New items
When you open the buy-mode for the first time, you will probably get a bit disappointed by the amount of new stuff.
A lot of the new items are linked to the new careers and skills. There is also one new feature every one really wanted to have. Now you can do your laundry! This is one of those little enhancements that make the game even more complete. There are also some items to match this new option. But if you do not feel like doing the laundry, just do not buy anything that has to do with this; a simple but effective way to make this an optional choice.
The amount of new furniture is just to sparse. But the new furniture, that is in the game, is really nice and easily to combine with the items that were already in the game.
Fortunately, you can create and get new items by inventing, sculpting and time traveling. When you do so you will get a number of new items. In the end, you will get more new stuff in your game in this way.
That is how I got a real, old book. My sim went time traveling and brought it with him. You can use it like any other book, read it or even sell it. Sometimes my sim was wearing new clothing, ones you cannot find when you create a sim.
Inventing can also give you various of other items; toys and machines for example. Again, you cannot find these items at the buy-mode.
When your sim is a sculptor you will get a lot of new sculptures you just cannot buy. But that is not the only thing you can create. You can also make new furniture. In this way you get a lot of new items, but first you need to sculpt them.
This element of new items adds a kind of excitement. What kind of sculpture will your sim create this time? What will my sim bring from the past or the future? You can also go to the consignment store to see if there are new items. There is a new stock every day, so stop by every time you can.
Basicaly, there are a lot of new items in the game. The amount that is available right after installation is kept to small, though.
New opportunities and wishes
About this subject I can be really brief. This expansion pack will give you a lot of new opportunities. Every one of them is connected to the new skills and careers. It still is important to fulfill these so you can buy Lifetime Rewards and in order to keep your sim smiling and happy.
Just like everything else, these seven new Lifetime Rewards are linked to one of the new careers. All of them have a positive influence and give you small bonuses. I really like the ‘My Best Friend’ reward. With this reward you will get a male or female SimBot, that will be added to your household.
Another nice thing to mention are the new socials your sims get. Which ones your sim will get depends on the career and skills of your sim. When your sim is Eco Friendly he would like to talk about how to save water. A ghost buster wants to show off with his gadgets. Talking about the environment made my sim make a lot of friends.
Time traveling
My personal favorite is to send my sim of to time travel. It is true that you will see a lot of the same stories, but it is always exciting not to know, what influence this journey has in the present.
I got a pleasant surprise when my single Sim went to the past and when he came back he brought a daughter with him. I did not chose any action to get a daughter or anything. But at least I was lucky he came back with the same traits; sometimes these change when you time travel.
Once when my sim was time traveling, he became a best friend from another family in the present, this because he helped someone in the past. Sims also take items from the past or the future. Every time my sim is time traveling I am wondering what he will bring. I really recommend everyone to get their sim time traveling.
SimBot
We already mentioned it a couple of times, the SimBot. This is the robot of The Sims 3. But SimBot is much better than the robots that proceeded him.
If you want a SimBot you can ‘simply’ invent it yourself. You can do so if you get some opportunities, which an inventor gets. But if your sim is not an inventor you can also get it as a lifetime reward. What happens when you get a SimBot?
A SimBot will become a part of your Household like any other would, complete with its needs, an own name and the surname of your family. The SimBot does not need a shower. When your SimBot comes in contact with water it will short-circuit him out. You can repair your SimBot, though. When you do so you can also give him new traits by reprogramming him. Your SimBot is really good in repairing things himself as well.
You will never see a SimBot running, it uses its jet engine to get somewhere fast. You should pay attention to the SimBot walk, it is a really funny animation. The Simbot can learn the same skills as your sim can, it can be a self employed or apply for a career. In short, a SimBot is just like a sim. Just like … it still is a machine when it mourns over a television or a computer which is broken down; a really fun thing to see.
I really love SimBot and I want one for all my families.
Page 1: Introduction and Twinbrook
Page 2: Create a Sim, Build mode and change neighborhood
Page 3: Jobs, Skills en shop specialized in recycled goods
Page 4: New items, time travelling and SimBot (The page you are right now)
Page 5: Bugs, pros and cons and conclusion