With these updates you can get features in a ep to use in the base game even if you don't have the ep.Here is the link.

http://forums.electronicarts.co.uk/sims ... s-you.html

Quote:
Hi Simmers!

The release of The Sims 3 World Adventures is quickly approaching! So we wanted to take a moment to let you know about a Game Update to The Sims 3 that will be available globally from November 17th and give information on future Game Updates we’ll be working on for you.

The Sims 3 is constantly evolving and the development team is always working to provide necessary upgrades to your games. These could include updates due to driver or software changes we want to support, or it can mean full new features for you to enjoy! Game Updates can also provide you with the newest game code to ensure that you can properly use any official content you have downloaded and that you can continue to share the content you have created online.

Different from previous The Sims titles, Game Updates can contain full new features. For example, from November 17th there will be an update available to you even if you only own The Sims 3. When you update your game, you will get to select new features made available from The Sims 3 World Adventures such as pagoda roofs and basements, without needing to purchase the entire game. Keeping your game up to date will make it easier to continue sharing your content and creations with everyone.

Game Updates can come at any time and may contain whole new features, enhancements to existing features, new features available on the store or exchange – really they could be anything. When we release a Game Update we will continue to inform you of the content it will contain. You will know when there is an update available by checking the Game Updates button in the Game Launcher screen. You can set these Game Updates to be automatically installed or manually controlled through the Game Launcher.

Stay tuned for specific details on the Game Update coming from November 17th including everything it will provide.

Thanks.
The Sims 3 Development Team

That sounds really interesting... although I was waiting for them to say " ...update available to you for a small fee even if you only own The Sims 3..." (italics mine). If these updates are actually free and available to everyone... that's really cool and I'm really looking forward to them since I don't plan on buying WA.

free basement tool and pagoda?
aren't they some of the features that people are waiting for most? Why would they give it to us for free. there must be a catch right?

You'd think so anyway

That's what I thought, which is why I was waiting for them to throw in something like "for the low price of $5.95 per feature!" but I guess if you look at it this way, it makes sense: If I want all of the new WA gameplay and features, I'll buy the EP. If I want the basement tool but nothing else from WA, I'm not going to buy the game anyway, so why not give it for free? The people who want WA will still buy it because these features that they're giving away for free are minuscule when you look at the EP as a whole.

I'm trying not to get my hopes up because I still done believe they would give that stuff out without some sort of catch but I'll be very interested to start up the Sims 3 launcher on Nov. 17.

Well this update is also a patch and I hope it fixes several bugs in the game that hasn't been fixed.One of which is the radios.In my game I can only hear the custom station and if this isn't fixed I may not be able to hear the new music.Lots of people have been complaining about this bug since the game was released.

Skeptics, but anyways, I'm looking forward to the EP and the patch, hopefully both will rejuvenate my interest to TS3.

So we're effectively buying just the related gameplay changes... the everyday ones are going to be released absolutely free to the community? I think that's a bit tough.

Better than spending 30-40 bucks on a game just to build basements and such. I've uninstalled sims 3 though, it decided to act screwy with me again and not boot up for the life of me.

Simoperations says that the WA content will be free for the base game.

but since when did EA give half of their expansion features away for free? it doesn't make sense...

It says in the thread that the update is free. They're not going to charge you for just an update. Guess everyone will have to find something else to complain about now.

I agree, I love complaining, but EA are, dare I say it, doing good things.

I wonder if someone on snooty is an undercover EA person - who is actually listening to us?

I love how everyone's still not that happy that EA is being nice.

Maybe they'll come in black suits to your house and ask for $1000 charge for pirating their stuff.

Lol, I don't think it's that people still aren't happy that EA is being nice, I think most of us are just skeptical... it just seems too good to be true, EA giving something away for free!! The horror!

Those words are impossible to put into a sentence together in that order. How did you do that?

It's here!

Though you can't download it yet.

Wow! Those are some pretty awesome child/toddler interactions. Are those all included in World Adventures?

One of the moderators or whatever they call themselves on the sims 3 forum has announced that it would be for free.

I can't wait, I hope it won't take forever to install.