Graphics Bug

[Kiloku]

Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E4500. 2.20GHz (MHz/GHz)
1 GB RAM
Windows XP Professional, SP3
DirectX 9.0c
NVidia GeForce 7200GS
Driver:NVIDIA 6.14.11.6921
Video Memory: 256 MB
Game Detail Sims 2 CD + University

What happens with me is: Sometimes, transparent stuff within the game will just become opaque. For example, a shadow on the floor might become a black blot. Or rays of light emitted by a lamp might become white/yellowish blots, or even glass on windows might become opaque blue stuff.

I attached screenshots:http://img373.imageshack.us/img373/4246/bugap7.jpg

[swmeek]

First off is this a laptop?
If not you might check and see if your video card is overheating.
Sometimes little graphical things like this MIGHT be the result of your computer or mainly your video card running hotter than it should.
Do a search for Gpu-z and run it while you have the game running.
Play the game for a bit and then pop over into gpu-z and see what kind of temps it's running at.
If it is start with the basic things like dirty fans and/or plugged vents or filters.
The only reason I say this is because it is summer and overheating is usually more common this time of year.
Another thing to try is a new driver and see if it helps.
Make you sure you fully uninstall the old driver before you install the new one.
In case you don't know right mouse click your desktop and click properties.
Now look at the picture I've attached that shows you what to click in order to uninstall your old driver.
If you're playing on a laptop make sure the vents are free and clear or use a laptop cooler or have a small fan pointed at the vents in the laptop.

[Kiloku]

Thanks for answering. Well, that's a PC. By the way, it's winter where I live, I'm brazilian.
I played with GNU-Z running on the background, and checked often. The temp reached 72 °C, which converts to 161.6 °F. The normal temp (running windows with no more apllications being used) Was 62 °C, which converts to 143.6 °F.

Now, you suggested updating the drivers, but I prefer to try alternate solutions before that.

[swmeek]

Those aren't bad temps at all.

[Kiloku]

Well, any other suggestion?

[swmeek]

Well the 7200 is what's called a turbocache card. It leeches off of the memory on the board which could cause your system to slow down especially if you're not turning off any background processes like your anti-virus,spyware detector,firewall and anything else you're running while the game is playing.
You might try turning off your in-games shadows too.
In all honesty the 7200 and others like it (anything other than the 7600,7800 and 7900 series cards ) are simply not designed for gaming like this.
They're weaker versions of the 7800 series chip that have been slowed down to reduce the cost of them and that's why so many computer companies use them.
Try turning off the background processes like I mentioned (if you don't already) and see if it helps.
Then start by by turning off the shadows too and see if it helps.
There's also a cheat you can try boolProp useShaders true by opening the cheat box and typing it in there.
If you don't know how press all three of these keys at the same time.
ctrl+shift+c
put that in and then press enter when you're done.
What it does is forces the card to use shaders that it normally wouldn't.
Shaders are used for displaying shadows and such in the game.