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What do you want to see in "The Sims 4" whenever it's released?
AlexRoz9
Posts: 309 New Member
Okay, I know it seems early to ask this question, but if it's true that EA has just begun development of the game, now is the time to make our voices heard, while it's still early in development. I don't care if you think TS4 is coming out or not--just speculate as if it is. The purpose of this thread is to give EA feedback on what we want to see next time. I'll start with a small list, and others can add their own ideas. Also, let's try to keep the obvious, such as improved graphics, to a minimum--that's going to happen whether we ask for it or not; let's focus on mistakes that EA has made twice and ideas that might otherwise not make there way into the game. All right, I'll start:
1. Native Mac compatibility–no Cider emulation: This is easy, if the game is in development, it's in early development, which means that it's still easy to make it WIN/MAC native without much--if any difficulty. Valve is releasing Mac native games through Steam, Aspyr's Mac "ports" are actually Mac native, so there's no reason that EA can't make TS4 Mac native as well. TS1 and TS2 had native Mac versions rather than emulated/virtualized versions and they were much more stable than TS3 is on the Mac, and often more stable than their Windows counterparts. This should be a no-brainer.
2. No, or very few bugs at launch. TS2 launched and it was half-baked with major bug issues; TS3 launched and was easily just as bad, and World Adventures initially made it worse. I want EA to hold off on TS4 until it's actually finished and then release it when it's stable. There's a much better chance of me pre-ordering TS4 if I think that it'll work from day one. I can be patient, if EA says they're fixing bugs and need to delay the game, I'd actually be much happier than if they rush it out as they did with TS2 and TS3.
3. Create-A-World should be integrated into the game itself, and should be WIN/MAC compatible. If it needs to be a standalone tool, it should still be WIN/MAC compatible and included with the base game.
4. No SecuROM! TS3 didn't have it on the disc version and TS4 shouldn't have it or any other draconian form of DRM either; stick to disc checks if you need something to prove we've paid for our games. If TS4 has SecuROM or similar DRM on the disc version, I won't be buying it.
5. Keep the game open-ended as it's always been, but give us the option to enable World Adventure's style quests should we so choose. Use the feedback from TS3 and TS2 to make TS4 the best Sims game ever released.
6. Drop the continuity with TS1-TS3: Let me be blunt, the idea of TS3 being a prequel to TS1 (and by extension TS2) is stupid and contrived. It makes no sense to treat TS3 as a prequel to anything, nor did it make any sense for TS2 to be a sequel to TS1 set 25 years in the future. Bringing back old families is fine, but don't feel the need to tie the to previous games. Treat TS4 as a standalone game, let's see Pleasantview, Sunset Valley, and a new world all in the same game all set in whatever year TS4 is released.
7. Include all updates needed for a game on the disc with the game; the only time I should need a patch/game update is when I'm installing an EP/SP, and that should come with the aforementioned patch.
8. If possible, create a tool that allows TS3 players to convert files from TS3 to the standard for TS4 so that we can transfer our Sims, Lots, and possibly worlds from one game to the other. Even if some things have to be modified, I'd still like to see such a tool for TS4.
9. Rather than retread the material from past expansion packs, build it into the base game. Instead of another Vacation/Bon Voyage/World Adventures EP, Open for Business/Ambitions EP, or Hot Date/Nightlife/Late Night EP, build this functionality directly into the base game. If it's too much to build directly into the base game, consolidate it into one "Livin' Large" style EP that adds the functionality of EPs from TS1-TS3. Focus the rest of the game's expansion packs on features that haven't been included before. The idea of "time travel" or generational progression has been tossed around, as have Sims living on other worlds. I think building the old EP's directly into the base game and creating new EPs will keep the game current, without creating a firestorm among people who go insane if one feature from an older game doesn't make it into the new one.
10. Bring back elements of past games that players like, but see #6 above: Let's see Pleasantview, Sunset Valley, a new unnamed World, Strange Town, and the unnamed world from TS1 all in one game. Let's have Sims get into their cars without teleporting, and let's keep the open world and story progression options. At the same time, let's lose rabbit holes that can't be modified. Improve the basement tool so it functions with foundations, and maybe offer us an "attic" tool as well. Let us add public transportation, and things like apartments that Sims from different families can live in. Make TS4 the leap forward from TS3 that TS2 was from TS1.
Those are my "top ten" ideas for TS4, and I'd love to hear yours as well everyone.
1. Native Mac compatibility–no Cider emulation: This is easy, if the game is in development, it's in early development, which means that it's still easy to make it WIN/MAC native without much--if any difficulty. Valve is releasing Mac native games through Steam, Aspyr's Mac "ports" are actually Mac native, so there's no reason that EA can't make TS4 Mac native as well. TS1 and TS2 had native Mac versions rather than emulated/virtualized versions and they were much more stable than TS3 is on the Mac, and often more stable than their Windows counterparts. This should be a no-brainer.
2. No, or very few bugs at launch. TS2 launched and it was half-baked with major bug issues; TS3 launched and was easily just as bad, and World Adventures initially made it worse. I want EA to hold off on TS4 until it's actually finished and then release it when it's stable. There's a much better chance of me pre-ordering TS4 if I think that it'll work from day one. I can be patient, if EA says they're fixing bugs and need to delay the game, I'd actually be much happier than if they rush it out as they did with TS2 and TS3.
3. Create-A-World should be integrated into the game itself, and should be WIN/MAC compatible. If it needs to be a standalone tool, it should still be WIN/MAC compatible and included with the base game.
4. No SecuROM! TS3 didn't have it on the disc version and TS4 shouldn't have it or any other draconian form of DRM either; stick to disc checks if you need something to prove we've paid for our games. If TS4 has SecuROM or similar DRM on the disc version, I won't be buying it.
5. Keep the game open-ended as it's always been, but give us the option to enable World Adventure's style quests should we so choose. Use the feedback from TS3 and TS2 to make TS4 the best Sims game ever released.
6. Drop the continuity with TS1-TS3: Let me be blunt, the idea of TS3 being a prequel to TS1 (and by extension TS2) is stupid and contrived. It makes no sense to treat TS3 as a prequel to anything, nor did it make any sense for TS2 to be a sequel to TS1 set 25 years in the future. Bringing back old families is fine, but don't feel the need to tie the to previous games. Treat TS4 as a standalone game, let's see Pleasantview, Sunset Valley, and a new world all in the same game all set in whatever year TS4 is released.
7. Include all updates needed for a game on the disc with the game; the only time I should need a patch/game update is when I'm installing an EP/SP, and that should come with the aforementioned patch.
8. If possible, create a tool that allows TS3 players to convert files from TS3 to the standard for TS4 so that we can transfer our Sims, Lots, and possibly worlds from one game to the other. Even if some things have to be modified, I'd still like to see such a tool for TS4.
9. Rather than retread the material from past expansion packs, build it into the base game. Instead of another Vacation/Bon Voyage/World Adventures EP, Open for Business/Ambitions EP, or Hot Date/Nightlife/Late Night EP, build this functionality directly into the base game. If it's too much to build directly into the base game, consolidate it into one "Livin' Large" style EP that adds the functionality of EPs from TS1-TS3. Focus the rest of the game's expansion packs on features that haven't been included before. The idea of "time travel" or generational progression has been tossed around, as have Sims living on other worlds. I think building the old EP's directly into the base game and creating new EPs will keep the game current, without creating a firestorm among people who go insane if one feature from an older game doesn't make it into the new one.
10. Bring back elements of past games that players like, but see #6 above: Let's see Pleasantview, Sunset Valley, a new unnamed World, Strange Town, and the unnamed world from TS1 all in one game. Let's have Sims get into their cars without teleporting, and let's keep the open world and story progression options. At the same time, let's lose rabbit holes that can't be modified. Improve the basement tool so it functions with foundations, and maybe offer us an "attic" tool as well. Let us add public transportation, and things like apartments that Sims from different families can live in. Make TS4 the leap forward from TS3 that TS2 was from TS1.
Those are my "top ten" ideas for TS4, and I'd love to hear yours as well everyone.
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Comments
I agree with what youve said, especially about all the eps being included in the base game. When I heard sims 3 was out, I was new to simming and assumed that it would have all of sims 2s eps built in. As I did more research, I was disappointed. But I dont agree with not making it a prequel or sequel. The whole reason I hope there is a sims 4 is because it will be set 25 years in the future of sims 2, and I really want to play sims 2 families, but dont want to go buy sims 2 because I have sims 3 which is better.
I'd rather see more Sims 3 Expansions that a new Sims 4.
Sims 1: Poor graphics, no aging, small neighborhoods.
Sims 2: Much better graphics, aging, big neighborhoods and sub-neighborhoods.
Sims 3: The open neighborhood, simultaneous aging, restrictions on the number of Sims in the neighborhoods, only control over one family leaving the other families to be computer controlled only families.
I think that EA should consider the following as the main improvements in the Sims 4 compared to the Sims 3:
Bigger neighborhoods, ability to simultaneous control more than one family, more realistic development and behavior of the computer controlled families and Sims, a more natural way to play the same families in more than one generation, a more challenging game for the people who want it (introduction of different difficulty degrees for different people playing the same game: higher difficulty setting meaning lower income, slower job promotions, slower development of skills and slower development of relationships for the Sims).
Well of course, but what the OP means is that they'll have already started production on the next version of the game because, just like Sims 2 did, the graphics for Sims 3 will have become much more elementary compared to now. They'll have to release a new version in the future if they want to keep the franchise going, just to keep up with the times. Since the base game and programming take so long, they have to start now. (Even EA said that once Sims 2 base game was released, they started production on Sims 3.) I'd be surprised if they hadn't started already. They release expansions for Sims 3 to keep us occupied and entertained, but also because it buys them time.
@OP- These are excellent points.
I'll add that I'd like even more customization for the sims without the need for mods. I'd like multi-color eyes, a better range of skin-tones (similar to how we can change the colors of everything else with the color wheel), body sliders for arms, legs, bust, etc., and I know it'd be tricky but I hope to see different heights for same age-group sims. Recreating someone in Sims 3 who's actually 6'8" in real life just loses something so unique.
I mean like to prepare Spaghetti, we should get pasta, tomato, meat, spice(there are so many they can be just "spices"). something like that, so that it could be realistic, realistic in terms of food expenses.
And soaps and shampoos, laundry soap and such...
Yes I know were getting them in late night but I want them to be included in the sims 4 base game.
I don't event want to think of the sims 4 yet because think of the requriments it would take to play the game.
They notice some threads.
And, emailing it to them is pointless; legally, they're not allowed to accept the idea. It has to do with lawsuit avoidance.
Also, why dig up this long-dead thread?
to customise our game when TS3 came out.
So I guess I would like to see that freedom back. I'd like to see custom careers, moodlets, animations, etc.
Careers mostly.
Also I'd like to have much bigger worlds. More populated like real life cities.
I don't care if half the population is just for show and cannot be interacted with.
And to EA to stop thinking we're all kids.
Hell, even as a kid, playing on my Commodore64, I had horror games.
Me and my friends would have a great time! No emotional scars I swear!
So make vampires scary, aliens suspensful, witches evil, etc.
http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/621705.page
That's not EA doing it; it's the ESRB. EA has to abide by their standards to release games as a T rating. Their standards are why pretty much all horror games are rated M.