The Sims Online was a game well before its time. It was a shame to see EA pull it from their servers back in August 2008, when it was re-branded earlier that year as EA Land. A number of fans still played the game when the doors closed, so it’s to no surprise there is interest to re-create the game and to introduce it on private servers. That’s the purpose of TSO Restoration. How does one reverse engineer EA’s platform? The answer to that (and many other questions – including the legal aspects of the game) can be read from the following interview conducted by The Alphaville Herald:
Urizenus: How does one do something like this, especially now that the original TSO is no more? Do you reverse engineer EA’s platform?
Ghost: Unfortunately, because the TSO servers are no longer online – we’re unable to gather any more packets. This means we’re no longer an “emulation” project. Everything except perhaps the art and graphics is being recreated by our team.
Urizenus: So you are building it from scratch. Will it be aesthetically identical to the tSO we remember?
Ghost: Yes, our goal of the project is to make it look and interact exactly as the original TSO.
Urizenus: So the same motives then. What about all the usual interactions? tickling, dancing etc?
Ghost: You will be able to do all of the interactions. In fact, there is no reason we can not have more than just the original interactions. Our team plans on not only providing the same TSO experience for free, but also adding improvements to the game. What is to stop us from supporting unicode with special characters? Why not raise the tile limit and have size nine or ten lots? These are just a few of the ideas our team has in making the game more enjoyable.
Urizenus: What about the possibility of having users provide custom content and custom animations?
Ghost: As we saw in EA-Land, the TSOClient definitely has the potential to support such endeavors. We will pursue such capabilities in the future. I can’t promise you that custom content will be in our first release though.
First time I visit the site in ages and I see this 😀
I want there to be a Sims Online, but I didn’t find the actual one that satisfying for what I imagined. If people were to attempt to build their own TSO, I hope they would do some major innovations and bypass some aspects of TSO.
@Thomas: If you had read the interview, you would already have your answer.
This will be awesome! But the only thing is, there is this site called Vitare which aimed to make something like TSO but better with new graphics and everything.
So they may have competition!!! lol
Wow. I’m all for this restoration. It would have been cool to have a Sims 2 Online, but obviously I’d be expecting EA to do that if anything. And TSO was awesome and I missed playing it when it closed, so it’ll be great if it’s revived and we get to play it for free! 😀
I played TSO when they started allowing people to play for free and I can safely say it was one of my favourite period of times that I have spent on the internet. When people try to see it as a game, they often point out all its flaws and that there’s no point in it, but if you take the time to just experience it for what it is, it’s a great deal of fun.
I lived in an house with someone I had known for a while on MSN as well as other people I had never even met, and we got up to all sorts of random things. We got up in the morning and went to work at a diner which has great teamwork gameplay (as well as music lol), got back and then made jam for hours. Yes, jam. But see, the thing is, it wasn’t making the jam that was fun. It was spending time with complete strangers, in a house, having a good chat and laugh. And let’s not forget the time I had an alternate account wearing nothing but bunny ears and a tail dancing in a dance cage whilst everyone made jam together. You don’t get more random than that!
I had a great time in TSO and I was generally upset to see it go, even though I was only there for roughly 6 months.
I’ve always been told : Don’t say hop before you jump.
There is a chance that one, both or neither of those projects will actally emerge properly. and Vitare will takes years to build, especialyl with a little development team. Don’t get your hopes up just cross your fingers.
So it’ll look and act just like the first Sims? Graphics and all? Or will it be updated with the latest TS3 graphics and movement?
Good to see you back and posting jud 🙂
I loved The Sims Online back in the day, but I think it would just be to outdated now if they brought it back using the same graphics engine, etc that was used in the original.
A game such as The Sims 3 online would be a different story as it would allow for a whole new level of creativity and gameplay that would be fun.
I don’t know…I feel like it is just time for these people to move on already.
I don’t believe this, because before that there were hundreds of reconstruction projects TSO, but they all turned down.
@uknotherner Excuse me, but I was in school, saw this post at a glance, and thought one of you kind Simmer fans could quickly answer my one-and-only question where as I didn’t have to read the full interview. Not that big of a deal…
This is neat, but I wish that we could have a Sims 3 version. The customization in Sims 1 is not that great when being spoiled with Sims 3’s customization. And I do get tired of my Sim looking like many others’ Sims since we have to share the same selection of faces. Still, as long as it is for free, I’ll join again. I have met some very good online friends there. Oh, the memories!
eu queria muito que ele voltasse.
Well, the first time ever, I woud pay a monthly fee for a MMO. OH GOD ITS FANTASTIC!
Sims Online was a great game. Only played when it was free, but had such a great time with meeting people from all around the world. Hope it ever returns. Please!
wonderful
I played TSO when they started allowing people to play for free and I can safely say it was one of my favourite period of times that I have spent on the internet. When people try to see it as a game, they often point out all its flaws and that there’s no point in it, but if you take the time to just experience it for what it is, it’s a great deal of fun. I lived in an house with someone I had known for a while on MSN as well as other people I had never even met, and we got up to all sorts of random things. We got up in the morning and went to work at a diner which has great teamwork gameplay (as well as music lol), got back and then made jam for hours. Yes, jam. But see, the thing is, it wasn’t making the jam that was fun. It was spending time with complete strangers, in a house, having a good chat and laugh. And let’s not forget the time I had an alternate account wearing nothing but bunny ears and a tail dancing in a dance cage whilst everyone made jam together. You don’t get more random than that! I had a great time in TSO and I was generally upset to see it go, even though I was only there for roughly 6 months.
I was looking in internet for such a game where someone could interact with real people and live together ect. And as a surprise I found that there was such a game at Sims ! Sims was and will be ever my favourite Game! I really hope that it comes back so I can play with all you guys who support this projekt! I really really believe that this game can be the best Geme ever!! I think it is the right time for it! Of course new Graphics are importand. Imagine something like Sims 3 but online!!! Oh my God! Don”t they see it ?? There will not be a Human that will not play it at least once! Imagine all the possibilities!!!
For years diehard TSO fans have been waiting for this with great anticipation and still we have seen nothing. I think I’ve heard just about every rumor under the sun and I often wonder if all the rumors are only just a getup for plublicity to other games, another way to draw in a crowd.
YO, where’s the beef?
I would be happy with just the original type graphics and interactions but I’m not sure others would be. The kiddies that played TSO back in 2002 are all growed up now and no doubt, they won’t be satisfied with the old school retro-graphics. I’m sure EA knows there is a market for this sort of thing and there have been many cheap imitations floating around out there but let’s face it… There’s only ONE TSO and EALAND has it and they’re just not releasing it for whatever reasons.
I agree that TSO was a concept before its time that had so much potential it couldn’t even keep up to itself. Perhaps EA wants to avoid repeating the past… Who knows? Would like to take this time to thank some old TSO gamers anyway for making my life a little brighter nonetheless (in case they’re reading)… Willing Labrat, Purple Honey, Murray, Dali Lama, Kristy Wiles, Nasty, Doodlebug, Gabrielle, Blaze, Stinkerbelle, Bob from the Snowbowl, Queen Lilly, and all the rest of you out there that gave old Chester a fair shake in the game. I miss ya’ll.
There Was A Trailer Of TSO And It Was Never Released? :/ When It Was 2008 Stuff Was Getting Worse Of Parents Complaining About it And likeeeee 9 or 8 years old people playing it, They Never Got Through In TSO And They Were Planing Or Whatever TS3. I WISH THEY PLANED IT ON 2009!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND THEN ON 2008 WILL GET SOVLED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
EA-Land Has Moree And More Stuff Then The Sims Online Before When It Was 2007. Don’t Be So Mean Everyone Saying Its Has Graphics. Its Like Some Cool Memories Of A Game And Making You Remember Them. I Never Played TSO. We Really Love Your Games EA And Maxis. We Just Love You Guys Also Your Games So Much But You Guys Disappoint Us Every time Like TSO And Stuff. I’ve Always Had Tears Of The Shop Music And Memories Comes Back Real Fast! What Did Really Luc Barthelet Do? He Left A Team Again! HE LEFT TIRNUA. You Guys Were Just Disappointing Us Real Bad. And We Don’t Like It! RIGHT EVERYONE! I’m A Big Fan Before Meeting Ur Company And Maxis With Will Wright And Sims And SimCity 2000.
And I Hope You Bring It Back :’)
I loved this game, it actually saved my life. I know that sounds REALLY bad, but having so many friends, and one of the most popular houses ever. I miss that. Seriously, Please please please bring back the sims online… Thousands of people paid per month for this… I’d be willing to even pay a little more. (for better graphics)
hi do u know how to get sims on the internet?
thx
I do hope they bring back sims online I loved the game so much !!
i realy hope this works because i never had the time to play the sims online and now i do please ea if ur reading for watever reason bring a sims 3 online i beg of u