The Sims 3 64 Bit Keeps Freezing

@resinator11  Please attach your deviceconfig.log, in Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 3.  (Even if you've attached it somewhere else, it would help to have it here too, for easy reference.)  You'll neeed to manually open the folders; the file won't show up in a search.  You can delete your user and computer names, about 25 lines down, but there's nothing else in that file that can identify you.

Does it help to turn all the graphics down to their minimum settings and play in windowed mode?  I'm not saying you necessarily have to continue playing that way, just that it's a useful test.

Please also test in Sunset Valley, Twinbrook, or Riverview, to control for any issues related to how well the worlds themselves run.

@puzzlezaddict thank you!! Here’s the file. I have been playing in Sunset Valley and in Bridgeport but they’re both about the same. I haven’t tried windowed mode, so I’ll give that a go and report back 😌

I don’t think the file attached so here it is, copy and pasted

=== Application info ===

Name:            Sims3

Version:         

Build:           Release

=== Rating info ===

GPU: 3 GPU Memory: 5 CPU: 1 RAM: 5 CPU Speed: 1400 Threading: 3

Adjusted CPU: 2380 RAM: 8192 Adjusted RAM: 7680 Cores: 4

Card Found in DB: 0

=== Machine info ===

OS version:      Mac OS X Version 10.15.7 (Build 19H2)

OS prod type:    0

OS major ver:    10

OS minor ver:    15

OS SP major ver: 0

OS SP minor ver: 0

OS is 64Bit: 1

CPU:             MacBookPro15,4

    Brand:       Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-8257U CPU @ 1.40GHz

    Family:      8

    Model:       7

    Cores:       4

    HT:          1

    x64:         1

Memory:          8192MB

Free memory:     212MB

User:            carlee

Computer:        Carlees-MacBook-Pro

=== Graphics device info ===

Number:          0

Name (driver):   Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645

Name (database): Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645 [Found: 0, Matched: 1]

Vendor:          Intel

Chipset:         Vendor: 8086, Device: 3ea6, Board: 00000178, Chipset: 0001

Driver:          macOS Metal driver, Version: 0.0.0.0

Driver version:  0

Monitor:         00000000

Texture memory:  1536MB

Vertex program:  3.0

Pixel program:   3.0

Hardware TnL:    0

=== Options ===

AnimationSmoothing 0

LightingQuality 2

GeneralReflections 1

TextureQuality 2

VisualEffects 2

TerrainQuality 1

EdgeSmoothing 0

ObjectHiding 1

AspectRatio 0

ForceSquarePixels 1

SimQuality 2

TreeQuality 1

DrawDistance 2

MaxActiveLots 1

NumMaxActiveLotOptions 6

AdvancedRendering 1

AudioQuality 1

Audi🤭utputMode 1

VoiceLevel 255

SoundFXLevel 255

MusicLevel 255

AmbientLevel 255

FocusMute 1

VoiceMute 0

SoundFXMute 0

MusicMute 0

AmbientMute 0

EdgeScrolling 1

EdgeScrollingWarning 0

SupressOpportunityDialogs 0

SuppressOpportunityDialogsWarningProducts 131109

SimWhileMinimized 0

TwelveHourClock 1

ShowPlacementGrid 0

AutonomyLevel 2

DisableAutonomyForSelectedSim 0

PetAutonomyLevel 2

AgingInterval 2

EnableAging 1

EnableTutorial 1

EnableIntroTutorial 0

EnableTombResets 1

EnableInGameStore 1

EnableTelemetry 1

EnableMemories 1

AgingStageLengthBaby 3

AgingStageLengthToddler 7

AgingStageLengthChild 7

AgingStageLengthTeen 14

AgingStageLengthYoungAdult 21

AgingStageLengthAdult 21

AgingStageLengthElder 17

EnableInteractiveLoading 1

AgingStageLengthPuppy 0

AgingStageLengthDogAdult 0

AgingStageLengthDogElder 0

AgingStageLengthKitten 0

AgingStageLengthCatAdult 0

AgingStageLengthCatElder 0

AgingStageLengthFoal 0

AgingStageLengthHorseAdult 0

AgingStageLengthHorseElder 0

LunarCycleLength 3

LunarPhaseLength 0

EnableLunarCycle 1

EnableLunarPhase 0

EnableStoryProgression 1

EnableVampires 1

EnableWerewolves 1

EnablePets 1

EnableCelebrities 1

EnableFairies 1

EnableWitches 1

EnableHorses 1

EnableOptOutCeleb 0

ReceiveConnectTNS 1

ReceivedDevGift 0

PostFilterFlags 0

RequireLoginBeforeLoad 0

SummerLength 7

FallLength 7

WinterLength 7

SpringLength 7

SummerEnabled 1

FallEnabled 1

WinterEnabled 1

SpringEnabled 1

IsCelcius 0

FogEnabled 1

RainEnabled 1

SnowEnabled 1

HailEnabled 1

InvertHorizontalRotation 0

InvertVerticalRotation 0

VideoCaptureSize 1

VideoCaptureQuality 2

VideoCaptureSound 0

VideoCaptureTime 60

VideoCaptureHideUI 1

=== Default Options ===

AnimationSmoothing 0

LightingQuality 2

GeneralReflections 1

TextureQuality 2

VisualEffects 2

TerrainQuality 1

EdgeSmoothing 0

ObjectHiding 1

AspectRatio 0

ForceSquarePixels 1

SimQuality 2

TreeQuality 1

DrawDistance 2

MaxActiveLots 1

NumMaxActiveLotOptions 6

AdvancedRendering 1

AudioQuality 1

Audi🤭utputMode 1

VoiceLevel 255

SoundFXLevel 255

MusicLevel 255

AmbientLevel 255

FocusMute 1

VoiceMute 0

SoundFXMute 0

MusicMute 0

AmbientMute 0

EdgeScrolling 0

EdgeScrollingWarning 1

SupressOpportunityDialogs 0

SuppressOpportunityDialogsWarningProducts 0

SimWhileMinimized 0

TwelveHourClock 1

ShowPlacementGrid 0

AutonomyLevel 2

DisableAutonomyForSelectedSim 0

PetAutonomyLevel 2

AgingInterval 2

EnableAging 1

EnableTutorial 1

EnableIntroTutorial 1

EnableTombResets 1

EnableInGameStore 1

EnableTelemetry 1

EnableMemories 1

AgingStageLengthBaby 3

AgingStageLengthToddler 7

AgingStageLengthChild 7

AgingStageLengthTeen 14

AgingStageLengthYoungAdult 21

AgingStageLengthAdult 21

AgingStageLengthElder 17

EnableInteractiveLoading 1

AgingStageLengthPuppy 0

AgingStageLengthDogAdult 0

AgingStageLengthDogElder 0

AgingStageLengthKitten 0

AgingStageLengthCatAdult 0

AgingStageLengthCatElder 0

AgingStageLengthFoal 0

AgingStageLengthHorseAdult 0

AgingStageLengthHorseElder 0

LunarCycleLength 3

LunarPhaseLength 0

EnableLunarCycle 1

EnableLunarPhase 0

EnableStoryProgression 1

EnableVampires 1

EnableWerewolves 1

EnablePets 1

EnableCelebrities 1

EnableFairies 1

EnableWitches 1

EnableHorses 1

EnableOptOutCeleb 0

ReceiveConnectTNS 1

ReceivedDevGift 0

PostFilterFlags 0

RequireLoginBeforeLoad 0

SummerLength 7

FallLength 7

WinterLength 7

SpringLength 7

SummerEnabled 1

FallEnabled 1

WinterEnabled 1

SpringEnabled 1

IsCelcius 0

FogEnabled 1

RainEnabled 1

SnowEnabled 1

HailEnabled 1

InvertHorizontalRotation 0

InvertVerticalRotation 0

VideoCaptureSize 1

VideoCaptureQuality 2

VideoCaptureSound 0

VideoCaptureTime 60

VideoCaptureHideUI 1

@resinator11  What world(s) are you playing in?  Does the freezing still happen in Sunset Valley?  If you play with pets, does it help to not have any?

I don't know whether this issue will be fixed, sorry.

Having Lighting on Low and trees on low solves this issue for me. Unfortunately the lighting on low is so bad its prevented me from playing the game. I have high framerates regardless of the setting, but the freezing every 30 second issue rears it head when i turn those settings up. I really hope it gets fixed.

@Atheist_Monk  That's interesting, thanks.  Could you provide your deviceconfig?  It would be useful to know what hardware you have that isn't handling higher lighting settings.  The deviceconfig is in Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 3.  You'll need to manually open the folders; the file won't show up in a search.  You can delete your user and computer names, about 25 lines down, but there's nothing else in that file that can identify you.

@Atheist_Monk  Thanks for the info.  It's especially useful because a number of other players have the same processor and graphics chip as you do.  A few more questions, if you don't mind?

• Has the game ever crashed on you, and before or after you lowered the lighting and tree detail settings?
• Does it make a difference to play in windowed mode?
• Which packs do you have installed?
• Which world(s) have you been playing in?
• If you use mods and/or custom content, can you reproduce the same effect without that content?