Ya know, sometimes it's best to just walk away from threads than to get into back-and-forth arguments over personal opinions. So all I'm going to say is that, as a friend of mine recently said, TS2 had depth and TS3 had breadth. Sadly, TS4 has neither. IMO they've turned an awesome, complex life simulation for the PC into a tablet game good for posting pictures on twitter and videos and Youtube.
But hey, as many people have said many times, everyone should play what they enjoy and this is simply my opinion.
The Sims
Where are we going, and why am I in this hand basket?!
I don't want to sound like a whiny Sims 4 fan, but I like this game much more than TS3. Like many others, I hated it when if first released, after coming from a full loaded Sims 3 game, which is understandable, however, after some content released, I started to like TS4 much more than 3.
Some of you could ask themselves now: Why?
I have a simple reason for this:
Of course, I can't deny that TS3 has much more content than 4, maybe TS4 will still have less content than TS3 at its end, but this isn't the point for me. I don't only want much content, but more good content.
A little example to show you what exactly I mean with that: After I got the Vampires GP for TS4, I was so impressed with it, the vampires were so fleshed out and so much more entertaining, that the vampires from TS3 immediately looked dull to me. The same with many other things from TS3 that just look halfbaked compared to TS4, toddlers are a great example of this, too, of course But not only this, the sims themselves look much more alive in TS4, sometimes I start the game only to take screenshots, because the sims are no emotionless robots like in TS3 anymore, which is a big improvement for me and beats everything TS3 offers content-wise.
But don't forget this is simply my opinion, and I don't want to bash TS3. I still play and like this game, I actually play it since I was 10 years old, and I also like many aspects of the game that I don't like about TS4, I just wanted to point out the things that are reasons for me liking TS4 more
I want good content as well and to be honest it's exactly that what's missing for me in Sims 4. And that goes beyond EP material, it's the whole set up of the game (open world, CASt, gameplay with consequences because sims remember things others did to them, a whim system that reacts to what I, the player, choose). Apart from the toddlers indeed, they are everything this franchise needs a life stage to be. And I don't know about the vampires but I hear they did a great job with them. Sims 3 has its halfbaked problems, but Sims 4 is no better in that respect. And as for the sims, I prefer the subtlety of my sims in 3. They are far from emotionless and when they do have an emotion, I at least understand why. For me a robot is a character that jumps from happy to sad because he passed an object with an aura. Or took a shower.
You have every right of course to prefer Sims 4, but substantiating it with the 'emotionless robot' argument only proves you prefer playing cartoony style. Not everyone does and not cartoony doesn't equal emotionless/robot. So there's really no reason to put it like that.
To prove the whole 'emotionless' argument is a hoax, here a little test. Are those sims...
a. Graduating with honors
b. Somewhat disappointed with their exam results
c. Reading the script for Fifty Shades Freed
I don't want to sound like a whiny Sims 4 fan, but I like this game much more than TS3. Like many others, I hated it when if first released, after coming from a full loaded Sims 3 game, which is understandable, however, after some content released, I started to like TS4 much more than 3.
Some of you could ask themselves now: Why?
I have a simple reason for this:
Of course, I can't deny that TS3 has much more content than 4, maybe TS4 will still have less content than TS3 at its end, but this isn't the point for me. I don't only want much content, but more good content.
A little example to show you what exactly I mean with that: After I got the Vampires GP for TS4, I was so impressed with it, the vampires were so fleshed out and so much more entertaining, that the vampires from TS3 immediately looked dull to me. The same with many other things from TS3 that just look halfbaked compared to TS4, toddlers are a great example of this, too, of course But not only this, the sims themselves look much more alive in TS4, sometimes I start the game only to take screenshots, because the sims are no emotionless robots like in TS3 anymore, which is a big improvement for me and beats everything TS3 offers content-wise.
But don't forget this is simply my opinion, and I don't want to bash TS3. I still play and like this game, I actually play it since I was 10 years old, and I also like many aspects of the game that I don't like about TS4, I just wanted to point out the things that are reasons for me liking TS4 more
This is your opinion but my opinion is that TS3 Sims do show emotion and they are not robotic as you say they are. Just take a look at my SS that just knocked down all of the pins when she was bowling. She is jumping around all happy that she did good and not just standing there looking like a bump on the log like she didn't care that she knocked down all of the pins. This is emotion right here...
And take this for example. It's my SS thats happy to have won the pie eating contest.
And this one. My SS just won juice pong and is dancing because she is happy while Brian is hanging his head down because he lost. He's not staring into space looking like an emotionless robotic sim.
And this here. She just got arrested for her street art and was dropped off at her house and was made to pay a fine, so she is mad as heck for being told that she can't just go around and paint on the walls or the ground around town.
So I don't consider what my SS is doing in these pictures as emotionless robots...
You know, I just might have to start a thread for people to show us their dull emotionless robotic Sims. OH wait! We already have a thread that shows pictures of our dull boring emotionless robotic Sims because we had a poster state that they thought the TS3 was dull and boring...
Love the pictures! @JoAnne65 I wish I was as good at ss as you, you manage to capture their expressions so well!
I think when the game has to declare a sim as ANGRY/TENSE/ I can't remember the other emotion/ it really shows how weak the sims are at displaying the emotions through facial expressions and body language
@lisasc360 Bowling haha! @MidnightAura Thank you This was really a lucky shot by the way. I was focusing on my own sim, who was throwing her report card in the air with joy (emotion *cough*), when I saw these guys one room away
I feel like I might be hated for saying this... Sims 3 is considered better by a lot because of all the content, but honestly, TS4 isn't even finished. It has a long way to go and I'm in the belief that it will be worked on for a couple more years at least. I am under the impression that TS3 has a lot of content because it was easy to develop. TS4 is higher in quality and detail thus it takes more time to get content out. I'm being patient with it IMO.
I think it's widely accepted the team made the game easier to run and develop, not harder. Apparently Sims 3 was a pain to develop at times. I don't really understand the pictures showing Sims 4 with good lighting and Sims 3 with poor? Is that the quality you are referring to? As for the treadmills, Sims 3 wins.
I think it's widely accepted the team made the game easier to run and develop, not harder. Apparently Sims 3 was a pain to develop at times. I don't really understand the pictures showing Sims 4 with good lighting and Sims 3 with poor? Is that the quality you are referring to?
I think she was trying to show detail, not lighting.
I think it's widely accepted the team made the game easier to run and develop, not harder. Apparently Sims 3 was a pain to develop at times. I don't really understand the pictures showing Sims 4 with good lighting and Sims 3 with poor? Is that the quality you are referring to?
Not at all. I am referring to the detail on the objects and the sims themselves. The objects are smoother and less pixel-like. Same as the objects, the sims seem to show more detail in their characteristics and facial features. Again, That's just how I see it.
I don't think very many of us feel that Sims3 is better because of the content. I know I consider Sims 3 better, because it is not cartoony, with plastique textures, lego hairdo's, goofy grins and very disturbing walks. Your detail is my plastique apparently. I don't have load screens to go next door to visit the neighbor. I can control all my sims at any time day or night, even if one goes to a job. I have a lot of love for Sims3, but, it does not involve having more content than Sims4. It is more my style and I love the open world to explore and expand my sims lives and create very individual sims and stories.
I don't think very many of us feel that Sims3 is better because of the content. I know I consider Sims 3 better, because it is not cartoony, with plastique textures, lego hairdo's, goofy grins and very disturbing walks. Your detail is my plastique apparently. I don't have load screens to go next door to visit the neighbor. I can control all my sims at any time day or night, even if one goes to a job. I have a lot of love for Sims3, but, it does not involve having more content than Sims4. It is more my style and I love the open world to explore and expand my sims lives and create very individual sims and stories.
I understand that. I agree with the lego-like hairdos, though xD That's one thing I wish TS4 was more diverse with lol, but that's just how they decided to make it xD
I think it's widely accepted the team made the game easier to run and develop, not harder. Apparently Sims 3 was a pain to develop at times. I don't really understand the pictures showing Sims 4 with good lighting and Sims 3 with poor? Is that the quality you are referring to?
Not at all. I am referring to the detail on the objects and the sims themselves. The objects are smoother and less pixel-like. Same as the objects, the sims seem to show more detail in their characteristics and facial features. Again, That's just how I see it.
The treadmills look like huge barbecues to me, the treadmills in 3 actually look much better. I could politely add imo, but that would be a lie. They look better in 3. And the sims are positioned in different lighting, so that's hard to compare. Graphics in Sims 4 are better for sure, but I don't think better graphics withold the team from developing. Why would it?
I think it's widely accepted the team made the game easier to run and develop, not harder. Apparently Sims 3 was a pain to develop at times. I don't really understand the pictures showing Sims 4 with good lighting and Sims 3 with poor? Is that the quality you are referring to?
I think she was trying to show detail, not lighting.
I don't see detail though. I see fuzzy, plastic textures. TS3 graphics are very sharp and clear if you have a good PC with a good video card. So again, this is all about opinion, yes? I'm sure for some people who were trying to play on an underpowered laptop, TS3 graphics left a lot to be desired. But some of us, like me, saved up and purchased a PC that could run the game well.
You have every right of course to prefer Sims 4, but substantiating it with the 'emotionless robot' argument only proves you prefer playing cartoony style. Not everyone does and not cartoony doesn't equal emotionless/robot. So there's really no reason to put it like that.
This really hits the nail on the head, I think. I prefer TS3 because I think it is a more versatile game that provides lots of freedom to be creative. And since I don't prefer a cartoony style, it suits me far better and so it is game with much higher quality IMO.
I agree that this argument about 'emotionless sims' is what a lot of people say when what they really mean is that they like the super spastic, cartoony style of TS4 better than the more straightforward and mature approach that TS3 took with the game. To each their own, but those types of statements are totally untrue IMO. Besides, I have seen videos where TS4 sims talk to each other's backs or turn woodenly to kind of face another sim only they are not quite facing them directly. That looks far more wooden to me than any of the animations in TS3.
The Sims
Where are we going, and why am I in this hand basket?!
I wasn't bashing the game! Yeesh! Yes, I love the cartoon-like texture. My opinion. It's just the way I like it just like you prefer the sims 3 graphics. I am not bashing anyone's opinion. Why on earth does everyone feel the need to bash on mine? Can't a woman have an opinion without being staked here on the forums?
I think that the reason why people say that TS3 sims are robotic compared to TS4 is because of the few extra animations they put into the game. And the whole "emotion system", which is supposed to be one of TS4's greatest features. Once I sent my sim to China after her husband died and she often stopped and just cried. Just how lifeless is that?
ts3 treadmills have more detail on them, they are not just plain black/silver, they have chevrons on the running surface and other details on the front parts. And you can see how the rounded parts of ts4 treadmills are not giving the impression of being round at all - you can see the straight edges of the 'curves' because they haven't used enough polygons or whatever.
But we all have our own preferences and life would be boring if we all liked exactly the same things.
It seems like I need to add that I didn't only meant their facial expressions when I said "emotionless robots" @JoAnne65 and @lisasc360 , but also the animations like @dorcsyful already suggested. I can't really describe why, but the animations in TS4 look much more "real" than in TS3 to me.
It seems like I need to add that I didn't only meant their facial expressions when I said "emotionless robots" @JoAnne65 and @lisasc360 , but also the animations like @dorcsyful already suggested. I can't really describe why, but the animations in TS4 look much more "real" than in TS3 to me.
I agree. While Sims 3 bodily animations are... good, at the very least, those faces look off to me. At least in Sims 2, they were overanimated enough to be funny/meaningful.
Origin ID:theAidster21
The Sims has always been an important part of my life, and may it continue to be so! Long live Sims!
[Due to some kind of glitch, I am unable to insert photos into my signature for some reason.]
I really like the sims 3 facial expressions. They don't seem as over the top as 4. I don't mind 4s but it's my least favourite out of 2, 3 and 4. It seems the majority of the sims 4 actions are over exaggerated. Watch them cook for example.
To me the sims 3 sims looks and behaviour are more realistic, the sims 4 is definitely more OTT. The one thing I can't wrap my head around is the smiling when idle. Looks very unnatural and a little un nerving.
Have you ever developed a game? The more advanced a game becomes, the more time it takes to maintain and improve.
Ah, ok. I think toddlers had a lot to do with it. And the fact they seem to be focusing on GP's and SP's this time around, instead of EP's.
Before this discussion develops into "I'm not allowed to have my own opinion here or prefer Sims 4", I was only objecting against 'robotic emotionless sims' and the clearly biased comparison picture. I recreated the picture just now and in my game the lighting indoors is quite different.
I think the main difference is, that I put a light in there in the first place. As for art style and behaviour/looks/animations of sims, that's indeed personal (sims in 4 don't seem very real to me, but the question is if that's even relevant, do they have to be; I prefer Sims 3 for its more realistic approach in any case). But by calling the other style 'robotic' and 'emotionless', you are the ones setting a tone and nobody else.
It seems like I need to add that I didn't only meant their facial expressions when I said "emotionless robots" @JoAnne65 and @lisasc360 , but also the animations like @dorcsyful already suggested. I can't really describe why, but the animations in TS4 look much more "real" than in TS3 to me.
I like both styles for different reasons, but lean more strongly to liking The Sims 3 because it is more versatile. I have spent literally dozens of hours in CAS in The Sims 4 creating Sims in minute detail. As soon as they are in-game, they all look the same only with (limited) differences of hair/eye/skin color. In the Sims 3 I could have many, many variations of hair/eyes/skin - and it showed up in my game the same way.
My biggest thing is the expressions. All Sims in The Sims 4 express in an exactly identical way regardless of the shape of their eyes, location of eyebrows, their mouths, and so forth. I can't get past the Howdy-Doody smiles where the bottom lip comes up like a puppet's but the top lip doesn't budge. It was even more noticeable with my poor, adorable little toddlers.
In 17 years of Simming I have never had such a tug-of-war, love/hate relationship with a Sims game like The Sims 4. It's frustrating at times.
It seems like I need to add that I didn't only meant their facial expressions when I said "emotionless robots" @JoAnne65 and @lisasc360 , but also the animations like @dorcsyful already suggested. I can't really describe why, but the animations in TS4 look much more "real" than in TS3 to me.
I like both styles for different reasons, but lean more strongly to liking The Sims 3 because it is more versatile. I have spent literally dozens of hours in CAS in The Sims 4 creating Sims in minute detail. As soon as they are in-game, they all look the same only with (limited) differences of hair/eye/skin color. In the Sims 3 I could have many, many variations of hair/eyes/skin - and it showed up in my game the same way.
My biggest thing is the expressions. All Sims in The Sims 4 express in an exactly identical way regardless of the shape of their eyes, location of eyebrows, their mouths, and so forth. I can't get past the Howdy-Doody smiles where the bottom lip comes up like a puppet's but the top lip doesn't budge. It was even more noticeable with my poor, adorable little toddlers.
In 17 years of Simming I have never had such a tug-of-war, love/hate relationship with a Sims game like The Sims 4. It's frustrating at times.
Yes, this is exactly my issue I have a mod now by the way, that suppresses the smiling. Haven't tested it yet.
Comments
But hey, as many people have said many times, everyone should play what they enjoy and this is simply my opinion.
Where are we going, and why am I in this hand basket?!
TS4 players - we get it - you like it better because <insert personal opinion here>. Great. Have fun playing.
TS3 players - we already know why you prefer TS3 because we feel the same way. This *is* the TS3 section after all.
The argument died like... a year ago or something. Let it go already.
Edit to add: @HappySimmer3 - this is not directed at you *at all* - merely an observation regarding the thread in general.
You have every right of course to prefer Sims 4, but substantiating it with the 'emotionless robot' argument only proves you prefer playing cartoony style. Not everyone does and not cartoony doesn't equal emotionless/robot. So there's really no reason to put it like that.
To prove the whole 'emotionless' argument is a hoax, here a little test. Are those sims...
a. Graduating with honors
b. Somewhat disappointed with their exam results
c. Reading the script for Fifty Shades Freed
ETA: you are quite right of course @Surreal
Sims in 3 are so full of emotions. Just because it doesn't say in big letters 'sad' or 'angry' etc, does not mean it isn't so.
This is your opinion but my opinion is that TS3 Sims do show emotion and they are not robotic as you say they are. Just take a look at my SS that just knocked down all of the pins when she was bowling. She is jumping around all happy that she did good and not just standing there looking like a bump on the log like she didn't care that she knocked down all of the pins. This is emotion right here...
And take this for example. It's my SS thats happy to have won the pie eating contest.
And this one. My SS just won juice pong and is dancing because she is happy while Brian is hanging his head down because he lost. He's not staring into space looking like an emotionless robotic sim.
And this here. She just got arrested for her street art and was dropped off at her house and was made to pay a fine, so she is mad as heck for being told that she can't just go around and paint on the walls or the ground around town.
So I don't consider what my SS is doing in these pictures as emotionless robots...
You know, I just might have to start a thread for people to show us their dull emotionless robotic Sims. OH wait! We already have a thread that shows pictures of our dull boring emotionless robotic Sims because we had a poster state that they thought the TS3 was dull and boring...
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My stories on this site:
https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/991317/my-sims-stories/p1?new=1
I think when the game has to declare a sim as ANGRY/TENSE/ I can't remember the other emotion/ it really shows how weak the sims are at displaying the emotions through facial expressions and body language
@MidnightAura Thank you
I feel like I might be hated for saying this... Sims 3 is considered better by a lot because of all the content, but honestly, TS4 isn't even finished. It has a long way to go and I'm in the belief that it will be worked on for a couple more years at least. I am under the impression that TS3 has a lot of content because it was easy to develop. TS4 is higher in quality and detail thus it takes more time to get content out. I'm being patient with it
I think she was trying to show detail, not lighting.
Not at all. I am referring to the detail on the objects and the sims themselves. The objects are smoother and less pixel-like. Same as the objects, the sims seem to show more detail in their characteristics and facial features. Again, That's just how I see it.
The Cowboy and the Mermaid
I understand that. I agree with the lego-like hairdos, though xD That's one thing I wish TS4 was more diverse with lol, but that's just how they decided to make it xD
I don't see detail though. I see fuzzy, plastic textures. TS3 graphics are very sharp and clear if you have a good PC with a good video card. So again, this is all about opinion, yes? I'm sure for some people who were trying to play on an underpowered laptop, TS3 graphics left a lot to be desired. But some of us, like me, saved up and purchased a PC that could run the game well.
This really hits the nail on the head, I think. I prefer TS3 because I think it is a more versatile game that provides lots of freedom to be creative. And since I don't prefer a cartoony style, it suits me far better and so it is game with much higher quality IMO.
I agree that this argument about 'emotionless sims' is what a lot of people say when what they really mean is that they like the super spastic, cartoony style of TS4 better than the more straightforward and mature approach that TS3 took with the game. To each their own, but those types of statements are totally untrue IMO. Besides, I have seen videos where TS4 sims talk to each other's backs or turn woodenly to kind of face another sim only they are not quite facing them directly. That looks far more wooden to me than any of the animations in TS3.
Where are we going, and why am I in this hand basket?!
Mine, for instance, is that I see more detail in ts3 than ts4. From your picture example: ts3 treadmills have more detail on them, they are not just plain black/silver, they have chevrons on the running surface and other details on the front parts. And you can see how the rounded parts of ts4 treadmills are not giving the impression of being round at all - you can see the straight edges of the 'curves' because they haven't used enough polygons or whatever.
But we all have our own preferences and life would be boring if we all liked exactly the same things.
I like to build stuff
I agree. While Sims 3 bodily animations are... good, at the very least, those faces look off to me. At least in Sims 2, they were overanimated enough to be funny/meaningful.
The Sims has always been an important part of my life, and may it continue to be so! Long live Sims!
[Due to some kind of glitch, I am unable to insert photos into my signature for some reason.]
To me the sims 3 sims looks and behaviour are more realistic, the sims 4 is definitely more OTT. The one thing I can't wrap my head around is the smiling when idle. Looks very unnatural and a little un nerving.
Before this discussion develops into "I'm not allowed to have my own opinion here or prefer Sims 4", I was only objecting against 'robotic emotionless sims' and the clearly biased comparison picture. I recreated the picture just now and in my game the lighting indoors is quite different.
I think the main difference is, that I put a light in there in the first place. As for art style and behaviour/looks/animations of sims, that's indeed personal (sims in 4 don't seem very real to me, but the question is if that's even relevant, do they have to be; I prefer Sims 3 for its more realistic approach in any case). But by calling the other style 'robotic' and 'emotionless', you are the ones setting a tone and nobody else.
I like both styles for different reasons, but lean more strongly to liking The Sims 3 because it is more versatile. I have spent literally dozens of hours in CAS in The Sims 4 creating Sims in minute detail. As soon as they are in-game, they all look the same only with (limited) differences of hair/eye/skin color. In the Sims 3 I could have many, many variations of hair/eyes/skin - and it showed up in my game the same way.
My biggest thing is the expressions. All Sims in The Sims 4 express in an exactly identical way regardless of the shape of their eyes, location of eyebrows, their mouths, and so forth. I can't get past the Howdy-Doody smiles where the bottom lip comes up like a puppet's but the top lip doesn't budge. It was even more noticeable with my poor, adorable little toddlers.
In 17 years of Simming I have never had such a tug-of-war, love/hate relationship with a Sims game like The Sims 4. It's frustrating at times.