Videogames: The Sims FreePlay part 3 - Representation
1) How do the expansion pack (DLC) trailers reinforce or challenge dominant ideologies?
It reinforces typical American Teenage stereotypes not, but only showing basic and unintersting stereotypes such as young white teen boys joining rock bands and girls doing ballet.
2) What stereotypes have you identified in The Sims FreePlay?
Stereotypes surrounding capitalism and the idea of making a lot of money to become rich and successful. Also reinforces the stereotypes surround white sub urban families with the fashion and how they're dressed as well as the blonde labrador and silver sedan.
3) What media theories can you apply to representations in The Sims FreePlay?
Representation reading
Read this Forbes article on gender and racism in The Sims franchise and answer the following questions:
1) How realistic does The Sims intend to be?
Realistic enough to make it believable without having to over step boundaries.
2) How has The Sims tried to create more realistic representations of ethnicity?
By making the character's look less cartoonish.
3) How has The Sims responded to racism and sexism in society?
Sim's are only ever judged by their characteristics rather than their appearance meaning it's literally impossible for Sim's to be either racist/sexsist as they are coded to only judge others based of randomly generated characteristics.
4) What is The Sims perspective on gender fluidity and identity?
It allows same sex marriage and people to create whatever character they wish to make so it in a way supports the idea through giving all the players the option to do it.
5) How does The Sims reinforce the dominant capitalist ideologies of American culture?
The main insentive used by the game to get people to continue playing is by giving money to players for completing certain tasks. One of the main goals that the game offers from the beginning to the end of the game is increasing the worth of the town and how much the town is worth overall.
Reality, postmodernism and The Sims
Read this Paste Magazine feature on reality and The Sims franchise. Answer the following questions:
1) What does the article suggest about the representation of real life in The Sims 4?
It's more bland and "Realistic" compared to previous games which had more supernatural and fantastic aspects to is such as Warewolves and Vampires. Sims 4 is seen as too boring and mundane in comparison to those games.
2) What audience pleasures did the writer used to find in The Sims franchise?
Escaping the real world, and being able to do things you'd want to do in the real world but can't, and Sims offers the 'real' world but without the barriers and limitations.
3) Why the does the writer mention an example of a washer and dryer as additional DLC?
As they were unnecessary things that no one wanted to actually use as they become a chore as they would in real life.
4) In your opinion, has The Sims made an error in trying to make the franchise too realistic?
Yes, and no. Some people enjoy the sub-par realism that the sims offers, where the life you live in the Sims is some what realistic, but minus all the boring stuff. Whereas others want to and find pleasure in an ultra realistic version of a life.
5) How does this representation of reality link to Baudrillard’s theory of hyperreality - the increasingly blurred line between real and constructed?
This links because the gaming idustry is slowly coming out with more and more realistic games and the market for them is too also increasing. Games such as Arma for example offer a shockingly realistic portrayal of combat to the point where playing the game feels like extra revision, and mastering the basic controls is incredibly extensive simply due to how many options there are but somehow still manages to drag in a large amount of players all ranging from casual to serious players.
The Sims FreePlay social media analysis
Analyse The Sims FreePlay Facebook page and Twitter feed and answer the following questions:
1) What is the purpose of The Sims FreePlay social media channels?
The twitter feed offers information about updates and shows off people's creations. It is overall more interactive with the community. Whereas Facebook seems to be treated as an actual social media that's being used by the Sims. The camera angles at times are slightly amateurised to make it seems like it's an actual Sim, the captions too are like those of people who actually post on social media.
2) Choose three posts (from either Twitter or Facebook) and make a note of what they are and how they encourage audience interaction or response.
This shows someone else's experience of the sims and what you as a player are able to create which encourages people to get into the game and fulfil something they'd want.
3) Scroll down the Facebook feed briefly. How many requests for new content can you find from players? Why is this such as an important part of the appeal for The Sims FreePlay?
Almost every comment is about an addition the Sims should make to very specific features. This tells us that the audience may be unsatisfied with the current amount of content in the game and want more, but could also be seen as a positive as it means players are engaged with the game and want it to get better.
4) What tweets can you find in the Twitter feed that refer to additional content or other revenue streams for EA?
There's a few mentions of DLC that is paid for serving as an extra stream of revenue.
5) Linking to our work on postmodernism, how could The Sims FreePlay social media presence be an example of Baudrillard’s hyperreality and simulacra?
It presents a realistic portrayal of the Sims as they seem to have their own online presence as actual people. This tie with the gaming and real world shows that EA is trying to mix both worlds as a way of appealing to the audience and engaging with them further.
It reinforces typical American Teenage stereotypes not, but only showing basic and unintersting stereotypes such as young white teen boys joining rock bands and girls doing ballet.
2) What stereotypes have you identified in The Sims FreePlay?
Stereotypes surrounding capitalism and the idea of making a lot of money to become rich and successful. Also reinforces the stereotypes surround white sub urban families with the fashion and how they're dressed as well as the blonde labrador and silver sedan.
3) What media theories can you apply to representations in The Sims FreePlay?
Representation reading
Read this Forbes article on gender and racism in The Sims franchise and answer the following questions:
1) How realistic does The Sims intend to be?
Realistic enough to make it believable without having to over step boundaries.
2) How has The Sims tried to create more realistic representations of ethnicity?
By making the character's look less cartoonish.
3) How has The Sims responded to racism and sexism in society?
Sim's are only ever judged by their characteristics rather than their appearance meaning it's literally impossible for Sim's to be either racist/sexsist as they are coded to only judge others based of randomly generated characteristics.
4) What is The Sims perspective on gender fluidity and identity?
It allows same sex marriage and people to create whatever character they wish to make so it in a way supports the idea through giving all the players the option to do it.
5) How does The Sims reinforce the dominant capitalist ideologies of American culture?
The main insentive used by the game to get people to continue playing is by giving money to players for completing certain tasks. One of the main goals that the game offers from the beginning to the end of the game is increasing the worth of the town and how much the town is worth overall.
Read this New Normative feature on LGBTQ representation in The Sims franchise and answer the following questions:
1) How did same-sex relationships unexpectedly help the original Sims game to be a success?
People were surprised by how progressive the game was and how it offered people the option to this. It was also one of the first games ever in the mainstream to do this.
2) How is sexuality now represented in The Sims?
Sexuality is shown as fully fluid within the game and it leaves the choices about who people want relations with up to the player.
3) Why have fans praised the inclusion of LGBTQ relationships in The Sims franchise?
Because it was the first time that it was done so explicitly and gave players the option to do so.
4) Why did the Sims run into regulatory difficulties with American regulator the ESRB? How did EA respond?
ESRB rated the game higher than before, meaning the game becomes unacceptable for younger audiences due to the addition of Sex. This meant that The Sims had two options, either removing the option and disappointing a lot of fans, or taking the M rating. They ended up teaming up with EA and managed to convince the ESRB that they should be granted a T-rating.
5) How is sexuality represented in the wider videogames industry today?
There's a much wider acceptance of characters that identify with the LGBTQ and giving them representation in video games.
Reality, postmodernism and The Sims
Read this Paste Magazine feature on reality and The Sims franchise. Answer the following questions:
1) What does the article suggest about the representation of real life in The Sims 4?
It's more bland and "Realistic" compared to previous games which had more supernatural and fantastic aspects to is such as Warewolves and Vampires. Sims 4 is seen as too boring and mundane in comparison to those games.
2) What audience pleasures did the writer used to find in The Sims franchise?
Escaping the real world, and being able to do things you'd want to do in the real world but can't, and Sims offers the 'real' world but without the barriers and limitations.
3) Why the does the writer mention an example of a washer and dryer as additional DLC?
As they were unnecessary things that no one wanted to actually use as they become a chore as they would in real life.
4) In your opinion, has The Sims made an error in trying to make the franchise too realistic?
Yes, and no. Some people enjoy the sub-par realism that the sims offers, where the life you live in the Sims is some what realistic, but minus all the boring stuff. Whereas others want to and find pleasure in an ultra realistic version of a life.
5) How does this representation of reality link to Baudrillard’s theory of hyperreality - the increasingly blurred line between real and constructed?
This links because the gaming idustry is slowly coming out with more and more realistic games and the market for them is too also increasing. Games such as Arma for example offer a shockingly realistic portrayal of combat to the point where playing the game feels like extra revision, and mastering the basic controls is incredibly extensive simply due to how many options there are but somehow still manages to drag in a large amount of players all ranging from casual to serious players.
The Sims FreePlay social media analysis
Analyse The Sims FreePlay Facebook page and Twitter feed and answer the following questions:
1) What is the purpose of The Sims FreePlay social media channels?
The twitter feed offers information about updates and shows off people's creations. It is overall more interactive with the community. Whereas Facebook seems to be treated as an actual social media that's being used by the Sims. The camera angles at times are slightly amateurised to make it seems like it's an actual Sim, the captions too are like those of people who actually post on social media.
2) Choose three posts (from either Twitter or Facebook) and make a note of what they are and how they encourage audience interaction or response.
This shows someone else's experience of the sims and what you as a player are able to create which encourages people to get into the game and fulfil something they'd want.
This shows a tutorial type of post showing players how to add general things that they may be confused about which is obviously useful as it can either solve an issue a player is having or actually introduce a new feature of the game to the player.
The final post shows a patch along with the patch notes telling players what has been fixed in the latest update.
3) Scroll down the Facebook feed briefly. How many requests for new content can you find from players? Why is this such as an important part of the appeal for The Sims FreePlay?
Almost every comment is about an addition the Sims should make to very specific features. This tells us that the audience may be unsatisfied with the current amount of content in the game and want more, but could also be seen as a positive as it means players are engaged with the game and want it to get better.
4) What tweets can you find in the Twitter feed that refer to additional content or other revenue streams for EA?
There's a few mentions of DLC that is paid for serving as an extra stream of revenue.
5) Linking to our work on postmodernism, how could The Sims FreePlay social media presence be an example of Baudrillard’s hyperreality and simulacra?
It presents a realistic portrayal of the Sims as they seem to have their own online presence as actual people. This tie with the gaming and real world shows that EA is trying to mix both worlds as a way of appealing to the audience and engaging with them further.
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