Tech Handbook: The Sims 3: A New Generation of The Sims

The Sims 3: A New Generation of The Sims
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jason on 08/10/2009 12:37:00
 
Sim lovers rejoice as a third installment of the addicting game
prepares for release in early June 2009. Indeed the popular game,
already available on pre-order, is set to hit shelves just in time for
summer and the countdown officially begins.
Aficionados of the first and second versions of The Sims will be
ecstatic to see the new and improved game play that allows the
simulated families to live and interact more realistically. It seems
as though, with this new expansion, the Sims themselves are more
capable than ever of enjoying a family, business and personal life
very close to that of our own.
The most obvious difference between the Sims 1 and 2 and the newest
installment, The Sims 3, is that of the new seamless neighborhood.  In
previous game play, Sims could only interact with their own family and
whoever may meander to their lot. This time around Sims can explore
neighboring yards as well as community lots with ease.  Users no
longer must wait for the community page to load, as their Sims are
finally able to simply walk, drive a car or ride a bike to their
destination.  The entire neighborhood map is available during all game
play simply by directing the Sim to the preferred lot.  Maxis has
created the catchy line "What you do outside your home now matters as
much as what you do within" to describe just how free the Sims are to
roam about the entire neighborhood.
The free-range neighborhood now offers more possibilities than ever.
Not only can Sims travel around freely, but also now Sims must find
their jobs within the neighborhood. As with the previous versions of
The Sims there are career paths, however this time each career has a
building in the town where Sims can apply for a job and are expected
to report for each shift. The Sims are hidden inside the buildings
while they are working, yet there is more opportunity to still
control them. Sims have the option to work overtime as well as take
some work home with them, yet another way Maxis is making the game
that much more realistic. One major change from the original games is
the Sims capability to continue up the food chain even after they have
reached the highest promotion in their chosen career path.  Sims can
still receive raises and rewards if they continue to show excellent
performance at work.
The character builder in The Sims 3 has also been greatly modified.
Players are now completely in charge and the options are endless.  A
Sim's weight now longer is set between normal, obese and fit, but is
now completely interchangeable. A Sim can now have obese legs but a
skinny torso or a completely overweight body and anything in between.
Sims may change their body shape in play by exercising to become more
fit or overeating to gain some weight. Not only is weight completely
in the player's control, shoes and hats can be chosen individually as
well as clothing and hair. In choosing a hairstyle for a Sim, the user
is capable of choosing the root and tip colors as well as adding
highlights.  In former installments, only four skin hues were
available, now however there is an entire color wheel for complete
customizing.
The Sim's potential for extreme personality quirks has also been
drastically revamped. There are now eighty traits a Sim can be
effected by. A Sim might be evil, frugal and even cowardly. A huge
change from that of earlier installments is that of the pyramid system
of gaining traits. In The Sims 2, characters entered the game already
set with a limited number of traits, now Sims begin with two as a
toddler and gain another trait with each new life stage. That is to
say that a toddler would have two, a child would have three, a
teenager would have four and a young adult would have five which would
stay with them for the rest of their life.
Huge changes have occurred for the creation of The Sims 3, further
advancing The Sims on the road that leads them to complete reality.
Who knows what Maxis will come up with next, but for now the latest installment
advances The Sims beyond what many imagined possible.  So mark your
calendars and pre-order now so on June 2,
2009 you can meet the next generation of The Sims.