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The Sims 4 My First Pet Stuff - A Stuff Pack filled with Fur

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    HermitgirlHermitgirl Posts: 8,825 Member
    edited March 2018
    Hermitgirl wrote: »
    Wow.. okay I've decide for sure I'll be buying the pack now. I do like some elements of it.. some others I could do without. What changed my mind at this point is all of the thinly veiled and not so thinly veiled suggestions to boycott the product and company that makes it. I enjoy this game and I'm not going to be shamed for spending my money on a product I enjoy.
    Compromise indeed.

    How is criticizing something shaming? The reason people are upset about this isn't because they hate the game. You can enjoy a game and still be critical of it. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that if people didn't love this game, they simply wouldn't care enough to voice their opinion.

    Maybe I missed some posts because this thread has been merged a few times but I don't think anybody wants to stop someone else from buying the pack if they actually want to get it. People should be able to do what they want to do - buy it, don't buy it, praise it, critique it, or don't say anything if they don't want to.

    You must have missed the posts then... There are many that say stop buying it or your compromising yourself if you support it yada.. yada. I have absolutely no problem with people criticizing the pack. (or saying they would personally not buy it). I never said that. Heck I've been doing it myself.
    egTcBMc.png
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    sundaysimmersundaysimmer Posts: 201 Member
    Hermitgirl wrote: »
    Hermitgirl wrote: »
    Wow.. okay I've decide for sure I'll be buying the pack now. I do like some elements of it.. some others I could do without. What changed my mind at this point is all of the thinly veiled and not so thinly veiled suggestions to boycott the product and company that makes it. I enjoy this game and I'm not going to be shamed for spending my money on a product I enjoy.
    Compromise indeed.

    How is criticizing something shaming? The reason people are upset about this isn't because they hate the game. You can enjoy a game and still be critical of it. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that if people didn't love this game, they simply wouldn't care enough to voice their opinion.

    Maybe I missed some posts because this thread has been merged a few times but I don't think anybody wants to stop someone else from buying the pack if they actually want to get it. People should be able to do what they want to do - buy it, don't buy it, praise it, critique it, or don't say anything if they don't want to.

    You must have missed the posts then... There are many that say stop buying it or your compromising yourself if you support it yada.. yada. I have absolutely no problem with people criticizing the pack. I never said that. Heck I've been doing it myself.

    Thanks for clarifying! Yes, I don't think pressuring others or attempting to "win" a forum discussion is very constructive (no matter how passionate we all are!). I'm glad your comment wasn't targeted at negative criticism per se.
    Favourite TS1 packs: Superstar, Makin' Magic. Favourite TS2 packs: University, Open for Business, Seasons, Apartment Life. Favourite TS3 packs: Generations, Seasons, University Life. Favourite TS4 packs: Get Together, Cats & Dogs, Seasons, Island Living, Discover University.
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    Horrorgirl6Horrorgirl6 Posts: 3,193 Member
    Simanite wrote: »
    Wouldn’t be more upset if there was a small pets GP instead of just an SP though?

    Not really, it would d3pend of the pack.Like it had nothing related to pets.They have all the old minor pets, with a lot new minor pets.With a pet shop buisiness that you can run.Lerp having to order suplies, and clean caged ect. Also allow some minor pets ro eun around on their own
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    TynkTynk Posts: 1,316 Member
    edited March 2018
    Hermitgirl wrote: »
    Hermitgirl wrote: »
    Wow.. okay I've decide for sure I'll be buying the pack now. I do like some elements of it.. some others I could do without. What changed my mind at this point is all of the thinly veiled and not so thinly veiled suggestions to boycott the product and company that makes it. I enjoy this game and I'm not going to be shamed for spending my money on a product I enjoy.
    Compromise indeed.

    How is criticizing something shaming? The reason people are upset about this isn't because they hate the game. You can enjoy a game and still be critical of it. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that if people didn't love this game, they simply wouldn't care enough to voice their opinion.

    Maybe I missed some posts because this thread has been merged a few times but I don't think anybody wants to stop someone else from buying the pack if they actually want to get it. People should be able to do what they want to do - buy it, don't buy it, praise it, critique it, or don't say anything if they don't want to.

    You must have missed the posts then... There are many that say stop buying it or your compromising yourself if you support it yada.. yada. I have absolutely no problem with people criticizing the pack. (or saying they would personally not buy it). I never said that. Heck I've been doing it myself.

    The majority that I have seen both here and other areas are people saying don't buy it if you have a problem with it. Most would agree that if you don't see an issue with it and would enjoy it, sure buy it. That's the point of a game.

    Its the ones who complain, rather indignantly, and then still buy what they are complaining about. It doesn't make sense.

    I personally won't be purchasing this. But, I don't think others shouldn't if they want to. Just don't grab pitchforks for it while you're on the way to the register. Y'know? (* "You" used in a general sense and not directed at any specific individual)
    Simanite wrote: »
    Wouldn’t be more upset if there was a small pets GP instead of just an SP though?

    If it was a fully fleshed out game pack, with old and new small pets that were more that just objects with a couple in place actions, no, I would welcome it with open arms.

    I can understand focusing on just cats and dogs while adding in a career that has been asked for since forever and is a first for the series. Whether or not people are happy with it being an ownable business vs an active career is up to preference. The fact still remains they did bring in a highly requested career for the fans.
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    CheekybitsCheekybits Posts: 1,030 Member
    Let's see:

    -I can build a pet supply shop (and yes, I'm aware you can't sell the little pets themselves, but I said pet supply, not pet shop).
    -I can add or modify waiting rooms in vet clinics with the cutsie pet furniture.
    -I can make kids rooms (or kids room stores) with that cutsie pet furniture.
    -I can make a crazy old cat lady and deck out her house with all kinds of pet stuff.
    -I can give that busy Sim who is always on the go a little pet that doesn't need a lot of care.
    -I can give a full family of 8 Sims pets that don't count on the household amount but can still be named and have relationships with.
    -I can appreciate that deviant players now have a new death through illness in the game, which I can immunize or immediately cure my own Sims from without hassle. (More of this would be great for both kinds of players.) They can even cause mini-plagues to their Sims if they want.
    -I can make restaurants themed with the pet furniture.
    -I can make a cool cylinder aquarium with the coffee table/fish tank and the MOO cheat.

    That's what it means to me. :)

    (The thread I wanted to post this in got merged with all the other nonsense going on, but hey, still worth posting.)

    You're right. You can do all these things. But wouldn't it have been better if you didn't pay extra for those things? Because, oh I don't know, they should have been in the C&D expansion already? It's not the content that's in question here. It's the malicious intent of EA to get more out of an already existing DLC that felt like it needed more than. But then again I suppose you're one of those people who has no regard of your parent's money right?

    The toddler stuff (even the kids stuff) I can understand. They didn't make an expansion for toddlers to be in the game, they had a free patch for that.

    Would you prefer not to have vet clinics and have this stuff? You should focus on constructive criticism and not being rude to people who want to buy it. You don’t want EA to be “malicious” but yet some people (not all) choose to act the same to people who do what to buy it.
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    lovesstormslovesstorms Posts: 17,794 Member
    edited March 2018
    {EA_Lanna: Quote removed}
    Thank you. And I agree. It's my money and I can choose what I want to do with it. Not all people who play sims are teens and young adults living with mommy and daddy. lol I also have a full-time job and choose what I want to do with my money.

    And I agree. My husband has some fairly serious health issues and even could have cancer. This game helps me escape real life while we go through some serious and trying times. Honestly, it's been my go-to game for years whether it's S2, S3, or S4. <3
    Post edited by EA_Lanna on
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    OEII1001OEII1001 Posts: 3,682 Member
    EA_Lanna wrote: »
    Hey Simmers, I’ve just been catching up on the thread. A big thank you for all who have shared their feedback on the pack. Please continue to do so, there are some great posts to be found with excellent critiques. Just a reminder, let’s look to keep posts constructive when relaying feedback whether that be negative or positive. Share your thoughts on the SP. What would you have liked to have seen in the SP? How you would have liked it to go? What are your critiques, thoughts and feelings on the content? Please let us know. :)

    I do want to also acknowledge this too. There have been a lot of pointed comments targeting Guru's multiple times throughout this thread and it really isn't ok. I can see from the posts in here that many are feeling disappointed and it’s ok to share that here. Please note however, that once the discussion becomes focused on people rather than content it's no longer an appropriate discussion to have as per the rules in place. If the rules continue to be broken, the thread will be closed, and users moderated for how they've conducted themselves and the conversation. We encourage your feedback, but we do not support the targeting of others; members and staff alike. So, with that please do aim to keep critiques to the content.

    I have merged some threads with this one. The same points were being discussed so to limit duplicate threads they've been merged.

    This pack is just malicious. It really shows how EA just thinks it's customers will just buy anything just because it's a sims game. There are a significant number of people across all platforms (youtube, the forums, reddit, etc) that has expressed how this is probably the most disappointing pact yet. I mean, yes there are other packs that definitely would be better if they were re-worked, but this is just too low. This stuff pack just really shows how EA thinks of simmers-- easily manipulated people. Just hype them with an aquarium coffee table, right?

    The objects are no doubt awesome, I like them. How they are being released is my biggest issue. EA, I work hard for my money. I don't wish to spend it just because you think you can hype me. YOU have to work hard to get me to pay for your game. How is that you get to just recolor and retexture old assets and you get $10 for that? That is not fair. NOT fair at all. I don't want free content all the time. If this was a game pack with all the other small pets, it would have made more sense. But a stuff pack? It feels like you deliberately told Maxis to withhold certain assets for C&D so you can sell it into a stuff pack. I can only assume the Gurus secretly hating themselves for twitting and hyping this stuff pack. I am sure they know that the community will negatively react to this as a whole, but EA can only see the dollar sign. Meh. I have all your content, I will gladly skip this.
    I should point out that the moderators are just that -- moderators. They clearly have no input when it comes to design decisions or those that descend from the boardroom. In all likelihood they don't even know the devs. Furthermore, they're doing a great job here so, although they don't need my help in defending themselves, let's not direct the ire toward them.
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    MVWdeZTMVWdeZT Posts: 3,267 Member
    I started out with a negative attitude towards this pack, but now I'm thinking about getting it. Here's where the negativity came from:

    1. I'm still exploring Jungle Adventures (which I love), so I don't really need something new just yet.
    2. I'm not that keen on animal suits. Some people love them, but I suspect that a poll would show there are more "strongly dislikes" than "strongly likes."
    3. The teaser referred to "a new pet." Not 4 new pets to choose from, but just one. Knowing that you have a choice of 4 makes a difference.
    4. I think the teaser also referred to new pet clothes. I don't really want new pet clothes. If there had been a reference to new clothes for pets and Sims, especially Sims of all ages, i.e., children and toddlers, I might have felt more positive.

    The trailer helped some. The toddler pjs are cute, and I don't have to get matching clothes for a dog. The hamster shooting off in a rocket ship was probably the biggest sell for me. And finding out that the little pets can make their owners sick is another big selling point. I don't think this will be my favorite stuff pack ever (that's probably the Movie Night one), but I can see using it, which I couldn't when I first learned of it.
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    catloverplayercatloverplayer Posts: 93,395 Member
    Why only a mouse? :( ;(

    So they can milk ppl and add a rat at a later date.
    SeriouslyIf there was a thumbs down button on the forum I'd be wacking it by now

    Rats are one of the rodents confirmed for this pack.
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    AndreManoelAndreManoel Posts: 33 Member
    > @MVWdeZT said:
    > 3. The teaser referred to "a new pet." Not 4 new pets to choose from, but just one. Knowing that you have a choice of 4 makes a difference.

    c'mon, it is just one small rodent with different recolors, not 4 new pets.
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    fullspiralfullspiral Posts: 14,717 Member
    EA_Lanna wrote: »
    What are your critiques, thoughts and feelings on the content? Please let us know. :)
    [/i]

    2017 was all about the family play. The last two SPs are about that too. I don't play house in my game.

    It would be much appreciated if simmers who play other ways than family/generational/dollhouse, would start being considered again for more content like JA. Thanks.

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    AndreManoelAndreManoel Posts: 33 Member
    I'm so angry and what really gets me is that if you go online, you'll find really cool fan-made objects and mods, things that the community really want. The Sims 4 has so many bugs, and the producers don't even try to make it better. I need MC Command Center to make it smooth and fix the errors that come with every update. Hire that guy, he obviously knows to make it better at this point. Why should I keep paying for new packs if they can't make things right?
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    applefeather2applefeather2 Posts: 4,003 Member
    > @MVWdeZT said:
    > 3. The teaser referred to "a new pet." Not 4 new pets to choose from, but just one. Knowing that you have a choice of 4 makes a difference.

    c'mon, it is just one small rodent with different recolors, not 4 new pets.

    But one has a tail! (ducks behind sofa.)
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    PrincessSimcessPrincessSimcess Posts: 917 Member
    > @MVWdeZT said:
    > 3. The teaser referred to "a new pet." Not 4 new pets to choose from, but just one. Knowing that you have a choice of 4 makes a difference.

    c'mon, it is just one small rodent with different recolors, not 4 new pets.

    But one has a tail! (ducks behind sofa.)

    Lmao :joy::joy:

    I saw someone on twitter liken it to shirts. Just because one shirt has three swatches doesn't mean you've got 3 shirts.
    Lift up your head, princess. If not, the crown falls.
    35532344976_d8721ca725_z_d.jpg



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    estella_deeestella_dee Posts: 263 Member
    Cheekybits wrote: »
    Let's see:

    -I can build a pet supply shop (and yes, I'm aware you can't sell the little pets themselves, but I said pet supply, not pet shop).
    -I can add or modify waiting rooms in vet clinics with the cutsie pet furniture.
    -I can make kids rooms (or kids room stores) with that cutsie pet furniture.
    -I can make a crazy old cat lady and deck out her house with all kinds of pet stuff.
    -I can give that busy Sim who is always on the go a little pet that doesn't need a lot of care.
    -I can give a full family of 8 Sims pets that don't count on the household amount but can still be named and have relationships with.
    -I can appreciate that deviant players now have a new death through illness in the game, which I can immunize or immediately cure my own Sims from without hassle. (More of this would be great for both kinds of players.) They can even cause mini-plagues to their Sims if they want.
    -I can make restaurants themed with the pet furniture.
    -I can make a cool cylinder aquarium with the coffee table/fish tank and the MOO cheat.

    That's what it means to me. :)

    (The thread I wanted to post this in got merged with all the other nonsense going on, but hey, still worth posting.)

    You're right. You can do all these things. But wouldn't it have been better if you didn't pay extra for those things? Because, oh I don't know, they should have been in the C&D expansion already? It's not the content that's in question here. It's the malicious intent of EA to get more out of an already existing DLC that felt like it needed more than. But then again I suppose you're one of those people who has no regard of your parent's money right?

    The toddler stuff (even the kids stuff) I can understand. They didn't make an expansion for toddlers to be in the game, they had a free patch for that.

    Would you prefer not to have vet clinics and have this stuff? You should focus on constructive criticism and not being rude to people who want to buy it. You don’t want EA to be “malicious” but yet some people (not all) choose to act the same to people who do what to buy it.

    What's not constructive about my statement? Maybe you're just too sensitive?

    Furthermore what's having (or not having) vet clinic got to do with this? Are you telling vet clinics were the only thing we should have expected from C&D? Let me remind you that in other sims games expansion packs we had Ambitions and laundry and then some and University and bowling and then some, and oh yes, we also had Pets and small pets and then some.

    If you think my comment was rude, you probably only play the sims, you must not have gone through other game's forums. Trust me, my comments here are more than objective.
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    LoanetLoanet Posts: 4,079 Member
    edited March 2018
    They really should have left it a few months, until people were actually ASKING for more pet clothes. Even just put it in a locker and pull it out at the end of next quarter. I mean, people haven't even finished enjoying JA yet. The rush was unnecessery. At least not for players.

    The reason people didn't complain about the Toddler stuff was because the Toddler Patch was free, but it worked on the same thematic - perhaps the toddler-based stuff in Parenthood and Toddler Stuff should have been in the free patch all along? It wasn't. But people paid for the further expansions anyway and for the most part they didn't complain..

    The irony is that if Cats and Dogs and the basic love and care of them were a free patch that everybody could have, then EA could churn out more pet packs like there's no tomorrow and not hear a peep, and probably make more money in the long-term. Don't get me wrong, it was never GOING to be free, but my point stands.
    Prepping a list of mods to add after Infants are placed into the game. Because real life isn't 'nice'.
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    TheGoodOldGamerTheGoodOldGamer Posts: 3,559 Member
    :| Why bother? Just... why.
    Live, laugh and love. Life's too short not to.
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    catloverplayercatloverplayer Posts: 93,395 Member
    Loanet wrote: »
    They really should have left it a few months, until people were actually ASKING for more pet clothes. Even just put it in a locker and pull it out at the end of next quarter. I mean, people haven't even finished enjoying JA yet. The rush was unnecessery. At least not for players.

    The reason people didn't complain about the Toddler stuff was because the Toddler Patch was free, but it worked on the same thematic - perhaps the toddler-based stuff in Parenthood and Toddler Stuff should have been in the free patch all along? It wasn't. But people paid for the further expansions anyway and for the most part they didn't complain..

    The irony is that if Cats and Dogs and the basic love and care of them were a free patch that everybody could have, then EA could churn out more pet packs like there's no tomorrow and not hear a peep, and probably make more money in the long-term. Don't get me wrong, it was never GOING to be free, but my point stands.

    Glad it added pet beds. Now we'll have more choices then just 2.
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    DaleylifeDaleylife Posts: 128 Member
    Yeah, I don't know what the heck is going on over there, but this pack is a big slap in the face. Blatant money grab. As others have said, if you are upset with this, do not buy this pack. I won't be.
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    sundaysimmersundaysimmer Posts: 201 Member
    LiELF wrote: »
    Okay. I've made several comments already in a variety of threads about this pack, but I'm going to try to be as constructive as I can right now, out of respect for the moderators, and in a serious attempt to get my message out there to the company.

    First, I'm going to start by saying that, up until now, I have been a supporter of Stuff packs. I feel that, for the most part, they have been very good at representing what they are: independent themes that don't always fit the flavor of the larger packs. They are easy to pass over if they do not suit an individual's personal preference, and are hardly missed when left out. They have always been an extra for the player to pick and choose what suits their own play style, and the price point is very fair for what they are. And according to statements from Maxis developers, Stuff packs contain the content that was voted out of the larger packs, and thus includes stuff that would not exist in game otherwise. So these packs have been a way of giving us those things back.

    I can't say I've been as pleased with Expansion packs. For the majority, I have found them to be disappointingly thin and unsatisfying for long-term play. They have a tendency to have strength in one or two areas, but then prove to be stretched shallow in others. Considering that they take a year or more to develop and remain the highest priced of the packs, I find this worth questioning over and again. How is it that these packs in past games seemed teeming with content full of depth and creativity, stuffed to completion, but suddenly with Sims 4's reign, they fall a little flat, and in fact, are often overshadowed by the new $20 Game packs? It seems that something isn't flowing right, whether in the budget, time management, or staff size... maybe a bit of all three, I don't know. But it's noticeable, and it seems to me that some kind of measures should be taken to correct it.

    When Cats and Dogs was released just four months ago, players took note of how few objects there were included in the pack. We keep getting told that there are budget restrictions, deadlines, etc., and that some things get left out in favor of new things. And while I can accept this excuse to a point, the elimination of key objects for Cats and Dogs seemed like a terrible oversight. If we were getting one single expansion pack focused on only Cats and Dogs, then shouldn't it include complete sets for the items required to cater to those pets' needs? Shouldn't it have a larger variety of items, since we were only given those two animals? After all, we sacrificed a plethora of small pets (and some say horses too) for the veterinarian career, so shouldn't we still have received a full catalog of cat- and dog-friendly items to fulfill the theme? That would have been fair. Instead, the pack was cut short, and a paltry selection was supplied to us, accompanied with the assurance that these would be the best cats and dogs we'd ever seen because the pack chose to focus on only them. People were bummed out, but we grudgingly accepted what we had and moved on.

    Fast forward to this week, and suddenly there's a pet-themed Stuff pack with a whole bunch of Cats and Dogs items. Not even brand new designs, but practically recolors of the same things we already have. And not only that, but pieces of furniture that actually match what we were given in the Cats and Dogs pack. But that's not all...let's pile on a selection of new pet clothes and Cat and Dog decor. Let's be frank about this - more than half of this pack is specifically Cat and Dog themed, and it's been jammed under the guise of a "small pets pack".

    Which brings me to the "small pets" issue. Pets, plural? I don't think so. This is clearly one pet type with four skins, that all behave the same way. They are tied to their cage, just like the infants to the cradles, which makes their gameplay limited. One new pet type, and then a few new pieces of Sim clothing and hair.

    The first problem, as I see it, is that any Cats and Dogs related content should have been in that expansion pack. We were assured that we would get more out of the pack for those two animals for the very reason that we weren't going to be getting any other pets with them. That assurance turned out to be false, and just a few months later we are being offered some of those missing items with another $10 fee slapped to them. How can the players possibly not feel betrayed by this?

    The second major problem that I see, is this single new pet being offered. Where are the rest? Why was there a survey a year ago asking if players would like an entire pack dedicated to small pets? To me, this speaks loudly of EA's intentions to split up each pet type into a series of "pet" stuff packs, continuing to offer more missing content for Cats and Dogs along the way instead of dedicating to a complete small pets theme, and pushing pressure onto the player to buy the expansion in order to be able to use all of the content. In the end, for the player to have the whole collection of pets, we'll have paid the price of at least two expansion packs. No. No, no, NO. This. is. WRONG.

    So what would my solution be? Well, this is a little hard, considering I don't know what's on the brink of development, but I can say that I think all of the Cat and Dog content, at the very least, anything that requires Cats and Dogs, should be patched to us for free. Then, maybe take the rest, charge $4.99 for it, and never speak of this monstrosity again. And consider working on that small pets pack for us but make frakking sure that it's cohesive, extensive, and worth the money you charge us. Give us reptiles, a variety of birds, ferrets, rabbits, chinchillas, spiders, and exotics, like flying squirrels. Give us creatures that run around the house, jump from Sim to Sim, or do tricks. Give us a reason to forget this pack ever happened.

    In closing, I will say that I'm not entirely against addons for expansions. I'm really not. I would love to see Aliens extended upon, and Servos return with them. Honestly, I can think of a few things that would be fun to expand. But in this case, the company went against its word and the wound was still raw. We were promised the best Cats and Dogs in exchange for the sacrifice of other pets, and part of that promise should absolutely have included everything we needed for those cats and dogs. We should not be paying outright for that missing content.

    YES. Thank you. I agree with all of your points. I've been trying to make sense of this mess and your very elaborate and eloquent post expresses everything that I would want EA and the developers to know.
    Favourite TS1 packs: Superstar, Makin' Magic. Favourite TS2 packs: University, Open for Business, Seasons, Apartment Life. Favourite TS3 packs: Generations, Seasons, University Life. Favourite TS4 packs: Get Together, Cats & Dogs, Seasons, Island Living, Discover University.
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    drake_mccartydrake_mccarty Posts: 6,115 Member
    LiELF wrote: »
    Okay. I've made several comments already in a variety of threads about this pack, but I'm going to try to be as constructive as I can right now, out of respect for the moderators, and in a serious attempt to get my message out there to the company.

    First, I'm going to start by saying that, up until now, I have been a supporter of Stuff packs. I feel that, for the most part, they have been very good at representing what they are: independent themes that don't always fit the flavor of the larger packs. They are easy to pass over if they do not suit an individual's personal preference, and are hardly missed when left out. They have always been an extra for the player to pick and choose what suits their own play style, and the price point is very fair for what they are. And according to statements from Maxis developers, Stuff packs contain the content that was voted out of the larger packs, and thus includes stuff that would not exist in game otherwise. So these packs have been a way of giving us those things back.

    I can't say I've been as pleased with Expansion packs. For the majority, I have found them to be disappointingly thin and unsatisfying for long-term play. They have a tendency to have strength in one or two areas, but then prove to be stretched shallow in others. Considering that they take a year or more to develop and remain the highest priced of the packs, I find this worth questioning over and again. How is it that these packs in past games seemed teeming with content full of depth and creativity, stuffed to completion, but suddenly with Sims 4's reign, they fall a little flat, and in fact, are often overshadowed by the new $20 Game packs? It seems that something isn't flowing right, whether in the budget, time management, or staff size... maybe a bit of all three, I don't know. But it's noticeable, and it seems to me that some kind of measures should be taken to correct it.

    When Cats and Dogs was released just four months ago, players took note of how few objects there were included in the pack. We keep getting told that there are budget restrictions, deadlines, etc., and that some things get left out in favor of new things. And while I can accept this excuse to a point, the elimination of key objects for Cats and Dogs seemed like a terrible oversight. If we were getting one single expansion pack focused on only Cats and Dogs, then shouldn't it include complete sets for the items required to cater to those pets' needs? Shouldn't it have a larger variety of items, since we were only given those two animals? After all, we sacrificed a plethora of small pets (and some say horses too) for the veterinarian career, so shouldn't we still have received a full catalog of cat- and dog-friendly items to fulfill the theme? That would have been fair. Instead, the pack was cut short, and a paltry selection was supplied to us, accompanied with the assurance that these would be the best cats and dogs we'd ever seen because the pack chose to focus on only them. People were bummed out, but we grudgingly accepted what we had and moved on.

    Fast forward to this week, and suddenly there's a pet-themed Stuff pack with a whole bunch of Cats and Dogs items. Not even brand new designs, but practically recolors of the same things we already have. And not only that, but pieces of furniture that actually match what we were given in the Cats and Dogs pack. But that's not all...let's pile on a selection of new pet clothes and Cat and Dog decor. Let's be frank about this - more than half of this pack is specifically Cat and Dog themed, and it's been jammed under the guise of a "small pets pack".

    Which brings me to the "small pets" issue. Pets, plural? I don't think so. This is clearly one pet type with four skins, that all behave the same way. They are tied to their cage, just like the infants to the cradles, which makes their gameplay limited. One new pet type, and then a few new pieces of Sim clothing and hair.

    The first problem, as I see it, is that any Cats and Dogs related content should have been in that expansion pack. We were assured that we would get more out of the pack for those two animals for the very reason that we weren't going to be getting any other pets with them. That assurance turned out to be false, and just a few months later we are being offered some of those missing items with another $10 fee slapped to them. How can the players possibly not feel betrayed by this?

    The second major problem that I see, is this single new pet being offered. Where are the rest? Why was there a survey a year ago asking if players would like an entire pack dedicated to small pets? To me, this speaks loudly of EA's intentions to split up each pet type into a series of "pet" stuff packs, continuing to offer more missing content for Cats and Dogs along the way instead of dedicating to a complete small pets theme, and pushing pressure onto the player to buy the expansion in order to be able to use all of the content. In the end, for the player to have the whole collection of pets, we'll have paid the price of at least two expansion packs. No. No, no, NO. This. is. WRONG.

    So what would my solution be? Well, this is a little hard, considering I don't know what's on the brink of development, but I can say that I think all of the Cat and Dog content, at the very least, anything that requires Cats and Dogs, should be patched to us for free. Then, maybe take the rest, charge $4.99 for it, and never speak of this monstrosity again. And consider working on that small pets pack for us but make frakking sure that it's cohesive, extensive, and worth the money you charge us. Give us reptiles, a variety of birds, ferrets, rabbits, chinchillas, spiders, and exotics, like flying squirrels. Give us creatures that run around the house, jump from Sim to Sim, or do tricks. Give us a reason to forget this pack ever happened.

    In closing, I will say that I'm not entirely against addons for expansions. I'm really not. I would love to see Aliens extended upon, and Servos return with them. Honestly, I can think of a few things that would be fun to expand. But in this case, the company went against its word and the wound was still raw. We were promised the best Cats and Dogs in exchange for the sacrifice of other pets, and part of that promise should absolutely have included everything we needed for those cats and dogs. We should not be paying outright for that missing content.

    I second every word here. Excellent post
  • Options
    DragonAge_300905DragonAge_300905 Posts: 1,944 Member
    EA_Lanna wrote: »
    Hey Simmers, I’ve just been catching up on the thread. A big thank you for all who have shared their feedback on the pack. Please continue to do so, there are some great posts to be found with excellent critiques. Just a reminder, let’s look to keep posts constructive when relaying feedback whether that be negative or positive. Share your thoughts on the SP. What would you have liked to have seen in the SP? How you would have liked it to go? What are your critiques, thoughts and feelings on the content? Please let us know. :)

    I do want to also acknowledge this too. There have been a lot of pointed comments targeting Guru's multiple times throughout this thread and it really isn't ok. I can see from the posts in here that many are feeling disappointed and it’s ok to share that here. Please note however, that once the discussion becomes focused on people rather than content it's no longer an appropriate discussion to have as per the rules in place. If the rules continue to be broken, the thread will be closed, and users moderated for how they've conducted themselves and the conversation. We encourage your feedback, but we do not support the targeting of others; members and staff alike. So, with that please do aim to keep critiques to the content.

    I have merged some threads with this one. The same points were being discussed so to limit duplicate threads they've been merged.

    My thoughts are, I want it and I'll buy it. I don't feel like I'm being cheated by buying the pack. Looking forward to getting it.
  • Options
    AlbaWaterhouseAlbaWaterhouse Posts: 3,953 Member
    LiELF wrote: »
    Okay. I've made several comments already in a variety of threads about this pack, but I'm going to try to be as constructive as I can right now, out of respect for the moderators, and in a serious attempt to get my message out there to the company.

    First, I'm going to start by saying that, up until now, I have been a supporter of Stuff packs. I feel that, for the most part, they have been very good at representing what they are: independent themes that don't always fit the flavor of the larger packs. They are easy to pass over if they do not suit an individual's personal preference, and are hardly missed when left out. They have always been an extra for the player to pick and choose what suits their own play style, and the price point is very fair for what they are. And according to statements from Maxis developers, Stuff packs contain the content that was voted out of the larger packs, and thus includes stuff that would not exist in game otherwise. So these packs have been a way of giving us those things back.

    I can't say I've been as pleased with Expansion packs. For the majority, I have found them to be disappointingly thin and unsatisfying for long-term play. They have a tendency to have strength in one or two areas, but then prove to be stretched shallow in others. Considering that they take a year or more to develop and remain the highest priced of the packs, I find this worth questioning over and again. How is it that these packs in past games seemed teeming with content full of depth and creativity, stuffed to completion, but suddenly with Sims 4's reign, they fall a little flat, and in fact, are often overshadowed by the new $20 Game packs? It seems that something isn't flowing right, whether in the budget, time management, or staff size... maybe a bit of all three, I don't know. But it's noticeable, and it seems to me that some kind of measures should be taken to correct it.

    When Cats and Dogs was released just four months ago, players took note of how few objects there were included in the pack. We keep getting told that there are budget restrictions, deadlines, etc., and that some things get left out in favor of new things. And while I can accept this excuse to a point, the elimination of key objects for Cats and Dogs seemed like a terrible oversight. If we were getting one single expansion pack focused on only Cats and Dogs, then shouldn't it include complete sets for the items required to cater to those pets' needs? Shouldn't it have a larger variety of items, since we were only given those two animals? After all, we sacrificed a plethora of small pets (and some say horses too) for the veterinarian career, so shouldn't we still have received a full catalog of cat- and dog-friendly items to fulfill the theme? That would have been fair. Instead, the pack was cut short, and a paltry selection was supplied to us, accompanied with the assurance that these would be the best cats and dogs we'd ever seen because the pack chose to focus on only them. People were bummed out, but we grudgingly accepted what we had and moved on.

    Fast forward to this week, and suddenly there's a pet-themed Stuff pack with a whole bunch of Cats and Dogs items. Not even brand new designs, but practically recolors of the same things we already have. And not only that, but pieces of furniture that actually match what we were given in the Cats and Dogs pack. But that's not all...let's pile on a selection of new pet clothes and Cat and Dog decor. Let's be frank about this - more than half of this pack is specifically Cat and Dog themed, and it's been jammed under the guise of a "small pets pack".

    Which brings me to the "small pets" issue. Pets, plural? I don't think so. This is clearly one pet type with four skins, that all behave the same way. They are tied to their cage, just like the infants to the cradles, which makes their gameplay limited. One new pet type, and then a few new pieces of Sim clothing and hair.

    The first problem, as I see it, is that any Cats and Dogs related content should have been in that expansion pack. We were assured that we would get more out of the pack for those two animals for the very reason that we weren't going to be getting any other pets with them. That assurance turned out to be false, and just a few months later we are being offered some of those missing items with another $10 fee slapped to them. How can the players possibly not feel betrayed by this?

    The second major problem that I see, is this single new pet being offered. Where are the rest? Why was there a survey a year ago asking if players would like an entire pack dedicated to small pets? To me, this speaks loudly of EA's intentions to split up each pet type into a series of "pet" stuff packs, continuing to offer more missing content for Cats and Dogs along the way instead of dedicating to a complete small pets theme, and pushing pressure onto the player to buy the expansion in order to be able to use all of the content. In the end, for the player to have the whole collection of pets, we'll have paid the price of at least two expansion packs. No. No, no, NO. This. is. WRONG.

    So what would my solution be? Well, this is a little hard, considering I don't know what's on the brink of development, but I can say that I think all of the Cat and Dog content, at the very least, anything that requires Cats and Dogs, should be patched to us for free. Then, maybe take the rest, charge $4.99 for it, and never speak of this monstrosity again. And consider working on that small pets pack for us but make frakking sure that it's cohesive, extensive, and worth the money you charge us. Give us reptiles, a variety of birds, ferrets, rabbits, chinchillas, spiders, and exotics, like flying squirrels. Give us creatures that run around the house, jump from Sim to Sim, or do tricks. Give us a reason to forget this pack ever happened.

    In closing, I will say that I'm not entirely against addons for expansions. I'm really not. I would love to see Aliens extended upon, and Servos return with them. Honestly, I can think of a few things that would be fun to expand. But in this case, the company went against its word and the wound was still raw. We were promised the best Cats and Dogs in exchange for the sacrifice of other pets, and part of that promise should absolutely have included everything we needed for those cats and dogs. We should not be paying outright for that missing content.

    Thank you for putting all your thoughts (and of many other simmers) so eloquently. This is exactly how I feel as well.
    Origin ID is: AlbaWaterhouse
    All my creations are CC free.
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