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EA silence on family play and family play fans

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  • Starglitters9909Starglitters9909 Posts: 2,524 Member
    blewis823 wrote: »
    That's another case of EA trying to force the game into another form, be it RPG, MMO, or whatever the cool thing to do. I remember SimGuru Graham telling us at MTS this game was created for those that don't visit the forums and find the past iterations too hard. Either the hard core simmers would have to jump on board or be passed by. Well, lots of the hardcore simmers decided to let it past by, they don't want to jump on board with a game that doesn't have true fans simming in mind. Now EA wants to send out surveys, open up threads for ideas. Why now? I know you all didn't want us to give any suggestions before, but asking now for ideas looks very suspicious. Didn't it all work out the way you wanted? Now you want to cater to the hardcore simmer? Again I SMH.

    Your post is the absolute truth. They did pass the hardcore simmers by in hopes of attracting a new generation of simmers. They should have focused on all the hardcore group and made a game we would have loved. They would have had more success. A lot of the new gamers that are just starting that have never played any other sims game, they don't know what they have missed out on. They see the sims 4 and think that's the best there is. They can't understand why people that have played the sims from sims 1 on feel the way we do about all the missing features that were left out of the game. I think EA finally sees what a big mistake they made with this game. That's exactly why EA will never state how many games were sold because they are so ashamed of the small sales number.
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  • LaAbbyLaAbby Posts: 3,742 Member
    blewis823 wrote: »
    That's another case of EA trying to force the game into another form, be it RPG, MMO, or whatever the cool thing to do. I remember SimGuru Graham telling us at MTS this game was created for those that don't visit the forums and find the past iterations too hard. Either the hard core simmers would have to jump on board or be passed by. Well, lots of the hardcore simmers decided to let it past by, they don't want to jump on board with a game that doesn't have true fans simming in mind. Now EA wants to send out surveys, open up threads for ideas. Why now? I know you all didn't want us to give any suggestions before, but asking now for ideas looks very suspicious. Didn't it all work out the way you wanted? Now you want to cater to the hardcore simmer? Again I SMH.

    Your post is the absolute truth. They did pass the hardcore simmers by in hopes of attracting a new generation of simmers. They should have focused on all the hardcore group and made a game we would have loved. They would have had more success. A lot of the new gamers that are just starting that have never played any other sims game, they don't know what they have missed out on. They see the sims 4 and think that's the best there is. They can't understand why people that have played the sims from sims 1 on feel the way we do about all the missing features that were left out of the game. I think EA finally sees what a big mistake they made with this game. That's exactly why EA will never state how many games were sold because they are so ashamed of the small sales number.

    I consider myself a new simmer, I almost have a year since I first started simming, and that's with Sims 3.

    Maybe it's cause I'm not 10, but even I know the base game isn't a base game. I played the Sims 3 base game for three months before I decided to download Late Night (which came with Sims 3), I recently got Sims 4 and got bored around the third day or so.

    So TBH, I don't know who they are catering towards. I doubt it's new players ...
  • JimilJimil Posts: 4,443 Member
    I don't think relatives who make intimate relationships with one another is called a family play/plan. What is EA thinking?
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  • Starglitters9909Starglitters9909 Posts: 2,524 Member
    Jimil wrote: »
    I don't think relatives who make intimate relationships with one another is called a family play/plan. What is EA thinking?
    tumblr_inline_nb72hvW0641qlqcca.gif

    What was EA thinking? They weren't thinking. If they had been thinking they would have made a game worth playing out of the sims 4. They would have added all the missing features to begin with instead of trying to patch everything back in. They know they have screwed up. That's why they want everyone to take a survey and tell them what they can do to make things better. I think it's a little bit too late EA.

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  • JimilJimil Posts: 4,443 Member
    Jimil wrote: »
    I don't think relatives who make intimate relationships with one another is called a family play/plan. What is EA thinking?
    tumblr_inline_nb72hvW0641qlqcca.gif

    What was EA thinking? They weren't thinking. If they had been thinking they would have made a game worth playing out of the sims 4. They would have added all the missing features to begin with instead of trying to patch everything back in. They know they have screwed up. That's why they want everyone to take a survey and tell them what they can do to make things better. I think it's a little bit too late EA.
    What survery? I'm so interested to see that for myself.

    The Sims should be its own game. It doesn't have to be anything else like a shooter, rpg, single player, or mmo. To be honest, I don't think I can even call this $60 disc a game.
  • JuanaJuana Posts: 840 Member
    Shearsy wrote: »
    shellbeme wrote: »
    Am I the only who has noticed that when they tend to be particularly silent on a subject it turns out it's one they are working on? My guess is there will eventually be huge improvements to family play and that toddlers will indeed be added.

    I think I'm just having a day of agreeing with you. Haha.

    Regarding teenage heights, we were told there and then that their heights will not be changing yet everytime toddlers have been brought up they have stayed quiet and just said they couldn't say anything. This is just one example. (Don't make me give more though, just had a very long day at work :'( ) I think they can't say it because they ARE working on it, they just want to make sure it's right before telling the world.

    My fingers are crossed anyway.

    I really hope y'all are right. I hope EA blows our minds with a familyplay patch that is just so much more than we were expecting.
  • JimilJimil Posts: 4,443 Member
    Juana wrote: »
    Shearsy wrote: »
    shellbeme wrote: »
    Am I the only who has noticed that when they tend to be particularly silent on a subject it turns out it's one they are working on? My guess is there will eventually be huge improvements to family play and that toddlers will indeed be added.

    I think I'm just having a day of agreeing with you. Haha.

    Regarding teenage heights, we were told there and then that their heights will not be changing yet everytime toddlers have been brought up they have stayed quiet and just said they couldn't say anything. This is just one example. (Don't make me give more though, just had a very long day at work :'( ) I think they can't say it because they ARE working on it, they just want to make sure it's right before telling the world.

    My fingers are crossed anyway.

    I really hope y'all are right. I hope EA blows our minds with a familyplay patch that is just so much more than we were expecting.
    The Sims 4: Generations Part Deux EP. Now with toddlers!
  • stilljustme2stilljustme2 Posts: 25,082 Member
    Trishh wrote: »
    To be honest in the beginning I wasn't all that mad about not having toddlers. It was cool to go from baby to child but the longer I played the more bored I got. I hate the new aspirations because it's almost impossible to complete them in a lifespan on any age. The skill building as a child is very linear, but they're a must if you want your child to succeed in school/fill aspirations. As a teen there's not much to do either. Their part-time jobs are just as hard and that's frustrating so what do you expect a toddler to do? There's barely enough story progression to keep up with the life stages so no life long friends/lovers from child to young adult. I've had to create families just to have my teens fall in love with and eventually marry. And may I say I've had to create them with the same last name because THAT doesn't change when you get married.<br />
    Also I shouldn't have to download a mod to do the things that should be done automatically, like putting books into a bookshelf and not just putting it on a different floor because that just seems like the logical thing for the AI. If they don't fix these simple things don't expect anything new or different and in good quality. No I don't want to have to wait forever for more expansions but I also don't want to shell out more money on less than good quality add-ons. <br />
    Sorry if I got off topic but I've been holding this in since day 1 lol

    I really hope they'll add something in for teens -- it's so hard to find other teens in the neighborhoods because by the time you start talking to someone you find out that they're actually a young adult. Even just a quick interaction like "Ask Age" in the beginning of the conversation would keep from wasting too much time on someone who's generationally unaccessible. I'd love to see some sort of special teen hangout where teens could come and do homework (bring back the "Do Homework With..." interaction), play video games (add some actual two or more person consoles so Sims can play together, like the tabletop games we got in Sims 3) or maybe add the ability to have LAN parties if you have several computers in a room, have a snack bar or vending machines for when the teens get the munchies, and of course a place to dance and have some fun and maybe a bit of romance.

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  • JoAnne65JoAnne65 Posts: 22,959 Member
    SpidersWeb wrote: »
    SpidersWeb wrote: »
    shellbeme wrote: »
    Am I the only who has noticed that when they tend to be particularly silent on a subject it turns out it's one they are working on? My guess is there will eventually be huge improvements to family play and that toddlers will indeed be added.
    That is a change of policy however. With Sims 3 we knew months in advance what would come and actually that was fun.
    I really don't understand why they're being so secretive. Not ontly now, but also before the game was released.

    Some possible reasons -

    a) if something goes wrong, the fan-base doesn't go "oh but you promised!"
    b) people will use their imagination and falsely build up expectations
    c) something I don't get but I've seen a Guru post about it - apparently some weird thing about taxes and potential future income

    But I believe it's an EA thing, rather than a Maxis thing.
    a) that never happened with Sims 3 (don't know what it was like with Sims 2?); they announced an EP and after a while that EP was released
    b) people are using their imagination now and building up expectations anyway
    c) that one I don't quite get... something that changed after ITF was released?

    For a and b - that's general gamer stuff - and they had it pretty hard with SimCity in 2013 - might've been what scared them under the bed.
    c) yeah I've got no idea about that one :/ it's just the only time I've seen a staff member comment on it.
    I remember when they'd announced Supernatural I was at the beginning of a new generation, not quite knowing what I was going to do with my heir (it's like that with every new generation). We went on holiday (so I couldn't play which always means cold turkey and thinking about my game a lot :p ) and by the time we came back I had this whole story in my head concerning a witch. I started playing again (still no Supernatural, that was still like a month away) following that storyline already and when Supernatural was released I was able to use it. Of course I didn't know in advance what the supernaturals would be like and what they could do exactly (but that's good, that leaves room for different angles and new ideas), but I just liked it to be able to dream about the next EP.
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  • BeardedgeekBeardedgeek Posts: 5,520 Member
    edited November 2014
    As for the lifespan... I have never played on "normal", but it seems it is balanced for that. You have to remember that an "Aspiration" is not some kind of whim, it is your ultimate goal in life. Just like with careers, you have to actually WORK for it. Not just sleep through it while making "cute" choices that you like. If you want to fulfill your child's ambition to be an "artistic prodigy" you better force the tyke to draw three paintings a day.

    Just like in real life. But I find many people here are not interested in "realism", they just SAY they are.

    On LONG lifespan, the problem is the opposite though. You can easily fulfill two+ aspirations per lifestage. Which have made me have to nerf myself:

    Children only get two. More feels... cheap-
    Teens don't get any (well they get their first "adult" one but I don't work for it, at all).
    Young adults get to fulfill the one they got as teenagers.
    Adults get to fulfill another one that fit their traits.
    Seniors get one, but I never work for it, at all.
    Origin ID: A_Bearded_Geek
  • sparkfairy1sparkfairy1 Posts: 11,453 Member
    Trishh wrote: »
    To be honest in the beginning I wasn't all that mad about not having toddlers. It was cool to go from baby to child but the longer I played the more bored I got. I hate the new aspirations because it's almost impossible to complete them in a lifespan on any age. The skill building as a child is very linear, but they're a must if you want your child to succeed in school/fill aspirations. As a teen there's not much to do either. Their part-time jobs are just as hard and that's frustrating so what do you expect a toddler to do? There's barely enough story progression to keep up with the life stages so no life long friends/lovers from child to young adult. I've had to create families just to have my teens fall in love with and eventually marry. And may I say I've had to create them with the same last name because THAT doesn't change when you get married.<br />
    Also I shouldn't have to download a mod to do the things that should be done automatically, like putting books into a bookshelf and not just putting it on a different floor because that just seems like the logical thing for the AI. If they don't fix these simple things don't expect anything new or different and in good quality. No I don't want to have to wait forever for more expansions but I also don't want to shell out more money on less than good quality add-ons. <br />
    Sorry if I got off topic but I've been holding this in since day 1 lol

    I really hope they'll add something in for teens -- it's so hard to find other teens in the neighborhoods because by the time you start talking to someone you find out that they're actually a young adult. Even just a quick interaction like "Ask Age" in the beginning of the conversation would keep from wasting too much time on someone who's generationally unaccessible. I'd love to see some sort of special teen hangout where teens could come and do homework (bring back the "Do Homework With..." interaction), play video games (add some actual two or more person consoles so Sims can play together, like the tabletop games we got in Sims 3) or maybe add the ability to have LAN parties if you have several computers in a room, have a snack bar or vending machines for when the teens get the munchies, and of course a place to dance and have some fun and maybe a bit of romance.

    I agree about the linear play, others miss the point when they say it's not realistic-it's more realistic that people choose their own paths to success in life-not every musician plays multiple instruments, some focus on one. The fact is I'd like choice for how my sims choose to succeed in life because otherwise the game is forcing me to have sims that are carbon copies of each other-completely disregarding their personalities. Then I wonder what the point of traits are if they have little influence in how a sim lives their lives.

    I also agree about the teens-it's very irritating trying to find if a sim is a ya/teen. It's a simple fix just asking an age!

    Thank you everyone for your great points in this thread-it just shows I'm not alone in being a family play fan-and that there's nothing to be ashamed of to like playing this way :-)
  • AmaraRenaAmaraRena Posts: 6,533 Member
    I'm not much of a legacy player personally but I know that was a HUGE part of many people's playstyles in TS3. This game still feels like what it was rumored to be: An MMO aimed at teens who wanted to play young adults dating and partying. Only now without the MMO part. LOL So I HOPE they address this HUGE failing in the first EP. But for me, I STILL won't be interested in buying this title until it has weather and seasons, pets, and the supernatural lifestates. Until then, there's just nothing here to hold my attention and, broken as it is, I'll be sticking with TS3.
  • sparkfairy1sparkfairy1 Posts: 11,453 Member
    AmaraRena wrote: »
    I'm not much of a legacy player personally but I know that was a HUGE part of many people's playstyles in TS3. This game still feels like what it was rumored to be: An MMO aimed at teens who wanted to play young adults dating and partying. Only now without the MMO part. LOL So I HOPE they address this HUGE failing in the first EP. But for me, I STILL won't be interested in buying this title until it has weather and seasons, pets, and the supernatural lifestates. Until then, there's just nothing here to hold my attention and, broken as it is, I'll be sticking with TS3.

    I agree, thank you for your support :-) Id advise you to do the same, I wish I had taken your approach!
  • Deshong04Deshong04 Posts: 4,278 Member
    edited November 2014
    Gruffman wrote: »
    While I do understand the frustration with the lack of toddlers, the game has only been out for 10 weeks. Between the two patches for pools and ghosts .... it is a lot to ask for in such a short amount of time.

    This statement I think would be 100% false and here's why I think that: Long before any official announcements of TS4 and when TS3 was still making EP's, players have always given their feedback way in advance when TS4 would have still been in the preliminary stages. This goes to show EA's focus is elsewhere and not on actual fans because they had more than enough time to develop the reasonable features some requested such as an improved open world, babies more detailed than ever before as in baby clothes/hair/accessories/etc along with much more for toddlers like preschool.

    There were many, many topics about what others would like to see in the upcoming iteration. EA chose to pretty much ignore most of it. So I don't care what happens to TS Franchise, it can crash and burn. The future of TS is not worth anything to me anymore.

    Edit: Also the SG's have let it be known they relied on some sort of focus group to get feedback for TS4. Not sure if it always have been like that for all past Sims games in the series but something is extremely different about TS4 in almost every way.
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  • sparkfairy1sparkfairy1 Posts: 11,453 Member
    @SimGuruLindsay I think you guys need to check this thread out. It explains how many of us feel about what's going on with sims4 and I know I told you I trusted you to listen to us back in September but we've had announcements on patches for all these other core sims features, but us family players are feeling left out from this and it's just creating resentment. None of us want to feel this way-we desperately want for sims4 to be inclusive and include our play style but it's nearly December and we've got no idea if we do have any chance of this. All the while all the included play styles are having fun enjoying the game-when many of us who did buy it no longer play because this subject breaks sims4 for us. It's really sad, this should be the honeymoon period when we are all enamoured by the game and move on from previous games. Instead we are forced to play old games if we want a proper family experience. We are only stick around because we love this series and want sims4 to become a worthy addition and improvement to the series in terms of family play.
  • CinebarCinebar Posts: 33,618 Member
    shellbeme wrote: »
    Am I the only who has noticed that when they tend to be particularly silent on a subject it turns out it's one they are working on? My guess is there will eventually be huge improvements to family play and that toddlers will indeed be added.

    Considering you are right about they would not answer one question about pools, ghosts, you may be right. If you are then very perceptive. Let's take a tally, they won't answer about toddlers at all other than Graham said about he would want it to be priority. (but he isn't over this game)....they won't say a word about cars but I may have missed if they said it was too hard, and they wouldn't answer about basements. Though they may have lately in the chats which I haven't read all of them. So, you may be right since they did answer about teen height,or why we see so much clipping and was a choice they made, etc.
    "Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
  • AineAine Posts: 3,043 Member
    Ugh, I want toddlers AND preteens. So. Badly.
    Allons-y!

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  • elanorbretonelanorbreton Posts: 14,518 Member
    edited November 2014
    EA's secret silent plan: wait for December 25th and then release a surprise patch which includes free toddlers and a family tree! Toddlers who can do all the usual stuff and much more! So in-depth that they will blow everything out of the water and all the fans will be bowing down in praise and gratitude...

    Oh wait, that was just the dream I had last night :D


  • Bettyboop55Bettyboop55 Posts: 2,646 Member
    EA's secret silent plan: wait for December 25th and then release a surprise patch which includes free toddlers and a family tree! Toddlers who can do all the usual stuff and much more! So in-depth that they will blow everything out of the water and all the fans will be bowing down in praise and gratitude...

    Oh wait, that was just the dream I had last night :D


    Dreams can come true :)

    Sorry I couldn't resist :)


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  • GruffmanGruffman Posts: 4,831 Member
    Deshong04 wrote: »
    Gruffman wrote: »
    While I do understand the frustration with the lack of toddlers, the game has only been out for 10 weeks. Between the two patches for pools and ghosts .... it is a lot to ask for in such a short amount of time.

    This statement I think would be 100% false and here's why I think that: Long before any official announcements of TS4 and when TS3 was still making EP's, players have always given their feedback way in advance when TS4 would have still been in the preliminary stages. This goes to show EA's focus is elsewhere and not on actual fans because they had more than enough time to develop the reasonable features some requested such as an improved open world, babies more detailed than ever before as in baby clothes/hair/accessories/etc along with much more for toddlers like preschool.

    There were many, many topics about what others would like to see in the upcoming iteration. EA chose to pretty much ignore most of it. So I don't care what happens to TS Franchise, it can crash and burn. The future of TS is not worth anything to me anymore.

    Edit: Also the SG's have let it be known they relied on some sort of focus group to get feedback for TS4. Not sure if it always have been like that for all past Sims games in the series but something is extremely different about TS4 in almost every way.

    Actually no, it is not 100% false. The game has only been out 10 weeks. During the time it has been out for 10 weeks, we have had two of its issues added in, pools and ghosts. Those features were meant to be in the base game, but were not able to be put in. If I remember right, the development team asked for more time and were told no.

    Everyone can play armchair quarterback and say what they should have done and complain about what should have been. But that will not change what we did indeed ended up getting. It also accomplishes nothing. Ask, scream, demand ... do whatever you think you need to do to get the game in the direction it can go. I also do not buy that you do not care where the TS franchise goes, if you did you wouldn't have bothered to post and you would have just been gone.

    Should toddlers been in the base game, absolutely. All life stages should have been. Will toddlers make a return, I do think that they will.
  • sparkfairy1sparkfairy1 Posts: 11,453 Member
    EA's secret silent plan: wait for December 25th and then release a surprise patch which includes free toddlers and a family tree! Toddlers who can do all the usual stuff and much more! So in-depth that they will blow everything out of the water and all the fans will be bowing down in praise and gratitude...

    Oh wait, that was just the dream I had last night :D


    That would be the best Christmas present for me! I wish so much!
  • GoldenBuffyGoldenBuffy Posts: 4,025 Member
    Deshong04 wrote: »
    @GoldenBuffy The thing, I think, with Indie games is that they focus on customer satisfaction/feedback and take it to heart and listen and follow through if possible. The reason why well established game developers get away with not satisfying customers but still make money is because too many people don't care enough to help correct that behavior in order to get the best they can from the company. It is a business exchange after all right? You give me a well made product I want and I give you money. However if you want to start being cheap and cutting corners and lacking quality, then no money from me. But so many don't care so the cycle repeats yet they complain when they are all a part of the problem. So there's no point in complaining just keep buying and playing and support them then.

    If an Indie developer were to cut out customer satisfaction they simply wouldn't survive, most likely. I don't care if EA/Maxis/The Sims Studio is the only developer that has so far the best life simulation game. If they no longer care about the consumers/fanbase then I don't care to support them. Simple as that. It's just a game but there are so many better games out there and developers that actually listen and care and APPLY feedback where appropriate. Not all this talk and nothing happens. All that is is just pretending to care but don't give a care. "We'll pretend to listen just to get you off our backs but the reality is we don't give a care. You still buy and provide us with a paycheck, so be quiet and keep buying because you're not going to do anything drastic like stop supporting us. So it is what it is." That's how I feel they think. But of course they will make some things happen to give the illusion they are doing something. Besides if enough people had enough, then EA would have no choice but to focus more on customer satisfaction before calling it quits.

    Anyway Indie games are pretty amazing. A lot of talent and creativity out there. I'd definitely like to buy more Indie games after I finish The Vanishing of Ethan Carter.

    I agree with you. Also, with Indie games the developers actually play the game, therefore they are invested in it, wanting to make it better, and wanting the players to like it and enjoy it as well. I honestly believe that the devs. who have worked on Sims 3 and those who are working on Sims 4 have never actually played the original game or even Sims 2. if they have then they would understand the average Sim player. What they want to see in a continuation of the game. What needs to be improved upon that is so great and what makes the Sims, Sims!

    They've missed the mark, and they don't care. Or if they do care it could have fooled me. I think someone has said that one of the Gurus said that they don't understand simmers because they have never played the game. Well, how I look at it, if you don't understand something then you go out and educate yourself about it, so you can learn and understand it. Then you can go from there. So, for me, actions speak louder than words. If they truly knew what we as simmers wanted in a Sims game then it would reflect in their work. But it hasn't, and they aren't taking the feedback either. They are doing what they want to do, slap the name Sims on it, and call it a day. They are saying "You take it and you like it."

    For those simmers who are enjoying this game, I'm happy for them. But I just don't understand if you've been a fan for the Sims since the beginning how you can be satisfied with a game that has jumped the shark so to speak. (Can games jump the shark?) LOL

    I'm an optimist at times. And I'm holding out at least for the first EP to see where EA is taking the Sims 4, but I am sorely disappointed in the base game.
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  • DarciTheFoxDarciTheFox Posts: 1,589 Member
    If they roll out OFB first, I will be really scared for toddlers. The longer they wait to release them, the less likely I think they will actually worry about making them. I have to seriously consider quitting the TS series. I will not support a company that conducts itself in such an unprofessional manner like releasing an unfinished game and then leaving out core features like family play.

    If the first EP is OFB, I will seriously start to worry.
  • CowPlantForHireCowPlantForHire Posts: 6,002 Member
    Uh, guys, this doesn't sound promising:
    forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/801184/open-for-business-the-first-expansion-new-concept-art-suggests-so#latest

    I'm feeling so disappointed right now. :(
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