> @VIRTUALEE said: > Oooo since we are sharing a wish list...I would like to see more traits to chose from in CAS. I miss the clepto, brave, lucky, hydrophobic, mooch...well I could go on and on. I suppose I will have to wait for more expansions, game packs etc to see more diversity in the sims personalities! :smiley:
I totally agree! But unfortunately if this happens, I literally won't be able to afford to keep buying all of the expansion packs they release. This is stuff they should have released in the base game! I don't want to have to pay for another "get to work" game in order for me to get the job opportunities that were available in prior games. And you're right, for a game that was all about being hyped up for the expressions, there is a major lack of emotions/traits available. What, would there be an expansion just of emotions? Or would they update the game for free (I'm all about that life)? I feel like we've been pushed back in a Limbo between TheSims and TheSims2.
Like SJM? Like Kpop? Like Greek Mythology?
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I've been trying to read a few pages of this forum and decided that I would like to share my opinion for the Sims 4 too!
Firstly,
The base game itself is amazing and I really love how they make the ghost can do ghost thing. Though I kind of wished that the Ghost (which is playable) can sleep inside their own urn or something instead of needing to sleep on an actual bed.
Second, The Alien is also amaaazziiinnnggg! The way they are 'in disguise' and have to be discovered gives me hopes about the incoming occult like Vampire/Werewolves/Witches/ Mermaid. I think it will be fun to look for vampires/werewolves/witches in the game! Oh-oh...also...please don't spawn zombies (from random household) everywhere...just keep them around the graveyard (or other spooky places) and actually came from the dead peoples...
I have no comment about spa-day and stuff like that, it's fun but that's about it for me.
It would be nice if the secret lots gets their special occult! I don't mind if it has to be an NPC like Grim Reaper.... (a special NPC that can't be asked to move in...i mean, it's special, right? So i prefer them to be actually special!)
Then, burglar.... i really like dealing with them xD ..... please don't forget to add them later lol. But yes, don't forget to add traits like "brave" too! (plus the additional trait slots) Also... would be great if my police/detective sims can do something special for them.
Then about a few things that i would like to be fixed,
1. Sims automatically acted so friendly towards sims that they despise. (Even if my sims have evil trait!). They waved good bye like there was nothing happened before, then talking to each other NICELY while idle. 2. When asking a guest to leave....it does make sense when they acted like there's something big happening in the house, but it would be better to have them just kindly wave or do a goodbye kisses toward their lovers. 3. The tombstones.... I just lost a tombstone when one of my household member died somewhere while I'm playing the other household. Their portraits grayed and i don't even know where they died. Already tried to look around the house too, but nothing.... Maybe a Graveyard like in Sims 3 isn't bad idea at all.
I think that's all from me for now. I may add something else later (when i get to see more expansion)! Thank you!
I have two comments - after saying I love this game.
1. It's really annoying to me that the cheats dialogue box is quite large and can't be moved. I really wish this would be addressed/updated. You can't see what's under it and sometimes you need to get to what's under there without closing the dialogue and having to start it over.
2. Recently, I've placed builds from other players just for the purpose of getting a better look (those little pictures suck if you're old and half-blind like me.) After placing the lot, I then delete them (bulldoze) so I can build on the same lot from scratch. Several times now, after bulldozing another person's build, changing the name of the lot, building from the ground up a completely different type of building with a new name, after uploading, the info line gives credit to the person whose build is not a part of it at all. What's up with that? It's really starting to tick me off.
I love everything about the Sims 4 except for our limited design options with furniture. I love the idea of curves in the foundation, but I really wish that Maxis could create rounded staircases so that we can fit stairs onto the rounded portion of the foundation. How can we send a suggestion to maxis?
I hate how small the neighborhoods are, and that there is nothing to do. This game is still super boring. I haven't played it in months. And trust me, the stuff/expansion packs aren't making it any better. I had more fun with Sims 3 base game.
So, depressing as it is, school is a big part of our and our Sims' lives. Wouldn't it be nice to be a little more... involved? I'm not talking about Zerbu's 'Go to School' pack, I mean a Game Pack called Back to School, released in September to match real life back-to-school season.
I think it'd be awesome if we could:
Pack our Sims children and teenagers' lunches every morning, making sandwiches for them to eat at 12pm! Or, alternatively, you can give them a bit of money to buy their own at school.
Pack our little Simmies' school bags (They will go to school wearing them).
See them have an after school detention if homework is not completed 3 nights in a row.
Meet other kids at school.
Have more detailed homework, such as a 30 min homework for both 'Simlish' (English) and 'Numbers' (Maths).
Have another CAS outfit called school uniform. This is a category, just like everyday wear, or formal, and as such the filter can be removed and instead of wearing a 'uniform,' you can wear normal clothes.
Give 'A' students have a chance of bringing home the class pet (grade school only)!
Have prom at the end of the year (high school only) or a disco (grade school only).
Let the students have exams just before they age up, and if they do well, they get an extra trait in adulthood!
Go to themed after-school activities.
Get a report card at the end of the year based on the kids' skills!
ADDED TRAITS:
-Studious - can do homework/career daily tasks faster, can 'work hard' with practically no fun need decay.
-Class Clown - Gets very stressed from 'working hard' too often, fun need goes up whilst at work/school.
ADDED ASPIRATIONS:
-Top of the Class - A childhood aspiration. Involves doing extra homework, getting an A, attending after school activities, etc. Bonus Trait - Academic - can complete homework faster and gain school performance slightly quicker.
ADDED CAREERS:
-Teacher - Give your Sim the chance to teach in elementary school or high school! In the elementary school branch, you will need to have the charisma, Simlish and maths skills. In the high school branch (it is harder, but earns more money), you will need charisma, logic, writing, maths, painting, science and musical skills.
ADDED SKILLS:
-Maths - Used mainly in schools. You will need that maths skill to pay your bills as an adult. Built up using a maths textbook or doing maths on a chalkboard.
-Simlish - Used mainly in schools. It is the Sims equivalent of English or Literacy lessons. Built up by using a Simlish text book or writing in a journal.
-Science - Used mainly in schools. Learning about why things happen and why sometimes people get fenced in in swimming pools is very important. Built up by using the microscope or using a science textbook.
ADDED ITEMS:
-Textbooks - Used to build up school-based skills; comes in several subject varieties.
-Chalkboard - Used to build up the maths skill, grants a 'feeling clever' moodlet.
-Journal - Used to build up the Simlish skill, grants a 'juicy gossip' moodlet.
-Microscope - Used to build up the science skill, grants a 'young Einstein' moodlet.
@simmingwithstars love your ideas, maybe if you threw in a few party type suggestions, they might consider it. Dag...did I just say that....ignore cynical me...ok?
Most posts here focus on specific things missing (seasons, pets, toddlers, color wheels) and these are very valuable. But I wanted to see if I could synthesize these ideas--as well as what I feel is missing in my own gameplay compared to prior Sims iterations--to show how the core design features that made those games great have not been full realized.
My single critique is this: the Sims 4 is not so much of a GAME (with a series of challenges presented by an external world and sense of accomplishment in overcoming them) but an opportunity to "play" with your Sims. Almost every issue raised on these 158 pages of comments comes back to that point.
Going further, there are four design issues that would make the Sims 4 more of a game and that need improvement: story telling, a sense of accomplishment, "believabilty" and immersion, and open-endedness. I think if EA focused on these design concepts in every expansion pack and game pack, more Simmers would be happy. And that would mean more $ for EA.
1. Story-Telling One of the best things about the Sims 3 is how stories emerged from the game itself. That is, you, as a player, did not have to direct the stories like a film-maker, but could react to real world events. For instance, breakup events would be very strong and your Sim would be miserable about it for days, having thought bubbles about their ex. Sims would stop painting to go cry. Midlife crises resulted in your characters checking out their wrinkles when unattended.
These small details meant that you could really tell a narrative about your Sim and that the GAME was helping shape a narrative based on real events. "My Sim can't focus on chores, they're too heartbroken; my Sim just hit 45 and he needs to buy a motorcycle to feel young again." That is immersive storytelling. As a player you then WANT to go mope around and bake pancakes while it rains outside or you WANT to buy that motorcycle so that your Sim can deal with his mid-life crisis. Additionally, the lack of characters forming relationships other than what you, as a player, program, is so jarring. I loved when my Sims developed a crush on someone but the bar closed and the next time he/she called them up, they had a partner! Why? Because then I had a storytelling decision to MAKE. Should I try to break them up or accept it and just be friends? The GAME presented a dilemma, it was up to me to solve it as I saw fit...which brings me to the next point.
2. Sense of Accomplishment For me, the Sims 3 had an amazing sense of accomplishment at times. As a painter, the painting got markedly better and best of all, I unlocked NEW SKILLS and NEW GAMEPLAY along the way, such as the ability to paint from a photograph, paint a posing Sim etc... Now, some of that is there is the Sims 4. But overall, I don't have the sense that as I become a better painter/muscian/etc... I am actually opening new, exciting gameplay features that reflect budding artistic skills. Furthermore, new opportunities around town (teach art at a school) would open up based on my actual gameplay. In other words, in the Sims 4, there is less sense of accomplishment as skills develop.
I think this is why the "no toddlers" thing is such a big deal for some people. I admit that I don't care, but I see how it violates this principle. It's because for those players, you get a major sense of accomplishment in RAISING A CHILD. Totally understandable, totally obvious! To see a child progress through all stages of life is not just good storytelling, but you get a sense of accomplishment in seeing how your actual player choices shaped the child's personality.
Another case in point. I LOVED having my characters get rejected romantically in the Sims 3. Why? Because I don't want to have a dollhouse where I control everyone's emotions. I want a GAME that makes some Sims harder to get than others. The Sims 4 is almost silly in how easy it is to romance other people. For instance, in the Sims 3 I started a band with Suzy Strummer. My character would flirt with her but they never hit it off. She always seemed to push him away. This made a great storytelling arc (see point 1). I had to level up to 7 or 8 charisma before I stood a chance with her. But also when I finally asked her on a date, it gave a SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT because my character had been rejected so many times. And guess how the date went? Terribly! But it was awesome, because it created a story ("the one that got away") and then if the two characters ever ended up together, it would be such an accomplishment after all the failures. Which brings us to...
3. Believability and Immersion Most complaints here revolve around having more immersive, believable worlds. Seasons, pets, toddlers, hospitals etc...these are all features of daily life and help create a sense of immersion. Most Simmers are clamoring for them because the worlds of the Sims 4 don't feel fully fleshed out yet. I agree. However, I think the deeper flaw is that characters don't act like they have believable lives and believable personalities in the way they did in the Sims 3. Why does everyone show up at a bar the minute you go there? Now, believe me, I hated the empty lots of the Sims 3, but for immersion purposes, shouldn't SOME sims be more prone to drinking at certain bars than others? At certain times of the day? That breaks the immersion. Of course, having more believable worlds (where people can build snowmen or take their dogs on walks) will help immersion.
The fact that there aren't as many TRAITS AND AMBITIONS means that the personalities don't feel fleshed out either. In the Sims 3, an insane / evil Sim was REALLY mean, evil and insane. Here everyone just seem sort of average without major highs or lows. The little expressions, thought bubbles, and uncontrolled behaviors have all been toned down. But all of those created a sense of immersion in the Sims 3. My middle age character worries about wrinkles. The Goths think about money, my evil character is thinking about robbery. My dumped character is sobbing for her former love. I loved having a Klepto character and not even realizing until later they stole something while I wasn't controlling them. They had personalities independent of my actions that made me immersed and invested in them.
Speaking of immersion, I don't want all my romantic endeavours to succeed. That's not realistic (not for me at least). I don't want to walk down the street and see every character in the neighborhood. I want CERTAIN characters to be out because of their actual personalities and moods. A loner should not have as high a likelihood of being on the street as my party animal. A nature lover should be found in the park more than the bar. Everyone seems very vanilla.
Of course, to reiterate, believable worlds help create believable characters and generate better storytelling. If I have a character who loves the outdoors, I want them to romp in leaves, get rained on and still be happy, and get romantic moodlets in the snow. Again, this creates more storytelling opportunities. Imagine if there is only ONE other character who dares to go to the park while it rains. Why? Because they love nature too. Then a story develops: two people meet in the rainy park because they love the outdoors. A match made in heaven. But let's emphasize this, realism isn't JUST about having believable WORLDS, with seasons and pets (although those things help), it's about having believable characters who can really express their personalities. Which brings us to...
4. Open-Endedness Finally, most Simmers feel there is less open-endedness in the Sims 4. The obvious complaints are the lack of the color wheel and design features. This also hurts storytelling. If I think my character would wear neon green halloween themed leather pants and a purple brick sweater doesn't that invest me in his personality? Doesn't that help create more attachment and want to buy MORE expansions for him, EA? Open-endedness. I will say that the Sim editor makes for more open-endedness by incorporating more physical variability.
The best part of the Sims 4 in terms of open-ended gameplay (and maybe overall for me) is the RETAIL STORE in Get to Work. This is a homerun by EA. Why? Because it gives you a new gameplay feature: to design a retail space HOWEVER YOU WANT, SELL WHATEVER YOU WANT, and bring in your own creations (cakes, paintings, inventions) to sell. It makes you feel like YOUR Sims efforts have amounted to something and gives you a sense of accomplishment and story (we opened a store and it sold $1000 today!)
I wish everything they did was as inspired.
Why not a "Teaching" expansion where you could design an office or outdoor lot to "teach" any skill you have at least a level 5 in from meditation to guitar to to programming to psychotherapy to basketball? This would be so awesome, and would easily work with the pre-existent stuff packs, giving Herbalism and camping classes or running your own Spa.
But the real lack of open-endedness, I feel actually comes from giving players fewer meaningful choices based on the habits and skills they have developed. Should I fight this person with my kung fu skill who keeps insulting me or should I use my meditation skill to calm them down? Wouldn't that be awesome? Should I steal that painting in the Goth house even though I might get caught and have my TV and Laptop taken by the police? THAT would make the game more open-ended and exciting because there would be branching stories.
Personal Preferences If you couldn't tell, I love skills, abilities and making money off of them. New GAMEPLAY that comes from better skills is the best for me. Why? Because for me it hits on all the four major points (immersion, storytelling, challenge, open-endedness). I love painting, woodworking, music, yoga, meditation, etc...and ESPECIALLY when those skills can help you make money. I hate sending my Sims to rabbit-hole jobs. The science job in Get to Work is fun, but what if it was even more open ended and you had 50 inventions to choose from? And then when you sell them at your retail store other Sims around town who bought them ACTUALLY use them in their interactions? That would be total immersion.
If I buy Spa Day, I want to be able to teach a meditation class once I get to level 5 of meditation, at level 7, I can change people's mood for the better for a small fee, and at level 9 I can start delivering enlightening lectures for money around town. These things seem simple enough to implement in EVERY game pack. These should then tie into AMBITIONS AND TRAITS, which I feel are severely lacking.
Here are some ideas, not all of which I would personally be fascinated by, but as examples that could be incorporated easily into game packs and/or expansion packs, and many of which have already been thrown out here are:
>Movie and Cinema Skills (see The Movies on LGR for an idea of just how fascinating it could be to have Sims direct their own movies, hire stars and change lighting and scenery) [DIRECTOR AMBITION [Artistic] GREAT DESIGNER TRAIT
>Sports Career: practice basketball (learn dunks and trick shots as you skill up teach classes or enter 3 on 3 compeitions and dunk contests to earn money) become a bodybuilder (competitions). ATHLETIC AMBITION; JOCK TRAIT, SHOWOFF TRAIT
>Martial Arts (Kung Fu, boxing etc...) ATHLETIC AMBITION; DISCIPLINED TRAIT, FIGHTER TRAIT, SHOWOFF TRAIT (design your own dojo, hand out belts, stage fights and skills contests (swords, staff) for your students.
> High School and University Teacher: EDUCATOR AMBITION; INSIGHTFUL TRAIT, TEACHER TRAIT (Levels up Sims faster, Design your own school and curiculum)
> Modeling and Fashion Design: DESIGNER AMBITION (Artistic), STYLISH AMBITION; STYLISH TRAIT, SHOWOFF TRAIT, FABULOUS TRAIT, GREAT DESIGNER TRAIT (design your own runways and fashion shows complete with lighting, which Sims go on runway and waht outfits they wear.)
> Therapy and/or Religion: CAREGIVER AMBITION, NURTURING TRAIT, INSIGHTFUL TRAIT, HEALING TRAIT (design houses of worship and therapy offices, heal patients with broken hearts or sadness)
> Daycare and Preschool: CAREGIVER AMBITION, NURTURING TRAIT, EDUCATOR TRAIT (Level up toddlers faster...o wait.)
> Animal Care: CAREGIVER AMBITION: ANIMAL LOVER TRAIT, NURTURING TRAIT (Design Zoos and Petstores, become a Dogwalker, Veterenarian. Seriously EA this is $100 million dollars just waiting for you, especially if you combine with toddlers.)
> Manufacturer: PRODUCER AMBITION; HARDWORKING TRAIT, MANUAL LABORER TRAIT (make widgets in a factory until you are able to buy our own equipment and produce them from your backyard. Make TVs, laptops etc... or become an engineer and actually DESIGN new ones with a tool much like the Build-a-Sim. Make octagonal tablets for all I care)
> Archeologist: COLLECTOR AMBITION (Go to one of 4 different areas to collect fossils, treasures, relics. Donate to museum, lectue about them in a University, or sell them in a retail store. Could include a mini-game like Get to Work so that you dig in different areas)
> Farmer: Green Thumb Ambition, PLANT LOVER TRAIT; MANUAL LABORER TRAIT (sell produce to stores, farmer's markets or design your own shop and/or restaraunt. Like most Sims players wouldn't welcome a little Farmville?)
> Other ideas I've read about: car repair/building, carpentry, tattoo/hair stylist, dance, real estate, banker.
Again, I'm no programmer. I wonder if it is lack of imagination or a simple drive to do the least work possible for the most money, or actual legitimate design decisions that keep us from getting the expansions and features we all want. Dancing and partying is fun. But so are new actual SKILLS AND GAMEPLAY FEATURES. The good news is, that I think that if EA doesn't respond to these concerns, some enterprising developer will make a Sims game, much like Cities: Skylines was to SimCity and become a millionaire off of it.
Agree 100%, Nerval... and your well thought out and detailed post is the BEST I have read since the beginning of Sims 4. It should be sent as a memo to TPTB and they should have to read it 10 times out loud to one another every morning. Brava!
@Nerval2000 made some really good comments I agree with!
I think what affects my own gameplay most is the lack of: toddlers, story progression (although I have a mod, and admittedly I did for TS3 as well to fine-tune it - I like having my own townies) and an open world. I still like the game, but I don't play as much as I used to because of this.
A lot of the other things I think about that would be nice could be expansion material (pets, seasons, and island paradise were my favourites from TS3), but toddlers, progression and open world I find became absolutely core to how I personally play. A colour wheel, bigger worlds, babies (not as objects - it was always funny in TS3 when Sims would come over, play with the baby, then leave it in the snow!), are what I'd like included as well, but not as high a priority to me.
I find the emotion system a lot more to my liking than previously where I found it particularly easy to keep everyone happy, but I'd like more traits to create more complex Sims. Multi-tasking is also a good step up (although a bit irritating when, while eating at the table and talking, my sims get up and move to a different chair!). Being able to save and share individual rooms is great, particularly as I'm not a great builder.
So, depressing as it is, school is a big part of our and our Sims' lives. Wouldn't it be nice to be a little more... involved? I'm not talking about Zerbu's 'Go to School' pack, I mean a Game Pack called Back to School, released in September to match real life back-to-school season.
I think it'd be awesome if we could:
Pack our Sims children and teenagers' lunches every morning, making sandwiches for them to eat at 12pm! Or, alternatively, you can give them a bit of money to buy their own at school.
Pack our little Simmies' school bags (They will go to school wearing them).
See them have an after school detention if homework is not completed 3 nights in a row.
Meet other kids at school.
Have more detailed homework, such as a 30 min homework for both 'Simlish' (English) and 'Numbers' (Maths).
Have another CAS outfit called school uniform. This is a category, just like everyday wear, or formal, and as such the filter can be removed and instead of wearing a 'uniform,' you can wear normal clothes.
Give 'A' students have a chance of bringing home the class pet (grade school only)!
Have prom at the end of the year (high school only) or a disco (grade school only).
Let the students have exams just before they age up, and if they do well, they get an extra trait in adulthood!
Go to themed after-school activities.
Get a report card at the end of the year based on the kids' skills!
ADDED TRAITS:
-Studious - can do homework/career daily tasks faster, can 'work hard' with practically no fun need decay.
-Class Clown - Gets very stressed from 'working hard' too often, fun need goes up whilst at work/school.
ADDED ASPIRATIONS:
-Top of the Class - A childhood aspiration. Involves doing extra homework, getting an A, attending after school activities, etc. Bonus Trait - Academic - can complete homework faster and gain school performance slightly quicker.
ADDED CAREERS:
-Teacher - Give your Sim the chance to teach in elementary school or high school! In the elementary school branch, you will need to have the charisma, Simlish and maths skills. In the high school branch (it is harder, but earns more money), you will need charisma, logic, writing, maths, painting, science and musical skills.
ADDED SKILLS:
-Maths - Used mainly in schools. You will need that maths skill to pay your bills as an adult. Built up using a maths textbook or doing maths on a chalkboard.
-Simlish - Used mainly in schools. It is the Sims equivalent of English or Literacy lessons. Built up by using a Simlish text book or writing in a journal.
-Science - Used mainly in schools. Learning about why things happen and why sometimes people get fenced in in swimming pools is very important. Built up by using the microscope or using a science textbook.
ADDED ITEMS:
-Textbooks - Used to build up school-based skills; comes in several subject varieties.
-Chalkboard - Used to build up the maths skill, grants a 'feeling clever' moodlet.
-Journal - Used to build up the Simlish skill, grants a 'juicy gossip' moodlet.
-Microscope - Used to build up the science skill, grants a 'young Einstein' moodlet.
You should work in EA. Seriously, your idea is FANTASTIC!
I would really like to see a fix for the prison fence and gate. At the moment the prison gate can only be placed on short fences. It will not place on the matching prison fence. Also, if you place the prison gate on a short fence then try to join the prison fence on the side, the prison gate disappears! I'm sure it would work with the move objects cheat but this sometimes glitches my game so I don't want to use it.
The magic seems amazing! If they were to make magic, I would DIE for them to make a spell in witch the person attacked would go flying !
Oh how life fulfillling that would be , as well as hair movement and waist length hair and beard
Ehm, I didn't follow the rules correctly, let me start over hehehe. 0_0, get ready for a huge wall of text you will probably not be bothered to read and I am just procrastinating now mkay:
What I liked:
-Painting! There is so so so much painting and how you can paint all emotions once you are level 10 and theres abstract realism everything! I love the 'sad' paintings to they are so beautifal! I mean, darker and more what people consider to be depressing ones is always nice
-Emotions
-SO many updates and so many things in them
- Cas (everything! There is nothing wrong, only perhaps a few things I would die for to see added, I would get a dementors kiss for it!!!!)(I will list them down below)
-Build
- All the details! From big ones to simple ones like the curtains moving!
- All the parties! Although I feel, ever since the sims 2, that they never really get a chance to use their formal... In the dinner party one, It would be nice if you could choose to have a formal one
-The water
- Funny messages! Like, when they eat something rotten, it says 'Blllluuuuuuuuuurgh' I dont know its just so not what you would expect haha...
-Cooking,baking,grilling,mixologing,camping, and all skills
- There are so many other things so bleh them.
What I daint like:
- School keeps telling you to be an 'A' student and tells you to stress your sims lives by making them study 8 hours the whole weekend and weekdays ! NOH! (It is probably because you wanted to convince that it is important and everything but it grabs all my worries and puts them in front of me.
-OKay, you do not understand how this is and absolute complete deep and utter must..... HAIR MOVEMENT AND WAIST LENGTH HAIR AND BEARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE OH PLEASE I DONT CARE HOW CHILDISH I AM BEING (Please dont ban me) BUT I NEED THIS I WILL.......... um.......... PLEASE I mean, in the sims 2 there WAS hair movement and a waist length beard! but this time the hair movement could be more sensetive and noticiable, Like this! (It was made using a sims 4 model and hair)
Now, this beard DID have a glitch in witch is would clip if the body was fat, but someone fixed that! So it is possible!
Okay and this hair length:
The thing is, I dont want to use custom content
- The other thing I dont like, witch has been mentioned, it that I cant play in triple or double speed because they take and hour to do that thing
-Oh, and the last thing is that when you place a flower/plant/tree it only puts one, you have to go back and click on it again and that makes it difficult when making gardens
*EDIT* Oh, also, its sad how people you invite to hang out leave so quickly
Something that I think would make the game a lot more interactive is if the sims responded to things more realistically. For instance, if someone saw their spouse cheating on them, they wouldn't just stand around in the room. This is, of course, among PLENTY of other things, but I'm sure those things have been covered already.
There are a lot of things I love about sims 4 though, one of those being the extensive options in build mode. It's amazing! I think I enjoy building houses more than I like playing the game...
Overall, I love sims 4 and won't be leaving it any time soon. Thanks EA!
Our Sims need a porta-potty for camping. If they venture out into the woods and become tired, they can pull a tent out of their inventory, along with food, radio, campfire, a place to eat, a place to sit, and a shower. But they don't have a place to do their other business. Can you please update the game with a portable toilet for camping? Thanks.
I opened up Sims 3 yesterday and had a most enjoyable few hours reminding myself what first attracted me to the Sims. With only the base game of Sims 3 installed, it was so refreshing to play my Sim in my own way. My sim was back to being normal again without a permanent silly grin on his face. He could do whatever I wanted him to do. He could get in a car and travel to any location, he could visit a restaurant or go to the shop, he could chat with anyone he met and I would always know what was going on in the chat. I could control the outcome of that chat myself to create the scenario I wanted for my sim. I could have private chats with other sims without constant interruptions from other sims passing by.
There's a lot about Sims 4 I really, really do NOT like and now, when I think of playing the Sims I consider opening up Sims 3 first. Adding a colour wheel and offering the ability to change the colours of objects in Sims 4 could possibly bring back some interest but even then, I'm not certain. There is no colour wheel, stuff doesn't match up and after one year the game is still incredibly restricted with object choice and colours. It's boring and I believe you are really letting your players down with the colour options and choices in the game.
Not being able to play the Sims your own way is another major let down. It's not possible for a player to play their sims characters in their own unique way. There are so many limitations after Sims 3 it's almost unbelievable.
I'm sorry to be so harsh but I really do believe you are letting many of your creative players down. Bring on Sims 5!
Comments
> Oooo since we are sharing a wish list...I would like to see more traits to chose from in CAS. I miss the clepto, brave, lucky, hydrophobic, mooch...well I could go on and on. I suppose I will have to wait for more expansions, game packs etc to see more diversity in the sims personalities! :smiley:
I totally agree!
But unfortunately if this happens, I literally won't be able to afford to keep buying all of the expansion packs they release. This is stuff they should have released in the base game! I don't want to have to pay for another "get to work" game in order for me to get the job opportunities that were available in prior games. And you're right, for a game that was all about being hyped up for the expressions, there is a major lack of emotions/traits available. What, would there be an expansion just of emotions? Or would they update the game for free (I'm all about that life)? I feel like we've been pushed back in a Limbo between TheSims and TheSims2.
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Firstly,
The base game itself is amazing and I really love how they make the ghost can do ghost thing. Though I kind of wished that the Ghost (which is playable) can sleep inside their own urn or something instead of needing to sleep on an actual bed.
Second, The Alien is also amaaazziiinnnggg! The way they are 'in disguise' and have to be discovered gives me hopes about the incoming occult like Vampire/Werewolves/Witches/ Mermaid. I think it will be fun to look for vampires/werewolves/witches in the game! Oh-oh...also...please don't spawn zombies (from random household) everywhere...just keep them around the graveyard (or other spooky places) and actually came from the dead peoples...
I have no comment about spa-day and stuff like that, it's fun but that's about it for me.
It would be nice if the secret lots gets their special occult! I don't mind if it has to be an NPC like Grim Reaper.... (a special NPC that can't be asked to move in...i mean, it's special, right? So i prefer them to be actually special!)
Then, burglar.... i really like dealing with them xD ..... please don't forget to add them later lol. But yes, don't forget to add traits like "brave" too! (plus the additional trait slots) Also... would be great if my police/detective sims can do something special for them.
Then about a few things that i would like to be fixed,
1. Sims automatically acted so friendly towards sims that they despise. (Even if my sims have evil trait!). They waved good bye like there was nothing happened before, then talking to each other NICELY while idle.
2. When asking a guest to leave....it does make sense when they acted like there's something big happening in the house, but it would be better to have them just kindly wave or do a goodbye kisses toward their lovers.
3. The tombstones.... I just lost a tombstone when one of my household member died somewhere while I'm playing the other household. Their portraits grayed and i don't even know where they died. Already tried to look around the house too, but nothing.... Maybe a Graveyard like in Sims 3 isn't bad idea at all.
I think that's all from me for now. I may add something else later (when i get to see more expansion)! Thank you!
1. It's really annoying to me that the cheats dialogue box is quite large and can't be moved. I really wish this would be addressed/updated. You can't see what's under it and sometimes you need to get to what's under there without closing the dialogue and having to start it over.
2. Recently, I've placed builds from other players just for the purpose of getting a better look (those little pictures suck if you're old and half-blind like me.) After placing the lot, I then delete them (bulldoze) so I can build on the same lot from scratch. Several times now, after bulldozing another person's build, changing the name of the lot, building from the ground up a completely different type of building with a new name, after uploading, the info line gives credit to the person whose build is not a part of it at all. What's up with that? It's really starting to tick me off.
Anyone else? EA, please address/fix this issue.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Jaun86-mlk
I think it'd be awesome if we could:
ADDED TRAITS:
-Studious - can do homework/career daily tasks faster, can 'work hard' with practically no fun need decay.
-Class Clown - Gets very stressed from 'working hard' too often, fun need goes up whilst at work/school.
ADDED ASPIRATIONS:
-Top of the Class - A childhood aspiration. Involves doing extra homework, getting an A, attending after school activities, etc.
Bonus Trait - Academic - can complete homework faster and gain school performance slightly quicker.
ADDED CAREERS:
-Teacher - Give your Sim the chance to teach in elementary school or high school! In the elementary school branch, you will need to have the charisma, Simlish and maths skills. In the high school branch (it is harder, but earns more money), you will need charisma, logic, writing, maths, painting, science and musical skills.
ADDED SKILLS:
-Maths - Used mainly in schools. You will need that maths skill to pay your bills as an adult. Built up using a maths textbook or doing maths on a chalkboard.
-Simlish - Used mainly in schools. It is the Sims equivalent of English or Literacy lessons. Built up by using a Simlish text book or writing in a journal.
-Science - Used mainly in schools. Learning about why things happen and why sometimes people get fenced in in swimming pools is very important. Built up by using the microscope or using a science textbook.
ADDED ITEMS:
-Textbooks - Used to build up school-based skills; comes in several subject varieties.
-Chalkboard - Used to build up the maths skill, grants a 'feeling clever' moodlet.
-Journal - Used to build up the Simlish skill, grants a 'juicy gossip' moodlet.
-Microscope - Used to build up the science skill, grants a 'young Einstein' moodlet.
- Eating - Sleeping - Simming - Reading - Watching 90s Sitcoms - Drinking tea - Wearing socks.
The Cowboy and the Mermaid
Mod The Sims: Yoshiiteza
Orign: Yoshi-iteza
Perhaps a new lot type (School) to go along with it?
My single critique is this: the Sims 4 is not so much of a GAME (with a series of challenges presented by an external world and sense of accomplishment in overcoming them) but an opportunity to "play" with your Sims. Almost every issue raised on these 158 pages of comments comes back to that point.
Going further, there are four design issues that would make the Sims 4 more of a game and that need improvement: story telling, a sense of accomplishment, "believabilty" and immersion, and open-endedness. I think if EA focused on these design concepts in every expansion pack and game pack, more Simmers would be happy. And that would mean more $ for EA.
1. Story-Telling
One of the best things about the Sims 3 is how stories emerged from the game itself. That is, you, as a player, did not have to direct the stories like a film-maker, but could react to real world events. For instance, breakup events would be very strong and your Sim would be miserable about it for days, having thought bubbles about their ex. Sims would stop painting to go cry. Midlife crises resulted in your characters checking out their wrinkles when unattended.
These small details meant that you could really tell a narrative about your Sim and that the GAME was helping shape a narrative based on real events. "My Sim can't focus on chores, they're too heartbroken; my Sim just hit 45 and he needs to buy a motorcycle to feel young again." That is immersive storytelling. As a player you then WANT to go mope around and bake pancakes while it rains outside or you WANT to buy that motorcycle so that your Sim can deal with his mid-life crisis. Additionally, the lack of characters forming relationships other than what you, as a player, program, is so jarring. I loved when my Sims developed a crush on someone but the bar closed and the next time he/she called them up, they had a partner! Why? Because then I had a storytelling decision to MAKE. Should I try to break them up or accept it and just be friends? The GAME presented a dilemma, it was up to me to solve it as I saw fit...which brings me to the next point.
2. Sense of Accomplishment
For me, the Sims 3 had an amazing sense of accomplishment at times. As a painter, the painting got markedly better and best of all, I unlocked NEW SKILLS and NEW GAMEPLAY along the way, such as the ability to paint from a photograph, paint a posing Sim etc... Now, some of that is there is the Sims 4. But overall, I don't have the sense that as I become a better painter/muscian/etc... I am actually opening new, exciting gameplay features that reflect budding artistic skills. Furthermore, new opportunities around town (teach art at a school) would open up based on my actual gameplay. In other words, in the Sims 4, there is less sense of accomplishment as skills develop.
I think this is why the "no toddlers" thing is such a big deal for some people. I admit that I don't care, but I see how it violates this principle. It's because for those players, you get a major sense of accomplishment in RAISING A CHILD. Totally understandable, totally obvious! To see a child progress through all stages of life is not just good storytelling, but you get a sense of accomplishment in seeing how your actual player choices shaped the child's personality.
Another case in point. I LOVED having my characters get rejected romantically in the Sims 3. Why? Because I don't want to have a dollhouse where I control everyone's emotions. I want a GAME that makes some Sims harder to get than others. The Sims 4 is almost silly in how easy it is to romance other people. For instance, in the Sims 3 I started a band with Suzy Strummer. My character would flirt with her but they never hit it off. She always seemed to push him away. This made a great storytelling arc (see point 1). I had to level up to 7 or 8 charisma before I stood a chance with her. But also when I finally asked her on a date, it gave a SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT because my character had been rejected so many times. And guess how the date went? Terribly! But it was awesome, because it created a story ("the one that got away") and then if the two characters ever ended up together, it would be such an accomplishment after all the failures. Which brings us to...
3. Believability and Immersion
Most complaints here revolve around having more immersive, believable worlds. Seasons, pets, toddlers, hospitals etc...these are all features of daily life and help create a sense of immersion. Most Simmers are clamoring for them because the worlds of the Sims 4 don't feel fully fleshed out yet. I agree. However, I think the deeper flaw is that characters don't act like they have believable lives and believable personalities in the way they did in the Sims 3. Why does everyone show up at a bar the minute you go there? Now, believe me, I hated the empty lots of the Sims 3, but for immersion purposes, shouldn't SOME sims be more prone to drinking at certain bars than others? At certain times of the day? That breaks the immersion. Of course, having more believable worlds (where people can build snowmen or take their dogs on walks) will help immersion.
The fact that there aren't as many TRAITS AND AMBITIONS means that the personalities don't feel fleshed out either. In the Sims 3, an insane / evil Sim was REALLY mean, evil and insane. Here everyone just seem sort of average without major highs or lows. The little expressions, thought bubbles, and uncontrolled behaviors have all been toned down. But all of those created a sense of immersion in the Sims 3. My middle age character worries about wrinkles. The Goths think about money, my evil character is thinking about robbery. My dumped character is sobbing for her former love. I loved having a Klepto character and not even realizing until later they stole something while I wasn't controlling them. They had personalities independent of my actions that made me immersed and invested in them.
Speaking of immersion, I don't want all my romantic endeavours to succeed. That's not realistic (not for me at least). I don't want to walk down the street and see every character in the neighborhood. I want CERTAIN characters to be out because of their actual personalities and moods. A loner should not have as high a likelihood of being on the street as my party animal. A nature lover should be found in the park more than the bar. Everyone seems very vanilla.
Of course, to reiterate, believable worlds help create believable characters and generate better storytelling. If I have a character who loves the outdoors, I want them to romp in leaves, get rained on and still be happy, and get romantic moodlets in the snow. Again, this creates more storytelling opportunities. Imagine if there is only ONE other character who dares to go to the park while it rains. Why? Because they love nature too. Then a story develops: two people meet in the rainy park because they love the outdoors. A match made in heaven. But let's emphasize this, realism isn't JUST about having believable WORLDS, with seasons and pets (although those things help), it's about having believable characters who can really express their personalities. Which brings us to...
4. Open-Endedness
Finally, most Simmers feel there is less open-endedness in the Sims 4. The obvious complaints are the lack of the color wheel and design features. This also hurts storytelling. If I think my character would wear neon green halloween themed leather pants and a purple brick sweater doesn't that invest me in his personality? Doesn't that help create more attachment and want to buy MORE expansions for him, EA? Open-endedness. I will say that the Sim editor makes for more open-endedness by incorporating more physical variability.
The best part of the Sims 4 in terms of open-ended gameplay (and maybe overall for me) is the RETAIL STORE in Get to Work. This is a homerun by EA. Why? Because it gives you a new gameplay feature: to design a retail space HOWEVER YOU WANT, SELL WHATEVER YOU WANT, and bring in your own creations (cakes, paintings, inventions) to sell. It makes you feel like YOUR Sims efforts have amounted to something and gives you a sense of accomplishment and story (we opened a store and it sold $1000 today!)
I wish everything they did was as inspired.
Why not a "Teaching" expansion where you could design an office or outdoor lot to "teach" any skill you have at least a level 5 in from meditation to guitar to to programming to psychotherapy to basketball? This would be so awesome, and would easily work with the pre-existent stuff packs, giving Herbalism and camping classes or running your own Spa.
But the real lack of open-endedness, I feel actually comes from giving players fewer meaningful choices based on the habits and skills they have developed. Should I fight this person with my kung fu skill who keeps insulting me or should I use my meditation skill to calm them down? Wouldn't that be awesome? Should I steal that painting in the Goth house even though I might get caught and have my TV and Laptop taken by the police? THAT would make the game more open-ended and exciting because there would be branching stories.
Personal Preferences
If you couldn't tell, I love skills, abilities and making money off of them. New GAMEPLAY that comes from better skills is the best for me. Why? Because for me it hits on all the four major points (immersion, storytelling, challenge, open-endedness). I love painting, woodworking, music, yoga, meditation, etc...and ESPECIALLY when those skills can help you make money. I hate sending my Sims to rabbit-hole jobs. The science job in Get to Work is fun, but what if it was even more open ended and you had 50 inventions to choose from? And then when you sell them at your retail store other Sims around town who bought them ACTUALLY use them in their interactions? That would be total immersion.
If I buy Spa Day, I want to be able to teach a meditation class once I get to level 5 of meditation, at level 7, I can change people's mood for the better for a small fee, and at level 9 I can start delivering enlightening lectures for money around town. These things seem simple enough to implement in EVERY game pack. These should then tie into AMBITIONS AND TRAITS, which I feel are severely lacking.
Here are some ideas, not all of which I would personally be fascinated by, but as examples that could be incorporated easily into game packs and/or expansion packs, and many of which have already been thrown out here are:
>Movie and Cinema Skills (see The Movies on LGR for an idea of just how fascinating it could be to have Sims direct their own movies, hire stars and change lighting and scenery) [DIRECTOR AMBITION [Artistic] GREAT DESIGNER TRAIT
>Sports Career: practice basketball (learn dunks and trick shots as you skill up teach classes or enter 3 on 3 compeitions and dunk contests to earn money) become a bodybuilder (competitions). ATHLETIC AMBITION; JOCK TRAIT, SHOWOFF TRAIT
>Martial Arts (Kung Fu, boxing etc...) ATHLETIC AMBITION; DISCIPLINED TRAIT, FIGHTER TRAIT, SHOWOFF TRAIT (design your own dojo, hand out belts, stage fights and skills contests (swords, staff) for your students.
> High School and University Teacher: EDUCATOR AMBITION; INSIGHTFUL TRAIT, TEACHER TRAIT (Levels up Sims faster, Design your own school and curiculum)
> Modeling and Fashion Design: DESIGNER AMBITION (Artistic), STYLISH AMBITION; STYLISH TRAIT, SHOWOFF TRAIT, FABULOUS TRAIT, GREAT DESIGNER TRAIT (design your own runways and fashion shows complete with lighting, which Sims go on runway and waht outfits they wear.)
> Therapy and/or Religion: CAREGIVER AMBITION, NURTURING TRAIT, INSIGHTFUL TRAIT, HEALING TRAIT (design houses of worship and therapy offices, heal patients with broken hearts or sadness)
> Daycare and Preschool: CAREGIVER AMBITION, NURTURING TRAIT, EDUCATOR TRAIT (Level up toddlers faster...o wait.)
> Animal Care: CAREGIVER AMBITION: ANIMAL LOVER TRAIT, NURTURING TRAIT (Design Zoos and Petstores, become a Dogwalker, Veterenarian. Seriously EA this is $100 million dollars just waiting for you, especially if you combine with toddlers.)
> Manufacturer: PRODUCER AMBITION; HARDWORKING TRAIT, MANUAL LABORER TRAIT (make widgets in a factory until you are able to buy our own equipment and produce them from your backyard. Make TVs, laptops etc... or become an engineer and actually DESIGN new ones with a tool much like the Build-a-Sim. Make octagonal tablets for all I care)
> Archeologist: COLLECTOR AMBITION (Go to one of 4 different areas to collect fossils, treasures, relics. Donate to museum, lectue about them in a University, or sell them in a retail store. Could include a mini-game like Get to Work so that you dig in different areas)
> Farmer: Green Thumb Ambition, PLANT LOVER TRAIT; MANUAL LABORER TRAIT (sell produce to stores, farmer's markets or design your own shop and/or restaraunt. Like most Sims players wouldn't welcome a little Farmville?)
> Other ideas I've read about: car repair/building, carpentry, tattoo/hair stylist, dance, real estate, banker.
Again, I'm no programmer. I wonder if it is lack of imagination or a simple drive to do the least work possible for the most money, or actual legitimate design decisions that keep us from getting the expansions and features we all want. Dancing and partying is fun. But so are new actual SKILLS AND GAMEPLAY FEATURES. The good news is, that I think that if EA doesn't respond to these concerns, some enterprising developer will make a Sims game, much like Cities: Skylines was to SimCity and become a millionaire off of it.
Maybe he or she is reading this right now?
INFJ -A/-T
I think what affects my own gameplay most is the lack of: toddlers, story progression (although I have a mod, and admittedly I did for TS3 as well to fine-tune it - I like having my own townies) and an open world. I still like the game, but I don't play as much as I used to because of this.
A lot of the other things I think about that would be nice could be expansion material (pets, seasons, and island paradise were my favourites from TS3), but toddlers, progression and open world I find became absolutely core to how I personally play. A colour wheel, bigger worlds, babies (not as objects - it was always funny in TS3 when Sims would come over, play with the baby, then leave it in the snow!), are what I'd like included as well, but not as high a priority to me.
I find the emotion system a lot more to my liking than previously where I found it particularly easy to keep everyone happy, but I'd like more traits to create more complex Sims. Multi-tasking is also a good step up (although a bit irritating when, while eating at the table and talking, my sims get up and move to a different chair!). Being able to save and share individual rooms is great, particularly as I'm not a great builder.
You should work in EA. Seriously, your idea is FANTASTIC!
Amazing feedback!
The magic seems amazing! If they were to make magic, I would DIE for them to make a spell in witch the person attacked would go flying
Oh how life fulfillling that would be , as well as hair movement and waist length hair and beard
Wow, amazing! AND yes the prom, and they would dress up and everything!
EHM with hopefully their waist length hair and beard and hair movement 0_0
What I liked:
-Painting! There is so so so much painting and how you can paint all emotions once you are level 10 and theres abstract realism everything! I love the 'sad' paintings to they are so beautifal! I mean, darker and more what people consider to be depressing ones is always nice
-Emotions
-SO many updates and so many things in them
- Cas (everything! There is nothing wrong, only perhaps a few things I would die for to see added, I would get a dementors kiss for it!!!!)(I will list them down below)
-Build
- All the details! From big ones to simple ones like the curtains moving!
- All the parties! Although I feel, ever since the sims 2, that they never really get a chance to use their formal... In the dinner party one, It would be nice if you could choose to have a formal one
-The water
- Funny messages! Like, when they eat something rotten, it says 'Blllluuuuuuuuuurgh' I dont know its just so not what you would expect haha...
-Cooking,baking,grilling,mixologing,camping, and all skills
- There are so many other things so bleh them.
What I daint like:
- School keeps telling you to be an 'A' student and tells you to stress your sims lives by making them study 8 hours the whole weekend and weekdays
-OKay, you do not understand how this is and absolute complete deep and utter must..... HAIR MOVEMENT AND WAIST LENGTH HAIR AND BEARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE OH PLEASE I DONT CARE HOW CHILDISH I AM BEING (Please dont ban me) BUT I NEED THIS I WILL.......... um.......... PLEASE I mean, in the sims 2 there WAS hair movement and a waist length beard! but this time the hair movement could be more sensetive and noticiable, Like this! (It was made using a sims 4 model and hair)
And with this length hair and beard:
Now, this beard DID have a glitch in witch is would clip if the body was fat, but someone fixed that! So it is possible!
Okay and this hair length:
The thing is, I dont want to use custom content
- The other thing I dont like, witch has been mentioned, it that I cant play in triple or double speed because they take and hour to do that thing
-Oh, and the last thing is that when you place a flower/plant/tree it only puts one, you have to go back and click on it again and that makes it difficult when making gardens
*EDIT* Oh, also, its sad how people you invite to hang out leave so quickly
There are a lot of things I love about sims 4 though, one of those being the extensive options in build mode. It's amazing! I think I enjoy building houses more than I like playing the game...
Overall, I love sims 4 and won't be leaving it any time soon. Thanks EA!
There's a lot about Sims 4 I really, really do NOT like and now, when I think of playing the Sims I consider opening up Sims 3 first. Adding a colour wheel and offering the ability to change the colours of objects in Sims 4 could possibly bring back some interest but even then, I'm not certain. There is no colour wheel, stuff doesn't match up and after one year the game is still incredibly restricted with object choice and colours. It's boring and I believe you are really letting your players down with the colour options and choices in the game.
Not being able to play the Sims your own way is another major let down. It's not possible for a player to play their sims characters in their own unique way. There are so many limitations after Sims 3 it's almost unbelievable.
I'm sorry to be so harsh but I really do believe you are letting many of your creative players down. Bring on Sims 5!