THE HORROR: The REAL TS3 Scoop As It Unfolds

[SciBirg]

So, what you're saying is that even if we can't have a technically destitute homeless sim sleeping in parks (as pointed out by Zazazu) because of the need to replenish energy, we can have klepto-moocher sims that essentially live off other people?

That sounds like a fun idea.  I'm glad I thought of it.  (Now if only the verdammt download would finish some time before the actual bloody release date...)

Isn't there some kind of bonus/upgrade/reward thingy that fixes your energy needs too? Then you COULD have a hobo sim.

[Insanity Prelude]

No more error 13. My guess is either it was just being borkeded that night, or it had something to do with saving over another file (I'd forgotten to rename it before saving- luckily, since it didn't work, I now have both 'hoods intact.)

[Acid_fairy]

LOL. This thread is full of win.

I am suffering from a bug that harks back to TS2; the camera spinning round and round really fast. Only way to fix it is to exit and restart.

I really hate the Grim Reaper. TS2's is far superior. Not impressed, EAxis.

[Insanity Prelude]

I have to admit I like the new camera controls. Having a button right there to tilt the camera instead of having to keyboard-shortcut into cameraman mode is convenient.

[mildlydisguised]

I thought that sims would get their lifetime wish when they aged to teen.  My child sim just had a lifetime Wish come up in the normal wishes panel, which when promised became his official lifetime wish.  He has ten days before he ages to teen.

[jolrei]

Perhaps we should also split off no-content disruptive trolly posts into a P&L AT THE FAIL thread, too, as they obscure the real reviews of TS3's suckfulness (which is probably the goal).

Does it help if I say that I personally like the fact that the TS3 ghosts seem to be a bit more on the visible side.  Now, if only someone could figure out what happens with the disappearing tombstones...

[Zazazu]

So, what you're saying is that even if we can't have a technically destitute homeless sim sleeping in parks (as pointed out by Zazazu) because of the need to replenish energy, we can have klepto-moocher sims that essentially live off other people?

Except that klepto doesn't work, as you don't actually get the items. Mooch works well, as does eating the free food in the main park or harvestables available all around.

Getting a sim happy about their environment is easy. Just collect a few gems and have them cut. I had a room go from no environment bonus to beautifully decorated with just four gemstones.

Also, eat more beans. Your bacteria will get used to them.

[mildlydisguised]

Stolen items (by Kleptos) go into the family inventory not the personal one, although I think in order to use the family inventory (in buy/build mode) the camera will pull back to the home lot automatically.  Not sure how that would work with a homeless sim.

[Avi]

Is everyone 100% sure that this leaked copy isn't a beta?  Because I may just send my purchased copy back if I find out this is indeed the final cut.  However, I'm keeping the plumbbob flash drive.  X^DDD

I've played the game about an hour and am less impressed than I was originally.  I still can't get over how ugly the Sims themselves are as many others have said.  They look better in CAS then the do in the game, but still not a huge improvement . . .  To me what they look like is big chunk of the game.  Not only that but this game is not catered to the story & movie makers AT ALL . . .  I believe it's going to be super difficult to do either in this game.  And it's hard to care about your characters when they're fugly as hell anyways, so how can you create a good story around them???  X^D  To me the toony Sims from Sims 2 seem more realistic facially than these Playdoh looking Sims from Sims 3.  :^\

What really annoyed me though was the fact some of the comm lots weren't visible . . .  as in your Sims disappeared when they went inside a building.  That just doesn't seem right.  That's why I'm wondering if this is really a beta or something . . .  The animations of the Sims are very wonky too, very stiff . . .  A lot less fluid and natural than Sims 2, even though you'd think the reverse would be true.  They are definitely more toony than they were in Sims 2, though you'd think the opposite would be true.

[DigiGekko]

Would you sheep shut up about the rabbit hole buildings? We've known from what, Day 2 that EA was making buildings like these? Can't you morons check a single video game website? Complain about other crap all you want. If we've known about it for months, then no one really gives a shit. We're here to complain about broken promises or basic gameplay flaws. Not crap that we knew was coming from the beginning.

Oh, and by the way you religious dipshit, if atheists don't believe in a god, what makes you think they're going to believe in his idiot half brother that lives down in the ground in a pit of fire?

[Zarifeke]

Yeah the people complaining about the existence of rabbit holes must have REALLY not paid any attention to info about the game, we've known about them for a looooong time.

So, what you're saying is that even if we can't have a technically destitute homeless sim sleeping in parks (as pointed out by Zazazu) because of the need to replenish energy, we can have klepto-moocher sims that essentially live off other people?

Except that klepto doesn't work, as you don't actually get the items. Mooch works well, as does eating the free food in the main park or harvestables available all around.

Someone posted this earlier, but I'll say it again just in case. Stuff stolen with Klepto goes into the family inventory, which is found by going into buy mode. I think there's the "sort by room" tab, the "sort by function" tab, and then the third tab is the family inventory.

Here is some more handy info about klepto, since my first sim had the trait:

You can only steal at night. I'm thinking it's from 7PM-6 or 7 AM or something like that.

You can only steal three items per day.

To steal stuff, you have to go to another lot (I'm wondering actually if you can steal a car that someone has driven over to your lot and parked in your parking spot; I have to test this) and click on the ground near an object, like you were walking there. The interaction "swipe something" should show up.

You can't swipe stuff if someone is nearby. I dunno how close/far away they need to be though.

And no, you can't choose what to steal. They pretty much go after whatever they want within the room. For example, my inappropriate klepto rockstar has some fascination with stealing lights of all kinds.

[Avi]

Sorry, was too distracted being horrified by the BUTT UGLY SIMS to look further into the nuances of the game! 

I never read about the "rabbit hole buildings".  I only read it was going to be a "seamless neighborhood" and one would assume that means being able to actually GO INTO every freakin' lot.  So I would say the "rabbit hole buildings" fall into the broken promises category simply from that reason.  "Rabbit hole buildings" do not equal seamless gameplay.

But oh, well.  I'll probably return the game if I confirm this version is indeed THE final cut of Sims 3 and continue working on Sims 2 until it's back to it's old glory.  :^P

[NakedNickJonas]

I have been playing for a day and this game is AWFUL!

What has EA done to The Sims?

[EsotericPolarBear]

I have been playing for a day and this game is AWFUL!

What has EA done to The Sims?

It's not awful.  It's just not good.

It has loads of potential...but in typical EAxis fashion, the potential is just that...potential.  They had some good ideas but didn't bother to flesh any of them out beyond the basic implementation.  So you end up with a lot of things you can do, but not enough gravity in doing them.

Overall, I'd say it's not worth switching from TS2 since you lose far too much.  I'll wait till they've made a few dozen EPs, then I'll buy the TS3 Super-Ultra-Deluxe from the bargain bin.  Maybe it'll be worth playing by then.

[Wolf]

Thanks for reinforcing my decision NOT to buy Sims3.  I'll stick with Sims2.

[coltraz]

Is it just me or is the ultra speed mostly just useless? It always shuts off on me and doesn't tend to go much faster than speed 3 for the brief periods in which it actually stays selected.

[EsotericPolarBear]

Is it just me or is the ultra speed mostly just useless? It always shuts off on me and doesn't tend to go much faster than speed 3 for the brief periods in which it actually stays selected.

It's not faster than 3.  It's just temporary speed 3. It only stays active for the current action then reverts to previous speed. 

The game explains these things quite clearly.

[BlueSoup]

I wish parts of this were more intuitive: some of the opportunities that come up are a bit of a headscratcher as to how you're supposed to accomplish them.  Like taking your boss's dinner date out for for dinner yourself.  I missed the deadline simply because I couldn't figure out how it was done.

I love how there are so many multi-tasking things now though.  I had one Sim upgrading the TV to be unbreakable while his wife was watching it, holding her toddler.

And dragging the contents of your inventory onto the bookshelf to put them away, or the fridge or bathtub to put those away is made of win also.

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

Well, apparently one of the klepto sims decided to make his/her way onto the forum to justify kleptomania by saying Jesus allows it as long as it's paid for later. 

Is it just me or is the ultra speed mostly just useless? It always shuts off on me and doesn't tend to go much faster than speed 3 for the brief periods in which it actually stays selected.

Yeah, several (including me) have pointed this out.  As far as I can tell, regular ultra speed is just a tiny bit faster than normal play, fast speed (whatever the middle speed is called again; I never really use it) doesn't seem to work at all, and ultra plus is supposed to be ultra speed that stops when the action your sim is doing is completed...and big whopping surprise -- it doesn't work most of the time.  Sometimes it acts just like ultra (although without the stop), and sometimes it just forces me back over into ultra speed (which can't be intended play, I hope).

New bug?  Has anyone been offered one of the skilling challenges?  Ethan Bunch wanted to pay me to grill his lazy ass some hot dogs and bring them to him.  I did as asked and delivered them to him, but when I got there, it wouldn't allow me to give them to him because I "don't have all of the ingredients (or whatever the hell it said) in my inventory" even though I did as asked.  Another shitty bug or just confusing gameplay?

[coltraz]

Is it just me or is the ultra speed mostly just useless? It always shuts off on me and doesn't tend to go much faster than speed 3 for the brief periods in which it actually stays selected.

It's not faster than 3.  It's just temporary speed 3. It only stays active for the current action then reverts to previous speed. 

The game explains these things quite clearly.

Oh -- I just assumed when EA talked about an ultra speed that was even faster than speed 3, they would, I dunno, include it in the game or something crazy like that...

eta: so is the 4th speed actually faster than speed 3 or just speed three for the duration of queued tasks?

[Piffle]

Is it just me or is the ultra speed mostly just useless? It always shuts off on me and doesn't tend to go much faster than speed 3 for the brief periods in which it actually stays selected.

eta: so is the 4th speed actually faster than speed 3 or just speed three for the duration of queued tasks?

It's the latter.  Speed 3 until the current task is complete.

[Rockermonkey]

Speed 4 is used at the same speed as 3, but instead of you being in control of when it stops, it stops when the action for the sim selected is done Its the default for going to sleep or work, I've heard.

[dashakatrina]

anyone ever stumbled apon a link that was on the new sims 3 site where the sims store was located

  thr was a kid on snooty that by mistake stumbled across a link that had sims 3 custom content packages to download

the forum topic got deleted of course


anyone remember that ? lol

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

If it's supposed to default into that while your sim sleeps or works, then it sure isn't doing its damn job.  Mine works sporadically.

[Zazazu]

What really annoyed me though was the fact some of the comm lots weren't visible . . .  as in your Sims disappeared when they went inside a building.  That just doesn't seem right.  That's why I'm wondering if this is really a beta or something . . .  The animations of the Sims are very wonky too, very stiff . . .  A lot less fluid and natural than Sims 2, even though you'd think the reverse would be true.  They are definitely more toony than they were in Sims 2, though you'd think the opposite would be true.

Why do people keep saying this is proof the version out is beta? In all of the developer interviews, game reviews, etc, for the past year, it was explained that most of the community buildings were rabbit holes.

List of knowns with backup sources. Now, some things have changed from initial reports, but rabbit holes were always in there.