More Awesome Than You!

http://eastore.ea.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=1283&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=0&iSubCat=0&iSubSubCat=0&iProductID=1283&AS=1

From what I see, no new interactions either. Only 60 new items.
I bet they think the price is reasonable cos they charge $15 for 40 items so they are actually giving us a discount !!!  by charging us $20 for 60 new items  >:(

Eek - not at all tempted (especially not when that's translated to NZ$!)

Hmph, as per usual. I'll do what I did with the holiday pack and wait and wait until Stockmann has knocked it down to 5 euros in a desperate attempt to get rid of it to make room for a new expansion and grab it then.

I saw the xmas pack knocked down the other day and wasn't even tempted.

According to that page, this item is fictitious and does not exist. End of story.

If only there were some way to get that for free a few hours after it is released. If only....

you are a bittorrent addict sanmonroe - go on admit it.

I got an advertisement for it in my OFB case.  It's not fictitious, just simply worthless.

Looks pretty fictitious to me. I point out its COMPLETE LACK OF VERIFIABLE EXISTENCE. It isn't even available on the EA store! All they have is a vaporware advertisement. IT DOES NOT EXIST.

Okay, whatever you say.

Arrrrgh, Matey!  ;)

C

Jesus Christ that's a lot of money for that. I predict a month from now I will say 'Oh, how did that end up on my hard drive'. :P

Although, I suppose I should see if that $15 off coupon they gave me is still good. I could actually go for it for $5 I suppose.

Why in the world would anyone pay twenty bucks for such stuff when its equivalent (or better) is already available free at the various Sims sites?

Anyway, I've been too busy making defective robots to give much thought to my Sims' relationships and family matters.

 ;D wat i was thinkin' too about me

When I purchase ofb at Targets I got a gift card for buying ofb. I guess that's a hint from Maxis to buy the family pack or they are hoping I'll buy it.I can use the card on any purchase in store if I want though. It's only $10 giftcard, I don't know if I'll get the family pack there are other things in the store the have a better use, like toilet paper. ;D

There's new Family Fun info at www.snootysims.com

I wasn't planning to buy it before, but now that I've seen all the cute little outfits and bedroom furniture, I must admit I'm a little tempted. I am definately not going to pay $20 American for it, though.

I think $20 worth of toilet paper or even $10 worth is a much better value.

I am sure that I will end up with it somehow, but I'm also equally sure I will not pay for it.  :D

Yeah... uhm... I never play with the kids anyways. My sims have them, but.... as long as they're making good grades and have all the skill scholarships. I don't care what they do. =p

It looks like there are no new interactions. If there were new interactions, I'd probably get it, but otherwise I'm not so sure.

I have to admit the only reason I would get it is I tend to be as someone else mentioned a "completist" and want the "complete collection." Which makes me rather sheep-like, so my avatar remains.

I will be in the same boat Motoki :P I also have a $15 dollar coupon I wonder if it will be good with the add on pack

It seems like it would be. I think it just says it has to be $15 or more. They got out of it with Holiday pack by charging $14.95  ::)

The coupon says it's good until the 31rst so I am going to hold off a bit and see if they offer free shipping since they seem to eventually on most new games.

I didn't get a coupon and I got my copy from the EA Store.  >:(

New interactions are reserved to expansion pack don't ever expect any in those "junk" packs.  These will always be bunch of clothes, objects and decorations for those that like cc stuff and never find there is enough paintings or clothes for their Sims.  :P It is definitely not my case.  Anyhow, since I could easily find great stuff on fansite why would I pay for that "junk" pack?

I can understand though that some cannot imagine living without it in their game.  20,00$ is way too much, it should have been included in the last expansion pack instead.

I am completely against that new concept and I hope these packs will be a complete sales disaster so they will add those in expansion packs in the future like they always did in the past.

I dont know where you get that from. The ad for this came with OFB, plus this IS on the EA site. I wish it wasnt real, but sadly it looks like it is.

Given how many people in the community subscribe to pay sites, make 'donations' for items  ::) and otherwise pay for user created custom content (that does not contain interactions; it's just stuff) I predict these packs will be a smashing success unfortunately.

Also the profit margin on them is much higher than with expansions and base games. It obviously takes them a lot less time and effort to do, yet their charging over half the price of an expansion and a little less than half the price of the full game yet you get far less than half the content of an expansion or full game.

Pescado thinks everything is fictitious. He probably thinks existance is fictitious.  ;D

Don't take away my hope please I want it to be a disaster!!  :P

Only thing useful about this kinds of things is that it allows for new meshes to make new clothes on. A new hairstyle or two would be nice. It still seems very silly.

Yes, but in order to use any recolors of those meshes you'll need the pack, and there's the rub.

Yeah I know.  :-\ There had better be a big hook they haven't revealed yet, otherwise I'm gonna let this one pass.

He probably looks in the mirror each morning and says to his reflection 'I don't believe in you' :D
Thats if he has a reflection....

At least I don't have to be restrained, chances of this coming over to the mac are 1 in 1,000,000. :(

$20 is a bit steep, although I might be persuaded to spend it for this:

(http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c265/FatedCircle36/Pescados.jpg)

 :D

Okay someone needs to hack those to actually do something. Like maybe be fatal to the touch.  ;D

What do you think these crowns are, accessories or attached to the hair?
(http://thesims2.ea.com/images/about/sp1_screenshots/screenshot_6.jpg)

They finally figured out that DrPixel made some meshes to do these things, and are using them...

Bet you can find them under glasses when the pack hits the shelves.... :P

I just watched the teaser video, and I think they're trying to hypnotise people into buying it. Ack! My eyes!

It would be cool if we could get a tree swing like in the original sims console game. That would fit a family theme. But I doubt they would have thought of it.

Speaking of which is it just me or is there a lot of stuff in OFB that's blatantly ripped off from the custom content community?

I noticed that too, Motoki. With some things it's an improvement over the custom content, but overall what I've noticed has made me want to tell them to stop being so damned lazy and actually give us NEW things. Look at the custom content community to see what people want, sure, but then take it in a different direction so we're not duplicating what we already have. :P Stupid Maxis.

Hmm, welcome mats, elevators, hanging hand towels, smaller versions of the big honking dressers. Gee, haven't seen those before.  ::)

Now if only they will give us some long hair for the men folk.

Yeah, exactly. The handtowels actually made me stop and go "Now wait just a damned minute..."

I won't pay $20 for this thing, or even $5.  Not until they fix my loading screen.

That isn't to say though that I won't get it....

I was glad for them because they fit better.

Same with the rugs and bathmats, they work without your simmie's footsies passing through them.

What's wrong with your loading screen?

Well, ever since I upgraded my video card to a Geforce 6200 the loading screen has been lagging more and it's not near as smooth as it used to be.  It's really noticable in the videos, they're unwatchable in their current state.

Watch them be hats. The old crowns were always in the hair bin.

Try doing this to rid rid of the intro movie and ea logo:

http://modthesims2.com/article.php?t=92314

It won't help the loading screen, but at least you will get right to it instead of having to wait.

i'm not prepared to pay for it...actually i am not even prepared not to pay for it
i am very pissed off because the split level facility won't work for me, so i am sulking :P

But in that case people can pick and choose what they want instead of a whole CD of ugly ass shit from Maxis.  I'd rather waste my money doing something satisfying like punking people on ebay or um, giving it to orphans and widows.

I agree. As much as I am not a fan of pay sites even I have to admit they are a better value than this. For a lot cheaper than the price of this pack you can get a one month subscription somewhere and have access to a lot more items.

The only real value would be for new animations and what not for mixing with hacked objects. But OFB had like... what.... 10 new interactions/animations?

Geez, Pescado, just because you're in denial isn't going to make it go away! ;)

Maxis has come up with a new way to make money and I'll bet they're going to milk it for all it's worth.  And if they're handing out $15.00 coupons, it's no wonder they jacked the price to $20.00.  At any rate, I can think of quite a few sites out there I frequent I'd rather pass $20 to for content--and Maxis isn't one of them.  I already pay them more than enough for buggy expansion packs.

I really like that Maxis seemed to take a clue from the community and make some towel racks and bath and welcome mats.  It's about time they start putting those little odds and ends in the game.

We just need toilet paper and MEDICINE cabinets. I miss my sims brushing their teeth. It was adorable in the Sims.

I especially liked it when they were all, "Mokey hokey" afterwards. My friend liked it when they blew raspberries at their reflection.

I didn't like that OFB only had one disk.  I don't think we'll ever get more than 1 disk anymore since they'll include most of their objects in their donation packs.  I might just stop buying TS2 if they keep doing crap like this.

Yeah, I'll just remove those movies the next time I play.  That's the part of it that bugs me the most about my new card.

Just be sure to delete the files from the sims 2/sims nightlife/AND the sims OFB folder. They each have copies of the intro movie.

Definitely toilet paper (unless considering they never pull their pants down to set, their clothes do the job)!  I downloaded a user-made and once I placed it on the wall never could find where to pick it up again.  Oh, that reminds me!  I have some objects with off pick-up points that need to go to the Recycle Bin before it's emptied!

For toilet paper, I just use the Bathroom Uses You TP and the lovely recolours by Miss Rainbow. Stay showing with the walls down too, so even for those who don't like Macrotastics, you could still download the object and recolours and have them there for decoration (unless you really want to see them wipe their asses and I can't help you with that, eww  :P).

I've always just deleted them from one place and they never come back.

So where is it?

Once again, if it exists, where is it?

It is hidden in a maxian lab waiting until april so that is can eat all the towns folk money. :P

Is this a new way of saying "I'll believe it when I see it"?  :D

Not quite sure I'd pay $20 for a bunch of outfits and objects.  Maybe when it goes down in price...or is free to download off their darn site.   ::)

Most of the new objects are ripped from FA at TSR...remember CycloneSue's roofs (they appear in OFB), Windkeeper and Echo's rugs...etc. I just don't want to recite the list. Next they'll be copying kitchen paper towels from them and hairs with curls (which they already have in OFB, come to think of it) ...

If you want toilet paper, you can get them from Reflex Sims. I got a nice roll from there :P

And yeah no paying of $20 for me either. I am going to get it from a friend. After all, there is probably no serial number :P
I rather donate my $20 to Numenor or give it to JMP etc and that would be 100% more worth my money's value than wiping Maxis' ass with it.

Along with the pink elephants and the pigasi?

Screw Reflex Sims. If you want Toilet Paper, get BATHROOM USES YOU. Because in Soviet Russia, you do not wipe ass, ASS WIPES YOU!

Ok ok, great one. I will get Bathroom uses you hack  at your order! *salutes*
I have been resisting it since I already have good toilet paper in the loos... :P

Oh yes, been lurking over at TSR forums and its interesting how the sheep over there have such different reactions to the family fun pack

http://forums.thesimsresource.com/showthread.php?p=3147556#post3147556

So yeah, don't count on it being a flop. The only thing you can pray for is that it won't sell more than the EPs!

They only have a positive view about it because that's probably all their allowed to express. If they said anything remotely negative SWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW would probably immediately delete their reply and/or lock the thread and issue them a warning.

It's happy care bear lala land over there and if you do anything to rain on their little parade they will censor the hell out of you. You have to be a goody goody there or else.

Yeah, I don't like the forums there much now (used to when I am new but not now when I am seasoned :P). It's too surreal..everyone is so nice... it get tiring after a while.

But the stories and the challenges forums are my favs. The stories there are one of a kind and very talented people (not all are talented) write there.

ETA: Their definition of PG 13 is too rigid. They said "rape" is a adult theme. Blast! I mean, every 12 years old kid and onwards should know what rape and molest is so that they will know what it is and how to protect themselves against it and they are rallying both are adult themes!
Drugs, yes but rape references, no.

Their problem is they just make these blanket rules and refuse to evalute things on a case by case basis. What if some women wanted to start a thread about a rape survivors group in off topic. Odd for a sims board I know, but we end up talking about all sorts of OT stuff. I was on another board once where several women admited to being raped and has a serious thread about it. It seemed like it helped them to talk about it.

Something like that is a far cry from someone talking about rape porn, but the mods there would just see the word and instantly lock the thread no questions asked.

Anyway, I've gone WAAAAY off topic.

Ahem yes, the $20 pack sucks, Maxis must die! *brings out the pitchforks* lol

Hah, I'm all for getting it for free, but I'm a goody goody who doesn't know how. =p

If only there were a website where you could download software, and maybve find tutorials on how to use it.

http://azureus.sourceforge.net/

If only. :(

If only. =)

The peasants are still revolting.

No family fun pack for me.
At first I thought some of the objects looked cute.  But not for $20 and not for the fact that if you look hard enough, most of the stuff Maxis puts out has already been created and shared usually for free which I believe has already been noted.

Maxis, no money for you!

Sanmonroe, you be a naughtly little asian lass.  you be corruptin' t' young and innocent.  ARRRGH!  Now you must swab t' poop deck and sin' for your supper.

Avast Mateys!

C

Yep!

Revolting

This just sends a cold chill down my spine, I'm still getting over all the cock-ups from the Xmas pack which I had to remove - £15.99 straight down the drain.  I still haven't bought OFB yet as my game's playing well right now (thanks MATY ::)) so I'll be giving this one a definate miss.

I loved how most of the objects from the Holiday Pack were things that were previously available to download on their website for free. ::)

I bet the are going to try something like that with this.

This seems more useless that the Holiday pack.

Paying $20 for this would be equal to paying $20 for a coaster to sit your glass of tea on.

That will crack when you try to pick it up.  :P

I will complain all the way home with it after I buy it of course :P

What holiday pack stuff screw up ur game? I only have one problem with it. The santa. Other than that, everything else is ok. No major bugs reported regarding that holiday pack either.
A friend of mine even claims his santa is functioning PERFECTLY. Having dinners with the family instead of breaking toilets. I dunno if I believe him though.

What a relief to see there's a lot of you that think $20 dollars was too much to pay for those items. I didn't see this thread when I commented on another thread about the price. I was wondering why I was the only one commenting  on how high the price  is there.

I think it's ridiculous for Maxis to think we pay that much for it. Too me it's nice but not that nice

I do have to say I'm quite fond of the mermaid costume (http://www.snootysims.com/family/familyart43.jpg). I made almost the exact same Halloween costume for my daughter when she was 5. Brings back a lot of memories. Not sure I'll get the pack but some of the items are cute.

You can do a search for free mermaid costumes. I saw some pretty free ones before but I didn't note where they are from cos I am not interested in fantasy stuff but you might try XM Sims. It might be there.

 
What holiday pack stuff screw up ur game? I only have one problem with it. The santa. Other than that, everything else is ok. No major bugs reported regarding that holiday pack either.
A friend of mine even claims his santa is functioning PERFECTLY. Having dinners with the family instead of breaking toilets. I dunno if I believe him though.
[/quote]

I got blank want icons after loading it, really pee'd me off at the time but TJ's hack the College Clock Adjuster sorted this problem out in the end.  I do remember a post (ahem.. on the BBS) about the reindeer being bugged but I found no solid evidence of this.  Not used the Holday pack since as I just didn't get excited about it, I'm selling it at a boot sale a.s.a.p. ;)

AS much as I hate Maxis , I don't think the holiday pack cause that problem.
And I don't have a problem with the reindeer. And its a convenient way to kill a sim (a method which I nearly forget about after Xmas.lol).

By the way, I bought the holiday pack in a rare moment of X'mas insanity. Its a feat not to be repeated again  >:(

The clothing meshes are screwy too. look at the girls leg! :D
Anyways, I am going to get all of the stuff past Nightlife when they release Sims 2 Complete Collection.
(http://thesims2.ea.com/images/about/sp1_screenshots/screenshot_4.jpg)

Well, at least there isn't bleeding of the dress thr the leg :P
That's what they probably thought.

But its cute to see them in family attire. Maxis knows how to take really good pictures to tempt sheep into buying. I can imagine TSR and BBS posters going ga ga over them.

And Simsbaby, when you get the sims2 complete collection, its time to move on to Sims 3 : P

Oh god, I saw a family downtown once, the males had the shirts, the females had matching print shifts, I'll tell you what, it doesn't look nearly as cute in RL as it does on animated pixels - and whether they're even cute is debatable.  ::)

Hmmmm... remember the days when Maxis remembered the people who purchased their products and gave them a little 'thanks' by uploading stuff to their site?  yeah, way back in the Sims1 days...
No way would I support this kind of 'pack-this and pack-that' rip-off -- it almost makes me sad to think that there are those who will, though. :(

Max

Yes, in RL, I wouldn't call that cute. But you know, it is always a pleasure to play match-match with dollies :)

Huge ripoff imo. And didn't Willy Wright say that there wouldn't be a Sims 3 and that Spore is going to be the game to replace Sims?  Or did that change since I read that?

When MATY blew , I was so bored I went to the official site and take a close look at all the items in the family fun pack but hey, none of them appealed to me except the 3 masks for the wall.

There are not enough details for these objects except those 3 masks.
And they are objects I probably wouldn't use in the game. I am a real picky simmer when it comes to stuff for my sims. Only the best and nothing else. ;)

Ad on the Maxis Sims 2 site with release date, link to stuff that is in it in a sub page, preorder links for places to preorder from, I think the answer to "where is it?" is "everywhere"  ;D Someone jumped to a big wrong assumption in his earlier posts, naughty naughty!  :P

$20 dollars is such a rip off i did't pay much more than that for any of the expansion packs ,

the castle beds look cute tho . but even i wont be buying  this ,

mmmm whats spore. sounds like a game i could play .

Google it, it sounds awesome and I for one, can't wait.

www.spore.com lol

Although I'm sure you'd enjoy Will Wright's presentation more than the web site: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8372603330420559198&q=spore

Well, according to exchange rate sites (which are probably wrong. :P) $20 in British money is about £11.52/47 or...something around £11. Which is (if correct) £1 more than the Holiday Pack was. Which is strange they'd price it higher, as it doesn't seem to have anything more than ugly, ugly objects and some uglier outfits.

At least the Holiday Pack had some new characters and meals, and party themes. (Yes, I bought the Holiday Pack, though, it wasn't worth as much as I paid for it I don't think.)

Don't need there are new interactions this time round. I read all the stuff regarding the family pack and there are only normal objects.
So in that sense, holiday pack is actually worth while ( ducks rotten eggs).

Well, if you compare it to the Family Fun Pack, which as far as I can tell only has new items and clothing (some of the themes of which I find slightly creepy, I mean, what family wears matcing outfits, you just know there's something wrong there if they do...) and it seems, only vaguely appeal to people who like sea themed objects and clothes.

If the Holiday Pack was $15, then $20 for this one is just bull, utter bull.

ok spore looks very cool . atho proberly a littke complex for me . i like games i can just get and play , like the sims its almost impossible to screw up.

the holiday pack is on amazon for £8 if they do an offter for that and the family pack for like £15 or somthing i might get it then  but im not happy about it

I don't even want it enough to find it and download it.  8)

Since when do your sim kids have time to play anyways?

Mine come home, do homework, eat, nap, skill, sleep. Weekends you say? No, you skill.
No, you cannot be a kid in my sim household and therefore you may not have the "fun pack" now go to your room and study up on cooking. Don't come out until you're at least level 8. :P

Hah, that's how I treat my Sim-kids too.  :D  Besides skilling for future age groups, I have no use for them.  I used to just skip the age group entirely, but I figured I might as well spend that time skilling and cleaning.  Every household needs a little slave--er, child.

The pack doesn't interest me.  I don't see myself using the outfits and little crowns on a regular basis.

My sims have never reach max skills because I am always having the kids jump on the bed, sing at that machine, play games. Those bums need to work harder then ... :D

i just let the child sims run amok. so long as they bugger off to school to let their parents woohoo other sims, drink and play poker, i don't care about the skilling and such like

Jeez, ur families are so unhealthy...too much gambling, sex and drink.

I can't believe anyone who downloads cc would even consider buying the Family Pack. What I've seen of it so far is so crappy that if I'd downloaded it, it would have ended up in the recycle bin instantly.

Perhaps if Maxis included a way for us to delete their items (even if it only the textures so they don't clog up the options) I would be more tempted to try their stupid boosters, but for now, I already have way too much ugly Maxis stuff in my game and I'm only at University...

My Sim kids spend a lot of time skilling too and while I occasionally use the 'chain training' to cheat them along, even those without talented parents get a day or two off to just be stupid. I can't imaging being bothered to dress them in costumes or crap just so they can play with a *gasp* newly shaped toybox... blech,

I was really hoping to see some new animations and options for toddlers and kids, but I guess I will continue to rely on CCcreators for that...

Heh.  I crack the whip on my younger sims when it comes to skilling too.

When they're toddlers, if they're not using the potty/drinking from a bottle/sleeping in a crib, then they're playing with the rabbit head.  Because Charisma is the one skill kids can't gain outside of career objects.  Body to a lesser extent, but I find swimming is a poor way to gain that skill.

When they become kids they go straight to the book case and start up on cooking/mechanical/cleaning.

When they become teens they usually at the least have five or six scholarships waiting for them.  And only after they get the other non-skill scholarships (dancing/pool/etc.) will I let them go outside and let them see the light of day.

They'll thank me later when they're in Uni and not broke.

I'm just completely bored with skilling, when the toddlers hit child, I give them roughly 30% skill points, distributed to suit their personalities / stories. When sims become adult I give them about 75% skills and make them work for any extras they need to get to the top of the career tree. My sim children enjoy their childhood and build good relationships with their families.

I don't have time to sit and skill endless sims, I want to play the stories in my head. I do make them work for aspiration points, those things become part of the story. OFB is a bit irritating 'cos it has more endless skilling stuff. Then they're all skilled, then they die. Nah, too much like hard work. And the rabbit! I HATE the soundtrack - I always end up deleting the bloody rabbit, if I can keep the toddlers away long enough!  :D

Edit: Teens get 2-3 maxed skills and the rest a mixture of about 50%, again according to personality.

Right on Trepie.  Mine don't get off the hook in Uni, either - in their "spare" time they start earning talent badge on the crafting tables.

Come to think of it, I have a large private dorm filled with my YAs.  That place needs a salon chair. 

If the "makeovers" wind up looking like characters in the Star Wars bar scene, they'll easily fit in on campus.

Actually if you ask me, I think going to uni with $1500 only is more realistic. And it helps to pass the long hours in uni by getting ur sim to take on odd jobs like tutoring and such.
Going to uni with poor skills also helps to pass time by getting them to skill in uni.

Usually I just let them go into uni with 1-2 scholarships (for daily meals' expenses).

Maybe people complain that uni is boring because they send a highly skilled rich sim to school.

 ;D

Actually I tend to skimp on the teen romances, I often forget, so Uni is the time I try to get most of my sims partnered, my sims don't often break up after Uni, they usually have had a few boy or girl friends to try and have hopefully found a good match.

I try to give the young adults lots of sex, drink and skilling. Just like in RL before they settle down to one partner for life (some of them might cheat but that's stories for another day).

Witch, what's defined as a good match for you? Chemistry blots or good looks?

The problem with that approach is that unlike with teen romances, anything you do in Uni sticks. You don't get a nice romance-reset on graduation, unlike with the standard teen age transition, so your sim will practically never snap out of it/get over it/etc.

So either you're going to be stuck with them until someone dies, or you'll have to break them up rather violently.

I prefer my teens to keep their loves too so I used TJ's hack for that. I mean its only realistic to remember ur loves especially those teen woo hoos.
So how violently did you break them up, JM? Run the unwanted lovers over with a tank?

And OT,
its amazing how those sims remember their first loves. The legacy heir had been dead for decades but the romance hubby is still fearful of falling out of love with the dead heir. How do you beat that? That fear has been consistently there. I was almost tempted to bring back the heir and have them fall out of love  ::)

I don't think I've ever had a sim couple with 3 bolts. Usually two bolts and a storyline fit, then maybe looks. There's always sim surgery after all! Sometimes the sims just make their own matches, I let them have those - you know, the sims that just seem to click together.

JM I don't mind that romance sticks after Uni, it's more like RL, even if they have to break up violently. Though that can be quite hard to engineer unless there's jealousy involved.

i'm beginning to think i don't take the game seriously enough :-[

It's only a game, Anelca.

;)

Like Jysudo, I send my teens to college with some skills and usually 1-3 scholarships, but I don't go for trying to max everything out ahead of time. Otherwise I feel like my Sim is racing through the game, and Permaplat a day or two after graduation doesn't appeal to me - even with OFB. Because then what's left? Primarily, children and businesses. Children are okay but I'm trying to enforce strict population control and thus not all Sims will have them. And likewise, not every Sim will have a business.

I actually found myself wanting to know what's in the next expansion pack. I have a charming, elderly permaplat Sim, highly skilled, well-established business, beautiful home - and I started thinking that wouldn't it be great if he could go on a vacation.... surely he's earned it...

Edited to add: I play all my Sims through to their grave, so having goals throughout the entire life of my Sim is very important in the way I play the game. I don't stop playing them when they turn Elder or delete them (even when I'm bored with them).

Just thought you might like to know that Family Fun is available for pre-order in the UK for £9.99 (plus £1.50 shipping).
Link:
http://shop.game.net/ViewProduct.aspx?cat=10404&mid=328485

12 US, that is not that bad.

Shipping to the USA (or anywhere else outside of Europe) is £4.95.

Thats 12 pounds, not 12 US Dollars.

10 Pounds + 1.5 is the same as 22.17 USD. The American dollar is weak.