1

My graphics is blotchy. How can I make things accelerated? I have an ATI Radeon HD 4250 card.

It appears to be running at 800x600. I am using HDMI to drive big-screen TV at 1080p (1920x1080).

There's a bit of flickering/tearing that I cannot capture since it's dynamic in nature, but I'd like to tackle the screen resolution first.

I have all the 3D settings at max quality to offset the effects of veiwing 800x600 on the big screen. AAx4 AFx16.

I am running this app in Windows XP SP2 compatibility mode with "run as admin."

I have the official DVD patch from support website and a clean install.

EDIT: This is what I get when I add

 card 0x9715 "Radeon HD 4250"

to Video Cards.sgr:

Log generated on 4/19/2012, 18:33

=== Application info ===
Name:            The Sims 2
Version:         1.0.0.1022
Build:           ReleaseSRT-P
=== Machine info ===
OS version:      Windows NT 5.1
CPU:             2912Mhz, Name:AuthenticAMD, FPU:1, MMX:1
Memory:          1024MB
Free memory:     1024MB
User:            Greg
Computer:        GREG-HTPC
=== Sound device info ===
Name:            Unknown
Driver:          Unknown
=== Graphics device info ===
Number:          0
Name (driver):   ATI Radeon HD 4250
Name (database): Radeon HD 4250
Vendor:          ATI
Chipset:         Vendor: 1002, Device: 9715, Board: 843e1043, Chipset: 0000
Driver:          aticfx32.dll, Version: 8.17.10.1114, GUID: D7B71EE2-D455-11CF-A977-34A4BEC2C535
Driver version:  1114
Monitor:         \\.\DISPLAY1
Monitor aspect:  1.776902, 16:9
Screen mode:     1920x1080x32BPP,59Hz
Texture memory:  3064MB
HW T&L:          Fixed function:1 Programmable:3.0
Pixel program:   3.0
Texture stages:  8
AppControlledAA: 1

Global properties
-----------------
stringProp activeDeviceDisplayMode 800x600x32x60
stringProp activeDeviceList 1;0;ATI Radeon HD 4250;1002;9715;1114;8.17.10.1114, GUID: D7B71EE2-D455-11CF-A977-34A4BEC2C535;
sintProp   activeDeviceNum 0
boolProp   activeDeviceUseSoftwareRasterizer false
boolProp   allowCustomContent true
uintProp   AmbienceVolume 100
boolProp   animationLOD false
uintProp   antialiasingQuality 0
uintProp   AudioPerformance 1
boolProp   autoCentering true
boolProp   autoLogin false
boolProp   bumpMapping false
boolProp   CameraDriftCamEnabled true
boolProp   CameraSpecialEventEnabled true
boolProp   carsOnRight true
boolProp   checkForPatch true
boolProp   constrainFloorElevation true
boolProp   creatingLotTemplate false
uintProp   cutawayMemorySize 3
boolProp   cutawayOutside true
boolProp   deviceVsynch true
boolProp   displayLookAtBoxes false
boolProp   displayPaths false
uintProp   dynamicRenderStrategy 0
boolProp   edgeScrolling true
uintProp   edithConfigFlags 1
boolProp   effectLODSoftChange true
floatProp  effectMaxTimeDelta 0
uintProp   effectPriorityLevel 3
boolProp   enableSnapshot true
boolProp   freeWill true
uintProp   FXVolume 100
floatProp  geomBoneInfluenceThreshold 0.01
boolProp   geomCheckGeomDataIntegrity false
floatProp  geomGeneratedTangentSpaceNormalLineLength 0.1
uintProp   geomGenerateTangentSpaceNormalLines 0
boolProp   geomGenerateTangentSpaceSxT false
uintProp   geomMaxBoneInfluencesPerVertex 4
sintProp   geomMaxMorphTargetDeltasPerVertex 4
floatProp  geomMorphTargetDeltaThreshold 0.001
floatProp  geomPerBoneBoundBlendWeightThreshold 0.9
boolProp   guob true
floatProp  horzedgescrollrate 0.5
boolProp   interrupt false
stringProp lastLoadedNeighborhood Pleasantview
uintProp   lightingQuality 3
boolProp   lightOpenGLStyle false
boolProp   liveCameraConstraints true
boolProp   livePIP true
uintProp   lodOverride 0
boolProp   lotInfoAdvancedMode false
stringProp lotWindowFillColor (0,0,0,1)
uintProp   maxParticlesTarget 10000
uintProp   maxTerrainGrade 5
boolProp   morph true
uintProp   MusicVolume 40
stringProp neighborhoodWindowFillColor (0.5,0.5,0.5,1)
boolProp   nhoodWaterReflection false
boolProp   NoLegacySounds true
boolProp   noStupidIFFUnlocking false
boolProp   optimizeMeshes true
uintProp   optionEffectsQuality 3
uintProp   optionLightingQuality 3
uintProp   optionMaterialDetail 3
uintProp   optionObjectDetail 3
uintProp   optionObjectHiding 0
uintProp   optionOpaqueUI 0
uintProp   optionReflection 1
uintProp   optionShadows 3
uintProp   optionSoundQuality 3
floatProp  particleDamping 0
floatProp  particleDensity 1
uintProp   particleLODOffset 0
floatProp  particleScale 1
floatProp  particleSizeThreshold 1
boolProp   perfAddLights true
boolProp   perfEnableMorphing true
boolProp   perfEnableSkinning true
boolProp   perfLightCaching true
boolProp   perfRenderParts true
uintProp   propertyRevision 6
boolProp   quickTips true
boolProp   reduceBoneWeights false
boolProp   reflectionWithExtraViewer false
boolProp   renderInsideObjectOnlyOnSelectedSimLevel true
uintProp   renderInsideVisibleObjects 1
boolProp   renderOpaqueUI false
boolProp   renderSelectedSimLevel false
boolProp   rotateCameraSims1Mode false
boolProp   ShowLotPackageFilename false
boolProp   ShowTutorialWelcome true
boolProp   simInBackground false
boolProp   simShadows true
boolProp   sleepInBackground true
boolProp   snapObjectsToGrid true
uintProp   snapshotPictureQuality 2
uintProp   snapshotPictureSize 2
uintProp   soundDetail 2
boolProp   SoundMasterGroupAmbienceEnabled true
boolProp   SoundMasterGroupFXEnabled true
boolProp   SoundMasterGroupMusicEnabled true
boolProp   SoundMasterGroupVoxEnabled true
boolProp   specHighlights true
stringProp startingNeighborhood Pleasantview
boolProp   unevenTilesFloorable true
boolProp   useEffects true
boolProp   useLODs false
boolProp   usePixelAspectRatio true
floatProp  vertedgescrollrate 0.5
boolProp   videoCaptureAudioOn true
uintProp   videoCaptureMaxRecordingSeconds 60
uintProp   videoCaptureQuality 1
uintProp   videoCaptureSize 1
uintProp   VOXVolume 100


Device 0
--------

Options
-------
uintProp MaterialDetail 3 #default: 3
uintProp ObjectDetail 3 #default: 3
uintProp ObjectHiding 0 #default: 0
uintProp Shadows 3 #default: 3
uintProp OpaqueUI 0 #default: 0
uintProp Reflection 1 #default: 1
uintProp EffectsQuality 3 #default: 3
uintProp LightingQuality 3 #default: 3
uintProp SoundQuality 3 #default: 3
uintProp DirtyRect 2 #default: 2
uintProp FullscreenFadeEffect 1 #default: 1
uintProp Turbo 2 #default: 2
uintProp SimulatorControls 3 #default: 3
uintProp LightingOptimizations 3 #default: 3
uintProp AnimationSamplingLevel 2 #default: 2
uintProp LivePIP 1 #default: 1
uintProp SpecialEventCamera 1 #default: 1
uintProp ScreenModeResolution 3 #default: 3

Option properties
-----------------
sintProp   activeDeviceNum 0
boolProp   animationFrameSampling false
uintProp   AudioPerformance 2
boolProp   bumpMapping true
boolProp   chooseCameraSpecialEventEnabled true
uintProp   defaultResHeight 768
uintProp   defaultResWidth 1024
uintProp   dynamicRenderStrategy 2
uintProp   effectPriorityLevel 3
boolProp   enableSnapshot true
boolProp   floorAndWallNormalMapping true
boolProp   guob true
boolProp   heightMapShadows true
uintProp   imageDataSizeReductionOnLoad 0
boolProp   incrementalLighting true
boolProp   lerpLights true
boolProp   lightingEnabled true
boolProp   livePIPDefault true
uintProp   lodOverride 0
uintProp   maxNumOfVisitingSims 8
uintProp   maxParticlesTarget 10000
uintProp   maxResHeight 1200
uintProp   maxResWidth 1600
boolProp   nhoodWaterReflection true
boolProp   objectShadows true
boolProp   optimizedDiffusion true
uintProp   optionAnimationSamplingLevel 2
uintProp   optionDirtyRect 2
uintProp   optionEffectsQuality 3
uintProp   optionFullscreenFadeEffect 1
uintProp   optionLightingOptimizations 3
uintProp   optionLightingQuality 3
uintProp   optionLivePIP 1
uintProp   optionMaterialDetail 3
uintProp   optionObjectDetail 3
uintProp   optionObjectHiding 0
uintProp   optionOpaqueUI 0
uintProp   optionReflection 1
uintProp   optionScreenModeResolution 3
uintProp   optionShadows 3
uintProp   optionSimulatorControls 3
uintProp   optionSoundQuality 3
uintProp   optionSpecialEventCamera 1
uintProp   optionTurbo 2
floatProp  particleDensity 1
uintProp   particleLODOffset 0
floatProp  particleScale 1
boolProp   portalLighting true
boolProp   reduceBoneWeights false
boolProp   reflectionWithExtraViewer true
uintProp   renderInsideVisibleObjects 0
boolProp   renderOpaqueUI false
boolProp   simShadows true
boolProp   specHighlights true
boolProp   useDirtyTiles true
boolProp   useEffects true
boolProp   useLODs false
boolProp   useTurboRect true

Device properties
-----------------
boolProp   activeDeviceUseSoftwareRasterizer false
uintProp   antialiasingSupport 1
uintProp   configParserErrorCode 0
uintProp   deviceLocalVideoMemorySizeDefault 3212836864
boolProp   enableDriverMemoryManager false
boolProp   enumerateMultisampleLevels true
boolProp   presentWorkaround true
boolProp   useRenderTextures true
boolProp   vs2LoopsFunctional false
Improve this question
1
  • 1
    We can't help unless you give more information. PC specs, what graphics settings have you set in the game, any custom graphics settings in the Radeon driver software, what OS are you using, etc. It would be very helpful if you could post a screenshot of a screen with the "blotchy" graphics so we know what you're talking about.
    – Vinay S Shenoy
    Commented Apr 19, 2012 at 4:03

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
3

One of the problems is with your graphics card. The Radeon HD 4250 is a low end card, nowhere near powerful enough to handle a game like Sims 2 at high resolutions. AA and AF are pretty demanding on graphics cards. I would recommend disabling them or reducing them to the lowest setting to improve performance.

As for your resolution problem, you can try the following solutions:

SOLUTION 1

SOLUTION 2

Improve this answer
6
  • That's the first thing that comes up while googling. I did that. If you read the comments below, quite a few people can't make their wide-screen setups work. Just like me.
    – GregC
    Commented Apr 19, 2012 at 17:30
  • I don't have performance problems. I suspect that if I bought a 7000-series discrete card today, I'd still see the same issues.
    – GregC
    Commented Apr 19, 2012 at 17:34
  • 1
    @GregC, I found one more link at the Widescreen Gaming Forum. You could try that. Out of curiosity, your Radeon drivers are up to date, right? If possible, take a screenshot and check the resolution of the image to see how what the actual resolution is. FRAPS is useful for that.
    – Vinay S Shenoy
    Commented Apr 20, 2012 at 4:37
  • i like the Solution 2 as it shows that it's possible to run widescreen. I'll try it when I get home.
    – GregC
    Commented Apr 20, 2012 at 15:53
  • @VinaySShernoy I'd added my log file that game init generates. On the second solution, the engineer talks about camera files that he's created. I cannot find them on that site.
    – GregC
    Commented Apr 21, 2012 at 14:30

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.