While it’s a blessing for those of us who hate micro-managing everybody, it doesn’t help players who want to keep records, levy fines and stop money coming from nowhere. If you want the degree of control back, you have to return to the TS2 static model. Well, it’s not clear how aging and story progression will be tied together, but I presume you’d need both on, otherwise you’d end up with families full of kids (no aging) or Sims growing old and dying alone without your input (no SP).

I imagine there will need to be some creative hacking of the game, plus the capabilities to allow it, before there could be a truly integrated ‘autonomous economy’ in TS3. Otherwise, players who wish to ‘integrate’ will need to return to meticulous micromanagement of each Sim. Bit of a bummer really. I really hate the giant promotion bonuses and 20K handouts.

So I thought, the next time I do the whole hood-building thing, I’m going to cut back and chose to focus on the community. Small town dynamics and relationships, which is what The Sims is best at showing.

But what if the town had a say in its rules? I could start with a blank slate and let the ‘citizens’ choose what is best. Think about it – the sorts of rules that people play their hoods by are actually real-life political issues: immigration restrictions, taxes, criminal laws, corruption. What kinds of political opinion would exist in a Sim world?

I’ve sketched out a rough idea of two political factions or parties.

Conservatives would be made up of the self-made, founding families, who are sick of paying fees and taxes for everything. In effect, they would represent the ‘normal’ gameplay – freely spawning townies, money from nowhere, etc.

Radicals, community-minded and poorer Sims, would agitate for welfare and more local services. They would represent ‘rules and restrictions’ – career caps, income taxes, population control, etc.

Yes, I have very BROADLY stereotyped the politics here. The point is, Sims in my Hood Project will take sides, and the ‘rules’ of the hood will depend on which side is strongest.