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#1 Old 9th Dec 2025 at 5:41 AM Last edited by SquareEyedJak : 10th Dec 2025 at 11:15 AM.
Default [SOLVED] Distant Terrain NOT APPEARING in exported world - SIMS 3 CAW
Hi all, I've been working on a new world for myself all year. Tried using distant terrains to create more of a mountainous valley, layering different terrains (all EA) to create something detailed. But I can't find ANYTHING here or on Mod the sims regarding my current issue.

Now that I've exported the world, one of those distant terrains is no longer visable! Specifically 'distant terrain south (placeholder)' from Twinbrook.
Using CAW's edit in game, the terrain object is visible but not when the world is exported into the actual game which is super frustrating.

I am using CC in the world which is all working fine otherwise and even when launching without CC, this terrain problem persists. All of the others I've used are loading EXCEPT this one!!! I've been using CAW over a decade and never encountered this before. If anyone has any suggestions on how to fix, I'd love to hear them because I can't find anyone else with the problem. Cheers!

Additional: Sims3 subreddit helped me rule out:
-any supposed limit on how many DT items can be used in a single world. Exporting with ONLY the affected DT is still invisible
-graphical settings: I have draw distance and textures set to high
-I've also loaded default Twinbrook to see if it works correctly, which it does
-May have ruled out object position settings, I thought the location of -4 below the map might've been an issue. however the other terrain objects are have more extreme placement coordinates and work fine. World is Largest size, Height 300

My only other solution would be to simply not use it, but that would require a drastic overhaul of my boundary terrain when it's already FINISHED!!!

Appreciate any guidence on this, thanks!
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retired moderator
#2 Old 9th Dec 2025 at 1:29 PM
Sorry for deleted post, I copletely went off at a tangent!

What is different about that specific Distant Terrain in the way it is placed? For example, is it placed further off the edge of the map that the other distant terrain you are using? I'm wondering if it's hitting some sort of distance limit for object rendering that is causing the game to cull it as 'out of bounds'.
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Original Poster
#3 Old 9th Dec 2025 at 1:52 PM
Quote: Originally posted by simsample
Sorry for deleted post, I copletely went off at a tangent!

What is different about that specific Distant Terrain in the way it is placed? For example, is it placed further off the edge of the map that the other distant terrain you are using? I'm wondering if it's hitting some sort of distance limit for object rendering that is causing the game to cull it as 'out of bounds'.


How exactly would I check for this? I've attempted taking the camera WAY beyond the boundaries on all sides of the map to see if this might be the case but so far I haven't had any luck. It appears to be within the same general distance as all of the other DTs.
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retired moderator
#4 Old 9th Dec 2025 at 2:20 PM
When you grab it, is the grab point on the furthest side? I'm not sure what else could cause this, unless there's something unusual about your Ambitions install.
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Original Poster
#5 Old 9th Dec 2025 at 11:09 PM
Quote: Originally posted by simsample
When you grab it, is the grab point on the furthest side? I'm not sure what else could cause this, unless there's something unusual about your Ambitions install.


It's actually dead centre of the map. It is placed below the minimum terrain level but so are all of the others.
Debating whether or not I use S3PE make a copy of the object to use and see if that has the same issues. Otherwise I guess I can reinstall Ambitions? But it works fine in Twinbrook which makes me think that shouldn't be nessecary.

How many times in my lifetime do I have to reinstall these damn games!
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retired moderator
#6 Old 9th Dec 2025 at 11:15 PM
As a quick test, try removing the other distant terrains and just leave the Twinbrook one. Does it work then? Are all of your games (basegame and Eps) installed from the same source, i.e, all disc or all steam?
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Original Poster
#7 Old 9th Dec 2025 at 11:50 PM
Quote: Originally posted by simsample
As a quick test, try removing the other distant terrains and just leave the Twinbrook one. Does it work then? Are all of your games (basegame and Eps) installed from the same source, i.e, all disc or all steam?


Did mention that I already tried removing the other DTs and no it didn't fix the issue. And yes all my packs are installed from disc aside from Outdoor Living Stuff which is scratched. Had to pirate that one.
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retired moderator
#8 Old 10th Dec 2025 at 12:27 AM
I'm at a loss then; maybe someone else will have some ideas! I have a world with this distant terrain in it, works okay according to downloaders.
Top Secret Researcher
#9 Old 10th Dec 2025 at 8:01 AM
My guess would be that for some reason you didn't use the original Twinbrook DT but something else. In my CAW this one is just called "distant terrain south" and not "distant terrain south (placeholder)". But maybe I misread that in your post?

Do you use any world CC that could interfere with the object ID? Or the DT from the cawster website? Maybe check if you have another DT available in the catalogue and replace it (you can copy the exact position from the property browser).
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Original Poster
#10 Old 10th Dec 2025 at 9:35 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Norn
My guess would be that for some reason you didn't use the original Twinbrook DT but something else. In my CAW this one is just called "distant terrain south" and not "distant terrain south (placeholder)". But maybe I misread that in your post?

Do you use any world CC that could interfere with the object ID? Or the DT from the cawster website? Maybe check if you have another DT available in the catalogue and replace it (you can copy the exact position from the property browser).


Appreciate your input simsample, lurked this site for over a decade and you've inadvertadly solved so many of my tech problems of the years so thank you!

I'm thinking the same thing. If I can't find anything like a second DT interfereing, I'm going to try cloning it to see if I can MAKE a working one perhaps that's not linked to anything else. I feel that if there was something else conflicting then the problem may also persist in base Twinbrook, surely? No idea. Game never ceases to impress me with how busted it can be.

Will post if I have any success!
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Original Poster
#11 Old 10th Dec 2025 at 10:39 AM
SOLVED!!!

Ok this is so ridiculous and a total accident. I made a fresh save of my CAW file to do testing, suddenly when I loaded it without making ANY changes, the DT was invisible in CAW now as well. Still in the world but not showing. I don't understand how I've been able to see it all year while working on the world but whatever. I tired moving it but could only adjust the Z axis worked UNTIL I got it to become visible again!!!

So the Z axis originally was 1023, changing it one at a time, eventually Z coordiates 1018 made it visible. Exported the world and boom, there it is in game where it should be. Had to make a few slight terrain adjustments to make the new position seamless again. But wow, CAW actually showed me the problem (as silly as it is in the first place).

Appreciate everyone for the input, thanks!
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retired moderator
#12 Old 10th Dec 2025 at 1:31 PM
Well that was weird! Well done for solving it @SquareEyedJak !
Top Secret Researcher
#13 Old 10th Dec 2025 at 11:25 PM
Learning something new about CAW every day. Such a weird thing! Good you got that solved!
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