The Sims FreePlay CSP - Audience and Industries blog tasks
Audience
Read this App Store description and the customer reviews for The Sims FreePlay and answer the following questions:
1) What game information is provided on this page? Pick out three elements you think are important in terms of making the game appeal to an audience.
- The category of the game - Tells potential audience what game type it is and what to expect.
- ages- shows how sophisticated or the tone of what the game is going to be like
- ratings/reviews - what other audience members think of the game
2) How does the game information on this page reflect the strong element of participatory culture in The Sims?
It has the game review section at the bottom where fans can share what they do and don't like about the game and what improvements need to be made allowing a new fan to understand the game system better or if the game is worth it or not.
3) Read a few of the user reviews. What do they suggest about the audience pleasures of the game?
Uses and gratification theory
Diversion - as the game is in a weird cartoonist style which takes a way from the idea of the game being hyper realistic
personal identity- can make a character based on yourself or you rules
Read this academic journal article - The Sims: A Participatory Culture 14 Years On. Answer the following questions:
1) What did The Sims designer Will Wright describe the game as?
Will Wright describes as akin to ‘a train set or a doll’s house where each person comes to it with their own interest and picks their own goals’
2) Why was development company Maxis initially not interested in The Sims?
There was, at that time, a culture that gaming was not for girls. When Wright pitched his latest game concept to development company Maxis, using the descriptor of ‘doll house’ was met with little enthusiasm. The board of directors thought that ‘doll houses were for girls, and girls didn’t play video games’
3) What is ‘modding’? How does ‘modding’ link to Henry Jenkins’ idea of ‘textual poaching’?
This enabled a form of participatory culture to grow up around the game, a culture where in players were able to modify game assets by manipulating the game code (a practice called ‘modding’) with the sanction of the rights owners, and to share their new creations via personal websites and online for a or even on the official Sims page, where an exchange centre was set up. ‘Participatory culture’, as first posited in Henry’s Jenkins’ seminal book on fan culture, Textual Poachers (1992 [2013]), describes an aspect of fandom we are all familiar with today – the contribution of consumers and audiences to a product or a franchise, through activities ranging from writing fanfiction to drawing fanart, from cosplaying to even penning simple gaming reviews.
4) Look specifically at p136. Note down key quotes from Jenkins, Pearce and Wright on this page.
‘held together through the mutual production and reciprocal exchange of knowledge’ (Jenkins 2006a: 137).
As Pearce has noted, ‘The original Sims series has the most vibrant emergent fan culture of a single-player game in history’ (2009: 272).
released, Jenkins notes, ‘there were already more than fifty fan Web sites dedicated to The Sims. Today, there are thousands’ (2006b: 166).
as Jenkins quotes Wright saying: ‘We were probably responsible for the first million or so units sold but it was the community which really brought it to the next level’ (ibid).
5) What examples of intertextuality are discussed in relation to The Sims? (Look for “replicating works from popular culture”)
Whereas the game itself gave consumers a base neighbourhood, wardrobe and furniture sets to play with, the players themselves turned producers (or produsers, to cite Axel Bruns’ (2006) concept of consumers that are also producers) and created a limitless supply of themed mods to share. Anything from ancient Greece and Rome to the French Revolution, from The Lord of the Rings to The Matrix, from traditional Japanese décor to kinky S&M paraphernalia – there was barely a niche left unrepresented if you wanted your game to reflect your own interests and predilections, there was bound to be user-generated custom content available for it.
6) What is ‘transmedia storytelling’ and how does The Sims allow players to create it?
Transmedia storytelling is when a story spreads across multiple media formats. The Sims allows players to create it by acting out stories, taking screenshot. This extends the game into fan created narratives shared online
7) How have Sims online communities developed over the last 20 years?
communities formed around modding and sharing content, creating digital libraries and archives. Experienced creators mentor novices and support each other. Communities sometimes face conflict, but continue to thrive due to player passion.
8) What does the writer suggest The Sims will be remembered for?
The Sims will be remembered for its cult following and passionate fan communities. It pioneered participatory culture and digital production practices. Its legacy continues to influence fan and modding communities today.
Read this Henry Jenkins interview with James Paul Gee, writer of Woman as Gamers: The Sims and 21st Century Learning (2010).
1) Why does James Paul Gee see The Sims as an important game?
Gee sees The Sims as important because it encourages players to create, design and build in ways that go beyond normal gaming. He believes women and girls use it to develop technical, creative and social skills through modding and community work.
2) What does the designer of The Sims, Will Wright, want players to do with the game?
Will Wright wants players to use the game as a platform for creativity. He aims to empower players to make their own content and build communities around it. He wants players to think like designers and use the game to learn skills that go beyond play.
3) Do you agree with the view that The Sims is not a game – but something else entirely?
Some people think it is not a traditional game because it does not follow fixed goals or stories. It is more like a creative tool where players make their own challenges and worlds. You could argue it is both a game and a space for design, depending on how a player uses it.
Industries
Electronic Arts & Sims FreePlay industries focus
Read this Pocket Gamer interview with EA’s Amanda Schofield, Senior Producer on The Sims FreePlay at EA's Melbourne-based Firemonkeys studio. Answer the following questions:
1) How has The Sims FreePlay evolved since launch?
The Sims FreePlay started with 16 Sims, pets and basic careers. Over five years it has grown to include marriage, children, multiple pets, new locations, fashion and home design options. The game has constantly added features and expanded systems to meet player demands.
2) Why does Amanda Schofield suggest ‘games aren’t products any more’?
he says games are now services built in partnership with players. Developers must update the game, fix problems and respond to player feedback continuously. This means the game evolves instead of being a finished product at launch.
3) What does she say about The Sims gaming community?
The community is very active and engaged, with players enjoying different aspects of the game. Some focus on building homes, others on storytelling or collecting items. Players’ feedback directly influences updates and new content.
4) How has EA kept the game fresh and maintained the active player base?
EA listens to players and adds content they want, such as second stories, pools, pets, professions and furniture. They continually rebuild parts of the game to support new features. The team varies updates to meet the needs of different types of players.
5) How many times has the game been installed and how much game time in years have players spent playing the game? These could be great introductory statistics in an exam essay on this topic.
The Sims FreePlay has been installed over 200 million times. Players have spent 78,000 years of total game time. These statistics show the game’s huge popularity and engagement.
Read this blog on how EA is ruining the franchise (or not) due to its downloadable content. Answer the following questions:
1) What audience pleasures for The Sims are discussed at the beginning of the blog?
The blog highlights the pleasure of controlling virtual lives and building homes. It also mentions creativity in architecture, decoration and designing characters.
2) What examples of downloadable content are presented?
The blog gives examples such as expansion packs like Cats and Dogs and stuff packs like My First Pet Stuff. It explains that DLC can add gameplay or cosmetic items. It also mentions that players often see DLC as content that should have been in the game already.
3) How did Electronic Arts enrage The Sims online communities with expansion packs and DLC?
EA angered players by releasing My First Pet Stuff only months after Cats and Dogs, leading players to believe content had been removed and sold separately. Many felt the pack offered little value and was unfairly priced. This caused boycotts, petitions and strong criticism from the community.
4) What innovations have appeared in various versions of The Sims over the years?
The Sims introduced life simulation as a genre. The Sims 2 added multi generational families, The Sims 3 added an open world and The Sims 4 made it easy to share creations and customise gender options. Each version expanded the ways players could build and play.
5) In your opinion, do expansion packs like these exploit a loyal audience or is it simply EA responding to customer demand?
Some people feel the packs exploit loyal fans because content can seem overpriced or incomplete. Others think EA is responding to demand because players enjoy new items and features. It is likely a mix of both, depending on how each pack is handled.
The ‘Freemium’ gaming model
Read this Business Insider feature on freemium gaming and multiplayer games. Answer the following questions:
1) Note the key statistics in the first paragraph.
e feature says freemium games make up about 70 to 80 percent of iOS revenue. It also says this revenue is over 10 billion dollars a year. It shows that freemium games dominate the mobile market.
2) Why does the freemium model incentivise game developers to create better and longer games?
Developers earn money only if players keep returning to the game. This pushes them to update mechanics, add new content and fix problems to keep players interested. The model rewards constant improvement rather than a one time purchase.
3) What does the article suggest regarding the possibilities and risks to the freemium model in future?
The model could grow as more multiplayer games adopt free to play systems. However, it also faces criticism for encouraging overspending and unfair designs. The future depends on whether companies balance profit with fair gameplay.
Regulation – PEGI
Research the following using the Games Rating Authority website - look at the videos and FAQ section.
1) How does the PEGI ratings system work and how does it link to UK law?
Game ratings help parents decide whether a game is suitable for their children to play. Games can feature a wide range of content, including violence, horror, sex and drugs. It's important for parents to have a trusted source of information about whether they should let their children play a particular game. The Games Rating Authority is appointed by government as the body that issues these age ratings.
2) What are the age ratings and what content guidance do they include?
In the UK, PEGI 12, 16 and 18 rated games supplied in physical form, such as on discs and cartridges, are legally enforceable and cannot be sold or rented to anyone under those ages. The Games Rating Authority is appointed by government as the body that issues these age ratings.
3) What is the PEGI process for rating a game?
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