To me preteens shoudn't be added for gameplay per se. As has been shown by the OP, there is no reason for that. I feel there is a gap between children and teens. I did not experience this gap in previous Sims games, simply because teens looked more like teens. Now teens look more like young adults. This is hugely immersion breaking to me. That is why I would like to have preteens or shorter teens. It is purely aesthetic.
Now I get why you want pre-teens for aesthetics, and I am not trying to sound rude, but...
A new lifestage is huge. You will need to spend money on creating new heights. Build mode. CAS. Even on just simple things, like I said in my original post: Hugging! This quickly adds up. Having a lifestage purely for an aesthetic point is just too expensive! Plus, this money and resources that would be spent on pre-teens could be added to things more people may want or may be more important to most people: things like pets or seasons, or hiring more developers so EPS, GPS, and SPS come quicker, spending that money on hiring more people for the Patch team, so you get more general content and bug fixes, or even things like just new hairstyles! This is a lot of money that would be dumped on just something for an aesthetic standpoint!
Seriously can we focus on Elders now XD. I feel like even if we have a generations EP it wouldn't focus on Elders as much as they need to be focused on. In general I'd way more prefer life stages acknowledging other life stages. Grandparents and the like.
Yes please, more elder stuff! Elders always get the short end of the stick.
@FloppyFish I mean realistically in sim time terms it would be a single day. I think we could benefit from things like crushes during the childhood stage but so much about being a 'pre-teen' is in fact hormonal and to do with the way the brain and body is developing that its hard to really think of a decent way to implement it into the game without turning it into an empty period of time for sims. Frankly we have a decent balance right now in how long sims are in baby-teen vs adult life.
I think we would feel less of need for them if teens where shorter than adults. But still. i just feel like it would be resource wasted to develop pre-teens when we have so much more that could really enrich actual gameplay that needs to come first pets (which we may be getting this year if rumours are true), seasons, more worlds etc etc. In my opinion even if pre-teens did come to the game I would want them further down the list as there's so much more gameplay to come.
Apart from all that i'd like to see an elders overhaul. Gimmie back my walking sticks and add knitting while your at it XD Also if they could remove babies from a crib I wouldn't complain but its not something that bothers me that much.
To me preteens shoudn't be added for gameplay per se. As has been shown by the OP, there is no reason for that. I feel there is a gap between children and teens. I did not experience this gap in previous Sims games, simply because teens looked more like teens. Now teens look more like young adults. This is hugely immersion breaking to me. That is why I would like to have preteens or shorter teens. It is purely aesthetic.
Now I get why you want pre-teens for aesthetics, and I am not trying to sound rude, but...
A new lifestage is huge. You will need to spend money on creating new heights. Build mode. CAS. Even on just simple things, like I said in my original post: Hugging! This quickly adds up. Having a lifestage purely for an aesthetic point is just too expensive! Plus, this money and resources that would be spent on pre-teens could be added to things more people may want or may be more important to most people: things like pets or seasons, or hiring more developers so EPS, GPS, and SPS come quicker, spending that money on hiring more people for the Patch team, so you get more general content and bug fixes, or even things like just new hairstyles! This is a lot of money that would be dumped on just something for an aesthetic standpoint!
Don't underestimate the power of aesthetics. To me it is worth spending time and money on something aesthetic, simply because it would give me a better gaming experience. I understand your point of view. I would also like to see more gameplay or CAS assets. But shorter teens or preteens are so important to my gaming experience, that I am willing to give up other wish list features for it. Besides, wether adding preteens to the game is too expensive, is up to the developers only to decide. If they think adding preteens will get them better sales, than it might be well worth the time and money from their point of view.
i never really understood the demand for 2 years of someone's life to be represented as its own lifestage to begin with, really. (I mean the same thing could be said for toddlers but the development in those few years is far more significant than the development that occurs between 10 and 12)
I will disagree with the OP, preteens can be so much more than you listed sure they would take away aspects of what teens can do (which is basically nothing they're adults in the Sims 4) and children but can be so much more and something unique we have never experienced in a Sims game. As some say aesthetics are an important factor to them wanting preteens as it is for me but that is just the tip of the iceberg. I have always been able to create my family with the Sims but not with Sims 4 huge height gaps and adult sized teens makes it impossible to make the 2 preteens in my family who are not child sized and sure are not the size adults.
Sims 4 went from "You Rule" to "One of the stories we want you to tell"
... Hope there isn't some threat of a change 'life stage' wise to Sims 4... Though, if what @KlumsyKate said is true and it has been requested since Sims 2, (I wouldn't know, I only started playing as of Sims 3-- Well, I played a Psp Sims 2 game before that..) maybe with all the chatter about it, it will be in the Future Sims 5... Then again based on the info, it sounds like EA is ignoring the request.
I, personally don't care one way or the other about the idea of 'pre-teen', but I hope there isn't going to be a change to Sims 4 for this... I'd just assume have the stages remain as they are. I feel there are enough life stages as is and don't want a change to the teen stage, as I like it as is, personally.
Preteens definitely feel to me as something that is "missing". Before they added toddlers back in, the jump between baby to child felt too large. I get the same feeling going from child to teen. It almost makes it feel like playing a different Sim to me. Preteen would smooth that transition and make the Sims life feel more continuous rather than suddenly fast-forwarding a lot of years.
I've not been involved in prior discussions on the subject though, so I'm actually kind of relieved to see there is some support for it. Apparently a lot against too, but oh well.
I don't see the point of preteens at all. Have not seen one compelling argument in favor of them, personally.
I really don't want to see them waste time making preteens.
OP, you make a decent argument, but I don't know where you're from. Where I grew up middle school was anywhere from 2-3 years. In some cases you went 6th, 7th and 8th, or 7th, 8th and 9th grades. At the very least 7th and 8th are regarded as Middle School. I turned 14 before I entered High School, which for me began with 9th grade.
I don't think that pre-teens are necessary, although I'd welcome them if EA chose to add them. I'd just like to say that I believe it's possible to make any feature fun. Before we got toddlers, there were people moaning about how annoying and boring they were...
OP, you make a decent argument, but I don't know where you're from. Where I grew up middle school was anywhere from 2-3 years. In some cases you went 6th, 7th and 8th, or 7th, 8th and 9th grades. At the very least 7th and 8th are regarded as Middle School. I turned 14 before I entered High School, which for me began with 9th grade.
Sorry, I made the middle school part confusing. I meant as a pre-teen you're only in middle school for one year. You are a pre-teen from ages 9-12. Yes you are in middle school for 2-3 years but in middle school you are only a pre-teen for 1 year.
I will disagree with the OP, preteens can be so much more than you listed sure they would take away aspects of what teens can do (which is basically nothing they're adults in the Sims 4) and children but can be so much more and something unique we have never experienced in a Sims game. As some say aesthetics are an important factor to them wanting preteens as it is for me but that is just the tip of the iceberg. I have always been able to create my family with the Sims but not with Sims 4 huge height gaps and adult sized teens makes it impossible to make the 2 preteens in my family who are not child sized and sure are not the size adults.
@ChadSims 2 If pre-teens could be "so much more than I listed", what is this "so much more"? What would you like to be added to pre-teens that shouldn't/couldn't be added to children and teens aswell??
I don't think that pre-teens are necessary, although I'd welcome them if EA chose to add them. I'd just like to say that I believe it's possible to make any feature fun. Before we got toddlers, there were people moaning about how annoying and boring they were...
I am just going to respond to the toddler thing because the first thing about making any feature fun is something I am too lazy to debate about xD
So for the toddler thing:
While toddler years may be boring to a lot of people (especially people who don't play families), they are very important years of a persons life. You can't deny it. You are learning how to talk, walk, and you need to rely on other people to help you. Also, skipping from a baby to a child is immersive breaking to MANY, and is creepy. It is way worse than jumping from a child to a teenager.
Toddler years are important. Toddlers stand out from other life stages in many ways, and right off of the bat you can tell why, and not just by an aesthetic standpoint. But for pre-teens? What is the huge thing that makes them stand out from the rest of the lifestages (aesthetic standpoints do not count)? People give ideas for pre-teens, but what makes them actually stand out?
@FloppyFish Personally, I couldn't care less if pre-teens stand out or not. My point was that many people thought toddlers were useless and boring, only to discover that EA found a way to make them fun. So if EA added pre-teens, I'm sure they would find a way to make them fun. That's all.
@FloppyFish Personally, I could care less if pre-teens stand out or not. My point was that many people thought toddlers were useless and boring, only to discover that EA found a way to make them fun. So if EA added pre-teens, I'm sure they would find a way to make them fun. That's all.
The thing about toddlers though is that it wasn't that toddlers weren't able to be fun but the developers didn't make them fun. For pre-teens, I doubt the developers could find a way to make them fun. What new (and I mean new: as in, SHOULD NOT BE ADDED TO OTHER LIFESTAGES. NEW.) gameplay would be added to them to make them compelling to play with?
@FloppyFish Personally, I could care less if pre-teens stand out or not. My point was that many people thought toddlers were useless and boring, only to discover that EA found a way to make them fun. So if EA added pre-teens, I'm sure they would find a way to make them fun. That's all.
The thing about toddlers though is that it wasn't that toddlers weren't able to be fun but the developers didn't make them fun. For pre-teens, I doubt the developers could find a way to make them fun. What new (and I mean new: as in, SHOULD NOT BE ADDED TO OTHER LIFESTAGES. NEW.) gameplay would be added to them to make them compelling to play with?
I have no idea, but that's not my job to figure out. Before toddlers were added, I couldn't have guessed how EA would tackle the problem of making them fun, no more so than I can for preteens. But I often see people ask in general: "What else could they possibly add..." only to be shocked by the final product. If we got preteens, they'd be fun to play. I just think the time would be better spent re-working the current life stages.
@FloppyFish Personally, I could care less if pre-teens stand out or not. My point was that many people thought toddlers were useless and boring, only to discover that EA found a way to make them fun. So if EA added pre-teens, I'm sure they would find a way to make them fun. That's all.
The thing about toddlers though is that it wasn't that toddlers weren't able to be fun but the developers didn't make them fun. For pre-teens, I doubt the developers could find a way to make them fun. What new (and I mean new: as in, SHOULD NOT BE ADDED TO OTHER LIFESTAGES. NEW.) gameplay would be added to them to make them compelling to play with?
I have no idea, but that's not my job to figure out. Before toddlers were added, I couldn't have guessed how EA would tackle the problem of making them fun, no more so than I can for preteens. But I often see people ask in general: "What else could they possibly add..." only to be shocked by the final product. If we got preteens, they'd be fun to play. I just think the time would be better spent re-working the current life stages.
Fair enough, I guess In my opinion, when creating something big that is new in the Sims, if you cannot think of a couple of big, new gameplay (NEW!!!!!!! NOT FOR OTHER LIFESTAGES OR OTHER THINGS. NEW.) features for it, it probably should not be created. Just my opinion though.
I totally agree. I haven't read through this entire discussion so it might've already been said but I think it would be much more beneficial to rework the existing teens life stage (though it is very unlikely that this would ever happen). Making teens a bit shorter, maybe clumsier and overall differentiable from young adults would be really nice. I really don't think we need a whole different life stage, though.
To me this life stage would make more sense in another sims game. TS4 only really cares about young adults. Babies are objects, kids hardly have anything to do even with a SP and a GP for them, teens/ young adults/ adults and elders are the exact same thing... so why have pre teens?
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Now I get why you want pre-teens for aesthetics, and I am not trying to sound rude, but...
A new lifestage is huge. You will need to spend money on creating new heights. Build mode. CAS. Even on just simple things, like I said in my original post: Hugging! This quickly adds up. Having a lifestage purely for an aesthetic point is just too expensive! Plus, this money and resources that would be spent on pre-teens could be added to things more people may want or may be more important to most people: things like pets or seasons, or hiring more developers so EPS, GPS, and SPS come quicker, spending that money on hiring more people for the Patch team, so you get more general content and bug fixes, or even things like just new hairstyles! This is a lot of money that would be dumped on just something for an aesthetic standpoint!
//Sims Tumblr Here-MoonPhase Simblr//Berry Sims Here- MoonBerry Sims//
Yes please, more elder stuff! Elders always get the short end of the stick.
I think we would feel less of need for them if teens where shorter than adults. But still. i just feel like it would be resource wasted to develop pre-teens when we have so much more that could really enrich actual gameplay that needs to come first pets (which we may be getting this year if rumours are true), seasons, more worlds etc etc. In my opinion even if pre-teens did come to the game I would want them further down the list as there's so much more gameplay to come.
Apart from all that i'd like to see an elders overhaul. Gimmie back my walking sticks and add knitting while your at it XD Also if they could remove babies from a crib I wouldn't complain but its not something that bothers me that much.
//Sims Tumblr Here-MoonPhase Simblr//Berry Sims Here- MoonBerry Sims//
@FloppyFish I see what you're saying. I guess I've always thought of pre-teens as 10-12.
Don't underestimate the power of aesthetics. To me it is worth spending time and money on something aesthetic, simply because it would give me a better gaming experience. I understand your point of view. I would also like to see more gameplay or CAS assets. But shorter teens or preteens are so important to my gaming experience, that I am willing to give up other wish list features for it. Besides, wether adding preteens to the game is too expensive, is up to the developers only to decide. If they think adding preteens will get them better sales, than it might be well worth the time and money from their point of view.
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I, personally don't care one way or the other about the idea of 'pre-teen', but I hope there isn't going to be a change to Sims 4 for this... I'd just assume have the stages remain as they are. I feel there are enough life stages as is and don't want a change to the teen stage, as I like it as is, personally.
I've not been involved in prior discussions on the subject though, so I'm actually kind of relieved to see there is some support for it. Apparently a lot against too, but oh well.
I really don't want to see them waste time making preteens.
http://www.getfreeebooks.com/star-trek-original-series-fan-fiction-trilogy/
Sorry, I made the middle school part confusing. I meant as a pre-teen you're only in middle school for one year. You are a pre-teen from ages 9-12.
@ChadSims 2 If pre-teens could be "so much more than I listed", what is this "so much more"? What would you like to be added to pre-teens that shouldn't/couldn't be added to children and teens aswell??
I am just going to respond to the toddler thing because the first thing about making any feature fun is something I am too lazy to debate about xD
So for the toddler thing:
While toddler years may be boring to a lot of people (especially people who don't play families), they are very important years of a persons life. You can't deny it. You are learning how to talk, walk, and you need to rely on other people to help you. Also, skipping from a baby to a child is immersive breaking to MANY, and is creepy. It is way worse than jumping from a child to a teenager.
Toddler years are important. Toddlers stand out from other life stages in many ways, and right off of the bat you can tell why, and not just by an aesthetic standpoint. But for pre-teens? What is the huge thing that makes them stand out from the rest of the lifestages (aesthetic standpoints do not count)? People give ideas for pre-teens, but what makes them actually stand out?
The thing about toddlers though is that it wasn't that toddlers weren't able to be fun but the developers didn't make them fun. For pre-teens, I doubt the developers could find a way to make them fun. What new (and I mean new: as in, SHOULD NOT BE ADDED TO OTHER LIFESTAGES. NEW.) gameplay would be added to them to make them compelling to play with?
I have no idea, but that's not my job to figure out.
Fair enough, I guess