Just
like The Sims, you will need friends. Friends to keep your mood in
check, to help you out and to improve your job. In The Sims this is
easy, the little people you call your friends are nothing but computer
generated and controlled graphics, it is true that they are still
computer-generated graphics in The Sims Online only now, there will be
someone, somewhere controlling it! Every Sim you talk to will be another
person, linked to you via the Internet. It is possible to find people
you don't get on with, that's why it is a good idea to join social clubs
or neighborhoods of people with similar interests as yourself.
Clubs are an excellent way to go about things. You can meet
like-minded people and have a constant connection with other Sims but
you can also use these clubs to earn money. If you wanted to advertise a
business, you would have a good client base at your fingertips! You can
also earn money if you started the club, you can charge people to enter
your property/clubhouse, the more popular the club the more you can
charge and the more people who will visit.
House sharing is another possibility, considering you only start out
with §4,000, it is near impossible to buy a nice house on your own
straight away. If you move in with three people, you have §12,000 to
spend on the niceties of life. Maxis have made the starting money so low
because they want to encourage social interaction. Arguments are
inevitable though, that's why you will appoint a leader of the house.
They will have the power to evict troublesome roommates and keep peace
within the household. The worst thing that could possibly happen is for
a roommate to leave so it is in the best interest for everyone if they
resolve their dispute!
What careers are there?
Careers are a new exciting prospect for TSO. You can have any job you
can imagine. Travel round social events, try and make some fellow Sims
chuckle and perhaps they will give some spare change for your troubles!
Start a club with your housemates or perhaps you'd prefer a coffee shop.
One flaw with Maxis' plan is the proposed idea to give people the
ability to charge entry into their homes... this is meant to be a
realistic game!
You can run your own company, club, restaurant, or whatever. You can
also work for someone else. If you choose to make your own business you
will have to build it and hire staff and run the day to day functions of
the business. You also make money by just charging someone to come onto
your lot. This is accomplished by doors which can be set to a dollar
amount or a password to keep people out of certain areas. If you choose
to work for someone else you will have to find a job once you get
online. Some websites have already posted ads for workers.
How do I get around?
Transportation or just getting around.
In The Sims you catch the car pool for work or call a cab to go
downtown. In TSO this has been streamlined by the "Gizmo". The Gizmo
works as a search engine, teleporter. Say someone tells you about a
party but you can't remember where it is. You do remember part of the
name though. You open the Gizmo type in the name you do know and it will
give you a list of all lots with that name in them. Once you figure out
the one you need you just click the link and you are transported there.
The Gizmo will also give you a preview of the lot you are going to.
Pictures of the Gizmo below.
What wont be there?
Cheats are the first thing. All those cheats you know for Sims like
money and move objects, forget them, wont work in The Sims Online.
Next user made skins and objects. At least not at launch time. Maxis
has said they will make it possible later to add these. The reason they
wont be in the game at launch is two fold. First online objects perform
differently than objects in The Sims. It really comes down to
programming. Second some user objects are not appropriate for younger
players and will have to be rated by age. This will come later as well a
rating system for content of player lots. When the game launches there
will be filters but these will become more automatic later.
Now as for user made skins. Several reasons for these to not be in at
the launch of the game. As mentioned with objects there is content and
appropriateness of the skin for younger players. Next to consider is
copyrighted material. Say you want to be Batman or Spiderman. This is
fine in your Sims game. But online you are basically publishing a
copyrighted costume. Maxis can't do this legally and can't allow you to
do it either. Something will be worked out later no doubt. For now
though, not going to be there.
