Beth, may I suggest something since yours are the only computers this appears to be happening on. I know you said you have a scan running daily, but just so we can rule out an infection (if a virus attacks the scanner itself that can be problematic), could you go to http://www.trendmicro.com/housecall

That's an excellent "off-computer" scanner. If that doesn't find anything then at least we can be reasonably sure that's not the problem.

It does seem likely that your computer is affected by some kind of malware. I know you said you scan daily for viruses, but what about other nasties? I'd suggest running both Ad-Aware and Spybot-S&D to check for malicious software.

I agree. The log shows large 'gaps' in the recorded times, with a complete change of villagers. The game just doesn't do that on its own. Beth, what did Arthur determine when he was working with you a month ago when all this started?

He said it was from the anti piracy software included in the game, and gave me a link for a new download from another source. Nobody was home, the game was still running when I came home, I have ad aware and run it daily as well, this has happened on two different computers, this one just came back from the manufacturer for a "tune up". I have never 6 had a virus on either of my computers. Trend micro also finds nothing. I dont know why there were gaps but it started a new game during that time becvause when I looked at the stats when I got home from work around 6, it said I had been playing for 5 hours, and obviously I hadnt, it was again renamed to some bizarre mix of characters just like before, it was completely started over. Nobody was here, the computer was still running, it was still sitting on my dresser where I left it, the game was still open, in fact a question was open that needed to be decided. Nothing had changed except it was a new tribe and mine was gone, just like before.

Just a question, did you download the game b4 you sent it out for the tune up? or after, they might have done somthing to the game without realising it, and i know that doesnt explain why its doing it on the other computer as well, but just a thought.

Its frustrating to sit here and read your posts, and being somewhat of a computer nut, not know what the heck is going on, i cant even imagine what its like for you. no matter how frustrated you get, remember were all here trying to get you through this, just hang in there, itll get worked out. and please please no matter how you feel,, dont throw the computer

I downloaded it after I got it back from the manufacturer. I had been going along fine for a while, I tried the game on the desktop and laptop but wasnt having this problem anymore. When it happened before, it would happen within a day or so, this time I got almost to the end, well I was at the end, just needed collectibles and I left it running because there wasnt anything that could go wrong- tons of food.

wow!! hun im realy sorry. I have been running mine for about 3 days, checking every so offten. The only thing I find is that I will have no food. I have no event. I will check have 700+ food and go bak around an hour later and all my food is gone. I just dont worry over it becasue I now i can start over. Ive followed the guide to a T and still run out of food before I get my alge gone and loose 5 people. I just say oj well
I realy hope you get this resolved.

BethR, I'm just following up a suspicion here, but would it be possible for you to start a new game on the desktop computer, and DISCONNECT from the internet whenever you leave home for the next few days?

OK, I started a new game on the desktop, its disconnected from the internet connection, I havent been using it anyway, I have several other computers here in my house. I really dont even feel like trying this again, its getting old, every time I make progress I lose the game. I never had any problems in VV, I had games that went on for months, never a single problem. They were self sustaining and would always have food and tech points, so they went on forever. Anyway, IM giving it one more try, its too bad, I was really excited about this, I had a lot of fun with the first one and ever had any issues.

If you have a back-up copy of your village, you could at least pick back up where you were before you left it. It'd be less frustrating than having to start from scratch all the time.

Marcey