News:December 2011
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The Cow Plant is Back!
POSTED ON 12/22/11 06:00 PM
The day Simmers everywhere have been waiting for has finally arrived: the Laganaphyllis Simnovorii (Cow Plant) is back!  As diabolically fun as you remember, the Cow Plant is a great addition to any Sim home.  Need to add more days to your life? Need to get rid of annoying neighbors or paparazzi? Need more plant-like decor in your home? The Cow Plant does it all! Now you can have your cake and eat it too (Warning: Do NOT Take the Cake)!

The Cow Plant is available exclusively in the Killer Classics Set at The Sims 3 Store. The Killer Classics set is guaranteed to add some memorable mayhem to your game. This nostalgic set not only brings back one of the most loved and most notorious objects in Sims history, it also lets you revisit the rustic and rugged charm of The Sims 2 fan favorite spot with the Welcome Back to Three Lakes Furniture Collection!
Save the date for The Sims 3 Master Suite Stuff live broadcast!
POSTED ON 12/16/11 07:07 PM
Join The Sims 3 Producer – Jennifer Lane – as she introduces The Sims 3 Master Suite Stuff! Featuring stylish bedroom sets, spa-inspired bathroom furnishings, romantic new intimate wear, and fabulous new hairstyles, The Sims 3 Master Suite Stuff lets your Sims relax in comfort and style – available January 24, 2012.

Take advantage of this opportunity to learn more about The Sims 3 Master Suite Stuff and to get up-close with Jennifer during the Q&A session where she’ll be answering questions from you! As a treat, we will be revealing never-before-seen Master Suite content and giving you a chance to score some random giveaways when you hashtag your tweets with #TS3MasterSuite!

Save-the-date: Thursday – January 12th, 2012 beginning at 10:00AM Pacific Standard Time (18:00 GMT)
Log onto http://www.ea.com/1/the-sims-3-master-suite-stuff-chat
New Year’s Screenshot Contest
POSTED ON 12/16/11 06:35 PM
Enter the New Year's Screenshot Contest for a chance to win up to 10000 SimPoints worth of items from your wishlist! Head on over to our Facebook for more details.

Enter the contest
Browse and Shop While You Play!
POSTED ON 12/16/11 05:00 PM
The newest and most popular items from The Sims 3 Store will now be featured in Create a Household and in Build and Buy Mode.  Shop while you play to find sales, promotions, and free items.

For more information please visit the Featured Store Items FAQ.
New Community Blog Entry!
POSTED ON 12/14/11 06:41 PM
The Sims team has a holiday surprise for you! Check out the latest entry of the Community Blog for your holiday greeting and surprise. Enjoy!

Community Blog Entry
Game Update for 1.29
POSTED ON 12/14/11 04:00 PM
Game Update for 1.29

To install this update, please start your game and use the “Updates” tab in your Launcher.

This game update includes the following changes:

Pets Updates
  • When adopting a dog, you will now be shown whether the dog is a Little Dog or a Large Dog.
  • You will now be warned that your Pet cannot have both the Immunity and Vomit Machine Lifetime Rewards at the same time .
  • Knock down wall sound effects properly play now .
  • Camera will now properly display entire pet body when using Randomize to switch between Small and Large dog bodies in Create a Pet .
  • Fixed several translation errors, typos, and general text issues for in-game text.
  • Fixed the pre-set patterns for an adult horse saddle .
  • The Disable Autonomy for a Selected Sim option now persists across multiple game sessions .
  • Text for the Memory of a Bird Dying no longer refers to the Sim as dying .
  • The Locate Prey interaction is now available on the ground as well as the cat .
  • Chased Mailman is now properly set as a Memory .
  • Attend Riding Class interaction now displays proper icon .
  • The Chase Someone wish now displays the proper icons .
  • Have First Kiss Ever Wish now properly displays icon .
  • Horse Granola can no longer be sold at the Grocery Store .
  • Read A Book About Riding Wish now displays proper icon .
  • Added several Child trait animations .
  • Fixed issue found when players go to the Main Menu while the horse is jumping an obstacle .
  • Fixed issue where Clueless Sims would unnecessarily dismount and unsaddle their horse .
  • Route failure while Galloping Around or Going for a Ride on a Horse have been significantly reduced .
  • An issue has been fixed that prevents you from changing a Sim’s outfit category in Create a Sim .
  • When The Sims 3 Ambitions is installed, the Salon will be correctly placed when starting a new game in Appaloosa Plains .
  • Dogs will no longer take an extended amount of time when waking up from sleeping .
  • It will now be easier to tell when the food is empty in the Bird Tree and the bird is starving .
  • The “Call Pet” interaction will now work correctly while your Sim is on a Community Lot .
  • The Young Again Pet Potion can now be used on other Sims’ Lots and Community Lots .
  • Young Adults will no longer receive the Memory of age transitioning into an Adult when a Puppy, Kitten, or Foal age transitions into an Adult .
  • When using the Fire Pit, Sims can no longer roast and eat horse fertilizer .
  • An issue that prevents adopted pets from showing up when selecting a certain lifespan for the Sim has been fixed .
  • Cats will no longer autonomously run through walls or full length windows as though they were doors .
  • Routing issues caused by walking a dog across the bridge in Bridgeport (in The Sims 3 Late Night) have been fixed .
  • An issue has been fixed that caused Unicorns to lose their special powers when using the Make All Happy cheat .
  • When moving in a household with a horse to the lot at 1557 Memorial Parkway in Bridgeport (The Sims 3 Late Night), the horse will no longer be stuck on the lot .
  • A Unicorn’s legs will now animate more smoothly while riding when the game is in Speed 3 .
  • An issue has been fixed that causes two pets to clip with each other while eating the same scrap off the floor .
  • Toddlers can no longer get fleas .
  • Missing memories regarding Sims and Unicorns have been restored .
  • The “Sniff” interaction can now be performed on Celebrity Sims when The Sims 3 Late Night is installed .
  • Sims without dogs will no longer receive the “Your Dog wants to go to the park” wish .
  • Puppies can now be taught any tricks that they do not inherit from their parents .
  • The game will no longer hang on the loading screen when exiting CAS and selecting Options Menu > Main Menu before the loading screen appears .
  • Sims are now able to lead horses through gates .
  • Sims can no longer scatter hay from haystacks that are in use or are being WooHooed in .
  • A routing issue for Sims has been fixed that was caused by planning a route through the space between a Sim and a Horse performing the “Lead Horse” interaction .
  • Your Sim can no longer offer to breed or stud other Sims’ horses .
  • Sims will now receive an award plaque for attaining level 10 Riding Skill .
  • Sims will no longer become invisible while mounted on a Horse during a move to a new household .
  • Trashcans will no longer pop into place when two dogs attempt the “Knock Over” interaction at the same time .
  • Adopted Pets will no longer be delivered while there is a fire on your lot .
  • An error that causes Sims to reset when scooping a dead fish out of an aquarium has been fixed .
  • An error that causes Sims to reset when performing the “Check Weekly Events” interaction has been fixed .
  • An error that causes Sims to reset when attempting to put a unicorn in a box stall and at the same time ordering the animal to return to wild has been fixed .
  • Several routing issues involving horse jump obstacles have been fixed .
  • Proper Riding and Racing Skill icons have been added to wishes and TNS messages involving these skills .
  • Gender restricted doors will no longer restrict pets from entering rooms .
  • Pets will no longer get the Training Fatigue moodlet when they reach the maximum level of that skill .
  • Pets will no longer appear as targets when selecting the “Bring Drink to…” interaction .
  • Pet images in the Adopt a Pet catalogs have had their visual quality improved .
  • A horse’s energy motive will now increase in the event that a horse passes out .
  • A non-player controlled Sim’s pets will now return to their household at night .
  • Objects can no longer be placed on upper walls that contain large barn doors .
  • You will now get a TNS message alerting you when a Cat with the Hunting Skill is not able to find the prey type selected by the user .
  • A few issues involving neighborhood adoption pets and moving/merging households have been fixed .
  • Large dogs will no longer get stuck on a platform when standing between the edge and another object .
  • Dogs will now route correctly into position when eating off of a Sim’s plate on the floor .
  • An issue has been fixed that caused birds on the Bird Tree to appear incorrectly .
  • Large Birds will now display thought balloons when using speech types as reactions .
  • Cat Wall Dancer icons have been enlarged to match the size and quality of other objects’ icons .
  • Horses will no longer pop out when directed to exit a Box Stall while standing at the gate .
  • Foals inside a box stall can now perform the “Nicker At” interaction without route failing .
  • Newborn Foals will no longer have oversized or oddly placed markings when born .
  • An issue where Ghost Horses do not disappear after a certain amount of time has been fixed .
  • Cats will no longer perform the “Scratch” interaction on a kicked over gnome .
  • An issue has been fixed that caused birds to pop when in the “Carry” interaction .
  • Addressed a freeze when players Move In an adoption household in the neighborhood view
  • Cats that play in the Hydrocombo Spa will no longer teleport .
  • Stylists will no longer receive job requests from pets
  • The Lifespan maximum in Pets is now the same as the Lifespan maximum from Generations
  • The Nap interaction on a pet bed now ends correctly when cancelled
  • Sims may no longer purchase Pet food from the bistro without Pets installed
  • Sims now bring puppies and kittens inside when dropping them off after being adopted
  • Additional bug fixes and polish to existing features.

Generations Updates

  • Fixed an animation glitch with Elders using a cane while interacting with seated Sims .
  • The Heart of Stone and No Jealousy Lifetime Rewards now prevent the Accuse of Cheating social from being used against the Sim with the rewards .
  • Imaginary friend no longer remains visible on the relationship panel after being gifted .
  • Additional bug fixes and polish to existing features.

Late Night Updates

  • Additional bug fixes and polish to existing features.

Ambitions Updates

  • The 1366x768 aspect ratio is now properly listed in Options .
  • Additional bug fixes and polish to existing features.

World Adventures Updates

  • An issue that caused Sims to go invisible when traveling to a Vacation world has been fixed .
  • Additional bug fixes and polish to existing features.

Base Game Updates

  • An issue has been fixed that caused new Moodlets from store objects to be broken once installed .
  • Fish now have a proper graphic when being caught without Pets installed
  • Fixed a lighting issue involving Sim baby heads .
  • Additional bug fixes and polish to existing features.

Store Updates

  • Fixed an issue where the repo-man becomes stuck after uninstalling certain store content items
  • Fixed an issue where the ladle failed to function with the magic cauldron

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: \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.

Join our Happy Holidays to Furry Friends Photo Sharing Event!
POSTED ON 12/13/11 12:22 AM
Join fellow Simmers in our event page and share photos of your real life pet celebrating the Holidays or screenshots of your Sims’ Pets getting into the Holiday spirit! Don’t forget to share your TheSims3.com username with your pets Holiday pictures – you could be randomly selected to be gifted the Happy Holidays to your Furry Friends set!

Share your Holiday Pets Pictures!
The Sims 3 Hoodie Random Giveaway!
POSTED ON 12/08/11 05:56 PM
Want to score a The Sims 3 hoodie? Head over to our giveaway thread and share a bit of your holiday plans with us and you could be randomly selected to receive one!
Our giveaway is TODAY ONLY and ends at 3pm PST. Good Luck!

Participate in our giveaway!

The Sims 3 Showtime Expansion Pack Announced Today!
POSTED ON 12/06/11 01:00 PM
SHARE THE STORY OF YOUR SIMS’ RISE TO FAME IN EA’S THE SIMS 3 SHOWTIME!

Live the rags to riches story with your Sims and share these experiences with your friends without ever leaving the game! Experience the rise to stardom as your Sim performs on stage from one venue to the next. For the first time, The Sims 3 Showtime introduces innovative social features such as individual in-game news feeds, live udpates and the ability to send your Sims to a friend’s game! There, your Sim can perform at your friend’s venue in front of their Sims where you will earn rewards  for achieving goals and accomplishing special challenges that can be tracked and shared via in-game social wall posts. Capture and share your Sims' successes, share gameplay techniques, create wishlists and send gifts, search for new friends and share memories through the in-game news feeds or as e-cards as you rise to fame!

For more information, please visit http://thesims.com/showtime, like the game on Facebook or follow us on Twitter®. For more information on The Sims 3, please visit http://www.thesims3.com/.

*Requires The Sims 3 for PC/Mac to play.
Special Event: The Sims 3 Store Holiday Countdown!
POSTED ON 12/02/11 06:56 PM
The countdown to the New Year has begun and it's time to celebrate with The Sims 3 Store! Every day we'll be giving you something new including coupons, deals, exclusive content releases, promotions and more!  Make sure you check back often so you don't miss anything! Every day is a new surprise at The Sims 3 Store. Check out our promo page to learn more!

Special Event – December 2nd:

Name a Premium Item!

The Voodoo Doll is coming back to The Sims 3 and we need your help naming it! This is your chance to be a part of the process and help us name a new item coming to The Sims 3 Store.  Click now to get a sneak peek at the Voodoo doll’s makeover as a part of The Sims 3 Store Holiday Countdown Event!

Join our Holiday Gift Giving Event on Facebook!
POSTED ON 12/02/11 06:12 PM
Tis the season for giving! Join us in our Holiday Gift Giving Event where fellow Simmers exchange gifts with one another!

Join the event

All-New Items Now Available at The Sims 3 Store!
POSTED ON 12/01/11 10:52 PM
Capture the beauty of Japanese living! Now you can add Eastern inspiration to your everyday life with Japanese inspired home décor and wardrobe selections you’ll love.  Available now in the Japanese Inspired Living Collection, you'll have everything you need to show off your cultural know-how and worldliness to friends.

If your style is more ""East meets West"", you can take your guests from the Japanese tranquility in your living room to the American retro mid-mod style in your kitchen with the Mid Century Modern Kitchen Set. This kitchen is so retro that it's vintage, and so vintage that it's modern!  It'll have all the cool cats and hip chicks wanting to hang with you. 

Early Bird Special: From now until December 15th, receive a 5% discount on the Japanese Inspired Living Collection and Mid Century Modern Kitchen Set when you buy them together in the Finest Living, Finest Cooking Compilation available only at The Sims 3 Store!