Across the road from the Diner is the Doo Peas Corporate Towers (10). This modern 7-floor building is the centre of commerce in Sunset Valley and is the workplace those who in the business and journalism professions. It also holds classes in learning how to write for pleasure but preferably profit. Many town authors have found their first inspiration here. Once again, the same investment and buyout options are available.
Behind this building is what looks like an abandoned warehouse. The people who run their operations from that establishment also claim to be "legitimate businessmen".
Although it was thought that there was a manufacturing industry here at some point, the only warehouse in town belongs to the Outstanding Citizen Warehouse Corporation (11). The windows are darkened or broken and looks derelict but around the back where there is the way in can be found high-end surveillance cameras and handprint recognition security for a maximum security door. If anybody knows what goes on inside, they are not telling. There are no tours or classes here, but for the right amount of money (§15,000 would be nice), sims can become partners in "da business". With enough money, they might even be able to buy out this shady organisation. Otherwise, those looking to be "wise guys" or "made men or women" are welcome to apply for work here.
On the other side of town is the Police Station (12). Next door to the library, there is no nonsense to this building. Only people who want to join the police, already work for the police or have an opportunity to call here on related business can visit.
Southeast of the Community School is the Sacred Spleen Memorial Hospital (13). Sims with enough money can become partners in this business but for §30,000. Sims do not need to have their babies at home, they can come here instead. It is also the workplace of the medical profession.
For those who have time for some pampering, there is the Sharma Day Spa (14). There are also vacancies for part-time workers here, either working in the spa or working as a receptionist. Again, this is another investable business. The spa offers many different forms of treatment with a wide range of price and time required to visit the spa. However, spa treatment does make the sim feel really good about having had the treatment for 7 days.
For those sims who want to improve their physical fitness without jogging around town, building a pool or investing in a lot of expensive exercise equipment, there are three places that they can go.
Firstly, there is the 28 Hour Wellness Gym (15). This gym includes running machines, weight machines, a room for physical workouts and a swimming pool. There are also toilets and showers so a sim does not go home stinking the house out. There is also a bar with a fridge so a sim can have something to eat and drink. A sim could theoretically live here, napping on the couches and working out.
There are two community pools in the town. The Lofty Cerulean Blue Pool (16) is found behind some houses across the road from the Art Gallery and the Le Petit Shark Pool Center (17) is on the opposite side of the gallery. Both of these pools get quite busy at different times of the day.
There are two places that the sims can go if they want to be entertained and have a night to remember.
The Wilsonoff Community Theater (18) offers movies, shows and symphonies. Sims need to read their newspaper or regularly check the place out to find when the next show is. Sims can also have a tour of the theatre and even sign up for a guitar class. For those who wish to find work, however, the theater is the workplace of the Musical career.
The Llama Stadium is away from the centre of town. It is the home of the Sunset Valley Llamas, which plays games twice weekly. The stadium also offers courses in athletics, hosts rock concerts and also the regular town Amateur Olympics. It is also the workplace of the athletic career. An advantage of having a family member who is on the squad means that those in the family get to see games free.
There are three beaches in Sunset Valley. Two are secluded strands but the Old Pier Beach is the main beach in Sunset Valley running the whole length of the western shore. There are remnants of the struts of an old pier but there is no information as to how it got into such a state of disrepair. Nevertheless, the beach is popular for various reasons, one of the main ones being fishing. Strangely, nobody seems to want to swim in the sea. Hopefully in time when their world has been expanded, they will give it a go.
At the head of this beach is an area containing a juice bar, chess tables, a barbecue and various other seating. It commands an impressive view out over the bay at all times of the day and is a good place to use as a party venue. For the sims who enjoy collecting, a spot of beachcombing will easily find a few precious rocks.
I feel it to be fitting that we end this part of our indepth report at the Pleasant Rest Graveyard, which is found up in the hills behind the town. Despite looking eerie at the best of times, sims can have many reasons for visiting here. There is a pond with various rare fish that can only be caught here, there are rock fragments that can be collected and the rare death flower bush that can be harvested. There is a mausoleum that can be visited or even a place to find work. Only go in the crypt if you have a solid constitution. Also, as well as being a place to leave your dearly departed, it is expected that some of the ghosts will be rising from the grave every night and getting some exercise.
Personally, I am very impressed with Sunset Valley, how it has been designed and how everything seems to fit together. The town will be referred to regularly as we look at how sims live out their daily lives from birth to school to work to retirement and beyond and how it is almost as much a part of this game as the sims themselves.
In the next part of this indepth review of The Sims 3, we will be staying in Sunset Valley, looking at the houses, homes and families that are already there and how the town can be changed to suit the player's preference.
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