I mean? Sure. But technically I wouldn't call it a millennial simulator. The youngest millennials are in their mid 20s now.
It's a Gen Z simulator.
This.
Millennials are old now.
Media, and many people in general seems to confuse Millennial with people born in the 2000s. They really talk like they think they are 15-25. Admittedly it is the dumbest most misguided name for an age group ever invented, but...
Same with "boomer". Boomers are my parents generation now. They were born between the end of WWII and into the early 60's. They are not middle age, they are Elders.
Btw about elders, as we already talked about earlier; people still think "old people" are like their grandparents were in the 90's; the last "old people" generation (the ones that gave birth to the boomers).
@Idontrcall Yes, but one should not assume "old people" don't use tech. Most do. And know far more than we think about how it works.
I mean? Sure. But technically I wouldn't call it a millennial simulator. The youngest millennials are in their mid 20s now.
It's a Gen Z simulator.
This.
Millennials are old now.
Media, and many people in general seems to confuse Millennial with people born in the 2000s. They really talk like they think they are 15-25. Admittedly it is the dumbest most misguided name for an age group ever invented, but...
Same with "boomer". Boomers are my parents generation now. They were born between the end of WWII and into the early 60's. They are not middle age, they are Elders.
Btw about elders, as we already talked about earlier; people still think "old people" are like their grandparents were in the 90's; the last "old people" generation (the ones that gave birth to the boomers).
@Idontrcall Yes, but one should not assume "old people" don't use tech. Most do. And know far more than we think about how it works.
Honestly, people who seriously think millenials are still aged 15-25 are just horribly misinformed and are the same who say gen z are still all elementary to middle schoolers (Being born in 2001, I belong to the oldest members of gen z, and I graduated school one year ago). Though whether saying TS4 is a "millennial" or "gen z" simulator is both just blatant stereotyping. It's this weird cliché that millenials and gen z's can't get off their phone and are always out partying, which is just not reality. Gen Z has the same amount of introverts and people who barely use their phones as any other generation.
I mean? Sure. But technically I wouldn't call it a millennial simulator. The youngest millennials are in their mid 20s now.
It's a Gen Z simulator.
This.
Millennials are old now.
Media, and many people in general seems to confuse Millennial with people born in the 2000s. They really talk like they think they are 15-25. Admittedly it is the dumbest most misguided name for an age group ever invented, but...
Same with "boomer". Boomers are my parents generation now. They were born between the end of WWII and into the early 60's. They are not middle age, they are Elders.
Btw about elders, as we already talked about earlier; people still think "old people" are like their grandparents were in the 90's; the last "old people" generation (the ones that gave birth to the boomers).
@Idontrcall Yes, but one should not assume "old people" don't use tech. Most do. And know far more than we think about how it works.
Honestly, people who seriously think millenials are still aged 15-25 are just horribly misinformed and are the same who say gen z are still all elementary to middle schoolers (Being born in 2001, I belong to the oldest members of gen z, and I graduated school one year ago). Though whether saying TS4 is a "millennial" or "gen z" simulator is both just blatant stereotyping. It's this weird cliché that millenials and gen z's can't get off their phone and are always out partying, which is just not reality. Gen Z has the same amount of introverts and people who barely use their phones as any other generation.
Plus, Millennials AND Gen Z are almost all dirt broke and struggling because of how Boomers and their parents' generations screwed up our long-term prosperity for their short-term gain back in the 70's, 80's, and 90's. We ain't got no party money. We barely have stay at home and play video games money. Millions of us are out of work right now and/or have our post-graduation employment plans severely crippled thanks to coronavirus. We are not a bunch of carefree kids and young adults with prosperous careers and growing families (personally, I count an adult as young until age 40, then you're middle-aged).
So, basically, TS4 is a "Millennials and Gen Z if they still had access to the same economic opportunities and cheap college costs that the Baby Boomers did" simulator...
The thing I've noticed is that they've taken a step back from "creating families" to "creating yourself". At least in their promotional tidbits. I must've seen about four ads over the past week depicting a young adult creating their "ideal" self in The Sims.
This was always an option, sure, but wasn't the original idea about making pretend families, rather than making up for the shortcomings of the world's inequalities? Don't get me wrong, I support the whole women's day thing, as well as the LGBT representation. But it feels like they're marketing it as a stigma-battle simulator lately. The over-emphasis on YA's is telling.
[This is coming from a 20-year old liberal arts college student, aka, their target audience )
I mean? Sure. But technically I wouldn't call it a millennial simulator. The youngest millennials are in their mid 20s now.
It's a Gen Z simulator.
This.
Millennials are old now.
Media, and many people in general seems to confuse Millennial with people born in the 2000s. They really talk like they think they are 15-25. Admittedly it is the dumbest most misguided name for an age group ever invented, but...
Same with "boomer". Boomers are my parents generation now. They were born between the end of WWII and into the early 60's. They are not middle age, they are Elders.
Btw about elders, as we already talked about earlier; people still think "old people" are like their grandparents were in the 90's; the last "old people" generation (the ones that gave birth to the boomers).
@Idontrcall Yes, but one should not assume "old people" don't use tech. Most do. And know far more than we think about how it works.
Honestly, people who seriously think millenials are still aged 15-25 are just horribly misinformed and are the same who say gen z are still all elementary to middle schoolers (Being born in 2001, I belong to the oldest members of gen z, and I graduated school one year ago). Though whether saying TS4 is a "millennial" or "gen z" simulator is both just blatant stereotyping. It's this weird cliché that millenials and gen z's can't get off their phone and are always out partying, which is just not reality. Gen Z has the same amount of introverts and people who barely use their phones as any other generation.
Plus, Millennials AND Gen Z are almost all dirt broke and struggling because of how Boomers and their parents' generations screwed up our long-term prosperity for their short-term gain back in the 70's, 80's, and 90's. We ain't got no party money. We barely have stay at home and play video games money. Millions of us are out of work right now and/or have our post-graduation employment plans severely crippled thanks to coronavirus. We are not a bunch of carefree kids and young adults with prosperous careers and growing families (personally, I count an adult as young until age 40, then you're middle-aged).
So, basically, TS4 is a "Millennials and Gen Z if they still had access to the same economic opportunities and cheap college costs that the Baby Boomers did" simulator...
Man, these last 20 years have been wack...
Unfortunately speaking of the virus, the group that is the most asymptomatic and helping spread the virus is reportedly ages 20 to 39.
As I said though, I see this as a tech addict simulator as almost everything requires the phone or computer.
I mean? Sure. But technically I wouldn't call it a millennial simulator. The youngest millennials are in their mid 20s now.
It's a Gen Z simulator.
This.
Millennials are old now.
Media, and many people in general seems to confuse Millennial with people born in the 2000s. They really talk like they think they are 15-25. Admittedly it is the dumbest most misguided name for an age group ever invented, but...
Same with "boomer". Boomers are my parents generation now. They were born between the end of WWII and into the early 60's. They are not middle age, they are Elders.
Btw about elders, as we already talked about earlier; people still think "old people" are like their grandparents were in the 90's; the last "old people" generation (the ones that gave birth to the boomers).
@Idontrcall Yes, but one should not assume "old people" don't use tech. Most do. And know far more than we think about how it works.
Honestly, people who seriously think millenials are still aged 15-25 are just horribly misinformed and are the same who say gen z are still all elementary to middle schoolers (Being born in 2001, I belong to the oldest members of gen z, and I graduated school one year ago). Though whether saying TS4 is a "millennial" or "gen z" simulator is both just blatant stereotyping. It's this weird cliché that millenials and gen z's can't get off their phone and are always out partying, which is just not reality. Gen Z has the same amount of introverts and people who barely use their phones as any other generation.
Plus, Millennials AND Gen Z are almost all dirt broke and struggling because of how Boomers and their parents' generations screwed up our long-term prosperity for their short-term gain back in the 70's, 80's, and 90's. We ain't got no party money. We barely have stay at home and play video games money. Millions of us are out of work right now and/or have our post-graduation employment plans severely crippled thanks to coronavirus. We are not a bunch of carefree kids and young adults with prosperous careers and growing families (personally, I count an adult as young until age 40, then you're middle-aged).
So, basically, TS4 is a "Millennials and Gen Z if they still had access to the same economic opportunities and cheap college costs that the Baby Boomers did" simulator...
Man, these last 20 years have been wack...
That's just in the USA. Here in Germany and many other countries, you can often study for free or for much less money. It's highly unlikely to get broke while at university, especially if your parents have a somewhat stable income. There's also state funding for students from poorer families who otherwise couldn't afford to study at university. People here also put much less value in studying than in the US. You can become really successful even with just a middle school degree.
But let's not get off-topic here. I'm still of the opinion that this isn't a young adult-only game. Sure, childhood life stages don't have as many activities as older ones, and there's definitely room for improvement, but if you look at older sims games, children and younger were always lacking compared to young adults and older. And since adults and elders can do exactly the same stuff as young adults, the argument that young adults are the only enjoyable life stage in the game is just blantantly wrong.
The thing I've noticed is that they've taken a step back from "creating families" to "creating yourself". At least in their promotional tidbits. I must've seen about four ads over the past week depicting a young adult creating their "ideal" self in The Sims.
This was always an option, sure, but wasn't the original idea about making pretend families, rather than making up for the shortcomings of the world's inequalities? Don't get me wrong, I support the whole women's day thing, as well as the LGBT representation. But it feels like they're marketing it as a stigma-battle simulator lately. The over-emphasis on YA's is telling.
[This is coming from a 20-year old liberal arts college student, aka, their target audience )
This probably has to do with the fact that many people back in the day wouldn't want to play the sims because it just looked like a virtual dollhouse. Now that they put more emphasis on creating yourself in the game, they probably try to win a broader audience. For example, I knew of many boys who wouldn't even touch the sims because it seemed like a game for girls due to this dollhouse aspect.
The thing I've noticed is that they've taken a step back from "creating families" to "creating yourself". At least in their promotional tidbits. I must've seen about four ads over the past week depicting a young adult creating their "ideal" self in The Sims.
This was always an option, sure, but wasn't the original idea about making pretend families, rather than making up for the shortcomings of the world's inequalities? Don't get me wrong, I support the whole women's day thing, as well as the LGBT representation. But it feels like they're marketing it as a stigma-battle simulator lately. The over-emphasis on YA's is telling.
[This is coming from a 20-year old liberal arts college student, aka, their target audience )
I definitely disagree with this. Family play bores me, at least after 1 generation. Although I have never been a family player in any of the Sim games (I bought Sims 1 on release). But neither have I ever played a SimSelf. That would just creep me out. But more to the point, I remember the ads for Sims 1 and Sims 2 and Sims 3 and no, they were not dollhouses. There was hot tubs and dominas and hints of "fun for three"... if you catch my meaning (not that you could actually do that in game but yes, there was ads on the Stockholm subway of one old man and two young women iall flirting (I think that was for Sims 3).
However, specifically regarding Sims 4, it seems to me that the most prevalent groups on these forums are Family players, Supernatural players and Everyone Else (In that order). Sales over all tho? I don't know; I have never really had the impression that this forum is all that in tune with what the larger group of players want (and that stretches all the way back to 2014, when sales were very good despite so much rage here because Toddlers and Pools).
As for the last part? Sims 4 is quite simple the least discriminating game in history. At least from a AAA or larger Indie studio. And knowing how truly happy a lot of the LGBTQ+ players I listen to are about this? I say never mind the critics, go full force forward with that and f.... the critics. If they are too triggered by equal representation I am happy to see them never play Sims again.
I think the thing is they do have representation. But only certain reperseantion.Most people are not lgbt.We do not have representation of (Im lgbt myself by the way. Other ways of life.Most of the target seems to be for a certain group of modern young adult players.(I say this as a young adults)
The thing I've noticed is that they've taken a step back from "creating families" to "creating yourself". At least in their promotional tidbits. I must've seen about four ads over the past week depicting a young adult creating their "ideal" self in The Sims.
This was always an option, sure, but wasn't the original idea about making pretend families, rather than making up for the shortcomings of the world's inequalities? Don't get me wrong, I support the whole women's day thing, as well as the LGBT representation. But it feels like they're marketing it as a stigma-battle simulator lately. The over-emphasis on YA's is telling.
[This is coming from a 20-year old liberal arts college student, aka, their target audience )
Okay I'm agree with you.The one thing about the rebrand.I notice they seem to got bunch of people with insecurities.Than kept saying this would help you.They also said they want this game to push change in tests.
No! It's for all ages my 3 year old plays but she still needs lots of help her favorite part is the toddlers. The play with toddler inreaction. My 8 year old naphew plays also, my 12 year old does too. I am 39 and I play. It's not age or gender defines who plays the sims it's preference.
No! It's for all ages my 3 year old plays but she still needs lots of help her favorite part is the toddlers. The play with toddler inreaction. My 8 year old naphew plays also, my 12-year-old does too. I am 39 and I play. It's not age or gender defines who plays the sims it's preference.
I never said kids don't play the sims. Im saying did they made this into a young adult simulator.
No! It's for all ages my 3 year old plays but she still needs lots of help her favorite part is the toddlers. The play with toddler inreaction. My 8 year old naphew plays also, my 12 year old does too. I am 39 and I play. It's not age or gender defines who plays the sims it's preference.
I have kids that play it as well, but they noticed the same flaws as I do. They asked me to find mods to fix issues they find in-game.
That's not new. Sims games have always been more focused on Adult/Young Adult life from the first iteration. Toddlers didn't even exist until Sims 2. Family play developed as the series went on, but the main gameplay and DLC has always favored those life stages. Not only is there just generally more potential content for those age ranges, but according to Maxis, the majority of players don't play much with children, toddlers and babies.
Despite that though, I think that there is still a gap in sufficient gameplay for the younger Sims. There's also still a gap in Occult gameplay as far as variety. Yeah, they went deeper with some life states, but it seems like there should be more by now. There's also still a major gap in the base game with no Fear emotion, lack of Traits, and need for deeper personalities.
It kind of feels like they've been ignoring some of the necessities in favor of "new" experimentation and rationing the classics to us to drag out the game's lifeline. I wouldn't be surprised if it's a business tactic. If they were to give us all of the standard expected content in the early years, players might not care as much to get the odd packs or support the game long term and they probably wouldn't do as well. I don't really know, of course, it could just be that they don't think it's necessary, which would be a shame.
If the plan is to roughly double the retail life of the game then the dribble it out tactic is quite logicl. Just enough to keep the suckers hooked but not so much as to drain resources or (especially) profits. Another part of the YA thing is visual. YA sims look better and blend in with the environmental art better than grannie and gramps
It's not just for young adults. I'm 50+ & still enjoy Sims 4. I also like Sims 3, Sims Medieval, Civilization V, Civilization VI, Civilization Beyond & Age of Empires.
My daughter was introduced to a PC Simulation game when she was only 4 years old. She now plays Nancy Drew, Sims 2 Castaway, Sims 3 ,
Sims 4, Dark Alice & Disney Kingdom.
The thing I've noticed is that they've taken a step back from "creating families" to "creating yourself". At least in their promotional tidbits. I must've seen about four ads over the past week depicting a young adult creating their "ideal" self in The Sims.
This was always an option, sure, but wasn't the original idea about making pretend families, rather than making up for the shortcomings of the world's inequalities? Don't get me wrong, I support the whole women's day thing, as well as the LGBT representation. But it feels like they're marketing it as a stigma-battle simulator lately. The over-emphasis on YA's is telling.
[This is coming from a 20-year old liberal arts college student, aka, their target audience )
I definitely disagree with this. Family play bores me, at least after 1 generation. Although I have never been a family player in any of the Sim games (I bought Sims 1 on release). But neither have I ever played a SimSelf. That would just creep me out. But more to the point, I remember the ads for Sims 1 and Sims 2 and Sims 3 and no, they were not dollhouses. There was hot tubs and dominas and hints of "fun for three"... if you catch my meaning (not that you could actually do that in game but yes, there was ads on the Stockholm subway of one old man and two young women iall flirting (I think that was for Sims 3).
However, specifically regarding Sims 4, it seems to me that the most prevalent groups on these forums are Family players, Supernatural players and Everyone Else (In that order). Sales over all tho? I don't know; I have never really had the impression that this forum is all that in tune with what the larger group of players want (and that stretches all the way back to 2014, when sales were very good despite so much rage here because Toddlers and Pools).
As for the last part? Sims 4 is quite simple the least discriminating game in history. At least from a AAA or larger Indie studio. And knowing how truly happy a lot of the LGBTQ+ players I listen to are about this? I say never mind the critics, go full force forward with that and f.... the critics. If they are too triggered by equal representation I am happy to see them never play Sims again.
----
I use the term "dollhouse simulator" to term the concept of controlling fictional families. The marketing was never about playing a dollhouse, as far as I'm aware. The Sims 4 feels more like a marketing tool to say/prove things than a video game. A lot of effort goes into adverts, streams and representative content. Where is the gameplay?
I should also apologize if my comment pushed anyone the wrong way. I don't mind representation at all; as a college-bound female who has battled several mental illnesses, I appreciate and identify with the need for underrepresented groups to be heard.
I just wish they'd put more emphasis on product over polish. I also believe that other age groups need representation, too.
I don't think they're going to add fears to The Sims 4. Kind of like how they didn't include firefighters or police. It could make some players uncomfortable, especially if they're playing themselves. I may just be going on a tangent about my generation here, but for a group of radical, fearless and outspoken individuals, we're more sensitive than we'd like to admit.
Which is okay. I just don't think it should degrade our gaming experience. Represent, but don't withhold. There's a time and a place for these kinds of things.
I have to agree with this partially because yes the focus is YA and Adult, but they have a lot of the game play very similar to what teens and kids obsessed with tech all day who don't know about any life skills or communication which is interesting how this isolation has brought out how many people are unskilled in life skills and it is finally teaching them how to do crafts making masks and learn to cut hair and talk to people again with letters and video chat. I am trying to learn another language, so my third language learning now. Sometimes I feel like the Sims 4 is made for Generation Alpha which is kids 10 and younger wanting to play a dress up doll game so not much simulation and game play in this generation of the Sims sadly.
“Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” –Helen Keller
The thing I've noticed is that they've taken a step back from "creating families" to "creating yourself". At least in their promotional tidbits. I must've seen about four ads over the past week depicting a young adult creating their "ideal" self in The Sims.
This was always an option, sure, but wasn't the original idea about making pretend families, rather than making up for the shortcomings of the world's inequalities? Don't get me wrong, I support the whole women's day thing, as well as the LGBT representation. But it feels like they're marketing it as a stigma-battle simulator lately. The over-emphasis on YA's is telling.
[This is coming from a 20-year old liberal arts college student, aka, their target audience )
Sorry but I have to argue the idea that it was originally meant specifically for "creating families"... A "life" simulator means what you want it to mean. That can mean playing dollhouse family, or it can mean you as you would like to be, or you doing things to get out your frustrations. Lots of possibilities.
And grateful to those who pointed out that the very idea that there needed to be special exclusive "elder" activities is insulting and stereotyped. Elders are adults who didn't die tragically young. Adults are...young adults who didn't die even younger. So I am still listening to crickets chirping over what these special activities are that represent young adults but somehow exclude other kinds of adult. Work a job? Have a kid? Have a relationship? Go out? check, check, check...
The worst is when people depict as realistic and needful, elders sitting around knitting. You know who is knitting these days? Young adults.
Racism is EVERYONE's fight #BLM #StopAsianHate
Let's make Liberty and Justice For All a reality.
I would call it a consumerism simulator. Go to this place and BUY something. Be happy by upgrading your television! Buy something expensive just because! Look good on camera so people will like you.
Believe it or not, these are not the things that make life meaningful for MOST people, even if it is what we see/hear about all the time. TS4 does not concern itself with what MOST people find meaning--joy and heartbreak--in: family, intense relationships, deep knowledge, long-term goals, etc. That's why it's a shallow husk.
Comments
This.
Millennials are old now.
Media, and many people in general seems to confuse Millennial with people born in the 2000s. They really talk like they think they are 15-25. Admittedly it is the dumbest most misguided name for an age group ever invented, but...
Same with "boomer". Boomers are my parents generation now. They were born between the end of WWII and into the early 60's. They are not middle age, they are Elders.
Btw about elders, as we already talked about earlier; people still think "old people" are like their grandparents were in the 90's; the last "old people" generation (the ones that gave birth to the boomers).
@Idontrcall Yes, but one should not assume "old people" don't use tech. Most do. And know far more than we think about how it works.
Honestly, people who seriously think millenials are still aged 15-25 are just horribly misinformed and are the same who say gen z are still all elementary to middle schoolers (Being born in 2001, I belong to the oldest members of gen z, and I graduated school one year ago). Though whether saying TS4 is a "millennial" or "gen z" simulator is both just blatant stereotyping. It's this weird cliché that millenials and gen z's can't get off their phone and are always out partying, which is just not reality. Gen Z has the same amount of introverts and people who barely use their phones as any other generation.
I like to build stuff
Plus, Millennials AND Gen Z are almost all dirt broke and struggling because of how Boomers and their parents' generations screwed up our long-term prosperity for their short-term gain back in the 70's, 80's, and 90's. We ain't got no party money. We barely have stay at home and play video games money. Millions of us are out of work right now and/or have our post-graduation employment plans severely crippled thanks to coronavirus. We are not a bunch of carefree kids and young adults with prosperous careers and growing families (personally, I count an adult as young until age 40, then you're middle-aged).
So, basically, TS4 is a "Millennials and Gen Z if they still had access to the same economic opportunities and cheap college costs that the Baby Boomers did" simulator...
Man, these last 20 years have been wack...
This was always an option, sure, but wasn't the original idea about making pretend families, rather than making up for the shortcomings of the world's inequalities? Don't get me wrong, I support the whole women's day thing, as well as the LGBT representation. But it feels like they're marketing it as a stigma-battle simulator lately. The over-emphasis on YA's is telling.
[This is coming from a 20-year old liberal arts college student, aka, their target audience
Unfortunately speaking of the virus, the group that is the most asymptomatic and helping spread the virus is reportedly ages 20 to 39.
As I said though, I see this as a tech addict simulator as almost everything requires the phone or computer.
That's just in the USA. Here in Germany and many other countries, you can often study for free or for much less money. It's highly unlikely to get broke while at university, especially if your parents have a somewhat stable income. There's also state funding for students from poorer families who otherwise couldn't afford to study at university. People here also put much less value in studying than in the US. You can become really successful even with just a middle school degree.
But let's not get off-topic here. I'm still of the opinion that this isn't a young adult-only game. Sure, childhood life stages don't have as many activities as older ones, and there's definitely room for improvement, but if you look at older sims games, children and younger were always lacking compared to young adults and older. And since adults and elders can do exactly the same stuff as young adults, the argument that young adults are the only enjoyable life stage in the game is just blantantly wrong.
This probably has to do with the fact that many people back in the day wouldn't want to play the sims because it just looked like a virtual dollhouse. Now that they put more emphasis on creating yourself in the game, they probably try to win a broader audience. For example, I knew of many boys who wouldn't even touch the sims because it seemed like a game for girls due to this dollhouse aspect.
I like to build stuff
I definitely disagree with this. Family play bores me, at least after 1 generation. Although I have never been a family player in any of the Sim games (I bought Sims 1 on release). But neither have I ever played a SimSelf. That would just creep me out. But more to the point, I remember the ads for Sims 1 and Sims 2 and Sims 3 and no, they were not dollhouses. There was hot tubs and dominas and hints of "fun for three"... if you catch my meaning (not that you could actually do that in game but yes, there was ads on the Stockholm subway of one old man and two young women iall flirting (I think that was for Sims 3).
However, specifically regarding Sims 4, it seems to me that the most prevalent groups on these forums are Family players, Supernatural players and Everyone Else (In that order). Sales over all tho? I don't know; I have never really had the impression that this forum is all that in tune with what the larger group of players want (and that stretches all the way back to 2014, when sales were very good despite so much rage here because Toddlers and Pools).
As for the last part? Sims 4 is quite simple the least discriminating game in history. At least from a AAA or larger Indie studio. And knowing how truly happy a lot of the LGBTQ+ players I listen to are about this? I say never mind the critics, go full force forward with that and f.... the critics. If they are too triggered by equal representation I am happy to see them never play Sims again.
Okay I'm agree with you.The one thing about the rebrand.I notice they seem to got bunch of people with insecurities.Than kept saying this would help you.They also said they want this game to push change in tests.
I never said kids don't play the sims. Im saying did they made this into a young adult simulator.
I have kids that play it as well, but they noticed the same flaws as I do. They asked me to find mods to fix issues they find in-game.
Despite that though, I think that there is still a gap in sufficient gameplay for the younger Sims. There's also still a gap in Occult gameplay as far as variety. Yeah, they went deeper with some life states, but it seems like there should be more by now. There's also still a major gap in the base game with no Fear emotion, lack of Traits, and need for deeper personalities.
It kind of feels like they've been ignoring some of the necessities in favor of "new" experimentation and rationing the classics to us to drag out the game's lifeline. I wouldn't be surprised if it's a business tactic. If they were to give us all of the standard expected content in the early years, players might not care as much to get the odd packs or support the game long term and they probably wouldn't do as well. I don't really know, of course, it could just be that they don't think it's necessary, which would be a shame.
My daughter was introduced to a PC Simulation game when she was only 4 years old. She now plays Nancy Drew, Sims 2 Castaway, Sims 3 ,
Sims 4, Dark Alice & Disney Kingdom.
----
I use the term "dollhouse simulator" to term the concept of controlling fictional families. The marketing was never about playing a dollhouse, as far as I'm aware. The Sims 4 feels more like a marketing tool to say/prove things than a video game. A lot of effort goes into adverts, streams and representative content. Where is the gameplay?
I should also apologize if my comment pushed anyone the wrong way. I don't mind representation at all; as a college-bound female who has battled several mental illnesses, I appreciate and identify with the need for underrepresented groups to be heard.
I just wish they'd put more emphasis on product over polish. I also believe that other age groups need representation, too.
I don't think they're going to add fears to The Sims 4. Kind of like how they didn't include firefighters or police. It could make some players uncomfortable, especially if they're playing themselves. I may just be going on a tangent about my generation here, but for a group of radical, fearless and outspoken individuals, we're more sensitive than we'd like to admit.
Which is okay. I just don't think it should degrade our gaming experience. Represent, but don't withhold. There's a time and a place for these kinds of things.
Sorry but I have to argue the idea that it was originally meant specifically for "creating families"... A "life" simulator means what you want it to mean. That can mean playing dollhouse family, or it can mean you as you would like to be, or you doing things to get out your frustrations. Lots of possibilities.
And grateful to those who pointed out that the very idea that there needed to be special exclusive "elder" activities is insulting and stereotyped. Elders are adults who didn't die tragically young. Adults are...young adults who didn't die even younger. So I am still listening to crickets chirping over what these special activities are that represent young adults but somehow exclude other kinds of adult. Work a job? Have a kid? Have a relationship? Go out? check, check, check...
The worst is when people depict as realistic and needful, elders sitting around knitting. You know who is knitting these days? Young adults.
Let's make Liberty and Justice For All a reality.
Believe it or not, these are not the things that make life meaningful for MOST people, even if it is what we see/hear about all the time. TS4 does not concern itself with what MOST people find meaning--joy and heartbreak--in: family, intense relationships, deep knowledge, long-term goals, etc. That's why it's a shallow husk.