News

I received a couple of broll videos from EA the other day, and I decided to take a couple of screenshots. Except I ended up taking over 100 images from the videos. And here are the first 98 stills, and 3 animations as well!

Click read more to view the rest!

Plenty of screenshots. Enjoy!

And a few more animations:

The Sims 3 Pets Gets Crazy and Nasty Like a Honey Badger

What do the honey badger and The Sims 3 Pets have in common? Check out the latest trailer for The Sims 3 Pets to find out!

The newest trailer features a voice over from viral video sensation Randall, best known for his unique and funny commentary on the honey badger. In the trailer, master commentator Randall dives into The Sims 3 Pets Limited Edition rare breeds of cats and dogs available for players who pre-order the game for Xbox 360 and PS3. Randall uniquely teaches players about the Mabari War Hound, the mating rituals of a Panda Chow and Tiger Husky, the sleeping habits of the Aztec Panthera and more. For more information on The Sims 3 Pets for Xbox 360 and PS3, please visit: http://www.ea.com/uk/sims-3-pets

The Sims 3 Pets is available on October 21st as a standalone game for Xbox 360, PS3, Nintendo 3DS and as an Expansion Pack for the PC/Mac.

Here is a Q&A with Ryan Vaughan, about The Sims 3 Pets on PC/Mac. Enjoy!

1. We heard that horses were the most requested pet ever. Why did you decide to bring them into the game now instead of The Sims 2 Pets?
   With The Sims 3 Pets, not only did we want to include an animal that our fans have been requesting forever, but we wanted to feature a pet that could really take advantage of the vast open worlds that The Sims 3 provides. Because of their ability to explore and cover large distances in no time, as well as their special capacity for befriending other pets and Sims alike, we felt horses were a perfect choice to include in the game.
2. What went to in creating horses for PC? Is it more difficult than creating cats or dogs? Explain.
   Being that The Sims 3 Pets is the first Sims game ever to include horses as pets, it presented some very unique challenges for the development team. One of the biggest challenges was getting Sims to actually ride the horses. For the first time in Sims history, we need to have two player controlled characters interacting and relying on each other to get from point A to point B. This meant all new interactions and animations needed to be perfectly synchronized between the Sim and the horse. Needless to say, we were very excited the first time we were able to see Sims riding horses!
3. What are the unique gameplay features about the horses?
   The racing and jumping skills are two of my favorite new features for horses. Using the really cool variety of different horse jumps and training posts you can place on your lot in Buy Mode, but the coolest thing about these skills is that you can actually have your horse compete in equestrian competitions at the brand new Equestrian Center. If your horse has high racing and jumping skills you can actually win a lot of money. You can also build the new riding skill for Sims while practicing your horse skills as well!
4. How did the team decided which animals to make controllable and which not to?
   One of our goals in creating The Sims 3 Pets was to get the player to think about what it would actually be like to be a cat, dog, or horse. What motivates a dog to dig holes? Why do horses like carrots so much? We wanted players to play with life as these pets and while we would have loved to make all of the animals in The Sims 3 Pets controllable by the player, we really wanted to create a focused experience and make sure that the three animals that are player controllable –cats, dogs and horses—are the best they can be. Players will be able to experience life as one of these pets, while still being able to interact with tons of different and unique animals like turtles, lizards, rodents and birds.
5. Where did the team draw inspiration from when bringing in horses and unicorns? Did you look at westerns?
   We watched a lot of movies featuring horses – especially westerns – but one of the coolest things we did was actually go spend a day at a horse ranch! We got to watch and see how horses moved, what their different mannerisms were and how they interacted with each other. It was a great learning experience and a great way for us to really get the right feeling of a horse in the game.
6. Explain unicorns. Whose idea was it and how did it get integrated into the game? Can I create a unicorn from the beginning of the game?
   We chose to include unicorns as The Sims 3 Pet’s occult creature because not only did they fit in perfectly to the game, but just like horses they’ve never been done before in a Sims game. Once in-game, the mystical unicorn will often appear around the world you’re playing in and your Sims will have the opportunity to invite the unicorn to join their household. Once under your control, unicorns have all these awesome special abilities like being able to teleport around the world, bless Sims, or even spark fires! They’re tons of fun to play with.

The next couple of weeks EA will send us these 'community packs' which contain info and screenshots. This week you can learn about baby pets, birds, breeding pets and minor animals. Click Read More below to continue reading!

Baby Pets, Birds, Breeding Pets and Minor Animals:

Kittens, Puppies and Foals!!
Babies! It’s always a joyous occasion when a momma pet gives birth to a cute critter. Be it a tiny kitten, a cuddly puppy, or a wobbly legged foal, these innocent animals need special care to grow up into healthy pets.
Baby kittens need lots of attention to become healthy and socially adjusted cats. Play with them, love them, provide them with lots of food and toys, and you'll discover the cutest companion a Sim can have.
Before they can become man's best friend, puppies need a Sim to look out for them, teach them, and guide them as they grow up. Give your puppy a lot of special attention and healthy food so they grow strong! Don't forget to help them up and down stairs when they're too small to make it on their own.
A young foal is already a pretty big pet, but don't be fooled - they need as much care as anyone to become a well raised horse. Foals are very social creatures and don't like being alone. Keep them together with their mother, be it in the same box stall or out roaming around with each other. Make sure to let them nurse from their mom, or feed them from a bottle to ensure they get the nutrients they need.

Breeding Pets:
When a mommy pet loves a daddy pet very much they’ll want to start a family! Cats and dogs can try for kittens/puppies if they have a high enough relationship and are romantically inclined. Make sure you have a pet house on your lot so they have somewhere they can go and have some privacy.
Horses can try for a foal if you have a box stall on your lot! You can also take your horse to the equestrian centre where you can breed mares and offer stallions as studs!

Birds:
Birds make for excellent companions, with lives that last nearly as long as any Sim. They love to talk, play, or even play tricks! As a low-maintenance pet, they're just the thing for a Sim that can't take on the full responsibility of pet ownership.
Simply owning a bird cage or tree will allow you to purchase certain types of birds, but to acquire the rare and highly sought after ones, you'll have to explore and find them in the world.
Birds need to be fed and their cages cleaned as part of their routine care. If you own a cat, make sure to keep a close eye on them or your bird may find themselves to be a feline's tasty treat.
Taking a stroll around town with a bird on your shoulder can be quite the conversation starter. Of course if you have a large bird, perhaps they'll be the ones to start the conversation! Teach your large bird to talk and you'll never need to leave home to get your social companionship. Be careful though, birds don't know the meaning of "shut up".
Give your large bird the freedom to spread their wings! If you open the door to their cage, or let them perch on a bird tree, they'll occasionally fly around the house. Place a tree in different spots of your home and they'll fly from perch to perch!

Minor Pets:
While common minor pets can simply be purchased, those that are rarer must be caught out in the wild. These little critters require just as much care and attention as other pets, so make sure to feed them and clean their terrariums!!
Minor pets also enjoy attention as much as other pets do! Whether this means spending some time playing with your pet, or even watching it do its own thing within a terrarium, it all contributes to keeping your little critters happy. Just be sure not to keep them in your inventory for too long, as they can escape!
If you ever feel that your minor pets just aren't getting the attention they deserve anymore, you can always set them free. Letting them return to their natural habitat is always better than neglecting them. After all, being ignored enough while trapped in a terrarium can't possibly contribute to a long and healthy life.