Object limiter

An object limiter is present in all console versions of The Sims. The object limiter limits the number of objects that can be placed in a house, and warns the player if nearing the limit. Starting with The Sims 2, the game will compensate for going over the limit by setting one of the items in the house on fire (The Sims 2 Castaway). In The Urbz: Sims in the City, however, objects are not set on fire if the player goes over the limit.

The object limiter was created so the lots don't take much time to load and the game can perform well on the console hardware.

Console games are usually limited to about 100-150 objects

Object limiters are not present in Windows and Mac OS X games as consoles tend to have less memory. For example, the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 both have 512MB of RAM (with the PS3 having its RAM split between two 256 MB chips). The Sims 3 on PC/Mac requires 1/1.5GB of RAM. As this is much more memory than the console, The Sims 3 for console has the object limiter due to the smaller amount of RAM whereas the Windows/Mac OS X version doesn't.

Although Windows and Mac OS X have no object limit, the games will slow if there is a lot of objects and Sims loaded (The Sims 2 and The Sims Stories resolve this by allowing objects on inactive floors to be hidden). Windows and Mac OS X can support up to 2,500 walls and 2,500 objects but that number is not legitimately possible aside from in The Sims 3 Generations where the player can legally have 8 Sims, a 60x60 lot, 9 floors and about 500 objects which is legitimately possible.

Trivia

 * Windows and Mac OS X have no object limit but there is a Sim limit. The game only allows up to 8 Sims
 * In The Sims 2 for PSP, the object limiter is known as Feng Shui. However, it simply does not allow the player to buy more stuff, rather than setting the object on fire.
 * It was also used in The Sims, The Sims Bustin' Out and the GBA version of Pets.
 * The object limiter in The Sims 3 for console is similar to the Feng Shui although it is still refered to as the object limiter.
 * For unknown reasons, In The Urbz: Sims in the City, the object limiter is referred as the Fire Code. This was retained in The Sims 2, The Sims 2 Pets and The Sims 3.
 * If a GBA/DS game is played on Windows using an Emulator, there will still be an object limit regardless of system.