12:52 PM
I was wondering if you could add a foyer like thing to test whether it's the door. Like add a second door between the apt door and the apt and lock it to see if they can still come in.
e3 d3 Ne2 Nd2 Nb3 Ng3
retired moderator
#13 Old 21st Mar 2019 at 1:57 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Annamally
It started happening after the same vampire Sim I almost lost had her baby, once the birth cutscene was over, all the neighbors were in my house and things just went downhill from there :

Try using the batbox to nuke the scenario controller.
Test Subject
Original Poster
#14 Old 21st Mar 2019 at 7:16 PM
Thanks everyone for giving your inputs and suggestions! Sorry for the delay in my response, I check TS stuff only during work breaks since it's when I play nowadays. Sorry for the long post as well, but I just gotta answer everyone; all of your suggestions were helpful in some way.

Quote: Originally posted by Charity
This might work for your vampires though. http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=95517

That might actually work! The neighbors barging in would still be an issue, I suppose, but at the very least my Sims wouldn't die because of their neighbors' stupidity hahaha
As for Pescado's mods, I sadly can't seem to find the one you're talking about ;v;

Quote: Originally posted by joandsarah77
That's always possible too, that its annoying game behaviour and some mod is stopping it. If it is I will guess its a Pescado mod and that maybe it's one of those undocumented 'features'

I have checked and there's none of his mods here, although here's a simple list (started replaying after a long while so am getting things from scratch) of the mods/stuff that overwrites default game stuff I have just in case:
No cure werewolf wants by reaper with no name
No more leafy Plantsim hair by poifectly_poiple
Control jealousy per household by roachandlazygirl
No censor (by outside sources)
WooHoo teens (by outside sources)
Default skin replacements by teru_k

I just removed [Black Spirit]'s mod that allows teens to use the Dr. Vu Cosmetic Surgeon since I noticed this neighbor thing after installing it, so I'll see how it goes.

Quote: Originally posted by Peni Griffin
The apartment I had it worst in, it seemed to be triggered by a baby being born, which might cause me to speculate that the overriding of the lock by the imperative to come see the baby might have broken the lock; except that the first apartment I had the problem in, the sim had no baby. I really think it's "just one of those things."

Looks like having a baby potentially breaks the apartments then... XD I had another sim in the same lot, but in another apartment, have a baby recently and everyone suddenly poofed inside his house too. I'm starting to think it all started happening thanks to that, because since he's not exactly close to the neighbors, the only Sims that entered his house were nannies he had asked for so I didn't notice it; but for some reason there were two nannies at the same time in his house, so... XD
This happened before I installed the aforementioned mod, so we may be on to something here. The vampire couple is friendly to everyone, but before they had their baby there were no invasions indeed, despite being friends with all the neighbors.

Quote: Originally posted by Sunrader
I was wondering if you could add a foyer like thing to test whether it's the door. Like add a second door between the apt door and the apt and lock it to see if they can still come in.

Since it's an apartment lot I'd have to make use of cheats to be able of editing it in build mode, but it's worth a try! I'm afraid I can't add another door because of the way the apartment's been built (there are stairs without much space to place walls and another door, it's the Sentinel Apartments lot in Belladonna Cove), but this made me consider trying to delete the door they have currently and replace it with another one. Who knows?

Quote: Originally posted by simsample
Try using the batbox to nuke the scenario controller.

Thanks for the suggestion! I've read all the features the batbox has and while it sounds a little dangerous (since simple stuff can potentially break TS quite easily as I've discovered from this thread), if all else fails, I'll resort to it. I've lost my temper and killed one of the neighbors so he'd leave me alone and this makes me feel quite bad... xD

Again, thank you very much for taking your time to reply to my thread! :lovestruc I'll test some things over here and let you know if any of them works; might help someone in the future with the same problem.
Alchemist
#15 Old 21st Mar 2019 at 7:19 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Annamally

Thanks for the suggestion! I've read all the features the batbox has and while it sounds a little dangerous (since simple stuff can potentially break TS quite easily as I've discovered from this thread), if all else fails, I'll resort to it. I've lost my temper and killed one of the neighbors so he'd leave me alone and this makes me feel quite bad... xD

Again, thank you very much for taking your time to reply to my thread! :lovestruc I'll test some things over here and let you know if any of them works; might help someone in the future with the same problem.


I second this as the best suggestion. They are likely stuck in the scenario or all coming to see the new baby. If you're worried about the batbox, you don't need to keep it. Just use it and get rid of it. But it's very useful for many things. It mostly just sounds scary.
Mad Poster
#16 Old 22nd Mar 2019 at 12:59 AM
Although it is possible to break the game with the batbox, most of that verbiage is just Pescado's peculiar sense of humor. You can fix so much with it, I consider it an essential mod.

Just don't go asking "what does this button do?" and pushing it to find out. Think of it as a power drill - perfectly safe, if you know what you're doing, but not a toy to casually play around with.

Ugly is in the heart of the beholder.
(My simblr isSim Media Res . Widespot,Widespot RFD: The Subhood, and Land Grant University are all available here. In case you care.)
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#17 Old 22nd Mar 2019 at 2:14 AM
If boolprop is off I don't think pushing any button on the batbox will hurt that much.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#18 Old 22nd Mar 2019 at 2:16 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Annamally
I have checked and there's none of his mods here


If you have none of his mods you need to get yourself pronto to MATY and grab no unlink on delete and no corrupt death. And yes, bat Box as well.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Mad Poster
#19 Old 22nd Mar 2019 at 3:54 AM
Test Subject
Original Poster
#20 Old 22nd Mar 2019 at 4:14 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Sunrader
I second this as the best suggestion. They are likely stuck in the scenario or all coming to see the new baby. If you're worried about the batbox, you don't need to keep it. Just use it and get rid of it. But it's very useful for many things. It mostly just sounds scary.

Sounds like a plan to me! I can keep the mod installed even though I'm not using it, right? I'd feel safer that way, getting to the batbox only when I need it and then making it poof away.

Quote: Originally posted by Peni Griffin
Just don't go asking "what does this button do?" and pushing it to find out. Think of it as a power drill - perfectly safe, if you know what you're doing, but not a toy to casually play around with.

Ah, I'm aware of that haha Had my fair share of "what does this button do" when I was a teenager and first found out about boolprop. But since I don't always know what goes into the "I know what I'm doing" category when it comes to TS, I was afraid at first. Will definitely try it out since you guys are pretty sure all suggesting the same :P

Quote: Originally posted by joandsarah77
If boolprop is off I don't think pushing any button on the batbox will hurt that much.

Will keep this in mind, since it's mostly always on! I use it to freely change the motives bars by sliding the mouse on them so should do no harm, but you can never be too safe, right.

Quote: Originally posted by Charity
http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/s.../topic,8.0.html

Thank you! I'll check it out pronto and hopefully get something that fixes this mess.

A little update: I don't know if removing that one mod I mentioned made something work out or not, but it seems the door's lock is working halfway now. Two of the neighbors now knock on the door before barging in (they enter my apartment right after knocking, despite me not interacting with them at all), although the butler keeps staying outside unless I interact with him somehow (I usually go out real quick and tip him, that does the trick).
The other two neighbors that are left in the lot don't even show up in my front door to knock or try to get into the apartment, though. The one that I killed had a little girl that's been taken by the Social Assistant, and the two of them were among the Sims that were invading my house. Needless to say, haven't seen them after that.

The ones that still enter uninvited after knocking were present in the baby being born so I'm almost positive this is a bug revolving around this one situation.
Mad Poster
#21 Old 22nd Mar 2019 at 10:56 AM
Yeah, you don't need to have the batbox placed on a lot. You can just put one down when needed and then sell it back.

This might also help nuke stuck controllers. http://www.leefish.nl/mybb/thread-1665.html
Top Secret Researcher
#22 Old 22nd Mar 2019 at 7:44 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Charity
Yeah, you don't need to have the batbox placed on a lot. You can just put one down when needed and then sell it back.

This might also help nuke stuck controllers. http://www.leefish.nl/mybb/thread-1665.html


I wanted to note that there is a bug involving Graduation Parties {and maybe other situations} where the controls become invisible {and disabled}, so the Bat Box has a Fix: Re-Enable Controls, you can not apply the Fix if the Bat Box is not already there though!

for info on changing the Mac Open File Limit check out my post here http://www.insimenator.org/index.ph...html#msg1628939
Curiosity killed the cat,
but satisfaction brought it back.
Test Subject
Original Poster
#23 Old 23rd Mar 2019 at 4:26 AM
Thanks Charity and lordtyger9 for the suggestions! The batbox seems to be working perfectly, and ironically, I think I won't need to use it for now. Due to some shenanigans, I moved out one of the neighbor families that were on the apartment lot (the ones that wouldn't invade my house), and for some reason this seems to have fixed the problem. I have no idea why, but after I moved them out, the remaining troublesome neighbors won't invade anymore without me interacting with them first, and the butler's been fixed too! He entered the apartment upon arriving instead of waiting outside for an interaction from my Sims.

I'm totally keeping the batbox, though; the vampire lady wants 3 kids to graduate in university, so they'll likely have more children. Can't afford the neighbors breaking again. lol

Thank you so much for everyone that helped me! It got me some useful mods and advice, and the realization TS can't deal with a baby being born without breaking. XD
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