The Sims 3: Game FAQs

Posted on June 7, 2009 by

13


My Sim is stuck in the bathtub how can I un-stuck her/him?

Your Sim will not be able to get out of the tub (or shower) if you placed any objects near the tub while your Sim was bathing. If your Sim gets stuck in the tub without being able to get out, time will still pass by as normal, and your Sim will get bored or hungry from being stuck in the tub. Do not wait to see if your Sim will be able to get out by itself. Remove any obstructions or objects near the tub and assign a new interaction to your Sim to force it to get out.

I just tried to save my game and got an error, why?

The Sims 3 will not let you save your game if there are any special characters in the title of your game. Make sure there are no special characters in your title, such as periods, commas, asterisks, exclamation points, ampersands, or dollar signs. Anything that is not a letter or number can be considered a special character in this instance. Removing the special characters from your save game should allow you to save correctly.

Why are my graphics flickering in my game?

If you are experiencing graphical issues in Sims 3, such as textures flickering, you should check to see if you have disabled ‘Advanced Rendering.’

Some users might choose to disable Advanced Rendering for better game performance on mobile or earlier released chipsets. While disabling Advanced Rendering should not cause graphical issues, turning off this setting can oftentimes result in graphical corruption.

Follow the steps below to re-enable Advanced Rendering:

  • Click on the ‘…‘ button to call up the Options menu
  • Click on ‘Options‘
  • By default, the first tab open should be the ‘Graphics‘ tab
  • Under Graphics Details, make sure the ‘Advanced Rendering‘ option is checked

Restart your computer to see the changes. You should see an improvement in graphics quality after re-enabling Advanced Rendering.

Why is my game chopped up and slow?

There is a minor graphics card compatibility issue running The Sims 3 on computers with Windows Vista and Intel (R) G45/G43 Express chipsets or other Mobile graphics cards.

Follow the steps below to check if you have this graphics card on your machine:

Note: This issue only affects users with Windows Vista.

  • From the Windows Vista start menu, type ‘DxDiag‘ in the search bar
  • The DirectX Diagnostics window should appear.
  • Click on the ‘Display‘ tab
  • Under ‘Chip Type,’ you should be able to see the type of graphics card you have.

If after checking DxDiag, you confirm that you have the Intel (R) G45/G43 Express chipset, your game is probably running at a lower frame rate than what your graphics card requires. Follow the instructions below to fix the frame rate in your game:

  • Open The Sims 3
  • Click on the ‘…‘ Options button on the lower left-hand corner or press ‘F5‘ on your keyboard
  • Click on the ‘Options…‘ menu item
  • By default, Sims 3 should load the ‘Graphics‘ tab first

Why when does my screen go black and crashes?

Crashing after a black screen can be caused by a few different things, including (but not limited to): an incompatible video card, older drivers for a compatible video card or sound card, or a corrupted version of DirectX. There are several steps you can try in order to resolve this issue:

  • First, ensure that all of the game’s minimum requirements are met.
    • The minimum system requirements can be found on the bottom of the game packaging. You can also search our Technical Support database for these requirements.
  • Also, be sure you have the latest drivers available for your video and sound card.

  • Make sure any unnecessary background tasks are terminated. These tasks could interfere with the running of the game.

  • Make sure to get the latest patch available for your game. You can find patch information by clicking the “Patches” link on the left side of the Support.EA.com site. If you cannot locate your patch there, go to EA.com and look for your game’s homepage.

Why does my game crash after the Splash Screen?

Crashing after the first game screen or splash screen can be caused by a few different things, including (but not limited to) an incompatible video card, older drivers for a compatible video card or sound card, or a corrupted version of DirectX. There are several steps you can take to try and resolve this issue:

  • First, ensure that all of the game’s minimum requirements are met.
    • The minimum system requirements can be found on the bottom of the packaging for the game. You may also search our Technical Support database to find the system requirements.
  • Second, be sure you have the latest drivers available for your video and sound card.

  • Next, make sure any unnecessary background tasks are terminated. These tasks could interfere with the running of the game.

  • The crash could be caused by various CD-ROM reading errors. While most times the game will display an error about reading the CD, in this circumstance it does not necessarily display such an error.

  • Also, anti-virus software can cause conflicts with the game; it is recommended that you disable or configure your anti-virus software to minimize conflicts with the game. Anti-virus software can cause errors when your games try to open files or establish connections because of the active scan and similar settings. EA Download Manager, PunkBuster, etc. are all programs sensitive to active scan and anti-virus filtering.

When I get the Splash Screen it crashes, why?

The splash screen is the first initial screen that appears after you choose to start the game. This is a colored box with the logo and title of the current expansion in it. When this splash screen appears, the game is verifying the game by reading the disk in the drive so that the program can start. If your game crashes or freezes at this point, it means that the game can’t read or recognize the disk. There are a few CD-ROM troubleshooting steps you can follow to resolve this issue.

Why can’t my disc drive read my disc?

When a game displays an error describing an inability to read the CD, or a game will not load once installed, there are several potential causes. The reason usually falls among three areas: the CD-ROM drive, the game disc, or a software issue between the two.

Follow these tips…

Verify that the disk is clean/undamaged and the drive is able to recognize the disk.

For games that have multiple discs, the installation program will prompt you to insert the next disc during installation. If the installation program stops responding, it may be due to clicking the OK button too quickly after inserting the next disc or inserting a dirty disc.

The following steps will help prevent lockups during installation.

  1. After inserting the disc that the installation program is prompting you to insert, please wait at least 10 to 15 seconds (the indicator light will stop blinking on the CD-ROM drive) before clicking the OK button. This will allow the CD-ROM drive to initialize the disc properly and allow the installation to resume properly.
  2. Make sure that the disc is clean and free from defects. Fingerprints and scratches could also cause lockups during installation. Use a soft dry cloth to wipe any smudges or fingerprints from the disk.

Verify that the correct game CD/DVD is inserted in the correct drive.

  1. Many games now come with multiple CDs, and it may not be immediately apparent which CD is required to start the game.
    • Note: If you are unsure which CD is required to launch the game, please refer to the game documentation, or attempt to start the game with each of the discs that came with the game.
  2. Games are now being offered in a DVD disc format to reduce disc swapping during installation, and reduce the confusion for the consumer. The catch to this is that you cannot install or play a DVD version game unless you have a DVD-ROM drive in your computer.

Log on as Administrator. (This only applies for Microsoft Windows NT, Microsoft Windows 2000, and Microsoft Windows XP)

Many games now will only work properly when installed and played on an account with Administrator level access.

Disable Compatibility Mode .

  1. Right-click the shortcut used to launch the program and choose Properties.
  2. Click the Compatibility tab.
  3. Uncheck the box next to Run this program in compatibility mode for.
  4. Click the Apply button, then click OK to close the window.
  5. Launch the game from the shortcut that you just modified.

Install and then start the game from a different CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive .(This only applies if you have a secondary CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive in the same computer.)

If the game is currently installed, uninstall the software.

  1. Click Start.
  2. Click Control Panel.
  3. Double-Click Add/Remove Programs.
  4. Select the game you are troubleshooting and click the Remove or Add/Remove button (depending on your operating system).

Next, install the game using your secondary CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive.

  1. Insert the game disc.
  2. Choose Install from the autoplay screen.

Once the game is installed, start the game while the game CD is in your secondary CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive.

Disable Emulation software.

Emulation software converts physical hard drive space to mimic a removable storage device, such as a CD-ROM drive. This can prevent the software from being read properly. Below are a few emulation drives and basic instructions for disabling them. Should your particular emulation software not be listed, please refer to the software manufacturer’s website for further information.

Alcohol 10%

  1. Start Alcohol and click the Emulation option on the left window.
  2. Select Emulation from the option tree.
  3. Uncheck the Ignore Media Types box to turn off the media type emulation.
  4. Select Extra Emulation from the options tree.
  5. Uncheck the BAD Sectors Emulation to turn off this type of emulation.
  6. Exit Alcohol and restart the game.

CloneCD

  1. On your Windows Taskbar in the bottom right of your screen (next to the clock), locate the CloneCD tray icon.
  2. Right-click the icon and uncheck Hide CD-R media.
  3. Restart the game.

Daemon Tools

  1. Locate the Daemon Tools icon, which should be located on the Windows Taskbar (next to the clock).
  2. This icon can differ, so hover your mouse over each icon for a description of what it is.
  3. Once you’ve found the Daemon Tools icon, right-click on it.
  4. Select the Emulation tab.
  5. Deselect SafeDisc.
  6. Restart the game.

Veritas DLA

  1. Double-click My Computer.
  2. Right-click the CD Drive.
  3. Click Properties.
  4. Click the DLA tab.
  5. Uncheck Enable DLA on your Drives.

Nero Image Drive

  1. Launch Nero ImageDrive.
  2. Click on Start.
  3. Next click on All Programs.
  4. Next click on Nero.
  5. Next click on Nero 6 Ultra Edition.
  6. Last click on Nero ImageDrive.
  7. Select Disable Nero ImageDrive located at the bottom left side of the program.

Install SafeDisc Updates.

Before you install the SafeDisc update, follow these steps to see if they are required for your computer.

  1. Insert the game play disc.
  2. Click Start.
  3. Click Run.
  4. Type cmd in the available text box and press OK.
  5. At the command prompt, type in the CD-ROM drive letter that your play disc is currently in, followed by a colon.
    • Example: D:
  6. Press the Enter key on your keyboard.
  7. Note: This should change your current prompt to match the drive letter you typed.
  8. Type dir /a:h in the new prompt, and press Enter on your keyboard.
  9. This will display all of the hidden files on the disc. If there is a file named SSIFSDAT.SYS listed among them, you do not need this update however it may benefit other games.

Next, download the SafeDisc update.

Now, follow the instructions listed on the “Microsoft website”. Once the update has been successfully installed, restart the game.

Download and install the DCOM update .(This only applies to Windows 95/98 users)

  1. For Windows 95 users:
  2. For Windows 98 users:

Download the latest firmware version for your CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive .

Contact your CD-ROM drive hardware manufacturer to obtain and install the latest version of the firmware. For information about how to contact your CD-ROM drive hardware manufacturer, click the appropriate article number in the following list to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  • 65416 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, A-K
  • 60781 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, L-P
  • 60782 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, Q-Z

Microsoft provides third-party contact information to help you find technical support. This contact information may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this third-party contact information.

Scan your computer for viruses.

The game may quit, generate an error message, or stop responding during start or when you play the game if your computer is infected with a virus.

  1. Important: If you already have an anti-virus program installed on your computer, update your antivirus program with the latest signature files before scanning your computer. Most software companies that create antivirus programs release a new signature file each month. After you obtain the latest signature files, scan your computer. For help obtaining the anti-virus signature files, contact the antivirus software manufacturer.
  2. If you do not have anti-virus software installed, click on one of the free online virus scanners listed below to scan your system for viruses:
  3. http://security.symantec.com
  4. http://housecall.trendmicro.com/housecall/start_corp.asp

Remove Spyware from your computer.

Spyware is software that collects personal information without your knowledge or permission. You might be the target of Spyware or other unwanted software if you download music from file-sharing programs, download free games from sites that you do not trust, or download other software from an unknown source. Spyware may affect the game play and the startup process.

To learn more about the symptoms of Spyware and other unwanted software, how to remove Spyware, and how you can help protect your computer, visit the following Microsoft web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/default.mspx

If you have updated your CD Rom driver firmware after installing Windows XP, you may have an issue with your device running in PIO mode.

Microsoft has released a hotfix update to address this issue.  The hotfix information can be found by:

  1. Visit the Microsoft Support website.
  2. In the search box in the upper right search for article 920918.
  3. Click on the first answer found.

Change DMA transfer mode to PIO mode (This applies only to Windows 9X users).

Note: This is not recommended for use with the Windows XP operating system.

  1. Click Start.
  2. Click Control Panel.
  3. Double-click on System.
  4. Click on the Hardware tab.
  5. Click on the Device Manager button.
  6. Click Switch to Classic View in the left pane.
  7. Double-click IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers.
  8. Double-click Secondary IDE Channel.
  9. Click on the Advanced Settings tab.Note : If you do not see the Advanced Settings tab, your computer probably has a SCSI (small computer system interface) drive. DMA transfer mode options are not available for SCSI drives.
  10. Under Device 0, select PIO only in the Transfer Mode box.
  11. If you have more than one CD or DVD drive, also select PIO only in the Transfer Mode box under Device 1.WARNING : If Current Transfer Mode under Device 0 or under Device 1 states Not Applicable, that device is not in use. Change only the Devices that do not state Not Applicable. If both devices state Not Applicable, your CD or DVD drive is on the Primary IDE Channel.
  12. Double-click Primary IDE Channel.
  13. Click on the Advanced Settings tab.
  14. Under Device 1, select DMA if available in the Transfer Mode box.WARNING : Device 0 is most likely your hard drive and should not be changed.
  15. Click OK.
  16. Restart your computer, and then restart the game.

Further issues may indicate a possible issue with SecuROM. If you have a more recent EA release, the most efficient way for us to assist is to have you produce an analysis file for evaluation. In order to generate this analysis file, please do the following:

  1. Make sure the original ‘play’ disc is in a physical, local CD or DVD drive.
  2. Restart your computer (the reboot is to assure that there are no additional instances of the software running when generating the file).
  3. Right-click on the application’s Desktop shortcut, or the actual application’s executable file in the installation folder, and a menu will appear.
  4. Select Launch Analysis from the menu.
  5. A disclaimer window may appear on your screen. To proceed from there, click Yes. Another window may appear stating that an analysis log will be generated; if so, click OK. If any error messages appear, click Cancel to continue.
  6. After a period of time, the program will generate a file named AnalysisLog.sr0 and place it at the root of your hard drive (usually C:). When the file has been generated, a dialog may appear stating it has finished. Click OK to complete the process. To locate it, go to My Computer and open your hard drive (usually C:).
    • Note: Microsoft Vista users should refer to the further instructions below.
  7. Please compress the file using a program such as WinZip, WinRAR, or WinAce (to avoid email corruption), and attach it to your email to support@securom.com.

For Microsoft Vista Users:

Follow the steps outlined above through step 6. Since you’re using Vista, the file will be stored in the following path:

  • C:\Users\[YOUR  USER]\AppData\Local\Temp\AnalysisLog.sr0 Note: If by chance this folder is hidden, you may have to display hidden folders. To do so, please follow these steps:
  1. Click the Windows button on the Windows Taskbar.
  2. Select Control Panel.
  3. Click Appearance and Personalization and select Folder Options.
  4. Click the View tab, then select Show hidden files and folders. (You should now have access to the folder.)

If you do not see the Launch Analysis option available in the menu after you re-start your computer, you can generate it using the command line. Please follow these steps:

  1. Make sure the original ‘play’ disc is in a physical, local CD, or DVD drive.
  2. Restart your computer. (The reboot will ensure that there are no additional instances of the software running when generating the Analysis file).
  3. Right-click the application’s Desktop shortcut and a menu will appear and select Properties.
  4. Highlight and copy everything in the Target window.
  5. Click the Windows button on the Windows Taskbar.
  6. Click All Programs.
  7. Click Accessories.
  8. Click Run.
  9. Type cmd in the text box and press the Enter key. (A ‘DOS’ window will appear.)
  10. Type cd\ and press the Enter key to get to the root of your hard drive. (You may have to type cd.. several times to get to C:\).
  11. Right-click on an empty area inside the ‘DOS’ window and select Paste.
  12. Press the Spacebar on your keyboard once, add the text /secuexp and press the Enter key.
  13. A disclaimer window may appear on your screen. To proceed from there, click Yes. Another window may appear stating that an analysis log will be generated; if so, click OK. If any error messages appear, click Cancel to continue.
  14. After a period of time, the program will generate a file named AnalysisLog.sr0 and place it at the root of your hard drive (usually C:). When the file has been generated, a dialog may appear stating it has finished. Click OK to complete the process. To locate it go to My Computer and open your hard drive (usually C:).
  15. Please compress the file using a program such as WinZip, WinRAR, or WinAce (to avoid email corruption), and attach it to your incident when you click on E-mail Us button.

How do/can I update my drivers?

The key to making sure a game will work on your computer is making sure your computer hardware and software meets the minimum requirements. The software drivers used to operate your video and sound cards must be up-to-date.

Follow these tips:

Launch the DirectX Diagnostic tool.

Note: This will bring up the DirectX Diagnostic tool, which will give you a comprehensive report of the hardware and drivers in your computer

If you have Microsoft Windows XP:

  1. Click the Start button on the Windows Taskbar
  2. Select Run
  3. Type dxdiag in the available text field
  4. Click OK
  5. Go to Part Two below

If you have Windows Vista and do not have a Run selection:

  1. Right click the menu bar and select Properties
  2. Click the Start Menu tab
  3. Click the Customize Button
  4. In the upper window, scroll down until you see the Run command and Click the corelating check box
  5. Click OK
  6. Click Start
  7. Click Run
  8. Type dxdiag into the text field and click OK
  9. Go to Part Two below

Identify your hardware

System - you can determine the following basic computer information by clicking on the System Tab

  • Processor – The type of processor you have, as well as its speed, listed in megahertz or gigahertz
  • Memory – The amount of RAM (random access memory) in megabytes or gigabytes
  • DirectX Version – Shows the current version of DirectX on your computer (the version of DirectX is a key requirement in making sure all in-game features are enabled)

Display – you can determine your device, driver, and features by clicking on the Display Tab

Device

  • Name- The common name for your graphic card, most commonly the name of the card sold in stores.
  • Manufacturer – The Company who made your video card
  • Chip Type – The name of the graphics chip on your video card.  This is important, because third-party companies will often sell a video card with an odd name, but with the same chipset as sold in other cards.
  • Approximate Total Memory – The amount of video memory available.  This may be misleading if you have an integrated video card (which uses System RAM to mimic video memory)
  • Current Display Mode – The current screen resolution, color depth, and video refresh rate in hertz.
  • Monitor – The name of the driver currently installed for the monitor.

Driver

  • Version – The version number and language of the driver installed for your video card. This is important in determining if you have the most recent drivers installed.
  • Date – Not necessarily an important field. However it’s a good indicator for determining if it’s time to update your drivers.
  • DirectX Features
  • DirectDraw Acceleration – This feature controls your 2d graphics abilities and needs to be enabled for any game to run on your computer.
  • Direct3D Acceleration – This feature controls your 3d graphical abilities and needs to be enabled for games requiring a 3d graphs card to run.
  • AGP Texture Acceleration – This feature may not be available if you do not have an AGP video card, but is not required.

Sound – you can determine your sound device, driver, and features on the Sound Tab

  • Device Name – The common name for your audio device, most commonly the name of the device sold in stores.
  • Default Device – If more than one audio device is installed in this computer, this will allow you to determine if the one you are looking at is the one being used by games.
  • Driver Version – The version number and language of the driver installed for your sound card. This is important in determining if you have the most recent drivers installed.
  • Date – Not necessarily an important field, however it’s a good indicator for determining if it’s time to update your drivers.
  • Features Hardware Sound Acceleration Level -The hardware acceleration slider will determine if advanced audio features are used when launching a DirectX application.

Find the latest drivers:

It’s a good idea to always make sure your drivers are up to date. Now that you are aware of how to check your drivers and their status, you will want to do a comparison against the manufacturer’s website, and what the DirectX Diagnostic tool shows you. Once you’ve done that comparison, you’ll be able to quickly download and verify that you’ve updated your drivers.

Identify - The first thing you want to do is identify your Video and Sound card from the DirectX Diagnostic tool.

  • Type & Name
  • On the Display and Sound Tab, you will want to use the Chip Type area to determine the manufacturer of the chip, as their drivers are the most commonly supported and tested throughout the industry.
  • Should that field not have anything listed, you can use the Name field to determine the common card name which is the next best thing.
  • Once you’ve identified the card, you’ll want to check if there are any updates available.
  • Select the driver page for your video and sound card manufacturer from the lists provided below.

Note: The links below should take you directly to the driver page; all you need to do is find the correct driver for your video card and operating system.

Compare

  • On the driver page, every driver should be marked by a date; you will want to compare this date to the date listed on the Display and Sound tab in the DirectX Diagnostic tool.
  • If the date on the driver page is more recent than what DirectX shows, you’ll want to update your drivers.

Note: Should no driver date be listed on the web site, it’s best to download the latest drivers available from the web site to make sure you have the newest software installed.

  • Download – Now that your ready to download and install the new drivers, there are a few things you want to be aware of:
  • Make sure that when you click on the link to initiate the download that you choose ‘Save‘ rather than ‘Open‘ when presented with the option.
  • Warning: Choosing ‘Open‘ will attempt to install the driver directly from the driver website; should your internet connection be interrupted during the install, your drivers will not install properly and can cause you other system issues.
  • Once you’ve chosen ‘ Save‘, you’ll want to designate an easy to find location to download the driver.
  • Note: A good idea is to save the driver to your Desktop so that you an easily install it and delete it once it’s completed.
  • Now that the driver is downloaded, you’ll want to install it. Most drivers are simple executables, requiring you to only double-click on the file to start the installation.
  • Note: Should the driver not be an executable, please refer to the driver page for instructions on how to install them.

Common Video Manufacturer Sites:

Common Sound Manufacturer Sites:

Install and verify your new drivers.

Now that your drivers are installed, you’ll want to verify that the installation went properly. To verify that the driver has been installed, compare the date listed on the Display and Sound tab in the DirectX Diagnostic tool to the date listed on the driver website.

  • If they match, your drivers are updated and your system is prepared to play.
  • If they do not match, you will want to repeat the previous section until the date displays correctly.

[Courtesy of EA.com]

Advertisement
Tagged: , , , , ,
Posted in: The Sims