The Sims FreePlay CSP - Audience and Industries blog tasks
The Sims FreePlay CSP - Audience and Industries blog tasks
Life simulation: Players control and create Sims’ lives.
Customization: Build homes, design characters, and create stories.
Updates: Seasonal events and new content keep the game engaging
It emphasises customisation, real-time events, and community-driven updates that encourage innovation and player cooperation.
1) What did The Sims designer Will Wright describe the game as?
Will Wright described The Sims as a "digital dollhouse," emphasising its open-ended, sandbox nature where players create and control simulated lives.
2) Why was development company Maxis initially not interested in The Sims?
Maxis was initially not interested in The Sims because they viewed it as a risky and unconventional project. It lacked the traditional objectives and goals of a game, making it hard to market in a time when simulation games focused on clear, structured gameplay.
3) What is ‘modding’? How does ‘modding’ link to Henry Jenkins’ idea of ‘textual poaching’?
Modding refers to modifying a game’s original content by adding or altering features, such as creating custom objects, characters, or storylines. This links to Henry Jenkins’ concept of textual poaching because it allows players to "borrow" and reimagine the game’s framework to create something personally meaningful, making them active participants in the storytelling process rather than passive consumers.
4) Look specifically at p136. Note down key quotes from Jenkins, Pearce and Wright on this page.
- Henry Jenkins: Players transform The Sims into "an expressive medium through which they could communicate their own stories and fantasies."
- Celia Pearce: She emphasizes the "collaborative and participatory culture" that emerged around The Sims.
- Will Wright: He notes, "I wanted to give players the tools to tell their own stories."
5) What examples of intertextuality are discussed in relation to The Sims? (Look for “replicating works from popular culture”)
- Players replicating works from popular culture, such as recreating iconic TV shows, movies, or celebrity homes.
- Famous recreations include sets and scenarios inspired by series like Friends or films like The Matrix.
6) What is ‘transmedia storytelling’ and how does The Sims allow players to create it?
Transmedia storytelling involves narrating a story across multiple platforms and media formats.
The Sims allows players to create transmedia storytelling by giving them tools to craft and share stories that extend beyond the game itself. Players might post screenshots, videos, or narratives on forums, creating a larger narrative universe connected to the game.
7) How have Sims online communities developed over the last 20 years?
Online communities for The Sims have developed into thriving gathering places for exchanging tales, mods, and original content over the past 20 years. User-generated material may now be created and shared collaboratively thanks to forums and websites like Mod The Sims. In addition to providing forums for fan art, storytelling, and gameplay challenges, these communities have encouraged sustained participation.
8) What does the writer suggest The Sims will be remembered for?
The writer suggests that The Sims will be remembered for its transformative impact on gaming culture, particularly for its role in empowering players to become creators, its emphasis on storytelling, and its contributions to the development of participatory fan communities.
Read this Henry Jenkins interview with James Paul Gee, writer of Woman as Gamers: The Sims and 21st Century Learning (2010).
1) Why does James Paul Gee see The Sims as an important game?
The Sims empowers players, especially women and girls, to engage in creativity, social interaction, and skill-building beyond traditional gaming, blending real-world and game-world learning.
2) What does the designer of The Sims, Will Wright, want players to do with the game?
Will Wright wants players to think like designers, create their own content, build communities, and develop skills that extend beyond the game.
3) Do you agree with the view that The Sims is not a game – but something else entirely?
Yes and No, depending on definition. If a game requires strict rules and goals, The Sims might not fit. But as an open-ended creative platform, it broadens what "gaming" can mean.
Industries
Electronic Arts & Sims FreePlay industries focus
Read this Pocket Gamer interview with EA’s Amanda Schofield, Senior Producer on The Sims FreePlay at EA's Melbourne-based Firemonkeys studio. Answer the following questions:
1) How has The Sims FreePlay evolved since launch?
The game has expanded significantly with regular updates, new events, storylines, customisation options, and content designed to reflect player feedback and emerging trends.
2) Why does Amanda Schofield suggest ‘games aren’t products any more’?
Schofield argues that games are now live services rather than static products. Developers continually update and improve games post-launch to keep players engaged and ensure the experience evolves over time.
3) What does she say about The Sims gaming community?
Schofield praises the community as passionate and creative, highlighting their valuable feedback and the role they play in shaping updates and new content.
4) How has EA kept the game fresh and maintained the active player base?
EA introduces frequent updates, live events, seasonal content, and collaborations that keep the game relevant and engaging, catering to player interests and encouraging consistent interaction.
5) How many times has the game been installed and how much game time in years have players spent playing the game? These could be great introductory statistics in an exam essay on this topic.
The game has been installed over 300 million times, and players have logged 78,000 years of gameplay, showcasing its massive popularity and enduring appeal.
Read this blog on how EA is ruining the franchise (or not) due to its downloadable content. Answer the following questions.
1) What audience pleasures for The Sims are discussed at the beginning of the blog?
The blog highlights the creativity, freedom, and storytelling opportunities players enjoy, allowing them to build homes, craft characters, and simulate lives in unique and personal ways.
2) What examples of downloadable content are presented?
Examples include themed expansion packs such as Pets, Seasons, University, and Island Living, as well as smaller add-ons like furniture packs and clothing bundles.
3) How did Electronic Arts enrage The Sims online communities with expansion packs and DLC?
EA angered fans by offering essential features, like pools or toddlers, only through paid DLCs or expansions rather than including them in the base game. This gave the impression of withholding content for profit.
Comments
Post a Comment