One of the things I rarely every write about on this blog is my enduring obsession with computer games. For those who don’t know, I am a long-term addict when it comes to computer games. I’m sure which one was the first I ever played, but I think it was (and I’m not counting “Pong”) some version of Lemonade Tycoon—a lemonade stand simulation. That may have been the start of my particular dedication to the simulation genre of computer games. If Lemonade Stand got me started, then it was the original SimCity that sealed the deal, and lead to my purchasing just about every game in the “Sim” series. (I even bought SimHealthCare which came out around the time the Clinton healthcare plan was being gutted.)
The be-all/end-all of course was The Sims. When I first heard about the game from my brother (who shares my obsession with the genre, but leans more towards flight simulations), I couldn’t wait for it to come out. And when it did, I can’t begin to count the time I spent with it. I think the most amazing thing about it was the the infiinte possibility, and the storytelling side of the game (though it seems more a toy than a game). I didn’t think the game could be improved upon until I heard about the Sims 2, which brings the Sims into the world of 3D, allows them to age, and even pass on thei DNA.
Tonight, I succumed and pre-ordered a DVD copy of The Sims 2 online, which will be released on September 17th. I figure it’s easier to order it online than to attempt to coordinate a special trip to buy it. In the meantime, I’m amusing myself by playing with the Body Shop Sims creation tool from the game website. The picture in this post is one of my first creations, Ali.
I absolutely love The Sims, and am waiting anxiously for the Sims 2! I’m mainly a console gamer, and had played the PS2 and GBA versions of The Sims, but never the PC. Then my boyfriend helped me reformat my computer and gave me copies of The Sims, plus all eight expansion packs–and I was hooked. Unfortunately, it recently began crashing and when I took it off to try re-installing it, it failed to install properly. After several attempts, I gave up–feeling depressed and dejected. Oh, the withdrawal.
I’ve written reviews of two of the expansion packs (Unleashed and Livin Large) for WomenGamers.com. I’m just a little sad that all my lovely downloaded objects for the first one won’t import into the second one.
I am hoping, given the massive success of the first title, that they’ve made a concerted effort to make the code less buggy for this one.
Now to find time to play it. City of Heroes and NWN are my current indulgences.
For reasons unknown to me, I’ve never gotten into gaming. I did have Max Payne and I finished it and enjoyed it and I do have Flight Sim. 2000 but rarely use it. I think part of the reason is I’m just too busy.(two jobs) but then again even when I did have the time I didn’t game. I juess some are just born gamers.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that!