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Life simulation games form a subgenre ofsimulation video games in which the player lives or controls one or more virtual characters (human or otherwise). Such a game can revolve around "individuals and relationships, or it could be a simulation of an ecosystem".[1] Other terms includeartificial life game[1] andsimulated life game (SLG).
Life simulation games are about "maintaining and growing a virtual life",[2] where players are given the power to control the lives of autonomous people or creatures.[1] Artificial life games are related tocomputer science research inartificial life. But "because they're intended for entertainment rather than research, commercial A-life games implement only a subset of what A-life research investigates."[2] This broad genre includesgod games which focus on managing tribal worshipers, as well asartificial pets that focus on one or several animals. It also includes genetic artificial life games, where players manage populations of creatures over several generations.[1]
Artificial life games and life simulations find their origins inartificial life research, includingConway's Game of Life from 1970.[1] But one of the first commercially viable artificial life games wasLittle Computer People in 1985,[1] aCommodore 64 game that allowed players to type requests to characters living in a virtual house. The game is cited as a little-known forerunner of virtual-life simulator games to follow.[3][4] One of the earliestdating sims,Tenshitachi no gogo,[5] was released for the 16-bitNEC PC-9801 computer that same year,[6] though dating sim elements can be found inSega's earlierGirl's Garden in 1984.[7]
In the mid-1990s, virtual pets such asPetz andTamagotchi began to appear. Around the same time,Creatures became "the first full-blown commercial entertainment application of Artificial Life and genetic algorithms".[8] By 2000,The Sims refined the formula seen inLittle Computer People and became the most successful artificial life game created to date.[1]
In 2008, the gameSpore was released, being a notable example of innovative gameplay in a life simulation game, borrowing elements from differentgame genres.Spore, in which the player develops an alien species of their own liking and control them through different life stages, featured different gameplay styles depending on said stage: from the microbial tide pool level (cell stage) that is depicted as a simpleaction game, until the final stage where they can build an interstellar empire (space stage), featuring loose elements from thestrategy game genre.[9]
In 2013, the first playable version ofThrive was released. The idea ofThrive is designed as a more “scientifically accurate" view on the idea ofSpore, which uses a more "cute" and simplified approach. Similar toSpore,Thrive is divided into stages, of which only first is finished, while other 9 stages are currently in development.[10][11]
Digital pets are a subgenre of artificial life game where players train, maintain, and watch a simulated animal.[1] The pets can be simulations of real animals, or fantasy pets.[2] Unlike genetic artificial life games that focus on larger populations of organisms, digital pet games usually allow players to interact with one or a few pets at once.[1] In contrast to artificial life games, digital pets do not usually reproduce or die,[2] although there are exceptions where pets will run away if ignored or mistreated.[1]
Digital pets are usually designed to be cute, and act out a range of emotions and behaviors that tell the player how to influence the pet.[1] "This quality of rich intelligence distinguishes artificial pets from other kinds of A-life, in which individuals have simple rules but the population as a whole developsemergent properties".[2] Players are able to tease, groom, and teach the pet, and so they must be able to learn behaviors from the player.[1] However, these behaviors are typically "preprogrammed and are not truly emergent".[2]
Game designers try to sustain the player's attention by mixing common behaviors with more rare ones, so the player is motivated to keep playing until they see them.[1] Otherwise, these games often lack a victory condition or challenge, and can be classified assoftware toys.[2] Games such asNintendogs have been implemented for theNintendo DS, although there are also simple electronic games that have been implemented on a keychain, such asTamagotchi.[1] There are also numerous online pet-raising/virtual pet games, such asNeopets.[citation needed] Other pet life simulation games include online show dog raising games, and show horse raising games.
Some artificial life games allow players to manage a population of creatures over several generations, and try to achieve goals for the population as a whole.[1] These games have been called genetic artificial life games,[1] or biological simulations.[12] Players are able to crossbreed creatures, which have a set ofgenes or descriptors that define the creature's characteristics.[1] Some games also introduce mutations due to random or environmental factors, which can benefit the population as creatures reproduce.[13] These creatures typically have a short life-span, such as theCreatures series where organisms can survive from half an hour to well over seven hours.[1] Players are able to watch forces ofnatural selection shape their population, but can also interact with the population by breeding certain individuals together, by modifying the environment, or by introducing new creatures from their design.[13]
Another group of biological simulation games seek to simulate the life of an individual animal whose role the player assumes (rather than simulating an entire ecosystem controlled by the player). These includeWolf and its sequelLion, the similarWolfQuest, and the more modestOdell educational series.
In addition, a large number of games have loose biological or evolutionary themes but do not attempt to reflect closely the reality of either biology or evolution: these include, within the "God game" variety,Evolution: The Game of Intelligent Life andSpore, and within the arcade/RPG variety, a multitude of entertainment software products includingEco andEVO: Search for Eden.
Social simulation games explore social interactions between multipleartificial lives. In some cases, the player may simply be an observer with no direct control but can influence the environment of the artificial lives, such as by creating and furnishing a house and creating situations for those characters to interact. These games are part of a subcategory of artificial life game sometimes called a virtual dollhouse.[1]The Sims is the most notable example of this type of game, and was itself influenced by the 1985 gameLittle Computer People.[14][15]
In other games, the player takes a more active role as one character living alongside other artificial ones, engaging in similar life pursuits as to make money or sustain their character while engaging in social interactions with the other characters, typically seeking to gain beneficial relations with all such characters. Several of these fall into the subgenre of farming simulations, where the player-character runs a farm in a rural setting, growing crops and raising livestock to make money to keep their farm going while working to improve relations with the local townspeople.[16] Such games include theStory of Seasons and theAnimal Crossing series, andStardew Valley.[17]Dating sims are related to this type of game, but generally where the play-character is seeking a romantic relationship with one or more computer-controlled characters, with such titles often aimed at more mature audiences compared to the typical social simulation game. Dating sims may be more driven byvisual novel gameplay elements than typical simulation gameplay.[18]
Raising simulation games are a recent subgenre of life simulation games that focus on training and developing a specific character over a set period. Unlike life simulation and virtual pet games, which are usually open-ended, raising sims are defined with clear objectives and narrative outcomes. Gameplay centres around making choices and building character stats in order to reach specific goals or achievements. These games are usuallyturn-based, with time sometimes divided into days or seasons that require actions to be taken in that turn.[19] The subgenre became especially popular inJapan, where it is known as 育成ゲーム (ikusei gēmu).[20]
Most raising simulations are single-player and emphasise planning and resource management. Some titles incorporatevisual novel elements to support branching events and character interactions. While historically more common in Japan, raising simulations have begun to attract growing interest in Western markets.[21]
Notable examples of Raising simulations include:Princess Maker,Monster Rancher,The Idolmaster, andUma Musume Pretty Derby.
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Some games take biology or evolution as a theme, rather than attempting to simulate.
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