The Politics of SimCity
SimCity is a game from a different time. There is no arguing with that. Back when the original was made, video games were still a niche industry, and most game designing companies were small places, and often took care of all the steps of creation. For instance, Maxis designed, developed, marketed, and distributed SimCity 2000. For comparison, Firaxis Games designed and developed Civilization IV, which was then marketed and distributed by 2KGames. Because Maxis (and similar companies) were operating with only themselves and the customer to answer to, things were much different than they are now in terms of freedom of speech.
This is quite evident when comparing the overall tones of the games. Maxis was located out in the San Francisco region. In SimCity 2000, there is a definite anti-industrial, pro-environmental tone, as when you bulldoze forests and get a warning from the population. This was the way of thinking of many Bay Area residents, but not necessarily as much so throughout the rest of the country and world. Regardless, those messages are visible in the game because the designers felt they had the right to use their own views in setting up the system, and if someone else didn't like it, well, after all it was just a game. Plus, there was a zaniness that has since disappeared from most games. The Loch Ness Monster, Superhero Man, and the "Braun Llama Dome" are all excellent examples.
Now compare it with SimCity 3000, which was designed and developed by Maxis but at the behest of Electronic Arts. The game takes a much more neutral tone through the game as to politics; no forest warnings, no churches that did more harm than good, nothing of the sort. Everything is straightforward and moderate. Likewise, most of the absurdities from the previous game were absent. Some of the query-tags were the most interesting items in the game, and it was usually something mediocritically witty at best.
I just think that a game loses an aspect of itself when it is forced into blanding to appeal to the widest possible audience. Nowadays cheat codes are they only interesting aspects of games. Whether this is the result of the political correctness inherent in sue-wary corporations or a failing of game design itself, I believe it to be a major mistake.
This is quite evident when comparing the overall tones of the games. Maxis was located out in the San Francisco region. In SimCity 2000, there is a definite anti-industrial, pro-environmental tone, as when you bulldoze forests and get a warning from the population. This was the way of thinking of many Bay Area residents, but not necessarily as much so throughout the rest of the country and world. Regardless, those messages are visible in the game because the designers felt they had the right to use their own views in setting up the system, and if someone else didn't like it, well, after all it was just a game. Plus, there was a zaniness that has since disappeared from most games. The Loch Ness Monster, Superhero Man, and the "Braun Llama Dome" are all excellent examples.
Now compare it with SimCity 3000, which was designed and developed by Maxis but at the behest of Electronic Arts. The game takes a much more neutral tone through the game as to politics; no forest warnings, no churches that did more harm than good, nothing of the sort. Everything is straightforward and moderate. Likewise, most of the absurdities from the previous game were absent. Some of the query-tags were the most interesting items in the game, and it was usually something mediocritically witty at best.
I just think that a game loses an aspect of itself when it is forced into blanding to appeal to the widest possible audience. Nowadays cheat codes are they only interesting aspects of games. Whether this is the result of the political correctness inherent in sue-wary corporations or a failing of game design itself, I believe it to be a major mistake.
posted by Jimmy at 1:08 AM
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