So it almost seems like saying ‘simmers’ are casual gamers is also an unpopular opinion.
I used to play all sorts of games. Mostly FPS and RPG. Never enjoyed online games though. After I found the sims, I hardly play any other games because The Sims series replaces all I wanted out of gaming. It took my imagination to a new level and when I want to play a game, all I want to play is ‘TheSims.’
I’m not bound by scripts and goals. I have the freedom to play as I desire. When I want to play a game, I think of all the games I have and wind up firing up the sims instead. I do this because I can play in the environment of my choosing with the characters of my choosing. I create the scenarios. I create the script, and I decide what happens to each character.
My addiction to this series is far from casual. I spend years developing my environments and building my worlds. I spend years playing in those worlds. I can still go back to each game and pick up where I left off; never having to start over and do the same things over to achieve the same end.
I can re-write my plans and change my play-style on the go if I choose. I have over the years. Every time I play, I play a different game.
If EA places ‘simmers’ like myself, or similar to myself, in a ‘casual’ category that is their folly. It’s also where they fail.
Those like us are far from casual. We are hardcore in more than many ways.
It also makes me wonder. If I play so many different ways and develop so many different scenarios, and revisit each time with a new way to play, one could say I’m playing many games. That would fall within the definition of a so-called ‘hardcore’ gamer, I would think.
At the end of the day though, I don’t feel I need a label. Labels are overrated and part of the problem. What I do need is something to challenge me like the previous games did again.
Dissatisfied with Sims 4 and hoping for a better Sims 5
@JoAnne65@comicsforlife I agree too! It is just too simplified to divide all games into just 2 categories called casual games and hardcore games.
1. A casual game is a small game that is only played in short sessions.
2. A hardcore game is a tough game that requires a lot of training and skill before you master it.
But the Sims games are neither casual nor hardcore. They are targeted by EA at casual gamers and of course not at gamers who prefer hardcore games.
Instead of looking at the games we can also look at the gamers. Again it is too simplified just to look at the following 2 categories:
1. Casual gamers who only play small casual games and only for a few minutes in each game session.
2. Hardcore gamers who play all the time and only like difficult hardcore games.
Simmers aren’t hardcore gamers in that sense. But like all games also Sims games can be played both casual and in a more hardcore way where “casual” just means “not every day and usually only in short sessions” while “hardcore” means the opposite.
So no, I would still say that simmers aren’t hardcore gamers. But there are both hardcore simmers and casual simmers. For me the problem here is that EA’s target group only seems to be the casual simmers and not at all the much more hardcore simmers which is the group that most users of this forum belong in. Therefore the Sims games don’t have the depth that I would like and bugs that are deeper in the game don’t get fixed.
That all games don’t fit into just the two categories casual and hardcore is well known and there have been suggestions about adding categories like midcore and other categories. Midcore games are offen mentioned. But I don’t think that it solves the problem just to say that the Sims games are midcore either. There are just too many game types to fit into just three categories and there are also more than three ways to play the games (or just the Sims games).
If you have the money to upgrade your machinery every game, that's fine, but I have real life to factor in and Sims isn't more important than my rent, food, travel and academic costs. If I have to choose between real life and synthesised sim life, I am going to choose my real life, obviously. I think EA knows that, which is why TS4 is aimed at a wider audience. Being an adult doesn't automatically mean you have magical amounts of money, because that money is often required in other areas. I am a longterm simmer but I didn't play Sims through TS3 because my old pc didn't cope with it. I have nothing against TS3 or its gamers, but I'm not interested in an elite game with super graphics for the rich and equipped only to enjoy. I'm happy that Sims caters to people who are not hardcore gamers with top level equipment. It's for everyone, and TS4 embraces that concept. This thread indicates that that opinion is not particularly popular, but it's still how I feel.
Going to the topic of elders as mentioned before, I actually hate the fact elders can't do anything without getting really fatigued and at risk of death. I mean, playing chess should not kill someone, and yet in my game a sim died because playing chess was overexertion. I want more meaning for my sim elders and not the risk of losing them to something so silly. I understand that a heavy workout would be strenuous, but playing chess? O.o.
Totally get what you're saying in your first paragraph @Vraie; however, can't the same be said for the opposite end of the spectrum. This game is processor heavy and always has been, hence why they up the specs when larger DLC gets added. Why not take advantage of the technology available and make this game outstanding?
For many, this is the only game that they play and for hours on end; why shouldn't they have high standards? Of course there are options though; save up for a new rig (I highly doubt the "rich" and "elite" just splash out cash for a new rig without a little planning), have side games - there were always side games developed along with console and mobile games. Each bit of technology caters to someone and there are other options for people that don't want to upgrade their systems to play on PC. I just seriously don't think this game should be made to cater to lower-end machines; let EA make the game as it should be...taking advantage of technology in all of its glory. Just my 2p on this unpopular opinion
I have to agree with that too. Why I wish they would bring back the Sims Life Stories series. Because those that can't afford to get a new PC generally can't afford to get every pack anyways. So why not bring the Life Stories series that is actually made for laptops and isn't expensive game pack wise either. The Sims 3 offered a side game too for laptops with the Sims 3 Medieval. So far when the Sims 4 last five years, it is going to cost $600, so why I can't believe people can't afford a decent computer when they are paying that much for the games itself. I mean I'm not rich either, but that is part of the reason why I got into the Sims because it was cheaper for me to buy Sims packs and kill my shopping desire to buy a bunch of designer clothes or the constant desire to buy the newest phone on the market than it is to upgrade my computer to play Sims games. I worked my behind off for scholarships for college and I can't afford to travel. I don't think the game should be catered to lower-end machines either, save the side games for that. Also why there are console versions of the game now too, so those that don't want to be bothered by having to up their specs for packs, can play it on a more consistent system that won't change with time. Computers are made to be upgraded just like phones are and generally going to be cheaper overall cost going the console route for Sims 4 factoring in the system you play it on. For the Sims 4 being a game that is focused on the rich with gameplay and objects, kind of oxymoron to have the game cater to the opposite of that with the computer spec system. I kind of wish the Sims 4 was better at portraying a wider class of Sims. It focuses too much on the rich.
I guess that is my unpopular opinion is I like having side games being developed along side with the main series so that those that have laptops and those that have desktops can both enjoy playing Sims games made for their systems. I couldn't care less about the casual or hardcore discussion. Every game out there is able to run games and follow system specs. Why people in the Sims community can't follow game spec requirements I fail to understand. There is a difference between being poor and just having common sense. You just don't buy more packs if your system can't handle it period. That is just a scenario set up for failure and will end up breaking the computer so yeah great putting a game ahead of being able to have a computer that isn't broken so you can continue to do the everyday tasks of paying bills, paying rent, and school assignments. I actually had to put school ahead of my Sims wants for a time because there was a time where my unbalanced priorities caused my grades to decrease. I stopped caring about pack releases during the Sims 3 and just concentrating on doing my assignments on my laptop. I ended up graduating with honors. I just hope with the next generation of Sims games there will be a side game of Sims developed along the PC version because not only will it be easier on their computer systems, but will probably help with college students too not having a game run loud in a public setting like school. Sims 3 and 4 would run so loud having the fan keep up with the system not having a graphics card or cooling system with my laptop just running the game.
Post edited by Scobre on
“Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” –Helen Keller
I don't like the aesthetic of the game and maxis match bugs me. Everything I do I use Alpha Custom content because it think it looks better and not as lazy as the original clay-y image that the game has going on.
If you have the money to upgrade your machinery every game, that's fine, but I have real life to factor in and Sims isn't more important than my rent, food, travel and academic costs. If I have to choose between real life and synthesised sim life, I am going to choose my real life, obviously. I think EA knows that, which is why TS4 is aimed at a wider audience. Being an adult doesn't automatically mean you have magical amounts of money, because that money is often required in other areas. I am a longterm simmer but I didn't play Sims through TS3 because my old pc didn't cope with it. I have nothing against TS3 or its gamers, but I'm not interested in an elite game with super graphics for the rich and equipped only to enjoy. I'm happy that Sims caters to people who are not hardcore gamers with top level equipment. It's for everyone, and TS4 embraces that concept. This thread indicates that that opinion is not particularly popular, but it's still how I feel.
Going to the topic of elders as mentioned before, I actually hate the fact elders can't do anything without getting really fatigued and at risk of death. I mean, playing chess should not kill someone, and yet in my game a sim died because playing chess was overexertion. I want more meaning for my sim elders and not the risk of losing them to something so silly. I understand that a heavy workout would be strenuous, but playing chess? O.o.
Totally get what you're saying in your first paragraph @Vraie; however, can't the same be said for the opposite end of the spectrum. This game is processor heavy and always has been, hence why they up the specs when larger DLC gets added. Why not take advantage of the technology available and make this game outstanding?
For many, this is the only game that they play and for hours on end; why shouldn't they have high standards? Of course there are options though; save up for a new rig (I highly doubt the "rich" and "elite" just splash out cash for a new rig without a little planning), have side games - there were always side games developed along with console and mobile games. Each bit of technology caters to someone and there are other options for people that don't want to upgrade their systems to play on PC. I just seriously don't think this game should be made to cater to lower-end machines; let EA make the game as it should be...taking advantage of technology in all of its glory. Just my 2p on this unpopular opinion
I have to agree with that too. Why I wish they would bring back the Sims Life Stories series. Because those that can't afford to get a new PC generally can't afford to get every pack anyways. So why not bring the Life Stories series that is actually made for laptops and isn't expensive game pack wise either. The Sims 3 offered a side game too for laptops with the Sims 3 Medieval. So far when the Sims 4 last five years, it is going to cost $600, so why I can't believe people can't afford a decent computer when they are paying that much for the games itself. I mean I'm not rich either, but that is part of the reason why I got into the Sims because it was cheaper for me to buy Sims packs and kill my shopping desire to buy a bunch of designer clothes or the constant desire to buy the newest phone on the market than it is to upgrade my computer to play Sims games. I worked my behind off for scholarships for college and I can't afford to travel. I don't think the game should be catered to lower-end machines either, save the side games for that. Also why there are console versions of the game now too, so those that don't want to be bothered by having to up their specs for packs, can play it on a more consistent system that won't change with time. Computers are made to be upgraded just like phones are and generally going to be cheaper overall cost going the console route for Sims 4 factoring in the system you play it on. For the Sims 4 being a game that is focused on the rich with gameplay and objects, kind of oxymoron to have the game cater to the opposite of that with the computer spec system. I kind of wish the Sims 4 was better at portraying a wider class of Sims. It focuses too much on the rich.
I guess that is my unpopular opinion is I like having side games being developed along side with the main series so that those that have laptops and those that have desktops can both enjoy playing Sims games made for their systems. I couldn't care less about the casual or hardcore discussion. Every game out there is able to run games and follow system specs. Why people in the Sims community can't follow game spec requirements I fail to understand. There is a difference between being poor and just having common sense. You just don't buy more packs if your system can't handle it period. That is just a scenario set up for failure and will end up breaking the computer so yeah great putting a game ahead of being able to have a computer that isn't broken so you can continue to do the everyday tasks of paying bills, paying rent, and school assignments. I actually had to put school ahead of my Sims wants for a time because there was a time where my unbalanced priorities caused my grades to decrease. I stopped caring about pack releases during the Sims 3 and just concentrating on doing my assignments on my laptop. I ended up graduating with honors. I just hope with the next generation of Sims games there will be a side game of Sims developed along the PC version because not only will it be easier on their computer systems, but will probably help with college students too not having a game run loud in a public setting like school. Sims 3 and 4 would run so loud having the fan keep up with the system not having a graphics card or cooling system with my laptop just running the game.
I agree. I really liked the side games too! And they end up being less demanding on a computer, so I think it would be great if EA brought back sims side games.
Sims 4 = can now have a cat... other then that I'm still waiting for the "builders Stuff/Expansion/Game pack" to come out. So I can make some mad spirals yo ;)
Woah, this thread seems to have went off topic a few times...but I'm just here to add my unpopular opinion: I love the backdrops of the worlds, I think they're pretty and make the worlds look more lively and realistic
Woah, this thread seems to have went off topic a few times...but I'm just here to add my unpopular opinion: I love the backdrops of the worlds, I think they're pretty and make the worlds look more lively and realistic
1. Don't want open worlds again, hated it. Open neighborhoods would be fine.
2. CASt is not something I need.
3. What is all this about pre-teens? I didn't even know that people wanted it until now. I, however, cringe at the very thought! We have enough life stages as it is.
4. I really really hope that we wont get horses and such... or farms. If they really need to make them, then I hope it'll be like a pack, so I don't have to buy it. There was nothing that I hated more than horses running around homeless in the sims 3.
5. I could live without a pack with the occult.
6. I t hink the sims 4 is the best sims game they've ever made, I just wish that the game packs would include a little bit more. They cost a lot, and we barely get anything in them...
@JoAnne65@comicsforlife I agree too! It is just too simplified to divide all games into just 2 categories called casual games and hardcore games.
1. A casual game is a small game that is only played in short sessions.
2. A hardcore game is a tough game that requires a lot of training and skill before you master it.
But the Sims games are neither casual nor hardcore. They are targeted by EA at casual gamers and of course not at gamers who prefer hardcore games.
Instead of looking at the games we can also look at the gamers. Again it is too simplified just to look at the following 2 categories:
1. Casual gamers who only play small casual games and only for a few minutes in each game session.
2. Hardcore gamers who play all the time and only like difficult hardcore games.
Simmers aren’t hardcore gamers in that sense. But like all games also Sims games can be played both casual and in a more hardcore way where “casual” just means “not every day and usually only in short sessions” while “hardcore” means the opposite.
So no, I would still say that simmers aren’t hardcore gamers. But there are both hardcore simmers and casual simmers. For me the problem here is that EA’s target group only seems to be the casual simmers and not at all the much more hardcore simmers which is the group that most users of this forum belong in. Therefore the Sims games don’t have the depth that I would like and bugs that are deeper in the game don’t get fixed.
That all games don’t fit into just the two categories casual and hardcore is well known and there have been suggestions about adding categories like midcore and other categories. Midcore games are offen mentioned. But I don’t think that it solves the problem just to say that the Sims games are midcore either. There are just too many game types to fit into just three categories and there are also more than three ways to play the games (or just the Sims games).
I disagree.
I don't believe there is such thing as a 'casual game' and a 'hardcore game,' but rather, a casual gamer and a hardcore gamer.
A casual gamer takes things at their own pace, tends to play in shorter bursts, and prefers a more sandbox approach, whereas a hardcore gamer is racing to be first, playing in longer bursts, and prefers challenge.
It really applies to any game. In The Sims, if you're playing for hours upon hours, constantly seeking to max out your Sims' skills, wealth, legacies, etc., I would have no problem calling you a hardcore gamer of The Sims. Online games such as Overwatch or League of Legends can either be played casually or with a more hardcore approach. Even Pokemon can be played casually, or competitively.
Whereas one might say The Sims 4 is a casual game for having virtually no goals, challenge, risk, or achievement, I would rather call it a poorly made game.
@JoAnne65@comicsforlife I agree too! It is just too simplified to divide all games into just 2 categories called casual games and hardcore games.
1. A casual game is a small game that is only played in short sessions.
2. A hardcore game is a tough game that requires a lot of training and skill before you master it.
But the Sims games are neither casual nor hardcore. They are targeted by EA at casual gamers and of course not at gamers who prefer hardcore games.
Instead of looking at the games we can also look at the gamers. Again it is too simplified just to look at the following 2 categories:
1. Casual gamers who only play small casual games and only for a few minutes in each game session.
2. Hardcore gamers who play all the time and only like difficult hardcore games.
Simmers aren’t hardcore gamers in that sense. But like all games also Sims games can be played both casual and in a more hardcore way where “casual” just means “not every day and usually only in short sessions” while “hardcore” means the opposite.
So no, I would still say that simmers aren’t hardcore gamers. But there are both hardcore simmers and casual simmers. For me the problem here is that EA’s target group only seems to be the casual simmers and not at all the much more hardcore simmers which is the group that most users of this forum belong in. Therefore the Sims games don’t have the depth that I would like and bugs that are deeper in the game don’t get fixed.
That all games don’t fit into just the two categories casual and hardcore is well known and there have been suggestions about adding categories like midcore and other categories. Midcore games are offen mentioned. But I don’t think that it solves the problem just to say that the Sims games are midcore either. There are just too many game types to fit into just three categories and there are also more than three ways to play the games (or just the Sims games).
I disagree.
I don't believe there is such thing as a 'casual game' and a 'hardcore game,' but rather, a casual gamer and a hardcore gamer.
A casual gamer takes things at their own pace, tends to play in shorter bursts, and prefers a more sandbox approach, whereas a hardcore gamer is racing to be first, playing in longer bursts, and prefers challenge.
It really applies to any game. In The Sims, if you're playing for hours upon hours, constantly seeking to max out your Sims' skills, wealth, legacies, etc., I would have no problem calling you a hardcore gamer of The Sims. Online games such as Overwatch or League of Legends can either be played casually or with a more hardcore approach. Even Pokemon can be played casually, or competitively.
Whereas one might say The Sims 4 is a casual game for having virtually no goals, challenge, risk, or achievement, I would rather call it a poorly made game.
Then you also disagree with the common definition of a hardcore game which you can read on https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hardcore game
Saying that a game is “extremely hardcore” means that it only can be beaten by playing it for a huge number of hours while training until you (maybe) finally will be able to beat the game anyway if you are lucky.
So the employees in game stores have always been laughing if anybody called an easy game like a Sims game for hardcore because Sims games are in their eyes the exact opposite of a hardcore game
But the problem here is that the Sims games aren’t casual games either because a casual game is a small game like Solitaire or Tetris. Casual games are usually small games that you can play for free or very cheaply. So it should be clear that TS4 isn’t a casual game either. You can find the definition of a casual game on https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casual_game Even free MMO games (like the Sims Freeplay and the Sims Mobile) aren’t casual games because they are way too big but also because they usually require way too much time and patience to play. But even free MMO games aren’t hardcore games either.
So the confusion here is about dividing games into only casual games and hardcore games which can’t be done at all and the confusion is caused by the fact that EA always has been targeting the Sims games at casual gamers who earlier only played small casual games. What EA and a lot of reviews have meant with this is just that EA wants to recruit new simmers among such casual gamers to let a Sims game become their first big game. The Sims games are thought to be the best candidate to become the first big game for such casual games because the Sims games are so easy to play and without requiring any patience or skills like most other big games usually do. But this still doesn’t mean that even the Sims games are casual games at all because they are way too big and most often expensive (with the mobile Sims games as the only exceptions) to be called casual games.
@JoAnne65@comicsforlife I agree too! It is just too simplified to divide all games into just 2 categories called casual games and hardcore games.
1. A casual game is a small game that is only played in short sessions.
2. A hardcore game is a tough game that requires a lot of training and skill before you master it.
But the Sims games are neither casual nor hardcore. They are targeted by EA at casual gamers and of course not at gamers who prefer hardcore games.
Instead of looking at the games we can also look at the gamers. Again it is too simplified just to look at the following 2 categories:
1. Casual gamers who only play small casual games and only for a few minutes in each game session.
2. Hardcore gamers who play all the time and only like difficult hardcore games.
Simmers aren’t hardcore gamers in that sense. But like all games also Sims games can be played both casual and in a more hardcore way where “casual” just means “not every day and usually only in short sessions” while “hardcore” means the opposite.
So no, I would still say that simmers aren’t hardcore gamers. But there are both hardcore simmers and casual simmers. For me the problem here is that EA’s target group only seems to be the casual simmers and not at all the much more hardcore simmers which is the group that most users of this forum belong in. Therefore the Sims games don’t have the depth that I would like and bugs that are deeper in the game don’t get fixed.
That all games don’t fit into just the two categories casual and hardcore is well known and there have been suggestions about adding categories like midcore and other categories. Midcore games are offen mentioned. But I don’t think that it solves the problem just to say that the Sims games are midcore either. There are just too many game types to fit into just three categories and there are also more than three ways to play the games (or just the Sims games).
I disagree.
I don't believe there is such thing as a 'casual game' and a 'hardcore game,' but rather, a casual gamer and a hardcore gamer.
A casual gamer takes things at their own pace, tends to play in shorter bursts, and prefers a more sandbox approach, whereas a hardcore gamer is racing to be first, playing in longer bursts, and prefers challenge.
It really applies to any game. In The Sims, if you're playing for hours upon hours, constantly seeking to max out your Sims' skills, wealth, legacies, etc., I would have no problem calling you a hardcore gamer of The Sims. Online games such as Overwatch or League of Legends can either be played casually or with a more hardcore approach. Even Pokemon can be played casually, or competitively.
Whereas one might say The Sims 4 is a casual game for having virtually no goals, challenge, risk, or achievement, I would rather call it a poorly made game.
But why should it matter what you do in the game? If I spend hours and hours building a house for my sims, or exploring a tomb, or whatever we can all do in the game that doesn’t necessarily gain points (most of the times gaining points just happens while playing the game for me and though far from unimportant, it’s not my main goal), ‘waking up’ at 4am to realize it’s far past bedtime, am I not ‘hardcore’ then? I do agree with you ‘hardcore’ or ‘casual’ aren’t qualifications you can attach to a game, but I wouldn’t attach it to playing style either really.
@JoAnne65@comicsforlife I agree too! It is just too simplified to divide all games into just 2 categories called casual games and hardcore games.
1. A casual game is a small game that is only played in short sessions.
2. A hardcore game is a tough game that requires a lot of training and skill before you master it.
But the Sims games are neither casual nor hardcore. They are targeted by EA at casual gamers and of course not at gamers who prefer hardcore games.
Instead of looking at the games we can also look at the gamers. Again it is too simplified just to look at the following 2 categories:
1. Casual gamers who only play small casual games and only for a few minutes in each game session.
2. Hardcore gamers who play all the time and only like difficult hardcore games.
Simmers aren’t hardcore gamers in that sense. But like all games also Sims games can be played both casual and in a more hardcore way where “casual” just means “not every day and usually only in short sessions” while “hardcore” means the opposite.
So no, I would still say that simmers aren’t hardcore gamers. But there are both hardcore simmers and casual simmers. For me the problem here is that EA’s target group only seems to be the casual simmers and not at all the much more hardcore simmers which is the group that most users of this forum belong in. Therefore the Sims games don’t have the depth that I would like and bugs that are deeper in the game don’t get fixed.
That all games don’t fit into just the two categories casual and hardcore is well known and there have been suggestions about adding categories like midcore and other categories. Midcore games are offen mentioned. But I don’t think that it solves the problem just to say that the Sims games are midcore either. There are just too many game types to fit into just three categories and there are also more than three ways to play the games (or just the Sims games).
I disagree.
I don't believe there is such thing as a 'casual game' and a 'hardcore game,' but rather, a casual gamer and a hardcore gamer.
A casual gamer takes things at their own pace, tends to play in shorter bursts, and prefers a more sandbox approach, whereas a hardcore gamer is racing to be first, playing in longer bursts, and prefers challenge.
It really applies to any game. In The Sims, if you're playing for hours upon hours, constantly seeking to max out your Sims' skills, wealth, legacies, etc., I would have no problem calling you a hardcore gamer of The Sims. Online games such as Overwatch or League of Legends can either be played casually or with a more hardcore approach. Even Pokemon can be played casually, or competitively.
Whereas one might say The Sims 4 is a casual game for having virtually no goals, challenge, risk, or achievement, I would rather call it a poorly made game.
But why should it matter what you do in the game? If I spend hours and hours building a house for my sims, or exploring a tomb, or whatever we can all do in the game that doesn’t necessarily gain points (most of the times gaining points just happens while playing the game for me and though far from unimportant, it’s not my main goal), ‘waking up’ at 4am to realize it’s far past bedtime, am I not ‘hardcore’ then? I do agree with you ‘hardcore’ or ‘casual’ aren’t qualifications you can attach to a game, but I wouldn’t attach it to playing style either really.
What people here in the forum seem to miss is that casual gamers don’t play their games almost every day or in long periods. They usually only play a small game for a few minutes each time and maybe only once or twice a month. So they don’t buy expensive games but instead usually get their small casual games for free or for only a couple of dollars for each game. They also avoid games that can’t be finished within a few minutes.
So when EA is targeting a new big Sims game at such casual gamers then EA has to tell in the advertising that the game is easy and simple to play and that it can be played only casually in short periods of time. This is also what EA usually has done. But it sure isn’t the way that the users of this forum play their Sims games anyway!
It could be interesting to find some statistics about the question if most simmers really only had played small casual games until they got their first Sims game. I don’t know if such statistics exists. Maybe it does on https://www.statista.com/topics/868/video-games/ But the price for full access on that site is so extremely high that it isn’t reasonable at all for us gamers to pay. The reason of course is that they target their services at companies and institutions instead.
i don't mind the closed world.
i like the art style. i like the static "clay-like" hair. ts4 sims are best.
i don't care about cars or university.
i don't care that babies are objects. they annoy me either way.
i like vampires.
i don't care about the color wheel.
i don't mind cats and dogs being "everywhere".
i don't mind the lack of small pets.
i don't support any more life stages being added to the game, i just want shorter teens.
i dislike the heavy focus on "family play".
i wish they'd focus on male cas items for once... and enough of the hippie hairs and short pants.
i like the custom gender options, but the clothing part was done so poorly. female sims look deformed in "male clothing" and vice versa.
bella goth is a low tier premade, eliza pancakes owns my heart.
laundry was a waste of a pack.
I like the idea of the emotions system as well but I feel like it doesn’t make well enough of an impact on gameplay. Plus we need more variety of emotions.
My unpopular opinions: 1. I don’t care about cars. 2. I don’t want a farming EP bc I just have no interest. 3. I like the way the worlds are now because I can move to other ones interchangeably which is why I stopped having interest in the sims 3. I don’t want open world. 4. I don’t care about create a style, I would be happy if there were more hair swatches or have it like the sims 2 where you could change the wood swatch and the bedding swatch. It doesn’t bother me much anyway.
@JoAnne65@comicsforlife I agree too! It is just too simplified to divide all games into just 2 categories called casual games and hardcore games.
1. A casual game is a small game that is only played in short sessions.
2. A hardcore game is a tough game that requires a lot of training and skill before you master it.
But the Sims games are neither casual nor hardcore. They are targeted by EA at casual gamers and of course not at gamers who prefer hardcore games.
Instead of looking at the games we can also look at the gamers. Again it is too simplified just to look at the following 2 categories:
1. Casual gamers who only play small casual games and only for a few minutes in each game session.
2. Hardcore gamers who play all the time and only like difficult hardcore games.
Simmers aren’t hardcore gamers in that sense. But like all games also Sims games can be played both casual and in a more hardcore way where “casual” just means “not every day and usually only in short sessions” while “hardcore” means the opposite.
So no, I would still say that simmers aren’t hardcore gamers. But there are both hardcore simmers and casual simmers. For me the problem here is that EA’s target group only seems to be the casual simmers and not at all the much more hardcore simmers which is the group that most users of this forum belong in. Therefore the Sims games don’t have the depth that I would like and bugs that are deeper in the game don’t get fixed.
That all games don’t fit into just the two categories casual and hardcore is well known and there have been suggestions about adding categories like midcore and other categories. Midcore games are offen mentioned. But I don’t think that it solves the problem just to say that the Sims games are midcore either. There are just too many game types to fit into just three categories and there are also more than three ways to play the games (or just the Sims games).
I disagree.
I don't believe there is such thing as a 'casual game' and a 'hardcore game,' but rather, a casual gamer and a hardcore gamer.
A casual gamer takes things at their own pace, tends to play in shorter bursts, and prefers a more sandbox approach, whereas a hardcore gamer is racing to be first, playing in longer bursts, and prefers challenge.
It really applies to any game. In The Sims, if you're playing for hours upon hours, constantly seeking to max out your Sims' skills, wealth, legacies, etc., I would have no problem calling you a hardcore gamer of The Sims. Online games such as Overwatch or League of Legends can either be played casually or with a more hardcore approach. Even Pokemon can be played casually, or competitively.
Whereas one might say The Sims 4 is a casual game for having virtually no goals, challenge, risk, or achievement, I would rather call it a poorly made game.
But why should it matter what you do in the game? If I spend hours and hours building a house for my sims, or exploring a tomb, or whatever we can all do in the game that doesn’t necessarily gain points (most of the times gaining points just happens while playing the game for me and though far from unimportant, it’s not my main goal), ‘waking up’ at 4am to realize it’s far past bedtime, am I not ‘hardcore’ then? I do agree with you ‘hardcore’ or ‘casual’ aren’t qualifications you can attach to a game, but I wouldn’t attach it to playing style either really.
I think it’s more appropriate to use the terms in accordance to how one chooses to play games, rather than describe the games themselves as such. But really, it doesn’t matter at all. I, personally, just don’t agree the whole concept of branding certain games as casual and others as hardcore, because it creates the misconception that there are certain games which individuals have the inability to play.
@JoAnne65@comicsforlife I agree too! It is just too simplified to divide all games into just 2 categories called casual games and hardcore games.
1. A casual game is a small game that is only played in short sessions.
2. A hardcore game is a tough game that requires a lot of training and skill before you master it.
But the Sims games are neither casual nor hardcore. They are targeted by EA at casual gamers and of course not at gamers who prefer hardcore games.
Instead of looking at the games we can also look at the gamers. Again it is too simplified just to look at the following 2 categories:
1. Casual gamers who only play small casual games and only for a few minutes in each game session.
2. Hardcore gamers who play all the time and only like difficult hardcore games.
Simmers aren’t hardcore gamers in that sense. But like all games also Sims games can be played both casual and in a more hardcore way where “casual” just means “not every day and usually only in short sessions” while “hardcore” means the opposite.
So no, I would still say that simmers aren’t hardcore gamers. But there are both hardcore simmers and casual simmers. For me the problem here is that EA’s target group only seems to be the casual simmers and not at all the much more hardcore simmers which is the group that most users of this forum belong in. Therefore the Sims games don’t have the depth that I would like and bugs that are deeper in the game don’t get fixed.
That all games don’t fit into just the two categories casual and hardcore is well known and there have been suggestions about adding categories like midcore and other categories. Midcore games are offen mentioned. But I don’t think that it solves the problem just to say that the Sims games are midcore either. There are just too many game types to fit into just three categories and there are also more than three ways to play the games (or just the Sims games).
I disagree.
I don't believe there is such thing as a 'casual game' and a 'hardcore game,' but rather, a casual gamer and a hardcore gamer.
A casual gamer takes things at their own pace, tends to play in shorter bursts, and prefers a more sandbox approach, whereas a hardcore gamer is racing to be first, playing in longer bursts, and prefers challenge.
It really applies to any game. In The Sims, if you're playing for hours upon hours, constantly seeking to max out your Sims' skills, wealth, legacies, etc., I would have no problem calling you a hardcore gamer of The Sims. Online games such as Overwatch or League of Legends can either be played casually or with a more hardcore approach. Even Pokemon can be played casually, or competitively.
Whereas one might say The Sims 4 is a casual game for having virtually no goals, challenge, risk, or achievement, I would rather call it a poorly made game.
But why should it matter what you do in the game? If I spend hours and hours building a house for my sims, or exploring a tomb, or whatever we can all do in the game that doesn’t necessarily gain points (most of the times gaining points just happens while playing the game for me and though far from unimportant, it’s not my main goal), ‘waking up’ at 4am to realize it’s far past bedtime, am I not ‘hardcore’ then? I do agree with you ‘hardcore’ or ‘casual’ aren’t qualifications you can attach to a game, but I wouldn’t attach it to playing style either really.
I think it’s more appropriate to use the terms in accordance to how one chooses to play games, rather than describe the games themselves as such. But really, it doesn’t matter at all. I, personally, just don’t agree the whole concept of branding certain games as casual and others as hardcore, because it creates the misconception that there are certain games which individuals have the inability to play.
@JoAnne65@comicsforlife I agree too! It is just too simplified to divide all games into just 2 categories called casual games and hardcore games.
1. A casual game is a small game that is only played in short sessions.
2. A hardcore game is a tough game that requires a lot of training and skill before you master it.
But the Sims games are neither casual nor hardcore. They are targeted by EA at casual gamers and of course not at gamers who prefer hardcore games.
Instead of looking at the games we can also look at the gamers. Again it is too simplified just to look at the following 2 categories:
1. Casual gamers who only play small casual games and only for a few minutes in each game session.
2. Hardcore gamers who play all the time and only like difficult hardcore games.
Simmers aren’t hardcore gamers in that sense. But like all games also Sims games can be played both casual and in a more hardcore way where “casual” just means “not every day and usually only in short sessions” while “hardcore” means the opposite.
So no, I would still say that simmers aren’t hardcore gamers. But there are both hardcore simmers and casual simmers. For me the problem here is that EA’s target group only seems to be the casual simmers and not at all the much more hardcore simmers which is the group that most users of this forum belong in. Therefore the Sims games don’t have the depth that I would like and bugs that are deeper in the game don’t get fixed.
That all games don’t fit into just the two categories casual and hardcore is well known and there have been suggestions about adding categories like midcore and other categories. Midcore games are offen mentioned. But I don’t think that it solves the problem just to say that the Sims games are midcore either. There are just too many game types to fit into just three categories and there are also more than three ways to play the games (or just the Sims games).
I disagree.
I don't believe there is such thing as a 'casual game' and a 'hardcore game,' but rather, a casual gamer and a hardcore gamer.
A casual gamer takes things at their own pace, tends to play in shorter bursts, and prefers a more sandbox approach, whereas a hardcore gamer is racing to be first, playing in longer bursts, and prefers challenge.
It really applies to any game. In The Sims, if you're playing for hours upon hours, constantly seeking to max out your Sims' skills, wealth, legacies, etc., I would have no problem calling you a hardcore gamer of The Sims. Online games such as Overwatch or League of Legends can either be played casually or with a more hardcore approach. Even Pokemon can be played casually, or competitively.
Whereas one might say The Sims 4 is a casual game for having virtually no goals, challenge, risk, or achievement, I would rather call it a poorly made game.
But why should it matter what you do in the game? If I spend hours and hours building a house for my sims, or exploring a tomb, or whatever we can all do in the game that doesn’t necessarily gain points (most of the times gaining points just happens while playing the game for me and though far from unimportant, it’s not my main goal), ‘waking up’ at 4am to realize it’s far past bedtime, am I not ‘hardcore’ then? I do agree with you ‘hardcore’ or ‘casual’ aren’t qualifications you can attach to a game, but I wouldn’t attach it to playing style either really.
I think it’s more appropriate to use the terms in accordance to how one chooses to play games, rather than describe the games themselves as such. But really, it doesn’t matter at all. I, personally, just don’t agree the whole concept of branding certain games as casual and others as hardcore, because it creates the misconception that there are certain games which individuals have the inability to play.
If you want to discuss this further then I think that you should make a new thread about it because the discussion is huge and quite offtopic here. But you should start with reading the article on https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamer and especially the last paragraph in it about Casualization
Unpopular, eh? I don't know if my opinions are unpopular or not, I just know they're my opinions.
I actually don't care that this game starts over ever five or so years.
I don't care that they redo some of the same packs either.
Although, I would prefer it if pets and seasons were included in the base game. At least dogs, cats, summer, winter, spring, fall, and the weather.
I wouldn't mind if Uni was included in the base game either.
I think the base game should come with at least three or four different worlds. A city, a suburb, a country, and a hybrid world incorporating all or most of those elements.
And I think all the worlds should be connected as basically open cities, suburbs, and countries with a loading screen only if you're traveling to a different city/suburb/country. (We should be able to have a sim that lives in Sunset Valley, has family she can visit in Strangetown, and a penthouse she sometimes stays at in San Myshuno.)
We should have hotels, airports, and bus stations (maybe an all around travel station lot)
While I like a lot of it, most of the store items in TS3 seemed like products from failed EP and SP ideas or stuff that didn't make it into the released EPs and SPs on time.
They should stop trying to be inclusive of people with low end computers and make a game based off what they and we players have in mind for content, not whether our computers will run it.
64 x 64 lots are too small half the time we should be able to have as much land as we want within 128 x 128 at least.
Our sims should be able to come back to their parents house if their grown and treat it like a second home for the most part.
Sims shouldn't automatically have cell phones.
CAS should be far more advanced or come with an advanced CAS should the player choose to make even more detailed sims. (skills, fears, hometown, relationship level to people in hometown and household, etc.)
It should be easier to go back and create a sims parents or siblings in CAS and implant them into the current save.
We should have personality traits and personality points.
Even though the base game I dream of would be expensive, most of the stuff I listed above being in it, I'd save up money to buy it and even save to buy a new computer if I had to.
That is all I can think of... Don't know the popularity of them all, though.
I so agree with the fact that they shouldn't be catering to people with low end computers. Gta5 didn't cater to that population, yet was wildly successful anyway
People who have lower end computers could always wait for the console release.. Or save up their money for a better computer?
Yeah, it's more inclusive to players with low end cpus, but it's alienating to those of us who don't share that struggle. Not trying to be rude but like...
My unpopular opinions would be:
1. I don't care about cars coming to 4
2. I don't care about uni for 4
3. Or seasons
4. I just want them to scrap this mess and release 5
Comments
I used to play all sorts of games. Mostly FPS and RPG. Never enjoyed online games though. After I found the sims, I hardly play any other games because The Sims series replaces all I wanted out of gaming. It took my imagination to a new level and when I want to play a game, all I want to play is ‘TheSims.’
I’m not bound by scripts and goals. I have the freedom to play as I desire. When I want to play a game, I think of all the games I have and wind up firing up the sims instead. I do this because I can play in the environment of my choosing with the characters of my choosing. I create the scenarios. I create the script, and I decide what happens to each character.
My addiction to this series is far from casual. I spend years developing my environments and building my worlds. I spend years playing in those worlds. I can still go back to each game and pick up where I left off; never having to start over and do the same things over to achieve the same end.
I can re-write my plans and change my play-style on the go if I choose. I have over the years. Every time I play, I play a different game.
If EA places ‘simmers’ like myself, or similar to myself, in a ‘casual’ category that is their folly. It’s also where they fail.
Those like us are far from casual. We are hardcore in more than many ways.
It also makes me wonder. If I play so many different ways and develop so many different scenarios, and revisit each time with a new way to play, one could say I’m playing many games. That would fall within the definition of a so-called ‘hardcore’ gamer, I would think.
At the end of the day though, I don’t feel I need a label. Labels are overrated and part of the problem. What I do need is something to challenge me like the previous games did again.
1. A casual game is a small game that is only played in short sessions.
2. A hardcore game is a tough game that requires a lot of training and skill before you master it.
But the Sims games are neither casual nor hardcore. They are targeted by EA at casual gamers and of course not at gamers who prefer hardcore games.
Instead of looking at the games we can also look at the gamers. Again it is too simplified just to look at the following 2 categories:
1. Casual gamers who only play small casual games and only for a few minutes in each game session.
2. Hardcore gamers who play all the time and only like difficult hardcore games.
Simmers aren’t hardcore gamers in that sense. But like all games also Sims games can be played both casual and in a more hardcore way where “casual” just means “not every day and usually only in short sessions” while “hardcore” means the opposite.
So no, I would still say that simmers aren’t hardcore gamers. But there are both hardcore simmers and casual simmers. For me the problem here is that EA’s target group only seems to be the casual simmers and not at all the much more hardcore simmers which is the group that most users of this forum belong in. Therefore the Sims games don’t have the depth that I would like and bugs that are deeper in the game don’t get fixed.
That all games don’t fit into just the two categories casual and hardcore is well known and there have been suggestions about adding categories like midcore and other categories. Midcore games are offen mentioned. But I don’t think that it solves the problem just to say that the Sims games are midcore either. There are just too many game types to fit into just three categories and there are also more than three ways to play the games (or just the Sims games).
I guess that is my unpopular opinion is I like having side games being developed along side with the main series so that those that have laptops and those that have desktops can both enjoy playing Sims games made for their systems. I couldn't care less about the casual or hardcore discussion. Every game out there is able to run games and follow system specs. Why people in the Sims community can't follow game spec requirements I fail to understand. There is a difference between being poor and just having common sense. You just don't buy more packs if your system can't handle it period. That is just a scenario set up for failure and will end up breaking the computer so yeah great putting a game ahead of being able to have a computer that isn't broken so you can continue to do the everyday tasks of paying bills, paying rent, and school assignments. I actually had to put school ahead of my Sims wants for a time because there was a time where my unbalanced priorities caused my grades to decrease. I stopped caring about pack releases during the Sims 3 and just concentrating on doing my assignments on my laptop. I ended up graduating with honors. I just hope with the next generation of Sims games there will be a side game of Sims developed along the PC version because not only will it be easier on their computer systems, but will probably help with college students too not having a game run loud in a public setting like school. Sims 3 and 4 would run so loud having the fan keep up with the system not having a graphics card or cooling system with my laptop just running the game.
I agree. I really liked the side games too! And they end up being less demanding on a computer, so I think it would be great if EA brought back sims side games.
I like to build stuff
Me too!
Add Manage Neighbourhood Options - assign your own Sim to NPC jobs!
The Problems with Death in The Sims 4
Distinguish Elder gameplay with Elder-only reward traits
Filter Rugs by Room Size
1. I don't want an open world again, I hated it, it was just lagging and not needed. Open neighborhoods would be fine.
Here goes again:
1. Don't want open worlds again, hated it. Open neighborhoods would be fine.
2. CASt is not something I need.
3. What is all this about pre-teens? I didn't even know that people wanted it until now. I, however, cringe at the very thought! We have enough life stages as it is.
4. I really really hope that we wont get horses and such... or farms. If they really need to make them, then I hope it'll be like a pack, so I don't have to buy it. There was nothing that I hated more than horses running around homeless in the sims 3.
5. I could live without a pack with the occult.
6. I t hink the sims 4 is the best sims game they've ever made, I just wish that the game packs would include a little bit more. They cost a lot, and we barely get anything in them...
I think that's it for now xD
I disagree.
I don't believe there is such thing as a 'casual game' and a 'hardcore game,' but rather, a casual gamer and a hardcore gamer.
A casual gamer takes things at their own pace, tends to play in shorter bursts, and prefers a more sandbox approach, whereas a hardcore gamer is racing to be first, playing in longer bursts, and prefers challenge.
It really applies to any game. In The Sims, if you're playing for hours upon hours, constantly seeking to max out your Sims' skills, wealth, legacies, etc., I would have no problem calling you a hardcore gamer of The Sims. Online games such as Overwatch or League of Legends can either be played casually or with a more hardcore approach. Even Pokemon can be played casually, or competitively.
Whereas one might say The Sims 4 is a casual game for having virtually no goals, challenge, risk, or achievement, I would rather call it a poorly made game.
Saying that a game is “extremely hardcore” means that it only can be beaten by playing it for a huge number of hours while training until you (maybe) finally will be able to beat the game anyway if you are lucky.
So the employees in game stores have always been laughing if anybody called an easy game like a Sims game for hardcore because Sims games are in their eyes the exact opposite of a hardcore game
But the problem here is that the Sims games aren’t casual games either because a casual game is a small game like Solitaire or Tetris. Casual games are usually small games that you can play for free or very cheaply. So it should be clear that TS4 isn’t a casual game either. You can find the definition of a casual game on https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casual_game Even free MMO games (like the Sims Freeplay and the Sims Mobile) aren’t casual games because they are way too big but also because they usually require way too much time and patience to play. But even free MMO games aren’t hardcore games either.
So the confusion here is about dividing games into only casual games and hardcore games which can’t be done at all and the confusion is caused by the fact that EA always has been targeting the Sims games at casual gamers who earlier only played small casual games. What EA and a lot of reviews have meant with this is just that EA wants to recruit new simmers among such casual gamers to let a Sims game become their first big game. The Sims games are thought to be the best candidate to become the first big game for such casual games because the Sims games are so easy to play and without requiring any patience or skills like most other big games usually do. But this still doesn’t mean that even the Sims games are casual games at all because they are way too big and most often expensive (with the mobile Sims games as the only exceptions) to be called casual games.
What people here in the forum seem to miss is that casual gamers don’t play their games almost every day or in long periods. They usually only play a small game for a few minutes each time and maybe only once or twice a month. So they don’t buy expensive games but instead usually get their small casual games for free or for only a couple of dollars for each game. They also avoid games that can’t be finished within a few minutes.
So when EA is targeting a new big Sims game at such casual gamers then EA has to tell in the advertising that the game is easy and simple to play and that it can be played only casually in short periods of time. This is also what EA usually has done. But it sure isn’t the way that the users of this forum play their Sims games anyway!
It could be interesting to find some statistics about the question if most simmers really only had played small casual games until they got their first Sims game. I don’t know if such statistics exists. Maybe it does on https://www.statista.com/topics/868/video-games/ But the price for full access on that site is so extremely high that it isn’t reasonable at all for us gamers to pay. The reason of course is that they target their services at companies and institutions instead.
...
Did I win? I think maybe I did.
i like the art style. i like the static "clay-like" hair. ts4 sims are best.
i don't care about cars or university.
i don't care that babies are objects. they annoy me either way.
i like vampires.
i don't care about the color wheel.
i don't mind cats and dogs being "everywhere".
i don't mind the lack of small pets.
i don't support any more life stages being added to the game, i just want shorter teens.
i dislike the heavy focus on "family play".
i wish they'd focus on male cas items for once... and enough of the hippie hairs and short pants.
i like the custom gender options, but the clothing part was done so poorly. female sims look deformed in "male clothing" and vice versa.
bella goth is a low tier premade, eliza pancakes owns my heart.
laundry was a waste of a pack.
1. I don’t care about cars.
2. I don’t want a farming EP bc I just have no interest.
3. I like the way the worlds are now because I can move to other ones interchangeably which is why I stopped having interest in the sims 3. I don’t want open world.
4. I don’t care about create a style, I would be happy if there were more hair swatches or have it like the sims 2 where you could change the wood swatch and the bedding swatch. It doesn’t bother me much anyway.
I think it’s more appropriate to use the terms in accordance to how one chooses to play games, rather than describe the games themselves as such. But really, it doesn’t matter at all. I, personally, just don’t agree the whole concept of branding certain games as casual and others as hardcore, because it creates the misconception that there are certain games which individuals have the inability to play.
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I so agree with the fact that they shouldn't be catering to people with low end computers. Gta5 didn't cater to that population, yet was wildly successful anyway
People who have lower end computers could always wait for the console release.. Or save up their money for a better computer?
Yeah, it's more inclusive to players with low end cpus, but it's alienating to those of us who don't share that struggle. Not trying to be rude but like...
My unpopular opinions would be:
1. I don't care about cars coming to 4
2. I don't care about uni for 4
3. Or seasons
4. I just want them to scrap this mess and release 5