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: June 2013

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The Sims 3 Island Paradise has docked!!

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

The Sims 3 Island Paradise launches in the UK today! (Friday 28th June), get your copy HERE!! And keep up to date with all things Sims by liking our The Sims 3 UK Facebook page . Happy Simming!

09:52

28/06/13

Posted by: SimGuru_UK

Categories: Screenshots PC/Mac Game Expansion Pack

Mermaid Madness!!

Hey Simmers, learn more about the really cool Mermaids from The Sims 3 Island Paradise, available to pre-order here. Enjoy the blog :)

Mermaids are a new occult life state in The Sims 3 Island Paradise! Mermaids are a lot like regular Sims, but they like to spend their time swimming, preferably in salt water. As expected, Mermaids are more versatile in the water than regular Sims. They can swim faster, stay underwater indefinitely and, if they have the Evil trait, they have the special ability to Summon Sharks!

Mermaids Sims have beautiful fish-like tails when in water and scaly legs when on land. Their scale colors can be adjusted using the “Change Scale Color” interaction on the mirror. Female Mermaids will also be able to adjust the color of the seashell tops they wear while swimming with this interaction.

Mermaids have a “Hydration” motive that is fulfilled by water activities like swimming and bathing, and if you have The Sims 3 Seasons, even walking in the rain! It’s important to pay attention to this motive since Mermaids are creatures of the sea, they are easily dehydrated. If their Hydration motive gets too low they will start dry out! First they become chapped, then they get flakey (eww!) and finally they collapse from dehydration. If this happens, another Sim needs to revive the Mermaid by pouring water on them otherwise they’ll get a visit from the Grim Reaper!

Of course, Mermaids can have children. If a Mermaid falls in love with another Mermaid (woohoo!) they are guaranteed to have Mermaid offspring. A Mermaid and a regular Sim have a 50/50 chance of their children being Mermaids.

Mermaids can eat the same foods as regular Sims, but they prefer tasty kelp and fresh fish. This makes them very popular with cats if you have The Sims 3 Pets! It is rumored that there is a secret, uncharted island known only to Mermaids. If your Sim is lucky and befriends a Mermaid they may let you in on the secret!

Be sure to tune into The Sims Live Broadcast on Tuesday, 18th June to see a sea Mermaids in a live gameplay demo of Island Paradise as well as catch more information about underwater activities in this expansion releasing in the UK on 28th June.

Keep up to date with all things Sims by liking The Sims 3 UK Facebook page!

10:24

05/06/13

Posted by: SimGuru_UK

Categories: Screenshots PC/Mac Game Expansion Pack

The Sims 3 Dragon Valley - Through the Eyes of a World Builder!

Check out what one of The Sims 3 Store World Builders, MDT, has to say about the development of Dragon Valley. The Sims 3 Dragon Valley is available to purchase now at The Sims 3 Store, and will be available in stores worldwide starting 6th August 2013.

Dragons! We knew that we were going to have dragons before we even knew what kind of world to build. I believe this is the first world that we tailored in order to fit an object, therefore Dragon Valley was really created as a place for dragons to exist. As always with The Sims, we needed to balance gameplay, design and technical limitations and with this world, we started very early with the idea of a valley that was somewhat isolated which, although existing in the modern age, might harbor dragons and a unique population.

There are so many stories and myths surrounding dragons that we had a lot of material to choose from. We wanted to get a fairly clear story for this world but also wanted to make a world that would not limit the stories that players could tell and discover on their own. To start, we listed out various inspirations that we wanted to incorporate. A Celtic and chivalric influence, some fantasy elements, a town that had been initially built in the middle ages but had developed over time, and dragons across different cultures were all key components. We decided on a rural village feel to the town but still kept elements nearby for gameplay reasons. As the team began to collect reference photos, many of us were enamored with rolling hills covered by stone fences so we opened the deep valley to mirror our initial impressions. We also thought that using images of white cliffs could be used as a way to make this world very different from any one we had already produced but also still appealing and somewhat idyllic.

I made the terrain for this world, so I must admit that I am more thrilled with the final result in Dragon Valley than I have been for any other world. Although very large portions of the world are quite flat to help make it easier for players to add large lots of their own, it does not feel that way. The largest mountain is well within the gameplay area, and your Sims can actually climb it. It looks to me like it could be the ancient home of a dragon. Although we have striking cliffs, the rivers and ocean are still easily accessible for your Sims to swim in. Initially the world was very green and white but the team added a reddish hue to both terrain and trees, giving the world a warmer feel. We also added some man-made chalk designs in the terrain to help incorporate our fiction world with the long established history from the Neolithic to the present. There are a few Dark Age ruins added in there too – although it’s possible that the dragons may have destroyed them!

There are a few things done differently in this world that may not be recognizable to most people but we see these small changes giving the world an updated look and feel. For example, the road texture is somewhat more elaborate than usual but it is also very close in value to the terrain; therefore, the roads tend to blend in a bit more than they have in other worlds. We carefully placed trees on roads in waves and tendrils, creating windy roads, glens and fields, all bordered by trees. We also used larger sized trees than we normally do to show how some of these trees have been growing for hundreds of years. The trees also have more contrast, to help show how the natural landscape is more important than the man-made, even if the natural world includes some supernatural pets!

Spending time on the fan forums was critical when it came to making big decisions and we made a few changes based on what you were telling us. One of the key pieces of feedback that players had to share was the idea that users did not love The Sims 3 Ambitions lots automatically appearing in thematic worlds – therefore, most players will be pleased to learn that the lots introduced with The Sims 3 Ambitions will not appear automatically. Some of you may disagree about this design so please note that these lots are something we feel we ought to at least try. That said, we did equip the world with a number of empty lots, many of them quite large, so players can load this world and start building or importing lots right away. Plus, the highest level plain is a sprawling area that is fully ready for players to build and explore while still being nearby to all the rabbit-holes and gameplay that Dragon Valley has to offer.

I am really looking forward to seeing how players make this world their own and on behalf of The Sims Store team, we hope Dragon Valley inspires you to tell new stories, befriend a dragon and play with life!

- MDT

Keep up to date with all thinks Sims by liking our Facebook page: The Sims 3 UK

14:34

03/06/13

Posted by: SimGuru_UK

Categories: Screenshots Special Guest