MaxisKyle: I'm Kyle Brink, associate producer on the live and community side of things. And I continue to insist that it's a simulation, not a doll house. :)
PolarBearOnIce: Hey guys, I'm Shannon Copur, a producer on the content side.
petenic99: Hey everybody! I'm Pete Nichols, software engineer.
Maxis_Tyrant: I'm Gordon Walton, Exec Producer
MaxisAndrea: Howdy, I'm Andrea Weber, I too am a producer :)
PolarBearOnIce: King Tyrant!!
MaxisAndrea: Evil Tyrant
Maxis_Tyrant: nice Tyrant
MaxisKyle: Benevolent Tyrant

GamerDude12: Hi, How will you get to place to place in TSO?
PolarBearOnIce: There is a map that you will be able to zoom in and visit peoples properties. very SimCity like.

Frankie902: When you sell a house can you set the price and when someone buys it you get the profit?
PolarBearOnIce: This is really cool, You will be able to trade/sell your property through our secure trading feature. You will be able to negotiate and everything.

Frankie902: Can you live on someone else's lot (an apartment), without being roommates, and work on your own lot devoting your lot to your business?
MaxisKyle: Where you spend your time is up to you. You can exist just fine in The Sims Online without owning or being a roommate on any property.
MaxisKyle: Visit other people's lots to work, eat, play...and use your own lot for whatever else you want. Or don't bother owning property at all! Leave that work to others.

Mattt: In the E3 trailer, we see a person turn into a thief character and then proceed to enter a house. Will we be able to steal from players? If so, what limits will be put on stealing?
Maxis_Tyrant: Well
Maxis_Tyrant: Think of that as marketing license
Maxis_Tyrant: You can't steal anything in TSO
Maxis_Tyrant: Your objects belong to you, your roommates can move them around
Maxis_Tyrant: but only you can pick them up
Maxis_Tyrant: done

Frankie902: Will there be firefighters in The Sims Online?
MaxisAndrea: You can be a firefighter in the Sims. The skin is there you can become what ever you want.
MaxisAndrea: done

GamerDude12: Is the Cancellation of TSO in europe final?
Maxis_Tyrant: There was no cancellation
Maxis_Tyrant: We have no idea how that got out, but it definitely wasn't official
Maxis_Tyrant: We will be announcing European rollout plans in the coming month or so
Maxis_Tyrant: done

Wavelength: will people have to make their simoleans from other sims, or will they be able to make it from the game (via The Sims)?
petenic99: You can get money directly from other Sims, if you're charming enough...
petenic99: But there are other ways: Job Objects will allow your sim to work co-operatively with others to earn cash...
petenic99: There are also objects which you can build skill on while earning money.
petenic99: You could set up a Pay Door and charge people for visiting your house...
petenic99: You will also receive bonus money for the number of Sims who visit you, or for making a Top 100 list.

UnkownDuelist: If I buy some coffee from someone else's item, say a coffee machine, on their lot, will the money go directly to them?
petenic99: Not quite directly, but they will get it. For example, the owner of a snack machine has to come by and pick up all that cash folks have been putting in.

Anonymous: id like to remain anonymous with this question, but will the love relationships be strictly heterosexual?
MaxisAndrea: The romantic relations in The Sims Online are just like the relations you have in 1.0.

weasel-: when you buy a plot of land, can you do whatever you want with it?, ie: could you just leave it as grass with a couple trees on it like a park, or do you have to build a house/store on it?
MaxisKyle: You can do whatever you want with your property in The Sims Online.
MaxisKyle: If you want a park, build a park. Or a business. Or a home.
MaxisKyle: Or something else you wish you could build in real life.
MaxisKyle: I've built a spaceship, a pizza business, and a hotel. Go for it!
MaxisAndrea: Brainstorm...I built a Roman House of Debate!

[TK]Connovor: will there be a monthly fee like DAoC, UO and EQ?
Maxis_Tyrant: We will have a monthly fee. Exact details coming soon, but expect it to mirror other only persistent world game offerings

Frankie902: Will games such as soccer, and the casino games be interactive? Like if your playing blackjack can you see what the cards are and select hit or draw?
petenic99: Absolutely! Expect to see game objects with very detailed interactions.

Mattt: How does the in game clock work? Obviously we can't fast-forward whenever we want... so what happens when we go to work? Do we now actually go to work and make money in real time?
PolarBearOnIce: YOU actually go to work, you can create a working environment or you can go to other peoples property and either join them in a Job Object (Pizza, Paperchase, etc) or you can earn skills and make money.

Hilger328: Will people be killable?
Maxis_Tyrant: You will not be able to kill other players, or physically impede their play experience
Maxis_Tyrant: This is *not* a PvP game world

GamerDude12 The More friends you get the popular u get? and rumors say that there is a gizmo to search for popular people. True? False?
MaxisKyle: In The Sims Online, you can officially declare someone your friend. The more friends you have, the more popular you are.
MaxisKyle: We've built a browser into the game which helps you find anyone or any place you're looking for.
MaxisKyle: One of the ways you can find people or places is by how popular they are in terms of friends and visitors. So finding the fun is easy!

Vchat20: Will it be possible to have a school and/or college in TSO?
MaxisAndrea: Sure you can create schools. I in fact created a Roman house of Debate. Where my students would read building skills and then debate.
MaxisAndrea: It takes time and you have to put a lot of effort into a school...Now a night club is a bit more risky ;)
MaxisAndrea: and more fun

gavan: Will there be Vacation and Unleash items?
Maxis_Tyrant: Almost all the objects from The Sims and expansions are included. But not all will be available immediately, some will be activated after launch.
Maxis_Tyrant: We also have quite a few TSO-only objects
Maxis_Tyrant: Many objects will end up with new functionality in TSO and expect to see even more of that kind of evolving game play over time.

Wavelength: Many people have raised concerns about fulfilling some of the more mundane motives such as energy and hunger. Will motives like this be addressed to make TSO more exciting?
PolarBearOnIce: Well, Motives will work somewhat like they did no 1.0, but they have been tuned as to not be so time consuming. In other words your bladder wont be the size of a pee. :)

Caedar[SOT]: What is the maximum resolution that The Sims Online is designed to support?
petenic99: 800x600 for now - with an option for 1024x768 eventually

GamerDude12: Will you be able to get a loan? will there be banks?
MaxisKyle: The Sims Online world is what you, the players, make of it. So if you want to be a banker, earn some money, then offer to let people borrow it.
MaxisKyle: Get a valuable object from them as collateral, perhaps. Arrange payments. It's all up to you to!
MaxisKyle: As in many online games, we expect powerful players to help newer, poorer ones too.
MaxisKyle: It's a great way to make friends and be popular!

Vchat20: Say, I had a business. If I had employees, and neither me or my roommates were online, will the employees still be able to work and keep the business going?
Maxis_Tyrant: Only roommates can bring your property online. So if you want your business online, get some partners, not employees!
Maxis_Tyrant: No exploitation of the working class in TSO!

Mattt: Since I love pizza more than anything, will Sims Online offer different types of pizza or will we have generic pizza? e.g. I want pep and bacon! (This would be vital for a pizza business!)
petenic99: Pepperoni, Mushrooms, and Anchovies will all be available as you cook up pizza for profit!

Kiir: I saw that beta is starting soon, how do we sign up for the beta?
Maxis_Tyrant: Here is a hint
Maxis_Tyrant: Go to www.thesimsonline.com and sign up for the TSO newsletter
Maxis_Tyrant: '/end hint
Maxis_Tyrant: oh, and use a real email
Maxis_Tyrant: :)

Vchat20: I'm going to create a hotel in TSO, if I had a phone in each room, will they be able to be separate phone lines, or they be the same?
petenic99: Everybody has their own "cell phone". You can call up (instant message) anyone who's online within the game.
petenic99: If someone's not online, write them a letter and they'll get it next time they log on.

ShimSham: When You work for someone else... do they select how much you make on your job, and do they give you raises or is that automatic?
PolarBearOnIce: No, but you can give yourself a raise. The higher you skills (Body, Charisma, Logic, etc) the more money you make. The trick is to find people that are really good at the objects and meet up with them and create a team. The faster you solve the problems the more money you make.

Valeria: This will be the last question
Toeten: In most MMORPG's there is a goal of leveling or obtaining wealth in items and guild status. What are the goals for folks to continue to play TSO day after day? What will be the drive?
MaxisKyle: Sims players are funny, friendly folks. The stuff they do and the places they create are endlessly evolving and interesting and hilarious.
MaxisKyle: Just look at TheSims.com on the Exchange to see the breadth and depth of entertainment people create for each other. Now add to that the fun of real people behind every Sim you meet.
MaxisKyle: Really, I haven't seen anything with this potential for endless variation in entertainment in any medium -- computer or otherwise.

Valeria: This concludes tonight's The Sims Online House of Commons Chat. Thanks to all of you for attending tonight. A special thanks to our guest(s) from Maxis for taking time out to come and answer questions, and our question takers for their work. Tonight's log will be posted at http://www.stratics.com shortly. Have a wonderful night everyone!
PolarBearOnIce: Bye everyone, thnx!!!
petenic99: See ya online...