Witches aren’t all wicked and green, you know.

By now you’ve gotten the scoop on werewolves from SimGuruJon, frolicked with fairies and SimGuruArgus, and explored lunacy with SimGuruMegan. Today I’m here to tell you about the ‘real’ power that’s in TheSims 3 Supernatural… witches! From the day we started brainstorming ideas for this expansion pack, I was completely in love with witches and all the possibilities they could introduce to The Sims. To me, playing as a witch offers the ultimate power of choice, “A am I good, evil, or just indifferent? Do I use my spells just to help my family and friends, or do I let my magic run crazy and turn everyone in town to toads?” Mwahahahaha, just talking about it makes me want to rub my hands together in evil glee…

Speaking of evil glee, I know you’re all wondering exactly what being a good witch vs. a bad witch really means. First and foremost are the traits. Witches with the good trait will get more wishes to cast spells that are considered ‘good’ and the same goes for witches with the evil trait, they will get more wishes to cast spells that are ‘evil’. However, being good or evil doesn’t mean you only have access to a certain type of spell. After all, even the friendliest of witches may need to throw a curse every now and then!
Just like the other supernaturals, you can create witches in CAS. Male, female, green skin or golden, you’ll be able to customize your witch to fit the story you want to tell. Witches come in all ages, and some innate witch abilities can even be present in childhood. Hint, keep an eye on your little witch’s toy box as they’re playing, or they just may magically multiply! However, the teenage years are when a witch’s powers really manifest. This is the time when they receive a wand to play with magic.

Wand, wand, it’s all about the wand! Witches need a magical wand in their inventory to channel their special powers. Every witch is given a basic wand, but if your Sim loses it or wants to upgrade it, there are several options available in Buy Mode to purchase. There are numerous wands to choose from and while each one has a distinctive cool look, they more importantly have unique affects to the way your witch will cast spells. If you’re looking for your witch to have a high success rate at casting spells, I’d recommend giving the ivory wand a try.

But if you’re asking, “SimGuruBritt, I don’t want my witch to rely on a wand! I want them to be able to cast spells without that pointy thing in the way!” Don’t worry, we have you covered. The Lifetime Happiness reward Magic Hands enables your witch to cast spells only using their hands, plus their spells will never fail!

Enough about wands, let’s get into the actual spell casting! Witches will become increasingly proficient and learn more magic spells and abilities as they play with magic and cast spells. For instance, witches can learn how to use their wands to upgrade objects around the house – no more wrenches required! Quick tip, my advice would be to magically upgrade your wardrobe for a special surprise. You will get a message when your witch has learned new spells and abilities with hints for how to use them. Magic spells generally fit into one of three categories (with a few exceptions): Charms, curses and rituals. Charms are considered beneficial or ‘good’ spells. They can be cast on oneself or on others and range from simple good luck charms to love charms. Curses are harmful or ‘evil’ spells such as the bladder curse (super funny at parties!) or toadification curse. Rituals are spells that can be cast on objects or lots. They have a wide array of effects from converting collectibles to cleaning the house.



I don’t want to give everything away. (Where’s the fun in that?!) But since so many people have asked about specific spells, I think a quick overview of a few of my personal favorites is in order.

One of the first spells a witch learns is the conversion ritual, which changes a collectible from one type to another.  The conversion ritual is a pretty useful spell, especially if there is an alchemist in the family. If you have a surplus of gems laying around, simply flick your witches wand and transform them into something useful for your alchemist.

Ice Blast is one of those spells that doesn’t really fall under the category of charm or curse (since it is more of an elemental spell), but is super fun to use. Want to break your neighbor’s plumbing? Ice Blast! Want to give a Sim a severe case of chattering teeth and cold toes? Ice Blast! As a bonus, this spell has a chance of encasing a Sim in a solid block of ice, freezing them for a short time.

Sometimes spells can be fun, sometimes they can be useful, and sometimes they can be dark and dangerous. The haunting curse is definitely one of those dark and dangerous spells since your witch can summon a spirit from the netherworld to haunt a victim for days. Once cursed, the only way out for the victim is to wait for time to pass or to become friends with their ghostly tormentor. Be warned, cast this curse with caution! All spells can fail (sometimes with disastrous results for the caster), and the haunting curse does this in the most extreme way. If it fails, it could mean death for the witch that cast it!

I’ll leave you with just one more, the reanimation ritual. Cast this spell on any tombstone with a ghost and watch the dead rise as a gruesome zombie! Better have an exit strategy planned after casting this spell though as zombies make friends in interesting ways…

Like all great power, magic comes with a cost. Witches have to keep an eye on their magic meter as they use their spells and abilities. The lower the magic meter falls, the higher the possibility that a spell will fail. Once the magic meter is depleted, spells will fizzle and fail until the meter has been replenished. Magic power will slowly regenerate over time, or can be instantly replenished with an Essence of Magic elixir. Another, more leisurely way to regenerate magic power is to take a few loops around the magic broom arena on your broom.

Brooms! (You thought I forgot, didn’t you?) Here’s a secret, anyone can use a broom! Since the magic is in the broom, not in the user, even ordinary Sims can get a taste of magic by flying around town on one of these flying objects. Brooms come in several models. There’s even one with training wheels for the kiddies! For those daring Sims who think merely traveling around town by broom isn’t enough, the broom arena is a place to fly high and show-off your witches stunts. Can’t afford to buy one of these arenas for your house? No problem! The citizens of Moonlight Falls have recognized every Sim’s right to practice broom stunts, and built their very own broom arena park for any Sim to use. Any Sim can buy and use a broom, but witches will use brooms automatically when traveling solo, just like a taxi.

(Continued in a second post)

The night of a full moon is a special event in Moonlight Falls, both feared and celebrated.  As the moon rises forebodingly over the mountains, strange things will start to happen around the town…and even pets will be able to sense it. For fairies and witches, this special evening is particularly favored as it boosts their powers and happiness.  Some ordinary Sims will embrace the eerie light of the moon, allowing its lunatic glow to consume them for the night and alter their personalities. Those who are stressed, insane, or more open to the supernatural will be especially susceptible; beware the slap or hug of the lunatic Sim who has been overtaken by the light of the moon! 

  

   

Other Sims will dismiss the strange happenings as “magical rubbish” and shut their eyes and their doors to anything out of the ordinary.  (If your Sim happens to be afraid of ghosts, he might want to steer clear of the graveyard on this particular evening, as ghosts love to bask in the light of full moons).  According to rumor, with the onset of the full moon the stranger, more “eccentric” members of the town tend to congregate late into the night. No one knows quite what they’re up to, but the more cowardly Sims may want to wait out the night safe in their beds. Your werewolf neighbors will be forced to transform and your dear friends in town might find themselves victim to zombification and forced into an intense hunger for other Sims’ brains. If your Sim hears a howl in the night or a deep moan coming from the lawn, this time it might not be just his imagination.

   

   

Too dark? Too scary? Don’t worry! The moon is customizable!  For so many Sims, for so many years, the full moon was all they knew. No crescent moons. No new moon.  No waxing gibbous. This seemed like a pretty sad state of affairs. In Moonlight Falls, the moonlight, well…falls in a different way every day!  By default, the moon will rotate through a number of different phases. The length of the complete cycle can be changed in the Options Panel. If you’re not really into this whole newfangled moon phase thing and really just want things to go back to how they were, well, you can do that, too! You’ll be able to set the phase of the moon to always be one phase and you can choose what that phase is. If you’re looking for a zombie apocalypse or if you just really like to make your werewolf Sims suffer, go ahead and set it to be a full moon every night.  You’ll never have a dull night again! (Or, if your preference for zombie attack frequency leans more towards “no thanks,” set the moon to always be a nice, safe, waxing gibbous.  Nothing bad ever happens when the moon is a waxing gibbous!)

   

   

After the full moon has sunk beneath the horizon, Moonlight Falls will return to normal. Sims unfortunate enough to have been afflicted with zombification will suddenly realize the error of their ways and head back home.  Werewolves will return to human form, dazed and a little confused.  Witches and fairies will lose the boost they received from the moon. Ordinary Sims who were a little un-ordinary during the full moon will lose their crazy feelings and everything will be back to normal… or, as normal as it gets in Moonlight Falls.

Hi Everyone!

 

I'm excited to introduce to you today the first deep dive into one of the four seasons in The Sims 3 Seasons - SPRING!  As we were initially designing the themes for The Sims 3 Seasons Expansion Pack, spring became the season of rain, bright colors and of course, love!

 

Weather is one of the new additions to this expansion and a great way to distinguish one season from another. Those familiar with The Sims 3 have most likely become accustomed to sunny weather, but spring time not only brings blue skies, but, occasional drizzle, fog, heavy showers and even lighting. Although rain can soak your Sims, there are quite a few benefits to having a few wet days. Sims can splash in puddles for a little fun, it can help put out fires in your town or it can water your plants.  Also, no longer will inclement weather prevent your Sims from enjoying the outdoors. For the first time in The Sims franchise, we have umbrellas! With water-proof umbrellas in hand, Sims can walk, chat and even run outside without getting wet.

 

 

Not only can you change the color and patterns on the umbrella, you can even upgrade them to glow!

 

 

In additional to weather, colors also play a large part in seeing the changing seasons. Through the thick of winter snowstorms, spring is welcomed with a fresh burst of color. The trees will start to re-grow their leaves, and you'll see our new collectable wild flowers sprouting throughout the town. Sims can pick and gather these wildflowers to add an extra pop of color to their homes. Although be warned, they may be susceptible to seasonal allergies. Don't worry though, a quick trip to the hospital to get an allergy shot will clear your Sims' symptoms quickly.

 

 

To celebrate each season, a festival will arrive to your town! Each festival is unique to the season will transform completely with new objects and decorations throughout the year. Not only will festivals appear in Sunset Valley, but they’ll appear in other worlds too. You can be living it up in The Sims 3 Late Night ’s Bridgeport, or be enjoying the dry heat of The Sims 3 Store's Lucky Palms while participating in seasonal festivities.

 

But back to spring. With spring being the season of color, it was fitting to have an egg hunt held at the spring festival. Every day, new eggs are scattered throughout the grounds. Finding these colorful eggs can net your Sims some valuable festival tickets that can then be redeemed for prizes. You might even find some other surprises during your hunt as well!

 

 

In The Sims 3 Seasons we created a lot of new ways to meet other Sims. Sims can hold parties, send love letters by mail or even find a date online. Once you’ve found a potential match, the spring festival has plenty of activities for new lovebirds to enjoy. They can skate on the roller rink,

 

 

test their knowledge of one another on the lover tester machine, dance and compete for the title of Spring King and Queen or challenge each other to a round of horseshoes.

 

 

Or if your Sim is alone (or willing to sneak a peck), they can ask for a kiss at the kissing booth. Your Sim can also work a kissing booth too! If you see an open, unmanned booth, you can send your Sims to offer kisses of their own. With a little charm and appeal, your Sims may make a few Simoleons stealing a few smooches.

 

 

I hope you enjoyed this peek into The Sims 3 Seasons . Stay tuned for more information about the other seasons, additional weather effects and other exciting features.

 

-Charles Murakami, Associate Producer, The Sims 3 Seasons

 

Hi Simmers! I'm Ryan Vaughan, Lead Producer on The Sims 3 Seasons Expansion Pack. I hope you're ready to break out your umbrellas and prepare for a storm, because as you may already know, we just announced that The Sims 3 Seasons will be launching this November! I personally am very excited to be working on this expansion pack, not just because of all the brand new content and gameplay it brings, but also because it is one of the most highly requested expansions for The Sims 3! With tons of new features and dramatic weather effects, plus brand new seasonal events, celebrations, and festivals, The Sims 3 Seasons will transform your Sims' lives in ways never before possible.

 

 

Of course, weather and seasonal changes are a big part of this game. Whether it's a spring downpour, a summer heat wave, or even a winter snowstorm, weather and seasons transition naturally over the course of the year, allowing your Sims to interact with the open world environment like never before. But don't worry— if you happen to live in Siberia and never want to see another flake of snow again, we've got you covered! Seasons and weather are completely controllable via a brand new panel in the options menu. You want to experience winter for just one day? You got it!

 

Weather isn't all that The Sims 3 Seasons has to offer - not even close! Check out a few of the other awesome, brand new features that are included in this pack:

Seasonal Celebrations
For the first time ever, your Sims can celebrate the change of the seasons with other Sims at the brand new festival lot. Any world that you're playing in (except for the vacation worlds in The Sims 3 World Adventures) will feature a unique festival during each season, complete with loads of fun new objects and events for your Sims to partake in. Sims can get into the spirit of summer by competing in a hot dog eating contest, or embrace the essence of fall by carving a pumpkin and touring the haunted house! Your Sims can take a trip to the kissing booth in the spring, or even join an epic snowball fight in the winter. There’s lots of fun to be had at the local festivals!

 

Swimming in the Ocean
For the first time ever in The Sims PC/Mac franchise, your Sims can head out into the ocean for a swim in The Sims 3 Seasons! Whether it’s taking a dip off of the sunny beaches of Sunset Valley, or going for a paddle around the murky waters surrounding Bridgeport, your Sims are no longer confined to swimming only in pools. Explore previously unreachable areas in the world, or take along a floatie lounger for some relaxation! Your Sims can even brave the icy waters during winter in search of the Polar Bear Club moodlet!

 

Snowboarding
Your Sims can head to the winter festival or plop down the snowboard half-pipe in their very own backyards to start learning how to snowboard! Practice makes perfect; the more time your Sims spend on the half-pipe, the better they will get, and the more EPIC the tricks they'll be able to do!

 

Soccer
Hmm, I think this is called football for the rest of you? That's right – you've been asking for it for a while, and now it’s finally here! Your Sim can now compete in an epic shootout against another Sim, practice on their own, or even take part in a tournament! Just place the brand new soccer goals in Buy Mode, and watch any open space turn into a soccer pitch!

That was just a glimpse of a few of the brand new features and objects that will be included in The Sims 3 Seasons. Of course, as with any expansion pack, it will come with tons of new fashions, furniture and even a brand new way to build houses with blueprints.

Stay tuned for more details that we'll be revealing during The Sims live broadcast on Friday, August 3rd at 10am PST here: http://www.origin.com/the-sims-3-supernatural-live-broadcast-2 or by checking out the blog pages of the SimGurus. We plan to keep posting info and answering questions all the way through the launch of The Sims 3 Seasons in November. And, as always, feel free to send us a Tweet on Twitter!

I'm sure you guys already have tons of questions, so I've worked with some of the other SimGurus to put together a list of answers to questions we thought you might have. Don’t see your question here? Feel free to tweet me @SimGuruRyan!

 

Q: What's The Sims 3 Seasons all about?
A: With The Sims 3 Seasons Expansion Pack, you can play with life in new ways as you experience fun for all seasons and revel in the spirit of your favorite time of year. With all-new activities, seasonal festivals and celebrations, plus new foods, décor, fashions and weather effects, your Sims can enjoy the bounty and beauty of the ever-changing seasons like never before!

 

Q: What new traits and skills are available in this expansion?
A: The Sims 3 Seasons introduces the new traits "loves the cold" and "loves the heat." Sims with these traits will enjoy more extreme temperatures, finding the cold or heat pleasant rather than uncomfortable.  Soccer and snowboarding are skills that are new to The Sims 3 Seasons.  As they practice, Sims will progress and improve over time in a natural progression.

 

Q: What new weather effects can we expect?
A: With the new transformative weather effects in the game, you can expect to see lots of new changes in your Sims' worlds. From a snow-covered winter wonderland, to spring rain showers and bright summer sunshine, to changing leaf colors in the fall, The Sims 3 Seasons brings a variety of all-new creative possibilities.  Brace yourselves for hail, fog, thunder, lightning and more!

 

Q: Are there new careers?
A: While there aren't any full new careers, there is a new part-time job that only Aliens can get by becoming a "Test Subject" at the Science Facility.

 

Q: What are the new seasonal celebrations?
A: Each season has its own celebration, where Sims gather for festivities, complete with seasonal activities, food, decorations, objects and costumes. Your Sims can go ice skating, visit the snowball fight arena, stop by the kissing booth for a smooch, go on an egg hunt, get their face painted, watch fireworks, bob for apples, enter a pie-eating contest and more.

 

Q: Can you participate in activities like swimming and snowboarding year-round?
A: Yes, Sims can participate in fun activities such as swimming in the ocean and catching some air on the snowboard half pipe regardless of the season. For instance, when it’s warm out, Sims can head to the beach and cool down with a splash in the waves. During the cooler months, Sims can get the "Polar Bear Club" moodlet by venturing into the bone-chilling waters during the dead of winter.  Sims can also perform tricks on the snowboard half pipe, which will be covered with artificial snow during the warmer times of the year.

 

Q: What are some of your favorite objects in the game?
A: One of the fun new objects in The Sims 3 Seasons is the diving board, which allows Sims to make a splash at the pool, whether plunging in with a big cannon ball or slipping into the water with an elegant swan dive. The Sims 3 Seasons also introduces umbrellas for the first time in The Sims, which will definitely come in handy for those spring showers!

 

Q: Will there be new music is in this EP and will there be holiday songs?
A: There will be a number of new songs that your Sims can rock out to in The Sims 3 Seasons. While there aren't any holiday songs, short musical phrases will be included in the game to celebrate the various seasons.

 

Q: Will weather be able to be taken into other EPs?
A: Yes, weather effects will be compatible with all previous expansion and stuff packs within The Sims 3 except for the vacation worlds in The Sims 3 World Adventures.

 

Q: What are the best new features you would recommend to new players?
A: One of the exciting new additions to The Sims 3 Seasons is "Blueprint Mode", which players can enter in build/buy. With this new feature, players can create or edit lots by easily placing down pre-made room layouts. Players can modify the finer details of designs, décor and furnishings after they are done placing their selected blueprints.

 

Q: What is the occult in this game? 
A:  The Sims 3 Seasons introduces aliens for the first time in The Sims 3. Aliens are the occult for this game, returning from The Sims 2 with some intriguing updates. Stay tuned for more info about what aliens can do in the game!

 

Q: Will there be new romantic interactions?
A: Yes, there are a variety of new romantic interactions in this expansion. Your Sims can ask for a kiss beneath the mistletoe, send love letters, use the love tester machine and even create online dating profiles!

 

Q: What new CAS options are introduced in this pack?
A: This expansion allows you to outfit your Sims with new styles for every season, including snow gear, swimwear, raincoats and more.  There are also new clothing options for toddlers, children, teens and elders, including new snow clothes and accessories for toddlers and new Halloween costumes for all ages. There are also a range of new hairs, featuring winter hats and the option to create completely bald Sims for the first time in The Sims 3!