Its a Sims Life

It recently dawned on me that I am living a Sims life. Not simply because I am obsessed with the game ( I’ll explain in a minute ) , but rather that I am subject to similar needs and triggers. At first I thought this was exaggerated, but nope, it is right on the mark.

But first, back to my obsession: Many moons ago I learned of the Sims  ,   the now iconic video game that simulates reality. You create avatars and move them into a home. Then the adventures begin as you try to keep them alive. I wasn’t aware that keeping them alive was a thing.  I was originally confused about how to play the game so I let it slide . Come 2025 the game developer put out an anniversary edition of the original game, to be configured with current computer operating systems. So my long forgotten dream had become a reality. I am finally playing the Sims and figuring it out bit by bit. Little did I know how close to home it would be. Very close indeed!

After playing for a few days I thought the game was reminiscent of Virtual Families , where you also create avatars and they go on and on for generations. While there are many similarities between the two , the Sims seems darker to me. It is hard enough to get them to keep a job or make any friends. They have little time because all this ” stuff ” happens. Ovens spontaneously combust, sometimes daily and this usually  ( spoiler alert ) results in the Grim Reaper making a visit Extinguishing the fire yourself or calling the fire department rarely helps. Pets die quickly without warning. Sims often drop by at each other’s homes unannounced  and frequently the interactions go south. Sims forget to pay bills and items get repossessed. They have needs for comfort, hunger, energy, fun, sociability, and hygiene. One must have the proper amount of needs to be balanced or is usually subject to major depression. I am not making this up.

I am told that newer versions of the Sims are less dark. I am still earning how to play the original. Just like in human simulation, the characters have an astrological sign, various interests and skills, and personality traits. Some are sloppy, others are very neat, while others are quite athletic, etc. .   What amazes me the most is how often they become unhinged by curveballs. Appliances break or burn to the ground; characters refuse to go to work; they sometimes refuse to look for work or even shut off the tv. I am surprised that  they do not have smartphones! Maybe the newer versions do, In any case, this game reminds me how random daily life can seem, even while existing in a simulation. I have not figured out yet how to get any of my characters to succeed but I learned a hack to prevent them from running out of money. Now to figure out how to do that in my own life, hmmm  ……