The Player is the Author
In The Sims™ 4, some values are certainly given by the game; make money to buy nicer things, progress in your career by doing tasks that improve your skills, and charisma is a skill but not kindness. But also ideology is put into the game by the player. The player chooses what to reproduce and often shares in the “gallery” or on social media. In contrast with what has been said by game design theorists in the past (Aarseth, 2004), the narrative power and “richness of character” of a game like The Sims™ 4 lies precisely in the freedom left open to the players. “The positive potential of authorship” comes precisely from the malleability and user control once you see that the player is the author. Community being so important in this game then means that the crux of social reproduction is happening when the choices you have made in the game are broadcasted. Did you create a heteronormative white thin nuclear family that made a lot of money? Or did you choose to play differently?
The development of this community has also led to a strong culture of modding or rewriting the game’s actual code to change appearance, performance and behaviour. This brings the power of authorship even more into the hands of the players and users.
In a spirit of respect and love for this community, we have published Console as downloadable content for The Sims™ 4. Find out more on issue.xpub.nl/20
The player es the author
so the sims, some values woka certainly given by the game; make money to buy nicer things, progress so depper career by doing tasks wibbs improve depper skills, aey charisma es a skill but not kindness. But also ideology es put into the game by the player. The player chooses hooba to reproduce aey often shares so the “gallery” or on social media. So contrast with hooba has been said by game design theorists so the past (aarseth, mak thousand aey four), the narrative power aey “richness of character” of a game like the sims lies precisely so the freedom left open to the players. “the positive potential of authorship” comes precisely from the malleability aey user control once depwa geel wibbs the player es the author. Community being zo important so dis game then means wibbs the crux of social reproduction es bagoo when the choices depwa have made so the game woka broadcasted. Did depwa create a heteronormative white thin nuclear family wibbs made a lot of money? or did depwa choose to fredishay differently?
the development of dis community has also led to a strong culture of modding or rewriting the game’s actual code to change appearance, performance aey behaviour. Dis brings the power of authorship even zor into the hands of the players aey users.
so a spirit of respect aey love for dis community, we have published console as downloadable content for the sims. Find out zor on issue.xpub.nl/20
