WHO KILLED RILEY HARLOW?

ok I admit, the SIMS bug got me!

My fascination for dollhouses and everything miniature caught me --hook, line and sinker--mesmerized and awed by the sudden realization that a long-standing childhood dream is finally coming true. The little girl in me is finally "playing" with a completely furnished dollhouse with "live" dolls to boot . My computer monitor is suddenly transformed to a dollhouse that I can look into-- normal view, top view, zoomed in , zoomed out -- I can even rotate and get a full 3-d view of the entire house -- as if I am in it too --interacting with the "live" SIMS.

As if it were not enough that I have a 3-d dollhouse with an all-star cast family and neighborhood friends, all the main characters even come with a complete taskboard of satisfying different physical requirements: hunger, energy, hygiene, fun, socialization, environment. OMG, Riley Harlow actually eats, cleans, cooks, sleeps, chats on the computer, talks on the phone, makes beds, takes a bath(can even choose a bubble bath), reads books, watches tv, plays darts, plays computer games, writes on her diary, studies, grills hotdogs, looks through a telescope, makes paper airplanes out of newspapers, recycles paper, kicks a garden decor, etc. Geez, she even pulls a chair, sits on it and pulls it near the table just like how a real person would. And she does all this round the clock (but yes, the counter is too fast, one human minute is equivalent to one SIMS hour)

She cleans the aquarium and even so carefully puts her one hand under the sieve when she does. She pulls out the dishwasher, opens the refrigerator, chooses what to cook, what to eat, and takes care of clutter afterwards and takes out the garbage too. She knows that when she forgets to clean up, the big houseflies come-a buzzing and infest her home. She dances, smiles and frowns, laughs, tells jokes, tells dirty jokes, hugs, flirts and would you believe-- invites a boyfriend to stay the night , leaps into his arms, and cuddles with him on the couch. Riley is complete with all kinds of human emotions and has all kinds of human goals and aspirations that await rewards too. She looks for a job and finds one, gets ready for the carpool everyday. She gets exhausted, annoyed, tired and seeks ways to comfort and amuse herself. TOTALLY AWESOME new way to enjoy computer games.

I am so "into" it! I am awed more and more with how the human mind that created the SIMS lined up the tasks to be accomplished by the characters using computer language. Why would a SIM automatically go to the toilet when it is time for him/her to go -- even without giving it a command? IN the same way that Riley automatically goes to the bookshelf when she wants to amuse herself -- or checks out the refrigerator when hungry.

Some years ago, when Tamagochi invaded the games and gadgets market, I thought it was cool that the small gadget would know when the Tamagochi is hungry or when it needs a bath or when it needs discipline. The SIMS definitely expanded this field and covered the entire daily activities of a human being--and included things that a human being does in a lifetime. Why, Riley even flushes the toilet, turns the tap on and off and practices speech in front of a mirror. The hints in the game now keep telling me that Riley should, by this time, get serious about hooking up with Mickey -- probably because my SIM character Riley is getting old and needs to accomplish more in her life -- such as getting married and raising a family. I wonder how the game would show that part! LOL.


Today I felt bored "maneuvering" and "manipulating" Riley's life that I decided to take the manipulation a little bit further -- I refused to feed her, refused to let her get her bath, or fun and amusement, or socialization. I also refused to let her use the toilet-- instead, I made her clean up every possible part of the house that needs cleaning. WHoaaa!! Her computer even overheated and the wires in a short circuit--then smoke started coming out of the CPU and Riley called over a repairman to do the job. I made her miss a workday to see what will happen when she does ---and a box came up saying Riley used a paid vacation hahahaha! When she goes to work, she automatically replenishes everything. So, to see what will happen if Riley does not get all her needs, I made her miss one more workday --I didn't want to give her a chance to eat at work, attend to biological needs and have fun. (cruel thing to do hehehehe) Round the clock for two SIM days, Riley became hungry, desperate, angry, frustrated -- very sleepy, yet couldn't sleep. After more than 48 hours of not sleeping, she just collapsed and slept where she fell down. Unhappy with her stinking self and growing weak from not eating or drinking anything, Riley expired! And the black, scary shadow of the GRIM REAPER appeared on screen--- a scythe in one hand, the other hand holding a clipboard,then he"reads" something to Riley's expired body and then he takes out a cellphone and "summons" the light from up above to carry Riley's spirit up to the heavens (reminds me of Patrick Swayze in Ghost-LOL)

Bleep. A dialog box appeared. "Sorry, the game cannot continue with on of its main characters pushing up daisies. Not that kind of soap opera. Reloading from your last saved part".


Yeah....who killed Riley Harlow? I DID!

...and resurrected her on the scene where a taxi is dropping her off after going out on a date with Mickey......

......I checked out the internet -- there are other SIMS games -- University....Christmas Party....Open for Business...Nightlife....Family Fun.......


HMMMM my dollhouse is expanding to a COMMUNITY............

Niblisch..Iblando...(whatever language they're using!!!)