Updates:

The Sims 3 producer MJ Chun will be making a stop to Amsterdam – Holland to allow Dutch fansites to get a sneak peak of The Sims 3!  The plans are to play the game for 5 hours, ask questions and hopefully come back with awesome articles and reviews!  I’ll be doing my job of searching and linking to any article, image and video that comes from this event!

List of attending sites:

Click “read the rest of this entry” to view all of the information! 😀

Videos:

News:

On May 15, 2009 I went to the Jaarbeurs in Utrecht (The Netherlands) for a Sims 3 hands-on event! We already attended a Sims 3 event in 2008 but that was more or less a demo of the game, shown to us by Ben Bell. This time we could actually play and ask questions to MJ Chun. More about that later! At first I was quite skeptic about the game. I love The Sims 2 so much… I created over 10.000 custom content items I’m currently using in my own game. I created more in the past but re-made many of the items. I met the love of my life because of The Sims (2) and we got a lovely son together. So I guess you can say The Sims in general has been a very important game to me. I still have my legacies in The Sims 2 and I bought each and every expansion and stuff pack available. I don’t want to let that all go to waste once The Sims 3 comes out. That doesn’t mean The Sims 3 isn’t a fun game. I had a chance to play it now myself and I will tell you all about it in this preview!

I also want to add beforehand that I got to play a Dutch version of The Sims 3. There was only one PC with an English version and someone else got that version. So it’s possible I use certain words that do not match with the actual game you’ll get to play once it’s in stores.

We did not get to take any pictures from the game. So we’ll be using official screenshots instead.

Jump to SimsNetwork and start reading!

We were asked to create a sim for the Exchange. I thought, with all those millions of options, it would take me hours. But that wasn’t the case. I decided to make myself and after randomizing a bit I found a somewhat similar looking sim. Chose some nice clothes, used Create a style to put some nice textures on it, added the right shoes and changed some facial features and was done pretty fast. So for those that want a nice looking sim and don’t want to spend too much time in CAS, you will love the Sims 3.

Because I was done so fast, I had quite some time left to play around with my sim a bit. The controls are getting a bit used to and with the hilly landscape it’s a bit hard to get the right angle, but you’ll get the hang off it quickly. Another nice feature is all those little exclusive interactions. For example, my Sim was sitting on the toilet eating a from a small bucket of icecream (like those Ben&Jerry ones)! I’m not even sure it’s a normal interaction or because I chose a certain trait. I bet many Simsforums will be filled with stories like “you never guess what my Sim just did!”

Time for some tv. In old previews, you could read there were only 4 channels. But there were a few more added and there are 9 channels now! Here’s the list: Fishing, Sport, Kitchen, Horror, Action, Kids, Romantic, Garden and History. Ofcourse the images on the tv are much sharper now.

Snooty has more!  Drop by SnootySims and read, read read!

One of the other major changes is how time works. Rather than loading up a single household, playing it, and noticing how time stops in the rest of the neighborhood, time now moves on. There is an option to disable big events from occuring automatically (marriage, for example), but otherwise the neighborhood is one vivid place moving forward in time. This implies that whenever your Sim goes to a community lot or anywhere else in the neighborhood, time moves on. You can send one of your Sims out to a park, and leave the rest at home, but you’ll have to do your best to control them all at the same time. This change may be too radical for some players. On the other hand, it does make it easier to keep the ages of generations more consistent, as everybody will grow up at the same time.

To make things a little easier for you, some other things have also changed. Free Will has now three settings: off, normal and high. When off, Sims will not do anything you don’t tell them to. We weren’t able to directly find out the difference between the normal and high settings, but with high free will we assume Sims will do more by themselves, including taking care of themselves. So Sims can still miss the toilet, but it’s more likely that you have to tell them to.

Continue reading the full report at The Sims Zone

Many people have been wondering how you’re going to deal with the open neighbourhood. So about things like how the A.I. is going to work and how you can interact with your neighbours. Could you tell us something about that?

Well, my favourite moment was when I was playing a frugal mooch, who was really charismatic. So basically he’s like a friend who’s really nice and funny but borrows everything from you… So I was playing in his house, and I could see the neighbours having a barbeque. And it was so cool to be able to see what the neighbours are doing!
So I had him go next door and he got invited in, and immediately he started eating their food and watching their TV, and I was like: Sweet! And that was a powerful moment for me, because not only did I get to watch my sim crossing the street, going to the neighbours, but I could also interact with them and influence them.
So if they’re home, you can get introduced and go inside. If your friends are home, you can see who’s inside and go visit their houses. You can invite people to your house, or you could invite your friends to go to the park or the bistro and go out. You can also meet people in the park, or go to the cemetery and meet with the ghosts that live there. It really is an open town.

The A.I. is really interesting; it’s what we called story progression.
The town has its own sort of personality which makes sure that you have sims in the town. So if you decided to kill off all your sims or to evict everybody, the town will repopulate itself. Families will be made, sims will get married, and get jobs. Sometimes if you make a sim and then play with another sim and then go back, he might have gotten a job, or he might be unemployed and just be a general mooch, but that’s just the story progression.

More over at SimParool!

  • Babies are wrapped in a cloth and not just a diaper on.
  • Babies and toddlers can be taken on the arm, but you can not leave.
  • You can now also the needs of babies see.
  • Infants should also now know the world and learning to talk, walk and be clean. If all goes well, you can choose an additional property.
  • Children must attend school from 9.00 to 15.00 and 14.00 to teenagers as they are doing their best. When they grow up happy, they have a choice in property. Also they can get and therefore criminal detention.
  • A happy and happy pregnancy gives better properties to the baby.
  • The pregnant Sim may have nausea and back pain. They had both before and after the paid maternity leave.
  • The Sims 3 is not suddenly dark. You can see it shine and becoming darker, much more beautiful way!

More tidbits and a preview over at Sims 2 Planet (translated to English)

Could you give us a bit more information about the downloadable town: Riverview?
Riverview is a complete new neighborhood with 60+ complete new NPC’s. There is a beautiful river in the small town and here are beautiful pastures. There will also be a few “old” faces from The Sims 2 in Riverview. Like ‘Don Lothario’. (When I heard MJ talking about Riverview I also heard the word ‘cow’. Unfortunatly I didn’t ask further on that one.)

In The Sims 3, if a couple with children will divorce, will one of the parents come by in weekends to pick up the children? Or something else in that direction?
That depends on the player, but this won’t happen on it’s own. Divorced Sims with children will have wishes about their children. For example, a Sim of my own, the father of the child from Claire Ursine wanted to buy a dresser for the child, for whatever reason! Because of that I found out the reason was because Claire didn’t buy a dresser herself.

Many more questions and answers with MJ Chun over at Sims 3 Nieuws!

Another info-update from the Dutch fanevent. Today, a list of all the ingredients and their price. Check it here: SnootySim’s Foodlist

Well when it started really, the life of my sims. This was all very new. For precisely that moment I was picked for an interview with MJ Chun. When I came back from this interview, I completely forgot to press pause! One of my Sims was swimming at the public pool. The other Saturday to behave as a celebrity in everyone they met, I think its because I am the ‘snob’ property had given character. And my daughter Saturday to flirt with everyone because they think I ‘hopeless romantic’ character had property. Unfortunately I have not much more to play with my Sims because I as much as possible of the game would know that I completely forgot the game itself just to play!

Then after a long time to spend with her, we finally came to the real look of my Sim. Namely the face! This was really great to work with. You can fine detail work that you really cared to everyone from the real life can make! Or just someone with the most up separate uitelijk ever. You can change as much as any part of the head, and really any part of the head, also 2 or more parts where you can choose. And if you use one of those parts have been, there are still more parts with ‘sliders’ that you work so many beautiful and different Sims can make! After I finished it I wanted to select the eye color, and no. You can not choose between 5 different colors. But from 8 … And if that is not enough, you can always just like the hair, the color pallet and the craziest dive up and select colors!

I’ve also tried out to talk with the hubby ghost of Miss Crumplebottom. His tombstone was in the front yard which allowed the hubby ghost to get out the tombstone in the night. Miss Crumplebottom could talk with him, flirt with him, actually everything you can do with any other Sim as well. But you do need to have some patience with ghosts. If they start haunting in the house they go into items. For example the couch. The couch will then start floating and shaking, no option to click on the couch to call the ghost or anything. You’ll have to wait for the ghost to come out of it so you can click on him/her. The weird but funny part of it was at the end of the night, the sun was coming up and Miss Crumplebottom had been talking and flirting with the ghost all night long. At some point the ghost started yelling he needed to go to bed. Right.. what a surprise. I’ve never seen that before. What I found very beautiful were the graphical touches the ghost got. You could see this man died from something with water, most likely he drowned himself or something. His appearance was as if you were looking at the reflection of water in a river, moving because of a little breeze. He also leaked water drops. Luckily he didn’t leave little water pools in the house, like they did in The Sims 2. I was wondering how I could get the hubby ghost into the household as playable. I could’ve sworn I read something about being able to have a playable ghost. Kiara told me I should go to the science building, something there could get the ghost into the household as a playable one. We couldn’t find anything though, not a single option to do that. So this is a goal for when the game officially gets released.

A very lengthy preview can be read if you visit Sims 3 Nieuws!

Finally we were allowed to play. I had a man who created something beautiful (he was still spit ugly). I had given him those personality characteristics: computerwiz, athletic, party and the rest I do not. He had at least one round with white striped shirt. Finally, I chose one for him. I decided the name Kees Pictures to take. Now added in a woman they called the family to Anelies and was married to Kees. She had a little look like a photo / movie. She had a dress and was very very slim. I gave her this personality characteristics: vegetarian, artist, love the outdoor life, athletic and hot head. When I clicked on the check, I let my first screen against. That was one of the few. I had to choose a house where they were living. I chose just a small house with a large garden. I was just a very small screen of late 5 seconds. I was at the house and started the organization. I had just put things down. It was a combination of classic and modern, expensive and cheap. What immediately struck me is that many objects in Sims 2 and Sims 2 seasons came. Very many items were not. I had just set and went with them to the city to make friends there. Anelies immediately familiar with Christiaan van de Kerkhof. Kees, it’s not good to make friends. I chose a job to give. Anelies a music career in the theater and Kees a job at the supermarket (which is weird but they were side by side: P). For a job to do you no longer read the newspaper or on the computer to go. You can right click on a building to take a job. There you could also click to resign. The buildings you could still not see: (. Anelies When Kees and their jobs had I went back home. That was what they couch. And even a little sleep. They need only to work Monday and the first day in the Sims 3 is a Sunday.

scannen0005merk by you.

Roughly translated to English – Simlicious’ writeup

Another Sims 3 update for the site; The Lifetime rewards has been completed with the new data found at the event. It seems that High Roller (win more with bets) was removed in favor of Great Author (earn more on royalties).
Check this page here: SnootySim’s Lifetime Rewards

  • If a child * is * caught sleeping in class or cheating, then immediately after school detention.
  • The school bus is gone and then the child will be home to walk / bike.
  • Pregnant Sims can nauseous and / or have back pain.They are before and after childbirth by paid leave.
  • They are new requirements that you must fulfill.
  • If a pregnant Sims read a book about pregnancy and therefore the pregnancy well.
  • If they have a happy and healthy pregnancy, a mother more likely that her baby good qualities.
  • You could even choose one from when everything goes well.

Lots more facts that are roughly translated from Dutch to English over at MammaSims!

Weeell, Junior’s veeeeeeeeery long day is over! Junior’s feet are killing him because of all the walking. Junior could watch the female secretary build her house for a while, and she did a great job! It’ll be put on the Exchange in a little over two weeks time! Afterwards Junior went to McDonalds with the secretaries, aunt Angela, uncle Martin, uncle Wouter, uncle Jordy and aunt Madelon, to get some food and drinks, because Junior was really hungry! And then Junior had to wait for the train on the station, and now Junior is back home.

JuniorWood – Sims 3 Hands on #5

Cheats have been discovered!  Head on over to SnootySims to view them – just make a note that there is bound to be more, these are the only ones Snooty has found!

1) How are the graphics settings?

2) How is the new body shop?

3) If you have a family to play and you see your whole neighborhood, the cost is enormous memory?

1 – About the same as the Sims 2

2 – This is a very long story, and that you can best look at our video on Youtube CAS. There is no separate body shop program at the sims

3 – Well they have a specially designed system which ensures that details disappear when you zoom. If you zoom all the way you see no more cars, and houses are also a little less detail.

More questions and answers over at the SimParool forums (roughly translated to English)

I’ve also played with a very young Mrs Crumplebottom because a ghost was there, and it’s true, you can communicate with a ghost.
Another funny thing is the graveyard, on it there’s a mausoleum and my sim went in, when she got out she didn’t want to tell what happened in there but she was afraid of the dark since.

Some object from expansions from the Sims 2 are in the game, like the drawing table for toddlers from FT and the playhouse from AL.
You can take toddlers to a park, but when your sim leaves without the toddler you’ll get a popup which asks if you want to hire a nanny or go back yourself.

Everyone there made something for the community and the houses and sims will be online when the website comes online, so look out for Isilya DeKMoG on the website cause we made her

That’s about everything i can remember at this time, if you have any questions you can asks them and we maybe we can answer it.

But wait, there is more to be read at DeKDeS & Mogway Sims!

Right now The Sims Zone is visiting a Sims 3 hands-on event in Utrecht. We’ve already seen the game presented by MJ Chun and got some time to play the game ourselves. We can now report that there will at least be an ageUpToNPC cheat: this will allow you to grow a toddler into an NPC (Non-Playable Character). Right now our own Rosana is creating a house for the Exchange when it launches. Over at Juniorwood, Junior, mascot of our affiliate SimsNetwork has posted a few blog posts. We’ll bring a bigger preview soon. Until then, check out some other sources.

The Sims Zone – Quick report from Utrecht

Right now we’re on the fan event in Utrecht, where Rosana is now busy designing a house for the exchange when it launches. Everybody’s busy playing, creating and working. Junior has blogged a lot. We have also discovered some cheats, including the test cheat: “testingCheatsEnabled true” (without “boolProp”!). FamilyFunds also still works, and with unlockOutfits you can access the career and service outfits in Create-a-Sim. We’ll soon report more about the event, until then you can check out the following sources…

SimsNetwork – Live report on The Sims 3

Junior is back again, with a goodiebag! It has a Sims 3 introduction CD, a big plumbob, a small plumbob tiara, and a plumbob USB stick! MJ has signed the big plumbob! Cool, huh? EA has also made some group photos and Junior is on them! Junior will put some more pictures online soon! But now Junior is blogging again, because the female secretary is creating a house that will be posted on the official exchange at the launch of the Sims 3. It takes a little to get used to all the controls, and it has to be done really quickly, as there’s only half an hour to get it all done. Everything got delayed a bit at the start, so now we have only a bit of time left.

JuniorWood – Sims 3 Hands on #4

Soo, Junior is back again for a bit! Junior is still playing, but Junior has also had lunch and drank something! And Junior is on a picture with MJ from EA! And the secretaries have discovered the testing cheat! And there’s much more news! But that will all be in previews. Right now everybody is busy playing, twittering, blogging and so on. In a while there will be a nice surprise, but Junior doesn’t know what that is yet.

JuniorWood – Sims 3 Hands on #3

Oh, Junior can also set the options if Sims age, how old they will be, and big automatic events like marriage and such can be enabled and disabled, and much more! Junior is really enthusiastic! But the secretaries will write more on their own sites. Now Junior will have some lunch before playing some more!

Oh, finally: there is a cheat to enable Llamas in the game: enableLlamas. See you later!

JuniorWood – Sims 3 Hands on #2

In Utrecht MJ Chun will show The Sims 3 and Junior can also play this time! Unfortunately taking pictures of the game isn’t allowed, so Junior is a bit sad about that, but Junior will be going by train and eat nice rolls there and drink coffee at the station en going to the Jaarbeurs to play though!

JuniorWood – Sims 3 Hands on #1

Tweets:

  • SnootySims – 3 careers in Sims 3 have branches. This means that after level 5, you can choose a different route. For Music you choose for classic or rock
  • SnootySims – Toddler/Baby objects: A Mini stove, Xylophone, Blocks, Blocks table, Teddybear, 3 different toyboxes, Dollhouse and hanging crib toy.
  • SnootySims – A lot of Sims 3 tv channels were added besides the known 4. There’s now also a History channel, Horror channel and even a Fishing channel!
  • SnootySims – NPC’s are also in Sims 3: Nanny, Burglar, Repoman, Childservice lady, Repairman, Fireman, pizzadude, but there’s also a Science nerd!
  • SnootySims – Lifetime wishes: “Surrounded by family”: Raise 5 babies to teens. “Hartbreaker”: get 10 (girl)friends. Max 3 skills for “renaissance sim”.
  • SnootySims – Wow, lots of new followers today! Sims 3 news tidbit: the top job in music doesn’t give you a salary; just the option to give concerts!
  • SnootySims – Did you know it still takes 2 hours to take a bath and an hour to prepare a meal?
  • SnootySims – HideHeadlineEffects on/off: With this cheat, you can remove the thought balloons. Or how about: jokePlease: which shows a random joke.
  • TheSimsZone – ageuptonpc cheat: grow up a toddler to become an NPC
  • SNW – unlockOutfits: unlock career and service outfits in CAS
  • SNW – familyfunds is still available!
  • SNW – Debug cheat: “testingCheatsEnabled true” — NO boolprop! Edit your Sims traits and more!
  • SNW – and even some career specific options: in the culinary track, you can sleep on the preparation table, or practice cooking
  • SNW – When your Sim goes to work, you have several options, like “Just do your work”, “Work hard”, “Take it easy”, “Meet Colleagues”…
  • SNW – You can select one active family per save slot, and choose others in the game (you’ll lose the wishes from the previously selected family)
  • SimParool – Unconfirmed: it appears from the main menu that you can play 1 family per neighborhood. Again this is unconfirmed
  • SimParool – Some info: traits affect gameplay a lot. Romance sims get more money when writing romance novels.
  • TSZCheetah – No Control+S to save in TS3

Pictures:

The attendees were told they were able to take pictures, but at the last minute, EA changed their minds and told them they can’t.  However, they can still take photos of the actual event – just not of the gameplay:

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