People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals have released a yearly review of sorts, detailing people and products that have done their part for animal rights – the Proggy Awards. The Sims 3 has been chosen as their Proggy recipient for Most Animal-Friendly Game of 2009. This is because players are given the option to choose a vegetarian lifestyle, and are rewarded for it with greater health and longevity. Just like in the real world, your vegetarian Sim’s gut flora adapt and make the character sick if they succumb to the craving for a burger.

I’ve been a vegetarian for more than half my life now, and I’m still not sure I understand this sort of mentality. On the one hand, it’s always nice to feel acceptance. But on the flip-side, we’re talking video games here, not reality. Just as my love of a good FPS is not fueled by any real-world love of guns and mayhem, just as we play games like Grand Theft Auto because we know we shouldn’t really go around stealing cars and plowing down pedestrians, we understand as gamers that what’s on the screen isn’t real – it’s an escape from reality where anything goes and nobody gets hurt. So I guess Sims 3 deserves a bit of recognition, but I’m personally going to continue playing Duck Hunt, ignoring the vegetarian challenge in NetHack, and keeping my video-game world and my real world wholly separate.

PETA via GamaSutra

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Sigh. My how the Sims have changed. It used to be the most fun I could have on the game was decorating my home down to every last detail with the attentive finesse the likes of which Martha Stewart has never seen. That, and drowning the kids in the pool (ah, domestic bliss).

Taking the customization craze one step further, the makers of Sims 3 have released an official terrain editor. Users can design an entire world from a blank canvas, use Photoshop (or other programs) to create their own items, and use content from World Adventures and The Sims Store to make a one of a kind creation to play and share with friends.

Don’t forget to visit the official website and download the new update, which will allow you to shop from The Sims Store from within the game. A gallery of screenshots is available below.

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Sims 3 Official Site

EA’s The Sims Studio is putting the power of world creation directly into The Sims 3 players’ hands! Available today as a free download on www.TheSims3.com, The Sims™ 3 Create a World Tool – BETA allows players to create and share unique new worlds that they design. Registered The Sims 3 players will be able to step into the shoes of The Sims 3 development team by using the same robust world-building tools the team uses to create worlds and towns for The Sims 3. This massive, creative tool allows players to design and build entire worlds for their Sims or begin their creations with pre-made Sunset Valley or Riverview terrains. Once players are satisfied with their brand new world, they can then share their creations online through The Sims 3 Exchange. The tool allows for endless creative possibilities and countless new stories to be told using a brand new world, designed by the players, as the canvas!

FEATURES

· Design Entire Worlds – Players can choose terrain patterns, vegetation and neighborhood accents like water towers and lighthouses, then place lots and roads to create something totally unique.

· Players Choice – Players can start with a blank canvas, or modify the terrains that formed the basis of Sunset Valley or Riverview.

· For Advanced Designers – Those with design skills can bring creativity to life by creating and importing designs from Photoshop and other programs into their world.

· Trees Galore! – Combine objects and items from The Sims 3 World Adventures expansion pack or items from The Sims 3 Store to create a one of a kind landscape.

· Share with the World – Created worlds can be shared and downloaded through The Sims 3 Exchange. Sims players will now have additional worlds to choose from beyond the extra town of Riverview, which has been downloaded 2MM times.

The Sims 3 Create a World Tool – BETA is a robust tool for avid Sims players that want to expand their gameplay experience and create an entire world. Players can build anything from mesas, mountains, and waterfalls to their favorite The Sims 2 neighborhood, their own home town, or even the Moon! A walk-through guide is located here to help players get started creating their own worlds. Now The Sims 3 players can be game designers and take their creativity to a whole new level.

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That Nelly Furtado, what a good sport. I don’t know how I’d feel about having a Sims version of myself, but then, I ain’t Nelly. She’d probably look fantastic in any form. I, on the other hand, would be thanking the Maker that computer animation is the ultimate ab air-brusher!

Above is the Sims 3-animated music video for Nelly’s Simlish version of “Manos Al Aire” (Hands In The Air, for us gringos). Be sure to check out the other video, featuring FeFe Dobson, Matt & Kim (“Daylight”!), Nelly Furtado herself and Australian artist Pixie Lott talk Sims 3 and what its like to record a single in Simlish.

Sims 3: World Adventure debuts tomorrow, November 17.

TheSims Official YouTube Channel

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My fellow Sims expansion junkies, rejoice! The first Sims 3 expansion is on its way and its going world wide.

Sims 3 World Adventures takes our character to the far reaches of the earth as they learn new skills and see glorious new sights, from nectar making in France to relic hunting in Egypt. Users who register online can also get a free Explorer’s Loot Set and 1,000 points to spend in the Sims 3 store.

The expansion pack will also include a batch of new music from over a dozen artists, from Nelly Furtado and Leann Rimes to Matt & Kim and Fefe Dobson. If you haven’t bought a copy of Sims 3 yet, be sure to pick up the Holiday Collector’s Edition, which features adds some holiday themed items to your Sims 3 universe. The fun starts November 17.

EA’s The Sims Studio is pleased to announce that The Sims™ 3 World Adventures*, the first expansion pack to the #1 best-selling PC game of calendar 2009**, The Sims 3, has gone gold for the PC and Mac and will be available on November 17, 2009 in North America and will be in stores worldwide in 60 countries and in 22 languages the same week.

Sims can now go on the journey of a lifetime in The Sims 3 World Adventures. They can run from mummies in Al Simhara, Egypt, fill the sky with fireworks purchased from locals in Shang Simla, China and master the art of nectar-making in France. Along the way, they can capture the funny, scary and exciting moments while using the brand new photography skill. Once they have completed their quests players can bring their treasures home with them to reminisce and share. When players register their copy of the PC/Mac version of the game online, they will receive exclusive extra game content with the Explorer’s Loot Set and 1,000 SimPoints*** to be used in The Sims 3 Store to customize their game with additional in-game items.

The Sims fans around the world will be rockin’ out to new Simlish music in The Sims 3 World Adventures Expansion Pack. Over a dozen artists will lend their Simlish voice stylings to the game including GRAMMY Award-winners Nelly Furtado and LeAnn Rimes plus hot rising stars Matt + Kim, Fefe Dobson, Pixie Lott, Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head, Katie Melua, Esmee Denters, Young Punx!, Evan Taubenfeld, Madina Lake, and more.

The Sims 3 World Adventures will be available for purchase on November 17 at retail and online through digital distribution at http://eastore.ea.com/. To pre-order the game visit www.thesims3.com/game/ep1/order.

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