Sims 3 64 bit bad graphics

[AddyAva]

I've recently got the new MacBook m1 air and managed to install most of my expansion packs with the game running smoothly. However, the graphics in the game are so bad for me- they're a bit fuzzy and blurry as if I'm playing on a much older computer. I don't understand why as I've looked in the settings of the game and still nothing changes. Any advice?

[puzzlezaddict · Accepted solution]

@AddyAva  Try bringing up the cheats console (cmd-shift-C) and entering "fullscreen" without quotes, or "fullscreen off" if the first doesn't work.  You an also edit options.ini, in Documents> Electronic Arts > The Sims 3, to set fullscreen to 0.  (Open the file with TextEdit.)

The in-game resolution may be the issue though.  At 1024x768, the game would be blurry on any system.  Try setting the resolution as high as it goes, then decreasing it until you get the effect you want.  Stick with your Mac's native resolution and any supported scaled resolutions:

• 2560x1600 (native)
• 1680x1050
• 1440x900
• 1024x640 (probably not offered in-game)

Sometimes when you change the in-game resolution, the game looks a bit wrong in fullscreen until you switch to windowed mode and back.

[puzzlezaddict]

@AddyAva  Try switching between fullscreen and windowed mode (cmd-return), and changing the in-game resolution.  (It's with the other graphics settings.)  Let me know whether any settings make the game look okay.

If not, please post a couple of screenshots of what you see.  If the in-game screenshot function doesn't reflect the blurriness you're seeing, you can put the game in windowed mode and use cmd-shift-4 to capture the section of screen you want to show.

Please also attach your deviceconfig.log to a post; it's in Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 3.  (You'll need to manually open the folders; the file won't show up in a search.)  You can delete your user and computer names, about 25 lines down, but there's nothing else in that file that can identify you.

[AddyAva]

=== Application info ===

Name:            Sims3

Version:         

Build:           Release

=== Rating info ===

GPU: 5 GPU Memory: 5 CPU: 3 RAM: 5 CPU Speed: 2400 Threading: 3

Adjusted CPU: 3200 RAM: 8192 Adjusted RAM: 7680 Cores: 8

Card Found in DB: 1

=== Machine info ===

OS version:      Mac OS X Version 10.16 (Build 20C69)

OS prod type:    0

OS major ver:    10

OS minor ver:    16

OS SP major ver: 0

OS SP minor ver: 0

OS is 64Bit: 1

CPU:             MacBookAir10,1

    Brand:       Apple M1

    Family:      4

    Model:       7

    Cores:       8

    HT:          0

    x64:         1

Memory:          8192MB

Free memory:     2370MB

User:            

Computer:        

=== Graphics device info ===

Number:          0

Name (driver):   Unknown Unknown

Name (database): Unknown Unknown [Found: 1, Matched: 1]

Vendor:          ATI

Chipset:         Vendor: 1002, Device: 6810, Board: 00000000, Chipset: 0000

Driver:          macOS Metal driver, Version: 0.0.0.0

Driver version:  0

Monitor:         FD626D62

Texture memory:  5461MB

Vertex program:  3.0

Pixel program:   3.0

Hardware TnL:    0

=== Options ===

AnimationSmoothing 1

LightingQuality 3

GeneralReflections 2

TextureQuality 3

VisualEffects 3

TerrainQuality 2

EdgeSmoothing 0

ObjectHiding 0

AspectRatio 0

ForceSquarePixels 1

SimQuality 3

TreeQuality 3

DrawDistance 3

MaxActiveLots 3

NumMaxActiveLotOptions 6

AdvancedRendering 1

AudioQuality 3

AudiutputMode 1

VoiceLevel 255

SoundFXLevel 255

MusicLevel 255

AmbientLevel 255

FocusMute 1

VoiceMute 0

SoundFXMute 0

MusicMute 0

AmbientMute 0

EdgeScrolling 1

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 2

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 4

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

=== Default Options ===

AnimationSmoothing 1

LightingQuality 3

GeneralReflections 2

TextureQuality 3

VisualEffects 3

TerrainQuality 2

EdgeSmoothing 0

ObjectHiding 0

AspectRatio 0

ForceSquarePixels 1

SimQuality 3

TreeQuality 3

DrawDistance 3

MaxActiveLots 3

NumMaxActiveLotOptions 6

AdvancedRendering 1

AudioQuality 3

AudiutputMode 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

[AddyAva]

I sent 2 screenshots of what I see in game- as you can see its very blurry the game itself. I'm also not sure if I'm in fullscreen or windowed mode as whenever I press command-return nothing happens.

[puzzlezaddict · Accepted solution]

@AddyAva  Try bringing up the cheats console (cmd-shift-C) and entering "fullscreen" without quotes, or "fullscreen off" if the first doesn't work.  You an also edit options.ini, in Documents> Electronic Arts > The Sims 3, to set fullscreen to 0.  (Open the file with TextEdit.)

The in-game resolution may be the issue though.  At 1024x768, the game would be blurry on any system.  Try setting the resolution as high as it goes, then decreasing it until you get the effect you want.  Stick with your Mac's native resolution and any supported scaled resolutions:

• 2560x1600 (native)
• 1680x1050
• 1440x900
• 1024x640 (probably not offered in-game)

Sometimes when you change the in-game resolution, the game looks a bit wrong in fullscreen until you switch to windowed mode and back.

[AddyAva]

@puzzlezaddict Thank you so much it's worked now!

[Klose2014-16]

Hi there, I had the same issue with the graphics, so I followed all steps above and got it working. However, the Interface is very, very small. Is there any way I can change that? My Macbooks resolution is 2560x1600, and my graphics card is Intel Iris Graphics 6100 1536 MB.  I would appreciate any help!

[puzzlezaddict]

@Klose2014-16  Unfortunately, there's no way to adjust the size of the user interface, even with mods.  It occupies the same number of pixels in all resolutions; the more pixels are on your screen, the smaller the UI will be.

If it's really too small to work with, you can try playing in fullscreen mode at a smaller resolution, for example one of those I listed in my previous post.  You might even get better performance as your graphics chip has less work to do at the lower resolution.  But it's certainly a trade-off.

[Klose2014-16]

@puzzlezaddict Thanks for the quick reply! I'll probably play at a smaller resolution then, even though it's not ideal.

[GCsabor]

Hello,

How I can change resolution to 1024x640 (16:10)? It is better for MBA 2017, than Sims 3 default 1024x763 (4:3). I set it in Options.ini but the game started with 1024x763.