EA
have today launched The Sims 2 Store for residents of the US and Canada. In
the store you can purchase popular items from various expansion and stuff
packs separately, as well as some exclusive items, using SimPoints. 500
SimPoints cost $5 plus taxes, 1000 SimPoints cost $10 plus taxes, and 2000
SimPoints cost $20 plus taxes. Items typically cost either 75 or 100
SimPoints. Six items are available free, but they're not very good ones.
>
Press release
> The Sims 2 Store
The current poll's been running for four weeks
now, so it must be time for a new one right? Right. So a new one there is.
The latest stuff pack, The Sims 2 IKEA Home Stuff, has now been released,
so I want to know whether you're going to buy it, if you haven't already.
You can vote to the right of almost any page, so do it now. NOW.
Last month, I asked whether you lot play any games other than ones in The
Sims series. The results are pretty darn close. Click below to view them,
plus one (fairly irrelevant) comment.
> Poll Results
My
latest house is now available to download: A detached bungalow featuring a
large garden space, a driveway, three equal sized bedrooms, and a deck to
the rear.
To see a bigger picture and a floor plan, or
to download it, click below:
EA
have officially announced the latest (and probably last) expansion pack for
The Sims 2, Apartment Life. With the announcement is the first proper
information:
Move your Sims into the
close-quarters drama, humor, and excitement of apartment life!
Your Sims are moving into a brand-new
apartment, and their lives will never be the same! Adventure,
fun, and drama await them as they meet new people and explore
their new neighborhood. Will they take their kids to the local
playground, mingle in coffee shops, or hit the park to learn
from the breakdancers? Close quarters mean new
opportunities-move in with compatible roomies for a thriving
social life, advance your career with the right social network,
or find true love just down the hall. Whether they live in artsy
converted lofts, the ultimate studio bachelor pads, or luxury
apartments with their own butler, your Sims will experience all
of the excitement of apartment life!
It seems EA has finally fixed
that error with their The
Sims 2 FreeTime patch, as it has now been made available again.
If you've been getting annoyed that your Sims can't remember which side
of the bed they sleep on, or that your pregnant Sim can't blog about hobbies
on the computer, grab the patch now, as these are just two of a massive list
of things that have been fixed.
>
The Sims 2 FreeTime patch at TheSims2.com
So, what do you think of the apartments idea
for the next expansion? It seems an overwhelming majority (83%) thought it's
a great idea.
> Poll Results
This month, I want to know whether you lot play any games other than ones
in The Sims series. Vote now to the right of most pages, not forgetting to
click "Vote with comment" if you fancy telling me (and everyone) what other
games you play, or why you're only interested in The Sims games, or
whatever.
Escape with a new Ford
Friday 23rd May 2008 | 10:55 pm BST (GMT/UTC + 1)
EA
have released yet another car for download from their partnership with Ford
- the Ford Escape Hybrid:
Think you know everything about hybrids? Think again. Meet the
Ford Escape Hybrid, the first vehicle that combines all the machine you've
come to expect from an SUV with all the green that you've come to expect
from a hybrid. Tech-savvy and roomy, this hybrid offers the best of both
worlds without needing to compromise power or eco-impact. Relax in the
driver's seat of the future and let your Sims Escape the ordinary.
Even if you don't have The Sims 2 Nightlife, your Sims can drive this car
today.
>
Get it at TheSims2.com
IKEA Home
Stuff officially announced; info, screenshots and renders posted
Friday 16th May 2008 | 4:59 pm BST (GMT/UTC + 1)
EA
have now officially announced the latest stuff pack, The Sims 2 IKEA Home
Stuff, after its discovery on the EA Store last week. TheSims2.com has
updated with details, screenshots and item renders.
Must-Have Stuff for Your Sims' Home from IKEA!
Give your Sims' home a makeover with new furniture and décor items based on
stylish designs by IKEA!
Whether you want to create a trendy, spacious office, a chic living room, or
a cozy and inviting bedroom, you can make your Sims' dream house into
something even better-a home. Design your Sims' rooms to fit their
personalities with all-new sofas, beds, tables, TV units, shelving, and
more, in a variety of colors and patterns for a truly unique look. Add the
finishing touches with popular IKEA wall art, mirrors, lighting, and vases.
Be your Sims' personal interior designer with inspiring, contemporary styles
from IKEA!
The
first screenshot from The Sims 2 Apartment Life has been posted on the
official BBS. The screenshot shows that the game will finally have ceilings,
so when in camera mode you'll no longer be able to see the next floor up.
MaxoidShannon, who made the post, confirms that you'll be able to change the
texture on the ceilings. The screenshot also shows something that has been
requested for a long time - a spiral staircase.
> The Sims 2
Apartment Life Screenshots
The Sims 2
IKEA Home Stuff on US EA Store
Tuesday 6th May 2008 | 3:26 pm BST (GMT/UTC + 1) Updated Wednesday 7th May 2008 at
10:29 pm BST (GMT/UTC + 1)
Although
it has yet to be announced, the US EA Store is now taking pre-orders for a
new stuff pack, The Sims 2 IKEA Home Stuff. Here's the description for the
pack:
Turn your Sims' living room into a haven of comfort and relaxation
with a plush Ektorp sofa, a unique Expedit TV unit, a complementing
Leksvik coffee table, and chic décor, like the Vanna mirror.
Create a bold, vibrant, and revitalizing bedroom with a new Malm
bed, matching chest of drawers, a shapely Storm floor lamp and a bright
IKEA PS rug.
Indulge your Sims with an office that is sure to promote order and
productivity with its elegant Vika Hyttan desk, inspiring Kila desk
lamp, bold Helmer drawer unit, and Lack zigzag wallshelf.
If the actual furniture is better than the box art (it looks pretty awful
to me) then it could be good. The page appears to give a release date of
Tuesday 24th June.
>
The Sims 2 IKEA Home Stuff at the US EA Store
Update:
The pack now seems to have been removed from the store, with the above links
bringing up an error message instead.
Poll Results and
the Poll for May
Saturday 3rd May 2008 | 4:13 pm BST (GMT/UTC + 1)
A new poll has begun - this month, I'd like to
know what you think of the apartments idea for
The Sims 2's next expansion pack.
Vote on the right of practically any page, and don't forget to vote with
comment if you have one.
If a poll's begun, a poll must have ended, so that means I must have some
results for you. And would you believe it, I do! Last month, I asked what
most excited you about The Sims 3. Take a look at the full results by
clicking below, including (gasp) a comment!
> Poll Results
The Sims 2 Kitchen & Bath Interior Design Stuff released
The
latest stuff pack for The Sims 2, Kitchen & Bath Interior Design Stuff, has
been released in the US, TheSims2.com has announced. According to
GAME, It is now available in the UK too, but
the game page on EA UK's website still says "TBA"...
Also available now, in the US at least, is The Sims 2 Double Deluxe,
which consists of The Sims 2, The Sims 2 Nightlife, The Sims 2 Celebration
Stuff, plus a bonus DVD all in one package.
EA have also announced that over 100 million copies of The Sims games
have been sold worldwide. That's quite a lot.
Thought
FreeTime was The Sims 2's last expansion pack? Well you're wrong. EA have
posted an image of an insert being included in some games on TheSims2.com,
showing what really will be the last expansion pack - The Sims 2 Apartment
Life. Click below to view it.
>
The insert
Unusually for an expansion pack being released in the autumn/fall, it
does not appear to be a remake of a The Sims 1 expansion pack - rather a
brand new idea - living in an apartment with neighbours and putting up with
landlords. I assume these apartments are cheap because otherwise I'll
probably stick with houses. And I bet all the neighbours are NPCs.
A new poll has begun at last! This month, I
want to know what most excites you about The Sims 3, from the headings given
in the information about it on TheSims3.com. Vote now to the right of any
page, and don't forget you can click "Vote with comment" to tell everyone
why you chose what you did!
If a poll has started, a poll must of finished - one that should of
finished two weeks ago in fact. The last poll asked whether you look at
reviews on gaming websites or in magazines (or whatever) when deciding
whether to buy a The Sims 2 expansion pack. Well it seems the majority of
you don't - see the full results by clicking below.
> Poll results
For
the first time in ages, I've made a new house for you to download. This
striking detached home has four large bedrooms, a spacious kitchen/dining
room and a big living room. A garage big enough for one car is integrated
into the house. Bedroom one has an en-suite shower room and a balcony over
looking the garden. Speaking of which, the large garden has some decking
which is perfect for a barbecue and outdoor dining table. There is also a
toilet on the ground floor and a small room upstairs that could be used as
an office or a single bedroom.
> 4 Bedroom
Detached Home (2)
As you can see (unless you're reading via the
RSS feed anyway), I've just launched a new site design. New tab-based
navigation makes it easier to see where you are, and the site is wider too.
If you find any problems, please tell me by providing feedback using a form
accessible from the bottom of every page. You do not have to give your name
or email address.
A The Sims 3 section has also finally launched, with some first
screenshots from the game.
> The Sims 3
Poll Extended
Saturday 22nd March 2008 | 12:55 pm GMT/UTC
The current poll, asking whether you take any notice of reviews
on gaming websites etcetera when deciding whether to buy a The Sims 2 expansion
pack, has been extended by two weeks due to a lack of votes. If more of you
bother to vote, it'll now end on Saturday 5th April.
TheSims3.com launched, first preview posted
Wednesday 19th March 2008 | 5:39 pm GMT/UTC
TheSims3.com has
launched, with lots of information and first screenshots of the
sequel-of-the-sequel, which is due in 2009. Also, PC Gamer's preview of the game
has been published on CVG, which is a good read.
>
TheSims3.com
>
Preview
The Sims 3 - First Details NOW
Friday 7th March 2008 | 12:44 pm GMT/UTC
I've received my first ever official fan site
email today from The Sims 3's executive producer Ben Bell, and thought I
would share it with you. In the email, Ben talks about the
neighbourhood in The Sims 3, including how you won't have to go through any load
screens to visit other lots, the new create-a-sim, and how you can customise the
appearance of everything.
When the team first started thinking about
what The Sims 3 could be, we asked ourselves the following question.
What if you had to live your whole life in one location … and then
one day, suddenly, you could step outside and go anywhere in the
whole neighborhood?
A placeholder page on TheSims3.com has been posted stating that more information
about the game is coming in 13 days - on Wednesday 19th March. The page has a
massive plumbob with a crystal-like effect and the number 3 at the top-right.
To the right of that is the words "More Information Coming Soon*!" followed by
"*March 19, 2008". Exciting stuff.
> TheSims3.com
Yet Another Car
Wednesday 5th March 2008 |
11:25 pm GMT/UTC
EA have made yet another car available on TheSims2.com to
download - this time from their partnership with Ford - the Ford Edge:
Like a steak salad, the Ford Edge is a delicious juxtaposition of sporty
performance and style combined with the safety and roominess of an SUV. With a
super-sized panoramic moonroof and cutting-edge in-car entertainment, the
driving experience will be anything but ordinary. Bring one home and give your
Sim the Edge.
TheSims2.com has posted a new
racing car for you to download for your game, plastered with Burnout Paradise
logos.
This exclusive hotrod redefines the
meaning of full throttle. The Montgomery Hawker is just one of many cool
cars allowing you to go wild on the streets of Paradise City - either
alone or with your friends. Get all the latest information about this
fast and easy-to-pick-up racing game at
burnout.ea.com
Update: Some plain re-colours have now been added
which do not appear to have any logos on, so with an extra click, the
advertisement becomes a nice sports car. Updated 8:36 pm GMT/UTC on Tuesday 4th March 3008 by Danny Cox (Webmaster)
The transcript for
Thursday's The Sims 2 FreeTime chat has been posted on TheSims2.com.
>
The Transcript
Poll results and the poll for March
Saturday 23rd February 2008 |
3:41 pm GMT/UTC
The
last poll, asking whether you lot still play The Sims 1, has ended with a quite
surprising result - 50% of you still do. Meanwhile, a new poll has started. This
month I want to know whether you take any notice of reviews on game websites or
magazines when deciding whether to buy a The Sims 2 expansion pack. Vote now on
the right of any page.
> Poll Results
Danny's The Sims Website - now on its own domain
Friday 22nd February 2008 |
11:42 pm GMT/UTC
Danny's The Sims Website has "moved" - well, it's still in the same place at the
moment, but it's also somewhere new - thesims.dannycox.me.uk. So no more
addresses that contain seemingly random characters that're hard to remember.
dannysthesims.co.uk is where you'll find Danny's The Sims Website from now on,
but the old address, which your probably viewing with right now, will not work
forever, so update your bookmarks or reset your homepage, because otherwise you
might find the site has "gone".
> Correct your address bar - go
to dannysthesims.co.uk
With a new domain comes a new News Email - so if you
didn't like the non-The Sims content in the old one, the new Danny's The Sims
Website News Email is for you. Every two weeks, I send out a new issue
containing all the latest The Sims news, website updates, poll results and,
occasionally, something exclusive too. To find out more and see a sample, click
below. To subscribe (for free of course), fill in your email address in the box
to the right of most pages.
> Danny's The Sims Website News Email
FreeTime Hobby Magazines
Thursday 21st February 2008 |
10:30 pm GMT/UTC
The last issue
of the The Sims 2 FreeTime Hobby Magazines has been posted on TheSims2.com, just
in time for the expansion pack's release (it starts shipping in Europe
tomorrow). If you haven't been keeping track of them, you may learn something
about FreeTime if you have a look.
>
FreeTime Hobby Magazine: Film & Literature
FreeTime chat tomorrow
Wednesday 20th February 2008 |
6:30 pm GMT/UTC
A chat with the
The Sims 2 FreeTime game team is taking place tomorrow at 2:30 pm PST (that's
10:30 pm GMT/UTC I think). Get your questions ready, then click below at around
that time to take part.
>
Chat page at TheSims2.com
Bon Voyage Patch Updated Again
Wednesday 20th February 2008 |
6:16 pm GMT/UTC
EA has posted a new patch for The Sims
2 Bon Voyage on TheSims2.com. It fixes a lot of issues.
>
The Patch
New car-type-thing available to download
Monday 11th February 2008 |
11:18 pm GMT/UTC
If you're looking for a new car that's a little bit
different, EA's "HotRod Hauler Chop Socky Special"
may be for you.
Ready to intimidate the competition? This HotRod
blitzes all others with a ported and polished big V-8, flame throwing open
zoomie headers and super Fat tires. Available with several smokin' hot paint
jobs, metal bed skid strips, and hand stitched leather interior - this custom
chopped rod is ready to crooze the boulevard in style!
A designer walkthrough for the
new expansion pack The Sims 2 FreeTime has been posted on TheSims2.com. Stuff I
leaned from the video include:
A Sim's enthusiasm for an activity increases with time, and
reaching the maximum means the Sim enters the 'zone' when doing the activity,
and motives decay at a slower rate. Secret lots, magazine subscriptions and more
can also be unlocked from increased enthusiasm
Sims can now enter food, videogame and dance contests
When a Sim grows up, you can choose to make friends
grow up at the same time
Filling the new lifetime aspiration meter gains the Sim
lifetime benefit points, which can be spent on lifetime benefits relating to
needs, work, and each of the Sim's two aspirations - the second one being
optional and possibly requiring lifetime benefit points. The knowledge Sim
in the video is aiming to one day be able to summon aliens at will
When selecting a secondary aspiration in the video, you
can see that the Grilled Cheese aspiration, originally only available as a
consequence of using the ReNuYuSenso Orb (an aspiration reward from
Nightlife that allowed Sims to change their aspiration) below gold
aspiration, is now available as an option.
As well as Natasha Bedingfield, EA have announced all the songs from the bands
you haven't heard of in FreeTime's soundtrack. Have a look at the press
release to see the full list of songs included with the latest The Sims 2
expansion pack.
>
Press Release
Get The Sims news through Windows Live Alerts!
Tuesday 5th February 2008 |
2:26 pm GMT/UTC
Want to be alerted as soon as I post news? Then click that Windows Live Alerts
link at the top of the homepage, sign in with your Windows Live ID, then set
your delivery preferences. You can setup to be alerted in Windows Live Messenger
or via email. Then every time I post some news, you'll know straight away. If
you'd prefer to have The Sims news delivered to your inbox every fortnight
instead, why not subscribe to the News Email?
> Danny Cox's
Official Website News Email
FreeTime Producer Q&A
Sunday 3rd February 2008 |
8:52 pm GMT/UTC
The Sims 2
FreeTime producer Bim Majekodunmi has answered some
questions about The Sims 2 FreeTime, as well as how to become a producer
and more, in a new video posted on The Sims 2 UK. As far as FreeTime
goes, she revealed that five new careers - Architecture, Oceanography,
Entertainment, Dance and Intelligence ("As in spy careers") - are
included and Sims will now be able to have two aspirations at the same
time. The video is at the bottom of the linked page.
>
The Sims 2 FreeTime at The Sims 2 UK
A video has been posted on the
internet showing a Sim playing one of the new games in The Sims 2
FreeTime - The Sims 3. I've embedded the video below. Is this real
footage from the game? We'll find out soon.
Poll Results and the Poll for February
Saturday 26th January 2008 |
3:07 pm GMT/UTC
A new poll has begun, and as I only have one poll running at a time,
that means one must of ended too!
So, what of the last poll? Well I asked whether your Sims
celebrated Christmas, and it seems a massive 71% of you did! See the full
results, what I said about them, and (amazingly) the one comment, by clicking
below.
> Poll Results
This month, I want to know whether any of you still play The
Sims 1 - vote to the right of any page on this website. If you do, then I'd love
to know why - just click that Vote with comment link and vote, err, with a
comment!
Natasha Bedingfield song "Pocketful of
Sunshine" part of FreeTime soundtrack
Thursday 24th January 2008 |
5:52 pm GMT/UTC
TheSims2.com has announced that
Natasha Bedingfield has recorded her hit single "Pocketful of Sunshine" in
Simlish for The Sims 2 FreeTime's soundtrack. A music video for the song has
been released on the website.
>
"Pocketful of Sunshine" music video on TheSims2.com
FreeTime Comic Strips
Thursday 24th January 2008 | 5:35 pm GMT/UTC
The first
in a series of comic strips have been added to TheSims2.com. It's not funny, but
it does give a little extra information about the expansion.
Sims can aspire to many different things, whether it is Popularity, Fortune,
Knowledge, Pleasure*, Romance, Family, or Grilled Cheese. With The Sims™ 2 FreeTime, you can now measure your Sims progression towards their life's
aspiration and unlock unique benefits that will help them along the way.
Follow along this 7-issue comic strip miniseries to find out more about the
Rewards of your Sims' Lifetime Aspirations!
The next
stuff pack has been revealed on the official websites - The Sims 2 Kitchen &
Bath Interior Design Stuff (quite a mouth-full!). From TheSims2.com:
Redesign your Sims' essential living areas into the most luxurious of
spaces. Transform the bathroom into a romantic getaway with charming
claw-foot bathtubs and calming lighting fixtures or give it a contemporary
twist with beautiful glass showers, basin sinks, and more. Redesign your
kitchen as you upgrade it with sleek appliances on granite countertops or
romantic natural wood cabinets next to wrought iron stoves. Outfit your Sims
in the perfect clothes and accessories to enjoy their lavish new rooms, from
sumptuous spa robes to designer cooking aprons. Be your Sims' personal
interior designer! Give them the kitchens and bathrooms of their dreams with
a variety of new furniture, décor, and outfits!
Although it was announced on the official websites ages ago,
TheSims2.com has now posted a press release officially announcing The
Sims 2 FreeTime. The press release confirms the ship dates for North
America and Europe, 26th February and 22nd February respectively. If you
want to know exactly how long it is until then, see the countdowns at
the top of the homepage.
>
Press release on TheSims2.com
Back
to Old News Archive
EA
have today launched The Sims 2 Store for residents of the US and Canada. In
the store you can purchase popular items from various expansion and stuff
packs separately, as well as some exclusive items, using SimPoints. 500
SimPoints cost $5 plus taxes, 1000 SimPoints cost $10 plus taxes, and 2000
SimPoints cost $20 plus taxes. Items typically cost either 75 or 100
SimPoints. Six items are available free, but they're not very good ones.
EA
have now officially announced the latest stuff pack, The Sims 2 IKEA Home
Stuff, after its discovery on the EA Store last week. TheSims2.com has
updated with details, screenshots and item renders.
The
latest stuff pack for The Sims 2, Kitchen & Bath Interior Design Stuff, has
been released in the US, TheSims2.com has announced. According to
For
the first time in ages, I've made a new house for you to download. This
striking detached home has four large bedrooms, a spacious kitchen/dining
room and a big living room. A garage big enough for one car is integrated
into the house. Bedroom one has an en-suite shower room and a balcony over
looking the garden. Speaking of which, the large garden has some decking
which is perfect for a barbecue and outdoor dining table. There is also a
toilet on the ground floor and a small room upstairs that could be used as
an office or a single bedroom.
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