The game includes an optional feature called "Story Progression" which allows all Sims in the neighborhood to autonomously continue free without the player ever controlling those Sims. Sims live for a set duration of time that is adjustable by the player and advance through several life stages (baby, toddler, child, teen, young adult, adult, and elder). Sims can die of old age or they can die prematurely from causes such as fire, starvation, drowning, electrocution. Further causes of death were added in the game's expansion packs.
Create a Sim
The Sims 3 introduces many more character customization options than its predecessor The Sims 2.
The player has a larger selection of body types for Sims as muscle and body weight sliders have been introduced. However, toddlers do not have the option to have their weight customized. Additional options were added over time in free updates, for example sliders for breast size and muscle definition to coincide with the release of the Late Night expansion pack. The Sims 3 offers a wider range of skin tones than its predecessors, ranging from realistic Caucasian and black skins to fantasy green and purple colors, each skin tone can be further customized with a light to dark slider. The player is able to pick their Sim's shoes, a feature previously limited to console versions of The Sims and The Sims 2.
The base game includes 22 female hairstyles and 17 male hairstyles although many more were made available in later expansion packs, stuff packs and content packs from The Sims 3 Store. Hats and accessories may be applied and may also have their colors and textures altered. Each Sim's hair color can be chosen from one of eight basic colors, or the hair color can be customized using a color wheel to choose the base hair color, roots, highlights or tips.
The Sims 3 offers many more character customization options than its predecessors. With the addition of "Advanced Mode", players can focus on single features on a characters body to modify, allowing for detailed customization. Players also have the option of giving freckles, beauty marks, and tattoos to their Sims.
The Sims 3 also puts a greater emphasis on custom content and mods with a variety of tools available both in and out of the game to aid mod makers. With the addition of third party mods it is possible to add many more hairstyles and clothing options.
Skills
There are several skill-dependent abilities, such as more social interactions available from high charisma, special songs for guitar players, and appliance upgrades (self-cleaning, more TV channels, etc.) for high handiness. Sims can begin building skills as early as their toddler days. While skills do not show up in the meter right away, using skill building objects is rewarded once the toddler grows into a child. The basic skills include Logic, Cooking, Painting, Gardening, Writing, Guitar, Athletic, Handiness, Charisma and Fishing. New skills were later added in expansion packs. When Sims reach level 10 of a skill, they will get a certificate in the mail.
Each skill has a tab in the skill journal detailing the level of the skill, statistics, what the challenges are, and sometimes other special information. Various challenges are also available in the skill journal. When a challenge is completed, Sims can earn rewards. All of these rewards earn some kind of benefit, such as quicker completion, better results, etc. With the Ambitions expansion pack, the skill journal also shows hidden skills that a Sim has learned.
Careers
Many of the careers from The Sims 2, and The Sims, such as the Law Enforcement and Athletic tracks, are in The Sims 3. The careers in the core game are Business, Culinary, Criminal, Journalism, Law Enforcement, Medical, Military, Music, Political, Science, and Professional Sports. Professions in the Ambitions expansion pack include Firefighter, Ghost Hunter, Investigator, Architectural Designer, and Stylist. The part-time jobs available include such positions as a Bookstore Clerk, Grocery Store Clerk, Spa Receptionist, Spa Specialist and a Mausoleum Gravedigger. Part-time jobs have a lower pay than full-time jobs and do not give career opportunities. Part-time jobs are also available for teen Sims after they attend school. The Ambitions expansion pack also introduced professions, careers that allow the player direct control over their Sims' work and how they spend their days, and the ability for Sims to register at City Hall as self-employed in a skill career.
Sims can look for these jobs in the newspaper, the computer, or apply at the "rabbit hole" building where they would like to work. Sims are also able to make a living at home through their skills such as selling their own paintings, writing novels, playing guitar for tips, or growing fruit and vegetables. Jobs such as nectar making is also a profession with the Sims 3 World Adventures. Sims can also buy out businesses and receive a percentage of the profits they earn.
Advancing in a career still depends on mood and skills, but with the addition that relationships with colleagues/boss and even certain goals that have to be fulfilled. Players now have more control as to their Sims work, with the option to "Work Hard", "Take It Easy", "Suck Up To Boss", etc. Depending upon which of these the Sim is directed affects the performance bar. If the performance bar is maxed out, this will help to increase a Sims chances of being promoted.
A new feature The Sims 3 offers is branching careers, which allows Sims to choose a certain path in their career (such as a Sim in the Music career can eventually choose to specialize in Symphonic music or Rock). These branches are generally offered around level 6 of a career, depending on which career the Sim is working.
