Designer Diary #1The Sims Bustin' Out
Game Designer Mike Perry begins this series of designer diaries on the sequel to the console incarnation of the best-selling PC game of all time.
Designer Diary #1: The Sims Bustin' Out
By Mike PerryGame Designer
Bringing The Sims PC to the Console
Why bring the number one PC game of all time, The Sims, to the console? We realized that there was an opportunity to reach a group of gamers (console gamers) who haven't been able to experience the irreverent and humorous nature of The Sims. We were also excited about bringing these gamers a totally different type of console game.
Once the decision was made, we thought, "Now what?" First and foremost, we wanted to preserve everything that makes The Sims a unique and fun game. We wanted to bring the wacky and unpredictable nature of The Sims into the level-based and unlockable world of the console. Our challenge was to translate the fun, open-ended gameplay aspects of The Sims to the power of the console, while adding brand-new Sims-style console gameplay-like levels, unlockable items, and, of course, full 3D. What a challenge it was!
We started the development process by focusing on the console game controls. They are the most important elements of a game design and determine the success of a console game. So, to take a page out of Shigeru Miyamoto's book, we began this design process first. We focused on making the game controls, on a standard controller, natural, precise, and easy to pick up for players of any skill level. Early in the development process we created a test bed for controller experiments. We worked for months, on tuning the controls, in order to get the right feel for The Sims on a console. The controls you see today were actually designed a full year before they shipped.
Additionally, we were also challenged with bringing a 2D game, The Sims on the PC, to the 3D realm. We actually built a full 3D prototype of The Sims on a console without any Sims simulation so we could see the full effect of the power of the console. We were able to add all new particle effects, real-time lighting, and full 3D camera movement for the first time ever.
The game design then began. We started with brainstorming sessions to get creative ideas. Of course, we asked Will Wright, the creator of The Sims, immediately for his input, so we could incorporate his vision into the console design. Next we wanted to solicit input from all of the Sims product development talent here at Maxis to capture their ideas for this new 3D console world of The Sims. They requested cool new objects that are exclusive to the console, such as a strip poker table, a sonic shower, and a teppanyaki table. Also, the teams really wanted to play The Sims with, or against, each other in order to share the experiences of The Sims with one another. So, two-player was a natural.
The next step was to take all of our game design ideas and begin what we call design "visualization." This is where we envision the gameplay and post giant maps of the game neighborhood on the wall to get a better idea of what new locations would work best. We create hand-drawn sketches of new Sims characters, as well as research personality attributes that give the characters their vibrant flare. We also post, on the wall, tiny slips of paper with all kinds of objects and career possibilities for the game. At one point we had an entire room of post-it note ideas that fleshed out all kinds of gameplay and specific features. It took us about two months of this before we established the Sims neighborhood and levels that would evolve into a true console gaming experience.
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