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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.
With Eq they squashed numerous fan-story sites, as well as many, many in-game control-hungry stompings of players creativity. They turned the game from what could have been a great RPing platform into a service provided that catered to the "l33+ dewd" player, giving power to those who had the most time/money, not those who tried to be creative.
Think they'll change that much to help those of us who love to customize and be creative with the Sims? I somehow doubt it.
I'd also love to see Diablo ported to the Playstation. This is another one that would work remarkably well on the TV screen, and that has a straightforward interface for most of the game.
What are some of the other online games with simple interfaces? With enough choices like this, online console gaming could finally take off!
Says the RIAA: When you EQ, you're stealing bass!
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.
No, that's ridiculous. Do you think an unexpanded version of the Sims wouldn't have been the mega hit that The Sims is currently? The Sims sold just fine before any expansion packs. Because lots of people want to manage a virtual family. Lots of people can and do love The Sims with no additions whatsoever.
not everybody is the same. yes, that's right, different people like different things.
I spent numerous hours maintaining my Sims' social lives, cleaning their homes, and keeping them fed and rested, until I realized that I would enjoy doing those things for *myself* even more. :)
-c.
Casey
More scratches on the cave wall, thanks be to anonymity.
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.
I don't know why other people like it. I like it because computer processes that do stupid, self-destructive things in contravention of my direct instructions are a familiar concept from my job as a Windows programmer.
I have at least got to the point with the Sims that I don't stay up all night making sure my Sims go to bed on time.
--
E_NOSIG
Cheaper, takes less time, and is more rewarding.
Popular attitude on
Cheaper: Who cares. Those that can afford it do, those that can't can find other entertainment. No inherent quality here.
Takes less time: Not sure why this is listed as some sort of benefit, what are you going to use the extra time for? Laying around, doing more of the same? Why not do something that takes a long time rather than a few short ones, depending on your personality type, completing one long activity may be more rewarding than multiple short ones which leads me to:
More Rewarding: This is just a crock of shit, which leads me to believe that you are an immature, shallow thinker. The value of a reward is a function of the rewardee, (and to a lesser extent the rewarder), not some arbitrary designation placed by those who feel forced to judge other.
So why don't you live your life, and the people who want to spend time playing the Sims (or anything else) will live theirs and you can keep your meanigless value judgements to yourself.
I'm the big fish in the big pond bitch.
I was trying to think of why I had no interest in trying the Sims. Then I remembered:
Nick: age 3
Alex: 18 months
Why raise a simulation when you have the real thing .
Or can appreciate people who don't like video games.
Take my girlfriend for example: She's really not into the objective nature of most video games which either keep the game interesting by appealing the need for visual stimulation (Quake)or mental simulation (Command and Conquer).
There are a slew of people who get dizzy from all the visual stimulation and don't want to joggle the brain with strategy games.
The Sims doesn't make people dizzy and they can't lose, because they're not in competition with another player or AI.
Really it's the first really successful girl friendly game, and one of the reasons people like it because they can explore scenerios with the Sims that they wouldn't otherwise risk in thier own lives.
It's not that hard to figure out if you can make an effort to understand why people don't like every other game.
"Communism is like having one [local] phone company " - Lenny Bruce
It's not twitch gaming. I can chill out and not have to clench my teeth and aggravate my carpal tunnel wondering if I can get to the Sodomizer 5000 before the Meklors kill me.
There are no serious consequences to screwing up. No saving and reloading, no trying to wade through mounds of enemies to get the Magical Hoobajoob. So, somebody gets fired from their job, or the shower breaks. Big whoop.
There's no real goal, so the pressure is off. I don't feel the need to charge forward so I can see the next level, cut scene, or badass monster.
My 3d card doesn't scream in agony trying to push the graphics.
I get to make the kind of interesting, screwed-up, freaky people I usually don't get to meet in real life -- and control their every move (cue Snidely Whiplash laughter).
But seriously, it's just a nice break from the games I usually play. I enjoy first-person shooters, RTS, and space sims as much as the next guy, but sometimes I just want to relax and play a quiet, dip-and-twiddle game that won't leave me shouting at the computer screen when lag kills me or I get overwhelmed by baddies.
I don't enjoy puzzle games like Minesweeper or Tetris, so this is a good alternative for me. Before The Sims came along, I usually played SimCity for just these same reasons: no pressure, no finale, no disastrous consequences. Just good fun.
Plus, and this may seem a little trite, but sometimes I just get tired of all the violence in games. Every once in a while I need a break from it. But when I start thinking "Gee, I really wish Betty Newbie had a railgun so she could pop Bob in the dome for leaving the dishes undone," I go back to Return to Wolfenstein and all is well again :)
This may be a little off topic, but.. :) :)
:)
I've never actually played sims but my younger sister has every expansion pack and plays the crap out of that game. One day I was asking her about it the game, I wondered if you were able to kill/fight anyone in the game. Her answer was a hesitant no, she said, "Well, I did kill my maid, she wasn't very good at her job." "How'd you do it, if you're not allowed to kill anyone?", I asked. Here's how she did it.
1. Build a small empty room next to your house.
2. Put a fishtank or something that a maid would want to fiddle with in there.
3. Ask maid to clean fishtank.
4. Close the door by building a wall.
5. She'll starve in there.
6. Optionally, turn the room she's in into a pool, that'll cut her lifespan down to about 2 days.
My little sister freaks me out sometimes.
Ansi's and stupid tricks!