Brief #3: The Sims 4

The Sims range of games are stupid. Now I can say this because I am a big fan of Sims 4 and happen to own it along with some (all) of the various and some (all) of the game packs (along with the expansion packs and the stuff packs). So I recognise the stupidity of the game that was created by Maxis and has been around since the 2000s. It is largely considered as a sandbox game which means it does not have a set storyline (or a point to the game) that has to be followed and you can create and decide what to do. The Sims are a series of games that can be played on PC, PS4 and Apple Mac and they are designed to mimic life with the ability to customise avatars, build personalities, create good and bad relationships, have children, goals and construct, buy and design houses. It also has the most exciting aspects of life included like, the need to shower, having to work for money to pay your bills, needing to use the toilet and the ability to die from things likes, being set on fire and starvation. Such fun!

The Sims series are a set of life simulation game and life simulation games are a genre of games that are meant to simulation life (I know, real difficult to understand). Now this does not have to be human like, I have played life simulation games where I was, a baby (a baby is still a human), a goat, even a piece of bread in its pursuit to become toast. Mainly though, there are two types of Life simulation games, the obvious and traditional human-centred one and a animal centred one the commonality being, “The goal can differ but overall the theme is to survive and go through life as that being.” (TvTropes). The animal based simulations tend to be more, find food, avoid predators, breed and, in the case of the goat simulator, eat a bunch of stuff that’s not really eatable. In the human based ones they are tend to lean more towards the theme of “a virtual dollhouse for adults” where you are able to have a career, make money, get promoted, buy luxuries and have a family. It’s basically life and it is so stupidly addicting, and these are two of the reason why I believe they are.

Throughout the years gaming graphics have evolved exponentially from the simple decorative pixilated boxes to the more complex interactive 3D environments of Morden gaming. In this day and age better graphic designing in games is an extraordinary way to take your game experience to the next level, (pun totally intended), and brings a realism to your game play. Being that The Sims series are a set of life simulation game, realism is very important part of what makes sims so likeable and addictive. However, this game is not completely realistic, the graphical design of the avatars for instance is more similar to that of a cartoon person and lack the small details and any small imperfections real people have. Though in Sims 4 you do have the ability to adjust the mass, both muscle and fat, of your avatar along with refining their features to make them larger or smaller or specifically shaped depending on your preference. Giving players this option increases the games attractablity as it enables you to creates a sim that it exactly like yourself or anyone whom you would like to imitate. You are also able to add things like freckles, lines and beauty marks as well as controlling the age of your Sims avatar. But Wait! There’s more. The amazing visual graphics don’t stop there, they go on to stretch over the landscape of the game to create, in my opinion at least, realistic graphics. Well at least more realistic then pixelated boxes. Marque Sondergaard explains that they make this possible by using light as without it there would be no colour, no visual forms, no nothing. Light describes an objects shape, texture, colour and other surface properties. In Marque’s Article, ‘Redefining ‘Cartoony’ Game Art’, he classifies The Sims to have a simplified yet stylish type of graphic design. Which means that, while it is a consistent personal interpretative journey, it only communicates the most important elements into the game.

Most, if not all, of us we have this burning need, this unyielding desire to have freedom and to also be able to control what happens in our surroundings (I know that I want to control what grade my lecturer gives me). We want to control how a situation will turn out, how people react to certain events and maybe even control what they say or do. In the article ‘Freedom and Control’ written by Dr John A. Johnson, he believes that the need or attempt to have some sort of hold over another person is a type of neurosis, based on childhood feelings of powerlessness. He also talks about those who believe they are in control are much more psychologically healthier and more successful than people who believe things are often out of their control. Unfortunately, these types of people who are believed to be more psychologically stable are much more prone to attempting to assert control over others. This is, to those same people, a very bit of a problem as people do not like to be controlled. This is why I believe that the Sims series can be so addicting as we are to cater to this type of need that, most of the time we never knew we had in a way that is healthy and fun. Often those who feel that their real life lacks control will find that this type of game to be relaxing, but even if you do not have an overwhelming desire to control those around you I still believe that you will enjoy this game to some degree (as stupid as it is).

References

Tv Tropes – Life Simulation Game - http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/LifeSimulationGame

Marque Sondergaard – Redefining ‘Cartoony’ Game Art - https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/131074/redefining_cartoony_game_art.php

Dr John A. Johnson - Freedom and Control - https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/cui-bono/201104/freedom-and-control