Hi, this is my first post, and I've been wondering about what you think of The Sims Medieval... Do you like it, I love it! I have the Sims Medieval, and the Sims Medieval Pirates and Nobles! They go great together, however the games themselves go pretty well themselves... What do you think, and how do you think they could improve?
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Watch the skies, traveler-
What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us -Helen Keller-
Still, *sigh* I wish I could play it again.
I've been watching a YouTuber play it recently and it has made me want to play it again. I only have a Mac now though so I'm not sure how well it will run on that.
Youtube: ButtonBudds
- The constant quests/linear gameplay. I was really hoping that the game would be more like the Sims in that it had sandbox gameplay. I believe there was a freeplay mode, but you don't start out being able to play it (or I think a mod or cheat is required to do so). Similar to how I wasn't crazy about the quests that came with World Adventures, I like being able to make my own stories with the game.
- No means of transportation. To be honest I'm surprised that there wasn't a replacement for vehicles in TSM. I get that most characters and NPC would walk everywhere, but EA/Maxis missed out on an opportunity to make some interesting modes of transporation in TSM. I think Pets was already out or was coming out when TSM was released, so some Sims could've ridden on horses to get to where they needed to go. There could've also been vehicles like wagons and carriages that were pulled by horses, donkeys or mules, and the more expensive/fancier the wagon/carriage, the more comfortable the ride and the faster you were able to travel. And let's not forget our witches and warlocks. They could've used brooms to fly around the world...
-The limited age groups. While there were some quests that allowed you to romance and father/mother an heir, once the baby grew up into a child, he/she stayed in that stage until your death. There were no other age groups, no elders, no teens or toddlers. Made me feel that I had regressed back to The Sims 1 for a bit.
I am a Sims 3 afficianado. I love open world, Create a Style and sandbox play. Medieval is very definitely a different game - sort of a hybrid - but I find I am really enjoying it.
Pros: Quests give me a reason to stay on one Sim for a while, and give me solid goals to reach for. But they are not so all-consuming that my Heroes are not also meeting daily requirements (a big improvement over rabbit-hole careers), exploring, socializing and trying new things. It isn't too linear or on-rails, but it gives the game some structure. Earning points to place new buildings and expand my roster of Heroes is grea - it combines what I like best in build games with the Sims features I already enjoy. Also, Middle Ages or not, my boy Heroes can still woo and court other boys. That is essential and I am glad that the studio decided it was a core feature they wished to retain.
Another big plus for me is the inclusion of religion. While I have begun with a kindly, chivalrous monarch who encourages the Peteran Faith, and have enjoyed my jolly, drunken "Friar Tuck" stand in, Prior Jevon, and in fact haven't even touched Jacoban religion yet, I like the two competing factions and will likely play with both in time. For now, Lord Simrey the Great is content to unashamedly promote Peteran values in Kingland, and his Kinglish subjects seem content with just the monastery.
Cons: The thing I miss most (no surprise, it is why I have not picked up TS4) is Create A Style tool. Furnishings can't be retouched to better coordinate, and I am limited to default textures on costume. I am also a builder, so the limited number of architectural options is a tad disappointing. Off-setting all of these is the fact that the game itself is sufficiently different, with its own demands and rewards, that I simply enjoy the degree of customization available in outfits and furnishings, and just get on with business. So I miss the options, but it isn't a dealbreaker.
I will also agree with the poster above that horses (or a donkey for Prior Jevon!) would have been nice. On the other hand, the kingdom is not all that big. And if I am walking across town, then it's easier to gather wildflowers along the way. Or I can hit speed option 4, and they just walk very quickly.
Overall, The Sims Medieval reminds me of a cross between The Sims 3 and Majesty: The Fantasy Kingdom Sim (the original one - not the mobile app sucessor), which is high praise - that was a game I especially enjoyed. I still have professions to explore. I have made, but not played, a physician, smith and merchant, and I haven't even yet placed buildings to recruit a spy, wizard, or Jacoban priest. My monarch is further along than my knight is. My Peteran priest is a hoot, and my bard is brand new. But I look forward to trying everything. And this game is small enough, and tight enough in scope, that I know I actually can.
I find it enjoyable and only yesterday started to search out CC to add to it. That says something in itself when you consider that with TS4 I was trying to find CC the first week.
I wish they would do an updated version of this game I would gladly sink $$ into TSM type of games.
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