I think TS4 is the worst Sims iteration. I don't like TS3 but I don't think it is a bad game (I think the sims in TS3 are ugly as sin). I loved TS1, but after TS2 I couldn't really accept the never dying, lack of genetics, and other elements that TS2 brought to the game to play TS1 for more than nostalgic reasons. TS3, I love the worlds and the content and spend a lot of time trying to port them into my TS2 game--but I don't spend a lot of time playing TS3 and probably never will. That said, I totally can understand how a lot of players love that game.
TS4? NOTHING. There is nothing that this iteration brings to the Sims franchise. There is nothing that redeems this game. It's a waste of money and time.
One fanbase to rule them all:
Since it appears that EA no longer designs the sims for the diverse fanbase it built the Sims franchise foundation: for those who sincerely like this version of the game, I sincerely hope they will loathe TS5 so that I can like the next iteration. EA has pitted the fanbase against each other to divert the focus. Why no toddlers? Because our (implied: important) fans don't want them. Why forced cartoonish hood views? Because realism in the Sims is creepy. Why are aliens invading my hood? Because some of our fans requested that. In TS4 if you dont "get it" then you're a bad Sims fan.
P-poor development:
I hope TS5 breaks the "average" simmer's computer (because EA thinks we play the sims on toasters) I seriously hope TS5 will be a game that EA takes time with and designs for players who are ready and willing to dump $1000 on a game--none of this $1000 game for a $200 computer nonsense It's a lame excuse to skimp on animations and complexity--because the price doesn't reflect a game from the windows XP era.
Social networking failure:
The forced and awkward social media push and attempt to be trendy makes TS4 dated before its time. Instead of talking about the game, they send out dancers to look cool and social (and thanks to that stunt ended up making the Sims franchise look like a joke). The constant stats published as though this game to prove (although to be fair, it kinda does have to prove it's not a piece of rubbish). The dev team should just make a Sims for Twitter and leave it at that. The umbrella mobile division indicates that this might actually happen, so I should be careful with my comments!
Big BIG thumbs down... way down:
With the exception of the music team, a big thumbs down to everyone's contribution on the development of this product. Way to produce a huge disappointment.
I love the bolded part.
I don't get why this supposed single player game is being treated as though it is an mmo. I agree, why should I as a single player care about these stats? I purchased a single player game because I wanted to play a single player game ie. in isolation. If I want to play a multiplayer game that has group challenges, I'll do that.
I don't want real life seasonal events temporarily added to my game like they do with tablet and facebook, and free2play games: I want a seasons EP that brings in game context to these seasonal holidays. They mean nothing without in-game context.
But it wasn't meant to be a single player game, was it? Wasn't it meant to be online but the idea was scrapped late the game?
Such an interesting thread. I love to hear different opinions. I've grown to love TS4 more as times has gone on - I was extremely disappointed upon release. There's definitely so much missing from this game when you look at it against what was available in TS2 and TS3 base games IMO.
I play for realism, so when I saw that the sims themselves were undeniably cartoon-like initially I was a little put off. Luckily their appearance has grown on me, especially with the addition of various CC.
Due to a keen interest in psychology and personality types I was extremely disappointed with the emotional aspect of this game. To me, emotions have taken away the individuality of my sims, even though they should have instilled the opposite.
Emotional states are different for everyone and I feel they are far too complex to imitate in a game such as this.
The lack of personality traits is extremely disappointing as well as the inability to customize our sims personalities more comprehensively - this is just one of the reasons I believe this game was incomplete upon release, I just can't see how we'd have been given sims which lacked so much in the way of personality if this had been the full game and don't even get me started on the lack of content!
If all these issues are down to bad development or budgeting I honestly can't say but The Sims 4 certainly seems less like a life simulator and more like... well... I actually do not know.
I'd like to think that the fact that this game doesn't live up to my expectations is because somewhere higher up in EA's management system some dude in a suit decided to cut the budget for a game which they knew would be a success because of all the hardcore fans out there, regardless as to what it contained game play-wise.
I say that because I feel the gurus do everything they can to make the game interesting and playable with what I guess is a limited budget, obviously I don't know but I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt!
It's funny how this thread got moved to speculation...wow
It seems to me that any criticism of the game, or moreover EA, gets covered up (or in this case buried) as swiftly as possible - which I think is sad as I feel threads like this one can be constructive and helpful to gamers who may not be aware of the game's limitations prior to purchasing it.
It's funny how this thread got moved to speculation...wow
It seems to me that any criticism of the game, or moreover EA, gets covered up (or in this case buried) as swiftly as possible - which I think is sad as I feel threads like this one can be constructive and helpful to gamers who may not be aware of the game's limitations prior to purchasing it.
Why are aliens invading my hood? Because some of our fans requested that.
Alien invasions were made so rare that they're practically impossible, because some people complained, so instead we get alien bar nights where there's pretty much ONLY aliens. T_T
I'm thinking of selling my Sims 2 cd's and maybe give my acc away to someone who likes the sims. I'm done with the sims series and not because I want to.
Don't do that
It's like killing the whole of mass effect series, because 3 was a disaster. Pretend that this place does not exist. That TS4 never happened. And just be happy with the games that you have. I'm one of the few currently let's playing The Sims 2 and there's a lot of activity in The sims 3 forums side
Hopefully, they are stopping and taking stock of TS4 limitations for TS5 development. I can't imagine EA dragging this horrible iteration on for more than the 5 year cycle.
I agree with OP, just too many limits on this game. I was so optimistic about this game once, but after I just recently purchase the CL expansion, open it up played about an hour and a half, just was disappointed. Tired a few builds, closed it up today. I dont think I'll be going back in soon to play or build. Getting a break from it, going to just play Sims 3 for awhile.
Comments
@nanashi-sims just a quick search of the Sims Olympus will bring up lots of information. Here is a wiki page on the Sims Olympus: http://sims.wikia.com/wiki/The_Sims_Olympus
I play for realism, so when I saw that the sims themselves were undeniably cartoon-like initially I was a little put off. Luckily their appearance has grown on me, especially with the addition of various CC.
Due to a keen interest in psychology and personality types I was extremely disappointed with the emotional aspect of this game. To me, emotions have taken away the individuality of my sims, even though they should have instilled the opposite.
Emotional states are different for everyone and I feel they are far too complex to imitate in a game such as this.
The lack of personality traits is extremely disappointing as well as the inability to customize our sims personalities more comprehensively - this is just one of the reasons I believe this game was incomplete upon release, I just can't see how we'd have been given sims which lacked so much in the way of personality if this had been the full game and don't even get me started on the lack of content!
If all these issues are down to bad development or budgeting I honestly can't say but The Sims 4 certainly seems less like a life simulator and more like... well... I actually do not know.
I'd like to think that the fact that this game doesn't live up to my expectations is because somewhere higher up in EA's management system some dude in a suit decided to cut the budget for a game which they knew would be a success because of all the hardcore fans out there, regardless as to what it contained game play-wise.
I say that because I feel the gurus do everything they can to make the game interesting and playable with what I guess is a limited budget, obviously I don't know but I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt!
It seems to me that any criticism of the game, or moreover EA, gets covered up (or in this case buried) as swiftly as possible - which I think is sad as I feel threads like this one can be constructive and helpful to gamers who may not be aware of the game's limitations prior to purchasing it.
and the fact that the OP didn't post that much....opps now I did :P
Yup pretty much
Alien invasions were made so rare that they're practically impossible, because some people complained, so instead we get alien bar nights where there's pretty much ONLY aliens. T_T
would be moved the second that it is made lol
Don't do that
It's like killing the whole of mass effect series, because 3 was a disaster. Pretend that this place does not exist. That TS4 never happened. And just be happy with the games that you have. I'm one of the few currently let's playing The Sims 2 and there's a lot of activity in The sims 3 forums side
sadly I don't think that EA will make TS5
Well, because it is speculating on why the game is like how it is right now. So speculation. Sort of seems pretty obvious to me.
It will be consolidated into the one that already exists in Feedback.