Building Game Mechanics : The Sims 2
Transcript of Building Game Mechanics : The Sims 2
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GameBuildingMechanics:TheSims2
TheSims2isagamethatisalmostenArelymadeupofbuildingmechanics.
PlayerscontrolcharacterscalledSimsandcontrolthewayinwhichtheyliveouttheir
livessimilarlytohowtheregularpeopledo,butinamorecartoonyway.Thegamehas
nodefinedendgoal,sothegameiscompletelyopen‐ended,leadingtoinfinite
playability.Thisisaprimeexampleofaninvisiblebuildingmechanicinthefactthatthe
playerchooseshowthegameistobeplayed.
ThefirstthingthataplayerdoesaOerstarAngthegameistheprocessof
creaAnganewSim.Bringingupaseriesofmenus,SimcreaAonisdonebyusingthe
visiblebuildingmechanicofusingthevariousslidersaswellasseQngthegeneral
aspiraAonsfortheSim.ManydifferentaspectsareconsideredinthecreaAonofthe
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player’sSim,includingeventheirastrologysign.Thegametakesthemallintoawhole
withacovertbuildingmechanicinordertogivelifetothemwhentheplayerisplaying.
TheamountofcustomizaAontheSimscanhaveisoutstandinginwhicheverycharacterfeelsdifferentin
thisveryliteralbuildingmechanic.
Thegameencouragesyouinacovertbuildingmechanictobuildyourowngoals
intothegame.YouhavetheopAonofplayingfamiliesthatarealreadyincludedwithin
thegame’sthreeneighborhoods,ortocreateaneighborhood/familyofyourown.Inan
invisiblebuildingmechanic,boththetownsandthepeopleinthemhavevarious
storylinesthattheplayercanacAvelytakearolein;aswellastheabilitytousethe
housesdevelopershavealreadycreated.
WhileplayingthegameyourSimshavedifferentthingsthattheydesireandfear.
ByhelpingaSimfulfilltheirdesires,theplayerwillunlocknewitemsthattheymayuse
whenaSimisinagoodmood.ForthemoresadisAc,theplayermaymaketheirSim’s
lifealivinghellbymakingtheireveryfearcometopass.WhattheSimsactuallydesire
VariousopAonsaregiveninchangingyourSim
Whileclothinghasnoeffectongameplay,theplayermaybuildtheirSiminwhateverwaytheywant
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andfearisdonebyacovertbuildingmechanicprobablyfromalistofprobablechoices
fortheaspiraAonand/orfeeltheplayerhaschosenfortheSim.PlayerscontrolSimsin
givingsuggesAonsofthingsforthemtodowithallofthechoicesbeinganinvisible
buildingmechanicthattheplayeruses.Theseareusedindoingthemanythingsthat
youcandointhegameallowingforemergentgameplay.
Thegirlthattheplayeriscontrollingrightnowhaswantstobeinamedicalcareerandfearsbeingrobbed,partoftheinvisiblemechanicprovidedtoplayersbythegame.
Simsarecreaturesthatdonotjusthavewants.Theyalsohaveneeds;andthese
arevitaltosaAsfyiftheplayerwantstheSimtoactuallybehappy.Thisbuildsrealismin
theworld,addingtotheagencythatthegamehasaddinganinvisiblebuildingmechanic
inbuildingthegame’sworld.Therearesimpleneedsthathavetobemet,suchas
CleanlinessandBladder,butinordertoactuallysaAsfytheirneeds,theplayerneedsto
directtheSimtodosoformostcases.Inavisiblebuildingmechanic,thecharacter
buildshisrelaAonshipwithotherSimsthussaAsfyinghisneedtobesocial.
WantsshowdesiresaSimhas
FearsshowwhataSimwouldhatetohappen
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AsidefromtakingcareoftheSimsthemselves,thereisa“Buy”modeinwhich
playersareabletoabletobuynewitemstoaddtotheirhouseinavisiblebuilding
mechanic.Theseitemsareusedforvariouspurposesinthegame,inasimilarfashionin
howtheydoinreallife.Forexample,burglarsmaytrytoenteraSim’shouseon
occasion.Iftheirhomehasaburglaralarm,youhavenothingtofearasthepolicewill
betherebeforetheycandoanyrealdamage;thusbuildinganemergentstoryina
covertway.Playersarealsoabletoentera“Build”modeaswell,inwhichtheymay
expandthehousetheyarecurrentlyat.Thismaybedoneonthefly;addingaroomwith
easewithmanyvariousopAonsgiventotheplayerasaninvisiblebutusedasan
exposedbuildingmechanic.
In“BuildMode”,theplayerisaddingawalltohishouse,usingtheinvisiblemechanicscreatedbythe
developersinanexposedway.
VariousopAonsforbuildingahouseareavaliable