The "Sim" Is One Of The Best New Characters
Of The Decade, According To GamesRadar
Thursday 31st December 2009 | 2:11 pm GMT/UTC
In a new feature GamesRadar has named the "Sim"
as one of the 25 best new characters of the decade:
The game gives them no name. No personality. No appearance. No
motivation. No nothing, really, until you – the player – step in to fill out
all the blanks. Yet the Sims have somehow managed to capture our hearts and
imaginations more than any other customizable avatar this decade. Why?
Because unlike the frozen-faced Miis or utterly generic Second Life
residents, the Sims are not puppets. Once brought into being, they take on a
life of their own. You create them, you often control them, but you can
never fully predict them.
PETA
Names The Sims 3 As The Most Animal-Friendly Game Of The Year
Thursday 31st December 2009 | 2:11 pm GMT/UTC
Thanks to the Vegetarian trait, PETA has
deemed The Sims 3 the most animal-friendly game of 2009:
In the latest version of the biggest-selling gaming franchise
ever, Electronic Arts allows players to choose a vegetarian lifestyle.
According to game testers, vegetarian Sims, like their real-life
counterparts, live longer, age more slowly, and feast on cruelty-free
delights—from tofu dogs to ratatouille. And, like all great art, The Sims 3
imitates life—if your Sim eats meat, it will get sick.
The
Sims Is The Most Influential Game Of The Decade, Says Wired.com
Monday 28th December 2009 | 7:41 pm GMT/UTC
Wired.com blog GameLife has named The Sims as
the most influential game of the decade in a feature:
It’s the most popular game franchise that debuted this decade,
with more than 100 million copies sold. Yet many people don’t even consider
The Sims to be a game at all. Will Wright’s people simulator so
completely disrupted our beliefs about what a videogame had to be that
non-gamers with no expectations had the easiest time wrapping their heads
around it. Sims has had a profound influence on videogames in a
dozen different ways.
If you're here looking for some results for
the current poll, "Have you bought
The Sims 3 World Adventures yet?", sorry - you must be one of the too-few that
voted, as I haven't received enough votes to end it yet. If I do get enough
votes by then, the poll will now end with the results revealed in two weeks
time - Saturday 9th January.
The
Sims 3 Is 2009's Best Strategy Game, Says GameSpot
Thursday 24th December 2009 | 5:42 pm GMT/UTC
GameSpot has named The Sims 3 as the best
strategy game in their best of 2009 awards:
While 2009 brought us some fantastic strategy games, it was the
one that simulates the intricacies of everyday life that won the hearts of
our editors. The Sims 3 takes the gameplay established in the previous two
games and expands on it in new and exciting ways, resulting in a rich
experience with a lot more depth.
It's been a month since The Sims 3 World
Adventures was released, plus reviews aren't really being posted anymore, so
I think today is a good day to conclude my reviews coverage. Before I
wrap-up, I have one last review for you though, one that I actually put on
the Reviews tab yesterday but forgot to tell you about here.
Blogcritics Gaming rated it five stars out of five:
The high content and replay value make this expansion
worth the price. Loading times can slow down the action,
so make sure your computer is prepared (check minimum
requirements).
Don't forget you can still contribute your own reviews for World
Adventures on the Reviews tab. If you haven't already joined the site, you
can log in using a Google, Yahoo!, AIM, NetLog, OpenID or Twitter account,
so in the likely event you have one of those, you don't need to create
another one!
>
The Sims 3 World Adventures User Reviews
Create a World Tool Beta Launches
Thursday 17th December 2009 | 2:57 pm GMT/UTC
The beta of the Create a World Tool is now
available to download from TheSims3.com. Just scroll down to bottom of the
page linked below, read and accept the license, then click Download. The
page also links to a tutorial and walkthrough.
> "The
Sims™ 3 Create a World Tool – BETA" at TheSims3.com
The Sims 3 Game Update Released With Bug
Fixes, In-Game Store Access
Thursday 17th December 2009 | 2:57 pm GMT/UTC
As promised, EA has released a game update for
The Sims 3 including World Adventures:
Base Game Updates:
In-Game Store: Players may now access store content through the Buy
Mode In-Game Store Browser.
Mac Uninstaller. The Mac Uninstaller gives Mac players the option to
easily uninstall all Sims 3 applications and content or expansion packs.
Added an auto recovery prompt to recover save games corrupted by the
late "Error Code 16" bug.
Get the update by opening the launcher. Read the full list of changes by
clicking below then scrolling down to the "Game Update for: 1.8/2.3" post:
>
News at TheSims3.com (UK)
The Sims Audio Team Brings Us Simlish
Christmas Songs
Thursday 17th December 2009 | 2:57 pm GMT/UTC
The Sims audio team has made available three
Simlish Christmas tunes:
In The Bleak Midwinter Sim
A modern twist on “In The Bleak Midwinter” by The Young Punx vs the
Camden Choral Collective.
IGN has posted a preview of the
soon-to-be-released-in-beta The Sims 3 Create a World Tool:
Best of all, avid Sims players won't need a programming or
scripting background to make new maps; instead, if you've built a house in
the Sims (or you used SimCity 4 to create maps for The Sims 2), you've got
the basics down for building a new community, allowing players to jump in
and start making a new adventure for their Sims and for other players to
enjoy.
EA has posted a new video showing 10 reasons
to give The Sims 3 to someone this Christmas:
The
Sims 16th Best Game Of The Decade, Says GameZone
Friday 11th December 2009 | 2:07 pm GMT/UTC
GameZone has declared The Sims the 16th best
game of the decade in a new feature, ahead of such games as Bioshock and
Gears of War.
Almost everyone – and I mean everyone – has played or at least seen The
Sims in action. It was a milestone game that set the PC charts on fire
and had the industry in a craze on how to capitalize on Maxis and EA’s
success – in other words, make clones.
Latest
World Adventures Reviews: Cheat Code Central
Thursday 10th December 2009 | 11:41 pm GMT/UTC
One The Sims 3 World Adventures review
tonight. Cheat Code Central rated it a "Good" 3.8 out of
five:
The Sims 3: World Adventures is definitely a fun and focused
expansion pack that improves upon the franchise's strengths, delivers some
new content, and, most importantly, adds a quest-driven focus to the
gameplay.
New The Sims 3 Game Update And Create A
World Tool Beta Both Released This Month
Thursday 10th December 2009 | 10:02 pm GMT/UTC
The Sims 3 Development Team have announced on
TheSims3.com that a new game update and the Create a World Tool beta will
both be released this month. The game update will add more new features, one
of which was revealed in the news post: Shop Mode, which will make it much
easier for you to hand EA your money buy new
items from The Sims 3 Store.
The December update will introduce a button that will allow you
to shop from The Sims 3 Store from inside your game. This new feature will
enhance your shopping experience at The Sims 3 Store and allow you to access
The Sims 3 Store via Shop Mode from the main menu, build or buy mode or
during Create-a-Sim. As you purchase new items, they will be added to your
catalog, while your game is running.
To read the full post, click below and scroll down to the one titled "New
Update Coming & The Sims 3 Create a World Tool - Beta!".
>
News at TheSims3.com (UK)
Latest
World Adventures Reviews: Gameplanet, NZGamer.com
Wednesday 9th December 2009 | 12:44 pm GMT/UTC
This time I've got two The Sims 3 World
Adventures reviews, both giving great scores.
Gameplanet rated it 9.0 out of 10, described as "A
worthy addition.":
The only real downside to this expansion pack is that
its so much fun and reinvigorates our passion for the
game that we’re spending far too long playing it.
World Adventures brings an intriguing addition to the
Sims game mechanic, some beautiful new locations and
tons of great new material. Make sure this one’s on your
Christmas wish list!
Today I've got a The Sims 3 World Adventures
review by The A.V. Club, who gave it a B+ grade:
With so much potential for additional vacation
destinations down the line, World Adventure seems to beg
for expansions of its own. Hopefully these will make
exploring a little more of an adventure.
Just the one The Sims 3 World Adventures
review this time, and it's one I would have told you about yesterday if
things had gone to plan...
Telegraph rated it eight out of 10:
If you’re a Sims fan and looking to reignite your relationship with your
digital family then World Adventures is an excellent addition, jam
packed with new content and gameplay.
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Latest
World Adventures Reviews: GameSpot, RealGamer
Tuesday 1st December 2009 | 11:22 pm GMT/UTC
I've got another two The Sims 3 World
Adventures reviews here, both giving good scores.
GameSpot rated it a "great" 8.5 out of 10:
This expansion may not fix the few technical troubles
that still ail The Sims 3, but it adds enough to keep
your mind off the drawbacks and centered directly on the
fresh and wonderful new content. In other words, Sims
fans should expect plenty more sleepless nights ahead.
RealGamer has given it a "very good" eight out of 10:
Apart from the issues (which hopefully, there will be a
cure for sooner or later), World Adventures is a very
promising start to The Sims 3 expansion. The new
environments are beautifully created and the new hobbies
and skills are a great addition to the game.
Latest
World Adventures Reviews: Eurogamer, Digital Chumps
Sunday 29th November 2009 | 12:03 am GMT/UTC
Two more The Sims 3 World Adventures reviews
tonight, one giving one of the worst ratings so far, the other giving a very
good one.
Eurogamer rated it seven out of 10:
It's impossible not to recommend it to avid Sims players, but
anti-Sims snobs will inevitably find it to be an annoying side-order of
collectormania and repetitive puzzles.
All things considered, World Adventures rewrites the
conventional definition of an “expansion pack” by providing a massive new
experience which is both delightfully tethered to your existing Sims’ lives
and simultaneously rooted in an a wholly different style of gameplay.
New
Poll: Have you bought
The Sims 3 World Adventures yet?
Saturday 28th November 2009 | 6:05 pm GMT/UTC
Would you believe it? After the fiasco that
was the last poll, I've managed to close the most recent one on time! That's
right, after just four weeks, it's time for a new poll, and it's another
easy one: Have you bought
The Sims 3 World Adventures yet? Answer in the Quick Poll module on the right of
practically every page.
The just-closed poll asked you lot this: Do you play The Sims on PC or
Mac? No one voted Mac, with
69.23% playing it on PC and
the remaining 30.77% saying you don't actually play The Sims. View the
results in graph form and comment on them by clicking below:
> Poll Results
Latest World Adventures Reviews:
Teletext GameCentral, You?
Saturday 28th November 2009 | 12:04 am GMT/UTC
Just one review for The Sims 3 World
Adventures from the critics tonight, but what I'm even more interested in is
what you think. You can now post your own reviews on The Sims 3 World
Adventures Reviews tab - log in with a Google, Yahoo!, AIM, NetLog or Open
ID account then tell everyone what you think!
>
The Sims 3 World Adventures User Reviews
Teletext GameCentral rated it eight out of 10:
An excellent first expansion pack that adds not just new
but genuinely different content to the mix.
Once again just the one review for The Sims 3
World Adventures.
EL33TONLINE gave it four stars out of five:
All in all The Sims World Adventure is a very worthy addition to
any Sims fan’s collection. But then if you are an avid Sims fan you would
have bought this already. The variety of gameplay elements, especially the
new goal driven adventures, makes for a compelling visit to far off places.
One review for The Sims 3 World Adventures
again tonight.
1UP.com gave it a B+ grade:
The price might prompt some justifiable hesitation, but the
adventures and the rest of the new content make for an excellent refresh of
the five-month-old Sims 3, and will leave little in the way of buyer's
remorse. A worthy beginning for what will surely be a long line of expansion
packs.
EA UK has revealed the first stuff pack for
The Sims 3 by posting a game page on its website - The Sims 3 Design and
Hi-Tech Stuff:
Transform your Sims’ homes into sleek, edgy
apartments with The Sims 3 Design & High-Tech Stuff.
There's a host of new items for your most
lived-in rooms, including slick gadgets for your high-tech study, a next-gen
gaming system for the killer game room and modern furniture for the most
contemporary living room. Now your Sims can give their homes an ultra-modern
makeover!
A
stuff pack has also appeared on the website of US retailer GameStop, called
The Sims 3 High-End Loft Stuff. Judging by the similarity of the
descriptions, this looks to be the US name for Design and Hi-Tech Stuff. A
ship date of 26th January 2010 is given for that. Click below and you can
have a closer look at the box art:
>
The Sims 3 High-End Loft Stuff at GameStop
GameStop
also has a page for another The Sims 2 collection - The Sims 2 Fun with Pets
Collection:
Create a happy home with the perfect pet, garden and décor! Give your Sims a
furry or feathered companion to play with and love—but prepare for the
unexpected! Indulge your Sims with new décor and landscaping options to
create the perfect home.
This one contains The Sims 2 Pets, The Sims 2 Mansion & Garden Stuff and The
Sims 2 Family Fun Stuff (or at least it does according to the box art - the
expanded information says it includes The Sims 2 H&M Family Fun Stuff,
whatever that is). It gives a ship date of 12th January 2010. In the event
you actually care, you can find art for both sides of the box and more
information by clicking the first link below:
>
"The Sims 2 Fun with Pets Collections" at GameStop
> The Sims 2 Pets information,
screenshots, videos and reviews
Latest World Adventures Reviews: Gamervision, The Guardian
Tuesday 24th November 2009 | 10:30 pm GMT/UTC
Another two reviews for The Sims 3 World
Adventures tonight, both giving it very good scores.
Gamervision has rated it 8.75 out of 10:
The Sims 3: World Adventures is a great first expansion
for The Sims 3, and hopefully the start of more
interesting content to be added to the game.
Just one more review for The Sims 3 World
Adventures tonight.
GameZone has given it a very good 8.7 out of 10:
With World Adventures, the Sims 3 receives one of its greatest
expansions. If you’re a fan of the original, there’s little doubt that
you’ll want this in your collection.
Blend
Games Concludes Its Impressions Of World Adventures
Sunday 22nd November 2009 | 8:40 pm GMT/UTC
Blend
Games has concluded its series of The Sims 3 World Adventures first
impressions articles with a look at what the expansion brings to life at
home:
Having met two loves and one good friend while overseas, Celia
decided that one of them should be her husband. But which one? She had some
thinking to do, so she meditated. This is something she’s been able to do
since she reached level five with her martial arts skill. That practice
dummy has really come in handy!
Just the one review for The Sims 3 World
Adventures tonight. GamePro has given it a very good four and a half stars
out of five:
Overall, World Adventures adds so much new content and gameplay
that it feels more like a sequel than an expansion pack. Sims fans
everywhere, from the casual to the hardcore, will absolutely love all of the
new additions that are packed in here.
Blend
Games Visits Egypt In World Adventures And Returns With 31 New
Screenshots
Saturday 21st November 2009 | 5:55 pm GMT/UTC
Blend
Games has continued its series of The Sims 3 World Adventures first
impressions articles with one focused on Egypt:
Unlike the base camps in China and France, which included a
sturdy structure for resting, the Egyptian base camp was… a camp. Complete
with tents, an outdoor kitchen, some bathrooms (indoors thankfully) and
local bugs.
Latest World Adventures Reviews:
Digital Spy,
The Independent
Friday 20th November 2009 | 11:58 pm GMT/UTC
I've got another two The Sims 3 World
Adventures reviews for you tonight.
Firstly, Digital Spy gave it four stars (out of
five):
Lacking none of the style
and humour that we have come to expect from the series,
this is one holiday destination worth visiting. Just
remember to leave the family behind.
The Independent on the other hand, gave it three stars:
Some sections (notably the
tombexploring excursions) feel slightly out of place,
and dragging your Sim family around the world can be
more exhausting than it is entertaining.
I'll post one of these once each day that I find a new review. To find
out about reviews almost as soon as I do, watch the World Adventures Reviews
tab or the Updates page.
>
The Sims 3 World Adventures Reviews
> Updates
Apple Features World Adventures
Friday 20th November 2009 | 6:22 pm GMT/UTC
Apple has posted a feature on The Sims 3 World
Adventures. As well as some general information about the expansion, the
feature also includes a write-up of a trip to China, and the cheats
available:
We arrived in Al Simhara, Egypt in the mood for a little
adventure. We set up a base camp nestled against the sand dunes just outside
the city and soon found what we were looking for: Hassan Badawi contacted us
about finding three ancient relics hidden somewhere in Al Simhara.
EA has released another update for The Sims 3,
but unlike the last one, this one's a bit smaller - well, it fixes just one
thing:
This Game Update will address the “Error Code 16” so you will
not have any issues saving your games. You will automatically be prompted
to download the Update when you open your Game Launcher.
Blend
Games Gives Us Their Impressions Of World Adventures, Plus 74
Screenshots
Thursday 19th November 2009 | 5:10 pm GMT/UTC
Blend
Games has posted two first impressions articles for The Sims 3 World
Adventures, one focusing on France, the other on China :
So Celia dipped into her savings and headed off to France. The
music playing has that sort of French accordion-esque feel to it and the
countryside is just gorgeous. Celia visited one of the shops in town and
quickly spent some money buying herself a vase.
EA Parodies Twilight In New Video Following
on from that Star Trek parody, EA has done another movie trailer in The Sims
3, this time of The Twilight Saga: New Moon. It's a world exclusive of
RadarOnline.com at the moment, so you can only see it there.
>
"WORLDWIDE EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: First Look At Twilight Sims Parody" at
RadarOnline.com
First World Adventures Review: IGN
Thursday 19th November 2009 | 12:02 am GMT/UTC
IGN has posted one of the first The Sims 3
World Adventures, giving in an "Impressive" 8.3/10:
I hope World Adventures sets the pattern for future
Sims expansions. Moving beyond just throwing more
stuff into a box and putting a price tag on it, this
expansion is built on a very compelling and
consistent theme that breaks the Sims out of their
current suburban environments but also gives them
the opportunity to bring back new skills, stories
and souvenirs that can impact their day-to-day life.
Pixie Lott Sings Mama Do In English... Wait, Simlish... No,
English... A new video of Pixie Lott singing Mama Do has appeared on the 'net.
This one's a bit different though - she starts as a real person singing in
English, then becomes a Sim and sings in Simlish, then... well, see for
yourself:
New The
Sims 3 Update Released With New Features, Bug Fixes
Wednesday 18th November 2009 | 6:42 pm GMT/UTC
As expected, EA has released an update for The
Sims 3, adding the basement tool, pagoda style roofs and other new features,
as well as fixing lots of bugs and making some other gameplay tweaks:
Stairs functionality is now improved:
Foundation walls can be adjusted with modular stairs attached.
Stairs can be built over gaps.
Placing stairs around objects that block their placement now
give appropriate error messages.
Stairs can be above and below each other.
Stairs, fences, and gates can now be customized with textures, as
well as being saved and shared with others.
‘Sell All’ option for a Family’s inventory.
To see the full (massive) list of changes, click below, scroll to "Game
Update for: 1.5/1.6" then click the link.
>
News at TheSims3.com (UK)
You should be prompted to get the update when you open the game launcher.
If not, click the Game Updates button.
Two New
World Adventures Screenshots Show Tomb Exploration, Martial Arts And
Eating
Tuesday 17th November 2009 | 4:02 pm GMT/UTC
Another two The Sims 3 World Adventures
screenshots have appeared on the internet:
EA Shows Us France In World Adventures And
Takes Us Behind The Scenes Of Simlish In Two New Videos
Monday 16th November 2009 | 11:51 pm GMT/UTC
EA has released another two videos for The
Sims 3 World Adventures, which is launching this week. The first shows
Champs Les Sims, France:
In the second video, Robi
Kauker, Lyndsay Pearson and some of the artists who have contributed songs
to the game discuss Simlish. View that and lots of other World Adventures
videos on the tab (it's called "Simlish Behind the Scenes"):
>
The Sims 3 World Adventures Videos
1UP.com
Previews World Adventures
Saturday 14th November 2009 | 11:53 pm GMT/UTC
1UP.com has posted a new preview of The Sims 3
World Adventures:
The new areas (one each in Egypt, France, and China) are each as
large as the original game's setting in Sunset Valley, so there's a lot
of fresh territory to explore. You'll also meet new people who you can bring
to your town, new items to buy and customize your current place with, but
most importantly, the expansion adds a new adventure element to the
otherwise passive Sims universe.
EA has made available what looks to be another
TV advert for The Sims 3 World Adventures, called The Adventures of Brad:
World Adventures Diary EA has posted a diary by a Sim who has been on an adventure to all
three The Sims 3 World Adventures destinations:
I decided to start off with a trip to Champ
Les Sims, France - my family has a bit of French heritage and I LOVE good
food so it seemed like a natural choice. When I arrived I was dropped off at
a BEAUTIFUL quaint countryside house. I was able to choose any room I
wanted, hang out by the rustic fireplace and start planning out my time.
To read the article, click the link below, find the post titled "WHAT I
DID ON MY SUMMER ADVENTURE" and click the link in that. If the link is
missing or the post doesn't exist, you'll need to switch to English > United
States using the Select Language link at the bottom.
>
News at TheSims3.com
Get
New Features From World Adventures In Free The Sims 3 Update
Thursday 12th November 2009 | 11:52 pm GMT/UTC
EAUK_Aurora has posted on the EA UK Forum that
a new update for The Sims 3 will be released on 17th November - but this
won't just include bug fixes. To allow the community to continue sharing
content without worrying about what expansion packs those they share with
have, features introduced in The Sims 3 World Adventures such as basements
and pagoda roofs will be added to your game in the update. Read the full
post for more details:
>
"Game Updates and You" at the EA UK Forum
EA
Details Photography In World Adventures
Thursday 12th November 2009 | 2:37 pm GMT/UTC
EA has detailed the photography skill in The
Sims 3 World Adventures on TheSims3.com:
You can take your skill to the next level by reading a
photography skill book or get the most advanced equipment by traveling to Al
Simhara, Egypt where they house the most expensive cameras in the world.
Once you have the skill down, you can take stylized photographs like
Sepiatone or Vignette or larger panorama sized photographs.
You may have to scroll down the following page to find the article, which
is called "In The Sims 3 World Adventures a Picture is Worth a Thousand
Words":
>
News at TheSims3.com (UK)
Nelly Furtado Simlish Music Video Released
Thursday 12th November 2009 | 1:23 pm GMT/UTC
A music video for one of the songs featured in
The Sims 3 World Adventures, Nelly Furtado's Manos Al Aire, has appeared on
the internet:
Please note that the link below the player came with the embed code.
EA Reveals World Adventures TV Advert
Wednesday 11th November 2009 | 6:46 pm GMT/UTC
EA has made the TV advert for The Sims 3 World
Adventures available to watch on the internet. Enjoy:
GameSpot Gets It's Hands On World Adventures Again, This Time
Focusing On China And France GameSpot has posted a new exclusive hands-on preview of The Sims 3
World Adventures, this time focusing on France and China:
Unlike Egypt, whose geography is built around a few major dig
sites, the China adventure area is laid out in a mostly even split between
unspoiled wilderness and community lots (including peaceful parks for
meditation, ancient tombs to explore, martial arts academies, and
merchants), while the France area is laid out like a country villa--there
are small clusters of community lots separated by long country roads.
While we're still waiting for a real trailer for
the The Sims movie, CollegeHumor thought they would create their own,
imagining it as a bit of a horror:
Please note that the links below the video player came with the embed
code.
World Adventures
Goes Gold
Tuesday 3rd November 2009 | 3:54 pm GMT/UTC Updated Wednesday 4th November 2009 at
6:32 pm GMT/UTC
Blast is reporting that The Sims 3 World
Adventures has gone gold - i.e. it is finished and is now in the process of
being burned to millions of disks ready for its launch starting on the 16th
of this month. The article also mentions a "Sims 3 Holiday Collector’s
Edition" with "promised Holiday content packed inside" - more information on
that as soon as I know more myself.
>
"The Sims 3 has gone gold" at Blast
Back
to Old News Archive
A
stuff pack has also appeared on the website of US retailer GameStop, called
The Sims 3 High-End Loft Stuff. Judging by the similarity of the
descriptions, this looks to be the US name for Design and Hi-Tech Stuff. A
ship date of 26th January 2010 is given for that. Click below and you can
have a closer look at the box art:
GameStop
also has a page for another The Sims 2 collection - The Sims 2 Fun with Pets
Collection:
Blend
Games has continued its series of The Sims 3 World Adventures first
impressions articles with one focused on Egypt:
Following
on from that Star Trek parody, EA has done another movie trailer in The Sims
3, this time of The Twilight Saga: New Moon. It's a world exclusive of
RadarOnline.com at the moment, so you can only see it there.
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