Sims PS2 Chat Event Transcripts Available

Last week we hosted a chat event with the members of The Sims Playstation 2 development team. Check out the transcripts!

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maxisdano says, Hello All!!
maxisean says, hi everyone
maxisdano says, I would like to welcome everyone to our fabulous chat event!
maxisean gets comfy
maxisdano says, We would like to Welcome Fred who is THE Producer for Sims for PS2
maxisdano says, and Sean who is Associate Designer for Sims for PS2
maxisean says, Hi all, I'm working with Freddie on level design for the PS2!
maxisean says, Fred says "Hi" too
The speaker is presented with question #10 from kick_butt_hottie2001:
when is the new sims commig out
maxisean says, The Sims PS2 will be out November 5th
The speaker is presented with question #5 from mike17:
Is two players,the most possible?or can you have a third?
maxisean says, Yeah, you get to play 2 player in all modes of the game..but can control all family members as usual.
The speaker is presented with question #16 from k_kay:
Other than it being in 3D, what are some of the major differences between TheSims for PS2 and TheSims for PC?
maxisean says, Well the majopr differences are all new controls, 2 player challenges and a single player "story" mode that is actually WINNABLE
maxisean says, you can also bring Sims on memeory carsd over to your friend's house
maxisean says, soory about the spelling...you all know me by now ;P
The speaker is presented with question #8 from mike17:
Is this rumor of strip poker true?
maxisean says, Strip Poker.....sounds too good to be true doesn't it......well...it is the ultimate "joinable" object
The speaker is presented with question #13 from mike17:
Will you be able to have multiple lots?Multiple neighborhoods?
maxisean says, There are multiple lots as usual, but the the multiple neighborhoods are for 2 player games and the story mode and the regular classic game.
maxisean says, Is Mike 17 the only person out there asking questions
maxisean says, ????
The speaker is presented with question #75 from gamegirl815:
will there be stuff from hot date in the sims for ps2?
maxisean says, The Sims Ps2 will have the hot tub functions, but is made up mostly of sims 1.o, Living Large and House Party objects and functions.
The speaker is presented with question #7 from mike17:
What is this bug detecter we've been hearing about?
maxisean says, Bug Detector? Make that Bug Zapper....let's just say it has some shocking new game play in it
maxisean says, ugh..sorry folks
The speaker is presented with question #19 from thedaimyo:
how will the 2 player portion of the game work?
maxisean says, well the game supports 2 player in all modes
maxisean says, You can play the classic game with 2 controllers and cooperate...
maxisean says, but we have some 2 player challenge games that are competitive and some competitive AND cooperative aspects
The speaker is presented with question #34 from gamegirl815:
how long did it take to make the sims for ps2?
maxisean says, The Sims pS2 has been in development for a year and a half so far.
The speaker is presented with question #39 from mike17:
Will there be cheats(Not that I use them or anything )
maxisean says, Cheats ...yes there will be some cheats suchs as @%$&**^&^* arrggggggg...
maxisean says, sorry...had to coucgh
The speaker is presented with question #70 from indigospin:
I heard that the game is going to be slightly guided. How are you going to do this and will the game still be fairly open-ended?
maxisean says, Only story mode will be guided.
maxisean says, The orginal game will be changed little, but you can choose the story mode game which will have levels you can unlock and unlock objects
maxisean says, The story mode will start as a tutorial and show you how to play the game...we do a little hand holding at first for new players
The speaker is presented with question #42 from k_kay:
Why did you make the game for PS2 and not the Gamecube or some other system?
maxisean says, Game cube was not out when we started development.
maxisean says, We wanted to nail this platform first ands then maybe move tto the others
The speaker is presented with question #51 from angellite_99:
what sort of new objects will there be?
maxisean says, New objects....great questions
maxisean says, there will be a Monkey Butler...treadmill, Vanity Mirror, "drink" cooler, a teppanyaki table (think Benihana)
maxisean says, many more
The speaker is presented with question #46 from mike17:
Will there be a lovebed?
maxisean says, LOve Bed...do you seriously think we can transtion to 3D without the love bed ..or the love tub for that matter?
maxisean says, yes
The speaker is presented with question #83 from indigospin:
I heard that there will be unlockable objects. What kind of unlockable objects will there be in the game?
maxisean says, Unlockable objects...all the new objects we are giving you are unlocked via going through story mode...you can also unlock secret skins and 2 player games.
The speaker is presented with question #56 from angellite_99:
what is your favorite object out of the whole game?
maxisean says, Favorite Object? Around here we are partial to the Monkey Butler....he has some ASStonishing characyteristics
maxisdano says, Will there be any changes to Create-A-Sim?
maxisean says, Create Sim is much more robust and fun...you can chage the hair, faces, makeup, shirts, pants , shoes, facial hair, jewelry, glasses....almost 500,000 combinations are now posible
The speaker is presented with question #54 from gamegirl815:
will the sims speak the same simish we know in the sims for ps2?
maxisean says, Sims will speak the same simlish as in the PC game, of course the new objects have new sounds too.
The speaker is presented with question #62 from monkeylizard2008:
will you be able to build your house on the ps2 version of The Sims?, or will it already be made for you?
maxisean says, Both. Open play mode lets you build anything you want
maxisean says, Story mode comes with some prebuilt houses and you actually have to build out (fix up some ) houses there...by the end of story mode you will be decorating the whole house
The speaker is presented with question #66 from k_kay:
How will the two player mode on TheSims for PS2 work?
maxisean says, 2 player game play? ok
maxisean says, The first mode is pick up and play...you can just plug in the second controller and start playing another Sim in the same house on screen.
maxisean says, This goes to split screen.
maxisean says, In 2 player challenges...you play against each other in a series of short games
The speaker is presented with question #154 from _melkor_:
the camera looks like it is in a zoom alot and a close up will the camera change so its overhead?
maxisean says, The camera moves in a new way...it has freerotate and zoom.
maxisean says, It also tilts at a lower angle the higher out you get...so you get an almost overhead view at full out zoom but at close zoom you get to see a more frontal image of the Sims
The speaker is presented with question #159 from monkeylizard2008:
does the sims on PS2 have a buy and build mode?
maxisean says, Yes. it will have the full build and buy mode as seen on the pc version.
maxisean says, building is actually easier on the ps2 than on the pc as far walls and floors go.
The speaker is presented with question #123 from t_b_s:
A main part of The Sim's fun is the open-endedness it provides. How does this concept get carried over to a mission-based system?
maxisean says, Good question.
maxisean says, We have specific"missions" you need to complete on each levele, but it is up to the player HOW they do this. There is acharacter who may ask for a house to be expanded...
maxisean says, But how you expand it and what it looks like are up to you.
The speaker is presented with question #134 from gamegirl815:
will there be any celebrity sims in the sims for ps2?
maxisean says, Celebrity Sims....well I'll tell you this...Malcolm Langrabb is alive and well....
The speaker is presented with question #138 from t_b_s:
A big part of what is fun about The Sims is the ability of making and using custom-made skins and objects. Is this possible on the PS2?
maxisean says, You can now alter hairstyle, faces, shirts, shirt color, pants, pants color, shoes, shoe color, glasses, hats, earrings, necklaces, make up, eye color, all independently
maxisean says, You don't have the one-shot skins like before..and you can load them on memeory cards and take the Sims with you.
maxisean says, Also, you will be unlocking more skins as you go through the game....the combinations are monsterous
maxisean says, Players will also be able to change the colors of objects in the game on the fly.
maxisean says, So you can take the red love bed and make it blue or green for instance
The speaker is presented with question #271 from macmastersim:
I heard GamePro that you can only adpot babies, is this true?
maxisean says, Babies will be the same as in the PC version...you can adopt or have your own.
The speaker is presented with question #285 from cory_you_no:
Will There Be A Grim Reaper in the new version?
maxisean says, The grim reaper will still be at the door...death's door....
The speaker is presented with question #158 from t_b_s:
Will Bob and Betty make apperances in The Sims for PS2?
maxisean says, Bob and Betty....live in the orginal neighborhood...but we might put them in the story mode....people come in and buy houses when you are done with them there....does everyone want Bob and Betty to stay in?
The speaker is presented with question #202 from t_b_s:
How does movement work in The Sims PS2? How do you select objects? An on-screen cursor?
maxisean says, Ah the cursor question..yes instead of a mouse you have a cursor you use and move around...we spend almost 3 months just on cursor control and movement sicne it is your poin t of touch in the game
maxisean says, Personally I was apprehensive about the controls when I first came over to PS2, but I actually prefer it now
maxisean says, its totally intuitive
maxisean says, it's I mean ;P
The speaker is presented with question #204 from indigospin:
Will there be a section on the BBS to talk about the PS2 version?
maxisean says, PS2 will have its own BBS section
The speaker is presented with question #207 from aliclare:
will the graphics on PS2 be better than on PC?
maxisean says, One is in 3d and one is not...the fluid rotate and zoom makes the world seem much more real.
The speaker is presented with question #246 from moneypit:
How does the Story mode, does it accually have a Plot?
maxisean says, Story mode plot...
maxisean says, Yes there i a plot...basically you start off still "Livin' with Mom" and she nags you to get a job and learn to cook and get the heck out of her house so she can sell it and move out....later on you need to fix up some trashed houses.
maxisean says, Eventually you get to move into really nice houses as long as you decorate them and buy the right stuff for Malcolm..he makes you test them out for parties and such....
The speaker is presented with question #356 from kick_butt_hottie2001:
what do you mean unlock objects and stuff
maxisean says, So the game will have new objects like the Vanity table. You need to do something specific in say story level 3 to unlock it from the catalog...it might be tied to getting married or a job promotion or fixing a house up.
maxisean says, Then, when you unlock it from story mode, you can buy it in the classic mode catalog as well. It won't be available anywhere until it is unlocked.
maxisean says, There are some new helpful social interactions on the phone and your "MOM" such as "ask for advice". malcolm and MOM will help you out in game levels and when your motives are low.
The speaker is presented with question #265 from thedaimyo:
will there be any goodies or secrets tucked away in the game?
maxisean says, Lots of secrets and unlockable objects in story mode....enough said
The speaker is presented with question #358 from moneypit:
Will marriage work the same way?
maxisean says, Marriage works in the same way, but there was some difficulty in gettting propose to be accepted sometimes in The Sims pc, so we might ease that a bit
The speaker is presented with question #398 from macmastersim:
Will there be NPCs ?
maxisean says, Yeah, we will have the same NPC's like the maid and repairman but in the 2 player challenges you can sometimes get into the hot tub with them.
maxisean says, In addition, we are putting NPC neighbors into the story mode neighborhood with special behaviors
maxisean says, Plus, your MOM is one of the characters...just no marrying her
The speaker is presented with question #420 from k_kay:
where did you learn to spell so well, sean?
maxisean says, I learned how to spell at carden elementary in Del mar, but I could type better if we were not forced to use the darned QWERTY keyboards which were specifically designed to SLOW down typist in the last century
The speaker is presented with question #396 from gamegirl815:
will the player be able to buy objects themselves and decorate their house? or will the game have those all done for you?
maxisean says, Of course, you can do all the same stuff as in 1.0 on pc, but in story mode you just get to move into some houses that are pre-built.
The speaker is presented with question #163 from indigospin:
What part of the game did you have the most fun making?
maxisean says, Freddy says his favorite object to work on was the monkey Butler...as soon as it got in the game...everyone just rolled around laughing...before that...it sounded it abit odd
The speaker is presented with question #341 from macmastersim:
Can you throw parties in The Sims for PS2?
maxisean says, There will still be parties in Sims Ps2, and as for story mode, we will be watching how well you throw a party in a couple levels.
The speaker is presented with question #345 from cheetachatboy:
How will story mode be guided?
maxisean says, Story mode will start off as abasic control tutorial...then we will show you basic mood management and slowly introduce you to buy mode . after the first couple levels you will be on your own, but MOM and Malcolm will come by and call you to help you out every once ina while
The speaker is presented with question #257 from gamegirl815:
will the sims actually take off their clothing and will this make the rating to Mature?
maxisean says, Clothing....we are "experimenting" with some new way to pixelate and hide nudity in full 3D...if ya know what I mean...
The speaker is presented with question #464 from indigospin:
Will you be able to see from a Sim's point of view?
maxisean says, We might make the POV camera an EASTER EGG...you know ha HIDDEN SECRET thing? SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
The speaker is presented with question #263 from kick_butt_hottie2001:
can you like go to other peoples houses
maxisean says, Yeah...we are hadling this in a different way...you can save your sim to the memory card, go to your "friend's house" pop the memory card in, and either play two player challenges or play cooperatively in classic mode.
The speaker is presented with question #211 from millionsb:
will it have more than two levels
maxisean says, Story mode will have 6 houses, each with multiple stages . Plus a tutorial house.
The speaker is presented with question #155 from k_kay:
do you think TheSims for PS2 will be as addictive as TheSims for PC?
maxisean says, Well, I can't stop plying it and I've been working on the Sims for 2 years now.....
maxisean says, Malcolm Langrabb was the evi--- I mean "honesty challenged" real estate mogul from Sim City...he is still controlling some real estate on the PS2
The speaker is presented with question #355 from gamegirl815:
will there be cars in the sims for ps2?
maxisean says, The cars will still come for the carpools, but they have been redone for 3d
The speaker is presented with question #338 from t_b_s:
Will the infamous Maxis llama make an apperance?
maxisean says, The llama is still with us.....and always will be.....the llama is inescapable...the llama is ...I can't say
The speaker is presented with question #290 from sweet_tooth_jr2002:
How do you guys feel about the game so far?
maxisean says, The game so far feels great. We get all of Sims 1.0, plsu the story mode and a bunch of 2 player competitions....for me, the freshest thing is fully zooming and freely rotating and seeing all the objects in true 3d at last.
The speaker is presented with question #238 from t_b_s:
How long will the single player mode take to complete? Replayability?
maxisean says, We are shooting for 15-20 hours of game play for story mode.
The speaker is presented with question #319 from millionsb:
can you live with the second player
maxisean says, Not sure what the exact question is, but if you bring one sim over on memeory card, they can be added to the family on the fly and live with your friend's family for instance.
The speaker is presented with question #541 from freaksgeeks:
When will this game be out in stores?
maxisean says, We expect the game to be out Nov. 5th.
maxisdano says, Ok all...looks like we are out of time...
maxisdano says, Thanks for showing up..
maxisean says, Well, on behalf of the Sims Ps2 team...thanks for stopping by, and happy decorating
maxisdano says, Thanks Sean and Fred.