Sims Griefers Get More Publicity

Thanks to an anonymous reader for pointing to a CNN article highlighting players turning to lawlessness and deviance in The Sims Online. This subject, which other reports covered a while back, seems to fascinate the media, and CNN says the problems of bad behavior are "..raising questions about whether limits on conduct should be set in such emerging virtual worlds, even if they are huge adult playpens." Additionally, the article ruminates on more serious problems, as disputes that escalate beyond the virtual "..could lead to more real-world, legal liability for both players and the companies that make the games."

Comments

Well, it spices things up

[no toys in the attic]

I think it's interesting in a sense; criminals in a virtual world kind of add an interesting dynamic to the game. I don't see the problem with it unless assets in the game had real-life worth, which has obvious negative implications and probably requires some standards of conduct. I guess the penalty would be having your cd key blocked, a la Blizzard.

Two words...

[hackwrench]

Crimson Knights

just bored?

[cpeterso]

Sounds like the Sims Online is so boring, people need to make their own fun.

expected..

[gl4ss]

ok, so what is the sims online supposed to be? some semi-life simulation of a small city?

take a small city, take away all authority and make everyone wear a changeable rubber face(that can be changed by just keying in your ssn), and make everyone's age between 16 and 30 years.

so what happens? people run amok because there's no law system to set the limits, stupid people let them get tricked out of their ssn(login/pass in s.o.) and others after that appear as them doing stuff they wouldn't like.

doh!

the problem with games communities is that the game has to be few years old before all the dickheads get bored of it, and sims online is marketed to just those same dickheads(and some girls/women who are potentially clueless about defending themselfs in such virtual environment, and with sims online also that there is practically nil real skills that you could practice to become a better player apart, no extra careful tactic planning or timing the flag run and practicing to do the rocket jump at the right place, basically all you should do would be flirt around being all adorable).