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Please Adjust The Ear-to-Ear 'Happy' Smile

Sk8rblazeSk8rblaze Posts: 7,570 Member
The Sims in The Sims 4 really don't look that bad, IMHO, but they're severely plagued by the unrealistic 'pudding face' smile which stretches ear-to-ear. Given Sims are mostly happy, this smile is constantly on their face, and it really breaks immersion at times, especially when you are imagining a Sim that wouldn't really have a constant smile.

When they're happy, it can sometimes distort their entire face to the point where it looks unrealistic and uncanny, for example. It resembles pudding face, sometimes.

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The other emotions do this too, but not as badly as the happy emotion. I think a fix could just be to re-associate that huge smile with the 'very happy' emotion, rather than 'happy,' and make the smile on the base 'happy' emotion a very subtle, simple smile.

Edit: Made post more specific.
Post edited by Sk8rblaze on

Comments

  • Sigzy05Sigzy05 Posts: 19,406 Member
    I have no issues with their expressions....
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  • Zolt65Zolt65 Posts: 8,272 Member
    I find S2 facial expressions to be pretty good


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  • PamhamletPamhamlet Posts: 5,556 Member
    Awww, it's those exaggerations that makes them so...simly and endearing! o:)
  • Jessa_DakkarJessa_Dakkar Posts: 9,737 Member
    I do find that they can get annoying over the top, as if a subtle expression just wont do. The emotion must be dramatically stretched from ear to ear sending eyebrows into fits. I find it most frustrating, though, when you work hard to get a certain look for a sim and the expressions render it unrecognizable and make it look like every other sad clown out there. I wish the dramatic expressions were saved for the most extreme of emotions, like just before they die of them.
  • AshlynneAshlynne Posts: 288 Member
    It ruins my immersion! (end sarcasm) But seriously though, I do find it hard to take good in-game photos when their expressions are so wildly exaggerated. It sure would be nice if there were a checkbox to allow or disallow extreme facial contortions. lol
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    This is what I look like IRL. "Bald is beautiful" my husband says. I'm getting used to it and I'm starting to like being bald.
  • MikiMiki Posts: 1,692 Member
    I had not noticed much with the Sims in-game, (as opposed to the expressions in the portraits)-- which I like, except maybe "Very Playful" with the loony-looking portrait but now that it is mentioned, the expressions look great on one of my Sims, and not-so-great on others. It seems some people's Sim face choices lend themselves better to the emotional expression system than others, so yeah an option to reduce the facial contortions would be a pleasant addition.

    While I'm at it, the "energized" and "very angry" walk-- Not a fan of that, the "energized" one looks a bit too goofy, the "very angry" one, with the bent-over stomping-- hmm - an option there would be nice, too. Some time down the road, of course.
  • LaAbbyLaAbby Posts: 3,742 Member
    When I went back from 4 to 3 after a bit, I realized that the sims really were different.

    Sims 4 just seems to be overly animated, when I'm happy I don't stand there and just smile and look around ... It's pretty creepy lol.
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  • luthienrisingluthienrising Posts: 37,617 Member
    I like the expressions as animated as they are in Sims 4. It's part of the appeal of the game for me.
    EA CREATOR NETWORK MEMBER — Want to be notified of patches, new Broken Mods threads, and urgent Sims 4 news? Follow me at https://www.patreon.com/luthienrising.
  • CinebarCinebar Posts: 33,618 Member
    You have written just what I was thinking yesterday. :( All the TS4 Sims stay happy in my game even if I don't touch it for months. They are always happy even when I created them to be gloomy, and the thought I had yesterday as I looked upon them was good grief they look like The Joker in the Batman movie with Keith Ledger, their smile goes all the way across their faces and it seems frozen on there. It is like looking at a puppet with a frozen smile, it's almost too ridiculous since it covers the entire face even when you make a Sim with an overly small mouth. This is one reason I can't really stand to look at them all that much.

    In the past the expressions were in the beginning neutral according to Will Wright and he would ask people do the Sims have expressions and people would say yes, but no they didn't. He was proud the 'game' was actually getting people to use their imagination of what was on the Sim's face rather than actually adding expressions. This was one of his greatest strengths to me. People gave the life simulator more credit than it was due because Sims didn't have expressions. lol Now, they are frozen smiles that I just want to wipe off and pinch their mouth to stop doing that. lol
    "Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
  • lovebypondsidelovebypondside Posts: 1,364 Member
    Miki wrote: »
    While I'm at it, the "energized" and "very angry" walk-- Not a fan of that, the "energized" one looks a bit too goofy, the "very angry" one, with the bent-over stomping-- hmm - an option there would be nice, too. Some time down the road, of course.

    I can def understand the irritation with it, but -- that angry, stomp walk gives me the giggles every time. :D

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  • sillyangel0906sillyangel0906 Posts: 5,405 Member
    I like the expressions as animated as they are in Sims 4. It's part of the appeal of the game for me.


    ^^THIS!
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  • haituvahaituva Posts: 266 Member
    I don't like exaggeration either. The walk styles are all unusable - they might work if a little more subtle. For me, a typical Finn, all the face-making, gesticulation and laughing when talking doesn't feel natural at all. And even Loner Sims do that!

    I wrote to the Ideas section a request for a new trait: Reserved, or Stoic, as another member suggested, but it didn't catch much attention. These Sims would not have such strong expressions and gestures in any situation. They would talk less with their hands, and laugh and smile less when Happy or Fine. Maybe they could have the normal Happy face when "Very happy" and normal Angry face when "Very angry", etc.
  • thewatcheruatuthewatcheruatu Posts: 295 Member
    Oh my god...that picture. Hilarious.

    I'm largely okay with the emotions, but it does affect the way I design them in CAS. I tend to opt for smaller mouths than necessarily look the best in CAS, because I know that as soon as they get into the game, they're going to be wearing those crazy Joker smiles.

    If anything, I think my main problem with expressions isn't really a problem with the expressions themselves--it's just that my Sims seem to be happy all the time! So I have to look at that mugging grin a bit too often. I'd like to see them just be Fine more often.
  • haituvahaituva Posts: 266 Member
    So I have to look at that mugging grin a bit too often. I'd like to see them just be Fine more often.
    This! And what's with the eyebrows? They're shooting up constantly... For example in the CAS photo poses there's not a single expression with neutral eyebrows!

  • fullspiralfullspiral Posts: 14,717 Member
    Oh my god...that picture. Hilarious.

    I'm largely okay with the emotions, but it does affect the way I design them in CAS. I tend to opt for smaller mouths than necessarily look the best in CAS, because I know that as soon as they get into the game, they're going to be wearing those crazy Joker smiles.

    If anything, I think my main problem with expressions isn't really a problem with the expressions themselves--it's just that my Sims seem to be happy all the time! So I have to look at that mugging grin a bit too often. I'd like to see them just be Fine more often.


    I added the mod that removes the room and environment buff (no good or bad surroundings) and my sims are now "fine" more often than happy. Which seems more normal to me.
  • thewatcheruatuthewatcheruatu Posts: 295 Member
    fullspiral wrote: »
    I added the mod that removes the room and environment buff (no good or bad surroundings) and my sims are now "fine" more often than happy. Which seems more normal to me.
    That's cool. I kind of assumed somebody had probably made that mod, but I haven't been motivated enough yet to install it. I probably will eventually, though.

  • ScobreScobre Posts: 20,665 Member
    edited March 2015
    Expressions don't always match up with how my Sims are feeling especially when the mood swings makes them so bipolar the expressions don't have much time to adjust. But yes I would love for the expressions to be more subtle. I actually can't stand the text emotions displayed on my Sims. I liked guessing what emotions my Sims are going through rather than being told what they were going through. I guess my Sims just feel more robotic than like real Sims this iteration. Mods do help balance the emotions out a bit but there is nothing to fix those cartoon expressions. I actually prefer the expressions in the Sims 2. Especially the cuddle in bed one. It was so cute. Then the toddlers crying made my heart melt. But yeah if the emotion system doesn't make me feel any emotions towards my Sims other than wanting to kill them, then there is something seriously wrong with it. The illusion of emotions felt more real in the Sims 1, 2, and 3 than the scripted emotions of the Sims 4. At least my Sims liked having eye contact and touching each other in those games instead of all the clipping issues and staring into dead space with the Sims 4. I just want to slap them at the dinner table.
    Post edited by Scobre on
    “Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” –Helen Keller
  • jli1984jli1984 Posts: 69 Member
    I like them. I think they should keep them as is...
  • sirona66sirona66 Posts: 5,196 Member
    I love their expressions, sometimes its so hilarious I nearly die laughing myself.
  • luthienrisingluthienrising Posts: 37,617 Member
    fullspiral wrote: »
    I added the mod that removes the room and environment buff (no good or bad surroundings) and my sims are now "fine" more often than happy. Which seems more normal to me.
    That's cool. I kind of assumed somebody had probably made that mod, but I haven't been motivated enough yet to install it. I probably will eventually, though.

    It's one of my favorite mods. I like the increased level of drama.
    EA CREATOR NETWORK MEMBER — Want to be notified of patches, new Broken Mods threads, and urgent Sims 4 news? Follow me at https://www.patreon.com/luthienrising.
  • sillyangel0906sillyangel0906 Posts: 5,405 Member
    fullspiral wrote: »
    I added the mod that removes the room and environment buff (no good or bad surroundings) and my sims are now "fine" more often than happy. Which seems more normal to me.
    That's cool. I kind of assumed somebody had probably made that mod, but I haven't been motivated enough yet to install it. I probably will eventually, though.

    It's one of my favorite mods. I like the increased level of drama.

    Can you post the link? I was searching for this a few weeks ago after you had mentioned it in another post but I'm not sure if what I found was the right one or not. I haven't really noticed a difference. TIA!

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  • luthienrisingluthienrising Posts: 37,617 Member
    fullspiral wrote: »
    I added the mod that removes the room and environment buff (no good or bad surroundings) and my sims are now "fine" more often than happy. Which seems more normal to me.
    That's cool. I kind of assumed somebody had probably made that mod, but I haven't been motivated enough yet to install it. I probably will eventually, though.

    It's one of my favorite mods. I like the increased level of drama.

    Can you post the link? I was searching for this a few weeks ago after you had mentioned it in another post but I'm not sure if what I found was the right one or not. I haven't really noticed a difference. TIA!

    no problem :)

    http://modthesims.info/d/544813

    There's multiple flavours: I use No Good + Less Bad.
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  • sillyangel0906sillyangel0906 Posts: 5,405 Member
    Thank you!
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  • JessieUsagiJessieUsagi Posts: 3 New Member
    I agree that the facial expressions are very exaggerated. I know that some people like them as they are now, but it could still be an option to tone them down. That way, everybody could be happy.
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