@SimsLovinLycan absolutely! Completely agree. I may look to 'achieve' in other games but the sims has never been that kind of game for me. It's been the game I turn to for freedom and open ended gameplay. Challenges like this completely alienate me.
To much to say that has already been said anyway but I'm not a fan of the timed challenges, even down to that fact that for players who are into them only get the reward unlocked for that particular save file. lol I'm good with skipping it altogether and using cheats etc if I want the item.
It's not anywhere in my description of what makes a good sims game but then again TS4 isn't really a sims game I guess.
I'm a girl who likes to play with boys, what can I say...
“Instead of putting players in the role of Luke Skywalker, or Frodo Baggins, I'd rather put them in the role of George Lucas.”Will Wright.
Creating regular challenges is the best way to make sure that they'll have regular players every month and that's propably their real goal.
Not so. The best way to make sure that they've got people playing regularly is to make sure that the game's permanent content is worth playing and has enough replay value for people to keep coming back save after save and generation after generation. In terms of the goal of getting people to play regularly, challenges are more of a bandaid than a cure-all. They might draw in a few of the achievement-oriented, completionist players who've tapered off if the prize is good...but that's about it.
What a lot of players are really hungering for is permanent features that make the game feel fuller and deeper: A memory system that's not a jumbled hot mess, relationship decay that doesn't destroy your sims' social life if you rotate away to another household, the ability to turn off those randomly generated relationships that the game foists on your inactive played sims (because there's nothing more annoying than a game playing itself...), more improvements to family play, supernaturals (I needs me magic), Create-A-World (even a very simplified one would be nice), and so many other features and tweaks! For all its game-breaking bugs, for all of the myriad ways that you can so easily corrupt your save file, for all of the times that even on a computer which likely exceeds the game's recommended specs that it still takes almost a minute to load one page of build mode stuff, TS2 is still a better game than TS4 even in its base form because it is so deep. There's so much to do, so many paths you can take...and people are still making custom content for it, so there are infinite numbers of stuff and expansion packs' worth of content out there to continue updating and enhancing your game with!
TS2 doesn't need these temporary challenges to stay fresh and engaging. The players' imaginations and the basic tools that the game provides keep it fresh and engaging. The fact that they're resorting to online game style seasonal challenges to try and keep TS4 fresh and engaging clearly means that someone (maybe on the dev team, but more likely among the executive set) has no idea what gives a Sims game its odd, addictive appeal and is just kind of winging it...
I was going to do the one for the spring when I found out that it unlocked a different planter. But it was already decommissioned by the time I decided to give ts4 another try. But my sim was still collecting Easter eggs. Yay, I guess. Although, I do like them better than the gnomes. They make better decorating clutter if that has to be a thing.
Edit: Time-limited content is intrusive. I feel like I'm just renting the game now. But inserting themselves into my game seems to be the trajectory of the franchise now.
My opinion is that I dislike the temp challenges and I dislike how they're implemented, but I haven't played one since the first egg hunt the first year. Then again, I haven't played TS4 in a long time and have no desire to since it's not a real Sims game any more, either.
The challenges are just another example of how the game has been turned into a simplistic mobile app-like game. If I want this type of gameplay there are lots of FTP options that are a lot more fun IMO and definitely loads cheaper to rent.
The Sims
Where are we going, and why am I in this hand basket?!
Meh. I kind of think they have them just to get people who aren't playing to boot up their game again. It hasn't worked for me since December, but I'm sure it works for others. It's not my cup of tea, tbh. If that's the only reason for me to play, it's not enough.
This is me you are describing XD If I haven't been playing for a while a challenge might be the sole reason I start the game up and then find myself enjoying playing it again for a while. I presume this is one of the reasons they have these challenges as well as they might interest other player who perhaps enjoy another way of playing, or just keep the community going and interesting.
---
Sometimes I need something more to make me want to play, whether it be challenges or new content. I'm a very versatile player and make every game my own, so sometimes I play sims as an achievement game, sometimes casually and something with something else in mine, like any other game of mine.
@SimsLovinLycan absolutely! Completely agree. I may look to 'achieve' in other games but the sims has never been that kind of game for me. It's been the game I turn to for freedom and open ended gameplay. Challenges like this completely alienate me.
Nail on the head you have hit! This, Sims for me has never been about anything other than playing how I want to play. That's what has set this series apart from all others is that key feature. You truly rule, by playing how you want. There is no achievement or goals to reach, unless you make them yourself. And they have completely missed the mark.
Creating regular challenges is the best way to make sure that they'll have regular players every month and that's propably their real goal.
Not so. The best way to make sure that they've got people playing regularly is to make sure that the game's permanent content is worth playing and has enough replay value for people to keep coming back save after save and generation after generation. In terms of the goal of getting people to play regularly, challenges are more of a bandaid than a cure-all. They might draw in a few of the achievement-oriented, completionist players who've tapered off if the prize is good...but that's about it.
What a lot of players are really hungering for is permanent features that make the game feel fuller and deeper: A memory system that's not a jumbled hot mess, relationship decay that doesn't destroy your sims' social life if you rotate away to another household, the ability to turn off those randomly generated relationships that the game foists on your inactive played sims (because there's nothing more annoying than a game playing itself...), more improvements to family play, supernaturals (I needs me magic), Create-A-World (even a very simplified one would be nice), and so many other features and tweaks! For all its game-breaking bugs, for all of the myriad ways that you can so easily corrupt your save file, for all of the times that even on a computer which likely exceeds the game's recommended specs that it still takes almost a minute to load one page of build mode stuff, TS2 is still a better game than TS4 even in its base form because it is so deep. There's so much to do, so many paths you can take...and people are still making custom content for it, so there are infinite numbers of stuff and expansion packs' worth of content out there to continue updating and enhancing your game with!
TS2 doesn't need these temporary challenges to stay fresh and engaging. The players' imaginations and the basic tools that the game provides keep it fresh and engaging. The fact that they're resorting to online game style seasonal challenges to try and keep TS4 fresh and engaging clearly means that someone (maybe on the dev team, but more likely among the executive set) has no idea what gives a Sims game its odd, addictive appeal and is just kind of winging it...
Beautiful post! And I agree, @Shakuahi 's was another.
I didn't like Jasmine the first time she showed up. Still not a fan.
I don't play challenges, any of you who know me know I also don't play vanilla, because I find that challenging *enough*. Frustrates me to no end.
That said, I did the growfruit thing, once, and I am a little disappointed they rolled this event out on a week I work every night. Next week I could've enjoyed it more. This morning, my game is open, but I'm here posting instead. <shrug> I just don't have time to get anything done, really. RL > gametime, this week.
I'm planning to stick with 4 till the bitter end... or as long as Deaderpool does, anyway, and he's pretty settled in. If they have a Sims5, I'll check it out. But if it's not hot off the press when they stick a fork in 4, I'm going back to 2. I *loved* that game!
Sorry, just bits of random stuff. There have been some REALLY good posts here. Cool thread.
They're not my thing. I'd rather have features I can access whenever I want them.
Some players like them though. And I guess it's a nice idea to try and get a bit of a buzz going in the greater community (even if it doesn't impress us cynical forum loudmouths).
They're not my thing. I'd rather have features I can access whenever I want them.
Some players like them though. And I guess it's a nice idea to try and get a bit of a buzz going in the greater community (even if it doesn't impress us cynical forum loudmouths).
You may see that in my sig at some point. Love it!
(you found another one...)
I don't like them because they remind me of the timed challenges in mobile or Facebook games. If I want a challenge, I'll make up my own. The reason why I used to like the Sims (and still like the older versions), is that I had the freedom to play when I want and how I want. Yes, I know I can ignore the challenges. But I don't like locked content, same as I don't care for career-related locked content. I want to play with all the content that comes with the game I paid for. Because I'm a story-teller, not a gamer. I want access to all the tools in my creative toolbox, not some locked away unless I use a cheat or play the challenge.
I don't like them because they remind me of the timed challenges in mobile or Facebook games. If I want a challenge, I'll make up my own. The reason why I used to like the Sims (and still like the older versions), is that I had the freedom to play when I want and how I want. Yes, I know I can ignore the challenges. But I don't like locked content, same as I don't care for career-related locked content. I want to play with all the content that comes with the game I paid for. Because I'm a story-teller, not a gamer. I want access to all the tools in my creative toolbox, not some locked away unless I use a cheat or play the challenge.
I don't like them because they remind me of the timed challenges in mobile or Facebook games. If I want a challenge, I'll make up my own. The reason why I used to like the Sims (and still like the older versions), is that I had the freedom to play when I want and how I want. Yes, I know I can ignore the challenges. But I don't like locked content, same as I don't care for career-related locked content. I want to play with all the content that comes with the game I paid for. Because I'm a story-teller, not a gamer. I want access to all the tools in my creative toolbox, not some locked away unless I use a cheat or play the challenge.
I don't like feeling that I'm just renting the game that I paid for... I don't like the time limited challenges to unlock content. It should be there for when I want. Not when "they" want.
But I don't mind unlocking items pertinent to the story of my sims, like the career-oriented tools or interactive items. I know it's in there for me when I'm ready and not taken away by some outside-my-game restriction.
I cannot get into the challenges. It seems to me like i'm playing an rpg than a simulation. Like there is a mission I need to complete in order to unlock this or that. (I also feel that way about unlocking things through a career) Kind of like how the sims were in console. Which I enjoyed because it was a console. But this a PC game. I want to play it like a simulation PC GAME, not like a console or rpg.like I was playing Super Mario for Wii U and how you complete a stage to unlock another one. Again something I expect from that type of game not The Sims PC games.
"Bada su the gorn bada su the brawn bada bady oda aba donk donk donk gerbits gerbits vo gerbits".
I wouldn't mind them if they weren't time limited. Once the content is added to the game it should be there permanently and I should not have to enter cheat codes such as debug to get it.
They are now even working on more and going into depth into those seasonal challenges >.> Yes I know some of you enjoy them and stuff, but still many yes MANY of us DON'T! Maxis please, instead of wasting your resources and time on limited-time stuff why not use your work and resources on more worthwile and permanent features in the game? We still lack NPCs, how about you work on those police/firefighters/criminals instead of Jasmine 2.0? Why? Please Maxis, wake up. If those objects and stuff were permanent little mini challenges I can do when bored then sure but it is some lame seasonal thing. Heck even still make them limited but not at this current stage, when we lack more important stuff, add them later when the game is "more complete", aka more fun and playable where we can do the challenge as a little fun thing but like add them NOW? Fam no. I miss The Sims when it was a SIMULATION game not to do this or do that.
Share your opinions ~
Source:
idk if it's against the rules to delete a link plz don't get mad it just won't let me post it srry
Gurus please don't merge this into the other thread, this is discussing the idea of more challenges NOT the new xp feature.
JASMINE 2.0 IM CRYING
Family player we got toddlers...my life is complete 1/12/17 best. day. ever. My Plum Family Tree
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It's not anywhere in my description of what makes a good sims game but then again TS4 isn't really a sims game I guess.
“Instead of putting players in the role of Luke Skywalker, or Frodo Baggins, I'd rather put them in the role of George Lucas.”Will Wright.
Well said
WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?
Edit: Time-limited content is intrusive. I feel like I'm just renting the game now. But inserting themselves into my game seems to be the trajectory of the franchise now.
The challenges are just another example of how the game has been turned into a simplistic mobile app-like game. If I want this type of gameplay there are lots of FTP options that are a lot more fun IMO and definitely loads cheaper to rent.
Where are we going, and why am I in this hand basket?!
This is me you are describing XD If I haven't been playing for a while a challenge might be the sole reason I start the game up and then find myself enjoying playing it again for a while. I presume this is one of the reasons they have these challenges as well as they might interest other player who perhaps enjoy another way of playing, or just keep the community going and interesting.
---
Sometimes I need something more to make me want to play, whether it be challenges or new content. I'm a very versatile player and make every game my own, so sometimes I play sims as an achievement game, sometimes casually and something with something else in mine, like any other game of mine.
Happy simming!
Nail on the head you have hit! This, Sims for me has never been about anything other than playing how I want to play. That's what has set this series apart from all others is that key feature. You truly rule, by playing how you want. There is no achievement or goals to reach, unless you make them yourself. And they have completely missed the mark.
Beautiful post! And I agree, @Shakuahi 's was another.
I didn't like Jasmine the first time she showed up. Still not a fan.
I don't play challenges, any of you who know me know I also don't play vanilla, because I find that challenging *enough*. Frustrates me to no end.
That said, I did the growfruit thing, once, and I am a little disappointed they rolled this event out on a week I work every night. Next week I could've enjoyed it more. This morning, my game is open, but I'm here posting instead. <shrug> I just don't have time to get anything done, really. RL > gametime, this week.
I'm planning to stick with 4 till the bitter end... or as long as Deaderpool does, anyway, and he's pretty settled in. If they have a Sims5, I'll check it out. But if it's not hot off the press when they stick a fork in 4, I'm going back to 2. I *loved* that game!
Sorry, just bits of random stuff. There have been some REALLY good posts here. Cool thread.
https://deaderpool-mccc.com/
https://www.patreon.com/egwarhammer
https://twitter.com/eg4mccc
https://eg4mccc.tumblr.com/
Some players like them though. And I guess it's a nice idea to try and get a bit of a buzz going in the greater community (even if it doesn't impress us cynical forum loudmouths).
You may see that in my sig at some point. Love it!
(you found another one...)
https://deaderpool-mccc.com/
https://www.patreon.com/egwarhammer
https://twitter.com/eg4mccc
https://eg4mccc.tumblr.com/
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I don't like feeling that I'm just renting the game that I paid for... I don't like the time limited challenges to unlock content. It should be there for when I want. Not when "they" want.
But I don't mind unlocking items pertinent to the story of my sims, like the career-oriented tools or interactive items. I know it's in there for me when I'm ready and not taken away by some outside-my-game restriction.
JASMINE 2.0 IM CRYING
My Plum Family Tree