Why hasn't anyone mentioned that for every Sims 3 expansion you bought, you got 1000 free sim points to spend in the store? That's like a $10 value. They're still doing it too. I bought the last expansion I needed for Sims 3 (which ironically was Pets) when they released that MFP stuff pack. At $20, I know I overpaid. But I had already switched back to S3 right after Cats and Dogs was released and was really wanting to get the last pack I needed so I could compare what I saw in S4. Let's just say that it'll take a complete overhaul of S4 to get me back. I'll use my "entertainment money" on what I'm still missing from S3 instead. But yeah, it took about a week or two, but I was awarded 1000 sim points for buying that $20 expansion. That brought my total up enough to get a new world.
Say what? I don't remember the free 1000 points every time I bought an expansion. Was this really a thing I just didn't know about it?
No that was not a thing - it was something they did with just the basegame( gave a free world) and WA (got 1000 points) to get folks use to the store when they registered their games.
When you think about it, Sims 3 was just as broken up and subsidized. Instead of GPs we had the Sims 3 Store, including additional worlds (and if you wanted special content you had to pay more for the Gold Edition, and sets with premium items where you had to get the whole thing even if you just wanted the premium item.
But at least there was a ton of stuff on The Sims Resource for free, because it was much easier to create for the game back then. There's not as many people creating for Sims 4 because it's harder.
> > No that was not a thing - it was something they did with just the basegame( gave a free world) and WA (got 1000 points) to get folks use to the store when they registered their games. > > > > > ahh okay :) That makes sense.
When you finally decide to post to the forums after lurking so long and an "expert" implies you're lying and the "expert" is believed. Back to lurking. So much for that.
I would actually like to know if I legitimately got those points though. Thanks to the panic attack I went and spent the remaining 600 I had when I was going to fork over $20 more and get another world for my 24th wedding anniversary. But now I can't just spend $20 to get it. So, Thanks?
Mmm... So the Sims 3 base game didn't actually provide all you wanted for a complete gaming experience...
We all know EA published BOTH those games. Sims 4 is not a sentient creature that twisted its mind and made it grow horns and a pitchfork, and Sims 3 was as much a vacuum cleaner for your money as any other game EA publishes. If anything, we should keep blaming EA for spoiling Sims 4, not blaming Sims 4 for itself.
This isn't a comment on the quality of the games and I'd rather it not be thought of one. If you enjoy the content you downloaded, then... well, let's face it, if you enjoy it, it's good content - if you think it was worth it, then it was worth it. But it was still DLC, with EA filling in your game one slice at a time. The mere fact that it seemed so optional was not because of any kind of restraint on their part.
You know we got dinable resturaunts in Sims 4. It was called the Dine Out GP. Sims 4 is going to add all the best things from Sims 3 Store, but more in-depth, mostly because it's profitable. Only difference is that it's called a Pack now, and there are three sizes.
The problem is not whether Sims 3 or Sims 4 is better because we've seen how subjective that argument gets. Looks to me like minor pets in SIms 4 are going to be better than any minor pets previously. The problem is, for me, carving parts straight out of packs and selling them as separate packs, thereby making the EPs smaller even as the price for them rises.
Prepping a list of mods to add after Infants are placed into the game. Because real life isn't 'nice'.
> @Loanet said: > You could say that every Sims 4 pack is optional too. Or at least, that's what EA is saying. AGAIN. And NO. You can't have it both ways. There's a mod to travel in Sims 3? Well then, EA didn't make a complete game with the ability to travel between worlds - modders filled in the gaps. >
TS4 are small enclaves - not even towns - much less are they worlds at all. Each TS4 enclave has only a handful of lots. A typical TS3 world alone has over 100 lots. The townies live in their own homes. And it is quite doable to recreate all the TS4 enclaves fitting into one TS3 world with each enclave having it's own scenery and all it's inhabitants. You can't even do that in TS4. I don't feel I'm missing out on TS4's ability to flit from one enclave to the next. *Shrug*
> Don't worry about TS5. I keep saying it, if you're so certain that EA is doing this all for profit (which it IS) then you can count on there not being a Sims 5. EA is appealing to more players by making Sims 4 ports. And DLC. It's more profitable. >
I'm not buying anything of TS4. I'm actually saving my money for TS5 if it comes out and it progresses from TS3. I don't really believe TS4 is all that profitable and from what I see, lots of people are giving up on it.
> It just irritates me something chronic when people talk like Sims 3 is a saint and EA's Store, with its exorbitant prices and mountains of reskins, was totally not a way to cash-grab that went on throughout the entirety of the game's duration just because it has some great gameplay items. It was just a DIFFERENT way to cash-grab. It's no shame to admit that EA was just as enthusiastic with its money-vacuum with Sims 3 as it is with Sims 4. >
Mountains of reskins? Well there is a lot of furniture an clothes but they all have different designs. It's much better than the mountains of stuff in TS4 that are mere recolors. This is why EA didn't give TS4 CAStability so that you'd have to buy their recolored stuff if you want variety. I just also really like all the worlds and premium content at the Sims 3 store - very thoughtful and creative stuff so to me, they were worth giving my money to EA. See I don't mind parting with my money and making EA rich - they just have to do a really good job with a game like TS3 and not be lazy and half-hearted about it like they did with TS4. Really, if they start adding new wonderful content to the Sims 3 store, I WILL BUY THEM!
> No DLC should have overlapping content. That goes for the bundles too - why should I pay for something I already have? Don't reduce the price - just don't double up the content and make different content for it instead! Look at Sims 3 Late Night and Sims 3 Supernatrual. Vampires were used TWICE. Why does everybody overlook that?
I think they introduced vampires early because out of all the occult life states, that is the most popular and they wanted to give fans that, which I thought was pretty nice. I actually like vampires in Late Night. Along with Ambitions installed, I have a sim who is a private investigator who also happens to be a vampire in Bridgeport. In Supernatural, the vampires are given stuff to help protect themselves out in the daylight. So I don't really see it as an overlap, but more like they gave stuff to the vampire so that they can be out in the day longer and with this EP, you can create vampires in CAS and not have to befriend one like you needed to in Late Night. The other occult life states are pretty good too though. I even love the zombies especially when I learned how to keep them off my property. Put a fence around your entire lot, place a gate and lock it from everybody but the sims you specify - they will not even spawn inside the perimeter of the fence. I also have a gun/rifle mod to shoot at any that are at the gate and blocking me from leaving, lol!
I was fine with it at first. I am not sure how I feel about it now. This whole my first pet stuff pack was just wrong. The stuff pack offering the hot tubs was just wrong too.
In my opinion, the Sims 3 store was just as terrible. Selling worlds(not expansions) for like $35 bucks and not being able to get the gameplay item separately. It forced you to buy some worlds. I will give them that the worlds were beautiful enough to sell at that price but most were not utilized because we were confined to one world without mods.
Many people have said with the Sims 3 store you could pick and choose what you wanted to buy and I disagree. There were so many times I wanted one specific thing and I was met with the this is not available for individual sale. If I wanted the canning station, I had to buy the 17 dollar set. If I wanted the popcorn and cotton candy maker, I had to buy the 19 dollar set. If I wanted the playpen and walker, I had to buy the world.
So I have to say I have been concerned about how the Sims 3 was and Sims 4 is being broken up and sold. I will say Sims 3's quality was better but still not worth the prices I had to pay. Buying a "gold" world back then was almost the same cost of an expansion if not more.
True, they did some pretty questionable things with the Store as well and the Worlds indeed were very expensive (you could leave them though, the packs came with enough worlds to choose from). I’ve played in every world I bought by the way, without mods and with one family. The bin system in the game is a very user friendly one (when you say “most were not utilized because we were confined to one world without mods”, I take it you think simmers in general don’t use mods by the way?). Having to buy a set in order to get a certain item is comparable to having to buy a pack to get a certain item, not to deliver only part of a pack and sell the rest seperately a few months later asking more money.
When I say being confined to one world without mods I meant you have one homeworld and the three destination worlds. For instance, you cannot live in Sunset Valley and travel to Isla Paridiso without a mod to make that happen.
If I want one item in sims 4 stuff pack it cost me 10 dollars. If I wanted the premium item that came with the world, I usually had to buy the 40 dollar world. Financially I feel like I am making out better but quality not so much.
(And campus and Oasis Landing) Ah, yes, I see now how I misinterpreted the line “most were not utilized because we were confined to one world without mods”, sorry. You meant while you’re playing, most of those worlds are just lying there in their folders, unreachable. That’s true. I’ve always regretted that but it’s got nothing to do with the subject of this topic. That wasn’t some trick, it was how the game had been designed. And we do have the mod if that bothers us, so it’s theory now
Some of the premium stuff they offered attached to worlds but I don’t quite see the parallel? Because it’s quite the opposite in fact and simply comparable to being obliged to buy a GP just because you’d like a certain item badly. I’d say that’s legit (from EA’s perspective)? The fact you feel it’s not actually underlines why the Store as such was such a great thing: we were so used to be able to pick and choose, that it surprised and annoyed us whenever we couldn’t.
ETA: I also remember getting those free points just twice or so (and the ability to download Riverview for free). Of course there was the ‘Did you get your free points today’ thing but that was for Americans only (untill towards the end of the game ).
You could say that every Sims 4 pack is optional too. Or at least, that's what EA is saying. AGAIN. And NO. You can't have it both ways. There's a mod to travel in Sims 3? Well then, EA didn't make a complete game with the ability to travel between worlds - modders filled in the gaps.
Don't worry about TS5. I keep saying it, if you're so certain that EA is doing this all for profit (which it IS) then you can count on there not being a Sims 5. EA is appealing to more players by making Sims 4 ports. And DLC. It's more profitable.
It just irritates me something chronic when people talk like Sims 3 is a saint and EA's Store, with its exorbitant prices and mountains of reskins, was totally not a way to cash-grab that went on throughout the entirety of the game's duration just because it has some great gameplay items. It was just a DIFFERENT way to cash-grab. It's no shame to admit that EA was just as enthusiastic with its money-vacuum with Sims 3 as it is with Sims 4.
No DLC should have overlapping content. That goes for the bundles too - why should I pay for something I already have? Don't reduce the price - just don't double up the content and make different content for it instead! Look at Sims 3 Late Night and Sims 3 Supernatrual. Vampires were used TWICE. Why does everybody overlook that?
It’s optional in terms of nobody can force you to buy. It’s not optional when you want to have things to do. Again, the focus for neither Sims 1, 2 nor 3 was (interactable) stuff, for Sims 4 it is. So if you don’t buy it, you have nothing to do (in 4). That’s the bottom line here. And vampires weren’t paid for twice. They just added some features several packs later (like sparkling, which nobody in fact wanted). For C&D they clearly have left things out to sell just a couple of months later. It’s beyond me why people insist on defending that.
And sure, if you regretted Sims 3 didn’t come with features Sims 2 had (shop and restaurant) you were obliged to buy that in the Store (though a restaurant system was also added to ITF but that was the very last pack), like when you had to buy the farm and similar stuff if you’d want to play a farmer. That’s not quite the same thing as having to buy everything though, that’s the whole point.
Why hasn't anyone mentioned that for every Sims 3 expansion you bought, you got 1000 free sim points to spend in the store? That's like a $10 value. They're still doing it too. I bought the last expansion I needed for Sims 3 (which ironically was Pets) when they released that MFP stuff pack. At $20, I know I overpaid. But I had already switched back to S3 right after Cats and Dogs was released and was really wanting to get the last pack I needed so I could compare what I saw in S4. Let's just say that it'll take a complete overhaul of S4 to get me back. I'll use my "entertainment money" on what I'm still missing from S3 instead. But yeah, it took about a week or two, but I was awarded 1000 sim points for buying that $20 expansion. That brought my total up enough to get a new world.
Say what? I don't remember the free 1000 points every time I bought an expansion. Was this really a thing I just didn't know about it?
It was a thing for me. I got them. I redeemed them last year when I discovered I had them. It’s the only reason I started getting store content.
You could say that every Sims 4 pack is optional too. Or at least, that's what EA is saying. AGAIN. And NO. You can't have it both ways. There's a mod to travel in Sims 3? Well then, EA didn't make a complete game with the ability to travel between worlds - modders filled in the gaps.
Don't worry about TS5. I keep saying it, if you're so certain that EA is doing this all for profit (which it IS) then you can count on there not being a Sims 5. EA is appealing to more players by making Sims 4 ports. And DLC. It's more profitable.
It just irritates me something chronic when people talk like Sims 3 is a saint and EA's Store, with its exorbitant prices and mountains of reskins, was totally not a way to cash-grab that went on throughout the entirety of the game's duration just because it has some great gameplay items. It was just a DIFFERENT way to cash-grab. It's no shame to admit that EA was just as enthusiastic with its money-vacuum with Sims 3 as it is with Sims 4.
No DLC should have overlapping content. That goes for the bundles too - why should I pay for something I already have? Don't reduce the price - just don't double up the content and make different content for it instead! Look at Sims 3 Late Night and Sims 3 Supernatrual. Vampires were used TWICE. Why does everybody overlook that?
It’s optional in terms of nobody can force you to buy. It’s not optional when you want to have things to do. Again, the focus for neither Sims 1, 2 nor 3 was (interactable) stuff, for Sims 4 it is. So if you don’t buy it, you have nothing to do (in 4). That’s the bottom line here. And vampires weren’t paid for twice. They just added some features several packs later (like sparkling, which nobody in fact wanted). For C&D they clearly have left things out to sell just a couple of months later. It’s beyond me why people insist on defending that.
And sure, if you regretted Sims 3 didn’t come with features Sims 2 had (shop and restaurant) you were obliged to buy that in the Store (though a restaurant system was also added to ITF but that was the very last pack), like when you had to buy the farm and similar stuff if you’d want to play a farmer. That’s not quite the same thing as having to buy everything though, that’s the whole point.
This is the problem with the sims 4.
I agree vampires were not paid for twice. I bought late night for the world and other game play features and then supernatural down the line. Two separate packs with two different focuses. One was not sold as an additional pack to the other unlike the current model.
Guys, please, stop comparing Sims 3 to Sims 4. It's an argument that is eternal and never-ending. Nobody can win it. And I'm not saying that because I think I've lost either. It's just that I'm not going to convince you and you're not going to convince me.
Just wanna say, the primary reason we have packs in Sims 4, is because it's not Online play. If it was, they'd stick with the Store.
The only thing that matters here, is that EA has steadily escalated to a new high and low - not because it's Sims 4, but because it's a Triple-A publisher looking to get as much money as possible for as little effort as possible. And we need to focus because when it comes to DLC, it only ever gets worse.
Prepping a list of mods to add after Infants are placed into the game. Because real life isn't 'nice'.
I was fine with it at first. I am not sure how I feel about it now. This whole my first pet stuff pack was just wrong. The stuff pack offering the hot tubs was just wrong too.
In my opinion, the Sims 3 store was just as terrible. Selling worlds(not expansions) for like $35 bucks and not being able to get the gameplay item separately. It forced you to buy some worlds. I will give them that the worlds were beautiful enough to sell at that price but most were not utilized because we were confined to one world without mods.
Many people have said with the Sims 3 store you could pick and choose what you wanted to buy and I disagree. There were so many times I wanted one specific thing and I was met with the this is not available for individual sale. If I wanted the canning station, I had to buy the 17 dollar set. If I wanted the popcorn and cotton candy maker, I had to buy the 19 dollar set. If I wanted the playpen and walker, I had to buy the world.
So I have to say I have been concerned about how the Sims 3 was and Sims 4 is being broken up and sold. I will say Sims 3's quality was better but still not worth the prices I had to pay. Buying a "gold" world back then was almost the same cost of an expansion if not more.
True, they did some pretty questionable things with the Store as well and the Worlds indeed were very expensive (you could leave them though, the packs came with enough worlds to choose from). I’ve played in every world I bought by the way, without mods and with one family. The bin system in the game is a very user friendly one (when you say “most were not utilized because we were confined to one world without mods”, I take it you think simmers in general don’t use mods by the way?). Having to buy a set in order to get a certain item is comparable to having to buy a pack to get a certain item, not to deliver only part of a pack and sell the rest seperately a few months later asking more money.
When I say being confined to one world without mods I meant you have one homeworld and the three destination worlds. For instance, you cannot live in Sunset Valley and travel to Isla Paridiso without a mod to make that happen.
If I want one item in sims 4 stuff pack it cost me 10 dollars. If I wanted the premium item that came with the world, I usually had to buy the 40 dollar world. Financially I feel like I am making out better but quality not so much.
(And campus and Oasis Landing) Ah, yes, I see now how I misinterpreted the line “most were not utilized because we were confined to one world without mods”, sorry. You meant while you’re playing, most of those worlds are just lying there in their folders, unreachable. That’s true. I’ve always regretted that but it’s got nothing to do with the subject of this topic. That wasn’t some trick, it was how the game had been designed. And we do have the mod if that bothers us, so it’s theory now
Some of the premium stuff they offered attached to worlds but I don’t quite see the parallel? Because it’s quite the opposite in fact and simply comparable to being obliged to buy a GP just because you’d like a certain item badly. I’d say that’s legit (from EA’s perspective)? The fact you feel it’s not actually underlines why the Store as such was such a great thing: we were so used to be able to pick and choose, that it surprised and annoyed us whenever we couldn’t.
ETA: I also remember getting those free points just twice or so (and the ability to download Riverview for free). Of course there was the ‘Did you get your free points today’ thing but that was for Americans only (untill towards the end of the game ).
I don't know if I am being clear or if I am not understanding your point.
Subject of topic is concern over selling stuff broken up. My point is EA has sold everything broken up before Sims 4 which is why I originally stated I was sort of okay with it up until this latest stuff pack. In my opinion, this highway robbery started with Sims 3 store which is why I mentioned the having to buy the store worlds even if you only wanted the premium content that came with that world. They forced you to spend the 40 dollars to get the one premium content because they wouldn't sell it separately to make a buck. The Sims 3 store itself was a way to sell everything broken up. I just believe people did not have an issue with the Sims 3 store because they were happy with the Sims 3 game. The same cannot be said about Sims 4 which is why it feels like even worse.
As for the free points, I remember getting free points for watching an advertisement but it sure wasn't 1000 points. It was maybe one hundred at the most. I am sure EA was getting advertisement kickbacks for every advertisement watched and I am sure it was more than the one dollar's worth of points we were given. So I was given points for my time not just because they are nice.
> > It was a thing for me. I got them. I redeemed them last year when I discovered I had them. It’s the only reason I started getting store content.
Thank you SO MUCH! People here making me think I'm crazy. Maybe it's just that good things come for those who wait. Maybe they reward those that wait more than those than jump every time something new is released. I do know that I will wait for S4 to end before I buy anything else for it. Maybe I can buy an expansion and get a stuff pack free if I'm just patient. Thank you again!
>
> It was a thing for me. I got them. I redeemed them last year when I discovered I had them. It’s the only reason I started getting store content.
Thank you SO MUCH! People here making me think I'm crazy. Maybe it's just that good things come for those who wait. Maybe they reward those that wait more than those than jump every time something new is released. I do know that I will wait for S4 to end before I buy anything else for it. Maybe I can buy an expansion and get a stuff pack free if I'm just patient. Thank you again!
Well I had over 4000 points. It was enough for me to get a few worlds and lots of store sets. I wouldn’t have got it otherwise.
Guys, please, stop comparing Sims 3 to Sims 4. It's an argument that is eternal and never-ending. Nobody can win it. And I'm not saying that because I think I've lost either. It's just that I'm not going to convince you and you're not going to convince me.
Just wanna say, the primary reason we have packs in Sims 4, is because it's not Online play. If it was, they'd stick with the Store.
The only thing that matters here, is that EA has steadily escalated to a new high and low - not because it's Sims 4, but because it's a Triple-A publisher looking to get as much money as possible for as little effort as possible. And we need to focus because when it comes to DLC, it only ever gets worse.
I’d love to stop comparing but you see, others are and if you throw the ball you’ll have to play it. When you bring in arguments into a discussion, people will react to those arguments.
I was fine with it at first. I am not sure how I feel about it now. This whole my first pet stuff pack was just wrong. The stuff pack offering the hot tubs was just wrong too.
In my opinion, the Sims 3 store was just as terrible. Selling worlds(not expansions) for like $35 bucks and not being able to get the gameplay item separately. It forced you to buy some worlds. I will give them that the worlds were beautiful enough to sell at that price but most were not utilized because we were confined to one world without mods.
Many people have said with the Sims 3 store you could pick and choose what you wanted to buy and I disagree. There were so many times I wanted one specific thing and I was met with the this is not available for individual sale. If I wanted the canning station, I had to buy the 17 dollar set. If I wanted the popcorn and cotton candy maker, I had to buy the 19 dollar set. If I wanted the playpen and walker, I had to buy the world.
So I have to say I have been concerned about how the Sims 3 was and Sims 4 is being broken up and sold. I will say Sims 3's quality was better but still not worth the prices I had to pay. Buying a "gold" world back then was almost the same cost of an expansion if not more.
True, they did some pretty questionable things with the Store as well and the Worlds indeed were very expensive (you could leave them though, the packs came with enough worlds to choose from). I’ve played in every world I bought by the way, without mods and with one family. The bin system in the game is a very user friendly one (when you say “most were not utilized because we were confined to one world without mods”, I take it you think simmers in general don’t use mods by the way?). Having to buy a set in order to get a certain item is comparable to having to buy a pack to get a certain item, not to deliver only part of a pack and sell the rest seperately a few months later asking more money.
When I say being confined to one world without mods I meant you have one homeworld and the three destination worlds. For instance, you cannot live in Sunset Valley and travel to Isla Paridiso without a mod to make that happen.
If I want one item in sims 4 stuff pack it cost me 10 dollars. If I wanted the premium item that came with the world, I usually had to buy the 40 dollar world. Financially I feel like I am making out better but quality not so much.
(And campus and Oasis Landing) Ah, yes, I see now how I misinterpreted the line “most were not utilized because we were confined to one world without mods”, sorry. You meant while you’re playing, most of those worlds are just lying there in their folders, unreachable. That’s true. I’ve always regretted that but it’s got nothing to do with the subject of this topic. That wasn’t some trick, it was how the game had been designed. And we do have the mod if that bothers us, so it’s theory now
Some of the premium stuff they offered attached to worlds but I don’t quite see the parallel? Because it’s quite the opposite in fact and simply comparable to being obliged to buy a GP just because you’d like a certain item badly. I’d say that’s legit (from EA’s perspective)? The fact you feel it’s not actually underlines why the Store as such was such a great thing: we were so used to be able to pick and choose, that it surprised and annoyed us whenever we couldn’t.
ETA: I also remember getting those free points just twice or so (and the ability to download Riverview for free). Of course there was the ‘Did you get your free points today’ thing but that was for Americans only (untill towards the end of the game ).
I don't know if I am being clear or if I am not understanding your point.
Subject of topic is concern over selling stuff broken up. My point is EA has sold everything broken up before Sims 4 which is why I originally stated I was sort of okay with it up until this latest stuff pack. In my opinion, this highway robbery started with Sims 3 store which is why I mentioned the having to buy the store worlds even if you only wanted the premium content that came with that world. They forced you to spend the 40 dollars to get the one premium content because they wouldn't sell it separately to make a buck. The Sims 3 store itself was a way to sell everything broken up. I just believe people did not have an issue with the Sims 3 store because they were happy with the Sims 3 game. The same cannot be said about Sims 4 which is why it feels like even worse.
As for the free points, I remember getting free points for watching an advertisement but it sure wasn't 1000 points. It was maybe one hundred at the most. I am sure EA was getting advertisement kickbacks for every advertisement watched and I am sure it was more than the one dollar's worth of points we were given. So I was given points for my time not just because they are nice.
Yes, the subject is concern over selling stuff broken up, and you bring in an example where stuff actually wasn’t broken up but - quite the contrary - linked to something else (like when you want one item that comes in a GP; you’ll have to buy the entire GP then too don’t you?). Monte Vista for example came with the pizza oven, Sunlit Tides came with the sauna, Hidden Springs with the fountain of youth. Those items made sense being attached to those worlds. At one point they started to add features to worlds however they knew many people wanted badly (like the toddler stuff to Aurora Skies and the selling system to Midnight Hollow). Can’t help noticing that was towards the end of Sims 3, this change actually struck me back then and it made me angry. Tricks indeed. In fact this is what supports my feeling this is a very well thought through strategy that started right there and then. But not the same thing as what they’ve been doing now. Never have they ever sold us an incomplete EP, offering essential stuff belonging to it later through the Store. You knew that if you bought a pack, it would be complete. You didn’t need the Store to complete it (and that’s exactly the issue people are concerned about now). And before anyone brings in that pet feeding station: nobody needs that, there are food bowls in the pack, including a ‘bottomless’ one you can buy as a LTR. Packs in the old games were complete, C&D clearly is not. That’s the difference.
Watching advertisements enabled you to collect free sim points (5 per video). I managed to get quite a few large Store sets that way (playing them in a different tab).
Guys, please, stop comparing Sims 3 to Sims 4. It's an argument that is eternal and never-ending. Nobody can win it. And I'm not saying that because I think I've lost either. It's just that I'm not going to convince you and you're not going to convince me.
Just wanna say, the primary reason we have packs in Sims 4, is because it's not Online play. If it was, they'd stick with the Store.
The only thing that matters here, is that EA has steadily escalated to a new high and low - not because it's Sims 4, but because it's a Triple-A publisher looking to get as much money as possible for as little effort as possible. And we need to focus because when it comes to DLC, it only ever gets worse.
I’d love to stop comparing but you see, others are and if you throw the ball you’ll have to play it. When you bring in arguments into a discussion, people will react to those arguments.
I was fine with it at first. I am not sure how I feel about it now. This whole my first pet stuff pack was just wrong. The stuff pack offering the hot tubs was just wrong too.
In my opinion, the Sims 3 store was just as terrible. Selling worlds(not expansions) for like $35 bucks and not being able to get the gameplay item separately. It forced you to buy some worlds. I will give them that the worlds were beautiful enough to sell at that price but most were not utilized because we were confined to one world without mods.
Many people have said with the Sims 3 store you could pick and choose what you wanted to buy and I disagree. There were so many times I wanted one specific thing and I was met with the this is not available for individual sale. If I wanted the canning station, I had to buy the 17 dollar set. If I wanted the popcorn and cotton candy maker, I had to buy the 19 dollar set. If I wanted the playpen and walker, I had to buy the world.
So I have to say I have been concerned about how the Sims 3 was and Sims 4 is being broken up and sold. I will say Sims 3's quality was better but still not worth the prices I had to pay. Buying a "gold" world back then was almost the same cost of an expansion if not more.
True, they did some pretty questionable things with the Store as well and the Worlds indeed were very expensive (you could leave them though, the packs came with enough worlds to choose from). I’ve played in every world I bought by the way, without mods and with one family. The bin system in the game is a very user friendly one (when you say “most were not utilized because we were confined to one world without mods”, I take it you think simmers in general don’t use mods by the way?). Having to buy a set in order to get a certain item is comparable to having to buy a pack to get a certain item, not to deliver only part of a pack and sell the rest seperately a few months later asking more money.
When I say being confined to one world without mods I meant you have one homeworld and the three destination worlds. For instance, you cannot live in Sunset Valley and travel to Isla Paridiso without a mod to make that happen.
If I want one item in sims 4 stuff pack it cost me 10 dollars. If I wanted the premium item that came with the world, I usually had to buy the 40 dollar world. Financially I feel like I am making out better but quality not so much.
(And campus and Oasis Landing) Ah, yes, I see now how I misinterpreted the line “most were not utilized because we were confined to one world without mods”, sorry. You meant while you’re playing, most of those worlds are just lying there in their folders, unreachable. That’s true. I’ve always regretted that but it’s got nothing to do with the subject of this topic. That wasn’t some trick, it was how the game had been designed. And we do have the mod if that bothers us, so it’s theory now
Some of the premium stuff they offered attached to worlds but I don’t quite see the parallel? Because it’s quite the opposite in fact and simply comparable to being obliged to buy a GP just because you’d like a certain item badly. I’d say that’s legit (from EA’s perspective)? The fact you feel it’s not actually underlines why the Store as such was such a great thing: we were so used to be able to pick and choose, that it surprised and annoyed us whenever we couldn’t.
ETA: I also remember getting those free points just twice or so (and the ability to download Riverview for free). Of course there was the ‘Did you get your free points today’ thing but that was for Americans only (untill towards the end of the game ).
I don't know if I am being clear or if I am not understanding your point.
Subject of topic is concern over selling stuff broken up. My point is EA has sold everything broken up before Sims 4 which is why I originally stated I was sort of okay with it up until this latest stuff pack. In my opinion, this highway robbery started with Sims 3 store which is why I mentioned the having to buy the store worlds even if you only wanted the premium content that came with that world. They forced you to spend the 40 dollars to get the one premium content because they wouldn't sell it separately to make a buck. The Sims 3 store itself was a way to sell everything broken up. I just believe people did not have an issue with the Sims 3 store because they were happy with the Sims 3 game. The same cannot be said about Sims 4 which is why it feels like even worse.
As for the free points, I remember getting free points for watching an advertisement but it sure wasn't 1000 points. It was maybe one hundred at the most. I am sure EA was getting advertisement kickbacks for every advertisement watched and I am sure it was more than the one dollar's worth of points we were given. So I was given points for my time not just because they are nice.
Yes, the subject is concern over selling stuff broken up, and you bring in an example where stuff actually wasn’t broken up but - quite the contrary - linked to something else (like when you want one item that comes in a GP; you’ll have to buy the entire GP then too don’t you?). Monte Vista for example came with the pizza oven, Sunlit Tides came with the sauna, Hidden Springs with the fountain of youth. Those items made sense being attached to those worlds. At one point they started to add features to worlds however they knew many people wanted badly (like the toddler stuff to Aurora Skies and the selling system to Midnight Hollow). Can’t help noticing that was towards the end of Sims 3, this change actually struck me back then and it made me angry. Tricks indeed. In fact this is what supports my feeling this is a very well thought through strategy that started right there and then. But not the same thing as what they’ve been doing now. Never have they ever sold us an incomplete EP, offering essential stuff belonging to it later through the Store. You knew that if you bought a pack, it would be complete. You didn’t need the Store to complete it (and that’s exactly the issue people are concerned about now). And before anyone brings in that pet feeding station: nobody needs that, there are food bowls in the pack, including a ‘bottomless’ one you can buy as a LTR. Packs in the old games were complete, C&D clearly is not. That’s the difference.
Watching advertisements enabled you to collect free sim points (5 per video). I managed to get quite a few large Store sets that way (playing them in a different tab).
We are clearly looking at this from two different angles. The Sims 3 store in general is selling stuff broken up in my opinion. Have we not heard over and over how great the Sims 3 store is because we can pick and choose? Isn't that broken up? None of the store items were part of expansion, stuff packs etc. which is why I said from my original comment I was pretty much fine with them selling things broken up within reason because it has been happening before Sims 4.
I also said I feel like I am making out better financially even though the quality of Sims 4 sucks. I stated the example of having to buy a 40 dollar world for one item vs buying a 10 dollar or 20 game pack for one item.
You can say they never gave us an expansion and then sold us essential stuff later but it is subjective. I feel like the toddler items that came with Aurora Skies were essential and should have been in the Generations expansion. If I am not mistaken, we didn't even get a world with Generations so that pack did not feel complete by no means to me. Why sell me a world that really had nothing to do with toddlers and add in essential toddler premium content? Even you could see that. In Sunlit Tides, selling me a sauna was no different than selling me a hot tub in a stuff pack except I had to buy the 40 dollar world. It was an essential item for me just like the hot tub which is why I bought both. In my opinion, Sims 3 was just as bad and as I stated before people were just a lot happier with the game vs Sims 4. When you are happy with a game, you might not have the same issues that other people have with the game. It is why people who are happy with Sims 4 are willing to keep buying and praising the game even though it is flawed and the same could be said about Sims 1, 2 and 3.
> You can say they never gave us an expansion and then sold us essential stuff later but it is subjective. I feel like the toddler items that came with Aurora Skies were essential and should have been in the Generations expansion. If I am not mistaken, we didn't even get a world with Generations so that pack did not feel complete by no means to me. Why sell me a world that really had nothing to do with toddlers and add in essential toddler premium content?
As long as you had a little patience, you didn't have to buy the world to get the toddler walker or playpen. The walker is on the sale page of the store right now for 365 points. I know before they stopped rotating the sale page that the playpen had been on there too. I had those things long before I finally got Aurora Skies. Not to mention if you paid attention and spent a bit of time in the store, you could get A LOT of stuff free from complete-a-set combined with daily deal or weekly sale.
> You can say they never gave us an expansion and then sold us essential stuff later but it is subjective. I feel like the toddler items that came with Aurora Skies were essential and should have been in the Generations expansion. If I am not mistaken, we didn't even get a world with Generations so that pack did not feel complete by no means to me. Why sell me a world that really had nothing to do with toddlers and add in essential toddler premium content?
As long as you had a little patience, you didn't have to buy the world to get the toddler walker or playpen. The walker is on the sale page of the store right now for 365 points. I know before they stopped rotating the sale page that the playpen had been on there too. I had those things long before I finally got Aurora Skies. Not to mention if you paid attention and spent a bit of time in the store, you could get A LOT of stuff free from complete-a-set combined with daily deal or weekly sale.
All you need is patience
Just a little patience
I agree but the same could be said about sims 4. Lately, I waited for everything to be on sale for 50% off. Jungle Adventure was the first time in a long time I paid full price for a Sims 4 game.
If you compare Day 1 items from Sims 3 store to Day 1 items of Sims 4, I still say I am making out better financially in Sims 4. At least for the items that are essential to my gameplay. I will admit I would not spend my time sitting on the Sims 3 store checking daily deals and weekly sales. When I did see daily deals, either I had it or didn't want it. Ninety percent of the time it was something terrible.
I also still believe selling the toddler items with a world when it could have been released with generations especially since generations did not come with a world is just as bad as cats and dogs with my first pet stuff. Both situations were terrible on EA's part, in my opinion of course.
Look the comparisons are never going to stop because EA/Maxis went backward. TS2 was a great game...it took what worked in the original Sims game and built on it.... then they gave us TS3, again fantastic. We had this wondrous open world to explore. I personally didn't mind the Sims Store, because I could pick and choose what I wanted to add to my game with everything available at the click of a mouse. Yes it was easy money for them, but it was actual content that worked in the game without breaking it.
With TS4....it is very obvious that they stopped caring and this was just going to be a game that used the Sims name to push a financial agenda only. Since SimsCity 2013 bombed, they had to make up the expense. TS4 has plenty of new players who have not played the previous versions... so to them it's the most fantastic game ever. They can continue to make low quality content and still make bank on TS4 for a very long time. And they are still making money on TS2 and TS3 because of the veteran players who went back to those games.
I really feel that the way they are breaking up the content to make a buck just shows that EA/Maxis doesn't care about the reputation of The Sims. It's too easy for them to continue coming up with gimmicks and stringing along the sheep. To rival everything before TS4... that would mean EA/Maxis would actually have to work. They would actually have to come up with a Fully Fleshed out Base game with elements of EP's, GP's already in the game, not to mention a ton of content and building tools just to show the established sims community that they know how. But we all know they won't do that.
All EA has shown us with TS4, is that they know how to make an easy buck. They don't believe on taking a chance making something better... I mean why bother when the loot boxing thing, and DLC for DLC seems to work so well for them. EA/Maxis just doesn't have the Talent, imagination or the big hairy round ones to ever make the Sandbox Life Simulation PC/Mac Sims game we were expecting, want, asked for, and deserve.
> You can say they never gave us an expansion and then sold us essential stuff later but it is subjective. I feel like the toddler items that came with Aurora Skies were essential and should have been in the Generations expansion. If I am not mistaken, we didn't even get a world with Generations so that pack did not feel complete by no means to me. Why sell me a world that really had nothing to do with toddlers and add in essential toddler premium content?
As long as you had a little patience, you didn't have to buy the world to get the toddler walker or playpen. The walker is on the sale page of the store right now for 365 points. I know before they stopped rotating the sale page that the playpen had been on there too. I had those things long before I finally got Aurora Skies. Not to mention if you paid attention and spent a bit of time in the store, you could get A LOT of stuff free from complete-a-set combined with daily deal or weekly sale.
All you need is patience
Just a little patience
I agree but the same could be said about sims 4. Lately, I waited for everything to be on sale for 50% off. Jungle Adventure was the first time in a long time I paid full price for a Sims 4 game.
If you compare Day 1 items from Sims 3 store to Day 1 items of Sims 4, I still say I am making out better financially in Sims 4. At least for the items that are essential to my gameplay. I will admit I would not spend my time sitting on the Sims 3 store checking daily deals and weekly sales. When I did see daily deals, either I had it or didn't want it. Ninety percent of the time it was something terrible.
I also still believe selling the toddler items with a world when it could have been released with generations especially since generations did not come with a world is just as bad as cats and dogs with my first pet stuff. Both situations were terrible on EA's part, in my opinion of course.
Generations was released in 2011, and the store set you claim should have been included wasn’t released until 2013. Compared to C&D which released barely 4 months before MFPS, the latter of which has a direct link (requirement) for the former to access all content. Can you say the same about TS3? So no it’s not “just as bad”, or even comparably “bad” at all.
The store was literally a side venture for EA on top of a full production schedule of Expansion and Stuff packs. Sims 4 didn’t have Day 1 DLC (and there’s a reason for that), and yearly has less content released for it so yeah obviously you are going to be saving money, but at the same time getting less even excluding purchasing store content.
Look the comparisons are never going to stop because EA/Maxis went backward. TS2 was a great game...it took what worked in the original Sims game and built on it.... then they gave us TS3, again fantastic. We had this wondrous open world to explore. I personally didn't mind the Sims Store, because I could pick and choose what I wanted to add to my game with everything available at the click of a mouse. Yes it was easy money for them, but it was actual content that worked in the game without breaking it.
With TS4....it is very obvious that they stopped caring and this was just going to be a game that used the Sims name to push a financial agenda only. Since SimsCity 2013 bombed, they had to make up the expense. TS4 has plenty of new players who have not played the previous versions... so to them it's the most fantastic game ever. They can continue to make low quality content and still make bank on TS4 for a very long time. And they are still making money on TS2 and TS3 because of the veteran players who went back to those games.
I really feel that the way they are breaking up the content to make a buck just shows that EA/Maxis doesn't care about the reputation of The Sims. It's too easy for them to continue coming up with gimmicks and stringing along the sheep. To rival everything before TS4... that would mean EA/Maxis would actually have to work. They would actually have to come up with a Fully Fleshed out Base game with elements of EP's, GP's already in the game, not to mention a ton of content and building tools just to show the established sims community that they know how. But we all know they won't do that.
All EA has shown us with TS4, is that they know how to make an easy buck. They don't believe on taking a chance making something better... I mean why bother when the loot boxing thing, and DLC for DLC seems to work so well for them. EA/Maxis just doesn't have the Talent, imagination or the big hairy round ones to ever make the Sandbox Life Simulation PC/Mac Sims game we were expecting, want, asked for, and deserve.
As far as sims city goes - think again - Sims City had been sitting idle for EA since 2004 (it's system was used in Sims 2) and wasn't doing a thing anyway - so had nothing to do with it. On top of it I don't think they even cared much about Sim City even though they decided to bring the game back - AS an ONLINE game which from the first announcement of the game former players of the game said from day one they DID not want an ONLINE version of the game. EA set it up for failure well before it was even out of the gate by not only going ahead with the online idea after we all said NO - they did not even give it the option to be played offline so naturally people who hate online games still said NO. And if you notice while they were getting the message after it was released - that we meant what we said - they went about eventually offering an offline version but punished the player for wanting offline by limiting the size of the worlds but online players world looked nothing small and puny like offline players were offered. They still pushed the online by saying we wanted the big worlds we had to go online and access the Cloud to play.
No wasn't going to do that - said many of us who never wanted online.
EA had a backup plan - in the meantime they had made" Build it" for mobile. Build it released and they soared. The income on Build It (also known as Sim City Mobile) far exceeds any money Sims City ever came near, yet it is considered a free game. Ironic is it not?. On top of it - dropping Sim City without so much as a warning, then closing down the Sim City Maxis studio in Emeryville, releasing all its devs and employees actually made the loss of Sim City a huge plus for EA - leaving all Sim City players both offline and online with out the game - what's more without a chance of ever seeing another Sim City. In the meantime EA is still raking in mountains of money with the Sim City idea and play with Build IT.
I firmly believe now that the Sims Mobile is well established and the Sims 4 mobile is newly out already out - the only reason we are still here is that like it or not The Sims 4 still sells well - but the minute it stops selling well for what ever the reason - they will shut it down forever - as they still have The Sims making money galore even with out us. Then like Sims Cities users we won't any longer have a game period.
Granted this is the way I see it - not necessarily EA's plan - but a judgment call on my part and what I saw happen with what used to be another game (Sim City) I often enjoyed playing. It is also something I have seen EA do to many games over the years they have been in business - so believe me they won't hesitate to end our version seeing they have it already more than covered in their mobile division. Unfortunately for me - I am not a mobile gamer. It reminds me too much of Gameboy games and is not my cup of tea. But EA has themselves well covered and will never be the loser in this game of wills. Believe me.
"Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
In dreams - I LIVE!
In REALITY, I simply exist.....
Guys, please, stop comparing Sims 3 to Sims 4. It's an argument that is eternal and never-ending. Nobody can win it. And I'm not saying that because I think I've lost either. It's just that I'm not going to convince you and you're not going to convince me.
Just wanna say, the primary reason we have packs in Sims 4, is because it's not Online play. If it was, they'd stick with the Store.
The only thing that matters here, is that EA has steadily escalated to a new high and low - not because it's Sims 4, but because it's a Triple-A publisher looking to get as much money as possible for as little effort as possible. And we need to focus because when it comes to DLC, it only ever gets worse.
Sims 3 wasn’t online. In fact Sims 4 has more internet required features than Sims 3. The only internet features in Sims 3 are shop mode, and simport. The former is very much still a thing in Sims 4, just less thrown in your face. Notice how worlds are displayed on the world menu even if you don’t install the packs? Same concept.
I also see nothing wrong with comparisons. I’m going to compare two seasons of the same TV show, even though they are different seasons usually with different plots they are all the same TV show/franchise. The same applies here with The Sims franchise. The only reason people don’t want to compare Sims 3 and 4 is because Sims 3 wins. Doesn’t matter how you personally feel about the game, Sims 3 had a much more successful life in the same amount of time Sims 4 has struggled to get anything.
Look the comparisons are never going to stop because EA/Maxis went backward. TS2 was a great game...it took what worked in the original Sims game and built on it.... then they gave us TS3, again fantastic. We had this wondrous open world to explore. I personally didn't mind the Sims Store, because I could pick and choose what I wanted to add to my game with everything available at the click of a mouse. Yes it was easy money for them, but it was actual content that worked in the game without breaking it.
With TS4....it is very obvious that they stopped caring and this was just going to be a game that used the Sims name to push a financial agenda only. Since SimsCity 2013 bombed, they had to make up the expense. TS4 has plenty of new players who have not played the previous versions... so to them it's the most fantastic game ever. They can continue to make low quality content and still make bank on TS4 for a very long time. And they are still making money on TS2 and TS3 because of the veteran players who went back to those games.
I really feel that the way they are breaking up the content to make a buck just shows that EA/Maxis doesn't care about the reputation of The Sims. It's too easy for them to continue coming up with gimmicks and stringing along the sheep. To rival everything before TS4... that would mean EA/Maxis would actually have to work. They would actually have to come up with a Fully Fleshed out Base game with elements of EP's, GP's already in the game, not to mention a ton of content and building tools just to show the established sims community that they know how. But we all know they won't do that.
All EA has shown us with TS4, is that they know how to make an easy buck. They don't believe on taking a chance making something better... I mean why bother when the loot boxing thing, and DLC for DLC seems to work so well for them. EA/Maxis just doesn't have the Talent, imagination or the big hairy round ones to ever make the Sandbox Life Simulation PC/Mac Sims game we were expecting, want, asked for, and deserve.
As far as sims city goes - think again - Sims City had been sitting idle for EA since 2002 and wasn't doing a thing anyway - so had nothing to do with it. On top of it I don't think they even cared much about Sim City even though they decided to bring the game back - AS and ONLINE game which from the first announcement of the game former players of the said from day one they DID not want an ONLINE version of the game. EA set it up for failure well before it was even out of the gate by not only going ahead with the online idea after we all said NO - they did not even give it the option to be played offline so naturally people who hate online games still said NO. And if you notice while they were getting the message after it was released - that we meant what we said - they went about offering and offline version but punished the player for wanting offline by limiting the size of the worlds but online players world looked nothing small and puny like offline players were offered. They still pushed the online by saying we wanted the big worlds we had to go online and access the Cloud to play.
No wasn't going to do that - said many of us who never wanted online.
EA had a backup plan - in the meantime they were making Build it for mobile. Build it released and they soared. The income on Build It (also known as Sim City Mobile) far exceeds and money Sims City ever came near. On top of it - dropping Sim City without so much as a warning, then closing down the Sim City Maxis studio in Emeryville, releasing all its devs and employees actually made the loss of Sim City a huge plus for EA - leaving all Sim City players both offline and online with out the game - what's more without a chance of ever seeing another Sim City. In the meantime EA is still raking in mountains of money with the Sim City idea and play with Build IT.
I firmly believe now that the Sims Mobile is well established and the Sims 4 mobile is newly out already out - the only reason we are still here is that like it or not The Sims 4 still sells well - but the minute it stops selling well for what ever the reason - they will shut it down forever - as they still have The Sims making money galore even with out us. Then like Sims Cities users we won't any longer have a game period.
Granted this is the way I see it - not necessarily EA's plan - but a judgment call on my part and what I saw happen with what used to be another game (Sim City) I often enjoyed playing. It is also something I have seen EA do to many games over the years they have been in business - so believe me they won't hesitate to end our version seeing they have it already more than covered in their mobile division. Unfortunately for me - I am not a mobile gamer. It reminds me too much of Gameboy games and is not my cup of tea. But EA has themselves well covered and will never be the loser in this game of wills. Believe me.
Just to clarify, there is zero difference between online and offline modes in regards to world size in SC. You had access to the exact same maps for the offline game that you did for the online one.
Just to clarify, there is zero difference between online and offline modes in regards to world size in SC. You had access to the exact same maps for the offline game that you did for the online one.
Thank you, I was just going to point that out.
Also, City builders who have been loyal fans of the Sims City franchise were the ones that basically told EA where to shove their Game. It was shut down because we saw right through them, and wouldn't buy their poor excuse for DLC. No dedicated Sim City player would ever play their tired mobile app game...believe me. Anyone playing that game is not a sims city builder.
Thankfully, us dedicated city building players were rescued by Paradox/Colossal Order when they created City Skylines. Now that is what a City Building game should be.
Kinda hoping the same thing will happen for The Sims.
Well according to the massive complaints back when they finally made it available offline that is what was posted in complaints. As I said as much as I loved Sim City and owned all previous versions through Rush Hour- would not buy Sim City 2013 because they went online. So I can only repeat what players were saying on the EA forum back then. They were definitely saying with out access to the cloud in offline the cities were puny....
"Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
In dreams - I LIVE!
In REALITY, I simply exist.....
Well according to the massive complaints back when they finally made it available offline that is what was posted in complaints. As I said as much as I loved Sim City and owned all previous versions through Rush Hour- would not buy Sim City 2013 because they went online. So I can only repeat what players were saying on the EA forum back then. They were definitely saying with out access to the cloud in offline the cities were puny....
The Cities were ridiculously small.... I could not get over how small. The city size never changed, weather you were online or not. I had the base game... and it was impossible to play. City builders begged them to change it. They gave them all kinds of ideas on how to change it, make it better..... but much like what it going on with TS4 right now... all the suggestions were just ignored.
So All the dedicated players left the forum, un-installed the game and waited for another gaming studio to make a new game.
Comments
ahh okay
But at least there was a ton of stuff on The Sims Resource for free, because it was much easier to create for the game back then. There's not as many people creating for Sims 4 because it's harder.
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> No that was not a thing - it was something they did with just the basegame( gave a free world) and WA (got 1000 points) to get folks use to the store when they registered their games.
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> ahh okay :) That makes sense.
When you finally decide to post to the forums after lurking so long and an "expert" implies you're lying and the "expert" is believed. Back to lurking. So much for that.
I would actually like to know if I legitimately got those points though. Thanks to the panic attack I went and spent the remaining 600 I had when I was going to fork over $20 more and get another world for my 24th wedding anniversary. But now I can't just spend $20 to get it. So, Thanks?
Completely done with EA
We all know EA published BOTH those games. Sims 4 is not a sentient creature that twisted its mind and made it grow horns and a pitchfork, and Sims 3 was as much a vacuum cleaner for your money as any other game EA publishes. If anything, we should keep blaming EA for spoiling Sims 4, not blaming Sims 4 for itself.
This isn't a comment on the quality of the games and I'd rather it not be thought of one. If you enjoy the content you downloaded, then... well, let's face it, if you enjoy it, it's good content - if you think it was worth it, then it was worth it. But it was still DLC, with EA filling in your game one slice at a time. The mere fact that it seemed so optional was not because of any kind of restraint on their part.
You know we got dinable resturaunts in Sims 4. It was called the Dine Out GP. Sims 4 is going to add all the best things from Sims 3 Store, but more in-depth, mostly because it's profitable. Only difference is that it's called a Pack now, and there are three sizes.
The problem is not whether Sims 3 or Sims 4 is better because we've seen how subjective that argument gets. Looks to me like minor pets in SIms 4 are going to be better than any minor pets previously. The problem is, for me, carving parts straight out of packs and selling them as separate packs, thereby making the EPs smaller even as the price for them rises.
> You could say that every Sims 4 pack is optional too. Or at least, that's what EA is saying. AGAIN. And NO. You can't have it both ways. There's a mod to travel in Sims 3? Well then, EA didn't make a complete game with the ability to travel between worlds - modders filled in the gaps.
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TS4 are small enclaves - not even towns - much less are they worlds at all. Each TS4 enclave has only a handful of lots. A typical TS3 world alone has over 100 lots. The townies live in their own homes. And it is quite doable to recreate all the TS4 enclaves fitting into one TS3 world with each enclave having it's own scenery and all it's inhabitants. You can't even do that in TS4. I don't feel I'm missing out on TS4's ability to flit from one enclave to the next. *Shrug*
> Don't worry about TS5. I keep saying it, if you're so certain that EA is doing this all for profit (which it IS) then you can count on there not being a Sims 5. EA is appealing to more players by making Sims 4 ports. And DLC. It's more profitable.
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I'm not buying anything of TS4. I'm actually saving my money for TS5 if it comes out and it progresses from TS3. I don't really believe TS4 is all that profitable and from what I see, lots of people are giving up on it.
> It just irritates me something chronic when people talk like Sims 3 is a saint and EA's Store, with its exorbitant prices and mountains of reskins, was totally not a way to cash-grab that went on throughout the entirety of the game's duration just because it has some great gameplay items. It was just a DIFFERENT way to cash-grab. It's no shame to admit that EA was just as enthusiastic with its money-vacuum with Sims 3 as it is with Sims 4.
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Mountains of reskins? Well there is a lot of furniture an clothes but they all have different designs. It's much better than the mountains of stuff in TS4 that are mere recolors. This is why EA didn't give TS4 CAStability so that you'd have to buy their recolored stuff if you want variety. I just also really like all the worlds and premium content at the Sims 3 store - very thoughtful and creative stuff so to me, they were worth giving my money to EA. See I don't mind parting with my money and making EA rich - they just have to do a really good job with a game like TS3 and not be lazy and half-hearted about it like they did with TS4. Really, if they start adding new wonderful content to the Sims 3 store, I WILL BUY THEM!
> No DLC should have overlapping content. That goes for the bundles too - why should I pay for something I already have? Don't reduce the price - just don't double up the content and make different content for it instead! Look at Sims 3 Late Night and Sims 3 Supernatrual. Vampires were used TWICE. Why does everybody overlook that?
I think they introduced vampires early because out of all the occult life states, that is the most popular and they wanted to give fans that, which I thought was pretty nice. I actually like vampires in Late Night. Along with Ambitions installed, I have a sim who is a private investigator who also happens to be a vampire in Bridgeport. In Supernatural, the vampires are given stuff to help protect themselves out in the daylight. So I don't really see it as an overlap, but more like they gave stuff to the vampire so that they can be out in the day longer and with this EP, you can create vampires in CAS and not have to befriend one like you needed to in Late Night. The other occult life states are pretty good too though. I even love the zombies especially when I learned how to keep them off my property. Put a fence around your entire lot, place a gate and lock it from everybody but the sims you specify - they will not even spawn inside the perimeter of the fence. I also have a gun/rifle mod to shoot at any that are at the gate and blocking me from leaving, lol!
Some of the premium stuff they offered attached to worlds but I don’t quite see the parallel? Because it’s quite the opposite in fact and simply comparable to being obliged to buy a GP just because you’d like a certain item badly. I’d say that’s legit (from EA’s perspective)? The fact you feel it’s not actually underlines why the Store as such was such a great thing: we were so used to be able to pick and choose, that it surprised and annoyed us whenever we couldn’t.
ETA: I also remember getting those free points just twice or so (and the ability to download Riverview for free). Of course there was the ‘Did you get your free points today’ thing but that was for Americans only (untill towards the end of the game
And sure, if you regretted Sims 3 didn’t come with features Sims 2 had (shop and restaurant) you were obliged to buy that in the Store (though a restaurant system was also added to ITF but that was the very last pack), like when you had to buy the farm and similar stuff if you’d want to play a farmer. That’s not quite the same thing as having to buy everything though, that’s the whole point.
It was a thing for me. I got them. I redeemed them last year when I discovered I had them. It’s the only reason I started getting store content.
This is the problem with the sims 4.
I agree vampires were not paid for twice. I bought late night for the world and other game play features and then supernatural down the line. Two separate packs with two different focuses. One was not sold as an additional pack to the other unlike the current model.
Just wanna say, the primary reason we have packs in Sims 4, is because it's not Online play. If it was, they'd stick with the Store.
The only thing that matters here, is that EA has steadily escalated to a new high and low - not because it's Sims 4, but because it's a Triple-A publisher looking to get as much money as possible for as little effort as possible. And we need to focus because when it comes to DLC, it only ever gets worse.
I don't know if I am being clear or if I am not understanding your point.
Subject of topic is concern over selling stuff broken up. My point is EA has sold everything broken up before Sims 4 which is why I originally stated I was sort of okay with it up until this latest stuff pack. In my opinion, this highway robbery started with Sims 3 store which is why I mentioned the having to buy the store worlds even if you only wanted the premium content that came with that world. They forced you to spend the 40 dollars to get the one premium content because they wouldn't sell it separately to make a buck. The Sims 3 store itself was a way to sell everything broken up. I just believe people did not have an issue with the Sims 3 store because they were happy with the Sims 3 game. The same cannot be said about Sims 4 which is why it feels like even worse.
As for the free points, I remember getting free points for watching an advertisement but it sure wasn't 1000 points. It was maybe one hundred at the most. I am sure EA was getting advertisement kickbacks for every advertisement watched and I am sure it was more than the one dollar's worth of points we were given. So I was given points for my time not just because they are nice.
>
> It was a thing for me. I got them. I redeemed them last year when I discovered I had them. It’s the only reason I started getting store content.
Thank you SO MUCH! People here making me think I'm crazy. Maybe it's just that good things come for those who wait. Maybe they reward those that wait more than those than jump every time something new is released. I do know that I will wait for S4 to end before I buy anything else for it. Maybe I can buy an expansion and get a stuff pack free if I'm just patient. Thank you again!
Completely done with EA
Well I had over 4000 points. It was enough for me to get a few worlds and lots of store sets. I wouldn’t have got it otherwise.
Watching advertisements enabled you to collect free sim points (5 per video). I managed to get quite a few large Store sets that way (playing them in a different tab).
We are clearly looking at this from two different angles. The Sims 3 store in general is selling stuff broken up in my opinion. Have we not heard over and over how great the Sims 3 store is because we can pick and choose? Isn't that broken up? None of the store items were part of expansion, stuff packs etc. which is why I said from my original comment I was pretty much fine with them selling things broken up within reason because it has been happening before Sims 4.
I also said I feel like I am making out better financially even though the quality of Sims 4 sucks. I stated the example of having to buy a 40 dollar world for one item vs buying a 10 dollar or 20 game pack for one item.
You can say they never gave us an expansion and then sold us essential stuff later but it is subjective. I feel like the toddler items that came with Aurora Skies were essential and should have been in the Generations expansion. If I am not mistaken, we didn't even get a world with Generations so that pack did not feel complete by no means to me. Why sell me a world that really had nothing to do with toddlers and add in essential toddler premium content? Even you could see that. In Sunlit Tides, selling me a sauna was no different than selling me a hot tub in a stuff pack except I had to buy the 40 dollar world. It was an essential item for me just like the hot tub which is why I bought both. In my opinion, Sims 3 was just as bad and as I stated before people were just a lot happier with the game vs Sims 4. When you are happy with a game, you might not have the same issues that other people have with the game. It is why people who are happy with Sims 4 are willing to keep buying and praising the game even though it is flawed and the same could be said about Sims 1, 2 and 3.
> You can say they never gave us an expansion and then sold us essential stuff later but it is subjective. I feel like the toddler items that came with Aurora Skies were essential and should have been in the Generations expansion. If I am not mistaken, we didn't even get a world with Generations so that pack did not feel complete by no means to me. Why sell me a world that really had nothing to do with toddlers and add in essential toddler premium content?
As long as you had a little patience, you didn't have to buy the world to get the toddler walker or playpen. The walker is on the sale page of the store right now for 365 points. I know before they stopped rotating the sale page that the playpen had been on there too. I had those things long before I finally got Aurora Skies. Not to mention if you paid attention and spent a bit of time in the store, you could get A LOT of stuff free from complete-a-set combined with daily deal or weekly sale.
All you need is patience
Just a little patience
Completely done with EA
I agree but the same could be said about sims 4. Lately, I waited for everything to be on sale for 50% off. Jungle Adventure was the first time in a long time I paid full price for a Sims 4 game.
If you compare Day 1 items from Sims 3 store to Day 1 items of Sims 4, I still say I am making out better financially in Sims 4. At least for the items that are essential to my gameplay. I will admit I would not spend my time sitting on the Sims 3 store checking daily deals and weekly sales. When I did see daily deals, either I had it or didn't want it. Ninety percent of the time it was something terrible.
I also still believe selling the toddler items with a world when it could have been released with generations especially since generations did not come with a world is just as bad as cats and dogs with my first pet stuff. Both situations were terrible on EA's part, in my opinion of course.
Look the comparisons are never going to stop because EA/Maxis went backward. TS2 was a great game...it took what worked in the original Sims game and built on it.... then they gave us TS3, again fantastic. We had this wondrous open world to explore. I personally didn't mind the Sims Store, because I could pick and choose what I wanted to add to my game with everything available at the click of a mouse. Yes it was easy money for them, but it was actual content that worked in the game without breaking it.
With TS4....it is very obvious that they stopped caring and this was just going to be a game that used the Sims name to push a financial agenda only. Since SimsCity 2013 bombed, they had to make up the expense. TS4 has plenty of new players who have not played the previous versions... so to them it's the most fantastic game ever. They can continue to make low quality content and still make bank on TS4 for a very long time. And they are still making money on TS2 and TS3 because of the veteran players who went back to those games.
I really feel that the way they are breaking up the content to make a buck just shows that EA/Maxis doesn't care about the reputation of The Sims. It's too easy for them to continue coming up with gimmicks and stringing along the sheep. To rival everything before TS4... that would mean EA/Maxis would actually have to work. They would actually have to come up with a Fully Fleshed out Base game with elements of EP's, GP's already in the game, not to mention a ton of content and building tools just to show the established sims community that they know how. But we all know they won't do that.
All EA has shown us with TS4, is that they know how to make an easy buck. They don't believe on taking a chance making something better... I mean why bother when the loot boxing thing, and DLC for DLC seems to work so well for them. EA/Maxis just doesn't have the Talent, imagination or the big hairy round ones to ever make the Sandbox Life Simulation PC/Mac Sims game we were expecting, want, asked for, and deserve.
Generations was released in 2011, and the store set you claim should have been included wasn’t released until 2013. Compared to C&D which released barely 4 months before MFPS, the latter of which has a direct link (requirement) for the former to access all content. Can you say the same about TS3? So no it’s not “just as bad”, or even comparably “bad” at all.
The store was literally a side venture for EA on top of a full production schedule of Expansion and Stuff packs. Sims 4 didn’t have Day 1 DLC (and there’s a reason for that), and yearly has less content released for it so yeah obviously you are going to be saving money, but at the same time getting less even excluding purchasing store content.
As far as sims city goes - think again - Sims City had been sitting idle for EA since 2004 (it's system was used in Sims 2) and wasn't doing a thing anyway - so had nothing to do with it. On top of it I don't think they even cared much about Sim City even though they decided to bring the game back - AS an ONLINE game which from the first announcement of the game former players of the game said from day one they DID not want an ONLINE version of the game. EA set it up for failure well before it was even out of the gate by not only going ahead with the online idea after we all said NO - they did not even give it the option to be played offline so naturally people who hate online games still said NO. And if you notice while they were getting the message after it was released - that we meant what we said - they went about eventually offering an offline version but punished the player for wanting offline by limiting the size of the worlds but online players world looked nothing small and puny like offline players were offered. They still pushed the online by saying we wanted the big worlds we had to go online and access the Cloud to play.
No wasn't going to do that - said many of us who never wanted online.
EA had a backup plan - in the meantime they had made" Build it" for mobile. Build it released and they soared. The income on Build It (also known as Sim City Mobile) far exceeds any money Sims City ever came near, yet it is considered a free game. Ironic is it not?. On top of it - dropping Sim City without so much as a warning, then closing down the Sim City Maxis studio in Emeryville, releasing all its devs and employees actually made the loss of Sim City a huge plus for EA - leaving all Sim City players both offline and online with out the game - what's more without a chance of ever seeing another Sim City. In the meantime EA is still raking in mountains of money with the Sim City idea and play with Build IT.
I firmly believe now that the Sims Mobile is well established and the Sims 4 mobile is newly out already out - the only reason we are still here is that like it or not The Sims 4 still sells well - but the minute it stops selling well for what ever the reason - they will shut it down forever - as they still have The Sims making money galore even with out us. Then like Sims Cities users we won't any longer have a game period.
Granted this is the way I see it - not necessarily EA's plan - but a judgment call on my part and what I saw happen with what used to be another game (Sim City) I often enjoyed playing. It is also something I have seen EA do to many games over the years they have been in business - so believe me they won't hesitate to end our version seeing they have it already more than covered in their mobile division. Unfortunately for me - I am not a mobile gamer. It reminds me too much of Gameboy games and is not my cup of tea. But EA has themselves well covered and will never be the loser in this game of wills. Believe me.
"Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
In dreams - I LIVE!
In REALITY, I simply exist.....
Sims 3 wasn’t online. In fact Sims 4 has more internet required features than Sims 3. The only internet features in Sims 3 are shop mode, and simport. The former is very much still a thing in Sims 4, just less thrown in your face. Notice how worlds are displayed on the world menu even if you don’t install the packs? Same concept.
I also see nothing wrong with comparisons. I’m going to compare two seasons of the same TV show, even though they are different seasons usually with different plots they are all the same TV show/franchise. The same applies here with The Sims franchise. The only reason people don’t want to compare Sims 3 and 4 is because Sims 3 wins. Doesn’t matter how you personally feel about the game, Sims 3 had a much more successful life in the same amount of time Sims 4 has struggled to get anything.
Just to clarify, there is zero difference between online and offline modes in regards to world size in SC. You had access to the exact same maps for the offline game that you did for the online one.
Thank you, I was just going to point that out.
Also, City builders who have been loyal fans of the Sims City franchise were the ones that basically told EA where to shove their Game. It was shut down because we saw right through them, and wouldn't buy their poor excuse for DLC. No dedicated Sim City player would ever play their tired mobile app game...believe me. Anyone playing that game is not a sims city builder.
Thankfully, us dedicated city building players were rescued by Paradox/Colossal Order when they created City Skylines. Now that is what a City Building game should be.
Kinda hoping the same thing will happen for The Sims.
"Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
In dreams - I LIVE!
In REALITY, I simply exist.....
The Cities were ridiculously small.... I could not get over how small. The city size never changed, weather you were online or not. I had the base game... and it was impossible to play. City builders begged them to change it. They gave them all kinds of ideas on how to change it, make it better..... but much like what it going on with TS4 right now... all the suggestions were just ignored.
So All the dedicated players left the forum, un-installed the game and waited for another gaming studio to make a new game.