Open-Ended Neighborhoods Good vs. Bad

[PerdyViper]

Ok, so i'm sure almost everyone's hyped up about the Sims 3 coming out. But the whole open-ended neighborhood thing has got me all tied in a knot, literally. I can't figure out if it's a good or bad idea, so I listed a few pros and cons I think it might bring up. Post any others you can think up and tell me what you think.

Pros:
- No more long loading screens
- More impromptu trips to places
- Bored children? No problem, just have them walk over to a friends house instead of hoping they'll agree over the phone
- Shopping spree in more than one store

Cons:
- lag, lag, and more lag!
- Npc build up on lot could slow down your game
- Just a thought, but, could pets run away now? (that is, if they do add pets)
- Unwanted midnight visitors