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Please note I'm currently working on the new site. I didn't want to take the site offline though, so you can still visit it. However me working on the site while it's still online means a lot of the pages will appear wonky. But not to worry, it won't take too long. Happy
Chat With Will Wright!
4 Dec 2003 - 22:40

Thanks to those who joined us in our chat with Will! For those who missed out
read the transcripts.

MaxisKitty (Dec 4, 2003 6:03:17 PM)
Hello everyone and welcome to the chat with Maxis Founder and Cheif Designer Will Wright! We expect a full house today so please be patient. =) So with out further adu I present Will Wright!

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:03:29 PM)
Hi everyone, thanks for coming today

Jena (Dec 4, 2003 6:04:03 PM)
Does it ever baffle you to know that millions of people world-wide love a game you founded?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:04:03 PM)
It does surprise me. I think a lot of it has to do with the cool stuff our fans have made for the game.

Simsdarling (Dec 4, 2003 6:04:28 PM)
Do you play any of the sim games at home, just for fun or are you just sick of looking at them all day long?? If so, which is your favorite to play?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:04:28 PM)
I still play TSO quite a bit, and of course Sims2.

SimScary (Dec 4, 2003 6:04:32 PM)
Have you figured out a release date for The Sims 2??

MaxisLucky (Dec 4, 2003 6:04:32 PM)
The Sims 2 is scheduled to be released in the Spring of 2004

Wisdomism (Dec 4, 2003 6:05:05 PM)
Hi Will Wright (aka "The Creator") What is you favorite expansion pack? Why?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:05:05 PM)
I think Hot Date was my favorite, the addition of the downtown area felt like the largest single new feature we added since launch.

ladyluck (Dec 4, 2003 6:06:04 PM)
What were the name of your robots and is Battlebots still on TV?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:06:04 PM)
I've built many my last was named Misty. Misty has done pretty well 10-2-0. Battlebots is currently not on the air though they are looking for a new network to host it.

Whiner89 (Dec 4, 2003 6:06:34 PM)
is this what you always had in mind for a job

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:06:34 PM)
Well, not really. I got into computer games from my interest in robotics.

ScorpioVS (Dec 4, 2003 6:06:42 PM)
When is the CREATE-A-SIM program coming out?

MaxisLucky (Dec 4, 2003 6:06:42 PM)
CaSIE will be released to a limited group of Sims fansite webmasters before the holiday season, and the general release will be sometime in January.

JudyG99 (Dec 4, 2003 6:06:50 PM)
Did you ever imagine that the Sims would come as far and popular has it has?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:06:50 PM)
Not at all.

mr_helm (Dec 4, 2003 6:07:45 PM)
Hey Will! I have alway's wanted to talk to you personally, sorta, well I just want to let you know that i may be asking questions for people who couldn't come just so you know, thankyou for taking time out of your Robot Making schedule to talk to us! first of all, are you a robot? :P j/k dont answer that, How long does it take to become a game maker?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:07:45 PM)
I don't think I'm a robot. I'm not sure I could tell if I was. Becoming a game designer is much harder now than when I first started.

Guest (Dec 4, 2003 6:08:21 PM)
Whap inspired you ot create the sims?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:08:21 PM)
The simulation dynamics we developed for SimAnt and the writings of Christopher Alexander (A Pattern Language).

Simsdarling (Dec 4, 2003 6:08:56 PM)
Does it worry you that your games are so addicting that some people could lose their job, their spouse, and their eyesight because they play too much?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:08:56 PM)
I think everything should be done in moderation, including books, school, and games.

Mr_Help2 (Dec 4, 2003 6:09:22 PM)
Whats you favorite thing about the sims

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:09:22 PM)
Trying out new situations to see how the sims deal with it.

Joshua C (Dec 4, 2003 6:10:11 PM)
hello will what wa the idea for simlish?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:10:11 PM)
That's a long story, but I originally wanted to use a real but obscure language (like Navajo or Estonian). After many test we decided it was easier to create our own language.

jen (Dec 4, 2003 6:10:45 PM)
MaxisWill, were the sim skins you put in the game based on real people's looks?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:10:45 PM)
Not specific individuals. We collect many magazine clippings that we use as style guides.

LisVender (Dec 4, 2003 6:11:24 PM)
Hello, Mr. Wright! Have you ever considered teaching a programming class at a university?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:11:24 PM)
I think I would enjoy teaching if I had more time. I think I would make a much better design teacher than programming teacher.

Atomic2003 (Dec 4, 2003 6:11:46 PM)
Hi Will what is your favorite Sim Game?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:11:46 PM)
It's still the original Sims (SimEarth a close second).

Avery (Dec 4, 2003 6:12:09 PM)
How long has The Sims 2 been in the making?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:12:09 PM)
About 3 years so far.

zipper2378 (Dec 4, 2003 6:12:27 PM)
Any News On CASSie?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:12:27 PM)
I think it's going to slip a bit to January.

ts2fan4ever78 (Dec 4, 2003 6:12:59 PM)
what is your favorite feature in TS2 Will?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:12:59 PM)
The enhancements to build mode (diagonal doors and windows, more floors, decks and cool roofs).

jen (Dec 4, 2003 6:13:59 PM)
Why do you like robots?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:13:59 PM)
I think robots teach us more about humans than about technology. They are in essence attempts to model human abilities and when we try to build them we learn how amazing we really are.

Aliclare (Dec 4, 2003 6:14:15 PM)
Have you ever made any families that just accidentally happen to resemble any of your workers? If so I hope you haven't drowned them :P

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:14:15 PM)
No comment

Willardness90 (Dec 4, 2003 6:15:37 PM)
CASIE was originally supposed to be released in November, why has it fallen so far behind?

MaxisLucky (Dec 4, 2003 6:15:37 PM)
We are trying to make it that much more awesome for you!

MKircus1 (Dec 4, 2003 6:15:44 PM)
Has user-created content always been something you've thought about?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:15:44 PM)
It's always been a very strong interest of mine. I like games that allow me to be creative.

ivybutterfly (Dec 4, 2003 6:16:15 PM)
What took you to Robotwars?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:16:15 PM)
I've been building robots long before I was into computer games. That's what caused me to buy my first computer.

Simsdude (Dec 4, 2003 6:16:33 PM)
What is CASIE?

MaxisLucky (Dec 4, 2003 6:16:33 PM)
CaSIE is the stand-alone Sim Creator Tool that we are working on for The Sims 2

sushiB (Dec 4, 2003 6:16:40 PM)
when you were a kid, what did you think you were going to do with your life?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:16:40 PM)
Either be an astronaut or an architect.

simmer101 (Dec 4, 2003 6:17:03 PM)
have you designed any other games, besides the sims ones?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:17:03 PM)
My first game was non-sim, Raid on Bungeling Bay.

MarciafromMexico (Dec 4, 2003 6:17:19 PM)
How long does it take you to design a game?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:17:19 PM)
About 4 years generally.

drewster (Dec 4, 2003 6:17:31 PM)
How much have you customized your own sims? Ever made skins or objects the "hard way," like we do?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:17:31 PM)
Yes, I have.

Mr_Help2 (Dec 4, 2003 6:17:55 PM)
whats you favorite thing about The sims Will

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:17:55 PM)
Testing the limits of the behavior engine and designing cool houses.

Grandma (Dec 4, 2003 6:18:01 PM)
How much of the success of the Sims do you attribute to fan sites?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:18:01 PM)
Most of it.

Far (Dec 4, 2003 6:18:34 PM)
Do you enjoy playing any video games in your spare time that are NOT Maxis games?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:18:35 PM)
Yes, I do. I've been stuck on Battlefield 1942 for about a year now.

alexmas (Dec 4, 2003 6:19:28 PM)
Hey Will!! I want to know if anything inspired you to be a game desginer? A childhood game? A certain someone?!?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:19:28 PM)
I used to play Go as a kid (the board game). I was always impressed with the combination of simplicty and strategy it acheives.

MEGGGIE634 (Dec 4, 2003 6:19:41 PM)
IN THE GAME WHAT KIND OF WEATHER IS THERE?

katikins (Dec 4, 2003 6:19:44 PM)
Does your family play your games?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:19:44 PM)
I inflict my games on my daughter and her friends.

loveszane (Dec 4, 2003 6:20:22 PM)
When and How did you first think of The Sims?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:20:22 PM)
I made the first prototype back in 1993, just after finishing SimAnt (before SimCity 2000).

Sims Stash (Dec 4, 2003 6:20:37 PM)
What does MAXIS stand for or mean?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:20:37 PM)
It's Six AM backwards.

the_new_simman (Dec 4, 2003 6:20:53 PM)
How did you get into the game world?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:20:53 PM)
Via robot building.

lintphishx (Dec 4, 2003 6:21:16 PM)
What is the healthiest way to play Sims: an hour at a time with rest in between or several hours in a row? Wink

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:21:16 PM)
40 hours straight through to get all out of your system.

sushiB (Dec 4, 2003 6:21:43 PM)
were you surprised the first time you saw your game in a store? like "wow i created that and someones going to buy it?"

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:21:43 PM)
Yes, that was a rather surreal moment the first time it happened to me.

Guest (Dec 4, 2003 6:22:11 PM)
will you ever make SimTower again?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:22:11 PM)
I didn't make SimTower, it was made by a close friend of mine Yoot Saito. It's up to him.

Simsdude (Dec 4, 2003 6:23:40 PM)
If you had one piece of advice to give to an aspiring video game designer what would it be?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:23:40 PM)
Read and study stuff besides computers and games. There is much to be learned from areas as diverse as Japanese Gardening to Evoloution.

Guest (Dec 4, 2003 6:24:01 PM)
Do you have a fascination with Bella like Luc does?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:24:01 PM)
No, I think that would get Luc too jealous.

Sims Stash (Dec 4, 2003 6:24:08 PM)
Any plans to re-release "Raid on Bungling Bay"?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:24:08 PM)
Not at this time.

Mr_Help2 (Dec 4, 2003 6:24:43 PM)
Mr. Wright I have one more question for you, what was it that inspired you to create All of the "sims" games?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:24:43 PM)
Fun toys.

tropicalwonderland (Dec 4, 2003 6:25:26 PM)
Hi Mr. Wright. This chat with you is soo amazing! Anyway, do you ever read posts or lurk on the Sims BBS? Thanks for creating the most clever game in the world!

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:25:26 PM)
Yes, I read the boards whenever I can.

LisVender (Dec 4, 2003 6:25:46 PM)
Have you considered giving the Sims robot-building kits to play with, Mr. Wright?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:25:46 PM)
I've considered a robot building game.

KJ_S2S (Dec 4, 2003 6:25:49 PM)
When will the release date for TS2 be announced?

MaxisLucky (Dec 4, 2003 6:25:49 PM)
The Sims 2 is scheduled to be released in the Spring of 2004

Blue (Dec 4, 2003 6:26:10 PM)
How many people are working on TS2? Is there anyway fans can recognise or acknowledge these people? To say thanks?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:26:10 PM)
We have over 100 people currently working on Sims2.

Guest (Dec 4, 2003 6:26:17 PM)
Will elderly sims be able to "PLAY"

SIMZFAN (Dec 4, 2003 6:26:17 PM)
How long does this chat last for Will?

MaxisLucky (Dec 4, 2003 6:26:17 PM)
This chat will last until 4:00 pm PST.

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:26:17 PM)
Sure.

Guest (Dec 4, 2003 6:26:54 PM)
What race-game do you like the most? I ask this question because : i'm a huge fan of race-games and you did a race from New YorK to L.A. in 33H and 39M

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:26:55 PM)
Yes, I did that many years ago. I was into cars before I was into computers, used to Rally as well.

Naelis (Dec 4, 2003 6:27:24 PM)
Do you ever look around the internet at user made content? Do you download skins and objects?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:27:24 PM)
All the time. The Sims is the first game where the players have entertained me as much as we have entertained them.

Guest (Dec 4, 2003 6:28:19 PM)
Do you get annoyed by games that try to kind of copy off your idea?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:28:19 PM)
Not at all. I enjoy how they take them in different directions. I think Impressions has made some really nice games that are roughly similar to SimCity (Pharoh, Ceasar, etc.)

Blue (Dec 4, 2003 6:28:46 PM)
Do you play any MMP's? If so, which ones? (Besides the sims online)

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:28:46 PM)
I wish I had the time, but TSO is the only one I play.

Guest (Dec 4, 2003 6:29:22 PM)
does your wife play the sims games?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:29:22 PM)
My wife is not a computer literate person really, I think that's why we get along so well. She's never played any of my games at all.

LisVender (Dec 4, 2003 6:29:59 PM)
What do you think is missing from today's games in terms of creativity? What do you see changing in the industry today?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:29:59 PM)
I wish as a player that I could always solve a game problem in a way that no other player has thought to solve it.

Neon Pheonix (Dec 4, 2003 6:30:39 PM)
What was the first game you've ever played?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:30:39 PM)
The first computer game I ever played was Star Trek on a PDP-11. (plotter output).

Kirtai (Dec 4, 2003 6:31:00 PM)
What would you like to be able to do with the sims, given limitless technology?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:31:00 PM)
Have theological conversations with them.

qwertyuiop2k7 (Dec 4, 2003 6:31:43 PM)
Hey Will have you ever played any of the Mario games or Legend of Zelda games?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:31:43 PM)
Yes, I love all of Miyamoto's games. I think the last Zelda (Windwaker) was brilliant, especially the art style.

Wisdomism (Dec 4, 2003 6:31:57 PM)
MaxisWill, are you excited about TS2 as we are?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:31:57 PM)
Maybe more so.

simlish_sim (Dec 4, 2003 6:32:19 PM)
Why does Maxis have a fascination with Llamas?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:32:19 PM)
The llama is a quadraped.

mr_helm (Dec 4, 2003 6:32:30 PM)
WILL, will you tell us what your name on www.thesims.com is? like in the BBS?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:32:30 PM)
MaxisTurl

jen (Dec 4, 2003 6:32:57 PM)
Does your daughter enjoy playing The Sims? Does she play The Sims 2?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:32:57 PM)
She was playing it years before release, so she's had a bit much of it by now.

richard brown (Dec 4, 2003 6:33:28 PM)
I heard the original Sims was called Doll House is this true?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:33:28 PM)
Yes, this is true, until we ran a focus group of men and they all freaked out about it.

Sim2_FrEaK (Dec 4, 2003 6:33:48 PM)
Has anyone ever told you you resemble Bill Gates?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:33:48 PM)
lol, seperated at birth?

Kirtai (Dec 4, 2003 6:34:24 PM)
Why do you think your games appeal to women more than other games? Is it your devlish charm, or something else?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:34:24 PM)
I think it's the social focus and emphasis on creativity. I don't think it's my legendary charm

Guest (Dec 4, 2003 6:34:43 PM)
Will Lets say it is Febuary 2000 and Maxis is getting ready to ship TheSims out to computer stores whats going through the everybodys mind at Maxis?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:34:43 PM)
Did we miss any bugs?

byteman (Dec 4, 2003 6:35:15 PM)
I have been playing the SimCity series since the original, and I have always been curious as to whether the llama references are random or have some special meaning?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:35:15 PM)
They're sort of a backhanded homage to Monty Python.

beth_ann67 (Dec 4, 2003 6:35:43 PM)
do you like that so many people are making things to add to your game?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:35:43 PM)
Yes, it's the coolest thing I've seen happen in the game industry in a long time.

FunkCracker (Dec 4, 2003 6:36:15 PM)
What's the most recent book you have read/are reading?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:36:15 PM)
The Emmergence of Everything.

Snakes13 (Dec 4, 2003 6:36:50 PM)
why was the unmoderated chat removed

MaxisLucky (Dec 4, 2003 6:36:50 PM)
The old chat software no longer functioned correctly and it didn't make sense for us to continue to support it.

RLU2224 (Dec 4, 2003 6:36:53 PM)
Is it true that a majority of the sims players are girls?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:36:53 PM)
It wasn't true when we first launched the game (about 25% female) but now it is (70%)

simmasterfran (Dec 4, 2003 6:37:07 PM)
do you post on the BBS?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:37:07 PM)
I don't recently, just too busy.

Rick (Dec 4, 2003 6:37:09 PM)
yeah, 1 bug was missed, when a friend gave u flowers and u cancelled putting them on the table instead of putting it down, the sim held onto it after bending over and then it dissapeared forever :(

Snakes13 (Dec 4, 2003 6:37:43 PM)
hows the muffin you eat every morning.

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:37:43 PM)
Mr. Muffin is my good friend, I eat him every morning and he's reincarnated every night again.

catmando2u (Dec 4, 2003 6:37:57 PM)
have you forgotten the fans?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:37:57 PM)
No, we depend on them everyday.

thesiddog (Dec 4, 2003 6:38:21 PM)
Will, does Maxis hire interns?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:38:21 PM)
Yes, we have been hiring them each summer with great success.

BobbiJaye_S2S (Dec 4, 2003 6:38:34 PM)
Mr. Wright, do you ever do chats with independant sites? Thanks Wink

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:38:34 PM)
I have from time to time.

wyntara (Dec 4, 2003 6:39:13 PM)
Hi Mr. Wright. One question, what would you say would be the hardest thing about making a computer game?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:39:13 PM)
The patience to work on a project for 4 years and stay totally obsessed with it.

merlin (Dec 4, 2003 6:39:35 PM)
Do you have a favourite fansite?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:39:35 PM)
No, There are many that I visit regularly.

gammasims2 (Dec 4, 2003 6:39:57 PM)
Mr. Wright, have you ever made your family and your house on the sims?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:39:57 PM)
That was the first thing I would make in all our early tests.

Lindsay9890 (Dec 4, 2003 6:41:05 PM)
Do you have any Sim-crushes, like Luc with Bella Goth?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:41:05 PM)
My crush is on her house, I spent many hours designing it.

Dereks Allsims (Dec 4, 2003 6:41:37 PM)
do watch any cool shows on tv like the simpsons csi survivor? etc?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:41:37 PM)
I love the Simpsons, as well as the stuff on Adult Swim (Sealab 2021. The Brak Show).

fgs (Dec 4, 2003 6:42:00 PM)
I am really looking forward to all the cool new features in TS2. My question is, what will the next generation of Sims be like? How do you envision the game say 5 to 10 years from now?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:42:00 PM)
Sims that I can have deep, philosophical conversations with.

VALERIA (Dec 4, 2003 6:42:08 PM)
Where do you reside in TSO?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:42:08 PM)
In aplhaville.

Guest (Dec 4, 2003 6:42:31 PM)
Do u have any regrets about the sims

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:42:31 PM)
Not really, it's exceeded any expectations I ever had for it.

Guest (Dec 4, 2003 6:43:11 PM)
How do u feel about the TSO game, did it come out as how u planned it would?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:43:11 PM)
Not exactly, but it's a fascinating world that I'm still spending time studying.

Sims Stash (Dec 4, 2003 6:43:25 PM)
What is your favorite TV show?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:43:25 PM)
Carnivale on HBO.

simlish_sim (Dec 4, 2003 6:43:56 PM)
I've noticed a few "Sims - wannabe" games out there, including "The Partners". What is your take on these copy - cat games?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:43:56 PM)
So far they aren't so good. Ghostmaster was the best I've seen so far.

bernice18_ (Dec 4, 2003 6:44:01 PM)
Did the name Cassandra come from your daughter's name?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:44:01 PM)
Roughly

RachelMBC06 (Dec 4, 2003 6:44:30 PM)
Who's Idea Was It For You To Be At The Top Of The Beanstalk on MM? I thought It Was A Little Corny :(

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:44:30 PM)
It wasn't mine, they surprised me with it (after it was too late)

simsdude (Dec 4, 2003 6:45:07 PM)
Is there a Sims 2 website?

MaxisLucky (Dec 4, 2003 6:45:07 PM)
Yup - http://www.thesims2.com

Neicha (Dec 4, 2003 6:45:15 PM)
Do you think part of the success of the sims is attributed to it's appeal to non-game players? I think many women, like myself, play the sims but not other games?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:45:15 PM)
That is exactly true. With The Sims we have large amounts of hardcore Sims players that are mostly non-gamers.

Guest (Dec 4, 2003 6:45:33 PM)
What is the future of The Sims and Maxis? How much longer will these games last?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:45:33 PM)
12 years 5 months and 13 days.

Guest (Dec 4, 2003 6:45:52 PM)
What do you think about Game Boy Advance version of The Sims?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:45:52 PM)
I've been really enjoying it, was laying it through last night.

simlover1987 (Dec 4, 2003 6:46:19 PM)
when will the sims 2 come out??

MaxisLucky (Dec 4, 2003 6:46:19 PM)
The Sims 2 is scheduled to be released in the Spring of 2004

RLU2224 (Dec 4, 2003 6:46:37 PM)
What does the "Turl" part mean?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:46:37 PM)
He's a character from the books of Stanislaw Lem (also spelled Trurl in some translations, the books are written in Polish).

cadaver (Dec 4, 2003 6:46:51 PM)
do you have any ambitions to be god

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:46:51 PM)
No, just to create them.

cadaver (Dec 4, 2003 6:46:56 PM)
when will casie come out?

MaxisLucky (Dec 4, 2003 6:46:56 PM)
CaSIE will be released to a limited group of Sims fansite webmasters before the holiday season, and the general release will be sometime in January.

sweetkandi (Dec 4, 2003 6:47:01 PM)
which game has taken you the longest to make?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:47:01 PM)
The Sims.

frogface (Dec 4, 2003 6:47:14 PM)
do you ever play simcity4?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:47:14 PM)
Yes, i do.

catmando2u (Dec 4, 2003 6:47:33 PM)
given that you would like to have theological conversations with sims, arn't you afraid they would always be right?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:47:33 PM)
Not if I created them.

jen (Dec 4, 2003 6:47:43 PM)
Will we have to buy CaSIE or will it be a free download?

MaxisLucky (Dec 4, 2003 6:47:43 PM)
CaSIE will be a free download from http://www.thesims2.com

yerffejsim5 (Dec 4, 2003 6:47:52 PM)
When you were a kid did you think you would come up with something as amazing as the sims?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:47:52 PM)
No, I was thinking I would manage a Burger King.

Guest (Dec 4, 2003 6:48:04 PM)
Do you have an idol? If so, can you share who it is?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:48:04 PM)
Edward O. Wilson

simboy2 (Dec 4, 2003 6:48:52 PM)
What is CaSIE?

MaxisLucky (Dec 4, 2003 6:48:52 PM)
CaSIE is the stand alone Sim Creation Tool for The Sims 2

Guest (Dec 4, 2003 6:48:53 PM)
What are your personal opinions on the mafias in the Sims Online?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:48:53 PM)
It's been a learning experience. It's interesting how certain aspects of the real world will flow into virtual worlds no matter what you do.

fun_pony (Dec 4, 2003 6:49:05 PM)
Have you played the Myst games?\

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:49:05 PM)
Yes, I enjoyed them.

rockchick_catt! (Dec 4, 2003 6:49:38 PM)
Will- do you have any odd nicknames?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:49:38 PM)
Sir Hilton Fargoyle the 13th Esq.

rachel (Dec 4, 2003 6:49:51 PM)
Will, when you were a kid, what toys did you play with? Gi Joes, Barbie, etc...

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:49:51 PM)
Firecrackers.

Horse nut (Dec 4, 2003 6:50:12 PM)
What kind of music do you enjoy Mr. Wright?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:50:12 PM)
All sorts, Jazz, Fusion, Classical Rock

Tytania Simsonite (Dec 4, 2003 6:50:31 PM)
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time, other then robots and sims?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:50:32 PM)
Reading, skiing, scheming.

Smileyj (Dec 4, 2003 6:50:44 PM)
does your daughter want to design video games like you

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:50:44 PM)
No, she designs comics.

Guest (Dec 4, 2003 6:51:01 PM)
Mr. Will, what are you wanting for Christmas?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:51:01 PM)
A Marsokhod rover

the_new_simman (Dec 4, 2003 6:51:17 PM)
How old are you MaxisWill?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:51:17 PM)
I'm 43, .... I think

magic_teena (Dec 4, 2003 6:51:35 PM)
WILL, how old were you when you first started creating games? How old are you now?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:51:35 PM)
I started making games when I was about 22.

gammasims2 (Dec 4, 2003 6:51:50 PM)
Why do you think your games are so popular?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:51:50 PM)
I think it's because so many people buy them.

rachel (Dec 4, 2003 6:52:20 PM)
Will, I read somewhere that you never wanted the sims to have an end, you wanted the game to be endless, but with sims 2 people die, what gives?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:52:20 PM)
That's up to the player, you can turn off the aging function.

Snakes13 (Dec 4, 2003 6:52:37 PM)
all maxis personel-have you everfallen asleep atwork

MaxisLucky (Dec 4, 2003 6:52:37 PM)
shhhh...... don't talk about that.....

rachel (Dec 4, 2003 6:52:59 PM)
Will, what do your parents think about your work?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:52:59 PM)
I still don't think my mother understands what I do.

Joshua C (Dec 4, 2003 6:53:05 PM)
will whats you favorite food?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:53:05 PM)
Jambalaya.

Guest (Dec 4, 2003 6:53:18 PM)
What movies do you watching?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:53:18 PM)
Really odd ones.

Guest (Dec 4, 2003 6:53:52 PM)
Do you have a pet llama, or even a pet robot, such as a Servo?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:53:52 PM)
I have a house full of robots.

Guest (Dec 4, 2003 6:54:18 PM)
IWhats your favourite tv show at the moment?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:54:18 PM)
It was Carnivale on HBO but the season just ended.

laurenash (Dec 4, 2003 6:54:26 PM)
do u think the sims 2 will be ur best invention?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:54:26 PM)
I hope not.

Guest (Dec 4, 2003 6:54:59 PM)
Will do you treat your interns well?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:54:59 PM)
Not at all, it's sort of like a Roman slave ship. We have drummers keeping cadence so they all type fast enough.

Guest (Dec 4, 2003 6:55:50 PM)
Will I think one of the greatest parts of Maxis is that you guys listen to your fans and use some ideas people come up with because it seems like most video game companies never listen to their fans.

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:55:50 PM)
Thanks, that's nice to hear. It's really hard because the fans outnumber us about 10,000 to 1

simmer101 (Dec 4, 2003 6:56:06 PM)
How much longer will this chat last??

MaxisLucky (Dec 4, 2003 6:56:06 PM)
We are going to go for about another 5 minutes.

MacMaster112 (Dec 4, 2003 6:56:21 PM)
Is it normal for me to love Sim games to see what havoc I can wreck in an imaginary world?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:56:21 PM)
That's what I do all the time myself, I call it the Calvin Syndrome.

simGeorge (Dec 4, 2003 6:57:17 PM)
Do you watch Mystery Science Theatre 3000?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:57:17 PM)
Yes, I used to. I got to know Joel Hodgenson the creator of the show.

magic_teena (Dec 4, 2003 6:57:56 PM)
Does Jeff Braun still work with you?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:57:56 PM)
No, but we are still close friends. He lives a few blocks away.

Schweighsr (Dec 4, 2003 6:58:43 PM)
When will the next chat for TS2 be held?

MaxisLucky (Dec 4, 2003 6:58:43 PM)
We'll be having more The Sims 2 chats soon. We don't have any dates set yet.

Veromorphia (Dec 4, 2003 6:58:44 PM)
Do you like anime?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:58:44 PM)
I love anime, especially Miyazaki and the Lain series.

the_new_simman (Dec 4, 2003 6:59:12 PM)
What is you all time favorate movie?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:59:12 PM)
2001:A Space Odessy - It had a big impact on me as a kid.

BCD (Dec 4, 2003 6:59:37 PM)
Do you own any game systems, Mr. Wright?

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 6:59:37 PM)
I own all of them

MaxisKitty (Dec 4, 2003 6:59:48 PM)
Thank you for attending todays chat event with Will Wright, we all had a great time and hope you did as well. Check the websites after the event for the transcripts. Bye Everyone!

Snakes13 (Dec 4, 2003 7:00:01 PM)
do you like fondue

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 7:00:01 PM)
Yes, but I prefer Racellete

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 7:00:24 PM)
Goodbye everyone, thanks for stopping by

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 7:00:34 PM)
Sorry I couldn't answer all the questions.

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 7:00:42 PM)
But I'm a lmae typist

MaxisWill (Dec 4, 2003 7:00:47 PM)
Happy

MaxisKitty (Dec 4, 2003 7:01:34 PM)
Will Wright has left the building...

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No Chat This Week
24 Nov 2003 - 22:00

Due to the holiday weekend here in Maxis Land, there will be no chat event this Thursday. But don’t worry, starting next week we will be back with some great guest speakers lined up for the month of December.

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Welcome to The Sims 2! Part 10
23 Nov 2003 - 22:00

Hello everyone.

I wanted to first take the opportunity to thank all of you who were able to join us for The Sims 2 University. We are grateful that you took time out of your busy schedules and traveled many miles to spend the day with us and talk about The Sims 2. We feel like it was a worthwhile day and hope you do to. For those of you who were unable to join us, we missed you and hope you will be able to participate next time.

At The Sims 2 University, we gave all participants an updated fansite kit. You can download it here, if you didn't join us and are interested in downloading its content.

On of the most important things that we discussed at The Sims 2 University was the player-made custom content tool. View the screenshots below which show off various outfits that we have picked for
you to customize:

The Sims 2 The Sims 2 The Sims 2 The Sims 2 The Sims 2 The Sims 2

The file that contains the bitmap files for these clothing options can be downloaded here, feel free to play around with them and customize them to express your personal Sim-style!

Many of you have had specific questions about this tool. Below we have addressed some of your issues:

What is CaSIE?
CaSIE is a stand-alone tool that will let you build Sims that can be played in The Sims 2. In CaSIE, you will be able to choose your Sims' skin tone, eye color, hair styles; facial hair, makeup, clothes, and more. CaSIE will also give you incredible control over your Sims' faces through controls to select from a diverse range of facial "types" and sliders to fine tune even the smallest details, such as nose length, eyebrow thickness, lip curl, and chin shape. There are over 50 modifier sliders alone!

Another major feature of CaSIE is the ability to create custom content that anyone can play in The Sims 2. Take a t-shirt and add your face to it ... make a set of yellow cat eyes ... create a set of scaly green skins ... the possibilities are truly infinite.

Finally, CaSIE is the tool that will help you package the Sims and custom content you create and upload them to TheSims2.com, post on your fan site, or share with your friends. We can't wait to see what turns up!

What is the difference between CaSIE and CAS?
CAS (Create-A-Sim) is a part of The Sims 2. CaSIE is a "stand alone" tool that runs separately from the game. CAS is the place in The Sims 2 where you will create Sims and their families and move them into your neighborhoods. CaSIE will be released before The Sims 2 ships as a way for you to start building Sims and creating custom content early. CAS allows you to name Sims, give them personalities and determine their facial appearance, physique, outfits, accessories, and hairstyles. You'll be able to create families with genetic similarities; CaSIE does not.

What does stand-alone mean?
"Stand-alone" means that CaSIE can run without having The Sims 2 installed on your computer, which is why we will be able to release CaSIE before the game ships. Once The Sims 2 is released (and if you have installed CaSIE and The Sims 2 in their default directories), they will work together seamlessly. For example, any Sim you create in CaSIE will be available for you to play in The Sims 2 without having to transfer any files. Also, any custom content you create in CaSIE will be automatically available to you in CAS. (CaSIE and The Sims 2, however, can not be run at the same time.)

Is CaSIE actually mandatory to run the game or can you just buy The Sims 2 and still play the game?
You can play The Sims 2 without having CaSIE.

How easy will it be to create new meshes for new clothes and Sims?
For the first release of CaSIE you will only be able to customize textures and the facial mesh (with modifiers and face choices). This is because the process of creating models in The Sims 2 is much more complex than in The Sims and we want players to be able to get started on textures as soon as possible. We do, however, plan to release an update to CaSIE later on that will let you export and import models to use in a 3D program.

Does CaSIE have the same requirements as The Sims 2?
Yes, CaSIE will work on the same system requirements as The Sims 2.

For all of you console fans, The Sims Bustin' Out community site is live. Click here http://thesims.ea.com/us/index.html to check out the fansite kit and chat on the BBS. The game will be in stores in just a few short weeks.

That's all for now.

Cheers,

Luc

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Welcome to The Sims 2! Part 10
23 Nov 2003 - 22:00

Hello everyone.

I wanted to first take the opportunity to thank all of you who were able to join us for The Sims 2 University. We are grateful that you took time out of your busy schedules and traveled many miles to spend the day with us and talk about The Sims 2. We feel like it was a worthwhile day and hope you do to. For those of you who were unable to join us, we missed you and hope you will be able to participate next time.

At The Sims 2 University, we gave all participants an updated fansite kit. You can download it here, if you didn't join us and are interested in downloading its content.

On of the most important things that we discussed at The Sims 2 University was the player-made custom content tool. View the screenshots below which show off various outfits that we have picked for
you to customize:

The Sims 2 The Sims 2 The Sims 2 The Sims 2 The Sims 2 The Sims 2

The file that contains the bitmap files for these clothing options can be downloaded here, feel free to play around with them and customize them to express your personal Sim-style!

Many of you have had specific questions about this tool. Below we have addressed some of your issues:

What is CaSIE?
CaSIE is a stand-alone tool that will let you build Sims that can be played in The Sims 2. In CaSIE, you will be able to choose your Sims' skin tone, eye color, hair styles; facial hair, makeup, clothes, and more. CaSIE will also give you incredible control over your Sims' faces through controls to select from a diverse range of facial "types" and sliders to fine tune even the smallest details, such as nose length, eyebrow thickness, lip curl, and chin shape. There are over 50 modifier sliders alone!

Another major feature of CaSIE is the ability to create custom content that anyone can play in The Sims 2. Take a t-shirt and add your face to it ... make a set of yellow cat eyes ... create a set of scaly green skins ... the possibilities are truly infinite.

Finally, CaSIE is the tool that will help you package the Sims and custom content you create and upload them to TheSims2.com, post on your fan site, or share with your friends. We can't wait to see what turns up!

What is the difference between CaSIE and CAS?
CAS (Create-A-Sim) is a part of The Sims 2. CaSIE is a "stand alone" tool that runs separately from the game. CAS is the place in The Sims 2 where you will create Sims and their families and move them into your neighborhoods. CaSIE will be released before The Sims 2 ships as a way for you to start building Sims and creating custom content early. CAS allows you to name Sims, give them personalities and determine their facial appearance, physique, outfits, accessories, and hairstyles. You'll be able to create families with genetic similarities; CaSIE does not.

What does stand-alone mean?
"Stand-alone" means that CaSIE can run without having The Sims 2 installed on your computer, which is why we will be able to release CaSIE before the game ships. Once The Sims 2 is released (and if you have installed CaSIE and The Sims 2 in their default directories), they will work together seamlessly. For example, any Sim you create in CaSIE will be available for you to play in The Sims 2 without having to transfer any files. Also, any custom content you create in CaSIE will be automatically available to you in CAS. (CaSIE and The Sims 2, however, can not be run at the same time.)

Is CaSIE actually mandatory to run the game or can you just buy The Sims 2 and still play the game?
You can play The Sims 2 without having CaSIE.

How easy will it be to create new meshes for new clothes and Sims?
For the first release of CaSIE you will only be able to customize textures and the facial mesh (with modifiers and face choices). This is because the process of creating models in The Sims 2 is much more complex than in The Sims and we want players to be able to get started on textures as soon as possible. We do, however, plan to release an update to CaSIE later on that will let you export and import models to use in a 3D program.

Does CaSIE have the same requirements as The Sims 2?
Yes, CaSIE will work on the same system requirements as The Sims 2.

For all of you console fans, The Sims Bustin' Out community site is live. Click here http://thesims.ea.com/us/index.html to check out the fansite kit and chat on the BBS. The game will be in stores in just a few short weeks.

That's all for now.

Cheers,

Luc

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The Sims 2 University Review
20 Nov 2003 - 22:30

12 of the top fan sites were invited to EA to attend The Sims 2 University where they were treated to a day with The Sims 2 production team. Find out what they learned about!

Enter The Sims 2 University.

The Sims 2 University

On November 14th, webmasters the world over converged on Electronic Arts' Worldwide headquarters in Redwood Shores, California, to be a part of The Sims 2 University and get a rare, hands-on demonstration of The Sims 2.

Webmasters from The Sims Resource, Sims Zone, The Sims Zone, The Well Dressed Sim, Sim Freaks, Secret Sims, Sim Programs/8th Deadly Sim/7 Deadly Sims, SimSational, World Sims, The Sims 2 Resource, Sim Stuff, Die Sims, Killer Sims were all in attendance.*

The Welcome Table
The Welcome Table

We kicked off the day at 9 AM with a welcome breakfast where all of the attendees were able to meet each other face-to-face - most for the first time. From there, everyone moved to the presentation theater to watch a demo of the game with Lucy Bradshaw where she showed lots of the new home building tools. Lucy and Producer Tim LeTourneau demonstrated walls being built on diagonals and roofing tools that include gables. They also demonstrated how items in "buy mode" will be customizable and come in any color.

Lucy showing off The Sims 2
Lucy showing off The Sims 2

Following a short break, Maxis General Manager and international hearthrob Luc Barthelet talked about how valuable the community has been to The Sims franchise and challenged everyone to take things to the next level. Next up, were Art Directors Charles London and Dave Patch, who demonstrated how asset could be created by the community, and provided examples.

Programmer Mike Lawson and Designer Patrick Barrett took the floor next to show off the programming language behind The Sims 2. They gave a demonstration on how to program a Sim to move through an obstacle course. At first, the Sim moved through flawlessly but Mike soon changed that. With just a few keystrokes, the Sim was stumbling over logs and unsuccessfully trying to climb a wall, and was eventually reduced to tears. We then adjourned for a much needed lunch break and some hands-on time with the game.

Lunch Time
Lunch Time
Josh gets some hands-on time with The Sims 2.
Josh gets some hands-on time with The Sims 2.

After lunch, Producer Darren Futa took the floor to demonstrate the custom content tool for creating Sims (CaSIE). Darren showed everyone how a Sim is constructed, as well as a variety of customizations a user can make to a Sim. Once he was done creating a Sim, he demonstrated how a user could dress that Sim in custom designer duds. Darren opened a shirt in Photoshop and made some quick changes and then saved the file. The new shirt showed up in CaSIE on the Sim he had created and we could instantly see how it looked. You can see a review of these tool functions at The Sims Resource and at World Sims.

After Darren's demo, Web Manager Caryl Shaw addressed how Maxis Web Hosting is going to function. Caryl explained how the new system would alleviate webmasters from the sometimes crippling bandwidth costs that come from running successful websites, by allowing Maxis to host their site. This would allow smallers sites to continue to create great work without having to deal with the headache of bandwidth costs associated with people downloading their work.

After Caryl was done, it was time for the Trivia Contest! Can you name all The Sims Expansion Packs in order? What pet name in Unleashed was spelled wrong? It took a while but eventually Josh won the contest!

The trivia contest - Congrat's to Josh who won!
The trivia contest - Congrat's to Josh who won!
Group photo of all the webmasters with Will.
Group photo of all the webmasters with Will.

After a short Q&A with the team it was time to have some fun with Will Wright and the team. We took our leave to an EA play room where everyone got to play with The Sims 2 a little bit more, have a drink and eat some yummy food. Finally it was time to say good bye! See you next year!

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Time Magazine Talks with Will Wright
4 Sep 2003 - 23:10

"Everything from the size of your Sim's feet to hair accessories will be customizable."

Go to Time.com

Will Wright
GENIUS AT PLAY: Wright clings to one of his Sims creations near his California offices
Reinventing the Sims

Will Wright hopes to erase some bad memories with a new version of the best-selling computer game

By Chris Taylor

In the beginning—that is, in 1989—Will Wright created Sim City. And it was good. Millions of PC owners got hooked on the game's godlike powers that let players create a town, fill it with enough parks and police stations to please an unseen population, and watch the town grow. Then in 2000 Wright said, "Let there be life." And he created The Sims, which let players micromanage the lives, loves and careers of adorable little people (called "Sims") who lived in homes reminiscent of the Cleavers' in the simpler era of black-and-white television. The Sims shipped 8 million copies, becoming the best-selling computer game of all time. For Wright, it was all very good.

As the 21st century dawned, Wright reigned as the undisputed deity of the PC-game world. That is, until his next big thing: The Sims Online, in which players from all over the world let their little people roam and mingle in a vast virtual environment. It sounded like the Garden of Eden. And lo, it was a boring, poorly populated bomb. Gamers suddenly realized that Wright was not infallible after all.

So what's next for this unflappable 43-year-old geek whose brain seems to overflow with ideas? Since The Sims Online debacle, he has been back at his virtual drawing board, sketching out a new breed of Sims. They look cooler, sound clearer and inhabit homes that are less Leave It to Beaver and more Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. Most audacious of all, they have real lives: they are born, they grow up, give birth and die. Legions of fans await the result, The Sims 2, due for release in February. Will it be a return case of divine inspiration—or will Wright slip again? His reputation rests on the outcome—as does the computer-game industry's best hope for the mainstream recognition it craves.

Wright is a gaunt, wiry figure with large glasses and a perpetual ironic smirk. His wardrobe seems to consist pretty much of gray shirts and black jeans. He is soft-spoken and reserved, with a playfulness just beneath the surface. At this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, the biggest date on the computer-game industry's calendar, Wright casually slipped reporters near worthless Argentine banknotes as a surreal bribe. In his office at Maxis, his Walnut Creek, Calif., company, he is a nervy, perpetual-motion machine, methodically pulling apart glow-in-the-dark Silly Putty or constructing towers out of magnetic plastic toys.

Wright, in other words, is obsessed with creating things. As a child in Atlanta, that meant balsa-wood planes and train sets. When he discovered computers, it meant digital cities. These days it often means building battle robots with his 17-year-old daughter or inventing a special set of toy building blocks, which he calls Architex, that can be used to design houses. Indeed, it is his love for architecture that has led Wright to his greatest success. When the Sims germinated in his mind, it was like a virtual version of Architex. You built a home, then computer people called Sims moved in and told you whether they liked it or not. The original game was called Doll House, and teenage boys in a focus group rated it the worst idea they had ever heard.

But Wright persisted. Eventually The Sims became less of an afterthought to house building and more the focus of the game itself. Soon each Sim had a realistic set of needs represented by bars on the screen that turned from green to red. When a Sim registered as hungry, for example, it was time to point him toward the fridge (assuming you had bought him one).

The objective was to keep the Sims' needs fulfilled so they could get promotions and raises when they went to work or buy more stuff to meet their needs faster. Like a lot of Wright's work, it was all very tongue in cheek. The Sims were caricatures who never aged (neither did their children, who arrived as if by stork). The products you bought for them got ever more expensive and outrageous (like the Love-o-matic vibrating bed), and the chirpy 1950s movie music enhanced the Cleavers feel. Somehow it all worked.

Players found it easy to invest their imagination in the Sims' lives, with their carefully constructed needs, personalities and relationships. After the game was released, more than 1,000 fan websites sprang up in which players posted screen shots from their Sims' world. After the runaway success of the original, Wright supplied ever more storytelling tools. Six expansion sets—the Sims have pets! the Sims go on hot dates!—sold 6.8 million copies. (The seventh and final expansion, Makin' Magic, is to be released this Halloween.)

The stumble that was The Sims Online happened in late 2001. It was an Internet-based Sims world in which the storytelling was supposed to come from the interactions among players. It didn't gel. Fewer than 100,000 subscribers signed up to pay $10 a month for the service, far fewer than Maxis' hopes. Making your Sims mingle as if at a global cocktail party was, it turned out, not as addictive as trying to win them a promotion or building them a new bathroom. "The Sims Online was a wildly optimistic view of people providing their own entertainment," says Dan Morris, executive editor of PC Gamer magazine. "They needed a game with a well-defined narrative, not just a sandbox." Wright had effectively abdicated responsibility for the parameters of possible storytelling. The Sims is Wright's world; we just play in it.

For The Sims 2, Wright has learned his lesson—and then some. The narrative arc of the game has gone epic. Whereas the original Sims were as timeless as cartoon characters, their successors go through five distinct ages, from baby to senior—not quite the full Shakespearean seven but close enough. You used to have to try quite hard to kill Sims; now old age will get them in the end. The Sims 2 revolves around Big Life Moments that will positively or negatively affect each Sim's final score when he or she dies: successful potty training, the first kiss, the death of a parent, marriage, divorce. What was formerly a slice of family life becomes a tale of generations—or, as Wright puts it, more like a James Michener novel.

The richness of potential plot lines is matched by the Sims' sumptuous new look. The game's graphics, especially the lighting and the characters' facial features, are way ahead of what was possible in 2000. Everything from the size of your Sim's feet to hair accessories will be customizable. Wright found that a lot of players wanted to turn their Sims into virtual copies of their families and friends. Not only will that be possible, but also at the click of a button you will be able to see a random selection of children that any two Sims' genetic traits might produce.

All this is a long way from the virtual dollhouse Wright originally had in mind. What nobody in the industry can say for now is whether he has strayed too far. The casual gamers who fell in love with The Sims included many youngsters who became aware for the first time of what it was like to be in charge of little people who wouldn't stop watching TV and go to bed. Will those same players really care to see their Sims grow old and die? Will the enhanced realism of diaper changing gross them out?

The answers matter to the computer-game industry, which needs more hits of this kind if it is ever going to widen its appeal beyond the 3 million hard-core gamers (mostly men in their teens and 20s) who typically buy a game a month. As with The Sims Online, expectations are high: this is a business in which sequels often do better than the original. (Wright has one other game in the works—which he isn't able to talk about—tentatively titled SimEverything, in which players start out by bonding molecules and end up building galactic civilizations.) "The Sims is a dream franchise for people who want to see the medium grow," says Morris. We'll find out soon enough. And if it doesn't work out—well, Wright can always try releasing Architex.

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Bay Area Personalities Wanted
28 Aug 2003 - 23:20

Maxis wants Bay Area fans of The Sims for a top-secret project. We'll divulge what we can, but if we told you any more we'd have to kill you.

For Your Eyes Only

Outsize San Francisco Bay Area Personalities Wanted

Do you live in or around the San Francisco Bay Area? Do you have great stories to tell about your Sims? Can you be succinct and ever-so-witty in front of a live camera? If you answered yes to these questions, then Maxis wants to hear from you.

We’re working on a super-secret project for The Sims 2 in the very near future, and we may need your help. Please send an email to explain, in 100 words or less, why you love The Sims, or recount your favorite moments from playing The Sims.

Please be sure to include your user-name, real name (optional), e-mail address, day-time location and a phone number where you can be reached during weekday business hours. In addition, please let us know if you speak a foreign language.

People will be selected as we receive their submissions, so if you live in the Bay Area and have the inclination, please be sure to submit your stories absolutely no later than 12AM PST Sunday, August 31th.

Please send an email to topsecret@maxis.com.

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Hardcore Situation
28 Aug 2003 - 23:00

It’s 3 AM. You’re leaving work. It’s dark. Two figures emerge from the shadows. They approach. What do you do?

Read more below!

When Hardcore Fans and Overworked Testers Collide...

Lead Tester John Cook and fellow Tester Kip Katsarelis had been laboring long into the wee hours of Saturday morning, when they finally decided to succumb to their own circadian rhythms and go home for as much sleep as they could spare. On the way to their cars, they were stopped by two shadowy figures, and... asked for a tour of the office! It seems that a husband and wife team from Kansas City had scheduled some time to swing by Maxis on their trip to California. Perhaps they’re well versed in the working and sleeping habits of game developers. Maybe they were either incredibly behind (or ahead of) schedule. Whatever the case may be, they felt an impromptu late, late, late-night visit was in order. We’re sad to report that the glorious inner workings of Maxis remain a mystery to them, although their sunny Midwestern charm bought them a few snapshots under the company logo and their signatures now grace the official Maxis Guest Book.

Although we heartily appreciate their rabid devotion to The Sims, they might have had better luck if they had tried to gain access to the building during normal business hours. Or at the very least, during daylight hours.

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News From Camp EA
17 Jul 2003 - 23:00

Last week was Camp EA and Press from all over the world were invited to EA to preview our latest games. Here are some previews of The Sims GBA, Makin' Magic, and Rush Hour.

Makin' Magic
PC

The Sims - Bustin' Out
PlayStation - GameCube - XBox

The Sims - Bustin' Out
Game Boy Advanced

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News From Camp EA
17 Jul 2003 - 23:00

Last week was Camp EA and Press from all over the world were invited to EA to preview our latest games. Here are some previews of The Sims GBA, Makin' Magic, and Rush Hour.

Makin' Magic
PC

The Sims - Bustin' Out
PlayStation - GameCube - XBox

The Sims - Bustin' Out
Game Boy Advanced

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