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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