Giving the player the opportunity to escape from a dreary everyday life is the main goal of most computer games. And the temptation is great.
Whether together with other fantasy creatures, in a first-person shooter game or in role-playing games. The player almost always expects experiences that differ greatly from their own life. This is particularly evident in fantasy role-playing games.
The success with which the Sims took off in 2000 was all the more surprising. And the success has continued to this day. The Sims series has sold 175 million copies. This makes it one of the best-selling PC games worldwide.
What is "The Sims" anyway?
The Sims is a computer game in which the player affects the lives of the characters. Set up a household, set up the house, and tell family members what to do. The player decides all this and more. Basically, it is the image of our reality.
The household can leave, new members can join, old members can leave. This game is not about winning or losing. Instead, you direct the household and its members, look after them and make decisions for them. Build houses, make friends, earn money. In everyday life, the characters are controlled by the player's hand.
How big should the family be? What do the family members look like? What are their hobbies and idiosyncrasies? That too is not left to chance. It is particularly important that the Sims are happy. Because happy Sims give the player more options that can influence the game.
What makes the Sims so popular?
The Sims has been one of the most popular games since 2000. Since few games can boast such success, the question arises as to what makes them so popular. A special appeal of the game is that you can interact with multiple Sims.
The Sims does not make decisions, but depends on the player's hand. So the player can bring two Sims together, get them married, have children and raise them. This allows the player to influence things that are outside of his or her control in reality. This makes the game particularly interesting. And that, although it does not take the player into a completely different world.
Another success factor is that furniture, clothing and houses can be created by yourself or offered by other players via the Sims Exchange. This personalizes the houses of the Sims as well as the Sims themselves. Particularly beautiful models can also be purchased via external resources. In this way, the game can be designed according to the wishes of the player.
This aspect is additionally underlined by the various extensions. There are numerous addons that complement the game and make boredom a thing of the past. If you are interested in it, this is an option Sims complete package
What is the difference between the games in the Sims series?
There are three ages in Sims 1: baby, child and adult. Both children and adults do not age any further. That was already changed with the Sims 2. Although the baby becomes a child later in the game, it never becomes an adult. Because in the first game of the Sims there are only three age groups: baby, child or adult.
That was already changed with the Sims 2. Here the life of the Sims can be followed from birth to death. More ages were introduced to The Sims 3. A distinction is made between babies, toddlers, children, adolescents, young adults, adults and seniors. The game keeps adapting to reality.
In Sims 2, the player also has different neighborhoods to choose from. These are characterized by different sizes and game content. The game has also been expanded to include new characters, items of clothing, houses and furniture. In addition to Sims 2, various expansion packs are available. In these, the life of the characters continues to adapt to reality.
Until 2004, the Sims were only available for Windows and Macintosh PCs. That all changed in 2004. Most of the game versions and extensions are now available on the Playstation. The game versions for the console are level-based and must first be unlocked. Even for that Smartphone The Sims are now available, so that the player has the opportunity to visit his Sims on the go.
Who Plays The Sims?
The target group of the Sims developers are both women and young people. The manufacturers agree that there were and still are many female players who have made the Sims the most successful computer game.
The Sims is a cult game and with each new generation the female target group is once again courted. The background to this is that most computer games were primarily aimed at young men until the Sims appeared.
According to the manufacturer, 60 percent of Sims players are currently female. Incidentally, after the USA, Germany is the second most important market for the game manufacturer.
What is the concept behind the Sims?
The theory behind the game is based on the Abraham Maslow's Needs Theory. This theory is an important basis in business administration. Just as it is an integral part of our own lives, it is not the same in the game The Sims.
The top priority is therefore the satisfaction of existential needs such as food and a roof over your head. Security and social needs come second. The conclusion is formed by the individual needs, which are reflected in one's own self-realization.
Criticism of the Sims
As with every game, the critics also have their say in the Sims. The classic distribution of roles in the game is particularly criticized. This means that the man goes to work while the woman takes care of the household. The classic distribution of roles also refers to the selection of the professions of the characters. Furthermore, it is criticized that the individual scenarios of the game are repeated at some point. This is especially true for long-term players.
The manufacturer has this criticism EA now counteracted. In addition to the Sims 1 through Sims 4, game expansions were introduced. This makes it possible, for example, to let the Sims travel, celebrate parties, let them go downtown to shops or the park or keep pets. In the latest expansions it is also possible to meet well-known personalities, make a career in the film business or send the Sims to a city of magic.
