Hunter's H-Mail for Open for Business!

[ManagerJosh]

Sup Simfans?

Hunter here. Yep, it’s me - not our friend Mr. LeTourneau. Enjoy your first ever H-Mail, due to our producerly friend’s gallivanting in Europe showing off Open for Business. Where am I? Yep, Redwood Shores, California. The atmosphere around here is one of bug-crushing and gameplay tuning. There’s even a teamwide contest going on at the moment as to who can get enough customer loyalty to make a Rank 10 business first. That’ll be good tuning feedback for us on the design team.

Anyway, I know you’re all out there itching for more info about this expansion pack, so I’m here to hook you up with some tasty tidbits. Yes, TIDBITS!

So, first off, I bet you want to know about this whole Business Rank thing. Business Rank is pretty much your indicator for how much people like your business – you attain a higher business rank by earning customer loyalty stars. The more stars you earn through making your customers happy, the higher Rank your business becomes. Higher business rank gets you more customers and earns you points to spend on business perks. Perks are rewards that will make your business owners more effective, both in their business and home life. There are five reward tracks for your Sims to traverse, and you can spend your points on the lowest unlocked reward of any track. See Let me throw some examples of business rewards at you:

Rally Forth: This interaction on your active Sim will cause them to whip out a megaphone and start giving nearby Sims a “call to battle” of sorts. The other Sims’ needs will skyrocket, letting them work longer, while draining the needs of the motivator. Beware unexpected and disastrous consequences. Clearly, a power like this has countless uses in the home, such as prepping people for the workday.
Power Network: This reward social will enable your Sims to instantly “meet” everybody in the relationship panel of another Sim, at a 15/15 relationship! This one’s great for meeting new people to sell to, or just expanding social circles for those Popularity Sims.
Convincing Personality: This reward is a constantly active ability that makes your Sim more effective in sales. Any sales social performed on a Sim will boost the recipient’s Buy Bar by 30% more than normal.
Head for Numbers: Remember how in University your Sims could call anyone on the phone, even if they didn’t know them? Sims with this ability have that power: wherever and whenever.That’s enough on perks for now. I think you get the idea of the sort of things that you can unlock in this pack.

On another note, one thing that I’ve been having a lot of fun with is making over my neighborhood. A salon/clothing store gives you all the tools you need to make over Goopy (or any other Sim you like) without having to marry him. Using the Makeover Chair on a Sim brings up the Change Appearance dialog, allowing you guys to decide exactly what kind of appearance you want to give to your neighborhoods’ Sims. On the clothing store side, you can suggest specific outfits to Sims, which they’ll decide whether or not to buy. If they decide to purchase the outfit you’ve suggested, they’ll immediately change into it. So whether you want to turn your neighborhood into a paradise of gorgeous divas or a freakish carnival sideshow, the tools are there.


Until next time,

-Hunter

P.S:
A Sad Salon Patron:
http://forums.worldsims.org/gallery/files/1/sims2ep3_07_thumb.jpg (http://forums.worldsims.org/gallery/showimage.php?i=1206&c=2)
Biz Perks:
http://forums.worldsims.org/gallery/files/1/sims2ep3_06_thumb.jpg (http://forums.worldsims.org/gallery/showimage.php?i=1205&c=2)

A Bakery:
http://forums.worldsims.org/gallery/files/1/sims2ep3_05_thumb.jpg (http://forums.worldsims.org/gallery/showimage.php?i=1204&c=2)


P.P.S:
This is my fully controllable Zombie-Vampire-Robot!
http://forums.worldsims.org/gallery/files/1/sims2ep3_08_thumb.jpg (http://forums.worldsims.org/gallery/showimage.php?i=1207&c=2)

[Lynet]

LOL, the robot is hysterical. And look at all the candles on the cakes at the bakery. Hmmm, almost looks like a birthday cake for me. :p

[Kristalrose]

Geeze, this is huge!! There will be so much to do, so much to accomplish. I guess there won't be a need for me to use hacks to add days to my sim's lives and get them to age prematurely, because I'll be trying to get them to be rich business tycoons. ;) I noticed lots of different walls and furniture. Something I'd like to ask a Maxoid, if given a chance: I noticed that our sims have "buying power" in that one screenshot. So, say we had one sim start making robots. Could we have another sim own an electronics store and buy the robots from their creator? That would be fun. :)

[J. M. Pescado]

Looks fake to me. I point out the obvious nonexistence of this product, which makes these obviously faked screenshots.

[Mirelly]

Looks fake to me. I point out the obvious nonexistence of this product, which makes these obviously faked screenshots.

This man is a god ... well he makes me laff, anyway :p

[djrules5454]

Looks fake to me. I point out the obvious nonexistence of this product, which makes these obviously faked screenshots.

Yes, but Maxis people get to toy around and test the game before anyone else! I envy Maxis so!

[J. M. Pescado]

Yes, but Maxis people get to toy around and test the game before anyone else! I envy Maxis so!
I don't. That part is my least favorite. Updating everything every expansion pack is a right pain in the neck.

[KatAnubis]

I don't. That part is my least favorite. Updating everything every expansion pack is a right pain in the neck.
Oh, ain't that the truth!

[surprised_by_witches]

Still more fun than my job, which is writing about software other people have created ...

Ooh! I finally actually read this post. I can makeover Goopy? That might be worth the price of admission alone. I'm tired of the fashion challenged sims in my 'hood. I might even date some of them--OK, still wouldn't date Goopy--if they looked halfway decent. Still wouldn't date Kennedy Cox, cause he's such a meanie, but wouldn't he look sooo much better as a punker dude?

I was going to do makeovers on my own but realized I didn't want them all becoming PCs. Too much of a headache.

What I'd like to know is, are there businesses vampires can run? I love vamps, but the fact that they can't have career goals makes 'em occasionally boring to play ... unless they're romance sims.

But a vampire with a nightclub, now, that could be fun.

So, can I set my own hours if I own my own business? Can I even own a nightclub?

It occurs to me I should probably read that transcript Ruthie asked for ... ;)

It's just that sheer volumes of text scare me off.

[Mirelly]

It's just that sheer volumes of text scare me off.

From the author of the longest sim-soap in World Sims, that's totally ironic SBW :p

[surprised_by_witches]

I'm well aware! It's just that my sheer volumes of text are broken up by a lot of white space and parceled into small chunks of information. So, for me, that's easier.

Plus, they're fiction. I should have specified that non-fiction puts me to sleep. Honestly, I'm hopeless. If I get through a magazine article it's a miracle (or about Brad Pitt LOL ...)

[Mirelly]

Shucks. I was just kidding, honey. :D

[surprised_by_witches]

Oh, I know. I'm not touchy. It's hard to convey that in text, I know. I was pretty much agreeing with you, kind of the pot calling the kettle and all ... I'm actually very hard to offend.

Just don't call me stupid. :p

[Ruthie_Faye]

SBW just in case you haven't read the transcript let me assure you that according to it Vamps can own nightclubs. Apparently you can own any business and go there when it's right for you. So they could have a nightclub or even a pottery barn that's only open at night.

Also I believe it said your sims can purchase the existing businesses so if your vamps want to buy that Crypto whatever night club they can.

Ruthie

[person123]

Kina dated Goopy! Her relationship is still romantic with him, though I only make her call him on the phone every week so she doesn't lose him as a friend--River's job is very demanding in family friends.

[surprised_by_witches]

Oh, that's right. I forgot.

And, thanks Ruthie ... that's what I wanted to know!

I wasn't going to buy it, but now I'm considering it ... I know, I'm weak. :)

[PlayLives]

If you have a business in your base hood will the downtownies (NL)/ dormies (Univ) visit your business or only the regular townies?

[Kristalrose]

Last night at Wal-Mart they had a OFB poster up in their "Coming attractions" ad in electronics. I noticed that the girl on the box has a new hairstyle: a short flip with bangs. :) It's really cute, makes me more excited.

[KatAnubis]

Oh, that's right. I forgot.

And, thanks Ruthie ... that's what I wanted to know!

I wasn't going to buy it, but now I'm considering it ... I know, I'm weak. :)

Oh, not weak. What harm is there in wanting to enjoy something?

I can't wait for it to get here. There are some really cool new stuff for building that I want *now*! And some of the features that I heard about sounded like so much fun.

I'm not so sure that I'm interested in all the business aspects of the EP, but there are so many other things that should be great fun and really add to the game.

[Mirelly]

I'm not so sure that I'm interested in all the business aspects of the EP, but there are so many other things that should be great fun and really add to the game.
LOL Kat. How true. I really love the additional gameplay elements that EP's add to the game but, on the other hand, I soon get bored with the core feature of the EP. University life really is a drag ... maybe I am just too old. But I wouldn't be without any of UNI's features; and besides with Pescado's hacks 2 college freshmen can be boosted thru all 8 semesters in less than an hour's gameplay ... :rolleyes: NL is great for romancing and socialising but I find it sad that a sim's adult life is so terribly short and they are reduced to a prolonged, painful looking senility that is neither attractive nor especially realistic (eg. sounding like an old fart at 53! :mad:) ... this being the case I balance things out by giving most of my college students some R&R downtown ... cos the clock starts ticking after graduation tha noes ;)

BTW (off-topic(ish) but while I'm on the subject) I am currently trying out an aging mod produced by the excellent TwoJeffs (http://www.moreawesomethanyou.com/smf//index.php) - it effectively adds the aspirational bonuses that produce longevity and 30+ year elder-spans and instead applies them to the adult phase. This means that when a teen or YA turns adult in platinum mood they get a lot longer adult life span -- up to 43 days. When they transit to elder they get a simple random 10-15 days left so they can still make it to 80+ but without spending the last 30 as incontinent insomniacs ... I am hoping that it will allow me to play some sims as career-minded sims who can still start families a little later in life without needing the dreaded elixir of life to wind back the clock.

'scuse me, gotta dash and tinkle, never slept a wink last night .... cough cough :o

[Lynet]

LMAO, Mirelly. I found a hack somewhere that allows the elderly sim to wear adult clothes ('tho you can't mix and match adult and elder tops and bottoms.) They still slouch when they walk but at least the ladies don't have their chests hanging down to their waists. And Sagesims has such nice clothes. But I haven't seen a hack that solves the "incontinent insomniacs" issue, yet. :p (or the screechy voice which annoys me more than the insomnia.:( )

[surprised_by_witches]

Oh, not weak. What harm is there in wanting to enjoy something?

You're absolutely right! Just hope my game doesn't crash. :rolleyes:

I'm not so sure that I'm interested in all the business aspects of the EP, but there are so many other things that should be great fun and really add to the game.

Oh, I am. I've had a problem with what to do with my happily married sims for some time now. Once they've achieved their career goals and raised their children and have every toy they could ever want they get pretty boring.

So, instead of having them cheat, now they can start a business and drive each other to divorce that way. (Kidding, sort of ...) I hope Alec Nova, for one, isn't too old to buy this little cafe I built by the time the EP comes out ... maybe I should slow down my playing until then.

I agree about university, Mirelly. It is a bit boring, though NL adds a lot more fun to it. I try to view it as a trying ground for finding one's soul mate, while having as much fun as possible, which is why I don't really like to play knowledge sims anymore. They're too interested in studying LOL ... In other words, my sims really do go to college to earn their M.R.S. :p

Or to get their careers as party animals/don juans started on the right foot.

And darn you, why'd you have to mention that aging mod? I'm so cautious about hacks as my game acted a little strangely after I installed a few, but that sounds so much nicer than 29 days ... my sims glug the green stuff like water. It takes me a long time to get used to the idea of them as elders, especially with the saggy boobs and screechy voices that come with that. Sigh. Wish elders could remain somewhat cool.

In the meantime, chug a lug.