In What Way Do you Think The Sims Team should Deliver Content on DLC?

TS1299

As year 4 of the game approaches, we saw how much DLC is being delivered in The Sims 4 compared to every other iterations. I am Curious as what are your opnions on this change, and if you would want to change it or not.

Currently there is the Traditional way of delivering content, and that is how packs focuses on broad themes and that cover a lot pf sub themes that results to a combination of Different Features.
(ex. TS3 Late Night focuses on the theme of Nightlife, and then they added so many stuff that fits into that theme such as Parties, Celebs, Vamps, a City and more) or TS3 covers the theme of Supenbatural and added features related to it(Bigger Vamps, Faries, Warewolves, Witches) Of caurse since they pick broad themes and adds many features as much as possible, many content was delivered in small amount of time

Then we have the current way of delivering packs where instead of taking a broad theme, the studio choses specific themes and add content only on that specific them(GP) or expand that specific theme to other features (EP) such as GF focuses only on the celebrity lifestyle and becoming a celeb, Vampires focuses only on Vamps and so on. However the consequence is that since they are specific, content may take much more longer.

So what do you think The Sims Studio should do?What are your opinions in the way they deliver content?

Chazzzy

Other(Explain in the comment)

I just want 1 new pack each month. Is that too much to ask?

So_Money

Other(Explain in the comment)

I’d actually prefer less frequent DLC and that they instead focus all their attention on larger updates to the game on a yearly basis (or every other year). This would allow them to be more ambitious in the direction they take the game rather than drip-feeding us content without any real progress or innovation.

marcel21

I prefer the Traditional way of delivering content.

TS1299 wrote: »

As year 4 of the game approaches, we saw how much DLC is being delivered in The Sims 4 compared to every other iterations. I am Curious as what are your opnions on this change, and if you would want to change it or not.

Currently there is the Traditional way of delivering content, and that is how packs focuses on broad themes and that cover a lot pf sub themes that results to a combination of Different Features.
(ex. TS3 Late Night focuses on the theme of Nightlife, and then they added so many stuff that fits into that theme such as Parties, Celebs, Vamps, a City and more) or TS3 covers the theme of Supenbatural and added features related to it(Bigger Vamps, Faries, Warewolves, Witches) Of caurse since they pick broad themes and adds many features as much as possible, many content was delivered in small amount of time

Then we have the current way of delivering packs where instead of taking a broad theme, the studio choses specific themes and add content only on that specific them(GP) or expand that specific theme to other features (EP) such as GF focuses only on the celebrity lifestyle and becoming a celeb, Vampires focuses only on Vamps and so on. However the consequence is that since they are specific, content may take much more longer.

So what do you think The Sims Studio should do?What are your opinions in the way they deliver content?

you mean year 5 of the game approaches.

i liked the old way more, this current way, the games still starved of features

PlayerSinger2010

Other(Explain in the comment)

Realistic pack
Unrealistic pack
Realistic pack
Unrealistic pack
etc...

BradyGalaxy

Other(Explain in the comment)

Chazzzy wrote: »

I just want 1 new pack each month. Is that too much to ask?

I agree with you 100%. This is what I've wanted ever since the release of Get to Work.

marcel21

I prefer the Traditional way of delivering content.

BradyGalaxy wrote: »

Chazzzy wrote: »

I just want 1 new pack each month. Is that too much to ask?

I agree with you 100%. This is what I've wanted ever since the release of Get to Work.

a pack a month, the sims 4 is no sims 3 store
i would buy if i liked any of it tho

annaliese39

I prefer the Traditional way of delivering content.

I personally prefer the 'traditional' way, if only slightly. I like broad packs that more likely offer something for more players to enjoy. For instance, I'm not really into the fame theme, so Get Famous doesn't appeal to me as much as TS3's Late Night did. Plus, I feel like I have been waiting forever for certain content, e.g. werewolves. Saying that, focusing on smaller themes for packs has given us some really great and well developed content, such as Vampires. I suppose I would just be happy if we are offered more packs that are versatile and well developed like that. A balance between the two styles is fine, depending on the theme and the depth required for it to work well. I do like EPs to be quite broad though, while GPs and SPs are naturally smaller and more specific.

Jordan061102

I prefer the Traditional way of delivering content.

I would be a liar if I said I prefer the way it is now...

Atreya33

I prefer the Traditional way of delivering content.

I like having some additional features for an EP, even if that would mean some features might be a bit less worked out. It makes packs feel more complete and adds more options to the game. I guess that's why I like seasons so much, because we got scouts, beekeeping, florist job and patchy on top of the 2 big features (weather and the calendar). That's also why cats and dogs was a huge let down for me, just the main features : cats, dogs and the vet. That's it. That makes the pack feel empty.

What I miss most from the traditional delivery strategy is the supernaturals we used to get on a regular basis.

TS1299

I prefer the Current way of Delivering Content

For me I actuallu prefer it this way. I am a type of simmer who is no rish in content, as long as its good. GTW feels like the EP that as same as the past traditionals but it wasn't that great imo, a lot of it feels halfbalked, exept only the scientist career, so I prefer the current one

Atreya33 wrote: »

I like having some additional features for an EP, even if that would mean some features might be a bit less worked out. It makes packs feel more complete and adds more options to the game. I guess that's why I like seasons so much, because we got scouts, beekeeping, florist job and patchy on top of the 2 big features (weather and the calendar). That's also why cats and dogs was a huge let down for me, just the main features : cats, dogs and the vet. That's it. That makes the pack feel empty.

What I miss most from the traditional delivery strategy is the supernaturals we used to get on a regular basis.

I also wish we get supernatural in every EP, but if they aren't as good then I don't play them personally. They could actually introduce supernaturals as long as they fit with what are that lifestate they are introducing and the budget. I mean wouldn't it be better if Servos are introduced in GTW rather than Aliens?Servos don't need a whole new world, only animations and unique interactions, and our aliens would have been much much more better in a separate pack. As long as they fit, then I would be happy to introduce them.

annaliese39 wrote: »

I personally prefer the 'traditional' way, if only slightly. I like broad packs that more likely offer something for more players to enjoy. For instance, I'm not really into the fame theme, so Get Famous doesn't appeal to me as much as TS3's Late Night did. Plus, I feel like I have been waiting forever for certain content, e.g. werewolves. Saying that, focusing on smaller themes for packs has given us some really great and well developed content, such as Vampires. I suppose I would just be happy if we are offered more packs that are versatile and well developed like that. A balance between the two styles is fine, depending on the theme and the depth required for it to work well. I do like EPs to be quite broad though, while GPs and SPs are naturally smaller and more specific.

Yes A Balance would be great! I really wish it to be that way. I really wish that game development is that easy, because with balance, we can get broad packs and depth.

marcel21 wrote: »

TS1299 wrote: »

As year 4 of the game approaches, we saw how much DLC is being delivered in The Sims 4 compared to every other iterations. I am Curious as what are your opnions on this change, and if you would want to change it or not.

Currently there is the Traditional way of delivering content, and that is how packs focuses on broad themes and that cover a lot pf sub themes that results to a combination of Different Features.
(ex. TS3 Late Night focuses on the theme of Nightlife, and then they added so many stuff that fits into that theme such as Parties, Celebs, Vamps, a City and more) or TS3 covers the theme of Supenbatural and added features related to it(Bigger Vamps, Faries, Warewolves, Witches) Of caurse since they pick broad themes and adds many features as much as possible, many content was delivered in small amount of time

Then we have the current way of delivering packs where instead of taking a broad theme, the studio choses specific themes and add content only on that specific them(GP) or expand that specific theme to other features (EP) such as GF focuses only on the celebrity lifestyle and becoming a celeb, Vampires focuses only on Vamps and so on. However the consequence is that since they are specific, content may take much more longer.

So what do you think The Sims Studio should do?What are your opinions in the way they deliver content?

you mean year 5 of the game approaches.

i liked the old way more, this current way, the games still starved of features

Yep I mean 5 year approaches, It wasn't on my mind that I type approaches which is why I use 4.
A bit agree. Currently Sims 3 is Jam Packed already with content meanwhile The Sims 4 is still getting there half-way. However if this is happening then they already know that this will happen in the past, that 4 years in the game is still not complete. They planned this. I think there is nothing we can do to identify if the game is going to be complete by its lifetime, other than "wait and see"

(I kinda wish we can also get another team to work together. Instead of shutting down Maxis Emeryville, EA should have kept them and work with The Sims 4 EP. Some Devs from that studio are currently working on TS4 so why not whole of them?If people from Emeryville had worked for TS4, so many things can change, and the game would already have got a lot of content, and TS4 would have been more succesful in its first Two Years rather than until Toddlers had launched.)

So_Money wrote: »

I’d actually prefer less frequent DLC and that they instead focus all their attention on larger updates to the game on a yearly basis (or every other year). This would allow them to be more ambitious in the direction they take the game rather than drip-feeding us content without any real progress or innovation.

Larger Updates are the best. Base Game updates are the only updates that can totally change the depth of the packs, or even the whole game itself. However I get the feeling that their Engagement Team is actually Quite Small compared to the other teams. We only got almost one huge update per year that is done from them, while great, I wish they do more.

2015: NewCrest, Traits and reactions overhaul(only two updates sad)
2016: CAS Gender Update
2017: Toddler Update
2018: Terrain Manipulation

Yes there is the carribian update and T-Shirt from Anniversaries but I didn't include them since they are not big. Pre-EP and GP patch content was from the EP and the GP team. That boils down to pnly having one huge gameplay update, and that is Toddlers. They are great but we news more than toddlers, how aboit a personality overhaul?I agree that Large gameplay updates are important to this game, and would be great if they focused on this content.

SimAlexandria

I prefer the Current way of Delivering Content

The way it is now. It makes it easier to pick and choose what you want in your game and what you don't when a package is more specific to a theme.

Sharonia

I prefer the Current way of Delivering Content

I'm honestly fine with either way. I love adding new packs big or small to my game as often as they are released.

CaityTrina

I prefer the Current way of Delivering Content

I like the current way but definitely think they've burned everyone out on stuff packs.
I think game packs were a great addition

KirbySkywalker

Idk. Just fix bugs ASAP and add stuff people want.

marcel21

I prefer the Traditional way of delivering content.

KirbySkywalker wrote: »

Idk. Just fix bugs ASAP and add stuff people want.

agree the game is buggy lately

munroele

I prefer the Current way of Delivering Content

I REALLY love being able to get really choosy with the content I purchase.

If a supernatural pack, as an example, included werewolves and zombies, I'd be less likely to purchase it, but being able to select exactly what occults I want in my game works really well for me.
Same thing with the 'holiday' packs, I hate camping and I hate jungles, so why would I purchase an adventure pack when I would hate the potential 2/3 locations?
And Strangerville is REALLY not something I'm into, I imagine if it was in some big expansion, maybe like supernatural, it would to me feel like spending money on something I don't want at all.

LiELF

Other(Explain in the comment)

Whatever gives me the most Fantastical and Occult gameplay. I'm not as concerned about the method as I am the actual content and the quality of the content. I think Sims 4 has made the best Vampires of the series. It has also given us a small variety of weird packs like Jungle Adventures and StrangerVille, but not enough playable life states.

So I think that I do prefer Game Packs in general for the weird stuff, I just wish there was more of it.

aprilrose

I prefer the Traditional way of delivering content.

I say Traditional only because games were released more often.

Dreamie209

Other(Explain in the comment)

Over the years, I've reached a balanced feeling. Originally (and for the most part), I basically felt the traditional way was the best way overall. Today after so many years, and due to the way TS4 has been in general, I've come to a different conclusion.

I feel like the traditional way works best for certain packs. While in others it does not...at least not in TS4's case. But perhaps that's just how TS4 has done it compared to the past iterations. Due to the limited feeling, perhaps it does seem better being fully focused. Take "Get Famous" focus on fame only for example. A pack that focused soley on fame..but not exactly the styles of said fame.

Honestly I would have preffered an acting pack that focused on making, directing, editing movies, seeing them on the big screen, etc. really get invovled in how they became famous in general. Then there's the "lifestyle brand" feature. I would have loved for my sims to actually create their own actual brand products (like clothes for example) that we could see add logos and stickers on. That would have actually been a great actual fashion career.

Though instead they mostly dabbled in these small areas simply to gain fame. Understandable, yet I feel like these things would have played out better in their own packs due to the unknown limits of the expansions.

But then there's C&D, which focused on simply two animals (generally) and felt rather gamepack like to me. I think as an expansion pack and it's small focus, I would have liked a little bit more of an expanded neighborhood or even smaller animals. It would have been understandable focusing like it in a gamepack, but as an expansion it just didn't to me.

Gampack supernaturals I think are perfect. Some have their favorites and it makes sense to not clump them together in an expansion that wouldn't focus all on them. Plus not every fairy fan is a fan of witches or vise versa. So that style makes sense. and a win/win for everyone.

An educational expansion though, I'd like a little broad approach. In a sort of seamless way of adding school lots to the neighborhood (or even a school lot trait? like Preschool, Elementary, Highschool, College) and giving those lots auto school features for their respected ages. Adding a online college feature for YA- Elders and maybe give them the ability to get a degree to help them upgrade on their current jobs. Would be great for a single parent or hard working sim who doesn't have time to go to college and want a higher position at their job. Allow the subjects to also help level skills. I mean it's school, I feel like they should be learning/leveling the skills they have as well as new ones in school. Also Behavor should definatly be a factor in all stages of school (like hand in hand with grades lol). But those are just how I see it though.


In the end, I think what tears my thoughts of traditional and the current way are the game's possible limits. Because at the end of it, When we get almost everything, it's merely dabbled in. When we don't it's limited. Again though, it's understandable when it's a gamepack. We understand stuffpack and gamepack limits (well sorta...), but expansions in TS4 still seems a mystery in terms of some limitations. It's tough to know what to expect,(well minus the 'trade-offs') and I think that's the fustrating part in general.

WallSims4ever

I do like the way they're making GP's, going deep into a single theme. But when it comes to EP's, I miss the old way, when they would add so much more stuff to them.