Viewing Thread:
"Why in the hell do we like Simulations?"

I was just upstairs, in my room, playing on my PS2. Inside, spinning around, was my Pro Evolution Soccer disc. I sat there, with the radio playing and the sound on the TV muted, weaving in between defenders, faking left and sprinting right, crossing the ball in and powering a header into the back of the net...but I didn't even acknowledge it. No smile of recognition, no punching the air in my head...I just skipped the celebration animation and the replay, and carried on playing. Not so weird, you may think, as the game HAS been out for a long time...

Not to say I don't have a choice. I have about twelve PS2 games of all shapes and sizes: A skating game, a snowboarding game, a fighting game, a racing game, a wrestling game, an athletics game, an action game, and...uh...GTA3...and all I've played for about three months is Pro Evolution Soccer. And I don't think I've ever shown any real emotion whilst playing it. Sure, I enjoy scoring, I love it when I score a stunner from 35 yards out or nail an overhead kick...but I don't truly feel envolved. That's not really a criticism of the game, the handling is tight, the graphics smooth, and the gameplay some of the most authentic around. It just seems that I play the game out of habit, rather than out of liking the game. I'm on the top difficulty and winning games confortably, so there's not THAT much left to achieve...but still, pretty much everyday, I play Pro Evolution Soccer. The only way I can describe it is an addiction.

It got me thinking...see, to me, playing Pro Evolution Soccer isn't as 'fun', in the conventional sense of the word, as shooting people from tall buildings like I can in GTA3. Or doing some crazy Ubertricks, like I can in SSX Tricky. The more I thought about Pro Evo, the more BORING it sounded...come to think of it, what it STOOD for sounded boring. The whole simulation thing. If I wanted to play football, why not just go down the park? I remembered reading a preview for a launch game for the PS2 back in the day, a driving game. Emotion Type S, or something like that anyway. It was being touted as 'the most realistic driving game ever'. But really, who needs a realistic racer?

Gran Turismo is one of the most coveted series Sony has on it's console. People buy it in the millions, and with Geneva/Concept either on the way or already out, there's even more GT-ing to be done on the Playstation Deux. People buy steering wheels to make the experience more authentic...but to someone new to gaming, the title has no appeal. I really liked Diddy Kong Racing, especially the Ice Deathmatch stage. You got to slide around on ice, dive off multiple levels, shoot people with rockets...it was fun to play, and most people who picked it up agree with me. In Gran Turismo 3, you get penalised for driving on the grass. You have to be aware of when to brake, when to slow down, change gears, etc. etc. etc. until you get to the point where it becomes second nature. Sound familiar? People raved over the lush graphics...HELLO? You can go outside and get in your dad's car, have a steering wheel and pedals, photo-realistic graphics AND get penalised for driving on grass...and you don't need to shell out £70 for a DVD disc and a circle of plastic with buttons on!

Games like Diddy Kong Racing, NBA Street and Sega Soccer Slam take things bound by rules, and set them free. You can shoot people with rockets, make rims explode and kung-fu kick your marker and nobody subtracts points from your final score. In fact, it's positively encouraged. So why do we still buy our Gran Turismo 3s, NBA2k2s and Pro Evolution Soccers? Lemme put it this way - how many of us will ever race against 8 other drivers in Monaco in a brand new Mitsubishi at over 100mph? How many of us will be playing against Real Madrid in the Bernabau? How many of us will be able to dribble past Kobe Bryant and dunk in his face? Simulations may sound different if you look at them in a certain light, but really they're the same as most other games. It's something we don't get to do in 'the real world' (or, in some cases, the chance to do something really well that in normal day-to-day life we're not that good at doing).

Gran Turismo 3, NBA2k2 and Pro Evolution Soccer are all considered the best in their respective fields (including Diddy Kong Racing, NBA Street and Sega Soccer Slam)...and when their sequels come along, they'll probably take over. And loads of people will probably buy them, too.

Do you like sims? Do you hate The Sims? Do you feel like clicking the 'reply to this post' link and pressing some random keys? Feel free to do so...but if you'll excuse me, I've gotta go and play some PES.

Thanks for reading.

-El Swandre

Only if the AI is really good :D

you might however take forth the knowledge of how to spot a runner for a through ball, or when a chip shot is likely to be a viable option for your attack on goal.

It's what you see, not what you do, which you can carry forth from simulations.

davyboy wrote:
> its
> also great for practice is its done right :0)

Not really. I can't apply the 'hold L1 and tap square' tip to score an easy chip, can I?

simulation is as close to real life without actualy being there its also great for practice is its done right :0)

El Swandre wrote:
> Thanks.

> I seem to like simulations of sports I play regularly (like Pro
> Evolution), but prefer wacky titles based on things I don't normally
> play (like NBA Street). Weird.

-------

No problemo.

I am just like you. But, I didnt really like Pro Evo to tell the truth, many people know im a TIF2002 fan. But, I just got Pro Evo 2 on import and its much better than the first. Its a brilliant simulation.

But, once im done with having a blast on that, I love to pop in the likes of NBA Street.

Its like the American football range of games. There's the ever so serious Madden franchise which is a simulation, and then theres the NFL Blitz games, total arcade fun.
Just a nice break from the serious stuff.

:D

the great thing about simulations, is they put you in a position where you know real life people have excelled. Now you get the chance to see how well you'd do when put in a similar (simulated) position

Thanks.

I seem to like simulations of sports I play regularly (like Pro Evolution), but prefer wacky titles based on things I don't normally play (like NBA Street). Weird.

A good, interesting read there.

The reason I think people (including myself) are obsessed with simulations is because they have dreams of becoming a top (e.g.) football player but *know* that it cant come true for them. So the closest they can come to playing infront of 50,000 people and taking on the likes of Beckham is playing on a footy simulation.

Personally, I love simulations, I think they put me right where ive always wanted to be. Like in a wrestling ring, or on a football pitch. But I know that wont come true now. I packed in football and I dont want to be a wrestler anymore.... I only watch the stuff occasionally.

But, im sure everyone else likes there 'arcade' games too. Things that wont happen in real life. 'Non-Simulation' games I spose. GTA3, that surely doesnt happen everyday. Well..... all the car chases and murders and theft and things like that obviously do but not on the scale that it has in GTA3. All the conversions from the arcades. I guess arcade games are just the games that are for fun.

Again, that was a very interesting post you got there.

Well done.

:)

El Swandre wrote:
> Thing is, most of the buyers are from Afghanistan...;-)


I won't comment on that lol

Thing is, should I even be laughing?

Monkey_With_Attitude wrote:
> Plus you can buy all those add on packs which seem to come out of know
> where and you don't know what the hell they are and think they are a
> load of overpriced crap. Well, no, their not, because someone
> somewhere will buy it because they want to fly that type of plane
> etc.

Would they make so many if people didn't buy them?

Thing is, most of the buyers are from Afghanistan...;-)