Just as is it possible to do everything from ordering groceries to finding a real-life mate on the computer, you're able to create your own virtual family online through simulation games. When you create family members, sites let you choose all sorts of different characteristics, like skin and eye color, personality, and body size.
The Sims
The Sims promises more than one million Sims character configuration options, along with neighborhoods and homes to build. If you are looking for the family appeal, you can create a distinct family unit, as well as an extended family with distinct features and personalities, including zodiac signs and personality traits.
While you can enjoy The Sims offline, the game also offers the opportunity to interact with other Sims players online. The Sims 4, rated 7.5 by IGN, is available for a cost of about $40. However, if you are looking for the real family experience, consider expansion packs like ''Parenthood'' for about $20, which allows players to examine life as a parent. This can include school projects and even disciplining your children.
Creating Your Sims Family
Get started with creating your new family in The Sims by clicking the create family button. This game is fully customizable, with boundless distinguishing features and personality styles. You can start with any character that you choose in the family. For example, you may choose to create the father first.
In the creator, you will choose his name, his personality, and physical features, even down to his specific walk. Then, you can move on to the other family members to do the same. The app allows you to choose their different relationship ties and you can modify their respective ages too. For example, your family can have young children and teenagers, as well as grandmothers and grandfathers.
The choices afforded to you within this world are truly endless, depending on the type of Sims family you'd like to create. You can literally spend hours designing your own custom-made family.
Virtual Families
The simulation game Virtual Families offers thousands of character combinations and personalities you control by offering compliments or admonishment. You're able to help your family members meet significant others, build houses and get jobs. You can even control the weather and time of day to match your own, plus schedule "catastrophic" events such as storms and serious illnesses.
Get your characters to perform yard maintenance, eat, go to work, take care of the children and turn on appliances. Free mobile versions of the game include Virtual Families Lite or Virtual Families 2: Our Dream House. The full mobile version of the game costs about $2. The series was given a good rating of 3.0/5 by GameZebo, but the review did note inconsistencies in the game.
Adopting Your Virtual Family
To begin creating your family within this virtual world, you will adopt a character. The adoption paper lists the character's name, age, gender, profession, salary, likes and if they want children. If you don't like the initial character, then you can try again until you find a character that suits you. After exploring the game for some time, you will get an email about a virtual person you can marry.
Babies
To have children, you want to ensure that you choose two avatars who both want kids. Now, getting children is simply a process of making them. While this game is rated for everyone, this is the part that may make actual parents a bit squeamish. You will put your little avatars in the bedroom (or on the couch if you haven't created the bedroom). And that is how they make a baby. You might have to complete some tasks to get this to happen, but you might also just get a child right away.
There are several tips and tricks for creating your virtual child, like performing this task at night and praising your couple.
Second Life
A very popular simulation game where you can build a family is Second Life, which received mixed reviews from Gamespot users. The game itself is free, but you may need to pay for in-game content. This massive multi-player online role playing game is completely user created. The "residents" (users) build their avatars, houses, shopping malls, and more. The world is conducted in the same manner as real life. You can find love with other online users and even have a virtual child.
While other games allow you to create families from the ground up, this game allows you to customize your avatar and join a virtual family that will fit you. The cost associated with having a child varies; a single child can be around $5-10.
Finding a Family
Creating a simulated family in Second Life is a matter of finding another person who wants to be part of your family. The easiest way to find a family is to put yourself up for adoption. Not only are people looking for children, but they are looking for mothers and fathers as well. Once you are placed with a family, you will typically have a trial period of about a week to ensure you are a good fit. You can also choose to not go to an adoption agency and just search for a family that you think you would be a good fit and ask to join.
If being a mother is your dream, then Second Life has you covered there too. If you would like to try your hand at being pregnant, you can go to a maternity clinic and experience a simulated pregnancy, complete with weekly check-ups and Lamaze classes.
Warnings About Virtual Families
In real life, families may fight or get upset with each other. Because you control your virtual family, this won't be an issue. In some cases, players can spend more time with their virtual spouses and children than with their real families. Addiction can be a problem, so you may want to set a time limit for yourself. Even so, virtual families are fun and can open you up to experiences that you've never had, like having a baby or getting a sister. Now find a game that fits you and get creating.
