What are Simulation Games?

Simulation games, mostly video games today, are a wide variety of games. Simulation games try to replicate various forms of "real" life, to "train" players: such as improving proficiency, analyzing situations or predictions. Simulation games with different degrees of simulation have different functions. A higher degree of simulation can be used for training of professional knowledge; a lower degree can be used as a means of entertainment.

Simulation games

" Simulation " is the core of simulation games. "True" represents the real world. A simulation game with a higher degree of simulation is more helpful to real life. Conversely, a lower degree of simulation makes the game more entertaining. The level of simulation does not represent the excellence of the simulation game, but the market the game faces.
Simulation games can serve three purposes: strategy, planning, and training ^[1]

Branches and side branches of simulation games
Simulation games	By game	Role playing simulation game	Combine with role-playing games. Note that the simulated role-playing game, referred to as RPSG, is a more serious role-playing game. If you are looking for SRPG, a role-playing game that is very popular in Japan (usually as a flag), it should be called TRPG.
	By game	Strategy Simulation Game	Strategy game
	By topic	Simulation game
		Simulation development game
		Ordinary simulation game
		Simulation sand table game
	By content	War Games
		Flight Simulation Games--Airliner Simulation Games--Fighter Simulation Games
			Evolved according to different aircraft types
		Vehicle Simulation-Vehicle Simulation Game-Racing-General-Ship Simulation-Civil Ships-Warships
		Train simulation game
		City building games
		Business Simulation Game
		Love Simulation Game	Love-themed simulation game
		Simulation software
		Shooting Range Game
	other	Tactical shooting game
	other	God simulation game
Side branch		Serious game
		Simulation software	Synonymous with simulation games
		strategy game

Simulation game basics

The definition of ordinary simulation games is relatively simple, just for the purpose of simulation, allowing players to experience games that are usually out of reach (such as aircraft, warships). The subdivision can be divided into Flight Simulation, Train Simulation, Racing Simulation, and so on.

Later, simulation games began to transform and develop. Generally divided into three routes: "expand the range of simulation objects", "deepen the simulation of simulation" and "enhance the entertainment during simulation". The representative of the development of these three simulation games are simulation business games, simulation software and simulation development games.

The simulation business game will change the simulation game from simulating a real object to simulating a large, imaginative enterprise (even spiritual simulation) such as society, economy, and city. Players are no longer like learning to drive, but Use strategies and other skills to complete the tasks given by the game; simulation software emphasizes imagination, military simulation software and aerospace simulation software provide cases that can be freely designed for military training and aerospace exercises; simulation development games will simulate objects for the first time When it comes to people, by cultivating virtual characters to make them successful, players can strengthen their sense of responsibility and gain a great sense of achievement.

Simulation Game Management and Development

Main article: Simulation business game <br /> Simulation business game (Business and Developement Simulation Game), sometimes also called "Economic Simulation Games" (Economic simulation games), is a type of simulation game for development purposes.

Simulation operation expands the concept of simulation . For the first time, the object of simulation is expanded from "single object" (such as a vehicle) to various concepts in a broad sense. Usually, in a simulation business game, the player will take a high-level position such as a manager and try to manage a business.

High-simulation simulation business games involve a lot of economics and business knowledge. It can be said that high-simulation simulation business games are the graphics and integration of traditional business teaching. Players can learn some business concepts from the simulation business games, and even experience business wars similar to reality.
Because of the virtual nature of simulation games, even if you lose money in the game, it will not cause real losses. Simulation business games can also be used for teaching. If the simulation of the game is weakened, then the business simulation game is also an interesting means of entertainment. Players can experience the hardships of operation through simulation business games, and get great joy through successful operations. Experience the joy of a "tycoon".

In addition to operating enterprises, there are also types of huge businesses such as operating cities in the simulation game (for example: "Simulation City" series). Students who have not yet entered the society can learn about demographic changes, transportation planning, and other knowledge from these simulation games. Some students have also learned how their hometown works with other cities in the country. ^[3]

In China, business and development games include both career games such as Sim City and lifestyle games such as The Sims. However, in Europe and the United States, life games are called Life Simulation Games (Artificial life games); and business-type simulation games are called Management Simulation Games.

Example: Simulation object
enterprise	amusement park	city	family	store	team	band	Community	people	there are more..

Simulation game development

Main entry: Growth game <br /> Simulation training game (incubation ), usually referred to as the development game. "Cultivation" is the core element of the simulation development game. Players need to nurture specific objects (humans or animals) in the game.
Usually simulation games are highly entertaining, because people (other creatures) can't be simulated simply like data in their lives, so players mostly rely on this conceptual similarity (such as clicking a " The "learn" button will drive the "educational value" of the virtual character), and the game character gains the success of the virtual world to gain a realistic sense of achievement.

However, you can't slam the simulation development game just because of this. To a certain extent, simulation training games can cultivate people's sense of responsibility. Communicating with and raising virtual characters or animals stimulates the player's desire to protect. The development game has a positive meaning.
The low-simulation simulation development game will become an adventure game or a role-playing game.

It should be noted that in China, although games such as "The Sims" and "Spores" have biological growth elements, because the main purpose of the game is not human, they will be counted as business and development simulations. game.

Simulation game role playing

Main article: Role-playing simulation game <br /> Role-playing Simulation Game (RPSG). Role playing simulation is a simulation game with role playing characteristics. It can ensure that the player experiences any work in a safe atmosphere (because the game world is safe), so that the player can play someone who the player cannot (or has no conditions to) play without bearing any risk.
Role-playing simulation games are also a very good type of intuitive teaching. Some construction, precision operations, and medicine can be completed using simulation role-playing games. You can play as an engineer, driver, and doctor without worrying about mistakes in welding or crashing.
Online role-playing simulation games with internet connection can also exercise the ability of teamwork. Beyond that, role-playing simulation games have many additional benefits. ^[4]

Generally, role-playing simulation games are used:

1. Build an artificial social structure (usually known);

2. Try to move in this artificial social structure;

3. Provide players with real and reliable activity cases to train players' reactions, etc. ^[5]

A more entertaining role-playing simulation game is somewhat similar to a Sandbox Adventure Game, or a Strategy Role-Playing Game.

Regarding SRPG , it is actually a Strategy Role-Playing Game, not a role-playing simulation game. SRPG is a tactical (usually war chess) role-playing game that is very popular in Japan. It is sometimes called a Tactical role-playing game.

Simulation game strategy

Main article: Strategy game

Strategy game (Strategy Game) is a derivative type (or branch) of simulation games. When the simulation object of the simulation game is not just an object (such as a vehicle), the player needs to ensure that the simulation object achieves the goals set by the game when playing the game. Simulation games are generally more free and open, so players need to try their best to achieve their goals within the limits of the game (rules of the game). This gave birth to a whole new type of game: strategy games.

Strategy games are games that require players to use their brains to think and judge. The delineation of strategy game types represents the maturity of the development of simulation games. Simulation games have changed from a simple simulation of something in the past to a form in which players use their brains to solve the "simulation" problems provided by games.

Including simulation business games, most of the branch types of simulation games require players to use strategies. This simulation game using strategy reached its peak when the strategy game that simulated the battlefield appeared. The battlefield-based simulation game becomes the best stage for strategy games.

In Japan and Taiwan, strategy games are a subcategory of simulation games. ^[6]

) Simulation game sandbox (sandbox)

Main article: Sandbox game

Sandbox game (sometimes called Sandtable Simulation Game), the core of the game is "free and open", the game usually does not have obvious goals, the player can move, build or do Game design allowed purposes. Another kind of sandbox game content has a certain proportion of the plot, the player can play a character (protagonist) to complete the game story and provided tasks. But beyond the main plot content, the end can control the character to run at will or do anything allowed in the game design.

Simulation games other

War game, a type of game that relies on content classification. With the theme of war, players line up and defeat the enemy to win. Virtual enemies equipped with powerful artificial intelligence (AI) and a strategic database will make the game more challenging. War games do not only refer to simulation games. Action games with war content (such as shooting games) and strategy games (such as real-time strategy games) can be called war games.

Flight simulation game, a simulation game classified by game content. Taking flight simulation as the main content, a flight simulation game with a high degree of simulation even takes the same inspection steps as in reality when taking off, and the physical properties of the game world and the flight parameters of many aircraft are the same as the real world.

Sports Simluation, a simulation game classified by content. Games that pursue real sporting rules, not entertainment. These games are usually serious, and the graphics are based on realism.

Train Simulation, a simulation game classified by game content. With simulated trains as the main content, players can enjoy the scenery and stations around the world in the game.

City-building game, a simulation game classified by game content. The main content of building a city is similar to a simulation business game.

Government Simulation game (Government Simulation game), a simulation game classified by game content. With government operations and elections as the main content, players can strengthen their understanding of politics. But it is not realistic for political training.

God simulation game (God Game), a simulation game classified by content. Playing the role of the founder, the player's actions can usually affect a race, a continent or even a planet. It is a branch of simulation business games.