The original inspiration for "The Sims" was Christopher Alexander's 1977 book on architecture and urban design, "A Pattern Language". Game designer Will Wright was inspired by the book's focus on functionality in architecture, as Alexander based his design principles on structural usability rather than aesthetic values. Wright wanted to create a simulation game about enabling human behavior and interaction through design. Scott McCloud's 1993 book "Understanding Comics" became a big influence on the design of "The Sims" later on, as it advocates a certain type of "collaboration" between designer and consumer and outlines the value of abstraction for getting readers or players involved with a story.