The Sims Online (EA PC G)

By PETER ELEY

(Herald rating: * * * * )

The Sims are the computer equivalent of reality TV: they live in a goldfish bowl, exposed to public gaze, just like the

contestants on Big Brother or Treasure Island.

And, like TV, taking the reality concept to computer games has been wildly successful.

The Sims is the most popular game of all time and its offbeat, non-violent and downright addictive nature has hooked millions of people of all ages.

But until now, your fellow Sims have been computer creations even if at times they seem like real people.

That's all changed with the introduction of The Sims Online, which lets you play the game with real people disguised as Simoleans.

Like most purely online games, you have to pay a monthly subscription to play. The Sims Online costs US$9.95 a month, and can be paid online by credit card.

Set-up is a bit long-winded, although you are creating an identity for yourself. After 15-30 minutes, depending on your connection speed, you should be set up with an account and a new identity.

You pick a city and your first few hours online will probably be spent exploring what others have already built. The online game is so big that it can seem daunting and lacks much of the structure of the single-player game. It is much slower, but that's probably its strength, too.

You have to build an online persona — find a job, save money, find somewhere to live, and pursue happiness, fun and romance.

The Sims Online isn't perfect, but the potential is there for it to become huge.


After all, why watch it on TV when you can take part yourself? Like all online games, connection speed is important and people with dial-up connections can expect some time lag.

* Email Peter Eley