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News Archive - October, 2004
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Friday 1 October 2004
SimDay / The Sims 2 Update
Written at 03:52 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.
It's been thursday, which means SimDay. The official site comes with a few things this week. First of all, there's the news that EA and Rooster Teeth Production, known for the RedvsBlue movies (made with the game Halo), have teamed up. Rooster Teeth will create an ongoing series of movies with the Sims 2, called "The StrangerHood". Using so-called Machinima, a method to use video-games to create high-quality movies, Rooster Teeth plans to release a new movie every 2 weeks. The characters are already introduced in the tune of the show, posted as Episode 0. You can view it, and find more information, at The StrangerHood. You can also read EA's press release about it, or see the character page at the official Sims 2 site. Further movie news, is that Maxis has posted a movie ending. After editing your Sims 2 movies, you can append this bit (which comes in 3 sizes) to show you made the video with the Sims 2. You can get them from Get Cool Stuff.

Finally: reviews. And lots of them. The official site mentioned CNN's article, which we mentioned earlier. But there's a lot more, here's the list (all are reviews): We've also made a review index, which currently lists 42 (!) reviews from gaming and news sites. As you're used to from our review indexes, you get a quote and the score from each site, along with a link to the full review. The index should help you make up your mind whether to buy the Sims 2 or not - if you haven't already done so.

 
The Sims 2 - The Sequel Has Landed - Neighborhoods
Written at 05:00 by Andy - 0 comments.
Neighborhoods is the latest section that we are looking at in our detailed review of The Sims 2

From the existing neighborhoods to creating new ones, find out some some of the things you can do in this completely new dimension.

It's all in here!
 

Sunday 3 October 2004
Sims 2 News: Patch, Guide and more Articles [Update: New cheats and more]
Written at 16:23 by ChEeTaH - 6 comments.
Maxis has announced a patch for the Sims 2 is in the works. On the official BBS, MaxoidLucky made a post announcing it. They're viewing the board and getting reports in from tech support, and Maxis is now compiling a list of things to address in the first patch. There will be a form on the official website this week, in which you can enter details of problems you're having with the game, so they can be resolved and addressed. For more information, see the patch post.

For the other news, click the Read More link below (or just read on)...
 
Read More!


Monday 4 October 2004
The Sims 2 - The Sequel Has Landed - Building
Written at 03:10 by Andy - 2 comments.
Building is the latest section that we are looking at in our detailed review of The Sims 2

From the ground up to the rooftops, we look at the features that are available and illustrate it with various examples of what is now possible.

It's all in here!
 
Sims2: Bugs, Features, Solutions...
Written at 13:32 by Neil - 6 comments.
Sims2 has been out for nearly three weeks now and just like its previous incarnation, the new game already has its fair share of bugs (some of which aren't actually bugs) and features. Just like the original game, really.

In This extra, just like a similiar one before it, I have complied a list from usenet of bugs, features and noted solutions which maybe some people have experienced with the new game. You might also discover something you never knew :)

Read Extra

 

Wednesday 6 October 2004
The Sims - The Sequel has landed - Buying
Written at 03:48 by Andy - 0 comments.
Buying is the latest section that we are looking at in our detailed review of The Sims 2

The objects in TS1 were good but how do the objects in TS2 compare? We take a detailed look of what the game has to offer, a few of the new interactions and also some commentary on what hasn't made the cut.

It's all in here!
 
Urbz Screens and Art
Written at 21:14 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.
12 screenshots and some artwork. That's what we've got from the Urbz for you. The screenshots come from GameSpot, the artwork from EA. The first 6 screenshots are from the X-Box version, the other 6 have been taken from the PS2. The artworks may seem familiar, but they're slightly different from previous ones you've seen here before. Click the thumbnails below to see larger versions of the screenshots.

If you want to ask a producer of the Urbz a question (about the Urbz or the console Sims games of course), then e-mail me before Friday, and I might be able to get it answered for you.

Screenshots:
Urbz X-Box Screenshot (1) Urbz X-Box Screenshot (2) Urbz X-Box Screenshot (3) Urbz X-Box Screenshot (4) Urbz X-Box Screenshot (5) Urbz X-Box Screenshot (6) Urbz PS2 Screenshot (1) Urbz PS2 Screenshot (2) Urbz PS2 Screenshot (3) Urbz PS2 Screenshot (4) Urbz PS2 Screenshot (5) Urbz PS2 Screenshot (6)

Artworks:
Alley Stile Bouncer Waving Bouncer and Jayde Urbz Character Group Jet
 
Sims 2 Update - Chat, Charts, Reviews and More
Written at 23:07 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.
There's been quite a bit of news again. First of all, Maxis has announced there will be a chat with Producer Thomas Vu and David Patch, Art Director, tomorrow. As usual the chat will start at 3pm PST (11pm in the UK, midnight in most of Europe), and you can enter from the official site. The room should, as normally, open about 10 minutes before the start of the chat.

In other news: The Sims 2 has left the number 1 spot on the UK charts already. After its #1 debute a week after the release, the game is now on place 2 in the all platforms charts, after Star Wars: Battlefront. What's happening next week is unsure, as other major titles like Fifa 2005 (all platforms), Fable (X-Box) and Pikmin 2 (Nintendo) are expected to do well. The Sims 2 is still on the first position among PC games though. More about this at GamesIndustry and the ELSPA Charts.

A video interview, unique PR stunt, reviews, and more inside (i.e. below or behind the "Read More" link).
 
Read More!


Thursday 7 October 2004
New Poll
Written at 02:00 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.
It's here again: this week's new poll. We hope you will tell us where your Sims sleep - more specifically, on what floor (or perhaps outside). Vote on the right or the latest poll page. Last week, we asked you what kind of utility to create custom content with you'd like to see from Maxis first. Opinions were somewhat divided on that matter, though the winner is an object editor, with almost 40% of the votes. 21% of the 424 people who voted said Maxis should just release more content. That's closely followed by a HomeCrafter 2 (18.5%) and a tool to edit meshes of Sims (14%). People who want more tutorials and those who don't care about the Sims 2 are tied with 2.5% each. Some people don't just custom content anyway - they are with a grand total of less than 1.5% of the votes - just 6 in absolute figures. Want to see more absolute numbers, then check the results page.
 

Friday 8 October 2004
UrbzDay
Written at 02:59 by ChEeTaH - 2 comments.
Contrary to previous weeks, this week's blog about the Urbz is somewhat short. It's basically a long statement saying they will have comics based on the Urbz featured on the website next week. The so-called "Urbz-Comix" will show how Jayde goes through the districts in the Urbz. 10 Comix are planned. There are also several new screenshots, from the version for the consoles, and the Nintendo DS one. You can see the new ones below, as Maxis also posted a few we already gave you previously. Finally, 5 of the "unaffiliated" characters are presented as Crew. These sims do not really belong in any district and you'll find them in all of those. Check the official site for all the details.

Console Screenshots:
The Urbz Console (1) The Urbz Console (2) The Urbz Console (3) The Urbz Console (4) The Urbz Console (5) The Urbz Console (6)

Nintendo DS Screenshots:
The Urbz DS (1) The Urbz DS (2) The Urbz DS (3) The Urbz DS (4) The Urbz DS (5) The Urbz DS (6) The Urbz DS (7) The Urbz DS (8) The Urbz DS (9) The Urbz DS (10) The Urbz DS (11) The Urbz DS (12)
 
The Sims 2 - The Sequel Has Landed - Creating A Family
Written at 03:52 by Andy - 1 comment.
Creating A Sim is the latest section that we are looking at in our detailed review of The Sims 2

We look at how to create a family of sims using the ingame character creation system, showing in detail how to link them and where their aspirations come into play. It's all in here!
 

Saturday 9 October 2004
Sims 2 Articles
Written at 16:57 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.
The past few days have been relatively quiet, when it comes to reviews etc. about the Sims 2 anyway. There are a few new ones though, and as before all positive. These are the new reviews: There's also another article at Wired News. It's about the sexual preference of Sims, and gay relationships. If you're interested, read the Makin' Woohoo article.
 
Sims 2 Chat Transcript
Written at 17:05 by ChEeTaH - 1 comment.
Last thursday a lot of Maxoids joined the moderated chat that was held at the official site. There's a lot of talk about where Bella has gone, and Maxis promises she'll be easier to find with the patch. A date for that patch is unsure. If you want to see your problems fixed, e.g. a game crash or freeze, corrupt graphics, etc., then you can fill out the Feedback Submission form. Using the information from there, Maxis will be able to reproduce errors and possibly fix them.

Back to the chat: the first expansion is also mentioned many times. Maxis is working on it, but cannot reveal any details yet. It's been stated before it will be released early 2005. Also, the expansions for the Sims 2 will not be 1:1 recreations of the packs for the Sims 1, although some elements might return. If you want to read more, get the chat transcript.
 

Sunday 10 October 2004
The Sims 2 - The Sequel Has Landed - A Family's First Day
Written at 10:58 by Andy - 1 comment.
The First Day is the latest section that we are looking at in our detailed review of The Sims 2

We take the Jones family through their first day, decorating a house to their taste and looking in detail at their aspirations and fulfilling their first wants. How will they get on with their neighbours? Will they find their optimum jobs? Finally, which of the four of them does the best from their first day? It's all in here!
 
Article Update
Written at 23:40 by Neil - 2 comments.
(updated October 11th)

Just a note to say that I have updated this Extra with a couple of new observations, mainly to do with Windows XP Service Pack 2 (and the NTFS filesystem). In a nutshell, and in my own experience, this seems to be causing Sims 2 to stop working under certain hardware combinations in WinXP. I would be interested to know if SP2's new drivers killed your game - please also include which graphic card you have as well. Forget not to read the revised extra too :) A little revision about the indexing options as well that become available on an NTFS formatted drive.

 

Monday 11 October 2004
Submissions
Written at 18:26 by Steve - 0 comments.
The submissions have flooded in, and today, I have treats for Sims 1 and Sims 2 fans. I have just added 5 new floors, kindly submitted to us from Ean. We also have a new house, submitted by Estatica. This lovely "House At the Top of the Hill" as it is named, contains three walls along with the fully furnished house.
Check the house out here.
Or, if you want the floors take a look at:
Goldenfall
Heather Spring
Holly
Spring Blush
Vineyard

Our Sims 2 submissions are some lingerie for the lady-teenage sim out there. Check it out here. We also have a lovely set of two tiger tops for the sexy look. Check them out here.

And finally, but by no means least we have a wonderful house. This isn't any old house, this is a recreation of the Big Brother house, Sims 2 style. Take a look here.
 

Tuesday 12 October 2004
Developers look back on Sims 2
Written at 02:15 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.
GameSpot has posted a new movie (called "Developer Interview 3") in which the Sims 2 team looks back on the development of the game. Included is a feature which describes the time at the Maxis offices a week before the release. Most developers took some well-earned vacation time back then. The article also mentions the "Up-Against-the-Wall Wall" which has all notes with red "Done" stamps on it. There's also a bit about the future:
"On one section of wall, there are clippings and articles from much of the mainstream press coverage that The Sims 2 has received. On another, there's a graph of the number of bugs in the project over the course of development. And there are already gaps in the walls--Maxis is preparing to make room for the next big thing. But Bradshaw won't reveal what that next big thing is. With a polite smile, the executive producer says, "There's so much territory that we can explore with The Sims." That's about as much as Bradshaw, or anyone else at Maxis, is willing to divulge at this point, though fans of the series can certainly expect that the sequel leaves room for future expansion."
You can read the 3-page looking back feature, or just watch the movie.
 

Wednesday 13 October 2004
Urbz (Console) Videos & Previews [Update]
Written at 23:19 by ChEeTaH - 3 comments.
Several videos of the Urbz have been posted recently. There have been producer presentations of the game (one of which I attended, expect our own preview soon) in several countries. IGN has recorded theirs on video, and made it available in 7 parts (approximately 5.4 Mb each for the Windows Media versions, 10.6 for low-res QuickTime and 34 for high-res QuickTime videos, Quicktime editions only available to IGN Insiders). Besides that, they've posted "Workin' It" trailers for Central Station and Skyline Beach a while back. You can find all the videos from IGN at their Urbz Videos Page. Besides that they've posted a Hands-on preview of the game. It mostly lists what's been told before already though. Thanks to James Magenta for the videos tip.

Some videos I missed out in September, are from GameSpot. 7 short gameplay clips have been posted there. You can go to the media page to find them (Gameplay movies 2-7). They too posted a preview at the same time, which hasn't been mentioned here.

The Urbz on the consoles (and GBA) will be released in Europe at 12 November, while the US is expected to get it 9 November.

[Update 15 October, 12:45am] GameSpot has posted 2 new trailers of the game. EA has revealed a new screenshot of the Black Eyed Peas in Cozmo street. You can see the screenshot below, the trailers are available at GameSpot's media page. Thanks to James Magenta in this post's comments.

The Black Eyed Peas in Cozmo Street
 
Urbz (DS) Videos & Previews
Written at 23:19 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.
Besides the Console version, there is also the DS version of the Urbz. EA has once again announced the game for the DS two days ago (although it was already announced previously in July). But that's far from all that's new. IGN DS has posted a hands-on preview from Nintendo's Gamers Summit in Seattle. The main disappointment: it looks and feels like a port of the GBA version, and not too much more, despite the better technical capabilities of the DS that could make it look more like its brother on the Consoles. A similar hands-on preview, from the same place, is posted at GameSpot. They are more positive, and say the game on the DS is obviously more than the GBA version. Read their preview and compare. There has also been a presentation at the summit, which both sites recorded on video. IGN has posted it in 6 parts, available from the videos page. GameSpot has one big video on their media page so you can see the entire presentation in one go.

The Urbz on the DS is to be released 21 November in the US, simultaneously with the new DS platform itself. Europe and Australia will not get the DS until early 2005, so the Urbz will be released there later as well. The GBA version will be released at the same time as the consoles version (9 November in the US, 12 November around the world).
 
Urbz Developer Chat
Written at 23:20 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.
Tomorrow night (14 October) a developer chat will be held about the Urbz. At the usual time of 3pm PST (11pm in Britain and Portugal, midnight in other parts of Europe), Executive Producer Scot Amos (from the blogs), Game Designer Sean Baity, Design Director Mike Perry and Assistant Producer Kam Zambel will all be joining the fans to chat about the game. You can drop your questions in the chatroom, and if you're a little bit lucky they will be answered by one of the mentioned Maxoids. Check the 411 section for more information when the auditorium opens (approximately 10 minutes before the start).
 
Special Version of the Urbz announced
Written at 23:21 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.
As if the Urbz news doesn't stop, today EA announced that there will be a special version of the Urbz. Besides the game, containing already 9 songs from the Black Eyed Peas, you will be able to get more songs from that band from iTunes. The first 700,000 copies of the game will come with a download card for iTunes with which you can download "a never-before released English song, an exclusive Simlish track, and two versions of their top hit, "Let's Get it Started" - one in Simlish." It's unsure whether the offer is available outside the US too, but so far it's only been announced there. Although not mentioned, it's likely to be for the Console version of the game only. If you want to read for yourself, then check the press release.
 
Tomorrow: Sims 2 Halloween Downloads [Update]
Written at 23:25 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.
Games site GameSpy reveals a bit of what SimDay will bring tomorrow already: halloween downloads, sims-style. Expect giant inflatable Halloween garden decorations like a giant pumpkin, a black cat, and a bunch of monsters "popping out of a cauldron". The objects are animated and will glow in the dark. Pictures are available too, see the GameSpy news item for those.

[Update 15 October, 1:10am] The downloads are now available through the content browser within The Sims 2. So head there, and you can get the inflatable items in your game quickly by installing them.
 

Thursday 14 October 2004
New Poll
Written at 03:17 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.
It's getting repetative: we have a new poll again this week. Last week it was all about sleep: where do your Sims hang out when they take a long nap. The results are pretty obvious: the second storey is by far the most popular, with 46.7% of the Sims sleeping there. Second is the first floor, with 26.7% of the 349 votes. 11.5% said their Sims don't sleep. And the rest? They're all close, between 0.5% (fourth floor) and 4% (third floor). For the exact results, check the results page.

This week we would like to know if you know how to create basements in the Sims 2. Let us know and tell us on the right, or on the latest poll page. For more polls and statistics, check the poll archive.
 
New Houses Added
Written at 17:58 by Carrie - 0 comments.
I have added 2 new houses today. Mystical Mansion is located on lot 79 and requires The Sims 1 and all of it's expansion packs. Brookville Estate requires The Sims 2.

Check the files out!
 

Friday 15 October 2004
Urbz Preview
Written at 02:14 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.
About a week ago, I visited a presentation about the Urbz by Lead Designer Alex Hutchinson, and got a little bit of hands-on play time as well. Of course I can't keep everything to myself, and I've posted a preview of the upcoming console game with the information I received on 2 pages.

Interested? Read the preview!
 
New "SimUniverse" Details
Written at 02:21 by ChEeTaH - 1 comment.
At the Urbz presentation a little bit of news concerning Will Wright's secret project was revealed. It turns out that the game is currently named "SPORE," but that's still the working title and most likely will change even before the announcement. Will Wright actually calls it SimEverything now, as he's just playing with technology and trying out different things now. The game will not be released for another 3 years or so, but until then we'll keep you updated.
 
UrbzDay: Comix and Crew
Written at 02:30 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.
This week's UrbzDay is a bit small. There's a mention of the special version of the Urbz that was announced yesterday. Furthermore, some crew descriptions have been added for both the console and handheld versions. And as mentioned last week, this week's blog has been replaced by the new Comix section. In the next 10 weeks, 10 comix will be posted: one for each district in the console game, and one of the GBA version. Each comic will be done by a different author, and the first one is from James Kochalka. He's made a comic based on the foundry, and you can find it right here. Finally the developer chat has finished about 30 minutes ago. We'll let you know when the transcript has been posted, in case you missed it. Oh, and if you visit the official site, you'll notice the new intro. It randomly shows a picture of one of the districts every time you visit, so you might want to refresh every now and then.
 
Urbz Rating
Written at 03:06 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.
More Urbz news this week: the rating for the game as been confirmed. The US ESRB rating for the GBA version ("E for Everyone") has been known since August. The new trailers show that the console game has been rated T for Teen (13+) by the ESRB. This is confirmed on the ESRB website, after a search for Urbz.

The European rating board for video games, PEGI hasn't posted the rating for the Urbz on their website yet. However, EA Europe has revealed the game will be rated 12+ for the console versions. This rating is confirmed through the European box shots displayed below. Remarkable on those box shots too is the little logo saying "Product of the Sims family," which isn't shown on the US boxes. The GBA version will be rated 3+ in Europe, which is shown on the Dutch pack shot at the bottom of this post. There's no UK box shot yet of the GBA version, although without a doubt it'll be similar to the US and Dutch box shots.

UK Box Shot Urbz PS2 UK Box Shot Urbz GameCube UK Box Shot Urbz X-Box Dutch Box Shot Urbz GBA
 
Urbz Chat Transcripts
Written at 03:16 by ChEeTaH - 2 comments.
There's a flood of Urbz news the past 2 days, including our preview. And there's even more now: the chat is over, and the transcripts have now been posted. There is some interesting information in it, for instance where your apartments are:
"There are three apartments you can unlock in the city. You start in a small apartment on 98th Ave, and can unlock a larger one in Blankwood Towers, and finally, you can get Darius' Penthouse. But you can also live in and customize every district if you want."
Other things that were discussed are the similarities and differences with Bustin' Out, the previous console game, special features on the different consoles, pets, jobs, power socials, and much more. If you want to get the latest info about the game straight from the developers, read the transcript.
 
The Sims 2 - The Sequel Has Landed - A Day In The Life Of A Teen
Written at 17:15 by Andy - 0 comments.
A Day In The Life Of A Teen is the latest section that we are looking at in our detailed review of The Sims 2

It looks at Ryan Jones's day, balancing school and his part time job with his dissatisfaction with his own appearance. Drawing also on the life experiences of Filly Thewlis, it shows what teenage life can be all about.

It also brushes on some issues that apply to all ages and all households whether they have a teen in it or not. It's all in here!
 

Monday 18 October 2004
The Sims 2 - The Sequel Has Landed - From Woo Hoo To Babies
Written at 13:30 by Andy - 0 comments.
From Woo Hoo To Babies is the latest section that we are looking at in our detailed review of The Sims 2

Doug & Anne Jones are deciding to have another baby. We look at the different ways of making babies and otherwise adding to your family and also how things have changed for the better since TS1. It's all in here!
 
Sims 2 for Mac confirmed
Written at 18:55 by ChEeTaH - 2 comments.
EA has confirmed today that the Sims 2 will be released on Macintosh computers. As with the Sims 1, Aspyr Media will be converting the game to Apple's platform. They are licensed by EA to release the game. Aspyr Studios, the internal development team of Aspyr Media, will make sure the ported version will run fine on Macs. On the PC the game was the fastest-selling game ever, and perhaps the same will happen for the Mac. A release date has not been given yet, but as usual we'll keep you updated. See EA Games UK for more information, or read the full press release. The game will be rated T for Teen (13+) in the US (ESRB), or 7+ in Europe (Pegi), and will be exactly the same as the PC version. It will soon be available for pre-order at Aspyr Media and our TSZ shop.
 

Thursday 21 October 2004
Light Blue Eyes for the Sims 2
Written at 00:17 by Starrats - 0 comments.
I've just posted my first creation for the Sims 2. They're some beautiful blue eyes which will make your Sims look very pretty! You can download it here.
 
Sims 2 EP 1 to be released Q1 2005
Written at 01:10 by ChEeTaH - 3 comments.
Today EA reported their fiscal results for Q2 of fiscal year 2005. Results are very positive, with a 35% increase of the net revenue, from $530 million in the quarter that ended 30 September last year to $716 million the past quarter. The net income for EA was $97 million, an increase of 27% compared to the same quarter last year. The Sims 2 is one of the games which drove the sales, with over 1 million copies sold in just 10 days. The Sims 2 has now sold over 1 million copies in Europe alone. Larry Probst, CEO of Electronic Arts, once again said the Sims 2 has been the biggest PC launch in EA's history. But that's not all he said. During a conference call, he also said the first expansion of the Sims 2 will be released in the first quarter of (calendar year) 2005. Although details of the expansion are yet to be revealed, and it's not officially announced yet, you can already start looking forward to the time between January and March. Thanks to EuroGamer and Conrad for this news.
 
New Poll
Written at 02:00 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.
As usual there's a new poll this week. And it's again about the Sims 2: do you use foundations a lot or not? It's easy to let us know: cast your vote on the right or the latest poll page. You'll find what to vote for there. Next week, we'll tell you the results.

For the past week, we wondered if you know how to do basements in the Sims 2. And results were close this time: 3 out of 6 options got around 20% of the votes. The "winner" is the "I haven't tried" option though, with 29%. Those who don't know how to create basements at all and those who don't have The Sims 2 are tied at 75 votes, which makes 20%. 19.5% (73 votes) said it's a piece of cake. 7.5% gets it right sometimes, and 4% is close to getting the hang of it. For all the results, chcek the results page. See the archive for more old polls.
 
The Strangerhood Episode 1 Out
Written at 02:00 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.
The first real episode of the Strangerhood, from the creators of Redvsblue, has been released. The Strangerhood is a series of movies made with the Sims 2. All the characters suffer amnesia, and they're trapped in a neighborhood without a way in or out. The first episode, "Why are you here?" can be downloaded from the Strangerhood Archive in 3 formats. It's about 5 minutes long. You can also still find the trailer on the same site. If you're interested in more information, IGN has posted an interview with Rooster Teeth's Matt Hullum, one of the creators of the Strangerhood. You can read the interview right here.
 
Urbz Media
Written at 02:32 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.
IGN has done a huge update on the Urbz. 11 new screenshots (and artworks) for the console version are from them, as well as the 6 GBA shots. That's not all though, as they have some 2 GBA videos and 2 console trailers for you too. The GBA videos show you a "view of the action" and a mini-game. One of the console trailers is a "hype video". Thanks to James Magenta for the links.

That's not where it all ends though. There are some new box shots of the GBA version, now taken from 3 sides (front, left and right). You can add these to your collection of box shots, next to the ones we posted in August. Finally, for the DS fans, there are 6 new screenshots as well. These come from GameCube Europe. All the screenshots etc. can be found in the Read More area of this post - so click the link or see them below.
 
Read More!

Basements In Sims 2 - Building Them
Written at 11:00 by Neil - 1 comment.
On the back of last week's poll about whether you have, can, or attempted to, build a basement in The Sims 2, I present an editorial on the process. It was going to be an extra but I figured it was too long to follow so I broke it into pages and... Well anyway, it's online now (link below), that's all I have to say for now :)

Read Tutorial - Basement Building in Sims 2

 
Golden Eyes for The Sims 2
Written at 15:52 by Starrats - 0 comments.
Today I added some golden eyes for your sims. They look very good on rich sims, because they like gold a lot. You can download it here.
 
TS2 for Mac not until May 2005
Written at 16:55 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.
After the announcement that the Sims 2 would be coming to Mac computers as well, Aspyr Media has updated their site. More specifically, they've updated the project status page. There is a list of all the games Aspyr makes, and the Sims 2 has been added. It's currently in "Early Development," so conversion will still take a while. It's currently stated to be released May 2005, after the first expansion will be released on the PC. Note that this release date is estimated, and might not be accurate.
 

Friday 22 October 2004
Donation Section Closed
Written at 00:41 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.
We've closed the donation section indefinitely, as the new ads by Google are bringing in enough money now to cover all the costs we have. We would like to thank you all for your donations in the past, as we did need them back then. If you still want to donate, you can access the donation form and make a donation, but we won't be able to provide any donation files for you. The donations page has been up for about 2 years, and a definite payment to the RGA, the organisation we supported with any money left from donations after we paid our bills, will be made soon.
 
Urbz: Comic, Movies and Screens
Written at 01:17 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.
It's been Urbzday again, as usual. This week Maxis has revealed a bunch of new movies, but we posted about them earlier. You can now also find them in the Flix section though. They're for both the Console and Handheld versions. Brand new is the Neon East comic this week, by Dave Crosland. It's been placed in the Comix section, or you can go and check the comic directly.

Furthermore, there are 12 new screenshots of the Nintendo DS version, from WorthPlaying. They've been posted along with some of the ones from last night. You can see all the new ones below. Click the thumbnails to enlarge.

Urbz DS Screenshot (1) Urbz DS Screenshot (2) Urbz DS Screenshot (3) Urbz DS Screenshot (4) Urbz DS Screenshot (5) Urbz DS Screenshot (6) Urbz DS Screenshot (7) Urbz DS Screenshot (8) Urbz DS Screenshot (9) Urbz DS Screenshot (10) Urbz DS Screenshot (11) Urbz DS Screenshot (12)
 
SimDay
Written at 01:38 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.
Besides the announcement for The StrangerHood Episode 1, there's something new available at the official site. You can now edit your MySim page, and give it a Strangetown look. It's black, and features some characters from Strangetown. You can also still pick the (default) Sims 2 or an Urbz look for your MySim page. It applies only to your page, so while surfing through the MySim pages you might come across all three pages. To pick your favourite style, edit your account (you must be logged in on the official site).

Something else comes from the German official site. They've posted a new (English) video showing you 5 reasons to live - linked to the 5 aspirations of the Sims 2. That, and an older TV ad, can be found in their videos section. Click the "High" link next to "5 GrĂ¼nde zu leben" ("5 reasons to live") to see the new video.
 

Saturday 23 October 2004
New Sims 2 Cheats
Written at 15:54 by ChEeTaH - 2 comments.
We've added a bunch of new cheats for the Sims 2 to our list. Some have appeared at other sites before, but most of them are completely new. The following cheats are new:
  • floatProp horzEdgeScrollrate [X]: Change the horizontal scrollrate (for edge-scrolling).
  • floatProp vertEdgeScrollrate [X]: Change the vertical scrollrate (for edge-scrolling).
  • boolProp carsOnRight [true|false]: Cars in the hood drive on the left or right.
  • boolProp ShowLotPackageFilename [true|false]: Show the filename of a lot in the neighborhood view.
  • intProp censorGridSize [X]: Change the amount of blocks in the censor grid, or turn it off.
  • boolProp simShadows [true|false]: Turn on/off shadows for Sims.
  • floatProp particleDensity [X]: Density (amount) of particles (e.g. damp above a plate with food).
  • floatProp particleScale [X]: Size of particles (e.g. damp above a plate with food).
  • boolprop nhoodWaterReflection [true|false]: Turn on/off water reflection in the neighborhood view.
  • boolprop chooseCameraSpecialEventEnabled [true|false]: Turn on/off special camera events.
  • boolprop simpleTerrain [true|false]: Set the detail of the terrain to simple or not. Simple graphics perform better, but look a bit worse.
All the other Sims 2 cheats, and more details for these cheats, can be found in our cheats list.
 

Sunday 24 October 2004
New Files From Neil
Written at 13:19 by Neil - 0 comments.
If you've been following my tutorials on this site, you'll be pleased to know that you can now download the finished products from this site and use them in your own games!

I have added the downtown lot from the Hot Date tutorial (with one major change - open end bar as the barmaid often got stuck behind the closed off bar). Also, you can download the house I created for the Sims 2 basement tutorial.

Finally, as an extra treat, I've added my own custom made lot for Vacation - Sim Mountain, packed full of things for your sims to do while on holiday.

Click here to find them. Enjoy :)

 

Monday 25 October 2004
Urbz Gone Gold with new Screens
Written at 02:05 by ChEeTaH - 4 comments.
Several site, including IGN and WorthPlaying have reported that the Urbz has gone gold for the 3 major consoles (PlayStation 2, GameCube and X-Box), and the Nintendo DS. The GBA version went gold early september already. The game will be released on 9 November in the US or 12 November in Europe. However, the DS platform isn't released until 21 November in the US, so it's likely the DS version of the Urbz won't be released until then either. Europeans and Australians will have to wait until the first quarter of 2005 for the DS itself. Now the game has "gone gold", the cds/dvds are being pressed and packed along with the manual etc., so they can ship to stores in time. Along with the news, WorthPlaying posted the new screenshots shown below. The Urbz toys will also be available at the same time as the game itself, though they're still unconfirmed for Europe.

You can read our preview for some first hands-on impressions by me, or if you're determined to get it just visit our shop and pre-order the game.

Console:
Urbz Console Shot (1) Urbz Console Shot (2) Urbz Console Shot (3) Urbz Console Shot (4)

GBA:
Urbz GBA Shot (1) Urbz GBA Shot (2) Urbz GBA Shot (3) Urbz GBA Shot (4) Urbz GBA Shot (5)

DS:
Urbz DS Shot (1) Urbz DS Shot (2) Urbz DS Shot (3) Urbz DS Shot (4)
 
The Sims 2 - The Sequel Has Landed - A Toddler's Life
Written at 06:33 by Andy - 0 comments.
A Toddler's Life is the latest section that we are looking at in our detailed review of The Sims 2

Giselle Jones is now a toddler. We look at this stage of her life and how effective she and the family are in giving her the best start in life using all the means at their disposal. It's all in here!
 

Tuesday 26 October 2004
New Tutorial - Attics in Sims 2
Written at 01:35 by Neil - 0 comments.
New tonight: How to build an attic in Sims 2. An article suggested by Andy so I have obliged.

Attics are easy really once you know what you're doing - click here to read the tutorial (this tutorial was bought to you by the letter N).

Oh and you can also download the finished house from my Files section as well. It'll probably fly off the shelf like my basement house has. Have fun :)

Click for Building Attics in Sims 2!

 
Will Wright Interviewed
Written at 14:48 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.
It's a well-known fact that Will Wright loves robotics, and it even got him into the games industry. His first game, Raid on Bungeling Bay, was the first step towards the now famous SimCity. A few years later SimAnt was developed, which eventually turned into the people-simulator the Sims. Will talks more about that process, in an interview with RedAssedBaboon.com. He said the Sims would either by a smash hit or an utter failure - and as everybody knows now it became the first, even beyond Will's expectations. He also mentioned expansions for the Sims 2 being in the work right now, and even mentioned the Sims 3 shortly:
"Although a Sims 3 is likely, Wright was hesitant to talk about details, saying only that the Maxis team leans heavily on what they see the gaming community doing with their games to help develop a sequel."
Read the entire interview for all the details.
 
New downloads
Written at 16:41 by Starrats - 0 comments.
Today I added some pink, purple and green eyes to the genetics section. But also a black version of the red Bella dress, and a blue vest with a purple top underneath it for adult female sims. You can find them all here.
 

Thursday 28 October 2004
Urbz Update & UrbzDay
Written at 16:52 by ChEeTaH - 1 comment.
An official note has arrived from Maxis on the official Urbz site: the game has gone gold. This is said in the weekly blog. The game has been in development since January 2004 and it's been crunch time for the team since May - but it's finished now, ready to be manufactured. It will hit the shelves at 9 November (US) or 12 November (Europe), and shortly after that you can expect a review of the game here. Furthermore, this Urbzday comes with the introduction of several new characters. You can find characters of Diamond Heights and Gasoline Row in the Crew section, where the Nerdies and Richies have joined the Handheld crew as well. Finally, the SouthSide Bridge comic, by Steve Rolston, has been posted. You can find more about those Comix in the Comix section of the official site. But there's a lot more...
 
Read More!

New Poll
Written at 16:56 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.
As you may have seen already, we've added a new poll to the site for this week. Based on the Sims 2 aspirations, we're wondering what you'll be like when you're old. If you're already old, you can of course say that too. Vote on the right side, or on the latest poll page. As for last week, when we asked you if you use foundations a lot: 309 people voted, and the mix is the most popular option. 46.5% says they use foundations for some houses, but not all. 16% uses them all the time, 5.5% never. 12.5% didn't really have a clue what they are, and the remaining 19.5% doesn't have the Sims 2. Detailed results can be found on the results page.
 
Sims 2 Mac Requirements
Written at 16:58 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.
The System requirements for the Mac version of the Sims 2 have been added on the new product page at Aspyr. They are still preliminary, and subject to change. As a DVD drive is required, it'll quite likely be DVD only. That means a CD version probably won't be released for the Mac. These are the full system requirements:
  • Mac OS X 10.3.4 or later
  • PowerPC G4/G5, 1GHz or faster
  • 256MB RAM (512MB recommended)
  • 4.2 GB free disk space
  • ATI Radeon 8500/nVidia GeForce 2 or better
  • 32MB of VRAM
  • DVD drive required to install and play
 
Sims 2 DVD in Europe Update
Written at 17:01 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.
Some new information concerning the release of the DVD edition of the Sims 2 in Europe has been revealed by EA. The game itself will only be shipped on CD, like the current version of the game. However, the bonus DVD which contains the bonus material like a Movie Making 101, some bloopers, interviews, and more will start shipping in December of this year. It's unsure whether the DVD will be free for those who have already bought the game, but of course we'll keep you updated on this matter.
 

Friday 29 October 2004
SimDay
Written at 02:07 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.
This week's SimDay comes with a few special things. First of all, there are several spooky tunes which you can add to the game. You can add these to your game or movies, or just play them in your media player - whatever you like. You can download them from get cool stuff. Other news is that Maxis and Will Wright have each been nominated for a Billboard 2004 Digital Entertainment award. Will has been nominated for "Visionary of the Year," along with Mark Cuban (Chairman HDNet), Rob Glaser (Chairman & CEO Real Networks) and Steve Jobs (CEO Apple and Pixar). Maxis is up against Bioware, Pandemic Studios and Ubisoft for "Game Developer of the Year." 5 November the winners will be announced in Los Angeles at a gala dinner held from 6.30pm to 10.30pm. For more information about the event, visit the event's finalists page.
 

Saturday 30 October 2004
The Sims 2 - The Sequel Has Landed - The Final Stages
Written at 02:55 by Andy - 0 comments.
The Final Stages is the latest section that we are looking at in our detailed review of The Sims 2

Due to unexpected events, we take a jump from the gradual progression look through the ages with some bad news to our family of sims. It's all in here!
 

Sunday 31 October 2004
Urbz Videos
Written at 02:55 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.
It's less than two weeks before the Urbz will be released. EA is promoting it big time, with screenshots and movies. Two movies haven't been told of here yet. The first comes from the German official site, and features one of the Simlish tracks made by the Black Eyed Peas. You can view the 70 seconds video in QuickTime format from this page.

The other video has been available somewhat unnoticed for a few weeks, but we were kindly pointed to it by James Magenta. It's an interview with Scot Amos, producer of the Urbz on the consoles. It can be found on GameSpy, to be more specific The Urbz' media page. It's a big one with 65 Mb, and like the previous one comes in QuickTime format.
 
Sims 2 Political Movie
Written at 02:14 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.
Gaming site GameSpot has posted some lost presidential debates clips online. Both Bush and Kerry can be seen as Sims made in the Sims 2, and can be seen dancing and debating in about 30 seconds of video. Of course this is done with the upcoming elections next Tuesday in mind. It's posted as "Official Movie 12" on the media page of the Sims 2. Free registration may be required to see it.
 
Sims 2 Movie Contest
Written at 02:16 by ChEeTaH - 0 comments.
For those who are good at making movies with the Sims 2, there's now a challenge with which you can win a digital video camera or a prize pack from EA including the Urbz, the Sims 2, Burnout 3 and a TS2 T-Shirt. Clips sent in will be judged on amount of horror - it's a Horror Movie Contest - and humour, the cinematography, and finally originality, each accounting for 25% of the final score. You can only use in-game sound or your own voice, and the spooky tunes that were made available last simday. Entries may be up to 2 minutes long and must be submitted through the MySim page followed by filling out a form. Only people living in "50 United States (except Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland and Vermont) and the District of Columbia" are eligible to enter, and you must be 13 years or older to be able to participate. For more information, check out the contest page.
 
Extra Updated - Important Bug
Written at 21:01 by Neil - 0 comments.
Just a note to say that this extra (the bugs, features and solutions in Sims 2 extra) has been updated with a few new features of Sims 2, including disappearing homework, multi-functional books, the headmaster and details of who's had WhooHoo with the Grim Reaper(!).

Elsewhere in this article though is a new section on an important and major bug, which anybody who makes "excessive use of the "Elixir of Life" Aspiration Bonus" (or who turns off aging) should read and be aware of.

Read The Extra