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I'm starting to think it's not gonna get better.

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  • ScobreScobre Posts: 20,665 Member
    edited October 2019
    Simburian wrote: »

    They've been approaching this sort of game in the wrong way for years. It's more than a game, it's a set of experiences and will be more so if it comes out with VR and AI in a Sims 5 version. That is why it appeals to people like me. No beginning, no end just loads of possibilities and a complete new set of worlds if we get tired of the old one. So many Mods out there to make your own imaginary worlds which no one else shares. No other game provides this so easily but if you know better can you tell me where?

    Wish we could do that with the present world we have in our Real life too, sometimes.

    I won't be posting any more on this or any other topic as I've got some real problems to deal with that are more important, but it's been enjoyable whilst it lasted.
    I agree with that. VR systems are going to have to be a lot more affordable for them to be able to make it into the Sims 5. If Simmers are complaining about having to buy 64 bit computers for the Sims 4 now they aren't going to be able to afford VR systems ontop of that. As far as worlds creating them, I know a few. Minecraft, Cubeworld, Planet Coaster, Planet Zoo. I don't think I've heard of the mods to make custom Sims 4 worlds yet, but if you know of any let me know. Well I hope you enjoy the rest of your day and it's ok real life always takes priority, so I understand. Been nice talking to you too.

    I also enjoy Stardew Valley and Farm Together quite a bit too. I was able to make a board game, a maze, a race track, a soccer field, and a carnival so far in Farm Together and having a ton of fun playing it with other Simmers.
    “Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” –Helen Keller
  • Sigzy05Sigzy05 Posts: 19,406 Member
    DeafSimmer wrote: »
    With the way EA recycles builds, features, and animations, they might as well come out with a pack called "Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle." The packs aren't deep, we got style over substance, and it has become a partying YA millennial simulator.

    I'm honestly still so bothered at the fact that an EP had to re-use a BG cake mesh.....it honestly annoys me to no end.
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  • simmerLellasimmerLella Posts: 612 Member
    Writin_Reg wrote: »
    JoAnne65 wrote: »
    Speaking of the Stores, the fact the Venice venue came with completely empty buildings was a let down for me. That was at the end of that iteration though. Other than that I’ve never entered a house in any of the worlds ever that wasn’t fully decorated. On the contrary, it has often given me new ideas for my own houses.

    Well to be fair that last build was done by just two people - 1 animator and one artist - as everyone else had been moved or let go from the Salt Lake City studio by then. So considering how amazing that lot was out side of that I bought it and enjoyed it thoroughly filling it up with little shops, etc. That couldn't be helped because the store should have been closed already by then.

    It was a labor of love! I had a feeling that was hinted at. <3
    JoAnne65 wrote: »
    JoAnne65 wrote: »
    Speaking of the Stores, the fact the Venice venue came with completely empty buildings was a let down for me. That was at the end of that iteration though. Other than that I’ve never entered a house in any of the worlds ever that wasn’t fully decorated. On the contrary, it has often given me new ideas for my own houses.

    The Twinbrook Prudence house surprised me with how bare it was. I found it sad, but didn't take or find screenshots. I'm not sure if there are others, maybe that's the exception? There's always an exception. They say the exception proves the rule. I don't know about that but personally I'd say "emptiness" isn't one of my common complaints with builds (older builds, of course - I don't have recent TS4 packs).
    I just visited the Prudence place. It's a bare house indeed, but it's got everything needed to run a household with two small children. The back story:

    "When he was younger, this single father had an exciting career in Law Enforcement... But when his two children came along, and he became their only provider, lots of things changed. Will he be able to raise healthy children and support his family on a teacher's wage?"

    This is a poor man. I love it actually when a back story corresponds with the actual situation of the sim (he hardly has any money too).

    I know that. They needed a small house. And the high chair being in the baby's room isn't really the nicest for her. Kids growing up like that is sad. With a smaller house, they can afford more things like toys and food (well, theoretically, haha). I think the bio indicates their house is far too large. That's a nice house!! Three bedrooms, two floors! I wasn't poor and we didn't have those things combined. We either rented two bedrooms or had a TINY one-story house. I will definitely stand by my opinion.

    I did more than visit them. I played them and moved them out. Their house was silly big and silly empty. Poor people don't live in big, empty houses.
    Sims 2 apartments never came with furniture. When your sim viewed the apartment and if there was furniture in it that was just for show.

    Sorry to put my nose on this, but I just have to mention, all TS2 apartments (maxis made) did come fully furnished. Those aren't just for show. Only thing is, you either need testingcheats on, or use a mod what does the same trick (I boot my game at debug mode, so I never need the mod), and then you can rent it furnished, one of those shift click- options.

    Yes but if you don’t use mods or cheats (and I don’t) you get basics like kitchen counters, maybe a fridge and a toilet and shower or bath.
    Cinebar wrote: »
    Writin_Reg wrote: »
    Odd, lots of my Sims 2 apartments etc were not fully furnished. They often had furnished kitchens and bathroom only.

    In most of my sims houses since the first game they were scantily furnished - if furnished at all except for a few of the Maxis houses. I have always had to finish furnishing houses in the game or redo as the furniture they had was often the cheapest and the sets never matched - but it was all part of the fun of making the game mine and I hardly ever saw anyone complain. So why is it a problem now if many of us never saw it a problem before and didn't complain.

    I am just very curious about this - why now after all these years is it suddenly a problem and wasn't an issue before?

    ETA - I do realize that Sims 3 store did a great job on all their worlds, houses, etc with furnishings and maybe that made the difference, but then Sims 3 also had color wheels and many other decorating ways that were not in the other games that brought all this to light.

    That’s not comparable. Sims 2 apartments never came with furniture. When your sim viewed the apartment and if there was furniture in it that was just for show. Sims 2 houses only came with staples I.e kitchen counters and a bathroom because that’s realistic. In real life if you buy a house, it doesn’t come fully furnished. The sims 1 is the same. The option to buy houses and apartments started with sims 3.

    Also sims 2 didn’t have the option to buy houses fully furnished or unfurnished. The sims 3 and 4 did. So if you select the option to buy a house fully furnished in sims 4 it should have everything, it should have toilets, fully working kitchens and stairs with doors at the top.

    It was never an issue in the sims 2 as there was never an option to buy a house or apartment fully furnished in the first place.

    Actually all Maxis apts. have furniture of some sort. It is so when townies move in and your Sim visits them you will have a place to sit and watch their TV etc. And they won't be hanging outside all day starving, but the game will make them go in and fill their needs (if it has the right type things or you may see them outside all the time trying to fill fun, and or eating etc.) But you had to use a cheat to rent fully furnished, so yes, the furniture isn't available for our Sims unless we rent it fully furnished. But you wouldn't want to visit a neighbor and have nothing in there.

    Yes I agree. But I’m was referring to Writin Reg Saying that all sims 2 houses didn’t come fully furnished and people didn’t complain then. If you don’t use cheats or mods there isn’t an option to have a fully furnished home like sims 3 and 4.

    I think it's much, much better that way. That's realistic. I don't love it when premade houses are barebones or when houses are missing toilets or something. Although there being no toilet, that's better than there being a talking toilet, hahaha. ;)
    "Challenge everything"
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  • CynnaCynna Posts: 2,369 Member
    Uzone27 wrote: »
    Cynna wrote: »
    Uzone27 wrote: »
    Cynna wrote: »
    Uzone27 wrote: »
    Still doesn't answer the overarching question.
    If they did everything to make you (the individual Simmer happy)
    Do you imagine that would put an and to complaints in general?

    I don't think that anyone (except for you?) has brought up the idea of eradicating all complaints. That is impossible. The idea is to have fewer complaints by providing a game with more options, opportunities, and character-driven gameplay -- as in the earlier games in the series. Many of the complaints about TS4 are due to the game's lack of all of the above.

    I hate laundry and vampires. B)

    O-kaaaaay.
    Cynna wrote: »
    Uzone27 wrote: »
    Cynna wrote: »
    Uzone27 wrote: »
    Still doesn't answer the overarching question.
    If they did everything to make you (the individual Simmer happy)
    Do you imagine that would put an and to complaints in general?

    I don't think that anyone (except for you?) has brought up the idea of eradicating all complaints. That is impossible. The idea is to have fewer complaints by providing a game with more options, opportunities, and character-driven gameplay -- as in the earlier games in the series. Many of the complaints about TS4 are due to the game's lack of all of the above.

    I hate laundry and vampires. B)

    O-kaaaaay.

    Yep... OK what? I hate laundry and Vampires so...stop disrespecting me for the the things I hate!

    If you're here to try to start a fight over things that were never stated or implied, you won't get one. Have a great day.
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  • JoAnne65JoAnne65 Posts: 22,959 Member
    edited October 2019
    Writin_Reg wrote: »
    JoAnne65 wrote: »
    Speaking of the Stores, the fact the Venice venue came with completely empty buildings was a let down for me. That was at the end of that iteration though. Other than that I’ve never entered a house in any of the worlds ever that wasn’t fully decorated. On the contrary, it has often given me new ideas for my own houses.

    Well to be fair that last build was done by just two people - 1 animator and one artist - as everyone else had been moved or let go from the Salt Lake City studio by then. So considering how amazing that lot was out side of that I bought it and enjoyed it thoroughly filling it up with little shops, etc. That couldn't be helped because the store should have been closed already by then.

    It was a labor of love! I had a feeling that was hinted at. <3
    JoAnne65 wrote: »
    JoAnne65 wrote: »
    Speaking of the Stores, the fact the Venice venue came with completely empty buildings was a let down for me. That was at the end of that iteration though. Other than that I’ve never entered a house in any of the worlds ever that wasn’t fully decorated. On the contrary, it has often given me new ideas for my own houses.

    The Twinbrook Prudence house surprised me with how bare it was. I found it sad, but didn't take or find screenshots. I'm not sure if there are others, maybe that's the exception? There's always an exception. They say the exception proves the rule. I don't know about that but personally I'd say "emptiness" isn't one of my common complaints with builds (older builds, of course - I don't have recent TS4 packs).
    I just visited the Prudence place. It's a bare house indeed, but it's got everything needed to run a household with two small children. The back story:

    "When he was younger, this single father had an exciting career in Law Enforcement... But when his two children came along, and he became their only provider, lots of things changed. Will he be able to raise healthy children and support his family on a teacher's wage?"

    This is a poor man. I love it actually when a back story corresponds with the actual situation of the sim (he hardly has any money too).

    I know that. They needed a small house. And the high chair being in the baby's room isn't really the nicest for her. Kids growing up like that is sad. With a smaller house, they can afford more things like toys and food (well, theoretically, haha). I think the bio indicates their house is far too large. That's a nice house!! Three bedrooms, two floors! I wasn't poor and we didn't have those things combined. We either rented two bedrooms or had a TINY one-story house. I will definitely stand by my opinion.

    I did more than visit them. I played them and moved them out. Their house was silly big and silly empty. Poor people don't live in big, empty houses.
    The bio suggests he was living in the big house when he could still afford it, had a happy family and then things changed (mom died, mom left, who knows). The house was his already, perhaps he didn’t want to move because the house is actually special to him (reminding him of the days when life smiled at him, or, for all we know he grew up there himself), so apparently he decided to sell the furniture and replace it by cheap stuff. The house breaths a strange sadness that completely corresponds with the cloudy bio and triggers you into fantasizing what might have happened to this poor man. Kids growing up like that might be sad (not necessarily but who knows). So? Does every story have to be happy? Then start playing that family and make it happy again. That house is an open invitation to tell a story, I just might, love it.

    It can’t be compared to an empty house where the creators clearly just couldn’t be bothered to decorate it.
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  • simgirl1010simgirl1010 Posts: 35,633 Member
    @JoAnne65 the developers need to hire you to write the backstories. 🙂 I've never followed a storyline but your narrative had me wanting to create a family and play out that scenario.
  • JoAnne65JoAnne65 Posts: 22,959 Member
    edited October 2019
    @simgirl1010 Why thank you :blush: , to be honest I got all enthousiastic to start playing there when I was writing this myself too haha. I like those bios for households. Some of them are plain, but some are really weird or tickling the imagination (like the Cinderella setup in Hidden Springs and some of the Midnight Hollow households).
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  • DragonCat159DragonCat159 Posts: 1,896 Member
    edited October 2019
    Uzone27 wrote: »
    And those things being? ROM does not provide none of it. Children got familiars that makes them immortal, a heritage trait and idle effect in CAS. There's nothing for them to do, which really didn't quench the longing for Sim children being more like kids. Witch perk system doesn't make them different than getting them more powerful, with quite a number others ending up being obsolete due to other workarounds.

    Everything you have mentioned is pretty specific.
    I could list dozens and dozens of things that would make the game suit my personal tastes a lot better.
    At the end of the day, If I'm not satisfied I have a decision to make.
    Either move on or complain about it endlessly.
    I see. You were talking about what you want (nothing wrong with that), well I was referring to things people agree by popular opinion (which includes me too). The reason I mention those specific things, because those things would help a whole of way for the better, and in turn please many players that asked for said things. Believe it or not, giving sims personality and family content would cut the complaints to a half chunk down.
    Uzone27 wrote: »
    Camkat wrote: »
    I don't think it's the coding/difficulty that's the core issue here. I believe The Sims Team needs a little more creativity. A lot of their thinking is too straightforward. There is more that could've been done with what's already in ROM, and I'm not talking about writing new features.

    For example -- your Sim must collect 7 magic tomes to become a spellcaster. You collect? You're in. Bam. Done.

    Nnnnnow, remember, guys -- "Sims 4 sims have the best personalities out of all the iterations with an ultra cool trait and emotion system!

    So, what iffff.... the devs coded something simple, ex: if your Sim happens to have more than 50k in their funds, they could bribe the Sage into giving them the power w/o collecting motes? And the success of the interaction could depend on simple stats, like relationship level [OR EVEN THOSE GOOD-FOR-SOMETHING TRAITS AND CAREERS, COUGH.].

    - Do Genius Sims even learn spells faster than normal ones?
    - Do Hot-Headded Sims autonomously choose Risky Duel over others?
    - Do Perfectionists take longer to craft spells?
    - Do Geek Sims gain Fun from spellcasting/witchy-biz? Do Clumsy Sims fail more often at spellcasting?
    - Do Materialistic Sims detest shabby brooms/wands?
    - Do Slob sims lose hygeine when brewing potions in the cauldron?
    - Do Foodie sims dislike the taste of potions?
    - Would Glutton sims autonomously drink potions to satisfy hunger?
    - Are Squeamish sims bad at spellcasting in general?
    - How do Good Sims deal with Untamed Spells?
    - Perhaps Romantic Sims could WooHoo with the Sages, and their success could give them some sort of benefit? [TS2-style humor here..]
    - Can Grilled Cheese Master concoct Grilled Cheese in the Cauldron? [The concept's pretty silly itself, so... why not? >:D]

    I could go on further, but, hopefully my point was made here..

    Traits affecting the actual sims?! :o

    Sarcasm aside, this alone would add so much replay value. Right now I can create any old sim with whatever traits, who cares, doesn't matter, all outcomes will be the same. This would actually inspire me to create more than one and see the outcome. It would actually add some replay value. It's actually how it should have been from the start... :/

    I don't totally disagree...but I'm intrigued.
    So in the Sims 2 we know that a Sim will most likely cancel user command in favor of it's needs.
    They fixed that, (and i for one am glad for it)

    You give a sim the neat trait? They make the bed every morning....without fail
    Sounds quaint...fun to see (once)...but after that? um....
    Give a Sim a Flirty trait...does that mean the Sim should flirt with every Sim they see?
    Give a Sim the loner trait...does that condemn the Sim to a life without friends?

    These examples aren't meant to undermine the thought that it would be great if the life simulator was...more true to life...
    But honestly? Well...anything I say after this would be pointless.

    The neat trait isn't just a gimmick, but an actual advantage perk despise giving a RPG element. It makes it quick and convenient way of eliminating/reduce the chore. Dunno about you, but I much rather have the neat Sim mop flooded kitchen with pee, clean the disgustingly dirty toilets, and pick up trash that are dropped on the floor.
    And you're mistaking a loner with the associate the inevitable bad emotion of feeling lonely. If you dwell into the description and attributes of that trait, it portrays and has Sim act out like introverts, who prefers by choice to have me time alone, indicating by the positive mood-let they receive when they're indepentend from other sims. Doesn't stop them from wishing or prevent the player for them finding and getting a new friend. Just it isn't their drive to simply put it.

    Traits that are impactful either give the game useful features or (especially those that are negative) gives the game a certain dynamic/perspective for storytelling immersion purposes. The loner trait of TS4's is berated as Sims don't play out as their trait entails in the description, because the opposite thing happens (they can't go a minute without talking even after they willing choose to be punished with a negative moodlet).
    Uzone27 wrote: »
    Cynna wrote: »
    Uzone27 wrote: »
    Cynna wrote: »
    Uzone27 wrote: »
    Still doesn't answer the overarching question.
    If they did everything to make you (the individual Simmer happy)
    Do you imagine that would put an and to complaints in general?

    I don't think that anyone (except for you?) has brought up the idea of eradicating all complaints. That is impossible. The idea is to have fewer complaints by providing a game with more options, opportunities, and character-driven gameplay -- as in the earlier games in the series. Many of the complaints about TS4 are due to the game's lack of all of the above.

    I hate laundry and vampires. B)

    O-kaaaaay.
    Cynna wrote: »
    Uzone27 wrote: »
    Cynna wrote: »
    Uzone27 wrote: »
    Still doesn't answer the overarching question.
    If they did everything to make you (the individual Simmer happy)
    Do you imagine that would put an and to complaints in general?

    I don't think that anyone (except for you?) has brought up the idea of eradicating all complaints. That is impossible. The idea is to have fewer complaints by providing a game with more options, opportunities, and character-driven gameplay -- as in the earlier games in the series. Many of the complaints about TS4 are due to the game's lack of all of the above.

    I hate laundry and vampires. B)

    O-kaaaaay.

    Yep... OK what? I hate laundry and Vampires so...stop disrespecting me for the the things I hate!
    Lucky you, because you have the techniques providing on eradicating the chore (simply not buying washer&dyer), and the supernatural being (delete or unvampify those sims). What would suggest to those who want babies be freed from the basinet ?
    Uzone27 wrote: »
    Scobre wrote: »
    Sk8rblaze wrote: »
    Uzone27 wrote: »
    Sk8rblaze wrote: »
    Uzone27 wrote: »
    Sk8rblaze wrote: »
    Uzone27 wrote: »
    Uzone27 wrote: »
    Either way there will be very loud complaints...always and forever.
    So they just decided to add washing machines and stuff...because it's what you wanted.
    Don't overshadow it. Sims with lively personality was always a request alongside and before laundry became a thing. Washing clothes as a chore was a hit or miss concept for players. So 'we' is not quite representative here, and frankly how it's relevant and a washer over personality must be 'choose only one!" dilemma?
    Pretty much almost everyone wants Sims to act how they suppose to by traits, and to actually retain their lost simology characterists (like chemistry, favorites, etc.), because well it's not a laundry simulator as a core game.

    If they want the loud complaints to be volume down, wouldn't re visioning how traits act and give family Sims the content they deserve be a nice start to that? If Maxis stop having their ears be deafen and start prioritizing such demands since the start, of course threads pertaining to that stuff will stop appearing on the first feedback page until the development's ends. A studio must be out of touch to think that it's inevitable to compile with said complaints, as if supplying the players with impact trait attributes and family content would destroy the game or something. They don't show even initiative to make babies crawl away from their basinets, just like how pets are independent to walk around. Let alone throw things (interactions) for teens to do cool stuff like egg an house or pull a flooding prank on the rabbit hole school.

    Care to elaborate what these RPG you have in mind? I don't people asking for that often. As for the 'game to be challenge', this often suggestions consist of the proposal of two games: susceptible death and a burglar NPC. That would already make the game challenging if Sims could die by unpredictable, but reasonably realistic demise. The vampire break-ins are fine; just the base game needs one along with substitute of 'garlic' (i.e. alarm system)

    I was commenting in broad strokes about the topic. I offered two solutions that could possibly satisfy some Simmers.
    I then followed up by pointing out that it's improbable they will take either path, because you the Simmers (not you personally) keep asking for the same exact things we've had before and then complain of boredom a week later.

    Because the packs, repeated themes or not, are not designed with longevity in mind. I mean, who really goes to all of the festivals in City Living after they've done them all once (assuming they haven't stacked on top of one another like they have been doing since launch!) What's the sense in going to Sulani after seeing it once if you don't live there and cannot properly take a vacation (which should entail benefits for your Sim) To vicariously live through your Sim sitting with a blank expression on their face as their boat rows across a river? How many times can you complete the linear and hand-holding Strangerville story?

    I just don't get this blaming of the player for wanting repeated themes. There are an infinite amount of ways they can take a theme they've given us already and spin it into an entirely new experience.

    I never blamed anyone for their personal preferences.
    The stuff pack experiment was a perfect indicator that what I personally want in the game isn't what everyone else wants

    How much of the Simming community at large even had a vote if they don't do social media?
    That vote was telling because it demonstrates that the people dug in the trenches with their own ideas as to how the Sims would be perfect for them...doesn't jibe with the majority.

    They just don't post about it.

    Well, Laundry Day is the best selling/most popular stuff pack, as revealed. Whether or not people use social media didn't skew the poll's purpose of trying to identify what the community wanted most.



    Personally, I think it was best selling because people want more responsibilities and chores in the game.

    Agreed so what's the problem with my commentary exactly? I have to admit i don't get it.

    I just disagreed with this was all.
    Uzone27 wrote:
    I then followed up by pointing out that it's improbable they will take either path, because you the Simmers (not you personally) keep asking for the same exact things we've had before and then complain of boredom a week later.

    To reiterate, I don't think repeated themes are the reason why people are complaining they're bored.
    Exactly. Achievements, careers, skills, and vacation spots are always asked and it is like how many times can they ask about the same things and grinds and RPG costumes over and over again. It is why Sims 4 still bores people a week later because nothing new or a even renewing a past idea is done that much. There are things like toddlers that although they are technically old content from past games, they were redone and improved upon so well. I know most of the DLC the top complaint from even fans is how themes fall short from versions of previous Sims games like Seasons, Cats and Dogs, Get to Work, City Living, Dine Out, Island Living, Strangerville, Outdoor Retreat, Perfect Patio, and Cool Kitchen aren't actually new ideas and nothing new done to them that hasn't been done in the other Sims games, while ideas that are actually new like farming that haven't been done in a paid pack before. I have a bad feeling people will be disappointed by university too because from the speculations of it so far, sounds like it is just going to be a copycat lesser version of past university games.

    Exactly what people wish for..except...too far off the old mark, and not enough to get people on the same page.
    I would "hate" to work on a team designed to satisfy everyone.
    worst nightmare ever. My hats off to people that deal with this on a daily basis.
    Well, that's the reality; any job you partake that deals with customer interaction (be it retail store, a fast-food restaurant, etc.), which are quite a lot of them, you'll still get at least one person who dislikes something about the business or wishes to speak to manage despite the efforts of pleasing somebody. Though, that doesn't mean you shouldn't do your best at supplying by the demand as you much as you can. There's quite a good reason why TS2 is the most adore game, when it's rich with meaningful gameplay and equal distrubution to almost all Sim age groups (exception being adults). Just returning the whole system of or taking inspiration to develop something similar to FEARS from that game, I bet most of the fandoms will start kissing MAXIS non-stop like the time toddlers were patched in and became a big deal to CELEBRATE.
    Post edited by DragonCat159 on
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  • CinebarCinebar Posts: 33,618 Member
    I don't mind empty houses, and or barebones houses. TS2 was full of sparse decor for our poorer Sims to be able to buy. Starter homes is something a term fans came up with, not Maxis. A cheap bed (maybe if you are luckY) a toilet, a fridge, maybe no stove, so your poor Sims had to eat cereal and lunchmeat until they could afford a cheap stove etc. Maybe a cheap, ugly kitchen table. Everything else was a luxury. Sims in TS2 didn't come with a more than the 20,000 for a single Sim so most people were greatful there were some prebuilt cheap houses with the basics of a commode and a fridge. Because Sims die from hunger in that game and one of the most expensive items (to fill up Sims) was the fridge and the cheap one $600 runs out of food shortly. And could not fill hunger as fast or as much as an expensive one. But at least lunch meat could save their life. lol
    "Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
  • FelicityFelicity Posts: 4,979 Member
    It's been a few months since I was last here, but the 20th anniversary interview made me want to comment on this. So this snippet came from the interview.

    "The Sims team has been creative in reflecting real-life trends too. Sometimes this has been achieved by inviting music artists like Lily Allen and Katy Perry to make “Simlish” renditions of their hit songs, so that they can seamlessly fit in the fiction of The Sims. More recently, The Sims 4 riffed off phenomena like Star Wars (adding Baby Yoda as a statue in December, for example) and added a pack centered around tiny houses."

    “I think that Sims provides an incredible canvas for us to tap into all kinds of relevant trends, whether it be music, fashion, design and architecture, or in TV and media,” Miele said. “And we are going to continue to do more of that. That is direction we’re headed.”


    After I saw that, I immediately felt a new sense of disappointment and fear for the future. I'm really just getting tired of the team putting stuff into the game just because its trendy. I mean, just why? Yes, it's funny the idea of seeing something based on pop culture in the Sims. But honestly, it's just getting tiresome. And the fact that they plan to do even more of it is very irritating to me.

    Trends are fleeting. They come and they go and people move on to the next big thing quicker than ever. All of these trends are gonna make the game look so dated by the time this iteration is done (which is ironic considering how they want the game to be so modern through this trendy junk). And literally, almost everything in this game reeks of "modern, 21st century, present day"; like can we get some content that highlights the past for once.

    It's also very alienating. Just because something is trendy, doesn't mean the entire world cares about it. I feel like a lot of this "trendy" stuff is only really popular among teenagers (maybe some adults) online. They added that "Baby Ariel" girl for Get Famous and the majority of the players I saw had never even heard of her, nor had I. I get that they want to appeal to teen girls, but not all players are teen girls. It's just kind of off-putting and ironic for a team that claims to be oh so inclusive to add in so many things that only one fraction of their players can relate to. I'm constantly annoyed by the Star Wars stuff, because I don't watch that series and I have no interest in it at all. Yet it always comes in patches that I can't opt out of. If they want to do this, can it at least only be in packs or optional patches, so those of us who have no interest in it don't have it taking up space in our games?

    And I (half) joked about this in another thread, but seriously, what's next, will we get packs for the Kardashians, K-Pop, Doctor Who, internet challenges, mukbangs, or maybe even Twitter itself? Don't get me wrong, a real world reference here and there isn't a problem. But when it only caters to certain audiences and is only included because it's trendy right in the moment that they add it, it's just too limiting. And quite personally, I feel like their efforts would be better spent working on other things for the game.

    The worst part is, they don't even talk to teenage girls -- they talk to people who work with teenage girls. It's insulting. Their ageism is also apparent and yet they talk about diversity and what teenage girls think is diversity and fairness. While talking to people who aren't teenage girls.

    Bleh, I should find that interview. It was one of the most depressing visions of the Sims' future that I have seen.
  • ScobreScobre Posts: 20,665 Member
    Doctor Who I wouldn't compare to trends. The original air date for the show was November 23, 1963. Star Trek first came out September 8, and 1966 and Star Wars was released May 25, 1983. For for being one of the oldest Sci-fi shows having it compared to the Kartrashians is a bit insulting. Also Twilight Zone was October 2, 1959 and a lot of modern blockbusters are nothing more than a copyright knockoff of that old sci-fi show.

    Then again many trends people don't always know the origins of like Tiny Living Pack being called a 1990s pack during the Sims live stream I was laughing in tears. Any Simmer who has lived during that time and played the Sims 3 70s, 80s, and 90s pack can see that style matches the items that came with the 70s decor and furniture.
    “Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” –Helen Keller
  • CamkatCamkat Posts: 2,329 Member
    This whole entire 20 anniversary fiasco has just proven to me that it's not going to get better. I had held out some hope that they would do this series some justice and pay homage to the other iterations but no. How they handled this "celebration" in the laziest ways possible, for such a huge milestone was nothing short of disappointing to say the least. It's pretty clear that they don't care and I don't really know why this surprises me anymore.
    Origin ID: Peapod79
  • JoAnne65JoAnne65 Posts: 22,959 Member
    It's been a few months since I was last here, but the 20th anniversary interview made me want to comment on this. So this snippet came from the interview.

    "The Sims team has been creative in reflecting real-life trends too. Sometimes this has been achieved by inviting music artists like Lily Allen and Katy Perry to make “Simlish” renditions of their hit songs, so that they can seamlessly fit in the fiction of The Sims. More recently, The Sims 4 riffed off phenomena like Star Wars (adding Baby Yoda as a statue in December, for example) and added a pack centered around tiny houses."

    “I think that Sims provides an incredible canvas for us to tap into all kinds of relevant trends, whether it be music, fashion, design and architecture, or in TV and media,” Miele said. “And we are going to continue to do more of that. That is direction we’re headed.”


    After I saw that, I immediately felt a new sense of disappointment and fear for the future. I'm really just getting tired of the team putting stuff into the game just because its trendy. I mean, just why? Yes, it's funny the idea of seeing something based on pop culture in the Sims. But honestly, it's just getting tiresome. And the fact that they plan to do even more of it is very irritating to me.

    Trends are fleeting. They come and they go and people move on to the next big thing quicker than ever. All of these trends are gonna make the game look so dated by the time this iteration is done (which is ironic considering how they want the game to be so modern through this trendy junk). And literally, almost everything in this game reeks of "modern, 21st century, present day"; like can we get some content that highlights the past for once.

    It's also very alienating. Just because something is trendy, doesn't mean the entire world cares about it. I feel like a lot of this "trendy" stuff is only really popular among teenagers (maybe some adults) online. They added that "Baby Ariel" girl for Get Famous and the majority of the players I saw had never even heard of her, nor had I. I get that they want to appeal to teen girls, but not all players are teen girls. It's just kind of off-putting and ironic for a team that claims to be oh so inclusive to add in so many things that only one fraction of their players can relate to. I'm constantly annoyed by the Star Wars stuff, because I don't watch that series and I have no interest in it at all. Yet it always comes in patches that I can't opt out of. If they want to do this, can it at least only be in packs or optional patches, so those of us who have no interest in it don't have it taking up space in our games?

    And I (half) joked about this in another thread, but seriously, what's next, will we get packs for the Kardashians, K-Pop, Doctor Who, internet challenges, mukbangs, or maybe even Twitter itself? Don't get me wrong, a real world reference here and there isn't a problem. But when it only caters to certain audiences and is only included because it's trendy right in the moment that they add it, it's just too limiting. And quite personally, I feel like their efforts would be better spent working on other things for the game.
    Felicity wrote: »
    It's been a few months since I was last here, but the 20th anniversary interview made me want to comment on this. So this snippet came from the interview.

    "The Sims team has been creative in reflecting real-life trends too. Sometimes this has been achieved by inviting music artists like Lily Allen and Katy Perry to make “Simlish” renditions of their hit songs, so that they can seamlessly fit in the fiction of The Sims. More recently, The Sims 4 riffed off phenomena like Star Wars (adding Baby Yoda as a statue in December, for example) and added a pack centered around tiny houses."

    “I think that Sims provides an incredible canvas for us to tap into all kinds of relevant trends, whether it be music, fashion, design and architecture, or in TV and media,” Miele said. “And we are going to continue to do more of that. That is direction we’re headed.”


    After I saw that, I immediately felt a new sense of disappointment and fear for the future. I'm really just getting tired of the team putting stuff into the game just because its trendy. I mean, just why? Yes, it's funny the idea of seeing something based on pop culture in the Sims. But honestly, it's just getting tiresome. And the fact that they plan to do even more of it is very irritating to me.

    Trends are fleeting. They come and they go and people move on to the next big thing quicker than ever. All of these trends are gonna make the game look so dated by the time this iteration is done (which is ironic considering how they want the game to be so modern through this trendy junk). And literally, almost everything in this game reeks of "modern, 21st century, present day"; like can we get some content that highlights the past for once.

    It's also very alienating. Just because something is trendy, doesn't mean the entire world cares about it. I feel like a lot of this "trendy" stuff is only really popular among teenagers (maybe some adults) online. They added that "Baby Ariel" girl for Get Famous and the majority of the players I saw had never even heard of her, nor had I. I get that they want to appeal to teen girls, but not all players are teen girls. It's just kind of off-putting and ironic for a team that claims to be oh so inclusive to add in so many things that only one fraction of their players can relate to. I'm constantly annoyed by the Star Wars stuff, because I don't watch that series and I have no interest in it at all. Yet it always comes in patches that I can't opt out of. If they want to do this, can it at least only be in packs or optional patches, so those of us who have no interest in it don't have it taking up space in our games?

    And I (half) joked about this in another thread, but seriously, what's next, will we get packs for the Kardashians, K-Pop, Doctor Who, internet challenges, mukbangs, or maybe even Twitter itself? Don't get me wrong, a real world reference here and there isn't a problem. But when it only caters to certain audiences and is only included because it's trendy right in the moment that they add it, it's just too limiting. And quite personally, I feel like their efforts would be better spent working on other things for the game.

    The worst part is, they don't even talk to teenage girls -- they talk to people who work with teenage girls. It's insulting. Their ageism is also apparent and yet they talk about diversity and what teenage girls think is diversity and fairness. While talking to people who aren't teenage girls.

    Bleh, I should find that interview. It was one of the most depressing visions of the Sims' future that I have seen.
    Thanks both, for wording this better than I ever could, spot on.
    5JZ57S6.png
  • MidnightAuraMidnightAura Posts: 5,809 Member
    Jeez.
    What interview was this please? Not because I disbelieve you, but because it sounds like one of those reads that I’m going to stop and think: “Did you really just say that?”

    It can’t be as bad as Grant claiming elevators were basically stairs and that they didn’t want to confuse their audience with complicated transport systems. :#

    The thing with chasing trends is usually by time you jump on a trend you are usually behind it. It truely saddens me but does not surprise me this is how they plan to milk the series I mean continue the series. As already being pointed out it means that very soon the game is going to feel outdated. If anyone is still playing this game in fifteen years it’s going to feel very dated indeed and not just graphics wise.

    The sims 4 has went from being a learning, safe space experience to one that is chasing what’s popular. Well they have been doing that for several years but now it appears they are getting quite brazen with it.
  • shorty943pshorty943p Posts: 247 Member
    Actually folks it is only going to get worse.

    Today I thought to go purchase and download Tiny Living. All went well until I noticed that EA demanded I give them my credit card security number. YOU GOT TO BE JOKING untrusted American Corporation.

    So off to the EA help site I went, a good reread of the EA End User Licence Agreement, today I quit EA!

    Read that EULA people, it is rotten to the core.
  • PrincipleOfEntropyPrincipleOfEntropy Posts: 389 Member
    edited February 2020
    Jeez.
    What interview was this please? Not because I disbelieve you, but because it sounds like one of those reads that I’m going to stop and think: “Did you really just say that?”

    It can’t be as bad as Grant claiming elevators were basically stairs and that they didn’t want to confuse their audience with complicated transport systems. :#

    The thing with chasing trends is usually by time you jump on a trend you are usually behind it. It truely saddens me but does not surprise me this is how they plan to milk the series I mean continue the series. As already being pointed out it means that very soon the game is going to feel outdated. If anyone is still playing this game in fifteen years it’s going to feel very dated indeed and not just graphics wise.

    The sims 4 has went from being a learning, safe space experience to one that is chasing what’s popular. Well they have been doing that for several years but now it appears they are getting quite brazen with it.

    Boom!

    https://washingtonpost.com/video-games/2020/02/04/how-sims-navigated-20-years-change-become-one-most-successful-franchises-ever/
    Madotsuki-Chair-Spin.gif
  • llamasflullamasflu Posts: 221 Member

    And I (half) joked about this in another thread, but seriously, what's next, will we get packs for the Kardashians, K-Pop, Doctor Who, internet challenges, mukbangs, or maybe even Twitter itself? Don't get me wrong, a real world reference here and there isn't a problem. But when it only caters to certain audiences and is only included because it's trendy right in the moment that they add it, it's just too limiting. And quite personally, I feel like their efforts would be better spent working on other things for the game.

    no thank you sims 4 team :|
    shorty943p wrote: »
    Actually folks it is only going to get worse.

    Today I thought to go purchase and download Tiny Living. All went well until I noticed that EA demanded I give them my credit card security number. YOU GOT TO BE JOKING untrusted American Corporation.

    So off to the EA help site I went, a good reread of the EA End User Licence Agreement, today I quit EA!

    Read that EULA people, it is rotten to the core.

    tumblr_nvyznq2a181tiiy96o2_400.gifv
  • llamasflullamasflu Posts: 221 Member
    edited February 2020
    the hottub......
    tumblr_nvyznq2a181tiiy96o2_400.gifv
  • FelicityFelicity Posts: 4,979 Member
    Jeez.
    What interview was this please? Not because I disbelieve you, but because it sounds like one of those reads that I’m going to stop and think: “Did you really just say that?”

    It can’t be as bad as Grant claiming elevators were basically stairs and that they didn’t want to confuse their audience with complicated transport systems. :#

    The thing with chasing trends is usually by time you jump on a trend you are usually behind it. It truely saddens me but does not surprise me this is how they plan to milk the series I mean continue the series. As already being pointed out it means that very soon the game is going to feel outdated. If anyone is still playing this game in fifteen years it’s going to feel very dated indeed and not just graphics wise.

    The sims 4 has went from being a learning, safe space experience to one that is chasing what’s popular. Well they have been doing that for several years but now it appears they are getting quite brazen with it.

    https://simsvip.com/2017/09/03/pax-west-simgurudrake-talks-managing-sims-community/
  • ApparentlyAwesomeApparentlyAwesome Posts: 1,523 Member
    I had just read that interview and yeah, not much hope after that. I haven't had much hope for a while to be honest but I'm still playing the older games and still eyeing Paralives.

    I didn't too much like this part either:
    “We are thinking about how modern media is consumed today, and the significant disruptions we’ve seen in media in the last three to five years, whether it be TV media, movie media, music media,” Miele said. “We’re thinking about similar opportunities to bring content to more people in more places on the most platforms as possible.”

    In a financial call in late January, EA CEO Andrew Wilson spoke of plans for the next generation of Sims “across platforms in a cloud-enabled world” and compared the concept of “social interaction and competition” to the late Sims Online.

    “We certainly see interactive entertainment going to a place of streaming and being in a place where cross platform play becomes a priority,” Miele said. “I certainly perceive The Sims to be incredibly accessible, very global.”

    When asked whether we’d one day see a “definitive” version of The Sims that is continuously updated rather than one installment after the next, Miele said that it’s something she and her team have “thought deeply about.”

    I just want them to focus on making a decent, offline single player game first. Then broaden their horizons after they work out the bugs with that. And this whole trends following thing does ultimately date the game, I agree. We do need more that isn't 21st century modern day. Agree with everything you said @ListentoToppDogg, even though I love DW, lol. I'd prefer they focus more on helping us tell a broader expanse of stories that aren't just modern day.
    KqGXVAC.jpg
  • BrittanyChick22BrittanyChick22 Posts: 2,130 Member
    I don't think it's going to get better, the sims ins on a downward hill at this point with the first 3 games being it's peak. As much as I love sims 3 and the amazing ideas it brought, it's where the issues started and where the game started taking down path. The glitches and repetitive pie options, Sims just teleporting in the car, bad routing, never fixed bugs, among other things is where you can see Ea was starting to get lazy with the game/franchise. Fast forward to now with with sims 4, regression further back that sims 2 and 3 pushed passed /progressed. The fact we're hearing about the possibility of multiplayer online being attempt again after multiple failed examples is clear where the franchise is headed and not in a good way. Sims 5 has to be more and beyond and they can prove me wrong by showing/doing it.
    giphy.gif


  • Evil_OneEvil_One Posts: 4,423 Member
    I had just read that interview and yeah, not much hope after that. I haven't had much hope for a while to be honest but I'm still playing the older games and still eyeing Paralives.

    I didn't too much like this part either:
    “We are thinking about how modern media is consumed today, and the significant disruptions we’ve seen in media in the last three to five years, whether it be TV media, movie media, music media,” Miele said. “We’re thinking about similar opportunities to bring content to more people in more places on the most platforms as possible.”

    In a financial call in late January, EA CEO Andrew Wilson spoke of plans for the next generation of Sims “across platforms in a cloud-enabled world” and compared the concept of “social interaction and competition” to the late Sims Online.

    “We certainly see interactive entertainment going to a place of streaming and being in a place where cross platform play becomes a priority,” Miele said. “I certainly perceive The Sims to be incredibly accessible, very global.”

    When asked whether we’d one day see a “definitive” version of The Sims that is continuously updated rather than one installment after the next, Miele said that it’s something she and her team have “thought deeply about.”

    I just want them to focus on making a decent, offline single player game first. Then broaden their horizons after they work out the bugs with that. And this whole trends following thing does ultimately date the game, I agree. We do need more that isn't 21st century modern day. Agree with everything you said @ListentoToppDogg, even though I love DW, lol. I'd prefer they focus more on helping us tell a broader expanse of stories that aren't just modern day.

    From the last part of that quote, it sounds like EA wants to do to The Sims, what they've done to madden... Each iteration is essentially the same thing with a few bits changed here or there.
    raw
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