Controlling 'The Sims'

No_Style · Sep 15, 2004, 03:08 PM

The game industry can be forgiven for originally doubting the prospects for "The Sims."

Instead of genre staples such as lobbing grenades or casting spells, the game asked players to get excited about tasks such as personal hygiene and interior design. Yet such seemingly mundane activities combined to create a sensation, with the original game and subsequent expansion packs selling a combined 40 million copies to rank as the most popular computer game ever.

Intrigued by the virtual dollhouse aspect that allows the game to be used as a vehicle for creative design, storytelling, social experimentation and more, "The Sims" has also created the biggest and most fertile online community to revolve around a game. (That success hasn't fully spilled over to the sparsely populated "The Sims Online," the multiplayer version of the game.)

Will Wright, who made one of the first breakthroughs in computer games by creating "SimCity," had to develop "The Sims" on the sly after co-workers at Maxis, a development studio at leading game publisher Electronic Arts, nixed the idea. But there was no such hesitancy about "The Sims 2," the highly anticipated sequel that goes on sale today.
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Read More/Source: C|Net Tech News

Sep 15, 2004, 03:08 PM	#1
No_Style Styleless Wonder Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Ottawa, Ontario Posts: 6,034 Rep Power: 0	Controlling 'The Sims' The game industry can be forgiven for originally doubting the prospects for "The Sims." Instead of genre staples such as lobbing grenades or casting spells, the game asked players to get excited about tasks such as personal hygiene and interior design. Yet such seemingly mundane activities combined to create a sensation, with the original game and subsequent expansion packs selling a combined 40 million copies to rank as the most popular computer game ever. Intrigued by the virtual dollhouse aspect that allows the game to be used as a vehicle for creative design, storytelling, social experimentation and more, "The Sims" has also created the biggest and most fertile online community to revolve around a game. (That success hasn't fully spilled over to the sparsely populated "The Sims Online," the multiplayer version of the game.) Will Wright, who made one of the first breakthroughs in computer games by creating "SimCity," had to develop "The Sims" on the sly after co-workers at Maxis, a development studio at leading game publisher Electronic Arts, nixed the idea. But there was no such hesitancy about "The Sims 2," the highly anticipated sequel that goes on sale today. _______________ Read More/Source: C\|Net Tech News __________________ "The Best Style Is No Style" Specifications Here