Sims 2 pink/purple textures [ Edited ]

[TahiGoreng]

Hi,

Wanting to replay TS2 Ultimate Collection only to find it in this state. It stays in black screen with mouse if launched fullscreen, and if I force window mode it runs well until you load the neighborhood, everything is pink/purple flashing.

I've tried various fixes online namely the 4GB patch, game maker rules, and even no cd. None works. Manual editing .sgr files (video cards, graphic rules) does nothing, documents>logs>computer name-config log does not recognize GPU <<NOT FOUND IN DATABASE>> (even though i've already listed my GPU in video cards.sgr in Config and CSConfig).

Compatibility mode Vista, XP (& SP1, SP2) and 7 does nothing as Sims2EP9 outright refuses to run if it's enabled.

Windows 10 1809

i5-4590

RX 480 8GB (Radeon 19.4.3 [Relive is not installed])

8GB RAM

Anyone able to help?

Thanks

[TahiGoreng]

OP here and just to update I've given up after taking a whole night trying to fix this miserable issue. I'm just gonna publish my results down here and I'm off to watch Game of Thrones 8x5.

It just outright refuses to work, no matter what way I try to fix it. And no official patch from the team either, hats off to them really.

I just wanted to revisit an old game I grew up with. That's impossible apparently. GTG find a used 2006 laptop I suppose, *

What wont work:

Compatibility (XP [sp1, sp2], Vista [sp1, sp2], 7)                                                  =  NOPE. Doesn't run AT ALL. No process in Task Manager as well. Origin thinks it is tho (ActivationUI.exe.)

Manual editing values in .sgr files (TSdata>res>config/csconfig)                    =  NOPE. Still pink textures.

Manual adding GPU details in .sgr files (as above)                                            =  NOPE. Still pink textures.

Using graphics rules maker to add in GPU and force memory limit                = NOPE. Still pink textures.

Will the damn log file in documents>ea>ts2>log acknowledge your GPU?   = NOPE. It'll never acknowledge. <<NOT FOUND IN DATABASE!>>

4GB patch or large address aware                                                                         = NOPE. Still pink textures.

Running -w command in Origin/shortcut properties target field                        = NOPE. Still pink textures.

This answers.ea thread detailing the "known issues" only gives you false hope. It's not even updated...

Here, let me update it.

Does UC run on Windows 8/8.1/10 ?

Spoiler

NO IT DOESN'T., AND IT WON'T. DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME.

Yes, it does. You might need to start your game in compatibility mode though.

1. Find the Sims 2 UC Icon on your desktop
2. Right click on it and choose properties
3. Choose the tab compatility
4. Click on the little tick in compatibilty mode and choose Windows XP (SP3) from the dropdown box.

What works:

1. (Definitely) Uninstalling the game, reminiscing the memories you've created with the game and hoped to re experience that magic of TS2 only to be crushed by * software that's not updated at all but somehow given away freely by the very owners of the IP few years back. Mind boggling. It's like giving away an old car, desperate for repairs to someone and telling them to * and repair it themselves.

[Edited by EA_Mai - discussion of illegal activities and swearing not allowed]

[Tremayne4260]

@TahiGoreng , I'll be honest with you. [Edited by EA_Mai] Windows 10 has had some updates lately that have conflicted with the game and so far no one has found work arounds for this. And on top of that Windows 10 and some graphics cards will not allow the game to run at all. Leefish's site has more information. 

If you have an older laptop or desktop computer running Windows 7, you'll find the game will be able to run much better. 

Sorry you are having so many issues.

[LizzeBeeMee]

This is my First time posting anything here but I’m just so frustrated because my favorite sims game is almost unplayable with major problems that can’t be fixed without 3rd party programs.

I’m fully aware the sims 2 ultimate collection is an old game and I completely understand that newer hardware will have its conflicts but I’m beginning to loose hope for a permanent fix.

I’ve tried everything under the sun, removing CC, doing a fresh install, the 4gb patch, graphics rules, memory allocation, standby memory clearing. 

I’ve managed to get rid of crashing but the pink flashing still occurs even after I’ve cleared the thumbnails with the accessory and group files.

I hope in the future weather it be ea, windows or a talented mod creator can somehow fix a timeless classic that is dear to me.

If anyone has any recommendations, fixed or anything at all in the meantime, please send them my way and I’ll be more than willing to try.

Specs: Windows 10

Ram: 16gb

Chip: GeForce 1070

If you need anymore info on my specs let me know, I’m kinda doing this last minute but I’ll be happy to put down the rest tomorrow.

-Lizze

[Tremayne4260]

@LizzeBeeMee , I found this video on YouTube that covers many of the issues that folks have have getting Sims 2 UC to run. While I understand you have tried many of the solutions other players have suggested, there may be something here you haven't tried.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZ4AhNM9S20

Please keep me updated.

[LizzeBeeMee]

Thank you for the video, I’ve tried everything in it but I’m still having issues. 

The pink glitch is still happening as I kinda expected. But it’s actually better, but it’s still happening. I know its probably not going to have a fix until ea addresses it (if they ever do) or if the hardware is updated. 

Im also experiencing more crashing than usual, but again, I kinda expected it

If you have any more info/advice please send it my way~

-Lizze

[TahiGoreng]

@LizzeBeeMee Hello Lizze. I am the disappointed OP of this thread who tried to play it on my desktop PC. Specs details in there.

I have been on an adventure of trying on each old laptops I scavenged in my basement. Long story short, all old laptops of mine from 2009 - 2013 suck in terms of hardware and software and the horrendous lag, so i decided to try it on my ultrabook, a Dell XPS 13.

Having a humble setup with only i3-7100u @ 2.4ghz, 4GB of RAM and integrated GPU Intel HD 620 (128mb VRAM), Windows 10 1803 x64 and astonishingly, it's somehow running perfectly well after using Graphics Rules Maker.

But I wont be playing it on my ultrabook as it's cooling system is not that great and it's not meant to game on. And seeing it's running well on integrated GPU i believe its just the game refusing to recognize dedicated GPU like yours being the GTX1070, and mine being the RX480, which is a fair bit idiotic to say the least.

Don't bother checking old videos on YouTube on how to run as it's based on old W10 versions and older hardware. I even found a recent video on YouTube of a guy playing TS2 on his/her MacBook Air (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMerP6aLp2Q&lc=z235uzcammjfghlwc04t1aokgj5ez3dbuioqzan2w0h1bk0h00410). What does a MacBook Air have? A weak integrated GPU--just like my XPS 13.
Performance is a bit chuggy but lowered settings allows 60fps @ 1080p (on my XPS).

Actually, I'm going to try copy pasting the exact gpu rules / sgr files from my XPS to my desktop PC and try running it again. Will see if it bypasses my old problem. Also, I have TS3 on my PC and noticed TS3 and TS2 have similar GPU rules files. I could also try copy pasting TS3 gpu rules content into TS2 to see if it runs.

Also, doubt EA nor Maxis would actually address this as they'd much rather focus milking TS4 and remastering TS2 one day and resell it rather than update old outdated freeware/software that would not make them any money from updating it, and no one would buy it anymore. Oh, this part would probably be edited out by an EA_moderator soon.

Good luck to you. I will update my findings here.

-still disappointed OP

[Tremayne4260]

@TahiGoreng , Macs have their own version of Sims 2 available from the Apple App Store so seeing anyone play TS2 on a Mac will definitely not help anyone playing on a Windows machine. Plus the Mac version was ported by another company call Aspyr and they have updated and fixed the game to run on newer Macs and work with newer graphics cards. 

However that being said, you should still check out all videos and links as one or two key points may be of use to you and help you to get the game to run. I found that a combination of different solutions helped me to get my game to run, but then I am playing it on Windows 7. Newer version of Windows require the game to be run in Compatibility mode and you should always try the oldest versions of Windows first and move up from there.

You should read everything you can find on the pink flashing graphics. I found several links to different forums and several videos while researching answers for this post. You should to look at the dates these were posted and look at the newer ones first. One may mention something you may not have tried. Sometimes it takes a little bit of this and a little bit of that to get the game to run.

[LizzeBeeMee]

@TahiGoreng @Tremayne4260 I’ve finally found something that has worked for me after so long... I’ve not had pink flashing or crashing once after I’ve tried this. I hope this will work for you and anyone else looking for a fix.

I’m still sad that there is no official patch or fix but this will work for me in the meantime.

For context I am running windows 10.

link to the google doc with the magic - 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/19JMr-FQSU3AlF7Kyvcrr7awTiHBDQSUNLG6qfaI6rOs/mobilebasic#heading=...

[TahiGoreng]

Wow that's a good find Lizze @LizzeBeeMee . Have you had any crashes/problems so far?

Honestly I gave up trying lmao but with this I'll re-download TS2 Ultimate when I'm back at my place where my PC is and update here as well. Thanks for finding and sharing the link!

If all goes well that link should be stickied in this forum