At their best, these mods make it possible to play the game more like an RPG, where the player character is a household, or they provide power to direct the flow of the neighbourhood like the director/writer of an extraordinary sit-com or soap opera. What I’m talking about are the in depth processes which unlock the world and give it life. I’m not talking about the millions of hairstyles and dresses that can be downloaded, or even the mannequins of Twilight characters that players can download and force to engage in the least erotic romantic pursuits imagined since the writing of the Twilight books. These are people who really know how to delve beneath the hood of a game and make it purr. The astounding work carried out by The Sims 3 modding community marks it out as a game with appeal for the dedicated PC aficionado.

At least not until modders start engineering their elaborate designs. Even though the active house isn’t the only that exists at any one time, as was the case in the earlier games, there’s not a lot going on elsewhere. However, the connected, always living neighbourhood of the third game isn’t quite what it should be in the original release. While that accusation could be levelled at the first two games, The Sims 3 is at the very least a glorified dollsneighbourhood, which makes it sound like the nightmare I had last night. Among those who are averse to it, many believe that it simply isn’t a game for them, being little more than a glorified dollshouse. It's an odd series, alienating many and appealing to countless more.

The Sims has long been a fascinating piece of software, in many ways experimental and exploratory, and supporting a type of creative play that is rare to find.

I have it on good authority that many current ranking members of the Armed Forces also like to play wargames. The ones who like Hollyoaks and reality TV, and feast on swirling and scurrilous rumours about Brangelina.Įxcept that’s a load of old rubbish, like claiming that games with guns only appeal to violent sociopaths or wargames only appeal to retired colonels. Oh no! It’s for girls! And not even the good type of girls.

The sims 3 game mods