Play Style: Do You Play Close Up or At a Distance? Do You Pause Often?

[RunAmokSims]

I'm a combo player too. Some things just need a zoom in but I like seeing what is going on all over the lot.  If I didn't zoom in I would have missed the microwave-bot romantic interest that was going on in one house.

Can we add another facet to this topic? Are you a builder or a player? A friend of mine likes to build intricate houses and then gets bored with the Sims. Sometimes I get so excited about a household idea that I just buy a pre-made and renovate. I'd like to see how many builders v players are around.

[Missa]

I like to see the whole lot, otherwise I think they'll do something I don't want them too! I pause so I can queue everyone up and then I use the fastest sped, normal is just too slow I usually like to play with only 2 people, so the wishmasters has been a little different. But I love how the challenges get me out of the way I normally play so that I can experience different aspects of the game!

[TollingBells]

I pause and give my sims a string of actions, usually, and play in normal speed as much as possible. I'd like their lives to go faster, but I'm afraid I wont have time to give them a full life. I love watching them interact with other sims, and doing their skill learning.

[Happytime]

LlamaMama, super-great question and interesting answers!

I think I'm usually about "mid-distance" camera-wise. I can click any controllable Sim (and my households usually have at least 2 Sims in them), and get a good idea of "what's in the room, what's going on." I can see onto neighboring lots, and usually hear next-door-neighbor's kids crying, if that helps. I've very, very rarely "zoomed way out" or in the "town view" unless I'm sending a Sim to a different lot.

I keep walls at the mid-position ... if something's looking "picture-worthy" I'll pause or "slow" the game to 1 (normal speed, I think it's called) and raise the walls so I can get a decent picture (I miss the Sims2 robust camera controls, I'm still not sold on the whole "video camera" default settings of the Sims3).

I just about ALWAYS keep the speed on 2 (Fast), unless I'm watching a Sim closely or checking out an animation / new object / a new Expansion pack's out and I want to see what's going on. Speed 3 (Ultra) is only for bedtime / skilling up.

So it's "Queue stuff up" ... "press PLAY (at speed 2)" ... watch for a bit ... then "Pause." Rinse and Repeat.

Great question. I think just about everyone's play style's different, it's insightful to see how others play.

  -- Happytime

[Saltypaws]

I'm a combo player too. Some things just need a zoom in but I like seeing what is going on all over the lot.  If I didn't zoom in I would have missed the microwave-bot romantic interest that was going on in one house.

Can we add another facet to this topic? Are you a builder or a player? A friend of mine likes to build intricate houses and then gets bored with the Sims. Sometimes I get so excited about a household idea that I just buy a pre-made and renovate. I'd like to see how many builders v players are around.

I am more of a player than a builder, but that has changed recently.  I really am getting into the building and have checked out some of those sites for building, but the topic of building should be directed to the building thread though, since this thread is about style, but good topic though.  I really like hearing how everyone else plays and I am enjoying all of the houses.

[RunAmokSims]

I am more of a player than a builder, but that has changed recently.  I really am getting into the building and have checked out some of those sites for building, but the topic of building should be directed to the building thread though, since this thread is about style, but good topic though.  I really like hearing how everyone else plays and I am enjoying all of the houses.

Maybe I didn't word it right but I was talking about play style. As in do you play as in a designer/architect/dollhouse maker  or do you play to get into the lives  of the Sims you create.

[MasterSiwel]

What about you?

I love zooming in and getting up close and personal. I like to see the stupid or odd things my Sims like to do from time to time. I also like to pause frequently to give off a series of commands. It helps me get through the game easier.

[samoht04]

Yeah, Zoomed in is the best, you get to witness so many expressions like these -

[Esther1981]

I play kinda in the middle unless I want a screenshot. I always have the walls down unless I'm hanging a pic or putting a ribbon on them. I also always play at speed 3. I also use the P, I and J keys alot, so I would be lost without my keyboard too lol.

[LlamaMama]

I play kinda in the middle unless I want a screenshot. I always have the walls down unless I'm hanging a pic or putting a ribbon on them. I also always play at speed 3. I also use the P, I and J keys alot, so I would be lost without my keyboard too lol.

Oh, drat! The list I found doesn't mention the P, I, and J keys. Where are you guys finding a listing of keyboard commands? I'm having a heck of a time finding them.

Edit: Sorry, I dug around and found the card with the shortcuts that came with the base game. Now all I need is a magnifying glass to read it!

[Esther1981]

I can't remember where I heard about them. Either the Prima guide or this site! Probably this site as it's so much more awesome than the guide! 

[samoht04]

I remembered the ones from Sims 2 and they have stayed pretty much the same. Also if you hover over a button it also gives you the shortcut for the furture. 

[Esther1981]

I remembered the ones from Sims 2 and they have stayed pretty much the same. Also if you hover over a button it also gives you the shortcut for the furture. 

Hmmm ok there are 3 possibilities as to where I got them!  I just wish I remembered for sure!

[DeNile]

I play pretty close up to my Sims, close enough to see a whole room, but not close enough that they are the only thing I see. I used to play with a more bird's eye view, but then I realized that I really love watching Sims do all their crazy little things. One story houses are a god send in my game, as I get motion sick pretty easily. All that bouncing from floor to floor and across the town makes me sick! Luckily, I've figured out that if I close my eyes during those moments, I can play a lot longer. Ahem, getting back on topic: more close up is definitely my style. I think I only pause to position for pictures, other than that, I just let them do what they want in between queues. It's fun to see what they come up with when I'm not looking. Especially when I get a lot of kids in one house at once, they always end up playing/talking with one another.

-D

[AriaGirl77]

I usually play at the exact vantage point that you get to by hitting the silouette in the left corner, I think it's called "Zoom to Sim" or something like that, although I could be totally wrong on what it's called.  That's about the distance I like.  Sometimes I click that button, and then just slightly zoom out, like one tick of the mouse wheel.  For some reason that just feels right to me.