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Comparing TS2 and TS4 Aging (Teen -> Elder)

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Sk8rblazeSk8rblaze Posts: 7,570 Member
edited May 2017 in The Sims 4 Game Feedback
I've decided to open both games to see how the two fared when creating Sims which accurately represent the age group they are a part of. For this comparison, I decided to use beards on the males to really test the games. I'm skipping over YA.

I think TS2 is the clear winner of accurately representing each age group. I'm personally not a fan of the age transitions in TS4, and this comparison highlights why. Teens don't look accurate, adults (not YA) look too old to the point where its exaggerated, and elders look far too exaggerated and old.

The Sims 2

xt8Xp78.png

The Sims 4

Hk0VLto.png

Comments

  • Sk8rblazeSk8rblaze Posts: 7,570 Member
    edited May 2017
    And here's a comparison of TS2 and TS4 female aging. I still prefer TS2 -- it just looks more natural. I think my issue with TS4's aging is exactly what I stated in my original post -- it's too exaggerated in adult/elder, but not enough in teen.

    The Sims 2
    oUXmQV8.png

    The Sims 4

    81CSu0A.png
  • GoldenBuffyGoldenBuffy Posts: 4,025 Member
    Thanks for the visuals for those who need it! I think these pics sum up one of the glaring reasons why teens just don't work. Why aging between teen - elder just doesn't flow well.
    epngF25.png
    It's up to Nancy!
    My YouTube!

  • Sk8rblazeSk8rblaze Posts: 7,570 Member
    Thanks for the visuals for those who need it! I think these pics sum up one of the glaring reasons why teens just don't work. Why aging between teen - elder just doesn't flow well.

    Thanks. I certainly think the flow isn't as strong as it was in prior games. Really hope this is something they review in time for the family GP, or at least down the line eventually.
  • SeliosSelios Posts: 81 Member
    edited May 2017
    (disclaimer: I couldn't care less about teens) but as an outside opinion, honestly these images don't make a point to me

    if you were to hide the words on the right and only show me the images of teen and adult in TS2, I would not be able to guess which one is the teen and which is the adult. For the sims 4 pictures I would be able to.

    did ts2 have a YA stage though? (I'm not sure, I haven't played ts2 since I was a child)
    if not, I think comparing ts4's YA to ts2's adult would better support the argument here.
  • OEII1001OEII1001 Posts: 3,682 Member
    TRIGGER WARNING -- UNPOPULAR AND INCORRECT OPINION INCOMING. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK
    I think the transition between adult and elder in The Sims 4 is the best in the series. Those wrinkles are amazing.
  • comicsforlifecomicsforlife Posts: 9,585 Member
    OEII1001 wrote: »
    TRIGGER WARNING -- UNPOPULAR AND INCORRECT OPINION INCOMING. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK
    I think the transition between adult and elder in The Sims 4 is the best in the series. Those wrinkles are amazing.

    yes I think so to
    more for sim kids and more drama please
  • PegasysPegasys Posts: 1,135 Member
    edited May 2017
    OEII1001 wrote: »
    TRIGGER WARNING -- UNPOPULAR AND INCORRECT OPINION INCOMING. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK
    I think the transition between adult and elder in The Sims 4 is the best in the series. Those wrinkles are amazing.

    I love the wrinkles especially how they appear in CAS. In game for me, however (and maybe it's my settings, I think my Sim settings are on high but not Ultra), the wrinkles are much softer. I'm one of those rare people who wants older looking elders. I think the elders in this game look around 60, which is cool, but I want octagenarians!

    tldr; I don't think the elders look exaggerated at all; if anything they could look even more elderly. However, I do completely agree about the teens, in that I wish they looked younger.
  • CupidCupid Posts: 3,623 Member
    adults look fine to me. if not a few extra wrinkles, I'm not sure what else would separate an adult from a young adult.
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    (◡‿◡✿)
  • GoldenBuffyGoldenBuffy Posts: 4,025 Member
    Well, I think elders in Sims 2 and Sims 3 look and feel more "authentic". Sims 4 elders still look a bit too youthful for me. They don't have the slightly lose or saggy skin. 'Cause let's face it, when you age you start to lose the elasticity, suppleness, and youthful look to your skin. S4 elders just look like adult sims with wrinkles. That needs some working over.

    As for adults, I think they look just fine, a wrinkle here, an age spot there. But I will say between then and YA's, they should make the Adults cheeks to start slimming out. The fat deposits there are some of the first to start to "dry' up upon hitting middle age.

    As for the teens, for the most part they should have the most youthful appearance among the older lifestages. They have left childhood behind, but they haven't fully reach maturity, therefore you should be able, just by looking, tell them apart from a YA and an Adult. And right now you can't. Even with the addition of acne, the whole body type is still there, and that just don't fly.
    epngF25.png
    It's up to Nancy!
    My YouTube!

  • LadyKynLadyKyn Posts: 3,594 Member
    I know there's a lot of teenagers that look more like adults in real life, but I always preferred the look in Sims 2. They don't looks so young like they do in the Sims 3 as well as too short. Probably the only age group that needs to change their height a little, but don't think that's not possible now at this stage.

    Feel like that didn't have enough time to make teens and really just made them a bit thinner as well as taking that defining facial feature off of them like the adults have. ):
    5vJrxmT.png
  • DragonCat159DragonCat159 Posts: 1,896 Member
    Sk8rblaze wrote: »
    I've decided to open both games to see how the two fared when creating Sims which accurately represent the age group they are a part of. For this comparison, I decided to use beards on the males to really test the games. I'm skipping over YA.

    I think TS2 is the clear winner of accurately representing each age group. I'm personally not a fan of the age transitions in TS4, and this comparison highlights why. Teens don't look accurate, adults (not YA) look too old to the point where its exaggerated, and elders look far too exaggerated and old.

    The Sims 2

    xt8Xp78.png

    The Sims 4

    Hk0VLto.png

    Maybe that's way adults look over-exaggrated. Hence why they are called adults, not young adults.
    NNpYlHF.jpg
  • JoAnne65JoAnne65 Posts: 22,959 Member
    I'd be curious to see the young adult in that 'line up'.
    5JZ57S6.png
  • DeservedCriticismDeservedCriticism Posts: 2,251 Member
    JoAnne65 wrote: »
    I'd be curious to see the young adult in that 'line up'.

    I imagine he omitted it because it isn't the strongpoint of either game. Young Adults were added to TS2 via University and what distinguished them was their walk animation. And as for Sims 4, well...just imagine the adults without laugh lines and you're done.
    "Who are you, that do not know your history?"
  • TrashmagicTrashmagic Posts: 977 Member
    I definitely prefer the age transitions of Sims 2. With the young adults, the older looking teens of Sims 4 seems a bit redundant.
  • Saga-MinxSaga-Minx Posts: 580 Member
    I like the sims 4 version more. Sims 2 looks too smooth with the adult and the elder age.
    I always think sims 4 adults are 30/40 year old, so the eye bags fit.
  • cactusjuicecactusjuice Posts: 573 Member
    With Sims 2 you can pretty much tell what age group a Sim fits in without having to zoom into a face to check for eye bags...
  • Sk8rblazeSk8rblaze Posts: 7,570 Member
    Sk8rblaze wrote: »
    I've decided to open both games to see how the two fared when creating Sims which accurately represent the age group they are a part of. For this comparison, I decided to use beards on the males to really test the games. I'm skipping over YA.

    I think TS2 is the clear winner of accurately representing each age group. I'm personally not a fan of the age transitions in TS4, and this comparison highlights why. Teens don't look accurate, adults (not YA) look too old to the point where its exaggerated, and elders look far too exaggerated and old.

    The Sims 2

    xt8Xp78.png

    The Sims 4

    Hk0VLto.png

    Maybe that's way adults look over-exaggrated. Hence why they are called adults, not young adults.

    Yes, but I don't like the wrinkle locations and the depth of the wrinkles. It makes them look a bit too old to me, when an adult does not necessarily look that aged (to me). Someone said they think adults look 30/40, but I think they look far older, and I want them to actually look more how I see a 30/40 year old.

    I think the most sensible solution would be to allow us to control and edit wrinkles on age groups like we can with facial features on vampires. Not all people age the same, and the same logic should apply to Sims. I know I would love that feature when it comes to my adult and elderly Sims.
  • jackjack_kjackjack_k Posts: 8,601 Member
    Teens are the strong point of The Sims 2,

    but I love the transition from YA (Smooth Skin) to Adult (sunken skin) to Elder (wrinkles)
  • Sk8rblazeSk8rblaze Posts: 7,570 Member
    edited May 2017
    jackjack_k wrote: »
    Teens are the strong point of The Sims 2,

    I think family play and age stages in general are just the strong point in TS2. Let's not forget it introduced basically both and an entirely new way of playing The Sims which has been a massive success amongst the general playerbase of the game. People want legacy/family play over partying, bars, drinking, etc. Even the new mobile game is chasing after this gameplay design with its heavy emphasis on legacy play. It wasn't until toddlers were introduced that TS4's concurrent population rose by the ten thousands.

    EA not realizing this was a massive oversight on their part, and I think TS5 will certainly have to take TS2's formula and improve upon it MASSIVELY to the point where it's an actual improvement without being the same exact game (don't want what I already have) nor behind TS2's momentum either.
  • KurotardKurotard Posts: 380 Member
    I do think The Sims 2 did the whole aging system better. Disagree with me if you must, but I feel the whole reason the young adult stage doesn't really work for TS3/TS4 is because of the way it was originally implemented in TS2. Don't get me wrong, I like young adults in all of the games, but I feel TS2 did it the most justice. Being a young adult is usually the time in our lives were we are going to college for the sake of the economical rat race to hold down a stable career and I felt TS2 emulated that well when the life stage was introduced in University. Although we've seen the shift in focus of where The Sims is as a franchise with the shift of TS4, putting more emphasis on the party and nightlife aspects of both young adults and adults and not so much of the whole coming of age style that was in the previous two games. I think this is why there's such a lack of effort put into the teens themselves and their transitions into young adults in TS4. All I can hope for is in The Sims 5 for the aging to feel more organic, such as there technically being lifestages, but your sims doesn't just spin around and poof! Child to Teen! I'd like aging to be more gradual, like it is in reality. Children slowly because teens as they start going through puberty, some voice cracks and changes, the cursed acne arises, etc. Just my two cents though. :)
  • jackjack_kjackjack_k Posts: 8,601 Member
    @Sk8rblaze wrote: »
    jackjack_k wrote: »
    Teens are the strong point of The Sims 2,

    I think family play and age stages in general are just the strong point in TS2. Let's not forget it introduced basically both and an entirely new way of playing The Sims which has been a massive success amongst the general playerbase of the game. People want legacy/family play over partying, bars, drinking, etc. Even the new mobile game is chasing after this gameplay design with its heavy emphasis on legacy play. It wasn't until toddlers were introduced that TS4's concurrent population rose by the ten thousands.

    EA not realizing this was a massive oversight on their part, and I think TS5 will certainly have to take TS2's formula and improve upon it MASSIVELY to the point where it's an actual improvement without being the same exact game (don't want what I already have) nor behind TS2's momentum either.

    I think it was always the focus of 4, but deadlines meant otherwise.
    Kids, don't care what anyone says, were the best of the franchise. They have so much depth, personality, and quirkyness (facial expressions) that I just love.

    Then it seems they had like 4 months to do the rest, added object babies, Teen clones with a slightly youthful look, and elders who's back cracks once a day with wrinkles (and I'm pretty sure elders didn't get wrinkles in the base game only through CAS).

    So yeah, I'd say with how fleshed out Kids were, the rest was just due to EA stamping a deadline and not budging.

    ........

    Why they didn't space out the last 5 expansions over two years instead of one for The Sims 3, and given The Sims 4 an extra 12 - 18 months is beyond me.

    The last 5 Sims 3 expansion packs could have used way more time as it is (looks at Island Paradise and Uni in particular).
  • elanorbretonelanorbreton Posts: 14,518 Member
    If you are just looking at the face pictures, I would say that ts4 has done the age stages better.

    The problem is, when I am playing the game I don't often zoom in close enough to inspect wrinkles! So I need a more visual difference, which is provided better in ts2 with their different heights and the teen slouches etc.
  • JoAnne65JoAnne65 Posts: 22,959 Member
    edited May 2017
    Kurotard wrote: »
    I do think The Sims 2 did the whole aging system better. Disagree with me if you must, but I feel the whole reason the young adult stage doesn't really work for TS3/TS4 is because of the way it was originally implemented in TS2. Don't get me wrong, I like young adults in all of the games, but I feel TS2 did it the most justice. Being a young adult is usually the time in our lives were we are going to college for the sake of the economical rat race to hold down a stable career and I felt TS2 emulated that well when the life stage was introduced in University. Although we've seen the shift in focus of where The Sims is as a franchise with the shift of TS4, putting more emphasis on the party and nightlife aspects of both young adults and adults and not so much of the whole coming of age style that was in the previous two games. I think this is why there's such a lack of effort put into the teens themselves and their transitions into young adults in TS4. All I can hope for is in The Sims 5 for the aging to feel more organic, such as there technically being lifestages, but your sims doesn't just spin around and poof! Child to Teen! I'd like aging to be more gradual, like it is in reality. Children slowly because teens as they start going through puberty, some voice cracks and changes, the cursed acne arises, etc. Just my two cents though. :)
    I disagree ;) In terms of, I'd never played Sims 2 when I started playing Sims 3, so the Sims 3 situation has always been my starting point. I don't care how they call the stages, but a stage for 20-40 and a stage for 40-60 is the most ideal for me. 'Adults' in Sims 2 look way too young once their kids are growing up. And I don't think we need an entirely seperate life stage for students (on a side note, I like how all life stages can study in Sims 3). YA is my favourite life stage in both Sims 3 and 4 (well, except for the TS4 toddlers :p ). Though kurasoberina's primer skin makes my male adults look so sexy that I like that stage in 3 as well now. She has done what EA did to the elder stage in Sims 2: not making skin look old by adding a few lines, but adjust the appearance of the skin as a whole.
    5JZ57S6.png
  • Evilyn_1007Evilyn_1007 Posts: 761 Member
    I have to for me
    OEII1001 wrote: »
    TRIGGER WARNING -- UNPOPULAR AND INCORRECT OPINION INCOMING. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK
    I think the transition between adult and elder in The Sims 4 is the best in the series. Those wrinkles are amazing.

    I agree with this too. In Sims 2 they look basically the same just with grey hair.
  • JaseJase Posts: 2,147 Member
    Personally, I think it's far easier to tell a teen from a young adult or adult in TS2 than TS4 right now. But I'm holding hope that will change with the addition of the Parenthood GP. So far, from the pictures and renders released, the new clothing along with acne/braces via CAS, I think teens might be able to be easier to distinguish from their older counterparts.
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