In view of the upcoming Sims - House Party title EA have released a faq about the game and some screenshots. Here's what they have to say about the new game in the continuing saga of the Sims:
When is The Sims: House Party coming out?
It will be in stores by April in the US and Europe.
Is House Party an add-on or is it a stand-alone?
It's an add-on pack. You will still need The Sims to play.
Will House Party install completely to my hard drive?
Some files will be put on your hard drive, but you will need the CD to play.
What will it cost?
$29.95 in the United States.
What is the ESRB rating for House Party?
We expect House Party to have a T (Teen) rating, just like The Sims.
What's in it?
Over 100 new objects and characters; 5 new music styles; 5 new dance styles to match the new music; and three new "themes" -- Cowboy, Luau, and Rave.
Livin' Large had a lot of pretty weird stuff. What's House Party going to be like?
House Party is all about, well, parties. Everything in it is designed to make parties more fun for both you and your Sims!
Can you play without some of the new objects if you want?
Yes. Just don't buy them for your Sims' home.
Will the limit to the number of "plug-in" walls and floors be changed?
Yes. House Party will allow up to 65,000 "plug-in" walls and up to 65,000 "plug-in" floors.
Can you have multiple neighborhoods in House Party?
Yes. The neighborhood screen will allow you to chose among 5 neighborhoods, which gives you the power to create and control up to 50 families - that's 40 more than in the original game!
Will there be any new interactions?
There will be lots of new things to do, including many different new group activities.
I've downloaded lots of stuff for The Sims. Will House Party be compatible?
House Party is fully compatible with the existing downloads.
Will any cheat codes be added or removed?
No cheat codes will be changed or removed. We may add one or two, however.
