The Sims 4
From GameLabWiki
The Sims is a video game series established by Maxis in 2000. It’s name is a metaphor of Simulation and depicts the main focus of it’s game type as a life simulation. Players choose avatars as family members with whom they interact in a self built home habitat. The family members can be modified in various ways.
About the Game
The video game-series is based on avatars which live in a self-created environment and are navigated by the player of the game. This series has a huge fan community which communicates online on internet platforms about bugs, cheats and gameplay per se. YouTubers upload videos about creating various Let’s Plays. They show how they build unique houses or create a fictitious story of their Sims. Some players mold new fashion and offer free downloads online.
This video basically shows the principle of The Sims through a lets play of an extenion pack called The Sims 3 Generations. The four player-modi are shown throughout this video. It depicts the interaction between avatars which react to decisions made by the player.
Research-relevant topics of the Game
Core Game mechanics
The Sims itself is split into four player-modi. First players choose a neighbourhood in which a household is being moved. Then players enter Create a household mode. During this mode Sims can be picked as male or female human beings that are drawn together as a family. The family moves into a house or on a plain plot. Then the house, flat or plot can be modeled by activating the Building mode. Walls, chimneys, roofs and more adds opportunities for a sophisticated lifestyle. After completing the basic surroundings the Shopping mode provides furniture, decoration, plants and other objects to design a more cozy space. When it comes to interaction with the avatars the Life mode has to be activated. This mode allows the Sims to interact with their surroundings. Time passes by in three modes which can be differed into their rapidity. Players have to lead the avatar's reaction and decisions for example going grocery shopping, doing sports, cooking or cleaning the house. (For further information please read Further Content of the Game down below.)
Further Content of the Game
Life mode This mode makes interactions possible. Furthermore Sims need to interact with other human-like avatars to cultivate friendships, relationships and prevent isolation. There are plenty of ways how a Sim can shape his or her love life. A permanent relationship is too much for your Sim? Multiple affairs with co-existing Sims with diverse sexes is not only possible but can also be a life-time wish (being a heartbreaker). The video game offers a rich network of decisions while interacting with people and objects like sitting on a sofa or having a skinny-dip in a whirlpool. The purpose of the Sims is not only to have fun in an alternative life-like world. Rent and price tags, school and work structure their 'lifes'. To earn money (so called Simoleons) a Sim has to apply for a job. The Sims can climb the job ladder for instance from rabid fan to sports legend.
Shopping mode This mode provides the player with items to create a manifold household. Furniture for every room can be bought with in-game currency called Simoleons such as beds, couches and dining sets. Bookshelfs, desks, cooking isles and many more. Accessories for any kind of esthetic needs can be found in subcategories which are shown as pictures for universal understanding. Vehicles such as cheap and expensive cars or bicycles are provided for the avatars. Depending on installed extention pack it is possible to buy items for pets like cats, dogs and horses.
Build mode
This mode shows vary items for building a new home. Transferring lawn, placing walls and pavement, building pools, fountains and ponds. Painting walls, planting trees, bushes, flowers and weeds. Placing fences, garden gates, pillars, doors, windows, chimneys. There are already-built rooms which can be chosen and placed onto the Lahn of the active household. Depending on installed extention packs it is possible to create a house on a boat platform.
Create a household mode Among other things the degree of Sims relationships can be chosen and connected between avatars depending on their age: housemate, spouse, parent or grandparent, child or grandchild. Their age is varied from toddler, kid, teenager, young adult, adult and to an elderly person. Babies appear after their birth during the game and cannot be chosen during the create a household mode clothing and hair styles can be chosen as well as skin, hair and eye color, chest size, the amout of muscles, body fat and body hair. Every Sim first and a last name, players are completely free to type. a The Sims age after certain days which can be varied. The color of their skin, eyes and hair can be changed to guarantee a certain individuality of each Sim. In addition, the pitch of their voice can be regulated. Traits such as family-oriented, schmoozer or daredevil awards the Sims with a human touch and regulate their wishes which are ought to be fulfilled to gain lifelong happiness. The game-creators offer avatars who have human needs. Therefore, Maslow’s pyramid of needs served as a model. The Sims have for instance a desire of eating, urinating and sleeping. The more freedom of constructing houses like huts, cottages, mansions, riding stables, pools, gyms, bars and flats, the merrier is the perceived realism of the game. The more possible interactions with objects and other avatars the more ‘realistic’ gets the life-simulation.
Thanks to the graphics of recent video games it is possible to simulate ‘real-time physics phenomena’. The avatars of The Sims can interact with their surroundings. They paint or spray drawings on linen cloths or brick walls, put their dirty, smelly dishes in the dishwasher and build snowmen in winter season. These and many more aspects increase a keen ‘realistic’ turn. [1]
Related Research Approaches
The Sims is a life-simulation-game and relates to Simulation in Games.
Creating male and female avatars relates to Gender Performance. Following the Research Approach of Judith Butler's.
As already mentioned in the text, the role of the avatar can be considered very significant in The Sims. German scientist Britta Neitzel is investigating the role of the avatar as mediator even further.
Credits/ Links
Let‘s Play: The Sims 3 Generations Part 1 Introducing Jelsa YouTube video [1]
- ↑ Shapiro, Michael. A/Peña-Herborn, Jorge/Hancock, Jeffrey T.: Realism, Imagination and Narrative Video Games, in: Bryant, Jennings/Vorderer, Peter (editor): Playing Video Games. Motives, Responses, and Consequences, New York, NY 2006, p. 275-278.