'The Sims' return with more personality quirks

May 22, 2009 By DERRIK J. LANG , AP Entertainment Writer 'The Sims' return with more personality quirks (AP)

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In this video image released by Electronic Arts, a scene is shown from "The Sims 3." (AP Photo/Electronic Arts)

(AP) -- Maybe it's neat, childish, lucky, ambitious and insane - just depends on what traits gamers choose for their neighborhood of virtual playthings in "The Sims 3," Electronic Arts and Maxis' popular life-simulating game for the PC and Mac.

Executive producer Ben Bell said it will focus more on than ever before.

"'The Sims 3' is a huge step forward for us," said Bell. "You can create incredibly detailed people who have real personalities that you get to design using a feature we call . By combining words, you can create a new kind of a person that has totally different desires in life and then you get to go fulfill their destiny in the game."

Unlike previous editions in the series, every character will live their lives simultaneously in the fictional town of Sunset Valley.

Bell said "The Sims 3," available June 3, will also feature a moviemaking tool and more options for players to customize their Sims' homes, furnishings and clothes. Gamers can even turn their Sims into kleptomaniacs.

"A Sim who has this trait is going to have wishes in life to steal things from other people," said Bell. "They also have the ability to sneak into a friend's house, walk into a room where nobody happens to be hanging out and maybe swipe something. One of the fun things I've seen people on the team do is build up a whole household of stolen things."

In perhaps a case of life imitating art, a pirated copy of "The Sims 3" has reportedly already been leaked on several file-sharing Web sites two weeks before the game's launch. has announced it is publishing "The Sims 3" without restrictive anti-piracy software known as DRM, a form of copy protection that requires online authentication.

---

On the Net:

http://thesims3.ea.com

©2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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  • hooloovoo - May 22, 2009
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    Thanks for that PhysOrg, advertising is exactly what I want to see on a news website. Seriously, I'm not sure why I keep coming here...

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