[Zirconia Wolf]

I have to admit that some of the stuff I've been reading about The Sims 3 has bumped it from the "not in a million billion years" column to the "well, just maybe" column. For instance, the revamped personality system looks to be uber slick & I love the idea of in-game customizable objects! (I can't believe the number of modders who plan on quiting modding the day Sims 3 is released to "protest" this feature. Geeze guys; they finally make the game easy to customize & you through a hissy fit????? Whatever....)

On the other hand, two things "leap out" as possible warning bells: the continuous time feature & the possible dumbing down of the game to appeal to "hard core" gamers, as EA/Maxis claims they are targeting.

As a storyteller/picture-taker type, I am very worried about the "continuous time" idea! I know the "time warp" in the Sims 1 & 2 is a little funky, but the idea that I can't play one family without all the others aging & dying is really disturbing! I do hope there is a way around that!

As to the dumbing down, I hope the features like the proposed "Feed Me" button & whatnot are just just that- proposed features that will not be implemented into the actual game. Ick.

Of course, this- for me- hinges entirely on how much of the other things I have already ranted about elsewhere are implemented too; in particular if it runs on my PC & the Pet expansion is up to the par it should be. Great Dane sized Great Danes with personalities that can be tweaked in more than a "yes, sort of, no" fashion & I'm virtually guaranteed to buy it! Note that I said Great Dane sized Danes; not Danes being the same size as Golden Retrievers, Labradors, Collies or anything other than Irish Wolfhounds. No more of this "two sizes" garbage. Are you listening, Maxis??????????????? Also, let the damn cats & dogs go on the bloody vacations you will undoubtedly add! Grrrrrrrrrr!

Okay, rant over. I think I'll go back to my (up to Seasons, believe it or not) game now...

-ZW