I tend to play one main household and several supportive households.
The supportive households are part of the story scenario of my main household. They could be friends, relatives coworkers, or enemies.
I don't want story progression making changes to sims that are important to my scenario.
I uses Twallans mods to protect them from changes. I also used them to easily edit sims to better fit within the scenario I am playing. It can do whatever it wants with the other sims in the town, but leave my sims alone.
All I would need is a nice story progression control interface that makes it easy to control what SP can and cannot do with certain households. EA could call it Story Editor, or Scenario Builder, or something.
There also needs to be some balance between townie activities and what my sims are doing. The town does need to feel like it's alive, but Story Progression seems to oblivious to the fact the game is about me playing and enjoying the game with my sims. I don't give a rip about other sims needing to be at work, or their needs being filled, when community lots are empty. Sims had better show up no matter what.
If I send a sim to visit someones house, why the heck are the leaving when my sims are on the way to their house? Story Progression, as it is, doesn't seem to care about the player at all.
Here is the point of my whole thread..how is what CK213 TS3 bashing? All I am saying is what is said above..and makes my points better than I do.
Yes, I feel it is important to repeat what CK213 has stated on the first few pages.
"Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
There is a mechanism in the game that sends sims in the 'hood to whatever community lot your sim goes to. Pescado has an option to mod it out; he called it creepy to have sims stalk your sims like that!
If they don't show up, they are either otherwise engaged in doing something else, such as working. So many times it depends on when you send your sim somewhere else and how many sims you have in your 'hood. Although there is a special push to send them to either the grocery or bookstore - haven't figured out which one is drawing them in, maybe it's both!
The other reason there aren't a lot of sims on community lots is due to each person's CPU. Laptops are almost guaranteed to have a low turn-out of sims although there are exceptions to that.
I do agree that it would be useful for the game to have NPC's that don't live in your neighborhood. I have to wonder if this is why venues close: so it can look like your neighbors actually get to go home to their apartments where your sims can meet them! It would be useful if they weren't actually residents unless you befriend them and ask them to move in or something.
Edit: Actually, Cinebar, you said you wanted to ditch SP. ck213 said he wanted to put it under more control of the player. Which is also what I have been saying: improve SP, don't ditch it.
But you are all over the map with your straw arguments here, so I am done commenting in this goofy thread. :P
The Sims
Where are we going, and why am I in this hand basket?!
I never said the open restaurant 'oven' was soley due to me..however, they could have just made it an OFB object that you as the Sim could 'run' but they didn't..you can also visit to eat at any venue you build now...there's a big difference in NL's stove and OFB features..and they gave us both..and yes, I will take some credit for whining for it for the last 4 years..a little too late.
ETA: No, I don't want to take a step backwards..because TS3 has more incommon with TS1 in a hundred ways...and is a step backwards..open world or not...I have already pointed this out in many threads.
However, since SP doesn't actually work and without a mod the Sims in the town aren't getting married, or having babies..the game may move in a Sim..and they stay in a love interest state until they are old...then the game is doing nothing at all as far as SP is concerned but annoying players with moving out Sims they didn't want to be touched.
Aging is working..SP doesn't..and no amount of saying how great it is makes it true..because it doesn't work other than to tick off some players..I'm not the only one..or there wouldn't be a mod that causes lag...even on a better machine.
Mine works. I'll keep repeating it, if you like. I think it could be better, but it isn't defective. My sims have babies. Infrequently, yes, but they have babies. I'm not sure about the getting married part.
For goodness sakes, use that mod you keep complaining about, if you don't like EA's brand of SP. You can freeze the household and abstain it from moving them out, end of problem. Understand that not all of us want to lose the open neighbourhood or SP. You are, in this instance, the minority, not the majority.
ETA: CK isn't the one that's been going around for 4 years yelling about how the game is defective, it needs to be like TS2 and so on. There's somebody that has. Name escapes me. Ah well. On the occasions that CK has said those things it's usually in response to something and is left after that. I'd consider that constructive criticism. He doesn't make a thread about these things and come back and tell everyone off who thinks they're wrong. Again, that name escapes me. It'll come back to me.
Further edit: I think it was SimTias on another thread who said that the longer term simmers are made to feel like idiots because they think that The Sims should be a certain way. That same nameless person whom I can't remember the name of has an uncanny knack of making longer term simmers who like TS3 feel exactly the same for liking TS3.
I understand your arguments HappySimmer..but my CPU is 3+ghz..no reason I shouldn't be seeing more Sims on community lots. I have had to go in and set most rabbit holes to 'no visitors' aka grocery store/book stores etc..so they would be forced to go somewhere else.
At one time (don't remember which EP) all community lots go messed up after installing and they were all set to allow visitors..that was a real headache. I had Sims just standing in the back of the school lot. :roll:
However, if I play EA's towns..they aren't vacant.so again no reason Sims shouldn't be out and doing things..and if they are it shouldn't be reading..another pet peeve. Only bookworms should want to read everywhere they go. :roll:
I agree there needs to be a new way for the game to generate townies that don't live in the game...they live off world..like in TSM..and in TS2..problem solved.
"Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
Sorry, EA, but there are many more of us that don't like just playing one family. To name a few..me, Windweaver, and CK213..the other Sims in our towns are like extras and they are important to the game we are playing at any give time..and yes, we want to have the freedom to jump over to their house and do things with them to advance all our relationships or make a mess of all those relationships.etc. I think CK213 said it best in this thread..and it explains my position perfectly.
I am not a legacy family, but darn it, if I put a Sim in my game..I expect it to be there tomorrow. It may be saved for later..and if all SP is doing is nothing but 'messing up' my game why would a player like me even want it..I wouldn't. But I do want Sims I don't care about in the town to age..etc..I just want the Sims take my time to add or to play to be left alone.
And btw..stop filling up all the houses with premades, EA..what about the player? Most of us, no offense, even play your Sims..not the Sims in TS3..we may have tried your Sims in TS2 and TS1..since they had a well known history..but these Sims are hollow. And you leave very little room for us to delete your Sims..if this indeed causes corruption..and or leave us very little 'space' for a new house..and take up all your good lots with your own Sims.
Hello, is it our game or yours Devs?
sigh
We complain the game is too easy in one sense, and get tired of the hand holding. Then in other sense we get lazy and want something removed when we don't like it.
Err if you don't like premades in the houses just it your edit town button boot them out and delete them. How hard is that. Leave the houses empty and do what you want with it. why do the dev's need to hold your hand for that? It's your job to make it your game no one in the world is forcing you to play a premade it's there for people who don't want to make a town full of sims.
Fixing the way legacy is handled doesn't mean removing story progression is a good solution. Hold on a minute here, if you don't even play this feature why are you even advocating for these players? How do you know you even represent their opinion on the matter. You can't say if i put my legacy in the neighborhood i should be able to do this, demanding for gameplay you don't even use. What kind of sense does that make.
Third of all removing story progression isn't going to improve playing legacy, in fact without the clean up system it might hurt a player more than people think. Never mind crashing to the desk top, simulation games when left unchecked can cause strain on a pc. There is a reason why that system is in place. Even if you turn story progression off if you place a more than your map can handle in sims the game is going to remove those sims. The key here is to find balance and a proper pace.
I said that before the old time frame for a sims day and the way pregnancy operates in the game needs to change. Since it's an open neighborhood. The game needs to balance itself. So when legacy players make sim families and place them in the neighborhood they aren't being removed. Instead the game adjusts accordingly. It's a system that can be fixed.
Sorry Arletta, I didn't realize by replying I am spewing. I was under the impression that at least on this forum if the OP never returns they get heckled for abandoning their thread and accused of just starting one to be a troll..didn't realize I was supposed to just make a comment then leave my own thread..sorry I will do that right now! I wouldn't want to be accused of 'participating' in my own thread. :roll:
ETA: Ana legacy isn't something I do often..but yes, I do start some families and would like to play them until they are all old and or marry off or whatever the next etc...can't be done in TS3 with SP on..they may move away..a fix for this with a control panel to tell SP which household to leave alone is a compromise..but I doubt EA doing that since TS3 is the Devs game, not the players.
"Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
I understand your arguments HappySimmer..but my CPU is 3+ghz..no reason I shouldn't be seeing more Sims on community lots. I have had to go in and set most rabbit holes to 'no visitors' aka grocery store/book stores etc..so they would be forced to go somewhere else.
At one time (don't remember which EP) all community lots go messed up after installing and they were all set to allow visitors..that was a real headache. I had Sims just standing in the back of the school lot. :roll:
However, if I play EA's towns..they aren't vacant.so again no reason Sims shouldn't be out and doing things..and if they are it shouldn't be reading..another pet peeve. Only bookworms should want to read everywhere they go. :roll:
I agree there needs to be a new way for the game to generate townies that don't live in the game...they live off world..like in TSM..and in TS2..problem solved.
this doesn't sound like story progression is the problem here. Your talking about the lot system now. Then going on into routing failure. That really not story progressions fault here because your sims don't route to the open lots.
Sorry Arletta, I didn't realize by replying I am spewing. I was under the impression that at least on this forum if the OP never returns they get heckled for abandoning their thread and accused of just starting one to be a troll..didn't realize I was supposed to just make a comment then leave my own thread..sorry I will do that right now! I wouldn't want to be accused of 'participating' in my own thread. :roll:
ETA: Ana legacy isn't something I do often..but yes, I do start some families and would like to play them until they are all old and or marry off or whatever the next etc...can't be done in TS3 with SP on..they may move away..a fix for this with a control panel to tell SP which household to leave alone is a compromise..but I doubt EA doing that since TS3 is the Devs game, not the players.
That wasn't quite what I meant. CK is polite about it. Not aggressive, as you can be, nor rude. He'll make whatever point he has to make and generally move on. He plays his game in his way and seems to have fun doing it, no matter what shortcomings he sees.
Sorry i don't agree, i love story progression!! It makes the game more real. Seems silly having school friends that remain children whilst you are ageing or family that come to a standstill whilst your life moves on. Friends and family move away all the time in the real world and i like the unexpected.
Since I'm not a control freak with my Sims I like the randomness of story progression. I like my Sims making decisions on their own. I like the little notices the SP mod gives about what is going on in town. Sometimes it will be Sim X had a baby with Sim Y and I think...hmmmm...I'd never have thought those two would get along.
This is what i like too, some of the pairings can be very interesting
Sorry, EA, but there are many more of us that don't like just playing one family. To name a few..me, Windweaver, and CK213..the other Sims in our towns are like extras and they are important to the game we are playing at any give time..and yes, we want to have the freedom to jump over to their house and do things with them to advance all our relationships or make a mess of all those relationships.etc. I think CK213 said it best in this thread..and it explains my position perfectly.
I am not a legacy family, but darn it, if I put a Sim in my game..I expect it to be there tomorrow. It may be saved for later..and if all SP is doing is nothing but 'messing up' my game why would a player like me even want it..I wouldn't. But I do want Sims I don't care about in the town to age..etc..I just want the Sims take my time to add or to play to be left alone.
And btw..stop filling up all the houses with premades, EA..what about the player? Most of us, no offense, even play your Sims..not the Sims in TS3..we may have tried your Sims in TS2 and TS1..since they had a well known history..but these Sims are hollow. And you leave very little room for us to delete your Sims..if this indeed causes corruption..and or leave us very little 'space' for a new house..and take up all your good lots with your own Sims.
Hello, is it our game or yours Devs?
I completely agree with you that we should be able to control the other families too if we want to! And no I don't play the legacy challenge either because I don't have the patience for it.
But the game would be boring for me without premade families with premade stories. It was the premade families and their stories that made the Sims 2 so interesting. (But of course we should also be able to get rid of the premade sims when we don't want them anymore!)
Since I'm not a control freak with my Sims I like the randomness of story progression. I like my Sims making decisions on their own. I like the little notices the SP mod gives about what is going on in town. Sometimes it will be Sim X had a baby with Sim Y and I think...hmmmm...I'd never have thought those two would get along.
This is what i like too, some of the pairings can be very interesting
I actually like those notices. I like knowing what is going on in the town, and I particularly like that I can click on the picture icon to go to the sim that the notice is about.
I also like it because it can serve as a warning when something I don't want to happen is in the works, like a sim being interested in the sim that I want my sim to have as a love interest.
EA's story progression is too random and inconsistent to make a coherent story scenario out of what it does. Even if I may like a story progression change and choose to go with the flow, story progression could ruin the new direction with another random change. I need more control.
What follows is why I turned Story Progression off. This was long ago when we only had the base game.
Today I was playing a sim couple and I noticed the house of the richest sims in the neighborhood was empty. I'm playing them in another saved neighborhood, but I like having them around and having the sims I'm playing drop by and visit them once in a while. They are the Wellingtons.
I built this house specifically for them, so I want them to stay put. It's bigger than they need, so I guess ol' story progression decided it would put them in a smaller house even though they are stinkin' rich and could fill the place with kids.
Story progression moved them into this house. Not a bad idea actually. It has a nice view of the ocean and I could imagine the Wellingtons moving there after retirement--but not now.
So I go inside to find mother and father Wellington, but their teenage daughter, Lydia, is missing.
I look around and find Lydia has moved in with the Alvi's. :shock:
Strange, seeing that she is a snob and would/should be looking down on the Alvi's. Worse, she is in love with VJ Alvi. He's evil.
She also has Michael Bachelor as a love interest.
Rich girl going for the bad boy, why couldn't it be the other Alvi brother. He's the decent one. This isn't the first time VJ has interrupted my community plans, but that's another story.
Anyway, I did enjoy breaking it up.
These story progression [put in your own word] can be interesting. It gives you something to do. But giving you more say over what happens to residents of interest in your town and having deeper information about what is going on should be designed into the game--not a mod.
Might as well stir the jealousy pot and mix in a little flirtation.
Back where they belong, I'll see how long they stay there.
With the way EA story progression works, we might as well be back at TS2 locked on one lot because we don't have much say with what happens to the other households in the neighborhood.
This is why I love Twallan's mod. I can protect the households that matter from unwanted changes.
Once I shut off story progression, and eventually went to Twallan's story progression, I had a fantastic time playing out a story scenario that involved Lisa Bunch, the Altos, the Landgraabs, and The Wellingtons.
Basically, Lisa married into the Landgraab family, with the help of Vita Alto's manipulations, and produced a son that went on to marry Vita's granddaughter.
There are also lots of long term simmers who aren't afraid to move with change.
This!!!
Every time anyone suggests something new or different for the sims 4 the OP starts ranting about how "true simmers" wouldn't want it but in my opinion true simmers move along with the changes and embrace the next chapter.
:shock: Cinebar why are you basing all of this on your experience if you don't like the Story Progression don't use it. But you are wanting something taking out that not everyone wants taking out> I haven't had bad experiences with it I actually like it. If they take it out based on one person bad experience over it that would just be stupid. It works its helps the town grow and function like a town. Your reasoning makes no sense why you are asking for everyone.
So, you are able to play a legacy then? You know Simmers..not me particularly, like playing legacies..and they would like for that adult kid to still me there when they call to invite them home for a family reunion. Problems with turning it off have already been explained by other people's bad experiences..if it wasn't bad...why is there a mod to fix it?
What bad experiences you are the only one complaining it doesn't work for you. I can play legacies but I also use mods my choice. But I don't see what is bad about Story Progression to begin with. If you hate TS3 why are you even complaining?
:shock: Cinebar why are you basing all of this on your experience if you don't like the Story Progression don't use it. But you are wanting something taking out that not everyone wants taking out> I haven't had bad experiences with it I actually like it. If they take it out based on one person bad experience over it that would just be stupid. It works its helps the town grow and function like a town. Your reasoning makes no sense why you are asking for everyone.
So, you are able to play a legacy then? You know Simmers..not me particularly, like playing legacies..and they would like for that adult kid to still me there when they call to invite them home for a family reunion. Problems with turning it off have already been explained by other people's bad experiences..if it wasn't bad...why is there a mod to fix it?
What bad experiences you are the only one complaining it doesn't work for you. I can play legacies but I also use mods my choice. But I don't see what is bad about Story Progression to begin with. If you hate TS3 why are you even complaining?
Pepperjax1230,
Did you even read this entire thread? No matter how much others would like to spin I am the only one complaining about SP in this thread just isn't true. There are many people in this thread whom agree SP is horrible..that's why they have installed the SP mod.
Regardless of the facts some in this thread like to paint me as 'rude' and agrumentive. Not true, as I am simply blunt and point out flaws in some things that were in the other two series that is only half baked in this game. But they can't lower themselves to 'agree' with me in most cases on this forum.
I had no intention of replying anymore, since some think I shouldn't even continue to reply to my own thread..but let them ramble with whatever they like throw out here..to prove how great SP is..but it isn't.
1. Unmodded game...that's not hard to understand..what does that mean? Sims' get stuck in loops..too many cars, and everything else the mods actually correct..however, they also cause lag in my game..I don't enjoy the popups of so and so was sent back to the house etc..because they were found where they shouldn't be etc.
With all that in mind (unmodded game) then there is TS3 Story Progression.
1. Sims Do Not get married. Period.
2. Sims Do Not have babies. Period.
3. Sims Do Not get their own Promotions. Period.
4. Sims Do Not advance their Relationships From Love Interest to Something More. Period.
5. Player Doesn't Even Receive a Notice about a 'real' Sim in the game concerning the above matters.
6. Paper in Game is supposed to reflect which Sims moved in and out..it never states which 'real' Sims moved out, nor moved in..only made up names. ....sometimes, it may be the same name more than once.
7. The only thing SP does do is move out Sims the player may not have wanted to be moved out. Or merge Sims into an already crowded house. Which again is out of the control of the player if they switch houses for awhile.
8. Since SP isn't really functioning like it should (unmodded) nor does it allow the player to 'control' which Sims move into which homes..and or which Sims may get into a 'love interest' situation..it should be omitted in the next game.
9. Because of SP the player can not successfully play several households without fear some will move away since that is about the only thing SP does do right.
SP has little regard for the player that is supposed to be god of the entire town..not just the current lot. Since this is supposed to be a game with godmode, the player really has little control over which Sim gets involved with which Sim and or which Sim moves away. Since those are the only two things it might do..
10. Adult children next door do not move out and may stay unemployed their entire lives..until elderly etc. Unless one of your Sim's switches jobs and the game deems that Sim to be a co worker..but most of the time the game will generate someone else..(sometimes already employeed) and not make the unemployed Sim become the co worker.
11. Turn Off Option..doesn't actually work...note the complaints early in this thread.
12. Turn Off Option, Can't turn off SP or the game becomes a ghost town, eventually..a risk I take due to how lowsy it is to start with and always messing with my fav Sims.
13. Premades (are part of the story of the town) can't turn off SP and just delete the premades and put in your own new, fresh Sims with lots of kids to populate the town etc..due to over and over on the forums it is stated Do Not Delete Premades..causes corruptions..big time! So the player is stuck with EA's Premades and having to actually Leave On the horrible SP....
I think that lays out my case pretty much..no need to state again SP works just fine etc...of course it does if you have Mods installed...popups of announcements are part of the mod....there aren't any in my game, people...since no one is having a baby.
Perhaps some don't realise how bad it can be if they move from town to town, and new world to new world..as was intended but stick with one world for several Sim years..with not really being allowed to Move Out Premades because supposedly their stories are an intricated part of SP...that is what has been stated over and over on the forums..I don't know about that but they state the game looks for those Sims...I don't know..I just know SP messes with my fav Sims..and it doesn't progress others as promised..and OFF it becomes a ghost town..so no wonder I don't like it and it has nothing to do with TS2..though I do prefer to play TS2 since I have more freedom..and rarely a popup interruption about anything.
"Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
:shock: Cinebar why are you basing all of this on your experience if you don't like the Story Progression don't use it. But you are wanting something taking out that not everyone wants taking out> I haven't had bad experiences with it I actually like it. If they take it out based on one person bad experience over it that would just be stupid. It works its helps the town grow and function like a town. Your reasoning makes no sense why you are asking for everyone.
So, you are able to play a legacy then? You know Simmers..not me particularly, like playing legacies..and they would like for that adult kid to still me there when they call to invite them home for a family reunion. Problems with turning it off have already been explained by other people's bad experiences..if it wasn't bad...why is there a mod to fix it?
What bad experiences you are the only one complaining it doesn't work for you. I can play legacies but I also use mods my choice. But I don't see what is bad about Story Progression to begin with. If you hate TS3 why are you even complaining?
Pepperjax1230,
Did you even read this entire thread? No matter how much others would like to spin I am the only one complaining about SP in this thread just isn't true. There are many people in this thread whom agree SP is horrible..that's why they have installed the SP mod.
Regardless of the facts some in this thread like to paint me as 'rude' and agrumentive. Not true, as I am simply blunt and point out flaws in some things that were in the other two series that is only half baked in this game. But they can't lower themselves to 'agree' with me in most cases on this forum.
I had no intention of replying anymore, since some think I shouldn't even continue to reply to my own thread..but let them ramble with whatever they like throw out here..to prove how great SP is..but it isn't.
1. Unmodded game...that's not hard to understand..what does that mean? Sims' get stuck in loops..too many cars, and everything else the mods actually correct..however, they also cause lag in my game..I don't enjoy the popups of so and so was sent back to the house etc..because they were found where they shouldn't be etc.
With all that in mind (unmodded game) then there is TS3 Story Progression.
1. Sims Do Not get married. Period.
2. Sims Do Not have babies. Period.
3. Sims Do Not get their own Promotions. Period.
4. Sims Do Not advance their Relationships From Love Interest to Something More. Period.
5. Player Doesn't Even Receive a Notice about a 'real' Sim in the game concerning the above matters.
6. Paper in Game is supposed to reflect which Sims moved in and out..it never states which 'real' Sims moved out, nor moved in..only made up names. ....sometimes, it may be the same name more than once.
7. The only thing SP does do is move out Sims the player may not have wanted to be moved out. Or merge Sims into an already crowded house. Which again is out of the control of the player if they switch houses for awhile.
8. Since SP isn't really functioning like it should (unmodded) nor does it allow the player to 'control' which Sims move into which homes..and or which Sims may get into a 'love interest' situation..it should be omitted in the next game.
9. Because of SP the player can not successfully play several households without fear some will move away since that is about the only thing SP does do right.
SP has little regard for the player that is supposed to be god of the entire town..not just the current lot. Since this is supposed to be a game with godmode, the player really has little control over which Sim gets involved with which Sim and or which Sim moves away. Since those are the only two things it might do..
10. Adult children next door do not move out and may stay unemployed their entire lives..until elderly etc. Unless one of your Sim's switches jobs and the game deems that Sim to be a co worker..but most of the time the game will generate someone else..(sometimes already employeed) and not make the unemployed Sim become the co worker.
11. Turn Off Option..doesn't actually work...note the complaints early in this thread.
12. Turn Off Option, Can't turn off SP or the game becomes a ghost town, eventually..a risk I take due to how lowsy it is to start with and always messing with my fav Sims.
13. Premades (are part of the story of the town) can't turn off SP and just delete the premades and put in your own new, fresh Sims with lots of kids to populate the town etc..due to over and over on the forums it is stated Do Not Delete Premades..causes corruptions..big time! So the player is stuck with EA's Premades and having to actually Leave On the horrible SP....
I think that lays out my case pretty much..no need to state again SP works just fine etc...of course it does if you have Mods installed...popups of announcements are part of the mod....there aren't any in my game, people...since no one is having a baby.
Perhaps some don't realise how bad it can be if they move from town to town, and new world to new world..as was intended but stick with one world for several Sim years..with not really being allowed to Move Out Premades because supposedly their stories are an intricated part of SP...that is what has been stated over and over on the forums..I don't know about that but they state the game looks for those Sims...I don't know..I just know SP messes with my fav Sims..and it doesn't progress others as promised..and OFF it becomes a ghost town..so no wonder I don't like it and it has nothing to do with TS2..though I do prefer to play TS2 since I have more freedom..and rarely a popup interruption about anything.
Yes I read the thread but I wasn't specifically talking about Sp if you hate TS3 why are you playing it. I get your points about SP I do. I am just wondering why you play then.
Your argument about "Turning SP off means the town will become a ghost town" really makes no sense. There's an easy solution for that. Turn SP off, AND turn aging off as well. When you turn aging off, it DOES affect the whole town. If you want your Sims to age up, age them up with the birthday cake. If you decide you want some of your Sim's relatives or friends to age up, switch to their households and age them up via birthday cake once again. You've already said you like switching households, so I don't see how this would be a problem.
Also, the reason SP moves Sims out of town is because the game feels that the population is getting too large and this is largely based on how the game rates your computer's hardware.
When I played this game on my old computer, SP would move out Sims in my town (or kill them off) so often that I had to turn it off. Now, with my new computer, I have SP turned on and have yet to have any Sims moved out or killed off, and I have my Sims check the paper every day. I also check my town via "Edit Town" and have not noticed any new vacated households. I think windweaver has already demonstrated how making improvements to your PC improves how the game handles certain things.
In addition, in my current game SP is turned on (and I am not using a mod for it) and there have been Sims getting married and a few have had babies, too. As I've said in other threads, I do get a lot of Sims on my community lots and they don't just stand around doing nothing, they are interacting with each other and objects on the lot. And, once again, this is WITHOUT any Story Progression mods.
It's kind of a well-known fact that when Sims stand around idle all the time, it's either because you have too large of a population, OR a weak computer. You said you have a 3.0ghz processor, but how much RAM? Do you have a good graphics card? These things all matter.
What I don't understand is that if you feel that TS2 is such a superior game, why you don't just play that game and stop complaining about TS3. There are a lot of games I don't like, but I don't waste my time going to their forums and ranting about them.
"It's like there's a pink elephant in the room and no one's allowed to talk about it."
I'm not entirely sure if this falls under SP, but I feel the Sims that move into your town while SP is active could be much improved. Usually the people that move in have extremely bland/general faces and it would be nice to see that change so my legacies don't end up looking like they're marrying a distant cousin.
Similar to above, the clothing of new SP Sims is usually randomized to the point where you have Sims walking around with super short shorts and sweaters. If there was a way to make it so there were categories of clothing in the code that made it so things classified as "shorts" are paired with things like "t-shirts" rather than "candy-themed bras."
The developers HAVE to thing ahead when it comes to expansion pack careers. There needs to be an option in TS4 which allows you to turn off the more invasive NPC professions like the singers/acrobats/magicians that come with Showtime. At the same time, however, I would also like to see ghost hunters/firefighters I have in my town out in other lots on the job. In other words, make it so professions are better balanced.
Again, like above, I want to see the Sims I'm not playing with doing things that currently would only happen in current households. Things like conducting interviews, ridding other houses of ghosts, putting out fires, earthquakes/meteors, and performing sing-o-grams are all things I want to see other Sims doing so it seems like they continue there lives regardless of whether or not I'm playing with them.
Finally, like a lot of people, I would love to see a more seamless game when it comes to switching households and maintaining a town. Things like jobs/relationships/family could be implemented to a degree where Sims continue their lives significantly without going completely overboard.
If I were to make a suggestion to EA, I would say really look at some of the mods people are releasing. The Sims is one of those rare cases where you have such a great modding community with a virtually endless supply of feedback and features that could be implemented in the game.
I like my best buddy from school growing up with me without my control
But I do think and agree with those posts that it can be enhanced - when I first knew about SP in the Sims 3 earlier announcements I imaged it would be more like your daughter (who had move out) would come over to announce her pregnancy or engagement. Drop in for coffee with a new hairdo - surprise me with a hey mum look at my new outfit!
Unfortunately I found that once out of the house they seem to became alienated from the family very quickly (just another townie)
I would like to go to the park and get a high five from an old friend who now has 3 kids in tow.
I also don't like how if you don't keep calling you lose your friendships - I love my friends and if we don't catch up for a while (even months) our relationships don't go out the window and deteriorate to acquaintance status.
And I love the idea that you could pick households to limit or have no SP so you could control their progression! should be included in the game.
Terribly sorry, but I'm going to guess you Arletta, and others do have installed the SP mod, don't you?
Con: If you turn off SP townies living in houses don't age..hello..
It does not! build relationships =check your households without the mod installed..two Sims will remain 'love interest' or whatever, forever...they do not get married or have kids...Sims in TS3 haven't been having kids since they patched the game to keep Single male Sims from having all the babies in game in 2009.
If you are seeing a family or couple have a new kid/baby..then you have a mod installed...and being quite ingenuious if you say it will make Sims have babies on their own...it's worthless if all you really want is for the townie to age along with your Sim at the same rate.
Well, I'm having a glitch where my sims stay as Romantic Interest forever, or on anotehr save file, Best Friends. It's really on my nerves. I may just be dumb and doing something wrong. I may just not know anything. But that is happening to me. But also with the romantic interest glitch sims one is a fairy and one is a human so the fairy is still a YA since it takes FOREVER for them to age. And the human is a adult so from the different ages i thought they couldn't do anything. And i'm waiting until she grows up. but i'm still stuck at best friends with these other sims.
Did you even read this entire thread? No matter how much others would like to spin I am the only one complaining about SP in this thread just isn't true. There are many people in this thread whom agree SP is horrible..that's why they have installed the SP mod.
Regardless of the facts some in this thread like to paint me as 'rude' and agrumentive. Not true, as I am simply blunt and point out flaws in some things that were in the other two series that is only half baked in this game. But they can't lower themselves to 'agree' with me in most cases on this forum.
I had no intention of replying anymore, since some think I shouldn't even continue to reply to my own thread..but let them ramble with whatever they like throw out here..to prove how great SP is..but it isn't.
1. Unmodded game...that's not hard to understand..what does that mean? Sims' get stuck in loops..too many cars, and everything else the mods actually correct..however, they also cause lag in my game..I don't enjoy the popups of so and so was sent back to the house etc..because they were found where they shouldn't be etc.
With all that in mind (unmodded game) then there is TS3 Story Progression.
1. Sims Do Not get married. Period.
2. Sims Do Not have babies. Period.
3. Sims Do Not get their own Promotions. Period.
4. Sims Do Not advance their Relationships From Love Interest to Something More. Period.
5. Player Doesn't Even Receive a Notice about a 'real' Sim in the game concerning the above matters.
6. Paper in Game is supposed to reflect which Sims moved in and out..it never states which 'real' Sims moved out, nor moved in..only made up names. ....sometimes, it may be the same name more than once.
7. The only thing SP does do is move out Sims the player may not have wanted to be moved out. Or merge Sims into an already crowded house. Which again is out of the control of the player if they switch houses for awhile.
8. Since SP isn't really functioning like it should (unmodded) nor does it allow the player to 'control' which Sims move into which homes..and or which Sims may get into a 'love interest' situation..it should be omitted in the next game.
9. Because of SP the player can not successfully play several households without fear some will move away since that is about the only thing SP does do right.
SP has little regard for the player that is supposed to be god of the entire town..not just the current lot. Since this is supposed to be a game with godmode, the player really has little control over which Sim gets involved with which Sim and or which Sim moves away. Since those are the only two things it might do..
10. Adult children next door do not move out and may stay unemployed their entire lives..until elderly etc. Unless one of your Sim's switches jobs and the game deems that Sim to be a co worker..but most of the time the game will generate someone else..(sometimes already employeed) and not make the unemployed Sim become the co worker.
11. Turn Off Option..doesn't actually work...note the complaints early in this thread.
12. Turn Off Option, Can't turn off SP or the game becomes a ghost town, eventually..a risk I take due to how lowsy it is to start with and always messing with my fav Sims.
13. Premades (are part of the story of the town) can't turn off SP and just delete the premades and put in your own new, fresh Sims with lots of kids to populate the town etc..due to over and over on the forums it is stated Do Not Delete Premades..causes corruptions..big time! So the player is stuck with EA's Premades and having to actually Leave On the horrible SP....
I think that lays out my case pretty much..no need to state again SP works just fine etc...of course it does if you have Mods installed...popups of announcements are part of the mod....there aren't any in my game, people...since no one is having a baby.
Perhaps some don't realise how bad it can be if they move from town to town, and new world to new world..as was intended but stick with one world for several Sim years..with not really being allowed to Move Out Premades because supposedly their stories are an intricated part of SP...that is what has been stated over and over on the forums..I don't know about that but they state the game looks for those Sims...I don't know..I just know SP messes with my fav Sims..and it doesn't progress others as promised..and OFF it becomes a ghost town..so no wonder I don't like it and it has nothing to do with TS2..though I do prefer to play TS2 since I have more freedom..and rarely a popup interruption about anything.
For some of those things. Don't read the paper! It's actually quite useless and your sim could probably be earning money or working on their LTW or both instead.
And if you don't want anything happen to your family that you switched from to play a random family to change. Then don't switch! Switching families in the same save file is useless and you don't have to do it. Just have the family you wanna switch to in another save file. It's easier to avoid your first family from changing. And for me, when just on one family and maybe not trying to find love or anything, I don't care about the NPCs around the town. But that's just me.
I vote just make it better in 4. The fact that video games have taken a huge jump recently says a lot. The tech being used too create the sims 4 should be cutting edge allowing the sims 4 to be next gen. and 2 steps ahead of the sims 3.
The gaming industry is on the brink of creating some fantastic video games. I think sims 4 is going to be what we expect and more. So I am guessing story progression will have a overhaul. EA knows story telling means a lot to simmers.
I play multiple households and never use story progression because it mucks up my tyrannical plans! But I feel I'm missing out.
What I would like for Sims 4 is a way to lock individual households out of story progression. Then I could lock my households but have the rest of the town change.
Comments
Here is the point of my whole thread..how is what CK213 TS3 bashing? All I am saying is what is said above..and makes my points better than I do.
Yes, I feel it is important to repeat what CK213 has stated on the first few pages.
If they don't show up, they are either otherwise engaged in doing something else, such as working. So many times it depends on when you send your sim somewhere else and how many sims you have in your 'hood. Although there is a special push to send them to either the grocery or bookstore - haven't figured out which one is drawing them in, maybe it's both!
The other reason there aren't a lot of sims on community lots is due to each person's CPU. Laptops are almost guaranteed to have a low turn-out of sims although there are exceptions to that.
I do agree that it would be useful for the game to have NPC's that don't live in your neighborhood. I have to wonder if this is why venues close: so it can look like your neighbors actually get to go home to their apartments where your sims can meet them! It would be useful if they weren't actually residents unless you befriend them and ask them to move in or something.
Edit: Actually, Cinebar, you said you wanted to ditch SP. ck213 said he wanted to put it under more control of the player. Which is also what I have been saying: improve SP, don't ditch it.
But you are all over the map with your straw arguments here, so I am done commenting in this goofy thread. :P
Where are we going, and why am I in this hand basket?!
Mine works. I'll keep repeating it, if you like. I think it could be better, but it isn't defective. My sims have babies. Infrequently, yes, but they have babies. I'm not sure about the getting married part.
For goodness sakes, use that mod you keep complaining about, if you don't like EA's brand of SP. You can freeze the household and abstain it from moving them out, end of problem. Understand that not all of us want to lose the open neighbourhood or SP. You are, in this instance, the minority, not the majority.
ETA: CK isn't the one that's been going around for 4 years yelling about how the game is defective, it needs to be like TS2 and so on. There's somebody that has. Name escapes me. Ah well. On the occasions that CK has said those things it's usually in response to something and is left after that. I'd consider that constructive criticism. He doesn't make a thread about these things and come back and tell everyone off who thinks they're wrong. Again, that name escapes me. It'll come back to me.
Further edit: I think it was SimTias on another thread who said that the longer term simmers are made to feel like idiots because they think that The Sims should be a certain way. That same nameless person whom I can't remember the name of has an uncanny knack of making longer term simmers who like TS3 feel exactly the same for liking TS3.
At one time (don't remember which EP) all community lots go messed up after installing and they were all set to allow visitors..that was a real headache. I had Sims just standing in the back of the school lot. :roll:
However, if I play EA's towns..they aren't vacant.so again no reason Sims shouldn't be out and doing things..and if they are it shouldn't be reading..another pet peeve. Only bookworms should want to read everywhere they go. :roll:
I agree there needs to be a new way for the game to generate townies that don't live in the game...they live off world..like in TSM..and in TS2..problem solved.
sigh
We complain the game is too easy in one sense, and get tired of the hand holding. Then in other sense we get lazy and want something removed when we don't like it.
Err if you don't like premades in the houses just it your edit town button boot them out and delete them. How hard is that. Leave the houses empty and do what you want with it. why do the dev's need to hold your hand for that? It's your job to make it your game no one in the world is forcing you to play a premade it's there for people who don't want to make a town full of sims.
Fixing the way legacy is handled doesn't mean removing story progression is a good solution. Hold on a minute here, if you don't even play this feature why are you even advocating for these players? How do you know you even represent their opinion on the matter. You can't say if i put my legacy in the neighborhood i should be able to do this, demanding for gameplay you don't even use. What kind of sense does that make.
Third of all removing story progression isn't going to improve playing legacy, in fact without the clean up system it might hurt a player more than people think. Never mind crashing to the desk top, simulation games when left unchecked can cause strain on a pc. There is a reason why that system is in place. Even if you turn story progression off if you place a more than your map can handle in sims the game is going to remove those sims. The key here is to find balance and a proper pace.
I said that before the old time frame for a sims day and the way pregnancy operates in the game needs to change. Since it's an open neighborhood. The game needs to balance itself. So when legacy players make sim families and place them in the neighborhood they aren't being removed. Instead the game adjusts accordingly. It's a system that can be fixed.
ETA: Ana legacy isn't something I do often..but yes, I do start some families and would like to play them until they are all old and or marry off or whatever the next etc...can't be done in TS3 with SP on..they may move away..a fix for this with a control panel to tell SP which household to leave alone is a compromise..but I doubt EA doing that since TS3 is the Devs game, not the players.
this doesn't sound like story progression is the problem here. Your talking about the lot system now. Then going on into routing failure. That really not story progressions fault here because your sims don't route to the open lots.
That wasn't quite what I meant. CK is polite about it. Not aggressive, as you can be, nor rude. He'll make whatever point he has to make and generally move on. He plays his game in his way and seems to have fun doing it, no matter what shortcomings he sees.
*wanders off again*
This is what i like too, some of the pairings can be very interesting
But the game would be boring for me without premade families with premade stories. It was the premade families and their stories that made the Sims 2 so interesting. (But of course we should also be able to get rid of the premade sims when we don't want them anymore!)
I actually like those notices. I like knowing what is going on in the town, and I particularly like that I can click on the picture icon to go to the sim that the notice is about.
I also like it because it can serve as a warning when something I don't want to happen is in the works, like a sim being interested in the sim that I want my sim to have as a love interest.
EA's story progression is too random and inconsistent to make a coherent story scenario out of what it does. Even if I may like a story progression change and choose to go with the flow, story progression could ruin the new direction with another random change. I need more control.
What follows is why I turned Story Progression off. This was long ago when we only had the base game.
Once I shut off story progression, and eventually went to Twallan's story progression, I had a fantastic time playing out a story scenario that involved Lisa Bunch, the Altos, the Landgraabs, and The Wellingtons.
Basically, Lisa married into the Landgraab family, with the help of Vita Alto's manipulations, and produced a son that went on to marry Vita's granddaughter.
The Landgraabs and the Altos, united at last.
This!!!
Every time anyone suggests something new or different for the sims 4 the OP starts ranting about how "true simmers" wouldn't want it but in my opinion true simmers move along with the changes and embrace the next chapter.
Pepperjax1230,
Did you even read this entire thread? No matter how much others would like to spin I am the only one complaining about SP in this thread just isn't true. There are many people in this thread whom agree SP is horrible..that's why they have installed the SP mod.
Regardless of the facts some in this thread like to paint me as 'rude' and agrumentive. Not true, as I am simply blunt and point out flaws in some things that were in the other two series that is only half baked in this game. But they can't lower themselves to 'agree' with me in most cases on this forum.
I had no intention of replying anymore, since some think I shouldn't even continue to reply to my own thread..but let them ramble with whatever they like throw out here..to prove how great SP is..but it isn't.
1. Unmodded game...that's not hard to understand..what does that mean? Sims' get stuck in loops..too many cars, and everything else the mods actually correct..however, they also cause lag in my game..I don't enjoy the popups of so and so was sent back to the house etc..because they were found where they shouldn't be etc.
With all that in mind (unmodded game) then there is TS3 Story Progression.
1. Sims Do Not get married. Period.
2. Sims Do Not have babies. Period.
3. Sims Do Not get their own Promotions. Period.
4. Sims Do Not advance their Relationships From Love Interest to Something More. Period.
5. Player Doesn't Even Receive a Notice about a 'real' Sim in the game concerning the above matters.
6. Paper in Game is supposed to reflect which Sims moved in and out..it never states which 'real' Sims moved out, nor moved in..only made up names. ....sometimes, it may be the same name more than once.
7. The only thing SP does do is move out Sims the player may not have wanted to be moved out. Or merge Sims into an already crowded house. Which again is out of the control of the player if they switch houses for awhile.
8. Since SP isn't really functioning like it should (unmodded) nor does it allow the player to 'control' which Sims move into which homes..and or which Sims may get into a 'love interest' situation..it should be omitted in the next game.
9. Because of SP the player can not successfully play several households without fear some will move away since that is about the only thing SP does do right.
SP has little regard for the player that is supposed to be god of the entire town..not just the current lot. Since this is supposed to be a game with godmode, the player really has little control over which Sim gets involved with which Sim and or which Sim moves away. Since those are the only two things it might do..
10. Adult children next door do not move out and may stay unemployed their entire lives..until elderly etc. Unless one of your Sim's switches jobs and the game deems that Sim to be a co worker..but most of the time the game will generate someone else..(sometimes already employeed) and not make the unemployed Sim become the co worker.
11. Turn Off Option..doesn't actually work...note the complaints early in this thread.
12. Turn Off Option, Can't turn off SP or the game becomes a ghost town, eventually..a risk I take due to how lowsy it is to start with and always messing with my fav Sims.
13. Premades (are part of the story of the town) can't turn off SP and just delete the premades and put in your own new, fresh Sims with lots of kids to populate the town etc..due to over and over on the forums it is stated Do Not Delete Premades..causes corruptions..big time! So the player is stuck with EA's Premades and having to actually Leave On the horrible SP....
I think that lays out my case pretty much..no need to state again SP works just fine etc...of course it does if you have Mods installed...popups of announcements are part of the mod....there aren't any in my game, people...since no one is having a baby.
Perhaps some don't realise how bad it can be if they move from town to town, and new world to new world..as was intended but stick with one world for several Sim years..with not really being allowed to Move Out Premades because supposedly their stories are an intricated part of SP...that is what has been stated over and over on the forums..I don't know about that but they state the game looks for those Sims...I don't know..I just know SP messes with my fav Sims..and it doesn't progress others as promised..and OFF it becomes a ghost town..so no wonder I don't like it and it has nothing to do with TS2..though I do prefer to play TS2 since I have more freedom..and rarely a popup interruption about anything.
Also, the reason SP moves Sims out of town is because the game feels that the population is getting too large and this is largely based on how the game rates your computer's hardware.
When I played this game on my old computer, SP would move out Sims in my town (or kill them off) so often that I had to turn it off. Now, with my new computer, I have SP turned on and have yet to have any Sims moved out or killed off, and I have my Sims check the paper every day. I also check my town via "Edit Town" and have not noticed any new vacated households. I think windweaver has already demonstrated how making improvements to your PC improves how the game handles certain things.
In addition, in my current game SP is turned on (and I am not using a mod for it) and there have been Sims getting married and a few have had babies, too. As I've said in other threads, I do get a lot of Sims on my community lots and they don't just stand around doing nothing, they are interacting with each other and objects on the lot. And, once again, this is WITHOUT any Story Progression mods.
It's kind of a well-known fact that when Sims stand around idle all the time, it's either because you have too large of a population, OR a weak computer. You said you have a 3.0ghz processor, but how much RAM? Do you have a good graphics card? These things all matter.
What I don't understand is that if you feel that TS2 is such a superior game, why you don't just play that game and stop complaining about TS3. There are a lot of games I don't like, but I don't waste my time going to their forums and ranting about them.
I'm not entirely sure if this falls under SP, but I feel the Sims that move into your town while SP is active could be much improved. Usually the people that move in have extremely bland/general faces and it would be nice to see that change so my legacies don't end up looking like they're marrying a distant cousin.
Similar to above, the clothing of new SP Sims is usually randomized to the point where you have Sims walking around with super short shorts and sweaters. If there was a way to make it so there were categories of clothing in the code that made it so things classified as "shorts" are paired with things like "t-shirts" rather than "candy-themed bras."
The developers HAVE to thing ahead when it comes to expansion pack careers. There needs to be an option in TS4 which allows you to turn off the more invasive NPC professions like the singers/acrobats/magicians that come with Showtime. At the same time, however, I would also like to see ghost hunters/firefighters I have in my town out in other lots on the job. In other words, make it so professions are better balanced.
Again, like above, I want to see the Sims I'm not playing with doing things that currently would only happen in current households. Things like conducting interviews, ridding other houses of ghosts, putting out fires, earthquakes/meteors, and performing sing-o-grams are all things I want to see other Sims doing so it seems like they continue there lives regardless of whether or not I'm playing with them.
Finally, like a lot of people, I would love to see a more seamless game when it comes to switching households and maintaining a town. Things like jobs/relationships/family could be implemented to a degree where Sims continue their lives significantly without going completely overboard.
If I were to make a suggestion to EA, I would say really look at some of the mods people are releasing. The Sims is one of those rare cases where you have such a great modding community with a virtually endless supply of feedback and features that could be implemented in the game.
I like my best buddy from school growing up with me without my control
But I do think and agree with those posts that it can be enhanced - when I first knew about SP in the Sims 3 earlier announcements I imaged it would be more like your daughter (who had move out) would come over to announce her pregnancy or engagement. Drop in for coffee with a new hairdo - surprise me with a hey mum look at my new outfit!
Unfortunately I found that once out of the house they seem to became alienated from the family very quickly (just another townie)
I would like to go to the park and get a high five from an old friend who now has 3 kids in tow.
I also don't like how if you don't keep calling you lose your friendships - I love my friends and if we don't catch up for a while (even months) our relationships don't go out the window and deteriorate to acquaintance status.
And I love the idea that you could pick households to limit or have no SP so you could control their progression! should be included in the game.
(Do you think I'll get us an oven?)
And if you don't want anything happen to your family that you switched from to play a random family to change. Then don't switch! Switching families in the same save file is useless and you don't have to do it. Just have the family you wanna switch to in another save file. It's easier to avoid your first family from changing. And for me, when just on one family and maybe not trying to find love or anything, I don't care about the NPCs around the town. But that's just me.
The gaming industry is on the brink of creating some fantastic video games. I think sims 4 is going to be what we expect and more. So I am guessing story progression will have a overhaul. EA knows story telling means a lot to simmers.
What I would like for Sims 4 is a way to lock individual households out of story progression. Then I could lock my households but have the rest of the town change.