10-22-2007, 09:54 PM
The Sims Online
The Sims Online: Beta test
JIM GOULD got in at an early stage ...
LET ME SET the stage by saying that I am a Sims fan, I own all the expansions and I'm in the process of purchasing the PS2 version. I'm also a MMORPG addict, having played most for several months at one point or another. The Sims Online seemed a natural for me, and I was ecstatic to get into the beta program. Another thing you should know is that in MMORPGs I spend 75% of my time solo, so interacting with other players is enjoyable, but not necessarily high on my list of priorities.
Millions of The Sims fans should be able to instantly recognize The Sims Online, by a familiar interface and in-game menus. The head and body types provided in the creation of your Sim are extensive. With the many configurations for male and female characters, chances are your Sim will not be just one of the masses. While entering profile information, you have to consciously decide whether or not this will be an online representation of yourself or a character. A server check verifies that your avatar name is unique. Finally, The Sims Online asks you to select a city for your Sim to reside in: this can prove important if you are hoping to interact with friends already in the game.
The 'needs' framework of The Sims is shared by The Sims Online, although keeping your Sim well-fed and clean are less of a worry, and new goals are less directed and left more to the player. Those players who enjoyed the building aspect of The Sims will likely want to earn money, buy objects and build larger houses. For these players, success lies in providing food and moneymaking objects to other online Sims. The most common road will be to purchase a lot, build a home, place skill-enhancing or moneymaking objects, and then welcome other Sims inside to use the equipment.
More chat-driven players will be content to move from house to house, dancing, chatting with friends and playing games. All Sims start with ample money to live on and you are never required to add to your skills or earn money. These free-spirited Sims can find many houses that offer free services such as food, showers and entertainment. The owners will have tip jars about in the hope that guests will give a little something back, or at least clean up after themselves.
Your Sims gain skill points in familiar categories (logic, mechanical, cooking, charisma and body), in the same way as you do in The Sims. The twist is that the more Sims are in a location studying a skill, such as cooking, the faster they will all learn. In addition to gaining skill points studying, you can also gain skill points, such as logic, by solving problems on a chalkboard for which you will also earn some money. The amount of money earned is based on two things: your current level in the skill used, and the number of Sims doing the same task. This encourages like-minded Sims to come together in a house to perform the same tasks. There are other money-making objects that require more than one Sim to operate, such as the Pizza Maker (4), the Code Breaker (3), and Maze (2). These require interaction by the Sims (mainly through chat), to solve a puzzle and earn money. Again, this is based on the skill level of an attribute, depending on what position the Sims is at. For example the Code Breaker has three positions: Logic, Mechanical and Body.
There are no NPCs in this game: it's a city full of players with different personalities and motivations. To chat with somebody, all you have to do is walk up to that person, type and hit enter (all text appears in a comic book chat bubble). You can engage any willing person in various activities such as a hug or passionate kiss. I have yet to steal someone's Sim girl or get into a fight, although these actions are possible. Dancing is the most common interaction, although there are plenty of solo dancers out there also. I found the number of additional option during dancing (move options not found in The Sims) very entertaining, and when you string several moves together it can be quite amusing.
Unfortunately for me, unlike The Sims, The Sims Online lacks the challenge and frustration of managing a complex system of 'needs' (happiness, goals and limited time). Where other online games provide 'quests' or tasks, The Sims Online has no real plot and there is certainly no main objective, leaving it up to the player to invent his or her own situations. Worse, most activities are passive in nature, which means the player commands the Sim to begin a task, then sits back and watches for five minutes while the Sim labors away.
If you enjoy avatar chat or chat in general, it may appeal to you.
The Sims Online: Beta test
JIM GOULD got in at an early stage ...
LET ME SET the stage by saying that I am a Sims fan, I own all the expansions and I'm in the process of purchasing the PS2 version. I'm also a MMORPG addict, having played most for several months at one point or another. The Sims Online seemed a natural for me, and I was ecstatic to get into the beta program. Another thing you should know is that in MMORPGs I spend 75% of my time solo, so interacting with other players is enjoyable, but not necessarily high on my list of priorities.
Millions of The Sims fans should be able to instantly recognize The Sims Online, by a familiar interface and in-game menus. The head and body types provided in the creation of your Sim are extensive. With the many configurations for male and female characters, chances are your Sim will not be just one of the masses. While entering profile information, you have to consciously decide whether or not this will be an online representation of yourself or a character. A server check verifies that your avatar name is unique. Finally, The Sims Online asks you to select a city for your Sim to reside in: this can prove important if you are hoping to interact with friends already in the game.
The 'needs' framework of The Sims is shared by The Sims Online, although keeping your Sim well-fed and clean are less of a worry, and new goals are less directed and left more to the player. Those players who enjoyed the building aspect of The Sims will likely want to earn money, buy objects and build larger houses. For these players, success lies in providing food and moneymaking objects to other online Sims. The most common road will be to purchase a lot, build a home, place skill-enhancing or moneymaking objects, and then welcome other Sims inside to use the equipment.
More chat-driven players will be content to move from house to house, dancing, chatting with friends and playing games. All Sims start with ample money to live on and you are never required to add to your skills or earn money. These free-spirited Sims can find many houses that offer free services such as food, showers and entertainment. The owners will have tip jars about in the hope that guests will give a little something back, or at least clean up after themselves.
Your Sims gain skill points in familiar categories (logic, mechanical, cooking, charisma and body), in the same way as you do in The Sims. The twist is that the more Sims are in a location studying a skill, such as cooking, the faster they will all learn. In addition to gaining skill points studying, you can also gain skill points, such as logic, by solving problems on a chalkboard for which you will also earn some money. The amount of money earned is based on two things: your current level in the skill used, and the number of Sims doing the same task. This encourages like-minded Sims to come together in a house to perform the same tasks. There are other money-making objects that require more than one Sim to operate, such as the Pizza Maker (4), the Code Breaker (3), and Maze (2). These require interaction by the Sims (mainly through chat), to solve a puzzle and earn money. Again, this is based on the skill level of an attribute, depending on what position the Sims is at. For example the Code Breaker has three positions: Logic, Mechanical and Body.
There are no NPCs in this game: it's a city full of players with different personalities and motivations. To chat with somebody, all you have to do is walk up to that person, type and hit enter (all text appears in a comic book chat bubble). You can engage any willing person in various activities such as a hug or passionate kiss. I have yet to steal someone's Sim girl or get into a fight, although these actions are possible. Dancing is the most common interaction, although there are plenty of solo dancers out there also. I found the number of additional option during dancing (move options not found in The Sims) very entertaining, and when you string several moves together it can be quite amusing.
Unfortunately for me, unlike The Sims, The Sims Online lacks the challenge and frustration of managing a complex system of 'needs' (happiness, goals and limited time). Where other online games provide 'quests' or tasks, The Sims Online has no real plot and there is certainly no main objective, leaving it up to the player to invent his or her own situations. Worse, most activities are passive in nature, which means the player commands the Sim to begin a task, then sits back and watches for five minutes while the Sim labors away.
If you enjoy avatar chat or chat in general, it may appeal to you.
Jim Gould
2004-12-06
2004-12-06