The actual blog: (
link)
Here is a special blog from Designer Alan Copeland introducing the Sauna premium item for Sunlit Tides and the Massage Table premium item for Sunlit Tides Gold.
I’ve always wanted to peer into some of the rabbit holes in The Sims and see what goes on inside. Who wouldn’t want to see all of the dastardly things that happen in the run-down warehouse where the criminals hang out, or get a backstage pass for a glimpse into the actor’s career? One of the rabbit holes that strike me as particularly intriguing is the Day Spa. Usually reserved for Sims with quite a few extra Simoleons, the Day Spa is particularly appealing, since few things in the game boost a Sim’s mood—or present such compelling storytelling opportunities—as this rabbit hole.
When we started considering premium content that would fit with a tranquil island theme for The Sims 3 Sunlit Tides, the Steam-It-Up Sauna seemed like an ideal fit. Not only can the sauna soothe away those pesky debuff moodlets from exercising or working too much, the moodlets that you get from hydrotherapy or a revitalizing mud bath can also help to prevent those negative effects in the first place! However, we didn’t want the Steam-It-Up Sauna to be just a soothing getaway; we also wanted it to add some fun, socialization and romance to your Sim’s vacation.
One of the fun features that we added (and one of my personal favorites) is the ability to take harvestables into the sauna and quickly make some steamed veggies, adding a bit of random fun that harkens back to The Sims 2. There are a number of fun little Easter eggs to discover in the Steam-It-Up-Sauna. For instance, when a werewolf or a dog enters the sauna, there’s a chance that everybody else might be turned off by the smell of wet dog. Sims can also chat, cuddle or even steam things up with a new type of WooHoo (a premium content first!) Also, if your Sims wants to try for a baby, the sauna gives you the option to try for a baby boy, girl or even twins! At one point, we considered adding walls to the sauna, but when we saw some of the really creative ways that builders were able to modify it, from creating individual rooms to building bathhouses, the customizability was too much fun to pass up. We’re looking forward to seeing what customizations you create!
Serenity Retreat Venue (available with the Gold edition of Sunlit Tides!)
As we developed The Sims 3 Sunlit Tides, we wanted to ensure we included something to complement the Day Spa career and would allow you to build that experience at home (and make a few Simoleons on the side). The Infinite Zen massage table, which comes exclusively with the new Serenity Retreat venue, allows you to do just that! Sims can gain fun, energy and social all while removing soreness or a number of other negative moodlets from another Sim. The massage table also fulfills wishes you’d normally only be able to fulfill at the Day Spa rabbit hole. There is also the opportunity for some funny and romantic moments, such as failures associated with botched hot stone massages or acupunctures. Sims can also give romantic massages to each other if they are in a relationship, and get the life-changing high fertility buff.
We love to hear your feedback, and we hope you enjoy playing this new content as much as we enjoyed making it. Be sure to check out it out in The Sims 3 Sunlit Tides, which launches worldwide on Thursday, August 23!
