The Sims 2: Apartment Life
The Sims 2: Apartment Life is the eight and widely rumored of being the last expansion pack for The Sims 2. It will be released in August 24th 2008. It's notable that apartments, despite the name, won't be the biggest asset of the game.
Belladonna Cove
Belladonna Cove will be the sub-neighborhood added. It is named after Bella Goth, and will contain apartment lots.
Apartments
"Apartments" are a new type of lot for Sims to reside. It's notable that apartment lots DON'T have to be apartment buildings, but just need up to four different sections with a special doors separating them. Up to four families can live on one apartment lot. If no playable family moves into spare apartments, then NPC's will move in. These lots aren't unlike hotels in Bon Voyage or dormitories in University. Un active families' furniture will be invisible. Every Monday, rent must be payed, either via mailbox, or collected by the landlord (see below), a new NPC. Players won't be able to change the structure of the lots, but may change wallpapers, floors and furniture.
Sims may advertise for a roommate to help with the rent. Once accepted, the roommate ( a random NPC) will move in. They won't be controllable, but instead have a "Satisfaction Meter", which tells players how satisfied they are with the apartment. Other families living in the lot may become very noisy, so a new interaction, "Bang Wall", will be added.
Landlords will repair and clean up apartments and collect rent. Sims may complain about noisy neighbors to the landlord.
Reputation
Sims now have "reputations". The nicer a Sim is to others, the higher their reputation goes (and vice versa). The higher their reputation, the bigger the bonuses to other relationships with Sims. Having a low reputation may increase rent for apartment-owners.
Witches
The supernatural Sim added in Apartment Life is a witch. Witches can be male or female, and are divided into five groups: Infallibly Good, Good, Neutral, Evil and Atrociously Evil. These groups are determined by the Witch's "alignment".
To become a witch, a Sim must find one, and befriend it. Once done so, a new interaction appears: "Teach Me the Ways of the Light" (if the befriended witch is good) or "Teach Me the Evil Ways" (if the befriended witch is bad).
Building and Furniture
Building is greatly improved. New features include:
- Ceilings, which can be customized exactly live floors. - Vents (and floor heaters), which can moderate the temperature of any room. - Spiral staircases. - Cornice (skirting-like features that go on top of walls) - Pipes, for decoration - Closets, coming in "male" and "female" varieties.
More additions to current features, like doors and windows, will also be made.
Screenshots
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View of ceiling
and spiral
staircase.