Life simulation game

When life simulating a computer game is called, which allows a simulation and representation of a life cycle of an object or a person according to pre- defined rules. So that it is a specialized sub-category of the genre computer simulation, and often also include real time elements. In some cases, a distinction is still on whether the user who started the simulation, can engage interactively in the action ( with computer games available), or whether the simulation takes place completely alone after establishing the rules and the start of the scenario ( machines or KI simulations ).

The variant with no user interaction is often presented as a simple machine. The best-known version of this is likely to be Conway's game of life, in the basis of certain rules concerning the formation and extinction of living cells an automatically controlled development cycle can be run through the continuously changing himself.

For the computer game industry is normally the version with user interaction use to the player to participate actively in the development of the running scenario, and thereby enable a gaming experience.

Here are the simplest games of this type simulations, in which the user can change only external states to influence an autonomously running simulation without controlling the simulated object itself. This is normally done by the triggering of pulses ( commands or the Add / Remove simulation of relevant objects ), responding to by the simulated object, or a translated through playful actions change the basic simulation parameters. Examples of this type of life simulation include Tamagotchi or early C64 game Little Computer People.

Later, more complex forms arose. The basic principle of the game remained the same, but there were significantly more controllable factors involved in the simulation, so that the choice made by the player decisions were more difficult to predict and often influenced more controllable values ​​at once. Typical representatives of this period are games like Jones in the Fast Lane or Princess Maker. In addition, the first forms of inheritance already made changes in simulation of a new life cycle also emerged, as can be seen for example in Creatures.

Today's life simulations have been transferred to illustrate the influences made ​​by the player via auxiliary objects to create a further illusion of an interactive world, which observed the player more passive, and less active controls. The underlying simulation concept has remained the same. A prominent example of this variety is The Sims.

Known representatives

• Alter ego
• Animal Crossing
• Creatures, creation and simulation of artificial life
• Darwinbots, simulation of artificial life
• The Sims Social Simulation
• Harvest Moon
• The Idolm @ ster, Pop Idol simulation
• Jones in the Fast Lane
• Little Computer People
• Princess Maker, education simulation
• SimAnt, simulation of an ant colony
• Spore, hybrid simulation with gods
• Tamagotchi pet simulation