The Sims 3: Showtime

The Sims 3: Showtime is the sixth expansion pack for The Sims 3. It was first found on a Dutch retailer gaming list in Simprograms in November 11, 2011 and was officially announced in December 6, 2011. It is released on March 6, 2012 in North America, March 8, 2012 in Europe and March 9, 2012 in United Kingdom.

Description
''Live the rags to riches story with your Sims while connected to your friends! Experience the rise to stardom as your Sim performs on stage from one venue to the next. And for the first time, The Sims 3 Showtime introduces social features, including Simport, an all-new feature that lets you send your Sims to a friend’s game! There, your Sim can perform at your friend’s venue in front of your friend’s Sims! You will also be able to chat with friends and post messages and screenshots on your friends’ walls.''

Features
''Can you get your Sims to smooch 5 times by Valentine’s Day? Can you get your Sim to sell 50 albums, in the first week of Showtime? Players will have hundreds of achievements to accomplish from day one, but stay tuned as new achievements will be presented to The Sims 3 community even after Showtime is released.'' You may take a look for most of the achievements in this link. Achievements will not be published until Showtime is released.
 * All-new social features: chat with friends, post to their walls, give status updates, and create friends lists.
 * Be Connected: Make new friends, connect, and share your stories and experiences without ever leaving the game. Using the new individual in-game news feeds and live updates, post your Sims’ successes, share gameplay techniques, create wishlists and gifts, search for new friends and share memories.
 * New Achievement System: Earn rewards for achieving goals and accomplishing special challenges that can be tracked and shared via in-game social wall posts. New achievements will be introduced on a regular basis. We’re also adding a new achievement system where players can take on special challenges and as they accomplish each achievement, they will be awarded badges that will be shown off on their new player profile page.
 * In Game Messaging: One of the new features in The Sims 3 Showtime is the capability of in-game messaging, so that you can communicate with your Simmer friends while you’re playing. If you prefer not to have this connected experience, then it’s easy enough to turn off this messaging.
 * SimPort: It is another major new connected feature introduced in Showtime. This allows players the ability to send their star Sim performers on tour to perform special shows in their friends’ towns. You can also invite your friends to send their Sims to perform for you. You can customize the stage in your venue with special themed backgrounds, props, lights and special effects before your friend’s Sim arrives to make sure their performance is a hit with the other Sims who live in your town.


 * SimPort Rewards:
 * The Uber Set (Led Zeppelin theme): 90 total Tours
 * Graffit Background Props and Clothes: 15 Achievements
 * “Social Bunny” Statue and Props: 15 Achievements
 * Chess-themed Statues and Costumes: 15 Achievements
 * Candyland theme: 9 Achievements
 * Atomic Age + Freezer bunny Chair: 9 Achievements
 * Country Themed Set: 9 Achievements
 * Underwater Themed Set: 9 Achievements
 * Modern/Celebrity-like Set: 9 Achievements


 * Categories of Tours:
 * Singer Tour Stops
 * Acrobat Tour Stops
 * Magician Tour Stops
 * Park Venue Tour Stops
 * Coffehouse Tour Stops
 * Live Show Venue Tours
 * Big Show Venue Tours


 * New Traits
 * Diva - Diva Sims are amazing and don’t you forget it! When they are good, they’re great, and when they are bad, they’re better!
 * Social Butterfly - Social Butterfly Sims aren’t happy unless they’re socializing, and will do just about anything to be the center of attention.
 * Natural Born Performer - Natural Born Performer Sims are most comfortable on a stage, and never happier than when they are in front of an audience.


 * New Lifetime wishes
 * Master Acrobat - Many Sims fall in love with tumbling and jump head first into acrobatics, hoping that their leap of faith will end in sold out performances with crowds of adoring fans. It will take years of stretching, bending, and treating burns, but great strength of body – and perseverance - will eventually lead a Sim to the title of Master Acrobat. (Reach Level 10 of the Acrobat Career)
 * Master Magician - The world of Magic and Illusion seems exotic and mysterious to most Sims. To make it as a magician, your Sim must master tricks ranging from making small objects appear to, to escaping complicated death traps. It will be dangerous, but success will surely lead to fame and glory as a world renowned illusionist. (Reach Level 10 of the Magician Career)
 * Vocal Legend - Everyone dreams of being the next idol, and being worshiped by millions of Sims around the world. But can you work through the years of stress and obscurity to reach the heights of super-stardom? (Reach Level 10 of the Singer Career)


 * New Lifetime Happiness Rewards
 * Born to Cook (20,000) - Become a better chef without spending years slaving over a hot stove! Increase the quality and taste of your food!
 * Dusty Old Lamp (30,000) - This lamp can make all your wishes comes true with only a little polishing.
 * Engaging (10,000) - The audience will hang on the slightest movement or quietest whisper that you produce. Your successes on stage will be more prevalent, and your fails less significant.
 * ExtraordinAIRe-Inator (20,000) - The ExtraordinAIRe-Inator turns your house into a place of meditation. Relax into it’s fresh and soothing aromas.
 * Fearless Voyager (Simport) (20,000) - Sometimes you take a voyage. Sometimes the voyage takes you. Either way, it pays big to be fearless when going on tour via Simport.
 * Perfect host (Simport) (20,000) - You welcome your guest with open arms and accommodate their needs as if your life depends on it….and this doesn’t go unnoticed. Your Sim’s household will receive more money, as well as Lifetime Happiness points, when hosting a Sim through Simport.
 * That was Deliberate (15,000) - Turn a stumble into a well planned stride and a cracked voice into an operatic bellow. The audience is less likely to notice any mistakes that you may make while performing on stage.


 * New neighborhood: Starlight Shores It is set in a South Californian town.
 * New community lots
 * Coffeehouse - The new Coffeehouse venue is a hangout type lot where your Sims can enjoy some me time, or hang out with a group of friends. You can also add some of the new Showtime interactive content to spice it up! Performers are able to perform and audition for gigs here.
 * Live Show Venue – The Live Show Venue is an open “hangout” type lot, which your Sims can visit at any time, and will also be the venue where they perform their firsts gigs.
 * Private Venue – The Private Venue is a hangout type lot that has set business hours just like the clubs in the Late Night expansion. Your Sim can visit this private venue at any time during normal business hours. Your Showtime Sims will also be able to perform for private parties & put on a show in a Private Venue.
 * Big Show Venue – The Big Show Venue is a performance venue for you Sims. You will not be able to enter the building unless you have been granted a chance to perform there. This is the largest type of show your Sim could ever perform at.


 * New careers
 * Acrobat
 * By choosing a career as an acrobat, you can develop unique skills. Your Sim will begin his career in Acrobat as street mime and earn tips through small towers. As you progress, new items, locations and costumes will be released to help him make a real career as an artist!
 * When your Sims make a name for themselves, your Sims can showcase their talents in venues and perform new tricks such as flips or balance on a ball.
 * Finally, when they become a real star, your Sim will have the opportunity to perform in huge arenas where they can demonstrate with ease all his skills as an acrobat on a stage completely customized to his needs!
 * Magician
 * As a magician, your Sim begins their career on the streets performing magic tricks for tips. They’ll visit new venues and meet with the owners to book larger gigs and gain experience.
 * Magicians have unique social interactions that give them the ability to perform small-scale tricks on other Sims such as pulling a coin from an ear and making butterflies and doves magically appear.
 * As magicians level up, they acquire new objects that can be used on-stage. For some magical fun, your Sims can use the Box of Mystery to perform the “swords of destiny” by carefully placing knives through the box without stabbing the Sim inside. Beware the Box of Danger! If a Sim fails at correctly executing their tricks with this object, death may come calling.
 * Singer
 * Singers are unique in the game as they can accept paying jobs such as performing Sing-A-Grams to gain experience.
 * Singing telegrams are also a social feature, and the types of jobs your Sims will receive will directly correlate to the happenings around town. If a Sim in town has just lost their job, cheer them up. If it’s a Sim’s birthday, sing them a song.
 * Like the other careers, singers can also take their talents to the public performing for tips in parks and local hang-outs. As singers progress, stage props, costumes and new songs will be unlocked to help them look the part and sing a variety of tunes. Singers will want to make it to the top to star in their very own big venue concert.
 * Singers cannot be added to bands from Late Night.


 * SimFest: a giant talent show for acrobats, magicians and singers to compete against one another in town. For Sims who particularly love a challenge, a new dual interaction is available in-game for Sims to compete against one another outside of SimFest.
 * You can hire DJs, magicians, singers, and acrobats from the “call for services” menu. You can also hire a Sing-a-gram from the phone, to deliver a message to someone special.
 * DJs, magicians, singers and acrobat Sims can have stage names.
 * Magicians, singers and acrobats Sims will have an interaction in Friendly which is Ever heard of me?. The interaction will ask the other Sims whether they know them or not.
 * Gigs
 * Big Show Performances


 * New Skill
 * DJ
 * The DJ Booth allows your Sims to moonlight as a DJ while your Sim is on their fantastic climb to stardom.
 * Sims will gain more and more experience as they use the DJ booth. They can perform on community lots for tips, while maintaining an alternate full blown career.


 * New Hidden Skills
 * Acrobat Career – Levels 1 – 10
 * DJ Turntable – Levels 1 – 5
 * Dominoes – Levels 1 – 10
 * Gambling – Levels 1 -10
 * Golfing – Levels 1 – 10
 * Magician Career – Levels 1 – 10
 * Pool – Levels 1 – 10
 * Singer Career – Levels 1 – 10


 * New/returning Objects


 * DJ booth
 * Mechanical Bull
 * Pool table
 * Photo Booth
 * Jukebox
 * Box of Mystery


 * Karaoke Machine
 * Plasma Punch Gyroscopic Conductor (Electro Dance Sphere)
 * Golf Range
 * Dominoes
 * Table Arcade Games

''There is also the option to use the venue’s pre set prop stage. Props serve as home decor and furniture as well. Lighting effects, flames, butterflies and other effects are also available as props. When a sim has finished performing, they will get reviews on their performances. Sims can have anywhere from awesome to terrible shows. Moodlets reflect their performances.''
 * Stages
 * Magicians, Acrobats and Singers will be able to set up their own stage when performing at a venue. The set up stage option appears up to 2 hours prior to your live show and will prompt buy mode’s “Props” section. you will have a variety of items to choose from. You will be able to choose a “previously Saved” prop default, or create a brand new one.


 * Create a Venue
 * Players can build their own unique, one of a kind venue to host performances. Select any community lot that fits your size needs, and build away! You can also edit existing lots as well.


 * New death type
 * Death by Magic
 * For some magical fun, your Sims can use the Box of Mystery to perform the “swords of destiny” by carefully placing knives through the box without stabbing the Sim inside.
 * Beware the Box of Danger! If a Sim fails at correctly executing their tricks with this object, death may come calling.
 * The way the ghost looks will be "smokey".


 * New "Woohoo" Spots
 * Photo Booth
 * Box of Mystery

They are:
 * New Food
 * Fried peanut butter and banana sandwich
 * Some dishes have a vegetarian version for Vegetarian Sims in Showtime.


 * Vegetarian Dim Sum
 * Spaghetti with Veggie Sauce
 * Tri Tip Tofu Steak
 * Veggie Burger
 * Veggie Rolls


 * Vegetarian Lobster Thermidor
 * Vegetarian Grilled Salmon
 * Vegetarian Fish & Chips
 * Cheese Tofu Steak
 * Tofu Dog


 * Bananas are now harvestable plants.
 * Tofu will be a new food ingredient and only can be bought at grocery stores.
 * Place Snack Bowl is a new interaction that places snack bowls on counters. There are three flavors: Candy, Nuts and Chips. These bowls cost §9.


 * Sea bat starfish is added as a new fish.


 * Career outfit category is added to CAS. Sims can have maximum 3 outfits, like other outfit categories.
 * New Career Clothing - Sims who are acrobats, magicians and singers will unlock special objects and outfits directly relating to that career. All outfits can be customised in Create a Sim to match the look of the venue and stage for your Sim’s performance.

Editions
There are four different editions of the expansion pack. They are:
 * Normal edition
 * It only has the original contents for Showtime.


 * Limited edition
 * It has the contents for Showtime and two extra contents which is the venue and the stadium.


 * The Sims 3: Showtime Katy Perry Collector's Edition
 * This collector's edition has the original and limited contents and adds a download location which has a theme of Katy Perry hairstyle, clothes, guitar, thematic props of fruit. An exclusive poster is also included in the pack.


 * The Sims 3 Plus Showtime
 * It is a bundle pack which has The Sims 3 and normal edition of the pack.

Images
"Promotional images"=

Videos
Video:The Sims 3 Showtime Expansion? |The Sims 3: Showtime (leaked concept trailer) Video:THE SIMS 3 SHOWTIME trailer (EN)|The Sims 3: Showtime announcement trailer Video:Katy Perry Collector's Edition Trailer|Katy Perry Collector's Edition Music Video Video:The Sims 3 Showtime Producer Walkthrough|The Sims 3 Showtime Producer Walkthrough Video:The Sims 3 Showtime Social Features|The Sims 3 Showtime Social Features Video:The Sims 3 Showtime -- Rise to Fame|The Sims 3 Showtime - Rise to Fame Video:The Sims 3™ Showtime - SimPort|The Sims 3™ Showtime - SimPort

Music
This is a list of artists and their songs that are to be featured in Showtime:
 * Unconfirmed songs

Trivia

 * There was a live chat on January 26th, 2012.
 * There was a Closed Beta for the expansion pack from January 13th thru the 21st, 2012.
 * The Announcement Trailer for Showtime uses the original English version of Firework by Katy Perry.
 * There was a speculation that EA might have changed the release date of the expansion pack because on Amazon France, the Limited Edition of it and the bundle pack with The Sims 3 had their release date on March 27th, the same date a 6th rumored stuff pack might be released. It is false as Amazon France had changed the date to March 8.
 * The karaoke songs are the same as those heard in The Sims 2: Nightlife.
 * SimPort was confirmed in this video to be released with the free update coming with The Sims 3: Showtime and works for all games.