The Sims FreePlay CSP - Language & Representations
Language / Gameplay analysis
Watch The Sims: FreePlay trailer and answer the following questions:
1) What elements of gameplay are shown?
The game play elements show are character design, home design, taking care of pets, making relationships and families, exploring and living life in your own town.
2) What audience is the trailer targeting?
It is targeting a range of audience but generally younger white females as they are seen to stereotypically enjoy dressing up and living a basic life such as creating a family.
3) What audience pleasures are suggested by the trailer?
Diversion- players are able to make a whole new persona in game and live their dream life away from reality
personal identity- Create characters on people around them to make it seem as if its their real life.
Now watch this walk-through of the beginning of The Sims FreePlay and answer the following questions:
1) How is the game constructed?
It was constructed to be free to play game that lets players design their own dream in a game. It lures players in through fake relationships/families as well as creating your own town.
2) What audience is this game targeting?
The game is seen to be targeting younger women as there is a lot about living life and starting family empathised through.
3) What audience pleasures does the game provide?
Diversion- players are able to make a whole new persona in game and live their dream life away from reality
personal identity- Create characters on people around them to make it seem as if its their real life.
4) How does the game encourage in-app purchases?
Through watching ads or buying gems for clothes or speeding up time.
Representations
Re-watch some of the expansion pack trailers and answer the following questions:
1) How do the expansion pack (DLC) trailers reinforce or challenge dominant ideologies?
1) How do the expansion pack (DLC) trailers reinforce or challenge dominant ideologies?
They reinforce family values when women are expected to have children as well as having success by living in a penthouse and romance being the key to happiness. They can challenge diversity through gender and ethnicity as well as bank robbers being a white female.
2) What stereotypes have you identified in The Sims FreePlay?
There are basic stereotypes seen as the trailer shows a girl doing ballet while the boy does karate seeing how they separate hobbies through gender. For the police there is a box of doughnuts while theres a white male police and black chief called Mr Nice Guy. The cat work sexualises females and there are so many romances seen to happen at the mall.
3) What media theories can you apply to representations in The Sims FreePlay?
There are links to Van Zoonens gender stereotypes and objectification of women, Gauntlets fluidity of identity, Gilroy's double consciousness and Hall's approaches to representation.
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?
2) What stereotypes have you identified in The Sims FreePlay?
There are basic stereotypes seen as the trailer shows a girl doing ballet while the boy does karate seeing how they separate hobbies through gender. For the police there is a box of doughnuts while theres a white male police and black chief called Mr Nice Guy. The cat work sexualises females and there are so many romances seen to happen at the mall.
3) What media theories can you apply to representations in The Sims FreePlay?
There are links to Van Zoonens gender stereotypes and objectification of women, Gauntlets fluidity of identity, Gilroy's double consciousness and Hall's approaches to representation.
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?
The Sims was made to be realistic and replicate an American life where they look to make the game more believable.
2) How has The Sims tried to create more realistic representations of ethnicity?
2) How has The Sims tried to create more realistic representations of ethnicity?
They intend to add more detail to the appearances where they wanted a coding racial awareness into the game systems themselves.
3) How has The Sims responded to racism and sexism in society?
3) How has The Sims responded to racism and sexism in society?
They dont have a racism message but their Sims will not discriminate based on gender preference whatsoever. Although they feel that the game has a blind spot about race. The Sims writes how the game is under players control there are tools provided for them to do so if they want to keep a particular race out.
4) What is The Sims perspective on gender fluidity and identity?
4) What is The Sims perspective on gender fluidity and identity?
One of the first questions asked when creating a sim is male or female? Even though they strive for inclusitivity they still need more time to understand what they want to achive with the game.
5) How does The Sims reinforce the dominant capitalist ideologies of American culture?
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?
5) How does The Sims reinforce the dominant capitalist ideologies of American culture?
The Sims reinforce dominant ideologies giving the players the desire to choose and create whatever they want. This of course includes the Town the people in it their own constructed identity and even what they want to pursue with that Sims life. Although their are some American cultures and stereotypes shown we can say the Sims is trying to go towards a place where people can be themselves without any restrictions in their online life, somethings they may not be able to achieve in reality.
Read this New Normative feature on LGBTQ representation in The Sims franchise (the website link no longer works but that will take you to the text of the article - you'll need your Greenford Google login to access). Answer the following questions:
1) How did same-sex relationships unexpectedly help the original Sims game to be a success?
Having same-sex relationships drew positive publicity showing how they had the best diversity when it came to characters sexuality.
2) How is sexuality now represented in The Sims?
The game is very inclusive where even the background sims have their own sexual preference. Its also up to the players on what they want their sims to feel, however the game is programmed to be inclusive.
3) Why have fans praised the inclusion of LGBTQ relationships in The Sims franchise?
The inclusion was able to help many fans learn about sexual preferences in a safe way. it played a huge role in their perception of sexuality as the game was going towards equality and gay rights, normalising it as a whole when playing.
4) Why did the Sims run into regulatory difficulties with American regulator the ESRB? How did EA respond?
The Sims 1 was originally given a T-rating as they didn’t have any guidelines on same sex support because no game had ever done it, however later on this was changed to a M-rating. Their was a fear amongst fans that the inclusion feature would be removed later so EA stepped up and was able to convince the ESRB to maintain the game’s T-rating.
5) How is sexuality represented in the wider videogames industry today?
The Sims was an influence to the vudeogame industry where other games that came out allowed same-sex relationships as well as offering characters with believable and realistic LGBTQ relationships. An example was The Last of Us Part II recently made waves with a lesbian kiss of its own at E3 2018.
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?
Sims 4 is a sort of escapism for the reality of life where there are no limitations in the game like there are in reality.
2) What audience pleasures did the writer previously find in The Sims franchise?
2) What audience pleasures did the writer previously find in The Sims franchise?
They found diversion where people get away from their daily lives and personal identity to the sims they create.
3) Why the does the writer mention an example of a washer and dryer as additional DLC?
3) Why the does the writer mention an example of a washer and dryer as additional DLC?
He writes how he never had to use them in the game as he never really liked doing the laundry in re life showing an act of defiance in the game that you cant get in reality without consequences.
4) In your opinion, has The Sims made an error in trying to make the franchise too realistic?
4) In your opinion, has The Sims made an error in trying to make the franchise too realistic?
The Sims move too fast towards realism and don't really explore practicality when it comes to the game. People need more options for escapism where they could act and create without any restrictions you would usually see in their daily lives. Realistic is not what the audience want but a game that they can go away and play without references to their own lives.
5) How does this representation of reality link to Baudrillard’s theory of hyperreality - the increasingly blurred line between real and constructed?
5) How does this representation of reality link to Baudrillard’s theory of hyperreality - the increasingly blurred line between real and constructed?
The similarities between the game and reality fallow the same path of growing up going to school, falling in love, starting a family, all the basics people would imagine. We can link this to Baudrillard's hyperreality theory as of how it can sometimes be confusing on what you have done in life to what has been achieved in game. People may connect so much with sims that they feel the need to see their own reality as a simulation of the game.
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?
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?
Its a way for the game to be promoted and give any loyal fans updates or upcoming news. There a lot of photos including the banner which might give insight to new players on what the game might be like.
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.
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.
'Decorate your Sims' homes with adorable items featuring DJ Candy, Bobaboo, and Pigglez from MySims™: Cozy Bundle, which is available now on Nintendo Switch!'
-introduction to a new device
-Top fan commenting how she cant find the items after claiming might show a bug in the game
-people looking to find friends as the game is so old
-lots of snapchat character emojis overused
'The last time your Sim was in their hometown, Amy Joliver was their childhood friend. Now, they are a celebrity TV chef! Can you help your Sim impress Amy and the judges to win the SimTown Bake Off?
'-A way for players to want to continue playing by reusing celebs
-A lot of people asking for neighbours, friends to play with
'It's here! Our 103rd Update 'Home for the Holidays'!
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?
There are a lot of requests in the comments for improvements or new content as people want to experience a lot more than they would the basic life in reality.
To do list:
Looks like our holiday is fully booked!'
-Update with new evens to keep players busy
-Adding more items , events
-players writing a lot of suggestions for improvements
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?
There are a lot of requests in the comments for improvements or new content as people want to experience a lot more than they would the basic life in reality.
They want to do/experience the impossible for them and continue keeping up with this fake life as a distraction.
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