Virtual reality?

Recently I've had quite the desire to play The Sims. Or, more specifically, The Sims 2 - as the first one isn't a match for its sequel (why do games get better with their follow-ups, but movies get worse?).

I'm sure you're aware of the concept of the game - create characters, give them aspirations, earn money along various career paths, buy better furniture for their homes, keep them awake for three days so that they fall asleep in the swimming pool and drown, and so on. Some people don't see the point in the game, and to those people I say, "pffft". And then I'd follow that excellently constructed argument with, "Just play the damn thing for an hour", and I bet they'd play it for two. Or four. Or until four (in the morning).

It's true that it's a highly addictive game, and as a result it's probably a very good thing that I don't actually own a copy of it. When I did last play it I had borrowed it from a now ex-girlfriend, and I lost an entire weekend without realising. There I sat, at my computer, re-creating myself and my real-life housemates in Sim form, getting them new jobs, new decor, and new girlfriends. The fact that my virtual love-interest looked nothing like my real-life girlfriend was perhaps a subconscious indication as to where that particular relationship was heading.

My desire to play it recently stems, I think, from the underlying desire to take control of my life and work on improving it. Or, the thought that I'm now 29 and I want to be working towards something, anything. Or, the fear that one day I'll be 59 and I may not have anything tangible to be ridiculously proud about, and I'll think, "What was the point?"

So why play The Sims? Why not actually take control of my real life rather than a fake one inside my PC?

Well, for one, it's easier than real life. Anyone will hire you. Hot women will date (nay, marry) you. You don't need planning permission for that third storey or swimming pool. And you can get a maid to tidy up.

Secondly, creating your own Sim allows you a clean slate. In this universe, you can be whatever you want (I often choose to be a sports star, or a detective - I'm not sure what that says about me). You can have a different nose. You can get that attractive maid to tidy up after you. And then you can give her a back-rub.

My point is, my desire to play this game lies in the desire to see what my life could be like, if none of the real-world obstacles existed. What I could aspire to, I guess, if I just had the confidence or motivation to get things done. It's probably very sad, but I look at the screenshots for The Sims 3 (I think I'll need a month off work when that's released) and I think, "I wish I lived in a house/neighbourhood like that".

But, as previously mentioned, I don't own the game. You'd think this might mean I've been considering the aspirations I have, and thinking about how I could achieve them. Instead, I've been playing GTA IV, which I should point out does not work in remotely the same way with my conscious. I certainly don't harbour any desires to go car-jacking or slaughtering the public in the real world, although I do like driving around what is essentially New York, and wishing I was back there.

I'm not entirely sure what to conclude from this post, other than that video games are, it would seem, both a healthy and unhealthy distraction for me. And also that all I ever write about in my blog is my desire to do better at things, which I never follow through on.

Actually, my conclusion is very simple - something needs to change. Although, before I do that, I think I need to go cruising through Times Square in my stolen sports car...