Re: My Sims 3 shadows are very pixelated

@puzzlezaddict thank you so much for the quick reply! 

This is my config:

=== Application info ===
Name: Sims3
Version:
Build: Release
=== Rating info ===
GPU: 5 GPU Memory: 1 CPU: 4 RAM: 4 CPU Speed: 3593 Threading: 3
Adjusted CPU: 4391 RAM: 7094 Adjusted RAM: 6582 Cores: 8
=== Machine info ===
OS version: Windows 8 6.2.9200
OS prod type: 0
OS major ver: 6
OS minor ver: 2
OS SP major ver: 0
OS SP minor ver: 0
OS is 64Bit: 1
CPU: AuthenticAMD
Brand: AMD Ryzen 5 2400G with Radeon Vega Graphics
Family: 15
Model: 1
Cores: 8
HT: 0
x64: 0
Memory: 7094MB
Free memory: 4695MB
User: Korisnik
Computer: DESKTOP-AR1FCN2
=== Graphics device info ===
Number: 0
Name (driver): AMD Radeon(TM) RX Vega 11 Graphics
Name (database): AMD Radeon(TM) RX Vega 11 Graphics [Found: 0, Matched: 0]
Vendor: ATI
Chipset: Vendor: 1002, Device: 15dd, Board: 15dd1002, Chipset: 00c6
Driver: aticfx32.dll, Version: 23.20.817.0, GUID: D7B71EE2-569D-11CF-B273-EC367DC2DA35
Driver version: 0
Monitor: \\.\DISPLAY1
Texture memory: 32MB <<OVERRIDE>>
Vertex program: 3.0
Pixel program: 3.0
Hardware TnL: 1

I will check my game and see what frame rate is. Thanks!

@puzzlezaddict hello again! I just checked my frame rate (it was on default in settings so i put on 60) and well numbers varied, it went to 20 to 140, depending if i were on town view or in Sims' house...

@TheSimsDreamix  Alright, you're definitely getting the 32 MB texture memory override, which is easy to fix.  You'll need to go into Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\The Sims 3\Game\Bin (the path will look slightly different if you have a disc or Steam install) and find the file called graphicsrules.sgr.  Copy this file somewhere safe, just in case.  Then open it and find this entry, 8-10 lines down:

if ($textureMemory == 0)
  seti textureMemory       32
  setb textureMemorySizeOK false

Change it to:

if ($textureMemory == 0)
  seti textureMemory       1024
  # setb textureMemorySizeOK false

(The value should match your card's VRAM, but since TS3 can only use 800 MB, any number above that is fine.)

You might also benefit from forcing recognition of your graphics card, but that's not something I'm comfortable helping people do yet.  If you're interested, though, I can ask someone with more technical expertise to walk you through it when he has time.

For the frame rate issue, you definitely should install RTSS and cap fps at 60.  Please see the description and illustration in the link below, although it's for the previous version of RTSS.  Keep in mind that if you have an Origin/1.69 install, you'll need to use TS3.exe to set up the profile, but for a disc or Steam install, you'll want TS3w.exe (with the "w").

https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/16227429#Comment_16227429

Edit to clarify:  The fps limiter in TS3's game options is completely useless.  That's why an outside tool is needed.

Thank you! I changed it.
And yes, I'm interested in forcing recognition of my graphics, because the fisrt time I started the game it said "unable to recognize your graphic card".
And is this RTSS you are talking about?
[Edit: removed download link] -puzzlezaddict

Thanks again 🙂

@TheSimsDreamix  Yes, that's exactly the one you want.  I did remove the link, though, because it's a direct download link to a third-party site.  (You're fine, but others who come across this thread might not want the download to start automatically.)

As for the card recognition... @igazor?  A little help over here, please, when you have time?

Umh, so, I downloaded the program and when I tried to open it this message appears... what to do? 😕

Are you certain that you selected the most recent, fully released 7.1.0 version? And, this might not be it, but have you since restarted your computer?

Okay, so I did the instructions for RTSS but the numbers don't appear on my upper corner on screen. Do they only appear when I'm playing the game, or did I do something wrong? Thanks again. 🙂

It worked! 🙂 Thank you very much!

Anyways I have few questions more:

1. Do I really have to have Show-on screen display turned ON?

2. Do the framerates improve the gameplay or slow it down? I don't really understand how it works 😃. I haven't noticed any big changes but I'm still wondering..

I sent you the pic of shadows in PM 🙂

Commented on the shadows by PM. I do see what you mean now (didn't at first because I was focusing my eyes on the big tree and not the grass or the smaller ones and the shrubbery) but still as I explained there is really only so much that can be expected out of an integrated video chip no matter how good it is. And even on stronger, dedicated cards carrying their own weight, the game can only use up to 800 MB of video memory, so some of this (not on every scene) can be expected for most of us. Also the way and angles at which light affects objects, even "natural" sunlight, were never entirely predicable. You can experiment with different settings on Game Options and your card itself, but likely there will only be so much improvement that can be made.

You don't have to keep the numeric fps display on. If things are staying locked in at or below 60, then all is good and you can always switch it on/off mid-game if you want to check as long as you remember to not close out (X) RTSS entirely. I keep mine on but pretty small and in an unobtrusive corner of the screen so I can feel safe knowing that RTSS is doing what it is supposed to do.

The point of this exercise was that graphics cards, usually the stronger dedicated ones but yours would be capable of doing this as well, can produce frames per second (fps) at a far higher rate than your monitor/screen can interpret. The excess over the refresh rate of your monitor would be the equivalent of digital noise, do not add to the quality at all, and can cause your system to work too hard for no purpose. Excess fps can cause graphics glitches, screen tears (lines dividing the screen into disjointed portions), lag, crashes, and can ultimately burn out or otherwise damage your system.

The human eye cannot "see" frame rates over a certain rate. But there is, for many of us, an impossible to describe exactly quality difference between let's say 30 and 60 fps or higher for those who have a monitor that runs at higher refresh rates as some do. At fps below 30, the lower quality will be more obvious and scenes will take much longer to render and come into focus as things recover from each camera move or as objects move across the screen. Most of us see this anyway on very busy, fussy lots like the WA tombs. The other place where this becomes important is with first person action and shooter games where every pixel and millisecond count towards your reaction time and success in accomplishing something. Sims games aren't like that, those waffles were going to burn and your sim was going to be late for work/school no matter how quickly you reacted to on-screen information.  🙂

Wow, thank you so much!! I really couldn't make it without your help and help of @puzzlezaddict! I can finally play Sims 3 without any problems :D. This case is officialy solved 🙂

Thank you for explaining of how framerates works! It's really interesting.

How do I do this on mac? My shadows are wayyy to pixelated, can you help me please