Lot assignment

Lot assignments control the number and types of Sims that visit a lot in The Sims 3 and its expansion packs. They can also cause moodlets to appear, boosting moods or skill building. Every lot in the game has an assignment. Assignments can be set for a unique world using the Create a World tool, they are preset in premade neighborhoods, but can be changed using Edit Town. Rabbit holes also change lot assignments. Some assignments are locked for use in-game, or can only be used in certain sub-neighborhoods.

Residential
Residential is one of the two primary lot categories. Sims can live on residential lots.

Assignments in the residential category

 * Non-Player Sims Only lot (Adventure destination only)
 * Ownable lot (Adventure destination only)
 * Residential lot
 * Apartment lot (Base world only)

Community
Community is one of the two primary lot categories. Community lots serve a variety of purposes.

Assignments in the community category

 * Base game
 * Art gallery
 * Beach
 * Big park
 * Big shop (CAW only)
 * Fishing spot
 * Garden (CAW only)
 * Graveyard
 * Library
 * Gym
 * No visitors allowed (unassigned, NPCs will not visit unless invited)
 * Pool
 * Small park
 * Small shop (CAW only)
 * Visitors allowed (unassigned, NPCs will visit)


 * World Adventures
 * Academy
 * Base camp (Adventure destination only)
 * Chinese garden
 * Hidden tomb (CAW only)
 * Landmark tomb
 * Market (Adventure destination only)
 * Nectary
 * Small market (Adventure destination only)


 * Ambitions
 * Consignment store
 * Fire station
 * Hangout
 * Junkyard
 * Junkyard with no visitors
 * Laundromat
 * Salon


 * Late Night
 * Dance club
 * Disco club
 * Dive bar
 * Exclusive lounge
 * Fusion lounge
 * Local watering hole
 * Poolside club
 * Sports bar
 * Vampire lounge


 * Pets
 * Cat jungle
 * Dive bar criminal (hidden)
 * Dog park
 * Equestrian center
 * Horse ranch
 * Pet store (requires Pet Shop register object)


 * Showtime
 * Big show venue
 * Coffeehouse
 * Live show venue
 * Private venue


 * Supernatural
 * Elixir consignment store
 * Supernatural hangout


 * Seasons
 * Festival grounds


 * University Life
 * Arcade
 * Java hut
 * Dormitory (University world only)
 * Fraternity (University world only)
 * Group science park (University world only)
 * Nerd shop
 * Rebel hangout
 * Sorority (University world only)
 * Student union
 * University hangout

Assignments set by objects
Some rabbit holes, like the supermarket and bookstore do not have associated assignments.
 * Day Spa (set by Spa rabbit hole objects)
 * City Hall (set by City Hall rabbit hole objects)
 * Hospital (set by Hospital rabbit hole objects)
 * Restaurant (set by the Diner and Bistro rabbit hole objects)
 * Stadium (set by the Stadium rabbit hole objects)
 * Theatre (set by Theatre rabbit hole objects

Map Tags
Map tags in The Sims 3 are clickable, interactive buttons that spring up from the birds-eye view when in Map View. Map tags can relate to a variety of lots and sims. Map tags also generate for opportunities and adventures. Community lot tags are a deep blue color. A lighter blue tag represents a player's selected sim's place of work (exception with professions and certain careers). Lighter, cyan colored tags usually represent a specified rabbit hole, specifically places a sim may work. A green tag represents the player's household he is currently playing. If there is a PlumbBob above the map tag, a player's selected sim is at that current location (for example if the sims is in the theatre it will show a plumbob above the theatre tag). Bright, vibrant tags represent opportunites involving opportunites, professions (see The Sims 3: Ambitions), or actions that are not particularlly related to game play such as Neighborhood Pet Adoption (see The Sims 3: Pets). Less bright orange tags represent another sims' dwelling. These map tags only appear when a player's selected sim has met a sim of the household. Red tags represent commercial areas such as schools, bistros, diners, subways (see The Sims 3: Late Night), jails, and grocery stores.