The Sims 3 64 Bit Keeps Freezing
I‘m having the same problem as others, with the rainbow loading circle, where the game freezes every 30 seconds or so and I can’t do anything except move my mouse - not even adjust my volume or force...
Forum Discussion
@puzzlezaddict === 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: 16384 Adjusted RAM: 15872 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: MacBookPro16,3
Brand: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-8257U CPU @ 1.40GHz
Family: 8
Model: 7
Cores: 4
HT: 1
x64: 1
Memory: 16384MB
Free memory: 3809MB
User: REDACTED
Computer: REDACTED
=== 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 3
GeneralReflections 3
TextureQuality 3
VisualEffects 3
TerrainQuality 1
EdgeSmoothing 0
ObjectHiding 1
AspectRatio 0
ForceSquarePixels 1
SimQuality 4
TreeQuality 1
DrawDistance 1
MaxActiveLots 2
NumMaxActiveLotOptions 6
AdvancedRendering 1
AudioQuality 3
Audi🤭utputMode 1
VoiceLevel 255
SoundFXLevel 255
MusicLevel 255
AmbientLevel 255
FocusMute 1
VoiceMute 0
SoundFXMute 0
MusicMute 0
AmbientMute 0
EdgeScrolling 0
EdgeScrollingWarning 0
SupressOpportunityDialogs 0
SuppressOpportunityDialogsWarningProducts 37
SimWhileMinimized 0
TwelveHourClock 1
ShowPlacementGrid 0
AutonomyLevel 2
DisableAutonomyForSelectedSim 0
PetAutonomyLevel 2
AgingInterval 2
EnableAging 1
EnableTutorial 1
EnableIntroTutorial 0
EnableTombResets 1
EnableInGameStore 0
EnableTelemetry 1
EnableMemories 1
AgingStageLengthBaby 3
AgingStageLengthToddler 7
AgingStageLengthChild 7
AgingStageLengthTeen 14
AgingStageLengthYoungAdult 21
AgingStageLengthAdult 21
AgingStageLengthElder 17
EnableInteractiveLoading 0
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 0
ReceivedDevGift 0
PostFilterFlags 0
RequireLoginBeforeLoad 1
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
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: 16384 Adjusted RAM: 15872 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: MacBookPro16,3
Brand: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-8257U CPU @ 1.40GHz
Family: 8
Model: 7
Cores: 4
HT: 1
x64: 1
Memory: 16384MB
Free memory: 3809MB
User: REDACTED
Computer: REDACTED
=== 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 3
GeneralReflections 3
TextureQuality 3
VisualEffects 3
TerrainQuality 1
EdgeSmoothing 0
ObjectHiding 1
AspectRatio 0
ForceSquarePixels 1
SimQuality 4
TreeQuality 1
DrawDistance 1
MaxActiveLots 2
NumMaxActiveLotOptions 6
AdvancedRendering 1
AudioQuality 3
Audi🤭utputMode 1
VoiceLevel 255
SoundFXLevel 255
MusicLevel 255
AmbientLevel 255
FocusMute 1
VoiceMute 0
SoundFXMute 0
MusicMute 0
AmbientMute 0
EdgeScrolling 0
EdgeScrollingWarning 0
SupressOpportunityDialogs 0
SuppressOpportunityDialogsWarningProducts 37
SimWhileMinimized 0
TwelveHourClock 1
ShowPlacementGrid 0
AutonomyLevel 2
DisableAutonomyForSelectedSim 0
PetAutonomyLevel 2
AgingInterval 2
EnableAging 1
EnableTutorial 1
EnableIntroTutorial 0
EnableTombResets 1
EnableInGameStore 0
EnableTelemetry 1
EnableMemories 1
AgingStageLengthBaby 3
AgingStageLengthToddler 7
AgingStageLengthChild 7
AgingStageLengthTeen 14
AgingStageLengthYoungAdult 21
AgingStageLengthAdult 21
AgingStageLengthElder 17
EnableInteractiveLoading 0
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 0
ReceivedDevGift 0
PostFilterFlags 0
RequireLoginBeforeLoad 1
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
@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?
- @puzzlezaddict Game has never crashed on me. The higher settings just cause a hang of 10-40 seconds (seriously) every 30 seconds - 1 minute. Sometimes its just hanging, 3 seconds of play to more hanging.
Windowed mode makes no difference.
I have the base game and nightlife.
Ive played in the default base game world and the nightlife world, forgive me for not knowing the names off hand. (same problem in each world.
I do not use mods or CC. @Atheist_Monk Great, thanks so much for the info.
- @puzzlezaddict So I upgraded to Big Sur and now when lighting is on high the game is unplayable. It flickers like mad or just shows a black screen. I'm just gonna shelve this for a few months. EA doesn't seem to have any official concern now that the game "launched". I don't think this is an issue the community can resolve.
@Atheist_Monk I have no idea whether this issue will get addressed, but I do know that EA is keeping an eye on the issues reported here. The question will be whether the problem has a simple enough fix. If it took reworking the graphics engine, that would probably be too much work, but perhaps there's an easier intervention.
I understand why you might not want to keep working on this, but if you felt like experimenting, you could try editing some of the values tied to the lighting setting in graphicsrules.sgr. It may be that one particular value is the issue, and you could set it to low while leaving the others as is. To be honest, I'm not totally sure editing graphicsrules has an effect anymore; it seems like something else in the game is overriding at least some of the settings. At any rate, it doesn't hurt to try.
To access graphicsrules, find the Sims 3.app wherever you installed it. (The default is the user Applications folder.) If you see a Sims 3 Pack folder but not the base game .app, hit cmd-shift-. (period) to show hidden files and folders. Right-click on the .app and select Show Package Contents, and from there open:
Contents > Resources > The Sims 3 [right-click, Show Package Contents] > Contents > Resources
Make a copy of graphicsrules.sgr for safekeeping, then open it and cmd-F to search for "lighting" without quotes. You'll land here:
option LightingQuality setting $Low prop $ConfigGroup ShadowMapSize 1024 prop $ConfigGroup RenderShadowsEnabled false prop $ConfigGroup InteriorLightProbeCount 3 prop $ConfigGroup LowDetailLightmaps true prop $ConfigGroup ShadowColorFormatWorkaround $intelShadowColorFix prop $ConfigGroup HighRezTranslucency false setting $Medium prop $ConfigGroup ShadowMapSize 1024 prop $ConfigGroup RenderShadowsEnabled true prop $ConfigGroup InteriorLightProbeCount 8 prop $ConfigGroup LowDetailLightmaps false prop $ConfigGroup ShadowColorFormatWorkaround $intelShadowColorFix prop $ConfigGroup HighRezTranslucency false setting $High prop $ConfigGroup ShadowMapSize 2048 prop $ConfigGroup RenderShadowsEnabled true prop $ConfigGroup InteriorLightProbeCount 20 prop $ConfigGroup LowDetailLightmaps false prop $ConfigGroup ShadowColorFormatWorkaround $intelShadowColorFix prop $ConfigGroup HighRezTranslucency trueYou can change the settings under High one at a time to see whether anything makes a difference. Like I said though, I'm not sure it will; it's just worth trying. I'd do it myself, but so far, I haven't had this issue.
