Wednesday, September 15, 2010

A Few Graphics Questions and Updates

I've been gone for awhile, I know. *sigh*

September 7th was my birthday (woohoo!), and also the day that I started school (not so woohoo), so I've been a little busy since then. Also, my wisdom tooth is killing me. And I don't think I can continue playing TS3 as much until I do something about my graphics card (and game), because the game itself has been crashing a lot (nothing new) and I predict my 9500 graphics card blowing out on me in the near future if I continue simming as much as I did. Seriously, I smelled the lightly masked smell of smoke after a couple of hours of playing. I'm so done with nVidia.

So, my questions to you guys today are:

1. Would you guys recommend ATI Raedon, and which card would you recommend? I want a really good one that will make my graphics show up a lot better, because I'm currently experiencing graphics envy. *sad violin*
2. When/if you guys purchased Ambitions, did it improve your graphics any? I noticed that in the earlier stages of TS3's patches, my graphics improved with the patches, and the graphics kind of decreased with the installation of WA.

Also, I'm going to add on another blog. Not to replace this one, but to use as an "Author's Corner". I want to tidy up this blog and make it pretty much exclusive to the Dillards and their world saga, and keep my random musings and unrelated game updates in a different blog. It'll look a lot neater, methinks. :)

Again, thank you guys so much for sticking around and reading my updates, even after my frequent involuntary hiatuses. It means a lot.

Now, I'm going to go catch up on some blog reading!

18 comments:

  1. The only one I can answer is the ATI Radeon. Mine is ATI Radeon but isn't a graphics card so my graphics aren't as good as they could be if it was an actual card. Mine is an integrated chip that came with the computer and isn't even listed as being able to play sims3. It's ATI Radeon HD 3200 Graphics. If it were a real graphics card I think it would be awesome.

    After I added Ambitions mine seemed to improve somewhat. I think I even asked someone if they thought the sims seemed more detailed.

    Please remember when you add another blog to add me to the list of notifications.

    Oh and, "the mom in me speaks". Get yourself to the dentist. It will only get worse if you don't. I remember the wisdom tooth years. Not fun.

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  2. Oooh, that sounds nice. If an integrated chipset could look like that, I have a feeling I won't be disappointed if I get a higher end graphics card from ATI. :D

    Thank you for reminding me! I'll be sure to do that as soon as I create it.

    Sigh, I know. :( I'm going to schedule a dentist appt. next week. Maybe I'll blog a little that day, it'll be fun to see what I'll say while under the influence of heavy pain meds.

    Thank you! :D

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  3. Thank you so much for the bday present, dee!!

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  4. I should have also told you that since I have Vista, I can't use the smooth edges setting. It has something to do with anti-aliasing or something. I just know they told us a long time ago we would have to turn that off and I didn't want to. so I play with unsmooth edges.

    You're welcome.

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  5. Really? Oh crap, lol. I have Vista too, but I have the smooth edges on. Does that mean that if I get ATI, I can't have the "smooth edges" option checked?

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  6. It doesn't have anything to do with ATI. It has to do with Vista and Vista's anti-aliasing. I remember reading about it when the game was first released. I'll see if I can find something about it again.

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  7. Maybe I was wrong. I'm checking google now to see if it has to do with ATI or Vista. Either way I know there is something that can be either turned on or off to be able to use smooth edges without it causing a problem.

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  8. I see a lot about it on google search but am still confused. You may want to search and figure it out. I know nothing about this stuff.

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  9. Okay, thank you! :) You know, that could explain why my machine is making that strange whirring noise...sigh

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  10. Good luck.
    I had a strange whirring noise a while back right after I installed the pattern maker thing. I uninstalled it and haven't heard any strange noises since.

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  11. I don't know much about graphics cards so I can't really help you there. Sorry!

    As for the graphics getting better on adding EP or updating with the new patch, I haven't noticed much difference. I thought we had clouds added somewhere in bewteen WA and Ambitons which I didn't think we had originally. lol

    Thanks for stopping by and reading The Drifter too. I really appreciate it! :)

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  12. Hmm, I don't have the pattern maker...sigh.

    lol, it's okay, truth be told I have no clue either. My graphics seemed to have improved after I updated the game though, so maybe I won't need a new graphics card.

    No problem, I love the series! :) I'm sorry I can't always comment on everyone's stories, but rest assured, I read them. It just takes me awhile sometimes because my life likes to throw little curveballs to keep me away from the computer, lol

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  13. Happy belated birthday! /flail

    Hopefully you don't need a new graphics card. I myself have an nvidia GeForce 9800GT, which is pretty decent and hasn't given me much trouble outside of my own failures to update it's drivers properly. Make sure that you've done that, if you haven't -- it may help.

    Also, I run with ALL my graphics settings maxed completely, with smooth edges and high shadows and yada yada. Maybe my computer is just a beast -- but it's only about 2ish years old. Sometimes, you just need to replace pieces just because they wear out, not because they're dated.

    So basically, my graphics have never really gotten better. They've always been nice.

    I'll keep an eye out for your other blog when you get it up and running. I considered doing the same thing, but I'm lazy, and there's the group blog, so I just yammer on on those. ;D Cuz I'm lazy.

    Anywhos. Look forward to next update! :D

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  14. Happy Birthday!

    I think I cannot help you much, though. I never used ATI Radeon. Mine is NVidia GeForce 9400 GT and the same with Kaleeko, I maxed out all the graphic setting. I did notice the better graphic after adding the new EP.

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  15. Thanks guys! :D

    Hmm, it might. I don't think I have updated them recently, I'll have to check.

    I have it up :) I just forgot to post the link, ahaha! http://cheezysimscorner.blogspot.com/

    Hmm, yeah. I think I'll just keep my graphics card for a little longer and try to help it along, lol. And thank you so much MJ for the gift!! :D

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  16. Happy Belated Birthda!

    I've used Nvidia in the past and am now using ATI. Like Kaleeko, I max everything out.

    Hope you had a great birthday.

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  17. Chrysame - Thank you!! I had a wonderful birthday. :) So compared to Nvidia, do you think ATI is better, worse, or about the same?

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