Neighborhood Snow/Dark/Terrain Problems

[Shantaia]

Okay, so I got a new-ish computer (It used to be my Moms), and a new graphics card, updated RAM, brand-new monitor, but the graphics on my Neighborhoods are horrible.
First, when I try to make a cement neighborhood, it's not cement. Its just grass I've re-created the neighborhood 3 times, and its never cement.
Secondly, the grass it self is just... odd. It looks more like hay, than grass, and I don't know if thats just because all my graphic options are set to high, or if thats a glitch itself.
Thirdly, snow only covers the houses and trees. Not the ground or roads.
Fourthly, the water looks very pixalized, and square-ish. And is only on flat shade of blue.
Lastly, when using the day/night toggle, it only darkens roads and houses. Just like the snow problem.
These problems happen in all neighborhoods, custom, or the one that same included. --Pictures are Attached--

I don't know if you need this stuff, but here:

==System==
* Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600)
* Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU 2.80 GHz (2 CPUs)
* Memory: 3062 MB RAM
* Page File: 892 MB used; 3533 MB available
* DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0
* Dell Model Number: ???

==Display==

* Name: Intel(R) 82945G Express Chipset Family
* Manufacturer: Intel Corporation
* Chip Type: Intel(R) 82945G Express Chipset Family
* Approx. Total Memory: 224 MB

* Main Driver: ialmrnt5.dll
* Version: 6.14.0010.4299 (English)

==Sound==

* Name: Realtek HD Audio rear output

Yea, thats it. I've had these problems since the summer, when I first got my new computer. I've been fairly patient with it, but when I tried to make a cement neighborhood this morning and couldn't, it really bothered me. :)
I haven't found any possible solutions so far. Ive posted on various web site and such. One person suggested I use a patch but didn't say which one, so...
Any ideas are much appreciated!

[callistra]

What graphics card are you supposed to have? Because from your specs you don't have a card at all. All you have in an integrated chipset... If you're sure you have an actual card in there then there's your problem. You may need to go into bios and disable onboard video and you don't appear to have the correct drivers there either.. http://modthesims2.com/wiki.php?title=Game_Help:Graphics_Cards#Graphics_cards_and_Graphics_Drivers

If that's really your graphics then the problem is the onboard video is crappy therefore your game looks crappy.

[Shantaia]

Hmmm... okay, thanks for the suggestion. Ill try it, but.. the rest of my game looks fine. Its great... But Ill give it a try.. Thanks! :)

EDIT: How exactly am I supposed to go into the bios.. whatever, and change.. oh gosh, Im an idiot.. I'm sorry... And Im fairly sure I got a new graphics card.. unless my step-father hasn't installed it yet.. hmmm.. Ill check.

EDITEDIT: Nope, guess I don't. He put it onto a different computer in our house. So does this mean Im pretty much screwed as far as graphics go?

[simsample]

I'm afraid so. There may be a way of tricking the game into giving you a higher res on hood screens by editing the graphic files, but I wouldn't recommend it. The hood screen takes a lot of resources because of the rendering of trees and hood objects- as well as the lot impostors- so having reflections and other effects enabled there would stress your system and cause excess heat (a very bad thing).

[negneg189]

I have this exact same problem, but I am running on a macbook on bootcamp.
Same OS, intel chipset, ect...

So there isn't ANY way to fix this?
It is really bugging me.
I even took that neighborhood object that looks like grass, and covered the whole neighborhood with it. But then, I realized that I still needed to place lots ;)

[callistra]

negneg189, nope I'm sorry but asking the same question isn't going to get a different answer..

I recommend that both of your read our guide to playing with integrated graphics as well as reasonable recommendations to play TS2:
http://modthesims2.com/wiki.php?title=Game_Help:Onboard_Graphics
http://modthesims2.com/wiki.php?title=Game_Help:System_Requirements/MTS2_Recommendations

Locking since this has been answered.