Black screen & other issues

Hi everyone! I am in need of some assistance and for that I'll explain my issues as best as I can.
I recently installed the full collection of Sims 2 on my PC. Worked beautifully and all was well. Also checked that my FRAPS was taking screenshots correctly (it was) and that Body Shop worked properly (it did). I proceeded to download some CC which worked fine, and looked for ways to fix what I learned were common issues (black box instead of shadows, greyed out options). Those were all fixed except for the fact that smooth edges wasn't smoothing my edges. So I found the Graphic Rules Maker and used it at the same time as I updated my graphic card drivers AND installed some new CC.

Fast forward a few days because I didn't have time to play, I load my game and it's silky smooth. Play for a couple hours, and when I hit save (it was super quick the other days) it apparently saves, but the "saving" sign never goes away and I can't do anything anymore. I force quit the game thinking it crashed (it really didn't) and load it back up. I find it actually did save, and play around some more. I hadn't been taking screenshots, and when I try to take one my game kinda freezes (I still hear sound normally and if I hit pause I can hear it's still working, I just can't see it). After a few seconds it goes black and while everything still seems to work in the background, I can't come back to a functioning screen.

I assume it's some corrupted piece of CC so I try the 50/50 method, but find inconsistencies. Basically every folder separately works fine, a few together still ok, but all of them are a no go. Since it's not a bad piece of CC, I decide my neighbourhood is corrupted and uninstall the game and install it again. Issue persists. Uninstall Graphic card drivers and install again. Nothing.

I am SO confused because it doesn't seem to be the CC, but it does influence what happens, because I can play fine when no CC in place. And what is the deal with the FRAPS thing? If I don't take screenshots I can play no problem until I go save (and probably travel to different lots, which I haven't tried). Either way, if I switch windows, alt-tabbing back is not an option.

SUMMED UP: Black screen that forces me to quit without saving happens whenever I take a screenshot with FRAPS, but only if some? CC is in the game. No one piece of custom content seems to be the culprit.

Thanks for any and all help, I hope I've done this right!

(btw I'm on Win 7 64bit, and my graphics card is an AMD Radeon R7 360)


  lauchis-config-log.txt (Size: 10.22 KB / Downloads: 386)

If everything is always all right, UNTIL you use Fraps to take a screenshot, then *my* guess is that the problem is NOT in your Sims game, NOT in your CC, and NOT in your Video Card, either. My guess is, your problem is in your Fraps installation/setup. Now I have absolutely no experience with Fraps, so I can't help you with any more specific suggestions. But still, that's where I think you should be looking for a solution: Fraps!

Thanks for your reply! Sadly, it's not only when Fraps is used. It triggers the malfunctioning, but it's not the only way that happens. I tried not using it and nothing went wrong until I went to save (mentioned above, but happened more than once). Game saves ok but "saving" sign never goes away and screen gets stuck. I can click on things but I can't see anything, I still see the menu and saving sign, and there's no way to come back from that (I once managed to blindly click exit and successfully left the game, but if not I just have to force it closed).

[Edited out the last bit because game wasn't booting but it was just silly cache issues]

I see. I obviously misinterpreted your previous message, where it mentioned the issues arising from saving the game. Sorry about that.
In that case, though, I have no further ideas how to help. Let's hope that Kiri soon finds time to render assistance.