In earlier Sims games, players interact with a household of virtual computer people. In The Sims 3, players interact with an entire neighborhood. Instead of playing each family discretely on its individual lot, players can now take their characters anywhere in town -- to a friend"s house, out to a restaurant, to a favorite park, or even to work. No matter which Sim the player is currently following, however, all the characters in the neighborhood are active whenever the game is being played. Events that take place on the other side of town can have an effect on situations all across the neighborhood, just as the player"s characters may influence the rest of the community with their actions (or inaction). Sims are now quick to pull out their mobile phones and keep one another informed, even if only about the latest gossip. The Create-A-Sim system in the Sims 3 refines the powerful tools featured in the Sims 2. Players have much more finely graduated control over many physical aspects of the characters they create. For example, a slider allows a choice of any size and shape between rail-thin and very overweight, instead of offering only three set body types, and a second slider controls the character"s muscularity. To a greater degree than the previous game"s character editor, the new tools give players the power to create recognizable Sim versions of people they know (or would like to know). Sims personalities are now determined by up to five distinguishing traits, such as "hot headed," "conversationalist," "clumsy," "great cook," "slob," "good sense of humor," and even "neurotic" or "paranoid." Players can choose from more than 60 available traits when they create each new Sim.