SimGuruMax talks about Challenge of Cars and Horses in Sims 4

simmerorigin

Screenshots from this 2014 thread "Simulation Tech Talk" are making rounds on Sims Twitter, so I decided to share. Thought this was interesting in light of the new EP and what could be next. (Thread: https://forums.thesims.com/en_uS/discussion/782859/simulation-tech-talk/p1)

Comment:
https://forums.thesims.com/en_uS/discussion/comment/12816742/#Comment_12816742

simmerorigin

Also separately on this thread, thank you to @Cinebar for lobbying for the interests of rotational players since the release of Sims 4 almost ten years ago! In general, this thread has seventy one pages (!) of Q&A with a software engineer who worked on the Sims 4 base game. Super interesting to see early perspectives on the Sims 4, what went right, what went wrong, and what has changed since then!

simgirl1010

@ULIBABA66 asking the right questions way back when!

Cinebar

Ah, that was way back when I cared enough to ask questions of why the game worked the way it did. I learned a lot from those informative discussions with SimGuruMax. They should bring back the tech thread. I learned why we can't build our own apartments from one of them, because each floor is actually like a different lot. It's too bad some in that thread didn't like people asking questions and or dissent about a particular feature etc. A lot of people left not long after that due to attitudes but that was really a good discussion thread, but unfortunately dissent was frowned upon by some.

logion

I seem to recall that Rockstar Games mentioned horses and how difficult they were to animate in a dev blog or something, I don't recall if it was for Read Dead Redemption 1 or 2.

If EA/Maxis have managed to improve the routing in the game so it can handle horse riding realistically then maybe it could be applied to other objects like cars. That would solve the turning issue at least.

It's interesting that he is mentioning that they need to animate the cars driving because the cars that we see in the background in neighborhoods in the sims4 are actually not animated... their wheels are not turning, but I guess that's just because they are meant to be in the background.

In any case, it sounds like the horses in the sims4 will be very well animated.

GrumpyGlowfish

I absolutely believe what they say about their high standards for animation quality. I complain a lot about the quality of many things in TS4, but if there's one thing it keeps getting right, it's animations. They may be reused a lot, and some actions annoyingly lack animations altogether (like sims getting on and off boats in Island Living, for example), but the ones we have tend to be really good. And they must be very difficult to do, something even the best modders struggle with. I have yet to see a custom animation that looks convincing.

Especially with non-static objects that move around in the world such as vehicles and horses, I understand why they would cause problems, if the goal is to animate them properly. I think the bikes look and work fine for the most part, but every now and then I see jerky sharp turns that would be very implausible in real life. Imagine how immersion-breaking it would be if a horse did that. Now that we are getting horses at last, I'm looking forward to seeing and appreciating the animations that must have taken a lot of time and effort to make.

ULIBABA66

simgirl1010 wrote: »

@ULIBABA66 asking the right questions way back when!

Omg I guess I was ahead of myself a bit too much! Hahah

ULIBABA66

Cinebar wrote: »

Ah, that was way back when I cared enough to ask questions of why the game worked the way it did. I learned a lot from those informative discussions with SimGuruMax. They should bring back the tech thread. I learned why we can't build our own apartments from one of them, because each floor is actually like a different lot. It's too bad some in that thread didn't like people asking questions and or dissent about a particular feature etc. A lot of people left not long after that due to attitudes but that was really a good discussion thread, but unfortunately dissent was frowned upon by some.

Could be off topic but I always loved your thoughtful feedback about The Sims 4 and how it could be improved, Cinebar! I was way more active on these forums years ago, but now I just don't have the energy to be as frequent anymore because I love playing the game…just praying they won't stop this series and do us dirty like that…but maybe I should not care about this as it is unfortunately not in my control…

luthienrising

That was the best thread!

simmerorigin

GrumpyGlowfish wrote: »

It is true that Sims 4’s animations are high-quality, especially when we compare it to pre-early access LBY.

I just wish the autonomy system of TS4 was smart enough to call on idle animations intelligently based on personality so that the sims feel alive. Or simulation lag didn’t get in the way of the animations.

LeGardePourpre

The sims don't use the sidewalk to leave the house, just they vanish.
Same thing about using the elevators in EP03 City Living

So I don't understand why a car must use a road, they could be parked and vanish.

Sometimes the game uses shortcuts (instant action done in 0 second) and sometimes it uses endless animations (For example NPC Barista in Coffee shop spending hours to make 1 coffee).

Gordy

First horses
Then cars
Then rideable dragons

ULIBABA66

luthienrising wrote: »

That was the best thread!

They should bring that back, but I know they don't ”owe us” anything in that sense, but it was a great thread and I loved all the awesome engagement, the SimGurus really did their best handling such difficult times back when the game just got launched…I remember when Ghosts got announced along with other future big base game content updates, I started to realize their plans for Sims 4 and the way they want to support this game and keep improving it for years to come. Don't we all just hope for the best for this game and the future of The Sims right? ☹️🥺 I feel bad for Gurus getting so many nasty comments back then…I have calmed down a lot after most of the content I asked for has arrived and now I almost can say I enjoy playing this game, with all the packs I paid for myself.

ULIBABA66

simmerorigin wrote: »

GrumpyGlowfish wrote: »

It is true that Sims 4’a animations are high-quality, especially when we compare it to pre-early access LBY.

I just wish the autonomy system of TS4 was smart enough to call on idle animations intelligently based on personality so that the sims feel alive. Or simulation lag didn’t get in the way of the animations.

Yup and in case Rene/TS5 also keeps this half-cartoony half-realistic approach to the artstyle, I will remain interested. I do love the object designs they showed us with the Rene early reveal in the 2022 livestream.

SheriSim57

Yes I remember when so many simmers were up in arms that Get Together came out before toddlers. I too wanted toddlers, but was not disappointed with Get Together, it brought one of the best functions (clubs) to the sims that I have ever seen in a sims game. And, they seem to do pretty well keeping the club system updated with other packs. I think that is fantastic, and dedication. I also like it that they have added turn off features to some things in packs, and I thought things like lot traits were ingenious especially when they made the secondary ones like simple living, earthquakes etc, that you could add multiples of. You can tell that between the beginning of the sims 4 and now, that they have learned a lot about the engine they were using, and about how to make things that simmers have been wanting. It must have been very hard for them in the beginning to have to make an abrupt change from the planned Olympus to what sims 4 became. There are so many things I like about the sims 4 over earlier sims game, such as being able to play rotationally so well, like being able to accomplish multiple tasks at one time, being able to move from one world to another, and being able to visit all of them. Being able to change sims from one household to another. There are a few things I was disappointed about, babies being tied the the bassinet till they changed to a child…. But they fixed those with great infants and toddlers, not having a color wheel was one of the things I didn’t like in sims 4, I’m glad it’s coming back in sims 5. I also miss children not being able to play together without toys, and that children can’t do some things I think they should have been able to do such as ping pong. i miss newspapers and magazines that add traits to a sim with the work of reading the magazine. But, overall I think the sims team has done an excellent job with the Sims 4.

simmerorigin

Gordy wrote: »

Then rideable dragons

Oh that sounds like fun!

LeGardePourpre

Gordy wrote: »

Then rideable dragons

I still think rideable seahorse would be easier

Atreya33

LeGardePourpre wrote: »

Gordy wrote: »

Then rideable dragons

I still think rideable seahorse would be easier

How about a ridable hippogriff or griffin ?
now I want a magical animals pack with several options.

crocobaura

Atreya33 wrote: »

LeGardePourpre wrote: »

Gordy wrote: »

Then rideable dragons

I still think rideable seahorse would be easier

How about a ridable hippogriff or griffin ?
now I want a magical animals pack with several options.

They can ride brooms and horses, so how hard can it be to make other rideable animals? But we need parking spaces for the dragons and whatever else. I would love a dragon that's at least as big as the horse. It should breathe fire if you anger it.

simmerorigin

I'm so glad the Simulation Tech Thread has been nominated and is moving to the new forums