THE HORROR: The REAL TS3 Scoop As It Unfolds

[Jelenedra]

Yes, welcome back. (I kept it from earlier post, because knowing my luck, you already had a welcome back thread already and I'd be raking in face by saying something here)

[Skadi]

Ground is rake free Jelly. There is now mumbles that this is not the full release, that it is missing content. I still think it isn't good enough to be worth $89.00.

[Jelenedra]

ORLY??

Interesting....

[ShortyBoo]

I don't like the camera much in the game. Like if you slightly move your mouse, it moves the camera way too far, so it's hard to take decent pics. And I didn't like the neighborhood. It's way too cluttered and it took me forever to find anything. I finally found the cemetary after looking for it for quite some time, but it's hard to tell residential and community lots apart in the game.

[Skadi]

Even with the lot sorting function it is way to cluttered. So has anyone worked out where you can take art lessons? I went to the gallery, but that was just looky looky.

[ShortyBoo]

I noticed the files are still in .package format, just like TS2. Doesn't this mean it will be easier to mod in the end?

[Mootilda]

.package is just the name that EA decided to use for their files.  What matters is the internal format; we've still waiting for Pes or the SimPE team to confirm whether the internal format is moddable.

[LFox]

Well i redownloaded the game from scratch and got it installed and working 100% now.  Gotta say i'm liking it so far. Here's some tid bits.

EAxis sense of fashion SUCKS.  Half the clothes look like complete ass (we knew that already though right?).
Sever lack of hair style and clothing choices.  The color tool kind of makes up for this.
Sims look like playdough can't wait for some new skins.
Stupid annoying censor that is more blocky than sims 2 somebody please get rid of it.

The coloration tool is EPIC and should have been in the sims AGES ago.  I can make clothes EXACTLY how i want them and not use the fugly EAxis crap.
Insane and Evil traits are halarious.  My sim jumped into the pool with her everyday clothes and went to bed in them.  She changed into formal wear when she woke up.
There's actually a reason to use community lots like the gym you get a buff making skilling faster.  Also you can't keep exercising all day your sim gets fatigued and the next day has muscle cramps.

I haven't figured out how to swipe stuff yet despite having a want for it.  I figured it'd be an option over every item in the game but no.

[Zazazu]

No worries, Skadi. Nightmare is a complete douche who frequents PMBD and never reads.

Congrats to the moron pirate that has released this so early.

Released what? Are you trying to imply that I'm Reloaded? Uh, sure, that's why I had to ask Pes how to unwrap an .iso, because of my mad tech skills. Do go on with your bad self.

Also, game version is 1.0.615.00107. Exactly what proof do you have that this is Alpha?

[jesslla]

I've watched some gameplay videos on youtube, and I gotta say I really like what I've seen. I really think I'm going to enjoy playing it. Even if it doesn't replace TS2 forever, it still looks like fun for a while.

[J. M. Pescado]

.package is just the name that EA decided to use for their files.  What matters is the internal format; we've still waiting for Pes or the SimPE team to confirm whether the internal format is moddable.

The internal formats are somewhat inscrutable. I cannot find anything comprehensible inside the script package, as they appear to utilize a nonstandard compression or encryption that is unlike the other files. There are also very few of them, meaning if they are even susceptible to overrides, you will very likely be limited to only a single modder, as the files are almost certainly giant blobs and therefore will likely not be responsive to selective overriding. You are going to be stuck with either EAxis, or a specific singular modder's vision at any given time, most likely. No more TS2 mix-and-matchness.

[phyllis_p]

I find myself morbidly curious.  In current tight economic times, I'd definitely like first-hand experience before I shell out the bucks.  Guess my computer will be busy tonight.

[Mootilda]

The internal formats are somewhat inscrutable. I cannot find anything comprehensible inside the script package, as they appear to utilize a nonstandard compression or encryption that is unlike the other files. There are also very few of them, meaning if they are even susceptible to overrides, you will very likely be limited to only a single modder, as the files are almost certainly giant blobs and therefore will likely not be responsive to selective overriding. You are going to be stuck with either EAxis, or a specific singular modder's vision at any given time, most likely. No more TS2 mix-and-matchness.

That's bad news.  I hope that they are just compressed, and that we manage to find the decompression algorithm.  Almost every piece of CC that I use is to mod behavior, rather than to add objects or decorations or clothing.

However, if I was just stuck using your mods, that wouldn't be a complete disaster.

[ShortyBoo]

There are also very few of them, meaning if they are even susceptible to overrides, you will very likely be limited to only a single modder, as the files are almost certainly giant blobs and therefore will likely not be responsive to selective overriding. You are going to be stuck with either EAxis, or a specific singular modder's vision at any given time, most likely. No more TS2 mix-and-matchness.

That's what I was afraid of. But everytime I'd say something about that on any sims forum, I'd get the standard "don't worry about it, the modders will figure it out", etc. I think EA purposely made TS3 like this so they can sell us their crap from the Sims 3 Store. If we had the amount of cc as there is for TS2, they wouldn't sell as much.

[Inge]

Looking at the files, it is probably quite easy to do the Squinge type of hack to a single object/interaction at a time - altering things like the advertising and autonomy, and how it raises the room score etc.   Those details are kept in xml files that are easy to decode and edit, and are easier than the old pie menu way.

[nekonoai]

I'm with the moo. If I had to choose between modders, it would be Pescado all the way.

I have much faith in y'all.

There is now mumbles that this is not the full release, that it is missing content.

That would be cool if it was true... But base games usually don't come with much. Remember, they want you to "buy" their store crap plus expansion packs. I'm sure we will all definitely "buy" everything that comes out, won't we, pirate cats?

Since recolors are now pretty much obsolete, I hope that meshes can be brought in. I get so bored with maxis clothes and hair, even with unlimited colors.

[ShortyBoo]

I just hope there's a way to disable the blur soon. I find it very obnoxious and it seems way bigger than the TS2 blur.

[J. M. Pescado]

Looking at the files, it is probably quite easy to do the Squinge type of hack to a single object/interaction at a time - altering things like the advertising and autonomy, and how it raises the room score etc.   Those details are kept in xml files that are easy to decode and edit, and are easier than the old pie menu way.

Yeah, but that's only surface-level obnoxiousness. The truth is TS3 is surprisingly light on the surface-level obnoxious behavior, perhaps because you ONLY REALLY GET TO PLAY ONE FAMBLY, and therefore, it becomes rather irrelevant what everyone else is doing. While it would easily be trivially possible to wipe out a particularly obnoxious action, this really does nothing to resolve, say, stupid behaviors associated with it a specific action that is otherwise good, such as the annoying navigational queue stomping, or otherwise simply making the game less micromanagement intensive...although to be fair, with only ONE FAMBLY to play, micromanagement may be all there is to the game.

[Nightmare]

No worries, Skadi. Nightmare is a complete douche who frequents PMBD and never reads.

I think it's obvious that Nightmare is a moron, as Nightmoron apparently thinks that SecuROM is a "he".  Nightmoron also believes that software can have cronies.  Quoting the proof, in case it's deleted:

You are doing Securom and his cronies a big favour.

Ah! The MATYcian love, I expect no less from you. Send me your phone number, you might win the lotto and I´ll call ya

I don´t think leaking an early beta of a game that has Securom will do any benefit to the gaming community. It is true that the news is that a securom version was cracked. But they could have waited to the release day to compare between the real deal.

[ShortyBoo]

You can play more than one family. It works just like TS2 in this way. You just zoom out until this button comes up to go back to the neighborhood view and select a new family to play. I'm planning on playing all my families in week-long cycles.

[Zazazu]

Again, what proofs do you have that this is an early beta/alpha version? You're spreading that both here and at the BBS, under your SBlade handle. You wouldn't be spewing rumors, now would you?

[Jelenedra]

Yes, but do previously played families wait patiently for you to come back?

[rohina]

No, according to Pescado, they either die in fires or breed hideous mutant offspring while you are looking the other way.

[Rhayden]

You can play more than one family. It works just like TS2 in this way. You just zoom out until this button comes up to go back to the neighborhood view and select a new family to play. I'm planning on playing all my families in week-long cycles.

Doesn't switching families cause you to lose progression?

[ShortyBoo]

Yes, but do previously played families wait patiently for you to come back?

It depends on the autonomy settings. If it's on high, they'll get married, have kids, etc. without you, but if it's on low, they'll just continue going to work and taking care of their basic needs so they won't die. I have my game set on low.