News: October - December 2008

This is disappointing. This is unprecedented in this website's history. I'm once again having to extend the poll due to a lack of votes. It's not as if my minimum is particularly high, nor has it ever changed since I started doing polls on this website. I'm seriously starting to think I've been abandoned. Either that or the current poll is so boring that no-one can be bothered to vote in it. If you haven't already done so, please vote. PLEASE! Those that have already voted should know that the poll will now end on Saturday 10th January 2009, as long as enough people have voted by then.

Incidentally, I've changed some of the wording in the poll box - it's now "Vote with explanation" rather than "Vote with comment", to try and make it more obvious of it's purpose and to distinguish it from how you can comment on the poll's results once they're released. Basically Vote with Explanation is your way to explain to the world why you chose that option, or in this poll's case, why that is. So you could choose "I just visit the website every so often" then explain that "I just come here to check the news once a week. I don't really want the news delivered to me as I get enough email as it is and I don't use feed readers." Or you could choose "I don't", then say that "I just came here by mistake and am not at all interested in The Sims news". Well, I hope that clears that up.

I'd like to wish all my readers a very Merry Christmas - so, Merry Christmas everybody!

I'm not the only one though - The Sims audio team have put together what I think is a Simlish version of "Oh Christmas Tree" to wish you a Happy Holiday. Listen, and, if you want, download, using the link below yesterday's news post on TheSims2.com.
 > News at TheSims2.com

The Sims 3 Assistant Producer Grant Rodiek has added a new blog post to TheSims3.com, where he talks about storytelling, and tells the story of one of his Sims:

I almost always create a character based loosely on myself, perhaps because I can empathize with him, or maybe I just have a fascination with seeing how my life could turn out differently. Grant Duders is typically a Workaholic who Loves the Outdoors, is a Green-Thumb and Bookworm.

A couple of new screenshots have also been released, which seem to relate to Grant's story.
 > "Storytelling" at TheSims3.com
 > The Sims 3 screenshots

Kotaku have got hold of another new trailer for The Sims 3, showing all the different Sims, and all the different styles, you can create:

EA have revealed the minimum system requirements for The Sims 3. You can view them in full on The Sims 2 UK.
 > "Can you run The Sims 3?" at The Sims 2 UK

Update: TheSims3.com has been updated with only the Desktop PC system requirements (i.e. no specific requirements for laptops), plus a list of supported video cards and some additional notes.
 > "The Sims 3 Minimum Hardware Requirements" at TheSims3.com
Update Ends

In other The Sims 3 news, designer Jennie Hozman has added a new blog post on TheSims3.com, where she talks about some of the households in Sunset Valley:

When brainstorming about who the Sims in Sunset Valley would be -- their back stories, traits, relationships, careers, and appearance -- some of the things we considered were:  What types of Sims do we, personally, like to play? What kinds of family stories make us say to ourselves, “Oh, I’ve got to get in there and help these people out” or “I really want to see what their life is like”?

 > "Who are the Sims of Sunset Valley?" at TheSims3.com

So, does your computer meet the system requirements? Do the family descriptions in Hozman's blog intrigue you, as she hopes? Comment below!

Due to a poor number of votes, the current poll has been extended by two weeks and will now finish on Saturday 27th December, assuming enough votes have been received by then. Hopefully the main reason for the lack of votes is due to some issues with the forms not working for a time, rather than visitors not bothering to vote. Vote now to the right of every page of this website.

IGN have posted a short-ish Q&A with - you'll never guess - executive producer Ben Bell:

IGN: Will the game ship with a single town, or will it be like The Sims 2 and ship with several pre-made neighborhoods? Will you be able to create your own town, as well?

Ben Bell: We are shipping with a single town that players can modify and tweak. We're not quite ready to discuss our future plans for additional towns and player editing but as always with the Sims you can expect a few surprises!

Well he told Kikizo at least one of those future plans (that an extra neighbourhood will be available to download for anyone who registers the game) just the other day.
 > "The Sims 3 Devious Q&A" at IGN

EA have also made five new screenshots available, which you can view on the screenshots page, as well as a new video, showing a Sim going on a little heist:

 > The Sims 3 Screenshots

Are all these Q&As answering your questions, or are they all the same? Is this video funny, or rubbish? Comment below!

My website just got a whole lot more interactive! Thanks to Google Friend Connect, you can now sign into this website (at the top of every page) using a Google, Yahoo!, AIM or OpenID account, then discuss the news, review games and articles, and more!
 > Review Apartment Life!
 > Discuss poll results!
 > Review my The Sims 2 houses!

Google Friend Connect is in beta (i.e. it is in testing and has not been "officially" released). If you have any problems, please tell me by providing feedback, or if you want a reply, by contacting me. I seem to be unable to view my user profile in Internet Explorer, but it works fine in Firefox.
 > Contact me
 > Provide feedback

GameSpot reports that The Sims 2 is the second most downloaded game on BitTorrent in 2008, after Spore. Spore was downloaded 1.7 million times while The Sims 2 was downloaded 1.15 million times.
 > Spore tops 2008 piracy chart at GameSpot

Kikizo have posted a pretty long interview with The Sims 3 executive producer Ben Bell:

Kikizo: I'm aware that you have 97 lots max in each neighbourhood. Is the layout randomised?

Bell: It is a set town, but you can change the location of any of the houses and you can change all of the people who are there. We're also... for anybody who registers their game, you'll be able to download a second town. That's a free perk when you register the game.

So it seems you won't be restricted to just the one town after all, at least if you register the game. Click the below for the full interview:
 > The Sims 3: EA Maxis' Ben Bell Interview at Kikizo

Another two screenshots of The Sims 3 have been released. See a Sim serving coffee and a car battle by clicking below:
 > The Sims 3 Screenshots

GameSpot AU Presents Crosshairs has an interview with The Sims 3 Assistant Producer Grant Roddick in it's latest episode. The interview starts at about 35:30:

EA have released some questions and answers about The Sims 3 to the press, which I've posted in full on this website. It seems a little repetitive, so that and the wording of some of the questions leads me to believe it's a compilation of individual answers to fan questions.

What kind of player activity have you planned for The Sims 3?
 
Sims can do things that they couldn’t do before, like ride bikes, work out at the gym, go to the beach, grab a snack at the bistro and more!

  > The Sims 3 Official Q&A

Web Producer Adam Siegel and Games Designer Ray Mazza have both added new blog posts over at TheSims3.com. Firstly Adam talks about the new The Sims 3 community website:

First, we are really excited about the new Exchange. We're making it way easier and faster to find what you are looking for by browsing and searching. You'll be able to use keywords and filters to hone in on what you are looking for, and the advanced search function is crazy powerful. Plus, we'll let you sort your search results and category listings by date, number of downloads, and number of recommendations. Yes - members of the community will be able to recommend items by clicking a thumbs-up icon! There is no thumbs-down, so this is truly an all-positive rating system!

In the second post, Ray talks about careers in The Sims 3:

In The Sims 3, you can also take a bit of your career home with you through our new Opportunity system.  Opportunities pop up while you play, giving you the chance to do a bit of extra work for a bonus—added performance, improved relationships with your coworkers, cash, a raise, or objects, to name a few.

 > Community Features Blog at TheSims3.com
 > Hello Fans of The Sims! blog post at TheSims3.com 

A new poll has begun. This time I wondered how you lot read this news. Do you simply direct your browser to this page every so often, or do you have the news delivered to you? Maybe you don't read the news at all (but then you wouldn't be reading this, so I'm basically talking to myself here). Vote now to the right of any page on this website.

Of course, if a new poll has begun, a poll must have ended to make way for it. Last month, I asked whether you'll get the collector's edition of The Sims 3, or the regular game, or, you know, neither. The results are in and it seems the majority or you will be getting the collector's edition. See the full results by clicking below:
 > Poll Results

Dianna Cortez of Missouri, US, has sued EA over the inclusion of SucuROM Data Rights Management software with The Sims 2 Bon Voyage. She calls EA's conduct "immoral, unethical, oppressive [and] unscrupulous" for including it, according to GamePolitics.

After installing Bon Voyage, Ms. Cortez began having problems with her computer. She had previously made backup Sims 2 game content on CDs, but her computer's disc drive would no longer recognize that content, reporting the CDs as empty. She could not access files that were saved on her USB flash drive or iPod, either...

This follows two lawsuits for the inclusion of SucuROM with new game Spore, also from EA. GamePolitics noted that the same law firm represents all three individuals who have sued EA over SucuROM.
 > "New Class-Action Suits Target EA, SecuROM, The Sims & Spore Creature Creator" at GamePolitics

EA has released a new video where The Sims 3 game designer Grant Rodiak takes us through the Create-a-Sim, explores the neighbourhood (Sunset Valley), throws a campaign party, rides bikes and cars into town and does some protesting. Watch the video below:

GameSpot have posted a Q&A with The Sims 3 executive producer Ben Bell:

GS: How much dedication does it take to reach the pinnacle of your respective career ladder? Are there any shortcuts to the top?

BB: If you play your cards right, you might be able to get to the top of more than one career in a lifetime, but it would take a lot of hard work, and your sim would need the right traits. Workaholic sims will be happy if they live at the office, so that might be a good way to go. There are definitely some shortcuts, and your sims will get opportunities from time to time that give them a boost.

Four new screenshots have also been made available - check them out on the screenshots page.
 > The Sims 3 Q&A: Dreams, Wishes, and Improving on The Sims 2 at GameSpot
 > The Sims 3 Screenshots

EA have posted two new videos on YouTube showing US election coverage made in The Sims 3. In the first video, John McCain and Sarah Palin have an unscheduled rally in Sunset Valley:

In the second video, Palin and Biden have a fight:

The Sims 3's theme music is available to download at The Sims 2 UK, and it's heavily based on The Sims 2's theme music.
 > News post at The Sims 2 UK, with link to download music

EA have released another patch for The Sims 2 Apartment Life, replacing the previous one. It makes quite a lot of changes.
 > The Sims 2 Apartment Life patch

EA has announced that award-winning composer Steve Jablonsky will score the theme music for The Sims 3.

In addition to the theme music, Jablonsky’s score is featured throughout key areas of the game. For instance, in Create A Sim, the music will reflect the creative nature of choosing from a selection of facial features, hairstyles and outfits. There will also be a unique sound to distinguish build and buy modes in which you can create your dream home and design the neighborhood. In The Sims 3, you are able to visit many areas of the town for the first time such as the beach, gym, bistro or even a friend’s home. The music will also follow suit. For instance, when you are walking by the beach, the sound will coordinate. You might hear seagulls, waves crashing and the music will reflect the breezy feeling of being near the ocean. The gym will also feature appropriate music suited for that specific environment such as fast paced disco tech.

 The press release linked below also includes some images (one of which is above-right) of what I assume is him at work.
 > Press release at TheSims3.com

The web entry is now closed, the votes have been counted and the results are in. The winner, of The X Factor 2008, is... Wait a sec. Sorry, this is a web poll not The X Factor isn't it? My mistake. Right, so the question last month was simply this: Have you bought Apartment Life yet? Well, nearly 55% of you have, with a further 27% definitely getting it soon. Click below to see the results.

Semi-related to polls is my survey, which you may have noticed at the top of the right-hand pane. It's nothing to do with The Sims, because it's actually for a college assessment, but if you could fill it in anyway that would be most helpful. UK residents only though please.
 > Poll Results
 > Survey

Slightly later than planned, I've launched a new poll for you. The question? Do you think you'll get the collector's edition of The Sims 3, or just the standard game? If you're reading this on the main site, vote now to the right.

Unfortunately I'm going to have to save the results of the previous poll until tomorrow.

EA have announced that the collector's edition of The Sims 3 is now available to pre-order in the States. The collector's edition includes the following exclusive extras:

• 2 GB THE SIMS PLUMBOB™ USB DRIVE
• EUROPEAN STYLED SPORTS CAR DOWNLOAD
• NEW THEME MUSIC FROM THE SIMS 3
• AN EXCLUSIVE PRIMA TIPS & HINTS GUIDE

If you pre-order from the EA Store or a participating retailer, you'll also get:

Vintage Sports Car Download 
The Sims 3 Neighborhood Poster

EA have also released three new screenshots, which I've added to the appropriate page.
 > The Sims 3 Pre-order details at TheSims3.com
 > The Sims 3 screenshots

EA have announced EA Be The One, an event at Trafalgar Square between October 31st and November 1st during the London Games Festival, according to MCV. They say that The Sims 3 will be one of the games on show, though they fail to make absolutely clear it will be playable, they give that impression. I will try to attend and find out for myself.
 > "EA to take over Trafalgar Square" at MCV

Gabriella Cilmi's hit debut single Sweet About Me ("...There's nothing sweet about me, yeah." Yep, it's a song I've actually heard!) was re-recorded in Simlish and is featured in The Sims 2 Apartment Life. EA have posted an interview with her as well as a video where you can see the recording taking place. Read the interview by clicking the link at the bottom of this post. The video is embedded below:

 > Interview with Gabriella Cilmi at TheSims2.com

Two new blog posts have been added to TheSims3.com, Town Blog by Associate Producer JoAnna Lio, and Create a Style by Associate Producer (again) Jennifer Lane.
 > Blog at TheSims3.com

EA has released a patch for The Sims 2 Apartment Life, fixing a number of issues.
 > Get the patch at TheSims2.com