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the city is completly underwhelming

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so glad i got this game on sale because if i paid full price i would be putting in for a refund

the "city" in this game is just so underwhelming! it's miniature (it's actually a joke how small it is) not even that many apartments and really could use another penthouse or two

it's so small that you can't fit anything in it.. there really should be bigger sections so it actually feels like a city so you can have a bar in one lot and a restaurant in the other it apartments and office buildings all around it

instead you get this cramped miniature "city" with a apartment or two a bar or whatever and a place for the festival

Comments

  • SnowWolf58SnowWolf58 Posts: 382 Member
    Agree. It needs to be MUCH bigger and perhaps this will happen in a future patch. There is an island w/apartment buildings on it that I would love to see developed. Along w/a LOT more apartments in the existing apartment building shells. I have renovated every apartment and penthouse now w/the exception of the "Star Gazer Lounge" or whatever it's called in CL. I have plans to make that a residential penthouse for one of my CAS families from Oasis Springs.

    I've just gotten in the apartment renovation groove and there are no more apartments for me to work on now.
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  • Renamed2002180839Renamed2002180839 Posts: 3,444 Member
    I think it falls in line with what we've received so far, as far as towns go. In the end, at this point, that's the model they are using and it's not going to change. You get a public space surrounded by four or five lots comprising a neighborhood and your get four to five neighborhoods. I think the basic design must be hardwired into the engine. I've turned to a low rise multi-purpose building in Uptown where I've placed a "cafe bookstore" on the first floor/ a day spa on the second/ a restaurant on the third/ and a karaoke bar on the fourth floor. The vertical use of space does fit an urban feel and allows me to get several primary wants into a 20x30 lot- this multi-use design also fits within an urban scheme. Ideally I would have preferred a mixed use structure with apartments on top and retail/service use on the bottom floor with loading screen to go between each section of the building and maybe a public plaza of some sort out front instead of a typical neighborhood. Much more realistic for a city but people would have really thrown a fit over getting just a handful of buildings instead of neighborhoods- lol. I really do not expect any additional patched in lots to Myshuno. There's 21 apartments lots, 3 penthouse lots, 5 ground level lots and the 64x64 Meadows Park lot for a total of 30 lots.
  • GoldmoldarGoldmoldar Posts: 11,966 Member
    I agree being we cannot build apts at least give us more space to build houses or something. For me creativity cannot be utilized to it's full potential and it is sad in this day and time when technology is at it's highest. :(
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  • marcel21marcel21 Posts: 12,341 Member
    agree very underwhelming.
    hopefully a sims 5 will give us more tools and space, it isn't happening with this game.





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  • baddazonerbaddazoner Posts: 573 Member
    Unfortunately all of the worlds in TS4 are small. They look good from a distance but you see more backdrops and decoration rather than places that you can visit and build yourself

    :disappointed:

    Yep its the most disappointing part of the game.

    Everything is smoke and mirrors
  • NatKingSimNatKingSim Posts: 757 Member
    This EP is a huge disappointment for me.
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  • teaa5teaa5 Posts: 1,407 Member
    So agree with you OP!!!! I watched the reviews and omg.. EP is not worth the original price at all.. I am patiently waiting till it will be like 50%, 60% or even 70% off to buy it... this is how much it is really worth in my eyes... With sims 3 I had no problems with pre-ordering stuff.. almost all ep and stuff packs I did pre-order and never regret buying it for a full price. They did amazing job in sims 3 in my opinion. Sims 4 taught me one thing.. do not buy till you see reviews and till you are sure for 100% it is worth the money they want you to pay. Thank you sims 4:) for a good lesson:)
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  • CarpeNoctemSimsCarpeNoctemSims Posts: 328 Member
    I like the city.

    It's just got so many issues/bugs that I really wish I had purchased the EP on sale. It's not worth the asking price since I don't use the city at all. I love the stuff that came with it.

    @teaa5 Black Friday weekend, many online places had the EP for half off. Keep an eye out on them because I'm sure they'll do it again.
  • teaa5teaa5 Posts: 1,407 Member
    @CarpeNoctemSims will do!! thank you for the info:))
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  • CarpeNoctemSimsCarpeNoctemSims Posts: 328 Member
    edited December 2016
    teaa5 wrote: »
    @CarpeNoctemSims will do!! thank you for the info:))

    Google games deal

    46% off right now.

    Edited out the link because not sure what the rules are for that.
  • teaa5teaa5 Posts: 1,407 Member
    @CarpeNoctemSims thank you so much, but I live in UK... I will try to see if there will be any sales on Boxing day.. and for now I am not in a hurry to buy it.. need to find funds first... wanted to buy Vintage Glamour first.. because I love this stuff pack:) and then maybe later CL. Still a lot of thank you to you for the link <3

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  • teaa5teaa5 Posts: 1,407 Member
    @CarpeNoctemSims added the link to favorites.. will keep checking it, when I have funds :))) thank you:)
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  • CarpeNoctemSimsCarpeNoctemSims Posts: 328 Member
    teaa5 wrote: »
    @CarpeNoctemSims added the link to favorites.. will keep checking it, when I have funds :))) thank you:)

    You're welcome and my friend lives in Scotland. It took some time to find one that had the same deals as US stores.

    Like I said, I enjoy the stuff that came with the EP. I just don't think it's worth the price of an EP because of all the issues with the city.
  • BlueBlack007BlueBlack007 Posts: 4,480 Member
    baddazoner wrote: »
    so glad i got this game on sale because if i paid full price i would be putting in for a refund

    the "city" in this game is just so underwhelming! it's miniature (it's actually a joke how small it is) not even that many apartments and really could use another penthouse or two

    it's so small that you can't fit anything in it.. there really should be bigger sections so it actually feels like a city so you can have a bar in one lot and a restaurant in the other it apartments and office buildings all around it

    instead you get this cramped miniature "city" with a apartment or two a bar or whatever and a place for the festival

    Really one or two Apartments? as far as My paper work reads, I have about 14 Apartments filled with My creations, and like 2 more to fill, so I do not think that City Living is that small, and I am not even a City person, I am still waiting for My Gothic stuff to finally be added, so I will have to disagree bout City Living being small .
  • baddazonerbaddazoner Posts: 573 Member
    baddazoner wrote: »
    so glad i got this game on sale because if i paid full price i would be putting in for a refund

    the "city" in this game is just so underwhelming! it's miniature (it's actually a joke how small it is) not even that many apartments and really could use another penthouse or two

    it's so small that you can't fit anything in it.. there really should be bigger sections so it actually feels like a city so you can have a bar in one lot and a restaurant in the other it apartments and office buildings all around it

    instead you get this cramped miniature "city" with a apartment or two a bar or whatever and a place for the festival

    Really one or two Apartments? as far as My paper work reads, I have about 14 Apartments filled with My creations, and like 2 more to fill, so I do not think that City Living is that small, and I am not even a City person, I am still waiting for My Gothic stuff to finally be added, so I will have to disagree bout City Living being small .

    Its miniature for a city the fact i cant have a section of the city have its own restaurant bar and cafe without having to have them in a all in one building like the other poster suggested is highly annoying

    Cities are supppsed to be big not limited in size like everything in this game
  • pepperjax1230pepperjax1230 Posts: 7,953 Member
    How is the EP underwhelming in what way? Granted I didn't pay full price for the EP I only paid 27 dollars for it I felt like it was the one EP that was worth 40 dollars.
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  • DeservedCriticismDeservedCriticism Posts: 2,251 Member
    teaa5 wrote: »
    @CarpeNoctemSims will do!! thank you for the info:))

    Google games deal

    46% off right now.

    Edited out the link because not sure what the rules are for that.

    It's been on sale for like a straight 2-3 weeks now if you follow individual sales from individual retailers. Started with Target a little under a week before Black Friday, now it's Google Games.

    Another less-spoken of issue is that the neighborhoods are as bland as can be. Buildings encircling a central plaza that hosts festivals. Wow, they sure pulled out all the stops when it came to creative designs!

    I mean this is supposed to be an EP more or less sold by it's world. I'll say it right now: Windenburg annihilates this one in terms of appeal. That's not just a matter of preference, that's the fact that Windenburg actually has some pretty large, expansive neighborhoods with nice looks, whilst City Living just repeatedly says "I sure hope you're enthusiastic about circle-shaped neighborhoods with four buildings and a central festival plaza, cause if so, boy do I have a treat for you!"

    I refuse to believe the devs are blind to how bland this EP looks because the idea that the neighborhoods copy-paste their layout isn't even opinion, it's fact. I would think if the lack of creativity is that blatant, then surely they can understand why people complain. Question is why the heck they bother selling it whilst trying to convince us this city puts Bridgeport to shame. Might as well try selling me Jelly beans whilst claiming it'll cure cancer.
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  • baddazonerbaddazoner Posts: 573 Member
    edited December 2016
    How is the EP underwhelming in what way? Granted I didn't pay full price for the EP I only paid 27 dollars for it I felt like it was the one EP that was worth 40 dollars.

    Its underwhelming because its just a regukar neighborhood with a city backdrop

    Basically smoke and mirrors
  • pepperjax1230pepperjax1230 Posts: 7,953 Member
    edited December 2016
    teaa5 wrote: »
    @CarpeNoctemSims will do!! thank you for the info:))

    Google games deal

    46% off right now.

    Edited out the link because not sure what the rules are for that.

    It's been on sale for like a straight 2-3 weeks now if you follow individual sales from individual retailers. Started with Target a little under a week before Black Friday, now it's Google Games.

    Another less-spoken of issue is that the neighborhoods are as bland as can be. Buildings encircling a central plaza that hosts festivals. Wow, they sure pulled out all the stops when it came to creative designs!

    I mean this is supposed to be an EP more or less sold by it's world. I'll say it right now: Windenburg annihilates this one in terms of appeal. That's not just a matter of preference, that's the fact that Windenburg actually has some pretty large, expansive neighborhoods with nice looks, whilst City Living just repeatedly says "I sure hope you're enthusiastic about circle-shaped neighborhoods with four buildings and a central festival plaza, cause if so, boy do I have a treat for you!"

    I refuse to believe the devs are blind to how bland this EP looks because the idea that the neighborhoods copy-paste their layout isn't even opinion, it's fact. I would think if the lack of creativity is that blatant, then surely they can understand why people complain. Question is why the heck they bother selling it whilst trying to convince us this city puts Bridgeport to shame. Might as well try selling me Jelly beans whilst claiming it'll cure cancer.
    Do you have anything positive say about any part of the sims 4? I like San Myshuno its cool and very lively. Sims 4 isn't sims 3 stop comparing the game they aren't the same.

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  • CynnaCynna Posts: 2,369 Member
    edited December 2016
    I think it falls in line with what we've received so far, as far as towns go. In the end, at this point, that's the model they are using and it's not going to change. You get a public space surrounded by four or five lots comprising a neighborhood and your get four to five neighborhoods. I think the basic design must be hardwired into the engine. I've turned to a low rise multi-purpose building in Uptown where I've placed a "cafe bookstore" on the first floor/ a day spa on the second/ a restaurant on the third/ and a karaoke bar on the fourth floor. The vertical use of space does fit an urban feel and allows me to get several primary wants into a 20x30 lot- this multi-use design also fits within an urban scheme. Ideally I would have preferred a mixed use structure with apartments on top and retail/service use on the bottom floor with loading screen to go between each section of the building and maybe a public plaza of some sort out front instead of a typical neighborhood. Much more realistic for a city but people would have really thrown a fit over getting just a handful of buildings instead of neighborhoods- lol. I really do not expect any additional patched in lots to Myshuno. There's 21 apartments lots, 3 penthouse lots, 5 ground level lots and the 64x64 Meadows Park lot for a total of 30 lots.

    I'm really curious about this. I wasn't aware that multi-purpose lots were possible.

    Did the yoga instructor and massage therapists all show up for work.

    Was the espresso bar thing manned by a barista?

    Did the bar get a bartender?

    Did the chef stations and chefs work?

    Were all floors well populated by visitors?

    Most important, please. What lot designation did you use?

    I was so discouraged about needing a separate lot for every function. However, if you've got a working multi-purpose lot, this REALLY opens up the game. I just don't know how to do it.

    For example, I built a restaurant with a bar and a club in the back, but no DJ showed up. It's also aggravating that if there is more than one bar on a lot, only one bartender shows up. At least, that is what happens in my game.

    Any information that you can provide would be so helpful. :)
    [
    I mean this is supposed to be an EP more or less sold by it's world. I'll say it right now: Windenburg annihilates this one in terms of appeal. That's not just a matter of preference, that's the fact that Windenburg actually has some pretty large, expansive neighborhoods with nice looks, whilst City Living just repeatedly says "I sure hope you're enthusiastic about circle-shaped neighborhoods with four buildings and a central festival plaza, cause if so, boy do I have a treat for you!"

    I agree that, as far as worlds go, Windenburg is the most visually diverse and expansive.

    I quite like the Spice Market in CL. However, the Fashion District, Arts Quarter, and Uptown are so visually similar as to be functionally identical. There's just not enough difference in 'feel' (perhaps ambience is a better word) to distinguish those other three areas. Of all of them, Uptown -- which should have been the best -- is the most barren and dull.

    When I think of a city, I really didn't expect this central courtyard theme. Perhaps it would have been cool in just one of the neighborhoods, but all? It would have been nice to see the team use actual layouts that one might have found in a real city.

    For example, it would have really been cool to see an actual street with lots on all both sides, and kids playing on the sidewalks and in the school yard (had there been actual schools, I mean). For festivals, the street could have been closed down for the occasion. Then stalls and even rides could have appeared. It would have been really nice.

    Instead of food stalls always being present, I would have preferred and appreciated little corner bodegas or something. Or even a pharmacy as an actual place to buy medicine, since hospitals have been inexplicably cordoned off for sick sims.

    As is, San Myshuno just doesn't feel very much like a city. For TS4, it is quite the novelty. However, a city it is not.

    Post edited by Cynna on
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  • drake_mccartydrake_mccarty Posts: 6,114 Member
    Cynna wrote: »
    I think it falls in line with what we've received so far, as far as towns go. In the end, at this point, that's the model they are using and it's not going to change. You get a public space surrounded by four or five lots comprising a neighborhood and your get four to five neighborhoods. I think the basic design must be hardwired into the engine. I've turned to a low rise multi-purpose building in Uptown where I've placed a "cafe bookstore" on the first floor/ a day spa on the second/ a restaurant on the third/ and a karaoke bar on the fourth floor. The vertical use of space does fit an urban feel and allows me to get several primary wants into a 20x30 lot- this multi-use design also fits within an urban scheme. Ideally I would have preferred a mixed use structure with apartments on top and retail/service use on the bottom floor with loading screen to go between each section of the building and maybe a public plaza of some sort out front instead of a typical neighborhood. Much more realistic for a city but people would have really thrown a fit over getting just a handful of buildings instead of neighborhoods- lol. I really do not expect any additional patched in lots to Myshuno. There's 21 apartments lots, 3 penthouse lots, 5 ground level lots and the 64x64 Meadows Park lot for a total of 30 lots.

    I'm really curious about this. I wasn't aware that multi-purpose lots were possible.

    Did the yoga instructor and massage therapists all show up for work.

    Was the espresso bar thing manned by a barista?

    Did the bar get a bartender?

    Did the chef stations and chefs work?

    Were all floors well populated by visitors?

    Most important, please. What lot designation did you use?

    I was so discouraged about needing a separate lot for every function. However, if you've got a working multi-purpose lot, this REALLY opens up the game. I just don't know how to do it.

    For example, I built a restaurant with a bar and a club in the back, but no DJ showed up. It's also aggravating that if there is more than one bar on a lot, only one bartender shows up. At least, that is what happens in my game.

    Any information that you can provide would be so helpful. :)

    Multi-use lots aren't possible. Each venue has a set list of required objects that are pretty much the only objects Sims will autonomously use. So adding spa objects to a gym will not result in the lot being both a gym and a spa, it will still be a gym and Sims will ignore pretty much everything besides the gym stuff that they are drawn to by default. The only exception to that is the instructor yoga mat which does automatically spawn its own NPC.

    Some things allow you to hire an NPC but you have to pay for that. Lots don't work like in the past, they have it set up so Sims will autonomously use certain stuff and completely ignore other stuff on the same lot if it doesn't have a role scripted to it.
  • GoldmoldarGoldmoldar Posts: 11,966 Member
    How is the EP underwhelming in what way? Granted I didn't pay full price for the EP I only paid 27 dollars for it I felt like it was the one EP that was worth 40 dollars.
    It may not be underwhelming for you, but for others looking at what can done in this EP it may be. Many people are disappointed you can't build Apts from scratch and for me that is a restriction and the list can go on. While CL has some good aspects it has some bad as well.

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  • CarpeNoctemSimsCarpeNoctemSims Posts: 328 Member
    Heh, my favorite world was a free one!

    Newcrest is where my Sims live about 95% of the time. I just love that I can do whatever I want with it and it doesn't really have a set theme like the other worlds.

    But back to the EP under discussion.....

    My issues with the city are all bug/glitch related. I don't understand why the game has to spawn so many sims for it. It's constantly spawning sims to use as "buskers" and yet it pulls my played/housed sims with high guitar skills into those roles instead. Does the game REALLY need 20 homeless "weirdo's"? Where do they all go? I surely never see over half these sims it spawns.

    Then there is the lag that is only present for me when I have a sim visiting the city or living in it.

    Or the way the ambient lighting that pours through the windows of the expensive apartments is so strong that if you have any lights in the dwelling then your Sims are blown out/over exposed.

    Don't even get me started on the locked apartment traits and locked special lots (like the wasted park that is locked as a generic lot .... that's what the City Park is... and sims never visit it).

    And those festivals!! I sent one of my sim families to Geek Con. They had never even been to that district and yet the festival spawned on top of the food stalls and tables that were there before which rendered the majority of the stuff unusable.

    The city is nothing more than a bugfest and it's so annoying because I really wanted to be able to have sims living in it. It also is NOT family friendly. The ONLY area that has a play area for children is the Spice District. A low end area with very limited space.

    Sighs.

    I love the stuff that came with the EP but not the world. Not at all.
  • CynnaCynna Posts: 2,369 Member
    edited December 2016

    Multi-use lots aren't possible. Each venue has a set list of required objects that are pretty much the only objects Sims will autonomously use. So adding spa objects to a gym will not result in the lot being both a gym and a spa, it will still be a gym and Sims will ignore pretty much everything besides the gym stuff that they are drawn to by default. The only exception to that is the instructor yoga mat which does automatically spawn its own NPC.

    Some things allow you to hire an NPC but you have to pay for that. Lots don't work like in the past, they have it set up so Sims will autonomously use certain stuff and completely ignore other stuff on the same lot if it doesn't have a role scripted to it.

    Okay. Thank you for confirming this. I got such a spark of hope when the other poster stated what they had built. I guess I just don't get why objects that are operated by NPCs just don't...work...in whichever community lot that they are placed.

    IIRC, this laundry list of requirements was initially used in TS3 then eventually changed. I hope I'm not misremembering this. Why has TS4 gone back to this method? Who cares how many benches there are in a park? What purpose does it serve? Especially, when it is no longer necessary in order for the game to recognize the purpose of a lot because proper lot designators are already available.

    I don't understand the one step forward, two step back mentality of the design decisions. It's as if TS4 is the first Sims game ever made. That is, a game that has no benefit of previous iterations to draw experience from.

    I will never get it.
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