Hello everyone!

The Sims 3 doesn't run properly on my new high end gaming PC. The game runs very laggy.

Before I decided to post this thread, I tried several popular solutions, but they didn't solve the issue completely.

First and foremost here is my DxDiag report:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/seoqgw9il...DxDiag.txt?dl=0

When I first installed the game, it told me that it didn't recognize my video card.

Then I searched for a solution, and I did this:

http://simswiki.info/wiki.php?title...zed_by_the_game

I did all the steps and the game recognized my card, but the issue persisted - the game was laggy and choppy.

After that when I checked the DeviceConfig file, I noticed that my GPU Memory rating was 1. Then I tried making this change in the GraphicsRules.sgr file:


seti gpumemLevelUber 4
seti gpumemLevelHigh 4
seti gpumemLevelMedium 4
seti gpumemLevelLow 4

The GPU Memory rating changed to 4, but the issue persisted again.

Then in the DeviceConfig file I noticed this line:

"Texture memory: 32MB <<OVERRIDE>>"

This is ridicules, since my video card has 4 GB of memory. I compared the DeviceConfig file on my laptop (that has a vastly inferior graphics card), where the game works just fine, and on that line the memory was 1696 MB.

Here is the current status of my DeviceConfig file:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/cynf7ypiy...Config.log?dl=0

I also have 2 graphics cards:

1) NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970
2) Intel(R) HD Graphics 4600

I think that maybe the game tries to use the Intel card? I tried tinkering with the Nvidia Control Panel, but that didn't do anything


I kept googling my issue and I'm now stuck. So I decided to post here.

Can you guys help me to get the game working properly?

Thanks in advance!

I did this, and now it says: Texture memory: 1024MB

The game still handles weird. It's less choppy and laggy this time, not perectly smooth like other games I run on my PC, like Sims 4.

Btw, when I start Sims 3, unlike other games, where I can hear my video card beginning to work more powerfully, I also hear a beeping noise. This only happens when I start Sims 3. Maybe the game is still trying to use the integrated graphics card?

Also in my GPU monitor, I see ridiculous GPU usage! Sometimes 70-80, or even 90%!! Which is too much GPU usage for this game!

First off, I wasn't playing the game. I have absolutely no desire to play the game in it's current state. All I did was test the gameplay for 2-3 minutes at a time.

I downloaded NVIDIA Inspector and I didn't find an option to set an fps limiter to the Sims 3.

Okay I did that. I limited the game to 60 FPS.

The GPU usage dropped down to 20-40% and I no longer hear my GPU fan starting to work harder when I start the game.

I do experience a lot of screen tearing and choppiness now.


EDIT: I set Vertican Sync to "Force ON"

And that solved the problem.

I am still experiencing some slight choppiness. Much less than before, but still not perfect.

What else can I try to do for optimum performance?

Thank you for the advice btw.

Do you have any EP/SP/CC/Mods installed or just the base game? And have you patched the game to its latest patch?

If it's only the base game then it might be something related to your Nvidia GPU compatibility, you might need to download its latest driver, but if you have EP/SP/CC/Mods installed, it could be something else that are not related to your Nvidia GPU, but either way still you need the FPS limiter installed no matter what for TS3 even for test run for 2-3 minutes.

Pffffff....

My game runs much better than on the video you showed me.

No, just a clean install of the base game and nothing else.

I used to play Sims 3 a lot back in the day on my 2010 era laptop, and I own most of the expansion packs.

When I installed everything in one go on my new PC, and I started the game for the first time, I was like "Whaaaaaat the fuck..... Oh God, now I remember how many bugs are in this game..."

Then I tried several things, they all failed, then I uninstalled everything.

Now I just did a clean install of the base game for testing reasons to see if I can runt the game at all.

And now I'm here with you guys.

Ok. can you give us more specific details of your laptop's spec? And what OS you are running, because switchable GPUs laptop (like mine Lenovo E330, it has Intel HD 4000 and Nvidia GT610M) can't run its Nvidia GPU on Windows 7 Starter, I think is because of Windows 7 Starter doesn't supports switchable GPUs because it runs just fine with other Windows 7 versions.

I assumed that you're testing TS3 on a new game not previously saved game, I had this kind of trouble before but not in my laptop but on my PC with GTX680, the TS3 BG didn't recognized my GTX680, but after I patched the BG to 1.67 then its recognized my GTX680 and my problem solved, you can try to patch your game to 1.67 and see if its recognized your GTX970, but if it still the same, try updating your Nvidia driver to 352.86 or newer for notebook version (don't use the desktop version) x86 or x64 depends on your OS you are running.

And if you have tried all of the above I mentioned and it still the same, I think there's only one way to make it work to enable you to play the game in your laptop, set your graphic setting in TS3 menu to the lowest setting, this will make your game playable and safer for your GTX970, and yes you still need the FPS limiter running.

PS (Edited): We're trying to make your TS3 BG recognized your GTX970 first, then we can find the cause(s) what makes the game lagging if it's still lagging or chopping, I don't think it will lagging/chopping after its recognized it (based on my GTX680 experience), but if TS3 still failed to recognized your GTX970 after you patched it, then the only way I can think of is to lower your graphic setting to the lowest in TS3 menu cause that what happened to me before its recognized my GTX680

Here is my laptop's DxDiag:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/872bj2bqy...laptop.txt?dl=0

On both machines I'm using Windows 7 64 bit.

For the Sims 3 base game on my desktop PC, I'm using a brand new save for testing.

hey how you doing nitromon? I'm currently playing my new game CoH2 Ardennes Assault when not playing TS3, but still checking forums updates and new mods :D



I see, so your GTX970 is on your PC not on your laptop then, so which one you're having trouble?

Your laptop's spec should be fine running TS3, of course it won't 100% free lagging/chopping, SSD can help boosting your gameplay performance.

Now about your PC, I suggest you patch it to 1.67, just the BG with 1.67 patch for testing purpose, then your DeviceConfig should look like this:



Mine says 0 found but matched 1, but the TS3 BG 1.67 recognized my GTX680 though it said 0 found, and I didn't have lagging/chopping, and that's the way I setup my TS3 installation, BG 1st, patch it to 1.67, then add any EPs/SPs before I put my mods pack into it, so I only need to patch it once to save my SSD lifespan, and just to be save not to burnt my GTX680 like I did with my old GTX280 because I didn't know I should run FPS limiter for TS3, I set my graphic setting to medium except for texture I set it up to high, this way I also got low temp for my video card while playing TS3.

I don't know much about GTX970, but as is already support Directx 12, I suggest you should use the Nividia Gforce 352.86 x64 driver for desktop, I hope that helps, but if that still doesn't help, I'm afraid I can't help you more (at least for now), because that's how I made my GTX680 recognized by TS3.

Whoaa.. I'm not going to messed up my video card with TS3.. lol, actually that's not hard for GT240, GT240 is good enough for SSAO cause GT240 is actually the old 8800GT, but since it needs FPS limiter to protect the video card and top of it probably around 60 fps as far as it's safe to go, then what's the purpose of running it? I love TS3 but this is the only game that I can't exploit my video card power so I won't burnt it as I did with my old GTX280. I might test it with other games, but not on TS3

I'm having some good time playing the new episode of CoH2 with my GTX680, but darn.. I'm running on its minimum requirement because of my processor as it wants me to have at least Core i5 for its recommended requirement, my Core 2 Quad 9450 is on level with Core 2 Extreme 9770 already as I OC-ed it, but still not met its recommended requirement.. lol, why why why?? Even my C2Q have more cache memory than Core i5, lol

Well I bought it as 2nd hand processor in 2010 about $70, it's a rev C1 unlocked, it can run 1600Mhz FSB just like QX9770 with 12MB L2 cache, so it wasn't a bad deal.

I did thought about upgrading it, but I'm not eyeing on Gen 4 i3/i5/i7 Haswell, I'm eyeing for i7 LGA2011 Ivy Bridge, but it still takes time for me to save money so I can afford it, of course there's LGA2011v3 as well, the price different isn't very much but it requires DDR4 RAM to run it, the problem is the DDR4 price is way too much for me, I'm not planning just to run a single 4GB DDR4 module.. b/c I have 4x4GB DDR3 already lol, this is the 1st a game that put my system in its minimum category and it really hurts me.. lol