Stuff Packs Are Side Activities «12345678...Next Go

TheGoodOldGamer

*gasp!* Revelation, I know!

With all the needless hub-bub about bowling recently, I thought I would address this since no one else seems to be. Just think about your answers to the following questions, and maybe you'll figure out what I'm getting at here:

Do your Sims play on the waterslides everyday? (Backyard Stuff)
Do your Sims make and then eat ice cream everyday? (Cool Kitchen)
Do your Sims make popcorn and watch a movie everyday? (Movie Hangout)
Do your Sims put on/watch a puppet show everyday? (Kid's Room)
Do your Sims celebrate Halloween (costume party or whatever) everyday? (Spooky Stuff)
Do your Sims throw grand parties everyday with buffets? (Luxury Party)
Do your Sims use the hot-tub everyday? (Perfect Patio)
Do your Sims always hire/use the Butler? (Vintage Glamour)
Do your Sims use the wishing well everyday? (Romantic Garden)
Will your Sims go bowling everyday? (Bowling Night)

They'll only do that stuff sometimes, right? Maybe for special occassions. Maybe to spice up the day-to-day routine. And maybe they only get a Butler when they get rich enough for one, right?

Doesn't that put a perspective on the whole thing here? They're side activities. The spices of a meal, not the meat n potatos. So why, oh why, do people talk like they're disappointed they won't be able to enjoy bowling 24/7 when we all know even with the best bowling, in whatever pack you'd prefer, it still wouldn't be used every single day, or even all the time.

Let's expand this further:

Do your Sims eat at a restaurant everyday? (Dine Out)
Do your Sims go to the spa every day? (Spa Day)
Do your Sims all get turned into vampires? (Vampires)
Do your Sims go to Granite Falls every weekend? (Outdoor Retreat - and I say every weekend here because it's a vacation spot, lol.)

See? Even GPs don't get used all the time. How about EPs?

Do your Sims always have an active career? (GTW)
Do your Sims all live in the big city? (City Living)
Do your Sims all join/lead clubs? (GT)

Are you starting to get it yet? Each pack, regardless of size or value, provides aspects to the game. Now let's say, for the sake of covering discussion, that you want to compare the larger packs to the SPs with just a small addition, like how some people keep thinking bowling should just be one object in CL instead of the 40 in the pack.

Do your Sims play basketball everyday? (CL)
Do your Sims play fooseball everyday? (GT)
Do your Sims use that scientist randomizer ray thing everyday? (GTW)

...

Just some food for thought here. Whether you like bowling or not, it's still something your Sims would only use every now and then, when you happen to be at whatever venue it's at, or if you put it in your home and happen to throw a party or something. It's not that big of a deal either way.

And yes, as I mentioned, there are 40+ items in the pack. Not 1.

Uzone27

TheGoodOldGamer wrote: »

*gasp!* Revelation, I know!

With all the needless hub-bub about bowling recently, I thought I would address this since no one else seems to be. Just think about your answers to the following questions, and maybe you'll figure out what I'm getting at here:

Do your Sims play on the waterslides everyday? (Backyard Stuff)
Do your Sims make and then eat ice cream everyday? (Cool Kitchen)
Do your Sims make popcorn and watch a movie everyday? (Movie Hangout)
Do your Sims put on/watch a puppet show everyday? (Kid's Room)
Do your Sims celebrate Halloween (costume party or whatever) everyday? (Spooky Stuff)
Do your Sims throw grand parties everyday with buffets? (Luxury Party)
Do your Sims use the hot-tub everyday? (Perfect Patio)
Do your Sims always hire/use the Butler? (Vintage Glamour)
Do your Sims use the wishing well everyday? (Romantic Garden)
Will your Sims go bowling everyday? (Bowling Night)

They'll only do that stuff sometimes, right? Maybe for special occassions. Maybe to spice up the day-to-day routine. And maybe they only get a Butler when they get rich enough for one, right?

Doesn't that put a perspective on the whole thing here? They're side activities. The spices of a meal, not the meat n potatos. So why, oh why, do people talk like they're disappointed they won't be able to enjoy bowling 24/7 when we all know even with the best bowling, in whatever pack you'd prefer, it still wouldn't be used every single day, or even all the time.

Let's expand this further:

Do your Sims eat at a restaurant everyday? (Dine Out)
Do your Sims go to the spa every day? (Spa Day)
Do your Sims all get turned into vampires? (Vampires)
Do your Sims go to Granite Falls every weekend? (Outdoor Retreat - and I say every weekend here because it's a vacation spot, lol.)

See? Even GPs don't get used all the time. How about EPs?

Do your Sims always have an active career? (GTW)
Do your Sims all live in the big city? (City Living)
Do your Sims all join/lead clubs? (GT)

Are you starting to get it yet? Each pack, regardless of size or value, provides aspects to the game. Now let's say, for the sake of covering discussion, that you want to compare the larger packs to the SPs with just a small addition, like how some people keep thinking bowling should just be one object in CL instead of the 40 in the pack.

Do your Sims play basketball everyday? (CL)
Do your Sims play fooseball everyday? (GT)
Do your Sims use that scientist randomizer ray thing everyday? (GTW)

...

Just some food for thought here. Whether you like bowling or not, it's still something your Sims would only use every now and then, when you happen to be at whatever venue it's at, or if you put it in your home and happen to throw a party or something. It's not that big of a deal either way.

And yes, as I mentioned, there are 40+ items in the pack. Not 1.

We are on the same page. I just took an entirely different route to make the same point on the "skinny" thread.

bixters

I always wondered why people expected these Stuff Packs to be so wonderful. The ones for the Sims 3 and Sims 2 were garbage quite frankly, nothing but useless decor, and worth the same price. At least for the Sims 4, with all its flaws, the Stuff Packs actually have at least 1 type of gameplay object.

aiex

I agree with what you're saying, but for some reason I'm still bothered by the amount of stuff packs that have been released. I mean, it seems strange to me that they can keep spitting out SPs, but it takes them quite a long time to release EPs! Maybe they should just focus on EPs instead?

Keks_Milch

I prefer the SPs we get over the awful store we had in ts3 (please never let it return...) or the overpriced stuff packs in ts2/ts3.
10 euro is a fair price for a new gameplay item and many build items fitting to the theme + cas stuff.
I agree with you TheGoodOldGamer, they are small side activities fitting for a certain theme. I dont really understand the big dislike for them.

meepweep

My thoughts exactly. I like to have big expansive worlds with lots of different things to do in them. That doesn't mean I use every lot/item/etc every time I play, but I do like them being there as an option. Having a pack doesn't mean you have to use it fully every time you play just because you spent money on it.

PlayerSims

We need Seasons!

PlayerSims

We need Seasons!

ldmarko

I see the TS4 stuff packs as the equivalent of the store sets in TS3. They may add some new game play, but I'm mostly get them for the new clothes & furniture.

Cynna

My problem with the stuff pack is that they keep cranking them out. I wish that the same push would be given to releasing cohesive and full-featured EP's in a timely manner. That is to say, EPs that haven't been stripped of activities so that they could be sold to me later in a stuff pack. TS3 was guilty of this. TS4 has taken it to the level of an art form.

At this rate, it will take upwards of thirty stuff packs to provide the playability that was given in other iterations. That's going to add up. Boy, will it add up!

TheGoodOldGamer

Cynna wrote: »

My problem with the stuff pack is that they keep cranking them out. I wish that the same push would be given to releasing cohesive and full-featured EP's in a timely manner. That is to say, EPs that haven't been stripped of activities so that they could be sold to me later in a stuff pack. TS3 was guilty of this. TS4 has taken it to the level of an art form.

At this rate, it will take upwards of thirty stuff packs to provide the playability that was given in other iterations. That's going to add up. Boy, will it add up!

https://twitter.com/SimGuruGraham/status/844719477073854464

Sk8rblaze

Yoko2112 wrote: »

We probably would've gotten a better experience with GTW if each of the 3 features ( careers, retail, aliens ) would have gotten their own pack.
But sure, they can also try to make these packs as appealing as possible by cramming in a lot of stuff that's half baked just to reach some arbitrary content goal.

This seems to be the go-to excuse for a lot of individuals, and sometimes, gurus themselves. Are conditions really THAT bad at EA that they have the inability to match the quality of the SAME content released not once, not twice, but three times before, and require separating each and every single piece of content into 10 dollar packs?

It's a ridiculous thought, IMHO. EA has to clean their act up within the expansion pack development for The Sims. Many of the stuff pack and game packs have shown that even shoving these little features into their own packs does absolutely nothing in terms of quality.

mitchiebanjo

Excellent post.

BlueR0se

Imo, it seems less of an issue regarding the content of stuff packs, but rather how many stuff packs we are getting in comparison to gamepacks/expansion packs which bring more close-to-actual gameplay gameplay, or that the stuff packs are even close to the worth of the asking price.

Not to mention the content of the stuff packs are usually too specific that it can be a hit or miss in terms of whether it was actually needed/wanted and also there is the issue of the content not truly being maximized to the full potential it should've been, or at least worthy of the asking price.

DrnSimmer

My sims won't stop eating ice cream! It's all they ever want, ice cream and cake, they're all fatty fats.

FairyGodMother

I haven't played with a lot of stuff you have listed yet, or only played them once or twice. But, I have it all (so far)! There is always something in them that I want, even though I don't need it. I have never needed anything in any of the series, but there are things I wanted for my sims!

When it comes to packs, I don't see it like others. I view stuff/game/expansion packs for what it is. I feel they are priced very well and if I only see 10-15 items out of 40, that I like, then the price works for me. I like that they are doing these stuff packs, if it is something I don't like (werewolves) then I won't buy it.

I really like the bowling pack, and I don't see the problems with it others do. So they don't have a score board or don't get a second bowl? I don't see it as a game breaker. I can make my own fun with the family when it comes to bowling. I actually like every item that is in the bowling pack!

Just give me the packs, and I will make/create my own fun. Nothing is impossible or perfect with the sims, but it is enjoyable to me.

Some see it as half-baked, I don't.

PsychoSimXX

You know I have ALWAYS done more building in the sims then anything else. So I don't always look at the game play that is added to the pack. My Sim has yet to have a butler, but I bought the pack because I liked the content. Plus I was really wishing we had more empty worlds to build upon!!

JoieWilder

aiex wrote: »

I agree with what you're saying, but for some reason I'm still bothered by the amount of stuff packs that have been released. I mean, it seems strange to me that they can keep spitting out SPs, but it takes them quite a long time to release EPs! Maybe they should just focus on EPs instead?

Those are two separate teams. There are teams devoted to SPs, GPs, and EPs. Should the SP team sit and twiddle their thumbs until a new EP is announced?

MissCherie

Do your Sims play on the waterslides everyday? (Backyard Stuff) Never
Do your Sims make and then eat ice cream everyday? (Cool Kitchen) Never
Do your Sims make popcorn and watch a movie everyday? (Movie Hangout) Never
Do your Sims put on/watch a puppet show everyday? (Kid's Room) Never
Do your Sims celebrate Halloween (costume party or whatever) everyday? (Spooky Stuff) Never
Do your Sims throw grand parties everyday with buffets? (Luxury Party) Never
Do your Sims use the hot-tub everyday? (Perfect Patio) Sometimes
Do your Sims always hire/use the Butler? (Vintage Glamour) Never
Do your Sims use the wishing well everyday? (Romantic Garden) Actually yes, almost everyday.
Will your Sims go bowling everyday? (Bowling Night) Never

So the only things I use from the SP is the wishing well (often), and the hot tubs.

Do your Sims eat at a restaurant everyday? (Dine Out) Pretty often.
Do your Sims go to the spa every day? (Spa Day) Never
Do your Sims all get turned into vampires? (Vampires) I don't have it yet, but when I will, yes I plan to use my vampires everyday.
Do your Sims go to Granite Falls every weekend? (Outdoor Retreat - and I say every weekend here because it's a vacation spot, lol.) They go pretty often.

I use Dine out and Outdoor retreat pretty often, I almost never use Spa day, I don't have the Vampires pack, but it's actually the only pack I'm looking forward too, I love having more life states, and I do plan to use it plenty.

Do your Sims always have an active career? (GTW) Yes
Do your Sims all live in the big city? (City Living) No, I have no sim living in the City, tried once, and it was too glitchy, I practically never go in the City either with my Sims.
Do your Sims all join/lead clubs? (GT) Yes

My sims almost always have active careers, I don't use CL at all, the only thing I use sometimes is the singing/karaoke, and majority of my sims are in clubs.

Do your Sims play basketball everyday? (CL) No
Do your Sims play fooseball everyday? (GT) No
Do your Sims use that scientist randomizer ray thing everyday? (GTW) Yes

I love using the simray.

I personally feel like the GP are the strength of the game, to me the SP are weak and useless, and the EP are disappointing, I love GTW, but CL is terrible, and GT is okayish, I use the clubs and the world, but that's pretty much all.

Cynna

I suppose that in Sims 5 (if we ever get that far) there will also be those that defend having to buy each life stage in an individual pack? Because its the only way to ensure that they are detailed and fun? Is that it? Because it seems that this is where this series is going. With each iteration, the money grab becomes ever more blatant. So much is being piecemealed and parceled out.

I don't like buying my French fries one by one. I don't want to buy the hamburger separate from the bun. I don't like buying Sims features like that either. It's beyond annoying at this point. I would really just prefer some well-planned, well-executed expansion packs like the series used to have.

With all of these individualized packs, there will be less integration in the end. Because with every pack, EA won't know which packs the consumer already owns. They won't mesh together as well as they could have if the devs knew more or less what a consumer already owned.

So far, the only overarching pack in this series is GT and I'm very thankful for that. However, that's about the extent of any attempts at integration in this series. As well, when things are broken into too many working parts, it gets harder and harder to make them play nicely together. There is an ever increasing chance for error. The last has begun to play out in this series already.

Cupid

it's kind of sad this needed to be explained to people. but i'm glad you took the time to do it!

mannanna

Good point OP
I think what ppl don't realize is that first and foremost EA is a business. Stuff packs makes more money, ( less content, faster to make )
I think of them like store content, or pay $1.99 to move forward on your Facebook, app game. Candy Crush Saga made billions of dollars.
This is the trend, whether you like it or not. I think spending $10 is not bad at all for what they contain, and a plus is I don't HAVE to have it.
Back in Sims1 days I bought all packs not because I was overly thrilled by the content but it felt like you had to have it or otherwise I missed out. ( Partly because of all the CC that was cloned ) I guess the point I wan't to make is that stuff packs I don't have to buy and I can still have a good game.

JimG72

I think the thing being overlooked here as well is that you can building an entire lot around the bowling lanes. You have bowling uniforms. You have families showing up to bowl when you place a bowling lane on certain types of venues. You can have a birthday party at a bowling alley, take the family out for a night of bowling, start clubs and have your own bowling league, etc. There is a lot more utility than a popcorn popper or a puppet theater. One could argue that any of the objects in stuff packs could be taken out and crammed into an EP or GP just as easily as a bowling lane....there are plenty of occasional use objects in the game....this stuff pack is not just 1 object, it's a set of stuff themed around a bowling alley and a family or group taking a trip to the bowling alley.

aiex wrote: »

I mean, it seems strange to me that they can keep spitting out SPs, but it takes them quite a long time to release EPs! Maybe they should just focus on EPs instead?

Different teams work on stuff packs. A stuff pack is mostly cosmetic stuff with 1 or 2 gameplay objects that have some interactions and/or functionality built in. EPs are actually changing the structure of the game and altering game systems, etc. That is a lot more development, design and programming than a stuff pack would involve. It's pretty obvious why EPs take a lot longer to put out than stuff packs.

orkhid22

What frustrates me most about ppl in the forums is they just can't let 🐸🐸🐸🐸 go. The constant need to debate preferences and demand ppl defend liking TS4

cynna is a prime example. Clearly she doesn't like the new iteration. Ok fine let other's be.

I agree with the OP. I actually like how they are distributing content. I can pick and choose what i like for purchase. And use it in my game as i see fit