The definition of the word Simulation is “Representation of the operation or features of one process or system through the use of another.”

Well that seems simple enough, right? Ah, but we all know that in the world of sports video game simulation, nothing is ever that simple. Sure, the word simulation is bantered about with carelessness and used by developers in a large percentage of game descriptions released for public consumption, but we really need to ask ourselves again, what does simulation mean to us as individuals?

From the genesis of the Playstation 2 and Xbox, the word simulation has been used to describe a multitude of games in every genre. In the sports genre these are just a few of the simulation claiming taglines used by developers in advertising their respective game(s): “The real driving simulator” or “So real, it’s unreal” and of course “If it’s in the game, it’s in the game.” Companies use these lines to draw people in to play their game with hopes that their title will replicate what we see on TV or in person, and in most cases the games do look like what we see, but rarely come close to playing exactly like what see, and that probably is not as bad as one might think.

 

How 'sim' is sim really?

 

The age old question is and always will be, “How much simulation is too much simulation?” How close do gamers really want their favorite sports title to actually replicate that of what they see? Of course, we all want correct rosters with player likenesses as close to possible, and uniforms and stadiums to be exactly what our favorite teams play in, both in uniform and location. But what about gameplay?

Take for instance, the Grand Turismo series claims to be a true driving simulator, not a racing one. Despite the series receiving critical acclaim from both media and gamers, and doing very well in the retail market, there is still a contingency of gamers that do not care for it all. The reason? It’s boring. Some claim that the game is “sterile” and basically just a “car collecting game”, while others have stated that it caters to only the hardcore crowd and hasn’t moved with the times. There are others though who claim that there isn’t another game out there in the racing genre that can come close to competing with Grand Turismo, and state it’s a great racer and simulator. It just depends on the game and the individual, and this is the hardest thing for developers to do -- walk the fine the line of trying to please the masses and be as true to the sport as possible.

Another title that has drawn some angst from the gaming world is the award winning baseball title from Sony, MLB The Show. A title that offers some amazing gameplay, distinct and realistic graphics, and a very deep franchise mode that allows the inner GM in all of us to come out. The problem with this title according to some, is that it is very difficult to just pick up and play, and you have to have to a great eye, great reflexes, and a working knowledge of most of the rules in baseball to fully appreciate and understand the depth and realism that this title actually offers. Sony itself recognized some of the backlash from the last couple of years, and implemented a Beginner Mode that allows gamers to slowly become comfortable on a lower difficulty.

 

Some games struggle with a diffuclty setting that allows accessibility vs. realism.

 

Although this was probably a wise move, if you follow online forums, you will find people who claim it either wasn’t needed, and the people just need to take the time to learn it, or don’t bother playing it. Hardcore gamers hate to see their simulation based games dumbed down to suit the fringe crowd, but the truth is, developers feel they have to take this approach.

We see this struggle also with the ever popular NBA series from 2K Sports. 2K developers pride themselves on pushing the boundaries and blurring the line between real life and video game, but how much is too much? This year’s version offered a wide-array of moves that try to give the user a chance to create the same move-sets that they see in a real NBA game, and while some users absolutely love it, others just disregard it because of the difficulty level. A lot of those same users claim that the game gives an unfair advantage to the ones who have the time and skill to learn all the moves.

 

The amount of options can be inundating at times, and does require the time and patience to learn them, but 2K has provided an in-depth training program to help users become familiar with the move-set. One of the problems that gamers have here though, is that there is no other option, which is whole different topic on its own.

The Tiger Woods golf series is another title that endures the annual struggle of trying to make their game as realistic as possible, yet still fun enough for fringe fans. Golf, as a sport, is extremely difficult and frustrating even on a good day, and any developer worth their weight is not going to want to create a title that truly recreates that frustration. This year the development team implemented a new swing mechanic that raised the difficulty closer to what simulation golf fans wanted. While the game is fun, if you wander into most Tiger Woods forums you will see both appreciation and frustration spilling out over the new mechanics. The one thing they did get correct was give the gamer the option to play online and use the old swing mechanic. While this may seem like such a simple thing to do, many developers choose to go one way or the other, and there is no quicker and easier way to alienate a segment of a fan-base, than by doing just that.

As much as the hardcore sports gamer wants to believe that they represent the majority of people who play sports titles, they do not. And it’s not even close. Major developers and publishers have struggled in the past, and will do so in the future with walking that line of fun and realism we spoke of earlier. Their number one priority is to sell units, and in order to do that, you have to appeal to the masses, not just a select group. The good news is this, certain developers are starting to find a ways to do just that all on the same disc. They are learning how to make the game accessible to all, and still approach the simulation level by simply changing the difficulties within the game. It seems like this would have been the answer all along, but not many games in the past or present have been able to achieve this on a completely successful level.

 

A fun, accessible, but also realistic game, possible?

 

Is it realistic to think that developers can create a sports title that is fun for everyone and still fall under the simulation moniker? Of course it is. It takes the right group of developers, management team and resources. Our hope is that the new generation of consoles will allow the developer more time to fine tune the details of the game and less time struggling to create the game within the given architecture.

We can all agree that realism in our sports games is great, but if we are completely honest, we only want enough realism and simulation style play to where it is still fun to play. Developers are not developing a game for you, myself or any other individual, and we as gamers need to stop thinking like that. As far as developers go, they could alleviate a lot of the headache by simply implementing a better slider system that has a true effect on the game itself, and that should truly help with pleasing the masses. Developers and fans of true simulation can coincide in the world of video games, heck they can even thrive together. There just needs to be better understanding of each other, and a little more flexibility on both sides.