Then again, I don’t remember the last Sims game I actually bought in a disc version – I generally just download it via EA’s Digital Downloader.

Anyway, the big news [for me] is the release of a couple of Paris screens. China and Egypt are cool, but I was really looking forward to seeing what the creative team was going to do with Paris. And things have been so quiet on the Paris front that I was starting to wonder if EA had nixed Paris all together.

But, today, I found these two screenshots and my interest has been renewed.

I’m not sure if EA has been pushing Egypt and China because those were the first “worlds” to be completed or if maybe they thought interest would be highest for those two but I’m relieved to finally see that they didn’t nix Paris.

Bonne journeé.

Images|EA

Post from: Sims Gamer

While Maxis has been good about putting out Stuff Packs full of Maxis created goodies, the fan created custom content has tended to exceed what Maxis delivers both in terms of the amount of content and the subject matter – user created content is usually created to fulfill a direct need/request.

Looks like that’s about to change with the announcement of Maxis’s Create-a-World Tool.

With the Create-a-World Tool, Maxis is putting the creation of towns in your hands and will allow you to make anything that your brain can come up with in terms of layout and typography.

From what I’ve seen, this isn’t going to be one of those tools that everyone will use but then again, not everyone makes custom content – some people just want to play their game.

And you know, that’s fine because there are going to be a lot of highly talented creators out there who are going to swoop down on this tool and wring it out until the tool has nothing left to give and we’re going to be left speechless at the things they come up with. I’ve predicted some amazing towns; you read it here first.

The Beta version will be available as a free download sometime in December and a full install of at least Sims 3 is required to get the program to work. If you also install World Adventures, you will be able to use items from that expansion in your towns and I can only assume that you will be able to pick through elements from any subsequent expansions.

Even if you’ve never created custom content for any of the Sims games, you might as well download the free program when it’s released and see what you can come up with.

You just might surprise yourself.

Image|EA

Post from: Sims Gamer

I gripe but the more I think about it, the more I realize that I’ll end up getting World Adventures.

The premise of it is interesting and I can already picture Paris in my head with its bistros and China with its Great Wall.

Maybe it will rock my socks. I hope it does because if I shell out $40 and the expansion sucks then I’m going to be really, really pissed.

If you plan on getting World Adventures, what are you most looking forward to?

Images|EA

Post from: Sims Gamer

Do Not Commit Acts of Terrorism

Do Not Accuse Someone of Something They Didn’t Do

Do Not Kill

Do Not Steal

Respect Your Parents

Respect All People

Do Not Envy Other People

Do Not Be Motivated By Greed

Do Not Cheat On Your Partner with Another Person

Respect and Protect the Planet

Images|EA

Post from: Sims Gamer

TOMORROW, folks. Tomorrow! [I appologize to the Brits. It's not my fault that I'm in the US and get Sims 3 "early".] Is anyone else on this side of the pond as excited as me? Yeah. I thought so.

Like a good blogger, I found you some more screenshots. And by “more” I mean a TON. Some are from the PC/Mac version and some are from the iPhone/iPod Touch version. I doubt you’ll care. You’ll be drooling too much.

Enjoy!

Images|EA

Post from: Sims Gamer

And, with Sims 3 just days away, I see no reason why I shouldn’t share every single pretty picture that I can find. That way you can stare at your computer screen and slowly wipe away the drool that’s running down your chin as you take in the freakin’ awesomeness that is Sims 3.

Pay special attention to how well everything “fits”. I’m sure these were taken on a computer with more processing power than all of my computers put together but check out the great appliances and the lighting. I basically want you to bask in the glory of Sims 3 and sit on your hands until the game comes out.

Pretty, pretty picture time.

Images|EA

Post from: Sims Gamer

If you go to the Sims 2 website [http://thesims2.ea.com/] you’ll find a couple of funny SIMS 2 examples which made me laugh. I’ve posted one of my favorites below but I also chuckled at the cow tipping picture.

I mean, come on! It’s the weekend! Who doesn’t need a chuckle?

Image|EA

Post from: Sims Gamer

First, I found on Snooty Sims a link to a pic that someone scanned in from a box that they received since they pre-ordered the game.

How’s that for a convoluted sentence?

I must admit that I’m a bit jealous since I pre-ordered the game as well and I haven’t gotten any cool stuff in the mail.

Sad times.

Next, I present to you a billboard that Hikikomori60 posted a link to on the Sims 3 UK forum. I’ll just post a link to it since I don’t have image use permission and didn’t want to wait for an email to get to them and then get an answer back. Those things take time and I’m impatient today.

Click here to see the billboard.

And lastly, I bring you an interview posted on TotalVideoGames.com by Gwynne Dixon. I know how you guys love interviews and this one is purty darn good.

Image|EA

Post from: Sims Gamer

In my defense, they hadn’t been very good about updated the content so after several times of heading over there and not seeing anything new…well…you understand.

I still go over there when I get the VIP emails to see what’s up and today I was greeted with a pretty cool piece by Richard Evans, Senior AI Engineer.

I won’t post the entire piece because what’s the point when you can go over there and read it yourself but I thought that I’d give you a couple of highlights.

Each Sim has a personality defined from a large array of traits, and these traits have a strong influence on autonomous behavior. A flirty Sim will preen and pose, while an un-flirty Sim will reject all but the most persistent suitor. Some Sims are family-oriented – you will see them playing games with their children and cooing over them; others dislike children, and can be heard complaining about them loudly.  All the Sims will express their personalities on their own, without needing constant input from you.

Sometimes, what looks like a coding problem turns out to be an unexpected side-effect of the Sim’s personality. Recently, a tester had invited another Sim over to her house. Now the AI makes sure that the guest’s autonomous behavior is appropriate based on his relationship level with the host – someone you barely know won’t turn up and start cooking food in your house, but a good friend is allowed to do so. But on this occasion, the guest came straight into the house, walked upstairs and went to sleep! After much debugging and soul-searching, the problem turned out not to be a problem with the code, but with the guest’s personality – she was insane, and therefore impervious to the norms of social propriety!

Pretty cool, no?

I enjoy the fact that you don’t have to worry about random neighbors showing up to take a dip in your pool or hang out on your couch and watch TV. I also like that the AI can be insane. Now that I’ve written that, I’m going to end up with a crazy cat lady next door to my Sims who moves herself in along with her cats.

I really hope that doesn’t happen.

On to the new pretty pictures:

Post from: Sims Gamer

Bella and Mortimer Goth as kids?

These screens are new to me and I decided that I’d share them with you just in case they’re new to you as well. I know that the “Bella and Mortimer” screen has been around for a while with lots of speculation about who the people in the picture are. Your guess is as good as mine but “mortbell” is part of the file name. Very, very interesting…

My favorite screenshot is the last one in the cemetary. I can’t wait to get my hands on this game and see what it’s like to be able to play ghosts. I wonder if there are restrictions on when you can control them-time of day restrictions. Like Vamps in that they only come out at night. Since the aliens and vampires are gone, I hope that the playable ghosts make up for the loss of the other two.

Images|EA

Post from: Sims Gamer