The Sims™ 3 Community Blog
: September 2013
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We recently invited Simmers on Facebook to write their own captions to The Sims 3 Movie Stuff screenshot above. Here are a few of our favorites:


 “He has no idea I poisoned him..”

“You’ll see what you’re about to get for eating my fat cakes on Shark Week.”

“And now my pretty, let me see if I can turn you into something else than just a toad. Stand still, this will only hurt once!”

“Little did Bryan know, Karen was on the hunt… and this time, she’d GET HER MAN.”

“So… you thought I wouldn’t notice the ******* crumbs on the bed!”

“I stuck your head under the blanket and farted last night muahahahaha!”

“Hey honey, I spent our life savings on a new outfit.”

“He has no idea I put itching powder in his underwear drawer MWHAHAHA!”

“It’s WooHoo time!”

00:55
11/09/13
Posted by: SimGuruFooLiz

Hi Simmers! SimGuruSarah here to tell you a little bit about our newest Stuff Pack: The Sims 3 Movie Stuff! This pack features dozens of objects and clothing inspired by three classic movie genres – Western, Horror and Heroes & Villains. 

The Western content was inspired by the classic “Spaghetti Western” movies of the 1960’s. We wanted to do something fun that was not necessarily historical. We settled on a saloon theme and created objects to tell a story in that setting. We have a new bar with a matching barstool, a dresser vanity, a rocking chair, a saloon door, and several new wall pieces (one of which has an Easter egg…Bella! Tell me if you find her when Movie Stuff comes out ;-)) Oh, and we have an All-In-One-Bathroom Outhouse!



I absolutely love the new Western attire which features hair, shoes, and clothing for both genders, as well as a new mustache for the men. For female adults, we have a top and bottom set for a sheriff (with pants or a skirt option) and three full body dresses, including a classic saloon girl which shows off a lot of leg! For men we have a classic cowboy look with chaps and leather vest and a ten-gallon hat.

The second movie genre we chose for The Sims 3 Movie Stuff is “spooky horror.” This was both fun and challenging because we wanted to create clothing and objects that felt distinctly different from what you would find in The Sims 3 Supernatural. We settled on a mix of classic horror and quirky Gothic style. We have a tragic bride in her worn wedding dress and veil, and a leather outfit with straps and buckles (with matching shoes) for the ladies.



The spooky objects are very unique and add an interesting spin to your Sim’s home. There is a coffee table with a spider web etched in the glass, a fireplace with glowing eyes, and two new horror themed doors. One of my favorite pieces is “The Doctor’s Spare Parts.” I’ll let you imagine what that might be… 

All of the artists working on The Sims 3 Movie Stuff are comic book junkies, so the hero & villain content was definitely our favorite genre to brainstorm and develop concept art for! We thought about all of our favorite heroes (and villains!) and then we put a Sims spin on it. We came up with unique creations such as Freezer Bunny Man, Super Justice Llama, and the villainous General Skunk! There is even a sidekick outfit for the kids! 



There are some really unique objects you can use to build out your hero or villain’s lair. We have a new table that is a crime map of the city that has flashing lights to indicate where crime is occurring. There is an awesome new wardrobe with superhero logos on the front, and a dresser vanity that has lots of lights, knobs, and other high tech looking gadgets. One of my favorite new objects is the Laser Door! Lasers turn on and off as your Sim walks through the door, and you can change the colors of the lasers. Oh, and did I mention the phone booth that doubles as a shower?

What kind of stories will you create with all these objects? We’ll wait and see when The Sims 3 Movie Stuff Pack comes out! Look for it on September 12 in Australia and  13 in New Zealand. We have a special behind-the-scenes set available only to those fans who buy The Sims 3 Movie Stuff through Origin. 

Check out what Designer Alan Copeland has to say about the new venue, Business as Usual Bistro, he created for The Sims 3!  The Business as Usual Bistro is available on The Sims 3 Store now. 

Design is a lot like shopping on a budget.  You only get so many days of development in each department –Art, Audio, Engineering, etc. – to make something really special.  Having a Non Player Character (or NPC for short) work on a Store item was always something that was too big for that budget… until now.

Thanks to our talented Development Team I’m proud to introduce you to our newest The Sims 3 venue, The Business as Usual Bistro!


 

The Business as Usual Bistro features the brand new It’s Business Time
Industrial Oven.  


This is no ordinary stovetop!  While you can fix a quick meal here, the magic really happens when you Hire a Chef and Set Your Menu!  Setting your menu allows you to customize the type of dining experience you want for your bistro.  Do you only serve vegetarian meals or the best cheesesteaks in town?You decide!



 
When you Hire a Chef a townie will appear to come work that oven.  He or she will start prepping food in anticipation of that dinnertime rush. 




You get to set what hours you want them to work and what level of Chef you want them to be— Line Cook, Sous Chef or Executive Chef.  Higher levels open up better quality food and more recipes but demand a higher salary. Decide you want to demote your chef or if you choose not to promote them after long enough and they just might quit!  





You’ll also want to set up what the mark-up is going to be.  Higher quality food warrants a higher price tag but even that might not be enough to keep Frugal Sims happy.


 

Make sure you place plenty of menus around on tables and counters so you’re Sims can have a wonderful dining experience and the Chef will come out, take your Sims order and hurry to bring them their food!
 

 


Just one more day until the all-new Business as Usual Bistro venue is available on The Sims 3 Store! We had a great time making it and are looking forward to seeing how your Sims use it.

Happy Simming!

00:50
11/09/13
Posted by: SimGuruFooLiz

Wow! Can you believe  The Sims 3 Island Paradise  launch day is finally here!? What an adventure this project has been! In fact, it’s been exactly one year since the very first meeting we had to figure out the theme for the 10th expansion pack for  The Sims 3  . And, despite it being the 10th in a long line of great  The Sims 3  titles, I’ve never been more excited for the launch of any game I’ve ever worked on!  The Sims 3 Island Paradise  is a huge expansion pack that adds major features for everyone – regardless of how you play  The Sims  . From houseboats and resorts, to uncharted islands and scuba diving, I can’t think of any other TS3 expansion that added so many new major systems and ways to play. But you guys already know all about what’s in the pack! So instead of using this blog to recap all of the great things in  The Sims 3 Island Paradise , I thought I’d share a few tips and tricks so that you can dive into your very own paradise as soon as you get your hands on it.



•    The easiest way to get into resort management is to “buy” Hobart’s Hideaway. This once, beautiful resort has fallen into disrepair and needs a lot of work, but it’s a great way to kick start your resort empire without too much financial commitment! Due to the state of the resort, it’s going for the low, low price of §0.00! It will get you into resort management much quicker than building one from scratch.
•    There’s a multitude of different ways to discover uncharted islands. Some can be discovered by simply exploring the area around them via boat, and others will take a little bit more investigation. Try talking to some of the local Isla Paradiso residents, as they have inside knowledge of the surrounding islands and may send you on a quest for discovery!
•    Scuba diving opens up a whole new underwater realm for your Sims to explore. But it can be dangerous! Make sure to acquire the Scuba diving skill by snorkeling first before you try heading out into the deep waters.
•    Keeping guests at your resort happy is a tricky thing to do! Amenities and fun objects found in the Resort Objects Tab in Build & Buy Modes are key to making sure your resort guests have a great time. Happy guests can mean a successful resort!



•    When it comes to houseboat living, the ocean is your backyard! Move between ports whenever you’d like, or leave the landlubber life behind completely and make home sweet home in the middle of the ocean.
•    Scuba diving Sims may encounter a mysterious mermaid from time to time beneath the waves. Becoming friends with one is key to revealing the secret behind transforming your Sim into one of them!



•    When it comes to building houseboats, there are many hull sizes and shapes to start with. If you’re building a smaller houseboat, ladders and the All-in-One Bathroom are crucial for maintaining a functional household in a cramped space.
•    AQUA SLED!!!!! Different boats travel at different speeds. So if you’re looking to get somewhere quick, save up and purchase an Aqua Sled or Speedboat for your Sims. Both will get you where you need to go (which can be a very long way in Isla Paradiso).

And there you have it - some hot tips to get you up and Simming on the sunny shores of Isla Paradiso. As always, and even more so with this expansion pack, I can’t wait to hear about all the fun you’ll have with  The Sims 3 Island Paradise  - I’m always amazed to see the content and stories that we didn’t even think were possible being told and created by you. Until next time Simmers, Shaka Brah!

-SimGuruRyan