"The Sims": Three Lessons Learned

Please be my fortune teller little Sim! What should I do today?? In addition to the last blog I posted, players are not only known to kill off their familiy members but they are also known to put their own real life issues in the game to help them make decisions. Players have done this to see how their Sim would react and then apply it to his or her own life. Is this an easy way to make a hard decision? Sure, it seems simple enough and seems to have no harm attached to it but is it really a good thing to depend on? Should a fictional game in which I created everything make my life this much easier?

So, if I make a Sim who is just like me in everyway possible in the game and I have a real life choice today of cleaning my house (that needs it badly) or watching television, should I have my Sim make up my mind for me? Well, let’s give it a try. I will have my Sim watch television… Not very productive and nothing is accomplished in the end but now I know. *~*Lesson 1: Watching television is fun but the house is still a mess.*~* So the next night in my Sim’s world, I have her clean the house, which is now worse than yesterday because I had my Sim wait until the next night. *~*Lesson 2: A messy house can and will get messier tomorrow.*~* So now my Sim is cleaning the house… Things are getting accomplished but, oh, what’s that? My Sim is getting bored? She wants entertainment? Well so do I my little Sim, but my house now needs cleaned even more than yours does because I just wasted an hour waiting and watching how you would react to the choices I should have made on my own today. *~*Lesson 3: I should just think for myself from now on!!!*~*

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"The Sims": Your World, Your Way

Should we discuss why you killed me off? I think we should.. Players use the game “The Sims” to get their agression and anger out on someone without hurting them physically or emotionally in real life. So, is this a good thing? Should we find alternative ways to express emotion such as this? Or should we really be solving these issues face to face? I read an article entitled ‘My daughter killed her brother in ‘The Sims” and it discusses one issue in which a little girl got mad at her brother in real life, so she killed him off in the game. The father seemed to have no problem with that. He felt that it was just a game and should not be taken so seriously. So killing a relative or a friend in a game is understandable?? Is this an action anyone would do? Would you?

I certainly would not. I personally feel that that would be an act of violence, even if it is just in a game. Even the thought of killing off a relative just because they upset me or made me angry would never cross my mind. Do the kids of today who play “The Sims” and other violent games really think this while playing. It is fine for a child to make their own family in the game but to then decide to kill them in the game is utterly disturbing to me.

Not many games out there exist in which no one wins and no one loses, but is an endless stream of activity that stimulates the players into wanting to play as often as possible, resulting in them becoming addicted. That right there describes “The Sims”. In the end, the game of “The Sims” is truly your world, your way.

"The Sims": An Introduction

Who has not heard of "The Sims"? Anyone? No? This is because "The Sims" has become a sensation throughout the years. When it first came out, I myself was reluctant to buy it. I did not think I'd become one of those people who got addicted to it and played it every chance they got. Well, I have some news for myself..I'm addicted to it,and have been for a while. Of course I have had the game for years now but the possibilities of what you can do are endless. Apart from there being "The Sims 2" and "The Sims 3", players can also get extra applications for their game which include being able to get pets, go on vacations and even become a superstar. It is simple little add-ons such as these that help to make "The Sims" an unforgettable, easily addicted game. On the website www.psychologytoday.com I was able to fine multiple articles that go deeper into the thought of people playing the game to help them in their own lives.

One article I read entitled "The Sims: Suburban Rhapsody" told the story of a mother who played "The Sims" in preparation for the arrival of her first baby. She noted in the article that the game helped her prepare for parenthood and helped her develop better multi-tasking skills. It also stated in other articles that I read that "The Sims" helped people with their every-day life skills. It is true that you must make time for you Sim to study and clean up, just as you have to do with yourself. "The Sims" also helps with making important financial decisions such as, which is more important? Buying a stereo? Or paying your bills you just received in the mail? So is "The Sims" more of a life lessons/ building tool than a game? It's up to the players to decide that one. But I think multiple people will agree that "The Sims" is a game of "it is what you make it".

Photo used with a Creative Commons license.