Magazine

Magazines are items Sims can buy on community lots, and can read to increase their interest in a talking about a topic. The Sims 2: FreeTime also has magazines that Sims can subscribe to, and which increase enthusiasm in a hobby.

Magazines and Interests

In The Sims and The Sims 2, magazines that increase a Sim's interests can be bought on community lots. Each magazine has articles on 3 topics.

The Sims

In The Sims, magazines were added in the Hot Date expansion pack. When Sims return home, they will place any magazines they have on available surfaces, but this may not work if the magazine was not bought Downtown. As a Sim reads a magazine, a purplish bar will appear over his or her head. When the bar is full, an interest point has been gained. However, if the action is canceled while the bar is partially full, the game will treat the Sim as if he or she had gained the point, even though that point will not be shown when viewing the Sim's interests. Gaining an interest point in one subject will cause the Sim to lose an interest point in another, but if the bar is low enough when the action is canceled, the Sim may not lose an interest point.

Magazines in The Sims have a limited lifespan and will eventually become trash.

The Sims 2

In The Sims 2, magazines are part of the base game. If the inventory feature is present, they will be kept in inventory, otherwise they will be put somewhere when the Sim returns home. In The Sims 2, there is no progress bar when Sims read magazines, and they gain interest points much quicker than in The Sims. Before having a Sim read about an interest, players should make sure that interest is shown in the information panel, and keep an eye on it as the Sim reads, as that is the only way to track the Sim's progress. After the action is canceled, the Sim will continue to gain interest until he or she actually stops reading, and may gain one or two points during this time. At times, a Sim may simply glance at a magazine, then put it down. This will usually be enough for the Sim to gain an interest point.

In The Sims 2, as in The Sims, gaining an interest point in one subject will cause the Sim to lose an interest point in another.

List of Magazines

The Sims

• The Avarix - Money, Politics, Technology
• Livin' Large - 60's, Music, Parties
• MaxSimum - Exercise, Outdoors, Travel
• Victor's Digest - Food, Sports, Weather
• WhooNoo - Hollywood, Romance, Style

The Sims 2

• Beyond Belief - Paranormal, Sci-Fi, Health
• Highbrow Review - Politics, Culture, Environment
• Mode:Live - Food, Travel, Weather
• Rat Race - Crime, Money, Work
• Superstar Report - Entertainment, Fashion, Sports
• Young Sims Magazine - Animals, School, Toys

Hobby Magazines

This section describes features that are only available in The Sims 2: FreeTime.

There is a magazine for each of the hobbies. A Sim must reach level 3 enthusiasm to receive a phone call asking if they would like a subscription. Magazines are then delivered to the lot once a week. A subscription can be accepted or canceled at any time.

Once one Sim in a household has been offered a subscription, any Sim in the household who has at least level 3 enthusiasm in that hobby can accept it. Once a subscription has been accepted, any Sim in the household can cancel it. It appears that young adults in college sub-neighborhoods cannot subscribe to the hobby magazines. This is probably because there are no days of the week in college sub-neighborhoods.

Once a hobby magazine has been delivered, any Sim in the household can read it regardless their level of enthusiasm in that hobby.

Hobby	Magazine	Arrives on
Cuisine	What's Cooking	Friday
Arts and Crafts	At-Home Artist	Tuesday
Film and Literature	Modern Media Magazine	Sunday
Sports	Sporty Sims	Thursday
Games	Games Sims Play	Saturday
Nature	Outdoorsy	Tuesday
Tinkering	D-I-Y	Tuesday
Fitness	Workin' It Out	Thursday
Science	SimScientific	Wednesday
Music and Dance	... and Headphones	Monday

The Sims 3

The Sims 3 has no readable magazines, only decor magazines. However, The Sims 3 contains many different books.