Skye's "SIMposium" at SterlingSims2.com

Skye · Last edited by Skye on Wed Jun 11, 2008 3:39 am; edited 3 times in total

Hello Fellow Simmers and SIMposiacs!

Last Friday, May 30th, Sterlingsims2.com was invited to EA to participate in Fansite day along with 7 other fan-sites from around the world. We were presented with a presentation of the new Apartment Pets Nintendo DS system and had hands-on with the New EP Apartment Life! Before getting into the Apartment Life details let me talk a bit about Apartment Pets!

Rawson Stovall and Matt Salazar presented the demonstration for Apartment Pets. Apartment Pets is a separate game targeting a younger audience than Apartment Life which is a full EP for the sims2. It targets the age 8-9 group and therefore is simpler both in game play and in complexity. In it, the player takes over their Uncle’s Pet Spa and either runs it successfully...or not! The animals are adorable! There are bunnies, cats, dogs, birds, snakes and hamsters although the game play targets mostly the cats and dogs. One thing the game features is several mini-games built in as challenges as you care for each pet which adds to the fun! The player can also come back and interact and play with each pet outside of the game play itself. All in all, I think the younger simmers will love it! Here are a few screens of some of the pets:

Now on to Apartment Life!

After lunch we were joined by game designers Shannon Copur, Bim Majekodunmi and Lakshmi Jayapalan who discussed Apartment Life with us and explained the game play. We then had about two hours to play the game and explore all the new items and characters. Apartment Life, which ships around August 26th, is a whole other game from Apartment Pets and targets the regular Sims2 Teen and up player. You can have 4 families per apartment and the apartments range from trailer-park all the way up to the swank townhouse. Apartments are set up much like the dorms in University with each family claiming an apartment by paying the rent. The player can then choose one of the families to play or create their own and they can interact with the other families who live in the apartment. You have a landlord who drops by each day to either fix things or yell at you if you haven’t paid your rent or are too loud for your neighbors. You can advertise for a roommate or live alone. There are also quite a few new interactions for our sims which you will discover as you play!

One of the most exciting things for me as a creator for the Sims2 was all the new objects! Drum roll……
1. Spiral Stairs! Yes, folks we finally have Spiral stairs! THREE sets, and the footprint is one square! Woot!

2. Tons of really cool

new fences and a few new half walls!

3. Some really cool

new doors and windows including a set of “French Themed” doors windows and fences that match nicely.

Here are some screenshots I took:

4. A new love bed and a great-looking new 4 poster bed...oh and a hideaway bed!

5. Some new art!

6. Ceilings! We have CEILINGS! They are optional but they are THERE if we want them:)

7. Tons of new play equipment, monkey bars, spring horses and a merry-go-round

8. Vending machines!

9. New “alley equipment such as commercial trash bins, graffiti walls and old cartons.

10. A new swank Aquarium!

11. I saw a really cool

50’s diner set up in one of the community lots but not sure yet because not all the items were in the version we played.

12. New house plants and I believe new trees although they weren’t there yet.

13. Closets! We have closets and closet doors!

14. New wall shelves!

15. A new fireplace in three colors!

18. At least 2 new swank awnings.

We also have some new tools that are handy:

A tool that counts the walls for you when you place them. Very Nice!

A tool that lets you adjust the pictures on a wall in any direction.

Magic Anyone?

Now...I bet you thought that was it, right? NOOOOOOO. I have saved the big surprise

for last. Apartment Life has….MAGIC! Yes, there are Witches in Apartment Life! You can be a good witch, a bad witch or do both with over 40 spells and there are 4 levels of witches. Witches can also fly about on their brooms and “materialize” on command. I had a blast with my witch but barely had time to try out the spells so you will have to do it yourself! Each witch has a cauldron for spells, a spellbook and of course a broom!

I didn't manage to catch my sim in her witch outfit but I am sure you will see one at the Sims2Exchange!

All in all I think the team did a great job on this EP. Apartment Life is one of the best yet and well worth getting both for game play and for all the new items. Big congrats to the Sims2 Label and Apartment Life team!

Here are a few more screenshots I took:

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Skye
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Wanesgroove · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 12:59 am Post subject:

Cool! This looks Excellent! Thanks for all the info Skye!

IceManHoran101 · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 1:00 am Post subject:

It looks amazing.
I'm so excited for this!
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TulaTara · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 1:35 am Post subject:

WOW! This EP is going to be sooooooo much fun! I love the new items and building tools, the spiral stairs, the French theme, ceilings.... and it goes on and on...

But what I love most is that we can be witches!!!! WOOHOOOO!!!

Thanks for sharing, Skye!! Very Happy

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~Nina

daman19942 · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 3:35 am Post subject:

Thanks for the info, Skye! This EP keeps getting better and better! Should I post the link I found? It contains 95% of the same info, with a few more screenshots.
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laurel720692 · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 4:19 am Post subject:

I am SO excited!!!!!!!!!!! I don't know where to begin! I love all the new build & buy options!!!! I can't wait to see the game play stuff!!!

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Smile

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Skye · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 5:12 am Post subject:

Sure Daman go ahead and post it! Smile

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Skye
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Simooligan · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 5:21 am Post subject:

This looks great Skye! I have yet to get Freetime, but thanks for these terrific screenpicts! I enjoyed this post! Smile

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lindawing · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 5:25 am Post subject:

Thanks, Skye! I'll bet you had a grand time. Smile

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daman19942 · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 6:28 am Post subject:

Here is some more info about this new EP.
http://www.edenstyle.it/TS2_ExpansionPacks_Apartment_ENGL.htm
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Laurie · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 1:39 pm Post subject:

Holy...

SWANKAY Pad eh? And some of those clothes are really cool

. Much better than previous EA stuff! Can't wait! Freetime for my birthday so there's always time to save up for this too!
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TnT_Terry · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 3:40 pm Post subject:

Awesome awesome awesome!!! I am soooooooo envious that you got to play first Skye lmao!! Cool

you must have had so much fun, can't wait for all the new options as this is by far the very best in EP's for sure Cool

it's about time the spiral stairs made a comeback!! Cool

Thanks for sharing this awesome experience with all of us Smile

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Cjb402 · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 5:16 pm Post subject:

Oh wow! Really happy that you got to go to the fansite event!
*envies Skye* Razz

Awesome report on Apartment Life Skye! Looks like it will be a lot of fun! Thanks you for the great info on it! Very Happy

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KatAnubis · Posted: Wed Jun 04, 2008 9:52 pm Post subject:

It sounds like you had a great time. The EP looks good.

I hope that the inclusion of magic stuff gets the magic lovin' folks to calm down a bit. They tend to be rather shrill in voicing their desire for a magic EP.

daman19942 · Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 12:07 am Post subject:

I consider myself one of the Magic lovers. I try not to be too boisterous on that behalf, but I am certainly excited to see some Magic.
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Skye · Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 12:58 am Post subject:

Well, it looks pretty cool

and extensive in what you can do. I only wish I had all day to play so I could have tried the spells!
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Skye
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Laurie · Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 12:23 pm Post subject:

Yeah! That would have been cool

! Hey, You were still lucky enough to see some of it! Very Happy

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Rapunzel155P · Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 7:52 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the screenies, Skye! Very Happy

Like Nina, I'm happy that we'll have magic in this one, plus finally getting those spiral stairs, too! Whoohoo!

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m618915 · Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 11:41 pm Post subject:

Very nice pictures, I have few questions.
Was there any new outdoor plants, trees or bushes? Did you see ceiling fan?
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lindawing · Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 2:03 am Post subject:

There is another review at TSR, that is quite extensive. It looks to me as if most of you at the event were quite impressed! Smile

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