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GameSpot has posted a hands-on preview of Makin' Magic. See what they have to say about the last expansion pack for The Sims.

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The Sims: Makin' Magic Updated Impressions

By Andrew Park

We take one last advance look at the final expansion pack for The Sims.

We recently had the opportunity to take a look at the seventh and final expansion pack for Maxis' extremely popular strategy game, The Sims. The Makin' Magic expansion focuses on the use of magic spells, wands, potions, and other items to create useful effects that complement the original gameplay of The Sims.

Using magic in Makin' Magic requires you to develop your cooking, logic, and mechanical skills to solve puzzles, fashion magical items, and create magic potions. You start a new game of Makin' Magic with a visit from the Mystery Man, a stranger who leaves you with a starter's magic kit, which includes such items as a modern-day electric cauldron and a handful of magic spell components. You also receive a magical tome (which has a total of five pages) that contains all your magic spells--when you unlock them--plus a "hole in the ground" item that transports sims to Magic Town, the expansion's new downtown area.

Makin' Magic has a series of all-new skill objects, as well as other objects that can be used at home to make money. In fact, if you don't care to go to work, it doesn't seem like you have to, since Makin' Magic lets you harvest honey from beehives, which can be sold at a profit or used as a magic component. You can also grow grapes and elderberries in your garden, which can also be sold or used as magic components. While Makin' Magic doesn't have a new career path, it does let you keep up with your old one by providing you with a new magic spell that lets you clone a sim for just about any purpose--including sending him or her off to work. Unfortunately, even the most successful clones expire after a certain period of time and burst into flames. In fact, most of the magic in the game actually has a detrimental "backfire" condition. The "perfect garden" spell, for instance, causes any wilted flowers or plants to perk right back up, but if the spell backfires, your lawn gnomes may instead come to life and trample your sims' gardens--and kick your sims in the shins.

Makin' Magic's new downtown area, Magic Town, lets your sims unlock higher-level magic spells and lets them find more-advanced components from the local apothecary. You can also use the nearby stages in Magic Town to put on a magic show, which is similar to putting on a show in the previous expansion pack, Superstar. As in the last expansion pack, your sim gets onstage to perform a trick, like conjuring ghosts from a coffin, but if your sim's logic skill is poor, the ghosts will end up scaring your performer while the crowd responds with unappreciative catcalls. Performing onstage earns you magic coins, which can be used to buy new items from the apothecary. Magic coins can also be used to purchase a new house lot in an all-new section of the suburbs outside of SimCity--a section that's more naturally attuned to magic. Magic Town also lets you refill your sims' needs (or "motives," as they're referred to in the game) with items like the new roller coasters, which replenish your sims' need for fun. When designing an empty lot, you can actually create your own roller coaster by laying winding track along the ground. You can even create an entire lot that consists of nothing but a huge roller coaster.

As you might expect, Makin' Magic has additional functionality that works with other expansion packs for The Sims. If you have Superstar installed, for instance, you may find a magic spell that boosts your fame rating without having to perform onstage or without having to hobnob with celebrities. If you have Unleashed installed, you may actually be able to turn your pets into humans. Even if you don't have any other expansions, Makin' Magic adds more than 175 new items, plus the oft-requested ability to magically change child sims into adults.

The Sims: Makin' Magic recently went gold. The expansion is scheduled to ship at the end of this month--just in time for Halloween.

The magic is in the air!
Can you feel it? 2 additional screenshots are included to help you feel the magic.

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EA GAMES' The Sims Makin' Magic Goes Gold

The magic is in the air! Can you feel it?

Now's your chance to explore the world of magic, Sims-style. The Sims Makin' Magic Expansion Pack has gone gold and is scheduled for release on October 28, 2003!

In The Sims Makin' Magic, your Sims are granted magical powers to cast playful or mischievous spells. Venture to an all-new magical, carnival-themed destination, experience exciting new gameplay, gain over 175 new items, and encounter a whole new cast of quirky characters in this powerful pack of magical high jinx.

At home, use suburban magic to transform everyday objects into helpful minions, hypnotize your friends, or turn that pesky neighbor into a frog. Unlock mystical recipes one by one in the family spellbook, and mix individual ingredients to create dozens of original incantations. Cast spells to take care of the needs of your Sims, keep tidy the house, cook meals, and meddle with relationships. But be careful, because every spell has a unique backfire, if your Sims lack that magic something. Hair-raising consequences in the game include toad plagues, snakes, and lightning strikes.

Visit Magic Town, the new spellbinding location, to earn rewards by performing mind-boggling tricks at a side show or dueling it out in a magic arena. Discover secret recipes for mystical concoctions and powerful charms. Quest for unusual ingredients or build wild carnival rides from the ground up. Eccentric new characters are available to assist and amuse you including a snake charmer, gypsy, and even a ghost or two. See what happens when the fate of the Sims is challenged and magic spells are cast with good or bad intentions. In The Sims Makin' Magic, expect the unexpected.

The Sims Makin' Magic will be the final edition to The Sims original series and prelude to the highly anticipated launch of The Sims™ 2. The expansion pack was developed by Maxis and is being published under the EA GAMES brand. The game is rated "T" (Teen) by the ESRB and has a US MSRP of $29.95. The Sims, The Sims Deluxe Edition, or The Sims Double Deluxe is required to play The Sims Makin' Magic.

Read the exclusive interview for SimInsider! Associate Designer, Jenna Chalmers, explains some of the mystique behind creating Makin’ Magic.

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We caught up with Jenna during the final development stages of The Sims™ Makin' Magic Expansion Pack at Electronic Art's Maxis Studio in Walnut Creek, CA. Right away, we knew we had come to a place where creative inspiration is welcome. Jenna's work space was strung with white lights, fabrics and other décor creating a real magical ambience. Jenna glowed with excitement when she talked about Makin' Magic and we're looking forward to playing the final version when it comes out this Halloween.

1. What is a Designer's role on a development team?
Generally, a designer's job is to take all the great ideas that come from different people, sort out the ones that work well together and use their own creativity to weave them in to a cohesive, rich gameplay experience for the player.
For "The Sims" in particular, keeping the players in mind is critical. Here, the players are the storytellers. You have to put yourself in their place and determine what elements they need to create their world.

2. How excited was the Development Team to design The Sims Makin' Magic?
We were very excited. With every expansion pack we try to push the limits of what's possible within a game, which is always fun. But with The Sims Makin' Magic, the very nature of the content meant that the sky was the limit in terms of what we could and could not do. This allowed us to let ourselves go creatively, and to come up with some really wacky, off-the-wall moments.

3. What magic themes did you try to follow?
Because magic means different things to different people, we had to focus on what magic means to the Sims. We describe it as "domestic" or "suburban" magic. Some TV sitcoms you could think of that fit this bill are Bewitched, The Addam's Family, and I Dream of Jeannie. To stay within the context of The Sims world, daily life needed to remain somewhat realistic, yet introduce magic with humorous, tongue-and-cheek twists. For example, think of classic elements of pop culture like flamingo and gnome lawn ornaments (also in previous Expansion Packs). In The Sims Makin' Magic, you can now enchant these ornaments to do your gardening or help entertain. Putting a spin on those is very much within the context of The Sims.

4. What were the most fun characters, objects, spells, etc. to design?
The Sims Makin' Magic was fun to design, because we could let our imaginations really run wild. Two things cool stand out. First, spells were really fun. For example, with "Shed Your Skin," you can change your character's looks into something completely different. Coming up with all of these looks was a blast. Also thinking of how and why spells can go wrong was a riot. Our fans are sure to laugh a lot.
Second, the whole look and feel of the game was a treat to design. We created a cross between an old-timey 40's carnival and bohemian gypsy world. Additionally, The Sims Makin' Magic introduces more old fashioned elements with a sense of history like the butter churns, spinning wheels, and an antique tea set which add a real nostalgic feel. We also created a distinct mood with autumn and spooky trees, wishing wells, and fog among other things.

5. Regardless of a new Expansion Pack theme, Maxis always provides something for every fan. What's your favorite new non-magical gameplay or feature?
Baking and cooking in The Sims Makin' Magic is really outstanding. There's a lot of rich gameplay related to cooking which greatly adds to the base play. For cooking you can grow, make, harvest, and buy a lot of the ingredients you need. And with the Baker's Oven and Nectar Press, players can mix ingredients to bake pies or make nectar. In addition, we designed a whole new Mediterranean kitchen set to match the look and feel of the Baker's Oven. I also really like the funhouse rides which you can build and customize for your Sims. The Clown and Spooky themed rides turned out incredible!

6. What is your favorite thing about The Sims Makin' Magic?
The whole look and feel of the game is amazing. The Magic Town location is so mystical and fun that I sometimes think I would want to live there. Some other things I like are the all-new the floors, walls, outfits, and environments such as autumn trees and fog that all contribute to creating an atmosphere that is true to the The Sims Makin' Magic world. Compared to the previous expansion packs, you can dramatically change the way your environment looks. I love that about this game!

"Personally, I can’t wait to get my peepers on the Vampiress and gypsy vendors that inhabit Magic Town."

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