The Sims 3 Hands-on Preview

I'm curious - you mention framerate issues, but no details of the specs of the machine you played this on...

My Fiancée is an avid fan of the Sims 2, to the point where she has so many expansion packs, add-ons and custom downloaded things that it's taking up over 30GB just for the install. The game was taking over 10 minutes to load at one point (impressively, we reduced that to just 5 mins with a simple de-frag), and even my "ultimate" (well, 3 years ago) gaming rig was struggling to keep up...

So - knowing that I'm going to have to support this game when it comes out - what specs did you play it on, and what would you recommend for a PC to play this on smoothly? Will I need to upgrade to dual GeForce 200 series, or will my ageing GeForce 7800s, 2 GB of ram and AMD FX55 cope?

I'd like to see what kind of machine I'd need to run this. When the other half plays games she just wants them to work (crazy!). It seems to be my job to actually get them working :(

I'm in trouble if my GF's computer can't run this... then I'll never get to sit by my computer again. So it would indeed be interesting to hear what specs the machine you reviewed this on.

Ive pre-ordered this for the wife. She is like the people above... had the whole collection of Sims1 and 2 expansions and will no doubt be counting down the days for this release too. Once it arrives.. I expect to hardly see her for months !

Same question though... what specs will she need realistically. Her current machine has an AMD x2 7750, 2GB, XP, and a 7800 GTX 512.

Im wondering if it needs a bump in memory, and whether that GPU will cut it these days ?

Am I the only one who tries to re-enact sitcoms and reality TV shows in the Sims?

Usually we don't talk about the requirements for previews because, well, there's no real point. The system requirements can move about still quite dramatically as the engine gets optimised. That said, I previewed this on our standard gaming system - Vista 32, 3.25 accessible RAM, X6800 @ 2.93GHz and a GTX 280. The stutters only really came when you zoomed in or out really quickly and it had to increase the detail or load more of the map, and it's worth mentioning we had every single setting maxed out.

For those interested, EA lists the Sims 3 system requirements as below.

THE SIMS 3 MINIMUM HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS

FOR WINDOWS XP
* Windows XP (Service Pack 2)
* 2.0 GHz P4 processor or equivalent
* 1 GB RAM
* At least 6.5 GB of hard drive space with at least 1 GB additional space for custom content
* 128 MB Video Card with support for Pixel Shader 2.0

FOR WINDOWS VISTA
* Windows Vista (Service Pack 1)
* 2.4 GHz P4 processor or equivalent
* 1.5 GB RAM
* At least 6.5 GB of hard drive space with at least 1 GB additional space for custom content
* 128 MB Video Card with support for Pixel Shader 2.0

For computers using built-in graphics chipsets, the game requires at least:
* Intel Integrated Chipset, GMA X3000 or above.
* 2.6 GHz Pentium D CPU, or 1.8 GHz Core 2 Duo, or equivalent
* 0.5 GB additional RAM

Is there a contract killer option?

Just like the other 2, I won't be getting this, partly because it's EA and partly because I don't think the sims are great games in terms of fulfilment. I like a game where I can feel like I've achieved something and can then put it down. All the sims does is makes you keep playing so you buy all 5000 expansions.

I wonder whether they're selling it in the summer because then the sales from the sims 3 - undoubtedly to be their biggest seller in the past few years - will go in the 2009/2010 accounting year meaning it should be a bumper year and they can compare that with last year's $1bn loss and say "hey investors, look how great we are! give us your money!".

:(

Weird, my mind is telling me SIMS3 should have been released like 5 years ago, surely this is like the 7/8th iteration of the game?

I have a partition on my gaming hard drive set aside solely for every version of the Sims along with every expansion pack. I even have a dedicated installation of Windows in the same partition whose only desktop shortcuts are to the various Sims games.
It's bigger than my main gaming partition and is given backup priority over the Planescape Torment partition.

Honest.


No, really. Why don't you believe me?..

;)

I must confess that I do enjoy playing Sims from time to time.

Not in the traditional sense mind you. What I do enjoy however is the initial building of the house and then deciding the fate of those digital fools under my control.

Will they drown in a pool? Or maybe furniture will inexplicably materialize around them blocking their paths. Or perhaps someone will decide to throw a huge party in a house with only stoves and no fire alarms…

FUN!

Originally Posted by Zut
Am I the only one who tries to re-enact sitcoms and reality TV shows in the Sims?

No. You are not.

More EA gash.... thanks, but I'll stick to wearing my cactus skinned underwear..... inside out.

Originally Posted by B1GBUD
More EA gash.... thanks, but I'll stick to wearing my cactus skinned underwear..... inside out.

that sounds....interesting.

Sims? Meh.

Originally Posted by Gunsmith

Quote:

Originally Posted by B1GBUD
More EA gash.... thanks, but I'll stick to wearing my cactus skinned underwear..... inside out.

that sounds....interesting.

More interesting then Sims... believe me!

My wife has been camping the site for months hitting F5. I'm not gonna show her this article-I want to keep my rig.

I'd definitely have to contest the fact that it is only women and older people who play the sims. I personally am a woman, but I am also a hardcore gamer on World of Warcraft and find sims to be a break from the crazy hours worth of raiding and grinding I do in WoW.

Also, just from being on the sims forums constantly, I notice that a lot of men actually do play the sims!

Anyways, thanks for the review. It was REALLY detailed and I'm glad I read it! Can't wait for Sims 3 to come out..... *fidgets in her chair*

I like how the first 5 or so posts are all like "yeaaah... my wife/my girlfriend LOVES this game".
Guys.... Its okay. You can tell the truth :P

huh well visually it looks A LOT better but the only time I enjoyed playing the Sims was finding ways to kill them lol to be honest Im surprise this game is still as hot as it it. For me the best "Sims" game will always be Sim City series ^__^

So, anyway, since the explicit goal of the game was to fulfil your lifetime wishes, we created Guybrush and Elaine Threepwood, with Guybrush based on an idealised version of Joe. That’s how geeky we are.

Win!

My mum is driving everyone nuts about this game, to the point she's now counting down the days until release :)

I always found it interesting how different people play it, in sims2 i'd mainly mess around with the building editor and try and 'break' things. Whilst my mum plays it properly

Handy to know about the specs, when i last upgraded her PC, i spent a little more on it than she needed to try and guarantee she'd have something that can play this well
2800+ X2, 2GB RAM, ATI 1900XT
(and my very loud, but working old 2900XT can be swapped in if the above GPU struggles)

Originally Posted by perplekks45
Sims? Meh.

My thoughts exactly ... I'll play Sim City until the cows come home (hell, I even *bought* it for the Atari ST waaaay back) but I just don't get 'The Sims' at all. Sister and girlfriend both love it, but it bores me absolutely senseless.

Must be a chick thing :-)

I built a computer for my wife and all she did in the beginning was play Sims 2 and internet surf. She kept at me about trying it, soooo after finding out I could alter the game and recreate its items and character actions I said ok. (It takes up more than 20Gs)

After turning my character into a Metro/Rock pimp and having a hooker business in my house making over 12,000 dollars a night by holding house party's........ I got bored. But it was fun while it lasted and I respect the game.

I've enjoyed playing Sims, but mostly as a builder. Make a nice 3 story house with lavish first and second story with a 3rd story with bare minimums. Send all residents to 3rd floor and promply delete the stairs =D

Originally Posted by s3v3n
I've enjoyed playing Sims, but mostly as a builder. Make a nice 3 story house with lavish first and second story with a 3rd story with bare minimums. Send all residents to 3rd floor and promply delete the stairs =D

How evil! ;)

My fave was a bit more tame: build a big house with an empty ground floor, then delete all walls on the ground floor leaving only the stairs

Back when Sims 1 was released I gave it 10 minutes and I built a maze in the garden with fences. Food right in the middle. No fridge or anything to eat in the house, no phone to get a delivery... fun, fun, fun.

Oh, and of course the classic: Build a swimming pool, let the Sim get into it, delete ladder. ;)

any reason for no online interaction? I.e; join server (neighbourhood) share houses go to others etc? Whys that not been done w/ the new sims?