Sims (language, representation, industries & audience)
The Sims FreePlay
-the game
-Facebook page
-Twitter feed
Cultural context
-strategic life simulation game
-free version of The Sims for mobile devices
-released on iPhone in 2011, Android in 2012, Blackberry & window phones in 2013
Game play
-players build and design houses & customise and create mini people called Sims
-players can control their sims however they want and let them complete different actions to gain Simoleons, Lifestyle points and Social points
-runs in real time and takes real time to complete actions
-players can progress through 55 levels to unlock content that can be purchased with virtual currencies
-there are 'quests' that players are required to complete, as well as optional quests that they may choose to pursue
-free to play but there are in-game purchases
Examples:
-Character customisation - a range of races and ethnicities
-House decorating
-Playing with pets (furry friends)
-Finding true love and getting married
-Having children
-Dancing
-Sim Town
-Volcano
-Creative possibilities- painting, guitar, etc
Narrative theory
Todorov's narrative theory
-due to the open ended nature of Sims FreePlay, Todorov's theory only applied in small doses to micro-narratives rather than to larger meta narratives that cross the whole game
e.g.
equilibrium - sim lives in a small house with limited furnishing
disruption - new task appears
realisation - player clicks task to reveal it wants them to buy a TV
repair damage - player opens item tab and finds TV, player purchases TV and places it in house
new equilibrium - sim can now watch TV
-narrative would then repeat until such time that player becomes bored or can no Lon get complete these tasks and has to complete other tasks in order to complete these
Propp's character theory
Media Language
-Codes and Conventions of video game & how it influences meaning
*game characters may be used to promote other products
*characters of games become subject of feature films
*some have media convergence - cross-media products
Media Audience
-Predominately female - colour scheme emphasises femininity and all the relationship scenes make the audience positioned to respond with the female (OTS camera shots)
-The female characters are shown first in the customisation
-Aged 10-40+
-Broad target audience
Henry Jenkins - participatory culture
-The Sims franchise is one of the best examples of Henry Jenkins’ concept of participatory culture
-Since first game in franchise, online communities have created, suggested and shared content for the game
-Modifications - huge part of appeal of game - changes aspects of gameplay (e.g. from strength of coffee to incorporating ghosts or even sexual content)
‘modding’?
-type of participatory culture where players are able to modify game assets by manipulating the game code
-the game
-Facebook page
-Twitter feed
Cultural context
-strategic life simulation game
-free version of The Sims for mobile devices
-released on iPhone in 2011, Android in 2012, Blackberry & window phones in 2013
Game play
-players build and design houses & customise and create mini people called Sims
-players can control their sims however they want and let them complete different actions to gain Simoleons, Lifestyle points and Social points
-runs in real time and takes real time to complete actions
-players can progress through 55 levels to unlock content that can be purchased with virtual currencies
-there are 'quests' that players are required to complete, as well as optional quests that they may choose to pursue
-free to play but there are in-game purchases
Examples:
-Character customisation - a range of races and ethnicities
-House decorating
-Playing with pets (furry friends)
-Finding true love and getting married
-Having children
-Dancing
-Sim Town
-Volcano
-Creative possibilities- painting, guitar, etc
Narrative theory
Todorov's narrative theory
-due to the open ended nature of Sims FreePlay, Todorov's theory only applied in small doses to micro-narratives rather than to larger meta narratives that cross the whole game
e.g.
equilibrium - sim lives in a small house with limited furnishing
disruption - new task appears
realisation - player clicks task to reveal it wants them to buy a TV
repair damage - player opens item tab and finds TV, player purchases TV and places it in house
new equilibrium - sim can now watch TV
-narrative would then repeat until such time that player becomes bored or can no Lon get complete these tasks and has to complete other tasks in order to complete these
Propp's character theory
-hero: sim avatar
-villain: sims needs and desires
-princess: experience for the player
-dispatcher: task system that tells you what task to do next
-helper: jobs and money from login bonuses
-donor: game's item store
Media Language
-Codes and Conventions of video game & how it influences meaning
*game characters may be used to promote other products
*characters of games become subject of feature films
*some have media convergence - cross-media products
How is the game constructed?-Lots of little tasks - constant mini rewards
-The time it takes to carry out tasks is real time (you can pay to speed up the game)
-Adverts in return for free crystals/ in-game currency
-Product placement - a revenue generator
What audience is this game targeting?
-Female - more female clothing available
-Capitalist ideology reinforced - 'You need a job'
What audience pleasures does the game provider
-Consumer culture - capitalist ideology - job, spending money
-Constant rewards
-Customisation (can also make yourself
-SimChef = MasterChef (intertextuality)
How does the game encourage in-app purchases?
-You can buy modifications in the game with in-game currency (e.g. speed up the game) - this is reinforced with the time countdowns
-You can buy in-game currency with real money
-Onions take 7 hours to grow but reward a lot of money
Media Audience
-Predominately female - colour scheme emphasises femininity and all the relationship scenes make the audience positioned to respond with the female (OTS camera shots)
-The female characters are shown first in the customisation
-Aged 10-40+
-Broad target audience
Audience pleasures suggested in trailer:
-A younger audience can do things in the game that they can't do in real life (clubbing, relationships, etc)
-Making a character how you want
-Forming a perfect lifestyle - personal identity and relationships
-Aspiration, diversion and escapism
What critics reviews are included in the game information section?
- "5 STARS ...The Sims FreePlay is everything you could ever want a freemium Sims game to be.” (Gamezebo)
- “10/10 …one of the most addictive and highly polished games available and there’s no excuse for anyone to not download it; especially since it is free to play (the clue’s in the title).” (God is a Geek)
- “...plenty of hours of fun... at an excellent, non-existent, price.” (148Apps)
What do the reviews suggest regarding the audience pleasures of The Sims FreePlay?
-Growing babies
-Designing houses
-Lots to do
-Lots of diversity in the game
-The Sims franchise is one of the best examples of Henry Jenkins’ concept of participatory culture
-Since first game in franchise, online communities have created, suggested and shared content for the game
-Modifications - huge part of appeal of game - changes aspects of gameplay (e.g. from strength of coffee to incorporating ghosts or even sexual content)
‘modding’?
-type of participatory culture where players are able to modify game assets by manipulating the game code
How does ‘modding’ link to Henry Jenkins’ idea of ‘textual poaching’?
-Just like in textual poaching, audiences are able to take a media text that already exists and make it into their own by modifying it - Modding has brought fan communities closer
Media Representation
Media Theories to apply to representations in The Sims FreePlay:
-Judith Butler- 'gender as a performance'
-Gauntlett- 'younger generations aren't afraid of social changes' (homosexuality)
-Bell Hooks- power structures in society (police officers)
-Gauntlett- gender fluidity (gay kiss at end)
-Gilroy's post colonialism - Double consciousness
How has The Sims tried to create more realistic representations of ethnicity?
How has The Sims responded to racism and sexism in society?
However, if the player wants to play in an intolerent way, they have the option to do so.
What is The Sims perspective on gender fluidity and identity?
In your opinion, has The Sims made an error in trying to make the franchise too realistic?
-Just like in textual poaching, audiences are able to take a media text that already exists and make it into their own by modifying it - Modding has brought fan communities closer
How do the reviews reflect the strong element of participatory culture in The Sims?
-The reviews made by players include suggestions on how EA should improve the game
-The reviews made by players include suggestions on how EA should improve the game
-The players seem to be very passionate about the game and give suggestions that they believe would make the game more fun for everyone
Media Representation
What stereotypes have you identified in The Sims FreePlay?
-Reinforcing traditional gender roles- boys like karate and blue, girls like ballet and pins
-Being young is desirable (older people excluded from the game)
-The rich people are predominately white
Media Theories to apply to representations in The Sims FreePlay:
-Judith Butler- 'gender as a performance'
-Gauntlett- 'younger generations aren't afraid of social changes' (homosexuality)
-Bell Hooks- power structures in society (police officers)
-Gauntlett- gender fluidity (gay kiss at end)
-Gilroy's post colonialism - Double consciousness
How realistic does The Sims intend to be?
The Sims intends to be realistic in a sense that it will be believable to those who play it. Therefore, it will include love, family, work, emotions but it will not include gruesome details like blood or broken bones. Maxis' PR manager, Charlie Sinhaseni states “We’re not really looking for realism, we’re looking more for believability.”
How has The Sims tried to create more realistic representations of ethnicity?
They have tried to create more realistic representations of ethnicity by making the 'Create a Sim' feature more customisable and with less restriction. They are adding more details to alter the appearance of a Sim with less stereotypical ways of representing different ethnicities.
How has The Sims responded to racism and sexism in society?
The game does not include any racism or sexism. "Our game is kind of a caricature of life. We don’t really have a message—there’s no racism message, there’s no tolerance message. We have same-sex marriage in our game. Our Sims will not discriminate based on gender preference whatsoever. But there’s a line where it becomes too real. The only manner of hatred we have in the game is between incompatible Sims, something that’s driven by the traits of the Sim—a hotheaded Sim, or a Sim who hates children."
However, if the player wants to play in an intolerent way, they have the option to do so.
What is The Sims perspective on gender fluidity and identity?
Currently, and the way it has always been, players have only two genders to choose from - 'male' and 'female'. Maxis' PR manager states that gender fluidity has been a topic the team has been discussing a lot. They have thought about whether they should add other gender identities or not have any gender option at all but it is not something that has come to a final decision yet.
How does The Sims reinforce the dominant capitalist ideologies of American culture?
How does The Sims reinforce the dominant capitalist ideologies of American culture?
The Sims reinforces the dominant capitalist ideologies of American culture where one is expected to go to school, find a job and make money so they can provide for their families. However, the player has the freedom to not play by these rules if they don't wish to do so, this is less true for The Sims Freeplay, where you are less in control of the game than PC versions.
How do the expansion pack (DLC) trailers reinforce or challenge dominant ideologies?
Reinforce dominant ideologies:
-A capitalist society- you have to go to school, get an education, find a job
-People as consumers- lots of examples of Sims spending money and this being desirable (Boutique expansion)
-The police represented positively
Reality, postmodernism and The SimsWhat does the article suggest about the representation of real life in The Sims 4?
The article suggests that the Sims 4 doesn't have the same excitement as the Sims 3. The Sims 4 is too real and the writer questions how one can 'escape from real life' (the main reason people play videogames) when they are constricted in a game that requires them to live a normal, traditional, domestic life.
Reality, postmodernism and The SimsWhat does the article suggest about the representation of real life in The Sims 4?
The article suggests that the Sims 4 doesn't have the same excitement as the Sims 3. The Sims 4 is too real and the writer questions how one can 'escape from real life' (the main reason people play videogames) when they are constricted in a game that requires them to live a normal, traditional, domestic life.
What audience pleasures did the writer used to find in The Sims franchise?The writer loved the magic and fantasy available in The Sims franchise. In particular, the ability to do things you couldn't do in real life and the inventive and mischievous ways to act out or blow off steam.
Why does the writer mention an example of a washer and dryer as additional DLC?The writer expresses her disappointment in that particular DLC. She never ended up using the expansion because it reminded her of real life- "I have no desire to do laundry in real life, why would I do it in a Sims game after so many years of not having to at all? "
In your opinion, has The Sims made an error in trying to make the franchise too realistic?
In my opinion, I think the game has made an error in making the game too realistic. Part of The Sims' pleasures is having the ability to try things out that you are unable to do in real life. If the game resembles real life routine, then there isn't much fun to it. Games are meant as a way of diversion (Blumler and Katz) and making the franchise too realistic means it has lost its appeal.
How does this representation of reality link to Baudrillard’s theory of hyperreality - the increasingly blurred line between real and constructed?
Baudrillard discusses the increasingly blurred line between real and constructed. In terms of The Sims, the line has practically vanished. The game has become an exact replica of real life and it reinforces the traditional ideologies of a capitalist life- going to school, finding a job, earning money and starting a family.
How does this representation of reality link to Baudrillard’s theory of hyperreality - the increasingly blurred line between real and constructed?
Baudrillard discusses the increasingly blurred line between real and constructed. In terms of The Sims, the line has practically vanished. The game has become an exact replica of real life and it reinforces the traditional ideologies of a capitalist life- going to school, finding a job, earning money and starting a family.
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