February 2002 News Archive

Gamespot has written up an in-depth article on the issue of abandonware, or classic computer games that are no longer available on the open market being offered online for free. Some say it's no better than piracy or warez, others claim that it's harmless and may actually boost game sales.

The article asks game publishers, designers, and abandonware webmasters to weigh in on the issue. Both Electronic Arts and Will Wright were asked for and submitted their opinions on the issue. The brief snipit from Will follows:

""This is a rather complicated issue, but let's say I create a game about [a fictitious character named] 'Zars from Mars,'" begins Wright. "Now even though the game may be off the market, by allowing everyone to freely download or even sell collections of old games, I might lose whatever copyright claims I have on the original character. So if many years later I want to start a comic book about Zars, I might have a hard time legally protecting the intellectual property."

You can (and should!) read the full exposé here, but those of you on the fast-track can read the portions by EA and Will here and here respectively.

Firaxis and Maxis have the completed and opened up the SimGolf Exchange where players can share golf courses and stories with fellow fans of the game.

The new exchange has already acquired 95 teleported courses and continues to grow.

Check it out by clicking here!

Maxis has created a tool for users of The Sims and the Hot Date expansion pack which allows you to create your very own date, by adding new townies to the downtown area. They describe their Make-A-Date tool as follows:

You not only get to pick the look of your date, you can create the perfect attitude, guaranteeing the best possible outcome while playing footsie under the table. Don't delay and download today. That perfect match is only a click away.

It'll take one extra click to get there from here, but here's your link.

Gamespot has assembled a nice three page preview of the upcoming expansion pack, The Sims: Vacation. The preview touches on the history of the series, how one goes about creating and visiting their own "Vacation Island," and the number of options that will be available once they get there. A brief quote on sleeping accomodations follows:

"You can even go the cheap route and forgo hotels altogether in favor of tents and igloos. Sure, sleeping under the stars will degrade your sims' comfort levels a bit, but it'll be a lot cheaper than paying for an expensive hotel room. Besides, your sims will be able to mess around inside the tents the same way they did in the restaurant booth in Hot Date."

The preview can be enjoyed here, along with a batch of accompanying screenshots and concept art here.

In the latest sales stats from NPD Intelect, The Sims has been pushed out of the top by two other Electronic Arts titles. The Sims: Hot Date now resides in 3rd place, followed by the original game in 4th, and Livin' Large down in 10th. All other Maxis titles have fallen from the list. In terms of the overall top ten list, The Sims is no longer present, due to the overwhelming demand for tax software. I guess it's more important to file your taxes than to play games. :-)

1. Medal Of Honor: Allied Assault
2. Harry Potter & The Sorcerer's Stone
3. The Sims: Hot Date Expansion Pack
4. The Sims
5. Return To Castle Wolfenstein
6. MP Roller Coaster Tycoon
7. MS Zoo Tycoon
8. MP Civilization 3
9. Backyard Basketball
10. The Sims: Livin Large Expansion Pack

Maxis has finalized and released version 2.0 of their Hot Date Patch. This version should fix many significant glitches in the game's operation, improving the gameplay experience, and should prevent the problems that came with the previous version of the Hot Date patch.

If you're logged in and product registered, you can download directly from this page.

Maxis promises to release international versions of the patch in the near future.

SimGolf.EA.com's picked up a new site design, based heavily on the design elements of TheSims.com and SimCity.com. They've provided a recently released patch to fix some minor bugs in the game, as well as a bunch of Firaxis-created downloads to try out in your game. To check everything out, click here. (Note: You must first add your SimGolf serial number to your Maxis login, or register a new account, before you will be able to download files).

Firaxis promises to have a SimGolf Exchange coming fairly soon.

Meanwhile, over at Penny Arcade, Gabe's written out a valentine to Sid Meier for driving straight into his heart.

I've still yet to grab a copy of SimGolf, but I will soon. Gabe's continued love for SimGolf keeps reminding me how much I want to play the game.

Wired News has written up a nice article on Maxis founder Will Wright, spotlighting his passion for robotics, and detailing the history behind what he has created.

Here's an excerpt:

"One of the reasons The Sims seem so realistic is because everything in the game is somewhat abstract. You see icons of what a Sims is talking about, not the exact words," Wright said. "It invites the player to come in and imagine the details. To pour personality into these empty vessels. If we gave The Sims too much detail, the illusion would break."

You can check out the full article here, and learn a little bit about the man responsible for the games we love so much.