News:February 2013
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Out Now: January 2013 Compilation
POSTED ON 02/28/13 05:00 PM
Missed out on buying January’s content? Not to worry – The January 2013 Compilation contains all of the sets released in January, including the Lullabies and Nursery Rhymes and Ragtime in the Big Easy. Why buy each set individually when you can have a neatly-packaged compilation – and with a discount to boot! Get it today!

Aurora Skies: Gold Edition
POSTED ON 02/28/13 05:00 PM
Every parent thinks their child is a prodigy. But you can actually make sure your child becomes a genius with the Tiny Prodigies Early Learning Center, exclusively found in The Sims 3 Aurora Skies: Gold Edition.

Large families and the great outdoors are what the inhabitants of Aurora Skies holds near and dear to their hearts. Have romantic dates in Hot Air Balloons, enjoy a night hike under the multi-colored sky, and find your inner peace in The Sims 3 Aurora Skies: Gold Edition.

Get it today!

The Simspiration finalists have been announced!
POSTED ON 02/26/13 05:00 PM
The finalists for the Simspiration portion of the Inspiring Creativity Contests have been selected and their creations are posted at www.thesims.com/inspiringcreativity. Be sure to check it out and see if your submission was selected. Voting is now open to the public as well. See all of the finalists’ submissions and vote for who you think should win in each category.

Building, PlantSims, and more!
POSTED ON 02/26/13 05:00 PM
SimGuruBritt takes you through the new options for builders, PlantSims, and some fun facts about The Sims 3 University Life in her latest blog.



The Sims 3 Live Broadcast -- Friday, March 1st at 10am PST
POSTED ON 02/25/13 05:00 PM
Hey Simmers! We are hosting another Live Broadcast on Friday, March 1st at 10am PST focused solely on The Sims 3 University Life. Producers Brittany Henry and Lauren McLemore will be back with a new live demo of The Sims 3 University Life and delving into some really exciting gameplay. Tweet us throughout the show @TheSims3 using the hashtag #TheSims3LB to ask questions, share your thoughts and interact with us! We’ll be taking questions from both Twitter and Cover It Live so send them in and we’ll get to as many as we can. Log onto http://www.origin.com/ts3_march_livebroadcast to view the Live Broadcast on March 1st. See you there!

The Sims 3 Aurora Skies – Now Available!
POSTED ON 02/21/13 05:00 PM
Explore the breathtaking scenery and vast, unspoiled nature that await you at Aurora Skies! This quaint, coastal town features the very best in outdoor living: grow your family on spacious land and houses surrounded by an eco-friendly community, traipse under majestic, towering waterfalls that come to rest on the banks of a large, steaming geothermal lake sky, or take a night hike under the dome of the bright, multi-colored sky. It’s the ultimate getaway for Sims searching for change, searching for themselves, or searching for a piece of peace.

When you purchase Aurora Skies – you also get the Hot Air Balloon, which allows your Sims to go on sightseeing dates, or even take their relationships to the next level.



In the Gold Edition, you also get the Tiny Prodigy Early Learning Center, which includes the walker and playpen premium content. Any toddler can become a prodigy in The Sims 3 Aurora Skies: Gold Edition.



Get The Sims 3 Aurora Skies today at The Sims 3 Store!
University Life Music Reveal and Community Day 2013!
POSTED ON 02/19/13 05:00 PM
Curious about new Simlish tunes featured in The Sims 3 University Life? Check out our latest blog where we reveal the full list of artists featured in the upcoming EP as well as a round-up of our latest Community Day!

Game update 1.50
POSTED ON 02/19/13 05:00 PM
To install this update, please start your game and use the “Updates” tab in your Launcher.

This game update includes the following changes:

Free Sims 3 Base Game Content

  • Sims can now dumpster dive from the Commercial Dumpster pre-placed in Sunset Valley and find cool items including furniture and collectables!
  • New air conditioning units and electrical box decorative objects.
  • New Terrain Paint for Build Mode.
  • A new traffic light for Create a World.

Base Game Updates

  • Sims, cats, dogs, and horses will animate properly rather than sliding into position when performing social interactions.
  • Sims will no longer occasionally flip or stutter when trying to walk through doorways.
  • Gifts sent by invalid NPC Sims will no longer cause the mailbox to become unusable.
  • The Fog Emitter that came with The Sims 3 Ambitions has been updated to transition properly to the new base game Fog Emitter object. Any lots created with The Sims 3 Ambitions fog emitters that were installed since the release of The Sims 3 Seasons will have to be reinstalled for the emitter effects to play properly. There is no need to re-upload any content to The Sims 3 Exchange – all content created with either The Sims 3 Ambitions fog emitter or the new base game fog emitter will work properly when installed after this update is applied.
  • The Fog Emitter is once again moveable once placed in the world.
  • Placing blueprints on foundations can no longer cause the game to crash.
  • Placing a blueprint in a high rise or an apartment building can no longer cause the game to crash.
  • Using the right mouse button to position the camera while previewing blueprints will now function properly.
  • Greeting Cards placed in the home will no longer block Sims from accessing dressers or beds.
  • Foundation walls are now considered to be light blocking. This prevents snow from accumulating within holes in a foundation that are entirely enclosed within the interior of a building.
  • Sims that already had the hidden diving skill prior to game update 1.42 will now be able to use diving boards.
  • Broken Omni Plant gift boxes will no longer appear in the Sims inventory when travelling between worlds.

Ambitions Updates

  • Ghosts will now properly appear for level 5 Ghost Hunters so they can continue their career progression.

Late Night Updates

  • Deleting doors to NPC apartments can no longer cause the game to crash.
  • Sims will now animate properly when selecting to dance together in clubs from The Sims 3 Late Night when The Sims 3 Supernatural is not installed.
  • Improved performance in Bridgeport related to Sim routing.

Generations Updates

  • Pillow Fight wishes will appear much less frequently.

Showtime Updates

  • The Park performance venue will now properly place in older save files created before installing The Sims 3 Showtime and any later expansions or stuff packs.
  • Karaoke Machine wishes will appear much less frequently.
  • The Heckle interaction is no longer available in Sims swimming in the ocean.

Seasons Updates

  • Sims can now route properly on floor tiles built above a frozen water surface.
  • Hot Dog and Pie Eating contests can no longer ironically cause a Sim to starve to death.
  • Harvestable plants that are grown indoors can no longer become dormant or accumulate snow.
  • Harvestable plants grown inside biodomes will no longer turn dormant in freezing temperatures.
  • Harvestable plants will now always be watered during a rainstorm rather than the check only occurring once per day.
  • UFOs can now abduct Sims from households that don’t have enough room for the UFO to appear on the lot.
  • Sims will no longer become invisible if The Sims 3 Seasons is uninstalled with a save game created while a Sim is being abducted by aliens.
  • Festival Grounds are now valid destinations for sending a Sim to perform through SimPort for players with The Sims 3 Showtime.
  • Sims animations are properly reset when editing an active Festival Grounds lot.
  • Performance was improved when selecting the “Invade a Community Lot” interaction on the UFO.
  • Performance was improved when directing Sims to have a Water Balloon or Snowball fight on a cluttered lot.
  • Ice sculptures from The Sims 3 Ambitions no longer melt in sub-freezing temperatures.
  • NPCs that throw parties in the winter will no longer select Swimwear as the suggested clothing.
  • Saving the game prior to a NPC Sim’s costume party will no longer cause Sims to reset upon loading the save file. Frost no longer appears to be a pure white surface on floor tiles or staircases on low detail lots.
  • Reflective surfaces no longer suddenly pop back on when snow is melting.
  • Rain drops from roof edges now fade out along with the roof.
  • Water Balloon and Snowball fights are now easier to cancel from the action queue.
  • Gloves no longer appear twice when selecting Outerwear.
  • Sims can now be in the rain without an umbrella for a longer period of time before receiving the Soaked moodlet.
  • The frequency of alien abductions (without user intervention to increase chances) has been lowered.
  • The frequency of aliens visiting the player’s household (without user intervention to increase chances) has been lowered. They will however still visit the world at the same frequency.
  • The frequency of getting called by an NPC Sim to go out on a date has been lowered.
  • The frequency of umbrellas breaking has been lowered.

Store

  • Lemons and eggplants will now show up in the Collection Journal.
  • Malleable Mimic Voodoo Doll, Lord Vladimir’s Magic Cauldron, Soothsayer’s Crystal Ball, and Lady Ravendancer Goth’s Book o’ Spells will all now give skills introduced in The Sims 3 Supernatural.
  • Fixed issues that occurred when trying to reinstall store lots.

Before installing an Update for The Sims 3, an Expansion Pack, or a Stuff Pack, it is a good idea to run through the following checklist to ensure your game continues to work smoothly.
If you have any questions about the below steps, please visit the Technical Support forum on the official Sims 3 community found at this URL: http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/forums/show/10.page

Step 1: Disable Custom Content
Custom Content is all Sims content that did not come from an official The Sims 3 Update, The Sims 3 Store, Expansion Pack, or Stuff Pack. Custom Content is created by 3rd Party Developers that are not regulated by Electronic Arts or The Sims 3 Development Team and may not work with new updates. Custom Content may cause the game to behave unexpectedly or not function entirely.
To disable your custom content, undo whatever you did to install this content to get your game back into an unmodified state. If you placed it in a Sims 3 directory folder, move it to a new folder that is outside your Sims 3 file directory. Your Sims 3 file directory can be found using the paths listed below:
Windows File Directory: C:\Documents and Settings\USER\My Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3
Mac File Directory: User/Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims/
Once you have installed the official update you may re-enable your custom content. If you experience problems, disable it again until the 3rd party developer updates their content to work with the official Update, Expansion Pack, or Stuff Pack.

Step 2: Back Up your Save Files
It’s always a good precaution to back up your save files before installing an Expansion Pack, Update, or Stuff Pack. To do this, copy the “.sims3” folders found in the Saves folder onto your desktop or another file directory.
Your Sims 3 Saves folder can be found using the paths listed below:
Windows File Directory: C:\Documents and Settings\USER\My Documents\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Saves
Mac File Directory: User/Documents/Electronic Arts/The Sims/Saves
After the Update is installed, run the game to verify your saves still function correctly.

Step 3: Let the Update Complete Entirely
Updates can sometimes be rather large and may take a while to download and install completely. Cancelling the update before it has completed may cause unexpected problems, so it is always best to let it finish entirely. Do not close the Launcher until you have confirmed the update is completely installed, as this will cancel the update.


In-Game Discounts & Free Content – 2/16-2/17 Only!
POSTED ON 02/15/13 06:00 PM
Don’t miss the latest in-game store discounts and free content happening from Saturday, February 16th at 12am PST to Sunday, February 17th at 11:59 pm PST. This week, we’re featuring The Roundabout Dining Table and the Brass Candelabrum as our free store content of the weekend. Our featured in-game discount this weekend is the Storybook Dining Room Set. Get them today!

Look below to see where you can find these awesome items in game:

The Roundabout:



Brass Candelabrum:



Storybook Dining Room Set:


The Sims 3 University Life Producer Walkthrough!
POSTED ON 02/15/13 06:00 PM
Check out the wild parties, chaotic class schedules, new activitie, and crazy hijinks in The Sims 3 University Life expansion pack! Learn about new university venues including campus dorms, favorite local hangouts and party hot spots! Plus, get a sneak peek of how your Sims can use their new smartphones to text, blog, check their social group status, take photos and more. The Sims 3 University Life Expansion Pack is available March 5, 2013! Visit www.thesims.com/universitylife for more information.

Get the Best of 2012 Compilation!
POSTED ON 02/14/13 05:00 PM
Get the very best of Sims 3 Store content from 2012, without having to buy each set individually! Featuring the most popular content, all neatly bundled together to make sure you only need to buy this compilation once.

Store content patch V 2.2
POSTED ON 02/12/13 05:00 PM

To install this update, please start your game and use the “Downloads” tab in your Launcher. This Store update includes the following changes:

  • Updated appropriate clothing to be selectable as Outerwear when playing with The Sims 3 Seasons.
  • Disabled random selection on some pieces of clothing so Sims won’t use them unless specifically directed to.
  • Fixed an issue where users were not seeing the cake slice that came with the Happily Ever Frosted wedding cake in Monte Vista.
  • Fixed an issue where users were missing several Create-A-Sim assets, including the La Dolce Vita Updo and Tuscan Hat from Monte Vista.

*A game restart is required for updates made while the game is running.

In-Game Discounts & Free Content – 2/9-2/10 Only!
POSTED ON 02/08/13 05:00 PM
Don’t miss the latest in-game store discounts and free content happening from Saturday, February 9th at 12am PST to Sunday, February 10th at 11:59 pm PST. This week, we’re featuring the High-Life Fireplace and the Corset Wall Lamp as our free store content of the weekend. Our featured in-game discount this weekend is the Indulgent Living. Get them today!

Look below to see where you can find these awesome items in game:

High-Life Fireplace




Corset Wall Lamp



Indulgent Living


Celebrate this SIMTASTIC Anniversary with HUGE SAVINGS!
POSTED ON 02/08/13 05:00 PM
To celebrate more than a decade of The Sims, enjoy huge savings across the entire The Sims 3 franchise on Origin! Starting on Thursday, February 7th at 9:00pm PST, The Sims 3 base game, The Sims 3 World Adventures, The Sims 3 Ambitions, The Sims 3 Late Night, The Sims 3 Generations, The Sims 3 High-End Loft Stuff, The Sims 3 Fast Lane Stuff, The Sims 3 Outdoor Living Stuff, and The Sims 3 Town Life Stuff are on sale for $10!

There’s more! Get The Sims 3 Pets, The Sims 3 Showtime, The Sims 3 Supernatural, The Sims 3 Seasons, The Sims 3 Master Suite Stuff, The Sims 3 Katy Perry Sweet Treats, The Sims 3 Diesel Stuff, and The Sims 3 70s 80s 90s Stuff for 50% off! This exclusive Origin sale ends Friday, February 8th at 8:59pm PST.

If you miss the anniversary sale, you can still get special sale prices from Friday, February 8th at 9:00pm PST to Wednesday, February 13th at 10:00am PST. All expansion and stuff packs from The Sims 3, including the base game, will be 50% off!

On top of all these savings, we’re also celebrating the launch of Origin for Mac on February 8th at 8:00am PST! As part of this launch, Origin will be selling over 40+ Mac products, including most of The Sims 3 games. We’ll be offering dual-platform play for The Sims 3 base game, expansion packs, and stuff packs. With dual-platform play, you can buy a game once and download it for both PC and Mac (if the game is available for both platforms) at no additional charge. In addition, if you’re an existing Origin PC gamer who also owns a Mac, we’ve got even better news—this feature will be retroactive, and any dual-platform games you own will now be available to you on the Mac as well!
18th Century Resplendence – The Palace of Versailles Set
POSTED ON 02/07/13 05:00 PM
You’ve asked, and we’ve listened. By popular demand, the Sims 3 Store brings to you: The Palace of Versailles. Extravagance doesn’t hold a candle to what Rococo brought to 18th Century France. Taking luxury to the extreme – the Palace of Versailles brings new meaning to the term ‘Resplendence’. Just make sure your Sims enjoy the very best of what luxury has to offer before they begin to feel rebellious.

The Hot Air Balloon - Only in The Sims 3 Aurora Skies
POSTED ON 02/06/13 05:00 PM
What’s more romantic than a hot air balloon ride with the one you love? Sightsee, picnic, and even woohoo in the Hot Air Balloon – the exclusive premium content only available with the Sims 3 Aurora Skies.

The Sims 3 Aurora Skies is available for purchase on February 21st, 2013 on the Sims 3 Store. Join the discussion and learn more about The Sims 3 Aurora Skies here.









The Sims 3 University Life: Exclusive Offer from Origin
POSTED ON 02/05/13 05:00 PM
Order The Sims 3 University Life on Origin and you’ll get the exclusive School Spirit Pack, including all-new items to enhance your Sim’s university experience.

The School Spirit Pack Includes:
• Campus Cruiser: Get to your classes on time and in style on this sleek, modern scooter.
• Head of the Class: Your Sims can sport this classic, low-maintenance look that says they didn't have time to do their hair because they were up late studying—or partying!
• “You Got Spirit” Face Paint: Get ready for the big game and make sure everyone knows your allegiance by wearing your school colors—on your face.
• Mascot Magic Face Paint: Some say painting the fierce, fighting llama on your face does not actually impact the outcome of the game. You know different. Do you want to win or what?

Plus, if you pre-order through Origin, you will also get The Sims 3 University Life Limited Edition which includes the Party Pack.
In-Game Discounts & Free Content – 2/2-2/3 Only!
POSTED ON 02/01/13 05:00 PM
Don’t miss the latest in-game store discounts and free content happening from Saturday, February 2nd at 12am PST to Sunday, February 3rd at 11:59 pm PST. This week, we’re featuring the ML Technologic 4:3 TV and the II-Stand Hamper as our free store content of the weekend. Our featured in-game discount this weekend is the Ultra Lounge Teens Set. Get them today!

Look below to see where you can find these awesome items in build/buy:

ML Technologic 4:3 TV:



II-Stand Hamper:



Ultra Lounge Teens Set: