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Banned Sims Online Chronicler Bites Back
Thanks to GameSpot for its interview with Peter Ludlow on his recent banning from The Sims Online following his documenting of tawdry dealings in the MMO title. He discusses the interesting, if unintended griefing dynamics that have sprung up in The Sims Online: "You are given tools to mark individuals as friends (green links) and other individuals as bad (red links)... clans can emerge that will deploy the red links as weapons to control property in the game and extort in game currency from users", and why exactly he was banned from the game by Maxis/EA ("They say it was a TOS violation, but that hardly seems credible"), before concluding with his concerns over the title: "It's as though [EA] bought a shopping mall that was supposed to have all sorts of content for children and homemakers, but then let gangs and prostitutes run the place, and let scammers stand in the doorway and intercept everyone."
Yeah its a sim. The difference is, in the real world someone can (and will) punch you in the teeth if you're being a dickhead.
...excuse me?
:)
Like, could you imagine a "gang" of 14 year olds trying to push people around at a mall?
Kid: Hey asshole, this mall is OUR turf. $50 or you don't enter.
Me:
Kid: You heard me, bitch! The money or you get the fuck lost.
Me: Sorry, i've got shopping to do...
Kid: Fuck you! -- Get him girls! Use your unfriendly markers!
Me: What the hell? Get outta' my way! *Starts grabbing kids and hurling them into the fountain*
Oh yeah, and thats another thing - if I really started tossing kids around at the mall, i'd probably have a little organization called the Police to deal with afterwards. (Maybe you've heard of them?) AFAIK, they don't have those in TSO.
But hey, I can't blame the players. With no cops, and no fear of physical harm, i'd prolly be pimpin hoes and sellin crack too!