Unleashed Chat Transcripts

We would like to thank everyone that showed up to the Unleashed chat event yesterday. We have posted the transcripts in the About Unleashed FAQ area for those of you that were unable to make it.

Go To Chat Transcripts

maxisdevinoch says, Howdy everyone! Thanks for coming out to our chat today. My name's Devinoch, and I'm the Community Manager for The Sims. With us we have Jonathan Knight, Producer of Unleashed and Jenna Chalmers, Designer of Unleashed. Say hello to everyone!

maxisjenna says, Hi all maxisjenna bows gracefully.

maxisdevinoch says, We're going to start answering questions, so feel free to keep submitting them. Ready you two?

jonathanknight {public msg} Ready!

maxisjenna says, I'm ready!
maxisjenna says, Yippee!

maxisjenna says, I had a great time on this pack!
maxisjenna says, This is my favorite we've done

jonathanknight says, I'm sure you're all wondering....
jonathanknight says, So I'll just say it. "Unleashed" is due to stores...
jonathanknight says, on September 23rd. Yay!

maxisjenna says, Someone asked a question about "pet to pet" interactions....
maxisjenna says, and the answer is YES!
maxisjenna says, dogs and cats do lots of things together
maxisjenna says, play, fight, chase ...even snuggle!
jonathanknight says, I like the way they "greet" each other Sniff, sniff...

The speaker is presented with question #2 from managerjosh: What will the lot/house numbers of the new community lots be? Also, will you have to scroll through the neighborhoog screen or click a button to see the new lots, or will it all be stuffed on one screen?
maxisjenna says, heh

The speaker is presented with question #1 from Kewlboy: What is the difference between downtown and old town?
maxisjenna says, We used lot numbers 50-80 for the new lots...
maxisjenna says, The new larger neighborhood will be the first thing you see!
maxisjenna says, No need to push any buttons or scroll anywhere
maxisjenna says, Its all right there in front of you

The speaker is presented with question #2 from jaydog_the_ancient_gold_dragon: i heard there is this zoning thing in the neighborhoods. will there still be a downtown that sims go to?
maxisjenna says, Downtown is the area that comes with the "Hot Date" expansion
maxisjenna says, "Old Town" are the community lots that come in "Unleashed"
jonathanknight says, If you have Hot Date, your downtown will still be there, like always....
jonathanknight says, But in Unleashed, you have community lots in your expanded neighborhood...
jonathanknight says, and they can be parks, shops, or whatever you want....
jonathanknight says, You can even use most of your Hot Date objects...
jonathanknight says, in these new neighborhood community lots.

The speaker is presented with question #5 from jet4914: can pets raise a sims social bar?
jonathanknight says, Of course they can! That's one of the main reasons...
jonathanknight says, to have pets!

The speaker is presented with question #6 from coryahjire2002: will skin creators be able to make cat and dog skins for coustom breeds?
jonathanknight says, Absolutely. The skin format is a little different for pets....
jonathanknight says, ...the faces come in the same bitmap as the bodies, and...
jonathanknight says, ...stuff like that. But anyone who has made Sim skins...
jonathanknight says, ...will be able to figure it out pretty quick. We're really....
jonathanknight says, ...looking forward to seeing what the community does with...
jonathanknight says, ...custom pet skins!

The speaker is presented with question #7 from 4millie4: How will pet breeding work? will the offspring look like the parents?
maxisjenna says, Yes, dogs and cats can reproduce
maxisjenna says, The offspring will randomly look like one of their parents
maxisjenna says, (how cute is that!!)
maxisjenna says, Well, dogs and cats count as members of the family...and you have to have someone to take care of them...so i'd say 7...
maxisjenna says, but of course you can have more if you count non-family member pets like turtles and birds

The speaker is presented with question #49 from fatiguepudding: Will pets ever get fleas or other parasites?
jonathanknight says, ...but it didn't make it into the final design. We just felt that...
jonathanknight says, ...there were too many complications with pet diseases and stuff...
jonathanknight says, ...and there were more fun things to do with the pets anyway.
maxisjenna says, You do need to bathe your dog however...especially if you encounter a skunk!

The speaker is presented with question #32 from irishgirl43002: will my downloads work with unleashed?
maxisjenna says, Yup!

The speaker is presented with question #87 from kew1boy86: Can you buy a monkey as a pet?
maxisjenna says, The monkey is a friend of the organ grinder. I don't think he'd be willing to part with it.

The speaker is presented with question #86 from jet4914: can the skunk spray your pet?
maxisjenna says, Yup!

The speaker is presented with question #108 from danicast: I want to know if a sim moves, will they take the pets with him/her?
jonathanknight says, Pets are absolutely part of the family, so if you move, they will come with you.
maxisjenna says, Better have a dog bath ready

The speaker is presented with question #43 from gtomanthe2ed: how many breeds of cats and dogs are there
maxisjenna says, about a dozen cats and a dozen dogs or so
maxisjenna says, and of course, you can make moie

The speaker is presented with question #103 from osterhoot: Can the sims find strays and take them in?
maxisjenna says, more
jonathanknight says, Yes, strays will visit your lot... and if you're really good...
jonathanknight says, ...and can build a relationship with them, then you may get the...
jonathanknight says, ...chance to adopt them into your family.

The speaker is presented with question #102 from jet4914: can you spay or neuter your pet?
maxisjenna says, Or just buy two male (or female) dogs
maxisjenna says, or cats
jonathanknight says, Nope, but you if you get the chance to breed them, you can always say "no"
jonathanknight says, Yes, lots of pets AND pests! If you play with the gardening...
jonathanknight says, ...you'll find bunnies and gophers may give you some trouble....
jonathanknight says, We've also added mice, which your cat will "play with". And of course....
jonathanknight says, ...there's the skunk and the raccoon.

The speaker is presented with question #126 from managerjosh: Any new pests in Unleashed?
maxisjenna says, That darn "El Bandito" kept me up all night!

The speaker is presented with question #121 from ziggles_2: what is the french quarter set?
maxisjenna says, We did some awesome architecture and objects with the "french quarter" in mind...
maxisjenna says, The wrought iron fences and columns are really lovely
maxisjenna says, but my favorite has to be the new circular staircase!
maxisjenna says, there are also some great objects like velvet curtains and sofa

The speaker is presented with question #167 from fatiguepudding: Will the vegetables your sims grow provide enough food so that he/she does not have to buy a refrigerator?
maxisjenna says, The new music is awesome too!!!
maxisjenna says, Well...i suppose it depends how much you can work in the garden
maxisjenna says, You can also get chips from the pantry
maxisjenna says, but you'd have to eat an awful lot of them
maxisjenna says, to satisfy you completely

The speaker is presented with question #144 from mdog1357: will your pets be able to open doors?
maxisjenna says, Your pets have the same magical door opener the sims do

The speaker is presented with question #169 from winter1963: can u take your animal on vacation with you?
maxisjenna says, Absolutly!
maxisjenna says, they may even dig up a few surprises for you!

The speaker is presented with question #178 from irishgirl43002: Are there any new NPC's?
maxisjenna says, Yup.
maxisjenna says, The saxphone player is really neat.
maxisjenna says, there are sevel NPCs that can provide you with gameplay information
maxisjenna says, like the Gardener
maxisjenna says, the pet trainer
maxisjenna says, the pet show judge
maxisjenna says, and others

The speaker is presented with question #212 from duldie18: will each pet have its own personality or will they all have the same traits
jonathanknight says, Yes, pets come with random personalities when you adopt them...
jonathanknight says, Each one will have its own personality, and the traits are different than they are for sims.

The speaker is presented with question #52 from emidio: What are the kind of fishes you can have? What kind of aquariums?
jonathanknight says, We've added a fishbowl that comes with a goldfish that you buy separately...
maxisjenna says, but beware the hungry kitty

The speaker is presented with question #232 from tachiwaka13: Can you directly control the cats and dogs like you control your sims?
maxisjenna says, Not exactly...Just like pets in real life, simdogs and simcats have a mind of their own

The speaker is presented with question #267 from angelicbdevil: will the gardener take care of your veggies for you?
jonathanknight says, Nope, you're on your own with the vegetables. If you're lucky, though, your...
jonathanknight says, dog may help "fertilize"

The speaker is presented with question #257 from sophis: can you train pets to sit, shake, roll over etc?
jonathanknight says, There are a bunch of tricks that you can teach your pets...
jonathanknight says, Dogs and cats have seperate tricks. Some include Jump, Bounce, Play Dead....
jonathanknight says, The cat ones are my favorite... but I'll let you discover those when you get the game
maxisjenna says, The Pet Trainer can help you with these skills as well.

The speaker is presented with question #294 from silverkitty3k1: Is it possible for a cat to eat a bird in Unleashed if they are untrained?
maxisjenna says, Sure its possible...if they are hungry

The speaker is presented with question #344 from jaydog_the_ancient_gold_dragon: are there objects that enhance pet traits: like how the mirror increases a sim's charisma
maxisjenna says, There are lots of objects for the pets to use...
maxisjenna says, but the skills are build through interactions with the sims ( or the trainer)

The speaker is presented with question #132 from blemko: Can I play Unleashed if I don't have the other expansion packs?
jonathanknight says, Yes!

The speaker is presented with question #353 from gabriel_nunes: can the dogs drink from the toilet or make a mess?
jonathanknight says, Yes, they can drink from the toilet... and Yes, they make LOTS of messes.

The speaker is presented with question #367 from mouse_2k: can u feed ur pets off the plates food?
maxisjenna says, They will eat off the plate if its on the ground...
maxisjenna says, but you can't specifically give it to them

The speaker is presented with question #373 from kew1boy86: Are there leashes in the game?
jonathanknight says, Hmmm... it's called "Unleashed"... so I'm going to have to say "no"
maxisjenna says, You can get collars however

The speaker is presented with question #408 from mouse_2k: when u walk ur pets will there be other people with there pets?
maxisjenna says, Taking your pet to the park is lots of fun and a great way to meet other people with pets!

The speaker is presented with question #471 from soccerdude501: can dogs chase mail people
maxisjenna says, The dog may surprise the paper girl (its very funny) but the mail lady is safe. (sorry, you still have to pay those bills)

The speaker is presented with question #501 from winter1963: is there a pound that picks up stray or mistreated animals?
jonathanknight says, If you don't take care of your pets, they'll just run away...
jonathanknight says, If you don't take care of a newborn pet, then Animal Services will come take the newborn away.

The speaker is presented with question #523 from gogobun: Can animals walk up stairs?
maxisjenna says, Of course!
jonathanknight says, Spiral ones too!

The speaker is presented with question #525 from lahotboy28: do they have a snake for a pet?
maxisjenna says, You can have a really cool Iguana or a turtle... Check out the cool reptile house at the Pet Adoption Center

The speaker is presented with question #550 from freaksgeeks: What makes a pet happy?
jonathanknight says, Playing with your pet makes it happy...
jonathanknight says, Keeping them clean makes them happy...
jonathanknight says, And buying them chew toys from the petstore REALLY makes them happy.

The speaker is presented with question #477 from freaksgeeks: How long has Unleashed been in the making?
maxisjenna says, Gosh, months and months
maxisjenna smirks.

The speaker is presented with question #559 from the_quiet_kitty1: can you ever sell your pets?
maxisjenna says, You can sell the offsrping, and maybe even make a good profit if it comes from award winning parents

The speaker is presented with question #591 from tobydoo: Can you have a guard dog to chase the burglar away?
maxisjenna says, A well-trained dog will help protect your valuables

The speaker is presented with question #614 from glitters2001: The Sims Unleashed will also allow Sims to do some home gardening. What types of plants will Sims be able to grow and will different plants require different care?
maxisjenna says, You can grow carrots, lettuce, green bean or tomatos...
maxisjenna says, they all require water and weeding...
maxisjenna says, some produce one crop...
maxisjenna says, others more...
maxisjenna says, the seeds are different prices...so you'll have to decide whats best for your family
maxisjenna says, Remember carrots can bring extra "challanges"

The speaker is presented with question #642 from mighty_mouse007: how does zoning work?
jonathanknight says, There's a re-zone button on the toolbar at the neighborhood screen...
jonathanknight says, Click re-zone, and then click on a lot.... you'll get the choice to zone it as "residential" or....
jonathanknight says, "community". If there's something there, you'll need to bulldoze it, of course...
jonathanknight says, Once you've rezoned for "residential", then you can move families there...
jonathanknight says, For "community", you can build on it, and then go back to a family, pick up the phone, and....
jonathanknight says, ...take the shuttle to any of the community lots, and spend the day there.

The speaker is presented with question #693 from gwen_stefani_rocks: Can your pets catch on fire, or die ways that sims do?
maxisjenna says, Yes, better have that fire alarm installed or risk losing a pet

The speaker is presented with question #716 from mouse_2k: what sort of careers will there be? any new ones? (is there a vet?)
maxisjenna says, 5 new career tracks with 10 levels in each make (oh my gosh) 50 new jobs...
maxisjenna says, including a Vet!
maxisjenna says, the tracks are, Fashion, Education, Animal Care, Circus, and Culinary (yum!)

The speaker is presented with question #703 from williamboyer: will the pet trainer come to your house?
maxisjenna says, You can find the Pet Trainer anywhere you can adopt cats or dogs

The speaker is presented with question #687 from 4millie4: will dogs get into the garbage?
maxisjenna says, Yes and What a mess they make!!
maxisjenna says, But keep a pet happy and they will find less destructive ways to amuse themselves.

The speaker is presented with question #777 from irishgirl43002: Where do pets sleep?
maxisjenna says, Like pets in real life, in a variety of places....
maxisjenna says, We are giving you an assortment of beds, houses, and other objects made for pets...
maxisjenna says, but pets will also sleep on chairs or even a cozy spot on the floor

The speaker is presented with question #714 from freaksgeeks: What do Dogs eat?
maxisjenna says, Dog food of course!
maxisjenna says, or and pet treats too
maxisjenna says, those are good for travelling with a pet to a community lot for an extended period of time

The speaker is presented with question #639 from winter1963: Do we need to fence the animals in or will they get hit by cars?
maxisjenna says, If pets roam into the street, traffic will stop for them

The speaker is presented with question #897 from mcvoss: what kind of pet stuff can you get??
maxisjenna says, Most of the new objects in this pack are for pets so you will have plenty of shopping to do...
maxisjenna says, Some of my favorite pet objects are the wooden cat climbing house and the fancy bed
maxisjenna says, there are baths, toys, scratching posts, litter boxes
maxisjenna says, ...everything you need to keep your pets happy

The speaker is presented with question #902 from jadama: Does Unleashed use existing object catagories or will the comunity lots have new ones?
maxisjenna says, The community lots use the same sorts that Hot Date does
maxisjenna says, there is a new "Pet Sort" in the home catalog

The speaker is presented with question #983 from mcvoss: when you go down to the community lot will ALL of your pets come ?
maxisjenna says, yup. the whole family makes the trip with you....
maxisjenna says, dogs and kitties too

The speaker is presented with question #1004 from lilbnnyfoofoo: Can you catch the rabbits that get in your garden and keep them as pets? Or can you just buy a rabbit as your pet?
maxisjenna says, Bunnies are reserved for gardens. Plant lots of carrots and maybe a few will visit

The speaker is presented with question #1007 from fun_pony: can dogs dig up your yard?
maxisjenna says, If you don't provide anything fun for your dog to do, he will find his own entertainment...
maxisjenna says, including digging holes in the yard!

The speaker is presented with question #1074 from gogobun: WIll there be multiple spiral staircases or just one kind?
maxisjenna says, We are sending you three in "Unleashed"...
maxisjenna says, a wrought iron one the fit the "french quarter" theme and two nice wood one that will look lovely in the home or community

The speaker is presented with question #1054 from bradley5189: Can a cat and dog become friends?
maxisjenna says, Sure, just like real life, some kitties and doggies may grow to be friends

The speaker is presented with question #1139 from mf15: were any prebuilt houses added
maxisjenna says, Yes! With over 30 addition lots we thought we'd better help you out with the houses.
maxisjenna says, We also sent some new families to help populate the simworld

The speaker is presented with question #1091 from simfreak5288: How will the Dog Shows work?
maxisjenna says, (of course the Exchange can help you fill up the new neighborhood too)
maxisjenna says, I think the dog show may be one of the funniest moments in the game...
maxisjenna says, Take your pet o the community park and pay the fee to enter him/her in the pet show...
maxisjenna says, a variety of factor will help determine their chances of walking away with a big prize....
maxisjenna says, prepare your pet by training them and making sure they are in a good mood. ...
maxisjenna says, Although...its an entertaining experience either way

The speaker is presented with question #1219 from williamboyer: will the maid take care of the birds, fish, cat litter n' stuff
maxisjenna says, Yes, the maid can help clean up some of the chores that come with being a pet owner

maxisdevinoch says, And our last question is a repeat for those of you who missed the beginning of our chat...

The speaker is presented with question #1301 from simwolf123: What is the exact release date?
maxisjenna says, Look for it in stores around Sept 23!
maxisjenna says, The price will be similar to the other expansion packs
maxisjenna says, and Rated T for TEEN

simmasterfran: thank you Maxis for coming to answer all the questions

maxisdevinoch says, Thanks again to Jonathan Knight, the Producer of Unleashed, and Jenna Chalmers, Designer on Unleashed, for taking time out of their busy schedules to have this chat. Thanks again to everyone who showed up!

simmasterfran: it's always great to have nice people like you answering our questions

maxisjenna says, Thank you all for your questions!

maxisjenna says, See you next time!

maxisjenna says, Bye!

maxisdevinoch says, Thanks for coming! Have a great day folks!