Origin: The Sims 3 "Black Screen" Issue (launching game)
The Sims 3 launches with an eternal black screen, using Origin. You can still hear The Sims 3 theme song playing in the background (as if the game is loading) but the screen always stays black.
In fact, in the top left corner you can see the text "HDMI" and "Analog" (shifting back and forth) like the screen is not even connected to the computer. The only way to escape the black screen is to press Windows Home Button. The game will close using Task Manager only.
This issue occurred for me 2-3 years ago (due to an automatic software update - either done by Origin itself, or by Windows) and has lasted ever since. It seems like many (if not every) Sims 3/Origin users have the same issue. Yet the issue seems to be unresolved, with no real troubleshooting or obvious guides on how to fix it online.
Yes - I've tried Origins game options like: "Repair game" and "Update Game". Actually I've tried them all, including uninstalling and re-installing both the game, Origin, and Windows itself. I have also abused the "fix all issues" option in "CCleaner" (which will resolve any issues due to missing dll's). And I've reported the error, but Origin stays silent.
I've now Clean Installed Windows 10 on another (older) stationary desktop (which includes deleting absolutely everything else that previously existed on the computer). I've installed Origin and The Sims 3 yet again. The game still launches with the black screen, showing "HDMI" and "Analoog" like before...
The only (tiny) difference is that:
1) if you exit the black screen using Windows Home Button...
2) ...and move your mouse over The Sims 3 icon on the taskbar bar, a tiny window will appear (still showing the black screen, obviously)...
3) ...BUT if you move your mouse over the tiny black screen that appeared... (WITHOUT CLICKING IT).... a minimized window of The Sims 3 pops up in the top left corner with the game showing in it!
But if you try clicking it, you're back to black screen, and the issue just repeats itself.
IS ANYBODY ELSE STILL EXPERIENCING THIS - AND IS THERE A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM?
@SenoritaMartita Try launching the game in windowed mode, which you can do by editing options.ini, in Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3. Open the file and crtl-F to search for fullscreen , and set it to 0 (zero). Save, close options.ini (and the File Explorer window overall; the game doesn't like the user folder being open when it's running), and see whether you can play.
If you're already in windowed mode, you can try changing to fullscreen, although that seems less likely to work. Please also undo any compatibility mode you've set for Sims 3; the game should run fine in Windows 10.
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