In
earlier Sims games, players interact with a household of virtual
computer people. In The Sims 3, players interact with an entire
neighborhood. Instead of playing each family discretely on its
individual lot, players can now take their characters anywhere in town
-- to a friend's house, out to a restaurant, to a favorite park, or even
to work. No matter which Sim the player is currently following,
however, all the characters in the neighborhood are active whenever the
game is being played. Events that take place on the other side of town
can have an effect on situations all across the neighborhood, just as
the player's characters may influence the rest of the community with
their actions (or inaction). Sims are now quick to pull out their mobile
phones and keep one another informed, even if only about the latest
gossip. The Create-A-Sim system in the Sims 3 refines
the powerful tools featured in the Sims 2. Players have much more
finely graduated control over many physical aspects of the characters
they create. For example, a slider allows a choice of any size and shape
between rail-thin and very overweight, instead of offering only three
set body types, and a second slider controls the character's
muscularity. To a greater degree than the previous game's character
editor, the new tools give players the power to create recognizable Sim
versions of people they know (or would like to know). Sims personalities
are now determined by up to five distinguishing traits, such as "hot
headed," "conversationalist," "clumsy," "great cook," "slob," "good
sense of humor," and even "neurotic" or "paranoid." Players can choose
from more than 60 available traits when they create each new Sim. As in earlier Sims games, players are free to make
use of the built-in houses that come with the game, customize them
however they see fit (and have the Simoleons to afford), or tear them
down completely and build their own from scratch. The build mode offers
players more customization as well, with a smaller grid from more
precise placements, and the ability to rotate most objects to any angle.
Stores, services, and places of work for the game's 12 career paths are
all available throughout the neighborhood. Players can't enter these
buildings to watch a favorite Sim at work, but they can follow him
there, and then back home again when his shift is done.