46 replies to this topic

[Trillian]

Reports are coming in that The Sims 2 for Mac has major problems when run under the new Mac OS version 10.4.3

See the discussions on the Apple forums for information.

As I understand it, Aspyr is aware of the problem and are working on a solution (perhaps a patch?) as quickly as they can. In the meantime, if you want to play The Sims 2 without problems, I suggest that you do NOT upgrade to OS 10.4.3

Let's try to avoid any Aspyr bashing in this thread, but feel free to post updates to the situation as you see them. Thanks :)

Edit: Just to clarify (for anyone that reads this post but not the whole thread), the problem seems to exist with NVidia video cards only. So those with other types of cards may be safe to upgrade. Just be alert and read the discussion threads before upgrading if you are horrified at the thought of spending days without your Simmies ;)

[sillygirl]

Thats so strange because I updated to 10.4.3 and my Sims 2 works fine. It must be directly related to the video card as someone posted on the Apple Discussion site. There was a post that said the problem only happens with Nvidia video cards. I have a Radeon so that must be why its working properly for me. Lucky me I guess LOL

[Trillian]

That's good information as well sillygirl. Maybe I'll try mine, as I have a Radeon card also. I don't have alot of time to play right now anyway (sadly) so it probably wouldn't hurt.

[luws]

Trillian said:

Let's try to avoid any Aspyr bashing in this thread, but feel free to post updates to the situation as you see them. Thanks :)

There's certainly no point to bashing Aspyr when it's something Apple did! :P

But very good info to know Trillian, thanks. Unfortunately I have an Nvidia GeForce card, so I'd better steer clear.

[macgirlffx]

I figured there would be something up about this so I didn't upgrade last night until I found out some more info. I too have a Radeon card so I'll probably upgrade. Too bad for the NVidia folks. That sucks. Yeah, no point in bashing Aspyr, it's not their fault. It's Apple's update. Between OS X upgrades and Quicktime conflicts, sheesh, if the game runs at all hitch free it's a miracle sometimes. But, on the bright side, we still get less bugs than the PC folks. That's something to thank Aspyr for.

[macgirlffx]

I just had a thought... if Aspyr can fix this problem for the Nvidia people, I wonder if my iMac G4 will run the sims 2 now. I reread the Apple forum and it sounds like the Nvidia people are reporting similar problems to what I had with my G4 when I got the sims 2. The display disappears unless your scroll. My G4 has an Nvidia card.

[Trillian]

luws said:

There's certainly no point to bashing Aspyr when it's something Apple did! :P

Hmm, maybe I should have said no Apple bashing too :lol:

I know most of you guys would make sure to get the facts, but I just wanted to be ahead of the occasional visitor we get that posts before reading everything. Thanks to all of you for being good sports and providing more useful information on this :)

[macgirlffx]

And thank you for being on top of things. I was very happy to see a thread on this. I like things to be acknowledged even if it doesn't seem terribly helpful at the time. I know my Mac guru husband will be researching this since he's head tech where he works so I'll wait and see what he reports. I always let him mess his stuff up first. :D He loves me so much he's willing to do that for me. Well, OK, maybe not, but he does appreciate it when I'm cautious. I'll report anything sims related if I get any details. And if all is safe I'll update my iMac and see if it works. If it's a disaster the goofy man will fall from the sky to help me out. :lol:

[luws]

In re-reading the Apple forum post, there seems to be 2 key factors. One is the Nvidia card. The second is iMac. Seems the combo of the 2 is the problem. I have an Nvidia card, but not an iMac, so maybe it would work for me. Don't think I'll try it though anyway.

[macgirlffx]

Yes luws, those two seem to be the factors I keep seeing as well. I've been to about three different forums now and none of them have been terribly helpful and people aren't posting their system specs all the time. One poster has contacted Aspyr (don't remember which forum) and posted their response which was simply they know about the problem, they're working on a patch, and for now you need to reinstall and if you have any other issues after that to contact them again. I didn't see one post from anyone that reinstalled that had success. It's still not working for them. So I don't know who a reinstall would work for but it doesn't seem to be working for people reporting the problems.

Sillygirl is very lucky indeed. By the way Sillygirl, do you have a new iMac G5 with the Radeon? That's what I have. 17 inch. Got it in June.

I'm still leary to update. Maybe I'll wait for that patch so if it does screw over my game I can have the patch right away instead of being simless. I'd be patient luws, better to have sims than not. My iMac G4 has an Nvidia and it was deemed incompatible even though the game ran spectacular on it but the displays disappeared if you didn't scroll constantly. Aspyr said they would not issue a patch for it. So since I'm a graphic designer professionally and my husband is a techie anyway I figured a new iMac was justified. My son needed a computer for his school work more and more anyway. We got tired of sharing.

[monsterparty]

i wish i had read this before i did the software update :(
at least its one less thing to distract me from doing my schoolwork !

i haven't read the other posts about it in other forums so i don't know what other people are saying, but i'm using a second to newest model powerbook and having the same issues, so its not just imacs.

[luws]

monsterparty said:

i wish i had read this before i did the software update :(
at least its one less thing to distract me from doing my schoolwork !

i haven't read the other posts about it in other forums so i don't know what other people are saying, but i'm using a second to newest model powerbook and having the same issues, so its not just imacs.

That's a shame, monsterparty. Do you have an nVidia graphics card?

[macgirlffx]

Since this issue seems to be graphics card related it would help if everyone would include their graphics card info so we'd know. I keep asking on other forums as well as to what graphics card folks have because they just write in to complain but don't say. It would help pin down if it's Nvidia only or Radeon too. It's not just iMacs now, but what about graphics cards?

I wish Aspyr would post more info on their site under support for the game about all this stuff too. Why do we have to contact them directly for them to let us know they already know about the issue? Post some info right on the site for everyone to read.

Apple could help out as well. As far as I know nobody has heard anything official from Apple yet either.

[deryni]

I have been looking all over for someone else that had this problem. I'm glad to know it's not just me. I have a PB G4 with an NVIDIA card and it is doing the same thing you describe - so it is definitely not just on iMacs. Grr. I just got this freakin' game last week and already I can't play. :(

[monsterparty]

oh! also i don't know if this is related to the video card issues, but this hadn't happened til i updated the OS. i had a house where a little girl was visiting, and i left the house with her still in it, and then played HER house where she became a teenager. i went back into the original house i was playing after i did the OS update , and the girl was wearing her teenager clothes, but she was shaped like a really stocky short midget. it was really funny looking.... plus whenever she would go shake someone's hand she would levitate to be at the same height they were at. :rofl: i didn't save the game and went back in after restarting several times, and she was still in midget mode

[sillygirl]

macgirlffx said:

By the way Sillygirl, do you have a new iMac G5 with the Radeon?

I have the 20inch 2Ghz iMac G5 with a Radeon 9600. So far no problems since the update to 10.4.3

One thing to possibly note is that Im using the Rev A patch not B. B was giving me problems with the CAS screen and making some of my custom skins disappear. I wouldnt think that would make much difference but you never know. LOL

[macgirlffx]

Thanks sillygirl, I thought you had the same as me only bigger screen. I'm running Rev. B patch, so far, so good. My sound isn't cutting out anymore and I haven't discovered any problems in CAS but I tend to make all my sims in Body Shop first just in case I want to keep them for later. All my skins are still there and showing up. I haven't run the OS update yet. I'm still a little timid. But I think it is an Nvidia thing, maybe not an iMac thing, but an Nvidia thing. That seems to be the common denominator so far. At least for the folks I've gotten video card specs from. They've all had Nvidia. Folks with Radeons are fine so far.

[monsterparty]

i got an email back from aspyr

Original Question
i know you have gotten zillions of emails about this, but i updated my os and of course can't play the sims anymore cause of video card issues. i was wondering if there is going to be a patch to resolve this coming out soon or is this problem just going to be resolved with the new expansion pack? thanks, belen

**********
Aspyr Media Support Response

Hello Belen,

We are working on a patch that should be ready soon. Please keep checking our Sims 2 support page. We thank you for your patience.

Sorry for the inconvenience.
------
Aspyr Support Team

[macgirlffx]

Well that's a shining beacon of hope there. It would be nice if "soon" meant this week. I go to Aspyr's site daily to check on Uni status and the support. Keep your eyes peeled and make sure to let everyone know when a patch is spotted. At least they're not claiming you have to buy Uni to fix it.

I still haven't upgraded even though I have a Radeon card. I'm just too leary. I don't think the update is going to work any wonders for my computer so it can wait.

[Audilee]

I heard that there is also a problem with the Sims 1 and the new OS.

It's good that Aspyr is making the patch. I would think that Apple would be thinking about this, because it is their problem, not Aspyr's. I don't even think that 10.4.3 was even out at the time Aspyr was working on TS2, so they couldn't know.

Even thought they don't say that we will have to wait for Uni to fix it, maybe it will. :huh: