Sims 3 World Adventures has landed!
November 20th, 2009In the scheme of things, the Sims 3 World Adventures expansion pack came out pretty quickly after the release of Sims3. So, I wasn’t sure if I really needed to by Sims 3 World Adventures straight away because I am actually still really enjoying playing the base game. I am onto the sixth generation of my Puggington legacy and still discovering new things about the Sims 3 every time I play. However, when it came down to the actual release date for Sims 3 World Adventures, I simply couldn’t resist the call of my inner Sims addict.
So, sure thing, I went out first thing this morning and bought my copy of the World Adventures expansion pack. I made really sure to back up my saved games files because the last thing I wanted to do was to lose my legacy family after having been playing them so long. As it happens, my family was just fine when I installed but I would still rather be careful.
My latest generation of the Puggington legacy was just about to have her birthday where she became an adult. So, I decided to hold off on any travelling until that was completed and then make her the first world traveller of the family. The character is Jasmine Puggington and you can download her at the Sims 3 exhange – just click here .
One of the things that I hadn’t expected but am really enjoying about the Sims 3 World Adventures expansion pack, is that not only can you go to other places but that tourists from those places also come to your town. When Jasmine Pugginton was waiting for her birthday, she was in the central park area and met a tourist from France. So, I figured the first world adventure I sent my Sims 3 characters on would be to France.
The day of her birthday, Jasmine Puggington packed her bag and was off for a three day stay in France. How long you can stay in your travel destination depends on what sort of travel visa your Sims 3 character has obtained. The more experience they have of travel and the more tasks they complete the longer and longer they can stay. I think three Sims days for your first visit is just fine and it also means you won’t get burned out on all the new things straight away.
As you arrive in Sims 3 France, this is the view you get. I don’t know about you but I think it is rather pretty! I especially like the stone work on that bridge.

Sims 3 World Adventures - France
When you arrive at the base camp area of the French town, there is a notice board. If you examine the notice board you are given information on any adventures that are on offer. These are challenges set my locals a bit like those you get associated with your job and such back in your normal Sims 3 town. I had Jasmine Puggington take a look at the board. I love the expression on her face as the contemplates the adventures on offer.

Sims 3 World Adventures - notice board
Once she had decided on her adventure she hopped onto a scooter and went to find her contact. I love that Sims 3 scooter! Even more so, I love the look of ’speed demon’ on her face with the distant Eifel Tower over her shoulder. Hats off to the folks that did the art work for the Sims 3 World Adventures. They did a really nice job.

Sims 3 World Adventures - Sims 3 Scooter
It turned out that her Sims 3 France contact was the owner of the local store. The Store was pretty neat. You can buy a variety of things there from dehydrated food to keep you going while you are on your Sims 3 adventure to a nifty shower in a can for those not so fresh moments.

Sims 3 World Adventures - Store
Jasmine’s first adventure in Sims 3 France, sent her to this old Celtic relic. Again, the artists have done a really nice job.

Sims 3 World Adventures - Celtic Relic
The real fun started though, when she went down underground into the tombs bellow the relic. I have to say that I really enjoyed the whole feeling of these underground tombs. Plus, it also means we can now build basements in our Sims 3 homes. I am going to have to play with that later on but for now I am more up for exploring.

Sims 3 World Adventures - Tombs
Once in the tomb, she had to negotiate her way through by breaking through rocks, moving statues into position to help solve puzzles and other things such as finding keys. Really, they have made an adventure game they have tacked onto the Sims 3 and so far I am really enjoying it. Here are some pics from her adventures in the French tombs from Sims 3 World Adventures.

Sims 3 - French Tombs

Sims 3 World Adventure - Pulling Statue in tomb
After successfully completing this challenge, Jasmine Pugginton then went on to explore more of the Sims 3 France countryside. She ended up at this stately home. This turned out to be a BIG mistake! Sure, the home looks stunningly beautiful but it is like the house equivalent of the venus fly trap. It looks very beautiful and lures you to come take a closer look.

Sims 3 - France House
It turned out to have so many booby traps that it would make One Eyed Willy from The Goonies pround! Jasmine managed to disarm a number of them but then, after she thought she was in the clear, she got trapped in a hallway between two different sets of electric traps.

Sims 3 World Adventures - electric traps
It may have been a glitch in the game but Jasmine was totally trapped between these two and trying to cross them resulted in her being burnt to a near crisp!

Burnt Sims 3 character
I really saw no way out but luckily, when it was time for her vacation to end it just sent her home. Which is good because I was sure I was going to lose her.
All and all, I think that on first impressions, the World Adventure expansion pack is a success. There are little things they have added that I really like and other things which I think will herald a lot of changes in the main Sims 3 game down the line.
For example, now when you have a task to complete, it tells you how far along you are to completion. So, if you have to work out in the gym for four hours straight, every time you hover over that want it will tell you how long you have been there. Then, on the larger side of things, when you visit a store in the vacation towns you actually go inside of them. I am sure that will mean that eventually the rabbit holes in the main Sims 3 town will be playable too. I am sure we can all imagine the any number of Sims 3 expansion packs that could come out of opening up the various businesses.
It doesn’t appear that the World Adventures expansion pack is bug free though. A number of people have reported having problems saving their games. Apparently, the answer is to ’save as’ instead of save. The expansion pack has changed the way the games are saved and it is confusing it. Also, I have stopped earning money on any of my investments since installing the expansion pack. Food is also spoiling in the fridge within 24 hours of it being stored. All of these problems, and more, are known to the Sims 3 staff though and no doubt a patch is on its way.









































