They start talking about the mobile phone version, and the LiveWire host is a bit sceptical as to whether the Sims will really work that well on phones. You can engage with the big versions really well, and he isn't sure if that's possible on a phone due to the small screen. A lot of the Sims 2 experience is brought there though, as the full motive gameplay with autonomy and more, even on the 64Kb version. Then there's a difference between the PC and Console versions, where Scot tells that for the consoles they took the best things from the PC version, and added stuff like direct control.

Sims have existed in many places, and now they're going downtown (again). With the original Sims 2 version, as Tim says, they wanted to reinvent the original game, but make it much better. For example there are now aspirations - including the new Pleasure Seeker aspiration in Nightlife - and Sims age. LeTourneau also doens't have any problems with Nightlife being compared to Hot Date, as the latter one was one of the most popular ones for the Sims 1. However, as Nightlife is in the Sims 2, it's a completely different game.

The host also says how moving the game can be. You can enjoy playing it and have a laugh, though it'll completely you up in the experience. And then when something goes bad, you feel sorry or even hurt. Death is much more emotional in the Sims compared to many other games where characters die by the dozens. The ability to tell stories with the game is what creates that connection between the player and the game characters, says Tim.

The first question that comes in, is about a multiplayer Sims game. Scot Amos comments that the Sims 2 on consoles will have a split screen option. On the DS version you'll be able to share things you make, like music and art, with other DS players. On the PSP you can take somebody else's Sim, and download that into your game. There are some multiplayer mini-games in it, and there are eight of those in the GBA edition as well. The PC version will remain single player, though with the exchanging going on throughout the community, there's still quite a big online aspect. As for mobiles, Sims can download Sims and use play with them straight away too. The topic of killing Sims is also mentioned again. That's a boundary that Sims will not cross. The level of innocence of the sims is what attracts many players, and as Sims lose their innocence the players might not feel so connected to them anymore.

After a break they continue with some questions. The first is about if they'll try to make the experience much the same on all platforms, or actually quite different. Scot Amos says that they've obviously learned a lot from the Sims 2 on PC, and that they'll bring the best aspects of that game to the consoles. They have redefined the way to get to them though.

A little new thing Tim LeTourneau brings to light, after talking about needs and specifically hygiene, is that in Nightlife there will be turn-ons and turn-offs. Bad hygiene can be such a turn-off. The next question is about pets. Although Tim jokingly comments that the cow-plant was pet-like, he answers the question by saying it's one of the most requested features. It's a big undertaking though, but he's not saying there will be pets. He does say they clearly know people want pets though, but they won't be in the game yet. "Not at this time" (not for Nightlife).

Another question is about how Maxis comes up with the objects. As an example, Tim mentions the cow plant. It came out of the idea of the new sociology career track. They had to come up with a wacky reward for that one, and that's how eventually the cowplant was born. Brainstorming sessions are, according to Virgina, the most fun sessions together with the team. Besides that the different teams steal ideas from each other, and try to improve them. After a final thank you, the show with the Maxis folks was over.

Written at 02:32 on Friday, 20 May 2005 by ChEeTaH.