"I like the idea of a test-tube family," says SimCity creator Will Wright. "I wanted to be able to model my own." So Wright devised The Sims, a friendly neighborhood god game: Create people - defining personalities, skills, needs, and relationships - and then watch them go about their lives.
Ironically, one of the biggest hurdles was intelligence. "They need to be dumb in order to make the game fun," Wright says. So the Sims can't think ahead - they're programmed to simply maximize their happiness at the moment. If a Sim is hungry he'll eat; if she's bored she'll call a friend. Just like every model family.
ELECTRIC WORD
Armored Hot Dog
The Science Underground
Reframing the Future
Army of One
Keeping Up with the Simses
