The Aging of TS4, Are You Still Playing Older Packs? «12...Next Go

Cinebar

This is basically questions for those who bought into all EPs, GPs, SPs, Kits, etc.

Are you still really playing the game in it's entirety?

For instance if you have all or almost everything for TS4 how has the game aged in your opinion? By that I mean, are you still playing 'Play Features' from all the previous packs? Break it down. Set aside CAS, Build/Buy Assets/Worlds are you still really playing older packs or do you barely play any of those anymore?

Examples:

Are you still making Sims run a business in most saves?

Are you still making Sims in every or several households get a pet?

Are you still taking your Sims to the big park in Willow Creek? (basegame) Or did you bulldoze that years ago?

Are you still making Sims get a fame career? Especially the actor career and not just freelance fame in other careers, etc.?

Are you still sending Sims to Strangerville and playing the scenario? Again?

Are you still making Sims get jobs in the Science career? Are you still playing aliens? Meeting, marrying, playing as an alien? Still visiting the world and or using a rocket ship with this pack and or even still using it from the base game aspirations? Or have you decided it's old news?

Are you still playing a Doctor or Detective?

Are you still playing Vampires? Meeting, marrying, playing as a vampire or filling towns with townie vamps?

Do you still make a Sim run a vet office?

Are you still visiting OR as vacation world with many different Sims?

Are you still making Sims woohoo in bushes? (gameplay feature)

Are you still making Sims play with the Critter thing for kids?

Do you still play with the backyard splash thingy or do most Sims not like that in the backyard anymore?

Do you still have those formal parties you paid for in the extra DLC back when the game was new? (Forgot that party pack name, lol)

Do you still play Eco Living and all those NAPS? Or still make Sims forget modern life and live off the grid?

Are you still making your Sims knit their fingers off?

Do your Sims still live in all the apartment types in the CL EP? Or did those bugs and rats and other type lot trait things finally get old?

Do you still make your Sims attend most festivals in CL?

Do you still make Sims go on dates when another Sim calls your Sim?

Are you still making Sims attend the Raves in WB?

Are you still making Sims be mermaids or mere people?

Do you still make Sims do all the things in the island pack? Or just visit from time to time and play another way?

Are you still making Sims visit the Japan mountains in the snowy pack? Do you still make a Sim climb?

Are you still making Sims learn magic?

There are over forty packs I would be here all day, but you get the point. Are you still using on a daily routine all the packs' features and or have you long since or from time to time forgotten all the older packs and don't have time or interest in most of the older content anymore?

You don't have to answer the points but it would be interesting to see how well TS4's 'gameplay' is aging.

Babykittyjade

I guess the answer is yes and no. For example I never play retail (or rarely) never woo-hoo never go to university,never use a lot of kit CAS, never play careers, never use apartments and other things. But I never did those things even when the pack was new. And I knew before I brought it that I wasn't going to use it much if ever. It has absolutely nothing to do with the age of content and everything to do with my playstyle.
I play very specific stories (usually apocalyptic) and so I use bits and pieces of content from every pack and it all comes together.

I already know I won't have a bunch of weddings with the new pack and I'm not fooling myself into thinking I will lol. I will however, use bits and pieces of what it comes with to add to stories of my own.
That's why I'm a bit disappointed how focused it is on weddings, but I can see why others will love it.
I think the content ages fantastically because the ways you can use the content and different stories you can tell with it never ages. I still enjoy every pack I brought as if it was day one.

I'm not the kind who gets bored of something and move onto the next hottest thing. When I find someone or something I love nothing can break me away from it. There are lots of things (including sims) that I've been doing over and over for years and I still very much enjoy it. New stuff is always fun too but the old never really gets old for me.

simgirl1010

Are you still really playing the game in it's entirety? YES

For instance if you have all or almost everything for TS4 how has the game aged in your opinion? By that I mean, are you still playing 'Play Features' from all the previous packs? YES

Examples:

Are you still making Sims run a business in most saves?
YES. i only have one main save and a couple of saves specifically for scenarios.

Are you still making Sims in every or several households get a pet? YES.

Are you still taking your Sims to the big park in Willow Creek? (basegame) YES

Are you still making Sims get a fame career? Especially the actor career and not just freelance fame in other careers, etc.? YES

Are you still sending Sims to Strangerville and playing the scenario? Again? NO

Are you still making Sims get jobs in the Science career? Are you still playing aliens? Meeting, marrying, playing as an alien? Still visiting the world and or using a rocket ship with this pack and or even still using it from the base game aspirations? Or have you decided it's old news? YES

Are you still playing a Doctor or Detective? YES

Are you still playing Vampires? Meeting, marrying, playing as a vampire or filling towns with townie vamps? YES

Do you still make a Sim run a vet office? YES

Are you still visiting OR as vacation world with many different Sims? YES

Are you still making Sims woohoo in bushes? (gameplay feature) YES

Are you still making Sims play with the Critter thing for kids?
YES. Love the voidcritters.

Do you still play with the backyard splash thingy or do most Sims not like that in the backyard anymore? YES

Do you still have those formal parties you paid for in the extra DLC back when the game was new? (Forgot that party pack name, lol)
YES. I love throwing parties.

Do you still play Eco Living and all those NAPS? Or still make Sims forget modern life and live off the grid? YES

Are you still making your Sims knit their fingers off? YES

Do your Sims still live in all the apartment types in the CL EP? Or did those bugs and rats and other type lot trait things finally get old?
YES. I have one sim in an apartment.

Do you still make your Sims attend most festivals in CL? YES, occasionally.

Do you still make Sims go on dates when another Sim calls your Sim?
I never did this.

Are you still making Sims attend the Raves in WB?
I never did this.

Are you still making Sims be mermaids or mere people? YES

Do you still make Sims do all the things in the island pack? Or just visit from time to time and play another way?

Not sure what you include in "all the things."

Are you still making Sims visit the Japan mountains in the snowy pack? Do you still make a Sim climb? YES

Are you still making Sims learn magic? YES

There are over forty packs I would be here all day, but you get the point. Are you still using on a daily routine all the packs' features and or have you long since or from time to time forgotten all the older packs and don't have time or interest in most of the older content anymore?

I don't use all the pack features on a daily basis.
That would be impossible. But I do incorporate a lot of older gameplay in my current gameplay. So much so that's it's hard to tell what features came with which pack.

Simmingal

Well to put it shortly:

I'm scheming to use lot of these things in specific households and stories but I am preoccupied with other households and things for now and it isn't the time yet

there is few things ive never used yet but I am excited to explore once i get around to it

theres some things i use if sims live in specific world like for example city living festivals

theres some things i don't use because its irritating like the raves but i will maybe start using them with my newly built lots and maybe if i can use the new couple dancing the raves and nightclubs will finally start being worth going to

theres some things i literally use constantly like vampires
no save without many many vampires

theres some things i use very rarely cause its just not my thing like running business as its too much work too little fun and my sims don't tend to be so into working life

and overall it all just depends if i have suitable household and story at the moment to play with it

I'd like to play everything but day only has so many hours

CAPTAIN_NXR7

I don’t think of gameplay features in terms of how old they are or to which pack they belong, but rather in terms of relevance. Is this feature relevant to the story: Yes/ no?

For me it’s not important if a pack was released 8 years ago or 8 days ago. The use of a pack specific feature entirely depends on my Sims’s narrative.
For example, none of my sims owned a restaurant as long as I have Dine Out installed. But they do visit the restaurant. Perhaps in another story one of them will actually own a little bistro. If that’s what their character does.
My game is a story world, so whatever is added hopefully blends in with the rest of the content. I stir it like a tasty soup, add a bit of seasoning, add a bit of this, add a bit of that and if it tastes right, I suppose that’s a job well done which makes for an enjoyable gaming / story session.

Jean

I know I don't have to answer the questions, but I always find that interesting.

---

Are you still making Sims run a business in most saves? Sometimes, but usually not.

Are you still making Sims in every or several households get a pet? Most of the times.

Are you still taking your Sims to the big park in Willow Creek? (basegame) Or did you bulldoze that years ago? I do.

Are you still making Sims get a fame career? Especially the actor career and not just freelance fame in other careers, etc.? Yes

Are you still sending Sims to Strangerville and playing the scenario? Again? Yes and no. I let them go to Strangerville but just to browse the library, and to talk with Sims. When I feel like doing the scenario again, I will definitely go back.

Are you still making Sims get jobs in the Science career? Are you still playing aliens? Meeting, marrying, playing as an alien? Still visiting the world and or using a rocket ship with this pack and or even still using it from the base game aspirations? Or have you decided it's old news? To be honest, I've never tried this.

Are you still playing a Doctor or Detective? Doctor sometimes, Detective not so much.

Are you still playing Vampires? Meeting, marrying, playing as a vampire or filling towns with townie vamps? Yes, in fact, I have a whole Vampire family.

Do you still make a Sim run a vet office? Not always, sometimes.

Are you still visiting OR as vacation world with many different Sims? Yes

Are you still making Sims woohoo in bushes? (gameplay feature) Nope.

Are you still making Sims play with the Critter thing for kids? Nope.

Do you still play with the backyard splash thingy or do most Sims not like that in the backyard anymore? Nope.

Do you still have those formal parties you paid for in the extra DLC back when the game was new? (Forgot that party pack name, lol) Nah.

Do you still play Eco Living and all those NAPS? Or still make Sims forget modern life and live off the grid? I like some of them, but most just annoy me. I don't really play off the grid, but have one family that does, just to keep it interesting.

Are you still making your Sims knit their fingers off? Sometimes.

Do your Sims still live in all the apartment types in the CL EP? Or did those bugs and rats and other type lot trait things finally get old? I don't play in Apartments a lot.

Do you still make your Sims attend most festivals in CL? I usually go when I feel like it.

Do you still make Sims go on dates when another Sim calls your Sim? Dependant on the situation.

Are you still making Sims attend the Raves in WB? No.

Are you still making Sims be mermaids or mere people? Yes.

Do you still make Sims do all the things in the island pack? Or just visit from time to time and play another way? Usually just visit.

Are you still making Sims visit the Japan mountains in the snowy pack? Do you still make a Sim climb? Not really.

Are you still making Sims learn magic? Yes.

Peral

I would say I use all packs and combine the features from different packs to create a story

GlacierSnow

CAPTAIN_NXR7 wrote: »

I don’t think of gameplay features in terms of how old they are or to which pack they belong, but rather in terms of relevance. Is this feature relevant to the story: Yes/ no?

For me it’s not important if a pack was released 8 years ago or 8 days ago. The use of a pack specific feature entirely depends on my Sims’s narrative.

Exactly. Thank you for saying this so clearly.

I don't play "with the packs" as packs. I create stories. I create characters. I use whatever features are useful to me at the moment for the specific sim I am playing with right now.

I have 15 different saves that I rotate between. Some of those saves have many different households I play with. Different sims have different lives.

I play a lot with aliens, vampires, magic, and mermaids. I even have an alien who does magic (had to use a cheat to make it work, but he's one of my favorite sims).

I have multiple scientist sims (the spellcaster alien is one of them), and one detective (who is a vampire). I have two actor sims (one of them is an alien). I have one sim who is getting famous (he is also a spellcaster).

I have two sims solving the Strangerville mystery. I have a lot of sims who knit (including the magic-wielding scientist alien sim.)

I have 4 sims living in Mount Komorebi, one of whom is an actor, and one who is getting ready to go on the mountain expedition. All of them ski, snowboard, and rock climb.

I have two sims living in Sulani. One of them is a merman who is a musician. The other is a conservationist.

I have three sims who are attending university. One of them is a vampire. One is engaged to a vampire.

I have lots of sims living in the San Myshuno apartments. So many, in fact, that I'd have to go check my games and count them to give you a number. I often send sims to the festivals if it fits in the story.

I send my sims on vacation frequently. I even use the Seasons calendar custom holiday system to remind me when to send them on vacation (using the "travel" tradition). Granite Falls is probably my most common vacation spot. But I also use the rental lot type to send sims to other places for vacations.

I make a lot of restaurants and frequently have my sims eat out with their friends, family, or partners. I use the "experimental cuisine" as home-cooking for my aliens.

To me, everything in all the packs are potential toys/tools/plot ideas for me to use when I see a way to use them for the stories I create about the sims I play with. I don't ever just "play a pack" and then move on. What gets used in a specific household depends on who they are.

EnkiSchmidt

Sandbox player here, so it depends a lot on what kind of setting I want to play in. Naturally my Oregon trail sims knitted a lot and were unconcerned with voting for NAPs or visiting Batuu, but that was more in indicator for what themes I was into those months and not what gameplay aged better.

Here's my list, you'll want to look at the "fewer" and "more often" entries to get an idea what gameplay has longterm appeal for me and what aged poorly:

Playing more often than when the pack was new:

Still visiting the world and or using a rocket ship with this pack and even still using it from the base game aspirations?
Are you still playing a Doctor or Detective?
Do you still play Eco Living and all those NAPS?
Are you still making Sims be mermaids or mere people?
Are you still making Sims learn magic?

Playing with the same frequency as before:

(Note that this doesn’t say anything about the frequency, for example I hardly used businesses back then and I hardly use them now. So that’s the same amount of activity.)

Are you still making Sims run a business in most saves?
Are you still making Sims in every or several households get a pet?
Are you still taking your Sims to the big park in Willow Creek?
Are you still making Sims get jobs in the Science career?
Are you still playing aliens? Meeting, marrying, playing as an alien?
Are you still playing Vampires?
Do you still make a Sim run a vet office?
Are you still making Sims woohoo in bushes?
Do you still play with the backyard splash thingy or do most Sims not like that in the backyard anymore?
Do you still have those formal parties you paid for in the extra DLC back when the game was new?
Or still make Sims forget modern life and live off the grid?
Are you still making your Sims knit their fingers off?
Do you still make Sims go on dates when another Sim calls your Sim?
Are you still making Sims attend the Raves in WB?
Do you still make Sims do all the things in the island pack?
Are you still making Sims visit the Japan mountains in the snowy pack?

Playing less often than when pack was new:

Are you still making Sims get a fame career? Especially the actor career and not just freelance fame in other careers, etc.?
Are you still sending Sims to Strangerville and playing the scenario? Again? (“Thanks”, Covid, but I think I got it over and can resume playing with spores again.)
Are you still visiting OR as vacation world with many different Sims?
Are you still making Sims play with the Critter thing for kids?
Do your Sims still live in all the apartment types in the CL EP?
Do you still make your Sims attend most festivals in CL?
Do you still make a Sim climb?

Stormkeep

Yes to most of the things in the list, no to some of them...and even "I've never even done it the first time yet" to several of them (despite owning all the packs).

I'm just going to outline the "haven't done yet" and "no" ones for the sake of brevity. Everything else was yes.
Though I will call out to this one, that was a yes. "Are you still making Sims run a business in most saves?"

This is an unequivocal yes. Retail businesses are a key thing in my games. I make my sims go to a grocery store to stock their refrigerators, and I've also recently gotten a sim into the upgrade business, which sells upgraded (handiness) appliances, stereos, etc...because I found out the upgrades stick when you sell them.

Things I haven't yet done even once:
I haven't yet played a Vet, Doctor, Detective or Scientist in my game, for example. I do have a Scientist in the wings who is a teen right now though, so I'm getting around to it. I'll do them all eventually.

I also haven't yet played a mermaid, alien, vampire or plant sim. Eventually I will.

And I haven't yet done the Strangerville story. I bought the pack for the world, not the story. I will do it one time eventually though.

Now for the "no" answers, which in part are no answers because the questions were worded in a way where No answers were actually being sought, rather than a way that truly makes sense:

No, I don't get a cat or dog in every household...that's a ridiculous way to word the question. Most of us don't buy a pack to do something in every household.

No I don't have my sims go to every festival. Same thing..ridiculous way to word the question. I never had my sims go to every festival, not even the day the pack came out.

And no, I'm not still taking my Sims to the big park in Willow Creek...I did bulldoze it a long time ago. But I replaced it with a better park. And it's still one of my most frequent family outing venues, just the renovated version. The park in Willow Creek and the park in Oasis Spring, renovated, are my two favorite hangouts to go with families with kids, unless there are festivals going on in Mt. Komorebi or Sulani at the time the family wants to hang out.

And though yes, I still have sims do "fame things" I haven't played an Actor Sim since shortly after the pack came out. I didn't particularly enjoy it. Most of my famous sims are musicians or artists. I also turn the fame on for a few other career paths, but most of my households leave it off.

Ultimately, whether I answered yes, no or "say what" to a question in the list, I enjoy having all the packs and I enjoy the gameplay they add, just not necessarily all of the gameplay they add all of the time. I have options, and I like having options.

Pamtastic72

Deleted

alanmichael1

I think I really use actions and items from all packs BUT there are two important things I haven't done yet:
- I never built the big robot because I was always too lazy to develop the robotic skill and collect all these materials.
- I never went on the mountain excursion because there is definitively not enough time for the climbing skill on normal lifespan.

Kelleygirl

Reading this post made me realize I don't play with any of those features you mentioned anymore and some, for example playing as a vampire, a veterinarian, or a business owner, I've not done at all. The only career I've consistently returned to over and over is the writer career; every other career I've played only once. I have places to rent in every town/world and my Sims do go on vacation but rarely ever visit Granite Falls anymore.

I stopped buying packs after Snowy Escape; I sent Sims skiing a couple of times and hiking once but became bored with it. I've been considering buying Cottage Living but not for the gameplay features, only for the land to build on.

The one thing I did do and enjoy the heck out of was Strangerville; not sure why I enjoyed it so much, perhaps because its quirkiness reminded me of Sims 2 and 3. I only played it through one time though but my Sims often live there because the world is so pretty.

So to sum it up, I'm not playing the game in its entirety and it hasn't aged well for me. I just recently started playing again after about a year long hiatus. Might not be the game's fault and could be entirely on me but it just doesn't "do" it for me anymore.

MeowchaFrappe

I don't really play my games on a pack by pack basis, but rather sprinkle things throughout and incorporate specific gameplay elements as they come and when it seems fit, depending on the storyline I'm playing out. If I'm playing a Sim who is super into saving the environment and conservation, I'll have them do the Eco Lifestyle and Island Living activities, but I typically play in Sulani more for the beaches and island events. If my sims need extra money because I decided to make them work for it rather than using motherlode, I might have them work odd jobs or level up their art/knitting skills to sell their creations on Plopsy.

Occult gameplay is my main playstyle however, so I definitely get a lot of use out of Vampires and Realm of Magic. I have at least one spellcaster and one vampire (usually multiple of both) in every save. My spellcasters typically practice magic and learn new spells a few times a (Sims) day. And quite a few of my sims have made friends with one or both of the Vatores. Caleb even offered to turn one who he become very good friends with, which I thought was adorable. (taking the phrase "friends forever" to a whole other level)

One of my current favorite couples is actually a vampire and spellcaster couple and I just love them together.

I have played with the Veterinarian career a couple of times, but if doesn't fit my Sims' story, then they just own pets. (I'd say about half the Sims I create are pet owners.) And I especially love giving them to spellcasters and binding them as a familiar.

Chicklet453681

I don't think about the age of the packs. I use all gameplay items/mechanics that fit my storyline, regardless of the pack's age.

And some packs I knew that I would never, EVER use it's feature, such as University, Fame, and Running a Business because those things do not interest me.

That's like saying because children came with the base game, do we no longer play with kids since they've been in the game from the beginning. Not all of my households have kids (or want them) ..... same with pets, some households have pets, some do not because it's either too much bother because I'm busy with other things than to have to take care of a needy pet, or it doesn't fit my story.

logion

Am I still playing? Well...both yes, and no. The Sims4 have become an old game for me, everything feels pretty much the same so I'm mostly just starting up the game to check out new content or just to relax. My favorite part of the sims4 is CAS, so I still create sims from time to time.

So no, I'm not playing features from older packs, not the same way that i used to play them anyway.

My save that I tend to play is an old, old save where there is at least one household that has maxed everything from a pack, so that's why I'm having a hard time creating a new household to do the same thing. I often end up creating or using a "hero" sim or sims that will explore and do everything in the pack. And they are all living in this save, I have mods that removes a lot of the annoying parts of the game (no rats in the apartments in City Living for example which you mentioned) so it's very relaxing to just boot up that save and play it to relax.

Another thing, which I also think is important to mention that I have also trouble with getting the game to remember relationships between all these sims because of relationship culling (which is the game cleaning old relationships to reduce loading times). So even if I start playing an old household for fun and try to get them to be friends with the old sims that they used to be friends with, they have sometimes forgotten who they are in a week. I have considered disabling relationship culling but I'm not sure I will have the patience then to deal with the very long loading times that I will end up with instead.

I could start a new save or try and play different households but it's difficult when you have played the game for so long. Personally, I think that there is nothing wrong at all with being tired with the game now, and there is no point in trying to play the game like I used to. I had fun times with the sims4 and I probably still will have with some new packs from time to time. It's not the end.

Putting the answers to your questions in spoilers so I will not take up the whole page:

This is going to be a long one.

Are you still making Sims run a business in most saves?
No, I used to, back in 2015, I have tried recreating new businesses now, I would like a robotics shop which sells those cool glasses for example but it takes forever to just craft a single item with robotics. I tried to start a new restaurant too but it also became too tedious and repetitive. So I just tend to visit restaurants.

Are you still making Sims in every or several households get a pet?
Sort of, more than I used to, thanks to mods and patches pets are nowhere near as annoying to take care of now compared to how they used to be back in 2017.

Are you still taking your Sims to the big park in Willow Creek? (basegame) Or did you bulldoze that years ago?
Both basegame parks are still there in my save (with some changes). I have a hard time adding new stuff to the parks though, why would public parks have stuff like crafting tables or other things that Maxis have added over the years?

Are you still making Sims get a fame career? Especially the actor career and not just freelance fame in other careers, etc.?
No, I played Get Famous with three celebrities, the pre-made sims Kayla, Venessa and Dustin and they all got to the top of the actor career. I played some other sims too but the actor career takes too long for me now so I haven't done a lot with them.

Are you still sending Sims to Strangerville and playing the scenario? Again?
No, I only played through the Strangerville scenario once, with several households though, I deliberately failed with some sims so that one would end up winning. It was Jess Sigworth who won in the end.

Are you still making Sims get jobs in the Science career? Are you still playing aliens? Meeting, marrying, playing as an alien? Still visiting the world and or using a rocket ship with this pack and or even still using it from the base game aspirations? Or have you decided it's old news?
No I have not played Get To Work in ages, the best thing I got going for with that pack is maxing everything in the scientist career and updating their workplace with every new thing from every new pack. And I have not done that for a long time so that plan is probably gone.

Are you still playing a Doctor or Detective?
No I didn't like the doctor career at all, the sims who work in the hospital are not helping at all so I never got to level 10 in that one, I did get detective to level 10 and there is no way that I will do those repetitive things all over again.

Are you still playing Vampires? Meeting, marrying, playing as a vampire or filling towns with townie vamps?
No, I'm not an occult player, I played with Vampires a lot when it was released (back in...2017) and in the end in the story that I played the Vampires who lived in that world either decided to turn themselves into human, or become old, powerful vampires. So I still have some old and strong vampires left in my save but I'm not playing them.

Do you still make a Sim run a vet office?
ehh... no. I never thought that was very fun to play.

Are you still visiting OR as vacation world with many different Sims?
Not any longer, but I visited Selvadorada for quite a while until 2020 I think.

Are you still making Sims woohoo in bushes? (gameplay feature)
Not any more no, but there was plenty of that back in 2015 (wow, that was a long time ago) when Get Together was released.

Are you still making Sims play with the Critter thing for kids?
No, I place it sometimes in rooms but I don't actually use the thing.

Do you still play with the backyard splash thingy or do most Sims not like that in the backyard anymore?
Yes, during summer. I have a lot which is a beach party lot which I like to visit.

Do you still have those formal parties you paid for in the extra DLC back when the game was new? (Forgot that party pack name, lol)
I do, and I didn't understand for like several years that they were something unique that I paid for. And I also never host those parties.

Do you still play Eco Living and all those NAPS? Or still make Sims forget modern life and live off the grid?
I like to craft in Eco Living sometimes on the community crafting lots and I like to make all worlds green.
NAPS are all disabled, I disliked pretty much almost all of them.
I used off-the grid for rags to riches once and I liked it, but I don't have lots that use it now.

Are you still making your Sims knit their fingers off?
No, only when I am playing elders I tend to knit. And I don't play elders often.

Do your Sims still live in all the apartment types in the CL EP? Or did those bugs and rats and other type lot trait things finally get old?
Yes, they all do. I removed all the rats with cheats (the remove object cheat) so all apartments are really nice and I like to still visit San Myshuno and play with my sims in their apartments from time to time.

Do you still make your Sims attend most festivals in CL?
Sometimes, but they become very repetitive if you always accept the invites to them that you get over the phone for every household that you play. So I try to not visit them too often. I like the Spice Festival a lot.

Do you still make Sims go on dates when another Sim calls your Sim?
No. I don't really play a lot with households any more so I don't really care about going on dates and such, I like to have them go to the restaurant or the spa though.

Are you still making Sims attend the Raves in WB?
No that doesn't happen very much anymore.

Are you still making Sims be mermaids or mere people?
No, I have one mermaid that I sometimes play and that's about it. She is a slob and likes to fart a lot. And I like to play her, what, why are you looking at me like that?

Do you still make Sims do all the things in the island pack? Or just visit from time to time and play another way?
No, I don't to a lot of things in the island living pack, diving which is just a rabbit hole becomes boring but I do sometimes play some Sulani sims and go fishing or go to the beach, or I visit the beach with some other households.

Are you still making Sims visit the Japan mountains in the snowy pack? Do you still make a Sim climb?
No, I got bored with Snowy Escape pretty fast sadly, so I don't visit that world often.

Are you still making Sims learn magic?
No, I would like to because I have some spellcasters that are becoming pretty good at magic but I get so bored so quickly when I am trying to play them.

I would like to finish that I am still playing Dream Home Decorator with Patina Wainscot (the girl from the trailer) still from time to time, the fact that you can do so many different gigs depending on your households and lots that you have in the worlds are offering me a lot of variety.

That's all, folks. If you read this far, thank you.

Calico45

When I do play, yes. I haven't played in a while... Perfect storm, honestly. New job; no new content aimed at me; so many other new game and DLC releases (my catch up/play next pile is growing larger by the second). I have all the DLC by the way.

Most saves? No. I still make businesses, but I made more than I played them because I wanted my Sims to live and work in the same business and that doesn't really work. Less so with the large families I play.

Several, yes. I took a spell that I just stopped, C&D is currently my most disappointing pack so lots of feelings there, but the families with regular pets still get there regular pets. Plus I am constantly using the small pets, etc.

Never cared much about the parks. Launch included. I need a reason to do that. Used to be garden hybridization and boredom. Neither matter much now.

So I nearly constantly play with fame, more than I expected to, but the actor career is a coin flip. I pretty regularly make Sims aspiring to fame through it, but I usually never let them fully achieve. It is more about the start there for me.

Strangerville, yes. I love that world. I also think the possessed people were very creative. However, I only play through the story with specific Sims. Not everyone is up to beat the Mother Plant.

I wasn't super in love with the scientist careers or aliens originally. Aliens really could use some buffing, quite frankly, so they're more fun. Otherwise, a lot of active careers tend to be more trouble than they are worth in my opinion. I do still like the doctor career, though.

Vampires all the time. It was my favorite thing about 4 uncontested for so long. Still my favorite occult of 4. Probably my most fulfilled Sims. I have gotten my money's worth with this pack and then some.

Yes. Had a lot more fun with that after Cottage Living. The thought of a country vet is a fun concept for me, properly integrated or not.

Many, no. I still kind of hate vacations in 4. I occasionally drag my Sims out to the hermit and bug catching, but not a lot.

Yes? If it is convenient/necessarily. Usually, no.

Yes! I love those things and all the little additions over the packs. Wish we had more.

Sometimes. They were pretty obsessive with it at times and I have already had problems with freezing to death from swimming in local waters. They don't need more.

Sort of? I have, but I was never big on the official parties. I do informal ones more so.

Off the grid is a special favorite, but I do still use a lot of Eco generally. NAPS do depend on the game, though.

Never did. Specific Sims only.

Yes. Probably my favorite suffering start. I pile on the misery for stuff like that.

Yes and no. 50/50. I tend to go at least once per family, but not all all the time.

Never! Never have, never will. I have had enough issues with those, if I ever date it will be on my time.

Occasionally. Haven't got an offer in forever.

Occults are my thing, so the answer is generally yes there.

Never made them do everything, but I love Sulani and play a lot there with beach specific stuff.

Yes. Not always, but it is my favorite place to marry on the summit. Plus it makes sense for some of my explorer Sims to be climbers.

Yes, again, with occults.

Absolutely all, no. If I hated it before, I still hate it now. I am an everything and the kitchen sink type player so I mix and match a lot of DLC content. I doubt I could ever go back to just a few packs. However, there definitely is some stuff I do not use even if I use a lot.

SERVERFRA

I've never played Sims 4 for only what's in their trailers.
I've however played & will continue to play my Aliens, Bonehilda, Ghosts, Mermaids, Spellcasters & Vampires.
I've always played around the occult traits to have my sims be a mixed of the occults which I call my Hybrids.
I've always played & continue to play my Britechester, Brindleton Bay, Batuu, Del Sol Valley, Evergreen Harbor, Forgotten Hollow, Forgotten Ghotto, Glimmerbrook, Granite Falls, Henford, Mt. K, San Mychino City, Sylan Glade, Sulani Island, Sixam & Selvadora.
I've always chosen to change most of my worlds to look more like the timeline I'm playing them in.
I've always playing & continue to play the following careers for my sims that are Art Critic, Astronaut, Barista, Criminal, Detective, Doctor, Engineer Mechanics, Gardener, Lifeguard, Military, Musican, Painting, Paranormal, Politican Activist, Secret Agent, Scientist, Stylist, Vet & Writer.
I've always specified certain careers to certain household.
I've always played & continue to play my cats & dogs to some of my households.
I've made some cats look like the Chestire cat from Alice in Wonderland, a kitten that looks like the tiny lizard from Tangled, a cat that looks like a raccoon from Pocahontas, & dogs that look like wolves.
I've always played & continue to play some of the festivals & parties. I get alot of my sims to meet their soulmates there.
I've always played & continue to play the Mt. K's skiing, snowboarding, toboganing & mountain climbing.

I now have made 6 different timeline Game Saves from Prehistoric to Futuristic.
I have some Fairytale households, Superhero households, Supervillain households, SciFi households, Historical households, Fantasy households, Gothic households, Scary households, Weird households, Wild households, Holiday households & some Basic households.

And no it so not aging. However, I do feel that my Sims 3 is aging.

PlayerSinger2010

Are you still making Sims run a business in most saves? Never have, in any generation of The Sims.

Are you still making Sims in every or several households get a pet? Yes

Are you still taking your Sims to the big park in Willow Creek? (basegame) Or did you bulldoze that years ago? Sometimes

Are you still making Sims get a fame career? Especially the actor career and not just freelance fame in other careers, etc.? Yes

Are you still sending Sims to Strangerville and playing the scenario? Again? No. I've never played the storyline and have a mod to turn it off.

Are you still making Sims get jobs in the Science career? Are you still playing aliens? Meeting, marrying, playing as an alien? Still visiting the world and or using a rocket ship with this pack and or even still using it from the base game aspirations? Or have you decided it's old news? Yes to all of the above. I am an occult player above all else.

Are you still playing a Doctor or Detective? Yes

Are you still playing Vampires? Meeting, marrying, playing as a vampire or filling towns with townie vamps? Yep!

Do you still make a Sim run a vet office? Never did

Are you still visiting OR as vacation world with many different Sims? Yes

Are you still making Sims woohoo in bushes? (gameplay feature) Nah, never did.

Are you still making Sims play with the Critter thing for kids? Yes

Do you still play with the backyard splash thingy or do most Sims not like that in the backyard anymore? Sometimes

Do you still have those formal parties you paid for in the extra DLC back when the game was new? (Forgot that party pack name, lol) No

Do you still play Eco Living and all those NAPS? Or still make Sims forget modern life and live off the grid? Sometimes. Never use off the grid.

Are you still making your Sims knit their fingers off? Eh. Sometimes.

Do your Sims still live in all the apartment types in the CL EP? Or did those bugs and rats and other type lot trait things finally get old? Apartments yes, but I don't use the lot traits.

Do you still make your Sims attend most festivals in CL? Yes

Do you still make Sims go on dates when another Sim calls your Sim? Dates? No. Outings, yes.

Are you still making Sims attend the Raves in WB? I don't get calls for those anymore, so no.

Are you still making Sims be mermaids or mere people? Of course!

Do you still make Sims do all the things in the island pack? Or just visit from time to time and play another way? Yep!

Are you still making Sims visit the Japan mountains in the snowy pack? Do you still make a Sim climb? Yes

Are you still making Sims learn magic? Obviously.

LatinaBunny

(I have all of the packs, but not all kits.)

Still playing Sims 4, though I also play a modded Sims 3. The Sims 4 toddlers and Sims 4 vampires are my favorite, and I have a hard time going back to Sims 1/Sims 2 at times because of Sims 4 and Sims 3 (with mods).

With Sims 4 (and Sims 3), I am still exploring all of the packs.

However, my most used packs so far (for gameplay, not just decorative B/B and CAS):

-Island Living, for the mermaids/merfolk!! I gotta have my merfolk. 🧜🏻‍♂️🧜🏼‍♀️ And the other water/beach/island activities, of course.

-Parenthood: for the values gameplay and bagging lunches, and parenting skills

-Toddlers: but, of course. They are very cute and independent/adaptable.

-Realm of Magic: spellcasters!

-Vampires: for the vampires, of course

-Get Together: Clubs system!

-Discover University: Working from home Education job

-Outdoor Retreat: vacation for family

-Dine Out: dining out, duh

-Spa Day: well, for spa and wellness of course

-Get to Work: retail businesses! (I missed Sims 2’s business pack.)

-Laundry Pack: laundry, of course

-Cottage Living: farm animals, crop growing, cross-stitching, etc

Knitty: knitting projects to sell/put on plopsy or create for sims or animals, etc

-Seasons: seasonal gameplay and holidays!

Get Famous: careers and fame stuff

I think I use a bit of everything for many packs.

The only packs I rarely touch upon were Eco Living (but my sister plays it), Strangerville, Cats & Dogs (but my sister plays it) and Tiny Living (but my sister plays it). 🙂

cyncie

I know you’re specific about players who have all packs, which I don’t. I do have all the packs I want, at this point though. But I have to somewhat challenge the assumption that owning and playing all the game elements from all the packs is the only way to get value from the game. I don’t play packs. I play stories with my sims and purchase the packs that contain game elements that I want in my stories. As a result, there are packs I don’t have or want, and there are game elements in the packs I do have that I never use. For instance, I don’t play families, so I don’t own packs that emphasize that, or use those elements in the packs I do own. I don’t play retail or careers, but I can still use other gameplay elements from those packs. I view TS4 as one big overall game, not a collection of packs to be played individually. All of my packs, regardless of age, contribute to my stories, or I wouldn’t have bought them. Gameplay hasn’t aged out for me, at all.

LatinaBunny

Peral wrote: »

I would say I use all packs and combine the features from different packs to create a story

^This!
Like @Peral and some other simmers said, it all depends on the story, the sims characters, and/or if you like/want certain aspects of the packs.

Nothing to do with “age”. Sims 1/2/3 are all old, and have old packs, too.

And, for me, just like with Sims 4, I didn’t or want to play all aspects of all of the packs for the older Sims games, either.

Like, University? I barely used those packs in every edition of Sims from whenever University started showing up in Sims franchise history.

With all Sims games, I pick and choose depending on what kinds of characters or stories I would like to do, regardless of the pack’s age.

For example, for Sims 3, I have loved (and still love) Seasons, Generations, Supernatural, and Island Paradise and some of those are older than the others.

For Sims 4, that means I have loved (and still love) toddlers, Parenthood, Vampires, Island Living, Realm of Magic, and Seasons. (And I would also be adding My Wedding Stories soon as well.) What a coincidence…. It’s the same kinds of packs! AGAIN! 😲😄

Some themes are just timeless, I guess you could say, lol!

Erja888

Are you still really playing the game in it's entirety? YES

Examples:

Are you still making Sims run a business? YES

Are you still making Sims in some households get a pet? YES

Are you still taking your Sims to the big park in Willow Creek? YES

Are you still making Sims get a fame career (actor)? YES

Are you still sending Sims to Strangerville and playing the scenario? Again? NO

Are you still making Sims get jobs in the Science career? YES
Are you still playing aliens? Meeting, marrying, playing as an alien? Still visiting the world and or using a rocket ship with this pack and or even still using it from the base game aspirations? NO, aliens never interested me.

Are you still playing a Doctor or Detective? YES

Are you still playing Vampires? Meeting, marrying, playing as a vampire or filling towns with townie vamps? NO, I was just interested in the CAS, BB and world (It's my world for the Goth decendants.)

Do you still make a Sim run a vet clinic? NO, never did, but plan on doing so in the future. My Sim is still a teen, but ready for his university degree.

Are you still visiting OR as vacation world with many different Sims? YES, sometimes.

Are you still making Sims woohoo in bushes (gameplay feature)? YES.

Are you still making Sims play with the Critter thing for kids? YES.

Do you still play with the backyard splash thingy or do most Sims not like that in the backyard anymore? NO, never did.

Do you still have those formal parties you paid for in the extra DLC back when the game was new? NO, never did.

Do you still play Eco Living? YES and all those NAPS? NO.

Are you still making your Sims knit their fingers off? YES.

Do your Sims still live in all the apartment types in the CL EP? YES.

Do you still make your Sims attend most festivals in CL? YES.

Do you still make Sims go on dates when another Sim calls your Sim? NO, never did.

Are you still making Sims attend the Raves in WB? NO, did it only once.

Are you still making Sims be mermaids or mere people? NO, never did. I'm not interested in playing with occults.

Are you still making Sims visit the Japan mountains in the snowy pack? Do you still make a Sim climb? YES to both.

Are you still making Sims learn magic? NO, never did.

netney52

As others have said I don’t see it as playing older packs I just play the game and will use whatever content from a pack I need at the time. There are packs I get more use out of the others and play all the time ie seasons, parenthood, city living festivals, laundry, knitting, university degrees and I will play in different worlds and different careers so it’s a mix. The packs I use the least are get to work, get together, vampires, paranormal and realm of magic as I am not a huge occult fan. Then there are packs I use often ie taking sims to spas, restaurants, outdoor retreat, snowy escape, and jungle adventure.

paradiseplanet

Are you still really playing the game in it's entirety? Can't say I really even go into Live Mode too much anymore these days, not without mods.

Are you still making Sims run a business in most saves? I've not yet had a Sim own a business.

Are you still making Sims in every or several households get a pet? I still make pets on occasion or just take from existing ones spawned and place them in other househoulds.

Are you still taking your Sims to the big park in Willow Creek? (basegame) Or did you bulldoze that years ago? Yes but not often, the Park is still the same as it was if not edited to reflect new pack additions.

Are you still making Sims get a fame career? Especially the actor career and not just freelance fame in other careers, etc.? Yes actually

Are you still sending Sims to Strangerville and playing the scenario? Again? I never even finished it the first time.

Are you still making Sims get jobs in the Science career? Are you still playing aliens? Meeting, marrying, playing as an alien? Still visiting the world and or using a rocket ship with this pack and or even still using it from the base game aspirations? Or have you decided it's old news? I still do have a few scientists in the career and love occults and give my aliens the love they deserve, can't say much for rocket ships and building them is broken anyway currently.

Are you still playing a Doctor or Detective? I recently did play with detectives but have very few if any doctors I play, I never liked how that career worked.

Are you still playing Vampires? Meeting, marrying, playing as a vampire or filling towns with townie vamps? I used to be obsessed with playing vamps, in fact I created whole lore and stories that I shared here years ago, but all the hype died down a bit for me after the magic casters came out, but my bleeding heart still lies with them.

Do you still make a Sim run a vet office? I've not yet had a Sim run a vet clinic.

Are you still visiting OR as vacation world with many different Sims? Haven't visited it once, I confess.

Are you still making Sims woohoo in bushes? That happens on its own from time to time wherever bushes are available.

Are you still making Sims play with the Critter thing for kids? I wish there were better ways to make the Voidcritter gameplay more immersive so I can play with my Sim kids more, I know there are some mods recently that offer more immersive play as well as let older Sims play, so I might try that soon.

Do you still play with the backyard splash thingy or do most Sims not like that in the backyard anymore? I think I've only ever used it once, and besides those things are too long to fit most spaces.

Do you still have those formal parties you paid for in the extra DLC back when the game was new? Don't even know what you're talking about.

Do you still play Eco Living and all those NAPS? Or still make Sims forget modern life and live off the grid? I actually do in fact, after some mod tweaking and settings; I'm working to try to make most lots green across all worlds so to avoid the industrial footprints as much as possible and ensure no annoying NAPs end up getting voted in the neighborhoods. I have not tried off-the-grid living yet.

Are you still making your Sims knit their fingers off? Have only tried the knitting a couple times with an old granny I made, but so far that's it.

Do your Sims still live in all the apartment types in the CL EP? Or did those bugs and rats and other type lot trait things finally get old? I love the apartment gameplay and have all of San Myshuno occupied with my Sims and unplayed ones. I just wish you could build your own apartments tho...

Do you still make your Sims attend most festivals in CL? Seeing as I have many sims living in the city, I tend to visit them all the time, so yes.

Do you still make Sims go on dates when another Sim calls your Sim? That date mechanic is terrible and I only start dates with other Sims, not the other way around.

Are you still making Sims attend the Raves in WB? I think I stopped getting notifs for them long ago, idk if it's bugged or my mods suppressing it, but I just don't see them anymore.

Are you still making Sims be mermaids or mere people? I planned to make more Mersims when the pack came out but never made the time to do so. Only the premade ones and a couple I made exist.

Do you still make Sims do all the things in the island pack? Or just visit from time to time and play another way? I like living in the island world but it's too niche for most other sims so I keep Island living gameplay to Sims living in the world mainly.

Are you still making Sims visit the Japan mountains in the snowy pack? Do you still make a Sim climb? I have not yet sent Sims to vacation there nor have tried mountain climbing yet. I do have Sims who live there and occasionally visit the venues and festivals.

Are you still making Sims learn magic? I had planned to make lots of casters when the pack came out but there was this big bug where it wouldn't save their spell progress across saves that's been fixed but the damage was done; I've only started weaning myself back to making more casters again only to remember that the gameplay itself needs other mods to make it less bland and repetitive and much more thoughtful and immersive.

I noticed you didn't mention farming and university so I'll bring those up: I only recently got Cottage living and have only made one farmer sim to date, I think so far one is enough to occupy my time with using the pack, and so far I do enjoy some parts of it with that Sim.

As for university, I like making college-aged sims to attend but also find it egregious how it doesn't jive with my rotational way of playing my games. I do however have alt saves specifically dedicated to the Uni lifestyle.

And for the misc other stuff:

No, I have not gone to the Batuu world, nor will I prob ever plan to.

No, I have not tried the home decorator career, plus at this point in my save I've basically edited everyone's houses already by now.

No, I don't regularly visit the jungle of Selvadorada, it's specific to only a few Sims I play.

Yes, I do try to make teens earn good character values from Parenthood.

No, I haven't yet had a Sim own a restaurant, plus it's a chore and a hassle to make that pack work to begin with. I have lots of restaurants for my Sims to eat at though.

Yes, I do use the Spas often, more often than others in certain occasions even before the refresh. I like the wellness skill as well.

I have currently one household so far that lives in a haunted house, and that's prob all I need. I have not tried the paranormal career yet.

Tiny living lots, who? Idk her.

I got one Moschino fashion studio form the Gallery and that's all I need for any of that gameplay.

I rarely get small rodent pets for my Sims.

I use the laundry system occasionally, but not too often bc I don't want the system in all my households.

I literally have one bowling club that exists solely for bowling.

I only have one family so far that has a butler, I feel that the system needs more tweaks so other households should be able to have butlers as well, and also ones that actually properly do their jobs and work.

I rarely use the wishing well, but it's placed down somewhere that's available.

I forget that Spooky Stuff even had gameplay objects.

Yes, I do like using the popcorn machine, ice cream maker, and hot tub, but forget the fountain table exists. Well, at least we'll get new ones in that wedding pack huh.

And then, there's Bust the Dust...

If you want a TL;DR, basically I play more in CAS these days or in B/B mode editing lots than actually playing the game, and when I do, it's modded everywhere to the point it's prob not the same game anymore.

Onverser

Definitely! But I suppose I've only been properly playing the game for 3 years now (I stuck with 3 for a very long time) so it's not really the same as someone who's been playing with some packs since 2015.

The first packs I bought though were Island Living and City Living and they are still my most used packs now. Some things though turned out to be more "one time use" things, for example I haven't touched University, Strangerville (the story not the world), Granite Falls or Komorebi since my first playthrough with them and I don't really try to make tiny homes anymore either.