The Sims in The Sims 4 really don't look that bad, IMHO, but they're severely plagued by the unrealistic 'pudding face' smile which stretches ear-to-ear. Given Sims are mostly happy, this smile is constantly on their face, and it really breaks immersion at times, especially when you are imagining a Sim that wouldn't really have a constant smile.
When they're happy, it can sometimes distort their entire face to the point where it looks unrealistic and uncanny, for example. It resembles pudding face, sometimes.
The other emotions do this too, but not as badly as the happy emotion. I think a fix could just be to re-associate that huge smile with the 'very happy' emotion, rather than 'happy,' and make the smile on the base 'happy' emotion a very subtle, simple smile.
Edit: Made post more specific.
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The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.
Marcus Aurelius
This is what I look like IRL. "Bald is beautiful" my husband says. I'm getting used to it and I'm starting to like being bald.
While I'm at it, the "energized" and "very angry" walk-- Not a fan of that, the "energized" one looks a bit too goofy, the "very angry" one, with the bent-over stomping-- hmm - an option there would be nice, too. Some time down the road, of course.
Sims 4 just seems to be overly animated, when I'm happy I don't stand there and just smile and look around ... It's pretty creepy lol.
In the past the expressions were in the beginning neutral according to Will Wright and he would ask people do the Sims have expressions and people would say yes, but no they didn't. He was proud the 'game' was actually getting people to use their imagination of what was on the Sim's face rather than actually adding expressions. This was one of his greatest strengths to me. People gave the life simulator more credit than it was due because Sims didn't have expressions. lol Now, they are frozen smiles that I just want to wipe off and pinch their mouth to stop doing that. lol
I can def understand the irritation with it, but -- that angry, stomp walk gives me the giggles every time.
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^^THIS!
I wrote to the Ideas section a request for a new trait: Reserved, or Stoic, as another member suggested, but it didn't catch much attention. These Sims would not have such strong expressions and gestures in any situation. They would talk less with their hands, and laugh and smile less when Happy or Fine. Maybe they could have the normal Happy face when "Very happy" and normal Angry face when "Very angry", etc.
I'm largely okay with the emotions, but it does affect the way I design them in CAS. I tend to opt for smaller mouths than necessarily look the best in CAS, because I know that as soon as they get into the game, they're going to be wearing those crazy Joker smiles.
If anything, I think my main problem with expressions isn't really a problem with the expressions themselves--it's just that my Sims seem to be happy all the time! So I have to look at that mugging grin a bit too often. I'd like to see them just be Fine more often.
From Sunset Valley with Love (Tumblr)
My The Sims 4 Gallery
I added the mod that removes the room and environment buff (no good or bad surroundings) and my sims are now "fine" more often than happy. Which seems more normal to me.
From Sunset Valley with Love (Tumblr)
My The Sims 4 Gallery
It's one of my favorite mods. I like the increased level of drama.
Can you post the link? I was searching for this a few weeks ago after you had mentioned it in another post but I'm not sure if what I found was the right one or not. I haven't really noticed a difference. TIA!
no problem
http://modthesims.info/d/544813
There's multiple flavours: I use No Good + Less Bad.