Will Wright's Secret to Game Design: Narcissism

Complete video at: http://fora.tv/2009/04/02/Will_Wright_on_Spore_SimCity_and_the_Sims

Superstar video game designer Will Wright names one of his central premises to game design to be "people are very narcissistic." Wright uses this premise to create games like the Sims, which are founded on elaborate, customizable identities.

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Will Wright, the creator of SimCity, the Sims, and now Spore, speaks with pundit John Battelle about the creative process, user-generated content, and much more.

Will Wright is an American computer game designer and co-founder of the game development company, Maxis. He is best known as the original designer of groundbreaking computer games such as SimCity, The Sims and Spore.

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• maxis
• simulations
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[Saktoth]

It was a brilliant experiment. The animation system alone, that could handle so many different creatures in so many different shapes, was utterly incredible. The complexity of the customization was staggering.

Unfortunately though, there just wasnt a game there.

[PersephoneSwimming]

yes, i saw that documentary, the century of the self. very revealing. before his influence, advertising was so innocent. it was like... "buy lucky strikes...because they're good!" now everything is so indirect and stealth and ironic and dead.

i love the conclusion that we are not rational beings. ha ha! how could we be when life is just a dream we are dreaming! i try to face every day my own failure to be a rational being. i recommend that all humans try to acknowledge and remedy this

[Realitydenizen]

@Saktoth I think what happened to Spore was EA's fault. None of the Maxis people wanted to ship the product, as I understand things-- they wanted more time and EA said no, and a lot of the shitty decisions stemmed from that.

[kimsomni09]

THANKS TO MR. WILL WRIGHT.. IM SOOO ADDICTED TO THIS GAME!!

[killallianceftw]

@Ultizer Lol indeed

[maximum411]

@PersephoneSwimming

You are absolutely right- there is no real rational purpose to life.

But if you think rationally about it, there is no reason not to be irrational ;)

so we might as well enjoy our time here

[XXxSimsMoviesxXX]

Watch my version of the Sims 2 translated! :D (Funny glitch at the end!)

[Ultizer]

Poor Will

EA screwed him over

[nightwing49766]

@Telemachus1112 didn't cost me $5 at all. I first started playing with the creature creator. Then I bought spore...Now I have to get the patches now. All I have to get is creepy and cut and galatic adventures.......

[nightwing49766]

@jasincl I have no choice in the matter. I have spore....I dont have the other patches yet.

[nightwing49766]

will is the mother/father of spore! King of kings! The GOD!

[GrandmaJenkins1]

We need Sim City 5!