The Sims 3 arrives on the PC in early 2009, bringing with it a number of extravagant touches that should make establishing a virtual neighborhood and the lively characters that populate it more fun than before.
All that's missing is your influence...and a Starbucks. Click on image for more screenshots.
First off, the surrounding Sims neighborhood is now a seamless world that lets your Sims roam freely. They can stop by and visit a family member, goof off with friends in a number of local hangouts or see the sights in downtown suburbia, such as City Hall or the local Sims park. These new environmental changes will also play a part in the game's storyline. Meeting new acquaintances, running into old characters and engaging in unusual activities (such as spying on neighbors) allow the story to go anywhere.
In addition, The Sims 3 introduces a brand new Create A Sim mode. Here, you're given access to a number of tools that let you customize your Sim any way you see fit. You can choose muscle type, making your character scrawnier than a video game website editor or as beefy as a muscle-bound bodybuilder. You can also tweak a number of face features such as cheek structure, lips, hairstyle and skin tone. It's deeper than any Sims customization menu, letting you create yourself (or a slightly better you), a friend or even a popular celebrity.
Of course, any Sim can look the part, but if they don't have some form of sparkling personalities to back it up, they would be lifeless drones. Maxis thought this through and created a new Realistic Personality System. Basically, you attribute your characters with five distinct personality traits, which in turn establishes a behavior type for them. This behavior shows through with everything the Sim interacts with in the world, such as a Sims with opposing personalities (get ready for a fight) or an object that becomes desirable or irritating. The blending of separate personalities into The Sims universe expands the replay value. One day you'll find a calm run-in with the mailman. The next, you could be at a mosh party with a bunch of teenagers you never thought you'd hang out with. The choice, as always in this series, is yours. Don't be afraid to go wild.
Yeah, we could definitely live here – depending on the rent. Click on image for more screenshots.
Speaking of going wild, The Sims 3 gives you more customization options than you might expect. Along with creating your dream cast of characters, you're also given the tools necessary to create your dream universe. You can design floors with a variety of carpet or flooring choices, such as shag carpets and unique diamond patterns, among others. You can also put together specific wallpaper for each room of the house. You can also change the very shape of your house altogether, opting for either a dream mansion or that ideal bachelor pad that's the size of a two-car garage. Just make sure to leave room for the hot tub.
The Sims 3 isn't due to arrive until early next year. However, with all the changes that Maxis has put into the game, it'll be a welcome addition. Be sure to check back for more details, including hands-on impressions and a few ideas of what we'd like to put into the Sims universe.
Reader Comments (18)
The sims games are not a waste of money at all. The sims 2 was a great game and i know the sims 3 will be much better. Here is some more information about the sims 3 (the 2nd website has the best info) -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sims_3 -http://www.edenstyle.it/TS3_News_EN.htm
The sims games are not a waste of maney at all. The sims 2 was a great game and i know the sims3 will be much better. Here is some more information about the sims 3 (the 2nd website has the best info) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sims_3 http://www.edenstyle.it/TS3_News_EN.htm
i love the sims so much!!!! but the problem is, i can't even play it on my computer!!!!!! the only place i can play it is at my friends house....... so i wonder if i will be able 2 play the sims 3 at home....... I HOPE SO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hey i think that the new ideas for sims 3 are great i always tend to get bored with sims after a while so this new formation can stop me from completin it and leaving it for ages till i play it again although i feel that we should be able to meet other people so it will be like a virtual chat world as well as a simulation game you can enjoy PLEASE MAKE IT SO WE CAN CHAT TO OTHERS!!!
I have been a huge fan of the Sims for ever. It gives you so much to do, experience, and play around with when talking about the things you can't do in real life. I have been waiting for so long to have Sims roam freely. I have been annoyed with all of the clicking, and calling of cabs to get to one place and one place only. What I really would look forward to, though, would be maybe to up the car features a little. It would be really cool to actually have driving a car in a way being like a real car. There are so many cars games out there, you could just mesh that into this game, and have it so that your Sims could actually drive, stop at stop signs, and have accidents. That would be amazing, but I guess I'll have to wait for Sims 4. :D This seems even better anyway. I hope it won't be too complicated. XD
OMG!!!..THIS SOUNDS SO COOOL...I WAS GOING TO BUY THE SIMS 2..BUT I THINK ILL WAIT FOR THIS
yea, it looks pratta cool i guess, but usaully after awhile they get really boring and make you think what a wast of money, i mean yea they can get face-lifts it say's and all these other cool, interesting things, but who cares after a week or so you get tired of it, or at least i do. I mean i might probably will be getting but hey i have more a life then getting on the comp.and playing games all day. i'm not tryin to say it's going to be a horrible game but, if you don't have a life yea lots of GEEKS,LOSERS,NERDS will be playing this game 24-7 because, they have nothing else to do accept play video games so it kinda just holding people back from being outside or somthin. Also the game probably will be like $40.00 or somthin i'm tryin to so overpriced for a computer game because usaully all thier games are overpriced they should only be like $10.00 or 15.00 dollers not 40 or 50. Maybe you disagree but many people agree that these games are over priced like me and probably so do your parents who buy the game WASTE OF MONEY!!!!!!
Oh wow I haven't played The Sims in years. I stopped buying it after Sims Pets. Do I need The Sims 2 to play this game? It would suck if a newbie had to buy the first and second editions of The Sims. Maxis shouldn't make you do that. =< I hope it has online play in which you can interact wih your friends and others in real time. That'd be cool! =D
Ok, Ive played every sim game.......it seems like this game is just like Urbs & Sims 2..mixed together...seriously...Im going to get it of corse but its not much of a change in Sims....
I think it will be a pleasure to play a game like this! I hope it will look actually kind of real! but in the pictures it does look real! i hope i will be able to get this new Sims game becuz ive been craving to play the sims!