Addicted to 'The Sims'

The computer game is a huge hit with control freaks. But some think it's too boring, and it's too expensive for others.

By MACKENZIE PORTER
© St. Petersburg Times
published September 23, 2002

John Smith has 60 minutes to shower, get dressed, use the restroom, eat and kiss his wife goodbye before his car pool ride arrives. Can he do it? It's up to you.

Welcome to the PC game The Sims by Maxis. Along with expansion packs Hot Date, Livin' Large, House Party, Unleashed and Vacation, which let you do more, this game has become a craze among computer fans.

What is it about simulating the actions of people, helping them better or worsen themselves, and even killing them that is so engrossing?

Marissa Cessna, an eighth-grade student at Coleman Middle School in Tampa plays Sims "at least a few minutes every day. It's addictive. I love controlling people's lives." Her favorite part is the relationships: "You make people have fights, fall in love, anything, really."

You have to stay on your toes while playing. For instance, if a member of the Sims family goes into the swimming pool, don't forget to install the ladder for him to climb out; otherwise, he could drown. If you don't take your person to the bathroom in time, watch out!

Though manipulating computer people is appealing to some, others aren't interested. Matt Lynn, an eighth-grader at St. Mary's Episcopal Day School in Tampa, finds the games dull. "I don't like them," he says. "It's boring because all you do is build houses and watch people. You can do that in real life."

Others complain about the price. The Sims, Sim City, Sim Town and other variations can cost as much as $50 each, with expansion packs costing another $30. Kids aren't always willing or able to dive that deep into their pockets for a game, so the burden can fall on parents. Shelling out up to $300 for all the game versions and expansion packs isn't most parents' idea of fun.

Still, the Sims series is at the top of national software sales rankings. Although mild sensuality and cartoon violence earned The Sims a T rating, suitable for teenage audiences, the games are a huge hit. The popularity of the games have attracted many fan Web sites that are useful as you play, for finding skins (clothes for your families), wallpaper (paint for their houses) or cheats. Go to any search engine and type "Sims cheats."

The money cheat is the most helpful because you can't keep your Sims happy without money to buy the things they need. At the start of the game you are given $20,000, but you use it quickly.

The Sims comes close to being the perfect game, but it doesn't quite get there for me. It is a lot of fun, but it's expensive, and the graphics come up slowly on many older computers. It would be nice if Maxis would make a version that didn't need a "T" rating, so the game could reach that heavy-duty video/computer game audience, elementary school boys.

-- Mackenzie Porter, 13, is in the eighth grade at St. Mary's Episcopal Day School in Tampa.

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