The first Stuff pack is called Design and Hi-Tech Stuff and according to Snooty Sims, the pack is a 10th Anniversary pack that’s going to included the vibrating heart-shaped bed, the electric guitar and the aquarium from past games.

This is what the UK website description says [I'm including it here since it's hard to read on the screengrab and I know how you guys hate clicking links]:

Transform your Sims’ homes into sleek, edgy apartments with The Sims 3 Design & High-Tech Stuff.There’s a host of new items for your most lived-in rooms, including slick gadgets for your high-tech study, a next-gen gaming system for the killer game room and modern furniture for the most contemporary living room. Now your Sims can give their homes an ultra-modern makeover!

The Sims 3 Design & Hi-Tech Stuff requires The Sims 3 or The Sims 3 Collector’s Edition to play.

Keep in mind that Feb.5th is the announced release date for the UK and I can’t find any US info at the moment. When I find US info, you’ll be the first to know.

Image|Screengrab

Post from: Sims Gamer

The bed has a 4 Energy rating and a rating of 3 for Stress Relief – not amazing stats but there are mods out there to bump up those numbers if you’re so inclined. The arch is…well…an arch. Do something amazingly dungeony with it or something.

The Tomb Sled Sleeper – which I like better than the Sleek-Sleaper from an aesthetic perspective is another bed that you can get for free. It carries the same stats as the Sleek-Sleeper.

If you’re more concerned about what’s going in your living room, might I direct you to the Not-A-Street Floor Lamp, Desert’s End end table, and Modern HDTV by Webbsta Industries?

Don’t forget that World Adventures hits stores this week. Tons of cool items are sure to be included.

Image|EA

Post from: Sims Gamer

Plenty of candy, fun costumes and the perfect excuse to scare the crap out of little kids. What’s not to love?

Another great thing about Halloween is it gives Sims custom content creators great ideas and what they create is sometimes just plain awesome.

Take this Sims 3 Halloween House, for example.

Victorian styled with just enough “creep factor” to make you walk a bit faster as you pass the house. Sure, there are cheerful sunflowers in front, but those flowers are just there to make you complacent and fodder for the ghouls and zombies that want to eat your brains.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

This house three bedrooms and three bathrooms and comes complete with a growing garden. You can snag it for 61k unfurnished and 82k furnished.

Shown in the pictures of the lot are items from the Sims 3 Store. On the overview page are links to where you can get the downloads but you don’t have to have them – they’re for decoration. Personally, I love them and have downloaded both sets.

You can get this Halloween house by going here.

Image|ruthless_kk

Post from: Sims Gamer

This isn’t one of those houses.

This starter by MotorHalo manages to ride that fine line between so cheap that there’s no way that you would live in it and so much custom content that you’re essentially cheating your way into an inexpensive house.

Modern Starter for Two comes both unfurnished [$12,730] and furnished [$18,765] and the lot size is 20×20 and has one bedroom, a nice bathroom and a kitchen and living room. Also included in the lot is a pond, an outdoor grilling area and a fire pit.

The custom content that is used in this lot is linked in the overview page so make a note of those if you want the stuff to show up in your game.

You can get this super cute Modern Starter for 2 here.

Image|MotorHalo

Post from: Sims Gamer

The “house” is actually collection of three houses and each house is a different primary color: yellow, red and blue. You can purchase the “house” furnished with modern furniture for $121,222 or unfurnished for $99,982.

There are spots for three cars [though the cars aren't included in the download] and the primary colored fence is there to give you some brightly colored privacy from the prying eyes of those boring neutral toned neighbors.

Even if this house isn’t your style, it’s definitely original and is bound to add a bit of pizazz to your neighborhood.

Images|Cubonica Design

Post from: Sims Gamer

What’s all the rage right now is the “distressed” look and I bring to you four different takes on that perfect look. I’m joking, but in all seriousness, sometimes you don’t want to make the perfect bathroom. You want/need a space to help you tell a story and this bathroom set is perfect for the “struggling artist” story or the “crackhead” story.

The walls and tiles are included in the download and the tub/shower works like the tub/shower combo that comes with The Sims 2.

Download the set and let your imagination run wild. Who knows? Maybe this is the inspiration that you’ve been lacking to make the perfect Machinima!

Images|guatla

Post from: Sims Gamer

Do you yearn for more true-to-life baby and kid things?

Hopebayler has made some cool [if a little industrial] baby furniture and they all work [they're not just statues].

If the default color isn’t your style then you can find recolors at this link. The recolors offered are pink and blue and everything [including the diaper bag] have been recolored and look pretty cool.

Here are the things that babies and toddlers gain from using the objects:

Animated Jumparoo-They jump and gain fun
Animated Swing-Fun gained in swinging back and forth
Playmat-For infant only, gain is fun. Mobile is animated
Diaper bag-Gain bladder
Playpen-Nothing gained but toddlers can play with a doll while in it

Click here to download the items in the pictures.

Image|Hopebayler

Post from: Sims Gamer

Here are a few things that you need in order to get the exact picture that you’re wanting.

• Sign-up for an account at Mod the Sim2 – All of the custom content that I feature for download comes from there along with the hacks that you’re going to need to download.  They also have TONS of great tutorials.  You can register for an account by clicking here. [It's free.]
• Purchase or download a photo editing program.  I use Photoshop CS4 and you can download a trial version by clicking here.  Since that trial is only good for about 30 days, you might consider GIMP which you can download by clicking here.  GIMP is like Photoshop and functions much like Photoshop.  Also, it’s free which will make most users very, very happy.
• Download Decorgal’s Modeling Hack by clicking here.
• Download JohnBrehaut1’s One More Slot Package for Bed and Counters by clicking here.
• You’ll also want to download the invisible recolor of the magisplay tray by clicking here.
• Download FRAPS by clicking here.  Change the hot keys if you want or leave them at default.
• Download GunMod’s camera hack by clicking here.  Make sure that you load this particular one in: My Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2\Cameras [for XP users] or Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2\Cameras [for Vista users].  Override the file when it prompts you.

Woo!  I think that’s it for the downloads.  Remember that everything should be downloaded into either \My Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2\Downloads\ [for XP users] or \Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2\Downloads\ [for Vista users].

Open up your game after loading all of your downloads and start with a blank lot.  You’re not going to build a real house since all of those extra walls will just get in the way.  I always build one really big room and then use a corner of the big room as a set.

Things you’ll need “on set”:

• A cheap mirror so that you can change the appearance of your Sims.  I say cheap so that you’re not wasting $ but if you have the cash to burn then buy whatever your little heart desires.
• A “One More Slot” thing – Found in Tables and then Misc.
• Magisplay tray – Found in shelves
• Model Hack black box – Found hobbies and then Misc.
• Whatever props or objects you want like a bed or counter top
• Lighting!  Lots and lots of lighting!  You can place them off camera if necessary and they are a must.  I forgot to add them and my shots are very dark because of that.

Here’s a picture of my set:

Some things to remember when you’re taking pictures in Sims 2.

When you’re using Fraps and you have kept the screenshot at default as F10, if you’re not in “camera mode” [by pushing Tab] then hitting F10 will hide your character/control screen [or whatever that's called].  You have to hit F10 to bring that back or you won’t be able to control your Sim.

Ctrl+Shift+C is your friend.  That opens up the cheats dialog.  To display all of the cheats, type in help.  You should use the cheats dialog to turn on moveObjects on [so that you can move everything exactly where you want], Plumbbobtoggle off [to get rid of the green diamond-the Plumbbob] and maxMotives [so that your Sims never get tired, hungry, etc.].

Once you have everything that you need on your set and you’ve enabled all of your cheats, it’s time to get down to the business of taking pictures.

Click on the black model box and select whatever pose you want.  It doesn’t matter what they’re doing or where they are; your Sim will automatically begin the action.  Move your Sim on top of the Magisplay tray and then on to whatever height “One More Slot” object that you need.  If necessary, change the color of both objects so that they are “invisible”.

Position your screen so that you’re about where you want to take pictures and then hit Tab.  If you’ve installed GunMod’s camera hack then you can zoom more than you normally be allowed which comes in handy when you’re wanting an up-close shot.

Hit whatever button you’ve set in Fraps and you’ve taken your first picture.  Hit Tab again to exit camera mode and reposition everything to your liking.  Continue the process until you’ve gotten all of the shots that you want.

Next, open up your photo editing software.

Find your pictures in the file where you set Fraps to save your pictures.  [I have mine to save Fraps\Screens.]

Here is my picture prior to editing it:

While you can turn off “free will” of Sims, you can’t turn off free will of pets.  Hence, the cat on the counter next to my Sim.  *sigh*

The free version of Fraps only saves images as .bmp files and the edges will be jagged.  A simple tip, after you’ve cropped your pictures and adjusted the colors, use your “blur” tool to smooth out the jagged edges.

There you go.  A pretty easy to follow guide to taking basic pictures in Sims 2.  Custom objects, hair, skins, and practice editing in Photoshop/Gimp will make a big difference but the base game with no custom content other than what I’ve told you to download will serve you well.

Good luck and happy picture taking!

Post from: Sims Gamer

Image Source: © Amy Tucker

Post from: Sims Gamer

I’m sure that I’m the only person in the history of playing Sims 2 who gets tired of driving to a community lot to buy clothing.  Right?  Well, obviously not since this isn’t the first hack that has been created to allow lazy players to stay home and still buy clothing.  It’s kind of like QVC for the Sims 2 but without the annoying D List celebrities.

The concept is incredibly simple and is illustrated perfectly buy the picture above.

Head over to your coat rack [which you downloaded from here] and give the thing a good ole click.  Dialogue boxes will pop up just like what’s shown in the picture.  Ignore Everyday Outfit 2 and Everyday Outfit 3 since what you REALLY want is the “Get for free…”.

Oh, did I forget to say that it’s like QVC but without the annoying D List celebrities AND it’s free? 

Give it a try and see what you think.  The coat rack also comes in eight recolours which you can get by clicking here.

Image Source: MaryLou & Numenor

Post from: Sims Gamer