
The Sims 2: Apartment Life is the eighth and final expansion pack in the The Sims 2 video game series.
A flyer included in later copies of The Sims 2: FreeTime expansion pack and The Sims 2: Kitchen & Bath Interior Design Stuff Pack announced Apartment Life, which brings magic back to the franchise and new features like Sims' relationships with neighbors inhabiting the same apartment building, interacting with an NPC landlord, a new reputation system, and new activities for publicly accessible lots.
Neighborhood
This expansion adds a new pre-made neighborhood, Belladonna Cove. It features many apartments, and San Francisco's Painted Ladies townhouses. Other buildings in this neighborhood include a trailer park, libraries, coffee shops and grocery stores in addition to several parks.[4] Several of these lots showcase major gameplay elements not available in previous expansions or the core game. The neighborhood's distinguishing landmark is a statue of Bella Goth, a fictional character from The Sims who, according to neighborhood stories installed with The Sims 2, has disappeared in the interim between the two games. There is also a new icon, when there is a family living in an apartment building, there will be a green apartment icon over the house (like there is a money sign over community lots that are owned by a sim).
[edit] New interactions
This expansion adds multiple social interactions, including "High Five", "Earthy Hug", "Fake Out", "Kiss Kiss Darling", and "Tough Handshake". Children have new special interactions to use with their peers, as do toddlers (with the "Huggle" interaction, a hug between two toddlers). Parents and teenagers can now also play "Peek a Boo" with toddlers. Sims of all ages (except toddlers) can participate in the "Classic Dance" or "Jump Rope". Parent Sims have a new interaction with child sims where they swing them around, but there is a slight chance they will throw up.[4] Sims who live in apartments may take part in the interaction "knock on wall" for the neighbor next door to hear. Do take into consideration the fact that excessive use of this interaction may add more to your rent. It is also possible for you to have your rent lowered. If your Sim keeps in touch with all of their contacts from University or outside of your apartment as one of them may say they go way back with your landlord and will put in a mention to get your rent lowered. You will also receive gifts from friends and new apartment neighbours which are prototypes, i.e. the most expensive computer in the Buy Catalogue will be yours for free. Some friends may make you eligible for discounts from the buy catalogue (i.e. giving you their wholesale discount). It is now also possible for your Sim to be 'headhunted' on a community lot. Your Sim may be approached by another Sim with a job offering which you can choose to accept or decline.
[edit] Witches & Warlocks
This final expansion gives Sims the opportunity to become Witches (female) or Warlocks (male). Similar to the The Sims: Makin Magic the final expansion pack from the original game, magic returns. Whilst playing as a magical being, Sims may choose to be Infallibly Good, Good, Nice, Neutral, Mean, Evil or Atrociously Evil, each of which has a unique costume (white, brown, and black robes respectively). Extremely evil Witches/Warlocks may also have a green skin color, and infallibly good Witches/Warlocks will have gold sparkles on their skin. There are separate secret community lots for good and evil Witches/Warlocks.
Witches/Warlocks may use various magical objects, including brooms and cauldrons. Spells may be cast by using specific ingredients (i.e. Mystic Dust, Dragon Scales, Eye of Newt, Vipers Essence, Crystallized Moonbeams, Sun Gems, and the Essence of Light). These ingredients may be obtained in any of three ways: produced in a cauldron, purchased from a Witch/Warlock NPC, or purchased at the secret Witch/Warlock lots.[4]
Witches/Warlocks can use certain spells and magic according to what order of magic they use. Evil and extremely evil Witches/Warlocks can light fires, cause sickness, and even bring zombies to life. Good Witches/Warlocks are able to create happiness, put out fires, and bring the dead back to life (without them turning into Zombies), while extremely good Witches/Warlocks can build the ultimate chair "Throne of Light" which refills all needs including energy. Neutral Witches/Warlocks can change other's appearances. All Witches/Warlocks can create potions, teleport, freeze time, and use a spell or potion that turns them back into humans.
The opportunity to become a Witches/Warlocks comes from meeting a Witch/Warlock on a community lot and befriending them. After a certain relationship level (50 or more) you can ask to jump to the dark side (or the significantly bright one, should you be good).
[edit] New objects and tools
Apartment Life adds a number of playground objects, including a jungle gym, playground slide, merry-go-round, and monkey bars. New furniture items include a Murphy bed, open mic stand, break dancing mat, trash chute, apartment mailboxes, vibrating bed, vending machines, witch-themed furnishings, and shelves, in addition to new TV sets, a large fish tank, and a pool table.
Build mode adds new types of objects and tools, such as spiral stairs, built-in wardrobes, visible ceilings, ducts, vents, and heating and cooling windows as well as the usual assortment of new wall, floor, garage door, and door styles.[4]
A revolving bookcase will also be available, but you have to have a residential lot to make one. [5].
New modes of transport available are Helicopters for purchase and Witch brooms (not for purchase).
The ability to move objects up and down on walls has also been added.
While your Sims are living in an apartment, you will only be able to change the floors and wallpaper within the apartment, as well as place miscellaneous Build Mode objects like marble columns. In addition, some structural Buy Mode objects will be also unavailable. Also new with Apartment Life is the ceiling. A new 45 degree angle view in build mode will make it possible for you to view your Sims ceiling which can be covered in the floor tile of your choice.
[edit] Death by Murphy Bed
Along with the new item, the Murphy bed, a new form of death is created. If a Sim is below 5 body skill and -70 mood, there's a 5% chance of the bed crushing the Sim. [6]
[edit] New NPCs
New NPCs include butlers, landlords, roommates (they are uncontrollable-- like pets, Sims can interact with them, but players cannot control them), and NPC neighbors: When players move playable Sims into an apartment, NPC characters (non-playable-characters) will move into the other apartments if you do not move other Sims into them (though these apartments will still be available should you later choose to move Sims into them). Players can only move 4 Sim "families" (8 Sims and 2 pets is the largest family which can exist in any Sim household) into any apartment lot.
[edit] Social Groups
* Stylish Socialites (high class)
* Artsy Bohemians (low or middle class)
* Sports Jocks (middle class)
* Gadget-collecting Techies (middle or high class)
* Edgy Gearheads (low class)
[edit] Reputation Meter
There is now a new meter called the reputation meter, which shows how high your reputation is, the more friendly you are with others, the higher it goes. As the meter increases, you gain rewards which help you with your occupation, aspiration, and living. The Reputation Meter can be increased by doing helpful or nice things on community lots.
[edit] Life skills
Sims learn new life skills from a bookshelf. They include Fire Prevention, Anger Management, Lifelong Happiness, Physiology, and Couple Counseling.[7]
[edit] Cross expansions
Players with both The Sims 2: Pets expansion pack and Apartment Life will be able to have witch's spectral cats, and with the Pets expansion pack, you can have pets in the apartment. If you do not have Pets, 'Lap dogs' will be available for purchase in buy mode without the Pets expansion pack.
Heating and cooling will actually make a difference to a Sim's temperature gauge if Apartment Life is played with the The Sims 2: Seasons expansion pack installed. [4]
[edit] Apartments
Sims will be able to live in apartments which can hold up to four user-controlled families (there can be more non-player families). Players can choose what family to play but can't control more than one at a time. You can choose to combine households or add a new family to the apartment building. You can also have roommates whom you can choose, but not control. (Choosing them is the same as choosing employees from The Sims 2: Open for Business). You can find them using a phone, a computer, or a newspaper. When you review potential roommates you are given a basic personality (how neat are they for example) to help you decide which roommate would best suit your Sim. Though you cannot control your roommate, you can view a scale that tells you how satisfied they are living with you. As in life, your roommate can choose to 'forget' to pay the rent. An interaction specific to Apartment Living can enable you to force them to pay or kick them out if you choose.
[edit] New Music
The following songs have been converted into Simlish for the Apartment Life soundtrack.[8]
* “This Is Not A Test” - Performed by Shock of Pleasure
* “Brainless” - Performed by Sunny Day Sets Fire
* “Good Day” - Performed by Tally Hall
* “Come My Sunshine” - Performed by The Comas
* “Divebomb” - Performed by The Whip
* “Not A Love Song” - Performed by Uh Huh Her
* “On & On” - Performed by Vanilla Sky
* “Can't Believe My Eyes” - Performed by Wainwright
* “Hot N Cold” - Performed by Katy Perry
* “Sweet About Me” - Performed by Gabriella Cilmi
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sims_2_Apartment_Life