Increasing Resolution for Win 7 For Windowed Mode

[TheISZ]

I finally found a link that helped me solve the resolution dilemma that I was having with Sims 2 and Windows 7.  The resolution I am using 1920x1080 was not listed as an option in the graphics settings so I was having to play in this window that didn't encompass all of the real-estate on my monitor.
 
 I found out how to correct this here.

http://www.simonhampel.com/the-sims-2-resolution-problems-solved/

I had issues getting it to load so here is what it entails.
 
 There may be another way to achieve this, but I am very happy that this worked for me. 
 
 _________________
 
 Find the file:
 
 C:/Program Files/EA GAMES/The Sims 2/TSData/Res/Config/Graphics Rules.sgr
 
 … and make a copy of it under a different name as a backup (something like Graphics Rules.sgr.bak)
 
 Now edit the original file and find the section:
 
 “option ScreenModeResolution”
 
 You will see settings for Low, Medium, and High. Copy the medium settings and paste them over the low settings to allow the game to start at 1024×768 resolution or better.
 
 Save and exit and then start the game to see if it works.
 
 _________________
 
 
 What I did was copy the medium settings to Low and the high to medium and then entered my preferred resolution in the high.  Actually I left the medium and low the same it seems, but it doesn't matter for me as I only use the highest.  You can change the low width and height setting to suit your graphic card.
 
 Example:
 
 option ScreenModeResolution
 setting $Low
 uintProp maxResWidth      1280
 uintProp maxResHeight     1024
 uintProp defaultResWidth  800
 uintProp defaultResHeight 600
 
 setting $MediumButDefaultLow
 uintProp maxResWidth      1280
 uintProp maxResHeight     1024
 uintProp defaultResWidth  1024
 uintProp defaultResHeight 768
 
 setting $Medium
 uintProp maxResWidth      1600
 uintProp maxResHeight     1200
 uintProp defaultResWidth  1024
 uintProp defaultResHeight 768
 
 setting $High
 uintProp maxResWidth      1920
 uintProp maxResHeight     1080
 uintProp defaultResWidth  1024
 uintProp defaultResHeight 768

[BoilingOil]

That might even be helpful for people who do NOT use W7! My own screen has a 1920x1200 resolution, which isn't available as a game setting... I'm gonna try this to see if I can remedy that! Thanks for sharing this info, ISZ

[Zirconia Wolf]

Very awesome!

Is this only for "windowed" mode or also for us full-screen folks?

Think I'll try it anyway as my native resolution is nowhere to be found there either!

[TheISZ]

You are very welcome! 

You know I don't know, that is a good question. I bet it would work for full screen as well.  It just adds the resolutions to the list to choose from and isn't window specific. 

[BoilingOil]

I got it to work for my full screen game

There was one thing I had to do differently than the original post says: in stead of editing the file "Graphics Rules.sgr" under BG, I had to edit the same file under M&G. But after that, two new options appeared that were previously missing: 1680x1050 and 1920x1200 !!

So now, after three years of not being able to use my screen at max resolution, now I finally can!

Thanks once again, ISZ, for making this possible! You're the best, EVAH!

[TheISZ]

I'm so glad to hear it has helped others!  You are most welcome! 

[Sleepycat]

  

I had to edit the same file under M&G.

I had to do the same. 

[Zirconia Wolf]

Makes sense, given the way M&G kinda "takes over" more than a Stuff-it Pack should have.

Now, to see if my graphics card can handle the game at my native resolution or not! (I have the in-game graphic options maxed out already, so hopefully this won't kill off my poor computer!)

[TheISZ]

Oh hell, I automatically edited the M&G one not realizing I wasn't following their instructions exactly.  I think in my mind it was I need to change the one for the last EP I have and didn't think to mention that.  My apologies. 

[FisherX]

You have to edit the Graphic rule.sgr in every EP you play.. i.e.. if you play FT then you have to do that there also. The easiest way is to do it in every EP you have installed... and it works both in windowed & full-screen..

[BoilingOil]

@FisherX: unless you use AnyGame Starter, once AL/M&G are installed, one can not play just FT. But if AGS is indeed installed, then yeah, the rules files of the appropriate last running EP/SP must be up-to-date.

[miros1]

Here's a slightly different approach I found while googling for a tutorial to link from my site:
www.simonhampel.com/the-sims-2-resolution-problems-solved/

[Zirconia Wolf]

Interesting alternate method. Thanks for the link

I especially loved this part:

..The EA Games support site didn’t have much useful information on it..

Really??? The Official EA site wasn't helpful????

No s***, Sherlock! 

[Zirconia Wolf]

Sorry 'bout the double-post, but I wanted to ask a question that had nothing to do with my previous blattering.

In regards to the example ISZ posted in the OP, what's the difference between the "Max" resolution vs the "Default" resolution & do they need to be different?

Like if I want the game to always use a specific resolution, could I use the same values in both settings, or...??

[JCSpencer]

OMFreakinG! THANK YOU!

 

I have been playing on a 1680x1050 WS monitor ever since I first started playing Sims 2, and it's always annoyed the crap out of me that they never in any of their updates or xpacs bothered to change the resolutions beyond the standard set (which are by default way too limited). Finally, at long long last, I can enjoy the game without it being all squished to one of the default resolutions! OMG I can't say thank you enough! This is so awesome!

*does the happy happy dance*

There was one thing I had to do differently than the original post says: in stead of editing the file "Graphics Rules.sgr" under BG, I had to edit the same file under M&G.

What's weird is when I was following someone's instructions for custom camera configurations or something like that, I was told to edit the files in both the Base game folder AND the one in the latest expansion I owned. I'm not sure why I had to do that, but I went ahead and did it the same way for this also.

[BoilingOil]

Sure, there's nothing wrong with doing both. You may even do ALL the versions of the file that you encounter, if you like doing the extra work. I did only the M&G version and it works well.

But anyway: the point isn't how many versions of the file you edit. The point is that you at least edit the last one, and not only the first one.

[JCSpencer]

The point is that you at least edit the last one, and not only the first one.

I remember now the settings I was changing were to allow video to be taken with smooth edges on. Anyway, the instructions for that had me edit the 1st and last (and I made notes to myself to edit the ones for M&G if and when I get that). But anyway, was doing both actually unnecessary then? I only needed to do the last one?

[BoilingOil]

Indeed. It will not hurt to do both - or even all - versions, but the last one is essential, because that's the one the game reads at start-up.

Only if you use the AnyGameStarter, then you'll need to do ALL versions of this file, because you never know beforehand which will be the last installed EP/SP in a new AGS game that you start.

[JCSpencer]

Ah ok. Good to know then. I'll try to remember that for the future. I thought it was strange having to do both, but I thought maybe the game loaded both the base game and the last xpac or something. Figured I wouldn't ask questions since I haven't the first clue how the technical side works.

[simsaddict1025]

Hi Gang!!

How do I edit I'm not to savvy with Win 7 yet I have a 22" monitor and 64-bit if that helps....I feel so stone age lol

[miros1]

Open Notepad or Wordpad
File->Open
Navigate to the path and filename above
Ctrl-F to find the line(s) mentioned
Drag across the part that needs changed
Type new text
File->Save

[Nalia]

These settings worked wonderfully. Thank you!

[Nyxie]

I've spent the better part of my night trying to make this work for my new computer, but when I change and try to save I'm told I don't have access. Any ideas?

[zephyrzodiac]

Are you the administrator with full administrator rights?  You can't do a thing in W7 unless you are.

[miros1]

Save it elsewhere, then drag to the correct location and allow to overwrite.

[BoilingOil]

I suspect that it won't work, though. If you can't edit the files directly because of a permissions issue, then how much sense does it make to assume that it WILL allow you to overwrite them?

[Nyxie]

Yes, the admin account is the only one I use on this computer.

Amazingly enough, saving it to the desktop and dragging it worked like a charm. Unfortunately that didn't fix my problem. I'm still only allowed an 800 x 600 window, which is like 25% of my screen. 

I'm going to try this fix and I'll come back and let you know how it goes.

[BoilingOil]

It's odd. I still feel like I'm shown a car, and I'm told that I can NOT sit in it and I can NOT move it, but I AM allowed to DRIVE it! 

[Nyxie]

I know! It's seriously weird but I'm glad it worked. Unfortunately my game is still running in 800x600. I'm not sure what to do next.

[Katya]

For some reason, I experienced this same issue only a couple of days ago -- 800x600 resolution and no options to change to anything else.

I -- somehow -- got around the problem by opening up Graphic Rules.sgr and changed to the following (had to copy to desktop to edit, but was able to copy back with no problems other than a confirmation screen):

option ScreenModeResolution
   setting $Low
      uintProp maxResWidth      1920
      uintProp maxResHeight     1080
      uintProp defaultResWidth  1920
      uintProp defaultResHeight 1080

Next time I loaded up the game, I had all my old resolution options available. The other resolution options I left untouched.

[Nyxie]

Yay it works! Thank you!

[miros1]

BO, actually, you aren't allowed to open the doors (save the file), but you're allowed to drive the car if you climb in through the sunroof (copy the file). 

I think it's because MS forgot to modify the save dialog routine to check if you've got permission or request an admin password.  Instead it ASSumes you don't have rights.  This is why I never install to Program Files.  Guess I need to add this to the Vista/Win 7/Win 8 Hints.......

[zephyrzodiac]

It really is a sloppy lot of coding - I'm so glad that I still have XP on my desktops!

[miros1]

Me too! 

[zephyrzodiac]

It's really quite worrying, the number of people who come here with quite serious problems, and nearly always it seems they are on a W7 computer.

[BoilingOil]

BO, actually, you aren't allowed to open the doors (save the file), but you're allowed to drive the car if you climb in through the sunroof (copy the file). 

I admit that your analogy is better. It's still a ridiculous form of 'protection', though. Makes hardly any sense, like most of the things the MS crew do.

[zephyrzodiac]

Maybe BO's car doesn't have a sunroof - if they get as much rain in Holland as we get here in the UK, a sunroof would probably have rusted shut!

[BoilingOil]

Large parts of our country are below sea level. We don't need rain to have our sunroofs rusted shut

[zephyrzodiac]

I know.... it was your people that drained our Fenland.

[miros1]

So people who live below sea level shouldn't install to C:\Program Files...

I did add a tute to my site explaining this, I'll have to add the part about sunroofs!

[zephyrzodiac]

[BoilingOil]

[Aaroneous]

For those that don't know You can disable Windows from protecting it's self by disabling UAC(User Account Control). It's anther feature MS added in Vista(and newer OSes), Which basically is suppose to help prevent viruses and the user from damaging the computer. As usual though it's more of a pain in the butt, Then actually useful.

[zephyrzodiac]

Can you do this if your sunroof is rusted shut? (Sorry, feeling facetious tonight!)

[Nyxie]

For those that don't know You can disable Windows from protecting it's self by disabling UAC(User Account Control). It's anther feature MS added in Vista(and new OSes), Which basically is suppose to help prevent viruses and the user from damaging the computer. As usual though it's more of a pain in the butt, Then actually useful.

I HATED that on Vista but when I googled it I read it was "unwise" to shut it off so I left it. Will I be putting my new computer in any danger by killing that on Windows 7? I'd loooove to have it gone.

[Aaroneous]

I have had it disabled from the very beginning and from my experience there isn't really any danger to turn it off, The main purpose it's suppose to do is prevent rogue programs(like malware) from running. But to be honest it doesn't do a very good job of that, Besides most malware scanners already do that.

[Nyxie]

Sweet, thanks!