News: March - April 2009

Eurogamer has conducted a live interview with The Sims 3 associate producer Grant Rodiek, where he answered readers questions:

ChthonicEcho asks: Can I increase or decrease the size of a female Sims' breasts in the Sims creation screens? Hey, I'm serious [And perverse! - Ed]

Grant Rodiek: We do not have a breast slider in Create-A-Sim. You can change a Sim's weight and muscle-tone which will impact that, but you cannot directly change them.

  > "Live The Sims 3 interview" at Eurogamer

Two videos have been released each created by a different machinima artist using The Sims 3's Movie Mash-Up Tool. First up, Decorgal's "Rejection for Two":

And here's Baconandeggzie's "Morning Run":

Two new The Sims 3 screenshots have been released:

Scroll to the bottom of the Screenshots tab to view them larger.
 > The Sims 3 Screenshots

EA have made available another video where someone who's got the chance to play The Sims 3 talks about the experience:

EA UK are offering 40 people the chance to play The Sims 3 next Monday (that's a month before release) at an event in Manchester and London. For a chance to win, all you've got to do is persuade them that one of those places should be yours - but don't take too long - the closing time for entries is this Wednesday at midnight.
 > "Your chance to play The Sims™3" at The Sims 2 UK

GameSpot AU has posted a Q&A with The Sims 3 associate producer Grant Rodiek:

GS AU Why was The Sims 3 delayed?

GR: The Sims 3 June launch gives more time for tuning and polish, and the ability to launch the game on PC and Mac platforms simultaneously. This is a key EA franchise and title and it deserves a bigger bet on the best Sims game EA has made. These last few months will give us a little more time to tune, tweak and polish the game. Our players have been waiting for something awesome and that’s exactly what we intend to give them.

Click below to read it, but don't expect to learn very much:
 > "Q&A: EA on The Sims 3" at GameSpot

Following GameSpot's play, IGN has made available it's own preview of The Sims 3's Movie Mash-Up Tool:

The Sims franchise is no stranger to video, of course. The Sims 2 let you record videos in-game, but after that you had to have a third-party video editing program in order to make a movie with them. And in those pre-YouTube days, there wasn't any thought about how to actually share them with the world. But now we live in the YouTube and blog era, and people are used to streaming video.

They haven't done any videos though unfortunately.
 > "The Sims 3 Meets Web 2.0: Introducing the Movie Mash Up Tool Set" at IGN

GameSpot has updated with a new hands-on preview of The Sims 3, focusing on the game's Movie Mash-Up Tool:

Capturing a video in The Sims 3 is simple enough. You can pull video from the game in two modes. First there's the standard video-capture mode enabled by pressing the "V" key on your keyboard, which keeps The Sims 3's standard interface onscreen and lets you use the regular in-game controls to manipulate the camera, and includes a few other options, such as rotating around a single character.

They have also made available some videos, including this video blog from Jenn Lane, a producer, who goes through creating a video with the tool. You also get a peak at what TheSims3.com will look like:

There's also three videos produced with the tool which you can see embedded in the article, or on the game's Videos tab, and some screenshots of it which I've added to the bottom of the Screenshots tab.
 > "The Sims 3 Exclusive Hands-On - Making Movies With The Sims 3's Mash-Up Tool" at GameSpot
 > The Sims 3 Videos
 > The Sims 3 Screenshots

EA have posted a new video where someone from the United Arab Emirates who has got to play The Sims 3 talks about building houses:

EA UK have also released a video about the recent hands-on day, with questions asked to some of the participants:/p> p>

I've also discovered another video on EA UK's website (they really should mention this stuff on the official The Sims 3 website) where the developers discuss The Sims (series):

A new blog has been posted on TheSims3.com by Senior AI Engineer Richard Evans, who surprisingly enough talks about the AI in the game:

One big thing we have insisted on from the start is that the Sims won’t need you to hold their hand every time they need to use the toilet. They are now able to take care of their basic needs on their own, leaving you to focus on more important things: building relationships, expanding your career opportunities, and exploring the world around you.

 > "Artificial Intelligence in The Sims 3" at TheSims3.com

A new poll has begun - Have you pre-ordered The Sims 3? Vote now to the right of every page. If you've already pre-ordered the collector's edition, why not explain why by clicking "Vote with explanation"? Likewise, if you haven't pre-ordered because you're not interested, why not explain why you're on this website the same way?

The last poll asked whether you will stop playing The Sims 2 as soon as you get hold of The Sims 3 - well, it seems an equal number of you will as those of you who plan to play both.
 > See the full results and comment on them

And now for something completely different - TheSims2.com has posted a gallery of LOLCats-style images of The Sims 2 - LOLSims - provided by the community. Well, some of them are actually cats, but cats from the Pets expansion pack, rather than real cats. Here's one to get you going:

  > "LOLSims" at TheSims2.com

Wired.com's Game | Life blog has got hands on with The Sims 3:

The Sims is all about crafting your ideal social experience. Transform your cramped apartment into a spacious villa, surround yourself with attractive friends. To that end, The Sims 3 provides a tool set guaranteed to overwhelm even the hardiest amateur designers.

  > "Hands On: Sims 3 Boosts Customization, Cuts Babysitting" at Wired.com

EA have already announced the first expansion pack for The Sims 3 - Let's Go To College. According to TUGWS:

"The Sims 3: Let's Go To College will be the first expansion pack for the hot new The Sims 3" reads the press release. "For the first time, Sims will be able to go to University and, while working on their studies, have fun parties and make love with fellow students. Let's Go To College will be released in the first quarter on 2010 exclusively on the PC."

  > "The Sims 3: Let's Go To College Announced" at TUGWS

Update: In case I did a better job of this than I thought and you didn't realise, this was an April Fools joke - no new expansion pack has been announced.

Rod Humble has confirmed in a news post on TheSims3.com that the game will not require online authentication to play:

The game will have disc-based copy protection – there is a Serial Code just like The Sims 2. To play the game there will not be any online authentication needed.

We feel like this is a good, time-proven solution that makes it easy for you to play the game without DRM methods that feel overly invasive or leave you concerned about authorization server access in the distant future.

 > "The Sims 3 Copy Protection" at TheSims3.com

Update: Sorry if you've already seen this, but I've just found a post on TheSims2.com BBS from Maxoid_Hydra that makes things a bit more clear:

There will be no SecuROM on the disc and the disc-based game will have no install limits.

 > Post on TheSims2.com BBS

GameSpot has posted yet another The Sims 3 preview, this time from the on-going Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. They decide to take it easy with their Sim:

We wanted to create a character that wasn't easy on the eyes: a run-down loser with shabby clothes and an annoying head accessory, like a goofy headband, that would make most self-respecting people want to punch him in the face. Steeling ourselves for the task, we hunkered down with the game's character editor for a good two, maybe three minutes before making an even more gutsy executive decision: to just click the "random sim appearance" button a couple of times until we got a sim that had a hat.

  > "GDC 2009: The Sims 3 Updated Hands-On - Role-Playing and Short Attention Spans" at GameSpot

Update: GameSpot have now also posted a video interview with executive producer Ben Bell:

EA have announced some bonuses for pre-ordering The Sims 3 at specific retailers in the States:

Those that pre-order the game will receive a customized pre-order box, plumbob sticker set, redemption code for one free downloadable music track and a double sided concert style poster of the band or recording artist. The poster will include a photograph of the band on one side and on the reverse side, the band as Sims! Pre-order available at www.TheSims3.com.

Tracks include:
Ghosts (Ladytron) – Target exclusive
I love LA (Young Dre The Truth) – GameStop exclusive
Revolution (Bang Camaro) – Best Buy exclusive
The Other Side (Dexter Freebish) – Walmart exclusive
True Stories (Data Rock) – EA Store

It doesn't really make it absolutely clear, but I assume the music track is in a format you can play outside the game, rather than for use within it.
 > Read the full Press Release at GamersHell.com

CVG have now posted the interview with The Sims 3 associate producer MJ Chun they promised 10 days ago:

The game was initially meant to release at the end of February before being pushed back to June. What will you be able to achieve in that extra time?

Chun: The extra time has been amazing. It's the polish bugs, like it takes too long to reach the top of a particular career or little things like the hint that comes up telling you where to find a particular fish is completely wrong.

  > The Sims 3 Interview at CVG

The staff and moderators at the official UK forum for The Sims 3 have answered lots of questions regarding the game after attending a hands on day.

How do you switch between families?

You can change the family that you are playing by using the Active Household button. In the information screens it does say that if you elect to change the playable family then your current ones will have their wishes and opportunities removed. Then those Sims will continue to age and live as normal while you are playing the new family.

 > "The Sims 3 Hands-On Event: Day 1 Feedback" thread at Electronic Arts UK Community

VideoGamer.com have posted a new interview with The Sims 3 associate producer MJ Chun:

VideoGamer.com: Where do you begin when it comes to deciding what you'll do with a new Sims game?

MC Chun: One of the things that happens is that you start with a small team. When Sims 3 was a twinkle in someone's eye, it was like five people, maybe? It was really a tiny team with ideas everywhere. How do you get the Sims to co-operate, and how do you get the custom content in? One of the things I really love about Sims 3 is that it takes things back to the Sim.

 > "The Sims 3 Interview" at VideoGamer.com

I've got two "new" The Sims 3 screenshots here. I say "new" in quotes because I'm not sure they're actually new at all. The second one I have seen before, but I think it wasn't large enough to put on here, and the first one I don't think I have seen before, but it may still not be very new, as it was probably meant to accompany the similar one I posted a week ago. Anyway, here they are:

Make sure to allow the page to load before clicking the thumbnails, or they won't load in the image viewer, which is no use as I recite what the text says in the first screen within it.

TVG have followed up their recent preview with a Q&A with The Sims 3 associate producer MJ Chun:

TVG: We had one sim up earlier called Monty who was doing some very peculiar things. There was a good mix of him not necessarily following orders - obviously they essentially follow commands, but the sims kind of do what they want a little bit as well. There's sort of a peculiarity about it, even down to the life goals and traits...

Yes. Robot-animal crossbreeder is one of my favourite life goals.

  > "The Sims 3 - Q&A Feature" at TVG

VideoGamer.com have posted a new preview of the game too:

Infant Sims start off with only two traits, gaining more as they grow up. At the preview event I attended, someone had made a baby that was Evil and Insane; I hope for their sake that they weren’t replicating their own child.

 > "The Sims 3 First Look Preview" at VideoGamer.com

TVG and Eurogamer have both posted new The Sims 3 previews:

And character is the key word here, because we've never experienced sims with so many different inclinations and penchants for certain modes of behaviour. It's unpredictable to the point that it becomes entertaining - it's almost fun enough just to leave each sim to its own devices and see what they get up to.

  > "The Sims 3 - Hands On Preview" at TVG

And then, with a scroll and a click, I send She-Hulk running across the road to start seducing the neighbours, while John watches helplessly. It's something that I've wanted to do ever since laying down my first piece of virtual furniture, and something that all Sims games have prevented me from doing with their my-home-is-my-level system where all the places in town were their own little places, requiring tedious loading to get between.

 > "The Sims 3 Hands On" at Eurogamer

IGN has posted a new preview where they have a look at The Sims 3's AI (Artificial Intelligence):

It all comes down to the fact that each sim you create has a personality that's based on traits and wishes. Traits are behaviors that you can mix and match to create almost any personality type. Do you want the hopeless romantic who falls in love easily? How about a kleptomaniac? They're both among the possibilities that you can create.

EA have also handed IGN a video where Grant Rodiek creates three Sims, then leaves them to do what they want:

 > "Sims Getting Smarter: AI in The Sims 3" at IGN

Three new screenshots have also been made available (wait until the page has fully loaded before clicking them):

Image Source: GameSpot

In other news, CVG have talked to associate producer MJ Chun, who says that having an open work neighbourhood is risky:

"One of the things that I think is risky is whether or not people will find that the town feels alive to them. I think it's a risk because you control your Sim and traditionally it has been about your home lot and now there's this open world.

"I think some people are going to find that it's too much and that they want that level of control back, and that some people are going to be disappointed and want more. I'm interested in seeing what the community thinks about it.

They say that they will post more from their interview with her soon (like maybe the actual interview).
 > "EA: Open world Sims is a risk" at CVG

EA have released a single new screenshot showing the selecting of the a lifetime wish in the Create-a-Sim. The description for the selected wish suggests that each career track can have more than one branch.

 > Image Source (GameSpot)

GameSpot have posted a new The Sims 3 preview, which goes through what's new in the game.

Buy and Build modes have been tweaked in The Sims 3, and neighborhood lots will also work differently. Previously, furniture for your house was sorted by function and type; now they'll have a revamped room-specific sorting list as well. The larger part of the story of the Buy and Build modes will be the use of create-a-style to paint all of your furniture, as well as your house, with whichever patterns you want as freeform wallpaper and carpeting--such as with, let's say for the sake of example, leopard print.

The preview also lists all 65 traits and all 32 lifetime wishes. There are also five new screenshots, which I've added to the The Sims 3's Screenshots tab.
 > "The Sims 3 Preview - What's Really New in Sims 3, Plus Goals and Ambitions" at GameSpot
 > The Sims 3 Screenshots

It's that time of the month again, where a poll ends and another begins. Last month, I asked how you felt about The Sims 3's delay - it appears the majority of you were angry! Click below to see and comment on the results.
 > Poll Results

So that's the poll that's ended, what of the poll that's begun? Well, here's the question: Will you stop playing The Sims 2 as soon as you get hold of The Sims 3? Vote now to the right of every page.

PC World has posted a new video where they talk to The Sims 3 assistant producer Grant Rodiek.
 > "A Sneak Peek at The Sims 3" video at PC World

It's been a while, but a new blog post has finally been, well, posted, on TheSims3.com. In it, Game Designer Eric Holmberg-Weidler talks about collecting in the game, including fishing, plants and rocks:

Some of the rarest fish can only be found in special locations around the neighborhood, or only at specific times.  An example is the experimental robot fish, which can only be caught behind the science facility.  Once caught, fish can be used for many purposes.  Two of my favorites are purely for collecting: you can mount any fish you catch on the wall, or if you prefer to keep your fish alive, you can put them in fish bowls and display them around your house.

  > "Collecting in The Sims 3" at TheSims3.com