Recognising Newer Graphics Cards for Sims2

Sadly yes because my other laptop took a dive off of my bed and the screen went kaput.

Windows 8 has a lot of problems with Sims 2. I'm looking through your config logs, and there's quite a few differences with how the game sees your graphics.

You've got Windows 8, AND you've got Intel HD graphics. This is not a good combination for the Sims 2 game.

That you're actually getting anything out of the sims2 is quite lucky.

If you google "windows 8 sims 2 compatibility", you'll find a lot of threads with ideas on how to get it working.

There's a thread over at MTS that says you need to install each game with compatibility mode set to XP Service Pack 2 - How to make the Sims 2 work with Windows 8
But it particularly mentions the Intel HD Graphics card as one that doesn't work well with Sims 2.

Sims 3 and Sims 2 work in different ways, so that one works and one doesn't unfortunately isn't all down to the graphics card.

OK. This is all rather depressing - this is what I would do if I was you.

1. Read the MTS thread, and try the method that is there. However, what I would do is with your problem - is after each install, go in a do a test to check for your graphics problem.
2. If your graphics problem goes away with the compatibility mode install, then we have success
3. If the graphics problem comes back after an installation of an expansion pack in compatibility mode, make a note of it, uninstall that expansion pack.

Why I would do this - because each expansion pack added change in game-play and I'm thinking that the load on the graphics card may be an issue.

Dang, wasn't expecting that. I guess I'm stuck with these graphic problems then because my laptop doesn't have a disc drive, so I can't reinstall them since I returned the external one I used to originally install them.

UPDATE: So I changed some stuff around in the graphicsrules, and so far I'm not having any of those graphical issues. I'm testing further to see if any different complications come up now from changing them, but so far so good!

Let me know what you changed and how the graphics issues continue. That way, we can extend the knowledge base here for the next time we have this issue.

I updated the constants at all levels to match those of the high ones. Since my graphics card wasn't listed, it was using the "unknown card" settings, which are the lowest. I just changed those to match the high ones so it would use those instead. I attached a picture of the part I changed. I've played for about an hour now without any issues.

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Awesome news!!

So I found my first issue now. It's when I visit a neighbors apartment, the sims and furniture stay black, but the room lights up like it's supposed to. I don't think it's a graphics issue though because I have all the shadows off.

I figured out the error is with the constant seti low, medium, high section. To get rid of the original graphic error, the medium option has to be set to 3, but to show the apartments normally, the medium option needs to be set to 2. So I need to figure out what in the file that seti medium 2 or 3 number is changing so I can fix it.

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Hi Kiri! I can't go to the link you posted I don't know way. The page opens but it says there's an error. "Not Found 404" or something like that

I have realized that Texture Memory is set to 64MB and it's really weird... I have installed some expansions (I will re install again before doing what you said) and it's still in 64MB.

I went to DxDiag and my surpraise is that there it says I have 67MB, but my Screen Properties says that I have 4195MB of Graphics Memory Available and 738MB of Dedicated Video Memory...

It would be great if you could fix the web error!

Thanks!

Hi Alex... Big Apology - I can't spell!. I corrected the link, but I'll put it here as well:

Download Card

Hi, guys. I'm really glad there are still people out there playing (and troubleshooting) this game on newer hardware, because Sims 2 STILL has not exceeded its playability for me. I'm having a similar problem to INateYou's video on the prior page (flickering whenever you move the camera). I'm on Windows 7 installed via bootcamp on a MacBook Air with Intel HD 5000 graphics. Disclaimers: I am NOT expecting much prettiness or performance from this setup, I have a real gaming PC. However, I've been able to play around in TS2 in a very similar config on older Macs before, with Intel HD 4000 instead. I've turned everything to low, updated the Intel driver, turned off Aero, tried different resolutions, tried windowed mode, etc. So it's something about the way the game is talking to this chipset, I guess. Would there be any use in my uploading my various text files?

UPDATE: I made the same config changes as Nate's change above (the one that may cause Apartment issues--although I don't use Apartment lots much). This did resolve the irritating flicker. Next challenge: enabling smooth edges or otherwise turning on anti-aliasing. I see that there's another long thread for it, so I'll be reading it and trying to figure out the 'right' way to enable smooth edges in the Intel HD 5k. (I know I had it working back in my HD4000 days and it was probably via this forum several years ago...)