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Sims 4 THOUGHTS
DillynJames
Posts: 551 Member
I never post forums (I prefer to comment of other peoples) so forgive me if things don't come out 100% clear. These are my own thoughts, you are welcome to disagree with them.
Positive things about TS4.
1. Create-A-Sim. All jokes about it being "tactile and intuitive" aside, CAS in TS4 really does look amazing, and better than any game so far. The Sims 2 had a CAS that really only allowed you to make changes to a sims face, and most sims ended up looking more or less the same (in my game, at least). The Sims 3 further expanded on CAS, but remained heavily focused on the use of sliders. Plus CAS in Sims 3 is obviously done in HD or something, because often times the sims I create end up looking good in CAS, then end up having bored, blank looks on their faces during actual gameplay. And their headshots definitely don't capture every detail you may have given your sims in CAS and I always found that to be annoying.
2. The graphics. The graphics of TS4 has pretty much divided the fandom in half. Some (including myself) love the stylized, cartoony look of the game, while others were expecting the game to look more realistic, like Final Fantasy, or even GTA. While I can definitely see why people were expecting the game to look more realistic I have to say that I am glad the creators chose not to go that way. If sims looked too realistic then they would cross the uncanny valley, and it would be too strange to play (for me). Some games work well with hyper-realistic graphics, but The Sims is a game where you're doing (almost) everything your sims do in real life as well (paying bills, getting married, cleaning the bathroom, etc...) To make a sim that looks exactly like myself play on the computer...while I am on the computer...it just could get a little strange. I like the cartoony look because it reminds you that this is just a game. And in a world where many games ARE shooting for hyper-realistic graphics, I think this is a nice change. Also, for those who are saying the sims are ugly in this game...remember in 2009 when practically EVERYONE hated the look of the sims in TS3? Everyone was complaining (including myself) about how the sims looked "fat-faced" and too round. Then people eventually got used to it. Same goes here. It's just not what people were expecting so they don't like it. But everything becomes normal with time.
3. Loading Screens. Okay, trust me on this one. I really do think the loading screen will work well in The Sims 4. Those of us who played The Sims 2 know how frustrating and lengthy the loading screens were in that game. I remember timing it in 2005 and it literally took a half hour to load my household (That wasn't always the case, some times is actually randomly loaded quite quickly. Most loading screens did take about 10 minutes, though.). However, I reinstalled it on my laptop in 2012 and the loading screen took less than a minute. Technology has definitely changed in the last ten years, and most computers should load the loading screens much faster than what we saw in The Sims 2. I think if we can trade an open world with 3 sims on a community lot (other than the gym) for a loading screen that allows the lot(s) we are playing to be dense and full of sims then it should be a welcome change.
4. The aging system! The Sims 2 had a good (though flawed) way of aging. For those of you who don't know, in TS2 families only aged when they were being played. It worked well for someone like myself who enjoyed playing every family, but I can definitely understand how excited people were to get an open world where everyone in town aged at the same rate. My problem with that ended up being that I always ended up playing one family per neighborhood because I didn't want to play another family and then miss something important that happened in my other family. From the news I have heard (which could change at any time) it looks like we have the option to have your sims age as a whole town, OR just one household at a time (I think there are other options, too, but I am not completely sure). I am a big fan of that, and I am genuinely surprised that an expansion or update or patch never allowed us to have the ability to age in a similar fashion to TS2 if we so chose. I was expecting it when I played the game in 2009...but it never came! Oh, well.
Neutral things about TS4
1. Build mode. While CAS seemed really cool to me, I found the build mode trailer to be very underwhelming. Obviously I have not played the game, so I don't know for sure if it's any good or not, but as someone who greatly enjoys building in TS2 and TS3 I was waiting for something to blow me away and nothing did. Same old, same old. I guess I will have to try it out for myself. Also, I don't like that there are no pools in the base game, but we all know we'll likely see an expansion with them in about a year...so there is that. Also...it looks like there is no ability to build garages (at least not now) with how the foundation tool works. So does that mean no cars?
2. No Create-A-Style. I know A LOT of people are upset there is not a CASt in The Sims 4. I definitely understand why they are upset, but it is not a deal-breaker for me. People played TS1 and TS2 without CASt, so people acting like it's impossible to play a sims game without it are wrong. I am sorry, I am genuinely not trying to be rude, but there are some people acting like having no CASt makes the game completely worthless (although some already think that now, haha). It's not CASt 4, it's The Sims 4. That's just my opinion.
Negative things about TS4.
1. Alternate timeline? This probably will not bother a lot of people. But someone like me who loves the premade sims more than making my own, I was genuinely upset about fact that the game takes place in a completely different, alternate timeline. I am obsessed with following the timelines of the sims in the sims series. I don't know why. I definitely would have liked to see the game be set in a time after TS2 just so we can get an idea of where everyone ended up. But, then again the aging system is like TS2 again so it should be easier to play all the sims in the neighborhood vs just one family. I guess I could easily play all the families to where the timeline with TS2 would start. We'll see.
2. No toddlers. This was pretty much the final straw for a lot of people. Many were already on the fence about whether or not to buy the game, and this really was it. I can understand why, too. Although I don't really care for toddlers I totally can sympathize with simmers who are upset to see their little ones not be able to pass on to the newest addition to the franchise. For me, though...it's more about the fact that they took something out that has been a part of the series for so long. That's almost like taking fishing out of Animal Crossing, or the ability to run people over in GTA. It wouldn't necessarily change the way the game is played completely, but those are things that just shouldn't be considered to be left out. It was completely out of left field to have this taken out, and even though I never played toddlers...having the option to if I wanted was nice. I don't know. I am pretty positive that toddlers will make an appearance, eventually. I don't think they would show up in an expansion ("Toddler Life," as some are suggesting) because there simply isn't enough for toddlers to do to have an expansion focused solely on them. Although I guess it is possible for them to show up in a "generations" style expansion, I think they they would be patched-in into everyone game. Like when everyone got muscle definition/breast enhancement sliders from Late Night, or body hair from Generations, or diving boards from Seasons. You know what I mean. I really think that that is the route they should take if they were to put toddlers back into the game. Also, I understand that things don't always make it into the base game. I don't remember what was left out in the transition from TS1 to TS2, but I do remember being upset that pianos were left out of TS3 at launch when they were in TS2 base game. Also hot tubs, and private school. Just a thought. But leaving out toddlers...I just don't get it.
3. Teens as tall as adults. This really bothers me. I am not a game developer or whatever...but this is just pure laziness. Really, it is. And it's annoying. Sure, it won't really change the core of the sims, just like leaving toddlers out, but it's just an annoyance. Why not make them a little shorter than adults? Then Graham's answer of "Oh, didn't know people were still talking about this. Of course they are the same height!" I just thought that was kind of rude. Why would we expect teens to be the same height as adults. They knew the fan base would be upset with that and just brushed it off as if we should have already expected that. Yeah, I think not.
4. The price. This may be a little iffy, because I don't remember what the costs of the other base games were when they first came out. Were TS2 and TS3 60-80 USD when they were first released? I thought they were always 40 USD, but they could have lowered the price of the base game once the expansions started to come out. I really don't remember. But if the game really is at least 20 USD more than the other base games...I have to ask why? Are the sims so emotional that they cost 20 USD more now? Those are some expensive sims, then!
Anyway. That's all for now. Please remember that these are my own opinions, and I am not trying to say that they are better (or any more accurate) than anyone else's opinions. This is just what I was thinking about today. I am currently on the fence about the game...for now. I do think it looks great and has the potential to be the best game in the series, but I just think it's limited right now. The fact that it was originally an online game is becoming more and more apparent everyday, what with sims being the same height, only three traits (I hate that! I liked having five!) and the lack of CASt and terrain sculpting and the fact that the game does not continue any specific timeline. We'll just have to see how I feel when September comes around. I know I didn't touch on everything, and I left a lot out (kind of like this game, lol) so feel free to discuss other points if you want to. Thanks for reading my post, have a good night!
Positive things about TS4.
1. Create-A-Sim. All jokes about it being "tactile and intuitive" aside, CAS in TS4 really does look amazing, and better than any game so far. The Sims 2 had a CAS that really only allowed you to make changes to a sims face, and most sims ended up looking more or less the same (in my game, at least). The Sims 3 further expanded on CAS, but remained heavily focused on the use of sliders. Plus CAS in Sims 3 is obviously done in HD or something, because often times the sims I create end up looking good in CAS, then end up having bored, blank looks on their faces during actual gameplay. And their headshots definitely don't capture every detail you may have given your sims in CAS and I always found that to be annoying.
2. The graphics. The graphics of TS4 has pretty much divided the fandom in half. Some (including myself) love the stylized, cartoony look of the game, while others were expecting the game to look more realistic, like Final Fantasy, or even GTA. While I can definitely see why people were expecting the game to look more realistic I have to say that I am glad the creators chose not to go that way. If sims looked too realistic then they would cross the uncanny valley, and it would be too strange to play (for me). Some games work well with hyper-realistic graphics, but The Sims is a game where you're doing (almost) everything your sims do in real life as well (paying bills, getting married, cleaning the bathroom, etc...) To make a sim that looks exactly like myself play on the computer...while I am on the computer...it just could get a little strange. I like the cartoony look because it reminds you that this is just a game. And in a world where many games ARE shooting for hyper-realistic graphics, I think this is a nice change. Also, for those who are saying the sims are ugly in this game...remember in 2009 when practically EVERYONE hated the look of the sims in TS3? Everyone was complaining (including myself) about how the sims looked "fat-faced" and too round. Then people eventually got used to it. Same goes here. It's just not what people were expecting so they don't like it. But everything becomes normal with time.
3. Loading Screens. Okay, trust me on this one. I really do think the loading screen will work well in The Sims 4. Those of us who played The Sims 2 know how frustrating and lengthy the loading screens were in that game. I remember timing it in 2005 and it literally took a half hour to load my household (That wasn't always the case, some times is actually randomly loaded quite quickly. Most loading screens did take about 10 minutes, though.). However, I reinstalled it on my laptop in 2012 and the loading screen took less than a minute. Technology has definitely changed in the last ten years, and most computers should load the loading screens much faster than what we saw in The Sims 2. I think if we can trade an open world with 3 sims on a community lot (other than the gym) for a loading screen that allows the lot(s) we are playing to be dense and full of sims then it should be a welcome change.
4. The aging system! The Sims 2 had a good (though flawed) way of aging. For those of you who don't know, in TS2 families only aged when they were being played. It worked well for someone like myself who enjoyed playing every family, but I can definitely understand how excited people were to get an open world where everyone in town aged at the same rate. My problem with that ended up being that I always ended up playing one family per neighborhood because I didn't want to play another family and then miss something important that happened in my other family. From the news I have heard (which could change at any time) it looks like we have the option to have your sims age as a whole town, OR just one household at a time (I think there are other options, too, but I am not completely sure). I am a big fan of that, and I am genuinely surprised that an expansion or update or patch never allowed us to have the ability to age in a similar fashion to TS2 if we so chose. I was expecting it when I played the game in 2009...but it never came! Oh, well.
Neutral things about TS4
1. Build mode. While CAS seemed really cool to me, I found the build mode trailer to be very underwhelming. Obviously I have not played the game, so I don't know for sure if it's any good or not, but as someone who greatly enjoys building in TS2 and TS3 I was waiting for something to blow me away and nothing did. Same old, same old. I guess I will have to try it out for myself. Also, I don't like that there are no pools in the base game, but we all know we'll likely see an expansion with them in about a year...so there is that. Also...it looks like there is no ability to build garages (at least not now) with how the foundation tool works. So does that mean no cars?
2. No Create-A-Style. I know A LOT of people are upset there is not a CASt in The Sims 4. I definitely understand why they are upset, but it is not a deal-breaker for me. People played TS1 and TS2 without CASt, so people acting like it's impossible to play a sims game without it are wrong. I am sorry, I am genuinely not trying to be rude, but there are some people acting like having no CASt makes the game completely worthless (although some already think that now, haha). It's not CASt 4, it's The Sims 4. That's just my opinion.
Negative things about TS4.
1. Alternate timeline? This probably will not bother a lot of people. But someone like me who loves the premade sims more than making my own, I was genuinely upset about fact that the game takes place in a completely different, alternate timeline. I am obsessed with following the timelines of the sims in the sims series. I don't know why. I definitely would have liked to see the game be set in a time after TS2 just so we can get an idea of where everyone ended up. But, then again the aging system is like TS2 again so it should be easier to play all the sims in the neighborhood vs just one family. I guess I could easily play all the families to where the timeline with TS2 would start. We'll see.
2. No toddlers. This was pretty much the final straw for a lot of people. Many were already on the fence about whether or not to buy the game, and this really was it. I can understand why, too. Although I don't really care for toddlers I totally can sympathize with simmers who are upset to see their little ones not be able to pass on to the newest addition to the franchise. For me, though...it's more about the fact that they took something out that has been a part of the series for so long. That's almost like taking fishing out of Animal Crossing, or the ability to run people over in GTA. It wouldn't necessarily change the way the game is played completely, but those are things that just shouldn't be considered to be left out. It was completely out of left field to have this taken out, and even though I never played toddlers...having the option to if I wanted was nice. I don't know. I am pretty positive that toddlers will make an appearance, eventually. I don't think they would show up in an expansion ("Toddler Life," as some are suggesting) because there simply isn't enough for toddlers to do to have an expansion focused solely on them. Although I guess it is possible for them to show up in a "generations" style expansion, I think they they would be patched-in into everyone game. Like when everyone got muscle definition/breast enhancement sliders from Late Night, or body hair from Generations, or diving boards from Seasons. You know what I mean. I really think that that is the route they should take if they were to put toddlers back into the game. Also, I understand that things don't always make it into the base game. I don't remember what was left out in the transition from TS1 to TS2, but I do remember being upset that pianos were left out of TS3 at launch when they were in TS2 base game. Also hot tubs, and private school. Just a thought. But leaving out toddlers...I just don't get it.
3. Teens as tall as adults. This really bothers me. I am not a game developer or whatever...but this is just pure laziness. Really, it is. And it's annoying. Sure, it won't really change the core of the sims, just like leaving toddlers out, but it's just an annoyance. Why not make them a little shorter than adults? Then Graham's answer of "Oh, didn't know people were still talking about this. Of course they are the same height!" I just thought that was kind of rude. Why would we expect teens to be the same height as adults. They knew the fan base would be upset with that and just brushed it off as if we should have already expected that. Yeah, I think not.
4. The price. This may be a little iffy, because I don't remember what the costs of the other base games were when they first came out. Were TS2 and TS3 60-80 USD when they were first released? I thought they were always 40 USD, but they could have lowered the price of the base game once the expansions started to come out. I really don't remember. But if the game really is at least 20 USD more than the other base games...I have to ask why? Are the sims so emotional that they cost 20 USD more now? Those are some expensive sims, then!
Anyway. That's all for now. Please remember that these are my own opinions, and I am not trying to say that they are better (or any more accurate) than anyone else's opinions. This is just what I was thinking about today. I am currently on the fence about the game...for now. I do think it looks great and has the potential to be the best game in the series, but I just think it's limited right now. The fact that it was originally an online game is becoming more and more apparent everyday, what with sims being the same height, only three traits (I hate that! I liked having five!) and the lack of CASt and terrain sculpting and the fact that the game does not continue any specific timeline. We'll just have to see how I feel when September comes around. I know I didn't touch on everything, and I left a lot out (kind of like this game, lol) so feel free to discuss other points if you want to. Thanks for reading my post, have a good night!
modthesims.info/member.php?u=8889989 320k downloads on ModTheSims; CarlDillynson
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Comments
Speaking of loading screens. I play both TS2 and 3. What I have found is that it most often takes my TS3 Sims the same amount of time to get someplace as it does for my TS2 Sims to arrive via a loading screen.
I talked about toddlers, teens being the same height, loading screens, and no pools. Lol! Did you read my whole post?
The world size doesn't really bother me. Sims 3 may have had a lot of lots, but honestly...who really used them all? The world was big, but sims were not evenly spread out and that was a bummer. With a smaller map it will allow more sims to be in the places that you are. I definitely can see why people want a bigger world, though...I just don't mind it being smaller. Sims 2 worlds were pretty small, and I liked it like that. About the houses with 3 levels...well most of the time houses are only 2-3 levels anyway so I don't see why everyone is getting so upset about that. Although I think it may be because they are setting a limit of three floors. I understand why people are bothered about all the limitations.
None of these things really matter. Toddlers and pools will be made available. No one has to buy the new game.
You are most welcome :-)
I feel the exact same about the Timeline, and i'm glad i'm not the only who's upset about this. Also, i would love if TS4 is set after TS2 on the Timeline and people has begged for this over and over in the past, but it seems EA is not creative enough to proceed the history, and i guess Will Wright's absence may be one of the reasons the Timeline got so crowded and out of place on TS3. I just hate that they are aiming more to 'fan-favoritism' than consistency this time around with the 'alternate timeline/reality/universe', it's easier and they'll be free to throw fan-favorite Sims on everywhere without being hit on the head.
There is a lot of negativity on these forums (What can you expect, though...forums are mostly used for negative things). I have seen a couple people continually spamming the forums here about THE SIMS 4 DOESN'T HAVE *THIS* OMG WORST GAME EVAR!!!11!!1! so I wanted to make a post that was a little more...civil? Haha. There are good things about this game, but I wanted to share the things I was happy about, along with the things I am not liking at this moment.
Forums are used to discuss, share thoughts and ideas. The negativity you see? Just folks who need an outlet to spew nasty and hateful things. Not cool at all, but hey what can you do? Thank you for bringing a level head into this war zone. And some of the things you mentioned are valid concerns and I understand.
Honestly, I think it might just be laziness. Just like no toddlers, or teens being the same height as adults. They definitely could have fit this game in somewhere. Anywhere. Perhaps if they hadn't been so inconsistent and sloppy with continuity then putting this game somewhere in the timeline(s) wouldn't have been such an issue. Glad to see someone else cares about the timelines, though
THANK YOU! Like I said in my post...I strongly feel like toddlers will be patched-in vs. having to buy an expansion for them. I can't really explain why I feel that way, and there isn't really an example to pair this with...but I think they will be patched in. Just like some things were patched into TS3 without having to pay for it. I think everyone would quit the Sims series if they made us pay for a lifestage that's always been there (well, since Sims 2) and I think EA knows that. I would seriously be so mad if they expected us to pay 40+ dollars for an expansion with toddlers when they SHOULD have been there in the base game. Some people feel private school should be in the base game (like Sims 2), some people think weather should be in the base game (I understand why it's not) or pets (I don't think they belong in the base game) but TODDLERS SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE BASE GAME. Everyone can agree on that. I seriously hope they don't make us pay for them. Please, please, please give the fans some credit, EA? Don't nickle and dime us for absolutely everything. That's ridiculous and everyone can see what you're doing.
The difference is while your sim is traveling in TS3, you can play with other sims from the household wherever they are. You can look ahead to their destination to see who is hanging around the place. You can see if there is anything or anyone of interest along their route you can meet or collect, or you can just watch the other sims. With a loading screen, you just sit there, waiting.
Also, time, distance, and vehicle type determines how much a wait you have, if are simply going to do nothing while you wait for your sims to arrive. It takes inconsequential amount time to go next door in TS3. It takes a ridiculous amount of time to go next door in TS2. If you have a fast and expensive car, it takes less time than a taxi cab or someone riding a bike.
I loved the backstories for The Sims 2, and the photo albums. It felt like you were really playing a family, vs. the completely random sims in The Sims 3. Like..we know nothing about these people! I suppose it could have been meant to be like that though. They prolly wanted people to not care about the pre-mades so they would go into the revamped CAS in The Sims 3. I can understand why they would do that. But it just kinda makes me sad. In The Sims 2 it was quite easy to play out long-drawn family style soap operas, and The Sims 3 just doesn't really allow that (at least not for me).
Also, it looks like they may be doing it the way you are afraid of. The Goths are there (yes!) but they are younger than in The Sims 2. But The Caliente Sister are also there, along with some other pre-exsisting families. Pretty sure Don Lothario is back. AND we haven't heard anything at all about Cassandra being in the game so...
Edit one: typo
Edit two: I don't have the link-source, but SimsVIP confirmed some of the sims in the game when she was at E3.
Very true. When the Sims go from home to school (or something) I like to position the camera behind them and watch the town go by. I will miss that if I play The Sims 4.
Like me you are Sims 2 fan too. I will be playing TS4 with TS2 aging style. I love to play all the families, get attached to all members and every sim in town.
Thanks for taking a look at my post
Thanks again for sharing your thoughts with us in so many details, you put me into quite some thinking about the pros and cons of the game. I think I'll buy it though because only then I think it will be fair to judge it positively or negatively.
I agree with pretty much everything you've stated. I was actually looking forward to this game quite a bit. TS3 is so bugged, I haven't been able to get past a 3rd generation with out something going wrong. That's probably why the only thing I've been extremely distraught over are no toddlers. I've always wanted legacies, but it seems the only way to play TS3 with all expansions and stuff packs are with mods, and I'm against mods that I NEED. If it's a great game, you should not NEED mods to play it. Mods should be options to make the game more interesting. Not playable.
I digress!...
So that's why I was looking forward to a new generation, out with the old and bugged and in with the new and play tested and sorted out. But... it seems like another rushed game.
Guess I'll just have to wait until a simmer puts up videos of game play since who knows if we'll get a video on actual game play from EA before launch~
Anyways, lovely post! *wave*
One thing I would go into more detail about; is the way all of this information has been presented to us. We were told over and over that they were going to start telling us details soon, soon, soon. Those days never came until they were telling us what wasn't in the game or un-confirming things had already been confirmed. Months went by while we waited for information. We still don't have system specs. We kept waiting for actual gameplay footage and were given they same old information over and over again. Then when we are finally told about toddlers and pools it was like a by note on a script. Where is the marketing team for this game? I have played all the games with all the xp's and stuff packs minus one since Sims 1. I was never one for posting much on the other boards; although, I lurked at lot and watched all the videos and promos during release. Compared to the other releases, this game has not been marketed. If the game is so great, then what are they hiding? I realize this isn't actual negatives to the game itself, but I for one, consider being casually treated like I will give my money without a second thought very insulting and would definitely consider that a negative.
edited: for something that was censored. There weren't any foul language, so I'm not sure why.
(Just titbits from the article, I recommend you to read it.)
Another thing I start to think about is Ubisoft. Or rather their decision to NOT include a female character in the new Assassins Creed because it's to "expensive". Can't say I ever played Assassins Creed but it is a ridiculous reason.
The Sims is what's called a Sandbox game and caters to a lot of different kind of players who all have their own way of playing. So how in the world you be able to create something that's make everyone happy? Well, for me, I rather use my anger energy to rage against misogyny and the exclusion of women. Something, at least, would never happen in The Sims. Now the really great thing to add would be cross-dressing. Guy in a dress? Bring it on!