I'll be showing you how you can cap TS3's fps to 60 by forcing v-sync. The Sims 3 has no v-sync so it can run over 60 fps. The problem is that most powerful or newer cards usually run TS3 over 60 fps which is said to be a problem such as the card possibly overheating. V-sync can be forced through AMD's control center or NVIDIA's control panel, this thread helps you address that problem.
To find out the fps in TS3, hold the Ctrl and Shift keys and press C to open the command console. Type
fps on and then press Enter, you will see your FPS count. If the fps is over 60, you'll want to follow the following steps below depending if you have an AMD or NVIDIA graphics card, I'll cover both.
You will need to know where TS3 is installed on your hard drive or SSD. By default, TS3 is located in
C:\Program Files (x86)\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Game\Bin or
C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\The Sims 3\Game\Bin assuming you have a 64-bit Windows.
For the tutorial, we'll be using the TS3W.exe file which was used in TS3 versions up to 1.67. I'm not sure if this works for 1.69 due to how TS3.exe works compared to TS3W.exe in 1.67.
If you have an NVIDIA GeForce graphics card:
- Right click the Windows desktop and click on NVIDIA Control Panel.
- Click the Manage 3D settings page if you are not taken to the page.
- Click the Program Settings tab and select Sims 3 (ts3w.exe) under Select a program ro customize:. You might have to add the appropriate TS3 executable (e.g., TS3W.exe for 1.67). Click Add, Browse..., find the TS3W.exe file, and then click Open.
- With Sims 3 selected, look for the feature known as Vertical sync and change the setting to On or Adaptive. Click Apply.
You must be in full screen mode for v-sync to work.
For AMD Radeon video cards:
- Right click the Windows desktop and click AMD Catalyst Control Center.
- Click Gaming and then 3D Application Settings.
- Click Add, look for TS3W.exe and then click Open A dialog will appear, close it.
- Click TS3W.exe and expand Frame Rate Control.
- Select Always on under Wait for Vertical Refresh. Click Save.
I don't know if the steps are different for Crimson since I'm using the AMD Radeon HD 5670 which is using the old AMD Catalyst Control Center.
Now your The Sims 3 game should be capped at 60 fps which will depend on your monitor's refresh rate. Usually it's 60 Hz so v-sync caps it to 60 fps but it can be 120 fps if you have a 120 Hz monitor.
Origin ID: GothicSimmer, YouTube:
GothicSimmer
Comments
I'm trying to help because TS3 doesn't have v-sync and using AMD or NVIDIA is probably the only way to cap the fps to 60 although fps limiters are said to not work with 1.69. I did something similar with why An explanation on The Sims 3 doesn't recognize new video cards and Macs that have Intel Iris Graphics since many Simmers kept posting threads regarding TS3 not recognizing new cards and Macs using newer Intel graphics respectively.
Still it would be useful is some helpful threads were pinned such as this bug thread (I made this since @crinrict has stopped updating the Into the Future bug thread, and TS3 suffers from a lot of bugs).
Some players can change their play styles accordingly or manage to do without running all 11 EPs. Others might turn to Boot Camp as you guys both know I did when my game on Mac began to fall apart (on dedicated, but overwhelmed by Pets and Seasons because my then 3rd generation game was far too complex to stay under the RAM limit). It's all a matter of what the player reasonably expects to get out of the game.
NRaas has moved!
Our new site is at http://nraas.net
@SimplyJen can give you instructions on how to use Nvidia inspector
Very helpful and informative!
Currently trying to pick up The Sims 3 again
You can find me lurking around The Sims 3 board, feel free to say hi!
Download & Install Nvidia Inspector
Instructions:
Select Profiles at the top and scroll through the long list to find Sims 3.
Under Sync and Refresh, select Vertical Sync > Force On
(Not pictured, also listed under Sync and Refresh)
Triple Buffering > On
Frame Rate Limiter > 60 fps *This number should reflect your own refresh rate.
Apply Changes top right corner.
If you're not sure what your monitor/screens refresh rate is:
- Windows search Display Settings
- Advanced Display Settings
- Display adapter properties
- Click the Monitor tab
You should see your monitors refresh rate.Nvidia Inspector does not require fullscreen mode.
S3 simblr: http://simplysimming.tumblr.com/
S4 simblr: http://simlogic.tumblr.com/