As far as simming goes, the game needs a team with the vision, courage, skill, and resources to go where no sim has gone before. Rather like the ones that made TS2, taking what really worked as the foundation and then taking that way beyond the confines of the existing box. For us simmers, satisfaction and fulfillment can come only from that which is deeper and stronger outside ourselves, plugging into the source not a by-product.
I agree.
All Maxis needs is a like-minded team that has the passion and drive to take The Sims where it has never gone before while still remaining in the life simulation genre. They were on the right track with focusing on AI during TS4’s development (or at least claiming to), but these Sims did not quite hit the mark. I still want to see smarter Sims. TS2 holds the crown 15 years later with the most intelligent, expressive, and life-like Sims.
I’d like to see them do the same with a proper SimCity 5 one day as well, but they just flat out gave up with that franchise. Such a shame.
As far as simming goes, the game needs a team with the vision, courage, skill, and resources to go where no sim has gone before. Rather like the ones that made TS2, taking what really worked as the foundation and then taking that way beyond the confines of the existing box. For us simmers, satisfaction and fulfillment can come only from that which is deeper and stronger outside ourselves, plugging into the source not a by-product.
I agree.
All Maxis needs is a like-minded team that has the passion and drive to take The Sims where it has never gone before while still remaining in the life simulation genre. They were on the right track with focusing on AI during TS4’s development (or at least claiming to), but these Sims did not quite hit the mark. I still want to see smarter Sims. TS2 holds the crown 15 years later with the most intelligent, expressive, and life-like Sims.
I’d like to see them do the same with a proper SimCity 5 one day as well, but they just flat out gave up with that franchise. Such a shame.
I think Maxis has got a team that would be able and willing to do all that but they have constraints placed on them like budget and that stupid order to aim at 13yr old girls from those in charge of decisions. When you think about it the latter order is an insult to all Simmers and particularly to 13yr old girls. It must be difficult to keep on the right side of the ESRB Teen rating. I've got the feeling that EA were trying to avoid some of those US indecency complaints they got with the first two iterations. I remember them.
I wouldn't like a game that went on the all action, killing adventures like GTA5 or Red Dead Redemption 2 that ultra males want though. Just a little more depth and humour
Hmmm I think I've always had this in spurs with every sims game. There comes a time where I just really don't feel like telling any stories or building anything, so I move on to other games entirely. And sometimes I get burned out on playing games altogether and just read books for a few weeks to months instead until I get back into one or another game and the whole thing starts over again. Personally, I do believe it's normal to get kinda bored with something you do all the time.
Now, do I think TS4 is as innovative as TS2 was? No, neither was TS3 for me. I think TS3 took the franchise in interesting directions though, and was certainly bolder and more daring and inspired in its attempt than TS4, but I think with the emotion system you either like it or you don't. I still think it has the potential to be exciting, the problem is that EA/the devs constantly seem to forget it exists or that it was supposed to be a selling point. They should've given us many, many more negative emotions, and less positive buffs (or just very short-lasting ones) for things like decor or a fireplace. RoM suffers from this too - brilliant pack, really enjoying it, but I don't quite get why there are so few negative buffs from a sim using a negative spell on you or your spells failing altogether. TS4's biggest problem appears to be that they don't really think anything through. TS3 occasionally had that problem too, tbh, TS2 for me never did.
But I still burned out on TS2 as well, because sooner or later, you've just kinda done the same things over and over again. There are parts to the simulation that just won't ever interest me - just like some things IRL won't ever interest me. So that they're there and exist is great, but they just won't have a lasting effect on the way I play. Meaning I'll eventually keep going back to the same styles and stories and activities. I think when that happens, it's fine to go do or play or learn or see something else in life. And when you eventually get carried back to playing TS, it will be that much more rewarding, because you didn't try to force yourself playing it.
Perhaps it's how my brain is wired. (Or maybe became disconnected) Games are built to stimulate the mind and bring a chemical change of dopamine while playing to the consumer in order for them to buy more, stayed engaged and interested. It's funny this hasn't actually worked for some players of TS4 or those who didn't even buy TS4 and stuck with TS3.
We know this is scientific fact of how to monetize games people play to keep them as long term consumers. None of this has actually worked on me for TS4, a few times maybe, but rather it has all had the opposite affect on my brain. I'm not actually the consumer they said would go ahead and buy anyway, eventually, no matter what, if it was cheaper, or if they just waited awhile I would eventually get a pack, or if they offered live service it would keep me interested. All that has only annoyed me.
The stimuli to make me want to play this franchise is just no longer there, it's like coming out of some haze (which I haven't been in a haze for many years) and seeing the franchise's direction has actually lost my brain by the company doing and building exactly what they thought would work on the brain to make it stay interested, included and engaged.
Whether that is because I am generations older than their targeted audience or if I'm some how annoyed by statements such as I would buy anyway, or how somehow not a good person if I say things about things I didn't like about this game, that fester in the back of my head, somehow Maxis has managed to turn me off their games completely. And though the older games are better, (to me) some things done and said these past five years have left a bad taste in my mouth and I don't even want to load those, either.
Then sets in boredom with nothing new to peak interest enough to make me buy something nor want it since I don't see the stimuli of it anymore, and that's not on me, but the company when it makes decissions about safe spaces rather than gaming mechanics, and or tells it's fanbase they have to be better people, and or called names by company reps, for voicing how they feel about something, has actually made some wake up and see the game isn't the game but the people playing it, and that is just boring and a bit much.
"Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
I used to play the on the sims for hours. Now hardly ever. Too many choices to chose from which family to play, sims conversations to chose from etc etc. ..
The best was the sims 2 and 1. Some of the sims 4 is ok. But to much choices in the sims 4...
I've found with all of the iterations that the larger they grow and the more packs they add the less I feel like playing them. I haven't reached that place with Sims 4 yet because I still like the building side of it most but eventually I'll be dealing with a game that has too, too many options and objects when all I want is a game to relax me.
The thing that gets me bored (and frustrated) is the wait between new supernaturals. I mean, they really dragged things out with that! The wait between Aliens and Vampires, then between Vampires and Mermaids and Spellcasters was just plain insane! They'd better be coming out with Werewolves sometime next year, because I've been waiting on THEM since launch day!! (And, no, I don't count these wilted "Plantsims" they gave us. Temporary status effect...pheh!)
Sorry, but I like a lot of magic and sci-fi stuff going on in my games, and the long stretches of nothing but slice-of-life additions inbetween the good stuff just kill me...
As far as simming goes, the game needs a team with the vision, courage, skill, and resources to go where no sim has gone before. Rather like the ones that made TS2, taking what really worked as the foundation and then taking that way beyond the confines of the existing box. For us simmers, satisfaction and fulfillment can come only from that which is deeper and stronger outside ourselves, plugging into the source not a by-product.
I agree.
All Maxis needs is a like-minded team that has the passion and drive to take The Sims where it has never gone before while still remaining in the life simulation genre. They were on the right track with focusing on AI during TS4’s development (or at least claiming to), but these Sims did not quite hit the mark. I still want to see smarter Sims. TS2 holds the crown 15 years later with the most intelligent, expressive, and life-like Sims.
I’d like to see them do the same with a proper SimCity 5 one day as well, but they just flat out gave up with that franchise. Such a shame.
I think Maxis has got a team that would be able and willing to do all that but they have constraints placed on them like budget and that stupid order to aim at 13yr old girls from those in charge of decisions. When you think about it the latter order is an insult to all Simmers and particularly to 13yr old girls. It must be difficult to keep on the right side of the ESRB Teen rating. I've got the feeling that EA were trying to avoid some of those US indecency complaints they got with the first two iterations. I remember them.
I wouldn't like a game that went on the all action, killing adventures like GTA5 or Red Dead Redemption 2 that ultra males want though. Just a little more depth and humour
I disagree. EA is a very greedy, anti-consumer company, but they do not call the shots when it comes to the game's design. I can't say certain updates, such as the gender update of TS4, are not designed with the majority of 13 year old females in mind. Additionally, things like the Star Wars content just convince me that they're not targeting the 13 year old female demographic as much as people like to say.
All of that aside, the game really needs to play like a proper life simulation game again. That means life will sometimes suck for your Sims if you are not entirely on top of everything. You're not going to have your game be sunshine, rainbows, and daisies 24/7. Even if you're a pro, the game should throw a curve ball, but your preparedness should ultimately dictate how bad the outcome will be.
Even a game like Minecraft, unless you select the option to make it easier, offers challenging gameplay that is enticing to players of all ages, genders, sexuality, etc. I truly don't know if the game has been dumbed down and made easier to create a happy, safe space for everyone like some of these interviews and articles are making it out to be, but it's become such a tremendous bore to even stare at this game now. And, not only that, but Minecraft is arguably the best "safe space" for absolutely anyone of any single background solely because of its advanced creative tools that allow anyone to make the game any way they'd like it. For us, with TS4, Maxis calls the shots with nearly everything. We can't even create our own worlds anymore.
And a little more depth and humor would be such a great thing to have. The Sims 2 had the best of it, IMO.
Thought I was the only one, even felt guilty to see that I was pretry bored even while playing TS3. I used to want to open my game everytime I used the PC but it's not the case anymore. [removed ~Rtas]
Hmmm I think I've always had this in spurs with every sims game. There comes a time where I just really don't feel like telling any stories or building anything, so I move on to other games entirely. And sometimes I get burned out on playing games altogether and just read books for a few weeks to months instead until I get back into one or another game and the whole thing starts over again. Personally, I do believe it's normal to get kinda bored with something you do all the time.
Now, do I think TS4 is as innovative as TS2 was? No, neither was TS3 for me. I think TS3 took the franchise in interesting directions though, and was certainly bolder and more daring and inspired in its attempt than TS4, but I think with the emotion system you either like it or you don't. I still think it has the potential to be exciting, the problem is that EA/the devs constantly seem to forget it exists or that it was supposed to be a selling point. They should've given us many, many more negative emotions, and less positive buffs (or just very short-lasting ones) for things like decor or a fireplace. RoM suffers from this too - brilliant pack, really enjoying it, but I don't quite get why there are so few negative buffs from a sim using a negative spell on you or your spells failing altogether. TS4's biggest problem appears to be that they don't really think anything through. TS3 occasionally had that problem too, tbh, TS2 for me never did.
But I still burned out on TS2 as well, because sooner or later, you've just kinda done the same things over and over again. There are parts to the simulation that just won't ever interest me - just like some things IRL won't ever interest me. So that they're there and exist is great, but they just won't have a lasting effect on the way I play. Meaning I'll eventually keep going back to the same styles and stories and activities. I think when that happens, it's fine to go do or play or learn or see something else in life. And when you eventually get carried back to playing TS, it will be that much more rewarding, because you didn't try to force yourself playing it.
Yes this is very much how I feel. I'm having a lot of fun in the last few days with Sims 4. But then I had taken a break before ROM came out. It all comes and goes. When it comes I am very into it; when it goes, it's gone. I can have a lot of fun but there are lots of ways I think the Sims 4 can improve in terms of depth and gameplay.
However I think after playing anything for X00-X,000 hours boredom and burnout is a given. Even though I think Sims 2 was the best in terms of gameplay, because I played it so much, I can't go back and play it for any length of time.
I love simulation and building games and I doubt this will change. Just which games I play. For example I found this little indie title called "This Grand Life" which has been scratching a sim itch lately. Not creative, and kind of grindy, but in-depth in a way that would never be possible in the Sims. After that maybe I'll go back to Minecraft. My stepson tells me a lot has changed since the 4+ years I have played it. And in the midst of all this University will be released and I'll definitely be playing that for a while.
Thought I was the only one, even felt guilty to see that I was pretry bored even while playing TS3. I used to want to open my game everytime I used the PC but it's not the case anymore.
Nah, it's just time to find another game. I'm a little over 30, and I still play plenty of games in addition to The Sims: fighting games, RPG's (single-player and MMO's), Pokemon, Monster Rancher, Stardew Valley, platform games (2D and 3D...especially Sonic games...Fight me...)...Hitting your teens doesn't mean leaving gaming behind. If anything, it just means you have an easier time spotting when a game isn't as good as it could possibly be. If you find yourself finding more flaws in your games as you get older and thinking of ways they could be better, maybe you should consider a career in the gaming industry (just remember your pepper spray, because women in all mostly male-dominated industries need anti-creep measures close at hand...).
Thought I was the only one, even felt guilty to see that I was pretry bored even while playing TS3. I used to want to open my game everytime I used the PC but it's not the case anymore. I'm also 16 so it's maybe time to stop playing games lol.
Nah, it's just time to find another game. I'm a little over 30, and I still play plenty of games in addition to The Sims: fighting games, RPG's (single-player and MMO's), Pokemon, Monster Rancher, Stardew Valley, platform games (2D and 3D...especially Sonic games...Fight me...)...Hitting your teens doesn't mean leaving gaming behind. If anything, it just means you have an easier time spotting when a game isn't as good as it could possibly be. If you find yourself finding more flaws in your games as you get older and thinking of ways they could be better, maybe you should consider a career in the gaming industry (just remember your pepper spray, because women in all mostly male-dominated industries need anti-creep measures close at hand...).
I'm a male lol. But no, I'm not interested in gaming industry haha. Yeah, what I meant by saying it's time to quit games is that it's maybe time to focus on my future and let games beside me, by the way now I play like once a week compared to everyday before.
As far as simming goes, the game needs a team with the vision, courage, skill, and resources to go where no sim has gone before. Rather like the ones that made TS2, taking what really worked as the foundation and then taking that way beyond the confines of the existing box. For us simmers, satisfaction and fulfillment can come only from that which is deeper and stronger outside ourselves, plugging into the source not a by-product.
I agree.
All Maxis needs is a like-minded team that has the passion and drive to take The Sims where it has never gone before while still remaining in the life simulation genre. They were on the right track with focusing on AI during TS4’s development (or at least claiming to), but these Sims did not quite hit the mark. I still want to see smarter Sims. TS2 holds the crown 15 years later with the most intelligent, expressive, and life-like Sims.
I’d like to see them do the same with a proper SimCity 5 one day as well, but they just flat out gave up with that franchise. Such a shame.
I think Maxis has got a team that would be able and willing to do all that but they have constraints placed on them like budget and that stupid order to aim at 13yr old girls from those in charge of decisions. When you think about it the latter order is an insult to all Simmers and particularly to 13yr old girls. It must be difficult to keep on the right side of the ESRB Teen rating. I've got the feeling that EA were trying to avoid some of those US indecency complaints they got with the first two iterations. I remember them.
I wouldn't like a game that went on the all action, killing adventures like GTA5 or Red Dead Redemption 2 that ultra males want though. Just a little more depth and humour
I disagree slightly. In the sense that Grant tweeted this:
Now I do agree that EA call the final shots and they are definitely more aware of ratings this time. (Previously Grant said no to casinos as they are T for teen, when actually casinos were in the sims 1 and 3 and there was gambling in the sims 2 all be it on a lite scale) But to me, Grant’s tweet reads as they have a lot of freedom so many of the poor decisions I think have to be laid at the devs door.
It’s fine to not want a game like GTA or RDR2. I’ll just say though, many, many women play those games, myself Included.
So, this thread has gone quite a bit off topic, I guess.
As for the "who dictates what's happening with TS4": sure, we have Grant saying that Maxis and EA are the same. And it's true to an extent. But at the end of the day, the developers aren't likely the ones who decide the budget, who decide possible delays for packs if necessary. Chances are (and pretty big ones) that there are other people in play who hold them to whatever schedule is set, allocate funds for EPs, GPs, and SPs. They're also not the ones deciding work hours, staff hirings, and priorities for development, or what gets outsourced and what's done in-house.
So while yeah, they draw up plans and decide themes and the contents of packs, they don't have unlimited resources and 100% free reign to do whatever they want. They also can't make the packs unlimited when it comes to size. All of that influences what we can and can't get within any given DLC and sometimes it means that some features fall short. (yes, it would be easier if they dropped 32bit support but fact is that they didn't and they probably do have data that indicates that it would mean a significant player base loss).
Also, I'm not here for the mocking and diminishing of the taste and intelligence of "13-year-old girls". (this complaint being directed at the execs and "hardcore gamers", not at anyone here unless you do believe that 13yo girls' taste is restricted to Snapchat, Instagram, and pretty clothes.). The sexism in the gaming industry is unfortunately strong on all levels and all we can do is hope for and work on continued progress. As is, I think the bigger constraints on content are dictated more by the purity police, especially prevalent in the US (book banning, anyone?) that limits what can fall into the Teen rating category. Which unfortunately means less crude humor, less violence, fewer things like gambling etc. A lot of that is out of Maxis's and EA's hands.
Now, on topic about being bored with TS4:
This iteration, in my opinion, is very much aimed at people who want to create stories by themselves. So in that regard yes, it's lacking in-game mechanics that direct the storylines and provide obstacles without the player's direct input.
I'm one of those people who like that. I like creating my own stories, having my Sims do what I want them to do (for the most part). Sure, having more dire consequences to my choices would sometimes be fun but I would absolutely not like having random surprises throwing a wrench in my gameplay (this includes townies having independent relationships to the extent that some mods do and similar features). I play with aging off because I want even that decision in my hands. I'd like to have more options: likes and dislikes, fears, more detailed wants beyond whims, stronger reactions to mean or mischief interactions. But even so, the way the game is set up now suits me almost perfectly.
For those of you who are looking for more uncontrollable circumstances, more consequences, more gameplay influenced by the engine instead of being in the hands of the player, this naturally makes the game boring and unchallenging, yeah. The thing is, I don't agree that it means the game is generally bad. It just happens to have a different direction than other iterations of The Sims had. And whether that was a good or bad decision (and how that was made is a completely different discussion) is not a clear-cut thing. For some it's a step back, for others it's amazing. TS4 is a different style of game than anything. For me it's a blank canvas, an empty document (well, premade Sims and houses excluded, but then I tend to ignore those) that I can fill with whatever I want and that's what keeps my own interest alive.
To address OP's comments on innovation in the game: you mentioned multitasking and I do agree that that's the "big" thing for this iteration. The thing is though that it's not as visible an innovation as open worlds were or the 2D to 3D jump earlier in the series. It's more subtle and perhaps that's why it feels like it's smaller.
Another thing with innovation is how it affects game performance. While some of the flashier things would be great, there are enough people (and no, anecdotal "my game runs fine" doesn't discount the opposite) saying that their machines couldn't handle TS3 *because* of the open world, that the strain on computers was too much. I think if they'd kept the open worlds, the innovation needed would be even less visible: it would be improving performance for that feature and that would be done entirely under the hood.
Apologies, this got longer than I planned.
In conclusion: I do wish TS4 had both options: be the blank canvas that some people enjoy to play with that's letting them be in charge of their play as well as more direction for gameplay (like story progression and maybe a "more consequences" option) for those who are looking for that kind of challenge.
Maybe in the next iteration (if it comes), the innovative part of the game will be OPTIONS. As much as some people hate toggles, for a game like The Sims, being able to set your game up to what you want it to be is precisely the draw of it, I think.
I think sexism has nothing to do with targeting teen girls. They are who are playing this game and they are who has made it so successful. So, in that respect yes, they must like this version very much. So, thinking EA or Maxis is putting them into some sort of stereotype category (even if they were) has actually worked for this, it's raked in a billion compared to the other iterations. But the problem is, I'm not a teen girl and it's too childish and cheery for me. It's like being part of the Star Wars culture back in my day when they went from a believable set of circumstances (with adults) in one and two and then when it came to the third and last the fighting force was Ewoks instead of Wookie Warriors. They had planned on the saving force to the end of that saga to be the tall, strong, Wookiee race, and instead setteled for the cute and fluffy and childish teddy bear like creature. So more five year olds could enjoy the movie more, and cheer for the loveable, cuddly Ewoks, and SW fans hated that. It totally distroyed anyone actually wanting to revisit the next iterations and find out how Luke became Darth Vadar's son. They had totally thrown over their nine-twelve year old audience for the five year old. (And because of this no one will value the next iterations of the toys as highly collectible like the first Luke or other figures so many people and kids hoarded for years) No one gives a hoot all that much about what followed after that final saga to the original stories. (At least not the core fanbase of those movies).
"Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
Sexism has everything to do with how you yourself say the game has changed. Because if they were marketing to boys, as they do with combat and warfare games, or to everyone regardless of gender, the game wouldn't be "childish and cheery". We would most definitely have cars, there would be next to no family play at all, it would be a survival game instead of a life simulator. Because that's what the sexist stereotypes are and that's how they have changed and got stronger in the gaming industry. (which is precisely why it's such a huge issue these days). Several people on the forums did mention that Sims is viewed as "a girl game". It wasn't, during TS1 and possibly TS2, it was just a game. But there's an increasing need to push gender-specific styles on everything and it's not just in the gaming world (but it is very strong there).
Relevant example: LEGO. Now, people of all ages play with LEGO. When I was growing up, there was one style of LEGO for everyone and it was absolutely no issue, it was for all genders and all ages. Over the past decade or so, suddenly there were sets developed that were pink and purple and dedicated to "girly" things: pet grooming, hair salons, cooking, etc. All of that was very deliberately separating stereotypes for genders in a way that the company didn't do in the past.
Gender stereotyping is very much sexist, very much exists, and worse yet, is a lot more pushed by marketing teams everywhere now than it has been 20 years ago.
Sexism has everything to do with how you yourself say the game has changed. Because if they were marketing to boys, as they do with combat and warfare games, or to everyone regardless of gender, the game wouldn't be "childish and cheery". We would most definitely have cars, there would be next to no family play at all, it would be a survival game instead of a life simulator. Because that's what the sexist stereotypes are and that's how they have changed and got stronger in the gaming industry. (which is precisely why it's such a huge issue these days). Several people on the forums did mention that Sims is viewed as "a girl game". It wasn't, during TS1 and possibly TS2, it was just a game. But there's an increasing need to push gender-specific styles on everything and it's not just in the gaming world (but it is very strong there).
Relevant example: LEGO. Now, people of all ages play with LEGO. When I was growing up, there was one style of LEGO for everyone and it was absolutely no issue, it was for all genders and all ages. Over the past decade or so, suddenly there were sets developed that were pink and purple and dedicated to "girly" things: pet grooming, hair salons, cooking, etc. All of that was very deliberately separating stereotypes for genders in a way that the company didn't do in the past.
Gender stereotyping is very much sexist, very much exists, and worse yet, is a lot more pushed by marketing teams everywhere now than it has been 20 years ago.
Well, if all that is true it certainly worked for TS4 hasn't it? It is the most successful (money) of all the games, even surpassing The Sims original game (money). And wouldn' t that lend to the fact that teen girls (who have made it successful) actually like the childish and cheery? It would seem so.
"Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
Sexism has everything to do with how you yourself say the game has changed. Because if they were marketing to boys, as they do with combat and warfare games, or to everyone regardless of gender, the game wouldn't be "childish and cheery". We would most definitely have cars, there would be next to no family play at all, it would be a survival game instead of a life simulator. Because that's what the sexist stereotypes are and that's how they have changed and got stronger in the gaming industry. (which is precisely why it's such a huge issue these days). Several people on the forums did mention that Sims is viewed as "a girl game". It wasn't, during TS1 and possibly TS2, it was just a game. But there's an increasing need to push gender-specific styles on everything and it's not just in the gaming world (but it is very strong there).
Relevant example: LEGO. Now, people of all ages play with LEGO. When I was growing up, there was one style of LEGO for everyone and it was absolutely no issue, it was for all genders and all ages. Over the past decade or so, suddenly there were sets developed that were pink and purple and dedicated to "girly" things: pet grooming, hair salons, cooking, etc. All of that was very deliberately separating stereotypes for genders in a way that the company didn't do in the past.
Gender stereotyping is very much sexist, very much exists, and worse yet, is a lot more pushed by marketing teams everywhere now than it has been 20 years ago.
Well, if all that is true it certainly worked for TS4 hasn't it? It is the most successful (money) of all the games, even surpassing The Sims original game (money). And wouldn' t that lend to the fact that teen girls (who have made it successful) actually like the childish and cheery? It would seem so.
No idea from a personal point of view, seeing as I passed the teen years before the original game even launched. The people on this forum would lend to a different theory: it's players across all genders and age ranges that like TS4 for a variety of reasons, the game being cheery being only one of them. And yes, I'm leaving the childish part out on purpose since I don't find it that way at all.
Teen girls may have been who made the series successful but it doesn't mean they're the only significant part of the player base.
I think the boredom comes from the fact that the games are created with such few features that they are easily explored. I feel the boredom too!
I just bought the last pack Magic Realm, and I don't know why I buy, but I belive its the hope that they will come to their senses and finaly make a pack worth playing. (I have played since the sims deluxe)
It feels like the sims has becomed a cash cow, and dividing the games into GP, EP and SP is just an excuse.
So I feel your frustration and boredom, but I really hope they start hearing what people want, instead of producing products that in the end ruins the feeling that playing the game gave before!
I would guess a big part of the success of Sims 4 is the console market -- it's the first Sims game that has the entire version on console rather than a stripped down version. Sales is why most AAA games now release on all platforms instead of just PC. Honestly, I'm not sure if this is a bad thing at all. If Sims 4 from the start had been released for consoles instead of really really old gaming PCs, it would probably be a more complex game.
Thought I was the only one, even felt guilty to see that I was pretry bored even while playing TS3. I used to want to open my game everytime I used the PC but it's not the case anymore.
And in the midst of all this University will be released and I'll definitely be playing that for a while.
Has EA made any official statements, or is this just rumor being spread by folks desperately hoping that *this* will be the white knight pack to solve all their gaming woes? Going to college, RL or sims, is hardly the ultimate in life fulfillment. Even if true, the pack will be disappointing (as they all have of late), and a bit of a grind if the TS2 (which does a much better job with packs than 4) version is any indicator.
And in the midst of all this University will be released and I'll definitely be playing that for a while.
Has EA made any official statements, or is this just rumor being spread by folks desperately hoping that *this* will be the white knight pack to solve all their gaming woes? Going to college, RL or sims, is hardly the ultimate in life fulfillment. Even if true, the pack will be disappointing (as they all have of late), and a bit of a grind if the TS2 (which does a much better job with packs than 4) version is any indicator.
No, nothing official but Target has it as a place holder so it's probably true some sort of education pack coming in Nov. Another store leaked they had IL as a place holder and I bet against that one, but was wrong and it turned out to be true. If anyone finds a place holder in the list if games coming to a store, then I think it's sort of safe to believe it, though the titles may not be the actual word for word titles.
"Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
Thought I was the only one, even felt guilty to see that I was pretry bored even while playing TS3. I used to want to open my game everytime I used the PC but it's not the case anymore. I'm also 16 so it's maybe time to stop playing games lol.
Nah, it's just time to find another game. I'm a little over 30, and I still play plenty of games in addition to The Sims: fighting games, RPG's (single-player and MMO's), Pokemon, Monster Rancher, Stardew Valley, platform games (2D and 3D...especially Sonic games...Fight me...)...Hitting your teens doesn't mean leaving gaming behind. If anything, it just means you have an easier time spotting when a game isn't as good as it could possibly be. If you find yourself finding more flaws in your games as you get older and thinking of ways they could be better, maybe you should consider a career in the gaming industry (just remember your pepper spray, because women in all mostly male-dominated industries need anti-creep measures close at hand...).
I'm a male lol. But no, I'm not interested in gaming industry haha. Yeah, what I meant by saying it's time to quit games is that it's maybe time to focus on my future and let games beside me, by the way now I play like once a week compared to everyday before.
Even if you're a guy, still bring the pepper spray. You never know when you or a co-worker will need it...(There are lots of creeps in the working world, so be safe and bring protection.)
And, it's O.K. to slow down on gaming when you have stuff like school or a job to deal with...just don't think that just because you're getting older that you have to give up a hobby you enjoy. The whole, "Put away childish things" thing is totally outdated. Always stay young at heart, and never forget what it was like to be a kid, even when you're 102. Forgetting what it was like to be a kid is what leads adults to make so many bad decisions on the behalf of kids...
Comments
I agree.
All Maxis needs is a like-minded team that has the passion and drive to take The Sims where it has never gone before while still remaining in the life simulation genre. They were on the right track with focusing on AI during TS4’s development (or at least claiming to), but these Sims did not quite hit the mark. I still want to see smarter Sims. TS2 holds the crown 15 years later with the most intelligent, expressive, and life-like Sims.
I’d like to see them do the same with a proper SimCity 5 one day as well, but they just flat out gave up with that franchise. Such a shame.
I think Maxis has got a team that would be able and willing to do all that but they have constraints placed on them like budget and that stupid order to aim at 13yr old girls from those in charge of decisions. When you think about it the latter order is an insult to all Simmers and particularly to 13yr old girls. It must be difficult to keep on the right side of the ESRB Teen rating. I've got the feeling that EA were trying to avoid some of those US indecency complaints they got with the first two iterations. I remember them.
I wouldn't like a game that went on the all action, killing adventures like GTA5 or Red Dead Redemption 2 that ultra males want though. Just a little more depth and humour
Now, do I think TS4 is as innovative as TS2 was? No, neither was TS3 for me. I think TS3 took the franchise in interesting directions though, and was certainly bolder and more daring and inspired in its attempt than TS4, but I think with the emotion system you either like it or you don't. I still think it has the potential to be exciting, the problem is that EA/the devs constantly seem to forget it exists or that it was supposed to be a selling point. They should've given us many, many more negative emotions, and less positive buffs (or just very short-lasting ones) for things like decor or a fireplace. RoM suffers from this too - brilliant pack, really enjoying it, but I don't quite get why there are so few negative buffs from a sim using a negative spell on you or your spells failing altogether. TS4's biggest problem appears to be that they don't really think anything through. TS3 occasionally had that problem too, tbh, TS2 for me never did.
But I still burned out on TS2 as well, because sooner or later, you've just kinda done the same things over and over again. There are parts to the simulation that just won't ever interest me - just like some things IRL won't ever interest me. So that they're there and exist is great, but they just won't have a lasting effect on the way I play. Meaning I'll eventually keep going back to the same styles and stories and activities. I think when that happens, it's fine to go do or play or learn or see something else in life. And when you eventually get carried back to playing TS, it will be that much more rewarding, because you didn't try to force yourself playing it.
We know this is scientific fact of how to monetize games people play to keep them as long term consumers. None of this has actually worked on me for TS4, a few times maybe, but rather it has all had the opposite affect on my brain. I'm not actually the consumer they said would go ahead and buy anyway, eventually, no matter what, if it was cheaper, or if they just waited awhile I would eventually get a pack, or if they offered live service it would keep me interested. All that has only annoyed me.
The stimuli to make me want to play this franchise is just no longer there, it's like coming out of some haze (which I haven't been in a haze for many years) and seeing the franchise's direction has actually lost my brain by the company doing and building exactly what they thought would work on the brain to make it stay interested, included and engaged.
Whether that is because I am generations older than their targeted audience or if I'm some how annoyed by statements such as I would buy anyway, or how somehow not a good person if I say things about things I didn't like about this game, that fester in the back of my head, somehow Maxis has managed to turn me off their games completely. And though the older games are better, (to me) some things done and said these past five years have left a bad taste in my mouth and I don't even want to load those, either.
Then sets in boredom with nothing new to peak interest enough to make me buy something nor want it since I don't see the stimuli of it anymore, and that's not on me, but the company when it makes decissions about safe spaces rather than gaming mechanics, and or tells it's fanbase they have to be better people, and or called names by company reps, for voicing how they feel about something, has actually made some wake up and see the game isn't the game but the people playing it, and that is just boring and a bit much.
The best was the sims 2 and 1. Some of the sims 4 is ok. But to much choices in the sims 4...
Sorry, but I like a lot of magic and sci-fi stuff going on in my games, and the long stretches of nothing but slice-of-life additions inbetween the good stuff just kill me...
I disagree. EA is a very greedy, anti-consumer company, but they do not call the shots when it comes to the game's design. I can't say certain updates, such as the gender update of TS4, are not designed with the majority of 13 year old females in mind. Additionally, things like the Star Wars content just convince me that they're not targeting the 13 year old female demographic as much as people like to say.
All of that aside, the game really needs to play like a proper life simulation game again. That means life will sometimes suck for your Sims if you are not entirely on top of everything. You're not going to have your game be sunshine, rainbows, and daisies 24/7. Even if you're a pro, the game should throw a curve ball, but your preparedness should ultimately dictate how bad the outcome will be.
Even a game like Minecraft, unless you select the option to make it easier, offers challenging gameplay that is enticing to players of all ages, genders, sexuality, etc. I truly don't know if the game has been dumbed down and made easier to create a happy, safe space for everyone like some of these interviews and articles are making it out to be, but it's become such a tremendous bore to even stare at this game now. And, not only that, but Minecraft is arguably the best "safe space" for absolutely anyone of any single background solely because of its advanced creative tools that allow anyone to make the game any way they'd like it. For us, with TS4, Maxis calls the shots with nearly everything. We can't even create our own worlds anymore.
And a little more depth and humor would be such a great thing to have. The Sims 2 had the best of it, IMO.
Yes this is very much how I feel. I'm having a lot of fun in the last few days with Sims 4. But then I had taken a break before ROM came out. It all comes and goes. When it comes I am very into it; when it goes, it's gone. I can have a lot of fun but there are lots of ways I think the Sims 4 can improve in terms of depth and gameplay.
However I think after playing anything for X00-X,000 hours boredom and burnout is a given. Even though I think Sims 2 was the best in terms of gameplay, because I played it so much, I can't go back and play it for any length of time.
I love simulation and building games and I doubt this will change. Just which games I play. For example I found this little indie title called "This Grand Life" which has been scratching a sim itch lately. Not creative, and kind of grindy, but in-depth in a way that would never be possible in the Sims. After that maybe I'll go back to Minecraft. My stepson tells me a lot has changed since the 4+ years I have played it. And in the midst of all this University will be released and I'll definitely be playing that for a while.
Sim Stuff by Pegasys
Nah, it's just time to find another game. I'm a little over 30, and I still play plenty of games in addition to The Sims: fighting games, RPG's (single-player and MMO's), Pokemon, Monster Rancher, Stardew Valley, platform games (2D and 3D...especially Sonic games...Fight me...)...Hitting your teens doesn't mean leaving gaming behind. If anything, it just means you have an easier time spotting when a game isn't as good as it could possibly be. If you find yourself finding more flaws in your games as you get older and thinking of ways they could be better, maybe you should consider a career in the gaming industry (just remember your pepper spray, because women in all mostly male-dominated industries need anti-creep measures close at hand...).
Edited quote to reflect change. ~Rtas
I'm a male lol.
I disagree slightly. In the sense that Grant tweeted this:
Now I do agree that EA call the final shots and they are definitely more aware of ratings this time. (Previously Grant said no to casinos as they are T for teen, when actually casinos were in the sims 1 and 3 and there was gambling in the sims 2 all be it on a lite scale) But to me, Grant’s tweet reads as they have a lot of freedom so many of the poor decisions I think have to be laid at the devs door.
It’s fine to not want a game like GTA or RDR2. I’ll just say though, many, many women play those games, myself Included.
As for the "who dictates what's happening with TS4": sure, we have Grant saying that Maxis and EA are the same. And it's true to an extent. But at the end of the day, the developers aren't likely the ones who decide the budget, who decide possible delays for packs if necessary. Chances are (and pretty big ones) that there are other people in play who hold them to whatever schedule is set, allocate funds for EPs, GPs, and SPs. They're also not the ones deciding work hours, staff hirings, and priorities for development, or what gets outsourced and what's done in-house.
So while yeah, they draw up plans and decide themes and the contents of packs, they don't have unlimited resources and 100% free reign to do whatever they want. They also can't make the packs unlimited when it comes to size. All of that influences what we can and can't get within any given DLC and sometimes it means that some features fall short. (yes, it would be easier if they dropped 32bit support but fact is that they didn't and they probably do have data that indicates that it would mean a significant player base loss).
Also, I'm not here for the mocking and diminishing of the taste and intelligence of "13-year-old girls". (this complaint being directed at the execs and "hardcore gamers", not at anyone here unless you do believe that 13yo girls' taste is restricted to Snapchat, Instagram, and pretty clothes.). The sexism in the gaming industry is unfortunately strong on all levels and all we can do is hope for and work on continued progress. As is, I think the bigger constraints on content are dictated more by the purity police, especially prevalent in the US (book banning, anyone?) that limits what can fall into the Teen rating category. Which unfortunately means less crude humor, less violence, fewer things like gambling etc. A lot of that is out of Maxis's and EA's hands.
Now, on topic about being bored with TS4:
This iteration, in my opinion, is very much aimed at people who want to create stories by themselves. So in that regard yes, it's lacking in-game mechanics that direct the storylines and provide obstacles without the player's direct input.
I'm one of those people who like that. I like creating my own stories, having my Sims do what I want them to do (for the most part). Sure, having more dire consequences to my choices would sometimes be fun but I would absolutely not like having random surprises throwing a wrench in my gameplay (this includes townies having independent relationships to the extent that some mods do and similar features). I play with aging off because I want even that decision in my hands. I'd like to have more options: likes and dislikes, fears, more detailed wants beyond whims, stronger reactions to mean or mischief interactions. But even so, the way the game is set up now suits me almost perfectly.
For those of you who are looking for more uncontrollable circumstances, more consequences, more gameplay influenced by the engine instead of being in the hands of the player, this naturally makes the game boring and unchallenging, yeah. The thing is, I don't agree that it means the game is generally bad. It just happens to have a different direction than other iterations of The Sims had. And whether that was a good or bad decision (and how that was made is a completely different discussion) is not a clear-cut thing. For some it's a step back, for others it's amazing. TS4 is a different style of game than anything. For me it's a blank canvas, an empty document (well, premade Sims and houses excluded, but then I tend to ignore those) that I can fill with whatever I want and that's what keeps my own interest alive.
To address OP's comments on innovation in the game: you mentioned multitasking and I do agree that that's the "big" thing for this iteration. The thing is though that it's not as visible an innovation as open worlds were or the 2D to 3D jump earlier in the series. It's more subtle and perhaps that's why it feels like it's smaller.
Another thing with innovation is how it affects game performance. While some of the flashier things would be great, there are enough people (and no, anecdotal "my game runs fine" doesn't discount the opposite) saying that their machines couldn't handle TS3 *because* of the open world, that the strain on computers was too much. I think if they'd kept the open worlds, the innovation needed would be even less visible: it would be improving performance for that feature and that would be done entirely under the hood.
Apologies, this got longer than I planned.
In conclusion: I do wish TS4 had both options: be the blank canvas that some people enjoy to play with that's letting them be in charge of their play as well as more direction for gameplay (like story progression and maybe a "more consequences" option) for those who are looking for that kind of challenge.
Maybe in the next iteration (if it comes), the innovative part of the game will be OPTIONS. As much as some people hate toggles, for a game like The Sims, being able to set your game up to what you want it to be is precisely the draw of it, I think.
Relevant example: LEGO. Now, people of all ages play with LEGO. When I was growing up, there was one style of LEGO for everyone and it was absolutely no issue, it was for all genders and all ages. Over the past decade or so, suddenly there were sets developed that were pink and purple and dedicated to "girly" things: pet grooming, hair salons, cooking, etc. All of that was very deliberately separating stereotypes for genders in a way that the company didn't do in the past.
Gender stereotyping is very much sexist, very much exists, and worse yet, is a lot more pushed by marketing teams everywhere now than it has been 20 years ago.
Well, if all that is true it certainly worked for TS4 hasn't it? It is the most successful (money) of all the games, even surpassing The Sims original game (money). And wouldn' t that lend to the fact that teen girls (who have made it successful) actually like the childish and cheery? It would seem so.
No idea from a personal point of view, seeing as I passed the teen years before the original game even launched. The people on this forum would lend to a different theory: it's players across all genders and age ranges that like TS4 for a variety of reasons, the game being cheery being only one of them. And yes, I'm leaving the childish part out on purpose since I don't find it that way at all.
Teen girls may have been who made the series successful but it doesn't mean they're the only significant part of the player base.
I just bought the last pack Magic Realm, and I don't know why I buy, but I belive its the hope that they will come to their senses and finaly make a pack worth playing. (I have played since the sims deluxe)
It feels like the sims has becomed a cash cow, and dividing the games into GP, EP and SP is just an excuse.
So I feel your frustration and boredom, but I really hope they start hearing what people want, instead of producing products that in the end ruins the feeling that playing the game gave before!
Edited quote to reflect change ~Rtas
Has EA made any official statements, or is this just rumor being spread by folks desperately hoping that *this* will be the white knight pack to solve all their gaming woes? Going to college, RL or sims, is hardly the ultimate in life fulfillment. Even if true, the pack will be disappointing (as they all have of late), and a bit of a grind if the TS2 (which does a much better job with packs than 4) version is any indicator.
No, nothing official but Target has it as a place holder so it's probably true some sort of education pack coming in Nov. Another store leaked they had IL as a place holder and I bet against that one, but was wrong and it turned out to be true. If anyone finds a place holder in the list if games coming to a store, then I think it's sort of safe to believe it, though the titles may not be the actual word for word titles.
Even if you're a guy, still bring the pepper spray. You never know when you or a co-worker will need it...(There are lots of creeps in the working world, so be safe and bring protection.)
And, it's O.K. to slow down on gaming when you have stuff like school or a job to deal with...just don't think that just because you're getting older that you have to give up a hobby you enjoy. The whole, "Put away childish things" thing is totally outdated. Always stay young at heart, and never forget what it was like to be a kid, even when you're 102. Forgetting what it was like to be a kid is what leads adults to make so many bad decisions on the behalf of kids...