Dull looking objects

[Flickan]

I wonder why the ojects that are supposed to be shiny -like toilets, sinks, cars- are looking so dull in my game. When I look at them in buy mode, the thumbnails look so good, but when I place them, they are just dull. I hoped it would change with the new computer I bought, but no.

I have an ATI radeon X800 XL video card, 256 MB, maybe that's just not enough?

Can't understand it, though. I'm pretty sure I had the shiny effect once, but that was a couple of computers ago.

It's just starting to really bug me, I want the game to look the best.

[ZiggyDoodle]

Have you checked the game's graphic settings, as well as downloading the latest ATI driver?

[Flickan]

Thanks for replying. Yes, I have the latest driver, and everything in the graphic settings in the game, is set on high.

[jrd]

Have you installed Gunmod's lighting mod (possibly through the Scriptorium)? The MTS2-distributed versions disable the use of bumpmapping, and make objects ugly.

[Flickan]

I know about the Gunmod lighting. The objects looked dull before I installed it  and there is no difference now that I have uninstalled the mod.

[nectere]

It also comes with CEP now. (that light mod)

[Motoki]

Actually he removed it because people complained, even though it clearly asked you if you want to install it and the default was not to. 

[Flickan]

Yes, it's in the Scriptorium now.

The bumpmaps in the game looks fine, all the skins, clothes, I can see every detail, and I also have some clothes with glitter ,it looks great.

It's only the objects that are supposed to be metallic/shiny that looks dull and kind of clay like.

[jrd]

I know Inge (or at least someone from the old simlogical forum) had this issue with her custom sink mesh... don't recall what she did to fix it, though.

Other obvious steps... what are your settings for object detail and lighting?

[Flickan]

It's all set on high.

The problem is the same, whether I have custom objects in the game, or just stick to Maxis objects.

[jrd]

Well that sucks :p

ATI has notoriously crappy drivers, try updating. Or get the Omega drivers instead, they're supposed to be much better than ATI's factory defaults.

You can also try updating DirectX. DirectX9.0c has been updated multiple times without an increase in version number, but with many enhancements. The last DX 9.0c version dates from October 10 this year.

[Flickan]

Ok, I guess I could try some different drivers.
It seems it is my problem, not a general problem with the game, if none of you have it.

[ZiggyDoodle]

I'm running an ATI Radeon X850XT using ATI's Catalyst 6.9 for XP and the graphics are great. 

By chance did you look through the read.me file installed with EP4?  I recall there was some language about graphic settings and anti-aliasing (or something similar) but can't confirm as that's on my home system.

[nectere]

Actually he removed it because people complained, even though it clearly asked you if you want to install it and the default was not to. 

Not that I ever complained or would about it, but I didnt think any additional mods belonged in the CEP either. CEP is bad enough with all the rules and regulations, I dont need additional bloatware with it, especially considering I would never even think to look to CEP to screw with my light settings. Maybe its just me.

[Motoki]

No, I can understand that and that's that's a valid and rational argument. It was all the HHHEEEE11111PPPPP111111oneoneoneone type posts that irked me.

I installed it via CEP (choosing to do so because I actually read the installer), decided I didn't like it and took it out. It wasn't difficult at all. And it really disturbs me that people would install software without reading what they are installing. :p

[Flickan]

Ziggydoodle - I think that was the driver I had, but I just reinstalled it to be sure. It didn't make a difference, though.

I looked for the readme file, but couldn't find it, do you know where it is located?

[Indiasong]

I've had this problem for a long time now, and a different graphic card. Still ATI.
The thumbnails looked so good, the maxis apple sculpture for example, but now they look as dull as the objects.
Everything is on high too.

[Flickan]

Ok -so I'm not alone I hope it isn't an ATI problem, I just bought the card.

[Motoki]

Well stuff looks shiny to me and I've played on a Radeon 9700 and X1800, the latter of which I currently play with.

Not sure what the deal is. Maybe it's something different about the game options and/or drivers or maybe it's perception?

[Flickan]

This is how it looks.

[Motoki]

And it looked different on your old card?

Shininess and specular effects etc also aren't something that show up very well in a still image.

I must admit that some of the custom stuff I've gotten is a lot shinier sometimes that the Maxis stuff. So maybe the game is optimized for Nividia or maybe it's just Maxis' usual blandness and custom content creators using more 3d lighting effects. *shrug*

Anyway, I'll look when I get home. I don't remember that blue fancy toilet ever being particularly shiny in my game, but some objects are.

[Flickan]

Hm -the card I had in the old computer, was an Nvidia Geforce 6800 GT, and it looked likewise. I don't remember which card I had on the first computer,Ii played Sims2 on, but there was a shine to certain objects, like toilets etc.

[Norahs]

If you stick the toilet outside it will look nice and shiny. If you let in enough natural light you can get back some of the shine but it never looks a good as when the toilet  just stick it out in the middle of the yard. 

[J. M. Pescado]

That looks like the normal terlet to me.

[Inge]

It's pronounced t-OY-let.   Say it again: t-OY-let.  !!   What's with all this terlet?