Prima Games eGuides The Sims 3 Supernatural eGuide

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The Sims 3 Supernatural eGuide Essentials New Simology

Create a Sim

New Simology

Things go bump in the night. How hard they bump is up to you in The Sims 3 Supernatural , an expansion that unlocks a host of new narratives involving vampires, werewolves, witches, fairies, and more. All of those new stories and lifetimes start in one place, though: Create a Sim. And we’re here to peel back the curtain on all of the changes to Simology, the science of what makes each Sim tick. New traits, new moods, new wishes—these are just a few of the building blocks you use to craft your Sims’ narratives in Moonlight Falls, the new city that accompanies Supernatural .

Of course, life takes many twists and turns. And when you add ingredients such as werewolves and magic wands, things get downright unpredictable. But through Create a Sim and a firm understanding of the New Simology of Supernatural , you can kick off your first full moon in Moonlight Falls (or any city you please, really) in the fashion you desire. Once you get in there and start mixing it up with vampires and witches, though, you’ll be glad to have the advance information on new socials, new opportunities, and new Lifetime Rewards this chapter offers.

Create a Sim

Should you choose to create a new Sim in Supernatural , rather than just import an existing Sim, you will discover all-new options, including new traits and Lifetime Wishes. You can also alter the appearance of your Sim in a variety of cosmetic ways. Supernatural adds many new options to Create a Sim: new clothes, new hairstyles, and much more. And, of course, there’s the selection of supernatural type, which you now do right in Create a Sim. With a click of a mouse, you can try out different supernatural types, such as vampire, werewolf, fairy, and more!

When you first enter the Create a Sim tool, you meet a pre-built Sim just waiting for you. You can choose this pre-set Sim and dig right into the personality or you can use this Sim like modeling clay. You can also play around with the Sim Bin, a collection of premade Sims that can be called into the Create a Sim “dressing room” and changed to your liking. Perhaps you dig that Sim’s hairstyle but want a different color. Or you are struck by the face of a Sim but just aren’t sold on a certain aspect, like the ears or chin.

Chances are, though, that you will want to make more than just one or two small tweaks. You will want to design a Sim from the toes up (or the hair down). From the first screen of the Create a Sim toolkit, you have five tabs of options and potential changes. Here are the five tabs and their functions:

  • Basics: This tab lets you name your Sim and change its gender, skin tone, supernatural type, muscle definition, and age. There are six new skin tones, too, such as purple and green to really help you craft the perfect personalized Sim!
  • Hair: Use this tab to change your Sim’s hairstyle, hair accessories, body hair, eyebrows, and more.
  • Looks: Go here to change the general appearance of your Sim’s head and face, including making adjustments to chin, nose, eyes, and cheeks, tattoos, and make-up.
  • Clothes: Select your Sim’s basic wardrobe from this tab, including everyday wear, athletic garb, and formal wear, swimwear, and sleeping clothes.
  • Personality: This tab lets you assign specific traits to your Sim, choose personal favorites (food, music, color, and zodiac sign), and select a Lifetime Wish.

Supernatural Type

One of the biggest changes you can make in Create a Sim is the immediate choice of a supernatural type. You have several choices: vampire, werewolf, fairy, witch, ghost, and human. (And if you have Showtime installed, you can also select a genie type.) This choice has the most far-reaching effect over your household narrative, as it dictates needs, wants, and behavior. Every supernatural type has specific needs and wishes that steer your story, though you can always opt to shun these nudges and desires and instead forge your own way.

The next chapter, Meet the Supernaturals, details everything you need to know about each supernatural type, including behaviors, special moods and needs, and especially the benefits. Hidden skills, special socials, and more await in that chapter, but right now, let’s have a look at how clicking on the different supernaturals can affect the physical appearance of Sims, starting with the human Catherine Browne:

See how most supernatural types affect the physical appearance of characters, either through adding a glint in the eyes, change in skin tone, and more. As you can see, the werewolf actually has two forms you can customize in Create a Sim: human and werewolf. We’ll go over more of these werewolf-specific cosmetic changes in Meet the Supernaturals.

Carried Over Cosmetic Changes

Create a Sim features such as body hair, breast size, make-up opacity, tattoos, and astrological signs are also carried over from previous expansion packs like Ambitions, Generations, and Late Night. Even if you don’t have these earlier expansion packs installed, the Create a Sim features introduced by these expansions are still available in Supernatural , offering a powerful set of Sim-altering tools for your prospective supernatural Sim.

Tattoos

To add a tattoo to your Sim, choose the Looks tab. There is a new Tattoo button at the bottom of the menu, directly under Make-Up. When you select Tattoo, your Sim appears in front of the mirror. This gives you a near-full view of their body so you can apply the tattoo exactly where you want without any obstructions.

You may apply a tattoo to four places on your Sim: back, arm, chest, and ankle. In each body location, you can choose from a few different spots. For example, on the back, you can pick the shoulders, small of the back, or right in the dead-center.

Select a tattoo from the multitude of available options.

Once you’ve chosen the tattoo, use the color picker to adjust the tones and hues. Some tattoos have just one color, while others are composed of multiple fields that you can alter.

Mix and match tattoos. Place multiple tattoos on a Sim. Adjust size and opacity. The world is your oyster!

Astrological Signs

When crafting your Sim’s personality, you now can give them an astrological sign. You can select from the 12 familiar signs of the zodiac. This is as close as you can get to setting an actual birthday for your Sim, because these signs are associated with time periods on this side of the screen, although Sims operate on a far different calendar than we do. The 12 zodiac signs are:

  • Aries
  • Taurus
  • Gemini
  • Cancer
  • Leo
  • Virgo
  • Libra
  • Scorpio
  • Sagittarius
  • Capricorn
  • Aquarius
  • Pisces

The zodiac signs are a part of your Sim’s personality. Sims can use a flirty What’s Your Sign social to hopefully learn a potential paramour’s astrological sign.

If the other Sim decides to share, this information is stored on that Sim’s relationship entry in the Relationship tab of the Status panel. If the other Sim has a compatible sign, you both receive a small relationship boost. These are the compatible signs:

  • Aries: Leo, Sagittarius, Gemini, and Aquarius
  • Taurus: Virgo, Capricorn, Cancer, and Pisces
  • Gemini: Libra, Aquarius, Aries, and Leo
  • Cancer: Scorpio, Pisces, Taurus, and Virgo
  • Leo: Aries, Sagittarius, Gemini, and Libra
  • Virgo: Taurus, Capricorn, Cancer, and Scorpio
  • Libra: Gemini, Aquarius, Leo, and Sagittarius
  • Scorpio: Cancer, Pisces, Virgo, and Capricorn
  • Sagittarius: Leo, Aries, Libra, and Aquarius
  • Capricorn: Virgo, Taurus, Scorpio, and Pisces
  • Aquarius: Libra, Gemini, Sagittarius, and Aries
  • Pisces: Scorpio, Cancer, Capricorn, and Taurus

Body Hair

Male Sims are no longer hairless wonders. Now you can add body hair via a tab in the Hair section. When you click on the tab, you select which part of the body you want to graft hair to: chest, back, arms, legs. Then, choose the style of the hair. Do you want a grizzly bear or just a cropdusting of fuzz?

Bear alert!

Expanded Closet

As with every The Sims 3 expansion, Supernatural comes complete with a wealth of new clothes for your Sims. Many of the new duds in this expansion are designed to further support supernatural narratives, like fairy-ready pixie wear, shredded werewolf garb, Gothic vampire duds, and pointy hats befitting only the most discerning witch (or warlock!) Do browse through Create a Sim to peek at all of the options, including those on display here:

New Traits

One of the final choices in Create a Sim is to assign your Sim up to five different traits. These are the most important choices in Create a Sim because they can greatly affect your Sim’s Lifetime Wish (the culminating dream of their life), can sway performance at work or at skill development, and can influence how a Sim interacts with others.

There are 63 possible traits to choose from in The Sims 3 base game. Traits include personality triggers such as Brave, Frugal, Loner, and Unlucky. They range from positive to negative, with a handful of relatively neutral traits somewhere in the middle. Because these five traits not only make up the core of your Sim’s personality but also affect what Lifetime Wishes are suggested to them, consider how they might factor into the kind of life you’d like to live.

Supernatural introduces several new traits to the equation: Brooding, Gatherer, Night Owl, Proper, Supernatural Fan, and Supernatural Skeptic. All of these traits are directly dialed into the new supernatural theme and will serve you well in crafting a personalized narrative for each Sim you sculpt in Create a Sim.

Brooding

  • Description: Brooding Sims often can’t help themselves from contemplating the riddles, mystery, and meaning of life. Sometimes the weight of these incredibly deep thoughts can become a distraction, and can actually slow down the creative process slightly.
  • Earliest Age Available: Teen
  • Disallowed Trait: Excitable
  • Benefits: Writers can pen poetry books right away when starting the Writing skill. Offers exclusive self-socials Contemplate the Meaning of Meaning and Consider Hollowness of Life, plus new Talk about Feelings social.
  • Shortcomings: Cooking, Writing, and Painting skills development increases 10 percent slower for Brooding Sims. If a Brooding Sim loses a friend while having a low Social need, they are dinged with the Misunderstood warning moodlet. If this moodlet times out, they get the Need to Brood moodlet. This moodlet can be removed with the Contemplate Meaning of Meaning or Consider Hollowness of Life self-socials.
  • Unique Features: Brooding Sims can take Brooding Showers, which last longer but offer a mood bump. When in mourning, Brooding Sims do not cry—instead, they pensively stare off into space. Both Brooding self-socials satisfy both Fun and Social needs.

Gatherer

  • Description: If you can pick it, plant it, or catch it, then a Gatherer is the right Sim for the job. Gatherers are especially talented at finding ingredients out in the world, and they produce the finest crops. They even achieve better results when working with rare materials like ore and gemstones!
  • Earliest Age Available: Teen
  • Benefits: Gatherer Sims excel at finding collectibles. The chance of successfully catching insects jumps 10 percent. The value of the insect rises by 5 percent. When harvesting a plant, there is a 30 percent chance of receiving an extra two units of the plant/harvestable. Seeds found by Gatherers produce higher quality harvestables. Smelted ore ingots come back with an extra 5 percent value. Cut gems are worth 5 percent more. Analyzed meteorites are worth 10 percent more.
  • Shortcomings: None!
  • Unique Features: When Gatherers use the Gem-U-Cut Machine, they receive extra gem powder. Objects found during the Werewolf Hunt interaction (usable only by werewolves) are worth five percent more.

Night Owl

  • Description: Some Sims love the night life and occasionally feel the need to boogie. They are called Night Owls. While Night Owls might come alive at night, do not even bother getting them out of bed before 10 AM.
  • Earliest Age Available: Child
  • Benefits: Night Owls get the Past My Bedtime moodlet if awake past 10 PM. Night Owls have more fun when engaging in activities like playing computer games, watching TV, writing, painting, reading, doing homework, using the telescope, and roasting marshmallows.
  • Shortcomings: Night Owls are hit with the It’s Too Early negative moodlet if they are out of bed before 10 AM.
  • Unique Features: Night Owls get three new socials—Enthuse about Sleeping In, Ask How Late Stayed Up, and Complain about Sleep Deprivation. Night Owls are also more likely to do the previously mentioned more fun activities while idle after 10 PM.

Proper

  • Description: Proper etiquette has quite become a thing of the past. Luckily, Proper Sims still remember the old ways and conduct themselves by a code of honor. Or at least a code of nice manners...
  • Earliest Age Available: Teen
  • Disallowed Traits: Slob, Inappropriate
  • Benefits: Decorated, Beautifully Decorated and Nicely Decorated moodlets provide a more positive effect on overall mood.
  • Shortcomings: Disgusted, Dirty Surroundings, Filthy Surroundings, and Vile Surroundings moodlets have a larger negative effect on overall mood.
  • Unique Features: Proper Sims use a new Formalize animation when switching into formal wear. Proper Sims bow and curtsey when about to dance or pillow fight with another Sim.

Supernatural Fan

  • Description: Supernatural Fans love everything having to do with supernatural Sims, be they vampires or werewolves or witches or whatever! They like to hang out where supernatural Sims hang out, and they always have something special to say when meeting a supernatural Sim face-to-face.
  • Earliest Age Available: Child
  • Disallowed Traits: Supernatural Skeptic, Coward
  • Benefits: Supernatural Fans develop the Alchemy skill a smidge faster than other Sims. Can write horror genre books at the beginning level of the Writing skill. Sim gets the positive Wow, a Supernatural moodlet when speaking to any supernatural Sim, such as a vampire or fairy, as well as all other supernatural introduced in other expansions, such as the Imaginary Friend of Generations or the Mummy of World Adventures.
  • Shortcomings: None
  • Unique Features: Supernatural Fans have many new socials, such as Talk about the Supernatural , Ask about Unfinished Business (social to ghosts), Complain about Ordinary Dust (social to fairies), Enthuse about Hunting (social to werewolves), Enthuse about Brooms (social to witches), and Compliment Dental Hygiene (social to vampires). These new social help build LTR with supernatural Sims. Supernatural Fans also get the Lunacy mood booster when a full moon hangs high in the sky.

If you have other expansions installed, any Sim with Supernatural Fan also has socials for these occult beings.

  • Enthuse About Toys—social to Imaginary Friends (requires Generations)
  • Enthuse About Rainbows—social to Unicorns (requires Pets)
  • Enthuse About Appliances—social to SimBot (requires Ambitions)
  • Talk About Freedom—social to Genie (requires Showtime)
  • Enthuse About Bandages—social to Mummy (requires World Adventures)

Supernatural Skeptic

  • Description: There’s a world of magic and unexplainable wonders out there, and Supernatural Skeptics don’t care for any of it. That stuff might be exciting for some, but Supernatural Skeptics prefer the security and comfort of normality.
  • Earliest Age Available: Teen
  • Disallowed Traits: Supernatural Fan
  • Benefits: This trait increases job performance at the Business, Politics, Law Enforcement, and Journalism careers. Supernatural Skeptics get the Magical Rubbish moodlet when another Sim attempts to use a potion or wand on them, as well as when the moon is full.
  • Shortcomings: Supernatural Skeptics will naturally avoid supernatural venues, like the Vault of Antiquity. Cannot write horror or monster books. Supernatural Skeptics develop the Alchemy skill approximately 10 percent slower than other Sims. Sims with this trait are more likely to fail when using magic wands or brewing elixirs.
  • Unique Features: When a Supernatural Skeptic gets their fortune told, they receive the Complete Nonsense moodlet. Supernatural Skeptics have a special Appreciate the Ordinary social. They have a slew of new socials that are all impolite to supernatural Sims:
  • Complain about the Supernatural —offensive to all occults
  • Express Disbelief in Fairies—offensive to fairies
  • Enthuse about Witch Hunts—offensive to witches
  • Enthuse about Garlic—offensive to vampires
  • Ask about Fleas—offensive to werewolves
  • Suggest Moving On—offensive to ghosts
  • Enthuse about Real Friends—offensive to Imaginary Friends (requires Generations)
  • Brag about Freedom—offensive to Genies (requires Showtime)
  • Enthuse about Stealing Mummy’s Treasure—offensive to Mummies (requires World Adventures)
  • Enthuse about Appliances Breaking—offensive to SimBots (requires Ambitions)

There are a handful of hidden traits that are assigned to some of the supernatural types and Lifetime Rewards. For example, the Alpha Wolf trait is the Lifetime Reward for werewolves, which in turn grants the special Terrifying Howl and some fearsome moves like Cursed Bite. These hidden traits will be discussed in the Meet the Supernatural chapter, with each of the supernatural types.

New Lifetime Wishes

In Create a Sim, you select a Lifetime Wish. Each Sim has six possibilities. Five are determined by the traits you give them. The sixth option allows you to select any Lifetime Wish you want, regardless of assigned traits. Satisfying a Lifetime Wish takes a lot of work, but is worth a lot of Lifetime Happiness points, the currency used to purchase Lifetime Rewards.

In addition to maintaining the Lifetime Wishes of The Sims 3 , Supernatural introduces several new Lifetime Wishes. The easiest way to access a specific Lifetime Wish is to select one or two traits that are directly related to it. For example, if you select the new Gatherer trait, it’s likely that the Alchemy Artisan Lifetime Wish will appear in your five possible Lifetime Wishes.

Alchemy Artisan

When chefs combine ingredients, they make something tasty. When an Alchemy Artisan mixes ingredients, they rewrite the rules of human existence. Mastery of the Alchemy skill is not easy, but incredible powers await the dedicated. Only through constant practice, careful study, and the application of a wide variety of powerful elixirs will a Sim earn the title of Alchemy Artisan.

Celebrity Psychic

Telling people what they want to hear can be an extremely lucrative business, provided you can find the right people and anticipate what they desire. The ultimate destination for any pseudo seer is the position of Celebrity Psychic, where you are actually celebrated for your vague promises and double-speak. It’s like being a politician, except people give you their money voluntarily!

Bone up on the Logic skill to make a strong run at the Scam Artist track of this career.

Greener Gardens

  • Reach level 10 in Gardening skill
  • Make 100 plants grow using Bloom

Fairies have a natural green thumb that’ll make others jealous with their pristine lawns and green gardens. But even for fairies it’s not easy to tame the lawn and make it their own. It requires a lot of practice to reap the reward of having a yard that’s the envy of the neighborhood.

Leader of the Pack

  • Convert five Sims to Werewolves
  • Find 40,000 Simoleons worth of objects while hunting with the pack

Anyone can be in a pack, but few Sims are capable of being Leader of the Pack. Being the alpha dog takes hard work, discipline, and a nose for fine treasure. But it can’t be done alone—a loyal following of fellow werewolves is required to show everyone who the big dogs in town are. It is not for the faint of heart to take the journey to become Leader of the Pack.

Magic Makeover

  • Grant 12 different Sims Inner Beauty
  • Reach level 10 in Charisma skill

The fairest fairies know that everyone could use a little inner beauty. But it also takes a charismatic fairy to really know what inner beauty is. Teaching Sims about inner beauty won’t be easy but it’s a lesson well worth teaching. Spread the beauty and everyone will have a better day!

Master of Mysticism

Why are we here? What does the future hold? Will it hurt? These questions are so large as to be exclusively rhetorical, yet we keep asking. What if you had the talent to discover the answers? What if you could nurture a unique ability to find understanding in the chaos of the universe? You could be the ultimate Master of Mysticism?

Mystic Healer

  • Cure 12 different transformed Sims using Sunlight Charm or Potent Cure Elixir

These days, Sims can be transformed into all sorts of odd things like toads, zombies, and tragic clowns. Even Sims who are feeling blue or have inner beauty can’t catch a break! It takes a selfless Sim who cares deeply for others to cure these poor souls of their afflictions. Not many are up to the task of being a Mystic Healer, but for those who are they can feel good inside for doing so.

Turn the Town

  • Drink from 20 Sims
  • Turn five Sims into vampires

Some vampires believe that the measure of a vampire’s greatness can be seen in their number of conquests. Rest during the day so the long nights can be spent quenching the thirst for plasma and converting those you find worthy. There will be many challenges to face in order to Turn the Town, but the reward will be worth it when you leave a bite in town lore.

Zombie Master

  • Turn 10 different Sims into a zombie using the Reanimation Ritual or Potent Zombification Elixir

For a Zombie Master, there’s no better friend than a staggering brain-craving zombie. They’re just sooooooo cute! But for other Sims, there’s nothing more terrifying than seeing a relentless zombie off in the distance. To be a Zombie Master is to accept responsibility in the event of a zombie apocalypse.