The theme this week of participatory culture, with a particular focus on games, involves many elements which act to engage an audience in a way that is not passive, such as for film or TV; but elements that cause the audience to be involved in the interpretation, configuration and construction of the game itself. (RAESSENS)
In recent years games have changed from a simple item you buy, to an experience in which you take part. I myself have spent many hours in my teenage years playing the game 'The Sims.' I have played every update and every expansion as they come out. One element that stands out in terms of participation in playing The Sims, is the ability to construct the way the game is played and the results from such actions.
In the latest version of the game, from the very initial moment of game play, I can customize my character in any way I wish, I can make them rich or poor, fat or thin, black or white, smart or dumb, male, female, adult, child, the list goes on.
I choose how their house is built, what furniture they have, even the patterns of material.
I choose their career, education, friendships, romances, enemies and skills to work on.
In having played every 'new generation' of The Sims, I can reflect on how the developers have increased the interactivity of players over the years. Gamers are increasingly given more and more options in order to construct their virtual world exactly how they want it, making it near life-like in many of the options available.
You can see in the below clips just how much freedom, especially in the last clip, a gamer is given in constructing their virtual Sim life. You can re-create people and experiences from real life, or simply make it up as you go, but the main point is; you choose.
Sims 1;
Sims 2;
Sims 3 ;
Sims 4;
Resource; Raessens, J. 2005, ‘Computer games as participatory media culture’, Handbook of
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