Nintendo Power is one of a few magazines which got an exclusive first look at MySims for the Wii. Fansite SnootySims obtained scans of the article from the magazine. Over 7 pages there are mostly graphics to watch, but part of the text can also be read. The magazine talked to designer Robin Hunicke and executive producer Tim LeTourneau (also known from his role as senior producer for the first three Sims 2 expansion packs), art director Terry Smith and producer Shannon Copur, all of the MySims team. For more details about what the game will be about, read more. For the graphics, check out the scans below.
The MySims team says the new characters are inspired by Nintendo's style of graphics, and although they may look childish they are not children. The different style may be necessary to make the Sims popular across the Pacific too, after being a hit already in North America and Europe. The characters should, according to Hunicke, "inspire [the player] to explore and find out who they are, discover who lives in the town." An Italian chef might ask you for a pizza oven, just like all characters have their favours to ask you. After the oven the chef may ask for more things related to his character.
The townspeople will "look like you expect," but your own Sim will reflect your personal taste. You can change the hair, eyes, mouth, clothing and other distinguishing features. All you need to do to change your character is point at a body part and push a button. You will be cycling through the various styles rather than scrolling through a list because, as LeTourneau says, it will bring entertaining results not knowing what the next style is like. It's a mix-and-match game, which is more entertaining than picking styles from the catalog. Art directory Terry Smith admits that this is against his artistic sensibilities, but does allow the player to make ugly Sims if they want to.
Building houses is also done through a streamlined interface: you pick up a piece of a building, and simply drop it wherever you want. Then you can pick up and drop more pieces on top of it. Redecorate simply by clicking on a block and press buttons to cycle through the various styles. Throw on a roof, and then you can put in windows, doors, signs and other features. You can also develop your objects the same way. For the pizza oven, for example, you start with the outline of the shape, and then place in blocks to fill it in. Once the basic requirements of an object are met, an identifying feature will appear on the surface of the object. For the oven that will be the opening into which the chef will place his own creations. You can then still continue to customise the object though.
The game will set up a story for the player, gradually taking him into the world of MySims. There will be enough freedom to tell the story the way you like, but there is a back story. You're "moving back to this town where your grandparents live," as Shannon Copur, producer, explains. "It's kind of run down, so the mayor wants you to help bring it back to a flourishing, happy, vibrant town again." Interact with newcomers and do favours for them and the newcomers will settle in. The further you progress in the story, the more options the game will open up to you, in terms of styles and parts you use for building and such. Using these "essences" you'll be able to create things more to the liking of the characters in your town. You make the stuff in the world, and build the complete world to your liking.
Where you're running a town on the Wii version, the DS is set at a vacation resort. It's your task to get visitors to the resort, which you achieve by socializing and performing tasks to complete goals. Minigames, like a fishing game, will make use of the touch screen and microphone. The lower screen will display the environment in the main game, while the upper one will show you the day of the week and time of day. There may also be possible wireless functionality, but no details about that are revealed yet.
Written at 00:45 on Tuesday, 27 February 2007 by ChEeTaH.
