Salford City CollegeEccles Sixth Form CentreBTec Level 2First Diploma in Creative Media Production

Work Related ActivityWork Experience - Games Evaluation

Game TitleSims 3

Genre and ModeSimulation

Target AudienceSims target audience is mostly for ages 14 and over however looking at a recent poll from the EA forums it appears that 49% of 9-10 year olds play the game. The game is suitable for both sexes however it is mostly females who are attracted to the game. The demographic is Class E- This class is called lowest grade workers for people who are unemployed, pensioners etc.

PlatformWindows 7 Hardware VersionHome premium

CostSims is mostly sold for around £25.

Game ObjectiveThis depends on how you choose to play the game. For example once you first start the game you have to create your sim in whichever way you want to. You could make your sim evil or make it want to be a celebrity. Whichever you choose will determine the objectives you have to do to make your sim happy.

Game StructureSims is basically based around a fictional life, it is an open world which allows you to feed your Sims, teach and give your Sims family and a job. It basically allows you to control a virtual life in a lot of different aspects.

PositivesThe creators of Sims wanted to allow the game to give the audience a realistic vibe while being able to create their own virtual people and their homes. I think they helped achieve this with how well the quality of the graphics are made to be, they help virtualise the minor details that all together make a huge difference overall. For example, the way sunset valley is set out, it brings back memories of the previous Sims such as Sims 2. It has the same characters such as the Goths, the Landgraabs, and even the Crumplebottoms. But even though they have involved some of the same characters sunset valley still has it ‘fresh’ feeling making it seems as if sunset valley is actually breathing and living. Another positive that electronic arts have seemed to achieve is its freedom for the sim and how easy it is for controlling. If you want to see the Sims map to make your sim visit the gym or the local supermarket then it is accessible within a click. Or if you want to make your sim jog, you can easily indicate where you want your sim to jog to and zoom in and out of the map view to the building or street you wish to go. I think the main aim of this game was to give the audience a lot of freedom and express their creativity. I think this is done extremely well within create a sim mode. In create a sim there is a lot of options such as what body type you want to give your sim, How round/thin you want their faces, how big you want their nose or eyes to be or even what colour hair or hair type you sim. Everything is customisable even what material you want your Sims close to be. Having the opportunity to be creative with your Sims and make them look unique as you wish. Being able to make your Sims socks match their top might seem unnecessary but to the imagination and creativity it takes to even create a single sim is satisfying, you can do or make your sim look like anything. You are basically god, you have the power and the imagination to do anything you like making you create the story line. I think that is a great aspect in the game.

NegativesA few things that jeopardies the whole creativity aspect is that in create-a-sim mode you get a choice of five traits and after you have picked your traits a few options on what you can have your Sims life time wish as. I think that if you want to pick some traits

and then go for a life time wish that isn’t similar to the traits you choose then you can. Another thing that I don’t like within Sims 3 is that once you have started the family you want and you choose to have a baby, you don’t get many benefits out of the baby. I understand that a baby doesn’t do much but you should be able to do more than just carry and snuggle the baby etc. You should be able to customise their babies’ looks, maybe be able to change their clothes or at least the blanket they are being carried around in.

Bugs IdentifiedThe worse bug I can identify is the glitches within the game. I understand that the game does have a lot going on, with all the graphics, characters etc. going on in the game I do expect it to have a ‘slow’ moment however there has been times where it has completely crashed because the game can’t handle all the background going on as well as telling the characters to do something. Another time one of my Sims was glitching out, it completely missed out its head and was walking around headless.

ConclusionIn conclusion anyone who loves to be creative and be in control will love this game however you do need quite a lot of patience to help put together the detail you need to, to help make this game your world. I also think that the game has to be a little bit more organised in its priority’s to help the glitch from happening for example if the main sim is being told to take a shower then the main concern should be on that sim, so the game should put the background characters that aren’t being played on hold or on minimum action.

Gameplay Duration (45 minutes minimum)year+

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