Forum Announcement, Click Here to Read More From EA_Cade.
Are we getting everything we asked for?
Bobisbae
Posts: 246 Member
The community stuff pack was decided last year and the "Arts & Crafts" theme was the winner but here we are some months later and the "Happy Haunts" concept has become a stuff pack as well. I realize Happy Haunts was the 2nd most voted concept so it was pretty high in demand but do you think we can get stuff packs from some of the other themes mentioned in the survey or perhaps full blown game packs or even expansion packs?
2
Comments
🏡 Gallery 📖 Stories 🌍 World Project 🥔 MOD/CC Free
"They listen" to see if what we want matches what they want to make.
they specifically said that only one or two things from the theme would make it into the stuff pack. that is why they made everyone rank the ideas while voting.
that is on you for not reading or understanding, because they were upfront about it.
the team at maxis were all suprised that knitting won, several of them in charge of specifically said they were rooting for happy haunts and were shocked it didn't win.
a high percentage of people like knitting and arts and crafts. its not a grand conspiracy, more people play the game differently than you.
I don't think it was a conspiracy. I think they had more ideas for knitting at that time than haunting. Otherwise why would they create two SP's from that poll unless they had been pretty well talked about already.
They did specifically say they could only do one or two of the arts and crafts for a stuff pack, but I get and agree with the sentiment. To do it well though, I just think a stuff pack would never have been enough to really flesh it out. I personally do like that Knitting was done so well and prefer one thing done more fully than a dozen crafts glossed over. But that's just me. And the problem with focusing on one thing is that when you get hyper specific, you're always going to alienate more of your audience than when you get more generalized. Knitting is not for everyone.
Now, what I hope they do after that poll, is give us a GP or even an EP that is hobby and skill themed, and then they can give multiple skills and hobbies more individual attention and really flesh them out. The game definitely needs it and I'd love to see more arts and crafts get that attention! I'd also prefer that than having to buy another 10+ SP to get every new skill and hobby into my game. I know I'm not the only one asking for a GP or EP like this. The question though, is will they make it?
There could be a dirt track for jumps and tricks for BMX riders.
These are two of the outdoor hobbies but there are others that could be added as well.
I couldn't agree more. It's no coincidence that we're getting Paranormal stuff in what seems to be such a short timeline. And a lot of the knitting stuff seemed to piggy back off of the Eco Lifestyle theme in terms of aesthetic. With that in mind, I asked this question more along the lines of wondering if we could predict what packs may come next. I think I can rule out most of the other themes from that survey seeing as how they weren't as highly voted.
I definately remember them saying only 1 or 2 concepts would make it into the pack however, I feel community support for the pack took a real turn when it became only about knitting. I feel many simmers that voted for Arts & Crafts were mislead by the ranked format the survey took. Why rank it if you're only willing to do the top voted thing. It should have been just pick one of these concepts instead of rank. I think the rank format serves the devs in knowing what's popular among players for future content but it wasn't helpful in a vote to determine what exactly made it into a pack.
I think what really turned me off (as someone who voted specifically for arts & crafts, and ) was that there was a keen focus specifically on knitting as opposed to crochet, sewing, embroidery, etc. I had hopped knitting was just their way of delving into all manner of creating textiles and/or fabric which is totally presumptuous on part. I mean even the Laundry pack gave us the modern washer/dryer way of doing laundry & the wash board/clothesline way. I at least hoped we'd get a sewing machine to make more clothes or personalize existing clothing, make curtains etc... Really I think I just wanted to an easier way to simulate fasion design/dressmaking while still haviny access to the imagery of a sim knitting personalized things for their family. That said, the team definately delivered with the knitting and the inclusion of plopsy was a great unexpected detail.
It was in big bold letters that not all items would be included and that we would vote on which specific one at another time. Sorry if you feel misleaded, but they were pretty upfront about it.
Because if I remember correctly, the results were very, very close. Happy Haunts was a very close 2nd place. So they told us (back then) not to be disappointed, that other packs that did well in the poll might be made in the future.
Yes we did got plopsy and rocking chairs but why not pottery and glass fabrication, you know the stuff that was presented in the voting. I guess we have to wait for an Artsy Lifestyle Pack to get glass fabrication and pottery. Idk...
IF that's the case, why didn't they announce that the winning pack was Arts & Crafts (although it's only ONE art & craft) closely followed by Happy Haunts. So close, that Happy Haunts will be made in the near future. No, they said nothing about Happy Haunts, deciding to keep it a secret surprise(?). I think Happy Haunts was a stand-by if Arts & Crafts wasn't well received or to make up for Star Wars: Journey to Boredom.
AND, if Happy Haunts and Arts & Crafts were SOOOOO close, combined with the fact that the ALL the devs wanted Happy Haunts to win, they could have made HH first and A&C after.
The devs and these polls are shady. Be careful how you answer them and try to spot the direction that they are leading you. These polls are not just random questions, each has a purpose and a reason for being asked.
Because Knitting isn't easy to integrate with Glass fabrication or Pottery. The only one it could work with was Embroidery, and of the gameplay options, that was last. Now, if they'd had Knitting, Embroidery, Sewing, Fabric painting, and Beadwork/Jewelry making they could have used several elements from the Gameplay options. But only two of them were needlecrafts: the top and the bottom-ranked items.
Meanwhile, all the Happy Haunts stuff more or less supported each other, making it easy to integrate together. The one that was the least integrated - Grim Reaper career - is the one that's nowhere to be found. (It looks to me like the Psychic career became the Medium skill.)
I'm sure that they did have ideas for all the packs, and all the gameplay. And I'm sure that they used Happy Haunts coming in a very close second as an excuse to ask to make what became Paranormal stuff, which is the pack they felt they could have more fun with. Not to mention that without having to wait for voting, they could move through the production stages faster. I once asked a dev how long packs take - concept room to Teaser trailer, and he said it varied a lot, but six months to a year was "typical." Considering that the "concept room" part was done probably as part of coming up with the Comunity vote options, that Paranormal Stuff is coming now sounds right.
That they went with Knitting over Paranormal stuff actually tells me that they do listen to the polls and surveys, because they could easily have decided that Happy Haunts was the winner. And they didn't say we wouldn't get it, even hinting it (well, any of them) could show up at a later date in some form.
I get the skepticism, I honestly do. And it's not a bad thing. But at the same time, sometimes the skepticism seems more like sour grapes that things didn't happen the expected/hoped for way.
I really hope that they do this. I know that many complain that they are separating the content but for me, I want them to add on the ideas based on the content they did in the past, unlike in TS3 where when they touch one idea we never get them again. We touched Magic in Romantic Garden, and then in Realm of Magic. I am glad that they are adding more magic into the game.
http://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/924539/features-that-needs-depth-and-ways-to-improve
I agree, plus the new furniture and overall aesthetic meshes pretty well with the realm of magic stuff.
Origin ID: simaddict1990