Monday 3 October 2005

The Sims 2 Nightlife - Our Review Part 3

Written at 03:00 by Andy - 0 comments.

Would you like to have this parked in your driveway?

All the information about cars, what they can do and how many simoleons will leave your budget are covered in the third part of our NIGHTLIFE review.

It also looks at some of the exciting new objects and features that you can enhance and fill your home with.

The answers are in here!

Tuesday 4 October 2005

Sims and Wright in league for awards

Written at 22:11 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

The Sims 2 as well as Will Wright are nominated for several awards. First of all, there is the Metreon Walk of Game award. Both the game and its creator are listed, and fans can vote for the game until the end of the month, once every day. Currently Lara Croft (Tomb Raider) is ahead of the Sims when it comes to characters, but Will Wright is still on top of the designers. This can change rapidly though, so keep an eye on the current rankings for the details. You can vote to help your favourite to the top. For more information also see the official Sims site.

Besides that, the Sims has also been nominated for a "Golden Joystick" award, which will be revealed in London early next month. The Sims 2 University has been nominated for PC Game of the year, whereas the Sims 2 itself is up for getting the "Girls Choice" award for 2005. EA, publisher of the Sims series, is nominated to become publisher of the year. Go to the Golden Joystick website to cast your votes. The London Hilton will be the place on 4 November where the awards will be given away.

New Sims 2 (Consoles, Handhelds, Mobile) Screenshots

Written at 23:09 by ChEeTaH - 6 comments.

The official Dutch website has posted a couple of new screenshots for the Sims 2. There are some for every platform it will be released on later this month or early next month. Other than that, we've also received a few exclusive shots for the mobile version. All the screenshots can be found in the Read More part of this newspost. Click the thumbnails for larger versions. Read More!

The Sims Open for Business Artwork

Written at 23:15 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

Spanish website Sims Express has received the first official artwork for the Sims Open for Business, the upcoming third expansion pack for the Sims 2. The image, although horizontally mirorred, can also be seen on the insert that came with Nightlife, announcing the expansion pack. Naturally you can click the thumbnail below to see the large version.

New Nightlife Bug: Don't Bite Crumplebottom

Written at 23:29 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

That Mrs. Crumplebottom can be quite nasty when you're Sims are displaying signs of affection out in the open is a widely-known fact. However, when she is kissed herself, by a vampire that is, she becomes so mean she corrupts the game. The game corrupts itself anyway. When Mrs. Crumplebottom is turned into a vampire, a bug in the code of Nightlife corrupts the crucial 'objects.package' file, which contains career icons and other important data. When it's broken, the game will not seem to be working very well anymore. The quick fix is to not let Mrs. Crumplebottom be kissed by a vampire.

If she has been changed into a vampire, the best is to replace the objects.package file. On CD 2 of Nightlife, there should be a file called 'compressed.zip'. Open this with a Zip program (e.g. WinZip), and extract the file 'objects.package' from the zip file, and place it in C:\Program Files\EA Games\The Sims 2 Nightlife\TSData\Res\Objects. Overwrite the existing file if asked.

To prevent the file from becoming corrupted, browse to the "C:\Program Files\EA Games\The Sims 2 Nightlife\TSData\Res\Objects" folder. There, select the objects.package file (don't open it!), and then choose Properties in the File menu (at the top). Then tick the "Read-only" checkbox, and click OK. This will make the file Read-only, and thus the game cannot write to it, corrupting it in the process.

A Maxoid has already said that the bug will probably not be fixed in the first Nightlife patch, that's very near to its deadline now and will be released soon. A second patch will probably be made to fix the problem. More details are in this thread at Mod The Sims 2. Thanks to SimsZone and SP Zone for the link.

Wednesday 5 October 2005

Sims 2 (Consoles, NDS, GBA) Goes Gold

Written at 13:06 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

The recently redesigned GameSpot has revealed the news that the Sims 2 has gone gold for the PS2, XBox, GameCube, NDS and GBA. The PSP version will hit the shelves a little later, and the mobile version will be available through your carrier at a later date too. The games that have gone gold now will be released in three weeks time, around 26 October, worldwide. Depending on where you live, the release date might differ by a few days.

Sims 2 Consoles/Mobile Screens

Written at 13:14 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

In Amsterdam the X05 event is taking place, where the upcoming XBox and XBox 360 titles will be shown. Worthplaying is at the event as well, and has posted four new screenshots of the Sims 2 on Consoles. Other than that, EA has also released 4 more screenshots of the mobile version, to finish off yesterday's batch. All shots can be seen below, just click the thumbnails for large versions as usual.

Thursday 6 October 2005

200 Polls

Written at 02:00 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

The past 14 weekly polls haven't received a newspost to announce them. Yet today there's a somewhat special poll, as it marks a new milestone. Since The Sims Zone launched we started having polls, which after a while were refreshed every week. Almost every week there was a new poll to vote for- and sometimes more than one, like during Sim Brother time. We now have 199 polls in the archive, which means the current poll is number 200. Of course it isn't the last one. As usual we'll keep updating the poll every Thursday at around midnight UK time, when you can find the new poll on the right sidebar on every page of The Sims Zone. So voice your opinion and keep voting every week, including this one!

Friday 7 October 2005

EA Settles Overtime Class Action Lawsuit

Written at 22:11 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

In a recent press release, EA has announced that they are settling in the class action on overtime. This issue was raised last year. Several developers of EA, of which at least one worked on the Sims 2, weren't compensated for the overtime they had to work. Several blogs were posted by (former) employees of EA (and Maxis) as well. Now EA has settled to pay $15.6 million to cover all the claims. The remainder will go to the Jackie Robinson Foundation, "a national nonprofit organization that awards college scholarships to minority students, with a preference toward students interested in studying interactive entertainment." All the details can be read in the press release.

The Sims 2 Mobile on Vodafone

Written at 22:17 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

EA is releasing many games for mobile phones in the near future. Recently the company has announced that in Europe, Egypt, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, the games will be delivered over the Vodafone network, using the Vodafone Live! service. Both companies will be promoting the games. EA expects to deliver 15-20 games to Europe until the end of next year. Unsure is whether the games will be exclusive to Vodafone, or if other carriers will be able to distribute them as well. Read the press release for details.

University/Nightlife Patch Next Week

Written at 22:22 by ChEeTaH - 1 comment.

Recent news about the University and Nightlife patch revealed that the patch was in testing stages late last month. More than two weeks later that's still the case, but it shouldn't take much longer. The patch can be expected to be put online next week, even though the first target date was yesterday. The release date isn't definite though - it's merely an estimate. Nevertheless the patch should now be very near to completion. An exact date for the release is not given. The following was said by MaxoidKane in this post:

"Just heard that the patch won't be out until next week instead of today. It's still in testing and that's the new estimate. Sorry to bring you the bad news but wanted to update you with what I know."

Thanks to our affiliate SP Zone for the link.

Sims 2 Mobile Podcast

Written at 22:36 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

The first two Podcasts were about the Sims 2 Nightlife and the Sims 2 on Consoles. This week Dano presents an interview with Shanti Bergel who produces the Sims 2 for mobile phones. Shanti first talks about the different versions that are coming out for different handsets. The second question is all about the limits of the platform, and how much can be put in the little amount of memory a phone has. He also says the game looks like the Sims 1, but has some Sims 2 gameplay and assets in it. Trading is up next in the interview, and the almost 7-minute interview ends with some things about the connected version. He tells how a Sim can be created on a PC and then downloaded to your phone, what Splendington is, what your goal is, and what the power of the networking system of the game is. All the details can be heard by listening to the MP3 file or by opening the podcast. Of course this all comes from the official site.

Sims 2 (Console, Handhelds) Screenshot Flood

Written at 23:16 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

As the games are getting closer to their release, Maxis is giving away many assets for the Sims 2 on Consoles and Handhelds. The result is a flood of screenshots for these games. First of all there are five screenshots for each platform - Consoles, PSP, NDS and GBA - from IGN, which posted them earlier this week. But that's not all. If you're interested in the Console, NDS or GBA version, there are four more screenshots for each of those platforms from the official site. Naturally we've put them all together in the Read More part of this post. Click the thumbnails for large versions. Read More!

Sims 2 Producer Mail #3

Written at 23:29 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

Scot Amos and Virginia McArthur, producers for the Sims 2 on Consoles and Handhelds respectively, send out community e-mails regularly to give a bit of news about the progress of these games. This time they talk about their trip through Europe and how they met press and community leaders in London, Amsterdam, Paris, Milan and Madrid. Virginia also mentions that the DS version will make use of the internal DS clock. Naturally there are also some new screenshots to check out, this time of the console and DS versions. Click the thumbnails below to see those - we've scaled down the console shots a bit to make them fit your screen more easily (although they're still big). The entire mail can be read in the Read More part of this post.

Stay tuned for an exclusive interview we held with Scot and Virginia on the event in Amsterdam. It will be posted here at the Sims Zone within a week!

Read More!

Sunday 9 October 2005

2500 Free PS2 Demo Discs

Written at 23:15 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

Maxis is giving away 2,500 demo disks of the Sims 2 on PlayStation 2. If you're in the United States you can sign up for the free sneak peek of the game which will be released October 26th. In the demo, Create a Sim and the first day of the game will be fully functional. You have to be quick as only the first 2,500 registrants will get the demo. You can only get one disk per person, and delivery might take up to 2-4 weeks.

Monday 10 October 2005

The Sims 2 Nightlife - Our Review Part 4 - DOWNTOWN

Written at 04:00 by Andy - 0 comments.

For the fourth part of our NIGHTLIFE review, with help from John, Martha, Alyssa and Steve, we try to give you a greater understanding of the Deceased, Discos, Dining and Downtown.

With also a night out Bowling, a few spins in an Electrodance Spheres, a cozy morphing moment in a Photobooths and proof whether Arnold Schwarzenegger can or cannot do The Smustle, there is quite a bit in this latest section and we hope you enjoy it.

It's right here!

Wednesday 12 October 2005

Sims 2 University (Mac) Pre-order

Written at 00:32 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

Aspyr is finishing the work on the Sims 2 University for the Mac. Even though the second expansion is already out on PC, the first is yet to be released on Mac. The game has now hit alpha status, and is expected to be released next month. The game info page also shows that the pack can now be pre-ordered.

Naturally we already have the game up for pre-order in our Mac Shop, where you can get it for £16.99 or $29.99. Amazon expects to start shipping the expansion as of 14 November in the US and 25 November in the UK, though these dates are officially still unconfirmed.

Yahoo! Previews Sims 2 (Console) with Screens (PSP, Mobile)

Written at 00:43 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

The Games Division of Yahoo! has recently published a preview of the Sims 2 on consoles. In two pages the basics of the game are explained, and some of the console specific features are highlighted too. The two-player split screen mode that's exclusive to the Console versions is called interesting, yet a downside is that players cannot interact and react to each other. Only one can talk to another at a time. Finally it's also mentioned that what the game calls obese is more like "a little chubby" for most people. Read the preview for details. Also, Yahoo! has posted some screenshots for the PSP and Mobile versions, which you can see below.

MTV Looking For Simmers

Written at 00:49 by ChEeTaH - 1 comment.

Young Sims fans in the USA of under 22, willing to share their stories of the Sims, are able to star in a MTV documentary that's currently in the make. Especially stories that focus on "the Sims game helping to make people's fantasies become realities" are wanted. If the game has made you less insecure, or if it has affected your real life in either a positive or negative way, or if it made you go somewhere you've never been, either in real or Sims life, then you might be the one MTV wants. You can enter by sending in some personal information and, if you have one, a video of yourself. All the details about entering are in this thread in which MaxoidKane announces the documentary. When the documentary will be shown is unknown, as is if the show is on only in the US or also elsewhere on local MTV channels. Thanks to SP Zone for the link.

The Sims 2 Holiday Party Pack (Christmas Party Pack) and Holiday Edition Announced

Written at 02:05 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

Following earlier rumours about booster packs from surveys, EA has announced what looks like the first one today. The Holiday Party Pack, or the Christmas Party Pack in Europe, contains 40 new decorational items and objects, as well as some assets for Create-A-Sim, all in the theme of the upcoming holidays. Along with the pack EA is also releasing a special Holiday Edition of the Sims 2 will also be released in the US - in the European press release that special edition is not mentioned. Among the 40 items are a mistletoe, stockings, snowmen, wreaths, winter-themed paintings, christmas lights, frosted windows, and reindeer lawn ornaments. Besides the press release there are two information pages on the official site, for the holiday edition and the party pack. On the second page, the following additional information is given:

• Serve a holiday feast for the whole family!
• Get festive and decorate your Sim's house with Mistletoe, Stockings, Snowmen, Wreaths, Winter-themed Paintings and more! Complete the house exterior with Christmas Lights, Frosted Windows, and Reindeer Lawn Ornaments.
• Dress up as Santa or Mrs. Claus and experience their arrival on Christmas Eve.
• Throw a happening New Year's Eve party and don't forget to set off some fireworks!
• Includes all 12 objects featured in The Sims 2 Holiday Giveaway.
• Also includes previously released holiday favorites from Easter, Chanukah, Kwanzaa and Halloween.

If last year's holiday items are included in the count of 40, as well as the 12 objects for the Giveaway, is not mentioned specifically. The Giveaway objects will be made available for download on the official site as well. The release date for this bonus pack is set to 17 or 18 November, though the date may vary depending on where you live. In the US it gets a T for Teen rating by ESRB, and in Europe the PEGI rates the pack with 12+. The holiday edition of the Sims 2, available for a limited time only, will be available for the usual retail price of around $40 - the price for just the bonus content is not mentioned. More information can be found in the press release (American). In the European version the name is slightly different, as well as release date (18 November instead of 17 November) and the rating, and the information about the special edition is left out.

Finally there are some screenshots and artworks of the pack, including a pack shot of the holiday edition. Click the thumbnails below for larger versions. The last 6 images from the information page are in their original sizes already and thus cannot be enlarged.

Sims 2 European Release Dates, PSP Pack shot

Written at 02:23 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

The European release dates for the Sims 2 in Europe were never officially confirmed. The games will be arriving the US later this month. However, the press site of EA UK now shows a new release date for the Sims 2 in Europe. The PS2, XBox, GameCube, GBA and NDS versions will all be released on 4 November. The PSP version will be released later, at 2 December. An American release date for the PSP edition, as well as any release date for the mobile versions, are still unknown.

We've already shown you quite some pack shots (and more) for these games on several platforms earlier, but a European box shot of the PSP game hasn't been spotted yet. Although it's not much different from the other graphics, it's appeared on Amazon now. As we don't want to keep it from you, you can find it below - with the 12+ PEGI rating printed on it.

All games can be pre-ordered from our our shop. Order there and support us a little bit too!

Patch Online Today (Wednesday)

Written at 13:17 by ChEeTaH - 3 comments.

A little bit of news about the University and Nightlife patch has appeared again. MaxoidKane has said that she received word that the patch will be published today on the official website. Along with the patch a list of what it all fixes will be posted as well - so far there are no exact details concerning that. Read MaxoidKane's BBS post of yesterday in which she announces the patch release date. Thanks to SP Zone for the link.

Holiday Party Pack for $14.99

Written at 13:28 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

Yesterday we already reported that Maxis is releasing a Holiday Party Pack (Christmas Party Pack in the UK) next month. The item has now appeared on the EA Store, where you can pre-order the pack (North America only) and get free shipping. The item is listed with a price tag of $14.95. A European price is not yet known.

Thursday 13 October 2005

University and Nightlife Patches Released

Written at 00:09 by ChEeTaH - 1 comment.

It's been a long wait, but as announced early today, two new patches have been released. One is for University, and one for Nightlife (and University as well, if you have it). You'll only need one patch, for the latest expansion pack you have - so you don't need to download the University patch if you also have Nightlife installed. Many bugs and problems have been fixed, as the list of fixes, especially for University, is a long one. The Nightlife list is a little shorter (although all the University fixes are included too). Some heavily discussed bugs have been fixed, but the problem with Mrs. Crumplebottom being bitten by a vampire causing problems has not yet been solved in the patch. A second patch for Nightlife might fix it, although it's not yet entirely sure if Maxis is making one yet. A full list of problems that have been fixed can be found on the update page, but here's a summary of the most notable fixes in the patches:

• Fixed a bug where inventory items and all memories were being deleted after joining a Greek house.
• Fixed an issue where hard-earned diplomas could be stolen or repossessed.
• Prevented teens from receiving the "Win Young Entrepreneur's Award" Want when it is already satisfied.
• Prevented an exploit with the Resurrect-O-Nomitron that allowed more than 8 Sims to live on a lot. (caused many other issues)
• Fixed an issue where the game would freeze if the user input frame for paintings or the camera appeared during a special event cinematic
• The Grim Reaper will no longer fail to leave a lot if multiple Sims die and the lot is left empty.
• Exercise machines introduced in University are now unbreakable.
• Fixed a rare instance where the Mascot NPC would become stuck in place after pulling the sprinkler prank.
• The proper text notification is now displayed when a pledge is denied entrance to a Greek House due to relationship score.
• Prevented a rare instance where dormies could become stuck in a semi-transparent, unelectable state.
• Sims could not sit on a barstool at the Bachman Busbar (cheap bar)
• There was an issue with the game locking up when in cameraman mode while a pregnancy state transition occurred or a Sim burned to death.
• There was the possibility that when using multiple nannies, one could become stuck on the lot indefinitely. Even after dismissal.
• Sick Sims can no longer die of disease while on community lots.
• The lifetime want to "Max Out 7 Skills" would not properly satisfy if the final skill point was gained via a SimVac aspiration reward object.
• The "Buy a Fountain Costing at least 600 Simoleons" Want has been removed from the game.
• Placing "Myne Door" dorm doors diagonally no longer causes entire rooms to turn invisible.
• Player controlled young adult Sims now properly retain their semester gauge level when being asked to move in to another lot.
• Sims no longer play the extended browse animation when purchasing an item from the clothing rack.
• Fixed a problem where in very specific circumstances age transitions would fail.
• Ringing cell phones no longer wake up napping Sims.
• Fixed a bug that prevented large groups of Sims from entering the helicopter carpool.
• Sims who write great novels now receive the memory for "Wrote Great Novel" rather than the Sim who answered the royalty check phone call.
• Fixed a major issue where loading a lot with the remote control car in use would make all memory and job icons blank.
• Fixed a problem that caused pianos that have been owned for a certain amount of time to cease providing fun.
• Level 6 Greek Houses can now accept pledges
• Eliminated a problem where Greek Houses were not accepting the proper amount of pledges per level.
• Sims can now Propose > Move In or Propose > Marriage towards non player young adult Sims that they became engaged to while in college.
• Fixed an instance where the player was unable to exit or save the game if they cancelled an adoption related interaction with the social worker.
• The "Cheer Up" interaction no longer causes crushes between Sims.
• Zits are now removed from any Sim that enters university. (growing into a young adult)
• Sims no longer get crushes from playing handhelds together.
• Babies are no longer available in the pool of online chatters.
• The "Stay Home from Work" want can now be satisfied.
• When being called for dinner, the headmaster will no longer decide to leave immediately after arriving on the lot.
• Improved the cleanup of kicky bags (automatically cleans up any invisible kicky bags on lots)
• Prevented an issue where the headmaster could get stuck indefinitely in a hot tub under certain motive conditions.
• Book cleanup has been improved to prevent the potential deletion of unintentional objects, such as vehicle portals.
• Sims can now feed smart milk to toddler Sims sitting in high chairs.
• Fixed a rare occurrence of a reset that would leave a user unable to save or quite after a Sim gave birth.
• User created paintings created prior to installing an expansion pack can now be sold or deleted.
• The player will no longer receive text notification messages that deceased Sims "are no longer friends. "
• Usability of custom content management has been improved by retaining the most recent page of content after deleting an object, wall, or floor.
• Fixed a rare issue that in various situations caused a pregnant Sim experiencing morning sickness to die. (aka Sudden Pregnancy Death Syndrome)
• Fixed an issue with cell phones being removed from Sims' inventories after installing Nightlife.
• Fixed an issue where a Sim being embarrassed could force the Sim out of poker interactions.
• Wants for specific electronic devices no longer roll in after a Sim owns that electronic device.
• Diplomas that were in the career reward panel for University now properly appear in the inventory after installing Nightlife.
• The lot view options are now saved properly after exiting and restarting the game.
• Pre-placed tombstones will now appear in build mode when transported to community lots.
• Fixed an issue that, in certain regional versions of the game, caused the voice audio for the karaoke machine to be intermittent or non-existent.
• Fixed an improper "$jobTitle" string was being displayed when Sims were asked about their jobs in some regional versions of the game.
• Fixed a rare bug that could cause a Sim drinking a potion to vanish from the game.

As said, the above list is far from complete. If you only have University, then download the University patch (21.1 Mb). In case you also have Nightlife, or Nightlife only, then get the Nightlife patch (17.3 Mb). The University page has a list of all fixes in both patches, while the Nightlife page also contains a list of a few Nightlife specific bugs. If you don't have any of the expansion packs, then there is still an older patch for the base game. All patches work no matter which language you installed the game in. Note that you need the game CD to be in your drive to install the patches.

Exclusive Interview with Scot Amos and Virginia McArthur

Written at 23:06 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

A few weeks ago Scot Amos and Virginia McArthur held a presentation in Amsterdam, to show the games they're producing: The Sims 2 on Consoles and Handhelds. We've held an exclusive interview with both of them, so they could tell a little bit about the game, but also about their jobs as producers. They also tell which Sims games they play after work:

Scot: "I do. Believe it or not, I actually play the console version and the PC version."

Virginia: "I actually just got University, but haven't had time to play it yet, I've been developing a lot of titles this year, so I got University and am about to put it on my laptop, and then I'm going to start playing University. One of the big things in University is the all new build mode, because I'm a doll houser and I like to build."

Make sure you read the interview to find out what else they shared with us and the community, and what Scot drinks to prepare for a presentation...

If you want to know more about the upcoming Sims 2 games you can always pick up on our preview special posted earlier.

Friday 14 October 2005

SimDay: Booster Packs now Shopping Packs [Update]

Written at 13:55 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

Besides the released patches, there is more news from the official site. As Halloween is coming up soon, Maxis has released a new Halloween postcard, as well as two new vampires, Amelia and Bartholomew (Bart). These two teens come with some custom clothing in vampire style. You don't need Nightlife for these Sims, just the Sims 2 is enough.

Other than that, there's also a new survey. In it there's talk about so-called Shopping Packs, 75 items for roughly $20. The name is probably a new name for the earlier mentioned earlier, only with 125 instead of 75 items. Five themes for these packs are mentioned and explained during the survey:

• Glamorous Luxury - Signature home furnishings, design, and wardrobe items to live the luxurious life of the rich & famous.
• Complete Makeover - Change things up with new attire and clothing accessories or re-design your home with unique objects and a variety décor options.
• Summertime - Fun Warm weather patio furniture, swim attire, and summertime design options for fun in the sun.
• Nostalgic Delights - Decorative furniture, hairstyles, outfits, and more from the best times of past centuries.
• Family Items - New objects, home design options, and outfits for family life for kids and parents.
• Outdoor Life - Get in touch with the great outdoors with gardening clothing, landscape design options, camping supplies and more.

The Holiday Party Pack seems to be a first, somewhat small, shopping pack, having 40 items for roughly $15. If you take the survey while it's open, you'll also have to answer a few Nightlife related questions.

[Update 17 October 14:30] Amelia has disappeared and reappeared on the exchange. The link in the newspost above has been updated.

Sims 2 (Consoles, Handhelds) Chats Next Week

Written at 14:03 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

A chat for tonight was announced on the official BBS already, but it's now been rescheduled to next week. On Thursday 20 October at 3PM Pacific Time (Midnight on the night from Thursday to Friday for Western Europe, and 11PM on the 20th for the UK) the chat will start with Virginia McArthur, Lakshmi Jayapalan, and Shanti Bergel about The Sims 2 for the Nintendo DS, GBA, PSP, and Mobile. Half an hour later producer Scot Amos and lead designer Alex Hutchinson will talk about the console version of the game for another 30 minutes. You can enter the chat next week just before it starts. See MaxoidKane's BBS Post for more details.

New Fiat Punto Download

Written at 14:11 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

EA has made a new car for Nightlife owners to be downloaded. The official UK site has posted a Fiat Punto, along with three screenshots of it. The car will cost 7250 simoleons and comes in just one colour. You can find the download link and the three shots on its very own download page. Just open the Sims2Pack file to install the car to your game.

Sunday 16 October 2005

The Sims 2 Nightlife - Our Review Part 5

Written at 21:00 by Andy - 0 comments.

For the fifth and penultimate part of our NIGHTLIFE review, I get to explore the weirdness of this expansion pack.

I look at the new services offered by the Gypsy Matchmaker and I get to have an indepth interview with Count Skylar Sim about the life vampiric.

Get stuck in right here!

Monday 17 October 2005

Sims 2 PSP Update

Written at 16:03 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

Besides mobile phones Maxis is working on bringing the Sims to another platform it's never appeared on yet: the PSP. Recently quite a lot of info has appeared about the PSP version of the Sims 2. First of all IGN has had some hands-on time with the game, and gave their impressions in a preview. They tell how a police officer takes you to a neighbourhood where all strange things happen. New is also the info about perks, which help you do certain actions (like burning up other Sims), or keeping your mood up.

Next is GameSpot which has also had some hands-on time. The two-page preview, in which they also tell the police officer takes you to Paradise Place in Strangetown. They also explain that you have to buy a sink and stereo, and how you can become a ghost. They end by telling about the Kine society, which looks a lot like a herd of cows. Posted along with the preview are screenshots, as well as a video interview with Michael Cox, Associate Producer of the game. That video, as well as new Gameplay Footage videos 4, 5 and 6 can be found at the videos page.

The Sims 2 (Handheld) Podcast

Written at 16:25 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

A new edition of the weekly podcast has been released on the official site. This time Virginia McArthur talks about the Sims 2 on GBA, DS and PSP. During 11 minutes questions from the community are answered, like if on the GBA Sims can get married or not, and what romantic interactions are available, or the differences between the DS and PSP versions - the DS version is focused more on the open-ended gameplay than the PSP. The third question is about the control of your Sim on the DS. Buy and design mode (wallpapers etc) will be available on the PSP, but building is not possible. Next the basics of the GBA are explained by Virginia, followed by some info for the DS, like painting, making music and the goals of the game. The interview is finishes with some info of the Mobile version, and a quick round-up of the other versions. You can find the download links and more info on the official site's newspost.

Sims 2 (Mac) Patch

Written at 16:38 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

After a first patch for the Sims 2 for Mac, Aspyr has now released a second patch fixing some more bugs in the game. The Custom Content Installer now supports both Italian and Japanese, and the game itself will support Japanese characters in the future as well. More general are the other fixes in the patch, which solve problems using the in-game custom content browsers, and stability problems related to sound. The update can be found on its download page at MacGameFiles. The fixes of the first patch are probably included in this one as well.

The Sims 2 (Consoles) Video Feature 2

Written at 16:44 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

In August there was a video feature in which Alex Hutchinson, Lead Designer for the Sims 2 on consoles, walked through the game. This time he's joined by Scot Amos, senior producer, and both compete in creating the coolest Sim possible using the tools in the new game. Alex makes an alien, whereas Scot prefers a female pirate. Altogether a lot of features of CAS are shown in less than four minutes. GameSpot has posted the video in their media section as "Video Feature 2".

TS2 (Consoles, Handhelds, Mobile) Screens

Written at 16:56 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

To celebrate the opening of SP News, the English version of our affiliate SP Zone, the site has posted 10 new exclusive screens of the Sims 2. There are two screens for each of the platforms the game will be released on later this year. All can be seen below, by clicking the thumbnails.

Strangerhood Studios All Online

Written at 17:05 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

Over the past few months Rooster Teeth Productions has been releasing the spin-off Strangerhood Studios. After the first five episodes were put online earlier, you can now download all six episodes from the Strangerhood Archive. Including episode 6, "Exception Speech." The Independent Film Channel will use this episode to promote their coverage of the 2005 Machinima Film Festival on 12 November. You can also stream the episode from IFCTV's Strangerhood page. It's not yet sure when the regular series of Strangerhood will continue with episode 7.

Sims 2 Webmaster Sneak Peek Video

Written at 17:15 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

In August several webmasters of fansites (including this one) went to Maxis to check out the Sims 2 on consoles and handhelds. A video of the event, including some talking Simlish, checking out and playing the game, discussions and quick impressions of the game has been published to give everybody a little inside look at what happened during the event. The official site has posted the video on the videos page of the game. There you can download or view the video and see it all.

Tuesday 18 October 2005

3 Halloween Lots

Written at 15:03 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

Halloween is coming up soon, and as Maxis has done before with another theme, they have put three spooky lots in the spotlights through the frontpage. The intro now shows Inuyama Castle (by Penroyaltea) and Silenced Cathedral (by msnaschev), which both require the University and Nightlife expansions, whereas Black Rose (by GodlyAce) doesn't need any expansion pack at all. The houses all come with some custom content used to decorate the lots.

Thursday 20 October 2005

The Sims 2 Screenshot Madness

Written at 17:48 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

As the release is coming closer, EA is trying to make people as enthouastic as possible for The Sims 2 on 7 new platforms: PS2, XBox, GameCube, PSP, NDS, GBA and Mobile. As many times before, it's been done in the form of screenshots again this time. Most of the shots are directly from EA, of which one PSP shot from the official Dutch site and the mobile shots from the official German site. You can find all the screenshots in the read more part of this post. Read More!

The Sims 2 PSP Delayed

Written at 17:56 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

EA UK has updated the list of release dates for their games a bit, and the major change is that the Sims 2 for PSP has been delayed to 16 December for Europe. Although not confirmed yet, the American release date has also been changed by a month to 6 December in some online shops. The reason for the delay is unknown, but obviously Maxis needs more time to finish the game for the new platform. We'll keep you up-to-date with any news as it arrives.

The Sims 2 Holiday (Christmas) Party Pack Box Shots

Written at 18:06 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

When the Holiday Party Pack was announced along with the Holiday Edition of the Sims 2, we already showed a pack shot of the holiday edition that's being released in the US only. Now EA has also released the box shots for the Holiday Party Pack, called the Christmas Party Pack in Europe. The American version comes from its pre-order page and is a little bit small. It also seems to be packed in a cd-size packaging, whereas the European edition comes in a DVD-style box as shown below. Click the thumbnails below to see larger versions of both images.

T-Shirt with Sims 2 Pre-order

Written at 18:11 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

The official site makes mention of a special offer from the EA Store. When you pre-order the Sims 2 there (North America only) you'll get a special Sims 2 T-Shirt for free. Along with that you can also get free shipping, if you enter the coupon code "SIMS2FS" during the checkout process.

The Sims 2 Producer Mail #4

Written at 18:28 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

We've received another e-mail from producers Virginia McArthur and Scot Amos (both in a chat tonight), in which they talk about the Sims 2 on GBA, DS and Consoles. These games are all due for release next week, and reviews should start being written very soon. Europe has to wait a little longer to get the games. Virginia also mentions a few features of the GBA and DS again, saying she can't wait to hear what the fans think of it, whereas Scot does that for the console edition. Besides that he also mentions a video similar to the designer challenge published earlier this week, only this time they recorded one in which two Maxis team members had to build a house. When the video will appear online is not said. Included in the mail are a bunch of new screens, as well as the webmaster sneak peek video posted earlier. Read the entire mail in the read more part. To see the screenshots in full size, click the thumbnails below.

Read More!

More Sims 2 Screens

Written at 18:40 by ChEeTaH - 7 comments.

After the lot of news and screenshots for the Sims 2 today, there's yet another batch of screenshots posted by GameSpot. They've posted three screens for each platform the game will be released on soon. As always clicking the thumbnails will show you the large versions of the screenshots.

The Sims 1 Complete Collection

Written at 18:55 by ChEeTaH - 2 comments.

Our affiliate SimsZone reports that a complete collection for the Sims 1 is to be released soon. As you might expect, it contains the Sims Deluxe (including all its extras, and of course Livin' Large), House Party, Hot Date, Vacation, Unleashed, Superstar and Makin' Magic - all the expansion packs ever released for the Sims 1. According to SimsZone the collection will be released in the US at 1 November for the price of $39.99 (on Amazon). Below are some pack shots of the box - the red ones are for the US version, where the frontal thumbnail can be clicked for a larger versions, and the yellow box is for the European version of the collection. Europe will get the complete collection as of 17/18 November - the price is yet unknown for Europe. Its rating has been upped from 7+ for the later expansion packs (rated by PEGI) to 12+ for the collection. The US version will keep its T (Teen, 13+) rating. Naturally the pack will also be available in our shop. Americans can already pre-order it now.

Sunday 23 October 2005

The Sims 2 Nightlife - Our Review Part 6

Written at 09:00 by Andy - 0 comments.

For the sixth and final part of our 16-page NIGHTLIFE review, we get critical about the bugs and flaws that were this expansion has given us and also look at how this expansion could have been improved to be better than it already is.

We also look at some of the Unique Cheats that have been added to the game to either make the game easier or give us more options in various areas.

It's right here!

Monday 24 October 2005

Strangerhood 7 Available

Written at 00:28 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

Roughly a year after the first episode appeared, and almost six months after the last, episode 7 of the Strangerhood has been made available by Rooster Teeth Productions. "Star-Crossed Suckers" continues the story that was paused for a while as Strangerhood Studios was made. This and all previous episodes can be found in the video archive.

New Campaign: How do you play?

Written at 00:43 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

Last year we posted a series of articles about how you can play the Sims in various ways. Now EA has launched an advertising campaign for the Sims 2 on all platforms, entitled "How Do You Play?" On the Sims Played By website various videos, pictures and stories are told by Sims players from across the world. Under the Player Bios are the greatest Sims moments some fellow simmers had. Other than that the website has a basic "about" bit, telling what the game is all about. Four of the five videos that can be found between the stories are also posted on this page on the official site. More ads by other players are promised to be online soon.

The Sims 2 (Consoles) Intro Video

Written at 00:49 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

Almost every video game has an intro video that you see when you load up the game. So does the Sims 2 on consoles, and that video has now been turned into a trailer as a little sneak peek for the upcoming title for the PS2, XBox and GameCube. It can be downloaded from the videos page on the official site. You'll need QuickTime to see the video.

Thursday 27 October 2005

Sims 2 Released - Chat Transcript

Written at 16:33 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

The Sims 2 (for PS2, XBox, GameCube, NDS and GBA) has officially shipped this week, and to announce that EA has published a press release. The game is available in American stores this week - Europe will have to wait another week. The PSP and Mobile versions are expected in December. A press release announces the release. Other than that, several team members who worked on the games attended an official chat last week. They talked about all versions of the Sims 2 that are being released. There's no real news from the transcript that has been posted, nevertheless you can read the transcript for more details.

Sims 2 (Consoles, GBA, Mobile) Screens

Written at 18:36 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

Around the release of the Sims 2 on several platforms, EA has released a few new screenshots. Most of them are for the consoles, but there's also one new one for the GBA, and another for the mobile version. Just click the thumbnails below to see the big screenshots.

Sunday 30 October 2005

New "How do you play" videos

Written at 21:12 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

After the launch of the "How Do You Play" advertising campaign for the Sims 2, new videos of people playing the Sims 2 have appeared. The official site had posted four videos already, now Maxis has added three new ones, and one which was posted on the campaign website earlier. Eight videos can now be downloaded from the videos page. Besides those, there are two other ones posted along with the eight, so ten in total, on the campaign's website, between the various stories.