To talk to each other, players will type text that appears in dialogue bubbles above the characters' heads. They can earn points, game rewards and virtual cash by competing for popularity, wealth, relationships and the number of visitors to their house or business. Cooperation will be essential. Experienced players can earn points by being friendly and offering tips to new players. But not everyone has to be nice.
Players can be mean to others by berating or insulting a character.
But points are deducted for bad behavior, reducing a player's chance of winning the popularity contest. There's sex, too, but only up to a point. She says many of the visitors to her site are as young as 12 or 13 years old. She worries about their privacy and the potential for strangers to strike up dysfunctional behavior when the game moves online. So far, Sims Online hasn't been tested outside of Electronic Arts, and the company says it is still finalizing aspects such as the point system and guidelines for players' actions.