The Sims 3

The Sims 3 is a 2009 strategic life simulation computer game developed by The Sims Studio and published by Electronic Arts. It is the sequel to the best-selling computer game, The Sims 2. It was first released on June 2, 2009 simultaneously for Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows - both versions on the same disc. The Sims 3 was released to home consoles on October 26, 2010, for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, iOS, Android and Nintendo DS and later the Wii platform on November 15, 2010. The Windows Phone version was made available on the Windows Phone Marketplace on the 15th October 2010 for $6.99. There is also a Nintendo 3DS version, released on March 27, 2011, as one of its launch titles. It has also been released for mobile phone platforms, and a simpler version for mobiles with Java.
The Sims 3 was an instant success, selling 1.4 million copies in its first week. Critics issued mostly positive reviews. The Sims 3 gained an 86/100 score from aggregator Metacritic. The game has sold over ten million copies worldwide since its 2009 release, making it one of the best-selling computer games of all time.
==Gameplay==
The Sims 3 is built upon the same concept as its predecessors. Players control their own Sims in activities and relationships in a similar manner to real life. The gameplay is open-ended and indefinite. Sim houses and neighborhoods are entirely in one continuous map. The developers stated, "What you do outside your home now matters as much as what you do within." One of the biggest changes to the franchise is the use of rabbit-holes. Sims aren't allowed to go inside the majority of city buildings; instead, they simply disappear inside for a certain amount of time—a feature known in video games as a rabbit-hole—while the player is given very basic choices on what happens inside without actually seeing it. The previous installments had many types of locales in which sims could cavort. For example, instead of walking a sim and her date inside a restaurant and watching the waiter serve them dinner as they nuzzle each other at the table, as in The Sims 2, the player now waits outside while getting little text alerts about the sim's activities. Many players disklike this rabbit-hole feature of the game and feel it really detracts from gameplay.
The Sims 2 used a reward system called Wants and Fears. This is replaced with a new system called Wishes in The Sims 3. Fulfilling a Sim's wish contributes to the Sim's Lifetime Happiness score and mood. Some wishes, such as "Go to the Park", may add little points to their lifetime happiness while "Have A Baby Boy" may add thousands of points. In The Sims 2, Wants and Fears also contributed to a Sim's "Aspiration" meter, roughly analogous to current self-esteem. In The Sims 3, Aspiration is removed entirely, replaced with "Moodlets", which contribute positive or negative values to the original Motivation meter. Moodlets can be inspired by physical events, such as having a good meal or comfort from sitting in a good chair, as well as emotional events like a first kiss or a break-up. Most moodlets last for a set duration, but some negative Moodlets can be cured (such as the one incurred by an urgent need to urinate) and some positive ones rely on the Sim's surroundings and traits.
The game includes an optional feature called "Story Progression," which allows all Sims in the neighborhood to autonomously continue as if the player were controlling them, such as grow up, get married, get jobs and promotions, have children, build or buy their dream house while the player isn't playing. Sims live for a set duration of time (adjustable by the player) and advance through several stages (baby, toddler, child, teen, young adult, adult, and elder). Sims can die of old age or they can die prematurely from causes such as fire, starvation, drowning, electrocution, (as of the World Adventures expansion pack) The Mummy's curse, (as of the Ambitions expansion pack) a meteor, and (as of the Late Night expansion pack) by thirst (vampires only). One of the major new additions to gameplay is Opportunities, tasks that Sims can complete to earn rewards. These challenges occur randomly based on aspects of each Sim's lifestyle, such as relationships, skills and job. Career opportunities such as working overtime or completing special tasks can yield a pay raise, cash bonus, or relationship boost. Skill opportunities are requests by neighbors or community members for Sims to solve problems using their acquired skills for cash or relationship rewards. If the opportunity is connected to a Sim's school, the reward may be increased school performance.
===Create a Sim===
Create a Sim (CAS) now has more customizable options for Sims than the CAS in The Sims 2. The player now has a larger selection of body types for Sims, and are able to create different hair styles for every Sim. The player is now able to pick their Sim's shoes.
There are a total of 22 hairstyles for female Sims and 17 hairstyles for male Sims. There are a variety of hats and hair accessories that the player can use, but they all come with set hairstyles. Each of the hats and accessories can also have their colors and textures altered. Hairstyles can be chosen separately for each outfit. Each hairstyle's color can be customized with one of eight basic colors. but players can customize the hair further by clicking the paintbrush icon. Individual colors for the base, roots, tips and highlights of the Sim's hair can be customised with a color palette and slider. 4 new men hairstyles were added with the Pets expansion pack, and some men clothes. The Sim's basic hair color can be changed to even unnatural colors, as can the color of the roots, tips, and highlights. There are a variety of preset hairstyles which can be chosen for the Sim, and the colour of the Sim's hair can be chosen or customized. User-made hair colours can be saved onto the bin and used later, and will be used by generated Sims. Hair colors can be shared to the exchange for other players to download and use.
Compared to previous games in the series, a lot more things can be modified. It is possible to just change the nose, for example, and it is possible to use the Advanced Mode to go into more depth (such as to change nostril definition, nose tip scale and bridge height). There are more hairstyles than that in The Sims 2 and The Sims core games combined. The player cannot add layers when customizing clothing, but if the clothes already have layers then the colors and textures for each layer can be altered. The player can also click on any part of the Sim and the Create a Sim tool takes them directly to the right menu for editing whatever is selected. There is an eyelash length slider bar. Socks and shoes are also fully customizable.An interesting edition is the breast, muscle, muscle definition and body weight sliders. These can be fully adjusted to create much more realistic looking Sims.
The player can choose the Sim's full name, age, gender, skin tone, weight and muscle tone. There are six possible skin tones, but only three of the six are realistic. The other three are green, red, and blue. There is a slider so the player can edit how light or dark the skin tone is. For example, they can make a light green Sim with a dark green mother and a light skinned father. Body modifiers also use sliders that adjust weight from thin to fat and muscle size from flabby to muscular. In the Late Night expansion pack, sliders for muscle definition and breast size were added. Height still cannot be changed, due to conflicts with animation. In The Sims 2, players could only choose between two basic body types: normal and fat. A third body type - Fit - could only be achieved in the game and not on the Create A Sim menu. In The Sims 3, however, body weight is determined by moving a slider left or right. Sims can be extremely skinny or extremely fat. However, toddlers do not have the option to have their weight customized. This can be decreased through gameplay if the Sim uses the Athletic skill and exercises or increased if the Sim eats with the Stuffed mood let.
In the clothing tab, players can choose what their Sims will wear. Five categories include everyday wear, formal wear, sleepwear, athletic wear, and swimwear. Each type of clothes found in each categories include tops, bottoms, full-body outfits, footwear (which players can choose, unlike in The Sims and The Sims 2), eye wear, earrings, gloves, bracelets, rings and socks. Players can create up to three outfits in all categories. Outfits can be customized during gameplay by clicking on a dresser. The color and pattern of the clothes can be chosen by the player with the Create a Style tool. However toddlers do not have the option to have athletic wear, swimwear and accessories chosen and/or customized. Accessories can also be added and customized also with the Create a Style tool.
Players can choose any of the traits available in the menu. Players can also can choose their Sim's favorite food, music and color. The Sim's voice is customizable as well. Toddlers have one voice slider, children have two voice sliders, and teenagers and older have three voice sliders. They can also pick the Sim's lifetime wish, which is a goal a Sim will be working for all of their lifetime until it is fulfilled. Zodiac signs are added in Late Night and Patch 1.7, which make Sims more friendly with other Sims of compatible signs. Players can also write the biography of their Sims. However, toddlers, children and teenagers don't have the option to have their lifetime wish chosen in CAS, but children and teens will be able to choose it once they are out of CAS.
===Skills===
There are several skill-dependent abilities, such as advanced social interactions available from high charisma, special songs for guitar players and appliance upgrades (self-cleaning, more TV channels, etc.) for high handiness. Painting, writing and guitar are now different skills, instead of the all-encompassing "creativity" skill of The Sims and The Sims 2. Paintings are now more particular to each Sim, based on their traits. Sims can increase their skills by practising a skill (e.g. playing the guitar, working in the garden, writing a novel, even flirting, etc.), reading a book about the skill, or taking a class in the skill at a civic building. Sims can begin building their skills as early as their toddler days. While skills do not show up in the meter right away, using skill building objects is rewarded once the toddler grows into a child. Logic can be used to teach children skills that will help them in later life. The skills include Logic, Cooking, Painting, Gardening, Writing, Guitar, Athletic, Handiness, Charisma and Fishing. New skills were later added in expansion packs. When Sims reach level 10 of a skill, they will get a certificate in the mail to display on a wall or sell for 1000 Simoleons.
Players do not see the skill in the Sim panel until the first point is unlocked, then they can view them in a skill journal. Each skill has a tab in the skill journal detailing the level of the skill, statistics, what the challenges are, and sometimes other special information. For example, the athletic skill journal shows the statistics: hours of cardio workout, hours of strength workout, distance jogged. The skill journal is viewed by pressing the 'J' key in-game or selecting the skills tab and clicking the small document that appears at the end of the skill bar after unlocking the first point. Various challenges are also available in the skill journal. For example, in the Painting skill journal, a challenge to paint thirty paintings is available. When completed, the Sim earns a reward of being able to paint significantly faster than normal Sims. There are multiple skill challenges for each and every skill, as well as collections. All of them earn some kind of benefit, such as quicker completion, better results, etc. With The Sims 3: Ambitions, the skill journal also shows hidden skills that a Sim has learned.
===Careers===
Many of the careers from The Sims 2, such as the Law Enforcement and Athletic tracks, are in The Sims 3. Of course, there are also some new ones. Sims can look for these jobs in the newspaper or apply right at the building where they’d like to work. (Every career has a building in the neighbourhood.) Sims are also able to make a living at home selling paintings, writing novels, or growing fruit and vegetables. Jobs such as nectar making can become a profession with the Sims 3 World Adventures. To get some extra cash on the side if the Sim also has some cash to spare, they can buy out businesses and receive a percentage of the profits they earn. If Sims are less inclined towards pursuing a full-time career or if they need more time during the day, they can get part-time jobs at certain career locations within the town. Part-time jobs have a lower pay than full-time jobs and do not give career opportunities. Part-time jobs are also available for teen Sims.
Advancing in a career still depends on mood and skills, but also relationships with colleagues/boss and even certain goals that have to be fulfilled. The player can decide how hard they work while on the job. The option to work hard will increase the Sim's performance faster at the expense of their mood. Taking work home, schmoozing the boss, reading medical journals, or completing opportunities also have an impact on a Sim's job performance. Chance cards and at-work events can still cause the Sim to lose their job, but may actually help them get a better job in another career track. Reaching the top of a career doesn't mean they're done, either. If a Sim keeps excelling at their duties, they can rake in extra Simoleons through additional raises.
A new feature The Sims 3 offers is branching careers, which allows Sims to choose a certain path in their career (such as Sim in the Music career can eventually choose to specialize in Symphonic music or Rock).
The Ambitions expansion pack introduces professions, careers that allow the player direct control over their Sims’ work and how they spend their days, and the ability for Sims to register at City Hall as self-employed in a skill career.
The careers in the core game are Business, Culinary, Criminal, Journalism, Law Enforcement, Medical, Military, Music, Political, Science, and Professional Sports. Professions in the Ambitions expansion pack include Firefighter, Ghost Hunter, Investigator, Architectural Designer, and Stylist. The part-time jobs available include such positions as a Bookstore Clerk, Grocery Store Clerk, Spa Receptionist, Spa Specialist and a Mausoleum Gravedigger. If the Sim is a Rockstar, other Sims recognize this and react. The same if he/she is at the top of other careers, like the Military career: Sims use their military greeting and their children can then also use the military greeting. There are some banners that can be found depicting them. Careers and part-time jobs pay hourly, not daily. Sims in a professions from Ambitions, will get money for performing each job, while receiving a weekly stipend. NPCs such as the maid and repairman, when asked about their career by a Sim, will state Maid and Repairman, but if they move into a household they will be listed as unemployed. So far most service NPC jobs are off limits to the player.
===Pregnancy===
To get pregnant, a couple must "Try for Baby". There is a possibility that the female Sim will not get pregnant; if she does, a lullaby plays briefly, signalling successful conception. A female Sim can be pregnant with a single baby, twins, or triplets. Adult females have a lower chance of getting pregnant and of delivering twins or triplets than Young Adult females, with Elder females unable to get pregnant at all. Any male Sim in the Young Adult or older age groups can try for a baby.
Each trimester lasts one day of game time. During the first trimester, the pregnant Sim may suffer from morning sickness, running to a toilet periodically to throw up, with a thought bubble showing a pacifier and a question mark. This may occur while the Sim is sleeping. The Sim also loses certain physical interaction options with other Sims and may have food cravings.
To signal the beginning of the second trimester, the pregnant Sim will attract the player's attention and change appearance. Their abdomen will enlarge and they will begin to wear maternity clothing. If the pregnant Sim has a job, they will be placed on maternity leave. The Sim will be paid for these leave days even if they fall on one of their days off. Many new social interactions are available in the second day, mostly centered around the Sim's new baby belly. The pregnant Sim and father can announce the pregnancy to others.
In the third trimester, pregnant Sims will get negative moodlets, such as the sore moodlet, and may no longer run. Before birth, a warning message will appear, saying, "The baby is coming! Make sure your Sim is at the hospital or at home!" On the last day of the pregnancy the Sim will attract the viewer once again and go into labor. This is an autonomous action and all Sims on the lot will be drawn to the Sim to watch the birth. The pregnant Sim can also be taken to the hospital when clicked on while in labor. If the Sim goes to the hospital, the player won't be able to see anything, but can still hear the birth taking place. After the birth of each baby, the player will then be able to name them and sometimes choose traits for them, depending on how happy the mother was during the pregnancy. If the Sim has a job, they will get additional leave in the form of three normal vacation days.
===Worlds===
Neighborhoods are now being officially referred to as 'worlds', possibly due to Electronic Arts' use of the Create a World tool and the neighborhoods scale. Worlds are now 'seamless', open to exploration between lots and are affected by a new game mechanic called story progression. The Create a World tool allows players to make their own neighborhoods with custom terrains similar to SimCity 4. A game patch, released in conjunction with the release of Ambitions, also allows players to manipulate pre-made neighborhoods to a limited degree, such as adding or removing lots and scenery. As of Late Night, worlds are divided into "Sims 3 Towns and "Late Night Towns". There seem to be important differences between the two, like the sims they can spawn, etc. Up to now, Bridgeport is the only pre-made world to be catalogued as a city. The rest, including the exotic destinations from World Adventures, are considered suburbs.
On March 19, 2008, EA revealed open world, a new feature, for The Sims 3. Players can explore the world outside their Sims' homes without having to face strenuous loading times. Every house lot is now synchronized with the main neighborhood time. In previous Sims games, the time of day was separate and different for each house lot. Players can interact with every building and amenity in a city. Although players are unable to see inside of certain commercial buildings often called rabbitholes (grocery, bookstore, theater, police station, school, etc.), they are able to enter and retain limited control over their Sims' actions while in these locations. The player has complete control in some other commercial buildings - such as the gym, library and the beach house. All occupied residential buildings can be entered in the same manner as a Sims' home, provided that the buildings are not empty or it is not too late at night.
====Sunset Valley====
Sunset Valley is very large compared to the neighborhoods in previous The Sims games, having a total of 97 lots with various playable characters and about 85 in total pre-made. (In EA's Burnout Paradise, an area is also named Sunset Valley which may have given its name) The main part of the town is the park, where Sims can have a picnic, go fishing, or take a stroll and maybe meet someone new; there are also cinemas, gyms, restaurants, shops, pools, and other recreational facilities. Sims can now visit all their friends' and neighbors' homes and call up their friends with the new cell phone, for a night on the town.
Sunset Valley mixes modern and futuristic building ideas with nostalgic architecture and design rooted in American suburbs of the 1950s. The town is unique on all accounts and hosts a whopping 25 playable families. Sunset Valley is full of places to explore and has a very diverse cityscape, leaving players hours of fun while exploring alone.
The houses in Sunset Valley are diversely priced, but every little group of houses are generally similarly priced. For example, the homes by the public beach are generally cheap, making them homes for lower-middle class type Sims, although (if viewing the water as south), the further west you go the nicer they become, until they're more like upper-middle class type homes. Summerhill Court contains the largest, most expensive lots. The area directly behind city hall has some of the poorest houses, and behind that zone is a middle class area. Along the east side of Sunset Valley are some very nice homes, probably for upper-middle class Sims. There are 21 available empty lots for players to build on. They are priced from §1200 at the cheapest, to §14,700 as the most expensive. The amount of space (in squares) for building goes from 19x29 at the smallest to 60x60 at the largest. The most expensive lot, 15 Summer Hill Court, is on the same hill as the Landgraabs' and Altos' mansions.
"Before Pleasantview, there was Sunset Valley, founded by the Goth family and built up by the Landgraabs to be a quiet, peaceful town. But when the Altos arrive with uptown ideals, will the townsfolk feel the need to choose sides?"
Many players believe that Sunset Valley is Pleasantview several decades before The Sims, where it is called Old Town. Others believe it cannot be as Gunther Goth, the founder of Pleasantview, would have been too young. Sunset Valley is set 50 years before The Sims 2 and 25 years before The Sims. Also, some believe that Sunset Valley is set on the West Coast because of the way the sun sets and rises. As the description states, there seems to be a rivalry between the Landgraabs and the Altos. Meanwhile, the Goths are living elsewhere in town and seem to have nothing to do with it.
Many of the places in town are available for purchase. In The Sims 3 core game, this list is limited to rabbit holes which your Sim enters but cannot be seen. With Ambitions expansion, it also includes buildings such as Library and Fishing Holes which can be upgraded with more equipment to increase their profit potential.
====Riverview====
Riverview is a free downloadable town offered from The Sims 3 store. The town was developed by Visceral Games. The town is a gift for people who register their copy of The Sims 3. Currently, it is the only free downloadable town. The town initially served as an incentive for players to purchase, rather than pirate, their copy of The Sims 3, as pirated versions are unable to download Riverview from TheSims3.com.
Like Sunset Valley, Riverview is very large compared to previous games, although it is a 'small town with an idyllic countryside setting. It’s dotted with farms, beautiful pastures and nestled by a winding river', known, according the world's flavour text, as the Simomon (possibly a play on the word 'cinnamon' but more likely a homage to the real-life Cimarron River). There are 95 lots altogether, three fewer than in Sunset Valley. The centre of town is built up on an island in the middle of the Simomon. The name of the island is unknown, but the name of the road on which Constance Shelley and Meadow Carpenter-Rhodes live (Long Island Drive), the name is possibly Long Island. On one of the shores of the river, there is an industrial area featuring several rabbit holes. The landscape is primarily flat, with one notable hill upon which stands Remington's Ruse, the Remington family home.
The architectural style is primarily small town rustic, with a few industrial-style lots in the industrial area that contains the military base, hospital, and abandoned warehouse. Despite the small town style, there is a lot of diversity in the townscape, with farms, poor and wealthy subdivisions, and forested terrain.
'This sleepy little town comes with an entirely new set of inhabitants with secrets for your Sims to uncover', there are 50 new playable Sims in total. There are 22 empty residential lots for players to get started on, or they can choose any of the premade families. The cheapest of the lots is §1200, and the most expensive is §14,700. The smallest available lot is 20x30, and the largest is 64x64. The most expensive lot will put players in the company of Lessen, Shallows, Wilson, and Grisbys.
Riverview and Riverblossom Hills share the same farm/country effect and Riverview has a street named "Riverblossom Hills Drive". This evidence suggests that Riverblossom Hills used to be Riverview, but no Sims from Riverblossom Hills appear in Riverview. Riverview might have been rescontructed and then renamed to Riverblossom Hills. There are a few old faces from The Sims 2 in Riverview, just as in Sunset Valley.
===Traits===
Traits are like segments of a whole personality that the player can assign to their Sims. They can combine to create increasingly complex personalities. There are 63 traits to choose from in the base game, with Expansion packs adding more, plus some hidden traits which can be passed on to the offspring of service Sims (such as firefighters and police officers) or from Sims in certain careers (such as the Criminal career). When the player assigns Traits to a Sim, that Sim will look and act the part. Toddlers, Children and Teens get a new trait at their birthday. If children had a good childhood, then the player can choose a trait. If not, the game will give them a random one, which is usually negative. They’ll have unique behaviors, preferences and advantages. Some traits give special abilities. They can be useful towards skill improvement (such as the Artistic and Athletic traits) and special interactions. Young adults and older have 5 traits, teenagers have 4 traits, kids have 3 traits, while toddlers and infants have 2 traits. The fewer traits a Sim has, the less complex that Sim's personality will be. For example, giving a Sim the Kleptomaniac trait only will result in him constantly stealing while giving a Sim 5 traits will result in more balance. A Sim can have any combination of traits as long as they do not contradict each other. For example, a Sim cannot be both "Good" and "Evil". There are also many third-party modifications to the game that allow sims to have more than five traits, as well as some that allow the player to assign hidden traits to Sims.
===Age===
Age types of Sims within the game are baby, toddler, child, teenager, young adult (default age). Adult (middle age) and elder. The lifespan of a Sim can also be edited, making it any number of days between 25 and 960. Adult and Elder Sims can be married to Young Adult Sims. A birthday cake is available for purchase to age Sims before the natural end of the phase. Also, players can now adjust the number of days a life stage lasts in the latest patch of the Sims.
===Build/Buy Modes===
The build and buy modes have received their own makeover. The square tile outlines that appeared on the ground in previous Sims games' build and buy modes are now a quarter of their original size to give the player more liberty to place objects where they want. Alternatively, it is possible to place objects freely without square tiles, an option that was missing in previous Sims games. Players can re-color and re-pattern the furniture and other items to specific shades and patterns with the new Create-a-Style and make six story houses with basements.
Build mode is one of three modes in The Sims 3. It is used mainly for construction and architectonic work. Some items that would be considered to be in build mode, such as counters and lights, are actually in the buy mode section. Build mode can be used to do many things including adding walls, paint/cover walls, add doors and windows, lay down flooring, create foundations and raised decks, create basements by using either foundations or the Basement tool, add columns and supports, create pools, raise and lower land, create ponds, build gardens and landscape a lot, add fireplaces, add additional floors/stories to a building, add stairs, and add a roof. Some expansion packs released after The Sims 3 add extra build mode features such as ceiling construction and designing the terrain, Players cannot build or place objects outside the limits of the lot. Walls and foundations cannot be placed within 2 tiles of the outer limit of the lot, or within 2 tiles of the front sidewalk. The sidewalks mark the limit on which a player can place objects on their lot. Fences can be placed all the way up to the edge of the lot and all structures built by the players are limited to eight stories. The height of a section of wall is equal to the length of 3 floor squares. This is most noticeable while placing a 45° roof. It is possible that the length of a game tile is 1 meter, and that the height of a section of wall would then be 3 meters. In some situations, Build mode, as well as Buy mode, may become disabled, such as during a fire, burglary, or other major event. This is done to prevent modifications to the lot that may impact or prevent a game event from occurring. After the event has ended, Build and Buy modes will be re-activated. This feature has been an annoyance to many player and is disabled in many mods. Depreciation of objects is visible in The Sims 3. All objects depreciate 10% as soon as the player exits build mode. This adds realism to the game and gives the player limited tries at building before the costs of building use up too much of the funds intended for furnishing and living expenses. When in build mode, players can return items for full value by using the undo tool.
Buy mode in which the player may purchase items from the catalog, sell objects that are on the current lot, and arrange objects on the current lot. Construction-related elements such as doors, windows, fences, and stairs are not associated with buy mode, but are in build mode. Buy mode largely focuses on furniture and appliances. The descriptions of many of the objects available for purchase in the game (namely the least expensive ones) involve humor, sarcasm, insults towards the player, and wit, and serves as comic relief in the game. For example, one of the cheapest cars available in The Sims 3, the "Big Lemon", notes that although the car's doors are jammed and its ignition is faulty, it is still worth buying. Another example is the outdoor entertainment item "Foot-and-Hand Ball" used to train the athletic skill, which references and pokes fun at American football, which, despite its name, rarely involves contact with the ball via the feet. A feature that was introduced in The Sims 2 and stays present currently is the eyedropper tool. When the eyedropper tool is pointed at a wall covering, floor covering, or most objects, will show the name of what it's pointed at. Clicking on a wall or floor covering will switch to the appropriate area of build mode and select that covering so it can be applied. Clicking on an object will make an exact duplicate of it, and will focus the catalog on that object. The family inventory is a space where objects that are too large to be held in a Sim's personal inventory are kept. Certain opportunities may make an object available in the Family Inventory. When a Sim family moves, if "pack furniture" is selected, all objects in the household will be placed in the Family inventory, to be moved and rearranged in the new house.
===Create a World===
On October 29, 2009, Electronic Arts announced "Create a World (CAW)", which is a game world editor that allows players to create their own custom cities from scratch for use within the game. Players can customize lots, choose terrain patterns and add roads, vegetation and neighborhood accents (such as water towers and lighthouses). CAW also allows players to import designs from Photoshop for use in their worlds. Users can upload their worlds to The Sims 3 Exchange for download by other players. The editor tool is offered to players as a separate download (156MB), and was released on December 16, 2009 as a beta version. EA will offer technical support and updates. Players are able to share their neighborhoods as with other content. The Create A World tool is currently only available for Windows based PCs.
==Development==
Electronic Arts first announced Sims 3 on March 19, 2008. The game was developed at The Sims Studio located in Redwood Shores, CA. On January 15, 2009, EA invited "some of the best" custom content creators to their campus at Redwood Shores where they were hosting a Creator’s Camp. Creators have been invited to spend the week exploring and creating content like Sims, houses and customized content. The Creators' work is used to pre-populate The Sims 3 Exchange. In the seventh expansion pack for The Sims 2, The Sims 2: FreeTime, an event occurs in which a Sim-version of Rod Humble, the head of The Sims franchise, gives the player's Sim family an unopened gift box. When opened, the family gets a computer with The Sims 3 on it. The Sims 3 game cannot be bought in the catalog. Sims can then play The Sims 3 on their computers or console systems. Like all the other games that Sims can play in The Sims 2, The Sims 3 is a looping gameplay video shown on the player's Sim's computer screens when played by a Sim. On July 15, 2008 the first video preview of The Sims 3 appeared on the official website as did seven new screenshots and five Create-A-Sim screens. Four screenshots that appeared on the website and were then taken down soon after, leaked onto the Internet by a member of the community.
Copies of the video game Spore also came packaged with fliers advertising the game, with information stating whole-neighborhood accessibility and endless possibilities on character creation. On October 31, 2008, two teaser trailers were released by Electronic Arts featuring a comical view on the 2008 presidential election in the United States. Candidates John McCain and Barack Obama were included along with respective running mates Sarah Palin and Joe Biden. In the eighth expansion pack of The Sims 2, The Sims 2: Apartment Life, new objects were added including logo posters and framed screenshots. The game was shipped with a code and an Internet address, where the player could download clothing with The Sims 3 logo on it. Another developer walk through was released on November 6, 2008, featuring in-depth previews of the neighborhood and Create-A-Sim.
On May 8, 2009, EA announced that The Sims 3 had gone gold meaning that the game had finished beta testing stage and was off for manufacturing ahead of its June 2009 release. On May 15, 2009 EA released some online interactive teaser experiences on The Sims 3 Website, including 'SimFriend', which allows users to choose a virtual Sim Friend who would email them throughout the day. 'SimSocial', which allows users to create their own Sim online, and have an adventure with them. 'SimSidekick', which allows users to surf the web with a sim. Two weeks before the game was scheduled to be released, a pirated version of the digital distribution version of the game leaked onto the Internet. EA later commented the leak was a "buggy, pre-final" version. EA claims that more than half of the game is missing and is susceptible to crashes or worse.Reportedly, the title has seen higher piracy rates than that of the most pirated game of 2008, Spore.
===Marketing===
In April 2009, Electronic Arts began to post billboards in many areas in advertisement for the game. Many of the billboards covered skyscrapers in densely populated areas, most notably Times Square in New York City. The costs of these billboards was estimated to be $10 million a month. This marketing campaign proved successful, as The Sims 3 sold 1.4 million copies in its first week, breaking the record for all EA games.
On March 23, 2009, the look and feel of The Sims 3 was seamlessly threaded throughout the storyline of an episode of The CW series One Tree Hill. On screen, the episode opens in an idealized Sims version of One Tree Hill and then transitions into the real Tree Hill. As this episode plays out, Sims versions of popular One Tree Hill characters are introduced and then morph into the real-life characters, including Dan (Paul Johansson), Lucas (Chad Michael Murray) and Peyton (Hilarie Burton).
The Sims 3 versions of the characters are available for download via CW's official website. On April 19, 2009, Target exclusively released a promotional disc of The Sims 3 that features a Ladytron band poster, The Sims 3 theme song music download, and a $5 off coupon. The main menu includes screensaver downloads, videos, Create-A-Sim, Create-A-House, and much more. There is no actual gameplay involved, but it describes what playing feels like.
On July 14, 2010, Ford Motor began a promotion at The Sims 3 Store by allowing players to download their newest car at the time, the Ford Fiesta Mark VI. The car also came with a collection of street signs. On October 27, 2010, the download was updated to include the Fiesta Hatchback. The 2012 Ford Focus was made available to download on June 8, 2011. The car included one male Ford t-shirt, one female Ford t-shirt, a stereo, and a set of neon lights, all for use in-game. The Focus pack was available to download on Mac, Xbox, and PlayStation platforms.
===Audio===
Music for The Sims 3 was composed by Steve Jablonsky. Scores were recorded with the Hollywood Studio Symphony at Newman Scoring Stage at 20th Century Fox. Music for the game's stereo and guitar objects was produced by others, including Darrell Brown, Rebeca Mauleon, and Peppino D'Agostino. Additional music was produced by APM Music. Two soundtracks have been released for The Sims 3 base game, The Sims 3 Soundtrack and The Sims 3 - Stereo Jams. The soundtrack includes theme music and the Stereo Jams album includes music from stereos in game. All songs on Stereo Jams are in Simlish.
===Software Copy Restriction===
Some of EA's other recent PC titles, such as Spore and Dead Space, have used a SecuROM copy restriction scheme that requires online and offline authentication and limits the number of times a user can install the game to five. While it was speculated that The Sims 3 would use the same system, on March 26, 2009, executive producer Rod Humble revealed that The Sims 3 uses traditional disk-based copy protection as Sims 2 did, and does not require online authentication to install. A product key is also required. However, SecuROM based restriction is still present within the "Digital Download" version of the title, limiting users to a total of 5 authorizations for 5 different machines via online activation, each of which can be de-authorized online at any time. A legitimate serial key is required to download custom objects and Sims from the official website. This includes custom designs created by other Sims 3 players as well as additional content from EA.
===Delay===
On February 3, 2009, it was announced that the release date of The Sims 3 would be delayed from February 20, 2009 to June 2, 2009 in the US, and June 5, 2009 in the UK. John Riccitiello, CEO of Electronic Arts, said "In the case of Sims 3, we’re moving this title to June 2 to give us additional time to build the worldwide marketing campaign a title like this deserves". Grant Rodiek, Associate Producer of The Sims 3 said:
The Sims 3 June launch gives more time for tuning and polish and the ability to launch the game on PC and Mac platforms simultaneously. This is a key EA franchise and title and it deserves a bigger bet on the best Sims game EA has made. These last few months will give us a little more time to tune, tweak, and polish the game. Our players have been waiting for something awesome and that’s exactly what we intend to give them.
===Release===
EA Singapore launched The Sims 3 with a large launch party which was held on 2 June 2009 at the new shopping mall Iluma in Singapore. At the event, The Sims 3 T-shirts were available for purchase. In Sydney, Australia on June 4, 2009 a fashion event to show off the freedom and self-expression in The Sims 3 was held by Electronic Arts Australia, and included a performance by Jessica Mauboy.
The game was released as both a standard edition and a Collector's Edition. Both the collector's edition and the standard edition of the game comes with a coupon for 1000 Sim Points to spend at The Sims 3 Store. The standard edition contains the first release of the core game, while the Collector's Edition includes the Sims 3 core game, a 2GB The Sims Plumbob USB flash drive (preloaded with wallpapers and screensavers of the game, and the main theme as an MP3 file) with matching Green Carabiner, an exclusive European-styled Sports Car download, a Prima Tips and Hints Guide (not the actual Sims 3 Prima Guide), and Plumbob stickers. Those that pre-ordered the game also got a Vintage Sports Car download, The Sims 3 Neighborhood Poster, and a quick start reference guide. A preview CD with more information about The Sims 3, such as music samples, family descriptions, and career information, was also released.
===iOS===
A version of The Sims 3 was released on the iOS on June 2, 2009. The iPhone game works similar to that of the PC version. In Create-a-Sim, instead of Lifetime Wishes, there are personas. Personas decide which lifetime wishes your sim will have, as a persona is the largest factor in a sim's personality. Sims start out with a small house. The house can be expanded every five sim days if the player can afford it.
===Console===
The Sims 3 was released to home consoles on October 26, 2010, for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Nintendo DS and the Wii platform on November 15, 2010. The game was released for Nintendo 3DS on March 25, 2011.
The game allows you to take on up to three friends in the Life Moments Game on the Wii, upload and download content on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network, including furnishings, houses, and player creations or experience a full life simulation on a handheld with Nintendo DS. Reviews for the game ranged from average to moderately positive.
==Editions and Add-ons==
===Editions===
#The Sims 3
#The Sims 3 Collector's Edition
#The Sims 3: Holiday Collector's Edition
#The Sims 3: Commemorative Edition
#The Sims 3: Deluxe
#The Sims 3 Plus Pets
#The Sims 3 Plus Showtime 
===Expansion Packs===
The Sims 3 expansion packs provide additional game features and items. The release dates fall in line with the 88-day gap between each expansion/stuff pack.
#The Sims 3: World Adventures
#The Sims 3: Ambitions
#The Sims 3: Late Night
#The Sims 3: Generations
#The Sims 3: Pets
#The Sims 3: Showtime
===Stuff Packs===
Stuff Packs are add-ons that intend to add only new items (usually in the amount of 60) to the base game. Stuff Packs work on both Windows and Mac OS X as with the main game and expansion packs.
#High-End Loft Stuff
#Fast Lane Stuff
#Outdoor Living Stuff
#Town Life Stuff
#Master Suite Stuff
===The Sims 3 Store===
The Sims 3 Store is an online store where players of The Sims 3 can purchase and download content for their game online for additional fees. To date, unlike its counterpart for The Sims 2, The Sims 3 Store only offers exclusive objects, clothing, skins, and hairstyles not found through any other medium. The Store also offers variants of special objects found in expansions (such as laundry and hot-tubs), which offer their features for players who haven't purchased those expansions. The store is updated with new items for purchase every month. Two notable release that were published outside of the regular monthly schedule were Barnacle Bay and Hidden Springs, both of which are world downloads with exclusive items. Premium content, such as the foot massage chair and wind chimes, add new gameplay or animations.
The store uses a point system in which players can purchase additional SimPoints using a credit card or Points Card, which may be purchased at retail stores or via the Origin online store. It was launched on June 4, 2009 to coincide with the launch of the game. Players can download purchased items using the game launcher or the Store Mode interface found within the game itself. When a user purchases additional SimPoints, they obtain an object in the game for buying SimPoints.
This is a noted departure from both the first and second generation of the franchise, in which new items were obtained primarily through expansion packs, stuff packs, and/or user-generation.
===Barnacle Bay===
Barnacle Bay is a neighborhood available for download from The Sims 3 Store. It became available to download on September 23, 2010. Barnacle Bay is by far the city with the deepest connection to the sea and pirates. The neighborhood features 4 default Beaches, and the sims' clothing and personalities surrounds the theme of outdoors. The climate is supposedly tropical.
===Hidden Springs===
Hidden Springs is another neighborhood that is available for download. It was announced on August 4, 2011 and was released August 25, 2011. Hidden Springs is a resort-type neighborhood centered around health and beauty. As such, sims can visit the Crystal Solarium Rejuvenating Waters and the Zephyr Health Spa. New families include the Chos, Pertridges, Shues, and the Vanderburgs. This download includes several new clothing options and items, one of which, the Fountain of Eternal Youth, is considered premium content with new features. The homes and residents are much wealthier than that of any previous town. The fountain of youth in the town allows sims to become young and stay that way forever, similar to that of the Age Freeze and Young Again Potions in Generations. As with Barnacle Bay, the XML in the world file carry preset celebrity data for Sims in Hidden Springs. Therefore, when Late Night is installed a number of Hidden Springs Sims have celebrity status. The world comes with one new rabbit hole - the Silver Zephyr Health Spa. The building is much larger than spas in the game and all of its expansion packs.
===Lunar Lakes===
Stranded on a foreign planet after their spaceship became disabled, the survivors utilized homeworld technology and newly-discovered crystal tech to survive at the edge of space. As the generations have progressed these intrepid Sims built roads, developed agriculture, and established a thriving colony. Where will you take their explorations next? Lunar Lakes is the fourth world available in the Store, it was released on February 16, 2012.
==Reception==
EA reported that in its first week, The Sims 3 sold 1.4 million copies. According to EA, this was the most successful PC game launch the company had ever had to date. According to retail data trackers Gfk Australia The Sims 3 has been the top selling game in Australia from release until June 21, 2009. Critical response was generally favorable, with Metacritic calculating a metascore of 86/100 based on 75 reviews. PC Gamer awarded The Sims 3 a 92% and an Editor's Choice badge, calling it "The best Sims game yet". IGN PC awarded The Sims 3 an 8.9/10, stating:
This is simply a better playing Sims experience, and once you experience the freedom to hit the town without hitting a load screen you’ll be hard-pressed to go back to any of the earlier games. Blowing up the size of the game was certainly a risk, but it was a sensible and overdue one, and kudos to EA for recognizing that the decade-old formula needed some growth. And while there’s still plenty of room for more innovation, we’ll settle for The Sims 3 for now. It delivers a solid foundation for what should be many more years of Sims sales dominance.—Jason Ocampo, IGNGameSpot awarded The Sims 3 a score of 9.0/10, the review praised the game: "The latest Sims game is also the greatest, striking a terrific balance between the fresh and the familiar." The Sims 3 has sold more than ten million copies and is the third best-selling PC game of all time. The game was ranked 91# in IGN's "Top 100 Modern Games". Currently over seven million people like the Sims 3 on Facebook. Worthplaying added the following:
The Sims 3 is may be largely unchanged from the previous iterations of the game, but that doesn't mean it's bad at all. The expanded scope of the game and the streamlined experience make this the best Sims game to date. It looks good and it plays well, but it won't sway people who hate The Sims. For those who like the series, though, it doesn't get much better than The Sims 3. —Jesse Littlefield, Worthplaying
==Links==
*"The Sims 3 Review". TotalVideoGames.com.
*"PC Review: The Sims 3 Review". ComputerAndVideoGames.com.
*"IGN: The Sims 3 Review".
*"The Sims 3 - PC - Review | GameZone.com".
*The Sims 3 - #91 Top 100 Modern Games, IGN.
*"The Sims 3". Facebook.
*Official Website
*Profile on Facebook
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