The autonomous behavior of the sims also allows players to set up the house and
then sit back and watch how the sims live in it. This makes the game more likeSimCity,
in which players could only set up the framework of the city — its streets, its zones, its
key buildings — and then see how the inhabitants of the city live in it. Players ofThe
Simscan build a pleasant house that they think would be good to live in, then sit back,
and watch the sims inhabit it, using their default behavior. This provides yet another
avenue for interesting gameplay.
The sims generally do not have the foresight of players, however, and as a result
will perform better, be more productive, and be happier if players smartly direct their
every move. For instance, the sims will not try to improve their career-boosting skills
of their own volition, such as improving their creativity by learning how to paint. So it is
often in the players’ best interest to override the sims’ internal choices for what action
to perform next, if they want the sim to attain her full potential. This keeps the player
feeling smart, or at least smarter than the computer. However, the autonomous behav-
ior avoids players having to micro-manage every little decision. Sure, being able to tell
the sims exactly what to do is a key part of the game, but if players are controlling a
number of sims at once, planning something for every one of them to do at a given
moment can be quite a task. The sims’ internal behavior helps to off-load this responsi-
bility from players when the players do not want to worry about it.
A Lesson to Be Learned ..........................
The Simsis perhaps the most original commercial game design released in recent
years. The game does not take as a starting point any other published game, but instead
seems to have emerged entirely from Will Wright’s brain. To look at the game is to mar-
vel at its creativity and innovation. There is so much that is done right inThe Sims,an
entire book could be devoted to an analysis of its design. The game is truly like a com-
puterized dollhouse, providing us the ability to play-act real human scenarios in order to
better understand them. The description of the dollhouse found in the game is quite
illuminating:
Will Lloyd Wright Doll House
This marvel of doll house design is meant for everyone, allowing
children as well as adults to act out fantasies of controlling little fami-
lies. This incredible replica comes complete with amazingly realistic
furniture and decorative items. Don’t be surprised if hours upon hours
are spent enjoying this little world.What is perhaps most interesting and compelling aboutThe Simsis the potential it has
to teach us about our own lives. What is the relationship we have with the possessions
we own? How does the space we live in affect our lives? How does jealousy start in a
relationship?
Of course, no one would argue thatThe Simsis a completely accurate simulation of
human motivations and activities, but does it need to be completely accurate to cause
us to think about our lives in new and interesting ways? As we move our sims around
390 Chapter 20: Game Analysis:The Sims