I think I may be almost to the point of being able to start installing things beyond just the basics on my new desktop, and it occurred to me that this was a perfect opportunity to make sure that I do everything RIGHT that I did wrong when I installed TS2 on my old laptop all those years ago, before I start actually transferring over the data that has all my in-progress projects from a year ago... Some of the mods I know I'll want to install, like No Sim Loaded and Creaturefixes, but I'm sure there's other "make-sure-you-don't-turn-your-game-into-a-GBFBVFS" mods that I've just been blissfully unaware of.

Likewise, there might well be some system tricks to ensuring that the game behaves itself on my computer, that files are easier to manage, etc... that I'm also unaware of.

Since I know there have been problems with some of the files I've had in the past, I want to make sure I have all the protections I can get in place before I start touching them again, and I figure that's worthy of an ask to the community!

Remember to install the smarter EP check - http://cyjon.net/node/323 - some mods, like No Sim Loaded, will not work without it.

This sticky thread gives a list of the essential mods: http://modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=532696 (although there are others as well).

System tricks: those will depend on your system. In my opinion, the first thing is to make sure the game works. If necessary, graphic rules changes, etc. can follow after that.

Enjoy

Graphic rules is going to be your first stop Zar - read about it over at Leefish. The game almost certainly won't recognise your video card. Also, you'll probably want the 4GB patch.

yes! definitely this: https://lifasims.livejournal.com/3738.html

The 4GB patch is easier and safer to use for most people than the CFF Explorer. The patch even makes a backup of the original .exe file for you automatically.

https://ntcore.com/?page_id=371

I once called the 4GB patch "more idiot-proof" and got a few disagrees for it.

I definitely think the 4GB patch is easier.

haha I've always used the CFF explorer... 😅 Learning new things every day. It definitely looks much easier

Let's see... everything installed successfully (to my SSD too, so bye-bye slow loading screens!), and seems to work... I think (a few crashes, but I'm not too surprised, since I was already going in and changing settings).

Is there a way to tell if it's properly running through my graphics card, as opposed to the integrated graphics? (it looks miles better than it did on my old laptop, so I assume it's working right, but I don't really know...)

You can check which graphics card is being used by going to the directory:

C:\Users\Admin-PC\Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2\Logs

Then open the "...-config-log.txt" file. Then check under the "Graphics device info" section to see which video card the game is using.

You want memory and free memory in the config-log.txt file to both say 4096MB.

This is what the 4GB Patch is supposed to do, correct? Because they're both 2048 right now without it...

ETA: And Graphics Rules Maker seems to have gotten my resolution options stuck going no higher than 1280 x 720, which is immensely frustrating with 1920 x 1080 monitors... Going in and adjusting the .txt file to 1920/1080 seems to have no effect. Help!

My game displays at 1920 x 1080. This is what I have in the resolution section of my GraphicsRules.sgr file. Does this help?

No, unfortunately. I've set the .sgr file so that the ONLY resolution listed for any level is 1920x1080, and it'll still be stuck at 1280x720...

I'll be uninstalling the Graphics Rules Maker when I'm back to my computer next, to see if that's where the problem lies ..

The Graphics rules Maker for some reason does not work on my system - I had to download a card from Leefish (I have no idea why, but it seems that when I put the exact samefiles in the exact same folders the GRM puts them, then my pc understands what to do ) - so it may be worth trying to try a manual option.

The GRM is very weird. For me, I noticed that the only way I can get the resolution to take effect is by making sure that 'Force Texture Memory' is set to a certain number, it doesn't matter what number, just as long it's not 'Do not force texture memory'. TBH, I'm not sure what number it's supposed to match in my system, is it the display memory from DxDiag? The memory listed under the GRM Details tab? IDK... Anyways, that's the only way I managed to get the resolution to settings to stick to 1920x1080. Manually inputting everything in doesn't work for me.

GRM also can get messed up it seems. It messed up my game a few days ago and had to do a complete reinstall to fix the issue, because my game suddenly refused to recognize my graphics card after I used the GRM again to adjust the texture memory size. It didn't write the .sgr files properly. Weird, I still don't know why that happened.

You can always edit the file manually, like me. I never used the Graphics Rules Maker, it seemed too complicated at the time. I edited the graphics rules and now my game runs fine on my Nvidia 1050 GTX.

@Yvelotic2001 - I'd love to know what exactly you did for your card. I'm running on a 1060 and I (quite often) get pink flashing and sometimes 'access violation' crashes. Perhaps now I could try and see what the GRM might've missed.

I never experienced pink flashing or "access violation" crashes with my card. I didn't edit much the Graphics Rules file. I followed this tutorial to change the resolution and then changed boolprop simpleTerrain from true to false. I played like that for some months until I installed Voeille's Water Overhaul mod. To make that work, I downloaded the Graphics Rules file she uploaded here and again did the changes I had before. Never had pink flashes, even before I installed the 4GB patch, which was only recently, and I play in 1920x1080 with all settings to high, DontMergeNHFlora and lotSkirtSizeIncrease 120.

I'd love to use Voeille's Water Overhaul mod, but the sea water creates graphical glitches if a lot is near the sea/ocean and can look weird or annoying. It's a shame you can't fix it.

I've tried the SimsVIP tutorial and for some reason, it didn't work for me. Interesting. Okay, I'll see what I can do. Thanks you!

Is there a guide to the 4GB Patch somewhere? I have the file unzipped and installed, and it seems to be working, but I'm pretty sure I have no clue what I'm supposed to actually be applying it to, since I'm still just seeing 2048MB of memory available in the config-log...

Or better yet, can anyone just tell me what file I'm supposed to patch with it, if I have all EPs and SPs from disk?

You patch the executable that you run the game from (usually the latest EP that you have in the game). I have all disks and my shortcut points to EA GAMES > The Sims 2 Mansion & Garden Stuff > TSBin > Sims2EP9.exe. I applied the patch to that file. The patch automatically makes a backup of the original file, but since I'm paranoid I made my own backup anyway.

OK, either I'm doing something wrong (an entirely believable scenario), or something on my computer isn't letting the change take effect, since that's what I've done too, and I'm still just seeing 2048MB in the config file.

My memory's foggy - I seem to recall that I had a similar problem and had to do something else to make the game use more RAM, but that was a couple of years ago so everything that I learned about this process has been flushed by now.

I distinctly remember changing something from 2048 to a higher number and that made it work, but what that setting was and what document it was in has gone blank. I'll keep looking. Not remembering is driving me nuts.

move executable to desktop, apply patch, move it back. Save somewhere backup produced by patcher or other tool.