E3 '10: Sims 3 Console
The console versions of The Sims tend to be something of which I have steered clear, afraid I would not have the freedom I do in the PC versions. While the controls do not necessarily look as intuitive as a keyboard and mouse, it does look like they tried to give players most of the same tools in porting over The Sims 3.
First they showed off the character creator, which looks pretty much exactly the same, but with the addition of little windows to tell you which buttons to press to achieve your goals. The shared content through the community databases is streamlined into the interface, which makes uploading and downloading any new fashions much easier. Otherwise, traits, goals, personalities, voice, et cetera are all to be found in the create-a-Sim interface.
From there they moved on to the map of the neighborhood, where the first big departure appeared. Instead of being a map where you can zoom in, and that is 3D and has little bits and bobs occurring at all times, the map shown was 2D and very, very flat and lifeless. You select where you want to go, and then it loads a new screen. Having a seamless experience wandering the neighborhood is not existent. At the same time, the same options exist: click on Town Hall and get the option to find a political career or join a protest.
Getting around to actually playing around with your Sims, there is a huge, colored cylinder that you move around to select on the environment or your Sim; in the case that multiple objects and Sims are near that particular spot, a prompt will pop up that asks you to select which you meant. Meanwhile, while there exists the same information in the lower right screen on what your moods, moodlets, and such are, you can bring up a more detailed report that pauses the game and allows you to read through the specifics (seeing as a mouseover cannot really be worked out very well)).
After all the rudimentary things were shown to us, they moved on to the new bit: karma powers. You earn karma points by accomplishing Sims' needs (I asked, and this is in addition to the rewards program, instead of a replacement), and you can unlock more powers through achievements. The ones I happened to see (though not all in action) were: Super Satisfy, Cosmic Curse, Get Lucky, Earthquake, Firestorm, and one that allows you to infest a lot with poltergeists.
All in all, it looked like a pretty faithful port of the game for a console audience, and with the karma powers added, I am myself toying with the idea of picking this up (but I am also a Sims fan). The console versions are to release October 26, 2010, and it was also announced that a Nintendo 3DS version would release in 2011. Not on display were either the DS or Wii versions.
