Strange graphics in place of terrain? Ho'kay, this is my first time posting here, so I'm sorry if this is in the wrong spot. I've already been to the offical Sims 2 website forums with this problem and it seemed no one could help. I'm having an issue with the gameplay of my game becoming randomly slow for the past month or two. And I mean painfully slow, not just impatient it-took-10-minutes-to-load slow. I took the advice from the people from the Sims 2 website, and the actual loading of the game was a bit faster, so I was relieved. But to my dismay, I saw that things haden't changed once I clicked to enter Veronaville. The loading of the neighborhood took AGES, and I saw that there is this weird picture in place of the terrain. (this already happened to me before I tried all the little things to make the game faster too) It looks like this in the neighborhood view: http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m10/recycle_your_elderly/DSCN0600.jpg Close up: http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m10/recycle_your_elderly/DSCN0602.jpg And it also is in the lot itself : http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m10/recycle_your_elderly/DSCN0603.jpg This random redness didn't appear the first time I saw the change. (Ignore the orangeish splotch, it's a reflection http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m10/recycle_your_elderly/DSCN0604.jpg I haven't tried other neighborhoods, but I mostly use Veronaville, so this is a bit of a concern. My gameplay was still horribly slow after that, so I was just wondering if these two things are related? If not, then what is it? I figured I should just uninstall Seasons then reinstall it, but I would prefer that as a last result if possible. C: P.S. I updated my video card and all that jazz before I saw this, so that's out of the issue.
Your minium system requirement? I know that you updated your video card but still. It'll be nice if you add more about your PC system information? does it meet the mini-um system requirement of the game? You can check it on the game case.
Sorry, been busy. Just looked at those pics and the issue is definitely a graphics card/adapter issue. Please post your system information (from a dxdiag report see this helpful link for how to get ... and post ... the needful information
Oh yeah, duh, I'm sorry. -Processor: AMD Duron processor, MMX, 3DNow, ~1.6Hz -System Memory: 256MB RAM -Windows Version: XP -Free Hard Disk Space: 15.2 GB -Total Hard Disk Space: 38.2 BB -DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c -Display Adapter: NVIDIA GeForce FX 5700 -Display Driver Name and Version Number & date: nv4_disp.dll, version 6.14.0010.5673, date 8/4/2004 -Approximate Total Video Memory: 128.0 MB -Game Detail: Sims 2, University, Nightlife, Family Fun Stuff, Open For Business, Pets, and Seasons Uhm, I'd assume I have everything that's needed. I've been playing the game on this computer for a few years (or however long its been out) and it hasn't given me any problems at all until now. Seasons installed and worked fine and all, so it's a bit strange. I'm not a huge hardware person though, so I dunno. I went on a custom download binge a week or two ago, but the slowness has been there since before the downloads. I removed the downloads folder from the game folder itself and those graphics were still there, so I guess the downloads are in the clear, eh? I'm not sure if that's of any help at all or not, lol but why not mention it.
Sorry again for the delay ... Ooh, you are really pushing it with only 256 MB of RAM. Please go an buy some more ... at least 512MB. Next go to NVIDIA (click here) an get an updated driver for that FX 5700 ... 2004 is when dinosaus ruled the Earth. That said ... Seasons adds significantly to the load on the computer's graphics card and this might have exposed a general failing in your system. First thing is to reboot the puter, if you haven't already done so. Are the Direct Draw tests all OK on the dxdiag Display tab? Could you check to see if the graphics card's cooling fan is working? (Me clutching at straws ) Please do not open the computer case while the power is plugged in. Do NOT operate with the case open unless you have a responsible adult with you. Electric shocks are fatal. I have searched around a bit and something is eluding me. I have seen this before but can't for the life of me, find it .... :(
It's better to leave the power cord plugged into the wall but with the wall switch turned off so you can ground yourself on the case (assuming there is a ground wire lol) because static can kill your computer chips and with everything being connected it can be even worse.
Yeah, I probably should get more memory, huh? And thanks, I'll definately update the driver, it is pretty old. The Direct Draw tests are in the ok too. Now that you mention it, I haven't really cleaned out any of the fans in my computer in a while. My 4 month old kitten plays around by my computer so maybe he has something to do with it. A loose wire or whatnot. I dunno, lol. It just seems weird to me that this would happen all of a sudden. I mean it's not like I just installed Seasons, but it definately seems like a Seasons problem. Thank you so much for the input and help, I'll try and see how much I can get done at once. Ha, don't worry, I got the grounding-with-computer lecture from my dad plenty of times.
Still a problem with graphics Alright, so I posted this a week or two ago and followed the advice I was given. By the end though, my gameplay was faster, but my graphics were still like that. So yesterday I decided to just go ahead and uninstall then reinstall Seasons, figuring that would make it work for sure. But the thing is, it didn't. The graphics are still there. :/ All my files were empty since the reinstallation, so I figured it couldn't of been custom content or something else like that. So now I'm kind of stuck. Do I just live with it and play with those graphics? Or are there any other options I could take? P.S. Sorry if I wasn't supposed to make another thread or something, I didn't think anyone would go to my old one if I posted again there.
Yes it is best not start new threads. The motto is keep stuff together. I merged the two for you. I still can't pin down that elusive graphics corruption though. I'm was sure it had been raised here, before ... but I haven't been able to find it. Anyone else remember, or got any clues?
Thought so, sorry. And I just had a random thought, could it in any way be a problem with my CD? I dunno, lol, I'm desprate now.
Not a CD problem I can conceive of. Lets have another go .... Answer these questions: Did you increase your RAM? (how much?) Go to:- My Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2\Logs Find the file called: [COMPUTERNAME]-config-log (where [COMPUTERNAME] will be the name of your own pc. Upload that file as an attachment to here. You probably need a new graphics card, though :(
Yes, I now have 768MB (I'm like a kid on Christmas morning with the fastness, it's pretty sad) Maybe I'll try leaving Seasons uninstalled and checking out how Pets shows up. I'm hoping not to have to resort to another card.
Based on the config-log file you supplied, now removed for your privacy: Right let's see if we can tweak that for ya. Your widescreen display is eating up your video memory: Here's the mathYour Screen mode: 1280x1024x32BPP eats up 5 megabytes of 128MB video memory for every screenful Right click on the Desktop and choose Properties >> Settings and see if you can drag the slider in the screen resolution section down a notch to say 1000 by 800 ... it will make your desktop look a bit suckier ... but it might fix the game problem. Alternative plan - try running the game in "windowed" mode then you can make sure the window is a little shorter and narrower than the full screen ... this will have the same effect ... but the extra advice in my how to run in windowed mode link. If that works for you let us know, eh?
Nope. :/ I tried it on 1024 by 768 and 960 by 600, the graphics are still there. I just noticed the other day though that one of the pre-made lots (I think it was the Cap's) in Veronaville is all green and somewhat normal. Dunno if that means anything or not, lol.
Uh! That's a possible track to explore. Drag the folder My Documents/EA Games/The Sims 2/ to your desktop and start up the game again. It'll take a little while longer than usual cos it'll have to make a brand new set of folders (and the original 3 'hoods) ... if all are OK then your original game files are basically compost and should go in the recycle bin. We have all experienced the total loss of playability of much loved sims. Sadly there is no accredited counselling service for players suffering from SADS (Simmies Are Dead Syndrome) but I usually find that a bracing 30 minutes in the company of the lolcats perks me up. Two good sources of lolcats are http://icanhascheezburger.com/ and http://lolcats.com/
It's still there. :/ I checked Pleasantview also (I think that's the new neighborhood, right?) and it actually seemed semi normal, but it was still there in the lots. Just to make sure, did you want me to run the game through Seasons, or any of the other EP's after I moved the folder to the desktop? -Some info that I didn't mention before that may or may not be useful; the leaves still show up on the ground around trees in fall, but that's about it. I never see them fall, and the rest of the ground is clear. The only thing I've seen so far is rain. Those websites are awesome by the way.
Well that'll be a consolation. I'm all out of ideas for making things better. So there's little more I can suggest other than to see if a total reinstall of the game doesn't help (and I somehow can't see it helping, but right now that's all I can think of). Failing that it looks as if a new graphics card is the best bet and even that comes with no guarantee unless you can try some other grpahics heavy games for workability. If you don't have any other modern heavy-on-the-graphics games try downloading the demo versions of games like Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 or Doom 3 (age 18+), if you can run either of those without grpahical glitches then it probably isn't your graphics card ...
Alright then, thank you very much for the help, lol I learned some new things. I'll check out the cost on a new card.
I'm not sure if I'm not supposed to post again, but I thought a solution might be helpful if someone else has the same problem and comes across this. We overlooked the obvious; the actual terrain folder for the game was missing the file. It's in here: C:\Program Files\EA GAMES\The Sims 2\TSData\Res\Terrain A complete reinstallation would fix it. (I'm about 99.9% sure, I haven't actually done it, I am in a desprate search for my Nightlife case at the moment )
Yep, I've had the same problem before, it IS due to a corrupted or a missing file. When I had that problem, I followed the steps on Sims 2 Wiki and replaced the corrupted one with a fresh copy, and it worked beautifully. So yup, the reinstallation will definitely work, since it copies all the files onto your hard drive fresh from the cd itself. Good for you
