The devs have done a lot right in this game and they have improved it. It's just unfortunate that while improving certain aspects of the game, they took away other very important aspects. An example I would give as far as my own gameplay is concerned, they improved building and made it more convenient but at the same time took away ponds, terrain editing and colour options. Talk about giving with one hand and taking away with the other............
In all fairness, I like Dining Out; they've done a good job there. I don't blame the devs at all for this lacking game. I blame those who made the decision to cut out every single option their creative players would have hoped for in this game. Instead they tossed those players aside, leaving them with little more than nothing.
The sims are no longer "cute little pixel people."
They are the most flesh and blood that they have ever been in the series. Even in TS3--when the sims were more fleshed out--you still had this feeling that they were doll-like little people whose lives you were controlling. Now they feel and look more human.
The sims look great
They look so much better overall in terms of facial features and body proportions. It is also easier to make more individual-looking sims than in TS3.
CAS
Going back to TS3, I am always surprised to see how slow and inefficient it is. It takes at minimum one hour to create and customize a household of 4+ sims. Plus, you can't edit a saved household unless you resort to mods or go through the entire chore of saving each sim to bin, creating a new household, and reloading each one from library. Being able to quickly do all of this in 20 minutes, tops, and edit a saved household is a godsend.
The graphics
The graphics are superb, and have gotten so much better since the lighting update.
The details
The little details have added so much of the charm and whimsy that was missing in TS3, stuff like: a) a sim clumsily dropping a salt shaker into the bowl and looking around to see if anyone saw it b) sims cheating at chess c) all the cute little romantic interactions like blowing a kiss and waving.
Build Mode
At first I didn't like Build Mode because of how "squishy" it felt to me, but now I love it because of the rounded railings and decks, the ability to edit foundations and change the height of the walls, the cornices, and roof trim.
Open neighborhood
As much as I loved open world, I like the open neighborhood system as well for many reasons, one of them being that you no longer lose tons of hours traveling back and forth between lots. As soon as you go to a lot, you're there. Also, the smallness of each hood gives a greater sense of community.
Every time I read through the forums I always see the same thing over and over and over. Whine, whine, whine. I agree that TS4 isn't everything it could be, but neither were the older versions. So I'm gonna challenge your brains. If you actually play TS4, then let's hear two things you really love about the game. What are the things you believe the developers have done right.
Good intentions with your thread, but your original post is horribly ignorant.
Ignorant meaning lacking in knowledge and education, or the more common use of being rude and uncouth? Because I hope its the latter. As I was reading through a bunch of posts last night, I got to thinking what I would think if it were me behind the scenes trying to put out a game like this. Negative feedback is essential, I know, but the veritable onslaught of negativity would make me walk away from the effort. I'd throw my hands up and decide there is no way to please these people. It's quite rude of us as simmers to not acknowledge what we enjoy as well as what we dislike.
Every time I read through the forums I always see the same thing over and over and over. Whine, whine, whine. I agree that TS4 isn't everything it could be, but neither were the older versions. So I'm gonna challenge your brains. If you actually play TS4, then let's hear two things you really love about the game. What are the things you believe the developers have done right.
Bolded.
I think it's a good thing that players provide criticism. In the end, it's just a game, as you said, so why care or resort to calling others whiners that possess low brain capacity?
Good intentions with your thread, but your original post is horribly ignorant.
Ignorant meaning lacking in knowledge and education, or the more common use of being rude and uncouth? Because I hope its the latter. As I was reading through a bunch of posts last night, I got to thinking what I would think if it were me behind the scenes trying to put out a game like this. Negative feedback is essential, I know, but the veritable onslaught of negativity would make me walk away from the effort. I'd throw my hands up and decide there is no way to please these people. It's quite rude of us as simmers to not acknowledge what we enjoy as well as what we dislike.
I think if there's one thing crystal clear in all the 'negative' comments, it's that there are many ways to please 'these' people, because each and everyone of them are here for only one reason: they were pleased in the past. If I'm a whiner, why didn't I ever whine about Sims 3, even when there was plenty to whine about?
That being said, I enjoy playing the game right now, mainly because I've finally found me some gameplay that's new and fun for me. The science career so far is nice and the club system has some fun surprises. I also like how my sim's boyfriend is clearly constantly thinking about my sim, because he keeps inviting her to do things. Other sims that mean nothing to her are inviting her as well but I can ignore that, at the moment they really feel like a couple in love. Which brings me to a major other plus: the seperated friendship/romantic bars. I also like the hats on every haircut and I like how clear buy mode is classed. And of course all the great tools in build mode.
ETA: I must add it's a simple fact that what 'they did right' for some, they did very wrong for others There's also that element of course.
after nearly two years i think positivity is no help at all
i was positive until Gamescom 2015
i gave this game still a benefit of doubt until i played Dine Out
after that experience there is nothing left to be positive about
at some point there has to be an end to an endless torture
people starting now first to play TS4 will eventualy come to the same depressing realisation as all those complainers before them
& there is really no need to deminish & insult anyone with tags like "haters" & "whiny" ...
i won't be participating in the forums & the gallery anymore - thanks EA
If you actually play TS4, then let's hear two things you really love about the game. What are the things you believe the developers have done right.
1. I love the way sims show their emotions physically instead of by a pop-up. Seeing the way they are feeling by their expressions and body-language is something some players were asking for a long time before TS4 was announced and I'm really pleased they implemented this concept. TS3 Sims felt very robotic to me, and as much as I loved the game I never felt like I connected to them emotionally. In TS4 I get instantly attached to these funny little characters and I get so wrapped up in their lives! It's like they really have their own thoughts and feelings, and I can just watch their reactions to things that are going on around them and find it absolutely absorbing!
2. This is going to be controversial... I'm glad there is no open world. *hides from the rotten tomatoes being thrown in my direction* Yes, Im too impatient for a ten second loading screen and find them annoying. And yes, it's frustrating to be literally stood on the edge of a lot and have to have a loading screen if you want to step onto it. BUT... I think they made the right decision. Because my game runs so much better and faster than previous games, and the lots are busier. I think if they added an open world, my [reasonable quality] computer wouldn't be able to handle it. I was playing TS2 last night and the loading screens were longer than TS4. And with TS3 it takes up to half an hour for the hood to load and when/if it finally does the community lots are empty. I like that TS4 has achieved a balance between the two. We are not confined to the lot as we were in TS2, but we can walk out into the open area around it and explore it. I do hope they continue to make these open areas large and interesting places.
If you actually play TS4, then let's hear two things you really love about the game. What are the things you believe the developers have done right.
1. I love the way sims show their emotions physically instead of by a pop-up. Seeing the way they are feeling by their expressions and body-language is something some players were asking for a long time before TS4 was announced and I'm really pleased they implemented this concept. TS3 Sims felt very robotic to me, and as much as I loved the game I never felt like I connected to them emotionally. In TS4 I get instantly attached to these funny little characters and I get so wrapped up in their lives! It's like they really have their own thoughts and feelings, and I can just watch their reactions to things that are going on around them and find it absolutely absorbing!
2. This is going to be controversial... I'm glad there is no open world. *hides from the rotten tomatoes being thrown in my direction* Yes, Im too impatient for a ten second loading screen and find them annoying. And yes, it's frustrating to be literally stood on the edge of a lot and have to have a loading screen if you want to step onto it. BUT... I think they made the right decision. Because my game runs so much better and faster than previous games, and the lots are busier. I think if they added an open world, my [reasonable quality] computer wouldn't be able to handle it. I was playing TS2 last night and the loading screens were longer than TS4. And with TS3 it takes up to half an hour for the hood to load and when/if it finally does the community lots are empty. I like that TS4 has achieved a balance between the two. We are not confined to the lot as we were in TS2, but we can walk out into the open area around it and explore it. I do hope they continue to make these open areas large and interesting places.
edit: grammar
I have to agree. With ts3 i have a newer laptop and it ru,s great but having to wait fpr my house to reload from the mesh look is a pain. Plus the loading screens for ts4 dont take long for me.
"Bada su the gorn bada su the brawn bada bady oda aba donk donk donk gerbits gerbits vo gerbits".
I have to agree. With ts3 i have a newer laptop and it ru,s great but having to wait fpr my house to reload from the mesh look is a pain. Plus the loading screens for ts4 dont take long for me.
I have to run TS3 on mid settings, so it can only render a few neighbouring lots at a time. I'm always drifting slightly or turning the camera, and it triggers this reloading of the lot which is really frustrating! I'm too impatient to have to sit and wait for the lots to render each time, and it takes as long as a TS4 loading screen at least! XD
TS4 loading screens don't take long for me either, usually around 10 seconds, but longer if it is a larger lot or it has too many items stuffed onto it (my own fault). I am a very impatient person though, so I sit quietly for those 10 seconds but end up getting bored and wandering off to Twitter or something. It might be nice if they replaced the spinning plumbob with a different animation, maybe it could cycle through the animated gifs from different packs that used to be on the start screen. I need something new to look at! XD Oh, and lots should always load paused. >__<
I have to agree. With ts3 i have a newer laptop and it ru,s great but having to wait fpr my house to reload from the mesh look is a pain. Plus the loading screens for ts4 dont take long for me.
I have to run TS3 on mid settings, so it can only render a few neighbouring lots at a time. I'm always drifting slightly or turning the camera, and it triggers this reloading of the lot which is really frustrating! I'm too impatient to have to sit and wait for the lots to render each time, and it takes as long as a TS4 loading screen at least! XD
TS4 loading screens don't take long for me either, usually around 10 seconds, but longer if it is a larger lot or it has too many items stuffed onto it (my own fault). I am a very impatient person though, so I sit quietly for those 10 seconds but end up getting bored and wandering off to Twitter or something. It might be nice if they replaced the spinning plumbob with a different animation, maybe it could cycle through the animated gifs from different packs that used to be on the start screen. I need something new to look at! XD Oh, and lots should always load paused. >__<
They changed it from what it use to be they could change it again for all we know. But i feel your pain. Although i do still go back to ts3 because of family play ilike 4 too. I go nack and forth a lot,
"Bada su the gorn bada su the brawn bada bady oda aba donk donk donk gerbits gerbits vo gerbits".
Despite all the stuff I've complained about there are things that I definitely love in this game. The first thing being build mode. Gosh I love it. Sure the foundations thing is annoying and I was hoping we'd get more stair shapes but the room tool is awesome. Being able to pick up and move/delete/resize a room is great and makes it so easy for me to build my houses and floor plans.
CAS is awesome. The pinch and pull system, I will never want sliders again. No waiting for all your stuff to load up, it's just there.
The overall graphics. The sims look great, everything is vivid and colourful.
I love that they can watch TV and eat. That is the best thing always.
How is this about to flip? How is this 'seeing the way they are feeling by their expressions and body-language'?
It's called imagination. What I see is another Sim who stares blankly out into space with that big fat grin on their face. I like actual simulation most of the time. But understand why we all make up stuff due to imagination.
"Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
For me the main thing has to be the overall style of the game. It's stunning. The Sims themselves are beautiful and the scenery (especially in Windenburg) is a sight to see.
How is this about to flip? How is this 'seeing the way they are feeling by their expressions and body-language'?
It's called imagination. What I see is another Sim who stares blankly out into space with that big fat grin on their face. I like actual simulation most of the time. But understand why we all make up stuff due to imagination.
Yes... but I sometimes genuinely think I'm going insane you know..?
"I love the way sims show their emotions physically instead of by a pop-up. Seeing the way they are feeling by their expressions and body-language is something some players were asking for a long time before TS4 was announced and I'm really pleased they implemented this concept."
It probably was a pop-up that showed that Kamini was about to flip, something like this:
Because I don't see it in her expression nor body-language. And then the addition this was something players were asking for a long time before TS4 was announced. Well I wasn't.
Elijah about to flip.
Raven about to flip.
Dorian about to flip.
Lance flipping.
What pop-ups?
But never mind me, this topic is positive and it should stay that way. I withdraw in confusion, goodnight
If you actually play TS4, then let's hear two things you really love about the game. What are the things you believe the developers have done right.
This is so hard! Because the things that I like end with BUT!
I like the semi-open mini-hoods, the developers were onto something with them.
BUT... Here comes the whine
They need to be double the size, up to 10 lots would be fantastic.
And they need to properly open, so that you can go and knock on your neighbours door, without a loading screen.
I like some aspects of the new build methods. The new wall height options are great.
BUT....
The stairs become crazily steep, like scarily so. I wish they'd extended them by one square for each extra height.
And all foundations or none, what is with that? can't I have two buildings on the one lot, one with raised foundations, and the other at ground level? ARGH *Rage quit*
oooh, wait! There is one thing I do like, with no buts. The option for gender fluid clothing, I can put a woman in a tux without a problem, and have drag queens. I like this. And while I might not use the option all the time, I like that I have it.
If you actually play TS4, then let's hear two things you really love about the game. What are the things you believe the developers have done right.
This is so hard! Because the things that I like end with BUT!
I like the semi-open mini-hoods, the developers were onto something with them.
BUT... Here comes the whine
They need to be double the size, up to 10 lots would be fantastic.
And they need to properly open, so that you can go and knock on your neighbours door, without a loading screen.
I like some aspects of the new build methods. The new wall height options are great.
BUT....
The stairs become crazily steep, like scarily so. I wish they'd extended them by one square for each extra height.
And all foundations or none, what is with that? can't I have two buildings on the one lot, one with raised foundations, and the other at ground level? ARGH *Rage quit*
oooh, wait! There is one thing I do like, with no buts. The option for gender fluid clothing, I can put a woman in a tux without a problem, and have drag queens. I like this. And while I might not use the option all the time, I like that I have it.
I forgot about the 'all or nothing' with foundations. I would like to retract that statement as it could have been done better (like you said).
I would like to replace foundations with the search function! I love that one. Makes finding objects in build/buy so much easier and I do pine for it in previous games.
Dissatisfied with Sims 4 and hoping for a better Sims 5
I love The Sims 4 graphics and art style. The Sims 3 can be considered the most complete game ever, but I can't play it because I can't stand how ugly and weird they are. They look like they were made with modelling clay.
I like the semi-open neighborhoods (or lots. I don't know what they're called exactly). It reduces loading time, and the loading screen between lots is REALLY fast. Faster than The Sims 2 back in its days. Open worlds can be practical, but Maxis programmed it wrong, causing the game to crash all the time.
I love it how it reminds me more of The Sims 2 than The Sims 3 ever did. I feel they lost the randomness and sense of humor back in 3.
The one thing that really bothers me about Sims 4? Lack of Expansion Packs and life states.
How is this about to flip? How is this 'seeing the way they are feeling by their expressions and body-language'?
It's called imagination. What I see is another Sim who stares blankly out into space with that big fat grin on their face. I like actual simulation most of the time. But understand why we all make up stuff due to imagination.
Yes... but I sometimes genuinely think I'm going insane you know..?
"I love the way sims show their emotions physically instead of by a pop-up. Seeing the way they are feeling by their expressions and body-language is something some players were asking for a long time before TS4 was announced and I'm really pleased they implemented this concept."
It probably was a pop-up that showed that Kamini was about to flip, something like this:
Because I don't see it in her expression nor body-language. And then the addition this was something players were asking for a long time before TS4 was announced. Well I wasn't.
Elijah about to flip.
Raven about to flip.
Dorian about to flip.
Lance flipping.
What pop-ups?
But never mind me, this topic is positive and it should stay that way. I withdraw in confusion, goodnight
I agree, and why I am playing TS3 again. I see your Sim is flipping. And more of what I want to see than a fake avatar in TS4 which usually doesn't match the grin on the Sim's face in the actual game.
"Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
Comments
In all fairness, I like Dining Out; they've done a good job there. I don't blame the devs at all for this lacking game. I blame those who made the decision to cut out every single option their creative players would have hoped for in this game. Instead they tossed those players aside, leaving them with little more than nothing.
The sims are no longer "cute little pixel people."
They are the most flesh and blood that they have ever been in the series. Even in TS3--when the sims were more fleshed out--you still had this feeling that they were doll-like little people whose lives you were controlling. Now they feel and look more human.
The sims look great
They look so much better overall in terms of facial features and body proportions. It is also easier to make more individual-looking sims than in TS3.
CAS
Going back to TS3, I am always surprised to see how slow and inefficient it is. It takes at minimum one hour to create and customize a household of 4+ sims. Plus, you can't edit a saved household unless you resort to mods or go through the entire chore of saving each sim to bin, creating a new household, and reloading each one from library. Being able to quickly do all of this in 20 minutes, tops, and edit a saved household is a godsend.
The graphics
The graphics are superb, and have gotten so much better since the lighting update.
The details
The little details have added so much of the charm and whimsy that was missing in TS3, stuff like: a) a sim clumsily dropping a salt shaker into the bowl and looking around to see if anyone saw it b) sims cheating at chess c) all the cute little romantic interactions like blowing a kiss and waving.
Build Mode
At first I didn't like Build Mode because of how "squishy" it felt to me, but now I love it because of the rounded railings and decks, the ability to edit foundations and change the height of the walls, the cornices, and roof trim.
Open neighborhood
As much as I loved open world, I like the open neighborhood system as well for many reasons, one of them being that you no longer lose tons of hours traveling back and forth between lots. As soon as you go to a lot, you're there. Also, the smallness of each hood gives a greater sense of community.
Bolded.
I think it's a good thing that players provide criticism. In the end, it's just a game, as you said, so why care or resort to calling others whiners that possess low brain capacity?
That being said, I enjoy playing the game right now, mainly because I've finally found me some gameplay that's new and fun for me. The science career so far is nice and the club system has some fun surprises. I also like how my sim's boyfriend is clearly constantly thinking about my sim, because he keeps inviting her to do things. Other sims that mean nothing to her are inviting her as well but I can ignore that, at the moment they really feel like a couple in love. Which brings me to a major other plus: the seperated friendship/romantic bars. I also like the hats on every haircut and I like how clear buy mode is classed. And of course all the great tools in build mode.
ETA: I must add it's a simple fact that what 'they did right' for some, they did very wrong for others
after nearly two years i think positivity is no help at all
i was positive until Gamescom 2015
i gave this game still a benefit of doubt until i played Dine Out
after that experience there is nothing left to be positive about
at some point there has to be an end to an endless torture
people starting now first to play TS4 will eventualy come to the same depressing realisation as all those complainers before them
& there is really no need to deminish & insult anyone with tags like "haters" & "whiny" ...
1. I love the way sims show their emotions physically instead of by a pop-up. Seeing the way they are feeling by their expressions and body-language is something some players were asking for a long time before TS4 was announced and I'm really pleased they implemented this concept. TS3 Sims felt very robotic to me, and as much as I loved the game I never felt like I connected to them emotionally. In TS4 I get instantly attached to these funny little characters and I get so wrapped up in their lives! It's like they really have their own thoughts and feelings, and I can just watch their reactions to things that are going on around them and find it absolutely absorbing!
2. This is going to be controversial... I'm glad there is no open world. *hides from the rotten tomatoes being thrown in my direction* Yes, Im too impatient for a ten second loading screen and find them annoying. And yes, it's frustrating to be literally stood on the edge of a lot and have to have a loading screen if you want to step onto it. BUT... I think they made the right decision. Because my game runs so much better and faster than previous games, and the lots are busier. I think if they added an open world, my [reasonable quality] computer wouldn't be able to handle it. I was playing TS2 last night and the loading screens were longer than TS4. And with TS3 it takes up to half an hour for the hood to load and when/if it finally does the community lots are empty. I like that TS4 has achieved a balance between the two. We are not confined to the lot as we were in TS2, but we can walk out into the open area around it and explore it. I do hope they continue to make these open areas large and interesting places.
edit: grammar
I have to agree. With ts3 i have a newer laptop and it ru,s great but having to wait fpr my house to reload from the mesh look is a pain. Plus the loading screens for ts4 dont take long for me.
I have to run TS3 on mid settings, so it can only render a few neighbouring lots at a time. I'm always drifting slightly or turning the camera, and it triggers this reloading of the lot which is really frustrating! I'm too impatient to have to sit and wait for the lots to render each time, and it takes as long as a TS4 loading screen at least! XD
TS4 loading screens don't take long for me either, usually around 10 seconds, but longer if it is a larger lot or it has too many items stuffed onto it (my own fault). I am a very impatient person though, so I sit quietly for those 10 seconds but end up getting bored and wandering off to Twitter or something. It might be nice if they replaced the spinning plumbob with a different animation, maybe it could cycle through the animated gifs from different packs that used to be on the start screen. I need something new to look at! XD Oh, and lots should always load paused. >__<
They changed it from what it use to be they could change it again for all we know. But i feel your pain. Although i do still go back to ts3 because of family play ilike 4 too. I go nack and forth a lot,
it's still working as it should
Fab, thanks.
CAS is awesome. The pinch and pull system, I will never want sliders again. No waiting for all your stuff to load up, it's just there.
The overall graphics. The sims look great, everything is vivid and colourful.
I love that they can watch TV and eat. That is the best thing always.
It's called imagination. What I see is another Sim who stares blankly out into space with that big fat grin on their face. I like actual simulation most of the time. But understand why we all make up stuff due to imagination.
"I love the way sims show their emotions physically instead of by a pop-up. Seeing the way they are feeling by their expressions and body-language is something some players were asking for a long time before TS4 was announced and I'm really pleased they implemented this concept."
It probably was a pop-up that showed that Kamini was about to flip, something like this:
Because I don't see it in her expression nor body-language. And then the addition this was something players were asking for a long time before TS4 was announced. Well I wasn't.
Elijah about to flip.
Raven about to flip.
Dorian about to flip.
Lance flipping.
What pop-ups?
But never mind me, this topic is positive and it should stay that way. I withdraw in confusion, goodnight
I mention them all the time.
The ability to move a whole room and to add foundations without needing to tear the entire house down.
That wasn't challenging at all, and I'm a bonified whiner. I actually have a few more than two.
This is so hard! Because the things that I like end with BUT!
I like the semi-open mini-hoods, the developers were onto something with them.
BUT... Here comes the whine
And they need to properly open, so that you can go and knock on your neighbours door, without a loading screen.
I like some aspects of the new build methods. The new wall height options are great.
BUT....
And all foundations or none, what is with that? can't I have two buildings on the one lot, one with raised foundations, and the other at ground level? ARGH *Rage quit*
oooh, wait! There is one thing I do like, with no buts. The option for gender fluid clothing, I can put a woman in a tux without a problem, and have drag queens. I like this. And while I might not use the option all the time, I like that I have it.
I forgot about the 'all or nothing' with foundations. I would like to retract that statement as it could have been done better (like you said).
I would like to replace foundations with the search function! I love that one. Makes finding objects in build/buy so much easier and I do pine for it in previous games.
I like the semi-open neighborhoods (or lots. I don't know what they're called exactly). It reduces loading time, and the loading screen between lots is REALLY fast. Faster than The Sims 2 back in its days. Open worlds can be practical, but Maxis programmed it wrong, causing the game to crash all the time.
I love it how it reminds me more of The Sims 2 than The Sims 3 ever did. I feel they lost the randomness and sense of humor back in 3.
The one thing that really bothers me about Sims 4? Lack of Expansion Packs and life states.
I agree, and why I am playing TS3 again. I see your Sim is flipping. And more of what I want to see than a fake avatar in TS4 which usually doesn't match the grin on the Sim's face in the actual game.
achievements