The Sims - Features and Limitations (part 2)

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Select a Family View

When the user clicks the 'Create or Select a Family' button in the neighborhood view he is taken to the 'Select a Family' view. This view contains all the pre-made and user-made families that haven't been allotted to a house in the neighborhood. By clicking the 'Create New Family' button or clicking in an empty slot, the user can create a new family (see below) and by clicking the 'Delete Family' the player can erase any of the families listed in the family view. Every new family starts off with §20,000 independent of how many people it has.

Figure 1 - The Select a Family view on the The Sims base game.

Each family slot shows: the family name, net worth, number of friends and portraits for each family member. The family name is the last name assigned to all the members of a family, so there is no way to have one Sim in a household with a different last name then the name of the family. Clicking on a family member portrait in the family slot will summon a pop-up window with this individuals' personality scores and their bio, if one was provided when the Sim was created.

Figure 2 - Pop-up window showing the information for a selected family member.

If the user selects a family and clicks the 'Move in Family' button, he is then taken to the neighborhood view and can place the family in an empty lot or in a lot with a house, as long as this house has no family living in yet. To move the family, the player has to click the desired lot - he will then be taken directly to that lot. Last but not least, you can only assign a family to a lot if that family has the necessary funds to purchase it.

Create a Family
If the player clicks the 'Create a Family' button or clicks in an empty slot in the 'Select a Family' view, he is taken to the 'Create a Family' screen and then can create a new family.

In the 'Create a Family' view, the player has to enter the family name and can click one of three buttons on the right side of the window. The one at the top, the 'Add a New Sim' allows the player to create a new member for the family. The one in the middle, 'Delete Selected Sim', if clicked while a family member is selected will erase that Sim. The last one, 'Edit Selected Sim', will allow the player to edit a family member - this can only be done before the user clicks the 'Done' button on the bottom of the screen - that is, once a family is created, there is no way to edit it. The only thing you can do is either leave it there forever sitting in a family slot, erase or use it!

Figure 3 - The user is about to create a family. He has chosen the family name, but has yet to add any members to it. Notice the 'Done' button is shaded because there are no family members yet.

Create a Sim
The 'Create a Sim' view is where each individual Sim in the game is created. In it, the player can distribute 25 points among the 5 personality categories available (I'll talk about Personalities in another post). As the player distributes these points, the Sim's astrological sign will show up. The astrological sign is defined automatically according to how many points are in each category, and the user cannot choose them manually.

Figure 4 - The 'Create a Sim' window.

The player can also right a bio for the Sim, chose if it will be a child or an adult, chose between 3 skin tones and whether the character is going to be male or female.

The player can also choose a body and head for his Sim. Clothes, shoes and accessories come bundled with body and head, so can't be chosen separately. Hair and facial hair also come bundled with the head, so these too can't be chosen apart. There is no way to customize facial and body features nor any of the clothing or accessories.

In the base game of The Sims, it is possible to create a family with child members and no adults. This differs from later games in the series in that it's not possible to create a family with no adults in them.

The player can add as many as 8 Sims to a family. When a family with 8 members is moved to a lot, there is no way to invite another Sim to come live with them, unless the total amount of member is decreased - either by death or moving out. This means that the total amount of Sims for any household is also limited to 8.

This is all for today. Don't forget to leave a comment!

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The Sims - Features and Limitations (Part 1)

Tutorial
The tutorial is accessed when first loading the game. An arrow will point down at the Newbies household. If the user clicks there, the lot loads and the tutorial is started.

Figure 1 - The neighborhood view when the player first loads the game.

The tutorial explains the basic mechanics of the game. A pop-up window will appear telling the player what to do next. Once the player accomplishes the requested task, the pop-up will disappear and another pop-up will show up asking the user to do the next task.

Figure 2 - Upon entering the Newbies lot for the first time, the tutorial is automatically started.

Figure 3 - The tutorial will tell the player what to do and will indicate where the user has to click with a glowing arrow. After the player completes the task requested, the pop-up window is dismissed.

Sometimes the pop-up will have an OK button, so the window will only disappear after the user's command. This happens when the window's text is meant to explain a certain feature but requires no action from the user.

Figure 4 - When a pop-up has no action intended for the player to execute, it will show informative text and will wait for player input before it's dismissed.

The player can leave the tutorial by typing ESC. Whether the player has completed the tutorial or has quit half way through, he can always restart it by going to the Options Mode and clicking the Reset Tutorial icon. The Options Mode is not accessible from the neighborhood view, only from the lot view.

Figure 5 - The Option Mode, with the Reset Tutorial at the upper right corner of the Control Panel.

Neighborhood View
Compared to other games in the series, the neighborhood options in The Sims base game is extremely limited. There is only one neighborhood and no sub-neighborhoods - this neighborhood is not named. There is also only one street, called Sim Lane, in a loop shape with one exit to the outside world located at the bottom of the screen. In the exit, there is a sign post which reads: "The Sims". If a user clicks on the sign, the credits for the game will show up.

Figure 6 - The only neighborhood available in The Sims.

Figure 7 - The credits are shown if the player clicks the sign at the bottom end of the neighborhood.

When Livin' Large is installed, this neighborhood becomes Neighborhood 1, so in retroactive continuity, it is by this name that the neighborhood is known.

Lots
In Neighborhood 1 there are 10 lots the user can play in. These lots are numbered 1 through 10. If the player hovers his mouse over the houses, the tops are removed and a tooltip shows the address and some other information, depending on whether the lot is empty or has a family occupying it. If it is empty, its cost will show up in the tooltip as well. If it is occupied, the family name, the occupants' pictures, the number of friends the family has and their net worth will also show up in the tooltip.

When the user first loads the game, some lots have houses with no occupants:
2 Sim Lane - §50,707

Figure 8 - Front and right side view of 2 Sim Lane, the most expensive house in the neighborhood.

- 1st floor
- - Entrance hall
- - - 1 x Mapple Staircase (stairs)

- - Left room
- - - 1 x Library Edition Fireplace (fireplace)

- - Right room
- - - 1 x The Worcestershire Fireplace (fireplace)

- - Large back room (empty)
- - Guest bathroom (empty)

- - Outdoors
- - - 28 x Nasturtium (flowers)
- - - 14 x Wildflowers (flowers)
- - - 21 x Daffodils (flowers)
- - - 28 x Tulips (flowers)

- - Outdoor swimming pool
- - - 3 x In-N-Out Ladder (pool ladder)
- - - 1 x Diving Board (diving board)

- 2nd floor
- - Left bedroom (empty)
- - Right bedroom (empty)
- - Right bedroom's balcony (empty)
- - Back bedroom (empty)
- - Back bedroom's balcony (empty)
- - Center room (empty)
- - Bathroom (empty

3 Sim Lane - §24,247

Figure 9 - Front and right side view of 3 Sim Lane.

- 1st floor
- - L-shape room
- - - 1 x Ash and Teak Staircase (stairs)

- - Side room (empty)
- - Guest bathroom (empty)

- - Outdoors
- - - 19 x Nasturtium (flowers)
- - - 6 x Daffodils (flowers)
- - - 5 x Tulips (flowers)

- 2nd floor
- - Big room (empty)
- - Right balcony (empty)
- - Left balcony (empty)

6 Sim Lane - §10,332

Figure 10 - Front and left side view of 6 Sim Lane.

- - Bedroom
- - - 1 x Spartan Special (single bed)
- - - 1 x Halogen Heaven Lamp by Contempto (floor lamp)

- - Bathroom
- - - 1 x "Andersonville" Pedestal Sink (sink)
- - - 1 x SpaceMiser Shower (shower)
- - - 1 x Halogen Heaven Lamp by Contempto (floor lamp)

- - Living room/kitchen
- - - 1 x Llamark Refrigerator (fridge)
- - - 2 x NuMika Kitchen Counter (counter)
- - - 1 x Hydronomic Kitchen Sink (sink)
- - - 1 x SCTC Cordless Wall Phone (telephone)
- - - 1 x Halogen Heaven Lamp by Contempto (floor lamp)
- - - 1 x Trash Can (trash can)

- - Outdoors
- - - 2 x Nasturtium (flowers)
- - - 2 x Wildflowers (flowers)
- - - 4 x Daffodils (flowers)
- - - 2 x Tulips (flowers)

10 Sim Lane - §14,144

Figure 11 - Front and right side view of 10 Sim Lane.

- - Entrance hall (empty)
- - Bedroom (empty)
- - Bathroom (empty)
- - Kitchen (empty)
- - Living room
- - - 1 x Modesto Tile Fireplace (fireplace)

- - Outdoors
- - - 17 x Nasturtium (flowers)
- - - 13 x Wildflowers (flowers)
- - - 7 x Daffodils (flowers)
- - - 8 x Tulips (flowers)

Two of the lots have houses with pre-made families in them (the user can play any of the pre-made families or create his own):

5 Sim Lane - The Goth - 0 friends - net worth: §34,895

Figure 12 - Back and right side view of the Goth Family's house, at 5 Sim Lane. Notice the family cemetery at the bottom.

- 1st floor
- - Front porch
- - - 1 x Parque Fresco del Aire Bench (bench)

- - Living room
- - - 1 x Pinstripe Loveseat from Zecutime (sofa)
- - - 1 x "Anywhere" End Table (end table)
- - - 1 x Elite Reflections Chrome Lamp (side lamp)
- - - 1 x Poseidon's Adventure Aquarium (aquarium)
- - - 1 x Chimeway & Daughters Piano (piano)
- - - 1 x Amishim Bookcase (bookcase)
- - - 1 x Landscape #12,001 by Manny Kopees (painting)
- - - 1 x Ash and Teak Staircase (stairs)

- - Kitchen
- - - 4 x Tiled Counter (counter)
- - - 1 x Dialectric Free Standing Range (stove)
- - - 1 x Hydromatic Kitchen Sink (sink)
- - - 1 x Llamark Refrigerator (fridge)
- - - 1 x SC Electric Co. Antique Lamp (side lamp)
- - - 1 x SCTC Cordless Wall Phone (telephone)
- - - 1 x Trash Can (trash can)
- - - 2 x Echinopsis Maximus Cactus (plant in vase)

- - Bathroom
- - - 1 x "Tragic Clown" Painting (painting)
- - - 1 x "Andersonville" Pedestal Sink (sink)
- - - 1 x Sani-Queen Bathtub (bathtub)
- - - 1 x Hygeia-O-Matic Toilet (toilet)

- - Bedroom
- - - 1 x Napoleon Sleigh Bed (double bed)
- - - 1 x Imperial Island End Table (end table)
- - - 1 x Bottle Lamp (side lamp)

- - Back patio
- - - 1 x Echinopsis Maximus Cactus (plant in vase)
- - - 1 x Jade Plant (plant in vase)
- - - 1 x London "Mesa" Dining Design (table)
- - - 4 x Deck Chair by Survivall (chair)

- - Outdoors
- - - 1 x "Fountain of Tranquility" (fountain)
- - - 2 x Nasturtium (flowers)
- - - 3 x Daffodils (flowers)
- - - 2 x Tulips (flowers)

- 2nd floor
- - Bedroom

7 Sim Lane - The Newbies - 0 friends - net worth: $17,764

Figure 13 - Front and left side view of the Newbies' house (7 Sim Lane).

- - Living room/kitchen
- - - 1 x NuMica Folding Card Table (table)
- - - 2 x Werkbunnst All Purpose Chair (chair)
- - - 4 x Tiled Counter (counter)
- - - 1 x Hydromatic Kitchen Sink (sink)
- - - 1 x Llamark Refrigerator (fridge)
- - - 1 x Positive Potential Microwave (microwave)
- - - 1 x Ceramiche Table Lamp (side lamp)
- - - 1 x Monochrome TV (television set)
- - - 1 x SCTC Cordless Wall Phone (telephone)
- - - 1 x "Tragic Clown" Painting (painting)
- - - 1 x "Down Wit Dat" Boom Box (boom box)
- - - 1 x Trash Can (trash can)

- - Bedroom
- - - 1 x Cheap Eazzzzze Double Sleep (double bed)
- - - 1 x Wicked Breeze End Table (end table)
- - - 1 x Bottle Lamp (side lamp)
- - - 1 x Cheap Pine Bookcase (bookcase)

- - Bathroom
- - - 1 x SpaceMiser Shower (shower)
- - - 1 x Hygeia-O-Matic Toilet (toilet)
- - - 1 x "Andersonville" Pedestal Sink (sink)
- - - 1 x Medicine Cabinet (medicine cabinet with mirror)
- - - 1 x Halogen Heaven Lamp (floor lamp)

- - Patio
- - - 2 x Deck Chair by Survivall (chair)
- - - 1 x Garden Lamp by Lunatech (garden lamp)
- - - 1 x "Fountain of Tranquility" (fountain)
- - - 2 x Pink Flamingo (decorative flamingo figures)
- - -

- - Outdoors
- - - 1 x Nasturtium (flowers)
- - - 3 x Wildflowers (flowers)
- - - 5 x Daffodils (flowers)
- - - 7 x Tulips (flowers)

There are 4 lots with no houses in them:

1 Sim Lane - §10,500
4 Sim Lane - §5,500
8 Sim Lane - §7,000
9 Sim Lane - §3,500

Pre-made PC's and NPC's
Besides the families allotted to 5 and 7 Sim Lane, there are three more families in the Select a Family screen: Pleasant, Roomies and Bachelor. To access this screen, the user has to click "Select of Create a Family" button located in the rightmost side of the button ribbon in the upper side of the neighborhood view.

Figure 12 - Select a Family screen. This screen appears when the user clicks the "Select or Create a Family" button in the neighborhood view.

Pre-made PC's (playable characters):

• Bella Goth (Female Adult)
• Betty Newbie (Female Adult)
• Bob Newbie (Male Adult)
• Cassandra Goth (Female Child)
• Chris Roomies (Female Adult)
• Daniel Pleasant (Male Child)
• Diane Pleasant (Female Adult)
• Jeff Pleasant (Male Adult)
• Jennifer Pleasant (Female Child)
• Melissa Roomies (Female Adult)
• Mortimer Goth (Male Adult)

The Sims' NPC's cannot be interacted with. Exceptions exist, but only after the first expansion pack was released - one example of this is the Grim Reaper, with whom the player can plead for the return of a loved one. Service NPC's are the ones that can be hired or came to your home to deliver something, but only if you ask for the delivery (such as ordering pizza, for example). All the other ones, the non-service NPC's, are there to execute specific functions that are carried regardless of the user's request (such as mail and newspaper delivery). You can see their names in the tooltip that appears if you hover your mouse over their heads.

Pre-made NPC's (non-playable characters):

• Brigit the Maid (service NPC - maid)
• Carrie the Mail Carrier (non-service NPC - mail delivery)
• Freddy the Pizza Delivery Dude (service NPC - pizza delivery)
• Gardener Gloria (service NPC - gardener)
• Michelle Policewoman (non-service NPC - police)
• Nancy the Paper Girl (non-service NPC - paper delivery)
• Repairman Bruno (service NPC - repair)
• Repo-man (non-service NPC - repossessing of property if bills go unpaid)
• Some Sneaky Sim (non-service NPC - robber)
• Sylvia the Social Worker (non-service NPC - social worker - will take neglected kids away)

Editing the Neighborhood

Differently from subsequent releases of the games in The Sims series, there is no way to create, modify or delete the lots in the first game. The only thing the player can do is change the contents of the lots.

There is no way to edit a lot from the neighborhood view. To edit a lot, you have to put a family there (if it doesn't already have one) and then enter the lot to modify it. In any case, if you intend to create a "dummy" family to enter the lot, make modifications, and later on evict the family, all of the Buy Mode items you assigned to the house will be sold - so the only thing you can actually do while attempting this trick is to use items from the Build Mode - those will remain untouched when you leave.

To evict a family, the player has to click the Bulldoze button on the button ribbon at the top of the neighborhood view and then click a lot with a family in it. If the player clicks a house with no family in it, the game will erase all the contents in that lot.

When the player decides to evict a family, the game will ask he wants to proceed. In case the response is Yes, the game will move the family to the family bin in the Create a Family view and all the assets from that family will be sold, adding the money to the family's net worth. Next, the game will ask if the player wants to bulldoze the house.

If the player decides to bulldoze one of the houses in the neighborhood, the game will again ask him to confirm his action. If Yes is chosen, the game will erase all of the contents in the lot, leaving the terrain clear for a new construction.

Ok, that's it for today, guys. I hope you liked this first post. Don't forget to comment.

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What is this blog about?

Hello, and welcome to The Sims Compendium blog by Bolttrum.

I have no idea how I'm going to organize the content on this blog, but one thing is certain, everything around here will be about The Sims series, whether it's The Sims, The Sims 2, The Sims 3 or anything related.

I decided I'll be posting random stuff, things that I like doing that I think are interesting. As soon as I find out how to better define what I'm doing, I'll just come back and revise this introduction.

HAVE FUN READING!