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Simulation video games are a diverse super-category ofvideo games, generally designed to closely simulate real world activities.[1] A simulation game attempts to copy various activities from real life in the form of a game for various purposes such astraining, analysis, prediction, or entertainment. Usually there are no strictly defined goals in the game, and the player is allowed to control a character or environment freely.[2] Well-known examples arewar games,business games, androle play simulation. From three basic types of strategic, planning, and learning exercises: games, simulations, and case studies, a number of hybrids may be considered, including simulation games that are used as case studies.[3] Comparisons of the merits of simulation games versus other teaching techniques have been carried out by many researchers and a number of comprehensive reviews have been published.[4]
Construction and management simulation (CMS)[5] is a type of simulation game in which players build, expand or manage fictional communities or projects with limited resources.[6]Strategy games sometimes incorporate CMS aspects into their game economy, as players must manage resources while expanding their projects. Pure CMS games differ from strategy games in that "the player's goal is not to defeat an enemy, but to build something within the context of an ongoing process."[5] Games in this category are sometimes also called "management games".[7][8][9]
Life simulation games (orartificial life games)[10] are a subgenre of simulation video games in which the player lives or controls one or more artificial lifeforms. A life simulation game can revolve around "individuals and relationships, or it could be a simulation of an ecosystem".[10]Social simulation games are one of its subgenres.
Some video games simulate the playing ofsports. Most sports have been recreated by video games, includingteam sports,athletics andextreme sports. Some games emphasize playing the sport (such as theMadden NFL series), whilst others emphasize strategy and organization (such asFootball Manager). Some, such asArch Rivals, satirize the sport for comic effect. This genre has been popular throughout the history of video games, and is competitive, just like real-world sports. A number of game series feature the names and characteristics of real teams and players, and are updated continuously to reflect real-world changes.
Because Simulation games make learning a matter of direct experience, they may relieve the tedium associated with more conventional modes of instruction, as they demand increased participation rather than merely reading about or discussing concepts and ideas (like discrimination, culture, stratification, and norms). Students will experience them by actually ''living" the experiences. Therefore, the use of simulation games may increase students' motivation and interest in learning.[15][needs update]
Simulation games can provide increased insights into how the world is seen, like the moral and intellectual idiosyncrasies of others. They may also increase empathy for others and help develop awareness of personal and interpersonal values by allowing players to see moral and ethical implications of the choices they make. As such, they can be used to change and improve students attitudes toward self, environment, and classroom learning.[15][needs update]
Many games are designed to change and develop specific skills ofdecision making,problem solving andcritical thinking (such as those involved insurvey sampling,perception andcommunication).[15][needs update]
The Sumerian Game (1964), a text-basedearly mainframe game designed byMabel Addis, based on the ancientSumerian city-state ofLagash, was the firsteconomic simulation game.[16] In 1968,Cornell University funded several simulation games which were developed by Prof. Robert Chase and his students. These includedCornell Hotel Administration Simulation Exercise andCornell Restaurant Administration Simulation Exercise. Notably the restaurant game featured competitive play, with teams managing competing restaurants. The games drew attention from the relevant industries of the time and were made playable at national conventions for theAmerican Hotel & Motel Association and the Club Managers Association of America in 1969.[17]
Another early economic sim byDanielle Bunten Berry,M.U.L.E., released in1983.[18]
In the 1980s, it became a trend forarcade video games to use hydraulic motion simulatorarcade cabinets.[19][20] The trend was sparked bySega's "taikan" games, with "taikan" meaning "body sensation" in Japanese.[20] Sega's first game to use amotion simulator cabinet wasSpace Tactics (1981), aspace combat simulator that had a cockpit cabinet where the screen moved in sync with the on-screen action.[19] The "taikan" trend later began whenYu Suzuki's team at Sega (later known asSega AM2) developedHang-On (1985), aracing video game where the player sits on and moves amotorbike replica to control the in-game actions.[21] Suzuki's team at Sega followed it with hydraulic motion simulator cockpit cabinets forrail shooters such asSpace Harrier (1985), racing games such asOut Run (1986), andcombat flight simulators such asAfter Burner (1987) andG-LOC: Air Battle (1990). One of the most sophisticated motion simulator cabinets in arcades was Sega'sR360 (1990), which simulated the full 360-degree rotation of an aircraft.[19][22] Sega have since continued to manufacture motion simulator cabinets for arcade games through to the 2010s.[19]
In the mid-1980s,Codemasters and theOliver Twins released a number of games with "Simulator" in the title, includingBMX Simulator (1986),Grand Prix Simulator (1986), andPro Boxing Simulator (1988). Richard andDavid Darling of Codemasters were inspired byConcertmaster's best-selling games, which were based on real sports such as football andBMX racing, which had a pre-existing popularity. In a parody of the established "simulator" cliche,Your Sinclair released a game titledAdvanced Lawnmower Simulator in 1988.[23]
The introduction of thecity-building simulation subgenre is closely associated with the 1989 release ofSimCity by developerWill Wright. However, earlier city-building titles had been published, including the 1984Colecovision titleFortune Builder.[24] Later games published by Wright's companyMaxis, includingSimLife andSimEarth, simulated worlds at a broader scale, including recreations ofgenetics andglobal ecosystems.
A study of adolescents who playedSimCity 2000 found that those players had a greater appreciation and expectation of their government officials after playing.[25]
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