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26 Apr 2010 - 23:00
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23 Apr 2010 - 23:00
Read about the everyday heroes in The Sims 3 Ambitions Expansion Pack!
Anybody Can Be a Hero ... or Something Along Those Lines
Perhaps I'm speaking for myself only, but I cannot imagine a child who doesn't want to be a hero when they grow up. We often start at the comic level of capes and super powers, but it isn't long before we see the common everyday heroes around us - firefighters, emergency doctors, or detectives.
When brainstorming for The Sims 3 Ambitions we had plenty of ideas, but our hearts and minds kept coming back to that fantasy of heroism.
No Blaze Too Big
Firefighting was the first career we settled on for The Sims 3 Ambitions. It was such a huge challenge and natural fit for our neighborhoods that there was little discussion on the "why," though this didn't solve the issues of the "how." Fires have always been more of a nuisance in our games, so it was clear from the start that we wanted them to be big, dangerous, frantic - and fun!
Firefighting is a profession of careful preparation, leading to smart, tactical snap decisions at the scene of the emergency. Firefighters can prepare at the fire station by maintaining their equipment, like the new fire engine vehicle. Athleticism will also greatly aid your firefightersa fit firefighter can do some damage when fighting a blaze! Finally, handiness goes a long way towards gaining the upper hand in a fire. Handy Sims can upgrade the fire engine, fire alarms at the station, and even their personal fire extinguisher.
However, the time for patience and tinkering is gone the second the alarm rings. Conversations end, forks are put down, and it's on! As your Sim races to the scene of the emergency, it's important to think about the type of emergency - it can be a small fire, gnome invasion, massive inferno, earthquake, or an experiment gone catastrophically wrong at the science lab. To leave a few surprises, but explain the first step, we'll start with a small fire.
Small fires are often anything but. In fact, the name small is really only useful when used in relation to the huge fires your Sim will encounter later. When my Sim arrives at the scene I like to pause and take in the surroundings. Where are the fires in the victim's home and where are the most home furnishings in danger? I like to play as a noble, heroic firefighter so I always try to preserve as many personal belongings as possible. If need be I can smash and destroy my way to cut off a fire's fuel, but I prefer to think of how the victims will feel the morning after.
Once I have an idea of the situation, I queue up the fires in the order I want them extinguished. While the victims are screaming and panicking outside, my firefighting professional goes from flame to flame to alleviate the situation. Phew, that was easy!
A massive inferno may require my Sim to save trapped Sims, break down doors, put out fires from the outside before I can continue, and continue to fight fires once I DO get inside. It can get a little hairy, but honestly, that's just a part of my firefighter's job.
The Sketchy Investigator
Grant McSolver is a private investigator that has been hired by countless Sims around town. He knows his way around a case and knows how to get the answers he needs. Unfortunately for the town, there are few things beneath McSolver.
There was the time McSolver was hired to dig up some information so the client could blackmail a rival. While doing the digging (literally, in a trash can), McSolver decided to collect early and do a little blackmail of his own.
On another case, McSolver needed to gain permission from a suspect to dust around the house and snoop for clues. This could have been handled in a civil manner, but McSolver isn't patient or civil. Instead, he busted out his trusty lock pick kit, broke into the home, obtained the prints, and "borrowed" a television. For evidence, of course.
Stolen cars, missing art, heists conducted by mad scientists, endless stakeouts - all in a day's work for a private investigator. With a rumpled trench coat and slick hat, your Sims can look the part and be as skeevy, or noble, as you see fit. Few careers have as much unexpected moments or open-ended gameplay as the investigator.
Grant McSolver may be a no-good scumbag who tends to be on the side of the law, but that doesn't mean that needs to be true for your investigator.
The Doctor ... is out?
As with every profession in The Sims 3 Ambitions, we wanted the jobs, experiences, and gameplay moments to be in the neighborhood and outside of the buildings. We really liked the medical career from The Sims 3 but wanted to enhance what was already a solid foundation.
Doctors may now encounter medical emergencies, both common and otherwise, while out and about. Finally, the story that begins with "is there a doctor in the house?" can be told. For example, you might be at the bistro having a romantic meal with a love interest. Suddenly, there's a commotion and panic - another patron is choking! Your Sim rushes over, runs the diagnosis, and hopefully makes the right call. Not bad for a first date!
Doctors aren't just about emergencies. Preventative medicine is just as important, which means free health clinics must be set up and inoculations provided. The community's well-being may very well hinge on your Sim's performance as a top tier medical professional.
As with the other careers, doctors don't always need to adhere so strictly to the "right" way of doing things. Companies may provide your Sim with experimental medicines, which can then be sampled by patients. Nothing too bad should happen, plus your Sim will receive a small kick back from the company. Everybody wins, right?
Whether you decide to tell the story of a local hero or manipulative quack is entirely in your hands. The game itself provides some deep, emergent experiences that require you to think quickly and give your Sims the right direction before the worst occurs. Do you think you're up to the task? More importantly, are your Sims?
Happy Simming!
Grant Rodiek
AKA SimGuruWalrus
20 Apr 2010 - 23:00
Want to start creating but need a little help with inspiration? Look no further! Not only is The Sims 3 community talented, but they're very helpful. Take look at these helpful threads created by the community that are great for beginning -as well as seasoned- creators!
19 Apr 2010 - 16:23
In 2011, zal Renault haar eerste elektrische auto op de markt brengen, een revolutie voor de autoindustrie! Om dit te vieren, kunnen Sims fans deze lente de Twizy Z.E Conceptauto van Renault gratis downloaden. De Twizy Z.E. is onderdeel van een 'Elektrisch Voertuigpakket' (EVP) wat bestaat uit een aantal duurzame milieuvriendelijke voorwerpen, zoals zonnepanelen en een windmolen. Het gebruik van EVP in De Sims 3 levert voor Simsfamilies in de game allerlei voordelen op. Zo zijn de wekelijkse huishoudrekeningen een stuk lager. Ga groen en Drive the Change!
15 Apr 2010 - 23:00
New Goodies have arrived at The Sims 3 Store! Collect the new sports & nature themed avatar backgrounds, My Page stickers, and unique badges.
15 Apr 2010 - 12:40
Dit jaar bestaat De Sims 10 jaar en dit hebben we samen met onze fans gevierd met een speciale 10 jaar Sims wedstrijd.
Alle inzendingen kun je bekijken op de speciale EA Sims hyves:
http://www.simmanon.hyves.nlDe hoofdprijs was een spectaculaire Sims Game laptop. Deze is gewonnen door Paulinetjecool!
Benieuwd of je een van de andere prijzen hebt gewonnen? Kijk dan snel op het forum!
Heb je dit keer niet gewonnen maar heb je wel mee gedaan met de 10 jaar Sims creatie wedstrijd? Kom dan binnenkort terug want deze uitslag volgt binnenkort!
EA wil iedereen die mee heeft gedaan bedanken en aan alle winnaars: van harte gefeliciteerd!
En hier is de winnende inzending van Paulinetjecool:
14 Apr 2010 - 13:33
Binnen EA Benelux wordt een onderzoek uitgevoerd naar de structuur van de website www.electronicarts.nl en hoe gebruikersvriendelijk deze is voor de bezoekers. Hierbij heeft EA jouw hulp nodig! Het feit dat je ons helpt waarderen wij natuurlijk enorm en zullen wij belonen met een rondleiding door het bedrijf en een aantal leuke goodies!
12 Apr 2010 - 23:00
A group of talented creators in The Sims 3 community have gathered together to create SF Magazine - a fashion magazine full of amazing photo spreads of Sims strutting in the latest fashions for spring! A must see.
8 Apr 2010 - 23:00
One of The Sims Community's top machinima artists - Pyronium3, took part in our latest Spotlight Interview. Known for his dramatic and emotional pieces, this artist shares how he first started creating machinima with The Sims games, his creative process, and more!
Community Spotlight Interview: Pyronium3
Dramatic, emotional, and epic best describes the machinima created by one of The Sims community's top artists - Pyronium3. From the movie-like Ruska, to the dramatically humorous Dramatic Lunch, to the sorrowful I Go to Sleep - since The Sims 2, Pyronium3 has been creating amazing machinima that has attracted many fans and continues to carry his talents into The Sims 3. He's been awesome enough to take some time to answer some questions from us! See how he got his start as well as some tips on how to capture the right moment when filming.
How long have you been playing The Sims games?
Since the first Sims was released. I was barely 10 years old back then.. man, it's been a long time! I was always interested in simulation games and already loved the Simcity series, so it seemed like the perfect thing. I guess it turned out to be too!
What got you into making machinima with The Sims games?
I initially was inspired by The Sims 2 exchange to write a story. I can barely remember what that was about, but I felt the need to create and share something. I soon discovered that writing wasn't really my thing and that I wanted to present the stories I had in my mind in a visually stimulating way. So, I put together a video intro for the story I was writing. Everyone who's made machinima knows that their first piece usually doesn't really cut it, and neither did mine!
From that point on though, my interest in making these Sims films grew larger, and with it so did my knowledge of it. The best mentors are the other machinima artists out there. It's them who keep inspiring me, and it's them who motivate me too.
When we see mentions of your name, we automatically recall your piece Ruska. Which of your pieces do you feel is your signature piece?
I'm in the same boat! I think Ruska is definitely my best piece.
You'll notice that most of my movies have a heavy dramatic overtone. Ruska just screams drama! Apart from that, I'm very content with how the theme, music, and imagery flow together and create this dreamy experience. Ruska is actually my last The Sims 2 machinima, and I had also taken a long break prior to filming it. I think it's subconsciously a playing factor, and therefore, Ruska will always have a special place in my heart.
Besides Ruska, I'd say I really like Since I've met you. It's a heavier theme, and a total shocker. What I like most about it is the pace. It plays to "Map of the problematique" by Muse and that's just such an incredible track. I go to Sleep is one of my favorites as well. It's my first serious Sims 3 machinima, and I'm very happy with the way it turned out. It's mainly story driven, and comes with a big surprise of the end - which I think worked out well.
Without having your Sims do too much of the obvious (crying, for example), you seem to be one of the pros at evoking emotions that fit very well with the songs in your pieces - whether it's longing, curiosity, or sadness - what secrets are you willing to share to achieve this?
First off, you'll need to have an eye for emotions yourself. Everyone picks these subtle signs up, but not everyone manages to pinpoint them. Study the animations that you have at your disposal. Try one where the Sim is hysterically laughing, and see if there is a fraction of that animation that, if timed right, might serve to portray a completely different emotion.
Also, zoom in and slow down! Subtle signs are best seen that way, and possibly even enhanced! It's not just the way the Sims act that tells the viewer something, it's also how the camera is acting.
What factors decide what machinima you will create? Is it a song, an emotion, a time period, a theme - for example?
It's mainly the music. When I listen to a song I like, there's usually already this little film playing in my mind. The music evokes images and I then consider if I can use those as a story, and if they're executable within the Sims. From there on I listen to that track another 1000 times (I get really sick of it by the time I have to start working on the film!) and put the pieces of that story together. Once I have the foundation laid out, I think of the theme that would best suit it. Ruska, for example, feels much more romantic because of the romantic time period it's in. Dramatic Lunch fits well in the now, because any other period would have just distracted from the main theme. Since I've met you also fits the now, because it adds to the insanity of the piece. If it played in medieval times, you would simply discard those events as barbaric acts by barbaric people. .
Your machinima feels so much like real movies - are there film directors you try to emulate?
Fairly simple answer: nope!
I love watching real movies, but to be honest I can't really be bothered by who made them. I have no knowledge of the work that goes into making those real films, and because of that I can't admire/envy/disdain a director. I never visit museums for that very reason. Sure, art may be pretty to look at, but without understanding the process that eventually lead to the final piece, you can't fully appreciate something.
As I've mentioned above, it's the other machinima artists that inspire me. They do what I do, so I know exactly how impressive their work is when I see it.
Could you tell us how you started making your first machinima for The Sims 3 - Dramatic Lunch? What inspired you?
I really wanted to try something with The Sims 3, that was my main motivational factor. I guess because of this there wasn't any passionate part of me involved. Haha, apparently I had to access the scattered part of my brain for this, the result definitely proves that! It just suddenly struck me that I had to combine lunch with dramatic music. Eating lunch is epic, afterall. (Especially if it's good!)
Did it take a while for you to get used to The Sims 3 camera controls to start making machinima? Or was it pretty easy?
Very easy! It's pretty much identical to the way the camera is controlled in the Sims 2. The only thing that eluded me for a little while was figuring out how to make the camera roll (Shift + A/D!). It's a nice new feature that really does add way more variety in camera angles.
How long does it normally take you to complete one machinima?
It really depends on a number of factors - one of them being motivation. If I'm really stoked about a project I'm working on, I basically work on it non-stop. This way it goes pretty fast. It also depends on how much editing is required, how difficult the shots are to shoot, how long the film is, and most importantly - how many stubborn Sims you have on your team!
When you're shooting the climax scene, and one Sim suddenly starts waving and yelling and decides that he/she has to pee, you lost quite some time!
What advice can you offer to an aspiring machinima artist?
First of all you need to decide for yourself what your ambitions are. Do you want to do it just for fun? Do you want to channel ideas and emotions? Do you want to be the best? Whatever it is, it's very important you are certain. If you're not, you're not focused, and when you're not focused you easily give up.
Then it comes to learning the tech behind it all. You're working with computers here so it's going to be very technical no matter what.
- You need to know how the camera works, this applies to handling it as well as adjusting the ini files to alter its behavior.
- You also need to know how to get custom content in your game (think of animation hacks, beautification items, etc).
- You need to know the game. It's very important you know the animations. This will save you a lot of time when you're trying to find one that suits the emotion you're trying to convey.
- You need to know filming techniques. The way something is directed can make or break it. It doesn't matter how good the story is, or how pretty the scenes are.. If it's not filmed right, it isn't right.
- You need to know how to edit footage.
This might seem daunting at first, and that's probably because it is. If you want to be good at this, you need to invest a lot of time in it. But as with everything: as long as you have enough determination you can get there.
My main advice would be to watch a lot of machinima. Especially those that you personally like. Study the pieces, try to understand how the director got the shots that he did. What animations he used, when he used them, how that affected the piece.
Before that though, just make some stuff for fun. Explore the playfield, get a feel for it. If you don't understand the basics there's no point in studying machinima, since you wouldn't have anything to reference it to. Most of all: Have fun! It's not a job, it shouldn't feel like one!
Do you have any new machinima coming out soon that we should look forward to? Can you tease us with details on what it's about?
I have some ideas floating around but at the moment I'm way too busy with other stuff, so I can't work on any machinima. One of these projects is a Sims 3 World, which is nearing completion after 3 months of work. I do plan on making more machinima in the future however, and this will be with The Sims 3. I want to experiment with different ways of storytelling, so that might be something you could expect in the future.
Can you tell us a little bit about your YouTube channel? Do you run any other Sims sites you'd like to share?
I started uploading my machinima there because I wanted it to be easily accessible. I never figured it would become such a popular platform to showcase machinima! My videos have over more than half a million combined views now, and that's still mind boggling to me.
It's now basically the only place I upload my machinima to. Since they've recently had HD support for a while, I will also make sure to keep utilizing that. It's a shame my earlier work is of such low quality compared to the newer stuff, but that's just how it is. Apart from my YouTube channel there isn't really any website to mention. I do have a little blog that I started which has some informative articles about machinima filming, of which there is a link to on my YouTube page. I'm keeping it online because the information may be useful to people.
So, if you want to view my vids as soon as they're released, subscribe!
Thanks so much, Pyronium3, for taking part in our interview! Don't forget to visit his My Page and YouTube channel!
7 Apr 2010 - 23:00
What is Share Wednesday?
Share Wednesday is another way for you to share your Exchange creations with other Simmers through our Facebook and Twitter!
For Facebook, you can post Photos and Links onto our Wall so that other Fans could comment on your stuff! Click this to go to The Sims 3 Facebook.
On Twitter, @reply to The Sims 3 with links and we will Retweet our favorite creations to the rest of our Followers. If you Tweet often about your Exchange uploads, let us know as well so we can add you to our "The Exchange Creators" List. Click this to go to The Sims 3 Twitter.
We really want the rest of the community to see the awesome stuff you guys have been making so join us for Share Wednesday.