Happy Holidays: Day 4

Another picture from a Holiday Party is today's holiday picture, now as a catch in the comments we want everyone to say their favorite thing about the holiday season. Everyone is encouraged to comment, and check back tomorrow for another Holiday Post. All screens are from the Sims 2: Happy Holiday Stuff

MySims Party Release Date?

A release date for MySims Party has shown up on gamestop for March 10th 2009. Now this is an unconfirmed date at this time, but it seems like a reasonable time frame for the next game in the MySims series. Gamestop also shows it as a Wii Game, but nothing on a PC or DS Version of the game. We will keep an eye on any developments on MySims Party, and will add a countdown to the side, of the page with Sim Animals, and The Sims 3

MySims Release Date [Gamestop.com]

Live Discussion Postponed

Until further notice tonight's Live Discussion has been postponed. We hope to see you back for another live discussion in the coming time.

Happy Holidays: Day 3

We come again with our daily holiday posts. This time with a screen of what i assume is a mom and her son. Cute picture really. Stay tuned for more of our Holiday Posts, each day at 7:00 PM EST. Pics are from The Sims 2: Happy Holiday Stuff

500 Unique Visitors!

I want to thank all the people who have visited Simmers News in the past month! All 500 of you! I know this is a very small achievement, compared to other Sims News Sites, but we are well on the way there. Thank you once again, and thanks should go out to the other staff members, Jaws and Bologna who have been doing a fantastic job thus far!

Happy Holidays: Day 2

As promised we come to you with day 2 of our Holiday Posts, this one with a screen of a holiday party, using items from the Sims 2: Holiday Stuff! Keep your eyes peeled for a new post each day!

Sponsor Ads!

Want to see your Site featured on Simmers News? Well now you can! Simply send an image or two you would like us to put up (See below for sizes) along with a link to your site, and we'll link back to you! Ads will hopefully change once a month, but depending on how many requests we get, that could change. Simmers News Community Ad-space will ALWAYS be free!

Requirements:
Must be a Simmers News Sponsor (Submit an 88x31) banner and link to your site to simmersnews@gmail.com

Sizes: Send us any of the following size banners:
160x600, 180x600, 600x80, 180x180, or 160x160

A Link to your site is required, along with a reason why we should give you the community ad-space

Happy Holidays: Day 1

Yes, i do know this is an old Video, but i find it to be one of the better of The Sims 2 Trailers. It is becoming the time of year for festive activites, so why not start a daily activity, with a new Holiday Photo or Video each Day? Today's Video is for the Sims 2: Holiday Stuff Pack, only availible around this time of year. Enjoy, and Happy Holidays from Simmers News.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The staff at Simmers News would like to wish all its viewers a very Happy Thanksgiving! at the same time we would also like to announce a new staff member! Bologna has joined the Simmers News Team to become our new Graphics personnel! Welcome Bologna! You may also occasionally see a post from her to boot! Once again we wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving, and hope to see you back soon!

Poll Results: Where do you buy your games?

A bit late again on the Poll results for this week, but we asked you where do you buy your games? Your responce was as followed...

Online (Physical): 0 Votes (0%)
In a Store (EB Games, Bestbuy, Walmart, etc.): 4 Votes (100%)
Online (Digital Copy): 0 Votes (0%)

Thanks for voting, this weeks poll is if you think The Sims 3 Will be delayed? Poll results will hopefully go up on Monday

Reminder

Just a reminder about our Live discussion that will be happening on Saturday (the 29th) at 7PM EST! Bring any Sims 3 questions or discussion points, and they will probably be addressed!

New The Sims 3 Screen Shots

The Sims 3 VIP area has posted 2 new screen shots this week. The blog they accompany is about story telling, however skyline has already posted that blog. So enjoy a new glimpse into the game.

IGN Reviews MySims Kingdom

IGN has finally reviewed MySims Kingdom, giving it a decent 7.3 "Decent" score.

"MySims Kingdom is a safe sequel with just enough improvements to satisfy fans of the first game. While some enhancements have arrived free of sacrifices, others have come with trade-offs. I love the new themed kingdom design, the significant improvements to load times, on-the-fly construction and Wii controller implementation. Meanwhile, I think the more focused storyline has also nurtured a more linear experience, a fact that clashes with the nature of the franchise. On the same note, the underdeveloped AI characters and missing online component seem at odds with the other Sims games. This is still a fun title -- one with more polish than the original -- but I think EA can still do much more with the series and am eagerly awaiting the next version."

Metacritic has yet to add the score from IGN.

View the IGN review here

Sims 3 Blog Update

Sorry for the lack of news posting over the past few days, ive been busy and Jaws has been aswell. Thursday thesims3.com updated with a new Blog update for Sims 3 VIP Members.

"How goes it Sim fans? When we develop our games, we’re constantly trying to balance our designs between the varied groups that play The Sims. These include the builders who create incredible homes, the gamers who strive to reach the top of the career or befriend everyone, and my personal favorite – the storytellers.



We’ve written about Traits, the town, and creating unique Sims, which are just tools that feed the storyteller’s appetite (Note: Link to previous blogs here). Shall we take a brief jaunt through one of my stories so I can prove I’m not just making this up?



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.



Why these Traits? For starters, Grant works extra hard to make ends meet while trying to make it as a professional writer. Writing is difficult though, and writer’s block a common foe, so he frequently spends his time outdoors gardening in the sun. It’s a great stress reliever!



Every writer needs a muse and Grant is no exception. The town is full of attractive singles and few locations are better for mixing and mingling than the gym. It’s the perfect plan – the Sims there are in shape, outgoing, and exactly where Grant is!



Unfortunately, the conversations don’t go so well after Grant’s charming introduction. Grant frequently talks about work (yawn), relies too heavily on the fact that he’s an aspiring writer (who isn’t?), and frequently stinks (from working out).



Being single is hard!



Luckily, Grant’s an optimist. He’s convinced Ms. Right is somewhere in town. Plus, being single has its perks! With all of the time saved by not having to date, Grant can focus his energy on landscaping and arranging his home so that when he does have the perfect girlfriend, a sweet job, and friends, he can throw an awesome party.



Suddenly, I must become a gamer so Grant Duders can make enough money to furnish the home. Then I have to become a builder to make all the parts of Duders’ home and backyard look fantastic. Once all the pieces are in place, I return right back where I started – telling my, err, his story exactly how I want it to unfold.



We want every player to love their Sims, feel an attachment to them so that they are well taken care of, and most importantly, feel the satisfaction of seeing their often goofy Sims succeed at whatever they put their hearts to. I cannot wait to read your stories in just a few short months!



Thanks for reading!

Grant

P.S. The real one."

Live Chat Beta Run!

I will be booting up the Live Chat for a quick beta run starting at 8:15 Pm EST! Please do participate if you can! the Live Chat will begin 15 Minutes after this post.

Sims 3 Discussion LIVE!

Everyone is invited to join us on Saturday November 29th, we are having a LIVE! blogging Sims 3 Discussion.  The Blogging will act a lot like Thesims2.com Chats, where you will submit questions or comments, and the staff here at Simmers News will respond with answers and/or comments back!  Almost ALL comments will be answered, unlike thesims2.com chats where only a select number of questions are answered!  The Discussion will begin on Saturday the 29th of November at 7:00 PM EST

Mansion & Garden Has Shipped

EA today has sent out a Press release stating that Mansion & Garden Stuff has shipped. You can view it here.

I have picked up my copy already, and have installed it along with the new Spore Pack. I have yet to play it, but it is the largest Stuff Pack to date adding a whopping 500mbs worth of stuff. Let me know in comments if you have an opinion

Mansion & Garden Stuff Trailer

EA has released the new trailer for Mansion & Garden Stuff. It ships today, to the States. Many people in Europe could already have it. You can see the Trailer Below:

Massive New Sims 3 FAQ

EA has published a huge new FAQ for The Sims 3, with 30 questions and answers. You can find the entire FAQ right below here:

"The Sims 3 Q&A
1. After all these years of creative thinking, Sims Fans have made many interesting Sims, houses and other objects. Will it be possible to transfer Sims from previous version to The Sims 3? And what about other objects like house and furniture designs?

There are so many innovations in The Sims 3 so it’s really not possible to transfer items or Sims from previous games. The level of detail in The Sims 3 is so high that any conversion from older games would not be satisfying for players.

2. Also many Sims fans have gathered a huge pile of CD’s with add ons for 2nd version of the game, which will turn into junk once 3rd version comes out. And what add ons will be included in The Sims 3? Can we expect pets, seasons and magic in the initial release? And what of additional extras for previous version we will have to re-purchase for new one?

At the moment, we’re only thinking about The Sims 3. We have a huge team devoted to making the best possible game and we’re not going to think about anything else until it’s perfect.

3. Also there are many questions about ‘living neighborhood’. Before Sims 3, player-made families just waited patiently until someone plays them, now it appears to be that they will live on their own. Let’s assume that player created two families: “Mary and Bob” and “John Smith”. Then he played with “Mary and Bob” for long time, almost forgetting about that other family. It’s quite possible that when the player returns to John Smith, he’ll find no one there, since he could live his entire life, get old and die, so there will be no opportunity to play with him. Is there any solution already?

There are lots of options in The Sims 3. In the example that you just presented, the families that you don’t control will develop along with the household that you are controlling. However, you can switch between families at any time. You can also move families between save files, so you can develop one family to a specific point and then merge them with another save file. Story tellers will do that a lot.

4. We’ve already heard that there will be ‘Hand of the God” in the game, that allows to pick up and move Sims and other objects. Also it will be possible to feed and clean Sims with one click of the mouse. Which other simplifications should we expect?

There isn’t a feature that works exactly like you describe. However, players can do something that we call “live dragging”. In simple terms, you can manipulate some objects directly with your mouse. In the past, The Sims had to clean up everything for themselves. Now you can grab trash and throw it away, or grab an item from the floor and put it in your Sim’s inventory.

5. And what about robots, Aliens, Vampires and others?

Will be they available in the initial release or we will have to wait for them to appear in outgoing expansions?We have some tricks up our sleeve…

6. Since there will be quite big virtual universe on player’s disposal, are there any plans for minigames like car driving?

And what about dance simulators, which are so popular on consoles?There are some really interesting collection games and skills have a lot of rich detail.

7. Are there any plans of extending Sims’ vocabulary, e.g. will their words really mean something? Or they will keep mumbling some meaningless Simmish like before Sims 3?

The Sims always speak simlish. We’ve tried to teach them the languages of the world but they don’t want to listen.

8. Some years ago The Sims Online was started. But we didn’t heard about this project for a while. Are there any plans to include some online components in Sims 3, like chats or minigames where players can use their Sims as avatars?

The Sims 3 players will have unprecedented freedom to customize the look of their game. A player with creative aspirations and no technical training or knowledge can make changes to the look of just about everything in their Sims life, right in the game. We call the technology Create-a-Style. In the past, fans made their creations outside of the game and then shared them on the exchange. We wanted to give the power that our artists have to the players. The process of getting creations online is easier than ever. The Sims 3 launcher helps you install and manage custom content so that you don’t have to hunt around for directories or anything like that.Finally, The Sims 3 community is completely new and there are some incredible tools, including a web-based video editing tool so that players can make movies from the videos they capture in the game.

9. 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!

10. What about the game has been upgraded and what is completely new? Also, can you explain a bit about how the new 'boundaries' work?

What kind of activity will be opened up for the Sims?The first thing that people will notice about The Sims 3 is the world around them. If you see it, you can go there. In the past, The Sims players were confined to playing on little levels that we called lots. Now there are now boundaries. The technology is incredible because we can show you the tiniest detail of your home, like the petals on a flower. A few seconds later you can look at the tiniest freckle on a Sim on the other side of town. This all happens in real time. We're in a great place as developers these days: Realism has been achieved...check. We can just focus on style and delivering seamless experiences so that the player can be completely immersed in their story.

11. How, if at all, has the customisability of The Sims evolved for The Sims 3? How will players be able to integrate this into their Sims experience?

We're going to give the player unprecedented control over the visuals in the game so that they have the same control that our artists have, right in the game. The new Create - A - Sim allows players to make just about any person they can imagine, and there are tools in the game that let you change the look of almost any surface on your Sim or in their home.

12. Can we expect to see our favourite Sims families return, having grown, as they did between The Sims and The Sims 2?

Yes! You will see many of your favourite things from past games in The Sims 3.

13. How has player feedback impacted changes you have implemented for The Sims 3?

We're all fans of The Sims, and a lot of our team worked on The Sims and The Sims 2, so player feedback is built into our team. We also spend a lot of time interacting with members of The Sims community around the world. I don't think the game would be what it is without The Sims community. Fans have always wanted more interaction with a community of Sims. If you think about it, The Sims is the most detailed depiction of contemporary life to be presented in a work of fiction, but half of life was missing. In The Sims 3, we’ll let you explore the other half of life that happens when you are not at home.

14. How do the 'new personalities' work?

There are over 70 personality traits that players can choose from. When you choose traits they are represented as a simple word that you might use to describe someone you know so it’s easy to understand what they will do in the game. What makes traits so powerful is that they can change the game in profound ways. You’ll see different behaviors, interactions, advantages and goals depending on the traits that your Sims display. Just to name a few examples of more extreme traits, you can let your Sims be Insane, Evil, Kleptomaniac, Paranoid, Brave, Hates Kids, Genius and more.

15. What challenges did you face in the creation of The Sims 3?

Working to tune the AI so that the people who live in your town have lifelike behavior. Over time, all of The Sims in the town grow and develop, and it takes an impressive amount of tuning to make this work just right. I think that people are used to seeing lots of other characters in a game world, but they’ve never seen a game world where every character is being motivated by unique personality traits and motives like The Sims 3. Another thing we’re working on is a feature called Create A Style which allows players to customize just about everything, from clothing to furniture to cars. We want players to be able to change the game like our artists can. The interface is really powerful and we want to make it perfect.

16. We understand that the game features a continuous neighborhood and no loading times, but there won't be multiple neighborhoods as in The Sims 2. Tell us a bit about this decision. How will it change what different players do with the game once they get it in their hands?

There is one neighborhood, and it is pretty amazing. We’ve been working exclusively on this one neighborhood, Sunset Valley for the last few years. It’s bigger and richer than anything we’ve made before. We really just wanted to make something that would blow people away, and we wanted to do more with the town than we have in the past. No two towns will ever be the same after one generation in The Sims 3. As I mentioned, every Sim has complete AI throughout their life, so you’ll see people grow up, go to school, fall in love, get married, get jobs, move out, have families, grow old and pass away. It’s also possible to change all of the Sims in your town, so you can fill the town with whoever you like…yourself, your friends, characters from your favorite show, favorite band or sports team, anyone you can imagine…you get the point.

17. We understand that every Sim has a dream that can be fulfilled as part of a lifetime achievement goal. What are some examples of lifetime achievements, and what happens when you reach it? What if you fail?

Just like people, The Sims have wishes. Some of their wishes are really big and we call those Lifetime Wishes. A Lifetime Wish is a really big achievement like becoming a rock star, raising a huge family, getting rich or becoming an astronaut. Along the way to achieving your lifetime wish, you’ll fulfill smaller wishes. As you fulfill a Sim’s wishes, you earn points that can be used to purchase special Traits and reward objects that are generally hilarious and awesome. There really is no way to fail in the game, but you can make some really funny things happen if you want to cause trouble for your Sims.

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

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.

19. Plenty of open-ended moral choices will pop up in The Sims 3, like giving you the choice to skim off the top of campaign contributions in the political career. Give us some more examples of these moral choices depending on your career. What are the consequences of such decisions?

The game is full of moral choices. Some of them are presented to the player as career Opportunities. I don’t want to give too much away on this subject. A lot of the moral choices in the game come from the social simulator, and this is where the game becomes so compelling. A lot of players use the game to explore moral questions in their own lives. It’s sort of a “what if” simulator. For example, your Sim can choose to Whoohoo at work, but if they get caught then both Sims run out of the office naked. Now, that could be a lesson you don’t want to learn in the real world!

20. What can you tell us about the community features and sharing options players can use to build and share with their friends and with the larger Sims fanbase?

The Sims 3 players will have unprecedented freedom to customize the look of their game. A player with creative aspirations and no technical training or knowledge can make changes to the look of just about everything in their Sims life, right in the game. We call the technology Create A Style. In the past, fans made their creations outside of the game and then shared them on the exchange. We wanted to give the power that our artists have to the players. The process of getting creations online is easier than ever. The Sims 3 launcher helps you install and manage custom content so that you don’t have to hunt around for directories or anything like that.Finally, The Sims 3 community is completely new and there are some incredible tools, including a web-based video editing tool so that players can make movies from the videos they capture in the game.

21. As in The Sims 2, throwing parties is all the rage in The Sims 3. What are the different party types available depending on your career?

There are new party types in The Sims 3, but there are also some pretty cool locations to party with your friends. If you want to call your friends down to the beach and set up an afternoon BBQ, you can do that. Break out your guitar, turn on the radio, call up some friends and chill out. If you’re a rising politician, you can throw campaign fundraisers to build up your campaign fund as well.

22. Please give us an update on the game. What aspects is the team working on at the moment?

A lot of our time is spent playing and perfecting the open, living neighborhood and all of the gameplay that takes place there. In The Sims 3, we’re opening up the other half of life that players have always wanted to explore. What happens when you’re not stuck at home? It’s been a huge undertaking for us, but we’re very happy with the way it’s working out.One example of the work we’re doing is the AI behind the people who live in your town. You control a household of Sims, but all of the other Sims in your town live and develop as you play. It takes an impressive amount of tuning to make this work just right. I think that people are used to seeing lots of other characters in a game world, but they’ve never seen a game world where every character is being motivated by unique personality traits and motives like The Sims 3. Another thing we’re working on is a feature called Create A Style which allows players to customize just about everything, from clothing to furniture to cars. We want players to be able to change the game like our artists can. The interface is really powerful and we want to make it perfect.

23. We're sure The Sims 2 community was very vocal about what it wanted from a sequel. What were the most popular requests that fans made for The Sims 3?

We're all fans of The Sims, and a lot of our team worked on The Sims and The Sims 2, so player feedback is built into our team. We also spend a lot of time interacting with members of The Sims community around the world. I don't think the game would be what it is without The Sims community. Fans have always wanted more interaction with a community of Sims. If you think about it, The Sims is the most detailed depiction of contemporary life to be presented in a work of fiction, but half of life was missing. In The Sims 3, we’ll let you explore the other half of life that happens when you are not at home.

24. As players create their Sims, they will now be able to select five personality traits that will help define their dispositions. How will this new system let players create characters with more-defined personalities...and more importantly, how will it do a better job of letting players re-create the personalities of themselves, their friends, or their favorite celebrities? What are some extreme personalities we'll see in The Sims 3?

There are over 70 personality traits that players can choose from. When you choose traits they are represented as a simple word that you might use to describe someone you know, so it’s easy to understand what they will do in the game. What makes traits so powerful is that they can change the game in profound ways. You’ll see different behaviors, interactions, advantages and goals depending on the traits that your Sims have. Just to name a few examples of more extreme traits, you can let your Sims be Insane, Evil, Kleptomaniac, Paranoid, Brave, Hates Kids, Genius and more..."

Let me know if you spot any repeats

New Sims 3 Screenshots

The Sims3.com has updated with 2 new screenshots, it appears the Celings added to The Sims 2 with the Apartment Life Expansion shall stay with TS3 without needing an expansion.  You can view the Screens Below.

The New Sims 3 Box

If you had been wondering what The Sims 3 Box would look like,

Well now you have an Image to look at.  This is the Official TS3 Box-art.

1up Reviews MySims Kingdom

MySims kingdom has been out quite a while now, but the reviews are still trickling in.  1up just posted their review giving it a poor "C-" grade, which i think improperly translates on metacritic as a 42/100.  Obviously the games Metacritic score took a massive hit lowering it about 5 points down to a 76/100.  With that said here is a quote from the review;

"Kingdom's elementary building blocks result in a decent kids' game that serves as a gentle introduction to the toolbox genre...at best. I'd love to see what a more cerebral MySims game would look like, but given the Wii's target audience, I'll just have to serve my king's leisure."

You can read the full review from 1up Here and you can view the Metacritic score Here

The Sims Store "Gift" Card

The Sims 2 Store, which can be found here, has added a card in which you can buy at most retail stores, so you can buy items off of their store without a credit card. You can find more here.

TS3 Community Blog

Thesims3.com has had a new blog, discussing the changes in the internet community. According to the blog, There will be a new forum system, exchange system, basically all new things online. You can read more about it here.

New Mansion & Garden Stuff Items

EA has updated the Mansion & Garden with a few new Item pictures.  The Stuff pack will release on Monday the 17th, arriving in store on Tuesday the 18th.  View more Item pictures here

IGN Team Discusses The Sims 3

As part of their normal "Command Prompt" podcast the IGN PC team discussed the Sims 3, and why it hasn't seen a whole lot of press coverage.  The Clip goes from about 50:30 till right about the end of the Podcast (about 55 minutes long).  I have always enjoyed the podcast (been listeneing since the begining), so i encourage you to check it out, here

Poll Results: Disney

This week's Poll results came in nicely with a whopping 5 Votes!  The question asked what you thought of a Disney/EA Merger.  Results:

I Love it!

  0 (0%)

Its a decent idea, i would support it

  0 (0%)

I don't care all that much

  0 (0%)

A Stupid idea, but they can't screw it up too much.. right?

  0 (0%)

I Hate the idea

  4 (80%)

 

Meh, its only a rumor, so what?

  1 (20%)

 

With the poll now closed the new poll goes like this. "Where do you buy your games?", Make sure to vote in the poll, and comment if you have a question!

Site News: Commenting

A Reminder to those of who have been with our blog for a while, and those new readers aswell.  PLEASE comment.  This blog thrives on comments like many professional blogs.  We DO NOT and DO NOT PLAN on having a forum at any point.  So Please do Comment!  Obviously keep the comments on the subject of the post.  All comments are moderated, so you will not see your comment up immediatly once it is posted.  So please, Comment!

Site News: Feeds

For those of you interested, we have a feedburner set up, so you can subscribe to the posts, and recieve updates as soon as they are posted!  Simply scroll to the bottom of the blog and click the "Subscribe" button  Then import the feed to the reader of your choice.  This is all run through feedburner!  Comment if you are having issues!

Consumer Alert!: Amazon

The other day we reported of All Sims games being on sale at the EA Store for $19.99, today we bring news that amazon is offering almost all of the Sims 2 Series for $14.99-$16.99 (Plus Shipping) Suprisingly the most expensive Sims game for sale on Amazon is Celebration Stuff ($21.99).  Check out the fine deals here.  Your Welcome.

Harvest Recipe Cookbook 2008

The Sims 2 Web Site has started their Fall Showcase! This showcase is for submitting actual recipes, not fake non-edible recipes. More can be found here

Welcome Jaws, Associate Editor: USA

I would like to welcome our new Editor, Jaws! Jaws will cover a majority of the stories covering the USA side of EA/ The Sims. You will still see posts from me aswell, but now you will have 2 authors! Welcome Jaws! A Reminder we are still looking for a Graphic Designer, and a European Editor. To apply and join the team see the Staff section on the Navigation Bar to the right.

New Sims 2 Survey

For those of you interested i got in on the old (October?) survery for Thesims2.com. The survery mainly dealt with casual gaming (EA has now Merged The Sims with EA casual just so you know). While it was an interesting survery i found it rather... unsatisfying? View some of the questions and my answers below You can Still take the Survey Here

Help us Bring Back Simcity!

Two Simcity Posts?!  In a Row?!  I know its shocking.  Anyway we need your help!  If there are any Simcity fans, who might own a copy of SCS and have it registered, please post here if you want to bring back Simcity.  Thank you!

The Simcity Societies Forums, Dead?

Well... not quite.  The mods and admins have abandoned it, but there are still a few members that post.  Most of those posts are however rants about securom.  This Post reads:

"Well they managed to delete some threads but we're still here! EA needs to go out of business for that Securom sh*t. I think they should be forced out of business and every EA executive sent to prison for life."

So where exactly are the EA/Tilted Mill Employees or even Volunteers?  Its like they just abandoned a game and a community all within less then year of its release.  I always thought Simcity Societies had a little hope for it, i thought they could turn it around by adding new transportation modes, and zoning and the like.  But nope, they decided to screw over us Simcity fans.  So will we ever get another proper Simcity Game?

New Mansion & Garden Stuff Screens

EA has published a few new screens for Mansion & Garden Stuff.  This seems to be one of the better looking Stuff Packs.  Seeing as i am a builder, i'll probably pick it up on the 18th when it hits stores here in North America.  Remember to send in any tips you might have to simmersnews@gmail.com 

New Sims 3 Designer Walkthrough

It seems that EA tends to update on thursdays, and today is obviously thursday. So what do we have in store for you today? Well its a brand new Designer Walkthrough for the Sims 3. Its actually quite informative, and shows off several news things we haven't seen previously. First off is the UI, which seems to be finalized, while yes it is only a minor thing, i like to see it as done, its one of the first things i look for in a game, to see how far along it is. The next thing is the CAS, the first time CAS is really shown off, and it actually looks pretty good. The personality traits seem to actually have an effect on the gameplay. After that it goes out into Sunset Valler (The Town Name) and shows off some other features. A new welcomed addition is Bicycles! Finally we get Bicycles! So i encourage everyone to check it out!

Sims 3 Designer Walkthrough

Gamespot Reviews MySims Kingdom

Today gamespot published their review for MySims gingdom giving it a 7.5 or "Good" rating.  Siting that the game is fun to play with families, and its cutesy art style.

"Finishing the main story should take about eight hours, though that could be doubled if you feel like hunting down every object and completing optional tasks. Despite the occasional camera or control snag, MySims Kingdom is a lot of fun and recommended for those new to The Sims or for anyone looking for a lighthearted, laid-back adventure."

You can view the average score for MySims kingdom over at Metacritic.com

Poll: MySims Kingdom

Well out Poll results from last week are in.  The Poll asked whether or not you planned to buy MySims Kingdom or not.  Here are the results:

This weeks Poll asks if You like the idea of an EA-Disney Merger.  Poll will close on monday as usual

Disney to buy EA?

I know this comes as just, well an intresting peice of news.  The Wall street journal is reporting that Disney (The Famous Movie Company, yes THAT Disney) should purchase EA.  It states that time time is right since EA's stock is currently down due to a bad last quarter, and since they have started up some new properties.  Will we soon be seeing Princesses in our Sims games?  Or maybe a Princess stuff pack?  Only time will tell!

EA Store offering all Sims Games for $19.99 Each

Well now that The Sims 2 seems to be coming to a close the EA store is offering all of the Sims 2 games for $19.99 each! If you don't have them already now is the time to stock up... or you could wait for the Tripple deluxe pack... or maybe when they start bundeling EPs into double packs, and then tripple packs... or maybe just wait for the EP and SP complete collection? Or you could just wait for the entire Sims 2 Collection. I made almost all of those up, but mark my words, they will come. Anyway... All EPs and SPs are $19.99 and the Deluxe edition is also $19.99

Review Index

Since we have done four reviews thus far, i figured i would set up a list of our reviews, and when they will be posted.  Check out the list.

The Sims 2 Expansion Packs:

University Review

Nightlife Review

Open for Business Review

Pets Review (NEW!)

Seasons Review (Coming Soon)

Bon Voyage Review (Coming Soon)

Freetime Review (Coming Soon)

Apartment Life Review (Coming Soon)

The Sims 3 Review (Coming March 2009)

The Sims 2 Pets Review

Well ive been doing reviews, and the most recent was for Open for Business.  So shall we bring on the Pets review?

Loved:

The Pets:

The Core aspect of the Pets expansion is obviously the Pets.  The Pets themselves look really good.  The Dog and Cat animations are very well done, and the whole pets aspect of the game is well blended into the Sims experience

The Music:

While i'm not a big fan of country music, the music that has been added is really good.  The new Neighborhood theme in particular really does stand out.

Hated:

Strays:

Strays are just flat out annoying really.  They will wander onto your lot, hang out for 4-5 hours, and then leave.  They cause a big lag when they enter and leave the lot, as any normal sim would do.  They however come more frequently.  They really don't add a whole lot to the gameplay either.

Its Shallow:

The main problem i have with the pets expansion is the fact that it's just too shallow.  Your pets have about 10 tricks to learn, and three career paths to follow, eah having only like 4 different levels.  The unlock system for collars and furs is need, but really doesn't extend the depth fo the game at all.  Its just very, shallow.

Lack of New Objects:

Now pets might have a hard time following in Unleashed footsteps, and it shows.  Unleashed added well over 125 new objects to The Sims 1, along with a multitude of Pets such as Dogs, Cats, Turtles, Fish, and even Birds.  It also added a really neat gardening system.  Pets really only adds 2 main Animals (Cats & Dogs), it adds a Hamster, and a Bird cage, but they are really limited in how much you will actually use them.  Pets also only adds about 60 Objects which is dissapointing, most of the objects it adds are also just decorative.  And the one main collection it does add, has nothing to do with the theme of the pack (The Atomic Collection)

Overall Pets is the worst expansion to date for The Sims 2, will the others be better?  Stay tuned for more of our reviews over the coming weeks.  Played careers to completion, along with playing the game for countless hours.  Published in Fall 2006

New MySims Kingdom Reviews

2 New reviews popped up on the radar today for MySims Kingdom.  First Cheat Code Central game MySims kingdom a 4.2/5 (8.4/10) summing up the review with

"Overall, I really loved MySims Kingdom. There was plenty here to explore and build, and while the story might have been on the forgettable side, I really enjoyed the focused Sim-style gameplay. This title brings together the creative energy of The Sims franchise and channels it into a cute little construction-based title that ends up being anything but. MySims is a big adventure in a small package, and if you are a fan of the Sims, or any other casual title, you owe it to yourself to check this one out"

Thats not a bad score for the game, better then what the first MySims got.  The second review comes from the Official Nintendo UK Magazine giving it an 8.5/10.  They had the folowwing to say

"Like a lot of games these days, MySims Kingdom is all about the experience and it takes you on a charming journey where you get to meet and greet some brilliant characters. Yet, as an adventure, MySims is now in the company of the best that Wii has to offer and it just can't live with the likes of Galaxy and Twilight Princess. Still, provided you have some heart, this Kingdom packs more than enough personality to make it well worth a visit."

You can view all of the reviews to date over at Metacritic.com

New Haloween Sims 3 Screens

The Sims 3 team updated with some new Halloween screenshots yesterday.  I'm wondering if the items shown off in the screenshots will be in the final build of the game or not (The Masks?).  You can see both screenshots to the left.