Game Help:Halp!
Halp! Sims 2 doesn't work right!
The purpose of this guide is to resolve almost any problem related to The Sims 2. This guide does not cover general informative issues, but if you're having a real problem, this should lead you to a solution.
Go through in order. If you find the solution, you can click on the answer to go to the help document for that topic. Make sure you read every option carefully before making a choice at each question.
Do not skip any questions! The cause of a problem may be something you don't expect. Read every answer before you decide it's not related.
Is the game installed?
Have you gotten the game to install successfully?
- Yes: The game is installed successfully. Go to next question...
Does the problem relate to the game itself?
Is the problem related to running, playing, or otherwise using the game itself?
- Yes: Go to next question...
Does the game load?
Are you able to get the game up and loaded, at least to the screen where you choose which neighborhood you would like to load?
- No: I click the icon and nothing ever happens.
- No: The game crashes while loading, before getting to the neighborhood chooser.
- No: I get an error that says there are no DirectX compatible graphics adapters on my system.
- No: It says "Please insert the correct CD and start the application again," but the correct CD is in!
- Yes: I can get my game to load up to the neighborhood chooser. Go to next question...
Is it your whole computer?
Is the problem more than the game?
- Yes: I'm getting a message about overloaded graphics, things look terrible, and I have to reboot.
- Yes: My whole computer reboots while loading or playing.
- Yes: My whole computer freezes while loading playing.
- Yes: I'm getting a blue screen with white writing and lots of error text.
Does the game itself crash or freeze once loaded?
If you are able to get the game loaded and choose a neighborhood, are you experiencing crashes after that?
- Yes: The game crashes or freezes when loading a lot.
- Yes: The game crashes or freezes when loading Create-a-Family.
- Yes: The game crashes or freezes when clicking on a lot in the lot bin.
- Yes: The game crashes or freezes when viewing the buy or build mode catalog.
- Yes: "The application has crashed. The application will now terminate."
- No: The game itself is not crashing or freezing. Go to next question...
Are you getting a boolProp error message?
Are you experiencing popup errors when playing, with options for Cancel, Reset, and Delete?
- No: Go to next question...
Is the problem with downloads or custom content?
- Yes: I have a problem with installing custom content.
- Yes: Custom content doesn't show up in my game.
- Yes: Custom content shows up incorrectly - as bunny heads, blank heads, or Maxis default outfits/hairstyles.
- Yes: I have nude sim bodies showing up in the wrong categories.
- Yes: Custom accessories are flashing blue.
- Yes: Custom objects are flashing blue.
- Yes: I need to find a piece of problem content.
- Yes: How much is too much custom content?
- Yes: I want to organize or clean up my content.
- No: I have not downloaded anything, or I have already checked that custom content is not the issue. Go to next question...
Is the game laggy or slow?
Are you experiencing slowness, choppiness, low framerates, or other lag?
- Yes: The game takes a long time to load (the whole thing, create-a-family, or particular lots) with custom content in.
- Yes: #4 in Create-a-Sim (makeup, eyebrows, and accessories) is really choppy and slow.
- Yes: Community lots take forever to load.
- Yes: Community lots are really slow when playing.
- Yes: Large lots/lots with many sims are really laggy.
- Yes: A small lot with only a couple sims has suddenly gotten slow.
- Yes: It takes forever to package a lot to share.
- Yes: Slow framerate, slow scrolling on lots.
- Yes: The game is just generally laggy and slow.
- No: It's not that... My gameplay responsive and quick. Go to next question...
Is it a graphical issue?
Many problems can be graphics-related, something due to the card or drivers. Is your problem one of these?
- Yes: Textures become blurred after a while of play.
- Yes: Mirrors are blurry and thumbnails are crunchy.
- Yes: Red flashing walls after installing an expansion or stuff pack.
- Yes: Red water or blank patches.
- Yes: I don't have any fish in my fishtank. (Yes, this is a graphical issue!)
- Yes: I cannot change some graphics options/certain options are greyed out.
- Yes: The screen goes black or freezes during special event movies.
- Yes: I'm experiencing other graphics glitches or weird/blurred textures.
- No: My problem is not one of the above. Go to next question...
The lots and houses our sims live in can go weird in many ways. Are you having lots of difficulty (haha)?
- Yes: Game crashes when clicking on a lot in the lot bin.
- Yes: Installed lots don't show up.
- Yes: Community lots take a long time to load.
- Yes: Community lots are really laggy.
- Yes: Big lots are really laggy.
- Yes: It takes a long time to package a lot.
- Yes: A particular lot costs 1,156,498,467 Simoleans.
- Yes: Lots won't load, or crash while loading.
- No: My problem is not related to lots. Go to next question...
Sims themselves can go pretty weird, too. Are you having sim trouble?
- Yes: Sim is frozen or stuck in one position.
- Yes: Sim is emitting bubbles, stink, or sleep Zzzzzs.
- Yes: Sims' bodies have "black gloves" and look strange.
- Yes: Sims' faces and bodies don't match.
Sim-Related
- Sim is frozen or stuck in one position
- Sim is emitting bubbles, stink, or Zzzzs
- Sims' skin has "black gloves", is white with writing, or head and face don't match
- Installed sims don't show up
- Baby has another face on its forehead - freaky cyclops infants!
- Sims faces revert to defaults once moved onto a lot
Pet/Pets Expansion-Related
- Pets don't age...
- Pets sink into the floor.
- Pets pee microwaves
- Pet is stuck
- Pet is emitting bubbles, stink, or Zzzs
- Installed pets don't show up
- Werewolves don't get hairy
Open for Business-Related
- Cannot create a car dealership/sell cars on community lots.
- Cannot place custom objects on store shelves
- Misplaced restock signs appearing in the far corner of the lot
Buy Mode
- Cannot purchase an item in the catalogue (red background)
- Can't delete object recolours
Build Mode
- Doors and windows won't snap onto walls
- "Must place in center of tile" error when placing doors and windows
- Cannot place any walls whatsoever
- Can place tons of walls, but then it stops allowing placement of new walls
- Floor tiles are jumbled
Other
- Control panel disappeared
- The cheat box won't come up
- Plates disappear from sims hands
- Actions are disappearing from the queue
- Game is in 24 hour/military time
