Restaurant City Indian Buffet Table allows customers to serve themselves

Playfish teased us last week, that a new item would be launching in the Restaurant City today, and that time has come. The new item is the Indian Buffet Table, and it fits right in with the current Bollywood item theme.

What makes this item so special (at least in Playfish's eyes), is the fact that it's available to purchase for coins. This functional item is indeed available for coins, but we doubt the majority of the game's user-base will be able to afford it, as it goes for a whopping 240,000 coins.

The Buffet Table functions as an Arcade Machine or sorts, allowing customers to serve themselves and endless supply of gourmet Indian dishes. It earns 500 coins every four hours, meaning that you could make a nice profit off of the item, if you played the game with enough regularity to always cash out your profits (never fear, you won't lose anything if you go away for a while, you just won't earn anything past the 500 coin cap either).

This Buffet Table will only be available for the next two days, so shop while you can if you want to add it to your restaurant.

You named your Sim that, really?

In this new video, Sims Social creators talk about the names they gave their virtual counterparts. I was fully expecting to hear punny names like Richard Simmons or Captain Sim T. Kirk, but instead get a round of less-than-inspired noms de plume.

There's Hannah who named her sim Hannah M ("What the M stands for is a secret," she says) and another guy who hops into the wayback machine to revive Seymour Butts from an old Simpsons episode. Blah.

Well, on second viewing I guess they're not all that bad. I like Chorna the Trekkie's "Jim Bones," and how can you not love Lauren's ode to Brad Pitt (her Sim's is named "Lauren Pitt'). As for that "Awesome" guy -- not sure how much a name like that helps you flirt with the ladies, but I guess anything's possible in the simulated town of Littlehaven.



What do you think of these Sim names?

The Sims Social Cheats and Tips: A Guide to Land Expansions

You've grown out of room to put all of your cool stuff? Man, a Sim's life sure is rough, huh? Well, we're about to make your Sim's life in The Sims Social even easier. A large component to the game is building out your Sim's dream home, which of course, requires you to expand, expand expand. So, here is everything you need to know about Land Expansions in The Sims Social:

Are You Financially Prepared?
Before you even think about expanding your home, you will need to level up a bit. To expand your property for the first time, reach Level 10 and accumulate a House Value of at least 25K. To increase your House Value, simply buy more stuff! Once that's through, you will find "For Sale" signs littered around your property.

Location, Location, Location
Next, it's time to choose where you want to expand first. Expansions are good only for the square in which you request. Click on the square, and a pop-up window will appear with the requirements for a Land Expansion. Surprise--you'll need to ask your friends for items in true Facebook game fashion.
The Sims Social For Sale Sign
Oh, and it'll cost you a chunk of Simoleons, too. While the first Land Permit Application requires just four items and 2,000 Simoleons to take, we imagine this would increase with later expansions. Also, read carefully: This is a Land Permit Application, remember? That means ...

The Waiting Game
Every time you apply for a Land Expansion through this process, it'll take some time go through. And we're talking literal time: Your first Land Permit Application will not be accepted for one minute after completing it. Sure, this is nothing, but just wait until you reach your 11th and final expansion. That's right, it'll take days later on for applications to go through. Here are the requirements for each Land Permit Application, and the time it takes for each to go through:

Land Expansion Requirements:

    * First: 25K House Value; Level 10
    * Second: 30K House Value; Level 11
    * Third: 70K House Value; Level 12
    * Fourth: 80K House Value; Level 14
    * Fifth: 90K House Value; Level 16
    * Sixth: 100K House Value; Level 19
    * Seventh: 120K House Value; Level 22
    * Eighth: 140K House Value; Level 26
    * Ninth: 170K House Value; Level 31
    * 10th: 200K House Value; Level 38
    * 11th: 250K House Value; Level 45

The Sims Social Land Permit Application
Land Permit Application Wait Times:

    * First: One minute
    * Second: Five minutes
    * Third: 30 minutes
    * Fourth: One hour
    * Fifth: Two hours
    * Sixth: Four hours
    * Seventh: Eight hours
    * Eighth: 12 hours
    * Ninth: One day
    * 10th: Two days
    * 11th: Three days


Once your application has been approved, you'll definitely know. It's said that a prize comes with each major Land Expansion, and that your Sim won't be able to help but celebrate. And after all the hard clicking work, we doubt you will either.

[Source and Image Credit: Playfish]

Have you started expanding your property in The Sims Social yet? What do you think of how Playfish is handling land expansions in the game? Share with us in the comments. 1 Comment

The Sims Social: Country meets chic with Country Kitchen items

Is it just me, or is decorating our houses one of the best things to do in the Sims Social? I know I could personally spend plenty of time rearranging furniture in each room, only to ripe it all out and start over again, and to help us do that with even more themes is a new Country Kitchen theme that has launched in the game this week. These country kitchen items bring in all sorts of shades of brown and ivory, and it's one of the most complete themes we've seen released in the game yet. Here's a rundown of what to look out for in the store to make this theme complete in your own home.

Plate Collection

    * Costs: 4 SimCash
    * Value: $600


Perfecto Fruitbowl

    * Costs: 4 SimCash
    * Value $600


Vintage Wines

    * Costs: 6 SimCash
    * Value: $900


RuralU Deluxe C (Kitchen Counter Piece)

    * Costs: 10 SimCash
    * Value: $1500


RuralU Deluxe (Kitchen Counter Piece)

    * Costs: 12 SimCash
    * Value: $1750


Antiquitate Deco (Wall Sconce)

    * Costs: 3 SimCash
    * Value: $450


19th Century Lamp

    * Costs: 10 SimCash
    * Value: $1500


19th Century Pot (Flowers)

    * Costs: 19 SimCash
    * Value: $2800


Antiquitate Oil

    * Costs: 325 Social Points
    * Value: $700


Basinuate Marble (Sink)

    * Costs: 12 SimCash
    * Value: 1750
    * Clean Stat: 5



FrancoFaux Chaise (Buildable item)

    * Costs: 225 Social Points
    * Value: $500


Cereal Shelf

    * Costs: 250 Social Points
    * Value: $550


19th Century Mat

    * Costs: 19 SimCash
    * Value: $2800


Clox Fruitful

    * Costs: 350 Social Points
    * Value: $800


RuralU Trove (Wall Cabinet Piece)

    * Costs: 600 Social Points
    * Value: $1450


RuralU Charm (Wall Cabinet Piece)

    * Costs: 800 Social Points
    * Value: $2050


FrancoFaux Tableau (Buildable item)

    * Costs: 800 Social Points
    * Value: $2050


RuralU Latch (Hutch - Buildable item)

    * Costs: 1100 Social Points
    * Value: $3100


G King Counter (Center Island - Buildable item)

    * Costs: 15,000 Social Points
    * Value: $21,250
    * Happiness Stat: 3


Normanity Chair (Living Room Furniture - Buildable item)

    * Costs: 450 Social Points
    * Value: $1050


FrancoFaux Cafe (Living Room Furniture - Buildable item)

    * Costs: 650 Social Points
    * Value: $1600


Normanity Sofa (Living Room Furniture - Buildable item)

    * Costs: 700 Social Points
    * Value: $1750
    * Sleep Stat: 3



In addition to all of these items, there's also a Cooking Skill vent hood called the SuxDelux that's available to users that have reached a Cooking Skill of 40 or higher. This item has a value of $3650.

In the Build Menu, you can also find a selection of new windows in the same matching dark wood color, ranging in price from 750 coins for the RealOak 2 Pane to 6,000 coins for the RealOak 5 Pane. If you want the window in the picture above, with the quaint ivory curtains, that will set you back a whopping 39 SimCash. Along with this, there are five new wallpapers and three new floor tiles to round out the theme.

There's no listed time limit on any of these items, so if you don't have enough Social Points or SimCash available to buy them now, you should be able to save up and purchase them well into the future. Still, if you want to get your hands on these items while they're fresh, I really couldn't blame you. I just hope your kitchen is big enough to hold them all!

[Final Image Credit: Playfish/EA]

What do you think of these Country Kitchen items? Are you more of a modern fan, or do you like country / southwestern items? Sound off in the comments.

The Sims Social: Claim your free Pogo Arcade Machine

While you may already be the proud owner of one or two Arcade Machines in the Sims Social, if you're like me, you'll always be ready for one more - especially if it's free. Such is the case with this new goodie, a Pogo branded Arcade Machine, spotted by BadgeHungry. The single link to claim your reward has apparently been going around for about a week, but hasn't been heavily advertised. It does, however, still work (as of this writing).

To claim your free Pogo Arcade Machine in the Sims Social just make sure you're logged into your Facebook account and click on this link right here. This will take you to Facebook, where you'll be told whether or not your claim attempt was successful. Once in your house, the Pogo Arcade Machine will go into your storage, where you can then freely place it anywhere in your house (or even outside).

As for interactivity, the machine allows you to do two things: Play Games (no energy required), and "Redeem Tokens at Pogo." This link will let you earn 25,000 free tokens on the site, but unfortunately, doesn't come with any free Simoleons back in the Sims Social. But hey, we've walked away with a free Arcade Machine; it's that all we could really ask for?

Have you already claimed your free Pogo Arcade Machine? What other sorts of goodies do you hope come to the Sims Social? Sound off in the comments.