The Sims Bustin' Out Q&A
We talk to Maxis about the newest installment of the Sims on consoles.
Following the well-received console incarnations of The Sims released last year, Electronic Arts and Maxis are serving up another helping of virtual life for players with The Sims Bustin' Out. The recently announced game is slated to hit all three current-generation consoles, as well as the Game Boy Advance. While Maxis will be handling the development chores for the console games, Griptonite games will be crafting the GBA game. We recently spoke with producer Virginia McArthur about the upcoming GBA and GameCube games.
GameSpot: When did development on the GBA version of The Sims Bustin' Out start?
Virginia McArthur: March 2003, officially. But we've been researching the possibilities for a while.
GS: Was the game always intended to have ties to the GameCube version of the game?
VM: Yes, we always intended to have connectivity. The question was really what to focus on. With Harry Potter, Animal Crossing, and Zelda really taking advantage of connectivity, a world of possibilities have been opened up for GC-GBA connectivity. The question really boils down to what works best with The Sims.
GS: How did you approach bringing the game to a portable device?
VM: Blood, sweat, and tears! Well, not really, but it did take some careful thinking and design focus. We took our experience from the work we originally did moving The Sims from the PC to consoles and leveraged it. The primary lessons are focus on controls first, and then design the game according to what players of the specific platform want to play and how they want to play it. We spent time with Will Wright and determined the key features and underlying gameplay elements that would make The Sims work on a portable device, and with this key set, we were able to clearly see the possibilities for The Sims on the GBA. Will also talked with Shigeru Miyamoto about ideas for The Sims on the GBA and potential ideas for connectivity.
GS: What were the key elements of the game's graphics, gameplay, and control that you wanted to be sure to bring over?
VM: Sims are sims. No matter what platform you play The Sims on, they have a signature look and feel. Sims mimic real life, and without motives, skills, and relationships, you really do not have a The Sims character. Keeping the core The Sims gameplay intact is key--it makes for the classic, fun, and unpredictable kind of game that is so engaging. One of the core new gameplay mechanics we're introducing on the GBA is the ability to drive your sim. No longer will you have to queue interactions and then watch your sim interact with objects in the world. You now directly drive your sims from object to object, sim to sim, and place to place. The chaos control is all yours.
GS: What can you tell us about the game modes in the GBA version?
VM: The modes are buy, auction, trade, build, and live. It's still The Sims. All these modes are integrated on the GBA--they all work together, driven by you through your sim. Each mode depends on where you are in the world and will automatically switch as you select objects and locations.
The Sims Bustin' Out Quick Links
Summary | Reviews | News | Previews & Features | Images | Videos | Answers | Hints & Cheats | Forum | Check Prices
- EA Games
- Griptonite Games
- Virtual Life
- Release: Dec 2, 2003 »
- ESRB: Everyone
Games you may like…
-
The Sims 2
(GBA) -
The Urbz
(GBA) -
The Sims 2: Pets
(GBA) -
Grand Theft Auto
(GBA) -
Dogz
(GBA)
Users who looked at content for this game also looked at these games.
See More Similar Games
0 Comments