Friday 3 June 2005

New Poll

Written at 02:09 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

A day later than supposed to be, the new poll is up. Last week we asked you why your Sims don't pay their bills in time. Some Sims can't keep their money safe, and let others spend it. That option got 18% and is as such the "winner." Second is the "I lost my mailbox" excuse, with 17%. Less popular are the excuses that a burglar stole them (11%), the dog ate them (8%) or that a kid spoilt a drink over them (3%). The other 33% was covered by those who have their Sims pay their bills in time every time.

This week we want to know how you though this year's E3 was. Let us know, by voting either on the right or on the latest poll page.

Wednesday 8 June 2005

My Nightlife style contest outfit

Written at 00:33 by Starrats - 0 comments.

Today I added the Nightlife outfit that I used in the dutch Nightlife style contest. I was so happy when I heard that I had won a Nightlife expansion pack with it.

So check it out, and enjoy.

Sims 2 Mac BodyShop Arrived, Release Date Revealed

Written at 00:49 by ChEeTaH - 1 comment.

The Sims 2 for Mac has been completed and it's gone gold. More information has recently arrived about the port of the PC game. Just as with the PC release, the Body Shop, a program to create Sims with, has already been released. It's just before the release of the game, which will be 17 June. A countdown at the Aspyr website shows this. You can download the Body Shop, about 205Mb, from MacGameFiles. You can pre-order the game from our shop. The system requirements are as follows:

• Operating System: Mac OS X 10.3.8 or later
• CPU Processor: PowerPC G4/G5
• CPU Speed: 1.2GHz or faster
• Memory: 256 MB or higher
• Hard Disk Space: 3GB free disk space
• Video Card (ATI): Radeon 9000 or better
• Video Card (NVidia): GeForce FX5200 or better
• Video Memory (VRam): 32 MB or higher
• Media Required: DVD Drive

A preview for the game can also be read at InsideMacGames. It doesn't mention any of the special .Mac specific features the game supports, but just the main gameplay - which is identical to the PC version.

Nightlife Screens and Details

Written at 01:23 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

GameSpot has posted three new screenshots of Nightlife, from the E3 demo. They give a small impression of what the Hub looks like, what dating is like, Mrs. Crumplebottom and of course a new car. You can see the screens by clicking the thumbnails below. The German box shot has also been released, and although that would normally not be of much interest, this time the "EA" brand (instead of "EA Games") is quite notable (see earlier news). There's still no official confirmation about that, but it seems very likely EA Games has been changed to EA. The box shot is the fourth picture below. Other than that there's a lot more info given by Hunter Howe, developer of Nightlife, on the official BBS. In several posts (this, this, this, this and this) he gives away some details of the new expansion pack. Read on for those details.

Read More!

Saturday 11 June 2005

New Poll

Written at 01:14 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

Thursday morning we added a new poll on the right of the site again. The current one is all about the average age of your Sims. Are they all very young, or generally dead? Or perhaps somewhere in between? Vote on the right or the latest poll page. Last week we asked about this year's E3, and though 19% didn't really seem to know what it was about, 33% of the 155 people said it was great. One of every four voters would've liked to see more Sims, whereas almost 12% was happy with the info they received, but not overly joyed. 11% Simply hated the E3. For more precise results go to the results page.

Sunday 12 June 2005

The False Myths/Legends of Sims 2 Explored And Exploded

Written at 22:58 by Neil - 0 comments.

Every once in a while somebody posts a great link on Usenet that just has to be shared around with the entire community and then some more. The site also has a really rather funky set of game modifications to play with as well.

Did you know that the actual chance of being abducted by aliens is not 5% as stated in the strategy guide but is less than one tenth of a percent per star gazing session?

Did you know that it's possible to make toddlers hyper-active and requrie no sleep whatsoever?

The thread explodes a few other myths and problems in the game, including a "all the kids are the same!" bug and a curious problem that affects all Sims in the Simbin - they're there permanently, basically.

Click Here to read the thread.

So far as game hacks go:
No "A grade" cheering, less whining at low needs, solution for the "I must trapse up 6 flights of stairs to put a empty coffee cup on an end table" thing + other odds and ends.

Well worth a look: Click here.

Monday 13 June 2005

New EP Ideas?

Written at 00:14 by ChEeTaH - 4 comments.

A survey was spotted on the official site, about the future of the Sims 2 on PC. There were several ideas of possible expansion packs, to which you could say which you'd prefer. Besides that there was a question regarding a CD with 60+ objects, for $19.95. Maxis has in the past held other surveys to find out what users want. The survey has had enough entries by now, and a BBS thread with information has been deleted. But we still have it, with thanks to SP Zone and SimsZone:

"TRIP OF A LIFETIME Take your Sims to exotic destinations around the world, or send them on trip to their favorite holiday destination in their very own car. Now the can travel to a tropical beach, mountain getaway, and visit a famous, world-class city."

"RUN YOUR OWN SIMS BUSINESS Now our Sims can run their own home business via the internet selling crafted goods or create their own brick & mortar store downtown. Layout your store to best entice your customers, and craft your goods to meet their demands! Sell paintings, furniture, books, music, clothes, food or even run a nightclub or restaurant!"

"MOVIE DIRECTOR Use new objects, clothing, and building elements to create the cast and set the stage to film movies using The Sims 2. Create realistic human dramas, sci-fi, western or even your own comedies."

"SPOOKED & HAUNTED Create the ultimate haunted neighborhood for your Sims. Build a scarry mansions with haunted pictures, heads in jars, doppelganger mirrors and more. You can even make your own scarry characters such as Werewolves, Ghosts, Monsters, and Witches. Who has the spookiest house in the hood?"

"DO IT YOURSELF For the first time your Sims can create their own furniture, decorations and even their own clothing. Take them from apprentice to skilled master by building up their creative skills at making their own, unique items. Success can result in even more customization options and special rewards for their creative projects. Watch as they gain notoriety, influence over others Sims and can demand top Simoleans for their prized masterpieces."

A little more information about the survey can be found in this thread at N99 (registration required).

Tuesday 14 June 2005

Nightlife Chat Thursday

Written at 00:52 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

It's been a while since the last developer chat, but thursday it's time for one again. Tim LeTourneau, Hunter Howe and Lyndsay McGaw will answer questions of fans during a one hour chat on the official site. The chat will be all about Nightlife, the upcoming second expansion pack for the Sims 2, which will be released this fall. The chatroom will open at 3pm PST (11pm London, midnight Berlin time). You can get in through the chat page on the official site.

Thursday 16 June 2005

Summer Time

Written at 00:41 by Starrats - 0 comments.

I found a beautiful mesh while I was surfing on the internet, and I just had to skin it, so here are 4 summerdresses.



And I really want to thank Crechebaby @ Simchic, because she made this mesh.

Saturday 18 June 2005

New Poll

Written at 00:15 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

As you may have already seen, we added a new poll almost two days ago. The latest one is all about platforms - which one do you prefer the Sims 2 on? Whether it's the PC, Mac, a Console, a handheld or your phone, you can let us know by voting on the right or the latest poll page. Last week we wondered about the average age of Sims, and generally that's Adult, which got 42% of the votes. After that was the average age of teen, with 22%, followed by Young Adult at 19%. Dead (8%), Baby (5%), Child (2%) and Toddler and Elder (tied at 1%) all got fewer votes. See the poll's results for details.

SimDay - Chat Transcript and Postcards

Written at 00:42 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

The official site has been updated quite irregularly the past few weeks. Besides the new intro showcasing some bikinis for this summer, something else not reported on was a SimMaster of the Month (June) interview. SimMasterRalph was chosen as SimMaster of the Month this time, and gives some insight in what he does in the interview. Another feature recently launched is the Post Office. This place allows you to send e-mail cards to your friends. It started with a graduation card, but today a birthday and party card were added to the collection. Go to the post office to send the cards.

Yesterday was also the night a developer chat was held. It lasted just 30 minutes, but that doesn't mean there was no new information about Nightlife. To the contrary, Tim, Lyndsay and Hunter gave us some new info. The transcript is up, but you can also read on for some highlights of the new details. Read More!

Tuesday 21 June 2005

Object and NL Fansite Kit

Written at 01:11 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

Maxis has updated the official site last friday with a new father's day object, the Nikko Lounge Chair, and a fansite kit for Nightlife. The object is a chair providing superlative comfort and design. For about a half Mb you can download it from the exchange, and see for yourself. The fansite kit is as usual packed with quite a few graphics. Among them are three pack shots, which show that the game seems to be released in a DVD-style case in the US as well. The new EA logo can also be seen on them, rather than EA Games. Besides that, there are some screenshots in the pack of which two are new, and there are two wallpapers. Click the thumbnails, or for the wallpapers the desired resolution, to see the graphics. Note that they might be very big, especially the box shots. To download the entire fansite kit you have to agree to its license, where you can find a link at the bottom. Besides mentioned graphics, you'll also find an info sheet and a trailer in there.

TSZ Meets Tim LeTourneau

Written at 01:17 by ChEeTaH - 6 comments.

As you may have heard already, Tim LeTourneau, senior producer of The Sims 2 Nightlife, will soon start traveling through Europe again, to show Nightlife to fans and press. Of course The Sims Zone will be with him to ask any burning questions about the expansion pack. So if you have any questions about Nightlife, post them as comment to this post, or email me your question. You have until 29 June, next week Wednesday, to submit your questions. We might then just ask your questions, and post Tim's answers here soon. Don't hesitate - start asking!

Release Date News

Written at 01:23 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

We've updated our countdown on the right again as there has been some news about release dates recently. Although a little late, The Sims 2 for Mac has now been released, and will soon disappear from the Countdown bit. More interesting are the rumours for Nightlife's release date. Several shops have put up the date of 13 September for the US. With 15 and 16 September already confirmed officially in some European countries (specifically Germany and the Netherlands, and possibly others too), it seems the expansion will indeed be released in week 37 of this year. The strategy guide should arrive not too much later.

You can of course pre-order the game and the guide from our shop, so they'll arrive on your doormat around the release dates. Simply go to our shop and start ordering. You'll support us with it too!

Thursday 23 June 2005

New Poll

Written at 02:09 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

We've added a new poll again, as we do every week. As Nightlife gives Sims their own cars, we're wondering if that's also the favourite type of transportation for your Sims, or if they prefer something else. Vote on the right or the latest poll page. As for the place where you prefer the Sims 2, which we asked about last week, almost 74% said the PC is the place where it should be. It's followed by the Mac with merely 9% of the votes. 12 of the 316 votes (almost 4%) went to the Playstation2, after which the XBox and the "It's not everywhere" answers were tied at 3%. The GameCube got one vote less (still about 3%), and the mobile phone another vote less (closer to 2%). Finally we have the GBA (1%), PSP (1%) and the DS (1% too). To get the results with a little more detail, simply head to its results page.

Nightlife Screens and Video

Written at 02:18 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

Maxis has updated the official site with two new bowling screenshots of Nightlife, and a movie. The movie shows a bar where a Sim successfully flirts with another one. It can be found on the videos page. It's not a very long video, but it gives you a little glimpse of what's new in Nightlife. The screenshots, from the screenshots page can be seen by going there or clicking the thumbnails below.

Sunday 26 June 2005

Nightlife in Amsterdam

Written at 04:43 by ChEeTaH - 7 comments.

We already announced we'd be meeting Tim LeTourneau, and yesterday we did. At a presentation in Amsterdam, exclusive for Sims fans and webmasters, Tim showed off Nightlife. Naturally we took home a lot of brand new info and pictures. About cars, vampires, downtown, content, and more - we got to know quite a lot. If your question hasn't been answered yet, then don't worry. There is one more opportunity for us next week, so if you have any questions ask them by posting them here as a comment, or drop me an e-mail. Any questions that have already been submitted don't need to be sent again of course. We cannot guarantee we will ask your question, but we'll do our best to get as much info as possible out. Read on for the details and pictures of yesterday's event. Read More!

Tuesday 28 June 2005

Tim in Paris

Written at 13:40 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

Besides Amsterdam, Tim has also been in Paris two days earlier. French fansite SimsWorld was there, and has posted a report along with pictures on their site. The report is in French, the pictures aren't. You can (try to) read the report, or check out the 75 pictures taken of the demo on this page. Similar to our report, the quality is not very high, but nevertheless there's a lot to see.

Nightlife Developer Interview

Written at 14:46 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

Tim LeTourneau is a lot in the news these days. Last week GameSpot posted an interview - written and on video - with Tim, all about Nightlife. In the written interview, Tim talks about the new features, like the pleasure aspiration, its wants and fears, career tracks such pleasure seekers are interested in, and more. About the career tracks, Tim tells that Pleasure seekers will like job hopping, and are often interested in switching to a new career. There are also several dining options in the new dining system, and besides the Gypsy matchmaker and Mrs. Crumplebottom there will also be a diva. You can read the interview for the details.

In the video interview, Tim talks about the same themes, but in different words. Nightlife is all about Sims having fun. The pleasure aspiration will tie in with the original game and University, and naturally it matches the Nightlife theme as well. Tim also says the dating etc. was still missing from the Sims 2, as it's something people do in everyday life, but wasn't possible with Sims yet. Tim also talks about story telling for a while, which he says is a key element in the game. You can check out the movie, either as free stream (GameSpot Basic account required), or a download for Complete members, of about 114 or 52 Mb. Finally, there are also three new screenshots attached to the interview. You can see those below.

Thursday 30 June 2005

TS2 Console and Handhelds Screenshots

Written at 20:01 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

Several screenshots of the Sims 2 on consoles, handhelds and phones have been posted by GameSpot a few days ago. There are three for the consoles, another three for the DS, three more on the PSP, three for the mobile phone, and just one new one for the GBA version of the game. You can see all the screenshots below - click the thumbnails to see large versions of shots.

SimDay

Written at 20:09 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.

It's Thursday again, and with that traditionally it's also Simday. This week Maxis has updated the official site with three things. The first is a Nightlife DJ video, of which portions have been posted in an earlier trailer. You can download and view the short clip from the videos page. It's in QuickTime format and 1.3 or 4.6 Mb. Finally the Post Office, allowing you to send e-cards to your friends, has been expanded with two new postcards. There are now a "To My Best Friend" and a "Thank You" card besides the three that already existed. Go to the post office to send the cards.

[Update 1 July, 20:10] More news items have been posted since yesterday. First of all there are two wallpapers which were put in the Nightlife fansite pack earlier. There are also new horoscopes for July. You can find out about your dating life for this month there, of course hinting towards features of Nightlife. Finally, there is a form where Maxis is gathering information from Sims players. You as Sims player can enter your details and story. The bios that Maxis gathers will be used to create collages, scrapbooks, videos and even on websites. Developers, other fans and press will see the bios. You can enter your bio on the Community Bios page.