In the Forum Rules, there is a line about avoiding web acronyms. This is a good thing. However, there are Sims-specific acronyms that seem to be acceptable on these forums. Additionally, there are Sims-specific terms that we should all know. I'm sure Carl would prefer if we spell everything out but every now and then, acronyms do appear in these forums. At least with this guide, if one of these acronyms should slip in, all readers will understand precisely what is meant.
Since I didn't see a thread outlining these terms and acronyms, I thought it might be helpful to start one. It might be of particular use for anyone new to the franchise, those who don't have all the expansion/stuff packs or those who are new to these forums. I hope I'm not overstepping my boundaries here.
Right now, this is in
very rough form. If it is allowed ((edit: looks like it's allowed, since Carl said so
)), I'll edit it with additional terms and acronyms and I'll provide better definitions. I'll organize/alphabetize it as well.
*** Edit: In addition to cleaning up some of the entries, I have alphabetized the list. I considered organizing it by type (Expansion Packs, general terms, etc.) but I figured if a user doesn't know what a term is, they wouldn't know which category to look at. Having just a plain alphabet-based guide is probably more user-friendly. I also tried to bold all the cross-references.
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Last updated: September 23, 2011. The Glossary now reflects suggestions and revisions offered in Replies 1 through 45.
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Glossary and Generally Accepted Acronyms (GAA)
Amb: Ambitions expansion pack (
EP), released June 2010
Base game: The original game as it was released in June 2009. Also called
Vanilla.
BB: Barnacle Bay, a downloadable town with a Pirate theme, released March 2011
BP: Bridgeport, the town that came with the Late Night expansion pack (
LN) (
EP)
BlackOps: A term used in some of our
Challenges. Once Sim A completes an Opportunity (
op), that Opportunity is a
BlackOp and is off limits for all other Sims in that Challenge.
buydebug: A
cheat code which adds additional Expansion pack (
EP) or Stuff pack (
SP)
objects to Buy mode.
Buydebug objects are
not considered custom content (
CC).
cake up: The act of using a birthday cake to force a transition to the next life-stage before the natural transition/birthday date. "...I caked him up from teen to
YA..."
CAP: Create-a-Pattern, a downloadable
objects tool with which the player can create entirely new patterns
CAP: Create-a-Pet, a feature which allows the player to create playable pets.
CAS: Create-a-Sim, the paper doll area where the player can create or modify playable Sims.
CAS can also stand for
Create-a-Style. Context is key.
CAS: Create-a-Style, the palette tool in Build or Buy mode which allows the player to change or modify the looks of
objects by recoloring or switching patterns, etc.
CAS can also stand for
Create-A-Sim. Context is key.
CAW: Create-a-World, a downloadable creation tool with which the player can create whole towns from the ground up
CC: Custom content available for download by EA at the Sims 3 store. Third-party Custom Content, aka mods, are different and created by other players. These are not supported by Electronic Arts or our Forum Community. A detailed discussion of
CC,
particularly as the term is used on these forums, can be found
here.
Challenge: A
Challenge is a goal-oriented method of playing where players adhere to a specific ruleset, start and stop time and scoring system.
cheat codes (or sometimes just cheats):
Cheat codes enable the player to alter some of the game rules. No programming knowledge is needed and no permanent changes are made to the game itself.
clearing caches: Clearing temporary files from your Sims folder in order to make your game run more smoothly. Instructions on how to clear caches can be found
here.
Dynasty: A specific, multi-generational
Challenge created for our forum members by Metropolis Man. For more information on Dynasties and Challenges, please look
here.
EA: Electronic Arts, the developers/publishers of the Sims franchise
EP: Expansion Pack, an addition to the game that typically adds new gameplay elements as well as
objectsExchange, the: A freebie store, accessible from the Official Sims 3 website, from which one can download player-made custom content (
CC) without the need to use
Simpoints.
FLS (or sometimes FL): Fast Lane Stuff, a Stuff pack (
SP), released September 2010
Gen: Generations expansion pack (
EP), released May 2011
HELS: High End Loft Stuff, a Stuff pack (
SP), released February 2010
HoF: Hall of Fame. A showcase of players who've done exceptionally well in
Challenges (
Challenge Hall of Fame) and/or
Dynasties (
Dynasty Hall of Fame).
IF: Imaginary Friend, introduced in the Generations expansion pack (
Gen) (
EP)
Legacy: A specific, multigenerational Challenge created by Pinstar on the Official Sims 3 site.
LN: Late Night expansion pack (
EP), released October 2010
LTH (or sometimes LTHP): Lifetime Happiness points
LTR (or sometimes LTHR): Lifetime Reward (or sometimes Lifetime Happiness Reward)
LTW: Lifetime Wish
max (as in "max a skill"): Earn all 10 skill points in a skill. If the player also completes all the associated Skill Challenges, that skill is then said to be
Super-Max'd.
MM: Moodlet Manager or Motive Mobile, depending on context. Two of the many rewards that can be purchased with Lifetime Happiness points (
LTHP).
mods: Third-party modifications (as in, not created or sanctioned by EA) which, when downloaded, alter gameplay. A detailed discussion of
mods,
particularly as the term is used on these forums, can be found
here.
Mods can also refer to Forum Moderators. Context is key.
mods: Forum moderators.
Mods can also refer to third-party modifications. Context is key.
MOO: MoveObjects on. A
cheat code which allows the player to move
objects around in ways not originally intended.
nooboo: Simlish for "baby" or "infant". For more Simlish translations, please see this
Simlish Dictionary.
NPC: Non-playable character when they are in their occupation. Examples include maid, firefighter, police, magician, bouncer, pizza delivery and so forth.
objects: Things Sims can purchase via Build or Buy mode and then interact with, such as furniture, doors, appliances, musical instruments, etc.
OLS (or sometimes OL): Outdoor Living Stuff, a Stuff pack (
SP), released February 2011
ops: Opportunities, generally offered to a Sim via cellphone calls. See also
BlackOps.
Pets: Pets expansion pack (EP), scheduled for release October 2011
rbbb: RestrictBuildBuyInBuilding. A
cheat code which allows the player to use Build and Buy modes in places where those modes are normally not usable.
Rabbit Hole: A building where Sims enter and do things (go to work, see a movie) but the player can't see or control them. Much like a rabbit disappearing into its hole.
RV: Riverview, a downloadable town available to anyone with a registered
Base gameSimpoints: The currency used at the Store. Currently, the rate is 1 USDollar = 100 Simpoints. For further information regarding exchange rates, see the Official Sims 3 site.
SP: Stuff Pack, an addition to the game that typically adds just new
objects.
SP can also refer to
Story Progression. Context is key.
SP: Story progression, the game mechanic that allows
townies to live autonomously, age, marry, get jobs, have children etc.
SP adds a dynamic element to gameplay.
SP can also refer to
Stuff pack. Context is key.
Store, the: The
EA Store, accessible from the Official Sims 3 website, from which one can purchase
EA-created custom content (
CC) using
SimpointsSuper-Max: A skill is
Super-Max'd when the player has earned all 10 points in a skill AND has completed ALL the skill challenges associated with that particular skill
SV: Sunset Valley, the town that comes with the
Base game TB: Twinbrook, the town that came with the Ambitions expansion pack (
Amb) (
EP)
TLS (or sometimes TL): Town Life Stuff, a Stuff pack (
SP), released July 2011
townie: Characters who populate the game but were not created by the player. Examples include Mortimer Goth, Agnes Crumplebottom and so forth.
TS3, TS2, TSM: The Sims 3, The Sims 2, The Sims Medieval
Vanilla: The original game as it was released in June 2009. Also called
Base game.
WA: World Adventures expansion pack (
EP), released November 2009
YA: Young adult, one of the Sims' 7 life-stages (baby, toddler, child, teen, young adult, adult, elder)
