THE HORROR: The REAL TS3 Scoop As It Unfolds

[Solowren]

Nobody said anything about infringment. EA does not hold the trademark for the human race simulation genre.  Besides legal minds disagree everyday on any given issue, that's why they get the big bucks, and that's why companies pay big retainer fees, to convince a judge that their interpation of the lw is the correct on.

cyn

You do not need to sign your posts. We can see who wrote it quite easily without it.

[Hook]

Does nobody realize that there is ALREADY a Sims-like game on the market?  It's even online.  You can start playing tomorrow instead of waiting several years for one to be made.  As far as I know, EA hasn't given them any legal hassles.

Just watch out for the Furries.

Hook

[Dureth]

Nobody said anything about infringment. EA does not hold the trademark for the human race simulation genre.  Besides legal minds disagree everyday on any given issue, that's why they get the big bucks, and that's why companies pay big retainer fees, to convince a judge that their interpation of the lw is the correct on.

cyn

You do not need to sign your posts. We can see who wrote it quite easily without it.

LIES!

Does nobody realize that there is ALREADY a Sims-like game on the market?  It's even online.  You can start playing tomorrow instead of waiting several years for one to be made.  As far as I know, EA hasn't given them any legal hassles.

Just watch out for the Furries.

Hook

See? You *do* have to sign your name!

[neder]

Interestingly enough, the game had no issue at all letting me drop a family on an empty lot, motherlode them and then move them to a better house.

Use "freeRealEstate" in the cheatbox. It allows a family to move into any lot, regardless of price. It has to be re-entered every time you go back to the "edit" screen, though.

[Solowren]

See? You *do* have to sign your name!

Because one person does? Come on.

[Bass Junkie]

Nobody said anything about infringment. EA does not hold the trademark for the human race simulation genre.  Besides legal minds disagree everyday on any given issue, that's why they get the big bucks, and that's why companies pay big retainer fees, to convince a judge that their interpation of the lw is the correct on.

cyn

You do not need to sign your posts. We can see who wrote it quite easily without it.

LIES!

Does nobody realize that there is ALREADY a Sims-like game on the market?  It's even online.  You can start playing tomorrow instead of waiting several years for one to be made.  As far as I know, EA hasn't given them any legal hassles.

Just watch out for the Furries.

Hook

See? You *do* have to sign your name!

Why didn't you?

[Dureth]

Nobody said anything about infringment. EA does not hold the trademark for the human race simulation genre.  Besides legal minds disagree everyday on any given issue, that's why they get the big bucks, and that's why companies pay big retainer fees, to convince a judge that their interpation of the lw is the correct on.

cyn

You do not need to sign your posts. We can see who wrote it quite easily without it.

LIES!

Does nobody realize that there is ALREADY a Sims-like game on the market?  It's even online.  You can start playing tomorrow instead of waiting several years for one to be made.  As far as I know, EA hasn't given them any legal hassles.

Just watch out for the Furries.

Hook

See? You *do* have to sign your name!

Why didn't you?

So nobody could see who wrote it, of course! 

[MidnightVoyager]

Psssst. Mr. Humble.

I'm a gamer. I've played (and do play) MMOs. I love Sims. By your logic, I would love this game, no?

No.

See, when I come to Sims, I don't want a god-damned MMO. If I want a MMO, I will find one, thank you very much.

Idiot.

[gethane]

Actually, I did write a letter to the dev's of Aion asking them to consider making a sims type of game.  After which, I posted said letter on the bbs. I figured since EA wasn't "getting" what we wanted, if I wrote to the other company who was making the characters look and move the way I'd like to see our sims look and move, maybe my letter would inspire someone...but of course it fell flat.

No reputable gaming company is going to even attempt to infringe the trademark of EA's Sims series. That would be not only actionable (unlike the coding stuff we've been hammering on about) but it would mean major lawsuits.

That kind of stuff can land a company in two types of court-trademark and bankruptcy. It's not even close-you don't fuck with someone's trademark or registered game. That's definitely a real big no-no in business.

Nobody said anything about infringment. EA does not hold the trademark for the human race simulation genre.  Besides legal minds disagree everyday on any given issue, that's why they get the big bucks, and that's why companies pay big retainer fees, to convince a judge that their interpation of the lw is the correct on.

cyn

after just finishing up my first year of law school, including a semester in Intro to IP, I can say with confidence that ideas are NOT protectable by copyright. Of course, a competing game could not use the expression of that idea (i.e. the code), nor could they call it "Sims" since that would likely be a TM infringement, but another life simulator game like the sims could certainly be made. Notice how many fantasy/rpg type MMORPG's there are?

[Zazazu]

With the exact same base classes, too. Every time I see some kid complaining that X game stole the Archer, Thief, Mage, and Warrior classes from Y game, it gives me the giggles.

LIES!

Does nobody realize that there is ALREADY a Sims-like game on the market?  It's even online.  You can start playing tomorrow instead of waiting several years for one to be made.  As far as I know, EA hasn't given them any legal hassles.

Just watch out for the Furries.

Hook

See? You *do* have to sign your name!

Did you miss Hook's last response to name-signing criticism? He's been signing his posts since you and I were in diapers. He was grandfathered in.

[Marq]

This game is a bummer. I started out excited for it, and I became more and more turned off as I learned more about it. It's like everything else in life, I guess. First, I learn that the neighborhood is fixed and unalterable (an inexcusable step back to The Sims original)...

Actually, you can edit the neighborhood you just can't place lots wherever the heck you want.  I've culled the lots in one neighborhood and I'm working on creating a goth themed hood.  With all of the lots, and there's a crap ton, I actually don't mind not being able to place lots where ever I want to. 

The thing that'll drive the nail into the coffin for me is the lack of potential for custom content. Will CC creators be able to put mods, textures, and meshes into neat little package files?

I imagine that real CC will find its way into the game eventually.  EAxis' Maxiod Whomever has stated that there will be an "official" CC tool, which I'm assuming if for the "official" version of the game.  I wonder how many more times I can say "official".  If you think back it took some time for CC to make its way to get into TS2 and even longer for quality CC to make its way into the game.  I'm sure EAxis won't be releasing (what I think is) an awesome modding tool like the ones Bethesda releases for ES or Fallout, but maybe it'll be useful to modders in creating a quality CC tool.

I say you just arr the game and decide if the game's worth it.  If you don't like it then you didn't waste $50, if you do like it then you can still not waste $50 or you can wait for the price to go down to something reasonable.

Marq

[fiberglassdolphin]

EAxis' Maxiod Whomever has stated that there will be an "official" CC tool, which I'm assuming if for the "official" version of the game.  I wonder how many more times I can say "official".  ....  I'm sure EAxis won't be releasing (what I think is) an awesome modding tool like the ones Bethesda releases for ES or Fallout, but maybe it'll be useful to modders in creating a quality CC tool.

Yeah, promised object/neighborhood editors will either not come or will suck horribly (and/or will be for sale in the Store; -shudder-)

Does nobody realize that there is ALREADY a Sims-like game on the market?  It's even online.

Would this be Second Life? Not remotely a people simulator in my opinion. More of a virtual world social networking program that happens to have some creation tools for users. Well, maybe it's a little similar (as you pimp your avatar, build a home if you can afford a place to put it, and even get jobs like DJ or prostitute), but in the way apples are similar to oranges. They're both fruity.

By the WAY, Second Life is SUCCESSFUL. Allowing users to run wild with custom content makes you SUCCESSFUL, Electronic "Arts".

[Marq]

Yeah, promised object/neighborhood editors will either not come or will suck horribly (and/or will be for sale in the Store; -shudder-)

I don't think EAxis is capable of creating a tool that doesn't suck horribly.   
Whatever happened to "Challenge Everything"?  

Marq

ETA:  So, I know it may not be awesome to sign posts but it's what I do.

[Bass Junkie]

Would this be Second Life? Not remotely a people simulator in my opinion. More of a virtual world social networking program that happens to have some creation tools for users. Well, maybe it's a little similar (as you pimp your avatar, build a home if you can afford a place to put it, and even get jobs like DJ or prostitute), but in the way apples are similar to oranges. They're both fruity.

By the WAY, Second Life is SUCCESSFUL. Allowing users to run wild with custom content makes you SUCCESSFUL, Electronic "Arts".

Kudos is another life sim, however I wouldn't call it a competitor to either.

[fiberglassdolphin]

Whatever happened to "Challenge Everything"?  

To be fair, your patience and optimism are under the category of "everything".

Kudos is another life sim, however I wouldn't call it a competitor to either.

Yeah, one of those games that tried to take advantage of the popularity of The Sims, but wasn't made with enough dedication to be as broad and open-ended.

[Marq]

To be fair, your patience and optimism are under the category of "everything".

Oh and both are being challenged everyday.  If it isn't EA sucking the life out of something its the BBS sucking the life out of you.  A pox on their crappiness. 

Speaking of sucking the life out of something, I was looking at the TS3 strat guide at work yesterday (didn't actually read it b/c I'm lazy and didn't feel like re-wrapping the thing) and it's a lot smaller than the TS2 base game guide.  I thought I was feeling like the game was missing things that even a base game should have. 

Marq

[Dureth]

ETA:  So, I know it may not be awesome to sign posts but it's what I do.

Most things in life aren't awesome; no need to apologize.

Regarding the EA tools: I know if I don't see a friggan neighborhood creator soon, I'm gonna be rather livid. Being a paying customer always gives me a nice, warm and fuzzy feeling of entitlement.   Other than what they've promised, I think I'd kind of prefer modders make our tools. It may take longer (probably not heh) but it will *work*... and if it doesn't work, it will get fixed.

[Lerf]

I'm still waiting for the Sims 2 Content Creator they promised us.... 

[Marq]

Most things in life aren't awesome; no need to apologize.

Oh, I wasn't apologizing.  Just stating that I knew I wasn't being awesome.   
Maybe you'll get your neighborhood creator in the next Sim City.  Sim City 500000, a combination of what didn't work in Sim City 4 and what everyone hated from Sim City Societies. 

I'm still waiting for the Sims 2 Content Creator they promised us.... 

What do you mean?  We have the Home Crafter Plus and all it's useless wonderful  abilities.  And don't forget about Bodyshop! EAxis is nothing but dead dreams and empty promises.  And the best part is that they probably know this, they just don't care.

[Lorelei]

ETA:  So, I know it may not be awesome to sign posts but it's what I do.

Good to know we're dealing with a rude person who disregards the fact that this forum DOES NOT LIKE redundant stupidity like signed posts.

Hook is a special case, and does it primarily to get on specific people's nerves, to boot.

Stop signing your posts. It is retarded, especially as we can see your username RIGHT THERE.

[EdenNintyNine]

Laugh with me as they throw the word OFFICIAL out a dozen times!

The ‘official' Casanova does not even look like he could swoon the pants off a dead guy, let alone a living one. You would think that an ‘official' TS3 product would have better looking sims.

Though after reviewing their purchasable hairstyles I think I should reconsider where I am placing my confidence.

[Marq]

Good to know we're dealing with a rude person who disregards the fact that this forum DOES NOT LIKE redundant stupidity like signed posts.

Hook is a special case, and does it primarily to get on specific people's nerves, to boot.

Stop signing your posts. It is retarded, especially as we can see your username RIGHT THERE.

In my mind it has nothing to do with seeing the user name, it's like ending a note or a letter.  You sign your name.  It's polite in my book.  If it's rude in yours then I won't do it.  Maybe i missed the post where it was said to be rude to sign your post but I have gone through this entire thread (even read the FAQ albeit a year ago) and I don't remember reading anywhere that it was regarded as rude.  Well, now I know and knowing half the battle.

[fiberglassdolphin]

The ‘official' Casanova does not even look like he could swoon the pants off a dead guy, let alone a living one. You would think that an ‘official' TS3 product would have better looking sims.

It seems like you can't make your Sims very good-looking OR grotesquely hideous beyond reason. I want to do both. I hope there's some way to remove the limits on the sliders.

[Dureth]

ETA:  So, I know it may not be awesome to sign posts but it's what I do.

Good to know we're dealing with a rude person who disregards the fact that this forum DOES NOT LIKE redundant stupidity like signed posts.

Hook is a special case, and does it primarily to get on specific people's nerves, to boot.

Stop signing your posts. It is retarded, especially as we can see your username RIGHT THERE.

Don't say 'It is retarded". Say the truth- it annoys you. Then people can go from there.

-Dureth  

[morriganrant]

The ‘official' Casanova does not even look like he could swoon the pants off a dead guy, let alone a living one. You would think that an ‘official' TS3 product would have better looking sims.

It seems like you can't make your Sims very good-looking OR grotesquely hideous beyond reason. I want to do both. I hope there's some way to remove the limits on the sliders.

Of course you can make your sims hideous beyond all reason. That is practically built in. The issue is that you can't make them reasonably attractive without them all starting to look the same, put the slider too far and they start looking cartoon-y.

Don't say 'It is retarded". Say the truth- it annoys you. Then people can go from there.
-Dureth  

Will saying that it is stupid, because it is redundant, work for you?