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Intro
This is a timeline introducing and explaining all of the main games of The Sims franchise. The point of this project is to show the evolution and improvement of the games over time since the original. This franchise has gained many fans and followers over this span of time and has become popular among many platforms and countries. Using human behavior as a baseline for the game, the Sims team has created a game franchise that enables the player to be in control of a world and do as they please. -
The First Sims Game is Released
The first sims game was inspired by Will Wright when his house was burned down in 1991. The plan was to create a game where players could build and design their own homes to their liking. Farther into the game development, the idea progressed into controlling a simulated life would make for a better game rather than just housebuilding...and The Sims franchise was born. -
The Sims Online Comes Out
The Sims Online is a spinoff of the original sims games, it gives you the ability to now play with people! While you only get to control one sim at a time, you get to interact with other Sim players, build the biggest houses, throw parties, and have your own businesses. While it's more geared towards the social aspect and interacting with other members of the Simming community, you're still required to take care of your sim as usual. Unfortunately, The Sims Online was shut down Aug 1, 2008 -
The Sims 2 - A Whole New World
The second game in the Sims series, The Sims 2, adds new worlds and new possibilities. In addition to the new 3D look of the game, memories, life stages, genetics, and personalities. With the incorporation of wants and fears, lifetime wishes, and turn-ons, the Sims 2 brings a whole different dynamic of gameplay from the previous game. It brings life to the game and more options and directions for players to take. -
The Sims Life Stories - Play With Life
The Sims team introduces another spinoff game, except this time it's for the Sims 2. The Sims Life Stories features the life of a sim named Riley and you're taken through a storyline-based game to start over her life in a new town. If you complete Riley's story you unlock access to building houses and a bonus life story with the character Vince. While having plenty of positive reviews it is said that this game was not great for "experienced" sims players, as they tended to fly through the story. -
The Sims Pet Stories - Life Stories...But With Pets
The Sims team presenting another Stories Sims game but this time we're including pets into the mix. You can choose between two different stories to play through, Alice who is training her dog to win a competition to save her house, and Sam who is a master chef whose life is thrown for a loop when he has to babysit a family cat. While it is similar to the previous Stories game, it was better received because of the addition of pets. -
MySims - The Baby Sims
MySims is another spinoff game of The Sims, spotlighting the younger gamers and builders of the Sims community. Originally made for the Nintendo DS and Wii, it was later made for PC which I'll be focusing on. Your goal in MySims is to transform a town from zero to five stars and help sims move into the town. Collecting essences to provide for different townies such as spooky, silly, food-inspired, and intellect-inspired. This game very much gives off an Animal Crossing feel but Sims inspired. -
The Sims Castaway Stories - ....Simwrecked
With another and final Stories game produced by the Sims team, in The Sims Castaway Stories you can choose between a pre-made sim or a customized sim, you're set on a ship and inevitably the ship crashes and your sim is stuck on the island. Set with various tasks and taught how to survive throughout the game your sim begins to be faced with several dilemmas. After the completion of the story mode you can choose to continue living on the island with said sim or play your own way, sandbox mode. -
The Sims 3 - 3rd Times the Charm
Released 4 years after its predecessor, The Sims 3 introduces a whole new realm of the sims games.The Sims 3, with the exception of travelling to different worlds, the player no longer has to wait on losing screens to take their sims places. With the addition of open worlds, players can send their sims to various places and follow them there enjoying the experience with their sims. Furthermore, Story Progression was added to the game, making the world around the player alive. -
The Sims Medieval - To Sim Or Not To Sim...That Is The Question
The Sims Medieval is a stand-alone game of The Sims franchise, yet it's still in the same style as the Sims 3. Set in a fantasy-based world with drama, beasts, pirates, and you, starting out as the ruler/monarch of the kingdom. However, while you're playing as your hero you can also switch between the players you end up adding to your world such as the physician, spy, priest, etc. This game features various stories and missions to complete with an end goal of improving your kingdom. -
The Sims Social - Play With Your Friends! On Facebook?
The Sims Social similar to The Sims Online gives you once again the power to take care of sims with your friends! However, The Sims Social allows you to play with friends you know, on Facebook. Following the same concept of creating sims and completing their dreams, you also have the opportunity to make or break relationships with your IRL friends. Unfortunately, it was shut down on June 14th due to a significant user decline. -
The Sims Freeplay - Take Your Sims On The Go
The Sims is now mobile, The Sims Freeplay allows you to now create families on your phone and tablets, with goals and quests to complete. However, this is all in realtime, while you can pause the game, every action takes time, whether it be seconds, minutes, or even hours. Giving you, the player, time to run your daily errands and come back to the sims later. With EA constantly updating the game to provide more content and coincide with holidays, there is always something to do in-game. -
The Sims 4 - May The Fourth Be With You
The fourth game of the series, The makes a comeback by giving the players sims with emotions. Based on what's happening in their environment or what they're doing, sims can now feel Happy, Sad, Angry, Bored, and more. In addition to emotion, the Sims 4 is the first sims game to have no gender boundaries in-game, allowing the players to create any type of sims they want. -
The Sims Mobile - The Sims 4...But On Your Phone
Based on Sims 4, The Sims Mobile includes, as usual, the making of a sim, fixing your house, getting a job, and creating a family. What makes The Sims Mobile different is the gameplay, you can send your sims to work and complete tasks to level up. There are various storylines you can follow with different sims, to build a relationship, friendship, or become enemies. With the goal of telling stories, building a legacy, and playing through continuing generations of your sim's family. -
The SIms 5 - In The Makings???
While it hasn't been confirmed officially, it has been speculated that another Sims game is in development. Maxis has posted several job openings for both character design and game design. Which could be significant hints to another game in development. While all simmers are hoping it is still all guesswork. -
Citations (cont.)
Crecente, Brian. "Sims Medieval Doesn't Stray Far From Its Roots". Kotaku, 2010, https://kotaku.com/sims-medieval-doesnt-stray-far-from-its-roots-30876335.
Farokhmanesh, Megan. "The Sims Mobile Offers A More Focused, Accessible Version Than Any Before It". The Verge, 2018, https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/10/17097196/the-sims-mobile-focused-version-gaming-maxis-android-ios. -
Citations
Arts, Electronic. "EA’S Groundbreaking Franchise The Sims Turns Ten". Electronic Arts Inc., 2010, https://www.ea.com/news/groundbreaking-franchise-the-sims-turns-ten.
Calvert, Justin. "The Sims Online Ships". Gamespot, 2002, https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-sims-online-ships/1100-2901961/.
Casamassina, Matt. "Mysims Review - IGN". IGN, 2012, https://www.ign.com/articles/2007/09/18/mysims-review-2. -
Citations (cont.)
Franklin, Samuel. "The Sims Pet Stories Review | Games Finder". Games Finder, 2013, https://gameslikefinder.com/review/sims-pet-stories/.
Habib, John. "The Sims: Castaway Stories - IGN". IGN, 2012, https://www.ign.com/articles/2008/02/04/the-sims-castaway-stories.
James, Lucy. "History Of The Sims: How A Major Franchise Evolved From City-Builder To Life-Simulator". Gamespot, 2017, https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/history-of-the-sims-how-a-major-franchise-evolved-/2900-1623/. -
Citations (cont.)
Liguori, Alice. "Have You Played... The Sims Castaway Stories?". Rock Paper Shotgun, 2020, https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/have-you-played-the-sims-castaway-stories.
Lynley, Matthew. "Electronic Arts’ The Sims Social Is Now Live". Venturebeat, 2011, https://venturebeat.com/2011/08/18/sims-social-live/.
MacDonald, Keza. "Mysims". Eurogamer.Net, 2007, https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/R-mysims_wii. -
Citations (cont.)
Roberts, Vicki. "Sims: 20Th Anniversary - From The Sims To The Sims 4 - A Brief History". Bbc.Co.Uk, 2020, https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/51266122.
Ruppert, Liana. "The Sims Mobile Officially Launches Today Alongside New Trailer". GAMING, 2018, https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/the-sims-mobile-ios-android/.
Staff, Edge. "The Sims Medieval Review". Edge Online, 2011, https://archive.is/20130115040658/http://www.next-gen.biz/reviews/sims-medieval-review#selection-371.0-371.24. -
Citations (cont.)
Takahashi, Dean. "EA Shows Mobile And Social Games For Winter Fun, From Battlefield 3 Aftershock To A New Tetris". Venturebeat, 2011, https://venturebeat.com/2011/11/29/ea-shows-mobile-and-social-games-for-winter-fun-from-battlefield-3-aftershock-to-a-new-tetris/.
Whitehead, Dan. "The Sims Life Stories". Eurogamer.Net, 2007, https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/the-sims-life-stories-review.