Hi, Simmers!

I have a problem I do not know how to fix at all! I don't know how to explain it, either. Pretty much certain Sims will have these glitched out textures, and whenever they are in front of my screen, it glitches out my view! This usually happens when I leave the lot, or come back to my home lot. As I said before, I can't really explain it, so I took some pics of the problem and my Sims 2 settings. Here they are..

This first pic of my Sims 2 water. I don't think it's part of the problem, but you never know. I am also wondering why it looks like this instead of a bit higher resolution? Is it just because this is an older game so it doesn't get any better?

Here are my game options..

Here are my graphic settings..

Here is my issue in action..

And here is a pic of the sim causing the issue this time. Notice how you don't truly see him, and his texture is all over my screen.


I have had this issue right when I got the UC off Origin for free and before I even had CC.

I have also noticed that when I go away from the sim and the glitch doesn't show (only when my screen has no bit of the sim on it) and I save, when I go back the glitch is gone. Hope this helps.

P.S. I don't know why it won't let me post this in the Help forum! Can an administrator move it there for me, please? Thank you!

No, that is not how the water should look. It looks more like your graphics card or chip can't handle the game. The fact that smooth edges is greyed out would indicate that.

You need to post your computer specs.

if you do have a graphic card and a chip, it's possible the game is using the chip. There are methods to force it to use the card. if you only have a chip you will need to try and reduce how heavy the game is being on it by turning down settings.

Alpal do not understand computer talk. :D

Okay, okay. Where do I find out what my graphics card and chip is? I did not find it under Start Menu>(Right-Click)Computer>Properties.

http://simswiki.info/wiki.php?title...:Graphics_Cards

TS2 doesn't always play nice with newer graphics chips although a lot of newer graphics chips are more than powerful enough (even the onboard ones) to handle the game.
Try following this: http://www.leefish.nl/mybb/showthread.php?tid=5446

OP, you will need the Graphics Rules Maker here:

http://www.leefish.nl/mybb/showthread.php?tid=5446 (Ninja'd above!)

Follow these instructions and tell us what you have left.

--
With the water and hay, it means you've got simpleTerrain enabled. I believe this is corrected in the Graphics Rules from Leefish as I installed it myself

http://modthesims.info/t/479610 <-- Thread on fixing simpleTerrain

I AM GOING TO TELL YOU THIS.. (Screenshots from the link wert700 gave me)


Windows 7 Home Premium - 64-bit
Intel Corporation
3347 (the last numbers)

Feel free to go ahead and update the drivers and also try the graphicsrules maker, [b]however,[b] the fact that you have that stretching (which is called artefacts) indicates that it's not just the game turning down your settings because it knows your graphics chip sucks; those artefacts are a sign that your graphics chip is damaged, probably due to wear and tear. Playing UC on it will only make the damage worse. So if you can afford for the computer to die and you have to buy a new one, great, play away! But if you can't, I would think twice about playing UC on it (and I wouldn't touch TS3 or TS4 with a ten-foot bargepole on that computer).

You stil haven't let us know whether or not you have switchable graphics. If you don't know, paste the make and model of your computer (if it's a laptop) and we'll check. And next time you buy a computer, pay more attention to the specifications.

Do you think I'm doing it right?

If you're downloading that from the Intel website and you've followed their instructions, then yep.

My laptop (gifted from my aunt two years ago) is already beat up pretty bad(some keys don't work, I'm stuck with on-screen keyboard and my WiFi doesn't work so I'm stuck with an Ethernet cable) and both of my parents have already said they think I need a new laptop for Christmas. So I can't really choose the specs myself, but my dad is very good with technology so I won't worry too much. He already got himself a laptop that has all the best processors and whatnot.

The water is still the same. :crys: I don't know if the glitch still happens, though.

If I was you I would put all the graphic settings down as far as you can. What you are seeing are it's struggles and if you are not careful it could just die on you.

As previous posters have said, your graphics card just can't handle the game. Don't try to play on high settings or you'll only damage it more. I had the same problem and was convinced for a while that it couldn't possibly be the quality of the graphics card, but yeah, it was. I got a better computer and the problem was resolved.

Laptops usually have integrated graphics cards, which are not really built for gaming. It is likely that they will have trouble with games like Sims 2, and also that they will be damaged if you insist on playing them anyway. If your dad will take requests for your Christmas laptop, see if you can get one with a dedicated graphics card -- that or a desktop.

With the new laptop - make sure to tell your dad that for Sims 2, you don't need a great processor, but you do need a good graphics card. There's no such thing as a flat out "good laptop" or a flat out "bad laptop": they're designed for different purposes, and you have to get one which is designed to be used in the way you want to use it.

Hell yeah. On my gaming laptop, Sims 2 runs like a dream. I haven't had any problems aside from the square shadow glitch which is the result of newer card drivers. Before I bought it, the seller even tested it with system Requirements Lab and it more than just passed.

If I play with everything on lowest possible, do you think my graphics card won't die on me? Because I'm starting to be TS2-deprived.

I need to play it. I need to.

I am 90% sure I have a "chip" (no clue what that is.. :3 I hope I don't sound stupid..). The driver update tool said I did..

How do I tell which (graphics card or chip) I am using?

Looks to me like you need to download your chipset (motherboard driver) and your graphics driver. Not having both can really make your system perform at less than its best.

A chip is a tiny piece of hardware on your motherboard while a graphic card is a lot larger and sits in it's own slot. Kind of like the difference between a mini and a large moving truck. Both can get you from A to B and carry stuff for you, but the moving truck carries a lot more stuff. If you are moving house it will all fit comfortably in the moving truck, but would be piled high on the mini, probably straining it's engine with things falling off along the way. Right now your chip is the mini and it's having issues lugging all the game stuff around.

Truly, all I really want to know is:

If you really, absolutely must play, then play. But keep in mind it will be at your own risk. Maybe nothing will happen, or maybe your laptop will melt in your hands. None of us can say.
It'd probably just be a good idea to invest in something that would run Sims 2 better; a laptop is not ideal. (As you've seen firsthand now)

The download link for the Graphics Rule Maker doesn't work.