Maxis senior vice president Lucy Bradshaw and Sims Studio GM Rachel Franklin see the voyeuristic side of our society as a wealth of source material when it comes to making The Sims.
Their fireside chat at the GamesBeat 2014 conference, Franklin and Bradshaw cited the ever-changing entertainment media landscape as key inspirations for their long-running franchise. It’s not only about entertainment but also how people consume it.
The pair took this opportunity to share what Sims means to them. Franklin noted that this is a game that relies on little to no consulting with behavioral professionals, “It’s less of a life simulation but more a game about drama.” Bradshaw added that the Sims is a reductionist view of life, influenced by Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. It’s also a series that combines behavioral tension with user experimentation, were the best possible outcome is drama. Those outcomes are complemented by happy experiences like giving birth to a child or a first kiss.
“We want players to imbue a sense of importance. Create-a-Sim in Sims 4 just became all the more important. …” Bradshaw said. “You can choose traits that reflect real stories, like coming out of the closet or the death of a family member.”
The studios behind The Sims also do not get enough credit for striking that balance between the serious moments in life, while also keeping things lighthearted. A perfect example is the Grim Reaper, the avatar of Death who also uses a tablet. As Franklin put it, “We want to explore all these different facets of life, but it’s still game. … You should have a satisfying journey, but it should still be fun.”
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Thanks SnootySims for the find!
“Bradshaw said. “You can choose traits that reflect real stories, like coming out of the closet or the death of a family member.””
Where? So far, all the traits are just “generic” sims traits. If they could have the things they said the sims could do, the game wouldn’t have been rushed.
Also, tangent, where’s the option for sims to, as Old McWench said, “come out of the closet”? If I could make them do that, I’d be somewhat more interested. *sigh* Looks like EGC will have to make a mod for that as well…
And don’t get me started on Maslow’s Needs…