The Wow Factor

Knock Your Socks Off

The Sims has a very strong initial "wow factor" - seeing little people on the screen and controlling their actions is wild! It can inspire some prurient interest: playing at my office with a bunch of young men from Gamers.com behind me, I'm hearing suggestions like "make the maid and the gardener have sex" or "make them fight." There's a tremendous sense of experimentation built into the game - you can try all these permutations of human interaction. Since it's artificial life, you can grow another test case if the initial subject ends up too far warped or deceased from your manipulations.

Dottie's possible actions with the TV

How about using the phone?

Not all's well in Simcity

After a bit of screwing around, you'll discover that your Sims are practically soiling themselves and leaving trash everywhere and there isn't much you're doing that's making them happy. Once the initial rush of manipulating people wears off, you'll likely find yourself encouraged to try Sim Success.

Bob's got a hot load of juicy info!

Building a pantry

You have to develop a certain sense of rhythm to get going in the game - responding to people's concerns and managing their lives takes concentration and time. Progress in the game roughly follows this design:

• Create a family of any number of adults and children. Select their relative neatness, and how outgoing, active, playful and nice they are. Pick a face and body to go on them.
• From one of the ten slots on a neighborhood map, choose a plot for your new family to take up residence.
• Starting with a set amount of money (usually 20,000 Simoleans); design the layout fora house and put down a floor and wallpaper, or choose a pre-fab home that comes with the game, or use a home you can download off the Maxis site.
• Furnish the house, with the leftover money. At first you'll provide the basic essentials (if you're humane): a working bathroom, a basic kitchen, some of the primary amenities - TV/entertainment and seating, bedding.
• Once the place seems ready, move your Sims in and watch them find everything wrong with the place. Use the newspaper to help them find jobs and as they bring in additional funds, furnish additional goods to help them entertain themselves and expand their Sim-potential.