Sims 3 is coming out. In case you didn't know, The original Sims came out in 2000, and the Sims 2 in 2004, so, while initially I felt it was too early to release a third edition, I guess we are due for one. If you do not play the games and are not familiar with them, I guess this blog wont make much sense to you, but you can read on anyways (I'll try to make it simple).
I heard the Sims 3 was coming out and initially thought "Why? We got so much out of Sims 2, what need is there to upgrade again?" After doing a little research, this is my conclusion: The Sims 3 is an unnecessary addition to Maxis' already highly successful series.
Major Difference in Sims 3: Seamless Neighborhood.
This means that, whichever house you're running at the moment, you can walk right over and talk to your friends without having to call them, wait for them to visit you, or pickup your entire family and drag them on a vacation while leaving your lot frozen. You can have any single character go somewhere and interact with people and objects off of your lot while the others stay home and throw a party in their absence. This, obviously, was not possible in the previous games. However, it leads to the major flaw of Sims 3.
Major Flaw in Sims 3: Like-Real Time Gameplay.
Contrary to your non-gamer perspective, real-time gameplay is not '1 hour in real world means 1 hour in the game' (Though it can, if it makes sense for that game). It means that, when you're not in the game, the game is still going on. This is how most online games work, because several hundred people need to coexist in the same server at the same time. For the Sims 3, however, the game doesn't continue on whenever you're away - it continues on whenever someone within your seamless neighborhood is moving it forward.
That means that Mom, who doesn't have much time to play time-eating games, could create a character and their child one day and come back the next week, after I have created my own characters and played with them for the whole week, to find her child character all grown up and taking care of their old and frail parent. The seamless neighborhood is a fantastic idea, as long as everyone plays in their own neighborhood. Unfortunately, if you want to be able to interact with your friend's and family's characters, you will have to deal with the idea that your characters will get experiences and relationships while you're not there to guide them.
Of course, Wikipedia assures us that your character's free-will actions will be limited to taking care of themselves and dealing with small problems, but, knowing that other characters in the neighborhood are being controlled makes me wonder what kind of trouble I could possibly get my Mom's characters into.
Minor Difference in Sims 3: Graphics
...look the same to me. Yes, I know they are better - and I can kind of tell that they are better - but no matter how I look at it, they don't compare to the stark contrast between Sims 1 and Sims 2. Which just seems lame, though I guess the graphics aren't the major reason for updating the name from '2' to '3'.
Minor Difference in Sims 3: Character Physical Control
Apparently, you can now change your Sim's eye color - couldn't you before? Well, both Wikipedia and the Sims3 website seem to be making a big deal about this. Also, you can more finely control the character's body weight, which will (as was with Sims 2) be affected by how much your character eats and exercises. There also seems to be finer controls for hair color and dress (though I haven't yet seen what the difference between Sims 2 and this version is yet). Lastly, I note that in the Sims 2, you could make your character an Alien (There were a LOT of alien references in Sims 2). In this version, so far as I have seen, you can not.
Minor Difference in Sims 3: Personality
Another minor difference from Sims 2. In Sims 2, you could designate a 'desire' (intellect, sociability, romance, etc.) for your characters, whereas this you set a distinct 'personality'. Nowhere will tell me what that means, except that what your character does during their 'free-will' time will be decided by said personality. Also, as per one promotional video, it seems you can make your character a vegan. Or vegetarian (Only vegans really know the difference). Anyway, I don't consider this a Major Difference because it's just a slight upgrade from what we already had, and it's only necessary because of the seamless neighborhood and the like-real-time gameplay law.
Minor Difference in Sims 3: Careers
Another difference that doesn't seem to exist but, when you look hard enough, you realize really IS different. What new jobs might be available, I don't know, but the career feature is tweaked to give you more leeway now. Using some seemingly magic power (No one will tell me HOW this comes about), you can determine if your character slacks off on the job or works overtime, if they complete certain tasks or defy their employer. In Sims 2, you would get occasional updates, such as "You accidentally start a trash fire - do you confess?" This game is, I guess, more advanced in that area. Also, you can pan over your character's workplace on your neighborhood map (Though you can't look inside).
Minor Difference in Sims 3: Grid Lines
Anyone familiar with the Sims knows about the grid lines when in build or buy mode. With the Sims 3, the lines are four times smaller to allow easier and closer placement of objects (as per Wikipedia). Also according to Wikipedia, objects will be allowed to rotate freely for complete customizing. Finally, objects on surfaces can be placed as closely together as you want, as long as they don't intersect (Because that would be, you know, unrealistic).
Final Minor Difference in Sims 3: Animator
Instead of taking pictures, this version of the game allows you to make movies (which, if anyone knows anything, if just several hundred pictures flashed in sequence... quickly). Did anyone even use the camera tool from the original Sims?
Looking at everything, I still think the Sims 3 is not going to be the greatest game to come out of Maxis. I'm still loving my Spore game (Thanks to Nathan for buying both the game and the updated PC to play it with), and since Sims is such a time eater... I think I'll be fine without this one. However, don't think I'm condemning you if you decide to buy it. It sounds like a fun game - I just don't have the time.
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