The Sims 2: Nightlife



The Sims 2: Nightlife, or NL, is the second expansion pack published for the game The Sims 2. This is based on a expansion for The Sims, called The Sims: Hot Date. It was released on September 13, 2005 for Windows, and March 27, 2006 for Mac OS X.

The Sims 2: Nightlife is the second expansion pack for The Sims 2, was released on September 13, 2005 (USA and Canada) and September 16, 2005 (European Union, Australia and New Zealand). The expansion pack centers on the new downtown area, which has various activities, such as bowling, karaoke, dining and dancing, as well as a photo booth, and includes a dating mini-game which allows player to engage in their Sim's relationships in greater depth.

Description
The game is reminiscent of an expansion pack from the original The Sims game entitled The Sims: Hot Date, which focused on new social interactions and locations for Sims to visit, such as a dance club or romantic restaurant. Nightlife follows in a similar theme.

New additions include inventories, new interactions, and over 125 new objects. NPCs that a player's Sim dates can now leave gifts or hate letters at the Sim's home, depending on the success of particular dates. Some of the new NPCs include party DJs, a Gypsy Matchmaker, Mrs. Crumplebottom, and Vampires.

Nightlife also adds a new aspiration. The Pleasure Seeking aspiration is assigned in exactly the same way as any of the other 5 aspirations. Sims with the Pleasure Seeking aspiration crave enjoyment in many different ways, whilst they fear embarrassment. Pleasure sims may receive wants such as 'juggle' and 'jump on lounge.' Nightlife has also introduced a new reward object titled the ReNuYu-Senso-Orb which will enable any Sim to have their aspiration changed at any time. However, this object can fail, like all other aspiration reward objects. If that happens, the Sim using it at the time will then have the Grilled Cheese Aspiration, and normal wants will be superseded with the urge to eat grilled cheese sandwiches.

In Nightlife, Sims can own their own cars instead of relying on the carpool. There are several models and colors available. In addition, driveways (mandatory for any residential lot to accommodate a car) and garages can be built into the Sim's lot.

Also, it is possible to design new, more customized swimming pools. Included is a new diagonal shaped swimming pool tool, which can be used to create extensive shapes not previously possible. However, the pool ladder and diving board may only be attached to pool tiles square on to the lot.

The lot mode has been expanded in Nightlife, so that it is possible to view the neighborhood from a lot. Players may leave one lot to play another without having to go back to the neighborhood mode. It is still impossible, however, for a Sim to invite himself or herself to another lot.

New gameplay mechanics
As with previous expansion packs, not only does The Sims 2: Nightlife come packed with more content, but also adds something to the overall gameplay of the original game. New aspects of gameplay that are added to Nightlife are:


 * Sims can now go out on dates
 * Sims can go on outings with friends
 * Sims can now form groups of close friends and can invite all of those friends out in one go.
 * Sims can now receive gifts after a good or bad date.
 * Sims can now have drivable cars.

Fury
The Sims 2: Nightlife introduces the concept of fury. Of limited duration, this generally affects which social interactions are accepted. It is most likely to occur when a spouse is caught cheating with another Sim. If another Sim becomes furious at the player's Sim, their Sim will be subjected to vandalism, such as having their newspaper stolen, or their trash can kicked over. This can be resolved through making friends with the person that is furious at them.

Contacts
Contacts are friends-of-friends that can call the player's Sim up wishing to establish contact. These contacts come predefined with both friendship and lifetime relationship points, making it easier to build a friendship with them. These predefined points are only available for a limited time, however.

Nightlife introduces the option to see neighborhood decorations and neighboring lots from the active lot. It also allows the user to adjust roof angles through the game's console.

Turn-ons/offs
Each teen, adult and elder Sim has two turn-ons and one turn-off. Turn-ons and turn-offs are designed to make relationships easier (or harder) to achieve. Sims with compatible turn-ons/offs will have lightning bolts (also known as chemistry)in their relationship panels. Sims can use the action "Scope Room" to find those special Sims.