How do I do this?

[Growlanser]

I have a custom Goth family saved using MCCC, but when I start a new game, the vanilla Goth family is already present. I want to replace the vanilla family with my custom version and also replace their original lot with my custom-designed one. How do I begin to accomplish this?

[userafw]

First, make sure your version of the Goth family is in your library and/or the gallery (cloud storage). If this household contains any mods or CAS, make sure you have the latest version updated in your Mods folder in your game.
The households and lots themselves are stored in the Tray folder in a path that looks like this for PC: Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims 4/Tray

The lot with the house and landscaping should also be saved in your library and/or the gallery. Once you have the household and the lot ready, replace the current lot with your custom lot. This works just like placing one of the pack venues, like the Dining out restaurant, or the Spa, or like placing anything in Newcrest.

After that, turn freerealestate on (use CTRL shift C for cheats menu). Then you can move your household anywhere regardless of starting funds. (I usually use this when placing Get Famous celebrities with high level jobs).

You will need to do this each time you want to replace the vanilla version of a household and lot with your custom version in a brand new save.

[userafw]

Also, if all of your neighborhoods have custom characters and custom lots, you might consider loading a bulldozed save: it has ALL empty lots and unfurnished apartments. Save it as a separate file, then build away. Note: your library has default versions of Willow Creek and Oasis Springs neighborhoods if you want any of those lots back, but it has almost nothing for the other worlds. Newcrest comes as an empty world (great for placing the restaurant or the spa or both). Magnolia Springs is also a good place to put a restaurant or gym or spa, or build a residential rental B&B. Most other worlds also have at least one blank slot for a residence or community lot. (San Myshuno does not).

[Daedrius]

Yeah, as userafw said, you don't need MCCC to save a family. Just save them in the gallery.

When I build a new game I'll start a new game. Delete all the families from the game. Then download and place families where ever. I'll then save that game from the beginning as something like "CUSTOM_SAVE#" when I start a new game with it, make another save "GAME#" or whatever...

Now MCCC will populate the world from your library if you set it up that way, which is probably what you were thinking, but it will grab 1 sim out of a household and place it in the world. It will even mix up several sims to create a family.

[Daedrius]

Also, if you have a lot of sims saved in your library you can set MCCC to use 100% of the sims to populate your world. I have thousands saved so, I always get a nice mix.

If you don't know how:

Click a computer - Select MC Command Center
MC Population
Population Settings
Import Tray Settings

Now, these are my settings but I'd suggest playing around with it:

Import Tray Percent - 100

Import Tray Type - Only Other Sims (Prevents seeing clones)

Include Clothing - Leave Disabled. If you don't and the sims you downloaded have CC clothing you missed they could end up without any. This way they'll at least be clothed. Albeit, badly, hehe...

Import Name : Never (sometimes the downloads they have weird names, symbols, or nothing at all) The game will generate a random name for them.

Import Bypass Appearance - Leave Disabled. This way the sims will be altered a little bit, they may get new hair, aged up or down, etc... makes mixing the sims in the world better.

and that's it! Have Fun! 😀

[Lunaツ]

What you could do is create a save with the new Goth family in the world. Then save this as "Master File" or something you will remember. Now, the next time you want to start a new save, you will load up "Master File" and when you make your family, or build or whatever you want to do in the new save, save it. BUT, save it as a brand new save, with a new name. Don't overwrite "Master File".

This way you can have your new vanilla save to start from and you won't have to keep putting the new Goth family in the game because you will be starting from a save with them in it, and just re-saving the playthrough as something else.

[Xenon The Noble]

Denton47's household tool.

Make the household how you want.
Save the game.
Open the household tool.
Save the household as a package.
Put package in mods folder.
every time you start a new game, it has the revised house holds.
Viola!
More info here...
https://modthesims.info/d/669907/ts4-premade-household-tool.html

You can save the lot too. You need to read up about that.

[Growlanser]

I managed to do it however my characters still have all the skills and traits from the previous save so is not starting completely from scratch.

[Xenon The Noble]

Originally posted by Growlanser:

I managed to do it however my characters still have all the skills and traits from the previous save so is not starting completely from scratch.

You need to start from a new save..
Start a new game, change the NPCs while paused, and save the game.
That way they won't have skills and jobs or stuff unless they're like the Landgraabs where they're designed that way.