I despise the way Aliens are handled in the version... inept more like.
Yes, this game has the risk of going downhill. -Like all games.
If I wanted to play a different game then the Sims series I'd have bought one... wait? I already have Virtual Villagers. I was hoping for Maxis moving the series forward.
I despise the way Aliens are handled in the version... inept more like.
Yes, this game has the risk of going downhill. -Like all games.
If I wanted to play a different game then the Sims series I'd have bought one... wait? I already have Virtual Villagers. I was hoping for Maxis moving the series forward.
Yeah aliens as far as gameplay could have used more to them. I don't like how even Sims treat aliens like they are horrible beings. I mean they look cool, but could use so much more to flesh them out. I think game needs a Supernatural fan trait.
“Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” –Helen Keller
Yeah aliens as far as gameplay could have used more to them. I don't like how even Sims treat aliens like they are horrible beings. I mean they look cool, but could use so much more to flesh them out. I think game needs a Supernatural fan trait.
I kind of like it for that reason. It makes them an actual supernatural rather than just a reskin of regular sims.
I'm sick to death of people saying how TS4 sucks because how great TS3 was and vice-versa. They are different games, just because it's a sequel does not mean it has to be the same, it can be a different take on the same concept ie life simulator.
Do I think it's perfect? No not at all, but neither is TS3 and by calling TS4 a bad game is being blinded by you own personal preference as a lot of people seem to enjoy it.
Honestly I remember the forums when TS3 was, people complained and were frustrated then too: Why there were no getting in the car animations
Why were the babies wrapped in blankets
Why couldn't we give babies and toddlers baths Not to mention a lot of people didn't like how the sims themselves looked and all the other issues that were already mentioned
The point is in everything some people are going to like it some will not, doesn't make either of them wrong.
Well, If all that was all over the forums of TS3 (and it was) why didn't they listen? Didn't read Ideas and Feedback I guess.
"Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
It doesn't really matter if the sims 4 runs better than the sims 3, doesn't change the fact that a LOT of features are missing
In my opinion there isn't "a lot" of features missing at all. It's just a different game with a different approach.
I always get a bit confused when people say this, because I don't fully understand what they refer to with "features". Is it the cars and toddlers, or the open world and CaSt? Certain features aren't excluded forever, whereas others are. For me, it's obvious that when a game advances in all aspects, the basic groundwork will take longer to develop. Because of that not all previous base game features are going to make it if they strive to keep a similar development schedule. It is kind of a forgivable side effect when making advances with the really basic, but essential, features.
Obviously this is my opinion, but I don't think the open world was that great, not compared to the restrictions it brought with it. It did provide a different playstyle completely to the Sims, but because the open world we didn't have an expanding world anymore like in sims 2. In that way the open world as a feature, also removed features from the previous game, and that's just how it works sometimes.
It's not necessarily a bad thing either. I find it far more interesting when each game provides us with something new.
Don't forget TS4 has plenty of features of it's own that weren't present in previous games. These features are never even thought about when complaining about the missing features, and they should be. Some features we have in TS4 are only possible because of the changes that were made. Does that make them bad? No. Does that make them different? Yes. Does that make them better? Depends on personal opinion. No matter what way you look at it, all iterations have missing features compared to each other, they all have!
I think it's time to stop complaining about "missing features", because if it was truly a feature of TS4, it should have been there to begin with.
The only thing "missing features" could possibly stand for now is missing content, and there is loads, that's a given, because this iteration is not complete yet.
I think what bothers me the most was how poorly life stages were handled, the missing NPCs, lack of normal careers, terrain and pond tools, how supernaturals don't matter anymore, many forms of culling, musical chairs, and how restrictive both gameplay and the neighborhoods are. I do like how there are instruments in the base game. I guess it is a type of thing that varies from Simmer to Simmer. I don't think the Sims 4 was designed well for expansion personally. I mean nice there are new packs, but when someone runs out of space, it makes the packs feel worthless not having enough room for them. There is a lot of useless clutter and big versions of objects. I think Simmers want gameplay and useful compact objects.
The list is insightful, but I consider a lot of those things being just content in general. The way I see it, changes always have a reason behind them. We might not know everything they have planned for TS4 yet, so therefore we can't see all the reasoning behind them. Sometimes it might have been a time issue (like toddlers not making it into base game?) but as of the teen height, I think that might be a change they thought to be necessary because of plans to add pre-teens. The missing "normal" careers might get added as active careers in future (I certainly hope so, love GTW), but because of that they haven't been added in with base game. There's a lot of planning that goes into the development and the changes that we simply won't get answers for until the right time.
As far as a general look on the list of missing features, the more iterations that we get TS5, 6, 7 or however many, that list is only going to get longer and longer, regardless of what other features get added either with patches over time or with each future iteration. Each time they try to improve a feature, it becomes a change, even if the feature is just an improved version (an opinion that can vary), some might still consider the older version as a missing feature. It's not shocking to me, that TS4 has a "missing feature list", and it's not going to shock me when TS5 comes around with an even longer missing feature list.
The list is insightful, but I consider a lot of those things being just content in general. The way I see it, changes always have a reason behind them. We might not know everything they have planned for TS4 yet, so therefore we can't see all the reasoning behind them. Sometimes it might have been a time issue (like toddlers not making it into base game?) but as of the teen height, I think that might be a change they thought to be necessary because of plans to add pre-teens. The missing "normal" careers might get added as active careers in future (I certainly hope so, love GTW), but because of that they haven't been added in with base game. There's a lot of planning that goes into the development and the changes that we simply won't get answers for until the right time.
As far as a general look on the list of missing features, the more iterations that we get TS5, 6, 7 or however many, that list is only going to get longer and longer, regardless of what other features get added either with patches over time or with each future iteration. Each time they try to improve a feature, it becomes a change, even if the feature is just an improved version (an opinion that can vary), some might still consider the older version as a missing feature. It's not shocking to me, that TS4 has a "missing feature list", and it's not going to shock me when TS5 comes around with an even longer missing feature list.
I'm glad you liked it and yes it will. Why future iterations might have it tougher with expectations too. The bigger the number, the higher the expectation. I do hope for future patches that bring more features. It was sad, I wrote like two or three long paragraphs to SimGuruDaniel why I wanted dishwashers back. XD I'm glad they came back though. It helps a lot with routing issues the game has.
“Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” –Helen Keller
It doesn't really matter if the sims 4 runs better than the sims 3, doesn't change the fact that a LOT of features are missing
In my opinion there isn't "a lot" of features missing at all. It's just a different game with a different approach.
I always get a bit confused when people say this, because I don't fully understand what they refer to with "features". Is it the cars and toddlers, or the open world and CaSt? Certain features aren't excluded forever, whereas others are. For me, it's obvious that when a game advances in all aspects, the basic groundwork will take longer to develop. Because of that not all previous base game features are going to make it if they strive to keep a similar development schedule. It is kind of a forgivable side effect when making advances with the really basic, but essential, features.
Obviously this is my opinion, but I don't think the open world was that great, not compared to the restrictions it brought with it. It did provide a different playstyle completely to the Sims, but because the open world we didn't have an expanding world anymore like in sims 2. In that way the open world as a feature, also removed features from the previous game, and that's just how it works sometimes.
It's not necessarily a bad thing either. I find it far more interesting when each game provides us with something new.
Don't forget TS4 has plenty of features of it's own that weren't present in previous games. These features are never even thought about when complaining about the missing features, and they should be. Some features we have in TS4 are only possible because of the changes that were made. Does that make them bad? No. Does that make them different? Yes. Does that make them better? Depends on personal opinion. No matter what way you look at it, all iterations have missing features compared to each other, they all have!
I think it's time to stop complaining about "missing features", because if it was truly a feature of TS4, it should have been there to begin with.
The only thing "missing features" could possibly stand for now is missing content, and there is loads, that's a given, because this iteration is not complete yet.
Features to me would be like this. If I build a game TS1 and later in the next generation of that game I add a 'feature' like the hammer tool to build mode so you can easily knock down walls/Delete I would plan to have that feature in all other versions later on. Which was in TS2, TS3 and TS4. You would 'expect' wouldn't you? that if you had this before in the 'core' game it should be in the next generation and never go back (because you have already invented the wheel) to removing the 'wheel'..aka hammer tool.
O.K. same with the Sims themselves. If I build TS1 and continue the actual series and don't call it a side game like Life Stories or TSM or something but put a number on it to continue the series. I would expect everything before in the base game would be in the next four, and also continue to include the 'hammer' tool and the Sims and what they could do and who they were in the past with personality and their life stages, and all that was about them. Right? Because I am continuing to build on my idea and my cake.
O.K. if you go back after inventing the wheel and remove or omit life stages it's impossible to call it four from a logical point of view. You already invented the wheel of life stages (all) and of aging. To remove it next time seems like you don't know what you were building to start with. Because you certainly wouldn't leave out the hammer tool from TS2 and make players not be able to just knock down walls to delete and make them go back to using the wall tool and shift key....would you?
There is a slew of things missing if you are going to call it number 4.
"Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
Features to me would be like this. If I build a game TS1 and later in the next generation of that game I add a 'feature' like the hammer tool to build mode so you can easily knock down walls/Delete I would plan to have that feature in all other versions later on. Which was in TS2, TS3 and TS4. You would 'expect' wouldn't you? that if you had this before in the 'core' game it should be in the next generation and never go back (because you have already invented the wheel) to removing the 'wheel'..aka hammer tool.
O.K. same with the Sims themselves. If I build TS1 and continue the actual series and don't call it a side game like Life Stories or TSM or something but put a number on it to continue the series. I would expect everything before in the base game would be in the next four, and also continue to include the 'hammer' tool and the Sims and what they could do and who they were in the past with personality and their life stages, and all that was about them. Right? Because I am continuing to build on my idea and my cake.
O.K. if you go back after inventing the wheel and remove or omit life stages it's impossible to call it four from a logical point of view. You already invented the wheel of life stages (all) and of aging. To remove it next time seems like you don't know what you were building to start with. Because you certainly wouldn't leave out the hammer tool from TS2 and make players not be able to just knock down walls to delete and make them go back to using the wall tool and shift key....would you?
There is a slew of things missing if you are going to call it number 4.
that depends. Every time when you're building an iteration, one would assume you're building on probably a new engine (since there's 5-6 years between iterations), meaning you don't port the game, you build it from the ground up. The moment you start building you have a limited amount of time. Meaning not everything can go in. What you do have though is statistics. What if your statistics show that 80% of simmers were using the basement tool, but only 5% of simmers were using the knock down tool? You obviously omit the knock down tool and use the time you just saved to either improve a feature, or add a new one.
More examples, they already invented the wheel of being able to fish and talk at the same time. Laugh and joke. But in TS4 there is no wheel. You can't invent the wheel then pretend you didn't. Time marches on. Meaning progression and continuance. You can't leave something out and call it the next one with a number on it if you leave out what was already invented. Yes, you can add all new ways and things to do, but you can't ignore the wheel.
"Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
More examples, they already invented the wheel of being able to fish and talk at the same time. Laugh and joke. But in TS4 there is no wheel. You can't invent the wheel then pretend you didn't. Time marches on. Meaning progression and continuance. You can't leave something out and call it the next one with a number on it if you leave out what was already invented. Yes, you can add all new ways and things to do, but you can't ignore the wheel.
you can, unless you want the same game every single time. Every iteration they have to build from the ground up. They have limited amount of time. Every wheel that they need to make, costs time. Meaning for every new wheel added an old one goes.
Everytime I read these discussions, I think this game should have been a hard reboot of the series. Drop the 4, just call it 'Sims'. If literally nothing else in the game changed besides the name and that marketing, I have a feeling the reception around here would be better. Even though that really just does come down to marketing and semantics.
I certainly hope the next game in the series (assuming there is one) IS a hard reboot, and not Sims 5. Reset the expectations and clean the slate. That way, it's still a game in the main series, and not a 'side game', but also not 'ridiculously high expectations' all because of a stupid number. Every game has been a soft reboot anyway.
Everytime I read these discussions, I think this game should have been a hard reboot of the series. Drop the 4, just call it 'Sims'. If literally nothing else in the game changed besides the name and that marketing, I have a feeling the reception around here would be better. Even though that really just does come down to marketing and semantics.
I certainly hope the next game in the series (assuming there is one) IS a hard reboot, and not Sims 5. Reset the expectations and clean the slate. That way, it's still a game in the main series, and not a 'side game', but also not 'ridiculously high expectations' all because of a stupid number. Every game has been a soft reboot anyway.
You are right. If they had done marketing for this game as a side game or reboot, even I wouldn't be comparing to older games. My brain would dismiss everything it was missing because it would see it as a reboot or side game. Then I would just be making happy wish lists. lol
"Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
Aye, sadly I can't see beyond the fact that TS4 was build on another scrapped game's foundation. It wouldn't be so bad if I didn't feel it or experience it during my game-play, but I personally do. And when you hear things like no lounge chairs or they can't do beards because *insert reasons* when it really wasn't an issue in previous installments, you start to understand the limitations of this particular game, and notice how they redirect players attention to other things for the sake of distraction or simply offer novelty enjoyment, but no real substance (IMO).
The thing is I'm not easily distracted and the illusion is broken for me. I mean my poor Sims are bonding with the bassinet for goodness sake. They have to remove the cute squirmy thing in it to become friends with the bassinet. It's a slap in the face for me every time I see the relationship bar and ++ indications over the bassinet and not the baby they're holding.
I think TS4 would have done so much better, have a real chance of honoring the series (again IMO) if they scrapped the entire Olympus foundation and allowed this version to be built with its own fully offline foundation. It deserved its own foundation. But because this foundation was designed for online multi-player (the online part is switched off), you're still at the mercy of the parameters that was intended for the online play. The other games didn't have this restriction.
Also my understanding is when making a new installment, you include the best of the previous installments as the base, and then add new, innovative things to define it, making it different from the previous installments so it's not a repeat; but you still keep the best of what was built from its predecessors so it still feels like it's indeed part of the series.
However with all that is said, is TS4 at risk? I don't know. There seems to be plenty of players that are fine with all of this and are okay with (IMO) novelty playing.
Objectively speaking, I do think that TS4 is a good game.
A hefty budget does not make a good or great game, but it does help a lot. Although there are some bugs with multitasking, on the whole, the game runs relatively smoothly. You may hate loading screens, and you may hate the lack of toddlers, and you may even hate emotions ... but that does not necessarily detract from the game when you consider:
Loading screens allow the current lots to run a lot smoother, since it takes away a lot of the calculations that the game would need to do in real time. I do wish that we could have open neighbourhoods, but I am also not against loading screens at all. It may feel like a downgrade when TS3 was open world, and many other games have a seamless open world mechanic as well, but The Sims is much more complicated than most games since:
- Sims have a wide array of interactions, objects, animations, emotions, etc.
- Sims are supposed to autonomously "live" in the world during play, switching through many different scenarios/variables.
- Sims can now multitask, allowing them to do more than one thing at once; this in itself is a complicated mechanic, as you are creating multiple sets of interactions that are happening at the same time ... you can sit, eat, and talk at the same time, which may seem like it's not a big deal, but when you account for all the other stuff that is happening and that all of it is controllable/influenced by the player, it is actually a really big deal. The layering of actions that are normally subsequent and allowing them to happen continuously at once is pretty special IMO...
There are probably some other reasons (like emotions) as to why the game is complex ... a complex game doesn't necessarily make a good one, but I think that the elements that were implemented do come together quite well. I would like to see some tweaking on emotions and multitasking though, and at the same time, I do think that the original base game that was released at launch was pretty messy. Even though I like that they patched in ghosts and pools, I did not like that it wasn't already in the base game ... then there is the whole issue of toddlers and everything else that people complain about. Some of it is, to me, justified, and some of it is really just unrealistic ... I've never had that reaction to any of the other base games at all. TS2 and TS3 base games really did feel polished for what they were. TS4 did not. And a large part of my disdain for TS4 is actually the world view ... I think it's so uninspired and boring, even with the work that they have done. If you are going to give me a loading screen, at least give me a vibrant world view. If that means that the loading screen is longer, then so be it ... they could have left that static world map as a way of moving from lot to lot via the phone/computer, and created a vibrant world view that was like TS3/TS2. If they are going to say "this is too much for the engine" in regards to something like open world (not arguing for OW, just making a point) or toddlers, then give me something else like a dynamic world view that is interesting to look, instead of some lame world map that is boring and, to be honest, quite ugly.
TS4 is also constantly being compared to other iterations. TS4 was naturally compared to TS3. A lot of criticisms stem from gameplay that was introduced in other iterations and has now been removed in TS4. This isn't inherently a bad thing, and it also doesn't mean that it makes every criticism justified ... what this means is that EA - whether they like it or not - is competing with previous versions, and they have to answer to some people, unless they don't care about losing those people, or if their sales numbers don't cause them to react. Despite everything that I love about TS4, I am left wondering about a lot of things that were left out. I'm not dying for toddlers, or wishing that there were cars in the game ... but there are little things that I wished were there to fill the game out as a life simulator...
I think that the future for TS4 will be more positive than the past. I think that it will get better with time and more DLC. I do not support their decision to give us a mess and then fix it over time ... they should have delayed it for a few months, year, whatever it took to polish up the game. If they do that with TS5 (if there even is a TS5), I would just stop playing The Sims. I want to give them a chance though ... but if they try to do that again, I would be out. I don't think that was their intention though, with all the patches and content that they've given us for free ... they were probably just as annoyed that they had to put the game out there to meet a deadline, but they do seem to have changed quite a bit, and it is my hope/belief that things will get better for TS4, especially in the next 9-10 months.
Some people also say that this is a different game, though it is still part of the series. I agree with this, but I also think that it is wise to respect the fans that are loyal and have been around here a long time. I don't think that the game should or has to pander to the people that have been here the longest, but we also should not be overlooked in light of the 'new generation' of Simmers. I support and encourage the ways that the devs and producers are trying to improve the game, by either trying out new things or reconstructing certain features. But if what they are trying is not working for you, then you should tell them. I do the same thing ... I have written on the forums as to what I want the next GP to be or what I think of their business.
All in all, I don't think TS4 is going downhill; I think they got off to a rocky start, but they are correcting mistakes that have been made, and people are supporting them for it. It's a slow process ... I think we are going to see more positive change throughout this year.
That is not what I meant lol. When I said "Doesn't mean anything" I meant that negativity is not a fact about the future of the game franchise. And just because people are negative does not mean that the game will be going downhill.
I know that the negativity does come from somewhere, and it is because people expect more.
Negativity usually is there because there is something wrong, but what I meant is that just because there is something wrong and people are complaining does not mean the game is going downhill. Because these things could simply be added, fixed and patched in. Hope that clarifies!
My gaming computer that can run pretty much any game, does not run The Sims 3 well without mods and is unplayable if I play IP. I'd choose The Sims 3 with its stuttering any day over The Sims 4 because 3 has more features and depth and a complete base game. Traits actually allow you to create unique sims. Sims do not all use the same bathroom even though others are completely empty. The list goes on ...
It says something when posters can only find a way to praise The Sims 4 by criticising the predecessor. I can praise The Sims 3 without any mention of The Sims 2 or 1 because the game's merits stand on their own. I am also objective enough to criticise its flaws.
in that case:
- I love The Sims 4 because I can change the size of rooms and my house without rebuilding absolutely everything
- I love The Sims 4 because building basements is so easy
- I love The Sims 4 because you can choose to have a foundation on a whim and don't need to build the whole house on the fact you have a foundation or not
- I love The Sims 4 because genetics work in a fun matter. The children always look like the combination between the two parents, but old buried family genes can in rare cases pop out. Every time I have a child I feel like I know who they relate to, but at the same time they look like a unique sim.
- I love how aliens have unique interactions, disguises, get upset about being found and how other sims show prejudice towards them. It makes me feel like I'm actually playing with another race and not just a recolour.
- I love how my sim children have a reaction to having more siblings. Depending on the child they can be mad, sad, or happy about the new member of the family!
- I love how keeping my sims needs up is actually a challenge. Yay for no more sleepless 2 sim days in a row!
- I love how bars have the weirdest themed days. Bear night, Knight night, Alien night, Ghost night. It makes me actually want to hang out in bars because I know that they will offer surprises to me.
- I love the unlock system. I know that this is quite a controversial topic, but I am happy that my household gets rewarded for having each type of party at least once, for going on a very good date, for maxing the careers out... It lets me plan my legacy sims out (this generation will do this, this generation will do that) and watch the unlock of everything slowly over time.
- I love how children have aspirations and skills that only children can have. It makes me feel like I'm playing an actual child and not a mini adult.
- I love how all locations that I can visit are actual buildings and not rabbit holes. Spa Day building is most definitely the most in depth building in sims history so far.
I could go on and on and on... It's personal preference. And yes, even if The Sims 3 was perfectly lag free I would take The Sims 4 over it any day.
Thank you for your post. It is rare a fan of The Sims 4 will actually tell you what they like about the game in detail without mentioning what they disliked about The Sims 3.
EDIT: also when it comes to The Sims 3 bugs, another that was never fixed was World Adventures board bug. Sometimes the adventure board will stop giving you quests, making you unable to complete them. You solve it, by selling the board, then buying it back again, getting out of the world adventure, waiting 2 sim days and going there again. Fix does not 100% work and if you don't do it, then it's bugged for good on your save file.
Oh, ok, I never had that one. WA does come with bugs but never one that prevented me from finishing the quests. And WA is the very last reason I could think of to quit this game
I'd be more than willing to except an in between solution for the open world by the way, if it would really improve performance. But not the way they did in Sims 2 (I need my time continuation ) and not the way they did it in Sims 4 (fake backdrops and way too many loading screens and sims being unreachable and uncontrollable).
I'm sick to death of people saying how TS4 sucks because how great TS3 was and vice-versa. They are different games, just because it's a sequel does not mean it has to be the same, it can be a different take on the same concept ie life simulator.
Do I think it's perfect? No not at all, but neither is TS3 and by calling TS4 a bad game is being blinded by you own personal preference as a lot of people seem to enjoy it.
Honestly I remember the forums when TS3 was, people complained and were frustrated then too: Why there were no getting in the car animations
Why were the babies wrapped in blankets
Why couldn't we give babies and toddlers baths Not to mention a lot of people didn't like how the sims themselves looked and all the other issues that were already mentioned
The point is in everything some people are going to like it some will not, doesn't make either of them wrong.
Well, If all that was all over the forums of TS3 (and it was) why didn't they listen? Didn't read Ideas and Feedback I guess.
They listened didn't they? We got that car (*points at signature*), Sims 4 babies have legs and the Store brought a bath for babies and toddlers.
I'm sick to death of people saying how TS4 sucks because how great TS3 was and vice-versa. They are different games, just because it's a sequel does not mean it has to be the same, it can be a different take on the same concept ie life simulator.
Do I think it's perfect? No not at all, but neither is TS3 and by calling TS4 a bad game is being blinded by you own personal preference as a lot of people seem to enjoy it.
Honestly I remember the forums when TS3 was, people complained and were frustrated then too: Why there were no getting in the car animations
Why were the babies wrapped in blankets
Why couldn't we give babies and toddlers baths Not to mention a lot of people didn't like how the sims themselves looked and all the other issues that were already mentioned
The point is in everything some people are going to like it some will not, doesn't make either of them wrong.
Well, If all that was all over the forums of TS3 (and it was) why didn't they listen? Didn't read Ideas and Feedback I guess.
They listened didn't they? We got that car (*points at signature*), Sims 4 babies have legs and the Store brought a bath for babies and toddlers.
Yes, but I meant for this game. If they knew these were big issues for TS3 and they were why the heck tie the baby to the crib it's tied no matter which way In a blanket without arms and or in a crib tied to it. Tied being figuratively here. Of course we could carry them around in TS3, but the point was untie those darn arms! now stuck in crib. Can't give them baths again, no toddles at all, no cars at all, etc. Seems they forgot all about what people said would improve the 'series'.
"Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
Oh, ok, I never had that one. WA does come with bugs but never one that prevented me from finishing the quests. And WA is the very last reason I could think of to quit this game
I'd be more than willing to except an in between solution for the open world by the way, if it would really improve performance. But not the way they did in Sims 2 (I need my time continuation ) and not the way they did it in Sims 4 (fake backdrops and way too many loading screens and sims being unreachable and uncontrollable).
for me The Sims 4 is an in-between solution, because the time is still going for everyone else. When I got back to The Sims 2 I really miss that auto aging.
I'm sick to death of people saying how TS4 sucks because how great TS3 was and vice-versa. They are different games, just because it's a sequel does not mean it has to be the same, it can be a different take on the same concept ie life simulator.
Do I think it's perfect? No not at all, but neither is TS3 and by calling TS4 a bad game is being blinded by you own personal preference as a lot of people seem to enjoy it.
Honestly I remember the forums when TS3 was, people complained and were frustrated then too: Why there were no getting in the car animations
Why were the babies wrapped in blankets
Why couldn't we give babies and toddlers baths Not to mention a lot of people didn't like how the sims themselves looked and all the other issues that were already mentioned
The point is in everything some people are going to like it some will not, doesn't make either of them wrong.
Well, If all that was all over the forums of TS3 (and it was) why didn't they listen? Didn't read Ideas and Feedback I guess.
They listened didn't they? We got that car (*points at signature*), Sims 4 babies have legs and the Store brought a bath for babies and toddlers.
Yes, but I meant for this game. If they knew these were big issues for TS3 and they were why the heck tie the baby to the crib it's tied no matter which way In a blanket without arms and or in a crib tied to it. Tied being figuratively here. Of course we could carry them around in TS3, but the point was untie those darn arms! now stuck in crib. Can't give them baths again, no toddles at all, no cars at all, etc. Seems they forgot all about what people said would improve the 'series'.
Oh, ok, I never had that one. WA does come with bugs but never one that prevented me from finishing the quests. And WA is the very last reason I could think of to quit this game
I'd be more than willing to except an in between solution for the open world by the way, if it would really improve performance. But not the way they did in Sims 2 (I need my time continuation ) and not the way they did it in Sims 4 (fake backdrops and way too many loading screens and sims being unreachable and uncontrollable).
for me The Sims 4 is an in-between solution, because the time is still going for everyone else. When I got back to The Sims 2 I really miss that auto aging.
My personal preference would be: sections the size of 1⁄3 Sims 3 world with fitting backdrops, lots functioning the same way as in 3 (no loading screen), sims in other sections being able to continue their business (like in Freeplay basically). And vehicles, definitely vehicles. No teleporting.
The game has the potential to be the best in the series. It's fast, beautiful, building homes is easier, the world itself looks gorgeous, not to mention Sims, etc. It really has the potential to have it all, except for the team that is working on it. I'm scared they could ruin it not releasing the right content or taking forever to do it, but I guess we should trust what they're doing and hope it goes better this second part of the year.
Comments
Yes, this game has the risk of going downhill. -Like all games.
If I wanted to play a different game then the Sims series I'd have bought one... wait? I already have Virtual Villagers. I was hoping for Maxis moving the series forward.
I kind of like it for that reason. It makes them an actual supernatural rather than just a reskin of regular sims.
Well, If all that was all over the forums of TS3 (and it was) why didn't they listen? Didn't read Ideas and Feedback I guess.
It can go up hill or downhill... it's up to Maxis and what they make.
The list is insightful, but I consider a lot of those things being just content in general. The way I see it, changes always have a reason behind them. We might not know everything they have planned for TS4 yet, so therefore we can't see all the reasoning behind them. Sometimes it might have been a time issue (like toddlers not making it into base game?) but as of the teen height, I think that might be a change they thought to be necessary because of plans to add pre-teens. The missing "normal" careers might get added as active careers in future (I certainly hope so, love GTW), but because of that they haven't been added in with base game. There's a lot of planning that goes into the development and the changes that we simply won't get answers for until the right time.
As far as a general look on the list of missing features, the more iterations that we get TS5, 6, 7 or however many, that list is only going to get longer and longer, regardless of what other features get added either with patches over time or with each future iteration. Each time they try to improve a feature, it becomes a change, even if the feature is just an improved version (an opinion that can vary), some might still consider the older version as a missing feature. It's not shocking to me, that TS4 has a "missing feature list", and it's not going to shock me when TS5 comes around with an even longer missing feature list.
Features to me would be like this. If I build a game TS1 and later in the next generation of that game I add a 'feature' like the hammer tool to build mode so you can easily knock down walls/Delete I would plan to have that feature in all other versions later on. Which was in TS2, TS3 and TS4. You would 'expect' wouldn't you? that if you had this before in the 'core' game it should be in the next generation and never go back (because you have already invented the wheel) to removing the 'wheel'..aka hammer tool.
O.K. same with the Sims themselves. If I build TS1 and continue the actual series and don't call it a side game like Life Stories or TSM or something but put a number on it to continue the series. I would expect everything before in the base game would be in the next four, and also continue to include the 'hammer' tool and the Sims and what they could do and who they were in the past with personality and their life stages, and all that was about them. Right? Because I am continuing to build on my idea and my cake.
O.K. if you go back after inventing the wheel and remove or omit life stages it's impossible to call it four from a logical point of view. You already invented the wheel of life stages (all) and of aging. To remove it next time seems like you don't know what you were building to start with. Because you certainly wouldn't leave out the hammer tool from TS2 and make players not be able to just knock down walls to delete and make them go back to using the wall tool and shift key....would you?
There is a slew of things missing if you are going to call it number 4.
that depends. Every time when you're building an iteration, one would assume you're building on probably a new engine (since there's 5-6 years between iterations), meaning you don't port the game, you build it from the ground up. The moment you start building you have a limited amount of time. Meaning not everything can go in. What you do have though is statistics. What if your statistics show that 80% of simmers were using the basement tool, but only 5% of simmers were using the knock down tool? You obviously omit the knock down tool and use the time you just saved to either improve a feature, or add a new one.
you can, unless you want the same game every single time. Every iteration they have to build from the ground up. They have limited amount of time. Every wheel that they need to make, costs time. Meaning for every new wheel added an old one goes.
I certainly hope the next game in the series (assuming there is one) IS a hard reboot, and not Sims 5. Reset the expectations and clean the slate. That way, it's still a game in the main series, and not a 'side game', but also not 'ridiculously high expectations' all because of a stupid number. Every game has been a soft reboot anyway.
You are right. If they had done marketing for this game as a side game or reboot, even I wouldn't be comparing to older games. My brain would dismiss everything it was missing because it would see it as a reboot or side game. Then I would just be making happy wish lists. lol
The thing is I'm not easily distracted and the illusion is broken for me. I mean my poor Sims are bonding with the bassinet for goodness sake. They have to remove the cute squirmy thing in it to become friends with the bassinet. It's a slap in the face for me every time I see the relationship bar and ++ indications over the bassinet and not the baby they're holding.
I think TS4 would have done so much better, have a real chance of honoring the series (again IMO) if they scrapped the entire Olympus foundation and allowed this version to be built with its own fully offline foundation. It deserved its own foundation. But because this foundation was designed for online multi-player (the online part is switched off), you're still at the mercy of the parameters that was intended for the online play. The other games didn't have this restriction.
Also my understanding is when making a new installment, you include the best of the previous installments as the base, and then add new, innovative things to define it, making it different from the previous installments so it's not a repeat; but you still keep the best of what was built from its predecessors so it still feels like it's indeed part of the series.
However with all that is said, is TS4 at risk? I don't know. There seems to be plenty of players that are fine with all of this and are okay with (IMO) novelty playing.
A hefty budget does not make a good or great game, but it does help a lot. Although there are some bugs with multitasking, on the whole, the game runs relatively smoothly. You may hate loading screens, and you may hate the lack of toddlers, and you may even hate emotions ... but that does not necessarily detract from the game when you consider:
Loading screens allow the current lots to run a lot smoother, since it takes away a lot of the calculations that the game would need to do in real time. I do wish that we could have open neighbourhoods, but I am also not against loading screens at all. It may feel like a downgrade when TS3 was open world, and many other games have a seamless open world mechanic as well, but The Sims is much more complicated than most games since:
- Sims have a wide array of interactions, objects, animations, emotions, etc.
- Sims are supposed to autonomously "live" in the world during play, switching through many different scenarios/variables.
- Sims can now multitask, allowing them to do more than one thing at once; this in itself is a complicated mechanic, as you are creating multiple sets of interactions that are happening at the same time ... you can sit, eat, and talk at the same time, which may seem like it's not a big deal, but when you account for all the other stuff that is happening and that all of it is controllable/influenced by the player, it is actually a really big deal. The layering of actions that are normally subsequent and allowing them to happen continuously at once is pretty special IMO...
There are probably some other reasons (like emotions) as to why the game is complex ... a complex game doesn't necessarily make a good one, but I think that the elements that were implemented do come together quite well. I would like to see some tweaking on emotions and multitasking though, and at the same time, I do think that the original base game that was released at launch was pretty messy. Even though I like that they patched in ghosts and pools, I did not like that it wasn't already in the base game ... then there is the whole issue of toddlers and everything else that people complain about. Some of it is, to me, justified, and some of it is really just unrealistic ... I've never had that reaction to any of the other base games at all. TS2 and TS3 base games really did feel polished for what they were. TS4 did not. And a large part of my disdain for TS4 is actually the world view ... I think it's so uninspired and boring, even with the work that they have done. If you are going to give me a loading screen, at least give me a vibrant world view. If that means that the loading screen is longer, then so be it ... they could have left that static world map as a way of moving from lot to lot via the phone/computer, and created a vibrant world view that was like TS3/TS2. If they are going to say "this is too much for the engine" in regards to something like open world (not arguing for OW, just making a point) or toddlers, then give me something else like a dynamic world view that is interesting to look, instead of some lame world map that is boring and, to be honest, quite ugly.
TS4 is also constantly being compared to other iterations. TS4 was naturally compared to TS3. A lot of criticisms stem from gameplay that was introduced in other iterations and has now been removed in TS4. This isn't inherently a bad thing, and it also doesn't mean that it makes every criticism justified ... what this means is that EA - whether they like it or not - is competing with previous versions, and they have to answer to some people, unless they don't care about losing those people, or if their sales numbers don't cause them to react. Despite everything that I love about TS4, I am left wondering about a lot of things that were left out. I'm not dying for toddlers, or wishing that there were cars in the game ... but there are little things that I wished were there to fill the game out as a life simulator...
I think that the future for TS4 will be more positive than the past. I think that it will get better with time and more DLC. I do not support their decision to give us a mess and then fix it over time ... they should have delayed it for a few months, year, whatever it took to polish up the game. If they do that with TS5 (if there even is a TS5), I would just stop playing The Sims. I want to give them a chance though ... but if they try to do that again, I would be out. I don't think that was their intention though, with all the patches and content that they've given us for free ... they were probably just as annoyed that they had to put the game out there to meet a deadline, but they do seem to have changed quite a bit, and it is my hope/belief that things will get better for TS4, especially in the next 9-10 months.
Some people also say that this is a different game, though it is still part of the series. I agree with this, but I also think that it is wise to respect the fans that are loyal and have been around here a long time. I don't think that the game should or has to pander to the people that have been here the longest, but we also should not be overlooked in light of the 'new generation' of Simmers. I support and encourage the ways that the devs and producers are trying to improve the game, by either trying out new things or reconstructing certain features. But if what they are trying is not working for you, then you should tell them. I do the same thing ... I have written on the forums as to what I want the next GP to be or what I think of their business.
All in all, I don't think TS4 is going downhill; I think they got off to a rocky start, but they are correcting mistakes that have been made, and people are supporting them for it. It's a slow process ... I think we are going to see more positive change throughout this year.
@MysticOne This is my reply to sparkfairy1 who said a similar thing as you.. Negativity usually is there because there is something wrong, but what I meant is that just because there is something wrong and people are complaining does not mean the game is going downhill. Because these things could simply be added, fixed and patched in. Hope that clarifies!
Thank you for your post. It is rare a fan of The Sims 4 will actually tell you what they like about the game in detail without mentioning what they disliked about The Sims 3.
I'd be more than willing to except an in between solution for the open world by the way, if it would really improve performance. But not the way they did in Sims 2 (I need my time continuation
Yes, but I meant for this game. If they knew these were big issues for TS3 and they were why the heck tie the baby to the crib it's tied no matter which way In a blanket without arms and or in a crib tied to it. Tied being figuratively here. Of course we could carry them around in TS3, but the point was untie those darn arms! now stuck in crib. Can't give them baths again, no toddles at all, no cars at all, etc. Seems they forgot all about what people said would improve the 'series'.
for me The Sims 4 is an in-between solution, because the time is still going for everyone else. When I got back to The Sims 2 I really miss that auto aging.