The Not So Routine Machine REVIEW
Time for another (mini) review! A couple of months ago I received The Not So Routine Machine for reviewing purposes! Although I love these mini reviews myself, it wasn't a good time for me. I moved in April and am now in a half finished home haha. Also my computer died recently (has been repaired so it's all good now). Because of the move, it's really hectic and I barely have time to spend online. This week though I decided to take a break from all the decorating and stuff. So now I present to you, the mini review of The Not So Routine Machine! Enjoy! And leave a comment when you're done reading. I love to hear your thoughts.
So what's this machine all about then? In short: your Sims can improve their overall mood by using it. When your Sim has to go to work, the gym, a business/venue or a shop, your Sim can stand on this device and it will fill the needs one by one. Not just like that. You will see the Sim processing their breakfast, see them on the toilet and see them in a luxurious shower.
Sim Rosie is going to use the Not So Routine Machine. Where will she end up?
Sim Rosie has used the Not So Routine Machine. She chose to go to the gym and that is exactly where the Not So Routine Machine sent her.
Sim Rosie is using the Not So Routine Machine. You can see what the machine is capable of in this video.
Here is the male sim upgrading the Not So Routine Machine so it plays music! This increases fun while being refreshed by the machine.
Rosie is using the Not So Routine Machine.
Rosie is being fed by the Not So Routine Machine.
Time to empty that bladder!
Shiny toilet!
I wouldn't feel safe hanging above a toilet haha!
Well this is awkward. As you can see, the Sim is sitting in the middle of the room. If other Sims are in the room and you tell your Sim to use the machine, he or she will shoo the other Sims. A separate room wouldn't be a bad idea.
I'd look annoyed as well. Or is she just making a funny face because of a number 2?
As far as I know, kids and younger cannot use it. And therefore, it would not be an option to only have this machine around instead of a regular toilet, shower and kitchen stuff for the daily routine. Not only would it be too expensive for starter Sims (the machine costs §15.000), but it can't do everything for everyone.
Another Sim is using the Not So Routine Machine. He tries to go to a community lot. The Not So Routine Machine does improve the Sim's mood but it's night so the Sim is brought back home instead of to the community lot.
I had some great laughs while using it. Besides the toilet/shower/food supplies, Sims with the handiness skill can also improve the machine. They can make it unbreakable, add speakers for fun or make it teleport your Sims anywhere. Very cool.
The downside with the whole teleporting thing, is that you can only go one way. For the way back you have to grab a cab, car, bike, whatever. But you cannot teleport back without using the machine. And since the machine is at home, teleporting at home from home would be… well stupid haha.
Another thing that bothers me a little is that you can only use these functions if you go another place. You cannot just have your Sim use it to get ready for the day, if they spend the day at home. I get the idea of the object but it would have been a nice addition to choose to get "refreshed" yet still stay home haha.
And then there is Dreamscape. Dreamscape? What's that? Well. Dreamscape is a fantasy world, VR if you will, where Sims travel when they are tired, while using the Not So Routine Machine. They then don't go to their destination immediately, but stay in this Dreamscape world where you are presented with these chance cards. Initially I though my Sim needed a lot of logic to be able to do the "quests" in Dreamscape. But I had another Sim with logic level 10 and she just kept going wrong with the first try. So it must really be 50% chance or something. And one of my Sims just happened to get everything wrong haha. If Sims get it right, they end up with something to take home to the real world. Once they leave the Dreamscape, they are teleported to the place you initially chose to go. If the Dreamscape visit went well (not being thrown out at the first chance card) the Sim will probably have enjoyed it and they energy level will go up. If the visit to Dreamscape failed, your Sim will most likely hate or dislike it and not want to go back, plus their energy level won't have increased at all. When your Sim is in Dreamscape, you can hear a lullaby like song that is in fact quite dreamy yet mysterious.
Rosie is now entering Dreamscape.
Dreamscape vortex.
Thunder in the Dreamscape?
Well that was an interesting experience. Rosie doesn't look amused if you ask me.
My male Sim is tired, and decided to use the Not So Routine Machine. What happens is that he is pulled into a VR world called Dreamscape. The dialogs might be hard to see, but in Dreamscape you get several chance cards.
Sim Rosie gets a whole routine but is tired, so she enters Dreamscape. While going into Dreamscape, the Not So Routine Machine breaks. Luckily for sim Rosie, this doesn't affect her visit to Dreamscape, or her return.
Sim Rosie came back from the Dreamscape, and as you can see, she did NOT like it.
One of my Sims tried to go to a community lot a couple of times. But the place was closed so my Sim kept being thrown back into his own home haha.
You can fully customize the Not So Routine Machine like any other object.
Like most (electrical or plumbing) objects in The Sims 3, the Not So Routine Machine can break. But if you're handy enough, you'll be able to fix it as well.
I like this object, love the fact that you can customize it and that it makes it so easy for Sims to improve their moods. However there is a downside to this object. Sims have to go somewhere in order to use it. And although I love Dreamscape and would like to play more with that in the future, some people may not enjoy that their tired Sims are drawn into this VR world when they should really be going to work or some place else. But those are minor problems and remember, Sims are going to do unexpected things anyways so. Just enjoy. 
Below are some dialogs and other UI elements seen while playing with the Not So Routine Machine.
Special thanks to EA for letting me review the Not So Routine Machine. I don't think I'll let all my Sim families have one, but some might end up using this. Especially handy for Sims that always run out of time before work.