Life simulation game

Life simulation is the term used to describe a computer game that enables the simulation and representation of a life cycle of an object or person according to previously defined rules. It is thus a specialized subcategory of the simulation game genre and often includes real-time elements. In some cases, a distinction is made as to whether the user who has started the simulation can interactively intervene in the events (common in computer games), or whether the simulation runs completely on its own after the rules have been defined and the scenario has been started (automata or AI simulations).

The variant without user interaction is often presented as a simple automaton. The best-known version of this is probably Conway's Game of Life, in which certain rules about the creation and extinction of living cells can be used to run through an automatically controlled development cycle that continuously changes itself.

For the computer game industry, the user interaction version is normally used to actively involve the player in the development of the unfolding scenario and thus provide a gaming experience. Game players have to make sure that the virtual characters are doing well by, for example, entertaining and feeding them.

Here, the simplest games of this type are simulations in which the user can only change external states to influence an autonomously running simulation without controlling the simulated object itself. This is normally done by triggering impulses (commands or the addition and removal of objects relevant to the simulation), to which the simulated object reacts, or a change in the basic simulation parameters implemented by game-like actions. Examples of this type of life simulation include Tamagotchi or the early C64 game Little Computer People.

Later, more complex forms appeared. The basic principle of the games remained the same, but significantly more controllable factors were included in the simulation, so that the decisions made by the player were harder to predict, and often influenced several 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 of simulation changes already made within a new life cycle appeared, as can be seen for example in Creatures.

Today's life simulations have moved to represent the player's influences via auxiliary objects to create a further illusion of an interactive world that the player observes more passively and controls less actively. However, the underlying simulation concept has remained the same. A prominent example of this type of game is The Sims, where the player holds the position of creator, controller and observer.

Known representatives

• alter ego
• animal crossing
• Creatures, creation and simulation of artificial life
• Darwinbots, simulation of artificial life
• The Sims, social simulation
• Harvest Moon
• Nintendogs, pet simulation
• The Idolm@ster, Pop Idol Simulation
• Jones in the Fast Lane
• Little Computer People
• Princess Maker, parenting simulation
• SimAnt, simulation of an ant colony
• Spore, hybrid with god simulation
• Tamagotchi, pet simulation
• Tomodachi Life, life simulation with Miis
• The guild, economic simulation in the late middle ages

See also

• List of computer games by genre