Little Computer People

Infobox VG
title=Little Computer People


caption=
developer=Activision
publisher=Activision
designer=David Crane
Rich Gold
engine=
released=1985
genre=Life simulation game
modes=Single player
ratings=
platforms=ZX Spectrum
Commodore 64
Amstrad CPC
Atari ST
Amiga
Apple II
media=Cassette
Floppy disk
requirements=
input=Keyboard, Joystick

"Little Computer People", also called "House-on-a-Disk", is a life simulation game/god game released in 1985 by Activision for the Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, ZX Spectrum and Apple II. An Amiga version was released in 1987. A Famicom Disk System version, published in Japan by DOG (A subsidiary of Square), also exists.

Gameplay

The game has no winning conditions, and only one setting: a sideways view of the inside of a three-story house. After a short time, an animated character (always male, except on the Famicom Disk System) will move in and occupy the house. He then goes about a daily routine, doing everyday things like cooking, watching television or reading the newspaper. Players are able to interact with this person in various ways, including furnishing the house, entering simple commands for the character to perform, playing a game of poker with him and offering presents. On occasion, the character initiates contact on his own, inviting the player to a game or writing a letter explaining his feelings and needs.

Each copy of the game generates its own unique character, so no two copies play exactly the same. The documentation that accompanied the game fully kept up the pretense of the "little people" being real, and living inside one's computer (the software merely "bringing them out"), with the player as their caretaker.

Two versions of the game existed for the Commodore 64: the disk version, which played as described above, and the cassette version, which omitted several features (and was considered crippled). On tape versions, the Little Computer Person was generated from scratch every time the game was started up (not only on the first boot, as with other versions), and thus did not go through the "moving in" sequence seen on other versions. Also, on cassette versions the Computer Person had no memory, and did not dialogue meaningfully with the user; and the card games, such as Poker, could not be played.

Apple Town Story

Infobox VG
title=Apple Town Story


caption=
developer=Square Co. & Activision
publisher=DOG
composer=Nobuo Uematsu [cite web|title=Uematsu's Music|url=http://www.square-enix-usa.com/uematsu/profile/index.html|work=Square-Enix-USA.com|accessdate=2007-09-01]
engine=
released=flagicon|Japan April 3 1987
genre=Simulation
modes=Single player
ratings=
platforms=Famicom Disk System
media=3" Floppy Disk
requirements=
input=Game controllernihongo|"Apple Town Story"|アップルタウン物語 is a port of "Little Computer People" to the Famicom Disk System. The port was released by Squaresoft of "Final Fantasy" fame in 1987 and consists of watching an animated little girl wander around her house and play with her cat. The game offers little interactivity, and there is little plot or actual gameplay. The game is seen as a precursor to Tamagotchi and "Princess Maker". [cite web | title=Apple Town Story | url=http://www.atarihq.com/tsr/fds/apple.html | work=AtariHQ.com | accessdate=2007-09-01]

Add-Ons

According to "High Score!", add-ons were planned, such as diskettes filled with new furniture and an "LCP Apartment", with the LCPs all interacting. These add-ons never materialized.

Reception

While fairly popular in its day, earning a score of 97% in "Zzap!64", [cite web|url= http://www.zzap64.co.uk/zzap7/lcp.html | title=The Activision Little Computer People Discovery Kit | publisher=Newsfield | work=Zzap!64 | accessdate=2006-09-03] the game faded into obscurity afterwards.

Legacy

The game is a clear precursor to "The Sims," validated by an interview with Will Wright (designer of "The Sims") on January 20, 2000. [cite web|url= http://www.cnn.com/chat/transcripts/2000/1/wright/index.html | title=Will Wright : A chat about the "The Sims" and "SimCity" | publisher=CNN | accessdate=2006-09-03]

References

External links

*moby game|id=/little-computer-people
* [http://www.the-commodore-zone.com/articlelive/categories/Articles/Little-Computer-People/ Little Computer People Research Project (extensive information on C64 version)] at The-Commodore-Zone
* [http://www.the-commodore-zone.com/articlelive/articles/7/1/David-Crane/Page1.html Legends of the C64 article on David Crane (includes Little Computer People info)]
* [http://www.softpres.org/?id=article:game:little_computer_people Technical information on how the random characters were generated] at Software Preservation Society
*WoS game|id=0002897