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"The Sims" Online, and on the PS2
bahamlabs writes "Sony is is attempting to venture into the online gaming market with what is now the most popular computer game of all time, "The Sims"." It'll be interesting
to see how both the console version of the game, and the online version deal with
expansion and customization- the two things that allowed The Sims to become
among the most entertaining games ever.
The Sims Online has nothing to do with Sony. They are not providing any service for the game. The Sims PS2 is a separate product and is NOT an online game. It is being produced by Maxis and developed by Edge of Reality (who ported THPS, THPS2 etc... to the N64). It will have a classic mode as well as a new level/goal based game mode.
One downfall of MMORPGs in general is the lack of real roleplaying. Dark Age of Camelot has seperate RP servers that do have special RPing rules that do help(like no l33t sp3ak, names that fit the setting, etc). I don't even use the non-RP servers anymore
While explaining why something is fun to someone else is nearly impossible, I'll give you a few hints towards enjoying the Sims. 1) Play with more than one person in the house. Many hardcore gamers tried to "win" the game right off by trying to create a Bruce Wayne-esque playboy, power-levelling through the career ladder. This is probably the most boring way to play the game. A lot of the fun comes from putting your Sim household through all manner of interesting situations. You need to have several house members to do this. Inviting people over doesn't provide enough interaction. 2) Be creative. Try to create theme houses. For example, after the first expansion came out, I tried to re-create the 80s New Wave band "The Police." I created three characters: Gordan, Andy, and Stewart, put them all on the musician track and bought two guitars and a drum set. I held concerts for the neighbors. Eventually, I got Gordan and Stewart to start beating the crap out of each other. Basically, I amused myself by telling a story. The Sims is a game that takes a lot of personal investment into having fun. The game won't entertain you without your involvement. In this way it is a lot like table-top D&D. You only get out of it what your imagination puts in. The game is only there to make that imagination a little more tangible and to put some structure into the creation of your vision.
Shockwave Flash movies are the greatest thing to happen to non-sequitur humor since Japan.
You need to compare something like Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 on the PS2 and the PC. Everyone, even Sony fanbois like you who have seen and played the two games running side by side admit that the PC version kicks seven shades out of the PS2. It even adds to the console version, a more complex online environment accessible through a standard 56k modem, skinnable characters, the ability to change the music, downloadable parks, etc. etc. I'd bet good money that the Sims games are better on the PC too for more reasons than just the graphics.
Noone who got motion sickness from PC gaming would go out and spend £250 on a graphics card anyway, because they wouldn't be playing the games that warrant it in the first place.
Oh! Look Score 0... you're a troll! Silly me.