The Sims 2 Pre-Release News Archives!

(older archives about TS2 from February 2004 to September 2004)

NOTE: This is the archived Sims 2 information we regularly posted in anticipation for the release of the game. Now that it's released, that section was discontinued and replaced with the new section at www.sims2.simslice.com. We kept this infomation for you in case you wanted to read some history about the game release.


Simslice (lawfully) received proprietary updates, and pre-released information regarding the upcoming game The Sims 2. This was typically the "inside scoop" given to us directly from Maxis, often even before they themselves published it:

Access to our new Sims 2 section!September 27, 2004:

Our new Sims 2 section is open, with nine new downloads! This page will be discontinued and moved over to the new section in the near future. For more details about our Sims 2 offerings, visit http://sims2.simslice.com

 


September 20, 2004:

The Sims 2 has been released! You can get it in stores or online now. We will be updating our pages soon to reflect content for both The Sims™ and The Sims 2™. We will also have our first Sims 2 downloads posted here next week. Our Sims 2 Skinning Contest has also been extended for two more weeks, so please check it out if you want to try your hand at the new way of skinning!


September 15, 2004:

Create-A-Sim, as it's found in The Sims 2 game, will contain tons of additional hairstyles, clothes, makeup and other items to help you tweak your Sim to perfection in the game or use these assets to create your own versions in The Sims 2 Body Shop.

What's more, there's a suite of sweet new features in the version of The Sims 2 Body Shop, included in the shipping product, to allow you greater control in making the Sim of your dreams. Tapping the F3 key will now toggle between "free camera" and "set camera" modes. Once you're in free camera mode, you can use these mouse controls to view your Sim from every angle:

  • Click + Drag The Left Mouse Button - this combination orbits the camera around the head of your Sim.
  • Click + Drag The Right Mouse Button - controls zoom
  • Click + Drag Left + Right Buttons Simultaneously - Alters the center point the camera is focused on.
  • < and > buttons - Rotates the Sim.

Below you can download even more tips: The Sims 2 Prima Guide for Body Shop (instructions) to help you create your Sim just the way you want.

Click here to download the Sims 2 Prima Guide for Body Shop (2.69mb zipped)


August 30, 2004:

This is a musical track that Mark Mothersbaugh wrote for the credits of the upcoming The Sims 2 game:

Click here to hear it (in mp3 format, 940kb)

BRIEF BIO: Mark Mothersbaugh's music career spans more than thirty years, way back to 1972 when he first formed the electro-pop ironist oddity, Devo. More recently, he has been enjoying a career as a film and television composer. You can hear his handiwork in many places, such as kid-friendly shows like Pee-Wee's Playhouse, or The Rugrats. Mark has also crafted adult-themed scores for indie-film auteur Wes Anderson's films Bottle Rocket and Rushmore, provided the audio accompaniment for Adam Sandler's Happy Gilmore, among others.


August 23, 2004:

Sims 2 Bloopers! These images (and one video) were saved by Maxis staff for their (and your) amusement. These are humerous quirks that popped up during the design/testing process of The Sims 2. Maxis stated they've since been fixed and won't be in the final release, but these images were saved & passed around by Maxis staff just for laughs. The descriptions below come right from Maxis with pic links at the end... including a rather unusual "juggling" video at the bottom ;)

"Sometimes you get a double-decker blooper, like this one, which caused some traffic problems for this hapless bus driver. Fortunately, the students he was ferrying to school will make excellent eyewitnesses, due to their unobstructed view of the whole incident." Click here to see the pic.

"Sometimes problems will pop up that muck about with the collision detection in the game, and Sims stop interacting with their world in believable ways. This Sim has found a novel way to determine whether or not the fridge light stays on once the door is closed." Click here to see the pic.

"The Sims has always been on the cutting edge of allowing players to create worlds where they can let their inner self shine, but this is just ridiculous!" Click here to see the pic.

"This one is creepy. Just. Plain. Creepy." Click here to see the pic.

"Here's what happens when a rogue software engineer has other plans for that quiet, romantic hot-air-balloon ride for two that you had planned." Click here to see the pic.

"Did your Momma ever say to that you've got a head like a hole?" Click here to see the pic.

"And here's a few more just to show you what other sorts of code-based bloopers we've seen along the way:"

So Playful Pic | Monkey Lady Pic | CaSIE Bug Blooper Pic

Kit And Caboodle Video (3.7 mb)


August 16, 2004:

Ever had a bad day? Well nothing is going right for this Sim! See a movie preview of this poor guy in The Sims 2. The movie was made by Maxis using their upcoming "The Sims 2 Movie Maker". Two versions of this video are below. Those using slower dial-up connections might prefer downloading the smaller 2.8 MB version:

Friday the 13th Video (10.9 MB version) | Friday the 13th Video (2.8 MB version)


August 9, 2004:

Three new pre-released screenshots for the upcoming The Sims 2 game. The theme is... parties!

Screenshot #1 | Screenshot #2 | Screenshot #3


August 2, 2004:

The following comes from Maxis regarding ethical standards with regards to user-made content for The Sims 2, followed by four new pre-released screen shots:

"Our [Maxis] goal, upon kicking off The Sims 2, was to further integrate the accessibility and ease of use of custom content so that it positively impacts more players of The Sims 2 than we were able to reach in the original The Sims. ... We have, however, heard your concerns about how to better promote strong ethical standards within the community and to help the creators maintain their identity in connection with the assets they create. ... So, based on some of your direct feedback as well as via the forums you host on your sites, I wanted to give you some insights into steps we are taking to address some of your concerns.

Here's some of the features that we plan for the full Exchange site which ties with our launch date…

1. The shipping version of The Sims 2 Body Shop will support longer tool tips and we'll expose that information on The Sims 2 website. The tool tip character limit will be 40 characters (instead of the current 16 character limit) and will be associated with the custom part. It can include URLs that will appear as hot links on the website. So a player browsing the site could click on your tool tip and open a window to your website to see more. We hope that this addresses creator credit as well as leveraging the Exchange as a means to bring traffic to the community sites as well.

2. We will indicate the parts of a Sim that are original to that uploaded Sim. For instance, if you create new eye shadow for your Sim and are the first to upload it to TheSims2.com, that new eye shadow will be acknowledged as the original eye shadow. Many of the complaints have been about users who just pull down a Sim and re-upload it as their own, so this should automatically credit the original part's creator, as long as the part is not modified.

3. The creator's user name will appear next to any customized parts of the Sim. Please see the attached mock-up of a Sim detail page to get a basic idea of how this might look.

4. We are also planning on offering the ability to upload screenshots which will allow the creator's to highlight their creations better. This may not be ready at launch, but is a planned feature that should roll out shortly after launch.

And some specific enhancements to The Sims 2 Body Shop…

We've added a "free camera" mode to The Body Shop which allows skinners to view their Sims from every angle and at every level of detail. This new functionality, combined with functions like the "bind pose" F6 key, or the F7/F8 zoom keys (all of which are already available in the current version of The Body Shop) makes The Body Shop the powerful customization tool that you, the user community, demanded it be. Also, just in case you've managed get tired of it, you'll be able to drop in your own images and replace The Body Shop backdrop with any picture you'd like."

Screenshot #1 | Screenshot #2 | Screenshot #3 | Screenshot #4


July 26, 2004:

Interested in hearing a preview of the next generation of "Simmish"? Below are several sound files of voices that will be used in The Sims 2 (check out #111 - that's my personal favorite!) ;) Read more information about this endeavor (below the sound links) from Claire Curtin, one of the Game Designers, and Robi Kauker, the Audio Lead:

Simmish Sounds #107 | Simmish Sounds #108 | Simmish Sounds #109 | Simmish Sounds #110
Simmish Sounds #111 | Simmish Sounds #112 | Claire Curtin Pic | Robi Kauker Pic

"With all the new updates and gameplay options in The Sims 2, there are several features that players of the original The Sims will recognize. One of the cornerstones of the Sims identity is the gibberish language we call Simlish. This time Simlish is back, with new voices representing each of the age ranges. We've included a few samples to give you a sneak preview.

A quick bit of Simlish history: when The Sims was originally designed, Will Wright wanted the language the Sims spoke to be unrecognizable but full of emotion. That way, every player could construct their own story without being confined to a Maxis-written script (to say nothing of the mind-numbing repetition). We experimented with fractured Ukrainian (one of the original The Sims designers was a native speaker), and the Tagalog language of The Philippines. Will even suggested that perhaps we base the sound on Navajo, inspired by the code talkers of WWII. None of those languages allowed us the sound we were looking for - so we opted for complete improvisation, originated and performed by some SF Bay Area professional actors whose specialty was improv; Stephen Kearin and Gerri Lawlor.

So now it is five years since Simlish was born, and the tradition is carried on by an additional nine actors performing all the age range voices: baby, toddler, child, teen, adult and elder. The auditions were held January through May 2003 with over 100 actors from SF and LA trying out. We selected a highly talented cast and quickly got them to work recording many full 8 hour days, recording voice to over a hundred animations a day, resulting in thousands of takes a day.

With such a huge amount of voice data -- 40,620 samples at the moment -- our pre- and post- production processes have been streamlined to get the voice into the game so it can be listened to, assessed and either re-recorded (in rare cases) or hacked (constructed out of similar-sounding files) . Currently there are at least six Maxoids dedicated to getting the sound effects and voice in the game.

And even though I said Simlish is not a language per se, there are some common words that we directed all the actors to perform. If you listen closely, you'll hear a word that means baby (nooboo), another for pizza (chumcha), and another phrase said during the Dirty Joke interaction that isn't exactly defined, but just seemed to fit. That one was invented by Liz Mamorsky, our elder female voice."

Maishuno!


July 19, 2004:

Click here to see the screenshot

This edited screenshot was submitted by Chase, and it uses colored highlights to show key gameplay functions & features expected in The Sims 2.

Note: The "relationship" section (indicated by the pink rectangle) might be the new "aspirations" or "goals" indicator (thanks to forum member Kutto for the tip).


July 12 , 2004:

Eight new unreleased screenshots of The Sims 2:

July 4th Screenshot | Custom Content Screenshot #1 | Custom Content Screenshot #2 |
Custom Content Screenshot #3 | Custom Content Screenshot #4 |
Haunting Screenshot #1 | Haunting Screenshot #2 | Haunting Screenshot #3


June 29, 2004:

Maxis has announced new information about how user-made content will be introduced into the upcoming Sims 2 game. Click here to read all about it in our forums.


June 19, 2004:

Be the first to download this pre-released video sample from The Sims 2! Playing time is about 1 minute. The theme is.... romance!

Download High Resolution Video | Download Low Resolution Video


June 7, 2004:

Download two new Sims 2 wallpapers! Choose the size that best fits your setup. If you don't know your monitor resolution, PC users can right click on their desktop, select Properties, then Settings to check.

Wallpaper #1 (800x600 resolution) | Wallpaper #1 (1024x768 resolution) | Wallpaper #1 (1680x1050 resolution)

Wallpaper #2 (800x600 resolution) | Wallpaper #2 (1024x768 resolution) | Wallpaper #2 (1680x1050 resolution)

The official Sims 2 logo has changed, and an updated fansite kit is available on the official Sims 2 site. Don't forget to pick up a copy of The Sims 2 Body Shop while you're there and start skinning today for the new game!


June 1, 2004:

Four new pre-released screenshots from the upcoming The Sims 2™ game:

Screenshot #1 | Screenshot #2 | Screenshot #3 | Screenshot #4


May 24, 2004:

A Sims 2 Story written by Maxis staff
(below also are 9 new pre-released pics of the recent E3 event as well as screenshots for this story):

Screenshot #1 | Screenshot #2 | Screenshot #3 | Screenshot #4 | Screenshot #5 |
Screenshot #6 | Screenshot #7 | Screenshot #8 | Screenshot #9

Their Story:

"The story begins at the birthday party of Don Baxter's son. Friends and family have all gathered by the Baxter's pool to celebrate. Don's old flame, Dina, is in attendance, and good ol' Don, whose life aspirations center squarely on romance, is eager to chat up Dina and perhaps rekindle that old flame. Sarah, Don's wife, naturally has other plans. Her life aspirations focus on her family - she just wants to make sure her son has a great birthday party, and that all remains happy and healthy in the Baxter household. So when Sarah's sister, Virginia, stumbles upon Don and Dina locked in a romantic embrace in the pool cabana, things take a turn for the worse. Virginia, ever the dutiful sister, runs straight away to tell Sarah what she saw. Sarah is devastated by her husband's infidelity. The dust really begins to fly in a knockdown, drag-out fight between Dina and Virginia, who fiercely upholds her sister's honor.

This was just one story we [Maxis] showed at the [E3] show, since it would have taken all day to show the entire game. Nonetheless, it gave attendees a sense of the myriad of gameplay moments that are waiting to unfold when the game ships on September 17, 2004."


May 3, 2004:

Music In The Sims 2 -- There should be more than thirty original tracks laid down for the new game, plus the ability for players to use their own mp3s as before. Maxis gave us pre-released sample musical tracks for the Sims 2 game in mp3 format -- download it here for a listen.


April 26, 2004:

Five pre-released screenshots showing garden/yard environments... and even a neighborhood screen!

Screenshot #1 | Screenshot #2 | Screenshot #3 | Screenshot #4 | Screenshot #5


April 12, 2004:

In The Sims 2, you can keep your Sims fit and svelte by making them a career athlete. Dress them up in track-suits or leggings, and send them for a run, or have them pay a visit to the gym, and work out some aggression on the punching bag. Whether the goal is a shapely silhouette for that itsy-bitsy summer bikini your Sim has her eye on, or that flash new sports car you plan on buying with your career earnings, Sim athleticism is one of many ways you can achieve greatness in The Sims 2.

Check out these great screenshots of Sims-in-training:

Screenshot #1 | Screenshot #2 | Screenshot #3

This one is not as new, so I don't know if it's pre-released anymore. It's a pic of the concept art located at the new entry way leading to Maxis' new offices in Redwood Shores:

Sims Workspace Mural Pic


March 16, 2004:

Two brand new, unreleased screenshots:

Screenshot #1 | Screenshot #2


February 30, 2004:

This week we've added two more pre-released items: a new musical track from The Sims 2 and new screenshots:

This filmstrip below tells a brief (and mildly disturbing) Sims 2 story about the telescope and a Sim using it to scope out another Sim:

Telescope mayhem

Also in The Sims 2, you'll be able to include your favorite mp3 tracks, and play them through the stereo in the game. In game "simmish" stations will also be available, including similar musical syles as before, plus a few new categories such as : R&B, Salsa, Bluegrass, and Heavy Metal. Here is a sample track of one of the (somewhat) romantic tunes:

Spring lovin' tunes


February 27, 2004:

For now, here are four of the newest screen shots that you may or may not have seen before:

Image #1 | Image #2 | Image #3 | Image #4

The Sims 2 will also have a series of new objects and design tools that should allow for a variety of game customizations. Click below to visit even more screen shots from The Sims 2 Official Site:

http://thesims2.ea.com/screens.php



System Requirements for The Sims 2:

They are listed on the official site here: http://thesims2.ea.com/
But if you want a fast and simple alternative.....try this really cool program made by Jud Hudson at Sim Programs: The Sims 2 System Requirements Detector -- this will analyze your computer and tell you if you meet the requirements. Very clever!

 

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