Create a new blogpost called 'The Sims FreePlay case study part 3 - Representations' and complete the following tasks.
Textual analysis
Re-watch some of the expansion pack trailers and answer the following questions:
1) How do the expansion pack (DLC) trailers reinforce or challenge dominant ideologies?
The actual game play appeals to a young female audience as it is feminised.
Among these trailers the portrayal of race and ethnicity is varied as the avatars have all mixed skin tones and are portrayed very neutrally.
2) What stereotypes have you identified in The Sims FreePlay?
There are the typical gender stereotypes.
The typical stereotype of a white middle/upper class person which they are working hard for to reach success and get their money.3) What media theories can you apply to representations in The Sims FreePlay?
Judith Butler - Gender is a performance
Paul Gilroy - Double consciousness
Representation reading
Read this Forbes article on gender and racism in The Sims franchise and answer the following questions:
1) How realistic does The Sims intend to be?
The game strives to be ' believable ' as opposed to being practical. It replicates everyday life for an individual to appeal to any personal gaming pleasures like diversion.
2) How has The Sims tried to create more realistic representations of ethnicity?
By subverting and making the conventional cartoon animated avatar more realistic, using almost 3D-like animations.
3) How has The Sims responded to racism and sexism in society?
The Sims have responded to racism and sexism by limiting the control the audience has. The Sims have emphasised "All under player control"
4) What is The Sims perspective on gender fluidity and identity?
Gender fluidity is not validated by the game, as players are forced to choose a fixed gender.
5) How does The Sims reinforce the dominant capitalist ideologies of American culture?
The game encourages you to work hard and get a job within the game in order to unlock certain features in the game.
Read this New Normative feature on LGBTQ representation in The Sims franchise and answer the following questions:
1) How did same-sex relationships unexpectedly help the original Sims game to be a success?
The game's inclusion of homosexuality and sexual fluidity helped to gain positive results as it sheds light on an underrepresented culture.
The game's inclusion of homosexuality and sexual fluidity helped to gain positive results as it sheds light on an underrepresented culture.
2) How is sexuality now represented in The Sims?
Sexuality is much more inclusive in the game, as it allows players to ahve the option of choosing who they want to be involved with romantically.
Sexuality is much more inclusive in the game, as it allows players to ahve the option of choosing who they want to be involved with romantically.
3) Why have fans praised the inclusion of LGBTQ relationships in The Sims franchise?
It put a bright light on gay performances for those not openly portrayed within the LGBT community.
It put a bright light on gay performances for those not openly portrayed within the LGBT community.
4) Why did the Sims run into regulatory difficulties with American regulator the ESRB? How did EA respond?
The game was struggling with family friendly content as the character could have sex in the game.
The game was struggling with family friendly content as the character could have sex in the game.
5) How is sexuality represented in the wider videogames industry today?
More games are now promoting same sex relationships and the culture of video games is becoming much more tolerant of them.
More games are now promoting same sex relationships and the culture of video games is becoming much more tolerant of them.
Reality, postmodernism and The Sims
Read this Paste Magazine feature on reality and The Sims franchise. Answer the following questions:
1) What does the article suggest about the representation of real life in The Sims 4?
The article suggests that as Sims imitates real life, it decreases the diversion factor, as the game allows you to lead a lifestyle at home.
2) What audience pleasures did the writer used to find in The Sims franchise?
Escapism - The expansion packs allow gamers to go deeper in terms of escaping out of reality even more.
3) Why the does the writer mention an example of a washer and dryer as additional DLC?
As DLC, the writer mentions the ' washer and dryer ' to accentuate the sense of duty they felt- stuck in the domesticity loop.
4) In your opinion, has The Sims made an error in trying to make the franchise too realistic?
After reading this article, I think The Sims probably made a mistake because the author struggled to find a game like. If the game is too realistic it means it's lost all sense of it being a game that was simply a form of entertainment for people to escape from reality and the Sims seemed to struggle to do that.
5) How does this representation of reality link to Baudrillard’s theory of hyperreality - the increasingly blurred line between real and constructed?
This depiction of reality links to the theory of hyperreality proposed by Baudrillard in the essay, gamers may find it too difficult to define the boundaries between reality and truth construct.
The Sims FreePlay social media analysis
Analyse The Sims FreePlay Facebook page and Twitter feed and answer the following questions:
1) What is the purpose of The Sims FreePlay social media channels?
In order to spread the popularity of the game The Sims, as well as create a type of fan base in which Sims player communities can comment on posts, etc.
2) Choose three posts (from either Twitter or Facebook) and make a note of what they are and how they encourage audience interaction or response.
Instagram: Sims 4: Tiny living stuff pack Instagram: Cross platform gallery for console players
Twitter: Wish you were a little kid again?
3) Scroll down the Facebook feed briefly. How many requests for new content can you find from players? Why is this such as an important part of the appeal for The Sims FreePlay?
A lot of players have requested new content for The Sims FreePlay which indicates that the developers may need more modern and contemporary content creation.
4) What tweets can you find in the Twitter feed that refer to additional content or other revenue streams for EA?
"Wish you were a little kid again? Tap into your Sims 'inner child' with the quest re-run, live in game now!"
5) Linking to our work on postmodernism, how could The Sims FreePlay social media presence be an example of Baudrillard’s hyperreality and simulacra?
The existence of the Sims free play social media is a prime example of simulacra as the social media is placed in the real world and focuses on real actions but it is focused on the Sims ' fictional content- simply taking the media text together and combining it with reality.
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