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Control in Sim City

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Sim City has been one of the most popular simulation games since its inception. Users are given the task to build an economically efficient and structured city from scratch. Players have control over almost every aspect, such as what roads to create, where to build schools and homes, and where to spend the money in city planning. This gives the player a sense of control over virtual people that one cannot recreate in the real. According to the Chicago Tribune, Sim City “can sometimes evoke much more serious portrayals of urban life”. This sense of control is the one Turkle mentions as one of the defining features of video games. Users of Sim City basically have control of the virtual people’s happiness. If one decides to build schools or lower taxes, it could increase the happiness of the population, which is basically the mission of the game. The virtual people have no control of how to change the city, and only react to what the player changes or adds. Turkle uses Jarish as an example, and how it has impacted his life.
 
Similarly, Jarish mentions earlier simulations have this control feature that made them unique. During the game, one is fully immersed in the experience and has the ability to control every aspect of the game. Whatever the player decides or wants to do is what affects every other part of the game. For Jarish, while playing the game, he “can really concentrate, feel in charge” (Turkle 504). However, once the game ends, “it’s a different world. Nothing you can control” (Turkle 503).  Other users found it as an escape route to forget of the all the issues going on in the real. For one person, these games are used so that he must put all of his energy and concentration in order to win. As Sim City gives a plethora of options, it makes the game very difficult to do while thinking of other events. This shows how people respond to control and power. They are able to put everything aside to focus on one quality that everyone strives for, even if it is in a virtual space. Players have a sense of control and power inside the virtual world that they are unable to transfer into the real. As creators attempt to make the ideal city, the game is particularly unique for its overwhelming amount of freedom on what to do. The only restriction is what the user’s intended mission of the game. Because the objective of the game is not set, as one cannot technically “win” the game. The end result is whatever the player makes of it. This characteristic of simulations shows why these games are so attractive to players, as it gives something that is not possible in the real.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/ct-ent-0312-sim-city-review-20130311-story.html

Turkle, Sherry. "Video Games and Computer Holding Power." The Second Self: Computers and the Human Spirit (2011): n. pag. Print.
 

This page has paths:

  1. Connection of the Real and Virtual Shreyas Kolavennu

This page has tags:

  1. Power Dwayne Dixon
  2. The Virtual and The Real Chloe Lewis
  3. Video Games Jon Levine
  4. Simulation Zheqing Zhu
  5. Sherry Turkle Justin Robinson
  6. Shreyas Kolavennu, Author Shreyas Kolavennu

Contents of this tag:

  1. Video Games and Identity