Just about every email I've received (except one) has agreed with me to some extent, favoring one reason more so than the other, etc. Bottom line is that there's quite a few of us who cut our teeth on sims when we first started this hobby and now we want nothing to do with them. Sure, the Baldur's Gate equivalent of flight sims would bring many of us back and add lots of new players to the genre, but that's an awfully big "if" and I just don't see that happening. It's quite possible that magic formula doesn't exist.

In my opinion, sims look and sound great, but they're boring to play (If I were to rewrite your list, I'd vote for better roleplaying and AI). But even if what you say is true, that they need to look and sound better, how long will that sustain someone's enjoyment before wearing thin? Before the gameplay (or lack thereof) starts to come through? Realism in and of itself is *bad.* Nothing wrong with having it, but there has *got* to be more. If sims possesed the same carrot-and-stick like quality of Diablo 2, I'd never go to sleep. :)

Best example I can give: Anyone fired up the original X-Com lately? Ugly 320x200 graphics and it's still the most compelling and fun game you can play.

Good to see you're still at it Cage. :)

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