SimGuruGraham confirmed that Trams and Steamboats are not interactive in The Sims 4 and that they only function as decorative objects.

Tram/Steamboat are in the neighborhoods but not interactive. Decorative flavor for the atmosphere of the world.

SimGuruGrant confirmed that you can’t choose whether your Sim is left or right handed, but that such preferences happen randomly.

Wanted to clarify left versus right handed Sims. It’s not something you can choose, but there’s a chance your Sims will be left handed. This basically just means Sims will prefer to use their left hand to say, pick up a beverage. They might also be right handed. Hope that’s all clear!

With The Sims being the biggest franchise of all time, it’s no wonder that SteelSeries and The Sims Team decided to co-operate in creating Peripherals for The Sims’ brand new sequel.

SteelSeries sent us a package that includes 2x of The Sims 4 Headset, The Sims 4 Gaming Mouse and The Sims 4 QCK Mouse Pad for us to give away and enjoy in as well.

Please note:

• These Peripherals are not available for Pre-Order for now.
• They will be available for purchase once The Sims 4 comes out (September 2nd).
• They will be available worldwide (Online, no confirmation about purchasing in Retail Stores).
• Changing illumination of the Plumbob on Mouse and Headset using SteelSeries Engine 3 is not yet available. SteelSeries Engine 3 will be updated with TS4 Peripherals once we’re closer to The Sims 4’s release date.
• Gaming Headset and Gaming Mouse illumination won’t change depending on your Sim’s mood in The Sims 3. This only works with Sim’s emotions in The Sims 4. You’ll be able to change colors for different games and programs once SteelSeries Engine 3 gets an update though.

The Sims 4 Headset – $39.99/€39.99

These headsets have the best sound quality I’ve ever heard (and believe me, I’ve owned over 5 Headsets and 10 pairs of Ear Buds). They’re comfortable and adjustable for your ears (doesn’t matter if you have big or small ears). You can extend the lenght of this Headset for 3cm each (making it 6 cm).

Best way I can describe the sound is that it’s 3-dimensional. This means that sounds in a song who have small decibels will have a small volume, while sounds with bigger decibels will have a bigger volume.

Here’s a comparsion between usual Headphones and The Sims 4 Headphones:

What I also like about this Headset is that The Microphone is almost unnoticeable, and the sound of your voice can still be heard in high quality.

This is the audio I recorded using TS4 SteelSeries Headset Microphone:

Pros:

– Great Sound Quality!
– 3D Effect.
– Crystal Clear Microphone Sound!

Cons:

– Others can hear what you’re listening to if your volume is higher than 50%.

Photos

The Sims 4 Gaming Mouse – $29.99/€29.99

Simple, elegant and handy are the words I can use to describe The Sims 4 Gaming Mouse. As a person who uses Photoshop and programs that require accuracy, this Gaming Mouse fits perfectly for me.

Buttons on the left side of this Mouse function as Next (upper button) and Previous (lower button). So far they function on Google Chrome when switching through websites you browsed in 1 tab and iTunes when switching songs. I’m not sure how these Next and Previous buttons work on other softwares.

You can also click on the Plumbob as well! I’m not sure why does it perform the ”N” letter function when clicked, but you’ll be able to change that using SteelSeries Engine 3.

Pros:

– Smooth on every surface.

– Accurate.

– 6 Buttons.

Cons:

None

Photos

The Sims 4 QCK Mouse Pad ($14.99/€14.99)

This Mouse Pad is really large! It’s width is 32cm, lenght is 27cm and it’s only 2mm thick.

The upper part is smooth for any mouse you use and the bottom part has a QCK material that won’t let the Mouse Pad slip away.

Pros:

– Really Large.

– QCK Material.

Cons:

None

Photos

SimGuruGraham confirmed on Mod The Sims that Sims in The Sims 4 will get their Power and eventually Water Shut Off if they don’t pay their bills on a regular basis.

On a side note related to money stuff (and I’m going to keep this short – the spacebar on my keyboard broke today and it’s really annoying typing), the consequences of not paying your bills is more severe now. Let your bills go without paying them? First your power gets shut off. Next your water gets shut off. It’s a fun scenario to put your Sims in on occasion (they recognize it and get some unique socials about it). The bill upkeep on more expensive homes is harsher than it’s been in the past as well, so you truly better be earning enough to support living in one. I hope both those things contribute to greater challenges when you put your Sims in those situations.

Via The Sims DE!

Via SimGuruJim!

We received a very special package today from SteelSeries!  😀

When it comes to TS4 SteelSeries giveaway, we’ll be giving away 1x TS4 Mouse, 1x TS4 Gaming Headset and 1x TS4 Mouse Pad.
The giveaway will be open worldwide since only 1 person will win all of these!
Don’t worry though, we’ll have some consolation prizes as well.

Review of these Peripherals will be up on Sunday. We’ll go more into detail about Headset’s sound, Microphone clarity, Mouse’s elegant design and functionality and Mouse Pad’s softness.

The Sims 4 SteelSeries Gaming Gear is not available for Pre-Order for now. We’ll update you as soon as Pre-Orders go live!

More info about TS4 Peripherals: http://steelseries.com/blog/press/steelseries-to-create-exclusive-range-of-peripherals-for-the-sims-4

Thanks for your support! We are really looking forward to this giveaway.
– Sims Community Team

Via SimGuruJill!

Here is a list of @SimGuruGrants tweets about The Sims 4.

• Will there be houseboats in the base game, I saw a moving boat in the trailer.

o   No.

• Will there be cacti and dinosaurs in Willow Creek?

o   No.

• Are the traits shown in the CAS videos all we’ll get in the base game, or are there plans for more?

o   Many of the Traits in the game aren’t in CAS. You earn them in Live mode.

• Do Sims with the Loves Outdoors trait have advantages when it comes to gardening?

o   Somewhat. They are happier when they are outside, and therefore, they do things better.

• Are favorites included in the game? Or is that not your department?

o   We do not have favorites.

• Are sims harder to keep alive now? Like sims 1 sort of, or did you just decide to play with a dif family?

o   Our tuning is most similar to The Sims 3. I just play with different families every day.

• Will the sims be able to lean on chairs or sit on the arms of the chairs? Like they do in the renders?

o   The Sims in The Sims 4 use chairs and objects much like they have in previous games.

• Can sims be more attractive if they’re wearing different clothing?

o   In your story, yes. But, we don’t have a game feature that determines attractiveness.

• Grant, will kid and teens need a backpack to go to school?

o   No.

• So your Sims develop a more refined personality through their actions?

o   I wouldn’t say that. We’ve sorta split the notion of WHO you are (personality) versus WHAT you know.

• Are there any skill related challenges?

o   Aspirations are deeply tied to skills (well, some of them).

• Is the music directory from The Sims 2 making a return? Like, adding music to Nhood Or Build and Buy mode?

o   Not currently in the game.

• We can still listen to TS4 Music whenever we want in the Options Menu like we did in TS2 and TS3, right?

o   I’m doing just that right now.

• What other careers (except culinary) are in TheSims4?

o   Many! We can’t spoil all the fun.

• Do they have different qualities still? (Seeds, fruits, veggies, etc.)

o   It’s true, we do.

• What about a The Sims 4 Demo? EA Brazil confirmed it. Can you say something more?

o   Can’t talk about it.

• Did you have to order them? (Seeds)

o   There are multiple ways to get them.

• Create multiple families in the same town. Interacting between them. No need to start a new city for a new family.

o   You can absolutely do that.

• Will the the sims will be able to buy different cell phones?

o   No.

• So the tutorial will have you visit CAS to make a SIM? Rather than a premade?

o   You play the tutorial with YOUR Sims that YOU create.

• Can we talk about cars? How sims will interact with them?

o   No, we can’t talk about cars. Sorry.

Please Note: This list will be updated as soon as we get more tweets.

SimGuruGraham confirmed on Twitter that The Sims 4 will be a 32bit only game!

We won’t have a 64 bit exe; it’s fairly uncommon for games. Our lead ENG explained to me why Sims 4 wouldn’t particularly benefit from it and it sounded quite reasonable, but I’m not comfortable enough discussing tech to try and repeat his explanation.

This means that the game will take max 4GB of your RAM, meaning that if you have 8, 12 or more GB’s of RAM, maximum 4GB’s will be used and the rest of your Random Access Memory will remain.

Please note that 64bit PC’s will also be able to play The Sims 4. This was the same case with The Sims 3.

TheSims.com updated their website with more Frequently asked Questions that give some answers about the Mac version of the game, SimPoints and more!

Click on the picture below to see more Questions and Answers!

Via SimGuruGrant!

SimGuruRyan confirmed in his new The Sims Blog post that Toddlers and Pools won’t be included in September’s release of The Sims 4.

 Toddlers: 

As for ages, we have babies, children, teens, young adults, adults and elders.

Pools:

And though pool building won’t be available in September, we do have a new Fountain Tool so you can create sophisticated landscapes.

Blog Post

Wow, what an amazing couple of weeks! E3 is always a crazy time for us in The Sims Studio – but with a game as big as The Sims 4, that week in Los Angeles was an absolute blur. Over the last 7 years working in The Sims Studio, I can safely say that I’ve never had so much fun showing people a game as I just did with The Sims 4! The Sims demos are always a unique experience – because it’s a real live simulation – and we never quite know exactly how our Sims will react to the stories we’re telling. And this is even more true with our all new Sims in The Sims 4 – their unique personalities and rich emotions produced some absolutely hilarious, sad, and wild moments at E3 that were, quite frankly, unexpected and unplanned. Whether it was when a stinky Sim knocked over the trashcan and started rummaging through the trash while we were trying to show off one of our new Neighborhoods, or when a bride-to-be came into the gym absolutely distressed and crying while we we’re talking about the new Fitness Skill, the game itself showed off its magic without us prompting it.

And to be totally honest, this is why I am so excited about The Sims 4. For me, playing The Sims has always been about those special moments where something unexpected – something sad, hilarious, or intriguing – just happens. In The Sims 4, these moments have been taken to a whole new level! I’ve never felt so compelled to just sit back and watch what Sims are doing out in the neighborhood – they’re extremely expressive and I can’t help but wonder what each of their stories are. Did that bride in the gym get left at the altar? Was the stinky Sim looking for lost treasure in the garbage can? I cannot wait to see the stories you guys tell and encounter when the game launches in September.

Now I know you guys still have TONS of questions, and a few concerns as well, about this brand new Sims experience. I totally get it! Many of you have committed countless hours and feelings to your Sims over the last 14 years and you have the right to feel anxious about how this new game is different. So I wanted to spend some time clarifying some of the smaller (yet still important) details about the game – things that don’t often come out in big interviews or demos, but are still significant to any Sims experience:

•   First and foremost, you the player have complete control over your Sims – and now their emotions. Just like in previous Sims games, you’ll have the ability to select different levels of autonomy for your Sims so you get the level of control you’re most comfortable with. And rest assured, we’re doing an absolutely massive amount of tuning to make sure emotion gameplay enhances the experience for you storytellers and machinima artists, rather than creating a new obstacle.

•   Build Mode truly is the most powerful, and fun, Build Mode we’ve ever created. While it’s not possible for us to include every single feature and piece of content we added to The Sims 3 over the last 5 years, we’ve added features that you’ve asked for and that offer a whole new intuitive and fun way to build. These are features like Wall Height Adjustment, Dynamic Foundation Sizing, and Smart Windows! And though pool building won’t be available in September, we do have a new Fountain Tool so you can create sophisticated landscapes. Whether you were a novice builder in The Sims 3, or an experienced pro, I really think you’re going to love The Sims 4’s build mode.

•   When it comes to connecting with other players online – The Sims 4 is the game you want it to be. You can browse other players’ creations or share your own directly from the game to the all new Gallery, or you can turn it off with a click of a button. While we’d love for you to check out what the world of The Sims community has to offer (you make amazing things!), making the game that you want to play and giving you control is our priority.

•   We are also very excited about our new Create A Sim! You probably guess this since we’ve been showing it off everywhere. We’re particularly proud of our new Genetics system, where you can create relatives from any other Sim. It’s like a game in itself! As for ages, we have babies, children, teens, young adults, adults and elders. With our new personalities, you can really feel how their individuality plays out in the gameplay. We can’t wait for you to try it.

•   We also have beautiful Neighborhoods! Did you know that for the first time ever in The Sims, your Sims will be able to not only travel between Neighborhoods, but also between entire Worlds without having to start a new game!? This is something that I always wanted in The Sims 3, and I’m so excited to finally have it in The Sims 4. Neighborhoods and Worlds will be separated by a short load screen, but for the first time you’ll be able to live in one world and work (or play) in another! All of your Sim’s personality, accomplishments, and relationships stay with them as they travel around the best play-space we’ve ever created in a The Sims game.

I know that this quick blog can’t possibly answer all of your questions about TS4, but I hope it fills in some of the areas you’ve been wondering about. You can see we’ve made some key decisions to focus on new aspects of the game – things like our all new Sims, vibrant neighborhoods, and powerful creative tools – just a to name a few. And while we recognize that some of you will be disappointed that pools and toddlers won’t be available when The Sims 4 Base Game launches in September, you should know that we’re building an incredibly strong foundation that is capable of fulfilling every one of your desires in the years to come. The future of The Sims 4 is bright!

In the short time between now and September, I look forward to talking to you more and answering as many questions about The Sims 4 as possible. More importantly, I sincerely can’t wait for you to try what we’ve built and play out your stories in this brand new Sims universe.

ShackNews interviewed SimGuruAzure during E3. She revealed some cool new info and shared a really funny story that happened to her sims in The Sims 4!

Facts from the interview:

• Players can create memories by taking screenshots and their Sims can then go back and reminisce on them causing them to feel the same emotions as they did at the time 
• Sims uploaded to The Gallery will not keep memories but will keep careers and skills
• There is a music related skill.
• A smelly room/Sim can cause a moodlet that pushes your Sim to an uncomfortable emotion
• If good Sims are around evil Sims, it can make the good Sim feel sad
• Evil Sims get positive emotions from things that normal Sims would get negative emotions from
• The Grim Reaper can catch on fire, but cannot die

Thanks SimNation for collecting the facts!