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Interviews:
Patrick Barret
Patrick
Barrett is a software engineer for The Sims.
[Jason]
How long has The Sims Online has been in development?
[Patrick] The Sims Online
prototype was begun shortly before Livin' Large was started.
[Jason]
Based on the success of The Sims, and Livin' Large, how
well do you think The Sims Online will sell?
[Patrick] Obviously it
will help to follow the success of the previous two, but Sims
Online is a different type of game and may appeal to an even
broader audience. Not that our current audience isn't broader
than most games. We'll have to see of course.
[Jason]
In The Sims, you have three basic modes, Build, Buy, and
Live, will this be the same concept for The Sims Online?
[Patrick] What would The
Sims be without Build, Buy, Live. The Sims live in a material
world. In Online building and buying is more a strategy than
a game play element as in the first two. Live mode is far
more interactive since the other Sims are actual people.
[Jason]
How will The Sims Online be different from The Sims, and
Livin' Large?
[Patrick] Being a multiplayer
game, the normal game play does not really fit. The Sims Online
is more of a different game in The Sims environment. One glance
and you easily recognize it as The Sims but game play is geared
towards a multiplayer experience rather than a single player
one. In the first two you could be a night club on a lot if
you wanted to but it would be kind of pointless since it wouldn't
get you anywhere, in Online however the whole story changes
since you can succeed at the game with a night club, bar,
store, etc.
[Jason]
How will you be able to interact with other sims (online)
in The Sims Online?
[Patrick] In the same
style as you do now, of course you will be able to do everything
that one expects from a multiplayer game as well such as chatting
and so forth.
[Jason]
How much will The Sims Online cost?
[Patrick] It is uncertain
at this time.
[Jason]
What's the current projected release period?
[Patrick] I would guess
late next year. It is far too early to tell. The first The
Sims looked like it was years from release until the very
last month of development. Games tend to come together in
a very big way near the end. Livin' Large was completed early
so you really never know.
[Jason]
What are the current requirements for The Sims Online?
[Patrick] It should have
the same system requirements of the first game with, of course,
the added need of an Internet connection and a modem.
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