I seriously doubt that if anyone asked you IRL what family means to you that the majority would answer "parties".
That's true but at least in Germany and Poland (where I originally come from) family parties (and polish people always find an occasion to throw one) has always been an integral part of family life. Trust me.
I agree, when I think family, I think family reunions, for birthdays, Christmas, weddings, holidays or any other special events.
For me family play is everything that is related to building a family unit, interaction between members and between generations, playing with all life stages, and family gatherings.
TS4 has several strong point for family play in my mind :
- Multitasking which allows interacting while doing activities and basically allow family play in almost all of them.
- Children and Teens have plenty of things to do
- New routing/group interactions is awesome for family gatherings
- World structure is perfect for playing all those family members in rotation and visiting each others
I seriously doubt that if anyone asked you IRL what family means to you that the majority would answer "parties".
This cracked me up. Don't come anywhere near my Irish and Italian family members then. You'd be in for an eye opening experience. Life is a party to both sides, the Italians in my family just pace themselves with small nightly gatherings of family, and the Irish go full tilt boogie with raging weekend gatherings. Both are full of good food and lots of "juice".
I'm glad I don't live in the same state anymore, since I'd never survive the intensity with which they live life. LOL I do miss their wonderful company and the chaotic din that surrounded you like a warm fuzzy blanket, though.
I am not playing families because I find the life stages unsatisfactory due to the huge jumps between baby, child, and teen.
My YAs are being saved for when we get toddlers and pre-teens, if we get them.
I may not think 'parties' but I do think 'get together' and that is what my sims like to do. They like to get together with their friends and families. It's all very warm and loving.
A YA couple is still a family, even if they don't have kids.
Of course they are! It's obvious that a couple is a family, but I was talking about family play, not families... family play is more of a kids and generations than YA juice parties imo. Long story short, that's what I meant.
I seriously doubt that if anyone asked you IRL what family means to you that the majority would answer "parties".
That's true but at least in Germany and Poland (where I originally come from) family parties (and polish people always find an occasion to throw one) have always been an integral part of family life. Trust me. We have tons of opportunities for family celebrations.
And yes here too, I adore our family parties. But the basics of the family has to exist, and for me having woefully inadequate early years play makes it shallow and I don't relate to sims 4 families at all. The bond just isn't there-and good thing with culling being a thing too because that would really bother me.
Perhaps they'll get it all together in the next few years. Maybe not. But I'm not going to force myself to play something that isn't fun, and Il stick around waiting and articulating what *I* want because obviously the devs aren't mind readers. Even if this engine isn't capable of supporting my play style maybe next time round they'll know how important family play is.
And yes here too, I adore our family parties. But the basics of the family has to exist, and for me having woefully inadequate early years play makes it shallow and I don't relate to sims 4 families at all. The bond just isn't there-and good thing with culling being a thing too because that would really bother me.
Yeah, but let's be honest here: besides talking there really is not much to do in this game. It's not only a problem you (guys) have. Look. My parties are no different. My sims eat and dance (with the stereo -.- ). That's it. We need to give this game some more time (to shine). I am very optimistic that your patience will be worth it. Especially for family players. I love how they made the children in this game (as a sims 3 fanboy who I am it's hard to admit this but they ended up much better than in TS3) and I am sure toddlers will be amazing as well. Just image those quirky little human beings with all their emotions. ^^
"[...] and everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, then it's not the end."
6. Ditto for the parents. They don't get family time if they want to succeed, they go to work then have two hours of work at home too?! Nope.
UGH I hate this SO much! I hate how they have to do assignments at home or have to have a certain 'emotion' before going to work. It's really annoying to me and I feel like it should be optional.
“Honestly, we didn’t meet player expectations at launch, and that was a difficult pill to swallow,” - The Sims 4 executive producer, Rachel Franklin.
6. Ditto for the parents. They don't get family time if they want to succeed, they go to work then have two hours of work at home too?! Nope.
UGH I hate this SO much! I hate how they have to do assignments at home or have to have a certain 'emotion' before going to work. It's really annoying to me and I feel like it should be optional.
The assignments and recommended Emotions are, to my experience, optional. The only Career requirements are the ones that get you promoted and usually make sense for the Career. Although I kind of dislike how Get To Work's Professions make you play them actively to promote your Sims.
Live your life to the fullest, don't wait for a miracle to happen, be the miracle to make things happen.
Sometimes your creativity is limited where you use it most, but you can use those limitations to inspire new forms of creativity you may never have thought of beforehand.
For me, family play encompasses a broad spectrum of situations and households. Sims being able to have and raise children, while an integral and important part of my playtime, is not my only focus or concept of family. The fact that an age phase is missing does not mean that there can no longer be any meaningful family play. Anyone who has lost a child irl or who cannot have children can attest to that. One learns to make life meaningful, and one dearly appreciates, often with new eyes, the family one does have--whatever that consists of. I have played households of sisters, brothers, single parents, parents who have lost children, grandparents raising a child in the absence of a parent, uncles or aunts living in an extended household, friends who live together who are more like siblings, and on and on. I have Sim families that are close and connected, and families that are quarrelsome and at odds with one another with rebellious kids. But I consider it all family play, and all worthy of my playtime.
Being the optimist that I am, I would not narrow down what family play is to only certain activities or family structures. If Dad and his buddy Jim can hug or go play horseshoes together in the same way that Mom and her little daughter Cathy can, what of it? Is it somehow not family play now because anyone can do those things? If Mom's friend Sally comes to live here and she snuggles on the couch with little Cathy and reads her a story just like Mom can, does that now exclude that activity from being family play because a non-relative can engage in it? I would hope not! I don't think having an activity which is or is not exclusive to certain individuals can define whether or not it is family play.
To say that because my Sims cannot do this or that (at least not yet!), does not destroy the family dynamic in my view. That is where sandbox and creativity come into play. I have fun with what I have now (and I find plenty to do), and know that as more EPs and GPs are released, even more tools and activities will come, as they always have. (Hot dawg!) While I do look forward to what will be added as far as new game play down the road, right now, as I always have in the 15 years I've been playing Sims, I use my imagination to create the stories I want played out for my households, and always with surprising and delightful results. This has always worked for, and always satisfied me.
For me it is the cradle to grave experience. I like being able to do things will all the life stages. Supernaturals are also important to my family play since I like hybrid genetics. So it requires all life stages for me to enjoy. The babies being objects isn't cutting it for me. Every life stage also must be expanded upon with packs not just one or two.
Outdoor activities in which Sims can talk and play together is also important. I did that a lot in the Sims Vacations. Play interactions are also important. I love mary mack and red hands and tag. The video game console families can play together is fun too. I guess I like families playing games they sit and stand together. Playing sports together is important as well.
Then there are little things like having a real social worker come by the house, having a real babysitter to watch the kids while Sims are away at work, nursery furniture, smart milk, and watching children feed their little animals like fish that are important too.
Reactions to tragic events are important to my family play too like if a divorce happens or someone dies. I think that is why having an in depth memory system is important to me. I want Sims to remember what happens to them to shape their character as the game progressing. Having each Sims feel unique is important. So even effective trait or personality system is important to the way I like to play.
On a side note the culling and incest issues are killing my family play so I hope they are addressed soon.
I also can't stand short cuts. I want my baby changing table and grabbing bottles out of the fridge. I don't like watching Sims grab bottles and diapers out of their behind. Watching the school bus come by to pick up the kids is really important too. So I hope real transportation returns again.
Post edited by Scobre on
“Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” –Helen Keller
6. Ditto for the parents. They don't get family time if they want to succeed, they go to work then have two hours of work at home too?! Nope.
UGH I hate this SO much! I hate how they have to do assignments at home or have to have a certain 'emotion' before going to work. It's really annoying to me and I feel like it should be optional.
The assignments and recommended Emotions are, to my experience, optional. The only Career requirements are the ones that get you promoted and usually make sense for the Career. Although I kind of dislike how Get To Work's Professions make you play them actively to promote your Sims.
Really? Because the only time my performance would go up or a sim would get a promotion is when I regularly did the assignments and made sure they were in the required emotional state. When I sent them to work in a good mood but without doing the assignments my progress never really seemed to improve. However, it has been a long time since I played the game outside of CAS so maybe I'll try playing again and ignore the assignments to see what happens.
“Honestly, we didn’t meet player expectations at launch, and that was a difficult pill to swallow,” - The Sims 4 executive producer, Rachel Franklin.
From what I've gathered from this thread is that some simmers define 'family play' as:
- Exclusive interactions for blood related sims
- Generational play
- Babies and toddlers + respective interactions
However, I suggest we all read carefully what @Pamhamlet wrote as I believe it is spot on.
Sure, there's important issues that need to be fixed (culling, family trees, toddlers) and we could use a whole lot of more group activities for all sims. Addressing this problems will benefit all simmers, not just 'family players'.
Finally, I want to say that 'family play' is just a label. Every single one of us has his/her unique playing style and in my opinion that's the biggest strength of this game series.
Finally, I want to say that 'family play' is just a label. Every single one of us has his/her unique playing style and in my opinion that's the biggest strength of this game series.
I love the way how you see those things (friends can be family too etc.pp.) and I agree with your post(s) completly (Same goes for Ponder_The_Sim).
And I got an idea now what "family play" means to many of you. Interesting thread.
"[...] and everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, then it's not the end."
From what I've gathered from this thread is that some simmers define 'family play' as:
- Exclusive interactions for blood related sims
- Generational play
- Babies and toddlers + respective interactions
However, I suggest we all read carefully what @Pamhamlet wrote as I believe it is spot on.
Sure, there's important issues that need to be fixed (culling, family trees, toddlers) and we could use a whole lot of more group activities for all sims. Addressing this problems will benefit all simmers, not just 'family players'.
Finally, I want to say that 'family play' is just a label. Every single one of us has his/her unique playing style and in my opinion that's the biggest strength of this game series.
Of course. That is what has been the prevailing sentiment of the family play thread since its inception.
@Mightydan Aww, gee thanks! I do hope that as more time goes by and more is added, more and more players will have their needs and desires met so they can come to like Sims 4 better.
I think for me, family and traits should affect autonomy. For example, in TS4, when I leave my sim alone, I will usually find them using their phone. The best I can hope for is family members talking while doing some other kind of individual activities like watching TV or reading or eating. In TS2, I will sometimes find a sim turning on the radio and dancing together (so cute when its a child sim dancing on the toes of his/her parent)... compare this to TS4 when sims dance at each other rather than with each other.
In TS2, when a parent gets a promotion, their kids will get extremely excited and run out of the house to give them a congratulatory hug before the parent can even get in the house. If the kids gets an A grade, they will sprint into the house from the bus to tell the good news and the parents will cheer if they are home. All this is done autonomously, though you have the option to make it happen via the pie menu if you want (congratulate good grades, etc). I love all the interactions between kids and between children and toddlers in TS2 as well.... throw pets into the mix and holy cow what a perfect simulation game!
Family Play doesn't just mean more group/ family activities to do for me, that's just filler stuff that doesn't really have a lasting utility value in my opinion. I think it really comes down to nuanced interactions that vary with the relationships and traits. I'm not a generational player at all but I always love creating families in TS2 because of all the little details.
To me- it doesn't matter how others see it, if to them it's missing then I believe them and won't type a page full of text to tell them different.
I don't like the teens being so tall (I know, real life and all but this is me), and I don't like that I can't play all the Sims but only one when and if I leave the lots (I do love TS2 or TS3 way of handling it), and I liked the messes and the stresses of raising the family (who will stay home- mom or dads) but now the babies go Poof to a Hidiehole..
There's so much more missing (as in basic game play) than toddlers to me in this game. And more than just the annoying blurriness and low detail of the game... and the
I'm also very confused by the use of this term. All simmers are family players.
I know simmers who prefer to play young adults and adults and don't enjoy much of starting a family. I think that is not family play. For me, it's starting a family and spending time with them. Doing all fun stuff together, raising kids etc.
A YA couple is still a family, even if they don't have kids.
When most people who love family play speak of it, I think they do mean interactions and concerns reserved for family. Any two Sims can have a relationship. However, in the TS2 as I said many things and physical interactions are reserved for family members. Sort of like how some romantic interactions are reserved until the relationship is high enough or they are close enough. Well, in TS2 some interactions are strictly family. And why it was such a huge hit to play from cradle to grave and beyond.
So family play is just a few interactions reserved exclusively for sims that are bloos-related?
I think it is more than that, because they weren't just a few interactions. It was the whole concept. Family Tree in that game would never have thought to let dead relatives go missing. I mean it would have defeated the premise to cull dead names in the family tree when it was a generational game about 'the family'. I understand this game isn't about the family. We can sure see that. However, it is what made the TS2 the cash cow it was.
I disagree with everything you just said here. TS2 added many interactions during the lifespan of the game, not all interactions/abilities were there from the onset. I don't know how one compares a game replete with expansions to a game with only one at this time. I am sure we will get more interactions as time goes on. Also, not everyone experiences the rampant culling some are having issues with. How do you see TS4 is not about "family"? If that was the case it would be all YA in the game.
To me- it doesn't matter how others see it, if to them it's missing then I believe them and won't type a page full of text to tell them different.
I don't like the teens being so tall (I know, real life and all but this is me), and I don't like that I can't play all the Sims but only one when and if I leave the lots (I do love TS2 or TS3 way of handling it), and I liked the messes and the stresses of raising the family (who will stay home- mom or dads) but now the babies go Poof to a Hidiehole..
There's so much more missing (as in basic game play) than toddlers to me in this game. And more than just the annoying blurriness and low detail of the game... and the
To me- it doesn't matter how others see it, if to them it's missing then I believe them and won't type a page full of text to tell them different.
I don't like the teens being so tall (I know, real life and all but this is me), and I don't like that I can't play all the Sims but only one when and if I leave the lots (I do love TS2 or TS3 way of handling it), and I liked the messes and the stresses of raising the family (who will stay home- mom or dads) but now the babies go Poof to a Hidiehole..
There's so much more missing (as in basic game play) than toddlers to me in this game. And more than just the annoying blurriness and low detail of the game... and the
I wish the disagree button was back. What blurriness and low detail are you speaking of?
A family Sim who cares about their kids instead of a toy would be considered family play. Like wanting them to get an A, be an overachiever, graduate with honors, get married, have kids, and grandkids etc. Where as the 'family' Sim in the TS4 doesn't express any of these wishers all my do is roll buy new toys when they don't even have kids. That should have been for a childish Sim, I think.
There are many things in the TS2 that are reserved for family and kin alone.
Sims care if grandpa dies. And grieve for days. They also grieve in the TS3. But more in the TS2. And they won't get over it until the insurance check arrives. (Why isn't there any heir insurance in this game?) No consideration for the 'family'?
Ghosts care about the family when they return to haunt. And are very angry the family sold their darn bed. lol Best angry ghost ever.
Kids taken by the social worker makes parents cry for days. Do they in the TS4? No. Do they go visit the kids that were adopted into another family? No, because they were deleted instead of adopted. But they will go see their kids (or come by) if they were taken then adopted. It's even more than that. And why I said you know it when you see it. (Family Play).
To me- it doesn't matter how others see it, if to them it's missing then I believe them and won't type a page full of text to tell them different.
This. I think the core of the problem is that some feel like the family play in TS4 is severely lacking then others try to invalidate their opinions by saying that because xyz happened in their game it automatically means that family play is abundant enough in TS4 to satisfy everyone. I think people need to be more accepting of other's opinions and respect the fact that not everyone views things the same as you. I don't like TS4 but I'm not going to give someone who likes it an essay on why I think their opinion on the game is wrong. They have a different view from me, I can respect it, and move on. The same should be done to people who don't think there is enough family play and vice versa.
“Honestly, we didn’t meet player expectations at launch, and that was a difficult pill to swallow,” - The Sims 4 executive producer, Rachel Franklin.
Family play for me means life as we know it in real terms such as a man meets his wife marries her and they have children. He goes off to work and if she likes she can stay home and raise the children. I love my toddlers they are hard work just like in real life. I feel you can form a bond with your sims and their families when all life stages. Its not normal for a newborn to go straight to a kid its messes with my flow in terms of how I view how a family is formed. I really like Sims 4 but I have started to yearn for the whole package of family play that is what it means for me. Alot of people say they just age the toddlers up for me its apart of real life when having babies and toddlers they are alot of work but thats what I love and then to watch them grow up to be rebellious teens. I don't know if I have explained the definition of family play but that's what it means to me. I have purchased so far everything for Sims 4 that has been brought out and it has been fun but not having that one life stage just makes it seem incomplete for me. I played Sims 3 yesterday for the first time in awhile and it was nostalgic playing with my little puppy and trying not to tire out because my Sims girlfriend has had not one but two babies twins? I'm like oh no double trouble. She hardly has time for herself and they are still newborn so I hired a butler to help out. Now thats real life except I cant afford an nanny or butler but some people can. Happy Simming. I am hopeful that the Sims 4 will add this addition because I believe the game has so much potential.
To me- it doesn't matter how others see it, if to them it's missing then I believe them and won't type a page full of text to tell them different.
I don't like the teens being so tall (I know, real life and all but this is me), and I don't like that I can't play all the Sims but only one when and if I leave the lots (I do love TS2 or TS3 way of handling it), and I liked the messes and the stresses of raising the family (who will stay home- mom or dads) but now the babies go Poof to a Hidiehole..
There's so much more missing (as in basic game play) than toddlers to me in this game. And more than just the annoying blurriness and low detail of the game... and the
This post buries the hatchet. There's nothing more to be said, I think you hit the nail right on the head.
Comments
I agree, when I think family, I think family reunions, for birthdays, Christmas, weddings, holidays or any other special events.
For me family play is everything that is related to building a family unit, interaction between members and between generations, playing with all life stages, and family gatherings.
TS4 has several strong point for family play in my mind :
- Multitasking which allows interacting while doing activities and basically allow family play in almost all of them.
- Children and Teens have plenty of things to do
- New routing/group interactions is awesome for family gatherings
- World structure is perfect for playing all those family members in rotation and visiting each others
This cracked me up. Don't come anywhere near my Irish and Italian family members then. You'd be in for an eye opening experience. Life is a party to both sides, the Italians in my family just pace themselves with small nightly gatherings of family, and the Irish go full tilt boogie with raging weekend gatherings. Both are full of good food and lots of "juice".
I'm glad I don't live in the same state anymore, since I'd never survive the intensity with which they live life. LOL I do miss their wonderful company and the chaotic din that surrounded you like a warm fuzzy blanket, though.
I am not playing families because I find the life stages unsatisfactory due to the huge jumps between baby, child, and teen.
My YAs are being saved for when we get toddlers and pre-teens, if we get them.
Of course they are! It's obvious that a couple is a family, but I was talking about family play, not families... family play is more of a kids and generations than YA juice parties imo. Long story short, that's what I meant.
And yes here too, I adore our family parties. But the basics of the family has to exist, and for me having woefully inadequate early years play makes it shallow and I don't relate to sims 4 families at all. The bond just isn't there-and good thing with culling being a thing too because that would really bother me.
Perhaps they'll get it all together in the next few years. Maybe not. But I'm not going to force myself to play something that isn't fun, and Il stick around waiting and articulating what *I* want because obviously the devs aren't mind readers. Even if this engine isn't capable of supporting my play style maybe next time round they'll know how important family play is.
https://twitter.com/sparkfairy1
Yeah, but let's be honest here: besides talking there really is not much to do in this game. It's not only a problem you (guys) have. Look. My parties are no different. My sims eat and dance (with the stereo -.- ). That's it. We need to give this game some more time (to shine). I am very optimistic that your patience will be worth it. Especially for family players. I love how they made the children in this game (as a sims 3 fanboy who I am it's hard to admit this but they ended up much better than in TS3) and I am sure toddlers will be amazing as well. Just image those quirky little human beings with all their emotions. ^^
UGH I hate this SO much! I hate how they have to do assignments at home or have to have a certain 'emotion' before going to work. It's really annoying to me and I feel like it should be optional.
The assignments and recommended Emotions are, to my experience, optional. The only Career requirements are the ones that get you promoted and usually make sense for the Career. Although I kind of dislike how Get To Work's Professions make you play them actively to promote your Sims.
Sometimes your creativity is limited where you use it most, but you can use those limitations to inspire new forms of creativity you may never have thought of beforehand.
Being the optimist that I am, I would not narrow down what family play is to only certain activities or family structures. If Dad and his buddy Jim can hug or go play horseshoes together in the same way that Mom and her little daughter Cathy can, what of it? Is it somehow not family play now because anyone can do those things? If Mom's friend Sally comes to live here and she snuggles on the couch with little Cathy and reads her a story just like Mom can, does that now exclude that activity from being family play because a non-relative can engage in it? I would hope not! I don't think having an activity which is or is not exclusive to certain individuals can define whether or not it is family play.
To say that because my Sims cannot do this or that (at least not yet!),
Outdoor activities in which Sims can talk and play together is also important. I did that a lot in the Sims Vacations. Play interactions are also important. I love mary mack and red hands and tag. The video game console families can play together is fun too. I guess I like families playing games they sit and stand together. Playing sports together is important as well.
Then there are little things like having a real social worker come by the house, having a real babysitter to watch the kids while Sims are away at work, nursery furniture, smart milk, and watching children feed their little animals like fish that are important too.
Reactions to tragic events are important to my family play too like if a divorce happens or someone dies. I think that is why having an in depth memory system is important to me. I want Sims to remember what happens to them to shape their character as the game progressing. Having each Sims feel unique is important. So even effective trait or personality system is important to the way I like to play.
On a side note the culling and incest issues are killing my family play so I hope they are addressed soon.
I also can't stand short cuts. I want my baby changing table and grabbing bottles out of the fridge. I don't like watching Sims grab bottles and diapers out of their behind. Watching the school bus come by to pick up the kids is really important too. So I hope real transportation returns again.
Really? Because the only time my performance would go up or a sim would get a promotion is when I regularly did the assignments and made sure they were in the required emotional state. When I sent them to work in a good mood but without doing the assignments my progress never really seemed to improve. However, it has been a long time since I played the game outside of CAS so maybe I'll try playing again and ignore the assignments to see what happens.
- Exclusive interactions for blood related sims
- Generational play
- Babies and toddlers + respective interactions
However, I suggest we all read carefully what @Pamhamlet wrote as I believe it is spot on.
Sure, there's important issues that need to be fixed (culling, family trees, toddlers) and we could use a whole lot of more group activities for all sims. Addressing this problems will benefit all simmers, not just 'family players'.
Finally, I want to say that 'family play' is just a label. Every single one of us has his/her unique playing style and in my opinion that's the biggest strength of this game series.
I love the way how you see those things (friends can be family too etc.pp.) and I agree with your post(s) completly (Same goes for Ponder_The_Sim).
And I got an idea now what "family play" means to many of you. Interesting thread.
Of course. That is what has been the prevailing sentiment of the family play thread since its inception.
https://twitter.com/sparkfairy1
I think for me, family and traits should affect autonomy. For example, in TS4, when I leave my sim alone, I will usually find them using their phone. The best I can hope for is family members talking while doing some other kind of individual activities like watching TV or reading or eating. In TS2, I will sometimes find a sim turning on the radio and dancing together (so cute when its a child sim dancing on the toes of his/her parent)... compare this to TS4 when sims dance at each other rather than with each other.
In TS2, when a parent gets a promotion, their kids will get extremely excited and run out of the house to give them a congratulatory hug before the parent can even get in the house. If the kids gets an A grade, they will sprint into the house from the bus to tell the good news and the parents will cheer if they are home. All this is done autonomously, though you have the option to make it happen via the pie menu if you want (congratulate good grades, etc). I love all the interactions between kids and between children and toddlers in TS2 as well.... throw pets into the mix and holy cow what a perfect simulation game!
Family Play doesn't just mean more group/ family activities to do for me, that's just filler stuff that doesn't really have a lasting utility value in my opinion. I think it really comes down to nuanced interactions that vary with the relationships and traits. I'm not a generational player at all but I always love creating families in TS2 because of all the little details.
I don't like the teens being so tall (I know, real life and all but this is me), and I don't like that I can't play all the Sims but only one when and if I leave the lots (I do love TS2 or TS3 way of handling it), and I liked the messes and the stresses of raising the family (who will stay home- mom or dads) but now the babies go Poof to a Hidiehole..
There's so much more missing (as in basic game play) than toddlers to me in this game. And more than just the annoying blurriness and low detail of the game... and the
I disagree with everything you just said here. TS2 added many interactions during the lifespan of the game, not all interactions/abilities were there from the onset. I don't know how one compares a game replete with expansions to a game with only one at this time. I am sure we will get more interactions as time goes on. Also, not everyone experiences the rampant culling some are having issues with. How do you see TS4 is not about "family"? If that was the case it would be all YA in the game.
https://twitter.com/sparkfairy1
I wish the disagree button was back. What blurriness and low detail are you speaking of?
There are many things in the TS2 that are reserved for family and kin alone.
Sims care if grandpa dies. And grieve for days. They also grieve in the TS3. But more in the TS2. And they won't get over it until the insurance check arrives. (Why isn't there any heir insurance in this game?) No consideration for the 'family'?
Ghosts care about the family when they return to haunt. And are very angry the family sold their darn bed. lol Best angry ghost ever.
Kids taken by the social worker makes parents cry for days. Do they in the TS4? No. Do they go visit the kids that were adopted into another family? No, because they were deleted instead of adopted. But they will go see their kids (or come by) if they were taken then adopted. It's even more than that. And why I said you know it when you see it. (Family Play).
This. I think the core of the problem is that some feel like the family play in TS4 is severely lacking then others try to invalidate their opinions by saying that because xyz happened in their game it automatically means that family play is abundant enough in TS4 to satisfy everyone. I think people need to be more accepting of other's opinions and respect the fact that not everyone views things the same as you. I don't like TS4 but I'm not going to give someone who likes it an essay on why I think their opinion on the game is wrong. They have a different view from me, I can respect it, and move on. The same should be done to people who don't think there is enough family play and vice versa.
This post buries the hatchet. There's nothing more to be said, I think you hit the nail right on the head.