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The Sims 2 Open For Business game team chat was Thursday, January 19th at 3 PM PST. The transcripts are now live.

Read the transcripts

maxiskane (Jan 19, 2006 6:06:40 PM)
Hello Simmers! Welcome to the Sims 2 Open For Business Chat! The chat will last 40 minutes. This is a moderated chat so you won't see the questions you have typed.

maxiskane (Jan 19, 2006 6:06:49 PM)
Ready? Everyone please help me welcome MaxisHunter, MaxisShannon, MaxisLittleL and for his first chat with the community, Senior Producer MaxisDon!

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:07:00 PM)
Hello, community!

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:07:04 PM)
Hi everybody!

MaxisDrea (Jan 19, 2006 6:07:09 PM)
Hi everyone!!!

MaxisShannon (Jan 19, 2006 6:07:16 PM)
Hi Everyone!! I'm Shannon Copur, the producer on The Sims 2 PC team. Thanks for joining us today!!

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:07:17 PM)
...What up?

simgrl88 (Jan 19, 2006 6:07:35 PM)
um, how big are the elevators?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:07:35 PM)
2x2, both of them

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:07:42 PM)
Yes, there will be domed roofs.

Guccisims (Jan 19, 2006 6:07:43 PM)
-I saw a screenshot of a OFB neighborhood, and i saw domed roofs. Will therebee new walls and roofs in OFB?

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:07:44 PM)
There are new domed, conical and octagonal roofs. They are so awesome

Trixie (Jan 19, 2006 6:08:35 PM)
How do you transfer ownership of a business to another sim (like when grandpa dies and Dad takes over the family business) If you do transfer ownership, does the loyalty transfer too, or at least most of it?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:08:35 PM)
There's a social that can transfer the biz between family members. All the biz info goes along with it. Also, when death occurs, the biz is autotransferred to an heir.

sylv (Jan 19, 2006 6:08:39 PM)
What are some of the new NPCs that are going to be in Open For Business?

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:08:39 PM)
There's a new NPC Reporter that will visit your business and give you a good or bad review. You'd better be on your best behavior when he shows up, it can really help or hurt your business.

darkraven (Jan 19, 2006 6:08:54 PM)
Will there be any change in the way time works in OFB? Is integrate time a feature?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:08:54 PM)
Time works the same way as it did in previous expansions.

Sassybree (Jan 19, 2006 6:09:20 PM)
Will there be any change in how time works while visiting a Business community lot? i.e. will time freeze when our sims leave then restart when they get home or has this changed?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:09:20 PM)
This has not changed.

simcrazy52 (Jan 19, 2006 6:09:33 PM)
do you decide paychecks to give your employee?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:09:33 PM)
There's a social that allows you to change the wage of your employees, which is taken from the biz owner every hour. How well you pay them moderates a bunch of things, like how often they slack off.

WadeSimMiser (Jan 19, 2006 6:09:37 PM)
Will our Sims be able to buy and take over Community lots with pre-existing NPC-run businesses on them, i.e., a restaurant built in Nightlife?

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:09:37 PM)
Yes, your Sims will be able to purchase any of the community lots you previously had in your game and run them as their own.

Pbndj4569 (Jan 19, 2006 6:10:10 PM)
Can teens work at stores?

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:10:10 PM)
Yes! Teens can actually manage and own stores too.

Sassybree (Jan 19, 2006 6:10:24 PM)
Say Darren hires Brandi to work for his store, and you always play Darren, does Brandi get the money from working?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:10:24 PM)
Yeah, working at a shop is a job that you leave your home lot to go to.

Trixie (Jan 19, 2006 6:10:30 PM)
How about business perks. Are they tied to one Sim, or to the Business? If Grandpa dies, will Dad have to go back to paying full price instead of major discounts on things?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:10:30 PM)
Business perks are tied to one Sim and not the business. They are not inherited, but they can be "mentored" to another Sim.

JMS (Jan 19, 2006 6:10:57 PM)
About Servo... Does he have needs? Can he marry or reproduce?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:10:57 PM)
He has some Servo specific needs, wants, fears...and no, he can't reproduce, but CAN marry, adopt, etc.

mystra (Jan 19, 2006 6:11:13 PM)
Will robots (specifically Servo) have personalities?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:11:13 PM)
Yes. Servo gets the personality of whoever initialized it/him/her.

darkraven (Jan 19, 2006 6:11:17 PM)
Will the elevators need to be maintained? Will this decrease the chance of "death by elevator?"

MaxisShannon (Jan 19, 2006 6:11:17 PM)
They won't need to be maintained, but they do on occasion break and you can fix them.

LadyGeneral (Jan 19, 2006 6:11:52 PM)
what are some of the new objects that have not been mentioned?

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:11:52 PM)
One of the things I like most that isn't really talked about is the new parition walls. It works like a fence but because they have glass instead of solid wall it makes your rooms look really cool.

Rockindawg7 (Jan 19, 2006 6:11:58 PM)
Can you promote your workers?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:11:58 PM)
To managers, yes. This is good, because they can mind the store for you, and they also make it so you dont even have to go to a community lot biz to get money from it. Build your biz empire, baby.

rckljohnson (Jan 19, 2006 6:12:09 PM)
can teenagers own a shop?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:12:09 PM)
Yep.

Guest (Jan 19, 2006 6:12:20 PM)
Did you add more cars for this expansion?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:12:20 PM)
No cars added for this expansion.

miadea21 (Jan 19, 2006 6:12:48 PM)
Will you be able to run your business from home or are you required to always be in the store that you own?

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:12:49 PM)
If you have a manger at your business you can call in from home and check in with your business. You'll even make money! You have to keep going back to your lot every so often to build up customer loyalty and business rank though.

Schwages (Jan 19, 2006 6:13:28 PM)
any new food?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:13:28 PM)
New food, yes. Tasy pies and cheesecake for bakeries. One of them has a special secret effect...hee!

jfade (Jan 19, 2006 6:13:36 PM)
About how long will it take to build a servo bot?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:13:36 PM)
It requires a Gold Robot Talent Badge, so it takes a while to make the first one. Subsequent servos come faster, but they still take time.

ShellSImFanatic (Jan 19, 2006 6:13:43 PM)
Will there be robots in the game?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:13:43 PM)
Yes.

Ebbe (Jan 19, 2006 6:13:46 PM)
How will restaurants works? Will we be able to put custom made foods in the games menu?

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:13:46 PM)
You can customize the menu picking from all foods in the game so you can have just a dessert restaurant or a restaurant that serves only Grilled cheese

*Zemi Emy* (Jan 19, 2006 6:14:23 PM)
So how will robots work? Can you purchase them or just build them? Can you give us a little more info on what they do?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:14:23 PM)
Robots can only be made, not purchased from the catalog. The robots are Hydrobot, Cleanboy, Sentrybot, and Servo.

Koichi (Jan 19, 2006 6:14:30 PM)
Are all the robots named Servo, or can you rename them?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:14:30 PM)
You can rename them whatever you like.

Tommy (Jan 19, 2006 6:14:52 PM)
Will elevators be able to kill on non-player ran lots i.e. how you can not die on a community lot?

MaxisShannon (Jan 19, 2006 6:14:52 PM)
We've add the ability for Sims to die on owned community lots in this pack. But they will not die on un-owned lots.

Guest (Jan 19, 2006 6:15:01 PM)
What's you favorite part about open for buisness?

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:15:01 PM)
Seeing Sims walk around the lot with shopping bags browsing and admiring my items is really cool. And it's great to see customers gaining loyalty stars to my shop.

Guest (Jan 19, 2006 6:15:07 PM)
Will you be able to control any Sims you hire into your buisiness?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:15:07 PM)
You can't control your employees directly, but you can boss them around. Once you promote an employee to a manager, the manager is controllable.

BigBrotherFan (Jan 19, 2006 6:15:13 PM)
Can you make a staff lounge?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:15:13 PM)
Yes, with brand new lockable doors, set to "employees only". Yay lockable doors. Oh, and gates work too.

Spoonbender (Jan 19, 2006 6:15:49 PM)
I heard that you will be able to play a robot. Will he have the same needs as a human Sim? What about a robot´s wants and fears, will they be the same?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:15:49 PM)
Servo has a different set of motives, but his/her wants and fears are the same as a normal Sim.

Jasper33821 (Jan 19, 2006 6:15:56 PM)
Can you have multiply businesses per houshold?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:15:56 PM)
Yep. You can create a business empire, and manage your stores remotely if you like. Major cash.

YJW (Jan 19, 2006 6:15:59 PM)
Can you give workers raises?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:15:59 PM)
Yes, and pay cuts.

criscocougar (Jan 19, 2006 6:16:21 PM)
On recent pictures, there have been money signs on bags. What do they mean?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:16:21 PM)
How much that specific customer has spend so far.

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:16:26 PM)
spent.

jasonakabigj (Jan 19, 2006 6:16:48 PM)
How many total employees can you hire for your business?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:16:48 PM)
Up to 8.

EricV9117 (Jan 19, 2006 6:16:50 PM)
What happens if the owner dies, will the business go out of business or will an employee own it?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:16:50 PM)
Business of deceased Sims go to an heir.

rckljohnson (Jan 19, 2006 6:17:03 PM)
will they be adding a new pre-teen stage in this game?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:17:03 PM)
No.

ChaosMageX (Jan 19, 2006 6:17:06 PM)
How many tiles does the elevator take up?

MaxisShannon (Jan 19, 2006 6:17:06 PM)
The elevator itself is 2x2, but it needs 2 tiles in front for the Sims to enter and exit the elevator, so it really takes up 2x3 tiles.

MoodyMoondoogle (Jan 19, 2006 6:17:07 PM)
Does servo die or can he be handed down to the next generation?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:17:07 PM)
He can be tough to kill, but it can happen.

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:17:20 PM)
Good point, shan. 2x2 was kind of wrong.

Mattitude (Jan 19, 2006 6:17:29 PM)
I've seen lots of pictures from the new expansion pack of toddlers playing with new toys. Are there more toddler to toddler interactions as well as these new object additions?

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:17:29 PM)
Toddlers will be able to play with some of the new toys you can make on the Toy Workbench. They are so cute!!!

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:17:36 PM)
I always forget reserved tiles...

Ville Valo Is God (Jan 19, 2006 6:17:55 PM)
With more customer loyalty and higher rank, you can increase prices and keep business, correct?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:17:55 PM)
If you choose the right perk. For example, the wholesale perks give you a break on wholesale prices.

BrtshScn (Jan 19, 2006 6:18:20 PM)
Do you have a release date for the new expansion pack?

maxiskane (Jan 19, 2006 6:18:20 PM)
It will be in stores by March 3rd.

Trixie (Jan 19, 2006 6:18:21 PM)
Will Servo change diapers? (please let us never have to hire a nanny again! Please!!)

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:18:21 PM)
Servo is the best Nanny ever. Servo loves the kiddies.

*Zemi Emy* (Jan 19, 2006 6:18:27 PM)
Will Sims be able to live in the new neighborhood "Bluewater Village"?

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:18:27 PM)
Yep! It's a full new area for your Sims to move into and enjoy

lamyia (Jan 19, 2006 6:19:17 PM)
What about clubs , can we own clubs?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:19:17 PM)
You betcha.

kmh52492 (Jan 19, 2006 6:19:56 PM)
Can sims Woohoo in elevators?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:19:56 PM)
Well, yes. To be honest, yes. It can be dangerous, though. It dramatically increases the chance of a plummet to the death.

Laurelle91 (Jan 19, 2006 6:19:58 PM)
Do we have to be the boss or can we just work in the store?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:19:58 PM)
You're the boss.

FelseyLovesHunter (Jan 19, 2006 6:20:15 PM)
Hunter youre so cute!

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:20:15 PM)
Yes, he's adorable.

maxiskane (Jan 19, 2006 6:20:40 PM)
He has cooties though!

Charliehorse (Jan 19, 2006 6:20:42 PM)
are there new cars in this ep

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:20:42 PM)
No new cars.

sillykatyrae (Jan 19, 2006 6:20:44 PM)
what type of new furnishings will OFB have?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:20:44 PM)
A lot of new stuff to outfit stores (display cases, to name one major set), and some great stuff for home, including our new set of beautiful Mission furniture.

AllaStar333 (Jan 19, 2006 6:20:49 PM)
What's the funniest thing about this expansion pack?

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:20:49 PM)
The robots going haywire is hilarious! I love it when the Sentrybot goes crazy and starts shocking everybody.

geekyfollower (Jan 19, 2006 6:21:18 PM)
are ther any maxis made families in bluewater village

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:21:18 PM)
Yes, there are.

BriaRose333 (Jan 19, 2006 6:21:36 PM)
Will Servo have a Serva?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:21:36 PM)
In a manner of speaking, yes. You can initialize them as male or female.

Rockindawg7 (Jan 19, 2006 6:21:54 PM)
Oh, and can you change the color and designs on toys and the such?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:21:54 PM)
Yes, craftable items have design modes.

geekyfollower (Jan 19, 2006 6:22:03 PM)
are ther any maxis made families in bluewater village

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:22:03 PM)
Yep! We've made 5 new families for you and 2 more in the Bin. There's a toymaking family that's ready to buy a business, a family with a furniture store, a woman that owns a flower shop, a family bakery and the rich tycoon that owns the club. Plenty of choices for new adventures!

pharrell (Jan 19, 2006 6:22:21 PM)
How does getting a job at a business effect a sims' actual career? Can they do both

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:22:21 PM)
Yes, a Sim can own a business (or several) and still hold down a regular job.

maxiskane (Jan 19, 2006 6:22:32 PM)
The Chat will last 40 minutes.

Goober_Man_NZ (Jan 19, 2006 6:22:41 PM)
will there be 'secret shoppers'?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:22:41 PM)
Indeed...they're reporters in disguise! if they have a good time at your store, you get a good review. Bad time: bad review. Moderates your customer flow. Oh, and you can get the Best of The Best award if you really impress them. It inspires consumer confidence.

Ishindri (Jan 19, 2006 6:22:48 PM)
Besides robots, what other new items can your Sims create?

MaxisShannon (Jan 19, 2006 6:22:48 PM)
Your Sim can create floral arrangements and toys, including a pet brick, fire truck, a kite, etc.

Guest (Jan 19, 2006 6:23:05 PM)
Will there be a llama mascot?

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:23:05 PM)
Not this time but there are other mascot outfits that are WAY cooler than the llama.....

Farley (Jan 19, 2006 6:23:07 PM)
What stage of production is Open For Business in? Almost finished?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:23:07 PM)
Tuning, bug fixing, polishing. It's comin soon!

ChaosMageX (Jan 19, 2006 6:23:28 PM)
Will there be organized crime? Will there be protection money?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:23:28 PM)
No organized crime. Well, there's the burgular, but he's not very organized.

xCraziiBabii810x (Jan 19, 2006 6:23:38 PM)
Do we have to take care of the pet rock? Or is it just a decoration?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:23:38 PM)
It's a pet brick, and you can teach it a trick!

callum91 (Jan 19, 2006 6:24:04 PM)
will there be more familys in BlueWater village?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:24:04 PM)
Yes, there will be.

jrdragstr (Jan 19, 2006 6:24:04 PM)
Any new clothes/hair styles/make up? Maybe more business suits?

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:24:04 PM)
There are new clothes and makeup in Open for Business. You can set your employee uniforms so we gave you lots of options to make your store almost anything you want it to be!

MaxisDano (Jan 19, 2006 6:24:13 PM)
To ask a question, type it in the box. When you hit SEND it is added to the cue of questions received by the team.

Annababy (Jan 19, 2006 6:24:30 PM)
The business perks--how do you earn them? Amount of income, social relationships, sim's skills, or what?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:24:30 PM)
Customer loyalty increase ---> biz rank ---> perks

ILoveHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:24:48 PM)
Are there any sexy townies? The previous ones are so icky...

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:24:48 PM)
You can make them over if you make a salon.

stillasimsweetie (Jan 19, 2006 6:25:01 PM)
In what ways can sims die by elevator? Is it just by electrocution??

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:25:01 PM)
The elevator can plunge to the ground floor.

Crazyfool (Jan 19, 2006 6:25:02 PM)
Are there any new Maxis made families with businesses already started?

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:25:02 PM)
Yes, we'll give you the chance to jump in and see what you can do with their businesses, will you help them succeed or would you rather wreak havoc?

TyT (Jan 19, 2006 6:26:13 PM)
How much will these bussiness cost our poor sims?

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:26:13 PM)
Buying a community lot to start a business is alot like building up a house but starting a home business is pretty easy and is a great way to get into business.

Alexis (Jan 19, 2006 6:26:52 PM)
If I send one of my controllable sims to a buisiness lot held by another one of my sims, will I see that sim and his / her employees in the store even if they aren't controllable

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:26:52 PM)
YES.

Guest (Jan 19, 2006 6:26:52 PM)
Can you make shops custom? Just like houses?

MaxisShannon (Jan 19, 2006 6:26:53 PM)
Yes, you can make any kind of shop you like. Anything from an electronic store to a toy store to a restaurant.

nina (Jan 19, 2006 6:27:59 PM)
I noticed in the screenshots that the objects for sale looked like they were placed with the "move objects on" cheat - is this the way they will be positioned by default, or was that just for the screenshots?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:27:59 PM)
Are you referring to the fact that they are so close together and look so nice? That's normal gameplay. They're on display cases, which allow many objects per tile. You can just plunk objects into invisible slots on the cases.

MoodyMoondoogle (Jan 19, 2006 6:28:09 PM)
Can everyday wear etc. be used as employee uniforms? I want my employees in propellor hats and suspenders.

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:28:09 PM)
You can make your employees wear whatever you choose. We've even given you new mascot outfits to really humiliate them if you want.

maxiskane (Jan 19, 2006 6:28:15 PM)
Twenty more minutes in the chat!

Dee (Jan 19, 2006 6:28:49 PM)
What sparked the idea for OFB? How did you come up with it?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:28:49 PM)
Sims players have wanted to control their Sims at work for a long time. That was our jumping off point, really.

Punkperson37 (Jan 19, 2006 6:29:03 PM)
are there certain hours a buisness can be "open?"

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:29:03 PM)
You determine when your business is opened or closed. There's an open/closed sign that you can use or you can simply decide that whenever you visit your community lot business, it's open.

Lisa (Jan 19, 2006 6:29:16 PM)
so you can shop in business owned by other sims .... but you can't purchase things like robots or toddler toys? (i read that those things had to be made not purchased)

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:29:16 PM)
We just mean they aren't in buy mode. You can buy them in a store if a Sim has made them.

miadea21 (Jan 19, 2006 6:29:36 PM)
How does that work? Opening up a business in your home? Do your customers enter your house and buy your items that way?

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:29:36 PM)
They could, but now you have lockable doors! And the customers wont' buy anything that you haven't marked for sale.

ChattySim (Jan 19, 2006 6:30:06 PM)
Can you make a Bakery? Not resturant style, but like a Bakery?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:30:06 PM)
Yes, you can make a bakery.

Brenna (Jan 19, 2006 6:30:32 PM)
Will there be phones in the stores, and can you accept orders and deliver?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:30:32 PM)
No phone orders accepted.

Judina (Jan 19, 2006 6:30:44 PM)
If I have a sim own a mall - one large lot with several stores on it - can I make the employees in each store wear different uniforms?

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:30:44 PM)
Yep! You can assign a different Uniform to each employee.

Guest (Jan 19, 2006 6:30:51 PM)
When will you launch that video where Tim LeTourneau says: -Hi! I'm Tim LeTourneau and I'm the Senior Producer of "The Sims 2: Open For Business" wich is the third Expansion Pack for the game and I'm really excited to have this opportunity to show you what's comin' up this Spring! ?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:30:51 PM)
You can look forward to a Designer walkthrough with me in a few weeks. Sorry, no Tim LeTourneau. I'm a shameless usurper.

ChaosMageX (Jan 19, 2006 6:31:12 PM)
Can your sim get electrocuted making robots?

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:31:12 PM)
Of course! Electronics are dangerous for low skill Sims.

ChEeTaH (Jan 19, 2006 6:31:20 PM)
Can you charge people just for entering a room/lot, rather than charging them by the hour or what goods they buy?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:31:20 PM)
No, it's by the hour.

Electribird (Jan 19, 2006 6:31:22 PM)
Will all doors be lockable or is it just a certain number of doors?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:31:22 PM)
All doors. (except the Myne door from uni)

simchick (Jan 19, 2006 6:31:37 PM)
Can you live on top of your business

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:31:37 PM)
Yes, you can.

Crumple (Jan 19, 2006 6:32:02 PM)
You said that we are always the boss. Does that mean you can only hire townies?

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:32:02 PM)
Nope, you can hire Sims from other families in your Neighborhood to work at your business.

FelseyLovesHunter (Jan 19, 2006 6:32:06 PM)
Can you customize what's in your clothing store like in a bakery or restrurant menu?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:32:06 PM)
Sorta. Clothing racks have all the options like they always have, but you can suggest outfits to customers, which lets you choose what kind of stuff you want to sell them.

shebadoo83 (Jan 19, 2006 6:32:56 PM)
Would it be possible to have something like a yard sale at your sims house?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:32:56 PM)
Yes, yard sales are possible.

Rockindawg7 (Jan 19, 2006 6:33:07 PM)
Can your sims who have a salon seriously screw up their hair, get sued.....etc.

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:33:07 PM)
Serious ugly mishaps.

SiMCrAzY (Jan 19, 2006 6:33:08 PM)
Can burglers steal from your store?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:33:08 PM)
Only if you have a home business.

simmasterfrannie (Jan 19, 2006 6:33:18 PM)
is it good to have charisma skill so you can sell items better?

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:33:18 PM)
High Charisma will help you build your Sales badge faster which intern makes you better at selling stuff.

lovethesims3 (Jan 19, 2006 6:33:42 PM)
is ther any real estate jobs?????????/

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:33:42 PM)
Lots can be bought and sold, and deeds can be put up for sale, so yes.

kiwi (Jan 19, 2006 6:34:04 PM)
Can we sell beds?

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:34:04 PM)
Yes!

Farley (Jan 19, 2006 6:34:09 PM)
What's the coolest business perk?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:34:09 PM)
Rally Forth. Sacrifice your needs to give them to another Sim. I love it. Especially when you die accidentally. Hahahaha. Ghost with a megaphone. Aw yeah.

SimOJocheerio (Jan 19, 2006 6:34:10 PM)
will you be able to set up a business in the neighborhood communties as well as downtown? or will it apply to the downtown only?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:34:10 PM)
You can setup a business at home or anyhwere there is a community lot.

Guest (Jan 19, 2006 6:35:05 PM)
What are the system reqierments?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:35:05 PM)
Same as Nightlife.

SimAddict352 (Jan 19, 2006 6:35:08 PM)
Can one Sim own every Community Lot in town?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:35:08 PM)
If you like.

Cammy17 (Jan 19, 2006 6:35:17 PM)
Can you own a nightclub that was made for nightlife?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:35:17 PM)
If you own Nightlife, yes.

simrauldn (Jan 19, 2006 6:35:37 PM)
can we sell furniture or cars on this EP?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:35:37 PM)
Yes. Cars only if you have nightlife, though.

wetninja (Jan 19, 2006 6:35:55 PM)
can I sell my paintings on a community lot or do I have to open a gallary in my home.

MaxisShannon (Jan 19, 2006 6:35:55 PM)
Yes, you can sell your paintings on your owned community lot. You can paint them at home and then put them in your inventory, then place them in your store and set them for sale.

Luvie4Sims (Jan 19, 2006 6:36:49 PM)
what about inheriting a business??? will we be able to give our business to a loved one??

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:36:49 PM)
A deceased Sim's business goes to his or her heirs.

diamond (Jan 19, 2006 6:37:02 PM)
do you still enjoying making EP's? Also with th high demands of the simsfans?

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:37:02 PM)
I love making EPs! It's so much fun to come up with fun new things to give you guys and new things for us to play with too.

Electribird (Jan 19, 2006 6:37:08 PM)
How about places like museums or consert-halls? Can we make the sims pay an entry-fee?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:37:08 PM)
Yes, but they pay by the hour.

Guest (Jan 19, 2006 6:37:40 PM)
Can we have a book store?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:37:40 PM)
How could we NOT?

kmh52492 (Jan 19, 2006 6:37:59 PM)
Can a father hire a teenage daughter to work at his business as an employee or would that be pointless?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:37:59 PM)
All household Sims are automatically employees of a business owned by another household Sim.

Zazamook (Jan 19, 2006 6:38:30 PM)
Can robots WooHoo, even if they can't reproduce?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:38:30 PM)
Oh, yeah.

darkraven (Jan 19, 2006 6:38:31 PM)
Are there a lot of new neighborhood decorations?

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:38:31 PM)
Absolutely! Those are some of my favorite things and i love sneaking in new ones. There are some windmills to decorate with, a new flashy sign, some road signs and banners. Some really awesome effects too like Confetti and Planes.

Simguy182 (Jan 19, 2006 6:39:04 PM)
Can a child like Marsha come and shop in my stores, like a toyshop? if she can, can I kill here some way? Just answer the first if you want

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:39:04 PM)
Yes, she will shop at your store, and your ability to kill Marsha will be totally unhindered.

rjayb8i9 (Jan 19, 2006 6:39:17 PM)
Can we take advantage of the pay by the hour thing by going into build mode and boxing them in 'til we have enough money to our liking?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:39:17 PM)
If a Sim wants to leave, he or she will stop paying even if they're trapped.

Starrats@TheHub (Jan 19, 2006 6:39:44 PM)
What can servo's do that sims can't?

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:39:44 PM)
Well... they're made of metal for 1 thing, and they recharge in the sunlight...

squirrelpetter89 (Jan 19, 2006 6:39:51 PM)
can robots reproduce with other robots or sims and have this robosim cyborg?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:39:51 PM)
Robots don't reproduce.

maxiskane (Jan 19, 2006 6:40:35 PM)
We've got about 8 minutes left, so get your good questions in now!

sims2craze424 (Jan 19, 2006 6:40:57 PM)
If you have Nightlife, will your Sims be able to hate each other if one fires the other person?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:40:57 PM)
Yes and yes. Indeed.

Sims2Breana (Jan 19, 2006 6:41:07 PM)
You said all household sims are automatically emplyees of a business owned by another household sim? Can they quit then or get fired if you don't want them to be part of the business?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:41:07 PM)
No, you can't fire a household member. You're stuck with them. 'Course, you can kick them out of the household.

Guest (Jan 19, 2006 6:41:36 PM)
we saw a picture of a robo-vampire is this true

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:41:36 PM)
Yes.

jrdragstr (Jan 19, 2006 6:41:52 PM)
What is the best new interaction?

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:41:52 PM)
Blow Bubbles for kids. It's so cute. I really like the Dazzle Sales social too

Chey (Jan 19, 2006 6:41:53 PM)
why don't robots reproduce?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:41:53 PM)
Well, it's like this. The birds... and then the bees... Ask your mother.

kjtrammel (Jan 19, 2006 6:42:19 PM)
I have a character that is at the status of celebrity chief. Will he be able to open a restaurant or bakery and still advance in his career or will he be like starting over?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:42:19 PM)
He will be well equipped to start a successful business. Cooking skill will be important for him.

AllaStar333 (Jan 19, 2006 6:43:18 PM)
can our sims sneak a woohoo in during work?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:43:18 PM)
Why bother sneaking?

kitty (Jan 19, 2006 6:43:29 PM)
oooooh can sim staff sleep with the boss? That would be soooo cool, then they can inherit the business one day if they marry etc! So many possible storylines!

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:43:29 PM)
Yes, that's all possible.

**Dmarie** (Jan 19, 2006 6:43:32 PM)
What is the "Dazzle Sales

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:43:32 PM)
You try to convince your sales target that you're selling the absolutely most amazing thing in the entire world!! It's funny

Justice3838 (Jan 19, 2006 6:43:48 PM)
Can fires happen in buisnesses?

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:43:48 PM)
Yep! and chaos ensues.

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:44:01 PM)
Customers tend to dislike stores that are on fire.

ChEeTaH (Jan 19, 2006 6:44:15 PM)
Can employees quit their job, even though they still get paid and aren't fired by the business owner?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:44:15 PM)
Absolutely. If they don't think they're getting a fair wage, they could quit.

LadyGeneral (Jan 19, 2006 6:44:20 PM)
Is it possible to sell things for cheaper than they are worth? Or will objects have to be sold at or above how much they are worth?

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:44:20 PM)
You can sell things for $1 if you really want to. It's not terribly profitable though.

Kirlily (Jan 19, 2006 6:45:10 PM)
How are the "talents" earned? Is it like with the skills, with objects?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:45:10 PM)
Talent badges are earned by doing the activity. So, sometimes with objects, sometimes by interacting.

Infernal_Delirium (Jan 19, 2006 6:45:35 PM)
Does the burglar alarm work if a burglar steals from your home business?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:45:35 PM)
Yes.

dvdfrager (Jan 19, 2006 6:45:51 PM)
When you visit a community lot that you own does all the household come or can you have just one come?

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:45:51 PM)
You can go by yourself or with your family.

maxiskane (Jan 19, 2006 6:46:33 PM)
Two minute warning! We'll close the chat in about two minutes.

Justice3838 (Jan 19, 2006 6:46:37 PM)
Will sims ever rufuse to buy something? Like if it's too pricy?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:46:37 PM)
Yes. It's much harder to sell something if it's overpriced.

GoopyLvr (Jan 19, 2006 6:46:39 PM)
Will there be more objects other than the ones for the community?

MaxisShannon (Jan 19, 2006 6:46:39 PM)
Yes, we've created a really beautiful set of mission style furniture. You guys are going to love them!

*Zemi Emy* (Jan 19, 2006 6:47:01 PM)
What's your favorite object in this pack?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:47:01 PM)
I like the robot crafting station.

thomson8719 (Jan 19, 2006 6:47:10 PM)
how long will it be for the transcripts

maxiskane (Jan 19, 2006 6:47:10 PM)
The transcripts will be posted later today.

SimAddict352 (Jan 19, 2006 6:47:33 PM)
What's your favorite new outfit?

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:47:33 PM)
The Gorilla Suit. HA!

maxiskane (Jan 19, 2006 6:48:40 PM)
Guys, we're going to close the chat, how about just one more question?

JakeJack2005 (Jan 19, 2006 6:48:41 PM)
If you open a pool can people accidentally drown?

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:48:41 PM)
If someone "accidentally" removes the ladder.....

Guest (Jan 19, 2006 6:49:05 PM)
Can pregant women go to work at all??

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:49:05 PM)
Pregnant women can now go to community lots for almost their entire pregnancy. Yay!

rjayb8i9 (Jan 19, 2006 6:49:18 PM)
Basically, the possibilities of this game are endless?

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:49:18 PM)
Basically, this game is awesome, yeah.

Simsruler77 (Jan 19, 2006 6:49:19 PM)
please can you explain if prices rise will our customers leave, or will we get away with it if we have loyal customers?

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:49:20 PM)
Loyal customers will stay loyal if you treat them well. If you raise prices too high it will be much harder to sell them things, but they'll still be loyal.

maxiskane (Jan 19, 2006 6:49:23 PM)
Thanks Don, Shannon, Hunter, and LittleL!

MaxisDon (Jan 19, 2006 6:49:30 PM)
Thanks everyone for all of your great questions!

maxiskane (Jan 19, 2006 6:49:32 PM)
Thanks everyone for coming to the chat!

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:49:36 PM)
Thanks for the great questions folks!

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:49:39 PM)
ROCK ON.

MaxisShannon (Jan 19, 2006 6:49:49 PM)
Bye gang!! Thanks for chatting with us!!

MaxisHunter! (Jan 19, 2006 6:49:54 PM)
Thanks all. Seeya round.

maxiskane (Jan 19, 2006 6:50:00 PM)
Bye!

MaxisLittleL (Jan 19, 2006 6:50:10 PM)
Bye!

"With The Sims 2: Open for Business on its way, GameSpy delves deep into the cutthroat world of Sim-Entrepreneurs."

Read The Simprentice Part 1

The SimPrentice: Part 1

By Dave 'Fargo' Kosak

With The Sims 2: Open for Business on its way, GameSpy delves deep into the cutthroat world of Sim-Entrepreneurs.

Always on top of the latest happenings on the Sims front, GameSpy has followed the development of each new expansion. We looked at letters home from a Sims U. student and we chatted with a hook-up artist for Nightlife. But coming this March, the new Open for Business expansion will allow Sims to create and run their own businesses. How does it all work? We decided to follow a business up from the ground level in a new multi-part feature we call The SimPrentice.

Fargo: Open for Business promises to allow Sims to go into business for themselves. But how does it actually work? What will people be able to do with their Sims? To find out, we hooked up with Grubbs, a full-time slacker who's decided to become a part-time entrepreneur. We'll track his progress through several columns over the coming weeks and learn all about the expansion in the process.

Grubbs: Slacker. Businessman.

Grubbs: Dude, I gotta say, I'm flattered GameSpy has so much confidence in me.

Fargo: Actually we figured, 'If Grubbs can run a business, anyone can.'

Grubbs: Werd.

Fargo: So tell us: you majored in Philosophy at Sim State University. What did you learn there to prepare you for the business world?

Grubbs: I learned deep metaphysical stuff about the nature of reality.

Fargo: So... nothing then?

Grubbs: Nothing... or everything. But as it happens, there's a whole separate set of talents that Sims use for business that they can't learn through the regular game. For instance, there's a sales talent (that helps you sell stuff to other Sims), or a flower-arranging talent, or a toycrafting talent -- even a restocking talent. You learn these through experience.

Fargo: And what talents do you have?

Grubbs: None, dawg.

Fargo: I guess you've got to start somewhere. So, walk us through the process: you want to start a business. How do you do it?

Grubbs: Well, first you've got to decide on a location. You can buy a vacant community lot for just a few thousand simoleons, and there you can build up a business from scratch. That'll run you some serious coin, but you can build a huge store that way. Or, you can run a business from home, like I am. All I did was I picked up the phone and told the operator I'm opening my own business in this primo, primo location.

Fargo: This looks like your parents' garage.

Grubbs: Right on! Sweet, hunh? Anyways, once you start a business, you can buy these special lockable doors. I can use them to tell people if my business is open or closed, and I can use them to keep customers out of the main house so they don't walk in on my parents -- while they're -- [the color drains from Grubbs's face] -- I've been there.

How to succeed in hairstyling without really trying...

Fargo: What types of businesses can Sims run?

Grubbs: You can build just about anything. You can create a retail store where you sell stuff to people. You can even build your own products, like, you can build toys to sell in a toy store, or use the robot-making talent to build robots for people --

Fargo: Whoa! We'll have to talk more about robots in a future column. What else can you build?

Grubbs: You can also run your own nightclub or restaurant, which was my first choice, but my parents have this weird thing about dancing cages. Another way to run a biz is to charge people for each item use. For example, voila! I've invested in one of THESE!

Fargo: Very cool -- that's a salon chair. That will let you give Sims haircuts and makeovers?

Grubbs: Correctomundo! I'll use my "cosmetology" talent on other Sims, then charge them for the service ... whether they like the results or not.

Fargo: But you don't have any cosmetology talent. What made you decide to go into the makeover business?

Grubbs: I did my market research. Turns out that when EA polled all of the Sims users out there, giving Sims makeovers was like the number one business people wanted to run. I can only assume it's because everyone hates how everyone else looks. I plan to take that hate and turn it to cold hard simoleons.

Fargo: God bless capitalism. But you still don't have any experience.

Grubbs: I'll slowly get cosmetology experience with each makeover I give. Eventually I'll even earn special cosmetology badges and I'll be able to do more makeover-related actions.

Fargo: So in other words you're just going to ... practice ... on paying customers? Isn't that a disaster waiting to happen?

Grubbs: That's how I roll, bra.

Fargo: Okay, now you're open for business in your parents' garage. Any moment now, customers will just come strolling in through the door. In the meantime, explain to me the new little doohickey I see on the corner of the screen?

Grubbs: That's called the "Business Tracker Puck" by those in the know. You can see that every business has a rank, and you can click on those little icon jobbies to flip out these wingdings that allow you to set the price of your goods, adjust the cost of admission, manage your employees, etc.

Fargo: Thanks for that ... very technical ... explanation.

Grubbs: I'm deep like that. WHOA! CUSTOMER!

Fargo: You really shouldn't shout at your customers as they come in. It's bad form. Now, I can see from your Business Tracker Puck that every customer has a customer loyalty rating, either positive or negative.

Grubbs: That's right. Now, MaryLoo here has a neutral opinion of me because she's not aware of the work I do. But watch what happens once I CUT HER HEAD!

Fargo: Lots of factors impact customer loyalty -- I guess we'll talk more about it in a later column -- but presumably it'll go up if she likes her makeover. What happens if she hates it?

Grubbs: I put a keg in the corner, just in case. Now here, watch the man in action!

Grubbs: TA Daaa!
Fargo: Whoa. Did you do that intentionally?

Grubbs: Well, yah, whenever you use the salon chair you go right into the face and hair editor so you can totally change up the look of a Sim. Of course, uh ... mistakes happen now and then.

Fargo: For the love of life, brother, don't hand her that mirror!

Grubbs: She's crying. That's bad. Is that bad?

Fargo: She looks like the love child between Gene Simmons and a Teletubby.

Grubbs: Good thing I get the money either way.

Fargo: Well, that's one less customer. What next?

Grubbs: Au contraire! No matter how bad things get, you can still turn it around with quality customer service. Why, just look at this fine business establishment I have here. Customers can't help but feel at home.

Fargo: That's because it's in your house.

Grubbs: See, I hung a dartboard up. Customers can relax and chill and have a good time.

Fargo: There's even a cot here to sleep on. Wait -- Grubbs, did you build this business in your bedroom?

Grubbs: Some of my floorspace is, in fact, dedicated to employee accommodations. Now watch and learn, I'm giving her another makeover.

Fargo: Whoa, I'm impressed. That's actually ... kinda hot.

Grubbs: It's the patented GrubbKut, boy-ee! Now, Sims have weird tastes, so there's no telling what they'll like or hate, but I think I've scored a winner here.

Fargo: She likes it! Okay, let's "Visualize Success," Grubbs. If your business does well, what can you expect?

Grubbs: Well, eventually I can make serious coin. Plus, with enough loyal customers, my business will grow and I'll be able to pick more and more rewards. I'll be able to buy stuff cheaper, or motivate my employees, or sell stuff for more money... I will finally be "The Man."

Fargo: Well, you're off to a great start. Tell me, how are your profits doing?

Grubbs: As you can see, profits are way up.

Fargo: Dude, you can't count your initial investment money as "profits."

Grubbs: No way. Seriously? Man, running a business is hard.

Fargo: When we next visit Grubbs, we'll take a look at the other types of businesses that Sims can run in the Open for Business expansion, as well as how each one works. Stick around to GameSpy for the next episode of ... The SimPrentice!

Grubbs: You're fired!

Fargo: You don't have any employees yet.

Grubbs: I always totally wanted to say that.

The Holidays have come and gone and it's time to take down the lights, vacuum up the pine needles and put Berge the Proliferating Reindeer into the attic. As part of our holiday cleanup we'll be putting away the Exchange Objects we gave away during The Great Holiday Giveaway. On January 24th, they will no longer be available for download.

Get them before they're gone!
Buy The Holiday Party Pack