The fine folks at
Maxis Games held a live broadcast today that revealed a wealth of new details regarding both
The Sims 3 Seasons expansion pack and upcoming
SimCity reboot, as well the unveiling of a Sims 3 Stuff Pack and premium world. Lasting around a hour and a half, there were a wide range of new details announced for both The Sims 3 Seasons and SimCity. The new tidbits of information can be found below in their particular categories.
The Sims 3 Seasons
-
Seasonal weather types and effects support all previously-released Sims 3 worlds from both expansion packs and store content
-
Leaves collect overtime in yards that can in turn be used for raking into piles and "woohooing"
-
Festivals have been added that function as large town parties, festivals adapt to the various seasons and particular worlds they take place within
-
Sims can participate in festival activities, such as pie eating contests and apple bobbing
-
Sims can win festival tickets by taking place in activities and then redeem them at concession stands for seasonal prizes, some of which can't be bought in build or buy modes
-
Four new party types have been added, such as the feast/potluck in which other Sims bring their favorite foods to your house
-
Sims can now select from the new clothing type of outerwear, that includes winter jackets and beanies
-
Slow dancing has been reintroduced
-
Aliens have also been reintroduced, which feature more unique abilities and traits in comparison to past Sims games
-
Aliens no longer require sleeping and can actually drain the power of other Sims by using a new brain power
-
Aliens can transmute objects in the environment to enchant them or completely transform them into other objects
-
Aliens have access to UFOs that can fly around the city, which can also be used for abducting Sims or causing havoc with laser beams
-
Abducted Sims can return impregnated, both females and males
-
Anyone that owns both the Supernatural and Seasons expansion packs will have access to an exclusive object, the Weather Stone
-
The Weather Stone can be used by Supernatural Sims to summon completely new weather types, which vary in relation to the type of Supernatural Sim using the object
-
New Blueprint mode, which will be available alongside Seasons in a patch, will allow for the design and placement of entire pre-built and pre-furnished rooms
-
The ability to swim in the ocean has been added with Seasons
-
The diving board has returned as both an object and new skill for perfecting
-
Additional sporting activities including football, snowboarding, and skating are included with Seasons
-
Weather is powerful in Seasons, which can result with Sims being struck by lightning
-
Sims can freeze to death if venturing outside during winter without proper outerwear
-
Tanning booth has been added that can randomly result in botched results
-
Ships on November 13 for Windows PC and Mac
The Sims 3 Monte Vista
-
Monte Vista is a new, premium world that will be available for download from The Sims 3 Store
-
The world seems to take a lot of inspiration from Italy with rolling hills, a walled-in city, and cobblestone streets
-
Sims will be able to visit museums and bistros
-
A new object included with Monte Vista is a woodfire oven that can be used for making a wide variety of new recipes ranging from pizzas to calzones
-
Will be available for download this winter
The Sims 3 70s, 80s, and 90s Stuff Pack
-
New stuff pack adds iconic outfits and objects from the 70s, 80s, and 90s
-
Sims can sport the 70s disco look or party like the 80s with a huge boombox stereo
-
New clothing items for the 90s include various grunge outfits
-
Ships January 2013
The Sims 3 University?
-
There was a brief moment during the broadcast in which sports mascots wondered onto the stage and the announcer mentioned they would fit better within a university setting, most likely hinting at a future university expansion for The Sims 3
SimCity
-
The new SimCity is focused more on examining events that occur at the street level
-
Building appearances can be further customized by upgrading their effectiveness or abilities
-
For example, a city bus stop can support more Sims by adding additional bus garages
-
Cities are no longer boxed in to their defined area, players focus more on regional areas with a variety of interconnected cities
-
Neighboring cities can share and gift resources and collaborate on great works, such as international airports
-
Negative conditions in cities, such as pollution and crime, can affect other neighboring cities
-
Players that prefer single-player have the option to control and manage every city in the region while completely ignoring the game's multiplayer component
-
The option to terraform land has been removed to focus instead on providing players with landscape puzzles in which they must solve for creating a successful city
-
Detailed statistics can now be accessed through new infographics that display in real-time over your city
-
The devastating effects of a meteor shower were showcased before the upcoming week of disaster reveals for the new SimCity
-
Ships February 2013 for Windows PC and Mac
Complete video of the broadcasted event can be viewed at
Maxis Live.
