Final/Reflective Post on "The Sims"

My last 9 weeks of video gaming as been a very exciting time for me! I mean that both in a good way and a frustrating way. I was so thrilled about having the opportunity to learn a video game for school, it sounded great! Then it all started. How do I play this game? Who are these people? Where do they live? I did not know they need jobs to pay for things they needed. Where are the instructions? Then I began creating my own families and I "tried" to build them a lovely home which turned out to be nothing but a pile of dirt! I guess you realize that I have never played a video game before, (not since Pac-Man anyway!) I was so lost! Time after time I struggled to make my family happy and successful. Well somehow that never happened. My family was messy, hungry, dirty and sad. For me, this was when the fun began. The music in the background was morbid sounding. The characters slapped each other, yelled at each other and cried. The graphics had me in hysterics. One afternoon I was playing with one of the families I created, and the one gentleman actually went to the bathroom on the livingroom floor!!! Not only was I shocked, I could not stop laughing. The refrigertator was facing the wall and I could not turn it around. Suddenly this game took on a whole new meaning. I wanted my family to be miserable!! Yes, believe it or not. I was starting to really enjoy this game.

After a few weeks of "miserable" fun, I decided I better "cheat" just a bit and learn how to play this game the"right" way. My daughter helped me realize that I was making part of the game harded then I should be. She showed me an easier way to play "The Sims". Suddenly my family was happy and they all had jobs or went to school. I have to admit, this was a lot easier and enjoyable, but somehow it wasn't as crazy as before. My daughter also took the time to show me some of the simpler ways to handle the characters. For example, calling a neighbor over to talk was good for them. Allowing them time to eat and to paint was also important to them.

The time I spent on this game was a wonderful learning experience for me. It also made me realize I have so much more to learn about computers before I start working has the librarian and "MEDIA SPECIALIST" in our school.

"A Little Help"

This week I finally started looking on the computer for some "cheats" on "The Sims". Of course, I did not have too much luck. Most the cheats I found were for Sims Xbox, PS2, DS , GBA. Not that I know what all this means, however, I check with my 16 year old daughter and she said they could not help me. So I begged and pleaded with her to spend a little time on the computer with me and help me. Guess what? She said "yes"! First off, Amy, my daughter, explained to me that I don't have to create my own family or build my own home. She clicked me right into a beautiful home, two stories, with a mom, dad and daughter. The husband already had a job, the daughter was off to school, and it was the mom who needed a job. So we went outside, found the newsapaper and got her a job too. We also found them some neighborhood friends they could spend time with and visit. Guess what else was in the house? A painting easel. So whenever someone needed some extra points for comfort, they could just paint. My family did not have to share one bed. Whenever someone was tired, there where plenty of beds and couches for them to choose. Suddenly "The Sims" seemed just a bit easier now! However, the family got along! The was no yelling or crying. I think I missed it just a little!!

I'll Keep on TRYING!!

This week, before I looked for cheats, I decided to play the game using "their" people. Maybe it would be easier. WRONG! I started the game using two roomates, Chris and Melissa. They asked me if I wanted to buy a home? "Yes," I said, "we need a place to live." Well, I am still looking for my home. I searched, and searched all over the grounds and there were no buildings at all. Ok, then I'll try building a home. I began hitting buttons, and before long I had a pile of dirt. Now what? I'll try building up some walls. I started hitting some more buttons, before long my home had walls that were actually fences! Alright, where is the delete button? I cannot find it anywhere. So I carried on. Now I have this wonderful pile of dirt with fences around it.
(Ha-Ha!) I think I need some landscaping. Some flowers here and a couple of bushed in front of may pile of dirt. WOW! Look what I have created? NOTHING!! Hey, how are my girl's doing? Melissa is friendly and speaks well to her friends, Chris is crying and moaning. Does anyone have a job? Maybe that's why I could not buy or build a home? Guess what I decided to do? Just like Laurence, I hit the quit button. Ended that mess. I just did not know where else to go.

Next week I need to ask for HELP! Maybe my son or daughter could spare an hour to show me a thing or two. This week I am walking away as frustrated as I felt on the first week. I did not have the opportunity to get on the computer during the week. I am feeling very behind and lost. I recently read an article that said you need to spent at least 25 hours on a game to begin to understand it. For me, that might be more like 50 hours!

"Digital Immigrant"

I really enjoyed reading the article "Emerging Technologies" this week. The first couple of sentences made it all clear to me. I am a "Digital Immigrant". There, I said it and I believe it. Talking about technology to my own child, ages 21 and 16, and my classroom students, age 9, is like talking in a whole new language. They look at me like I am strange, and I look at them like they are from another planet! Most of the times I don't even understand the terminology they use. I hate feeling lost on my own computer. "The Sims" game is helping a little, but there is still so much I need to learn. This week I continued making my family miserable. The reason I think that I like to make my family unhappy is because it is easier than trying to make them happy. At first the dad did not even have a job. Well, I did not know that the dad need to look for a job in the paper. I did not even know where the paper was. (There were several of them on the front lawn!) I have decided to start to "cheat" just a little. The next time I go on "The Sims"
I am first going to look on google for some clues that might help. This "Digital Immigrant"needs
help!

Save "The Sims" or not?

James Paul Gee learned that video games create what psychologist Eric Erickson calls psychsocial moratorium-which is a learning space in which the learner can take risks where real-world consequences are lowered. I believe that is what was happening to me the last time I played "The Sims". I create a family of three people. Each person had a problem. The mother, Claudette, was lazy and did not want the responsibility of cleaning up any messes, hers or anyone elses. The dad, Pierpont, was depressed and did not want a job. Everytime I tried to sent him out to look for empolyment, Pierpont would reply "no, I am too depressed to look for a job." Claudette and Pierpont had one child, a daughter. Now what was her name? Oh yeah, Hazel. Hazel was the saddest of them all. All she did was cry. I was really starting to enjoy the Clark's (my video game family's last name) misery. No, I WAS enjoying their misery. I was laughing and enjoying the sad background music and the Clark's miserable voices. I even had them start to abuse one another. A slap here or a tease there. Who cared? I didn't. There are no video game police. Or are there?

On Thursday night I started playing "The Sims". My daughter was in the room with me. She could not believe what I had done to my family! She grabbed the mouse out of my hand, and within a few minutes, my family was happy again. The mom and the dad were both working and getting money for their work. Without money, my family had little furniture, no food in the refrigerator and no socialization. Hazel was off to school. At the end of the day, all three of them ate dinner. Now all was grand according to my daughter.

They next time I get back on "The Sims" guess what I will probably do? That's right. I will either create a new family or use one of my old families and start to make things miserable for them. What will happen anyway? Will the die? Will they disappear? Oh well. If they do, I will just start all over again. Stay tuned for next week's episode of "The Sims".

Slowly, but surely!

Today I actually enjoyed by time on "The SIMS". As I mentioned before, I created two families. One of those families is rather disfunctional. No one likes to clean up after they eat or shower. They don't even talk nice to one another. Of course, those are the comments I am giving them. I had the mom, Claudette and the husband, Pierpont slapping each other around. The sounds alone had me laughing. Then I notice the background music was sounding very sad and morose. I could not really understand why? Then I realized that my whole family seemed to be very sad and morose. They needed to eat more and have better relationships with other people. I actually liked working with a difficult family. Believe it our not, they made the game much more interesting to play. I can't wait to continue to destroy my family. It all sounds crazy.

Success!

Saturday morning and I am feeling better today. This time I was able to create my own family, The Clark's, and I did not lose any of them. I created a dad, Pierpont. A mom, Claudette, and a daughter Hazel. I used one of their homes this week. The next couple of weeks, I would like to build my own home. The Clark's home needs a help in decorating. I am working on it. This week I some how managed to have a TV in the front yard. Not sure how it happened, but hopefully, for me, I will begin to get better at this game. After last night's disaster I had little hope. Today, I am feeling just a bit more confident. I am keeping the faith.