Maxis still hasn't fixed the Willow Creek and Oasis Springs parks...the lots don't line up with the world map and it's been around 4 years, so....I wouldn't hold much hope.
With every new patch, I become increasingly jaded and closer to cutting bait with this game completely. I had given up hope that TS4 would ever evolve a long time ago, but now I’ve pretty much lost hope that they even care about fixing it. Nobody can be this incompetent. Nobody can fix so little unless it’s on purpose.
I almost feel like it’s insulting at this point, like we’re all being taken for suckers.
I’ll probably give it until the end of the year and then finally move on if nothing has improved. I have no reason to expect that it will.
We have a much bigger patch coming in November so hopefully it will have a lot of bug fixes.
But in the end, how many times can one say this and still hope?
They clearly have the means and resources, but it depends on their timetable when they get around to it. All i can suggest for you and anyone else is have a bit of patience and let it work out.
It’s been five-and-a-half years. How much more patient can we be? We’re in uncharted territory here. I doubt if a developer has ever been granted so much patience from its player base.
I’ve been a gamer for 30 years. I have played every type of game on every type of platform. I have played sprawling RPGs and massively detailed simulations and yet I have never experienced the kind of long-term issues that continue plague this game and continue to be ignored.
Is TS4 supposed to be the most complicated piece of software ever created? Is that the reason we’re cutting the devs so much slack? I don’t think it is; I don’t even think it’s the most complicated Sims game.
With every new patch, I become increasingly jaded and closer to cutting bait with this game completely. I had given up hope that TS4 would ever evolve a long time ago, but now I’ve pretty much lost hope that they even care about fixing it. Nobody can be this incompetent. Nobody can fix so little unless it’s on purpose.
I almost feel like it’s insulting at this point, like we’re all being taken for suckers.
I’ll probably give it until the end of the year and then finally move on if nothing has improved. I have no reason to expect that it will.
We have a much bigger patch coming in November so hopefully it will have a lot of bug fixes.
But in the end, how many times can one say this and still hope?
They clearly have the means and resources, but it depends on their timetable when they get around to it. All i can suggest for you and anyone else is have a bit of patience and let it work out.
It’s been five-and-a-half years. How much more patient can we be? We’re in uncharted territory here. I doubt if a developer has ever been granted so much patience from its player base.
I’ve been a gamer for 30 years. I have played every type of game on every type of platform. I have played sprawling RPGs and massively detailed simulations and yet I have never experienced the kind of long-term issues that continue plague this game and continue to be ignored.
Is TS4 supposed to be the most complicated piece of software ever created? Is that the reason we’re cutting the devs so much slack? I don’t think it is; I don’t even think it’s the most complicated Sims game.
The problem is the Game Engine.
The engine is to blame for certain limitations of the game (a whole other debacle), but not its recurring and persistent bugs. Some of these didn’t exist and were introduced later - never to be addressed. That has to do with the competence (and/or willingness) of the development team. The developers should know how to work within the constraints of their own engine. They should be able to figure out what’s gone wrong and how to fix it. Assuming they even care, of course.
I think Maxis is burned out on the sims just like the original tomb raider studio was burned out on making tomb raider. The pattern's the same, patches fix less and new releases have a huge amount of bugs that should have been caught in QA before release.
There is a thin line between being critical and being disrespectful. I am surprised how some of you cross it with such cynicism
You’re right, there is a thin line, and I believe EA has crossed it by not respecting me as a consumer.
What do I have to be respectful about anyway? I paid for this product. Where is the respect for me and my money? I’m out $500 CAD and I want my money’s worth. And when five-plus years go by and issues still haven’t been addressed (and more have been introduced), the notion of maintaining respect is, frankly, laughable IMO.
We get FREE things, and people aren't going to even bother updating because it's ugly? Yeah, sure we didn't get many bug fixes. But at the rate things are going for this game, we're lucky. Yeah, potions are still worth nothing. Did you ever stop to think that this is an actual bug that they are actually having trouble figuring out the fix for? Or that they could be focusing on fixing earlier packs with more bugs because of all the backlash? Or heaven forbid, a highly requested pack like University or Farming? Realm of Magic hasn't even been out for a full month yet. don't expect every little thing to be fixed. We've had small patches before, and I don't think there was this much backlash againstthem. Sure, you don't like the robot costumes. So? It's literally IMPOSSIBLE to please everyone when millions of people use it.
Edit: I know people are going to quote me and say things like "Oh my gosh your so naive" and whatnot, but did you ever stop and think that if we as consumers respect the people we are purchasing from that they might produce better content?
We get FREE things, and people aren't going to even bother updating because it's ugly? Yeah, sure we didn't get many bug fixes. But at the rate things are going for this game, we're lucky. Yeah, potions are still worth nothing. Did you ever stop to think that this is an actual bug that they are actually having trouble figuring out the fix for? Or that they could be focusing on fixing earlier packs with more bugs because of all the backlash? Or heaven forbid, a highly requested pack like University or Farming? Realm of Magic hasn't even been out for a full month yet. don't expect every little thing to be fixed. We've had small patches before, and I don't think there was this much backlash againstthem. Sure, you don't like the robot costumes. So? It's literally IMPOSSIBLE to please everyone when millions of people use it.
Edit: I know people are going to quote me and say things like "Oh my gosh your so naive" and whatnot, but did you ever stop and think that if we as consumers respect the people we are purchasing from that they might produce better content?
I agree with things take time, and I can appreciate the things I get (like this robot costume) while still being critical and making sure I get my money's worth. This costume, is cute, I'll give it that, and I will most definitely use it, but it feels like it's trying to distract us from the real issues like a toddler wanting a thing and mom distracts them with a different toy. Except, we aren't toddles here and we spent REAL money that we spent 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week earning. Things take time yes, but the potions for example, a mod fixed this 3 days into ROM. If they are actually are having trouble figuring it out for themselves, they could ask this miracle modder? It's not that they are having trouble though, it's just that they don't want to use the money that we gave them for the purchase to actually make sure it works. They'd rather use it to pump out the next pack. Which I guess is their choice, but then we also do have a right to voice a concern over where our money is going. I had patience in the past, but that does run out eventually. Especially when it's the same excuses time and again and modders prove them wrong time and again.
I just don't see why we can't have both? I don't think it's too much to ask for proper and timely fixes. They just don't want to pay extra people to do the work.
Also, again with the potion example, this wasn't play tested?! Not one single person at EA/Maxis tried to sell a potion? Even after they were asked specifically if they would be able to sell them and use in a retail situation with GTW? No one seriously thought to test this? After it was asked even? They answered yes too... without clearly knowing...
QA team are sweethearts and honestly if they can understand my gibberish of bugs and sending them 21 save files before, they'll be more than happy to help you too.
“Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” –Helen Keller
There is a thin line between being critical and being disrespectful. I am surprised how some of you cross it with such cynicism
You’re right, there is a thin line, and I believe EA has crossed it by not respecting me as a consumer.
What do I have to be respectful about anyway? I paid for this product. Where is the respect for me and my money? I’m out $500 CAD and I want my money’s worth. And when five-plus years go by and issues still haven’t been addressed (and more have been introduced), the notion of maintaining respect is, frankly, laughable IMO.
I'm sorry and i don't mean to be rude or condescending in any form here, but when you get right down to it, you are also responsible in part for that. The reason i say that is because Maxis didn't force you to buy TS4, they didn't force you to buy the DLC content or force you to become jaded about it, you chose to take that action by yourself of your own free will (and that is the thing we all have). If you knew that Maxis weren't going to have the record you expected after TS3 or whatever, then you should of made the choice if it was really worth it to you to keep going before you brought TS4. That part is on you as the customer to do your research first.
Now i'm not entirely happy with Maxis myself, but i knew they are EA and i knew they weren't going to have the best record going forward, so i expected it. I never played TS3 or any other TS game, but how i know is because i have played lots of other EA games, including those in Visceral, Bioware and a few others that includes Maxis through Simcity 4 and Simcity 2000, many moons ago. Now i got TS4 free from a promotion a while ago on Origin, but i since brough a few DLC packs because it has been worth the risk, except for seasons which i felt was a let down but that was my mistake in the end.
That is the ugly truth that i ask myself before buying anything from a big time developer, what is it i'm expecting? I need to do my research first and then make an informed decision: Take the risk or leave it?
I do not feel much for pointless costumes when it doesn't add anything in my game play. I do feel it is a hint for a futuristic pack (especially after a certain waterfall tweet from a guru), but then again.. i couldn't care less for such a pack. I find it weird and too unrealistic and I had about enough of the occult creatures and packs lately.
I would like to see actual game play features that contribute to a basic and realistic game play such as more family oriented features and subjects.
There is a thin line between being critical and being disrespectful. I am surprised how some of you cross it with such cynicism
You’re right, there is a thin line, and I believe EA has crossed it by not respecting me as a consumer.
What do I have to be respectful about anyway? I paid for this product. Where is the respect for me and my money? I’m out $500 CAD and I want my money’s worth. And when five-plus years go by and issues still haven’t been addressed (and more have been introduced), the notion of maintaining respect is, frankly, laughable IMO.
I'm sorry and i don't mean to be rude or condescending in any form here, but when you get right down to it, you are also responsible in part for that. The reason i say that is because Maxis didn't force you to buy TS4, they didn't force you to buy the DLC content or force you to become jaded about it, you chose to take that action by yourself of your own free will (and that is the thing we all have). If you knew that Maxis weren't going to have the record you expected after TS3 or whatever, then you should of made the choice if it was really worth it to you to keep going before you brought TS4. That part is on you as the customer to do your research first.
Now i'm not entirely happy with Maxis myself, but i knew they are EA and i knew they weren't going to have the best record going forward, so i expected it. I never played TS3 or any other TS game, but how i know is because i have played lots of other EA games, including those in Visceral, Bioware and a few others that includes Maxis through Simcity 4 and Simcity 2000, many moons ago. Now i got TS4 free from a promotion a while ago on Origin, but i since brough a few DLC packs because it has been worth the risk, except for seasons which i felt was a let down but that was my mistake in the end.
That is the ugly truth that i ask myself before buying anything from a big time developer, what is it i'm expecting? I need to do my research first and then make an informed decision: Take the risk or leave it?
Nobody could have reasonably expected TS4 to be as buggy as it has become when the game was releasing. A certain number of bugs are to be expected, but the state that the game would eventually devolve into is almost unprecedented. I couldn’t have anticipated that at launch.
Back around the time of the first couple of expansions it was still reasonable to expect improvement, as with any other game, regardless of the studio behind it. And so many of the bugs that would later plague the game hadn’t been introduced yet, which didn’t require the purchase of DLC and would go on to affect everything right down to the base game. So even if I had only ever purchased the base game, my experience still would have been affected negatively by the bugs that would arrive in future updates.
Also, back in 2014 EA didn’t quite have the reputation it does today, (Visceral hadn’t been closed yet, ME Andromeda hadn’t happened, and neither had loot boxes). But besides that, the actual TS4 development team hadn’t yet established a track record for itself and the game seemed to have a lot of promise.
So, in poker terms, I was already pot-committed, even early on. And in those days I was actually enjoying myself - which is important to note. So I could either continue to push my chips into the middle and hope for the best, or I could walk away while I was still having a good time and throw away the money I had invested. Given that choice, my only option was to stick it out and keep the faith.
But now I’ve reached the point where I’m not having fun anymore. It’s been a slow burn for sure, but I’m there.
There is a thin line between being critical and being disrespectful. I am surprised how some of you cross it with such cynicism
You’re right, there is a thin line, and I believe EA has crossed it by not respecting me as a consumer.
What do I have to be respectful about anyway? I paid for this product. Where is the respect for me and my money? I’m out $500 CAD and I want my money’s worth. And when five-plus years go by and issues still haven’t been addressed (and more have been introduced), the notion of maintaining respect is, frankly, laughable IMO.
I'm sorry and i don't mean to be rude or condescending in any form here, but when you get right down to it, you are also responsible in part for that. The reason i say that is because Maxis didn't force you to buy TS4, they didn't force you to buy the DLC content or force you to become jaded about it, you chose to take that action by yourself of your own free will (and that is the thing we all have). If you knew that Maxis weren't going to have the record you expected after TS3 or whatever, then you should of made the choice if it was really worth it to you to keep going before you brought TS4. That part is on you as the customer to do your research first.
Now i'm not entirely happy with Maxis myself, but i knew they are EA and i knew they weren't going to have the best record going forward, so i expected it. I never played TS3 or any other TS game, but how i know is because i have played lots of other EA games, including those in Visceral, Bioware and a few others that includes Maxis through Simcity 4 and Simcity 2000, many moons ago. Now i got TS4 free from a promotion a while ago on Origin, but i since brough a few DLC packs because it has been worth the risk, except for seasons which i felt was a let down but that was my mistake in the end.
That is the ugly truth that i ask myself before buying anything from a big time developer, what is it i'm expecting? I need to do my research first and then make an informed decision: Take the risk or leave it?
So your saying, given the studio behind it, shoddy work should just be excused? Especially because they ARE a big time developer with resources is PRECISELY why we should expect more.
There is a thin line between being critical and being disrespectful. I am surprised how some of you cross it with such cynicism
You’re right, there is a thin line, and I believe EA has crossed it by not respecting me as a consumer.
What do I have to be respectful about anyway? I paid for this product. Where is the respect for me and my money? I’m out $500 CAD and I want my money’s worth. And when five-plus years go by and issues still haven’t been addressed (and more have been introduced), the notion of maintaining respect is, frankly, laughable IMO.
I'm sorry and i don't mean to be rude or condescending in any form here, but when you get right down to it, you are also responsible in part for that. The reason i say that is because Maxis didn't force you to buy TS4, they didn't force you to buy the DLC content or force you to become jaded about it, you chose to take that action by yourself of your own free will (and that is the thing we all have). If you knew that Maxis weren't going to have the record you expected after TS3 or whatever, then you should of made the choice if it was really worth it to you to keep going before you brought TS4. That part is on you as the customer to do your research first.
Now i'm not entirely happy with Maxis myself, but i knew they are EA and i knew they weren't going to have the best record going forward, so i expected it. I never played TS3 or any other TS game, but how i know is because i have played lots of other EA games, including those in Visceral, Bioware and a few others that includes Maxis through Simcity 4 and Simcity 2000, many moons ago. Now i got TS4 free from a promotion a while ago on Origin, but i since brough a few DLC packs because it has been worth the risk, except for seasons which i felt was a let down but that was my mistake in the end.
That is the ugly truth that i ask myself before buying anything from a big time developer, what is it i'm expecting? I need to do my research first and then make an informed decision: Take the risk or leave it?
Nobody could have reasonably expected TS4 to be as buggy as it has become when the game was releasing. A certain number of bugs are to be expected, but the state that the game would eventually devolve into is almost unprecedented. I couldn’t have anticipated that at launch.
Back around the time of the first couple of expansions it was still reasonable to expect improvement, as with any other game, regardless of the studio behind it. And so many of the bugs that would later plague the game hadn’t been introduced yet, which didn’t require the purchase of DLC and would go on to affect everything right down to the base game. So even if I had only ever purchased the base game, my experience still would have been affected negatively by the bugs that would arrive in future updates.
Also, back in 2014 EA didn’t quite have the reputation it does today, (Visceral hadn’t been closed yet, ME Andromeda hadn’t happened, and neither had loot boxes). But besides that, the actual TS4 development team hadn’t yet established a track record for itself and the game seemed to have a lot of promise.
So, in poker terms, I was already pot-committed, even early on. And in those days I was actually enjoying myself - which is important to note. So I could either continue to push my chips into the middle and hope for the best, or I could walk away while I was still having a good time and throw away the money I had invested. Given that choice, my only option was to stick it out and keep the faith.
But now I’ve reached the point where I’m not having fun anymore. It’s been a slow burn for sure, but I’m there.
(+1 Insightful)
Thanks for your understanding. I'm following a similar sort of pattern myself in the same way you are, only it is happening inside of a few months, but i knew what i was expecting before i got any DLC packs though. I'm not entirely unsurprised with the amount of bugs because when i played SWTOR, there were a mess of bugs there. Andromeda was rough around the edges and ME1 has that infernal elevator bug at Noveria that was never completely fixed. So with that i took any future games by EA with a pinch of salt and expected some issues like you, some bugs. But yeah, based on the track record it was never going to be a completely happy place.
I'm still finding enjoyment in this game, but some things are frustrating at times, especially in the autonomy controls. after 1.1k hours in the last few months, i'm just waiting for that one thing to come along to spoil the whole thing.
i do agree before 2013, EA had a great enough record with their games, i honestly hadn't completely factored that in, sorry about that, i mean coming off the back of Dragon age, Dead Space, Mass Effect, SWTOR and so many others along the way, i can see how you'd could see it as being cautiously optimistic about the way things are.
anyway, i'm gonna let this slide and let the thread get back on topic.
We get FREE things, and people aren't going to even bother updating because it's ugly? Yeah, sure we didn't get many bug fixes. But at the rate things are going for this game, we're lucky. Yeah, potions are still worth nothing. Did you ever stop to think that this is an actual bug that they are actually having trouble figuring out the fix for? Or that they could be focusing on fixing earlier packs with more bugs because of all the backlash? Or heaven forbid, a highly requested pack like University or Farming? Realm of Magic hasn't even been out for a full month yet. don't expect every little thing to be fixed. We've had small patches before, and I don't think there was this much backlash againstthem. Sure, you don't like the robot costumes. So? It's literally IMPOSSIBLE to please everyone when millions of people use it.
Edit: I know people are going to quote me and say things like "Oh my gosh your so naive" and whatnot, but did you ever stop and think that if we as consumers respect the people we are purchasing from that they might produce better content?
I apologise, but two or three outfits are hardly ‘free’. The outfits add nothing to the game, do not work as they should, and provide about ten minutes of excitement before we are once again full of disappointment from the bugs, the obvious lack of testing of Realm of Magic, and the sheer neglect we have received pack after pack.
Receiving free things does not mean that you lose the right to offer criticism. I would have preferred no free things and better fixes. It was a waste of time updating and the issues the patch was meant to fix were not fixed.
The bug they cannot fix was fixed day one by a modder. Clearly, if they lack the ability to fix bugs, they need to higher some better coders. No, they just do not care. There is so much they could do to fix the game and do not do it because it is easier to ignore and release another overpriced pack with minimal and gutted content.
I enjoy this game, I really do, but I have this feeling that the creators do not enjoy it and are simply milking it. There is no personal touch, nothing to indicate care and testing.
The Sims 3 had around $80,000 worth of content in the store. The Sims 4 is already at $500 plus for all the DLC. What is two robot costumes in the grand scheme of $500? It is a kick in the face to loyal fans who own every pack, create content for the game, or promote it.
You cannot please everyone, I agree, but you should at least attempt to please your customers and not your corporate overheads.
That is the ugly truth that i ask myself before buying anything from a big time developer, what is it i'm expecting? I need to do my research first and then make an informed decision: Take the risk or leave it?
So your saying, given the studio behind it, shoddy work should just be excused? Especially because they ARE a big time developer with resources is PRECISELY why we should expect more.
It seems you have taken my comment out of context to fit a point of view you seem interested in making. But no, that isn't what i am saying, and if you don't mind dialling down the confrontation level? i can discuss it with you.
That is the ugly truth that i ask myself before buying anything from a big time developer, what is it i'm expecting? I need to do my research first and then make an informed decision: Take the risk or leave it?
So your saying, given the studio behind it, shoddy work should just be excused? Especially because they ARE a big time developer with resources is PRECISELY why we should expect more.
It seems you have taken my comment out of context to fit a point of view you seem interested in making. But no, that isn't what i am saying, and if you don't mind dialling down the confrontation level? i can discuss it with you.
I'm sorry, I didn't feel that I was being confrontational (with you, EA maybe, but not you) however, it's hard to convey tone in text.
It does seem that a large number of people though, deem it ok to be buggy or unfinished or skewed advertising because it is EA and we should expect it. You aren't the first to voice it like that. It's just a little sad that we are like that and it's pretty par for the video game industry these days. I don't think a company as large as EA should be research required, they're hardly indy. I think a company that large you should get what is advertised. I do understand bugs happen and it's impossible to program for the many system combinations people may have so glitches happen. What I would expect then, is a fix. Not a 2-3 year later one either. You don't hire someone to build you a fence, find a board missing and then wait for years for them to come back and replace the board. It does really come down to money and it shows. They (EA) make enough money to bug fix their game and I don't think we should be making excuses for them.
That all said, I'll say it again, I do like this game, I do have fun with it, even if I end up having to reboot after a crash on save and I hope they WILL fix most of it.
That is the ugly truth that i ask myself before buying anything from a big time developer, what is it i'm expecting? I need to do my research first and then make an informed decision: Take the risk or leave it?
So your saying, given the studio behind it, shoddy work should just be excused? Especially because they ARE a big time developer with resources is PRECISELY why we should expect more.
It seems you have taken my comment out of context to fit a point of view you seem interested in making. But no, that isn't what i am saying, and if you don't mind dialling down the confrontation level? i can discuss it with you.
I'm sorry, I didn't feel that I was being confrontational (with you, EA maybe, but not you) however, it's hard to convey tone in text.
It does seem that a large number of people though, deem it ok to be buggy or unfinished or skewed advertising because it is EA and we should expect it. You aren't the first to voice it like that. It's just a little sad that we are like that and it's pretty par for the video game industry these days. I don't think a company as large as EA should be research required, they're hardly indy. I think a company that large you should get what is advertised. I do understand bugs happen and it's impossible to program for the many system combinations people may have so glitches happen. What I would expect then, is a fix. Not a 2-3 year later one either. You don't hire someone to build you a fence, find a board missing and then wait for years for them to come back and replace the board. It does really come down to money and it shows. They (EA) make enough money to bug fix their game and I don't think we should be making excuses for them.
That all said, I'll say it again, I do like this game, I do have fun with it, even if I end up having to reboot after a crash on save and I hope they WILL fix most of it.
Thank you for that.
But i wasn't trying to absolve EA for any of their mistakes, they made those mistakes and it is on them to fix them, but the thing is that those mistakes are there and they can be seen, so when you go looking into exactly what the past has shown and then combine that with what you got ahead, you can come to some idea that like @So_Money said: you expect some issues to arise the first time. But still there is a real posisiblity that you could end up with something better or worse, that is the risk you take.
The issues so many of us are having with bugs, glitches, and all the other mess and they waste a patch on robot costumes? For shame! Patches should be for much needed repairs/overhauls!
The issues so many of us are having with bugs, glitches, and all the other mess and they waste a patch on robot costumes? For shame! Patches should be for much needed repairs/overhauls!
Bugs tend to come with new paid content, yet why people ask for more the day after pack releases I'll never understand. Bugs are repaired each time and different team that works on the robot costumes than on the bug fixes. SimGuruGraham and his team work on the base game additions and the QA team SimGuruNick, SimQARobo, SimGuruArvin, and a few others work on bug fixes. SimGuruNick has been super helpful with my bug fixes and you can contact him through Twitter or use the EA Help to report bugs.
“Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” –Helen Keller
Haven't used the costumes yet but instead a tiny thank you for the fix not mentioned in patch notes: yay for being able to place cameras on shelves again
I've seen a few posts on Island Living lots having lag issues or being buggy. I just got Island Living, have the two empty lots been repaired? Are there any issues with building on them or visiting them?
wocka wocka wockaWho gave that puppy asparagus?please do not send me private messages - they creep me out 🤢🤮😱
Comments
The problem is the Game Engine.
The engine is to blame for certain limitations of the game (a whole other debacle), but not its recurring and persistent bugs. Some of these didn’t exist and were introduced later - never to be addressed. That has to do with the competence (and/or willingness) of the development team. The developers should know how to work within the constraints of their own engine. They should be able to figure out what’s gone wrong and how to fix it. Assuming they even care, of course.
But no love for kids again, as usual...
There is a thin line between being critical and being disrespectful. I am surprised how some of you cross it with such cynicism
Meanwhile I smile when I see my robot, a new MOTHER's child, running like crazy at Strangerville plains
for more take a look at my showcase:
https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/918679/emere-osiazul-showcase-new-steampunk-karaoke#latest
You’re right, there is a thin line, and I believe EA has crossed it by not respecting me as a consumer.
What do I have to be respectful about anyway? I paid for this product. Where is the respect for me and my money? I’m out $500 CAD and I want my money’s worth. And when five-plus years go by and issues still haven’t been addressed (and more have been introduced), the notion of maintaining respect is, frankly, laughable IMO.
We get FREE things, and people aren't going to even bother updating because it's ugly? Yeah, sure we didn't get many bug fixes. But at the rate things are going for this game, we're lucky. Yeah, potions are still worth nothing. Did you ever stop to think that this is an actual bug that they are actually having trouble figuring out the fix for? Or that they could be focusing on fixing earlier packs with more bugs because of all the backlash? Or heaven forbid, a highly requested pack like University or Farming? Realm of Magic hasn't even been out for a full month yet. don't expect every little thing to be fixed. We've had small patches before, and I don't think there was this much backlash againstthem. Sure, you don't like the robot costumes. So? It's literally IMPOSSIBLE to please everyone when millions of people use it.
Edit: I know people are going to quote me and say things like "Oh my gosh your so naive" and whatnot, but did you ever stop and think that if we as consumers respect the people we are purchasing from that they might produce better content?
I agree with things take time, and I can appreciate the things I get (like this robot costume) while still being critical and making sure I get my money's worth. This costume, is cute, I'll give it that, and I will most definitely use it, but it feels like it's trying to distract us from the real issues like a toddler wanting a thing and mom distracts them with a different toy. Except, we aren't toddles here and we spent REAL money that we spent 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week earning. Things take time yes, but the potions for example, a mod fixed this 3 days into ROM. If they are actually are having trouble figuring it out for themselves, they could ask this miracle modder? It's not that they are having trouble though, it's just that they don't want to use the money that we gave them for the purchase to actually make sure it works. They'd rather use it to pump out the next pack. Which I guess is their choice, but then we also do have a right to voice a concern over where our money is going. I had patience in the past, but that does run out eventually. Especially when it's the same excuses time and again and modders prove them wrong time and again.
I just don't see why we can't have both? I don't think it's too much to ask for proper and timely fixes. They just don't want to pay extra people to do the work.
Also, again with the potion example, this wasn't play tested?! Not one single person at EA/Maxis tried to sell a potion? Even after they were asked specifically if they would be able to sell them and use in a retail situation with GTW? No one seriously thought to test this? After it was asked even? They answered yes too... without clearly knowing...
QA team are sweethearts and honestly if they can understand my gibberish of bugs and sending them 21 save files before, they'll be more than happy to help you too.
I'm sorry and i don't mean to be rude or condescending in any form here, but when you get right down to it, you are also responsible in part for that. The reason i say that is because Maxis didn't force you to buy TS4, they didn't force you to buy the DLC content or force you to become jaded about it, you chose to take that action by yourself of your own free will (and that is the thing we all have). If you knew that Maxis weren't going to have the record you expected after TS3 or whatever, then you should of made the choice if it was really worth it to you to keep going before you brought TS4. That part is on you as the customer to do your research first.
Now i'm not entirely happy with Maxis myself, but i knew they are EA and i knew they weren't going to have the best record going forward, so i expected it. I never played TS3 or any other TS game, but how i know is because i have played lots of other EA games, including those in Visceral, Bioware and a few others that includes Maxis through Simcity 4 and Simcity 2000, many moons ago. Now i got TS4 free from a promotion a while ago on Origin, but i since brough a few DLC packs because it has been worth the risk, except for seasons which i felt was a let down but that was my mistake in the end.
That is the ugly truth that i ask myself before buying anything from a big time developer, what is it i'm expecting? I need to do my research first and then make an informed decision: Take the risk or leave it?
I would like to see actual game play features that contribute to a basic and realistic game play such as more family oriented features and subjects.
Nobody could have reasonably expected TS4 to be as buggy as it has become when the game was releasing. A certain number of bugs are to be expected, but the state that the game would eventually devolve into is almost unprecedented. I couldn’t have anticipated that at launch.
Back around the time of the first couple of expansions it was still reasonable to expect improvement, as with any other game, regardless of the studio behind it. And so many of the bugs that would later plague the game hadn’t been introduced yet, which didn’t require the purchase of DLC and would go on to affect everything right down to the base game. So even if I had only ever purchased the base game, my experience still would have been affected negatively by the bugs that would arrive in future updates.
Also, back in 2014 EA didn’t quite have the reputation it does today, (Visceral hadn’t been closed yet, ME Andromeda hadn’t happened, and neither had loot boxes). But besides that, the actual TS4 development team hadn’t yet established a track record for itself and the game seemed to have a lot of promise.
So, in poker terms, I was already pot-committed, even early on. And in those days I was actually enjoying myself - which is important to note. So I could either continue to push my chips into the middle and hope for the best, or I could walk away while I was still having a good time and throw away the money I had invested. Given that choice, my only option was to stick it out and keep the faith.
But now I’ve reached the point where I’m not having fun anymore. It’s been a slow burn for sure, but I’m there.
So your saying, given the studio behind it, shoddy work should just be excused? Especially because they ARE a big time developer with resources is PRECISELY why we should expect more.
(+1 Insightful)
Thanks for your understanding. I'm following a similar sort of pattern myself in the same way you are, only it is happening inside of a few months, but i knew what i was expecting before i got any DLC packs though. I'm not entirely unsurprised with the amount of bugs because when i played SWTOR, there were a mess of bugs there. Andromeda was rough around the edges and ME1 has that infernal elevator bug at Noveria that was never completely fixed. So with that i took any future games by EA with a pinch of salt and expected some issues like you, some bugs. But yeah, based on the track record it was never going to be a completely happy place.
I'm still finding enjoyment in this game, but some things are frustrating at times, especially in the autonomy controls. after 1.1k hours in the last few months, i'm just waiting for that one thing to come along to spoil the whole thing.
i do agree before 2013, EA had a great enough record with their games, i honestly hadn't completely factored that in, sorry about that, i mean coming off the back of Dragon age, Dead Space, Mass Effect, SWTOR and so many others along the way, i can see how you'd could see it as being cautiously optimistic about the way things are.
anyway, i'm gonna let this slide and let the thread get back on topic.
I apologise, but two or three outfits are hardly ‘free’. The outfits add nothing to the game, do not work as they should, and provide about ten minutes of excitement before we are once again full of disappointment from the bugs, the obvious lack of testing of Realm of Magic, and the sheer neglect we have received pack after pack.
Receiving free things does not mean that you lose the right to offer criticism. I would have preferred no free things and better fixes. It was a waste of time updating and the issues the patch was meant to fix were not fixed.
The bug they cannot fix was fixed day one by a modder. Clearly, if they lack the ability to fix bugs, they need to higher some better coders. No, they just do not care. There is so much they could do to fix the game and do not do it because it is easier to ignore and release another overpriced pack with minimal and gutted content.
I enjoy this game, I really do, but I have this feeling that the creators do not enjoy it and are simply milking it. There is no personal touch, nothing to indicate care and testing.
The Sims 3 had around $80,000 worth of content in the store. The Sims 4 is already at $500 plus for all the DLC. What is two robot costumes in the grand scheme of $500? It is a kick in the face to loyal fans who own every pack, create content for the game, or promote it.
You cannot please everyone, I agree, but you should at least attempt to please your customers and not your corporate overheads.
It seems you have taken my comment out of context to fit a point of view you seem interested in making. But no, that isn't what i am saying, and if you don't mind dialling down the confrontation level? i can discuss it with you.
I'm sorry, I didn't feel that I was being confrontational (with you, EA maybe, but not you) however, it's hard to convey tone in text.
It does seem that a large number of people though, deem it ok to be buggy or unfinished or skewed advertising because it is EA and we should expect it. You aren't the first to voice it like that. It's just a little sad that we are like that and it's pretty par for the video game industry these days. I don't think a company as large as EA should be research required, they're hardly indy. I think a company that large you should get what is advertised. I do understand bugs happen and it's impossible to program for the many system combinations people may have so glitches happen. What I would expect then, is a fix. Not a 2-3 year later one either. You don't hire someone to build you a fence, find a board missing and then wait for years for them to come back and replace the board. It does really come down to money and it shows. They (EA) make enough money to bug fix their game and I don't think we should be making excuses for them.
That all said, I'll say it again, I do like this game, I do have fun with it, even if I end up having to reboot after a crash on save and I hope they WILL fix most of it.
Thank you for that.
But i wasn't trying to absolve EA for any of their mistakes, they made those mistakes and it is on them to fix them, but the thing is that those mistakes are there and they can be seen, so when you go looking into exactly what the past has shown and then combine that with what you got ahead, you can come to some idea that like @So_Money said: you expect some issues to arise the first time. But still there is a real posisiblity that you could end up with something better or worse, that is the risk you take.
That's why it looks familiar! Omg, lol!