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Economy needs a big change

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Introduction:

I got into Simcity again, this time noticing how good economy works there. I asked Maaike from Platinum Simmers what she thinks about economy in the sims and she totally agrees, it needs change. Long games aren't as fun as they could be.

If you are reading this and you can easily contact simguru, please tell them about this fast. I'm pretty sure we'll not get everything I talk about in the basegame, but if they're doing OFB this would be a perfect main feature.

As you all know economy isn't a big part of The Sims 3, you start out poor, then work for some weeks, then you're rich, then you don't need money for anything anymore. Where is the fun in that?

We need daily expenses depending on the money all the sims have. Depending on how you choose to live, you get a lot of expenses if you choose to live the easy life, but little if you're willing to have a harder life to save up.

Services

Services needs to be more complicated, people who have a little money can easily get a maid in the sims 3. They should rather have an option like a cleaner that comes for a quick hour every other day to clean your whole house. The maids are too cheap to be this good, even though they are a little bugged.
Butlers are super cheap as well, if you compare the weekly price to the daily price of a maid, then it isn't that different.

Random chances of going bankrupt

You should be able to toggle this on and off. It's not exciting to be forever rich, what if you suddenly go bankrupt after something happens. The thing that happens shouldn't be anything serious like dying or loosing your house, but something more simple like.. (need suggestions)

Food

In The Sims 3 you can choose between making a meal that takes forever, or just go for yoghurt or anything without having to prepare it. Since a new feature saying that they get happier if they eat better, this isn't a problem anymore.
However, the problem is food expenses.
There should be cheap meals as usual, but also good ones that makes you go hungry slower. Everyone with rich sims would go for that, because it would cost a lot more. Since you have to make meals everyday to be happier, this is a great way to get your sims to pay more.
This also opens the chance for those who have greedy sims to live a cheap life with less happiness as well.

Furniture that go bad

In The Sims 3 you occasionally have to fix your shower, toilet, tv and more. This feature I'm talking about is implemented in The Sims 3, but to a much lesser degree.
What about whenever you buy something, they take long to break depending on how much it costs. Then, when i first starts breaking, it breaks more often. Then we can have an option to buy a new one. Cheaper things that can break should be easier to fix than more advanced, and when I say break more often it should take some time before the problem gets real bad.
Baboom! Another not so advanced expense.
Again, greedy sims can just repair it every time, not having to ever buy a new one.


I will be adding more as time goes, this is a big case for me as it's something we really need to enjoy longer play sessions.

Comments

  • Callum9432Callum9432 Posts: 6,462 Member
    edited November 2013
    I think you have some good ideas. Personally I would like some more complex economics, but I do think a lot of people prefer the more simple system we have now.

    I'd definitely like the option of loans. Maybe to avoid problems with players finding themselves in serious debt that they never wanted, we could have some kind of opt out for debt that you could choose to use. It doesn't have to be realistic or complex, it could be something really simple. Like... "there was a bank mistake, and your debt has been wiped". Or "An unknown relative appeared at the bank last night and paid off the rest of your debt". Something like that :P

    As for what you've said about furniture going bad - that already happens in TS3, almost exactly as you've described it. Objects break more often as they get older, and eventually you'll get the option to replace the item.
  • NolthermoNolthermo Posts: 139 Member
    edited November 2013
    I agree, that could make game more interesting. Even though If you'd like to play easy game, it could last quite a long time to reach at least little bit balanced moods when you have to:
    1) Repair every single broken thing that is breaking up more often to you as you're not rich at the moment and you can't afford repairer so often
    2) Buy too often new things that are expensive
    3) Save your money for unexpected things like rather go eat to restaurant when it's like your second time in a row of unsuccessful cooking
    4) Save your money for taxes

    So you have to pay a lot of things to make your things fresh so you can use them without loosing too much mood, you have to save a lot of money for unexpected things and taxes, things and items are expensive. Or you can do it all about repairing and so on yourself but in combination with caring about your Sims and setting your needs at least average and going to work where you get not so much money... Well you have almost no freetime.

    But I agree that would be quiet a good ideas. And loans - it's idea I wanted in game too.

    There could be interaction in Town Hall "Get loan..." that expands into "Flash Loan (100§)" A, "Family Loan (500§)" B, "Renovation Loan (1000§)" C, "Lifestart Loan (10 000§)" D, "Student Loan (2500§)" E

    A> Available to anyone. Just take it whenever you want.
    B> Available only to big families with kids.
    C> Available only once a week and useable only to renovation purposes.
    D> Available only at the beginning of game to buy more expensive house and move to it or to Young Adults that must buy a house and move out then (loan gets to this YA's new household)
    E> Available to YAs, As and Elders that have to go to University then. Could be added by University EP. For purposes of renting house, renovate it, customize it, pay for tuition and be cared for a studying period.
  • EivindbroenEivindbroen Posts: 223 New Member
    edited November 2013
    Callum9432 wrote:
    I think you have some good ideas. Personally I would like some more complex economics, but I do think a lot of people prefer the more simple system we have now.

    I'd definitely like the option of loans. Maybe to avoid problems with players finding themselves in serious debt that they never wanted, we could have some kind of opt out for debt that you could choose to use. It doesn't have to be realistic or complex, it could be something really simple. Like... "there was a bank mistake, and your debt has been wiped". Or "An unknown relative appeared at the bank last night and paid off the rest of your debt". Something like that :P

    As for what you've said about furniture going bad - that already happens in TS3, almost exactly as you've described it. Objects break more often as they get older, and eventually you'll get the option to replace the item.

    I don't think they want to go far with economics as they're focusing on emotions, but the things I'm trying to suggest should be an easy job.
    Opting out of debt? I don't know how that would work, but if I hear more about it I might add it to the main post. Does that happen in TS3? I move a lot when I play so I guess I just didn't have that happen other than when it burns.




    Nolthermo wrote:
    I agree, that could make game more interesting. Even though If you'd like to play easy game, it could last quite a long time to reach at least little bit balanced moods when you have to:
    1) Repair every single broken thing that is breaking up more often to you as you're not rich at the moment and you can't afford repairer so often
    2) Buy too often new things that are expensive
    3) Save your money for unexpected things like rather go eat to restaurant when it's like your second time in a row of unsuccessful cooking
    4) Save your money for taxes

    So you have to pay a lot of things to make your things fresh so you can use them without loosing too much mood, you have to save a lot of money for unexpected things and taxes, things and items are expensive. Or you can do it all about repairing and so on yourself but in combination with caring about your Sims and setting your needs at least average and going to work where you get not so much money... Well you have almost no freetime.

    But I agree that would be quiet a good ideas. And loans - it's idea I wanted in game too.

    There could be interaction in Town Hall "Get loan..." that expands into "Flash Loan (100§)" A, "Family Loan (500§)" B, "Renovation Loan (1000§)" C, "Lifestart Loan (10 000§)" D, "Student Loan (2500§)" E

    A> Available to anyone. Just take it whenever you want.
    B> Available only to big families with kids.
    C> Available only once a week and useable only to renovation purposes.
    D> Available only at the beginning of game to buy more expensive house and move to it or to Young Adults that must buy a house and move out then (loan gets to this YA's new household)
    E> Available to YAs, As and Elders that have to go to University then. Could be added by University EP. For purposes of renting house, renovate it, customize it, pay for tuition and be cared for a studying period.

    This is such a great response, thank you :). About repairing things, I'm thinking of changing it to be less harder for the early game. We want to have fun playing early as well. What do you think about at it's worst when you've had a object that needs repairing again and again it breaks once a day? Also cheaper machines that can get broken should be easier to repair. I also need to clarify that it takes a little time before it starts getting broken, more than in TS3 now.
  • TanyaRubiroseTanyaRubirose Posts: 11,033 Member
    edited November 2013
    To be honest, all of your ideas are good except the last one. That was when you hit "guaranteed failure" territory.

    No, there is no fix to make loans anything except a guaranteed failure. The system you come up with doesn't matter, the limitations don't matter, the payment method doesn't matter, the arguments you have for why it should work don't matter. Reality is what it is on this matter.

    The reason why none of those matter? The problem isn't game mechanics; mods have repeatedly demonstrated that. The problem is the players. Hundreds of video games have tried loan systems; those that had loan systems as integral parts of their mechanics all failed. Those that didn't found the loan systems were complained about and then shunned. The reason why is a real-world phenomenon that gets people into severe financial trouble: Credit cards. For some unknown reason, players treat video game loans exactly like they treat credit cards, and the resulting trouble causes them to complain massively about it. For some other unknown reason, having the loans available through modding prevents this issue from occurring (probably because players have to seek mods out intentionally and because mods can be removed).

    Unless you have some magical method of reprogramming human psychology, a loan system is just asking for problems.

    Now, the rest of your ideas are good, and in fact I think the furniture and food ones should be implemented.
  • Callum9432Callum9432 Posts: 6,462 Member
    edited November 2013
    Callum9432 wrote:
    I think you have some good ideas. Personally I would like some more complex economics, but I do think a lot of people prefer the more simple system we have now.

    I'd definitely like the option of loans. Maybe to avoid problems with players finding themselves in serious debt that they never wanted, we could have some kind of opt out for debt that you could choose to use. It doesn't have to be realistic or complex, it could be something really simple. Like... "there was a bank mistake, and your debt has been wiped". Or "An unknown relative appeared at the bank last night and paid off the rest of your debt". Something like that :P

    As for what you've said about furniture going bad - that already happens in TS3, almost exactly as you've described it. Objects break more often as they get older, and eventually you'll get the option to replace the item.

    I don't think they want to go far with economics as they're focusing on emotions, but the things I'm trying to suggest should be an easy job.
    Opting out of debt? I don't know how that would work, but if I hear more about it I might add it to the main post. Does that happen in TS3? I move a lot when I play so I guess I just didn't have that happen other than when it burns.
    It's often used as an argument against loans that players could find themselves in huge debt that they never intended, which for many would make the game unenjoyable. I personally think a little debt would enhance my gameplay, but I know it could completely ruin it for others. So opting out would be a good option to get past that; by default you would pay off your debt the classic way, but if a player got fed up with it, they just have to click on the bank and choose "opt out of debt". The next day you would get a pop-up, like the two examples I mentioned ("there was a bank mistake, and your debt has been wiped" or "An unknown relative appeared at the bank last night and paid off the rest of your debt"), telling the player that their debt is gone.

    As for objects breaking; I didn't really notice it myself until I started a legacy family (not following the challenge, just a family I play through many generations) that stuck to a single family house for quite a while. They've only moved a few times. When your Sims have been in a house for a long time, you do notice objects break more often, and you eventually get the option to replace them.
  • EivindbroenEivindbroen Posts: 223 New Member
    edited November 2013
    To be honest, all of your ideas are good except the last one. That was when you hit "guaranteed failure" territory.

    No, there is no fix to make loans anything except a guaranteed failure. The system you come up with doesn't matter, the limitations don't matter, the payment method doesn't matter, the arguments you have for why it should work don't matter. Reality is what it is on this matter.

    The reason why none of those matter? The problem isn't game mechanics; mods have repeatedly demonstrated that. The problem is the players. Hundreds of video games have tried loan systems; those that had loan systems as integral parts of their mechanics all failed. Those that didn't found the loan systems were complained about and then shunned. The reason why is a real-world phenomenon that gets people into severe financial trouble: Credit cards. For some unknown reason, players treat video game loans exactly like they treat credit cards, and the resulting trouble causes them to complain massively about it. For some other unknown reason, having the loans available through modding prevents this issue from occurring (probably because players have to seek mods out intentionally and because mods can be removed).

    Unless you have some magical method of reprogramming human psychology, a loan system is just asking for problems.

    Now, the rest of your ideas are good, and in fact I think the furniture and food ones should be implemented.

    Thanks for your input, I kind of agree with what you are thinking, but I don't want to in my head lol. Ah, it's probably true though. We'll see what others think, then I might change it. Please suggest more things to be said on furniture and food if you want, :)



    Callum9432 wrote:

    It's often used as an argument against loans that players could find themselves in huge debt that they never intended, which for many would make the game unenjoyable. I personally think a little debt would enhance my gameplay, but I know it could completely ruin it for others. So opting out would be a good option to get past that; by default you would pay off your debt the classic way, but if a player got fed up with it, they just have to click on the bank and choose "opt out of debt". The next day you would get a pop-up, like the two examples I mentioned ("there was a bank mistake, and your debt has been wiped" or "An unknown relative appeared at the bank last night and paid off the rest of your debt"), telling the player that their debt is gone.

    As for objects breaking; I didn't really notice it myself until I started a legacy family (not following the challenge, just a family I play through many generations) that stuck to a single family house for quite a while. They've only moved a few times. When your Sims have been in a house for a long time, you do notice objects break more often, and you eventually get the option to replace them.
    Okay, I agree opting out of debt should be a feature, but then people wouldn't every pay their loans anymore and just opt out. So many people will do it that eventually people will complain about that feature.

    Do you guys think that making the max amount you can take a loan for should be very low due to all of this? So that it doesn't take so long to pay it down.
  • Callum9432Callum9432 Posts: 6,462 Member
    edited November 2013
    Callum9432 wrote:
    It's often used as an argument against loans that players could find themselves in huge debt that they never intended, which for many would make the game unenjoyable. I personally think a little debt would enhance my gameplay, but I know it could completely ruin it for others. So opting out would be a good option to get past that; by default you would pay off your debt the classic way, but if a player got fed up with it, they just have to click on the bank and choose "opt out of debt". The next day you would get a pop-up, like the two examples I mentioned ("there was a bank mistake, and your debt has been wiped" or "An unknown relative appeared at the bank last night and paid off the rest of your debt"), telling the player that their debt is gone.

    As for objects breaking; I didn't really notice it myself until I started a legacy family (not following the challenge, just a family I play through many generations) that stuck to a single family house for quite a while. They've only moved a few times. When your Sims have been in a house for a long time, you do notice objects break more often, and you eventually get the option to replace them.
    Okay, I agree opting out of debt should be a feature, but then people wouldn't every pay their loans anymore and just opt out. So many people will do it that eventually people will complain about that feature.

    Do you guys think that making the max amount you can take a loan for should be very low due to all of this? So that it doesn't take so long to pay it down.
    I would think that people who want to pay it off normally would just do so, and not use the opt out feature. It would be there for those who don't. If you did use the opt out, it would be no different from using one of the money cheats, except you actually get the money through gameplay, rather than just entering "motherlode" into the cheat window :)

    As for making the max amount very low; honestly, I think that would defeat the purpose of loans. Money is quite easy to make in small amounts, its the larger amounts (like, for a new house) that are harder to make, and I think you would be more likely to use a loan for.
  • TanyaRubiroseTanyaRubirose Posts: 11,033 Member
    edited November 2013
    For food, I would also think that the ability to season it would also help. The seasoning can even improve the quality of the meal.

    For furniture, why not include a carpentry skill and have someone with a high level in that skill be able to make wood items have a far less chance to break when repairing them?
  • Gramz777Gramz777 Posts: 111 Member
    edited November 2013
    I agree this game needs a major lift and more gameplay in that sense. Right now we are just watching our sims go to work, rush home, eat, tend to the garden or whatever, go to the bathroom and well that is about it before energy level is gone and bedtime. Time off of work is pretty much taken up with socializing, regular needs before bedtime ..once again. It gets repetitive and boring after awhile. Yes the creative end of designing and so forth is awesome..but everything else is mundane at this point, especially given time moves so fast, yet the sitting there watching and watching and watching needs more to it as far as gameplay. Just my two cents.
  • Rflong7Rflong7 Posts: 36,585 Member
    edited November 2013
    Hi :D

    I would love for things and services to be more expensive- to make it worth going to work or letting them struggle their way up.

    Not really interested in the game just randomly taking their money or they need a loan.

  • pguidapguida Posts: 7,481 Member
    edited November 2013
    Introduction:

    I got into Simcity again, this time noticing how good economy works there. I asked Maaike from Platinum Simmers what she thinks about economy in the sims and she totally agrees, it needs change. Long games aren't as fun as they could be.

    If you are reading this and you can easily contact simguru, please tell them about this fast. I'm pretty sure we'll not get everything I talk about in the basegame, but if they're doing OFB this would be a perfect main feature.

    As you all know economy isn't a big part of The Sims 3, you start out poor, then work for some weeks, then you're rich, then you don't need money for anything anymore. Where is the fun in that?

    We need daily expenses depending on the money all the sims have. Depending on how you choose to live, you get a lot of expenses if you choose to live the easy life, but little if you're willing to have a harder life to save up.

    Services

    Services needs to be more complicated, people who have a little money can easily get a maid in the sims 3. They should rather have an option like a cleaner that comes for a quick hour every other day to clean your whole house. The maids are too cheap to be this good, even though they are a little bugged.
    Butlers are super cheap as well, if you compare the weekly price to the daily price of a maid, then it isn't that different.

    Random chances of going bankrupt

    You should be able to toggle this on and off. It's not exciting to be forever rich, what if you suddenly go bankrupt after something happens. The thing that happens shouldn't be anything serious like dying or loosing your house, but something more simple like.. (need suggestions)

    Food

    In The Sims 3 you can choose between making a meal that takes forever, or just go for yoghurt or anything without having to prepare it. Since a new feature saying that they get happier if they eat better, this isn't a problem anymore.
    However, the problem is food expenses.
    There should be cheap meals as usual, but also good ones that makes you go hungry slower. Everyone with rich sims would go for that, because it would cost a lot more. Since you have to make meals everyday to be happier, this is a great way to get your sims to pay more.
    This also opens the chance for those who have greedy sims to live a cheap life with less happiness as well.

    Furniture that go bad

    In The Sims 3 you occasionally have to fix your shower, toilet, tv and more. This feature I'm talking about is implemented in The Sims 3, but to a much lesser degree.
    What about whenever you buy something, they take long to break depending on how much it costs. Then, when i first starts breaking, it breaks more often. Then we can have an option to buy a new one. Cheaper things that can break should be easier to fix than more advanced, and when I say break more often it should take some time before the problem gets real bad.
    Baboom! Another not so advanced expense.
    Again, greedy sims can just repair it every time, not having to ever buy a new one.

    Loans

    Ever want to move out of that crappy house in the start of the game without having to cheat? Take a loan if you can handle the expenses that comes with the new big house and of course paying back the loan.

    "There could be interaction in Town Hall "Get loan..." that expands into "Flash Loan (100§)" A, "Family Loan (500§)" B, "Renovation Loan (1000§)" C, "Lifestart Loan (10 000§)" D, "Student Loan (2500§)" E

    A> Available to anyone. Just take it whenever you want.
    B> Available only to big families with kids.
    C> Available only once a week and useable only to renovation purposes.
    D> Available only at the beginning of game to buy more expensive house and move to it or to Young Adults that must buy a house and move out then (loan gets to this YA's new household)
    E> Available to YAs, As and Elders that have to go to University then. Could be added by University EP. For purposes of renting house, renovate it, customize it, pay for tuition and be cared for a studying period." Great suggestion by Nolthermo

    As loan is a big thing in real life, it can easily become a serious matter to the person in-game too. User Callum9432 suggested that there should be an option to opt out of loan to those who get in serious debt that is ruining their experience. I didn't agree at first but now as I understand it more, it's something needed.

    You should not be able to go too overboard with a loan in my opinion, taking out enough for a 3 bed 2 bath should be maximum in my opinion. Others say that it should just be freedom of how much you want. That's a choice the developers got to take.


    I will be adding more as time goes, this is a big case for me as it's something we really need to enjoy longer play sessions.

    I hate those ideas. If I want to be poor and broke I can mess up my real life. I want to escape into a fantasy world. I absolutely hope your ideas are overlooked.
  • ShelleybellyShelleybelly Posts: 2,587 Member
    edited November 2013
    pguida wrote:

    I hate those ideas. If I want to be poor and broke I can mess up my real life. I want to escape into a fantasy world. I absolutely hope your ideas are overlooked.

    Killjoy :P

    I actually liked a lot of what the OP suggested. And I'm sure there will be still cheats available to motherlode the motherthumper out of the game if you desire. Hahahhaa But those ideas pose challenge for others.

    And as far as the loans. I personally can see, as teens play, this may be a valuable real life learning tool, without the real life ramifications of a financial nightmare.
  • TanyaRubiroseTanyaRubirose Posts: 11,033 Member
    edited November 2013
    And as far as the loans. I personally can see, as teens play, this may be a valuable real life learning tool, without the real life ramifications of a financial nightmare.

    There's a saying I like to sometimes repeat:

    "If your children are learning life lessons from video games, you have failed as a parent."

    Parents should be the ones teaching life lessons. Not video games, movies, TV, etc. If a parent can't be bothered, then they shouldn't have had children in the first place.

    That said, if we're going to teach a life lesson, we should do it the right way...

    As long as they make their payments, nothing bad happens.

    They miss one payment, the bank gives them a warning, increases their debt by 50%, and doubles their interest rate (it should start off fairly high, like 50%, anyway just to drive the point home).

    They miss two payments and their sim has a 50% chance of being ambushed and beaten, their children have a 75% chance of returning home from school having the beaten up moodlet, and their pets have a 75% chance of running away. To add to that, the repo man shows up daily to confiscate something and their phone rings every hour to remind them of their debt.

    They miss three payments, they lose their job, their children and pets are taken away, they are evicted from their home and sent to live on an empty lot (if there are no empty lots, they just die), and they are ambushed and beaten every time they leave their home lot. The phone never stops ringing, all calls are about the debt, and everyone in town shuns them.

    They miss four payments, they die and game over. Then a popup appears on the screen that says, "Go ahead and take out a loan... we know where you live!"

    That should do the trick ^^
  • pguidapguida Posts: 7,481 Member
    edited November 2013

    Killjoy :P

    This idea is a killjoy. Sucking out all of fun of gaming and making it all too real.
  • simmadness24simmadness24 Posts: 828 Member
    edited November 2013
    If they use it as an option, everyone will be happy.
  • LisameesimsLisameesims Posts: 1,125 Member
    edited November 2013
    I agree they should add new and improved "economy style" game play that includes a challenge. (please don't skip important features such as the restocking fee which ruined the challenge of owning a store).

    Examples:

    --Tycoon style restaurants, zoo's, amusement parks.
    --increased costs to build and maintain large homes.
    --more realistic costs of buying and maintaining appliances.
    --heating and air conditioning
    --credit cards, loans, mortgages...etc...
    --a sims world where you start with an empty world and build up to a town/city. with city management gameplay.

    etc.....there lots of new and unique gameplay styles/features yet to be added for our sims.


    ____________________________
  • EuanSimEuanSim Posts: 2,345 Member
    edited November 2013
    This game is a life simulator.. that doesn't simulate the real word.

    I don't want my sims to suddenly go bankrupt.. and no, you can't have an option for everything, so this is something they either add or don't add.
  • Rflong7Rflong7 Posts: 36,585 Member
    edited November 2013
    Hi :)

    I really rather not have The Sims series turn into a life lesson on money management and economic growth. It wouldn't be the Sims if I had to do all that... :(

    Making things cost more and services more expensive for them to not get rich so quickly or to have a way to spend money is different then this wonderful game turning into a Money Management Life Simulator.
  • ShelleybellyShelleybelly Posts: 2,587 Member
    edited November 2013
    And as far as the loans. I personally can see, as teens play, this may be a valuable real life learning tool, without the real life ramifications of a financial nightmare.

    There's a saying I like to sometimes repeat:

    "If your children are learning life lessons from video games, you have failed as a parent."

    Parents should be the ones teaching life lessons. Not video games, movies, TV, etc. If a parent can't be bothered, then they shouldn't have had children in the first place.

    That said, if we're going to teach a life lesson, we should do it the right way...

    As long as they make their payments, nothing bad happens.

    They miss one payment, the bank gives them a warning, increases their debt by 50%, and doubles their interest rate (it should start off fairly high, like 50%, anyway just to drive the point home).

    They miss two payments and their sim has a 50% chance of being ambushed and beaten, their children have a 75% chance of returning home from school having the beaten up moodlet, and their pets have a 75% chance of running away. To add to that, the repo man shows up daily to confiscate something and their phone rings every hour to remind them of their debt.

    They miss three payments, they lose their job, their children and pets are taken away, they are evicted from their home and sent to live on an empty lot (if there are no empty lots, they just die), and they are ambushed and beaten every time they leave their home lot. The phone never stops ringing, all calls are about the debt, and everyone in town shuns them.

    They miss four payments, they die and game over. Then a popup appears on the screen that says, "Go ahead and take out a loan... we know where you live!"

    That should do the trick ^^

    Thanks for the input. However, schools have been using video games as learning tools for quite some time. So by your standards, perhaps all "good" parents should pull their kids out of school and home school them. :lol:

    I know you love links so here's one for you. Feel free to use google to see pages of other links supporting the use of games as learning tools.

    http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/schools-use-video-games-as-teaching-tools-1.970855
  • TanyaRubiroseTanyaRubirose Posts: 11,033 Member
    edited November 2013
    Thanks for the input. However, schools have been using video games as learning tools for quite some time. So by your standards, perhaps all "good" parents should pull their kids out of school and home school them. :lol:

    I know you love links so here's one for you. Feel free to use google to see pages of other links supporting the use of games as learning tools.

    http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/schools-use-video-games-as-teaching-tools-1.970855

    I'm aware schools have been using video games as learning tools. I was in school when they tried to use Oregon Trail to teach about life on the actual Oregon Trail.

    I didn't learn anything from it except novel ways to kill fake people. None of the kids I've talked to today who have been subjected to the modern version have learned anything either; to them, they're just being told they can play video games during school. Which, in turn, is sending the message that it's okay not to take education seriously and to play games instead of learning.

    So, it's sending entirely the wrong message. And notice how your news article doesn't actually talk to the students... there's a reason for that. They didn't want to have to admit in the article that, from the student perspective, this isn't working. And it hasn't worked since the first attempts in the 1990s, nor did it work with the creation of educational video games. One would think that, after nearly 24 years of failure, the school districts would learn something... but, then, it's readily apparent that learning isn't a priority anymore.
  • lpmartinlpmartin Posts: 163
    edited November 2013
    pguida wrote:
    I hate those ideas. If I want to be poor and broke I can mess up my real life. I want to escape into a fantasy world. I absolutely hope your ideas are overlooked.


    You're not alone, pguida.
  • pguidapguida Posts: 7,481 Member
    edited November 2013
    lpmartin wrote:
    pguida wrote:
    I hate those ideas. If I want to be poor and broke I can mess up my real life. I want to escape into a fantasy world. I absolutely hope your ideas are overlooked.


    You're not alone, pguida.

    I hope there are more of us.
  • AeroFunk80AeroFunk80 Posts: 318 Member
    edited November 2013
    First--I have been a huge fan of The Sims since the original. When it first started, it was a full on life simulation. I recall reading somewhere that the creator wanted it to be that and nothing more. He even frowned on the supernatural/sci-fi content. Well, they got him to cave and after seeing how well it did... they started adding more and more of it.

    I have never liked the sci-fi/supernatural/fantasy stuff in this game. For me... The Sims is a life simulation, and the more realistic it is, the more I like it. I'm not saying the sci-fi content shouldn't be in the game, but I would like to see more of a focus on realism and less on that. Perhaps keep it to special EPs or content that players, like myself, can turn OFF.

    With that said... I love these ideas. I posted a thread on the EA website regarding paying bills and having consequences for not paying them here. I'd really like to see something similar to that, which could also tie into your idea for bankruptcy (including your idea to take out loans/paying them back with interest.

    Money comes way too easy to our households. I want it to be more difficult. I want furniture to decay over time (like you said) and need to be replaced. I want utilities and appliances to eventually break beyond repair and you actually have to go out and buy a new stove or toilet. I want to struggle for more than a few days.

    Remember how difficult it was in TS1 to make money? I remember working my Sims butt off to improve his skills and make friends so he could get promoted at work... just so I could buy a new bed. Why? Because that was the ONLY way to make money. It's way to easy now.

    Love this post! :-)
    AeroSimmer_Small_zps77549281.png
  • Callum9432Callum9432 Posts: 6,462 Member
    edited November 2013
    AeroFunk80 wrote:
    First--I have been a huge fan of The Sims since the original. When it first started, it was a full on life simulation. I recall reading somewhere that the creator wanted it to be that and nothing more. He even frowned on the supernatural/sci-fi content. Well, they got him to cave and after seeing how well it did... they started adding more and more of it.
    Exactly the opposite of the truth. Will Wright didn't want the game to be realistic, he wanted it to have supernatural and sci-fi elements.
  • TanyaRubiroseTanyaRubirose Posts: 11,033 Member
    edited November 2013
    Callum9432 wrote:
    AeroFunk80 wrote:
    First--I have been a huge fan of The Sims since the original. When it first started, it was a full on life simulation. I recall reading somewhere that the creator wanted it to be that and nothing more. He even frowned on the supernatural/sci-fi content. Well, they got him to cave and after seeing how well it did... they started adding more and more of it.
    Exactly the opposite of the truth. Will Wright didn't want the game to be realistic, he wanted it to have supernatural and sci-fi elements.

    All anyone has to do is look at Spore and read the interviews with Will Wright on the alien abduction aspects of it to see the truth in what you say. Or look at the show Bar Karma, which Will Wright produces.

    Or at the original Sim City... he's the one who mandated the disaster elements, which include such things as alien invasions. Of course, he also mandated the churches as a way to punish the player...
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