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EA Considering Sims TV Show

Posted by Zonk on from the who-wants-to-see-this-sim-wet-himself? dept.

Reuters is carrying the news that Electronic Arts is considering creating a television show based on 'The Sims'. The show would allow viewers to vote on what the avatars in the show would do. From the article: "One idea could be that you're controlling a family, telling them when to go to the kitchen and when to go to the bedroom, and with this mechanism you have gamers all over the world 'playing the show."

12 of 210 comments (clear)

  1. Hmm by pHatidic · · Score: 5, Insightful

    So basically this is a daily 30 minute infomercial sponsored by the evil alliance?

  2. Amazing by pcgamez · · Score: 2, Insightful

    That is by far the dumbest thing I have ever heard. There is something worse than reality tv!

  3. How will this be entertaining ? by Lupulack · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Wouldn't this be like:

    a) playing a game with terrible latency and / or controls

    b) watching someone with multiple personality disorder play the game

    In either case I really don't think it'll fly. The Sims was popular ( well , I didn't like it ) because of the fact that you control it. If you don't have control , or are only one vote of thousands ... well I just don't understand why anyone would spend their time on it.

    --
    The fact that no one understands you doesn't mean you're an artist.
  4. Re:Die Already by earlytime · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I wouldn't call this reality tv as much as i would call it a round peg shoehorned in to a square box. This is not at all suited to tv, the internet is a much better stage for this kind of "performance". Who wants to watch a sim make coffee, then a commercial, then watch a sim sleep, then a commercial? If you want to see a large scale version of "the sims" play a mmorpg version of the sims". TV execs just don't get it.

    --

  5. Most likely ( and constant ) plot. by goofyheadedpunk · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The Sims have sex.
    The Sims have sex.
    Out pops a baby.
    The Sims, ignoring their baby, have sex.

    Seriously, is a show controlled by the masses through voting a really good idea? In this instance I am suddenly reminded why the Founding Fathers(tm) of America didn't want the majority of people to vote.

    --

    What if the entire Universe were a chrooted environment with everything symlinked from the host?
    1. Re:Most likely ( and constant ) plot. by jjeffries · · Score: 2, Insightful
      Seriously, is a show controlled by the masses through voting a really good idea? In this instance I am suddenly reminded why the Founding Fathers(tm) of America didn't want the majority of people to vote.

      Has it really been that long since the last time you were reminded of this?

    2. Re:Most likely ( and constant ) plot. by __int64 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Well obviously the network will have an electoral collage system of writers set in place, to keep the stupid masses from truly having what they want. The writers will really run the whole show; from time to time they may base their decisions off the popular vote, just enough to keep the facade of democracy up..."The viewers really don't know what they want, or what's good for them. Their votes would never constitute a good show, so lets do it our way. Truly it's what's best for them." -> It will be totalitarian ruled by second season, guaranteed.

    3. Re:Most likely ( and constant ) plot. by MendicantMonkey · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Yay! We are super lucky. I much prefer the Red Elephant brand of fascism over the Blue Donkey brand. We are saved!

  6. Silly gimmick by The+I+Shing · · Score: 2, Insightful

    There are formats, there are formulas, and then there are gimmicks. This TV show idea is a gimmick, and gimmicks rarely last more than a few installments before the public sighs a big "ho hum" and the idea goes, as Douglas Adams might put it, "to the big golden spike in the sky, baby."

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    You are in error. No-one is screaming. Thank you for your cooperation.
    1. Re:Silly gimmick by TooMuchEspressoGuy · · Score: 3, Insightful
      Some gimmicks *do* catch on, though.

      Reality TV: Gimmick and (unfortunately) popular.

      MTV: Gimmick and caught on almost immediately.

      Bad anime made to sell action figures (think Draginball Z): Gimmick with millions of American viewers.

      So don't discount it just because it sounds gimmicky. It may surprise you how many idiots addicted to bad TV there are out there who will actually watch this type of thing.

      --
      Many Bothans died to bring you this sig.
  7. Re:Die Already by jtnix · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Or better yet, how about we ban all EA news posts? I am sick of seeing daily, hourly and soon to be news ticker updates on this disheartening, soul-sucking company. What, do you all have stock in this poor excuse for a 'software development' conglomerate?

    --
    She blinded me with science, she tricked me with technology. ~ Thomas Dolby
  8. Re:Die Already by Dashing+Leech · · Score: 4, Insightful
    "Why can't Reality TV just die already?"

    This would be a very bizarre cross-breed indeed. Most "reality" shows aren't reality, they're game shows (Survivor, Big Brother, Bachelorette, etc.). Perhaps the "follow people around" shows count as reality (The Osbornes, Nic & Jessica, etc.). The Sims TV show would fall in the latter category so would be more of a reality show than the game shows, but is virtual so is less reality. It's quite the irony.

    But of course it would fail. People watch the Osbornes, Nic & Jessica, Ashlee, Carmen & Dave, Anna Nicole, etc., because they're celebrities (though I don't understand why that would be enticing). I doubt the Sims qualify.