at least you admit the new stuff are cool =P

Are you referring to me? If yes, well of course! I'm not a hater, I was looking forward to the game too. We're in the same boat, we want the game to be good. I want to buy and play the game, I want to be able to enjoy it. But I still doubt it as of yet. That's why I think we should voice our opinion before the game is released because it'll be too late if it's released already.

If you're not referring to me, well, ok.

I would like to know exactly why people seem to assume they can't manage half a dozen households at the same time? I already manage half a dozen sims at the same time by pausing the game, giving each one some orders, then resuming the game. Why can't you do that on a neighbourhood scale?

Playing God would be accurate. God is (allegedly) everywhere at all times, and given you can just pause the whole game and still give commands, why can't you effectively do the same?

God also knows everything, so maybe you could tag some sims as your favourites and have their actions, or at least the significant ones, reported to you, so you could go over there and stop it from happening. God would know when some sim is getting married, and could arrange for a car crash or bolt of lightning to put a stop to it.

Playing 6 households at once it completely different than playing 6 sims at once. LOL You're talking about constantly juggling 6 to 48 (!) sims at once. Yikes!



Because that would not feel like The Sims to me. I want to be able to grow with the families I play with, not check up on them like an uncomfortable supervisor every now and then.



Now that really sounds like a different game. LOL We made essentialy be God in the game but we are not God in real life. Maybe God would be able to play TS3 like you described but not me.

Treeag, what my point is (along with other people) is that all you people seem to be complaining about is the fact that you'll have a greater lack of control over every single sim in the game. But how can you expect them to change that? That particular feature is one of the largest innovative changes that The Sims 3 is making to differ itself from The Sims 2. All I hear from these threads is that people hate the idea of no having 'control', which is why these threads get annoying and boring. I don't personally see the logic in complaining about that particular gameplay aspect since we know they are definitely not going to change it. Yes, they may offer an alternative (like story modes), but they will not and should not change it completely. What would be the point in making another sims game that was exactly like The Sims 2 in that aspect? Fernweather made a very valid point.

Yes, because many people hate that so called feature. How do you know they're not going to change it? They're currently revamping the game, a major revamp from what I heard.

From what I see, it's about 50/50 for the people who love it and hate it. I personally love it IF the life changing decision doesn't take place by themselves. Like I said before, I won't make a big deal out of it if they're only goofing around the town and whatnot. But marrying and having kids bug me.

Now if they really include the cheat that can stop certain family from doing the major decisions by themselves, I'm totally sold. I wanna play, not watch dammit.

Where did you hear they were revamping the game? Could you provide a link to where you got that information?

Well it would seem pointless to me at least if they took away that feature of gameplay, of having an open and seamless neighbourhood because isn't that one of the major upgrades of The Sims 3? Not just being confined to one specific lot at a time, but being able to swap and change between different households at the click of a mouse without loading screens?

I know that many people don't like or are unsure about this feature but unless the developers of The Sims 3 make an official statement that they are just keeping things the same as in The Sims 2, then I truly don't believe that they will change it. Besides, what's wrong with just sticking to The Sims 2 if it (The Sims 3) will be so unbearable? Players like me are really excited about this feature because its change, and heck knows we want it.

Besides, I'm 99% certain that there will be a way to pause all the events happening in the game and to keep things the same until you decide to set it in motion again. This quote from Rod Humble I think supports my view on this:



He mentions storytellers, so having the ability to pause the state of the entire hood is highly probable. But we'll just have to see, won't we? For the time being though I think that people should just tone it down a bit and keep all the complaints to one particular thread. I just get tired of seeing numerous threads pop up with titles like this one, because its presumptious and in my opinion, childish. Why should the game suck just because people are afraid that it will be different? They aren't making 'The Sims 2 version 2', so why are people so shocked by the changes?

And what about all the 'ZOMG I can't wait!!!oneoneeventyone' threads that seem to always appear? Please allow us to have our own opinions, okay? Not everyone has to like something, and we're allowed to not like a certain feature if we basically do not like it.


And like treeag said, if we don't let our opinions now be heard then it won't actually do a thing. If we do let them know while it's in development, maybe they will make the option available for us so we don't get left out.

I don't think they'll take out the neighborhood that evolves while you play with your sim aspect. It reminds me of the way many people insisted they would never play Sims 2 because they didn't like the idea of their sim growing old and dying. That was left in the game, since it was an integral part of the new game. There is an easy way to turn it off however.
It's funny how people are concerned for their sims living their own lives while they're away. But I think almost everyone wishes the townies would live thier own damn lives.

Well correct me if I'm wrong but there are hardly as many 'ZOMGSIMS3CANTWAIT' threads than there are 'Oh dear look what I found out... The Sims 3 will suck!' threads. I am fine with people having opinions but starting threads like this one was started is just plain annoying. It doesn't open discussion, it opens debate, and it comes off as just plain ol' negative. I don't mind the threads where people talk about what they like and don't like so far because there people focus on the good and the bad. But in threads like these where all people do is winge and complain about one particular thing until its done to death, you have to admit it gets old fast.

And that's also true chatoess, I remember when The Sims 2 was announced people couldn't bear the thought of aging sims and whatnot. Things change, and most often they change for the better.

It wasn't from a site so I can't give you any link, but I have my source. I know you'd think 'just another kid and their nameless source'. Whatever. I know there's quite a few people know about it so it's not only me. You don't have to believe it. Wait, don't believe it altogether, it'll be better for you. It's not that accurate anyway


Wait, we don't ask them to take away the feature. Like I said before, of course I love the new feature except the part that they will take all the major decision by themselves. Period. That's the only thing I was complaining about. I don't mind having seamless neighborhood and having other sims running around the town on freewill. Obviously you didn't really read my posts.


Exactly. People who complain about complaints are the most childish in my opinion. I can't think of anything else than them being fanboys/girls of EA/Maxis/Maxoid/whoeveryoucallthem, they always jump on the people who gave critics and defend the game like crazy. If you like that particular feature, good for you. But me and many other simmers out there don't.

I don't think it's 50/50 it's more like 80/20. I think more ppl like the way it is more than you realize. But anyway I personally like the game the way it is but I believe everyone can have their own opinoins. I mean it's not hurting anyone so why care what other people think... you like the game... great... you don't or want something more out of it... great. I don't understand why people are arguing over a game that hasn't even came out yet and that they are still working on... anything can change.

I didn't miss your point, I'm just being realistic. I'm sure we'll have "pretty much" the same expansions as the other 2 versions, but they'll be revamped, updated with new and different things. I mean seriously, 'Vacation' & 'Bon Voyage' may be the same basic idea, but they are vastly different, as were 'Hot Date' & 'Nightlife'. 'University', 'Seasons' and 'Apartment Life' were all unique to TS2, as I'm sure we'll get certain EP's that are unique to TS3. I just honestly don't think it's fair to expect everything in the base pack. Esspecially considering there are people out there that don't even play with all the EP's. (I do!)

If they did include all current TS2 content in the TS3 base game what are some ideas you'd possibly have for future EP's? And how many EP's would be enough? (Not including "Stuff Packs") Just curious...

Its pretty lame to think it will suck while its still in development. Maybe I'd believe you if it was closer to the release date. Right now I'm still excited for more information. And I don't believe we wont have major control over most sim's lives. All this will come into more light as we get nearer to the game's release. Until then I'm keeping an open mind.

I read it that way as well



I think that's what they're going for and I'm totally ok with that. For the people complaining, it sort of looks like they want TS3 to be TS2 with better graphics. I personally like the changes they're implementing

It's funny, the neighborhood playing itself is probably the feature of Sims 3 that I look forward to the most. Really, it is. I like playing as a few particular families in each neighborhood, but I really don't care about the rest.

If we take good ol' Pleasantview as an example. We have the The Oldies, Burbs, and Brokes. They're somewhat boring. Brandi is a little fun since she starts out pregnant, but other than that she's not too fun. Don is a lot of fun. I love seeing him be incredibly indiscreet and get himself into a lot of trouble, he'd probably be that Sim I rarely play as, but keep an eye on when I see him if he was in Sims 3. The Pleasants are just a barrel of laughs. The dad is sleeping with the maid, the mom is getting fired, the teens hate each other and everyone hates Lilith. Extremely fun family to play.

If Pleasantview was in Sims 3, I'd be playing the Pleasants a lot. And the Goths. Cassandra is so miscast in this chaotic world of Pleasantview. She just wants to settle down and raise a happy family and the entire neighborhood is conspiring to make that fail. Except Darren Dreamer. Which basically means if I play to "heal" Pleasantview, it all starts with the Dreamer family. Darren marries Cassandra, Dirk rescues Lilith from her personal hell. The rest of the neighborhood crumbles around them. (Mental note: Reset Pleasantview, make story about this.)

If I could just play the Pleasants and Goths and have them live in a Pleasantview slowly descending into chaos, without actually playing the rest of the families, except to nudge them in the right/wrong direction, I'd love it. In Sims 3, it sounds like I can.

In shot, I'm really looking forward to Sims 3. Why? Because I get to play a whole new Sims-like game, with a little more focus on the Simulation part. I want to play Sims 3 because it's not Sims 2. And I love Sims 2. I also loved Sims 1. I just want to see the next step.

Family to generations to community.
Sims 1 to Sims 2 to Sims 3.

I hate playing tons of different families! I mainly stick with one in the Sims 2. Going into others, ageing them with cheats, and making them have children for my main families children to play with. I can't wait for the Sims 3 to come out so I don't have to go through all that work... it gets boring.

This was taken from sterlingsims2 after she went to ea and was chatting live with the creators and to fans on her forum



So it seems we will still have the same control unless something changes before release date.

http://www.sterlingsims2.com/phpBB2...opic.php?t=1843

I got bored reading this about post 60, but my two cents is that I kinda like my control freakiness. If I made a sim family and wanted an incredibly loyal husband with a skanky wife, I would be quite discombobulated to play that family after a while to find the husband going around the neighborhood, if you know what I mean. Or if I find an attractive townie (prolly not a big concern, but still) and want one sim to be with them, then if another sim takes that townie on thier own initiative, i'll be pretty upset.

On the other hand, I hate having eternal child townies. Overall, acceptable trade off.

What would be nice would be a set of permissions for free will- "Sim Bob can 1.try to find love 2. get married 3. have kids 4. remodel his house 5.arrange gardening and similar services 6.make freinds with NPCs"- and those numbers are checkboxes that you the player control. So if someone is supposed to be loyal to his girl, he wont have find love checked. if someone is supposed to be a slob but you couldnt assign the trait, he can not have services arranged, and stuff like that. But itd be a pain in the ass filling that out for every townie.

Well, it's obviously not up to me to decide what they decisions they make. lol. I know that the for instance, "Vacation" to "Bon Voyage" has been revamped, and I agree that some people don't *have* all the EP's. It just seems like a Vacation spot is generic now.. like a downtown.. or some other spot. Weather was a big WOW when it came to TS2. It seems like EA wants to go for realism. Weather adds to realism.. and therefore.. another generic idea that should be in Base for added realism. Granted Hot Date and Nightlife aren't really generic... but the downtown spot should be included. etc.

Some ideas? off the top of my head.. idk... Sims 3: "In Control" haha...Maybe have a Government that you can control or some sort of power... or Sims 3: "Employee of the Month"... where you can go to work with your sims and do some challenges to make money from your boss. As a Builder... I'd like a Builder Expansion of Stuff Pack... or a Movie Maker one. Sims 3: "On Stage" lol
or... a Sims3: "Back to School"... where you can take your sim kids to school and try to earn gold stars or something lol... ideas that have been heard and wanted.. but not done. Personally.. I don't really want to buy a 3rd version of pets.. or vacation... or hotdate... or whatever... EVEN THOUGH they are revamped. It's just my personal view.... wishful thinking XD :howdy: Thanks!

I'd buy that.

I agree with that, it becomes a Huge chore having to play a house you don't like just so the sims can age to your required age-group to help out your favourite lot.

The good thing about the Sims3 is I can just play my favourite family, and the game does the rest of the work for me to boring sims.

Since we're debating that, I decided to post a poll.

That's one thing they changed in FreeTime: The ability to grow up child townies. I hope that feature goes with TS3.



I agree with this. Most people complain about lack of control over their sims. But how does anyone know that that's final? There's still like what, 5 or more months to change that. You never know what the final game may look and act like.

LOL 1306, exactly. Because it's not final and still can be changed, that's why we're complaining. Maybe they'll include a cheat or something to turn it off (they may have included it, from what we read). If it's final then I won't wasting my time complaining, I'll just shrug it off and look away.