It could be speculated that the Sims represents the future of gaming, or at least a particular tangent that should be fully exploited – a game that naturally generates it’s own emergent narrative. It would be interesting to see what would happen if you took the elaborate AI where each character has their own personality – hopes, traits etc and transposed it into another genre. I could see it working in an RPG setting. The Sims really isn’t that far from an RPG to begin with when it comes down to it, but I wonder where it could lead in an open FPS game. Something like Flashpoint or ARMA where you’ve got a bunch of generated guys and a general direction and are then left more or less to your own devices.
I suppose the need for actual dialogue might complicate things – the Sims simplified communication driven by body language and thought bubbles rather than actual speech does make the development of emergent narrative more likely.

It’s an exciting topic and one which bares more consideration and discussion. I think I need some kind of blog.