The Sims

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by DrSpike
I think the Halo playerbase would win - immaturity is not the same as stupidity.

Its just that a couple of the sims players I know are high IQ gifted kids (im not talking about myself of course).

I do see the gender imbalance.

And I doubt most Halo players are nearly as bright as the local Halo fans here.

[lord of the mark]

By the way, Doc, you will be happy to know that QOTM (who still doesnt see the point of "those games where you move soldiers around" ) also thinks this is a dollhouse, and thinks its weird Im playing it.

"so, you'd rather I played war games instead"
"yeah"
"OK"

Of course I will still get to play Sims alongside POTM.

And now ive got to go get another strat game (im done tired of AOK, and dont have anything else in the strat category handy - and Im not in the mood for an RPG or FPS right now)

[Wiglaf]

First, my impression of the demographic is that its mainly young women, including teens like POTM.

Second, the Sims do lots of things, they talk, order pizza, play on the computer, read, and lots of other things. Admittedly its not possible for them to troll folks on the net, but they do a wide range of what people do.

As for eating, thats a strategic choice in itself. Do you have them make a meal only for themselves, or serve a larger meal - if you do the latter, you can get folks who come over stay longer, and increase your sim's social needs score - but if they leave early anyway, you may waste a lot of food. Then theres the clean up vs hire maid choice, though I think thats unbalanced.

as for work, do you stay in a not so great career path that youre already partly established in, or switch to a better one early? How soon do you do the training to get promoted? Is it worth switching careers to get a better shift, one that will make it easier to socialize with your neighbors?

Frankly if you think the game is what youve described, I doubt youve played it.

I have played it and it made my balls squirm.

All of the "strategic choices" you just described are irrelevant. It is simply impossible for the player to run out of money unless he is either younger than ten years old or a caged animal, which means that in short order the player's sims will get fake promoted, get more fake money, and get a fake bigger house.

The only interesting part of the game is that it lets you be a fake interior decorator and designer, which is nice if you're a man who suppressed those urges because society said it was gay. Aside from that, it's a 0/10, complete waste of time.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Wiglaf


I have played it and it made my balls squirm.

All of the "strategic choices" you just described are irrelevant. It is simply impossible for the player to run out of money unless he is either younger than ten years old or a caged animal, which means that in short order the player's sims will get fake promoted, get more fake money, and get a fake bigger house.

The only interesting part of the game is that it lets you be a fake interior decorator and designer, which is nice if you're a man who suppressed those urges because society said it was gay. Aside from that, it's a 0/10, complete waste of time.

At this point I havent played enough to see how hard it is to run out of money. Ive enjoyed getting this far though. I suspect adding certain self selected goals or constraints could make it more difficult. If its still to easy, one could arbitrarily waste money to make it more difficult.

Fake is a cute word, but also applies to fake guns, fake space aliens, and everything else. Big whoop, these are GAMES.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Wiglaf


I have played it and it made my balls squirm.

I guess I just have more serene gonads, then.

[Wiglaf]

Fake is a cute word, but also applies to fake guns, fake space aliens, and everything else. Big whoop, these are GAMES.

Playing with fake space aliens makes sense, since real ones are not available at the moment.

On the other hand, fake going to the toilet and fake eating and fake ordering pizza do not make sense. Just do it in real life

At this point I havent played enough to see how hard it is to run out of money.

It's impossible. And no matter what "constraints" you put on yourself, making money in the game is easy no matter what. Unless you cut your hands off or shoot yourself while playing.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Wiglaf


Playing with fake space aliens makes sense, since real ones are not available at the moment.

On the other hand, fake going to the toilet and fake eating and fake ordering pizza do not make sense. Just do it in real life

Ah, but I havent played in a house that looks like mine, with a family that looks like mine. theres plenty of fake stuff here that is not available at the moment.

And of course there are now modern combat shooters, like COD4, and modern combat RTS and TBS, and whatever else you want. Not only is that available, but theyre desperate for recruits, coincidentally they want the demographic that is most "hard core" in its gaming.

[Wiglaf]

And of course there are now modern combat shooters, like COD4, and modern combat RTS and TBS, and whatever else you want. Not only is that available, but theyre desperate for recruits, coincidentally they want the demographic that is most "hard core" in its gaming.

You are a piece of work.

For the record, LOTM is claiming that

A) Playing COD4 is just like a tour of duty in the army, and just as dangerous.

B) It is as easy for people to go on a tour of duty in the army as it is to order pizza or take a crap or make coffee.

C) Any gamer can readily command real armies just like they can in a typical RTS. Apparently there is an Ender's game style kiosk somewhere I haven't heard of that makes this possible.

Ah, but I havent played in a house that looks like mine, with a family that looks like mine. theres plenty of fake stuff here that is not available at the moment.

No, there's really not. In fact, it's almost pathetic if The Sims lets you do things you can't do in reality. Is ordering pizza that hard?

Perhaps there's one or two things the Sims lets you do. Without repercussions, the game lets you insult your ugly neighbor* or "get a job" as a thief**. Oh, the sense of adventure The Sims provides.

*You can't actually say anything to her, but gibberish is provided for your convenience.

** The criminal job involves getting in a car every day at the same time and then teleporting back home.

[lord of the mark]

[QUOTE] Originally posted by Wiglaf

You are a piece of work.

For the record, LOTM is claiming that

A) Playing COD4 is just like a tour of duty in the army, and just as dangerous.

No, COD4 is fake. as is the Sims.

B) It is as easy for people to go on a tour of duty in the army as it is to order pizza or take a crap or make coffee.

If youre the right age, it is extremely easy to go on tour. Not pleasant, or easy to get through, but very easy to go on. Certainly as easy as many of the life choices in the Sims.

Some sims life choices ARE quite easy. I could buy a hot tub. Or lots of art. Or lots of electronics. But not all of the above. And I cant have no kids, or 5 kids, or lots of other combinations.

C) Any gamer can readily command real armies just like they can in a typical RTS. Apparently there is an Ender's game style kiosk somewhere I haven't heard of that makes this possible.

Touche. I should have only included shooters, not RTS. Big deal.

No, there's really not. In fact, it's almost pathetic if The Sims lets you do things you can't do in reality. Is ordering pizza that hard?

Again youre focusing on the little micromanagement things, not the main point of the game.

Perhaps there's one or two things the Sims lets you do. Without repercussions, the game lets you flirt with your ugly neighbor* or "get a job" as a thief**. Oh, the sense of adventure The Sims provides.

Its not an intense sense of adventure, its more a calm, casual exploration of certain life choices. No one ever said this was for the adrenaline junkie.

I dont get whats the big deal? Its fun. It really is.

I mean for someone who gets their jollies trolling, it seems odd to take issue with what others find fun.

[Blake]

Originally posted by Wiglaf
Perhaps there's one or two things the Sims lets you do. Without repercussions, the game lets you insult your ugly neighbor* or "get a job" as a thief**. Oh, the sense of adventure The Sims provides.

How about drowning your ugly neighbor and their ugly kids in the swimming pool . Try THAT in real life.

Or keeping a pet hobo in a 2x1 glass cage with nothing but a refrigerator full of food for company.

Or create a "double wall" (with a gap between two brick walls) and lure the incompetent nanny inside it, then block off the entrance so they starve to death inside the wall scratching at the bricks trying to get out! Hahahah! Then revive the old bag as a zombie and make her a live-in-nanny for your wretched vampire spawnlings. (*this is only possible for TS2 Uni+)

The problem, is that you have no imagination. The Sims is for people with active imaginations, who can think of more interesting things to do in life than eat sh*t and sleep.

[Wiglaf]

No, COD4 is fake. as is the Sims.

COD4 is nothing at all like a tour in the army. Nothing at all in any way shape or form. Soldiers do not pilot gunships one day and go house to house killing hundreds of enemies the next.

Soldiers risk death and illness in the army. You do not risk that by playing a game.

Hence, the game gives you an experience not easily obtained elsewhere.

Some sims life choices ARE quite easy. I could buy a hot tub. Or lots of art. Or lots of electronics. But not all of the above. And I cant have no kids, or 5 kids, or lots of other combinations.

Yes, you can have all the art, electronics, and kids you want. Just play the retardedly simple game for a few mind numbing, ball crunching hours or find a money cheat online.

HAVING THE COMPUTER AND THE FAKE AUTOMATON KIDS WHO SPEAK GIBBERISH OR THE HOT TUB IS NOT -- repeat IS NOT -- SIMULATING ANY EXPERIENCE. It simply allows you to tell fake people to experience it and get +1 modifiers on their attributes.

[Wiglaf]

The problem, is that you have no imagination. The Sims is for people with active imaginations, who can think of more interesting things to do in life than eat sh*t and sleep.

Take your insults elsewhere. If you think blocking the game's maid off with walls is creative, you need help I can't give you.

Real creativity isn't found in this game. Real creativity doesn't come from telling people to read books and watching their skill go up -- it comes from actually reading a book and learning from it. Creativity is not making a story within the fake, limited language of the Sims, it's writing your own god damn story in MS Word that isn't constrained by a handful of arbitrary needs that constantly tick down.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Wiglaf


COD4 is nothing at all like a tour in the army. Nothing at all in any way shape or form. Soldiers do not pilot gunships one day and go house to house killing hundreds of enemies the next.

Soldiers risk death and illness in the army. You do not risk that by playing a game.

Hence, the game gives you an experience not easily obtained elsewhere. I am amazed at how insultingly dense you are being.



Yes, you can have all the art, electronics, and kids you want. Just play the retardedly simple game for a few mind numbing, ball crunching hours or find a money cheat online.

HAVING THE COMPUTER AND THE FAKE AUTOMATON KIDS WHO SPEAK GIBBERISH OR THE HOT TUB IS NOT -- repeat IS NOT -- SIMULATING ANY EXPERIENCE. It simply allows you to tell fake people to experience it and get +1 modifiers on their attributes.

and guess what, citybuilders dont actually simulate the experience of being a mayor or Roman governor, and most strategy games dont actually simulate being a general or king. So what? Are you really quibbling with it being called a simulation?

Obviously its not - in the original game without the xpacks you cant even go downtown, and AFAIK you cant actually do anything at work even with all the Xpacks. And you dont own a car or take the bus, and your kids dont grow up, you dont go to the store to buy groceries, etc, etc.

thanks for stating the obvious.

Look, we all know you dont like it Wiggy.

Unless you actually have something else to add, why dont you go troll another thread?

[Wiglaf]

and guess what, citybuilders dont actually simulate the experience of being a mayor or Roman governor, and most strategy games dont actually simulate being a general or king. So what?

This is the whole point. Games find some other topic you can't do in reality and then usually embellish it and let you experience that. Eg: COD4, which you seem to think is some sort of realistic portrayal of an army tour, which is the dumbest thing I have seen in this forum.

Unless you actually have something else to add, why dont you go troll another thread?

Grow up.

[lord of the mark]

[QUOTE] Originally posted by Wiglaf

Take your insults elsewhere.

Real creativity isn't found in this game. Real creativity doesn't come from telling people to read books and watching their skill go up -- it comes from actually reading a book and learning from it.

Ive read plenty of books, and have discussed many of them on poly. deciding whether my sim should read a book, or study mechanics, can be fun, nonetheless.

Creativity is not making a story within the fake, limited language of the Sims, it's writing your own god damn story in MS Word that isn't constrained by a handful of arbitrary needs that constantly tick down.

I dont particularly care to write domestic fiction. Somehow this is fun anyway.