New
Poll: Have you bought or are planning to get The Sims 3 Design &
High-Tech Stuff / High-End Loft Stuff?
Saturday 20th March 2010 | 6:50 pm GMT/UTC
At last I have been able to end the poll - so,
that must mean we finally have some results right? Yes. So last time I asked Have you downloaded The Sims 3 Create a
World Tool Beta? The majority of you (40%) aren't interested in the tool at all,
but 30% of you have. Click below to view and discuss the full results, plus
read two explanations.
> Poll results
As a consequence of a poll ending, a new poll must have begun, and so it
has: Have you bought or are planning to get The Sims 3 Design & High-Tech
Stuff / High-End Loft Stuff? So have/are you? I want to know, so vote to the
right right now.
Team
Discuss The Sims 3 Development Bloopers In New Blog
Thursday 11th March 2010 | 9:42 pm GMT/UTC
A
new "blog" has been posted on TheSims3.com that discusses some bloopers
encountered during the development of the game:
The amazing part of a Sims Developer’s job that keeps us coming
back to work day after day is the sheer number of hilarious and unexpected
moments that occur in our game, typically as the result of portions of the
game that are “works in progress.”
A fun read - check it out by clicking below and looking for the post "The
Sims 3 Blooper Blog!". You may need to change your country and language to
English > United States using the Select Language link at the bottom of the
page for the post to appear (if you're taken to the homepage after doing
this, look for the "The Sims 3 Blooper Blog!" link in the The Sims 3
Newsfeed box).
>
News at TheSims3.com
Poll Extended To
20th March
Saturday 6th March 2010 | 5:59 pm GMT/UTC
Okay, this is getting ridiculous now - the
current poll (Have you downloaded The Sims 3 Create a
World Tool Beta?) has been extended yet again due to a lack of votes. Assuming
I've finally received enough votes by then, it will now end on 20th March.
If you haven't done so already, please - vote now to the right of
any page.
Two New
Ambitions Screenshots Show Ghost Hunting, Exploding Junk
Friday 5th March 2010 | 4:21 pm GMT/UTC
Two more The Sims 3 Ambitions screenshots have
appeared on the 'net, showing what looks like a ghost hunter capturing a
ghost, and a Sim seemingly enjoying himself as a pile of junk explodes:
Friday 5th March 2010 | 12:06 am GMT/UTC Updated Friday 5th March 2010 at
1:14 pm GMT/UTC
EA
has announced the latest expansion pack for The Sims 3, titled simply
Ambitions:
Widen your Sim’s horizons with a bunch of killer new career opportunities. With
The Sims™ 3 Ambitions, decide whether your Sim will be the brave town hero or
cause loads of mischief among their neighbours. Make your Sim save the day as a
fearless firefighter, change the town as an ace architect, or live on the edge
as a tattoo artist.
GameSpot has also had a Q&A with associate producer Grant Rodiek:
GameSpot: Give us an overview of The Sims 3 Ambitions.
Grant Rodiek: The Sims 3 Ambitions allows players to control their
sims while they are at work in a variety of new careers. Instead of sending
your sims off to work all day, The Sims 3 Ambitions lets you pick a career
like firefighting, investigator, architect, ghost hunter, stylist, or doctor
and then guide your sim to make choices and succeed (or fail) every step of
the way. You can also make your sim a tattoo artist, sculptor, or inventor.
I've found five screenshots so far, four of which you will have seen if
you followed my link to Amazon on Tuesday, so click below to view one new
screenshot:
> The Sims 3
Ambitions screenshots
Update:
Forgot to mention, the expansion is set to be released in June. Also, the
source for the screenshot at the top is
Joystiq.
Amazon.com Confirms The Sims 3 Ambitions With Screenshots
Tuesday 2nd March 2010 | 11:36 pm GMT/UTC
What looks to be the next expansion pack for
The Sims 3, "Ambitions" has appeared on Amazon.com, complete with some
screenshots and a logo. The screenshots show a Sim sculpting ice into the
shape of another Sim posing, a fireman breaking a door down with an axe,
what looks like ghost hunters, and a servo-like robot. No information is
given.
>
"The Sims 3: Ambitions" at Amazon.com
EL33TONLINE Rates Design & High-Tech Stuff Two Stars
Friday 26th February 2010 | 5:30 pm GMT/UTC
EL33TONLINE has posted a review of The Sims 3
Design & High-Tech Stuff (known as High-End Loft Stuff in Australia, New
Zealand and the US), rating it two stars out of five:
It contains hardly any items worthy of a detailed description,
the only light being that of the aquarium. With the Sims Shop there is no
need for this expansion. Save your money and wait for an aquarium to appear
in the Sims shop, which it ultimately will.
As I still haven't received enough
votes, the current poll (Have you downloaded The Sims 3 Create a
World Tool Beta?) has been extended again - this time to 6th March. The
results will finally be revealed then if I've received enough votes. To tide
you over, here's a choice explanation from mark gooch, who voted "No, I'm
not interested" (swearing censored):
it will be s***, just like the rest of them.
CS FTW!!!!!!!!!!!!1111!!1
it is 733t
Not voted yet? Do so to the right of any page, and click the "Vote with
explanation" link if you feel like explaining your choice like mark here.
The
Sims Could Have Been An Activision Product
Friday 19th February 2010 | 1:20 pm GMT/UTC
During his keynote address at this year's DICE
Summit, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick has confirmed that he had the
opportunity to purchase Maxis, but was put off by the troubled development
of SimCity 2000 at the time. Here's the quote from GameSpot's transcript:
[12:06] An an example, Activision almost bought Maxis at a time when the
studio was dealing with Sim City 2000's troubled development.
[12:07] Will Wright invited him to check out a secret project called
"Jefferson," but he was so put off by Sim City 2000's problems he passed.
It looks like the next expansion pack for The
Sims 3 will be about new hobbies and professions if a listing on an online
store is anything to go by. Take 2 (not the publisher) has a page for the
somewhat-boringly-named "The Sims 3: Hobbies & Professions", with an
expected release date of 4th June 2010 in South Africa. Is this a remake of
The Sims 2 FreeTime? We'll probably find out soon.
>
"The Sims 3: Hobbies & Professions" at Take 2
IGN Reviews
Design & High-Tech Stuff
Saturday 13th February 2010 | 11:50 pm GMT/UTC
IGN
has posted a review for The Sims 3 Design & High-Tech Stuff (known as
High-End Loft Stuff in the US, New Zealand and Australia):
All in all, having new objects is never a bad thing. The artwork
of the objects is almost universally better than anything you can get from
the online Sims 3 store, and you'll pay much less for the Stuff Pack than
the total cost of purchasing the same number of new objects from the online
store. However, considering the leanness of the Stuff Pack (one new object
per category, no new wallpaper or flooring), it's not like the Stuff Pack
will allow you to overhaul your neighborhoods.
Following on from their features on The Sims 3
and World Adventures, Apple has now posted one for The Sims 3 Design &
High-Tech Stuff (known as High-End Loft Stuff in the US, Australia and New
Zealand):
What do you get the Sim who has everything? Mom has achieved her
lifetime wish of professional sports superstar. Dad worked his way up from
Latrine Cleaner to Top Gun in the military. The kids are doing well in
school, and the neighbors are friendly. In fact, most people in Sunset
Valley like your Sim family.
USA
Today Reviews Design & High-Tech Stuff And World Adventures
Friday 12th February 2010 | 12:35 pm GMT/UTC
To "celebrate" the 10th anniversary of The
Sims, USA Today has posted a short review each for The Sims 3 Design &
High-Tech Stuff (known as High-End Loft Stuff in the US, Australia and New
Zealand) and The Sims 3 World Adventures, rating them 2.5 stars out of 4 and
3.5 stars out of 4 respectively. Here's a quote from the Design & High-Tech
Stuff review:
But with only 35 or so items, $20 feels a bit steep for what you
get. That, and there aren't any new game-play elements to sink your mouse
into. Perhaps a sub-$10 digital download would have been a better idea.
NZGamer.com has posted a review for The Sims 3
Design & High-Tech Stuff (known as High-End Loft Stuff in the US, Australia
and New Zealand), giving it 7.0 out of 10 ("Good"):
In receiving High-End Loft Stuff in the post, I was surprised to
find I wasn’t as excited by it as I was with previous Sims 2 stuff packs.
Interestingly, this had nothing to do with the actual content of the stuff
pack, but was - I suspect – a by-product of having already bought some
custom objects from the online store.
Kotaku Discusses The Sims For The Latter's 10th Anniversary
Tuesday 9th February 2010 | 4:13 pm GMT/UTC
Kotaku has posted an article discussing The
Sims for the latter's 10th anniversary:
One hundred million copies sold, 36 magazine covers and 100 game
critic awards: The Sims franchise continues to thrive ten years after its
launch, basking in the uncommon flattery of having no real competition.
Blend Games Gives Their Impressions Of Design & High-Tech Stuff
Sunday 7th February 2010 | 12:40 pm GMT/UTC
Blend
Games has posted their impressions of the new The Sims 3 stuff pack Design &
High-Tech Stuff (known as High-End Loft Stuff in the US), complete with lots
of screenshots:
Over all, I'm relatively pleased with the stuff pack as the
furniture alone definitely freshens up the look of my game. I think my love
for lofts and modern, funky decor will make this stuff pack a worthwhile
addition to the game for me.
The current poll (Have you downloaded The Sims
3 Create a World Tool Beta?) has been extended to 20th February as I've only
received half the minimum number of votes. I'll reveal the results then if
I've received enough votes. Not voted yet? Do so to the right!
IGN Posts Its Own
Video Feature On The Sims's 10th
Anniversary
Saturday 6th February 2010 | 12:05 am GMT/UTC
Following GameSpot's video feature about the
10th anniversary of The Sims that I reported on earlier, rival site IGN has
posted one of its own. It's worth a watch as it doesn't cover all the same
topics as GameSpot's one:
(Please note the link below the player came with the embed code.)
UGO
Reveals Its Top Ten Ways To Kill Sims
Friday 5th February 2010 | 11:52 pm GMT/UTC
UGO has posted a small feature covering its
top ten ways to kill Sims:
10 - Death By Fire
There is no greater power
to kill Sims than the power of fire. Everyone who owns a Sim game is sure to
set at least one Sim on fire. Low cooking skills? Cook a steak, moron! Low
on cash? You don't need a smoke detector! Throwing an indoors party? Where
are the bottle rockets, loser!?
Some Of The People Behind The Sims Talk To
GameSpot About Its 10th Anniversary
Friday 5th January 2010 | 2:39 pm GMT/UTC
The latest episode of GameSpot's video show
Today on the Spot included a feature on The Sims's 10th Anniversary,
featuring Tim LeTourneau, John Riccitiello, Will Wright, Rod Humble and Lucy
Bradshaw. They have posted the video separately, and you can watch it below:
Some Of The Staff At G4 Discuss Their "favorite moments of digital
depravity" In The Sims
Friday 5th February 2010 | 1:45 pm GMT/UTC
The onslaught of features to celebrate 10
years of The Sims continues - in the latest, some of G4's staff tell stories
of their "favorite moments of digital depravity carried out against our Sim
friends":
A few weeks pass without incident until one day [my Sim] wakes
up to find that his one bedroom, one bathroom home has transformed into a
giant glass cube. Since having a guy slowly starve to death wasn’t all that
interesting, especially to the rest of my town’s residents who would walk
past his house everyday, I decided to drop in a fridge, a table and a chair
every once in a while, and then take it all away after he had eaten and
placed his dirty dishes/trash on the floor. After a while, his cube became a
rancid, toxic, boxed-in waste dump.
GamePro Looks At How The Sims Has Evolved
Over The Last 10 Years
Friday 5th February 2010 | 12:47 pm GMT/UTC
GamePro has posted an article looking at 10
things about The Sims that have evolved over the last 10 years:
The jobs your Sims could have in the original The Sims always
sounded interesting (Policeman, Professional Athlete, etc.) but you had no
control over your Sim once they'd left the house. Sometimes you'd get a
random Chance Card at the end of the business day, telling you your Sim had
been fired or promoted; but that was about as fun as work got.
VentureBeat
Interviews Tim LeTourneau About Making The Sims For 10 Years
Friday 5th February 2010 | 12:47 pm GMT/UTC
VentureBeat has posted an interview with vice
president and general manager of The Sims Studio Tim LeTourneau about a
decade of The Sims:
VB: What has it been like?
TL: It’s been 10 years of the most fascinating virtual
neighborhood you can imagine. Every one of the neighborhoods is the creation
of an individual person. When you think about it that way, as a game where
you create the experience, where you can create your own person, houses and
neighborhoods, I think that’s why The Sims has endured so long. It changes
so easily with the times because people can put themselves into the game.
EA has wrote a feature for GamesRadar about
the ten best places for WooHoo in The Sims games, to celebrate the series'
10th anniversary:
The Heart Bed
Though the act was disguised as
the choice “Play In” for the original Sims, the heart bed has since featured
more provocatively in The Sims 2 Apartment Life and The Sims 3 High-End Loft
Stuff.
EA
Celebrates 10 Years Of The Sims With Artwork While Series Sales Top
125 Million Units
Thursday 4th February 2010 | 9:40 pm GMT/UTC
EA
has celebrated the 10th anniversary of The Sims with a new collection of
artwork produced by 10 different artists:
Collect artwork inspired by
The Sims™
EA teamed-up with Society6 to curate 10 artists from around
the world who each created an original artwork to commemorate the first 10
years of The Sims! For a limited time, you can collect each one of these
exclusive artworks as a variety of products.
That's not all there is to celebrate though, as EA has announced
(according to GameSpot) that the total sales of the The Sims franchise has
reached 125 million units, with revenue of over $2.5 billion.
>
"The Sims turns 10, tops 125 million units" at GameSpot
The
Sims 3 Game Update Stops Desks From Burning, More
Tuesday 2nd February 2010 | 10:38 pm GMT/UTC
EA has released another game update for The
Sims 3:
To install this update, please start your game and use the
“[Game] Updates” tab in your Launcher.
This game update includes:
High-End Loft Stuff - This update is required to play the
digital download version of The Sims 3 High-End Loft Stuff.
World Adventures - Users can now capture the Town Theatre subject in
photography
A change was made so that desks do not burn anymore.
Mac only: Fixed an error with uploading screenshots from the Mac
when the “.jpg” file extension is deleted.
PC only: Fixed a bug where the launcher would display an error
message that it could not connect to EADM on Vista and Windows 7
machines.
The post on TheSims3.com goes through a couple of things you might be
best to do before installing updates - disable custom content and backup
save files. The Windows file directory given in the instructions only
applies to Windows XP though - in Windows Vista and Windows 7 it's
"C:\Users\[USER]\Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3" where [USER] is your
user name.
>
News at TheSims3.com (UK) - Scroll down to "Game Update for: 1.9/2.4"
High-End Loft Stuff Trailer Released
Thursday 28th January 2010 | 11:53 pm GMT/UTC
EA has released the US trailer for the stuff
pack known there as The Sims 3 High-End Loft Stuff (it's called Design &
High-Tech Stuff in the UK if you didn't know):
New
Design & High-Tech Stuff Interview With Melanie Lam
Thursday 28th January 2010 | 11:03 pm GMT/UTC
German fan site SimFans.de has posted an
interview (in English, thankfully) with The Sims 3 Associate Producer
Melanie Lam regarding The Sims 3 Design & High-Tech Stuff (known as High-End
Loft Stuff in the States):
SimFans.de:
Why did you generally decided to release a Stuff Pack beside the Sims Store?
Melanie Lam: As I mentioned earlier, we like to reach our players in different ways.
Some players like having a new product with a complete collection of
objects; others prefer to go shopping online to pick and choose individual
pieces and have that experience.
"The Sims 3 Create a Sim" has appeared on the
website of the ESRB, the US game rating body. It's for Windows and Mac, and
has been given an Everyone 10+ rating. It sounds like it might be The Sims
3, but with everything except the Create a Sim taken out. Here's the rating
summary:
This is a simulation game that allows players to create and customize a
character to use in The Sims 3 video game. Players can determine
their character's age, sex, clothing, physical features, and personality
traits. While the outfits are not especially provocative, one character (in
a cutscene) is depicted in her underwear as she raises an eyebrow to the
mirror—the camera dashes past a close-up of her buttocks. Characters can be
dressed in teddies, camisoles, underwear as they emote their "Flirty" and
"Great Kisser" personality traits: licking the fingertip and getting sizzled
(by imaginary stove); blowing a kiss. The game also features the personality
trait of "Slob," which (in clinical terms) triggers the flatulence sound
effect, the clenched-buttocks-and-attendant grimace, the wafting hand
gesture. Taken together, the comic mischief and the mild suggestive content
account for the E-10+ rating.
The
Sims 3 Worldwide Best Selling PC Game Of 2009 - EA
Saturday 23rd January 2010 | 1:51 pm GMT/UTC
EA has announced according to GameSpot that
The Sims 3 was the best selling PC game of 2009 worldwide:
Today, EA announced that not only was The Sims 3 the best-selling PC
title in the US, but also the rest of the world. The publisher pulled its
data from a range of independent industry-tracking sources, including NPD,
Chart-track UK, Gfk France, Gfk Spain, Gfk-MCC Germany, as well as its own
internal estimates. EA has confirmed for GameSpot that lifetime-to-date
sales for The Sims 3 have reached 4.5 million units.
EA has released the first three screenshots of
new stuff pack The Sims 3 High-End Loft Stuff (or is it Design & Hi-Tech
Stuff?). View them on TheSims3.com:
>
High-End Loft Stuff screenshots at TheSims3.com
Poll Results, Plus New Poll: "Have you downloaded The Sims 3 Create a
World Tool Beta?"
Saturday 9th January 2010 | 11:46 pm GMT/UTC
Sorry if you visited earlier today and saw this post
in an unfinished state and with no working link to the results - I planned
to finish this post when I thought I'd left enough time for there to be no
more votes to come through, and of course completely forgot and
inadvertently published it when I added the Right2Link module on the left.
Anyway, the link now works and a sentence about the results has been added.
I've now been able to end the poll, "Have you
bought The Sims 3 World Adventures yet?", so I've got some results for you. Nearly
43% have already bought it, with a further 14.29% planning to buy the game
eventually.
Click below for the full results in graph form, the opportunity to discuss
them, and a rare choice explanation:
> Full results
If a poll's ended, another one must have begun, and so it has: Have you downloaded The Sims 3 Create a
World Tool Beta? Well, have you? Vote now to the right of any page, and feel
free to explain your choice by clicking the appropriate link.
It's Matt and Kim's Turn For A Simlish Music
Video
Thursday 7th January 2010 | 11:39 pm GMT/UTC
EA has released another Simlish music video -
this time it's Daylight by Matt and Kim. It seems to be about Matt and Kim
turning everyone (except themselves) into mummies. Or something.
The
Sims 3 Photos You Shouldn't Take In Real Life
Thursday 7th January 2010 | 2:44 pm GMT/UTC
GamesRadar has posted a new feature looking at
the ten photos you can take in The Sims 3 World Adventures that you really
shouldn't take in real life:
But the real fun comes from doing things in The Sims 3 that you can’t get
away with in real life. Like taking pictures of stuff that could get you
arrested, deported or maybe even killed.
Join us now as we exploit the beejesus out of the new Photography skill
in The Sims 3: World Adventures.
Back
to News Archive
A
new "blog" has been posted on TheSims3.com that discusses some bloopers
encountered during the development of the game:
EA
has announced the latest expansion pack for The Sims 3, titled simply
Ambitions:
IGN
has posted a review for The Sims 3 Design & High-Tech Stuff (known as
High-End Loft Stuff in the US, New Zealand and Australia):
EA
has celebrated the 10th anniversary of The Sims with a new collection of
artwork produced by 10 different artists:
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