Previewed by Atari on 12/9/02

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Game Overview

The world of The Sims Online (TSO) started off without any establishments or AI-controlled characters. It is up to the gamers to mold the barren lands of these servers into cities. Each new character starts off with modest amount of money and players are encouraged to find roommates if they wish to build large homes. With a few roommates, you can begin construction and purchase various appliances and furniture that will help you become a better and richer Sim.

Unlike other MMORPGs, this game is not centralized around killing monsters to level. Characters must spend time learning new skills to increase their earning potential. Some of the ways you can learn is by reading books, solving problems on a chalkboard, playing chess, working out, plucking at a guitar or even practicing speeches in a mirror.

Although the gameplay is usually passive, the environment is not. Teamwork is essential if you want to get anywhere in this game. The rate at which you learn goes up when other people are learning the same skills in the same manner with you. On occasion, I was learning eight times faster when I had a large study group going. As your skills rise, you can use those skills to make more money and buy better equipment for your establishment.

TSO is like a chat server where each house is its own channel. Unlike Internet Relay Chat (IRC), I can even talk to people in the game while doing handstands! OK, so it's a virtual handstand (as if I could pull off a real one). The neat part about it is that it adds a whole new dimension when you can communicate with both words and body language. If someone tries to kiss you in the game, responding with a resounding vomit can convey your feelings better than words.

Broadcasted messages appear as comic book style bubbles over a characters head that vanish after a few seconds. You can also send instant messages to people in other houses or leave mail for players who are not currently logged into the server.

There is a distinctive difference between the MMORPG and single player versions of the game. In the single player Sims games, you had to control the environment to make your Sim happy. You never told your Sim to get food from the refrigerator. If your Sim was hungry and a refrigerator was in the house, the Sim would go get some food on his or her own. The MMORPG version gives you more direct control over the characters. With this additional control comes the responsibility to feed your Sim before they pass out. Thus there is an added level of micromanagement in the MMORPG version.

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