Possible Graphics Issue?
My sims are weird looking and the lots show up as black. This suddenly started happening when I switched to a new laptop. I think this has something to do with my graphics card but I tried reinstalli...
Forum Discussion
@stacieokay12 Please go into Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3 and delete the file labeled options.ini. The game will create a new one the next time it loads, with all default settings. Don't change any of the graphics options, except the resolution if you want; just load a new save and see how it looks.
If that doesn't help, please let me know what kind of install this is: disc, Steam, or something else. Please also post the first 40 lines of deviceconfig.log, in the same Sims 3 folder; you can stop when the "Options" section starts. You can delete your user and computer names, about 25 lines down, if you want, but the file doesn't contain any other personal information.
@puzzlezaddict Hi, thank you for replying. This kind of install is steam. And here are the first 40 lines of my deviceconfig.log:
=== Application info ===
Name: Sims3
Version:
Build: Release
=== Rating info ===
GPU: 1 GPU Memory: 1 CPU: 1 RAM: 4 CPU Speed: 1190 Threading: 3
Adjusted CPU: 1187 RAM: 7959 Adjusted RAM: 7447 Cores: 4
=== 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: GenuineIntel
Brand: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-1035G1 CPU @ 1.00GHz
Family: 6
Model: 14
Cores: 4
HT: 1
x64: 0
Memory: 7959MB
Free memory: 3823MB
User: User
Computer: DESKTOP-86OLRUU
=== Graphics device info ===
Number: 0
Name (driver): Intel(R) UHD Graphics
Name (database): Intel(R) UHD Graphics [Found: 0, Matched: 1]
Vendor: Intel
Chipset: Vendor: 8086, Device: 8a56, Board: 0a2b1028, Chipset: 0007
Driver: igdumdim32.dll, Version: 27.20.100.9365, GUID: D7B78E66-C916-11CF-0D57-4F2ABCC2D635
Driver version: 9365
Monitor: \\.\DISPLAY1
Texture memory: 32MB <<OVERRIDE>>
Vertex program: 3.0
Pixel program: 3.0
Hardware TnL: 1
=== Application info ===
Name: Sims3
Version:
Build: Release
=== Rating info ===
GPU: 1 GPU Memory: 1 CPU: 1 RAM: 4 CPU Speed: 1190 Threading: 3
Adjusted CPU: 1187 RAM: 7959 Adjusted RAM: 7447 Cores: 4
=== 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: GenuineIntel
Brand: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-1035G1 CPU @ 1.00GHz
Family: 6
Model: 14
Cores: 4
HT: 1
x64: 0
Memory: 7959MB
Free memory: 3823MB
User: User
Computer: DESKTOP-86OLRUU
=== Graphics device info ===
Number: 0
Name (driver): Intel(R) UHD Graphics
Name (database): Intel(R) UHD Graphics [Found: 0, Matched: 1]
Vendor: Intel
Chipset: Vendor: 8086, Device: 8a56, Board: 0a2b1028, Chipset: 0007
Driver: igdumdim32.dll, Version: 27.20.100.9365, GUID: D7B78E66-C916-11CF-0D57-4F2ABCC2D635
Driver version: 9365
Monitor: \\.\DISPLAY1
Texture memory: 32MB <<OVERRIDE>>
Vertex program: 3.0
Pixel program: 3.0
Hardware TnL: 1
@stacieokay12 Did deleting options.ini help? If not, please open your Steam library, choose Sims 3, click the gear icon to the right of the title, choose Manage > Properties > Local Files, and click the option to verify the integrity of the local files.
Restart your computer, and don't open any other apps, not even Steam. Just launch the game from TS3W.exe, which should be here:
Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\The Sims 3\Game\Bin
When playing, make sure your laptop is plugged in and charging.
- @puzzlezaddict Unfortunately, deleting options.ini did not help. I verified integrity and it didn't show anything wrong with the game, opened the game and it's still there. My laptop is also charging.
@stacieokay12 Please try changing the in-game resolution and switching between fullscreen and windowed modes. You can do this with a save loaded, but please reload the game at least once in each mode (fullscreen and windowed) to see whether it helps.
If not, the next step would be to clean uninstall and reinstall the graphics driver. You actually have a newer driver than the one listed for your laptop, although that may be an oversight on Dell's part. Regardless, it's easy to update an older driver to a newer one, so it's not a big deal to install a slightly old driver. Download Display Driver Uninstaller from here:
https://www.wagnardsoft.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=3480
Download the Intel UHD Graphics Driver from here:
https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us/product-support/product/inspiron-15-3501-laptop/drivers
Next, take your computer completely offline—disable wifi and/or pull the ethernet cord—and double-click the DDU.exe. Take note of where the file will land, and click Extract. If it's easier, you can copy the path and then paste it into the address bar in a File Explorer window. Open the folder and then launch Display Driver Uninstaller.exe, and you'll get a message that you're not in Safe Mode. Click OK, then go to Options and enable Safe Mode dialog. Here's a screenshot of what your options should look like; make sure the box in red is checked:
Close options, and the DDU, and then open the DDU.exe again. For launch options, choose "Safe Mode (Recommended)," and then click Reboot to Safe Mode (you'll need your password, so find it before rebooting). Once you login, you'll see this:
In the blue box, choose GPU, then Intel if it's not already showing. Then click Clean and Restart (red box).
Once your computer has rebooted, now back in normal mode, run the driver install .exe as an admin: right-click on the download and select "Run as administrator." Restart again when you're done and before trying to play.
Featured Places
