BUG: *Played* Sims being given jobs by the game, not only non-played as patch notes say «12345...Next Go

luthienrising

I am really upset about the new career story progression in the game doing things to my played Sims! I just went back to a 5-Sim household, and one Sim who I deliberately kept unemployed so she'd write and garden and care for kids is suddenly a level 10 spy, and a teen Sim in the house was given a part-time job. I'm now having to rotate through all my families to check what they are now, and hoping they'll actually stay unemployed if I want them unemployed. (And just for detail, I have no played Sims in that career path, so none that might need colleagues. Plus I have 72 living, adult/YA unplayed Sims in my town - which ought to plenty to fill necessary career slots.)

I bought Sims 4 partly because it was not going to do this sort of thing, because it had, as advertised, a great structure for rotational play. I'm very upset today that one of the biggest selling features of the game is being taken away from me now.

Please, please don't add story progression without "off" switches, especially (but not only) for played households. You sold me a no-SP game, and I bought it because that's what I wanted to play.

Artemis_Dreamer

I have yet to experience this problem, as I have not had a chance to play since the patch, but I would like to chime in support for @luthienrising

Several members of my various played households are not employed by choice - some are self-employed authors, or gardeners, and others are unemployed for story reasons. I do not want jobs forced on any of these Sims.

If story progression is being introduced, even gradually, an off switch would be very much appreciated.

Jimil

If they didn't let such a feature be included in the patch specifically made for the upcoming first EP, then there won't be any sims who will be able to work with your sim at their jobs. Ever think about that? No? Of course not.

luthienrising

Jimil wrote: »

If they didn't let such a feature be included in the patch specifically made for the upcoming first EP, then there won't be any sims who will be able to work with your sim at their jobs. Ever think about that? No? Of course not.

It's supposed to be non-played Sims only. That's in the patch notes ("Non-played Sims (sometimes referred to as townies) now have jobs!"). It's broken.

And that was unnecessarily rude.

(FYI people who actually care about this and see it in their game: I've started a bug report here: http://answers.ea.com/t5/The-Sims-4-Bug-Reports/Played-Sims-quitting-amp-getting-jobs/m-p/4444544#M10216. "Me too's" appreciated, as they help get developer attention.)

HalloMolli

I love this new feature but I have to agree that it is obviously broken because it doesn't work as described.

Bellycrow

Ditto to the OP. I bought Sims 4 because I was under the impression there'd be no story progression ruining my game. I have been enjoying this return to Sims 2 style of rotational play. You can do what you like to my townies, but leave all my played households be. My sims are quitting their jobs over and over and right before GTW is super disappointing :(

fullspiral

I am going around and many of my played sims now have jobs. I'm not happy about that.

Leave my played households out of SP, Please devs!

Pamhamlet

Bellycrow wrote: »

Ditto to the OP. I bought Sims 4 because I was under the impression there'd be no story progression ruining my game. I have been enjoying this return to Sims 2 style of rotational play. You can do what you like to my townies, but leave all my played households be. My sims are quitting their jobs over and over and right before GTW is super disappointing

Exactly this. Thank you, luthienrising for starting the bug report. I will add me as a "Me too."

mizuru007

I think this feature would work better if you could actually get your Sims an "unemployed" career so that the game would leave them alone. Like...ugh, I forgot what the word is, but essentially, you're self-employed and the game recognizes that. TS3 had something like that, except you actually had to select what kind of self-employed they were.

Pamhamlet

mizuru007 wrote: »

I think this feature would work better if you could actually get your Sims an "unemployed" career so that the game would leave them alone. Like...ugh, I forgot what the word is, but essentially, you're self-employed and the game recognizes that. TS3 had something like that, except you actually had to select what kind of self-employed they were.

Understandable, but that doesn't address your played Sims who are quitting their already established jobs that you worked hard to get them, just because you switched houses in your rotational play.

LBDX

@luthienrising I asked this on the EA bug forum but I figured I would ask it here as well. Is this only happening on save files that existed before the patch or is it happening in new save files as well, do you know?
Genuinely curious, because if it isn't happening on new save files, you could always do what I did with my time freezing game and 'recreate' the save file in a new game. Moving sims and houses and all of that junk that you want to keep.
It worked great for my time freezing game, it doesn't happen at all anymore and my game runs like a dream!

luthienrising

LBDX wrote: »

@luthienrising I asked this on the EA bug forum but I figured I would ask it here as well. Is this only happening on save files that existed before the patch or is it happening in new save files as well, do you know?
Genuinely curious, because if it isn't happening on new save files, you could always do what I did with my time freezing game and 'recreate' the save file in a new game. Moving sims and houses and all of that junk that you want to keep.
It worked great for my time freezing game, it doesn't happen at all anymore and my game runs like a dream!

I'm going to try out a fresh game to see if it's older-saves-only (maybe I'll set up a world where I don't care about the played Sims as much, and I can use it to try the GTW active careers out to start when it comes out), but only for info for devs. I put a lot of work into this town, including the entire population. I'd like to keep it going longer without having to start relationships fresh.

fullspiral

luthienrising wrote: »

LBDX wrote: »

@luthienrising I asked this on the EA bug forum but I figured I would ask it here as well. Is this only happening on save files that existed before the patch or is it happening in new save files as well, do you know?
Genuinely curious, because if it isn't happening on new save files, you could always do what I did with my time freezing game and 'recreate' the save file in a new game. Moving sims and houses and all of that junk that you want to keep.
It worked great for my time freezing game, it doesn't happen at all anymore and my game runs like a dream!

I'm going to try out a fresh game to see if it's older-saves-only (maybe I'll set up a world where I don't care about the played Sims as much, and I can use it to try the GTW active careers out to start when it comes out), but only for info for devs. I put a lot of work into this town, including the entire population. I'd like to keep it going longer without having to start relationships fresh.

Exactly. I have put a lot of time in to my save too regarding all the households. I shouldn't have to throw it away or start something new because of this.

Anemone7

I'm on your side on this,OP. I love SP, but this "we bring it back bit by bit without caring for rotational players" is annoying. I was always one to think SP shouldn't come back without an uncheck option.
Or, and that is even more plausible, the "played" households should just not be affected by it or why are you even able to choose if a household is played or not in "manage" worlds?!

fullspiral

marcellala wrote: »

I'm on your side on this,OP. I love SP, but this "we bring it back bit by bit wothout caring for rotational players" is annoying. I was always one to think SP shouldn't come back eithout an uncheck option.
Or, and that is even more plausible, the "played" households should just not be affected by it or why are you even able to choose if a household is played or not in "manage" worlds?!

The fact that there is a distinction for played and unplayed sims should make it easier for them to code an SP that would work for all the ways people play this game.

Anemone7

fullspiral wrote: »

marcellala wrote: »

I'm on your side on this,OP. I love SP, but this "we bring it back bit by bit wothout caring for rotational players" is annoying. I was always one to think SP shouldn't come back eithout an uncheck option.
Or, and that is even more plausible, the "played" households should just not be affected by it or why are you even able to choose if a household is played or not in "manage" worlds?!

The fact that there is a distinction for played and unplayed sims should make it easier for them to code an SP that would work for all the ways people play this game.

Yeah, i agree. Use your engine, Gurus!

mizuru007

Pamhamlet wrote: »

mizuru007 wrote: »

I think this feature would work better if you could actually get your Sims an "unemployed" career so that the game would leave them alone. Like...ugh, I forgot what the word is, but essentially, you're self-employed and the game recognizes that. TS3 had something like that, except you actually had to select what kind of self-employed they were.

Understandable, but that doesn't address your played Sims who are quitting their already established jobs that you worked hard to get them, just because you switched houses in your rotational play.

GROSS. I didn't know that was the case! I thought it was only giving jobs to Sims that didn't have jobs at all! I feel like this was a very gentle test at what the team has created in terms of Story Progression so they could get a grasp on how Simmers feel about it. Hopefully, they understand that we want the ability to make Sims self-employed and, should we PERSONALLY give a Sim a job, that Sim should KEEP that job.

wow. wwwwow.

RemySims

This really concerns me as I'm not a huge fan of SP. I don't want my sims to randomly quit their jobs when they already have ones.

Pamhamlet

mizuru007 wrote: »

Pamhamlet wrote: »

mizuru007 wrote: »

I think this feature would work better if you could actually get your Sims an "unemployed" career so that the game would leave them alone. Like...ugh, I forgot what the word is, but essentially, you're self-employed and the game recognizes that. TS3 had something like that, except you actually had to select what kind of self-employed they were.

Understandable, but that doesn't address your played Sims who are quitting their already established jobs that you worked hard to get them, just because you switched houses in your rotational play.

GROSS. I didn't know that was the case! I thought it was only giving jobs to Sims that didn't have jobs at all! I feel like this was a very gentle test at what the team has created in terms of Story Progression so they could get a grasp on how Simmers feel about it. Hopefully, they understand that we want the ability to make Sims self-employed and, should we PERSONALLY give a Sim a job, that Sim should KEEP that job.

wow. wwwwow.

Yes. It's one of the reasons I abandoned EA's story progression early on in Sims 3 in favor of the NRaas SP mod. Imho, EA's was never implemented well. But right now there is no alternative for us, and I highly doubt there will be in the future, either. Anyway, I don't want to start using mods for this game. I hope Maxis will look into this right away and make the adjustments so we can protect our played households.

Sucom

Just when you think the game can't disappoint you anymore than it already does, they go and do this. I just checked a family in my game and guess what, my gardening sim now has a job, as does the mother who has just had twins. Wonderful.... not

lovebypondside

Yeah I have no problem with SP on my townies, I prefer it - but not my simmies please >,<

Cabelle1863

I added my "me too" click. I thought it was really odd last night when I loaded up my Oldie household and teen MarySue now had a part time job mowing lawns. The devs can do whatever they want with the townies (except move them away, KILL that culling garbage with fire please) but I'd like it if they left my played sims ALONE.

Anemone7

On another note, the Grim Reaper is in the musician career in my game. Neat work, Gurus, neat work!

Purplebutterfly

I added my "me too" to your bug post. This is making me not want to play.

luthienrising

Purplebutterfly wrote: »

I added my "me too" to your bug post. This is making me not want to play.

I'm playing a new save where I'm not attached to my played Sims and just letting the game do its thing on them. I figure it can give Chuck Norris and Ron Weasley any job it likes for now! I might end up abandoning the save I was playing anyway - I do tend to do that every few months regardless.

Alysha1988

I'm happy with this addition and would like even more SP. I'd like sims to form relationships and have babies on their own as well. So, I'm personally glad that the game is not still exactly what I bought because I feel what I bought still needs improvement. However, they NEED to give people toggles for these things just like they did with the aging options. There is no excuse for us not having the option to disable aspects of story progression for households that are played, unplayed, currently active etc. People should be able to customize their experience to how they want it.