Objects reused and recycled across The Sims franchise

waterywatermelon

In The Sims 2, we see a lot of similar objects from The Sims 1; and the game is made as a sequel to The Sims 1 both as a game and in the lore.
Similarly for The Sims 3, we see a lot of similar objects from The Sims 2; and the game is made as a prequel to The Sims 1.
For The Sims 4, this is the only game with brand-new objects not previously found in earlier games. I suppose that also fits the alternative-storyline for The Sims 4.
I have heard that The Sims 5 is still in development, but we haven't heard much of it yet. I just hope that The Sims 5 will build on top of The Sims 3, because The Sims 3 is the last game that actually expands on how Sims work. The Sims 4, on the other hand, has always been a rushed, incomplete game and a disappointment to too many Sims fans.
What The Sims 1, 2, and 3 all have in common is that they all work as stand-alone one-player games with long play value. The base games are great by themselves, and the expansion packs really expand on the base game in so many ways. The EPs are optional add-ons.

I also like how in the Sims 2, you get a hanbok and a qipao right in the base game! The Sims 2 Bon Voyage (also part of the Ultimate Collection) has kimonos. I really hope that maybe The Sims 5 would allow East Asian Simmers to represent themselves in the Base Game. Chopsticks, a bowl of rice, and traditional clothing as formal wear would be nice. Maybe the option to change name order too in any language of the game (useful for East Asian people who live overseas).

Cinebar

I'm not really into this representation stuff these days. Just give me a game I want to play for the Sims not myself. I have never played a representation game counting heads of how many of this or that I have in my game. Who knows I might turn a child into a hobbit in my game and add mods that allow them to do adult things like use a stove or drive a car. I have never been one to play the way Maxis sets up games, so yeah, just give me the objects and let me do the rest. And I really dislike townie-fied clothes. Meaning every townie can show up in a particular style or outfit..no, I squash that stuff in my games. New hat in game, every townie wearing it..I really hate that. The thing I loved most about The Sims was it may look like earth but it doesn't have to be earth..therefore, I don't need every thing about real life people in my games. It was never me or my friend or family in the game...it was a Sim. A Sim, not a human, nor myself, or anyone else. A very healthy distinction.

waterywatermelon

Cinebar wrote: »

I'm not really into this representation stuff these days. Just give me a game I want to play for the Sims not myself. I have never played a representation game counting heads of how many of this or that I have in my game. Who knows I might turn a child into a hobbit in my game and add mods that allow them to do adult things like use a stove or drive a car. I have never been one to play the way Maxis sets up games, so yeah, just give me the objects and let me do the rest. And I really dislike townie-fied clothes. Meaning every townie can show up in a particular style or outfit..no, I squash that stuff in my games. New hat in game, every townie wearing it..I really hate that. The thing I loved most about The Sims was it may look like earth but it doesn't have to be earth..therefore, I don't need every thing about real life people in my games. It was never me or my friend or family in the game...it was a Sim. A Sim, not a human, nor myself, or anyone else. A very healthy distinction.

Yeah, I agree with what you said.

Back in The Sims 2 and 3, I just play The Sims as The Sims. Now, I think The Sims Team has jumped on the "diversity and representation" boat, because it sounds progressive and attractive and forward-looking, just to get more players to buy The Sims 4 instead of actually packing The Sims 4 with more content.

Besides, even with The Sims 2 and 3 and even in The Sims 1, players have always created their own SimSelves despite technological limitations.

There is also a problem with the "diversity and representation" in a computer game. If you are trying to market a game with "diversity and representation" to a diverse audience, then you should meet customers' expectations . . . and given that there are too many different kinds of people in the world, there is always that one person who may feel "unrepresented".

So... your point is understandable.

Camkat

The sims 4 has a few throw back objects from past games. The cowplant being the most obvious, but over the years and a few different packs, the catalogue does have a few nods to past games. Eco Living has the table and dining chairs from the Newbie house in TS1 that you can find while dumpster diving for example. I don't think that TS4 is that different from the past games in this aspect, and I think each game brought new items as well as some classics. TS4 does seem to have less, but I think that stems from still feeling like it just has less overall. Hopefully they will still add back a few more of the iconic things that some of us long time simmers remember from previous versions of the game.

I've also noticed wallpapers and floors used in past games, so it's not just objects but also some hints in build mode too!

Cinebar

I do agree if one had just the base game of 1, 2, or 3, they could play it for months and not need any EP or GP etc. It's not to say people wouldn't want seasons and or pets in their games, but the gameplay is that deep they wouldn't really need much more to be able to play an open-ended series and enjoy it. TS4's base (core) was a horrible release. Think about it, in 1, 2, and 3 we had terraforming, and in 1, and 2 we were able to decorate, edit, and or add bodies of water in the hoods. (TS3 we had to wait for a hood editor). TS4 doesn't even have one six years later.

We were able to start new hoods with empty templates and worlds in all three previous games. (TS1 offered as many empty hoods as you wanted to create). TS2 offered empty templates of any type world/hood you wanted. TS3 offered a free, empty world to download on day one.

We had to beg for anything similar for months (maybe it was a year or so) to get NewCrest in TS4. Ho hum.
I could go on with how TS4 players had to beg, rant, cry to get anything added to TS4 then turn around and say oh, it must have been planned all along..no it was never 'planned' to add this or that, it was based upon heated feedback and ridicule to try to get them to even listen.

I don't think anyone would have ghosts, pools, toddlers or terraforming and or anything else they thought was missing if they had said, oh, hi, gurus, would you please add this or that someday....I think they literally had to rant to get those things, or they would not have gotten them at all with a cup of sugar.

waterywatermelon

Cinebar wrote: »

TS4 doesn't even have one six years later.

The Sims 4 probably never will. It is never meant to be an "open world" like The Sims 3 was or an editable neighborhood like The Sims 2 was. However, there will be a very interesting mod called "World Edit" mod. With the World Edit tool, you can kind of create your own "world" with some technological limitations. You can't make your own placement of roads, though. But you can have your own lots and deco placements however you want. If you want to make a forested region, then go for it. If you want to add a park, then add that. Not sure if that mod is going to be base game-compatible, but it's something to think about.

We were able to start new hoods with empty templates and worlds in all three previous games. (TS1 offered as many empty hoods as you wanted to create). TS2 offered empty templates of any type world/hood you wanted. TS3 offered a free, empty world to download on day one.

The Sims 1 and 2 had 'neighborhoods'.
The Sims 3 had 'worlds'. Riverview is downloadable at The Sims 3 Store as a free world, but Riverview is not empty. It is already populated with Sims and Families, like the Brokes and Newbies and Simovitches.
The Sims 4 just has 'worlds', but they are all uneditable.

We had to beg for anything similar for months (maybe it was a year or so) to get NewCrest in TS4. Ho hum.

I bought my own copy of The Sims 4 back in late 2018. It really pays to buy things late. You get discounted goods for a good price.

Cinebar

waterywatermelon wrote: »

Cinebar wrote: »

TS4 doesn't even have one six years later.

The Sims 4 probably never will. It is never meant to be an "open world" like The Sims 3 was or an editable neighborhood like The Sims 2 was. However, there will be a very interesting mod called "World Edit" mod. With the World Edit tool, you can kind of create your own "world" with some technological limitations. You can't make your own placement of roads, though. But you can have your own lots and deco placements however you want. If you want to make a forested region, then go for it. If you want to add a park, then add that. Not sure if that mod is going to be base game-compatible, but it's something to think about.

We were able to start new hoods with empty templates and worlds in all three previous games. (TS1 offered as many empty hoods as you wanted to create). TS2 offered empty templates of any type world/hood you wanted. TS3 offered a free, empty world to download on day one.

The Sims 1 and 2 had 'neighborhoods'.
The Sims 3 had 'worlds'. Riverview is downloadable at The Sims 3 Store as a free world, but Riverview is not empty. It is already populated with Sims and Families, like the Brokes and Newbies and Simovitches.
The Sims 4 just has 'worlds', but they are all uneditable.

We had to beg for anything similar for months (maybe it was a year or so) to get NewCrest in TS4. Ho hum.

I bought my own copy of The Sims 4 back in late 2018. It really pays to buy things late. You get discounted goods for a good price.

Then you are lucky you didn't have to beg and rant to get what 'complainers' had to do to get what most base games already had in them. People went through a lot from Maxis and other players when they pointed out what was wrong with the base and why it was important to make it better. Enjoy the results.