The Week Ending November 1, 1999

continued...

The Sims Tools
Companies are always faced with the difficult task of deciding how to promote their upcoming games online, and once in a while a company comes up with an innovative idea that really makes sense.  Years ago Cavedog came up with the animated screenshot and unit viewer for Total Annihilation, two concepts that no doubt really helped build the user community before the game released.  Well, last week Maxis announced that they are making available two unique tools for Will Wright's upcoming game, The Sims, which is now in alpha and scheduled to be available in early 2000.    Homemaster is a tool that lets players view what their Sims house will look like using custom wallpapers, floors, and artwork you can design in paint programs and then import into the tool.  Similarly, the Sim Show tool lets players create personal character "skins" in a paint program and then see what they will look like in the game – I already had a good laugh at the Homer Simpson character model someone created!  The best aspect of these tools is the fact that they are actually applicable to the game so what you create today will be useful when the game ships.  It's a smart way to build an audience months before what is arguably one of 2000's biggest games ships!  You can find out more about the tools and download them from the Sims homepage

Everquest Sale Ban?
Earlier this year everyone from CNN to Newsweek seemed to write a story about the proliferation of online-based persistent world games and the resulting online auction market that developed for virtual characters.  Then, the market was primarily focused on Ultima Online characters, but as Verant's Everquest has grown in popularity Everquest characters have become just as popular – if not more – on auction sites like Ebay.   That was until last week when the creators of Everquest issued a warning that the sale of characters is a "strictly forbidden" practice, apparently in reaction to "price collusion" that was occurring on Ebay.  Well, I have some news for you:  Price collusion is one of those things that can happen in the free market, and if any company thinks it should act as the Internet government to break up price collusion rings then they are far out stepping their bounds.   Believe it or not I'm sure Everquest figures are not the only Ebay items that suffer the effects of price collusion.   Overall, I think the trend of selling online characters is a great side-effect of these games and shows how much time and effort people will put into their characters.  It's not right when a company wants to start banning characters bought over these auction sites.  Sure, warn the consumers, but to say character sales are "strictly forbidden" is a bit rough, don't you think?

Roller Coaster Tycoon
I made a brief mention of the great demo to Chris Sawyer's Roller Coaster game back in the Spring, but I have to admit I've shocked at how well Roller Caster Tycoon has been selling!  Month after month it seems to be right up there on the sales charts, and in September it was in second place right behind Command and Conquer: Tiberian Sun!  Just why does this game keep selling?  You've got me puzzled, considering the fact a very similar game from a few years ago, Theme Park, had disappointing American sales.  But whatever the reason, Roller Coaster Tycoon is definitely a surprise success story for 1999.  No doubt the folks at Bullfrog and EA are watching the charts with glee considering they are just about a month away from releasing their amusement park game, Sim Theme Park.   The rule: Don't ever count out the bouncy castle!

Your Comments?
Agree or disagree?  I'd love to hear your opinions.

Thanks for reading! And that's the Gist of It.

Geoff Keighley
Editor-in-Chief
GameSlice

 

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