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I've been trying to install The Sims 3 for the last couple of days, and it hasn't been opening. Now that I've finally figured out what i've been doing wrong there's still a major problem. I've installed using playonlinux, and when i open (I use the launcher made by playonlinux, not the actual sims 3 launcher)The screen might turn white, but it always turns black before the green logo appears. The graphics are perfect and it seems as if everything is working. It goes through the entire startup "movie" with no problem. However when the game begins to load it's as if someone's messed with the colors on the screen. All i see is the green loading bar, and some moving light blue text underneath. The rest of the screen is white, and it's way too bright. I can't read any text due to it's blocky, blobish form. After the game loads and what would be the start screen appears (it's also bright and blocky) a message box appears. I think it must be some kind of warning because when i click the left option underneath it disappears for a second and comes back. When i click the right option however, the game closes. I don't know how much help it will be, but i opened the game under playonlinux in the terminal, here's the output:

visitor@Music:~$ playonlinux
PlayOnLinux v3.8.6

Checking plugin: Advanced Wine Configuration...
Checking plugin: Offline PlayOnLinux...
Checking plugin: Capture...
Checking plugin: Transgaming Cedega...
Checking plugin: Wine Import...
Checking plugin: Wine Look...
Checking plugin: Detour...
Running The Sims 3
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)
Allocating 16 x 16 radeon RBO (pitch 16)

The last line continues until i click the button that turns off the game. I'm using ubuntu 10.04, and i have both 1.34 & 1.1.42 of wine installed(is that a problem?). Thanks for any help you can give :) Here's the link to the thread on the ubuntu forums, it has screenshots.

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=10150263#post10150263

This is an ATI/AMD driver issue, not POL related.

If your card is still supported, install the latest FGLRX driver (Catalyst 10.10 if I remember right).

okay, i'll try it. One question though... if my driver needed to be updated wouldn't it do so in automatic updates?

It depend of your distribution. For example, Ubuntu 10.04 LTS don't have latest graphic drivers in official repository so if you want the latest aviable with this distribution, you need to do manual installation or use an external repo.

What should i do if my driver isn't supported? I have a ATI Radeon Xpress 200 G and it's not on the list. Do I need to buy a new driver or will downloading the Catalyst you suggested work? Sorry for all the questions, i'm just really lost. :sad:

Edited by JanieRae

If you card is not in the supported cards list of the most recent fglrx driver then it's over. The open-source driver is even worse than ATI/AMD one for 3D, your game will never work properlly under GNU/Linux.

If you really want to play it, I suggest, as you have a laptop it seems, to make a small partition in your HDD and install windows XP only for game (just minimal install : OS, drivers and a free anti-virus like Avast if windows will be connected to internet).

I'm sorry to can't help you more but it's a driver issue...

thank you, at least i understand now :)