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Features that needs depth and ways to improve

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  • JoAnne65JoAnne65 Posts: 22,959 Member
    agustd wrote: »
    Focusing on the 'apartment gameplay' was probably the worst decision they made for CL. After years of players asking for proper apartments they came out with something that doesn't really deliver for anyone.

    Bottom line apartments should not be locked away from the player. We should be able to build them freely in any world without the insane restrictions. Most of the apartment gameplay isn't exclusive to apartments either which IMO makes the whole setup feel totally forced and unusable. This is The Sims 4 there is no excuse for failure to deliver on themes that have been done before and have been done much better.

    What do you mean by "years of asking for proper apartments" ? Does that include the TS2 era as well or just from TS3 onwards?

    Apartments were introduced in the final EP for The Sims 2, and regardless of what some people say today it was a real game changer for that game.

    Naturally people were wanting something similar to make it's way into Sims 3, but the closest thing we got was the building shells with room markers that turned doors into 'NPC doors'. Pretty much the high rise buildings contained 1 apartment, or penthouse, but there was no functionality added that matched or exceeded what was available from 2. It was actually pretty similar to Sims 4 without the building restrictions.

    So naturally Sims 4 comes along they have a minimum of ~ 5 years feedback pertaining to apartments. Sims 2 apartments were always the clear winner, and what we got in Sims 4 is so far from being even remotely similar. The ones in 4 offer the least in every aspect compared to Sims 2 and even compared to Sims 3 are missing some basic level functionality like free build. The ones in 4 are so heavily themed with exaggerated interactions and environments that are ultimately forced on the player and cannot be changed in any meaningful way.

    IMO the biggest appeal to apartments (TS2) was how useful they were. I loved being able to plop 4 families into an apartment complex and see how their lives would intersect (visiting individual residences was not possible in Sims 2 except for apartment neighbors). I didn't care for them in Sims 3 because they weren't incredibly useful (only 1 unit per lot regardless of how many NPC doors you create) and were pretty much there to decorate the world. The apartments in 4 are not useful at all. There's zero control over their shape/size, some have locked in lot traits, there is only 1 'unit' per apartment as the one 'next door' is a completely different lot. The whole apartment building is limited to usually one floor, (two buildings have two floors) the max being 3 (only one building has 3 floors) and every apartment is restricted to it's assigned place in one world because they are just there to decorate the world. No thought was realistically put into their development.
    Actually the closest thing in Sims 3 is UL’s roommate system. I’ve been playing an apartment for the last couple of months using that and it works.
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  • TS1299TS1299 Posts: 1,604 Member
    Sigzy05 wrote: »
    TS1299 wrote: »
    6. Ghost - I am very serious about this. They are not scary anymore. They felt sims with different colors.
    Ways to improve
    Sims should not see them by default, instead it is up to the player or on their actions if they will become visible to sims.
    Sims shouldn't have just talk to a ghost so easily. They should be scared at the beginning, like panicking because they saw one.
    Ghost should have the ability to pass through walls.
    Ghost should have more unique abilities, powers depending on their death type.
    Ghost should also have mean interaction that can scare sims.

    Ghosts do have a unique power depending on their death I think as ghosts they shouldn't be too overpowered, also they can indeed pass through walls the thing is ghosts have normal routing like sims, therefore they will always opt by the "normal" path. If they are in a room without doors they can get through it, it's just that they don't do that autonomously.

    But I 100% agree with ghosts being scary. I wish they would reenact their death like in TS2, ghosts would play out their death animation at random it was scary and they could kill sims by scaring them to death.

    Not to mentioned, I would have also liked if death was also scary, with some Scary Music. Am I the only one who thinks that the game is lacking live mode music? Even if they were they were to short. Music is one of the main contributor of the emotional part of the sims. Its sad to see that it is starting to fade away.
  • Sigzy05Sigzy05 Posts: 19,406 Member
    TS1299 wrote: »
    Sigzy05 wrote: »
    TS1299 wrote: »
    6. Ghost - I am very serious about this. They are not scary anymore. They felt sims with different colors.
    Ways to improve
    Sims should not see them by default, instead it is up to the player or on their actions if they will become visible to sims.
    Sims shouldn't have just talk to a ghost so easily. They should be scared at the beginning, like panicking because they saw one.
    Ghost should have the ability to pass through walls.
    Ghost should have more unique abilities, powers depending on their death type.
    Ghost should also have mean interaction that can scare sims.

    Ghosts do have a unique power depending on their death I think as ghosts they shouldn't be too overpowered, also they can indeed pass through walls the thing is ghosts have normal routing like sims, therefore they will always opt by the "normal" path. If they are in a room without doors they can get through it, it's just that they don't do that autonomously.

    But I 100% agree with ghosts being scary. I wish they would reenact their death like in TS2, ghosts would play out their death animation at random it was scary and they could kill sims by scaring them to death.

    Not to mentioned, I would have also liked if death was also scary, with some Scary Music. Am I the only one who thinks that the game is lacking live mode music? Even if they were they were to short. Music is one of the main contributor of the emotional part of the sims. Its sad to see that it is starting to fade away.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXeWKZ8FPzs

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Il5aZhYy8E&t=11s

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MKO3I81_gs

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  • TS1299TS1299 Posts: 1,604 Member
    Sigzy05 wrote: »
    TS1299 wrote: »
    Sigzy05 wrote: »
    TS1299 wrote: »
    6. Ghost - I am very serious about this. They are not scary anymore. They felt sims with different colors.
    Ways to improve
    Sims should not see them by default, instead it is up to the player or on their actions if they will become visible to sims.
    Sims shouldn't have just talk to a ghost so easily. They should be scared at the beginning, like panicking because they saw one.
    Ghost should have the ability to pass through walls.
    Ghost should have more unique abilities, powers depending on their death type.
    Ghost should also have mean interaction that can scare sims.

    Ghosts do have a unique power depending on their death I think as ghosts they shouldn't be too overpowered, also they can indeed pass through walls the thing is ghosts have normal routing like sims, therefore they will always opt by the "normal" path. If they are in a room without doors they can get through it, it's just that they don't do that autonomously.

    But I 100% agree with ghosts being scary. I wish they would reenact their death like in TS2, ghosts would play out their death animation at random it was scary and they could kill sims by scaring them to death.

    Not to mentioned, I would have also liked if death was also scary, with some Scary Music. Am I the only one who thinks that the game is lacking live mode music? Even if they were they were to short. Music is one of the main contributor of the emotional part of the sims. Its sad to see that it is starting to fade away.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXeWKZ8FPzs

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Il5aZhYy8E&t=11s

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MKO3I81_gs

    Now where talking! Those Danger Themes in The Sims 3 are my favorite! Especially the Death one. That is one of the reasons why I rarely kill sims in The Sims 3 lol but then I find it strange that we have no Danger Themes in The Sims 4. I mean even the death in 4 isn't that scary and shocking compared to The Sims 3 at all. There are no danger themes. I wouldn't want this franchise to fully go to happy perfect life simulator. We need some darkness.
  • TS1299TS1299 Posts: 1,604 Member
    caiyan wrote: »
    I totally agree with everything listed if they integrated the emotions more with the traits I wouldn't feel like having 3 traits doesn't make my sim unique at all. Its just bad game design really when playing the game. Like for example, there is no statistics on your skills and no more skill challenges. So after you write your first book and the royalties end for it there is no proof that you wrote it, you can't even check what's your best selling book, your worst selling book, how many books you wrote in each genre. You don't even keep a copy or get a copy of your first book or any books for that matter. You lose that certain depth of gameplay when it comes to skill levels on not just writing but every skill. Skill challenges were cool showed that you had the depth of your skills when you completed them it wasn't all based on just the number but by your actions.

    The whims system I agree with too the whole whims system is less contextual and has no progression than the wants system in Sims 3. In the Sims 3 after you leveled a skill, you would get a want to level it again and then a want to level it to 5 and then another want again to max it out. And this was triggered off something the player did in the game and most of the wants in Sims 3 is like that whether it was an activity, a romance, or friendship. I got a want once to bring a lover back to life after they died. Sims 3 made the wants based on what the player did and what was happening in the game which added depth to the gameplay. They need to implement that again here with Sims 4 and in a way to improve the need to integrate that more with the traits. If you're a good sim you get the want to revive someone back to life if your evil you want to release their spirit to the Netherworld, and etc.

    There are so many things they can do but not for this Sims 4. The customization and gameplay are scaled back too much. They could have kept the color wheel but eliminate choosing the patterns. They could have sectioned off neighborhoods instead of a loading screen to go next door. They didn't have to eliminate cars of all kinds they could have at least put a car to pick you up like the Sims 1 did instead of making you disappear into the ether. I don't know if it's technically feasible to open up the world into sections maybe if I was developing on this game I would know if it is but I don't think its possible. The color wheel may be out of reach too. But the cars and features presented to improve are feasible I believe they can do it they won't do it because it's too much work for EA as they won't open up the budget to allow them to complete it. The best thing is that they take into account what worked in previous titles and the ideas presented here and implement it into the next iteration.


    Agreed. I know the game is rushed because of EA, but I was hoping that EA will Greenlight Maxis on doing The Sims 5. The game might be had tons of improvements on it. Unless EA lowered the development budget.

  • GoodywoodGoodywood Posts: 4,608 Member
    Good post @TS1999!

    Get To Work
    1. Shopping Experience - While all careers have depth and effort into it, even managing a business, being a customer is a nightmare and uninspiring. You should feel like a customer and their should be an animation of paying to the employee or even to get objects, not just magical hands.
    Ways to Improve
    Have an employee interact with your sim.
    Ex. If its your first time to go shopping an employee should talk to your sim and give the player tips on what we can do.
    Employees should show off the items for sale to the player.
    More interactive display.
    ex. Have an clothing booth for our sims to try on clothes. A clothing rack with hangers and lot of clothes for boutique shop

    I do wish they would've taken everything from OFB and improved on that, also along with what you said. Also want cash registers. It was nice seeing the Sims wait in line and some became impatient or they couldn't afford what they were buying. lol
    PLEASE FIX TEENS IN TS4! I NEED YOUNGER TEENS NOT YA TEENS! (^_^)Please add Music Bands with lead singers! Please add vehicles and garages! Vehicles have always been part of The Sims.
  • TS1299TS1299 Posts: 1,604 Member
    Goodywood wrote: »
    Good post @TS1999!

    Get To Work
    1. Shopping Experience - While all careers have depth and effort into it, even managing a business, being a customer is a nightmare and uninspiring. You should feel like a customer and their should be an animation of paying to the employee or even to get objects, not just magical hands.
    Ways to Improve
    Have an employee interact with your sim.
    Ex. If its your first time to go shopping an employee should talk to your sim and give the player tips on what we can do.
    Employees should show off the items for sale to the player.
    More interactive display.
    ex. Have an clothing booth for our sims to try on clothes. A clothing rack with hangers and lot of clothes for boutique shop

    I do wish they would've taken everything from OFB and improved on that, also along with what you said. Also want cash registers. It was nice seeing the Sims wait in line and some became impatient or they couldn't afford what they were buying. lol

    Agreed. Its a but sad to see this feature left out. If I am honest, Starting from Cats and Dogs I don't have any complaints/issue that much. The only issues that I have currently is the Get to Work features not being integral to daily gameplay, and Base Game Sims. They really need to improve those.

    I wish they will put a patch for traits. Its teally needs a major overhaul.
  • JPsimmerJPsimmer Posts: 109 Member
    Every point you made, OP, are why the core game feels so shallow. The Sims desperately needs these improvements, but I would be surprised if the devs would put so much effort into base game updates when they have to make money with new packs. :(
  • Jordan061102Jordan061102 Posts: 3,918 Member
    Yeah, give our sims more complexity!
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  • LihtarukLihtaruk Posts: 271 Member
    edited April 2019
    I was trying to find open topic to share my observations, and this looked like it. I'm really happy that my neighborhoods lately started to have more pretty people with higher paying jobs. And some really good looking ghosts. What bothers me that my sim way too often sad over deaths of sims that I don't remember him meeting. He's young actor who kept chasing after girls for marriage choice, and people who's dying mostly older dudes. Other thing, when he's ordering drinks or food at bar, some random sims coming in and take it away. He keeps paying without getting anything. Since he need fame, ordering group drink trouble too.
    PS: memories were taking too much space
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