Patch Day
When The Sims 4 updates, SimSweep detects it automatically and helps you figure out which mods are affected.
When EA releases a Sims 4 update, mods can break. SimSweep detects game updates automatically and helps you figure out which mods are affected before you load a save and corrupt it.
How It Works
SimSweep monitors your game installation for changes. When it detects that game files have been modified (new files, changed files, or removed files), it triggers Patch Day Mode.
Detection
The game fingerprint tracks every file in the game's Python archives. When any file changes, SimSweep catches it. The fingerprint is stable, meaning it won't false-trigger from file touches that don't actually change content.
What You See
When a game update is detected:
- Desktop notification - A Windows notification pops up so you know to check your mods even if SimSweep is in the background.
- Patch Day card on the dashboard showing:
- Which script mods may be affected by the changed game files
- Dependency counts (if Mod B depends on Framework A, and the game update broke Framework A, Mod B gets flagged too)
- Up to 5 affected mods listed with a "+X more" overflow
- A "Mods to Check" button (counts script mods, not all CC)
File-Level Tracking
SimSweep doesn't just check top-level modules. It tracks every individual .pyc file inside the game's Python archives. When the game updates, it identifies exactly which files changed (like interactions/social/super_interaction.pyc) and only flags mods that import from those specific files. Way fewer false positives than checking at the module level.
Dependency Awareness
SimSweep knows which modules each script mod provides and which non-game modules it imports. If the game update breaks Framework X, and your mod depends on Framework X, your mod gets flagged too.
Script Compatibility Check
Requires Decrypt tier
On patch day, SimSweep automatically runs a compatibility check against all your script mods. It ships with an API manifest of the game's Python API and compares each mod's imports against it.
Each script mod gets a verdict:
- Compatible (green) - All imports exist in the current game API
- Possibly Broken (yellow) - Some imports reference changed APIs
- Likely Broken (red) - Critical imports are missing
This tells you which mods are safe to keep and which ones need updates, without you having to load the game and find out the hard way.
Community Mod Status
During patch day, the community mod status system is especially valuable:
- Other users report mods as working or broken after the update
- SimSweep shows these reports on file cards and in the file preview
- You can contribute by marking your own mods from the Working/Broken buttons in the file preview
How reports work
- Auto-detected "working" reports submit automatically (if your mod loads fine after a game update)
- "Broken" reports require manual confirmation to prevent false positives
- A mod needs at least 3 distinct reporters before "broken" status shows to everyone
- Counter-reports: if you mark a mod as "working" that others say is broken, your counter-report helps balance the data
When it activates
Community intel only fetches data when a game update is detected. The rest of the time it doesn't run, saving bandwidth for everyone.
What To Do on Patch Day
- Don't panic. Wait for SimSweep to detect the update.
- Check the Patch Day card. See which mods are flagged.
- Check community reports. Other users may have already tested your mods.
- Test cautiously. Load a backup save first, not your main one.
- Report results. Mark mods as working or broken to help the community.
- Update mods. Check each mod's source for updates. SimSweep's source URLs (from the Browser Extension) make this easier.