Pets are now official

[Hosfac]

I doubt there will be a University spin-off for Sims 3.  I don't remember it being very popular.  For me, at least, it was a grueling test of endurance more than it was fun.  If you wanted your college student to do well, the only thing you had time for was study and homework...and I don't know about any of you, but I had plenty enough of that when I was in school, myself.

Likewise, there probably won't be another expansion to the business aspect.  We can already own buildings and properties, and EA hasn't been in the habit of re-hashing old expansions for the new game.  As you'll notice, Late Night was a completely different animal from Night Life for Sims 2, and it's likely that Pets will be different as well.  After all:  if they simply start turning the Sims 3 into Sims 2, a lot of people will stop buying it.  Many of us already have Sims 2, and I'm not in the habit of spending a lot of money to buy things I already own.

[paperangel]

Ditto to what CSquared said. Leave all the goofy or cartoony stuff on the consoles. Don't get me wrong, I like all the console games too. I love the Sims 2 for the DS, but honestly would I want to have a hotel powered by plutonium and over run by rats and aliens on the pc? No way.

On a different note Hosfac is right, they can't just rehash the Sims 2, but at the same time if they leave too many of the old gameplay mechanics out, people will stop buying it. You just have to trust that most of what you loved will come back and that very little that you didn't like will stay out, and hope that your oppinion is closer than not to the general publics.

Also, it was eating at me all night that everyone was saying it was too soon, but it's E3 people. They would get laughed out of there if they only brought a stuff pack to show off, and they were nice enough to release Generations now, so what were they supposed to do? Just not show anything? Wouldn't you feel ripped off if they hadn't shown it off? Or worse, worried that the ecconomy had gotten the best of the Sims? I know I would. Yes they're making money, but do you rant and rave that... Ironically I had a point there, but then I realized that it was a moot point because every one's always complaining about taxes with one side of their mouth and ranting about the education budget being cut with the other, so it's kind of moot. Sorry I'll get off my high horse now.

[Hosfac]

On a different note Hosfac is right, they can't just rehash the Sims 2, but at the same time if they leave too many of the old gameplay mechanics out, people will stop buying it. You just have to trust that most of what you loved will come back and that very little that you didn't like will stay out, and hope that your opinion is closer than not to the general public's.

Actually, WA and Ambitions pretty much included nothing from the previous versions, and it sold extremely well.  The key to introducing old concepts into the new game is making them into something new.  The Late Night clubs are completely different from anything included with Night Life from Sims 2 and Hot Date from Sims 1, and the vampires are different as well.  Even celebrities are different from the Superstar expansion from Sims 1.  Pets will have to be different as well, or else it won't do as well as the previous expansions for Sims 3 have done.  If I want the same old stuff, I already have Sims 2 installed on my computer and don't need to buy it again.

Despite their popularity, I didn't like the previous two pets expansions.  I found them to be infinitely more trouble than they were worth.  However, it now looks as though pets are going to be a bit more enjoyable, and even I am looking forward to this expansion.

Also, it was eating at me all night that everyone was saying it was too soon, but it's E3 people. They would get laughed out of there if they only brought a stuff pack to show off, and they were nice enough to release Generations now, so what were they supposed to do? Just not show anything? Wouldn't you feel ripped off if they hadn't shown it off?

I absolutely agree with you.  E3 is the Superbowl (or World Cup for all of our non-American members ) of the gaming industry.  When you go to E3, you need to drop a serious bombshell, and EA did exactly that.  It's likely that the timing of the release of the pets expansion was intentionally timed so that they could drop this bomb there and steal the show.

The release of the Pets expansion is a good ways off.  It's not going to have any affect on Generations.

[jeanamariex3]

Sorry I'm late with this.  Remember, all challenges on this Forum are arranged by Metro for the annual tournament.  Players may write projects that can be posted to the Forum after reviewed and approved by me and Metro.  You'll have to use one of those avenues, Jeana Marie, if you want to have a challenge hosted here.

I just sent you and Metro, a PM about my proposed challenge. I'm also putting it on the official Sims 3 forum, and planning on directing the official forum members to Metro's challenges. I even talked about it on the official Sims 3 Facebook page.   

[jessiethedog]

Ditto to what CSquared said. Leave all the goofy or cartoony stuff on the consoles. Don't get me wrong, I like all the console games too. I love the Sims 2 for the DS, but honestly would I want to have a hotel powered by plutonium and over run by rats and aliens on the pc? No way.

Haha, that made me laugh! 

I agree with Hosfac-although I would like an Open For Business-type expansion. But, whatever will be, will be.

[RubyLovesSims]

I agree with Hosfac-although I would like an Open For Business-type expansion. But, whatever will be, will be.

Open For Business was one of my favorite EPs for the Sims 2, so I also hope it comes back.
But then again, Pers was also one of my favorites!

[Phyre]

I love the fact they're putting so many different breeds in this EP. As a long-time Maine Coon owner I'm thrilled to see them become available for my Sims as well. The cross-breeding is not something you'd do in real life; it weakens a breed. But in the Sims it could definitely be fun.

The only slight annoyance I currently have is that there seems to be a feature reserved for pre-ordered games, which I feel should not be withheld from anyone who buys the game at a later time (not the shop or the items, but the ability to designate a lot as a pet shop). In Holland I can only pre-order a digital version of the game, while I really want a disk because it's so much easier given EA's current lack of attention to the entire digital download system. I wouldn't hesitate to get a disk if it was only for the shop and some items, but if you're not even able to designate lots as pet shop if you don't pre-order... Then the chocie becomes much harder.

[Audren]

My impression on that was that if you pre-ordered, you got another pet shop in addition to the one(s) without pre-ordering. If there is somewhere that says otherwise, please tell me, because I would be unpleased as well.

[jessssi]

My impression on that was that if you pre-ordered, you got another pet shop in addition to the one(s) without pre-ordering. If there is somewhere that says otherwise, please tell me, because I would be unpleased as well.

Nope. You either get the limited edition or you get no pet shop at all.

Here's a post that has the response from a SimGuru: http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/388146.page

[Audren]

Thank you for correcting me. That does not please me. I don't think it's a good decision, but I'm not going to moan and gripe about it. I suppose it is what it is. 

[pallyndrome]

If it is only promising a pet store, and there are other ways to get pets in game, then I'm not fussed. I would be a little annoyed if it takes away the ability to make pets outside of CAS, but I'm not sure yet whether that is the case. That link also suggested that if you buy the game on the first day, you get the shop too (not just preordering). I hope that counts in any store, in any country...

[CSquared2]

Oh, gosh, I just remembered all the strays in Sims 2.  At least they just came down the sidewalk.  With a seamless neighborhood, though . . . I hate to think of the possibilities.  Wake up to find a stray horse swimming in your pool?  That's one feature I hope hasn't made the transition to TS3.  Okay, maybe the skunk and the penguin would be cute.   

[Hosfac]

From what I remember reading, they're including a pet register with the game so making a pet shop will be easy.  And it won't take long for someone to upload a few pet shops to the swap shop here, all of which will likely be better than the free one people will get for pre-ordering, anyways.

[CSquared2]

And it won't take long for someone to upload a few pet shops to the swap shop here, all of which will likely be better than the free one people will get for pre-ordering, anyways.

Too true, too true.

[paperangel]

I really don't get what the big deal is. It's hard for me to imagine that between now and when it comes out the people who really want the special content can't save up enough money to get it, and to everyone who's already planning to wait and see what other people think, you obviously aren't sure you even want the game, so do you really care about the extra content that you may not even want? They're simply trying to reward the people who are really looking forward to it and plan to preorder or by it right off the bat. They're not making any extra money off it, it's the same price as the regular version, so again I ask: What's the big deal?