Why not a game pack?

gummybear0724 · April 2017

Why couldn't eco-living be a game pack? A stuff pack is great, and I will buy it regardless, but with so many different ideas for eco living, why didn't they choose a game pack?

LadyEmillye · April 2017

Probably because of the scope of work involved.

Chazzzy · April 2017

Now that you mention it, I am curious. We as a community are putting a lot of effort and suggestions into a STUFF pack. We're literally doing someone else's job and there are already plenty of people who voted for things that will not even be included in the game now.

It's all a weird process.

xitneverendss · April 2017

They already explained the amount of work put in to a game or expansion pack would be too difficult to make it a community project.

VentusMatt · April 2017

I think this is more to tests the waters. A SP has less work involved while a GP is another level. I mean a SP has 1 to 2 gameplay mechanics while a GP has multiple. If the SP is successful then great if it isn't no problem that's just a few months of work but if a GP fails that's months maybe even a year of work wasted. Then think of the potential revenue lost. A lot of players buy SPs but even more buy GPs and if it would fail that is a lot more potential profit lost compared to the SP.

TheGoodOldGamer · April 2017

It's going to take nearly a year to get this pack done (as it won't be released until sometime next year according to the FAQ). I imagine production is significantly slower when including the community, having to wait on votes, coming up with extra selections for votes that won't end up going anywhere, etc. If we got to work on a GP it'd probably take 2 years, and an EP would probably take 3 or 4.

Also, Graham has already said we won't be getting a community vote like this for GPs or EPs anyway.

AmyCarolyn · April 2017

TheGoodOldGamer wrote: »

It's going to take nearly a year to get this pack done (as it won't be released until sometime next year according to the FAQ). I imagine production is significantly slower when including the community, having to wait on votes, coming up with extra selections for votes that won't end up going anywhere, etc. If we got to work on a GP it'd probably take 2 years, and an EP would probably take 3 or 4.

Also, Graham has already said we won't be getting a community vote like this for GPs or EPs anyway.

Exactly what I was going to say. A game pack or EP would be way too intensive to be able to accomplish in a reasonable amount of time while taking the entire community's opinions into account.

In the game development world, time is money and the fact that EA is expanding their timeline in an effort to include our personal input in a really direct way is pretty cool.
IMHO To push that and want the same from a game pack is wishful thinking. (Although it would be super cool) At the end of the day EA is here to make money because they are a business and expanding their timeline for something as in depth and demanding on resources as a game pack probably doesn't make sense for them from a business standpoint.

Mariefoxprice83 · April 2017

I have yet to buy a stuff pack for this particular incarnation of the game but I appreciate the fact that they are consulting players at all. They have no obligation to even ask us what we'd like, though of course, it benefits them as they may well get more sales as a result.

kokoro80 · April 2017

Chazzzy wrote: »

Now that you mention it, I am curious. We as a community are putting a lot of effort and suggestions into a STUFF pack. We're literally doing someone else's job and there are already plenty of people who voted for things that will not even be included in the game now.

It's all a weird process.

I think it awesome that we as a community are being so involved in this process.

Not only does it give us all insight into how a SP is developed right from the initial concept to execution, it also allows us an opportunity to design and shape the pack exactly how we want it. Basically we, as the clients are being consulted every step of the way to ensure the final product is exactly what we want. The community in general have been asking for a long time to have more input into what EA are releasing, this is Graham and the SP team showing us that they are listening.

It's not a GP because Graham is in charge of SPs. But who knows, if this process goes down well with the community perhaps it could also be implemented for other packs down the track, including GPs.

SageRainWillow · April 2017

I hope the unused Eco-living ideas end up in a larger pack. Maybe Seasons or something closely related. Everyone's given so many amazing ideas that won't fit into this SP, but could be rolled into something bigger.

LadyKyn · April 2017

I find the community to be getting involved and having more of a say so be it a stuff pack or otherwise is great. I'm pretty sure a game pack would take twice as long if not more when getting the community involved on concept art, gameplay and etc. Stuff packs seem far more simple and less headaches for everyone. I ain't complaining as it's nice to give suggestions and hopefully see inspired items that we wanted in something we'd all like to buy.

Rather than just silence and having no kind of feedback on anything. Maybe some inspiration from the eco living and be funneled into a game pack or maybe in a free patch?

Kinda hoping for the return of the cleaning skill as well in the stuff pack.

I mean there's usually like over 30ish CAS in stuff packs and same with build/buy. And over 120ish items in game packs or so. So, yeah that'd be a lotttt of work and probably would see some slow progress.

superQueen123 · April 2017

I disagree I feel like we are all doing someone else job sims has been out since 2000 I believe sales are going down so they think making us feel important will make us think and buy the game that's my opinion until they remove them loading screens I'm on strike

superQueen123 · April 2017

I haven't played for I believe 3 months it's killing me I want rob but EA is not getting a dime from me until they listen to my simple request sims 4 feels like sims 3 and to be honest it shouldn't feel like a game from back in 2003 sims 2 was my first sims game ever

superQueen123 · April 2017

But sims 3 idk how people play sims 3 the graphics aren't the same but sims 3 is pretty

AmySims09 · April 2017

Because it will interfere with the Pets game pack and we would have to wait even longer for it to be made and released.
But that's if they work on one game pack at a time.

Triplis · April 2017

As others have said, a GP would be too massive in scope when put against trying to get community input, having polls, etc.

A SP is a nice bite-sized way to give us insight into, and experience in, the process without overwhelming themselves or us. Keep in mind that for a lot of folks, this is the first sliver they've ever seen of the game development process itself. Having that first sliver be a giant chunk of a GP would likely be exhausting and start to feel more like a job, than something optional and intriguing. This is where the "vote on X date" part is vital, as it allows people to participate consistently with simple votes, without feeling like they have to go above and beyond. But the "vote on X date" could start to break down with scope as big as a GP; people getting exhausted with the decision-making of it and being like, "Alright, already, just let the devs work it out, I'm done with this."

Cause ultimately, what the devs are doing is a job and it's not all fun and games. Some of it is fun or else most game devs would probably find a better paying career path.

But it's still a job.

Sid1701D9 · April 2017

I think its a good idea, stuff packs are easier for them to start out with community events, plus it brings the fans and creators closer together, and maybe after seeing how it works maybe some of the Sims fans may wind up with a job at EA one day.

Edit: fixed grammar error. sentence made no sense!
Edit: I forgot to say because its in other games are doing the same thing from Elite Dangerous to Star Trek: Online. Plus, if we know how long it takes to bring a pack from concept to a physical product they can sale, we may learn more patients, its faster now than what it has been in the past. Star Trek game companies often ran out of money before they produced anything. The Sims series has a pretty good average compared to other games, and if this works out this may be a start of something new they do every now and than.

SimsILikeSims · April 2017

If it were a game pack, I could see the whole living off the grid thing, with several new crafting skills and ability for Sims to produce stuff like they do on the woodworking bench, like pottery, alternative medicine or expanded herbal recipes, or soap making. Plus canning and soup making could be added, along with a juicer or blender. I could also see clothes lines and hand washing clothes in that scenario. Game packs should also work with other purchased content, like they did with the weatherstone in ts3.

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Why not a game pack?

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