The Sims 3 arrives Tuesday, and fans of Electronic Arts' mind-bogglingly successful franchise are going to want to set aside some time to take in all the upgrades.
Quite a bit of time, actually: The Sims 3 is a sprawling mass of a game, building upon the success of its predecessors and taking the virtual-life simulation series to entirely new heights.
The title has received a graphical face-lift and more new features than you can shake a stick at, including an open world, personalities for your characters and enough customization options to make the hardiest of creative types light-headed. And if you never saw much point to carrying out mundane tasks virtually, a new goal-oriented structure means there's likely to be something here for you, too.
Here are four tips to mull over while you're installing the game on your PC or Mac.
1. Roll Your Own Life, Then Brace for Impact
When it comes to designing your virtual citizens, Sims 3 offers an unprecedented amount of freedom. A dizzying array of sliders and color wheels lets you customize just about every aspect of your Sim, from the roots of their hair to the socks on their feet. For the first time, you're also able to design your Sim's personality.
There are 63 different traits to choose from that will determine how your characters behave. But choose wisely: A neat Sim will wander about the house performing menial chores, but an absent-minded one will probably forget all about those cookies in the oven.
If you're not very creative, or can't be bothered with tweaking so many options, you can have a random family of Sims generated for you. There are also quite a few premade families packaged with the game. If you'd like to avail yourself of the hyperactive *Sims *fan base, you can also download characters made and shared by other players.
2. Let Your Little Ones Roam
What better way to explore the new, seamless world than going out for a jog? Sims 3 gets rid of all those pesky loading screens, allowing players to explore every nook and cranny of their towns.
Feel free to call a cab if you're in a hurry, but Sims who wander will meet new friends, find the occasional seed to plant in their gardens or stumble upon a quiet spot to do a bit of fishing.
Your Sims are a also bit more independent than in previous versions of the game. Icons called Moodlets will help you keep track of which needs aren't being met, and your characters will address these problems when possible. That means you can spend less time shepherding them and more time playing the game. While you're still free to lead Sims around, it's often far more interesting to see what the ones you haven't been watching have done with their time — whether it's buying a few groceries or stealing all the light fixtures and potted plants from their neighbors' houses.
3. The Happy Sim Gets the Goods
While most Sims fans have been content designing elaborate homes and lives for their virtual personas, the Sims 3 has something in store for the goal-oriented gamer, too. As you play, your Sims will earn Happiness points by staying in a good mood and completing the occasional mini-objective, determined by their traits.
Take a Sim who is granted the Evil and a Bookworm traits, for example. This Sim might earn a few points by heading to the library and swiping candy from an infant along the way. Sims also have a Lifetime Wish.
Completing these will net you thousands of Happiness points, but they require enormous amounts of effort — becoming Leader of the Free World isn't for the faint of heart. Happiness points can be cashed in for prizes that can make life a bit easier, from a steel bladder that cuts down on bathroom visits to a Teleportation Pad that (usually) gets your Sims where they need to go.
4. So Much to Do, So Little Time
The life of a Sim isn't all about telling jokes and throwing parties — unless you want it to be. For Sims who like to stay occupied, there are a number of careers to choose from, with success determined by your ability to work hard, stay in a good mood and make friends. You'll need the simoleons you earn to shop for groceries, buy furniture or keep the bill collectors at bay.
A work and no play makes a depressed, unproductive Sim, though, so when the weekend won't come soon enough, don't be afraid to skip work and play videogames. But remember: The clock is always ticking. Sims will eventually grow old and die. The game will track the progress of all households. After a few weeks of play, your town will likely be unrecognizable. So be sure that your Sim goes out and makes its mark on the world: You don't want to have spent your entire virtual life wasting away in front of a computer screen, right?
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