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New gameplay effects feedback & missing properties (picture heavy)
Harukotyan
Posts: 513 Member
First of all, huge thumb up for Sims team for implementing these new features! I see huge potential in this. But here are some general thoughts on consistency of update. These are definitely not big bugs in comparison to many other game issues (and currently probably matters to OCD types like me), still I think this would be great to see these features streamlined in the future.
1) Naming pattern
After update we have two patterns of effect naming. Older one "Environment:x" and newer one "Minor Environment Gain:x". Which is confusing. Why using word "minor"? I've looked through all the objects and build stuff in game (I have all DLC) there are no objects with "major" gain. Unless "major" gain is implemented in ECO EP usage of "minor" term is excessive.
Also two patterns of effect naming are obviously confusing even for devs themselves. Like in some cases there are similar objects from the same category using different effect naming pattern after this update. Here's an example with bushes category, one using older naming pattern another new one:
2) Meaning
This one is specifically for new "water resistance" parameter. I think from how it's implemented now it's probably not "water resistance" but "water absorption"? Because all floors from Linoleum category has "low water resistance" and all floors from Carpets vice versa have "high water resistance". I have experienced flooding many times in my life and certainly carpets absorbs water better. But in terms of "resistance" linoleum definitely wins over carpeting. Or I'm just missing something in the word meaning being a foreigner... But to me this sounds strange.
3) Consistency
There's a huge assortment of build/buy objects which were obviously missed while adding new parameters (not due to my personal judgement, but from comparison to similar objects). All I've managed to find so far I'll report in the second part of this post below.
1) Naming pattern
After update we have two patterns of effect naming. Older one "Environment:x" and newer one "Minor Environment Gain:x". Which is confusing. Why using word "minor"? I've looked through all the objects and build stuff in game (I have all DLC) there are no objects with "major" gain. Unless "major" gain is implemented in ECO EP usage of "minor" term is excessive.
Also two patterns of effect naming are obviously confusing even for devs themselves. Like in some cases there are similar objects from the same category using different effect naming pattern after this update. Here's an example with bushes category, one using older naming pattern another new one:
2) Meaning
This one is specifically for new "water resistance" parameter. I think from how it's implemented now it's probably not "water resistance" but "water absorption"? Because all floors from Linoleum category has "low water resistance" and all floors from Carpets vice versa have "high water resistance". I have experienced flooding many times in my life and certainly carpets absorbs water better. But in terms of "resistance" linoleum definitely wins over carpeting. Or I'm just missing something in the word meaning being a foreigner... But to me this sounds strange.
3) Consistency
There's a huge assortment of build/buy objects which were obviously missed while adding new parameters (not due to my personal judgement, but from comparison to similar objects). All I've managed to find so far I'll report in the second part of this post below.
Post edited by Harukotyan on
9
Comments
1) Big Aquariums - only one have water/power consumption rating, though obviously they are absolutely similar:
2) Ceiling Fans - IL one has power consumption, while BG one missing this parameter.
There are few lights items missing power consumption parameter in all categories here are the ones I've found (once again I'm comparing with those to which it was added to justify my assumption).
3) Lighted lawn ornaments from "Misc lighting" category:
4)Street Light from GTG
Will continue in the next post.
6) Floor lamps from GTG
7) Ceiling lamps
Missed track lights
Not sure about these GTW lights. I assume objects used in GTW workplace builds do not have power consumption ratings for some reasons. Is this why these two lamps do not have it???
8) Wall lamps finally...
Spot lights
Wall Ornaments
I'll continue in the next post
10) Wallpapers. I spot some horizontal vs vertical grudge here... These are basically the same walls but in different directions.
That's all for now. I'll add more in case I'll find any. I'm pretty sure I've spotted some more in walls/floors yesterday, but can't remember for now.
As some walls now have environment loss effect I think it'll be cool to implement the same logic to decorative buy items from different packs.
Currently they all have positive environment rating (or just none), no matter how "trashy" they are. It would be really cool to see all the stains and cracks and cobwebs contributing to environment loss in the future updates!
I truly love the effort they've already put into this, so it's constructive criticism, but I do hope they will continue to update the catalogue.
Plus, I wonder if some things will actually get a negative eco/environment rating, or does the absence of a rating means it's automatically negative (especially for wall/floor coverings)? I sort of thought that would be the case, but maybe I missed it.
If this is it, I'm actually missing the old days' term "room score". It would make it easier to separate it from the green environment gain.
I'm not yet sure about how this mechanic works currently myself. But this was in yesterday's Roburky note about his mod and the patch:
One thing not mentioned in the patch notes I have discovered is that there was a small rework to how positive environment moodlets work. They aren't constant in an unmodded game now. The 'nicely decorated' moodlet now lasts two sim-hours, but gaining it also locks the sim out from gaining it again for 3-4 sim-hours. Which leaves a 1-2 sim-hour gap between the moodlets.
For now I assume that both "environment" and "environment gain" are absolutely the same thing just called differently. But I may be wrong.
Actually not that much I think. Considering how many objects they had to rework.
I think this will be one of the things that unfortunately will not be corrected. I think we’ll have to add it to the long list of broken things in this game that is never fixed.
So about the "Minor environment gain" (mEG, from now on): If each wall segment adds to the mEG score, then the value is probably a fractional value (i.e., an mEG of 1 = Environment score of 0.1, mEG 2 = E 0.2, etc.). So the existing "Environment" score is probably what's equivalent to a "Major environmental gain." If that's the case, then I'm not sure why they didn't just opt for showing it as "Environment: 0.1" instead of adding this new label. Or maybe they affect different things after all?