Gameplay

 

The Sims 3 is built upon the same concept as its predecessors. Players control their own Sims' activities and relationships in a manner similar to real life. The gameplay is open-ended and indefinite. Sim houses and neighborhoods are placed on one continuous map. The developers stated that "What you do outside your home now matters as much as what you do within." One of the biggest changes to the franchise is the use of "rabbit-holes". Players aren't allowed to go inside the majority of city buildings; instead, the Sim will disappear inside for a certain amount of time—a feature known in video games as a "rabbit-hole"—while the player is given several choices on what happens inside using a text-based notification.
The Sims 2 used a reward system called Wants and Fears. This is replaced with a new system called Wishes in The Sims 3. Fulfilling a Sim's wish contributes to the Sim's Lifetime Happiness score and mood. Some wishes, such as "Go to the Park", may add little points to their lifetime happiness while a wish to "Have a Baby" may add thousands of points. In The Sims 2, Wants and Fears also contributed to a Sim's "Aspiration" meter, roughly analogous to current self-esteem. In The Sims 3, Aspiration is removed entirely, replaced with "Moodlets", which contribute positive, negative, or neutral values to the original Motivation meter. Moodlets can be inspired by physical events, such as having a good meal or comfort from sitting in a good chair, as well as emotional events like a first kiss or a break-up. Most moodlets last for a set duration, but some negative Moodlets can be cured and some positive ones rely on the Sim's surroundings and traits.
The game includes an optional feature called "Story Progression," which allows all Sims in the neighborhood to autonomously continue as if the player were controlling them, such as get married, get jobs and promotions, have children, move into their dream house or move out of the neighbourhood while the player isn't playing. Sims live for a set duration of time (adjustable by the player) and advance through several stages (baby, toddler, child, teen, young adult, adult, and elder). Sims can die of old age or they can die prematurely from causes such as fire, starvation, drowning, electrocution, (as of the World Adventures expansion pack) Mummy's curse, (as of the Ambitions expansion pack) a meteor, and (as of the Late Night expansion pack) by thirst (vampires only). One of the major new additions to gameplay is Opportunities, tasks that Sims can complete to earn rewards. These challenges occur randomly based on aspects of each Sim's lifestyle, such as relationships, skills and job. Career opportunities such as working overtime or completing special tasks can yield a pay raise, cash bonus, or relationship boost. Skill opportunities are requests by neighbors or community members for Sims to solve problems using their acquired skills for cash or relationship rewards. If the opportunity is connected to a Sim's school, the reward may be increased school performance.

 

Create A Sim

The Sims 3 introduces many more character customization options than its predecessor The Sims 2. The player has a larger selection of body types for Sims, and is able to create different hair styles for every Sim. The player is able to pick their Sim's shoes, a feature previously limited to console versions of The Sims and The Sims 2.

There are a total of 22 hairstyles for female Sims and 17 hairstyles for male Sims with more available through expansion packs, stuff packs, The Sims 3 Store and third-party custom content. Hats and accessories may be applied and may also have their colors and textures altered. Each Sim's hair color can be chosen from one of eight basic colors, or the hair color can be customised using a color wheel to choose the base hair color, roots, highlights and tips.

The Sims 3 offers many more character customization options than its predecessors. With the addition of "Advanced Mode", players can focus on single features on a characters body to modify, allowing for detailed customization. Muscle and body weight sliders have been introduced and can be fully adjusted to create much more varied and realistic looking Sims. The Sims 3: Late Night expansion pack added sliders for breast size and muscle definition.

The player can also choose the Sim's full name, age, gender, and skin tone. There are six different skin tones: three "normal" tones along with red, green and blue. The Sims 3: Supernatural expansion pack and its corresponding game update added six new skin tones, and the expansion pack "The Sims 3: Seasons" added one new skin colour. Each skin tone can be further customised with a light-dark slider. In The Sims 2, players could only choose between two basic body types: average and thick. A third body type – Fit – could only be achieved in the game and not on the Create A Sim menu. In The Sims 3, however, body weight is determined by moving a slider left or right. Sims can be extremely skinny or extremely fat. However, toddlers do not have the option to have their weight customized. Weight can be decreased through gameplay if the Sim exercises or increased if the Sim continues eating after they have filled up their hunger meter.

In the clothing tab, players can choose what their Sims will wear. The five categories of outfits are everyday wear, formal wear, sleepwear, athletic wear, and swimwear. A sixth category, outerwear, was included with the "Seasons" expansion pack, which includes clothing for outdoor weather conditions such as winter coats. Each type of clothes found in each categories include tops, bottoms, full-body outfits, footwear (which players can choose, unlike in The Sims and The Sims 2), eye wear, earrings, gloves, bracelets, rings and socks. Players can create up to three outfits in all categories. Outfits can be customized during gameplay by clicking on a dresser. The hair, skin colour, face, freckles etc. cannot be changed in the dresser, as real life is. Young Adults, Adults, and Elders can also have the ability to customize their "career outfits" for the added benefit to the player. The color and pattern of the clothes can be chosen by the player with the Create a Style tool. However toddlers do not have the option to have athletic wear, swimwear and accessories chosen and/or customized. Accessories can also be added and customized also with the Create a Style tool.

Players can choose any of the traits available in the menu. Players can also choose their Sim's favorite food, music and color. The Sim's voice is customizable as well. Toddlers have one voice slider, children have two voice sliders, and teenagers and older have three voice sliders. They can also pick the Sim's lifetime wish, which is a goal a Sim will be working for all of their lifetime until it is fulfilled. Zodiac signs are added in The Sims 3: Late Night and Patch 1.7, which make Sims more friendly with other Sims of compatible signs. Players can also write the biography of their Sims. Toddlers, children and teenagers don't have the option to have their lifetime wish chosen in CAS, but will be provided with lifetime wishes occasionally as they grow up and the player will be able to select one. Once a teenager, toddler, or child have chosen a lifetime wish, it can only be changed if they achieve enough Lifetime Happiness points to gain the Change Lifetime Wish experience reward.

 

Skills

There are several skill-dependent abilities, such as advanced social interactions available from high charisma, special songs for guitar players, and appliance upgrades (self-cleaning, more TV channels, etc.) for high handiness. Painting, writing and guitar are now different skills, instead of the all-encompassing "creativity" skill of The Sims. Paintings are now more particular to each Sim, based on their traits. Sims can increase their skills by practicing a skill (e.g. playing the guitar, working in the garden, writing a novel, etc.), reading a book about the skill, or taking a class in the skill at a civic building. Sims can begin building their skills as early as their toddler days. While skills do not show up in the meter right away, using skill building objects is rewarded once the toddler grows into a child. Logic can be used to teach children skills that will help them in later life. The skills include Logic, Cooking, Painting, Gardening, Writing, Guitar, Athletic, Handiness, Charisma and Fishing. New skills were later added in expansion packs. When Sims reach level 10 of a skill, they will get a certificate in the mail to display on a wall or sell for 1000 Simoleons. Players do not see the skill in the Sim panel until the first point is unlocked, then they can view them in a skill journal. Each skill has a tab in the skill journal detailing the level of the skill, statistics, what the challenges are, and sometimes other special information. For example, the athletic skill journal shows the statistics: hours of cardio workout, hours of strength workout, distance jogged. The skill journal is viewed by pressing the 'J' key in-game or selecting the skills tab and clicking the small document that appears at the end of the skill bar after unlocking the first point. Various challenges are also available in the skill journal. For example, in the Painting skill journal, a challenge to paint thirty paintings is available. When completed, the Sim earns a reward of being able to paint significantly faster than normal Sims. There are multiple skill challenges for each and every skill, as well as collections. All of them earn some kind of benefit, such as quicker completion, better results, etc. With The Sims 3: Ambitions, the skill journal also shows hidden skills that a Sim has learned.

 

Careers

Many of the careers from The Sims 2, and The Sims such as the Law Enforcement and Athletic tracks, are in The Sims 3. Of course, there are also some new ones. Sims can look for these jobs in the newspaper, the computer, or apply right at the building where they’d like to work. (Every career has a building in the neighborhood.) Sims are also able to make a living at home selling paintings, writing novels, playing guitar for tips or growing fruit and vegetables. Jobs such as nectar making can become a profession with the Sims 3 World Adventures. To get some extra cash on the side if the Sim also has some cash to spare, they can buy out businesses and receive a percentage of the profits they earn. If Sims are less inclined towards pursuing a full-time career or if they need more time during the day, they can get part-time jobs at certain career locations within the town. Part-time jobs have a lower pay than full-time jobs and do not give career opportunities. Part-time jobs are also available for teen and elderly Sims.

Advancing in a career still depends on mood and skills, but also relationships with colleagues/boss and even certain goals that have to be fulfilled. The player can decide how hard they work while on the job. The option to work hard will increase the Sim's performance faster at the expense of their mood. Taking work home, schmoozing the boss, reading medical journals, or completing opportunities also have an impact on a Sim's job performance. Chance cards and at-work events can still cause the Sim to lose their job, but may actually help them get a better job in another career track. Reaching the top of a career doesn't mean they're done, either. If a Sim keeps excelling at their duties, they can rake in extra Simoleons through additional raises.
A new feature The Sims 3 offers is branching careers, which allows Sims to choose a certain path in their career (such as a Sim in the Music career can eventually choose to specialize in Symphonic music or Rock).

The Ambitions expansion pack introduces professions, careers that allow the player direct control over their Sims’ work and how they spend their days, and the ability for Sims to register at City Hall as self-employed in a skill career.

The careers in the core game are Business, Culinary, Criminal, Journalism, Law Enforcement, Medical, Military, Music, Political, Science, and Professional Sports. Professions in the Ambitions expansion pack include Firefighter, Ghost Hunter, Investigator, Architectural Designer, and Stylist. The part-time jobs available include such positions as a Bookstore Clerk, Grocery Store Clerk, Spa Receptionist, Spa Specialist and a Mausoleum Gravedigger. If the Sim is a Rockstar, other Sims recognize this and react. The same if he/she is at the top of other careers, like the Military career: Sims use their military greeting and their children can then also use the military greeting. There are some banners that can be found depicting them. Careers and part-time jobs pay hourly, not daily. Sims in a professions from Ambitions, will get money for performing each job, while receiving a weekly stipend. NPCs such as the maid and repairman, when asked about their career by a Sim, will state Maid and Repairman, but if they move into a household they will be listed as unemployed. So far most service NPC jobs are off limits to the player.

 

Worlds

Neighborhoods are now being officially referred to as 'worlds', possibly due to Electronic Arts' use of the Create a World tool and the neighborhoods scale. Worlds are now 'seamless', open to exploration between lots and are affected by a new game mechanic called story progression. The primary world in the game is Sunset Valley, while an additional world called Riverview can be obtained for free. All expansion packs to date (except Generations and Seasons) have included a world, and additional worlds can be bought at The Sims 3 Store.
The Create a World tool allows players to make their own neighborhoods with custom terrains similar to SimCity 4. A game patch, released in conjunction with the release of Ambitions, also allows players to manipulate pre-made neighborhoods to a limited degree, such as adding or removing lots and scenery. As of Late Night, worlds are divided into "Sims 3 Towns and "Late Night Towns". There seem to be important differences between the two, like the sims they can spawn, etc. Up to now, Bridgeport is the only pre-made world to be catalogued as a city. The rest, including the exotic destinations from World Adventures, are considered suburbs.

On March 19, 2008, EA revealed open world, a new feature, for The Sims 3. Players can explore the world outside their Sims' homes without having to face strenuous loading times. Every house lot is now synchronized with the main neighborhood time. In previous Sims games, the time of day was separate and different for each house lot. Players can interact with every building and amenity in a city. Although players are unable to see inside of certain commercial buildings often called rabbitholes (grocery, bookstore, theater, police station, school, etc.), they are able to enter and retain limited control over their Sims' actions while in these locations. The player has complete control in some other commercial buildings – such as the gym, library and the beach house. All occupied residential buildings can be entered in the same manner as a Sims' home, provided that the buildings are not empty or it is not too late at night.

 

Build/Buy Modes

The build and buy modes have received their own makeover. The square tile outlines that appeared on the ground in previous Sims games' build and buy modes are now a quarter of their original size to give the player more liberty to place objects where they want. Alternatively, it is possible to place objects freely without square tiles, an option that was missing in previous Sims games. Players can re-color and re-pattern the furniture and other items to specific shades and patterns with the new Create-a-Style and make houses with five levels (basements of up to four floors deep).

Build mode is one of three modes in The Sims 3. It is used mainly for construction and architectural work. Some items that would be considered to be in build mode, such as counters and lights, are actually in the buy mode section. Build mode can be used to do many things including adding walls, paint/cover walls, add doors and windows, lay down flooring, create foundations and raised decks, create basements by using either foundations or the Basement tool, add columns and supports, create pools, raise and lower land, create ponds, build gardens and landscape a lot, add fireplaces, add additional floors/stories to a building, add stairs, and add a roof.

Some expansion packs released after The Sims 3 add extra build mode features such as ceiling construction and designing the terrain, Players cannot build or place objects outside the limits of the lot. Walls and foundations cannot be placed within one tile of the outer limit of the lot. Fences can be placed all the way up to the edge of the lot and all structures built by the players are limited to five above-ground stories as well as four basement levels. Buildings can be modified to appear to be taller than five stories, either using shells (introduced in Late Night) or by use of the constrainfloorelevation false cheat, which disables the requirement for above-ground floors to be uniform in height and level. There will, however, still be only a maximum of five usable above-ground floors. The height of a section of wall is equal to the length of 3-floor squares. This is most noticeable while placing a 45° roof. It is possible that the length of a game tile is 1 meter, and that the height of a section of wall would then be 3 meters.

In some situations, Build mode, as well as Buy mode, may become disabled, such as during a fire, burglary, or other major event. This is done to prevent modifications to the lot that may impact or prevent a game event from occurring. After the event has ended, Build and Buy modes will be re-activated. This feature has been an annoyance to many players and is disabled in many mods. Depreciation of objects is visible in The Sims 3. All objects depreciate 10% as soon as the player exits build mode. This adds realism to the game and gives the player limited tries at building before the costs of building use up too much of the funds intended for furnishing and living expenses. When in build mode, players can return items for full value by using the undo tool.

In Buy mode, the player may purchase items from the catalog, sell objects that are on the current lot, and arrange objects on the current lot. Construction-related elements such as doors, windows, fences, and stairs are not associated with buy mode, but are in build mode. Buy mode largely focuses on furniture and appliances. The descriptions of many of the objects available for purchase in the game (namely the least expensive ones) involve humor, sarcasm, insults towards the player, and wit, and serves as comic relief in the game. For example, one of the cheapest cars available in The Sims 3, the "Big Lemon", notes that although the car's doors are jammed and its ignition is faulty, it is still worth buying. Another example is the outdoor entertainment item "Foot-and-Hand Ball" used to train the athletic skill, which references and pokes fun at American football, which, despite its name, rarely involves contact with the ball via the feet. A feature that was introduced in The Sims 2 and stays present currently is the eyedropper tool. When the eyedropper tool is pointed at a wall covering, floor covering, or most objects, will show the name of what it's pointed at. Clicking on a wall or floor covering will switch to the appropriate area of build mode and select that covering so it can be applied. Clicking on an object will make an exact duplicate of it, and will focus the catalog on that object.

The family inventory is a space where objects that are too large to be held in a Sim's personal inventory are kept. Certain opportunities may make an object available in the Family Inventory. When a Sim family moves, if "pack furniture" is selected, all objects in the household will be placed in the Family inventory, to be moved and rearranged in the new house.

 

Blueprint Mode

Introduced in patch 42, blueprint mode (a subset of the build mode), allows players to choose from pre-made rooms. A player can place down blueprints anywhere furniture can go, and after "realizing" them, have the blueprints automatically laid out.

 

Create A World

On October 29, 2009, Electronic Arts announced "Create a World" (CAW), which is a game world editor that allows players to create their own custom cities from scratch for use within the game. Players can customize lots, choose terrain patterns and add roads, vegetation and neighborhood accents (such as water towers and lighthouses). CAW also allows players to import designs from PNG files for use in their worlds. Users can upload their worlds to The Sims 3 Exchange for download by other players. The editor tool is offered to players as a separate download (156MB), and was released on December 16, 2009 as a beta version. EA will offer technical support and updates. Players are able to share their neighborhoods as with other content. The Create A World tool is currently only available for Windows based PCs.

 

Information via wikepedia