First problem, I remember downloading the pet store from The Sims 3 Store, it was a registration reward for the limited edition of Pets if I'm not mistaken. So I put it in my game, and the lot functions normally. But after some time, I realised that the pet register that came with the lot changed into a microwave, so I decided to uninstall and reinstall the pet store. Again, it worked for some time before the pet register changed into a microwave again. This has happened about three times now and I simply don't bother with the pet store for the time being.

Second problem, I have all the EPs and SPs (including the infamous Katy Perry’s Sweet Treats). But for some reason, all the lots from Ambition seems to be bugged. In this case, I can't turn the lights on both the residential and the community lots from this pack. The option to turn the lights on is there, but when you click on it, the lights are still off. I've checked the lots from other packs and I've found no problem with them (aside from a floating stereo outside a house that came with Generations), so this problem seems to affect the lots from Ambition only.

Can you tell us, what kind of installation you have and which patch your game is?

I installed my games through Origin before it became EA app and my game's version is 1.69.

RandyDrx post_id=99430 time=1707333320 user_id=25833 wrote: But for some reason, all the lots from Ambition seems to be bugged. In this case, I can't turn the lights on both the residential and the community lots from this pack.

I remember dealing with this and it has been a known issue. If I remember correctly, going through all of the lots in town, whichever town it was, and replacing all of the lights in Build/Buy eventually fixed it. I thought it was actually Riverview and not Twinbrook where this happened, the latter being the world that came with Ambitions, but it was so long ago that I'm probably confusing the two. I very rarely use EA's pre-made lots other than rabbitholes in an existing world, so wouldn't have noticed so much or as often if I had been placing such lots into different worlds.

Of course, if you never venture inside a residence or even a community lot with the game camera then there really is no issue because the sims think they have light in there. It's the just the player who is left looking at a dark room or venue on the screen.

I found this thread about the lightning issue, and a way to solve it, problem came eventually with pets patch
https://www.carls-sims-4-guide.com/foru ... ic=29732.0

and also here, solution switch the colour in build/buy mode
https://modthesims.info/t/467340

I've had that lighting bug in all manner of EA pre-placed lots, so I'd assume those Ambitions lots in the bin may just have been saved while suffering from the same issue. As linked, changing the colour should snap them back to normal.

As for the pet store, there are a couple of potential culprits.
1. The way lots 'remember' their items is actually a little unpredictable, it is possible for them to drop items even when the data hasn't changed in a notable way. It's possible it is looking for an obscure detail that was present on EA's side and deciding to replace the object as if it were uninstalled when it can't find it.

2. The launcher can be a little unreliable in general, if it has mishandled the installation of the register it could be falling off in a similar manner just from not being where the game is expecting it to be (or from sharing an ID with another item). If it's accidentally bundled into the Library package, for example, I could see it working on initial placement but failing to validate on a subsequent load when the game is looking for it elsewhere.

If it's the first issue- deleting the register item, replacing it, then making a fresh copy of the lot might be enough to sort it out.
If it's the latter, you might have better luck converting the lot to .package and installing it manually. I could take screenshots of what parts go where, if needed.
Thirdly, the pet register itself may just be faulty in some way- pretty much all discussion I've ever seen about it have been bug reports

Make sure you actually have the register, because it doesn't always download with the shop.

I did, but after some time, my pet register and a couple of store contents became corrupted. Apparently, Sims3Pack files can be very buggy, so it appears that the problem is about the file format rather than the pet register itself.

RandyDrx wrote: ↑

February 9th, 2024, 5:27 am

I did, but after some time, my pet register and a couple of store contents became corrupted. Apparently, Sims3Pack files can be very buggy, so it appears that the problem is about the file format rather than the pet register itself.

.
This can happen not because of the installed items themselves but because the ccmerged.package, in DCBackup, gets corrupted. This file is necessary for Store premium content to work, "premium" referring to items that come with their own new interactions. So the basketball hoop or glass-blowing station is premium; a Store chess table is not. That's why you might see only the cash register stop working while the other items that come with the pet shop are still present.

Anyway, Nonamena offers her own ccmerged that you can try if you want:

https://nonasims.wordpress.com/2012/05/ ... ent-items/

It doesn't give you access to anything you don't own; it just makes the items you do own work properly.

puzzlezaddict wrote: ↑

February 9th, 2024, 11:21 am

That's why you might see only the cash register stop working while the other items that come with the pet shop are still present.

While it wouldn't hurt to try for whatever the other items are malfunctioning for OP, there isn't anything in ccmerged that has anything to do with the pet register specifically- all that is special about that item is the script, which was patched into the game itself. CCmerged covers plants, ingredients, buffs, recipes, and skills- nothing more. If the item is outright being replaced like it was uninstalled, I'd confidently say that more about it is failing to validate than that.