Most of our Questions -
Answered ***Town/Lots/Game***
♦ What is the name of the new Town?
Appaloosa Plains
♦ What theme will the new town have?
It’s a southwestern ranching town, with lots of huge lots and open space for horseback riding and exploring with cats and dogs!
♦ Will the town come with any new Rabbit Holes? Will any existing rabbit holes be opened?
Yes it will! It comes with the brand new Equestrian Center where you can take your horses to compete in Racing and Jumping competitions to earn Simoleons. No Rabbitholes have been “opened” but all of them have been completely rebuilt to fit the ranch town style of Appaloosa Plains
♦ Will there be any Pet-friendly Pre-Made homes included?
Yep, there are many.
♦ How many new community lots will be added?
There are 3 special venues for each of the new player controlled pet types: Cats, Horses, and Dogs. There are also tons of new parks and places to explore, as well as the Limited Edition only Pet Store!
♦ Cat Jungles, Equestrian Centers and Dog Parks. Can you elaborate a bit more about these lots?
The Cat Jungle and Dog Park are special venues created specifically to take your pets to. There are tons of toys, things to explore, and plenty other pets and pet friendly Sims to meet and socialize with. The Equestrian center is the brand new Rabbithole where you can take your Horse to compete in Equestrian Competitions.
♦ Will there be a special Veterinary Hospital lot just for Pets?
Nope. Most pet care is done at home by your Sims, including giving your Pets flea baths when they start getting itchy!
♦ Will there be a new community lot available to adopt pets? (not from the limited edition pet shop).
There isn’t a new community lot, but you can adopt pets from home over the phone or on the computer. So, if you don’t want to build pets in the brand new Create a Pet feature, or you want to add pets to your legacy household, there are plenty of cute dogs, cats, and horses up for adoption!
♦ Can you give us info on Horse Stables & the Equestrian Center? Will Sims be able to have stables and centers located on their home lots or are these only commercial lots?
Players can place a variety of different Box Stalls on your lot to board your Horses. Horses use them for a variety of different reasons, from eating or sleeping, to even trying for a Foal with a partner! The Equestrian center is primarily for competing in Equestrian Competitions, but there are a few other things.
♦ Will there be new types of Trees, shrubs, & colors in town?
Definitely – They all combine to create the Southwestern styled ranching town of Appaloosa Plains.
♦ Will we be able to use create a style on Trees?
Create a Style won’t work for trees, but The Sims 3 Pets does come with tons of new pet specific objects and content that can be create a styled! Creating custom saddles for your horses is very fun…
♦ Are the autumn colored trees in the trailer a hint to the Next EP being Seasons?
All of the new colors and foliage in The Sims 3 Pets is meant to give Appaloosa Plains the feeling of a ranching town. We wanted it to have a much different style and feeling than Sunset Valley or Riverview.
♦ Will there be any returning families from Sims or Sims 2?
Appaloosa Plains is packed with all new Sims and households to get to know!
♦ Will there be any new Service NPC’s such as animal control?
There are no new Service NPCs, but the Social Worker will be doing double duty as an Animal Control representative as well. He or she will handle your Pet Adoption needs, as well as taking away any neglected pets.
♦ Will there be any new NPC’s added?
There are a bunch of new NPC animals, like raccoons, deer, and wild horses!
♦ Will there be any new gnomes?
Yes, there’s are actually a bunch of new ones – they’re all pet specific
♦ Will there be any new foods & recipes in the game?
You can now make Gourmet Pet Food for your pets! Depending on your cooking skill on the quality of your ingredients, you can make different kinds of gourmet foods, each will special benefits to your pets!
♦ What new collectibles will we see in the game?
Brand new fragmented collectibles can be dug up and then assembled by dogs who have a high Hunting skill!
♦ Will there be any new deaths for Sims? New Ghost colors?
There isn’t a specific new death for Sims, but all of the new player controlled pets have really cool death sequences with the Grim Reaper when they pass away.
****Create - A - Pet****
♦ Which Pets are available to create through Create -A- Pet?
Cats, Dogs, and Horses can all be created and customized in Create a Pet.
♦ What new Traits do animals have?
Too many to list! There are tons, from Aggressive and Agile, to Loyal and Skittish.
♦ Will we be able to use Create-A-Style on our pets? (stripes, stars, etc used from a pattern for clothing?)
We’ve done better than Create a Style, and included a whole Advanced Mode in Create a Pet that allows you to create different layers of markings and coats on your pets. You can even dynamically place spots and other designs wherever you want on a pet’s coat! It’s really cool and fun to use.
♦ What type of Lifietime Wishes will be be able to select for Pets in CAP?
Pets don’t have Lifetime Wishes, but they do have of regular wishes that can be satisfied to purchase tons of really cool Lifetime Rewards. My favorite is the Young Again pet Potion!
♦ Will Pets have special clothing outfits and accessories for outfits in CAP? If so, what types?
Yes! Cats and Dogs have tons of different collars and tags that can be fully customized in Create a Style. Horses have a bunch of different styles of Saddles, from Western to European, that can also be customized.
♦ With the New Generations Edit in CAS cheat, will we also be able to use this with pets as well?
There is a new interaction on pets called Customize Collars and Coats. This interaction will take your pet into Create a Pet where you can then edit them.
♦ How far will players be able to go with the new customization option? Can you elaborate on what details we can customize?
I’m not sure exactly what customization option your referring to, but the new Advanced Mode in Create a Pet is really powerful. You can edit just about everything on the pet, from their Size and Shape, down to their fur, spots, or even eyes.
♦ Can we make puppies, kittens and foals in CAS? Or are the baby pets only available after breeding? Which life stages of Pets can we create?
Puppies, Kittens and Foals are only available through breeding. You’ll be able to edit Adults and Elders in Create a Pet.
♦ Will Pets take up 1 of 8 spaces allowed per household?
Pets do not take up space in the household. You can have up to 8 Sims and 6 Pets in each household.
♦ Will there be any Pet specific Sliders?
In Create a Pet? Yes, there are TONS!
♦ Will Pets have a completely separate CAS, or will we be able to make Sims & Pets together in one CAS?
There is Create a Sim and Create a Pet now. However, you will automatically be switched between the two when you select what you’d like to create
♦ We saw unique backgrounds in CAS for Pets from E3, will we have different backdrops for pets?
Create a Pet has its own unique backdrop.
♦ Now that the player can play as a pet, will we be able to create a household and play as only the pet? Or will there have to be a Sim in the house?
You will need at least 1 Young Adult Sim in every household.
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***General Pet Questions***
♦ Cats, Dogs, Horses, Turtles, Snakes, Lizards & Birds have been announced. Are there any other types of small animals being included in the game? (Rabbits, Hamsters etc?)
Yes! There are a bunch of different rodents as well. My favorite is the Chinchilla.
♦ What NPC animals will we be seeing in the game? If so, can you elaborate on how they will blend in town?
There are Raccoons, Deer, and Wild Horses. As well a stray cats and dogs. They may show up in your world or on your lot every now and then, but you can always place the Stray Animal gnome to ward of NPC animals from your lot!
♦ The original “leaked” trailer shows Skunks, Raccoons & Deer. Will these animals be in the game?
I can’t comment on anything that hasn’t been officially released by EA, but I think the response above should answer your question.
♦ Which types of birds can we expect in the game?
There are many! Everything from tropical parrots to common household birds.
♦ Will any of the animals be able to have careers?
There are no careers for pets in the PC game, but Pets will be able to user their skills to earn money.
♦ What new objects for Sims & Pets will we be getting in the game?
There are too many to list! My favorite are the horse jumps – there are many different variations and the look really cool.
♦ Will we be able to adopt any of the Pets?
Yes. You can adopt cats, dogs and horses.
♦ Will we have any type of farm animals? (Cows, Pigs etc)
There are no cows or pigs, but your imagination is your only limit once you get into Create a Pet!
♦ Where will Pets be able to woohoo? Which pets can woohoo and reproduce?
Pets can Try for Puppies, Kittens, or a Foal depending on what type of animal they are. You’ll need to have a Pet House on the lot for Cats and Dogs, or a Box Stall for Horses.
♦ When Pets are pregnant, will their pregnancy advance such as that of a Sim? (stages of an extended belly etc) How many “babies” in a pregnancy?
Pets don’t have as distinct of stages as Sims, however they will get pregnant and have associated moodlets. Cats and Dogs will have litters of varying sizes, and Horses will only have one foal at a time.
♦ If you have Generations & Pets, will you be able to walk your baby in a stroller and walk your dog at the same time?
You won’t be able to do it at the same time, but you would be able to do it individually.
♦ What are collectible pets? Will they be any different than fish and insects?
Collectible pets are the same as the minor pets referenced in the question above (Turtles, Snakes, Rodents, Birds, and Lizards)
♦ If you have World Adventures & Pets, will pets be able to go on vacation with Sims?
Unfortunately the Customs agents in Al Simhara, Champs Les Sims, and Shang Simla don’t like people bringing pets to their countries
♦ Will Pets be able to eat human food, just like in Sims 2?
You can actually use ingredients and the cooking skill to make Gourmet Pet Food for your pets!
♦ Will we have Pet Carriers?
No, but they will have Pet Beds, Pet Houses, and Box Stalls
♦ Will Pets be able to ride in Cars, Taxis and other transportation?
Cats and Dogs will when accompanied by a Sim, but horses can’t fit!
♦ Will Pets get sick and need to see a veterinarian?
They won’t get sick per se, but they can get fleas! They can also Vomit when they’re disgusted.
♦ Can dogs or Cats Swim in the pool or Lakes?
Dogs can swim in pools and Fountains!
♦ Will stray animals show up at a Sims house?
They certainly will
♦ Which Pets can breed?
Cats, Dogs, and Horses
♦ What life stages do Pets have?
Puppy/Kitten/Foal, Adult, Elder
♦ Will Pets be able to enter pet specific competitions?
Yes, Horses can compete in Racing and Jumping competitions at the brand new Equestrian Center rabbithole! Dogs can also put on Trick Exhibitions in public spaces to earn tips!
♦ If we do not want to play a controllable pet, will we be able to allow the cpu to control the pets like in Sims 2?
Yep – There are individual Autonomy controls in the options, so you can set Puts to Full Autonomy, and Sims to manual control if you want.
♦ Will there be special pet doors for animals to get out of homes/lots without needing a Sim to open the door?
Cats, Dogs, and Horses can open and close regular doors, although they have been updated so you can Lock them for just pets if you want.
♦ What collectables will pets be able to fetch for us?
Many! Rocks, Gems, Metals, Rodents, just to name a few. Dogs can even find brand new fragmented objects for you to assemble!
♦ Will dogs be able to chase away the paperboy or bite the mailman?
They can chase the mail man. Aggressive dogs tend to do this a lot!
♦ Can you elaborate on the Interactions between Toddlers/Children and Pets? Any special interactions?
Yes, my favorite is the tackle interaction, where a small dog or cat can actually jump on a Toddler or Child and take them down in a funny way
♦ Is it true that Sims can be allergic to fur? If so, will pets be able to make Sims ill?
In the Console version they can.
♦ Will Pets be able to “fetch dates for Sims” just like the Console version?
Yes, dogs can fetch you a date on community lots when there’s a single sim of your Sim’s gender preference.
♦ Will pets be able to sleep with Sims on couches and beds?
Yep!
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***Horses***
♦ It has been confirmed there will be 5 different horse breeds. But how diverse are the 5? If we interbreed will we be able to create new Breeds?
There are many more than just 5! They can all be bred.
♦ Will horses be able to produce offspring? (Woohoo & Try for Baby)
Yep – Horses can be bred in Box Stalls to create Foals.
♦ Will there be dressage for Horses?
In Create a Pet you’ll be able to fully customize a Horse’s Saddle and reins!
♦ Can you tell us a bit about Horse Racing & Jumping? Will there be competitions?
You can build these skills by placing Training Posts and Jumps on your Lot. It helps to also use a Sim who has a high riding skill. Once you’ve built your Skills up, you can take your horses to the Equestrian Center to compete in Equestrian Competitions
♦ Can children ride horses?
Only Teens and older can ride horses
♦ Since we can use Horses as transportation, what happens when we get to our destination? Where would the horse go?
Because you can now fully control pets, you can have them go where ever you want them to go. Maybe tie them up at a hitching post?
Lifestate/Creature/Deaths
♦ What is the new Lifestate for the game? Any new creatures such as werewolves?
For the first time ever, we’ve included Unicorns! They are a mystical, magical creature with tons of special capabilities.
♦ Assuming the life state is werewolves, what type of features will they have? Will they be able to reproduce? Will they change into different forms? Can Sims be turned?
♦ If the creature is not Werewolves, can you please answer the above question about the new creature?
Unicorns can Bless or Curse Sims and Plants, teleport on command, or even Ignite things on fire!
♦ Will sims be able to turn into this new creature like Vampires?
Nope, but they can try and convince the Unicorn to join their households so that they can you can use their special powers
♦ With Grim Reaper riding away with what seemed to be a dead horse, will the pets have any of their ghosts left behind in Urns/Tombstomes?
Yep!
♦ Will there be various types of deaths for the animals?
Pets will only be able to die of old age. However, if you neglect them, the social worker will come and remove them from your household.
♦ Will the ghosts of a pet come out to play at night?
They sure can!
♦ Can we take a dead pet and make it a controllable pet by visiting the Science Facility (or similar method)?
Yep!
♦ Will there be a special type of food (Ambrosia) to bring pets back to life?
Yep!
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***Careers/Skills***
♦ Will there be any new Sim Careers or Professions?
There are now new Careers, but Sims can work with their pets to develop their skills, which in turn can produce a lot of money for a household. For instance, the Riding Skill for Sims combined with the Racing Skill for Horses can makes tons of Simoloeons!
♦ What can Sims teach their pets? What types of skills are there for Pets to learn?
Hunting, Racing, Jumping, Tricks… just to name a few!
♦ Which new Sim traits can we expect in Pets?
There are a bunch, Dog Person, Cat Person, Animal Lover, Equestrian…
♦ Will Pets have careers? If so, which careers?
No new careers, but the new skills can be used to earn money
♦ Will Pets get their own special LifeTime rewards as well?
Yes! There are many… including the Vomit Machine, which is my personal favorite
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***The Limited Edition Pet Shop***
♦ With the Pet Shop not being a rabbit hole, does this mean we will see a bit of “Open for Business” back in the game?
Kind of… it is more like the consignment shop in Ambitions, where you use the register to interact with the store.
♦ Will the pet shop be an NPC run shop, or will Sims be able to run Pet Shop business on and off their home property?
NPCs will run the shop.
♦ What “unique” items will the Pet Shop have in the Limited Edition?
It has some really special items, like the Louis the Felininth Canopy Bed, or the Paws Up! Double Door
♦ Will we be able to buy Pets in the new Pet Shop? If so, which types of pets?
Only specialty Pet inspired objects will be sold here
♦ Will there be any way to create a Pet shop without the Limited Edition Pet Shop and have it be just as functional?
You’ll need the Limited Edition to get the Pet Store Register, which contains all the pet store functionality.
♦ To clear up a bit of confusion, can you please explain to us a bit more about the Limited Edition Pet Shop & who will be able to get it?
There are different deals depending on where you live. Check out TheSims3.com for special offers in your area.
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***Extras***
♦ Is it true that The Sims team will be bringing out accessories & more for the Pets EP into the Sims 3 Store?
We’ve got lots of cool things coming, but I can’t discuss anything specific until it has been officially announced
♦ Will we be able to upload ALL pets to the exchange?
Yes, all Cats, Dogs, and Horses
♦ Will we be able to use our Pet creations in the exchange as our avatars?
That’s a great question! I’m not 100% sure, but I’m sure someone will find a way
♦ Which new Simslish songs will there be in Pets?
My favorite is the new Asher Roth song “Another One Down”