Insimenator.org

I'm not sure if this will fit here, but I found a two-part video that is (in my opinion) pretty crucial and will answer a lot of our questions.

The Sims 3 Demo With Grant Rodiek Part 1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFq40YSYGso) The Sims 3 Demo With Grant Rodiek Part 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZSO7YFD74Q)

(Mods, if this needs its own thread, then go ahead and move it)

Riverview looks like a beautiful little town, Do we have to pay for that neighborhood to download it or will it be FREE to the community when the game is released? also just so you know I tried going to the new official site and a pop up comes up asking me for a user name and password and tell me I am not authorized to visit this site so lol I guess EA took it down or something.

SimGirl20: Here's what I found about Riverview: article (http://www.simprograms.com/details-on-riverview-the-2nd-sims-3-town/)

Thank you ma. that helped clear things up for me but I read something on that site that was suspicious to say the least. whats the deal with this you have to be online to play the damn game? wth I thought that Rod Humble announced in late March that there would be no online need to play and or no need to register to play the game or no SecurROM! now whose twisting whose words?

Well, Grant specifically said that it was single-player in the second part and he's an associate producer.

Who's twisting words?

No, no you missunderstood what I said. I read on that site that 'after' you download the neighborhood Riverview that you can 'then' play offline..so what there basically trying to say is if you do not download Riverview then you will need to be online to play the game? maybe someone can clarify that for me because I know what I read in that letter to the community by RH

Ah. Right-o. I misunderstand easily. ^^,,

Yeah, I wonder on that as well.

Ooh ... I hope that's not what they mean. Perhaps they just meant to refer to the neighborhood? After you download it, then you can play it offline? I don't know. I hope that's what it is!  :confused:

Thats okay ;) I hope that this is not true because sadly I can only logg on in the P.M. so I'll be very mad lol if I can only play the game for like 3 hours...but I am also confused about something else sorry if I am hijacking your thread Maniac but it has to do with the game so maybe the mods wont get mad, um so I am trying to understand something before I go out and buy the game okay I know that the game needs to have 1GB to run on Windows XP (which I have) but what I don't understand is do you need to have 1GB available on your computer just so it can install or can you play it but if you don't have the Gig then your game will be slow and choppy? someone please let me know about this because I'm not sure if you need the Gig just to install or just to make the game run smoother :-\

^ No. Ram essentially just makes the game run faster. You can definitely install the game and run it without having enough. Before I got more RAM (and then a whole new computer thanks to my kitty spilling water on my keyboard and frying my motherboard  :mad: ) I had gravely too little ram to run Sims 2 well. I only had 128M of ram on my old pc, which is barely enough to even function. It was sad. But the game still played! It was just really choppy and slow on even the lowest settings. How much do you have currently? (And what operating system are you on? Makes a bit of difference too.)

Woot! you just made my night MagicFlute ;D ;D ;D so I can go ahead and buy the game when it comes out and get the RAM at another time when I have the money? thats great news! yay I'm so excited now I have a Windows XP Home Edition Version 2002 Service Pack 3 Compaq Presario AMD Sempron Processor 3400+ 991 MHz with 448 MB of RAM currently installed I hope my game won't go rediciously slow until I can get some RAM to play the game better? :(

Lol. No problem! Yeah, it'll probably be pretty slow, but it would still run. Definitely save up for some RAM though. You would be amazed what a difference it makes. Everything runs SO much better ...  :rolleyes: Makes me wish I'd gotten it sooner!

Well I can deal with a little lagg until I can save up for some more RAM but I hope its not like realllyyy slow and takes like hours to load the only main concern I have about getting the RAM is not having someone be able to install it for me, I live in a small town and I would have to drive to the next county which is about 30 miles away just to go to a shop to get the RAM installed, either that or risk getting electrocuted by doing it my dumb-ass self :D but I was thinking maybe it won't go as slow as what we think since it is a 'base game' and no downloads or CC is going to make a whole lotta difference too

Regarding the simmer being online to play the game I think this screenshot is a picture worth a thousand words! :mad:



http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/thesims3/images/0/9/?tag=thumbs_below;thumb;4

well, there is a game launcher with Sims 2 but people bypass it and still play the game OK - hopefully that will be the same for sims 3

the screenshot I linked to looked like someone being online and needing to be able to push that big 'play' button in the middle to go into the game through the internet, I hope thats not what it really is but it sure does look like it..but who knows

Thank you very much

Pierre

Thank you for the info ;)

Pierre ;)

I see there is not a define change from the "pirated" version and the "retail" version. :rolleyes:

I have a question: is there a Body Shop in TS3?

Highly doubtful, but those who buy or pirate the bloody thing can always hope.

Thank you for the info maniac19642003  ;)

Not to get personal, but you are beginning to sound like a feedback loop or a broken record... :D

Does anyone know for sure yet if we need the internet to install or play the game?

Thanks so much for all the information.

You will if you install the regular game on June 2, it will ask for registration and check your registration number to make sure it's by Maxis.  I guess it will have a phone number to call for verification. Yeah they are verifying the regs cause they can be generated by other means.  I guess that EAxis have special encrypted keygens.

And that is going to jack up your phone bill because it costs to call customer service. Guess what they can kiss? ;D

As is the trend now, you will be able to play the game but until you register it you will not be able to make any saves.
It's a ploy game companies use now in order to maximise sales. When you install the things it suddenly leaps up at ya.If you read the fine print on the box it will tell you "Internet connection required"
Those that don't read the fine print on the box and take what the developers say as gospel and don't have an Internet connection are well and truly up s-----rs ditch.

In terms of dealing with EA, Bender said it best:
(http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n283/comicalmuse/funny_bender_metal_ass.jpg)

Thank you lewis,
I had a feeling about that but wanted to be sure. EA just lost another customer,
as my comp I want to install it to, has no internet access.
I bought all my Sims1 and Sims2 and all EP's for both games, now it looks like I've to get it the other way.
EA sucks, but that's nothing new!

Any game that lists one of the service packs as a system requirement is a game that requires the net to work. Be it windows live , steam or whatever.
Talking about steam, the rumblings  amongst the gaming community is that the mighty fail safe steam is being infiltrated by malware,charming. The safest way that the net is used is in short bursts for upgrades etc not all day and night to enable game play.

It's a necessary evil in this day and age of software piracy and companies trying to protect their IPs, (Intellectual Properties to the non-business savvy.) but unfortunately the people who lose out are the mild mannered consumer. The person who plays their game on a separate PC NOT connected to the net, which you'd be surprised how many people do it, which is a lot. Or the people who are still running systems that are 5-6 years old, or older. I've had the same PC for over 5 years now. I've upgraded it to the highest specs it can go, but by comparison my PC is still shite compared to the new crop of PCs on the market. But not everyone has $1500-2000 to blow on a new rig. So the people running old systems are crap out of luck as well. And in this economy (I know, I tend to go back to that a lot, but I wouldn't so much if it weren't the biggest issue in all of this, and it is.) It's not so much you're making people buy a new game that might not even run on their rigs when you initially said they would, but you make them HAVE to use your methods of adding content, as well as online registration to authenticate the game, and LIMITED authentication at that? That's the reason why aside from TS2, I play console video games. No authentication needed. Buy it, pop it in your console, game on. End of story.

But one should add, it's only there for the unsuspecting and those sticking with every fibre of their being to the letter of the law. That shite is worthless when it comes to cracking. No CD patches for everything I know of are readily available and the only one annoyed by these measures is the customer wanting to play by the rules.

My personal policy is that of bite me. I only buy a game when there's a patch available. Too often have I experienced that game X or Y didn't want to load because I had app A or B on my rig. I'm not going ot delete anything from my computer because some game developers got paranoid or want to take a sniff at my software.


But that means no modding, ain't it?

No modding, no messing with it, no installing anything unless it has been approved by big brother. Remember, a good clean wholesome game the whole family can enjoy, now pardon me while I go and throw up.

On the contrary my friends. You can hack console games. PS2 games at least. And it's not illegal either. All you need is a cheat device such as the Gameshark, AR MAX or Codebreaker (Which has unfortunately been discontinued as of January.) With the combination of these devices, a lil' knowledge in Binary coding and a flash drive to transfer the data from you PC to the console, it's possible to create codes for games if you know what you're doing, or just to use the codes that come with the disks as is and download new codes off of the various websites that have them, such as Codetwink.com. I've got PS2 games I bought 6 years ago that still have life because of codes I use change various aspects of the game. If you try to hack a console game trough another method, that's illegal. But codes made with either of the devices I mentioned are perfectly legal. Sadly, only the PS2 has this, as the 360 and PS3 run on Blu-Ray and and HD-DVD formats respectively, of which the coding is way bigger then your standard DVD. Hence it would take miles of coding to make just one hack. And no one has the time, nor resources to do so, especially seeing as you have game developers who still haven't mastered the internal code of the PS3 because it can pump out GOBS of data. Which is why there will most likely never be such devices on console games anymore. But you don't really need them on current gen systems because modders simply make patches for them that do what hacks would have done normally, and again...these patches are perfectly legal, especially seeing that some developers offer tools for the more tech savvy user to patch their own game AND distribute them free of charge to the rest of the community, such as what Epic Games allows as far as modding Gears Of War 2 maps and weapons. EA should be takin' notes.

This game has SO many flaws that it is a damn shame.

PICTURE SIZES CAN NOT BE ANY LARGER THAN 600 X 600

Seriously, folks, this should be a well known rule. Resize the pics or they will be zorched.

I'm zorching things already, a few more won't phase me.

Admin note: Picture deleted because it was over the 600 x 600 max. That means neither the width nor the height can exceed 600 pixels. One more oversized picture in this thread will earn a thread lock.

Gamespot has posted a whole bunch of new Sims 3 screenshots; Well over a hundred.
See them here: http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/thesims3/images.html?tag=tabs;images

German site Cynamite.de posted lots of new pics as well. But in this case, they made pictures of all the objects in the game.
Check it out here: http://www.cynamite.de/pc/news/more/sims_3_das_gesamte_mobiliar_im_detail_teil_1/18125/sims_3_das_gesamte_mobiliar_im_detail_teil_1.html[/b]

Personally, I'm not overly interested in pretty pictures form EAs propaganda department. I think a great many of us here are interested in condemning the thing, not helping EA promote the crap.
Yea I know, freedom to, blah, blah,etc. etc. This is just my personal ten cents worth about that thing.

Some people are interested. They just don't comment as much since most people seem to disagree. Pictures do not equal promotion. There's my 2 cents.  ;)

Thank you for the update, maniac19642003.

Actually, pictures are used to promote games. Haven't you seen something that looks totally awesome and made up your mind that you wanna play that game because with graphics like that, it must play like heaven on a stick? Don't tell me no, because sight is one of the things the game designers try to appeal to. If it has wonderful game play and story line, but crap graphics that give you eyebarf, you're not gonna play the stupid thing. And that is the opinion of someone that has seen the video games evolve from the first Pong game to the first Galaga game to the first Nintendo and Atari consoles to the first PCs that had to be programmed with DOS, clear to the machines we have today. If it didn't appeal to the eye, the person wouldn't pay for it. We are, after all, a visual society, or those games wouldn't have been called "video" games, now would they? And that is my opinion, given without a cent in the world cause I'm flippin' skint at the moment.

Sure. When a company releases pictures, it's promotion. All I was saying is that maniac was just updating us and there's nothing wrong with that. And I think there's no reason to be rude or say that he's just promoting the game simply by sharing new information with us.

Just because not everyone is excited about the game doesn't mean that those people who are can't post or share anything.

Oh, I agree they've a right to share their hopes, but I also think that others are trying to warn them not to get their hopes up too high because by the look of it, it's not worth wasting the energy of getting excited over. I truly hope I'm wrong and if I am, I will cheerfully laugh when all of you stick your tongues out at me and say, "I told you so." :D

Yeah, no joke. I want it to be good and, so help me, I'm ridiculously excited ... but I'm trying to keep it in check, lol.  2DOH

For every one that is concerned about having to be online this is what the fine print states right before you per-order the game:


So the only way you would need to be online is to download game content or custom content. Or an even bigger issue to have an online account is to speak with Tech Support (who know nothing about computers). So no need to fret people, online only to register and downloads.

To read the fine print again visit TS3 pre-order.
http://thesims3.ea.com/view/pages/preorder.jsp

Thank you very much for posting this

Pierre ;)

Looks to me like what a lot of people have been predicting is true. I wonder what other little surprises EA. is going to spring on us.

On the T$R, in the replies, Thomas said this:
I need to read the EULA again, or will be different on ship day? EA really listening to us?

I think the new game play is what is going to be so fantastic about TS3.... the seamless neighborhood and Im super duper excited about the traits thing. Years ago I said they should do something similar to that... to make each sim more unique.

There are some thing that I have seen so far that I think EA could have done a little better, but none the less Im hoping the pros will out weigh the cons. :D

I wouldn't touch anything made by TSR, with their history you don't know what their will put in that tool.
And Thomas saying it'll be free to everyone...he has said alot of things in the past, most of them untrue.

I am in agreement with you, Dee. I never intend to mess with that. Waiting on the more brillant. Just made want to re-examine the EULA, cause if they can make a 3rd party tool, then others can also.  (Hope it is okay to write the last sentence)

Let's not forget that TSR is not exactly what we'd call a "reputable source." As well as the fact that no one can confirm nor deny that they are one of EA's concubines. While yea, they have cooked up a 3rd Party tool, let's wait and see when one that's NOT TSR affiliated comes to fruition before we start singing praise. When that happens, I might...maybe...just maybe...change SOME of my tune about TS3. I'm still not buying it, but the idea of having 3rd Party modding tools available that don't risk EA sending their guild of Legal Ninjas after you would do a lot towards me possibly getting the game after a few EPs are on the market and much of the MESS behind the game if finally cleaned up. As it stands now, I'm still far to content with TS2 to even facilitate buying the new game.

T$R have said time and again that they are not endorsed by EA or affiliated in any way - though, no, I don't believe everything I read - so if THEY can produce a tool for this game I see no reason why other sites shouldn't be able to

Bah!  Reading that actually made me regret some things put the sticky now... curse you, irony.   :mad: 

I don't have any trust for those who put "watermarks" in custom content files... who knows what they'd coded in that program to be added in people's own files, free use or not.  (or maybe I'm giving a little too much credit there? I think someone's paranoia has rubbed off on me...)  :D  Besides, there's more reliable people putting up a good fight in making better tools.  So if EA wants people to screw the rules and then not do anything about it again... let the saga continue.  :p

From what Pescado has said, it's really not a working tool yet at all. Let them work all they wish, they may have it done by the time Sims 4 rolls around. :D

Let's hope and pray that EA is smart enough to hand The Sims 4 back to Maxis so that they can do the game right. I think that's a fact that's flown straight over the heads of everyone, The Sims 3 was NOT developed by Maxis. It was developed by EA Blackbox (Responsible fore the crapper of a game called Need For Speed:Undercover and the past 2 lack luster NFS titles before it) and Visceral Entertainment (Formerly EA Redwood Shores). So the game wasn't even made by the people who created The Sims series in the 1st place, which in and of itself explains A LOT as to why the overall game falls short of most our expectations.

I saw that Paden and I believe Pescado. Like I said before, I am waiting on the more reliable modders who opened Sims 2 to modding and creating.

My concern about EA not allowing 3rd party tools as legal and we have to go underground to get what we want for our games may be out. Allowing T$R to make tools, although they are not affiliated with EA (as they say), then others can do that too. I just need to take time and examine the EULA closely. Copied the one at Sims Cave to read up on.

Bill whats-his-name said in the interview the team that developed Sims 3 are most of the same that worked with Will Wright and the other sim games. If it is so, then I say EA corrupt them or they just threw up their hands and did it their way.

That is very unlikely to happen-EA bought out Maxis years ago and submerged the studio into the company. Maxis does not exist anymore.
Will Wright was the co-founder of Maxis and he got a hunk of money to sell to EA. At that time Maxis was doing poorly and it was a marriage of convenience.
He had nothing to do with any of Sims 3, I would guess. He was just paid to show up. His last really big job was developing Spore. Reportedly he was not really pleased at how his ideas were just thrown out the window and EA took over from him.
Needless to say, you only have to look at the results to see what happens when EA decides to "develop" a game.

Yeah, puke city all over our monitors. :D

So yeah the sims 3 website is updated, everything is there now including the shop.  I took a look, talk about stuff from Sims 2 all over again, and the fashions and hairstyles suck.  Seriously what are they thinking?  I hope this game flops so bad it hits em hard...

oh good god, what's the first thing I see in the "check out what players have made with Sims 3" box but a bloody floor lamp by DOT *head desk*

If that isn't enough to put anyone off, I don't know what is

I think it's quite safe to say that The "Sims 3" ship has set sail...right towards an iceberg. Just sit back and watch the show. The game has potential, I'll say that from my brief hands on with it, but EA's frakked things up way to much as far as the non-gameplay elements, CC Distribution and everything else involving the game for me to be bothered anymore. As I've said before, when the mess is cleaned up and the game actually looks worth the $60 it's worth, I'll but it happily. But that's not gonna be for at least another two, maybe three EPs, which would be approximately 2 years down the road. Until then, The Sims 2 is my game, nuff said.

I iz blinded, someone pass the eyebleach *shudder*

I'm sorry, I couldn't let you all forego looking at the awesome custom content already available on the exchange. So for your viewing pleasure, I bring you the one, the only ... COW CAR!

(http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i136/Aliwag74/Sims%203/objects.png)

*runs off to poke out eyes with fork*

We thank you so much, Ali...for allowing us to share in your suffering. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go rinse my eyes out with ammonia.

WTFITS!!!????

The 4 people who actually downloaded that need to be shot...

They're not serious are they? I mean look at the s---, it's embarrassing.

*searches for the electric drill I had earlier today...*  1omg

I have an immense fear for what is yet to come...  1worry

well, you see, I'm such a caring, sharing person, I knew that you'd all appreciate it 1lmao

Perhaps I missed something somewhere, but if the game hasn't been released yet, how on earth can they make this crap?

I'm going to haunt you when I die, just because you posted that. You do realize this, don't you?

I'm assuming that it will the people from the Creators Camp?!

Although, I'm sure I saw simguru-what'sherbloodyname posting that the content available at the moment was from EA guys who already had the game


*strokes the fur-ball* but you know it's because I love you that I don't want you to miss out on these speshul treatz??!

*throws catnip and runs for the hills*

Ugh. Regretting the new glasses now.

I need to find a "puke on computer" emotion icon. The stuff on the exchange suck as bad as Sims 2.

I am sitting back and watching the ship head for the iceberg. Can't wait to hear the splat! Shutting out the community from creating and having to only deal with their crap will be a BIG MISTAKE!!

Looking at some of the sets offered, some of them look like stuff created by the community for Sims 2. Sucky recreations, but they tried. They don't know what they are stepping into...

I say they will give up the goodies after a year of total failure.

Thank you very much for this useful Info

Pierre ;)

Thank you very much for this useful Info

Thank you very much for posting this ;)

Not to be a PITA, but I don't think we need more than one news thread about the Sims 3. Whereas I certainly do appreciate the work you do bringing us this information, Mark, let's keep it in one place, OK :)

I wonder how much EA payed these sites for their positive reviews.


Sims 3 is a failure. Someone needs to say it.

Right now, on the Sims 3 official site, the players are not a happy bunch of campers. There are numerous reports of bugs, crashes, failure to launch and just plain stupid stuff.

Yes, I think it was a very rough launch. EA has a lot to answer for in this game.

A failure? Perhaps if EA does not address the problems the game causes the players. If the players get good and pissed, they will warn off others, and the mutiny will spread.

EA had better jump the gun on this one before it blows up in their faces. For one, they can turn all the CC they're charging for to "free."

They can replace at no cost to the buyer any and all copies of the game.
They can bring out the patches yesterday.

Then they can start working on the problems in the game itself.

Yes, it is indeed a great promotion. Buy a game for $50 or more and get absolutely insane trying to install or play it.

I'm afraid that mutiny is to late, the ship is about to dock. The masses were so taken in by all the glamour and glitter that they lined up by their hundreds of thousands to get a  taste of it. Rest assured EA. has a whole room full additions and trinkets to throw at the disappointed masses to ensure they keep coming back for more.
And so the sims 3 merry go round begins.

Those three links do not work. Check them again to make sure they actually do load and not hang up on us trying to see the info about the controversial information about possible Sims 3 EPs.

I just double checked them from snootysims and they work so I'll post them again now.

EP1: http://www.take2.co.za/games-the-sims-3-ep1-pc-dvd-rom-4277032.html
EP2: http://www.take2.co.za/games-the-sims-3-ep2-pc-dvd-rom-4277083.html
SP1: http://www.take2.co.za/games-the-sims-3-sp1-pc-dvd-rom-4277036.html

There isn't any relevant information from those three links connected to the potential Sims 3 EPs. I looked and didn't see what they are about. No images or descriptions.

But thanks for letting us know anyway! :)

Ok all I learned from thos links is that MAYBE in November we will have an EP for tjhis game.
In the mean time, Im still waiting on a freakin patch from EA. Hello, EA? Fix this crap!

Sims 3 horror movie
Another update from theSims3.com is a new scary Sims 3 trailer.
Watch it here: http://www.thesims3.com/game.html?param=videos

Grants house
This house was shown in one of the Sims 3 trailers and now you can play with it yourself. TheSims3.com has placed this house on the Exchange including its 3 inhabitants.
Get it here: http://www.thesims3.com/assetDetail.html?assetId=429107

Mark, I really appreciate you bringing us all the information you do, but I've asked you once already to not post multiple Misc. News topics. Please just stick to one. Topics merged.

I forgot I had one here already Joy or this would have been there earlier when I posted.

The Sims3 Store has updated with a completely new set called the "Ultra Lounge" set. Get 50 items for 19 dollars. Or, if you're unlucky and need to buy them in Euros, the price is 23 Euros ($32,-).
There are also a few new hairstyles and clothes, which of course are not in this set.

As you may have noticed, I'm not that excited about this store and though as a news reporter I need to stay objective, I believe these prices are totally ridiculous.
But anyway, check it out here: http://store.thesims3.com/setsProductDetails.html?categoryId=11488&scategoryId=12037&pcategoryId=12036&index=0&productId=OFB-SIM3:17693

(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y88/maniac19642003/markspics6/lounge.jpg)


It's confirmed; The first Sims 3 expansion pack will be here in November. On a French gaming site, the following title was found: The Sims 3: Destination Aventure.
Note that there's no official statement from EA about this pack yet, but is expected very soon.
Check the site here: http://www.jeuxvideopc.com/jeux/44896-les-sims-3-destination-aventure.php

'OpMystik' found another store that takes pre-orders for the first Sims 3 expansionpack. The name keeps changing as it's now called "World Adventures". Interesting is that this title was used in some regions for Sims 2 Bon Voyage (according to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sims_2:_Bon_Voyage).
Check the site here: http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5736348/Trail/searchtext%3ESIMS.htm

SimsGuru blog
TheSims3.com updated with the news that SimGuruLyndsay wrote a little blog about Story Progression.
Read it here: http://www.thesims3.com/myBlog.html?persona=SimGuruLyndsay

Sims 3 selling faster then Sims 2
Gamasutra posted an article about the PC sales of June. They focus specifically on Sims 3 which sold 820,000 units in America alone (not even counting digital downloads). Interesting is that they also note that it's selling faster then Sims 2.
Read the story here: http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=24505

TheSims3.com has added a few free clothing items. This to promote the JCP Teen store.
This store is new to me, but as long as there are no ad banners on them, EA can have more of these promotions.
Note that some of these items are recolors from the Sims3Store so you may already have some of these in your game.
Get the free items here: http://store.thesims3.com/jcp.html?intcmp=eaint214

Sims 3 expansion World Adventure has now been sighted on the French Amazon (French title Destination Aventure).
Here's the link: http://www.amazon.fr/sims-disque-additionnel-destination-aventure/dp/B002HPTVMY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1248516630&sr=1-1

Sims 3 on PS3/XBox?
Gamespot posted a small article where they speculate the chance of Sims 3 appearing on PS3 and XBox. This speculation is after finding out that software developer Edge of Reality is collaborating with EA on "multi-platform titles with The Sims Studio.
Find this story here: http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/thesims3/news.html?sid=6214915&mode=news

Wright: Sims was an experiment
A small press release was released where Will Wright talks a bit about his future plans and past games. Interesting is what he mentioned about The Sims:
"The Sims" was always an experiment," said Wright. "We never thought it'd be a mainstream thing. We simply did a game and started adding expansion packs and did a sequel and added more expansion packs".
Check the whole article here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090806/lf_nm_life/us_videogames_wright_1

New patch
And lastly, a new patch was released recently. Note that this one is really just a fix for the former patch and does not contain anything new. http://www.thesims3.com/community/news.html?selMonth=7&selYear=2009

Now, if only Sims 3 could come out on Wii. After reading how this game plays, it's not impossible to imagine a perfectly fine version for all three systems. And you can get rid of the rabbit holes and eliminate the story progression problem. However, the latter might not work as many desire. Several people LIKE the current story progression mode. You would probably also have to walk or ride a bike, rather than use a car.

It can be like a Harvest Moon-type scenario. You have a very wide open area to navigate, unlocking new areas as you complete tasks. Going from one "neighborhood" to another might require loading screens, though. Hopefully, the game won't have the same problems as My Sims. New areas took so long to load that by the end of the game, I thought I broke the thing. (Yes, I did rent and fiddle around with My Sims one week. I was bored.)

Anyway, I can even see how you could very easily change colors on the furnishings, clothing, etc. (I'm thinking Sims 1/Urbz here.) You can download certain special items or music (Animal Crossing/Urbz). If EA plays it correctly, this game will make a lot of sense on the console. Many Sims fans might even be able to play it better on a console than on a PC ... no video card/blue screen/etc. woes. Insert disc ... insert special codes for promo products or modes ... play.

I'd still wait for a good used copy, though. It's the principle of the thing, and I'm still cheap.  ;D

(Snootysims 8/6)
A big update for the Sims3 Store; 3 new sets have been added.
There is a youth version of the Ultra Lounge set (for kids and teens). A castle theme and a Jet Set clothes for both adult and Teen.
Check the new items here: http://store.thesims3.com/category.html?categoryId=11488&index=0&action=setsView

(Snootysims)

The traits info page has been completely updated. Not just a list with a vague description, but every option and social for each of the 63 traits can be found here.
A big credit goes to Maty where I got lots of info. But I also checked the games' xml files, searched through forums and guides and of course from gameplay.
There may be still some missing data, but all in all it's a pretty detailed list.
Check it out here: http://www.snootysims.com/thesims3infoindex.php?id=traits

Sim Times posted a few pictures from World Adventures taken on the Gamescom. You can see the Egypts Nhood and some adventure shots.
Check the screens here: http://gc.simtimes.de/die-sims-3-reiseabenteuer/bilder-von-die-sims-3-reiseabenteuer/

French site Tom's Games is on Gamescom as well and wrote a small article. In it, there are a few new details like there is an adventure journal and the amount of adventures in the French part is minor.
Check the (translated) article here: http://66.196.80.202/babelfish/translate_url_content?.intl=us&lp=fr_en&trurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jeuxvideopc.com%2Farticles%2F2317-gc-09-sims-3-destination-aventure%2F

TheSims3.com is advertising their Sims 3 Sale for the past few days, but now that day is here, there is nothing but confusion. One point there are a few items available, the next moment they're gone. You would think that digital items can't sell out so it's a bit odd. What I hear, you're not missing much; Those few items that do show up occasionally are not exactly the cream of the crop. Mostly a few silly hats.
You can check out this 'sale' here: http://store.thesims3.com/sale.html?page=1&index=0

EA Germany posted 2 movies on YouTube about the presentation of World Adventures at GamesCom.
Check them here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUVb6DcFZg4 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWiMD1WLsNI
Thanks to Sims3Nieuws for the find.

With a few days delay, the free object from the Sims Newsletter is now available in the Sims 3 store.
Get it here: http://store.thesims3.com/productDetail.html?productId=OFB-SIM3:18099&categoryId=11509&scategoryId=11547&pcategoryId=11545&ppcategoryId=&gender=female&startAt=0

The Sims 3 Store does not mean the end of Stuff packs. Sims 3 will get them too and the first one "High End Stuff" will be here on February 2, 2010. http://www.play.com/Games/PC/4-/11924479/The-Sims-3-High-End-Stuff/Product.html