Lou Pickney's Online Commentary
Sims 2 Addiction
Monday
September 20, 2004
If The Sims 2 was a drug, the government would outlaw it. It's quite possibly the most addictive game I've ever played, and that's a VERY bold statement. I used to think that its predecesor, The Sims, was the most addictive... but no way. TS2 takes the cake.
I'll spare you the detailed, play-by-play review, but there have been many fun adventures so far. I created the Majority family, a couple who I intended to have start out married... only I forgot to link them as such in the family creation mode. So I had to make them fall in love and then finally get hitched (once I figured out what it required to get them to do the wedding deal). From there the wife got pregnant... with what turned out to be twin boys (there's only a 10% chance of twins in The Sims 2). I then had the wife get knocked up again, which wasn't all that easy considering that the time for "WooHoo" (Sims slang for sex) became extremely limited with all the time needed caring for two infant children.
Unfortunately, I failed to keep a close enough watch on the needs category of Gertrude (the wife), and her hunger bar fell dangerously low. She rushed to the kitchen to eat, but it was too late. She hit the empty mark on hunger, meaning she starved to death! Ay yi yi! The twin boys did not take this well, nor did her husband. I put a tombstone up in the yard for her (it was either that or have her urn sitting around the house). But from there she turned into a ghost and began haunting the house. Here's the kicker: as a ghost she still looks pregnant! So I have a pregnant ghost spooking her husband and twin sons from the grave.
What gets me the most is the way that TS2 sucks real-life time away from you. On more than one occasion I've found myself playing, then looked over at the clock and, startled, realized that it was past 2 AM. It all blends together after awhile.
As for real life... how about those Tennessee Vols?!? I watched the Tennessee/Florida game on Saturday night over at my neighbor Brad's apartment, along with some friends of his (all of whom, incidentally, were cheering for Florida). One guy in particular was rather obnoxious in his support for the Gators. It went from stomach-puncher (Wilhoit's missed extra point) to jubilation (Wilhoit hitting the 50 yard field goal with seconds remaining to give Tennessee a 30-28 victory). Though I fully admit that Florida got the shaft on the personal foul penalty called after the third down play where the UT guy hit the Florida guy in the face mask, then the Florida guy retaliated and he's the one who got the flag. But I'll take a UT win over Florida any way I can get it.
It's down to seven people left in the "NFL survival pool" that I'm in with people here at work. $25 entry, with the winner taking $425. The Green Bay loss wiped out a bunch of people; I took New Orleans and damn near had a heart attack, as Deuce McAllister was hurt early and it took a late TD for the Saints to beat the lowly 49ers. But I won, and unlike almost everyone else who stayed alive, I still have New England remaining (once you use a team, they're eliminated). I like Seattle at home this week against the 49ers and will probably take them; the following week, if I'm still alive in the pool, I plan to take New England at home versus Miami. From there we'll see.
My friend Kim Martin told me she checked out my page recently for the first time in awhile and that she thought there was too much about sports in here. Alas, that's one of my top interests, so sports will remain a big part of this.
Tomorrow night we have a big Bubba For Sheriff 2004 volunteer meeting in Clearwater, which should be good. We're less than a month and a half away from election day...
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