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Is Showtime worth it at all?

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In all honesty I’m not super eager to get it, but I do want to look into more custom worlds and most require Showtime to run. So is the expansion fun at all or should I stick to the custom worlds that don’t require it. If the latter is true do you guys have recommendations for player-made worlds that don’t require Showtime? I currently have Plumgrove downloaded so far, but that’s it.

Comments

  • GITTE2001GITTE2001 Posts: 2,638 Member
    The careers are definitely fun to do once, a second time they may become repititive (particularly the singer on, probably) but they're nice. It also offers a lot of nice clothing items, including for male sims! Yey! and of course genies.
  • AnthonydyerAnthonydyer Posts: 1,197 Member
    I have the same question. Starlight Shores looks intriguing to me, but I want to know what is included in the EP before buying it.

    Is starlight shores a nice city?
    What is the new functionality of the EP?
    What build/buy objects are new in it?
  • TreyNutzTreyNutz Posts: 5,780 Member
    I bought Showtime on a Steam sale ($5) mainly for CC world compatibility. The genie is fun and my households usually get a domino table and the PlasmaPunch Gyroscopic Conductor if I can fit them on the lot. I haven't done the careers yet or played in Starlight Shores, but that's on my to do list. On the negative side you get Showtime career NPCs popping up around town, and in my game they frequently don't have bodies, I have to use NRaas MasterController to put them in an outfit so they show up.
  • InfraGreenInfraGreen Posts: 6,693 Member
    @Anthonydyer:

    1. I think so. It has a pretty authentic SoCal/LA/Hollywood feel to it and I think it's a very versatile setting. I never noticed performance issues playing there.

    2. New performing careers and a nice collection of fun new objects. Karaoke, dominos, etc. Though it's not really one that blows all EPs out of the park with new content either.

    3. Until you CASt them, it's a lot of pleasantly-bright modern and 70's-esque furniture. I recommend also coloring your kitchen appliances avocado green for a real Cali feel.
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  • SimplyJenSimplyJen Posts: 14,823 Member
    edited January 2018
    The Showtime professions are similar to World Adventures tomb raiding in the fact that it's not something I do every generation. They are fun but too repetitive to play often. When I eventually go back and play those features, it's refreshing and fun all over again. Simport is not something I ever got into even when the old site was still active. Instead I downloaded the unlocked Simport content from MTS. Showtime offers other cool stuff, (things I enjoy and use more over the professions). Dominoes, skee ball, place snack bowls on counters, Genie Lamp (new occult), DJ turntable, pool table, jukebox, mechanical bull, photo booth, karaoke, electro dance sphere, chin-up/pull-up bar, golf driving range. I like the new foods/recipes, plants, and CAS content too.

    You can view the pack guide here which details everything w/ pictures:
    https://simsvip.com/sims-3-showtime-guide/
    Lazy Gamer video review:
    https://youtu.be/MjD6MIbmGc8

    Sounds like I'm really trying to sell this pack. :p As someone who owns all packs and has for years, each pack has plenty to offer even if you don't like certain features. All though some features tend in invade no matter what and if you don't use mods, it may be hard to avoid. Like Proprietors showing up along with performers because non-active sims around town will pick up these professions and perform in public. I use one of the NRaas mods to turn these professions off for the whole town if I don't plan on playing it. (Sorry, I'm on my tablet and can't remember the exact mod+setting ATM.) If you play The Sim 3 through Origin, either find a digital copy sale or you can grab a cheap physical copy through eBay or Amazon. I can't check now but I think a grabbed a sealed copy of Limited Edition: Showtime through eBay for something like $18 USD last year. You've missed recent sales but Steam host big holiday sales and with those sales, Sims 3 + packs are 75% off.
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  • Sigzy05Sigzy05 Posts: 19,406 Member
    I say it's worth it for the town, the clothes, the objects, the traits, interactions and the mp3 player ahaha

    But if you can get it discounted it would be best.
    mHdgPlU.jpg?1
  • Sigzy05Sigzy05 Posts: 19,406 Member
    edited January 2018
    I have the same question. Starlight Shores looks intriguing to me, but I want to know what is included in the EP before buying it.

    Is starlight shores a nice city?
    What is the new functionality of the EP?
    What build/buy objects are new in it?

    Huh it's one of my favourite cities.

    3Zpbqzc.jpg

    It has that Hollywood feel. There's also a huge coastal area in it.

    My second fave is Bridgeport.
    mHdgPlU.jpg?1
  • Rukola_SchaafRukola_Schaaf Posts: 3,065 Member
    edited January 2018
    what i dislike about that EP mostly is the constant spawning of the singer, magician & acrobat role sims

    i hate every sort of role sims forced on me, didn't manage to get them stop spawning even with NRaas


    i won't be participating in the forums & the gallery anymore - thanks EA
  • AnthonydyerAnthonydyer Posts: 1,197 Member
    edited January 2018
    It is too bad that TS3 didn't get more into urban cities. I know certain worlds have "cities" in them, but only Bridgeport is assigned as a city. I think everything else is assigned as a suburb. I've been love/hate with cities. They usually are nice but have a few quirks such as different work hours. Also the Bridgeport landscape looks grey and cold. I do like having high rise buildings. Those are pretty neat. Roaring heights touched on that with the fake building tops, but I wished they were real.

    Starlight shores does look like a beautiful city. I'll consider it.
  • igazorigazor Posts: 19,330 Member
    There aren't any other EA designed urban worlds presumably because the LN expansion is required for them to function differently from "suburban" worlds. There's certainly a ton of custom ones out there, though.
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  • MidnightAuraMidnightAura Posts: 5,809 Member
    I really like showtime! I like the city it came with, the active careers and the objects like the dominos. But then I love big cities in the game.
  • SimplyJenSimplyJen Posts: 14,823 Member
    what i dislike about that EP mostly is the constant spawning of the singer, magician & acrobat role sims

    i hate every sort of role sims forced on me, didn't manage to get them stop spawning even with NRaas

    Hard to tell from my tablet but I believe Story Progression and the Career Module is required. This isn't the exact path but you're looking for Career: Disallow. Disallow the Showtime professions here. Any sims currently assigned should be reassigned. Sims may be assigned to disallowed careers/professions but the game should catch on within a sim day or two and reassign. Is this something you've already tried?

    I bet @igazor could clear this up in better detail if he has time.
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  • RockleyfamilyRockleyfamily Posts: 5,730 Member
    I didn't want it originally when it came out. Eventually got it on sale at half price and I'm happy with it. Haven't used the professions too much but the clothes and items are worth the lower price. My least favourite expansion but I don't regret getting it.
  • igazorigazor Posts: 19,330 Member
    edited January 2018
    SimplyJen wrote: »
    what i dislike about that EP mostly is the constant spawning of the singer, magician & acrobat role sims

    i hate every sort of role sims forced on me, didn't manage to get them stop spawning even with NRaas

    Hard to tell from my tablet but I believe Story Progression and the Career Module is required. This isn't the exact path but you're looking for Career: Disallow. Disallow the Showtime professions here. Any sims currently assigned should be reassigned. Sims may be assigned to disallowed careers/professions but the game should catch on within a sim day or two and reassign. Is this something you've already tried?

    I bet @igazor could clear this up in better detail if he has time.
    On City Hall or an in-game computer,

    NRaas > SP > Town Options > Career:Disallow > (select the three Showtime careers)
    NRaas > SP > Town Options > Skill:Disallow > (select the three Showtime career skills)
    (SP Skill add-on module required)

    The SP Career module is not necessary. This won't stop the game itself from spawning homeless street performers entirely, the Register mod can't prevent that either, but for most of us the SP disallows do slow down the spawnage considerably.
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  • bklienhartbklienhart Posts: 2,975 Member
    Of course you need showtime. How else are you going to run the Major Anthony Nelson family?
  • igazorigazor Posts: 19,330 Member
    bklienhart wrote: »
    Of course you need showtime. How else are you going to run the Major Anthony Nelson family?
    I have to admit that "I Dream of Plantsimmie" (or Werewolfie) doesn't have quite the same ring to it. :p
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  • KNORearKNORear Posts: 522 Member
    Thanks for the info. In conclusion I think I’ll get it. I love CAst so having to plenty of items for that is always good, same with new towns.
  • NovasiNovasi Posts: 46 Member
    I find pretty much every expansion pack for the Sims 3 worth it in their own way. Showtime was one of my personal favorites.
    WTOiavS.jpg
  • LinamintsLinamints Posts: 952 Member
    This is really up to your personal tastes. Watch some reviews and read up and see if you find anything redeeming about it. To me and my play style, the pack has very little value to me, and I only got it for one or two features or objects and the fact it was dirt cheap at the time.
    In my opinion I would never pay full price for this pack.

    However, the items used from showtime might be small in quantity, so if you really love the world you could do a test play on a fresh save and see if it just replaces the objects used from showtime with something else or if it makes the game crash to try.
    Worst case you clear your caches and delete the save and then you'll know whether or not you really need to buy it to use the world.

    Best of luck ^^.
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  • KarritzKarritz Posts: 21,908 Member
    @SimplyJen buying Expansions from eBay or any unauthorised reseller can very likely mean the purchaser will have the game blocked by EA. A huge number of people have recently lost their expansions purchased from places like eBay because EA never got paid for the codes in the first place so EA has been checking the codes and preventing people from using them. If a code is blocked like this it seems you can't just go out and buy a valid code because you already have the slot for that expansion used in your account but it is blocked. This means a lengthy chat with customer support who will hopefully release the slot.
  • JoAnne65JoAnne65 Posts: 22,959 Member
    edited January 2018
    what i dislike about that EP mostly is the constant spawning of the singer, magician & acrobat role sims

    i hate every sort of role sims forced on me, didn't manage to get them stop spawning even with NRaas
    For some reason I don't have many of those. The singers I find irritating because I hate their songs (I always turn off the volume and I never ever do). But I see them very little. And when I do I like it (the magicians and the jugglers).

    The pack is worth it for me, for the same reason as @SimplyJen . And the genies, the genies are worth it if there was nothing else in the pack than them. Love them and couldn't live without them in my game anymore.
    5JZ57S6.png
  • SimplyJenSimplyJen Posts: 14,823 Member
    edited January 2018
    Karritz wrote: »
    @SimplyJen buying Expansions from eBay or any unauthorised reseller can very likely mean the purchaser will have the game blocked by EA. A huge number of people have recently lost their expansions purchased from places like eBay because EA never got paid for the codes in the first place so EA has been checking the codes and preventing people from using them. If a code is blocked like this it seems you can't just go out and buy a valid code because you already have the slot for that expansion used in your account but it is blocked. This means a lengthy chat with customer support who will hopefully release the slot.
    That's digital copies and yes I know. It's good to let others know but here is what I said:
    or you can grab a cheap physical copy through eBay or Amazon.
    Physical copy meaning not digital.

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  • Rukola_SchaafRukola_Schaaf Posts: 3,065 Member
    edited January 2018
    igazor wrote: »
    SimplyJen wrote: »
    what i dislike about that EP mostly is the constant spawning of the singer, magician & acrobat role sims

    i hate every sort of role sims forced on me, didn't manage to get them stop spawning even with NRaas

    Hard to tell from my tablet but I believe Story Progression and the Career Module is required. This isn't the exact path but you're looking for Career: Disallow. Disallow the Showtime professions here. Any sims currently assigned should be reassigned. Sims may be assigned to disallowed careers/professions but the game should catch on within a sim day or two and reassign. Is this something you've already tried?

    I bet @igazor could clear this up in better detail if he has time.
    On City Hall or an in-game computer,

    NRaas > SP > Town Options > Career:Disallow > (select the three Showtime careers)
    NRaas > SP > Town Options > Skill:Disallow > (select the three Showtime career skills)
    (SP Skill add-on module required)

    The SP Career module is not necessary. This won't stop the game itself from spawning homeless street performers entirely, the Register mod can't prevent that either, but for most of us the SP disallows do slow down the spawnage considerably.

    thank you
    i will try that next time i play again TS3

    they don't spawn often & not regularly, just from time to time i get them nearly everywhere, even at the university
    i tried to replace them with my own but then again those are homeless & that means they will be replaced at some point with another set of cloned homeless because the game is programmed to spawn again & again cloned role sims after the first batch was culled tracelessly

    since TS3 i just hate role sims

    i wish all those role sims could have a steady real home & won't be just expendable background filler, at least that
    i have my own played sims in those professions, the game still insists on spawning the role sims nevertheless

    that role sims palooza is the basis for all that unaccessible unchangeable backfiller stuff we've got with TS4 :confused:


    sorry to derail the thread a little with that but this is my main complaint about this EP
    other things in that pack are a great addition though


    i won't be participating in the forums & the gallery anymore - thanks EA
  • KarritzKarritz Posts: 21,908 Member
    SimplyJen wrote: »
    Karritz wrote: »
    @SimplyJen buying Expansions from eBay or any unauthorised reseller can very likely mean the purchaser will have the game blocked by EA. A huge number of people have recently lost their expansions purchased from places like eBay because EA never got paid for the codes in the first place so EA has been checking the codes and preventing people from using them. If a code is blocked like this it seems you can't just go out and buy a valid code because you already have the slot for that expansion used in your account but it is blocked. This means a lengthy chat with customer support who will hopefully release the slot.
    That's digital copies and yes I know. It's good to let others know but here is what I said:
    or you can grab a cheap physical copy through eBay or Amazon.
    Physical copy meaning not digital.

    Are you certain it ONLY applies to digital copies?
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