The Sims Social on Facebook

[TheChronicR]

To be honest, I am sure that nothing will beat TS3 before The Sims 4 is out. Sims Social failed once, I'm sure it will fail this time too. Of course, we couldn't ask for more anyways - it is impossible to create better graphics and high traffic at the same time. YoVille is currently the leader of all "chat room" type Facebook games, in addition it's quite popular. FarmVille, is well, a bit silly to me. I used to be a FarmVille-er once, but quickly got tired of it. I mean, I had around six hundred friends none of which were at least my acquaintances. I'm not bashing Facebook games, but my opinion of them is rather negative. If Sims Social will be like the already formed group, then I'd rather go play TS3.

Question. When I go to the Sims Social's Facebook page and click "Go to App", this is what it shows me. Is it just me?

[Pam]

But... I am sure a lot of girls will like this so yes, it will atract a lot of trafic.

Why girls?  I'm sure there will be guys playing it, too.

Okay, I PM'd Ausette with this, but at this stage, I can't say what the exclusive content is for. The email I received just said that by liking their application, you can unlock exclusive content with the "More to Like" application. I think the content is for The Sims Social.

I don't see why the exclusive content would be for Sims 3.  I don't see anything on the Facebook page for Sims Social that says anything about Sims 3.  They are two separate games.

Doh. Well it's not exactly what I was hoping it would be then. I suppose I will cover it since it seems my lot to tackle most anything Sims universe these days, but it will probably just expose to more people that it's not very interesting.

Carl, even if we're seeing negative responses here, that doesn't mean it won't be worth covering.  Being a "social" game, it will be perfect for the "social" Facebook.  There are hundreds of thousands of people who are on Facebook who play these games.  Probably most of them won't have ever played any Sims at all and won't be disappointed by Sims Social because they won't have anything to compare it to.

To be honest, I am sure that nothing will beat TS3 before The Sims 4 is out.

Ok, I want everyone to understand that I'm not asking for a comparison between Sims Social and Sims 3.  I really don't want to turn this thread into anything like that.

Sims Social failed once, I'm sure it will fail this time too.

What exactly are you talking about?  A link to back it up would be appreciated.

[Seabody]

@Pam
Chronic is talking about The Sims Online. It flopped, if I remember correctly. (Though I might be confusing this with The Matrix Online, which was pulled years ago)

[TheChronicR]

Pam, this is not the first time EA is doing a Sims game for social network. Back in 2002, EA released the first online Sims game, titled The Sims Online. The Sims Online had been somewhat of a failure, so EA decided to shut it down. The Sims Social is considered to be the new version of it. I believe the graphics and the main idea behind it will be the same - chat for fun.

EDIT: Yes, Seabody is right.

[Pam]

Thanks for the link, Chronic.  Considering it was released almost 10 years ago and they are now going through Facebook for the new game, I think they've got a chance of making it right.  Hopefully, they earned from their mistakes with The Sims Online.

[Leto85]

@Pam
Chronic is talking about The Sims Online. It flopped, if I remember correctly. (Though I might be confusing this with The Matrix Online, which was pulled years ago)

You're correct. The Sims Online flopped, unfortunately. I believe EA is trying again with Sims Social. I find it brave, but the online world has changed in 10 years, so perhaps they have a better change now in making this sidegame a succes. I don't know.

@Pam: This kind of games is mostly atractive by teenage girls. Especially with how it looks. Take a look at most of the DS games focussing on flirting, animals, creating your own fashion show. The look and 'drawing style' if you know what I mean are very common to this game. Sure some boys will like it, and I won't blame them, but it will mostly atract teenage girls. And I don't mean that negative. Not at all, but as I'm not a teenage girl, I'm not atracted to this game. But I think it could become very populair.

[xFezIsAFreakx]

Erm.. but if it attracts teenage girls it will also attract teenage boys who want to contact teenage girls via the chat, no? I know for a fact that if it was to become popular with certain girls in my school then all the boys and most others would take it up after them, also.

[Pam]

@Leto and Fez:

You both have excellent points.  Perhaps the teenage girls will get it started and then the teenage boys will follow them.  That sounds like an excellent plan to me!

[Leto85]

Erm.. but if it attracts teenage girls it will also attract teenage boys who want to contact teenage girls via the chat, no? I know for a fact that if it was to become popular with certain girls in my school then all the boys and most others would take it up after them, also.

Like Pam said: Good point of view Fez. I haven't thought about that.

[xFezIsAFreakx]

Well either way, I'm sure it'll be really popular. Facebook really is the way to go, these days. It will probably even attract people who haven't played before to the actual game which is what I suppose EA were aiming for in the first place, too.

[Hosfac]

I was one of the beta-testers for the Sims Online, and I can say with all certainty the game didn't flop because of the concept.  It flopped because the membership was expensive (at least, at the time it was considered expensive), and it barely functioned because the internet technology necessary to make it work properly wasn't fully in place at the time.  It came out during the dawn of high-speed internet, and maybe about 30% of us had it by the time the beta was over.  They were just too ambitious.

Facebook games are fads.  At one time, Farmville was the big thing, but that game's players have been gradually declining as newer games catch people's interest.  Most of my Facebook friends played Farmville at one time, but hardly anyone still does these days as they've moved on to different games.  It's likely that this may coax a few players away from other games like Yoville for a while, but I doubt there will be any real permanent change in our traffic as I doubt it will be in-depth enough to require a guide for. 

Although we may see a few people who, through the Sims Social, get an interest in the Sims 3 and make the transition.

[Leto85]

You where part of the sims community Hosfac? That made me placing you on a even higher stand! Wow, that is just awesome. Please mail me more about this if you want. I'm highly interested.

And yes, I see what you mean about the internet how it was back than (1999? I was only 13. ). Probably EA indeed is giving The Sims Online a second change. A second life, if you prever.

Maybe, just maybe I should adjust opinion about this game...

[Tommyo3000]

The graphics don't look that great, but I'll probably try it out anyways out of curiosity. I also saw this thing called "Ask Bella" which probably is referring to Bella Goth/Bachelor so maybe they will have some townies in the game.

[mysticmirror]

I kind of agree with everyone else. Probably isn't that exciting, for serious simmers like us but this just may be a way for the Sims to get their hands on some of the younger generations and get them interested in the games themselves. Probably not a downside on EA's part. Looking at new ways to bring more people into the sims just has to be good strategy on their part. Of course I'm sure that I will at least try it out to see how it is.

[Anushka]

I just checked it, and hesitate a lot before liking it for that exclusive item(s) since I hate that on FB - race to collect likes.
Tommy I haven't noticed that "Ask Bella" but I thought it looked exactly as The Sims looked more than 10 years ago which did remind me of Bella B and many others!
As for Facebook games, I've checked many of them, some I played for my own joy without spawning my friends, or looking for strangers to share gifts, but in time they sort of force players to spent money or spawn friends (to pay them or do a marketing for them )and I stopped. Plus I got the Sims 3.
Since EA is known to do the same they just proved their marketing department is highly developed so almost half million of people already liked that page and all their friends have a chance to see that, check out and do the same - spread a word around.
I didn't get it that was the chat room you guys are talking about, it looked like a YoVille - neighboors in Sims surrounding. Chat between friends was about the game, not in game. I doubt it will be interactive - no teen would like to see someone they don't like kissed them in public without their permission or knowledge. And I also doubt live synchronisation of so many players and their actions and progress is possible. I also don't believe it will be deep enough game to need a guide for it, but it is not up yet so we'll see what it will turn out to be. Also, I believe that woohoo can now become very discutabile since it will became personal among teens.

One more thing, I used to have internet with limited download/upload (had to pay much more than usual if I went over the limit), and I was shocked to see that farmville and that little cooking game took me way to many Gb per month, so if you don't have unlimited download, be careful! I had to install an aplication to track down where all the Gb went, since it seemed impossible to spent more than 20 Gb on just Facebook games, but it did.