Now that The Sims Medieval has been announced, I can resurrect this post from the dead! Although there are some things I changed. For a complete history on this article, please read this post on how TSR (The Sims Resource) stole the following article from the UK magazine PC Format, claiming it as their own. I went ahead and edited their logo out and replaced it with PC Format’s. If this magazine (August issue) is sold in your area, make sure you pick up a copy – I heard there are more screens!
While I was at EA almost a year ago I was invited to a very small and very private focus group about a new Sims game which was being developed. I was of course bound by Non Disclosure Agreements disallowing me from talking about the discussions (and still am), but I’m happy to see that what we discussed has made it to a full release to be called ‘The Sims: Medieval’. It seems that not very much has been released about the game yet so this may be the first you hear of it, but it certainly won’t be the last!
The Sims: Medieval is not an expansion or stuff pack, it’s a standalone game more along the lines of The Sims: Life Stories, but a major departure from The Sims 3 and the way of life we have come to know in our beloved games. The Sims: Medieval is played more like an RPG than a simulator, with players choosing from one of ten ‘hero’ characters which they will control as they play out quests to further themselves in the game. The professions include Blacksmith, Bard, Knight, Merchant, Monarch, Physician, Priests, Spy and even Wizard.
There will be no build mode as we know it, but players will be able to expand their castles, houses etc by adding modules. The Create a Sim that we all know and love remains in a basic form for setting up your characters but the game is far removed the modern day worlds we play out today in Sims 3. All the technology you know is gone. Food prep is back to basics and even carrier pigeons are used as your only form of communication.
So The Sims: Medieval is then, very much not just The Sims 3 with old world objects and styles, it’s a completely new way to play the game, focused on quests and objectives in a way not seen in the franchise to date.
According to Rod Humble, Executive VP of EA Play, this will be the first of a series of similar releases which sees The Sims explore “themes, space and time”.
The Sims: Medieval is set in a period of time which allows for rich and varied stories to evolve, many of which will be either based on or heavily influenced by the religions of the time (as it was in real life). You will be able to choose to not have any religious influence, or to experience Jacoban or Peteran Churches (or both). This will greatly affect the way your kingdom operates and is one for the more RTS like elements of the game.
Source – PC Format
I think this is going to have very limited appeal. We won’t be getting it, that’s for certain.
If its going to be a bit Free Form like The Sims 3 with World Adventures as a mix, I might consider getting it. And the fact you can live out a Sims life, I might get it
I think it’s great. It suits my tastes…
Looks awesome! I prefer the RPG aspects of The Sims to the sandbox of building so this is going to be great and the whole line will look interesting, i particiulary like “space”.
OoooooKAY lets see the reviews nd then perhaps get it….
😀
not my style!
Hmm, does this mean they’ll release something like THE SIMS 2020, cause that would be awesome.
Gah! If only this had build mode it would be amazing!…even with all the crappy quests.
I’m probably the only one here who likes that they don’t have build mode in this!!
LOL. Well…I don’t like the fact that it lacks a build mode, but on the other hand it does give them time to put in objectives and other misc. things, so it may balance out in the end. Either way, I’ll be picking it up!
I hate the quest based aspects of TS3 and it’s expansions to date so I’ll be passing on this for sure. It makes me sad though because I do like the idea of Sims in space.
What annoys me is that this had so much potential…it could of been amazing! This has never been done before in the sims series…
But they had to go waste it with making it an rpg…The rpg aspect really kills the game for me. If this had just been sims back in time with all the simulator aspectsit would garentee a buy from me. But all the structured goals really puts me off the idea…And the fact that there is no build mode just makes it worse…this isn’t the sims. In my eyes, this shouldn’t even have the word “SIMS” in the title…
Is The Sims a simulator or a RPG now? ¬¬’
I will definitely -not- be picking this up. Having a sim live in Medieval times doesn’t appeal to me. Sure there are people who are gonna buy it, but for all we know, there might not be a lot of the things we’re accustomed to be in this game. I myself am not a fan on the “There will be no build mode as we know it, but players will be able to expand their castles, houses etc by adding modules”. and the sims look kind of terrible, and less detailed than TS3 (probably just because it’s so early in production). Is this game supposed to be a MMO?
Gee, now that they’re going to allow ‘religion’ in one of the Sims 3 games, can I now have my Christmas items, such as a Christmas tree? Christmas was originally a pagan holiday anyway. I really wish someone would give me an answer on this.
Funny how the TSR article is now gone.
Damn, no build mode? And why strictly RPG? At least give us the option to play like the regular Sims because this had potential. I guess we shall see more later on.
A Sims-esque RPG? Sounds good. I like. Looks like you’ll have to make a new news tab for Medieval where you’ve got the game series’ up top.
Yaaaayy!! I knew it! I said to so many people that it was real but so many told me I was completely wrong! Doubters, I was right! 😀 It looks like it’s in it’s early stage of development but it looks like it can really be good! They can add so much to this, such as dragons and jousting and much more! 😀
Ohh, I shouldv’e read the whole article before I made a comment! RPG, ehh it doesn’t sound good to me! I don’t want to be set on a path of some sort and have many restrictions like other games! Being free and creative is what makes up The Sims franchise and I’m disappointed to call this a “Sim” game as it is the farthest thing from it! EA, taking out the Build mode, adding quests are 2 of the worst thing you could have done! I’m quite sad! Hope it can improve in the later months of the year! :/
THANK YOU for correcting the logo on the screens.
RPG/sandbox debate, I’m not going to go there. Still apprehensive about EA’s approach, but it’ll probably be more familiar than any other medieval game out there. I’m definitely interested.
Aww… 🙁 I wish they wouldn’t do this sort of RPG… especially when Oblivion and Dragon Age are already doing this so well. And then of course Guild Wars 2 should come out in 2011, and that’s looking quite amazing too…. Gah too many castle-themed RPGs/MMOs!!! D:
IT’S NOT AN RPG :p At least, as far as I can tell, there’s no leveling, no xp, no combat. Being set in medieval times and having quests does not make a game an RPG.
It’s not a Sims game either, of course. It’s something new and different. Will it be fun to play? Not nearly enough information yet to tell. I’ll be keeping an eye on it.