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Field Researcher
Original Poster
#1 Old 19th Nov 2018 at 2:58 AM
Default Presentation on Sims 2 Development by Andrew Willmott (Maxis)
I posted this in reply to another thread about the development process of our favorite game, but the amount of info included in this is just so amazing compared to what I have been able to find previously regarding info about the game that this deserves its own thread.

http://game-tech.com/Talks/Willmott.pdf

There's a bunch of photos of the game in various stages of development with interesting UI designs. Apparently a TON of stuff was going to be cut from the game before they extended its release date, and thank god! We wouldn't have had pools in the final game, among other things! It looks like most of the things that didn't make it to the final release were put aside for expansions, along with "Some of earliest ideas cannibalized for 1x expansions, plus people who originated them."

LOADS of info on the breakdown of the development team and how the entire process was a learning tool for the studio itself, plus some more stuff about how the pressure from EA caused problems in the design process. There's no mention of any EA/Maxis office fire and it definitely looks like the game was delayed PRIMARILY because it was so unfinished that it would not appeal to many TS1 players.

There's some info on the technical side of things, such as the 2GB mem limit, graphic card limitations, etc.
Screenshots
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Field Researcher
#2 Old 19th Nov 2018 at 5:31 AM
Thank you. It is very valuable and interesting information.
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retired moderator
#3 Old 19th Nov 2018 at 9:09 AM
Very interesting... I like how they brought over all of the Sims 1 animations but didn't use any!

Thanks for sharing, @Modder !
Theorist
#4 Old 19th Nov 2018 at 11:10 AM
Very interesting. Shed's light on a lot of things, including why Sims 2 had such a change in visual style from the earlier publicity screens to its release, why parts of the code are such a mess and why we'll probably never see the likes of Soms 2 again.
It all sounds like an amazing, awful, wonderful, inspiring, terrible process of inpsired development that would be difficult/impossible to replicate.

Avatar by MasterRed
Taking an extended break from Sims stuff. Might be around, might not.
Field Researcher
#5 Old 19th Nov 2018 at 9:32 PM
I looked at the presentation ... Sims 2 could easily repeat the fate of Sims 4, even go out at the start without swimming pools. But something has changed. In the end, the desire of developers to refine their game to the possible perfection made it the way we know it today.

It could also repeat the fate of many other too ambitious projects, which on release had a bunch of bugs, because of which the games became unplayable and led their publishers or developers to bankruptcy.

But why did it happen that we really love Sims 2, despite the fact that it is sometimes boring and has serious glitches? All because of the fact that it was the first such game? Or are the next games really worse than Sims 2? I wonder what our reaction would be if, instead of Sims 2, Sims 4 came out as we know it and it would be called Sims 2?
Lab Assistant
#6 Old 19th Nov 2018 at 11:51 PM
This is an amazing resource! Even with the huge leaps in technology, recreating this game would take a large team to get done in any reasonable amount of time. I see why there is no competition. You need a large studio to pay the artists and engineers, plus God knows what parts are copyrighted by EA.

And don't get me started on the creative burnout. Really puts into perspective the state of the franchise.

I talk to myself but no one answers ;_;
Field Researcher
#7 Old 20th Nov 2018 at 5:38 AM
I found some information about typical day of Sims 2 devs:

Quote:
SimDeSol (Aug 19, 2004 6:59:18 PM)
What is a typical day like for you guys?

MaxisHunter! (Aug 19, 2004 6:59:18 PM)
Get in around 9:30am, leave around the same time at night. Longer or shorter work days depending on how much we're in crunch mode. We often break in the middle of the day for a spirited lunch which is usually Dim Sum or Pho and Boba Tea.


https://web.archive.org/web/2008052...at_08_19_04.php
Field Researcher
#8 Old 24th Nov 2018 at 10:47 PM
http://game-tech.com/Talks/Willmott.mp3

This is audio recording of presentation.
Field Researcher
#9 Old 11th Jan 2019 at 5:08 PM
SС found this presentation and posted it:

http://simscommunity.info/2019/01/1...-been-released/

Better late than never.
Field Researcher
#10 Old 14th Jan 2019 at 6:58 PM
Thank you, is been a couple of years that I have been obsessed with Sims 2 beta stages(Not joking)
Field Researcher
#11 Old 14th Jan 2019 at 8:41 PM
For those who are obsessed with the beta version of the game and are interested in information about its development, I invite you to our discord server where we look for and study information about the history of the game: https://discord.gg/mwsGWEW
Field Researcher
#12 Old 29th Mar 2019 at 11:54 PM Last edited by Liza : 30th Mar 2019 at 12:17 AM.
I found a full version of presentation. Extra section. In Conclusion it has +100 pages.

http://www.andrewwillmott.com/talks/shipping-sims-2

It explains also about the light and reflection in the game. Why the light is simplified and the reflection from the floor was removed.
Mad Poster
#13 Old 30th Mar 2019 at 12:14 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Liza
I wonder what our reaction would be if, instead of Sims 2, Sims 4 came out as we know it and it would be called Sims 2?

Maybe impressed, but not to extent. It would been a heaven to the publishers at least, as it wouldn't be demanding as much what TS2 brought to the table If it hadn't existing. Though TS3 would be for sure everyone's favorite by a huge landslide, despite technical limitations and annoyances. My two cents at least.

P.S. Sorry for my bad english.
Lab Assistant
#14 Old 1st Apr 2019 at 2:32 AM
This is so cool! I'm going to be honest, I know zip about the technicalities of making a game, programming a game, etc etc, but this was still so cool. The pictures were nice to look at. I've always been interested in beta versions of games, especially the Sims 2, since it is so drastic, and because I love the series so much.

22. male. he/him. autistic.
REST IN PEACE JOTARO KUJO. JUNE 2020 - JANUARY 2021.
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