I first discovered this game in 2004 when I played the Xbox version of it, and I soon became obsessed. I would come home from work in the afternoon, pour myself a glass of Fresca and sit down on the couch and enter the world of the Sims. I created many towns and I think my choice of names varied along the lines of Freakwille, Loonyville, Murderville and the default, and more sane, Pleasantview.
So, what was it that got me so hooked? Apart from addictive personality that is.
Well, here's why:
I have been writing about large households since I was 8, the Sims gave me the opportunity to fulfill what has always been in my head. It was a chance to come as close as I could possibly come to re-creating my fantasies. There has always been something so fascinating about a large house filled with different characters, all with their own quirks and oddities and taken straight from reality or from my own imagination.
The game allows you to live vicariously through your Sims. I often create a Linda character and then have her pursue a career in journalism. As long as you continue to improve on your skills and work hard, you advance on the job pretty quickly. You can go from being a Papergirl to being a Freelance Writer in just a week. How often does this happen in real life? It's awesome, and that's only the beginning. If you persist you can even become Editor-In-Chief. How great is this! Yes, granted, it would be better if it was actually real, but Sims 3 is a great way to kick back in the evening and escape reality.
You can get the man of your dreams if you just persist. On the Sims there are no such things as people turning you down because they think you're fat or ugly. Well, not on the Sims 3 at least. In the Sims 2, you got to choose different preferences in a partner. If your Sim prefers voluptuous blonds who are good at cooking, he/she will automatically have more chemistry with such a person. I keep waiting for that add-on to be available for Sims 3 because I thought this was a fun thing. Bottom line though, you can create the person that you have a crush on in real life and make romance blossom between you two. You could go to bed with Brad Pitt if you wanted, not that this is something I particularly desire, but you catch my drift.
You can wreak any havoc you want and screw with the Sim's lives. I have one very good friend who would make this her singular goal if she played this game. For me, I'm generally good to the Sims I like and mean to the ones I don't. I like creating Sims that are easy and who like to sleep around. This is in fact one of the life goals you can choose. Heartbreaker - Your Sim wants to be the girlfriend/boyfriend of at least 20 Sims. This gives you cart blanche to let your Sim woo like mad and quite frankly, be a real slut. What does it say about me that I love this? I feel like a pervert when I'm sitting there watching them get it on. Or "woohoo", as it's called in the Sims.
Not only can you turn your Sim into a slut/manwhore, but you can also create drama with jealousy scenes and even wild fist fights. You can have your Sims slap each other around, spit on each other, yell, throw water, and eventually really fight.
Occasionally, I like creating silly stereotypes and making them act just like I would expect them to.
One of the biggest draws for me: There are ghosts! When a Sims die, he comes back in the form of a ghost who forever wander the grounds where he died. They come out at midnight, accompanied by a spooky tune. I have yet to see any other ghosts than those that have died of old age in the Sims 3. Apparently, the way a Sim die determines the colour of the ghost. If they die of old age their ghosts are gray, if they die of fire they become red. There are ways to kill your Sim. You can starve them to death, drown them, at least in the Sims 2, and lock them in a room with a stove and refrigerator and take away all their food skills. Eventually the Sim will start a fire while trying to cook, and will perish in the flames. Lately I've become too soft though. I don't like killing Sims anymore, unless I really dislike that certain Sim.
You can also design houses and decorate them. If you use Motherlode you can increase your household funds until you're a millionaire and then you can buy whatever you wish. Imagine being able to go into a furniture store and fully furnish a new house for free. You can furnish to your heart's desire.
If you're feeling crabby, take your frustrations out on a disliked Sim. If it's a mean Sim who just rubs you the wrong way, punish him/her by making them pee their pants or something. That devastates a Sim. They find it incredibly humiliating. You can play God. You can do whatever you want to your Sims and get away with it. You're in total control, and really, how rarely do we human beings ever get to be in total control of our own lives?
So, although this game is a total nuisance since it takes up time that could be spent on more productive things. Just because I have been singing this game's praises doesn't mean that I don't realize that it's a waste of time and that it will lead to nothing. But, sometimes we don't have to take life so seriously, do we?
So, although the Sims is a nuisance since it takes up valuable time that could be spent on more productive things, I am hooked.
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