Computer Game Story Development - Locations

Locations in The Sims 3


This is an aerial view of the neighborhood in The Sims 3. It is an appropriate location for a simulation game as it shows a populated world which closely replicates real life, something which players of simulation games like to see. It is also genre appropriate as it enables players to view prospective places of business, living and pleasure, much like a real life city/neighborhood. This neighborhood is what gives your Sim the freedom to become what they want to be, do what they want to do and live an exciting virtual life. The opportunity to cruise the neighborhood has a profound influence on the simulation aspect of the game as there are endless opportunities for the Sim. Meeting and having conversations with other Sims, eating at new places or even moving into/creating a new house for you Sim has never been so easy. This gives the player the chance to live through their Sim as much as they want to.

 This is the create a Sim mode. It is a different location as it features entirely different game-play options, and it is in some ways an entirely different mode to the neighborhood screen. It is fitting to the life simulation genre as players can recreate themselves or anybody they like in great levels of detail, which they will then take control of in a 'simulation' of their life. As you can see, players can change their characters personality and traits, which deepens the level of simulation and further justifying the games categorisation as a life-sim.

This is the live mode in the Sims 3, it is the main part of the game where all the activities take place. It is the strongest example of a 'life simulation' game, because the player can literally control the life of a character and have endless opportunities at their disposal. As you can see, the character here is in the park, playing chess, while other characters are interacting on the grass in the background. It is a similar scenario to what you would see in real life, and the Sims games are well known for their realism and attention to detail. It is completely appropriate for this genre of game, as "The Sims" essentially created the genre.

This is a restaurant in the Sims neighborhood. It is popular with a large amount of Sims 3 players as it is used to invite other Sims out on a date, which simulates a virtual love life or becoming romantically involved with another Sim. This helps create another level of reality for the player as it lets them immerse themselves into the game emotionally, as if they were really dating the subjective Sim. The restaurant also gives the Sim another choice where to eat, which contributes to the overall happiness of the Sim, appropriating again to the specified genre of the Sims 3.

 This is Create/build household mode in the Sims 3. This location (which is entirely built and designed by the player) gives them the authority over how their own house looks, making every detail of it appropriate for their own Sim. This is similar to the Create a Sim mode which also focuses on achieving a look to the standards set by the player. It focuses entirely on interpreting what the person would do in real-life if they had the chance to, which again makes it appropriate for the virtual- life genre.