The Sims 3 berates you for having a child out of 'wedlock' Yes they use that word...

[Moonlight Butterfly]

And you really think it's much different in Real Life? You think the women with child that do not have a husband are treated as"equal" by local societies? No sir. Sorry. They are very often seen as sluts. "Girl slept around with random guys so no wonder that she now has a kiddo" - that's the most common thing.

Should it be in a game like Sims? I'm not sure, maybe they actually wanted to draw attention to that problem that is more common than you think?

The ironic thing is that she lives with her artists fiance in a massive house who gets 2,000 quid for a small painting /facepalm...

 

[Moonlight Butterfly]

Umm having played the Sims 1-3 I honestly don't remember this EVER coming up from having a child un-married. Are you sure it isn't when you have a child with someone who ISN'T your spouse? Could be wrong here, but I don't remember this at all.

My sims has only ever had 1 boyfriend who she is engaged too. She hasn't even slept with anyone else (poor gal lol)

Hmm that does seem odd then. What traits does your sim have? Wonder maybe it has something to do there. I don't know for sure, just trying to work through it myself.

There are other people who have experienced it aswell it's not just me.

Wait, these are the same people who that made Dante's Inferno and Dead Space.

Hypocritical much?

No, that's wrong. EA doesn't make games, they publish them. Maxis makes the sims, so blame Will Wright, not EA.

Maxis handed over The Sims to EA they don't have anything to do with it anymore.

 

[hurfdurp]

I had a child resulting from an affair in the Sims , and I don't recall getting that. Clearly I am just a top notch citizen.

 

[Jaga Jazzist]

Wait, these are the same people who that made Dante's Imferno and Dead Space.

Hypocritical much?

I agree. You've got two games like Dante's Inferso and Dead Space that have plots heavily centred around celebrating having children out of wedlock and then they go and make this game.

Hell, my favourite part of Dante's Infergo was when Dante went up to that chick who had a kid out of wedlock and said "There's no shame in having a kid out of wedlock" and then turned to the camera and gave one of those hand signs where your hand is mostly a fist but your thumb is pointing away from your fist.

And let's not forget that part in Dead Space where the guy finds out that people were shunning him for having a child out of wedlock so he drop kicks those motherfuckers.

I think they should find the one person who made Dead Space, Dante's Interno and The Sims 3 and ask them to explain this outrageous behaviour.

 

[Mouse_Crouse]

Having looked it up online it seems to be tied to your "celebrity" status. If you do anything (and this qualifies) that the "public" deems "unsavory" as a celebrity you are shamed for 3 days.

 

[DoctorPhil]

Does society really feel that way? Marriage is fucking pointless when it's not harmful.

 

[Jordi]

Fact is, a lot of people still pass judgement on couples who have children out of wedlock. It can be embarrassing for some. I doubt EA was saying it's shameful, rather that in our society it is often viewed as disgraceful.
EDIT: You'll notice it doesn't say you're depressed because you had a child out of wedlock, but rather people found out. And so you became the social pariah or whatever.

This is almost exactly what I wanted to say.

It almost seems to me that people often want to think they are offended so they can cry outrage. All we really know is that EA wrote the community/neighborhood in this game to take offense at it, like some actual communities in the real world like. Maybe (people at) EA agree with this sentiment, but we don't really know that. I guess you could analyze the wording of that message to speculate about this, but I think that you would already be overthinking it and actively looking for something to be offended at.

 

[zarguhl]

What shame is there in raising a child as a single parent? And what 'bad reasons' do people have for not getting married? Because in my experience, I've never come across any untoward reasons for people not anting to marry.

If they are a single parent for a reason like their partner died, there's no shame. But if they knowingly decide to do so it's just irresponsible and if you look into the persons history you'll always find a track record of cheating, one night-stands, etc.

One of the common reasons for not wanting to marry that I've heard is "not wanting the responsibility of marriage," yet still having kids. Which does well to show just where that person is at.

There is a very strong effort to destroy the family going on these days, as the family is the last group that has any real strength left in it now that religious groups have mostly been destroyed.

Once families are fully destroyed society will be totally screwed and civilization will end with a whimper.

 

[tjs09]

And you really think it's much different in Real Life? You think the women with child that do not have a husband are treated as"equal" by local societies? No sir. Sorry. They are very often seen as sluts. "Girl slept around with random guys so no wonder that she now has a kiddo" - that's the most common thing.

Should it be in a game like Sims? I'm not sure, maybe they actually wanted to draw attention to that problem that is more common than you think?

This

Also, I never understood why people felt the need to go into a frensy at the slightest sight of something in a game that even has the potential to offend someone, somewhere.

People are way too sensitive. So Sims 3 made a commentary on single mothers. Deal with it.

 

[Twggie]

Its to do with the Goal Set you pick at the start (cant remember if thats what its called). You get it if you take the family one where the goals are to get married and have children.

 

[Moonlight Butterfly]

Having looked it up online it seems to be tied to your "celebrity" status. If you do anything (and this qualifies) that the "public" deems "unsavory" as a celebrity you are shamed for 3 days.

It is yes, but its still doesn't justify it. Unmarried filmstars have kids all the time and the media loves them...

For those applauding EA do you really think it's right to call it a 'bad action' and 'innapropriate behaiviour'?

:|

 

[GeorgW]

I hope this is a failed attempt at social commentary, cuz otherwise that's pretty offensive.
But I don't really take it seriously, it's just a game. Whenever you enter a simulation you simply accept their rules, and if Maxis thought it would be an interesting gameplay challenge to add that, I'll accept that, even though I think it's wrong.

 

[Mouse_Crouse]

Having looked it up online it seems to be tied to your "celebrity" status. If you do anything (and this qualifies) that the "public" deems "unsavory" as a celebrity you are shamed for 3 days.

It is yes, but its still doesn't justify it. Unmarried filmstars have kids all the time and the media loves them...

Sometimes the media isn't fair. They can and do try to push their morals on other people. Heck it may not be average thoughts today. But many people still find this distasteful and being a celebrity opens you up to public opinion. Is it "fair" no, is it an interesting game mechanic, I say yes. Dealing with public opinion is a neat feature for a celebrity IMO.

 

[Ris]

The only thing I disagree with is the wording. As the daughter of a single parent, it is definitely accurate to say that a child out of wedlock is something that many people will look down on you for. I'd just rather the pop up would have said something like:

"Those gossipy prudes are talking crap about your life choices again. What is this, the 80s? How dare they?! -20 bad mood".

Seems like poor handling rather than deliberate preachiness.

 

[veloper]

This is worth a chuckle.

Anyone knows of the Sims3 setting is a somewhat conservative area? This stuff could make sense within the game.

 

[Pandaman1911]

Well that isn't very nice. I can understand where they were going with that, but... delivery could have used a lot more work.

 

[Moonlight Butterfly]

The only thing I disagree with is the wording. As the daughter of a single parent, it is definitely accurate to say that a child out of wedlock is something that many people will look down on you for. I'd just rather the pop up would have said something like:

"Those gossipy prudes are talking crap about your life choices again. What is this, the 80s? How dare they?! -20 bad mood".

That would probably make more sense and be slightly less offensive tbh. I think they have copy pasted the text from fighting, peeing yourself etc. They really shouldn't have done that.

 

[Mouse_Crouse]

The only thing I disagree with is the wording. As the daughter of a single parent, it is definitely accurate to say that a child out of wedlock is something that many people will look down on you for. I'd just rather the pop up would have said something like:

"Those gossipy prudes are talking crap about your life choices again. What is this, the 80s? How dare they?! -20 bad mood".

I do agree this would actually make a funny way to represent this. However it does appear (from reading online, not personal experience) that you can go to the courthouse and sue for defamation of character. Honestly I find this funnier then the whole rest of the issue.

 

[Alon Shechter]

Personally it made my blood boil. There is absolutely no shame in having children out of wedlock these days and many couple choose to remain unmarried because of cost and also religious (or lack of) beliefs.

I like it. There is shame in intentionally having kids as a single parent and couples who choose to remain unmarried in my experience have only bad reasons for doing so.

Nice to see a piece of modern media actually shoving that in peoples faces a bit.

Care to elaborate?
You'll probably be getting a lot of hate for this post.

(not that I agree with you or something, I strongly disagree)

 

[Mouse_Crouse]

Care to elaborate?
You'll probably be getting a lot of hate for this post.

(not that I agree with you or something, I strongly disagree)

You are falling for it. Don't fall for it. This is exactly how these threads get derailed and locked.