Can people mod the open world for the Sims 4? «12...Next Go

Alex Jordan

I know people can do a lot of amazing things with mods, so I was wondering can they make a mod for the Sims 4 that you can go through the open world without loading screens?
I really don't mind the loading screens but it would be cool having the same open world like the Sims 3XD

DeKay

I don't think it's very possible. The game is made that way. You would have to change the coding of the game a lot to remove the loading screens. Only devs can make this possible (but, it could also be a lot of work for them). Modders usually take things that are already in the game and work around it.

Darkslayer

I really don't think that would be possible because I don't think there's anything actually connecting all of the different areas together, someone would have to mod that in too and even IF someone was talented & dedicated enough to do that I think visually it would be quite jarring as well.

Modders are absolutely amazing people, but right now I don't think even the development team at EA can code back in the open world. They could probably make subsequent "zones" larger, but that'd probably be it.

Play

I agree, I didn't think some of the mods that have been released were possible, but there's some very talented people out there!
I don't think this would be possible though.

halimali1980

OP your only option is to go back to TS3. Open world is not possible with TS4.
Playing many great open worlds recently made me understand how important this feature is and how it makes the gameplay very smooth provided the world is done very well.

Hopeinen

Would open neighborhoods be possible? Not for modders but for the developers, as the "world" in Sims 4 consists of several different sections its impossible to have a completely open world.

Erpe

Maybe it would be possible to open the world (in principle). But the open world was removed for a reason which was to avoid the same instability as TS3 had and to avoid the long initial loading screen. The open world made it nearly impossible to have subhoods in TS3 and it gave problems with big worlds (which we haven't seen in TS4 yet anyway).

So I don't think that opening the world would be the main problem. The real problem would be to avoid the game start freezing and crashing 50 times a minute. That problem would probably become impossible to solve.

EA had a another choice which they could have made instead of removing the open world though: They could have chosen instead to have made TS4 a 64bit game which also required more RAM and a much better computer to run. But EA didn't want to do that because EA thinks that it would have prohibited many customers from buying the game.

I still think that EA went too far though to avoid the instability problems from TS3 because it should have been enough just to have loading screens when we are traveling between neighborhoods or worlds. The game would have worked fine even if EA had omitted the loading screens when we enter other houses in the same neighborhood because TS4 neighborhoods are not that big.

@halimali1980 It isn't just a question about making an open world well and you can't compare this game with other games where the players (almost) can't modify houses or build them. The characters in such games also usually can't be modified to the same degree as the characters in TS4. Even so the minimum requirements are most often higher than for TS4 too. So in such games making a well working open world isn't a problem at all

Cinebar

Erpe wrote: »

Maybe it would be possible to open the world (in principle). But the open world was removed for a reason which was to avoid the same instability as TS3 had and to avoid the long initial loading screen. The open world made it nearly impossible to have subhoods in TS3 and it gave problems with big worlds (which we haven't seen in TS4 yet anyway).

So I don't think that opening the world would be the main problem. The real problem would be to avoid the game start freezing and crashing 50 times a minute. That problem would probably become impossible to solve.

EA had a another choice which they could have made instead of removing the open world though: They could have chosen instead to have made TS4 a 64bit game which also required more RAM and a much better computer to run. But EA didn't want to do that because EA thinks that it would have prohibited many customers from buying the game.

I still think that EA went too far though to avoid the instability problems from TS3 because it should have been enough just to have loading screens when we are traveling between neighborhoods or worlds. The game would have worked fine even if EA had omitted the loading screens when we enter other houses in the same neighborhood because TS4 neighborhoods are not that big.

@halimali1980 It isn't just a question about making an open world well and you can't compare this game with other games where the players (almost) can't modify houses or build them. The characters in such games also usually can't be modified to the same degree as the characters in TS4. Even so the minimum requirements are most often higher than for TS4 too. So in such games making a well working open world isn't a problem at all

I disagree with your analogy of why there isn't an open world in this game. This game was built in 2013 and set to release in 2014 but delayed until late 2014. You can't build an open world in a year and make it work correctly. The TS4 Olympus is why you don't have open world in this game. EA spent three years building that game and then ditched it at the last minute right after the SC released (per Frank Gibeau they rethought the online/mmo turned it into a single player. Patrick Kelly said he worked on the MMO before they ditched. Also, they built a new engine for the TS4 as soon as they were told to drop the MMO. Which wasn't until 2013. You have a game that is the result of left over scraps of material they intended to use for the TS4 Olympus. It has nothing in the world to do with thinking about low end laptop users.

If EA wanted to build a game that needed a gaming pc, they would. And that's just one of many excuses for no open world.

sparkfairy1

Agree @Cinebar a lot of the assertions made I believe are just created to excuse the Olympus limitations.

If modders could fix a great deal of issues in TS3 there is no reason why the team couldn't learn from it and create better, not just remove.

phoebebebe13

Agree @Cinebar but EA did make the sims 4 for gaming pc. The games recommended requirements (minimum is just for base game only) is mid range gaming desktop and is the same specs to run the whole sims 3. The games are just programmed differently but require same PC specs to run both games as a complete game.

People thinking this game runs on a toaster are not looking at the requirements or coming in the tech threads to see how many are having issues on lower end computers as more gets added. It will only get worse as more gets added just like TS3

So since both games require same PC specs, There should be no excuse why we dont have open world. The bottom line is we got refurbished Olympus instead of them starting from scratch to make a true PC game. The game was not originally programmed for PC but it is now and Olympus was just designed very limited in game play.

Erpe

@Cinebar It doesn't really make sense to claim that they planned to change another game into TS4 in about half a year because I don't believe that EA would ever attempt that. The talk about Olympus is mostly rumors which some some players used to "explain" some things about TS4. Some of the rumors are probably true. But I am sure that there are more to that story than we will ever know.

If it really was true that they attempted to develop TS4 in only about half a year then this would have meant that EA had given TS4 very low priority. But all the new content which they release each month contradicts that. Should they really have planned TS4 to be a cheap low budget game then this should have been caused by poor sales numbers and low profit for TS3. But to my knowledge this wasn't the case at all.

So I still think that the team just underestimated how time consuming it had been to develop especially the new build mode and the tricky multitasking which probably gave the team huge problems with the planned deadline. They therefore had to simplify much of the remaining work and even so postpone the deadline. This forced them to omit toddlers and make teens as high as adults to avoid the time it otherwise would have taken them to make extra clothes and extra interactions for toddlers and teens.

EA actually makes games which requires a gaming PC. But EA still seems to regard the Sims games as "games for casual gamers". Not that TS3 and TS4 really are casual games of course. But EA thinks that they often are the very first big games that are played by people who earlier only have played very small casual games (like the free games built into Windows by Microsoft). Therefore EA just won't increase the minimum requirement for the Sims games more than EA absolutely has to.

sparkfairy1

@Erpe @phoebebebe13 expertise is around the tech section. I think you should consider what she just said because it's something to carefully consider

teaa5

if not open world.. then at least open neighborhoods:)))

phoebebebe13

@Erpe there is a difference between the terms casual game and casual gamer.

Casual game means any computer can play that game. Apps for example . Games that don't require PC to have gaming hardware specs

Casual gamer is just a person who does not hardcore game. A lot of people who play the sims don't hardcore game and only play the sims along with app games therefore are considered casual gamers. However there are a few hardcore gamers in here that do play the sims

and like @sparkfairy1 posted. Most of my time in here is spent helping in the tech threads so I am more aware of what is not working with this game and what is needed to work for this game as far a computer hardware goes and fixing some software issues

Erpe

@phoebebebe13 There are very different definitions of "casual game". Urban dictionary says that it is any game which you don't like. It also says that if you like the game then it is a hardcore game

But Wikipedia says:

"A casual game is a video game targeted at or used by a mass audience of casual gamers. Casual games can have any type of gameplay, and fit in any genre. They are typically distinguished by their simple rules and lack of commitment required in contrast to more complex hardcore games.[1] They require no long-term time commitment or special skills to play, and there are comparatively low production and distribution costs for the producer.

Casual games are typically played on a personal computer online in web browsers, although they now are starting to become popular on game consoles and mobile phones as well. Casual gamers are typically older than traditional computer gamers,[2] and more often female,[3] with over 74% of casual gamers being female.[4]"

TS4 is just too big a game to be calls casual and the Sims games are usually not known for their lack of commitment by their fans either

Edit: Wikipedia defines casual gamer as follows:

"The term "casual gamer" is often used for gamers who primarily play casual games, but can also refer to gamers who play less frequently than other gamers.[3] Casual gamers may play games designed for ease of gameplay, or play more involved games in short sessions, or at a slower pace than hardcore gamers.[4] The types of game that casual gamers play vary, and they are less likely own a dedicated video game console.[5][6] Casual gamer demographics vary greatly from those of other video gamers, as the typical casual gamer is older and more predominantly female.[7] "Fitness gamer"s, who play motion-based exercise games, are also seen as casual gamers.[8]"

phoebebebe13

Erpe wrote: »

@phoebebebe13 There are very different definitions of "casual game". Urban dictionary says that it is any game which you don't like. It also says that if you like the game then it is a hardcore game

But Wikipedia says:

"A casual game is a video game targeted at or used by a mass audience of casual gamers. Casual games can have any type of gameplay, and fit in any genre. They are typically distinguished by their simple rules and lack of commitment required in contrast to more complex hardcore games.[1] They require no long-term time commitment or special skills to play, and there are comparatively low production and distribution costs for the producer.

Casual games are typically played on a personal computer online in web browsers, although they now are starting to become popular on game consoles and mobile phones as well. Casual gamers are typically older than traditional computer gamers,[2] and more often female,[3] with over 74% of casual gamers being female.[4]"

TS4 is just too big a game to be calls casual and the Sims games are usually not known for their lack of commitment by their fans either

Wiki gives more of the definition I stated. Casual game is low end, simple rules can be played on any kind of computer/tablet/phone

casual gamer is just someone who does not game a lot , does not usually go out and buy a gaming computer. There are many who refuse to buy a gaming computer if they are only playing the sims which some are finding out is a mistake being in the tech threads. We even have people who claim they only play the sims and want to game a PC game on tablet. The sims does require a gaming PC

There are Hardcore sims fans however this does not make them hardcore gamers.

My son is a hardcore gamer. Has a gaming PC, Playstation 2, 3, 4 , a wii u , psp and a new 3ds. He owns at least 600 games maybe more. I classify myself as somewhere in the middle

Slyvanas

I think it's complete bull when they tell us they can't make the world's in sims 4 open. Back in ts3 when or before seasons came out they made every body of water swimmable. Even in older words such as sunset valley. But the team in ts4 can't do it? I think they just do not want to.

Cinebar

phoebebebe13 wrote: »

Agree @Cinebar but EA did make the sims 4 for gaming pc. The games recommended requirements (minimum is just for base game only) is mid range gaming desktop and is the same specs to run the whole sims 3. The games are just programmed differently but require same PC specs to run both games as a complete game.

People thinking this game runs on a toaster are not looking at the requirements or coming in the tech threads to see how many are having issues on lower end computers as more gets added. It will only get worse as more gets added just like TS3

So since both games require same PC specs, There should be no excuse why we dont have open world. The bottom line is we got refurbished Olympus instead of them starting from scratch to make a true PC game. The game was not originally programmed for PC but it is now and Olympus was just designed very limited in game play.

I agree about the recommended specs, that video card they are saying would work better for this game requires a 450PSU in the pc. I'm not sure why laptop users think this game will run on them when even EA is saying buy a better video card which would require buying a better PSU.

phoebebebe13

Cinebar wrote: »

phoebebebe13 wrote: »

Agree @Cinebar but EA did make the sims 4 for gaming pc. The games recommended requirements (minimum is just for base game only) is mid range gaming desktop and is the same specs to run the whole sims 3. The games are just programmed differently but require same PC specs to run both games as a complete game.

People thinking this game runs on a toaster are not looking at the requirements or coming in the tech threads to see how many are having issues on lower end computers as more gets added. It will only get worse as more gets added just like TS3

So since both games require same PC specs, There should be no excuse why we dont have open world. The bottom line is we got refurbished Olympus instead of them starting from scratch to make a true PC game. The game was not originally programmed for PC but it is now and Olympus was just designed very limited in game play.

I agree about the recommended specs, that video card they are saying would work better for this game requires a 450PSU in the pc. I'm not sure why laptop users think this game will run on them when even EA is saying buy a better video card which would require buying a better PSU.

Most people who game know when any gaming company puts out specs its for PC desktop not laptop and that laptops are weaker than desktop. For some reason when people especially new to this game series read the specs they think this includes laptop and they are also unaware that minimum requirements are for base game only. For those of us long time simmers we already know how the specs work . Ignore the minimum requirements and have a computer that meets the recommended requirements or better if you want to survive the game as more gets added

EA wants to bring in new customers that never played this game before they really need to spell out the specs for newbees but they dont. They should not even have the minimum requirements at all. It throws newbees off into thinking the whole game will run on minimum specs. This game is unlike any other game when it comes to specs because this game just keeps adding and getting more demanding. Some people will actually take the time and come in the tech thread and ask for advice on a new computer but most don't

Erpe

@phoebebebe13 "There are Hardcore sims fans however this does not make them hardcore gamers."

I think that it does. Casual gamers either only play casual games or only play bigger games shortly and without commitment.

The Sims games are usually seen as games for casual gamers which is why we discuss this concept. Casual gamers can't be expected to play games like TS2, TS3 or TS4 with much commitment. So saying that those games are for casual gamers can only mean two things:

1. They are meant as games for people who only have been casual gamers until they become simmers.
or
2. They are called games for casual gamers because they are expected to be played without commitment by players who only play them in short periods and not nearly every day.

I don't know which of those two definitions they mean by calling the games "games for casual gamers".

But casual gamers are not expected to own real gaming computers which is why EA always has wanted the Sims games to have lower minimum requirements than EA's other games. TS4 is no exception.

phoebebebe13

Erpe wrote: »

@phoebebebe13 "There are Hardcore sims fans however this does not make them hardcore gamers."

I think that it does. Casual gamers either only play casual games or only play bigger games shortly and without commitment.

The Sims games are usually seen as games for casual gamers which is why we discuss this concept. Casual gamers can't be expected to play games like TS2, TS3 or TS4 with much commitment. So saying that those games are for casual gamers can only mean two things:

1. They are meant as games for people who only have been casual gamers until they become simmers.
or
2. They are called games for casual gamers because they are expected to be played without commitment by players who only play them in short periods and not nearly every day.

I don't know which of those two definitions they mean by calling the games "games for casual gamers".

But casual gamers are not expected to own real gaming computers which is why EA always has wanted the Sims games to have lower minimum requirements than EA's other games. TS4 is no exception.

I disagree. I am a hardcore sims fan but not a hardcore gamer. There have been those days where I have spent hours on the sims. But I don't do this everyday or often, RL calls. Hardcore gamer is again my son. Any free moment he gets he is on a game playing for as long as he can all the time and playing several games not just one game like most simmers. Got his headset glued to his head gaming with friends until 4am. Most simmers (not all) only play the sims. That to me is casual gamer a person who only plays one or a few games, does not game 24/7 and does not have a headset glued to their head any free time they have

ceejay402

the possibility is tied to the programs used to create the game engine. i highly doubt its possible for a modder to alter loading screens but i do keep hope EA will later in the series at least give us neighborhoods not just lots. please!!!

as for hardware or posting opinions about spec in tech or why the dev team decided to install loading screens during development its all irrelevant to whether a core feature of the game can be altered, its just programming. if you arent talking code then you arent really talking about how to alter/remove decrease loading screens

Erpe

@phoebebebe13 I don't think you can define hardcore gamer that way because professional gamers who only play one game at all but do it to earn money or to become the champion of their city, champion of their country or even win a world championship in their favorite (action-)game are for me also hardcore gamers.

If we only divide gamers into two categories (hardcore and casual) then the difference should be:

1. Hardcore gamers are gamers who have gaming as their main hobby. Some of them only play one game (typical action or sport) which they attempt to master. Others play a lot of different games in their preferred game categories.

2. Casual gamers are gamers who don't take their gaming very serious. They only play in a casual way as entertainment. Gaming isn't their main hobby.

But there are obviously many types of gamers and some people have tried to make more categories like core gamers, mid-core gamers, professional gamers etc. But I don't think that doing this really will make it possible to make the categories more well defined and exact

Ellessarr

hmmm like others told mod open world is nearlly impossible for moders, this meed a hardcode and hack to change world structure, sims 4 worlds where developed totally different not only from the sims 3 but also sims 2 and maybe even sims 1, sims 4 worlds are not actually the whole world like previous games but the "neightbohood", each hood is a world itself, the white map with the world is like a fake map or like some old games where you click in a map and that part of the map is loaded, like old super mario games where when you complete a zone and move to ther you have the world map and in game you move you character to a new point of the world map and load it, sims 4 is somehow like that but unlike super mario you can't navegate trhough the map because he static and a fake image where you choose what 'world to load" each hood is a separated world or island swining in the nothing, none hoods are connected the world don't have any connection.

to have open world or devs must rewrite the whole world structure or moders must hack the game to do the same.

is less work open the hood(remove load screen between houses in the hood) than make a whole open world, and even that again moders need to "hack" the game in order to do it which this requer a lot of rewrite of codes of the game which can't be made by just modding, then is more easy for a guru do that than a modder, a modder which great programming skills can do that things but requer much more work than a guru doing that because gurus don't need hack they can change game structures without it but still hard work.

what unfortunatelly sims 4 is fadded to not have peoples "hard working" cuz hard work is too difficult and expensive.

phoebebebe13

Erpe wrote: »

@phoebebebe13 I don't think you can define hardcore gamer that way because professional gamers who only play one game at all but do it to earn money or to become the champion of their city, champion of their country or even win a world championship in their favorite (action-)game are for me also hardcore gamers.

If we only divide gamers into two categories (hardcore and casual) then the difference should be:

1. Hardcore gamers are gamers who have gaming as their main hobby. Some of them only play one game (typical action or sport) which they attempt to master. Others play a lot of different games in their preferred game categories.

2. Casual gamers are gamers who don't take their gaming very serious. They only play in a casual way as entertainment. Gaming isn't their main hobby.

But there are obviously many types of gamers and some people have tried to make more categories like core gamers, mid-core gamers, professional gamers etc. But I don't think that doing this really will make it possible to make the categories more well defined and exact

I agree that people who game for a living are hardcore gamers. I said people who game 24/7 or every free moment they get they game. Professional Gamblers and people who gamble a lot are hard core gamers.

I disagree that casual gamers dont take their games seriously. My mother is a casual gamer yet she takes her poker computer gaming very seriously . People who only play the sims take their game seriously but these are not people who game 24/7 .

Lets just say we disagree on the subject and leave it at that. It has now taken this thread way off track

I dont see this game becoming open world at all. We are stuck with what we have and I dont see this as a good thing

Erpe

@phoebebebe13 "People who only play the sims take their game seriously but these are not people who game 24/7 ."

I actually played TS2 that way a few years ago. In those days I played TS2 in all my free moments and for hours each day

And yes I do still see myself as a hardcore gamer because gaming is still my main hobby. My current preferred games are just not TS2, TS3 or TS4 (and only TS2 ever was). Therefore I also don't mind buying the hardware which I need for my gaming - which is a thing that casual gamers usually never do because they usually just use hardware which they bought for other purposes.