I'm still waiting to for more information to be provided. Yet, I'm not expecting much because, from the start, multiple concessions have been made with TS4. Concessions and compromise have been the one consistent thread that has been woven throughout every pack of this installment.
It's so totally different from how EA launched the expansion packs for previous games. In those packs, EA would always add things that the community has come to expect. However, they would also provide some over the top, truly ambitious addition that pushed the genre and the simulation forward.
For example, TS3 Pets didn't just provide cats and dogs and the small creatures that we all expected. It also introduced horses and all of the equipment and activities that entailed. Seasons came with all the expected seasonal activities and weather, including realistic snow with particle effects. In addition, we also received the ability to create fully customizable seasonal festivals that could be placed in any world, on any lot that we chose.
TS4, on the other hand, has totally stepped away from that practice. Instead of addition, TS4's custom is always to subtract. Instead of innovation and surprise, there is always compromise. When EA begins to remove foundational effects, like accumulating 3D snow, from a pack that is called Seasons, there is something desperately wrong.
The missing snow wouldn't be such a big issue if there weren't already so many compromises in the game. The snow is only a symptom of the underlying illness, so to speak.
Textured snow with real depth and particle effects has been removed and replaced with "snow" that resembles terrain paint and effects that resemble animations from an anime cartoon (See: previous video of the effects of snow puffing around the Sim while she's making a snow angel). Likewise, beach activities seem to be missing entirely.
That's two important aspects of changing seasons that seem to have been totally glossed over in order to be replaced by what exactly? Compromise has to come with some type of fair trade, right? So, what groundbreaking, ambitious, over the top feature has been added in order to make up for the absence of those things? I have to ask.
It's certainly not the parties, or holidays, or scout troupes, or the kiddie pool. Is it? Because, except for the pool, I'm pretty sure that those are things that we've seen before in TS4, or elsewhere, in some form or fashion. It's the same reuse and recycling as before -- the club system, plus, what may be the return of the ability to plan events in advance. (Which happens to be a feature that suspiciously went missing from the base game.) There doesn't seem to be anything new or ambitious to explain why foundational elements of a Seasons pack have been left out this time around.
As I said already, I'm still waiting to see what future trailers or streams might have in store. However, with TS4's track record, I'm not really expecting that much. Nothing in the media that has been released leads me to expect anything more.
First impressions are everything and beyond the initial flush of excitement because it is Seasons, TS4's Seasons is not living up to what I have come to expect from this series.
You've said what I feel I keep failing to probably write. I agree. Both sims 2 and 3 took what was already there and then went above and beyond to create something unique. Despite isles paradiso being a mess IP is still one of my favorite packs because it feels ambitious. Same with SN, it went above and beating providing old and new and doing a great job.
It’s funny that some people think Maxis can still make change to snow accumulation at the point if we complained hard enough. They 100% knew people would notice & complain about snow thickness and yet they still went ahead & did it anyway. They absolutely have no plans to change it.
They needed a playable version for EA Play, which is a fixed date that won't change for a Sims EP, so whatever their initial plan was, if they couldn't make it for EA Play, they would have had to change it. But we don't know what their initial plan was.
Our feedback won't change their plan for launch, that I agree. If it wasn't planned initially, they won't add it in 4 weeks. If it was planned, it may or may not be in, but then they wouldn't have waited for our feedback to work on it.
EA Play isn’t relevant. Even if they didn’t attend EA Play they still need to finish an alpha build with all features complete at least a few months before release just for QA purposes. And the features of a pack are locked in way before that (it’s a date where they need to finalize all features of a pack; past this date, no new features are allowed to be added to the plan; this is done to prevent going over-budget and missing deadlines). The development decision on snow was likely made a long time ago.
EA Play means they can't delay the pack (like they did for GT) without missing EA Play. Which means if some major bug shows up that they can't be sure will be fixed for release (and with snow accumulation and a buildable environment, such bugs are not out of the question), they may not have the choice but to remove the feature altogether. Especially if they have another deadline with EA Play that probably put extra pressure on the team to do some further triage on the bugs left.
We don't know what was the initial feature list, and we don't know whether heavy snow was part of it or not, that's my point. Of course they wouldn't add a completely new feature one month before launch, but the fact it's not in the trailer doesn't mean it was never planned or that it wasn't in the alpha build. The development decision on snow was indeed likely made a long time ago, but we don't know what that decision was.
Missing EA Play isn’t a big deal at all. The vast majority of attendees won’t be there for The Sims anyway. If anything, releasing within June is very important as it’s the last month of the quarter. It’s the latest they can release the pack while EA still gets to regonize its revenue for the quarter. Delaying it past the month would impact EA’s financials of the quarter and it’s avoided at all costs.
Your entire argument is based on a completely hypothetical situation where they originally planned snow accumulation & developed it but removed it at the last minute due to bugs. Not only is there no evidence for it, but it’s also very unlikely. Risky features (i.e. feature that can cause major bugs and issues down the line) are unlikely to be approved in the first place. If they’re not very sure they can successfully make a feature on time, then they won’t do it. SimGuruGrant for example has proudly stated in the past that they almost never need to crunch, due to how well managed they are. Needing to pull a major feature at the last minute is the exact opposite of that.
Yes, missing EA Play may matter less to them than missing a June release (and we don't know what's planned afterward either), but once they have announced the next content will be playable there, they need to have something playable and polished enough, and the whole event is also extra work.
Anyway, my entire argument is that we don't know. This hypothetical scenario is just an example of something that could have happened, and that we have no way to rule out with the info we have. I also said it's entirely possible it wasn't planned at all (for design reasons or because it would be too complicated/costly).
But some points make it more likely than you seem to think : they haven't commented on it (and they have been quick to confirm there's no lifestate, no new world, no allergies, no collection, no festival, no picnic basket, no lounge chairs, etc), they indeed are proud to avoid crunch (so if something does go wrong, they may be more likely to delay or cut features rather than crunch) and they have postpone things in the past (ghosts and swimming pools weren't done in a month for example).
But once again, my whole point is that we don't know why it's not there, and thus we don't know what their plans are. The only thing I think we can safely rule out is our feedback changing anything in a timeframe of a month if it wasn't planned anyway.
It’s funny that some people think Maxis can still make change to snow accumulation at the point if we complained hard enough. They 100% knew people would notice & complain about snow thickness and yet they still went ahead & did it anyway. They absolutely have no plans to change it.
They needed a playable version for EA Play, which is a fixed date that won't change for a Sims EP, so whatever their initial plan was, if they couldn't make it for EA Play, they would have had to change it. But we don't know what their initial plan was.
Our feedback won't change their plan for launch, that I agree. If it wasn't planned initially, they won't add it in 4 weeks. If it was planned, it may or may not be in, but then they wouldn't have waited for our feedback to work on it.
EA Play isn’t relevant. Even if they didn’t attend EA Play they still need to finish an alpha build with all features complete at least a few months before release just for QA purposes. And the features of a pack are locked in way before that (it’s a date where they need to finalize all features of a pack; past this date, no new features are allowed to be added to the plan; this is done to prevent going over-budget and missing deadlines). The development decision on snow was likely made a long time ago.
EA Play means they can't delay the pack (like they did for GT) without missing EA Play. Which means if some major bug shows up that they can't be sure will be fixed for release (and with snow accumulation and a buildable environment, such bugs are not out of the question), they may not have the choice but to remove the feature altogether. Especially if they have another deadline with EA Play that probably put extra pressure on the team to do some further triage on the bugs left.
We don't know what was the initial feature list, and we don't know whether heavy snow was part of it or not, that's my point. Of course they wouldn't add a completely new feature one month before launch, but the fact it's not in the trailer doesn't mean it was never planned or that it wasn't in the alpha build. The development decision on snow was indeed likely made a long time ago, but we don't know what that decision was.
Missing EA Play isn’t a big deal at all. The vast majority of attendees won’t be there for The Sims anyway. If anything, releasing within June is very important as it’s the last month of the quarter. It’s the latest they can release the pack while EA still gets to regonize its revenue for the quarter. Delaying it past the month would impact EA’s financials of the quarter and it’s avoided at all costs.
Your entire argument is based on a completely hypothetical situation where they originally planned snow accumulation & developed it but removed it at the last minute due to bugs. Not only is there no evidence for it, but it’s also very unlikely. Risky features (i.e. feature that can cause major bugs and issues down the line) are unlikely to be approved in the first place. If they’re not very sure they can successfully make a feature on time, then they won’t do it. SimGuruGrant for example has proudly stated in the past that they almost never need to crunch, due to how well managed they are. Needing to pull a major feature at the last minute is the exact opposite of that.
Yes, missing EA Play may matter less to them than missing a June release (and we don't know what's planned afterward either), but once they have announced the next content will be playable there, they need to have something playable and polished enough, and the whole event is also extra work.
Anyway, my entire argument is that we don't know. This hypothetical scenario is just an example of something that could have happened, and that we have no way to rule out with the info we have. I also said it's entirely possible it wasn't planned at all (for design reasons or because it would be too complicated/costly).
But some points make it more likely than you seem to think : they haven't commented on it (and they have been quick to confirm there's no lifestate, no new world, no allergies, no collection, no festival, no picnic basket, no lounge chairs, etc), they indeed are proud to avoid crunch (so if something does go wrong, they may be more likely to delay or cut features rather than crunch) and they have postpone things in the past (ghosts and swimming pools weren't done in a month for example).
But once again, my whole point is that we don't know why it's not there, and thus we don't know what their plans are. The only thing I think we can safely rule out is our feedback changing anything in a timeframe of a month if it wasn't planned anyway.
I completely agree @Cynna! SimGuruKate also stated that they didn't include a new world to focus more on the Seasons, but then there is no textured snow?! Kind of ridiculous to me. Especially with the reputation this game has of constant compromise. It's not unexpected to me though.
It’s funny that some people think Maxis can still make change to snow accumulation at the point if we complained hard enough. They 100% knew people would notice & complain about snow thickness and yet they still went ahead & did it anyway. They absolutely have no plans to change it.
They needed a playable version for EA Play, which is a fixed date that won't change for a Sims EP, so whatever their initial plan was, if they couldn't make it for EA Play, they would have had to change it. But we don't know what their initial plan was.
Our feedback won't change their plan for launch, that I agree. If it wasn't planned initially, they won't add it in 4 weeks. If it was planned, it may or may not be in, but then they wouldn't have waited for our feedback to work on it.
EA Play isn’t relevant. Even if they didn’t attend EA Play they still need to finish an alpha build with all features complete at least a few months before release just for QA purposes. And the features of a pack are locked in way before that (it’s a date where they need to finalize all features of a pack; past this date, no new features are allowed to be added to the plan; this is done to prevent going over-budget and missing deadlines). The development decision on snow was likely made a long time ago.
EA Play means they can't delay the pack (like they did for GT) without missing EA Play. Which means if some major bug shows up that they can't be sure will be fixed for release (and with snow accumulation and a buildable environment, such bugs are not out of the question), they may not have the choice but to remove the feature altogether. Especially if they have another deadline with EA Play that probably put extra pressure on the team to do some further triage on the bugs left.
We don't know what was the initial feature list, and we don't know whether heavy snow was part of it or not, that's my point. Of course they wouldn't add a completely new feature one month before launch, but the fact it's not in the trailer doesn't mean it was never planned or that it wasn't in the alpha build. The development decision on snow was indeed likely made a long time ago, but we don't know what that decision was.
Missing EA Play isn’t a big deal at all. The vast majority of attendees won’t be there for The Sims anyway. If anything, releasing within June is very important as it’s the last month of the quarter. It’s the latest they can release the pack while EA still gets to regonize its revenue for the quarter. Delaying it past the month would impact EA’s financials of the quarter and it’s avoided at all costs.
Your entire argument is based on a completely hypothetical situation where they originally planned snow accumulation & developed it but removed it at the last minute due to bugs. Not only is there no evidence for it, but it’s also very unlikely. Risky features (i.e. feature that can cause major bugs and issues down the line) are unlikely to be approved in the first place. If they’re not very sure they can successfully make a feature on time, then they won’t do it. SimGuruGrant for example has proudly stated in the past that they almost never need to crunch, due to how well managed they are. Needing to pull a major feature at the last minute is the exact opposite of that.
Yes, missing EA Play may matter less to them than missing a June release (and we don't know what's planned afterward either), but once they have announced the next content will be playable there, they need to have something playable and polished enough, and the whole event is also extra work.
Anyway, my entire argument is that we don't know. This hypothetical scenario is just an example of something that could have happened, and that we have no way to rule out with the info we have. I also said it's entirely possible it wasn't planned at all (for design reasons or because it would be too complicated/costly).
But some points make it more likely than you seem to think : they haven't commented on it (and they have been quick to confirm there's no lifestate, no new world, no allergies, no collection, no festival, no picnic basket, no lounge chairs, etc), they indeed are proud to avoid crunch (so if something does go wrong, they may be more likely to delay or cut features rather than crunch) and they have postpone things in the past (ghosts and swimming pools weren't done in a month for example).
But once again, my whole point is that we don't know why it's not there, and thus we don't know what their plans are. The only thing I think we can safely rule out is our feedback changing anything in a timeframe of a month if it wasn't planned anyway.
Say if Brindleton Bay had very thick snow whilst Willow Creek only had shallow snow, this would be absolutely barbaric considering people HAVE to buy Cats and Dogs then to actually get the full experience! I don't mind Brindleton Bay having thick snow, whilst San Myshuno only has a small layer, but if they're going to include thick snow it absolutely HAS to be in at least one base game world, so that everyone who buys Seasons has the chance to experience the expansion pack to its full potential!
If they were to do this, it seems like a repeat of My First Pet Stuff (whereby people have to buy another piece of DLC to get the full experience) but in a more subtle, and easily excusable, way!
Edit: That being said, I don't think they should implement this mechanic - if a world is going to get snow in any shape or form, I want it to be thick snow!
I'm not going to speculate, but I don't have a good feeling about it.
That is so awkward it almost is a confirmation.
I was thinking the same thing.
I know this has been said before, but the 'no response' response is basically conformation in my eyes.
If there was an accumulation of snow, the gurus would just say "Yeah of course there is, why wouldn't there be?", but the "We can't talk about this at the moment" response basically sounds as if they're waiting until a safer time to say no.
I feel so bad for Kate because only a week or two after she joined, she has probably the second most questionable design choice controversy (1st place obviously going to toddlers). Although I think she is doing an amazing job, I just think it would be much safer to just confirm whether snow accumulates or not - I don't see what's preventing them from doing so.
Kate did say that they will not be delaying the release date - I just hope that what we've seen so far are either early looks at the snow, or light snow. If this is the final product (which I'm beginning to think it the case) I just hope that they'll be able to update it after release - that I would be 100% happy with - it shows that they've seen our criticisms, and have worked on them. (Then again, they would have known that such a controversy would arise in the first place...)
Kate did say that they will not be delaying the release date - I just hope that what we've seen so far are either early looks at the snow, or light snow. If this is the final product (which I'm beginning to think it the case) I just hope that they'll be able to update it after release - that I would be 100% happy with - it shows that they've seen our criticisms, and have worked on them. (Then again, they would have known that such a controversy would arise in the first place...)
@SimGuruKate does a great job. She is actually very responsive and she passed the concerns up the chain. What happens with it? No idea, that's not in her hands anyway, but let's hope they will actually listen and somehow do something about this. EVEN if it is after release.
I think we should be grateful that we are finally getting Seasons. Obviously it's not going to be perfect. The Sims 4 is far from a perfect game. Seasons looks amazing and exceeded my expectations, which says something. At least we're getting snow...
Kate did say that they will not be delaying the release date - I just hope that what we've seen so far are either early looks at the snow, or light snow. If this is the final product (which I'm beginning to think it the case) I just hope that they'll be able to update it after release - that I would be 100% happy with - it shows that they've seen our criticisms, and have worked on them. (Then again, they would have known that such a controversy would arise in the first place...)
@SimGuruKate does a great job. She is actually very responsive and she passed the concerns up the chain. What happens with it? No idea, that's not in her hands anyway, but let's hope they will actually listen and somehow do something about this. EVEN if it is after release.
Could not have said it better myself - she is doing an amazing job! The fact that she was so soon to address our complains and pass them on was very professional, and extremely reassuring!
Kate did say that they will not be delaying the release date - I just hope that what we've seen so far are either early looks at the snow, or light snow. If this is the final product (which I'm beginning to think it the case) I just hope that they'll be able to update it after release - that I would be 100% happy with - it shows that they've seen our criticisms, and have worked on them. (Then again, they would have known that such a controversy would arise in the first place...)
I don't think it is possible with the engine, it's pretty stubborn from what I've heard. If you look the leaves are also flat on the ground, looks like the ballpit texture.
Kate did say that they will not be delaying the release date - I just hope that what we've seen so far are either early looks at the snow, or light snow. If this is the final product (which I'm beginning to think it the case) I just hope that they'll be able to update it after release - that I would be 100% happy with - it shows that they've seen our criticisms, and have worked on them. (Then again, they would have known that such a controversy would arise in the first place...)
I don't think it is possible with the engine, it's pretty stubborn from what I've heard. If you look the leaves are also flat on the ground, looks like the ballpit texture.
Then again, Grant did say to us that nothing is impossible in The Sims 4, just some things may take a longer time than others to make.
I guess now is the time for them to put their money where their mouth is?
Would it have been nice? Sure, but frankly I can understand how it wouldn’t be possible. There is no terrain in Sims 4, the world is a giant object. How are they supposed to make dynamic snow that accumulates on terrain when there is no distinction between grass, road, or sidewalk? They would have to make unique snow objects that appear or disappear over the entire map matching the form of the world object. That’s a significant amount of work considering the number of unique zones we have. I’ll take this, because it’s better than having no seasons.
For anyone saying it’s 2018 and comparing how it was done in Sims 2 or 3, those games were built differently. The worlds were built differently. It’s not a matter of what technology can do in this age, but what they can do with the technology they have available for this game.
Not just that, but they probably have to make sure that it’s playable on console.
Heavy snow is taxing, but also probably not something that could be added/removed with a simple Ultra to Low/Ultra etc Setting. The Sims 4 runs on Ultra (minus the lighting I think) on console and the game struggles in San Myshuno as it is.
Seasons is their second biggest EP, they definitely want it to sell well to the console market too I guess.
And the team porting the game don’t seem to have access to make huge changes to the game, and the PC team probably don’t have the budget to accomate Console changes.
I can forgive them for this, but if the rain/snow is just a filter rather than actual weather in 3D I’ll be mad.
The Sims 2 did it because they built the game poorly for Weather (even though it was an intended base game feature) and I can live with that (despite the console games getting it right and doing much better).
I will not support Weather filters in 2018, if it’s true.
Basically, while it’s realistic for Snow to be thick, it meant it was harder to actually play the game because you would lose objects in the snow.
It also drained FPS heavily in both The Sims 2 and 3, when all it added was some minor realism with no real advantage.
What are the pros? More realistic snow.
What are the cons? Potential lag, annoyances and reduced user experience.
Nope, scrap it.
I will however be concerned if it’s on-screen effects rather than actual rain and snow. A rain or snow filter doesn’t fly with me in 2018, and is painfully obvious.
If you watch the part near the end when the Evil sim uses the machine you'll see rain hitting the surface of the water as the weather turns bad.
I doubt it's a filter.
I hope it’s not just a water effect. It’s really hard to tell in the trailer. It will be super easy to tell in-game. It’s painfully obvious in TS2. The Sims 3 Wii does it too and it’s soooo obvious, yet the Sims 2 console games have actual rain and it’s so much better. It’s a huge difference.
@the_greenplumbob
I think a future pack with a new world with heavy snow but not needing Seasons may be possible (assuming it's technically doable of course). Sort of like Dine Out and Get to Work both having businesses, or both Outdoor Retreat and Jungle Adventure as two destinations. I could totally see a Winter GP (heavy snow, ski/snowboarding, etc) and a Summer GP (beach, lounge chairs, ect) for example.
This would be a bad decision imho. Also, snowboarding was part of TS3 Seasons anyway. Skiing can really only work with elevation terrain tools and we don't have those. Simmers would be cheated out if we must buy another pack in order to experience snow depth - I do like the idea of a vacation ep to a snowy destination but seasonal effects should be unique to an expansion which is about Seasons. Any vacation addon should ideally be a game pack of maybe a full expansion with a choice of different destinations unique not just for their climate/flora&fauna, but the unique skills, social interactions, architectural elements etc, they provide.
Would it have been nice? Sure, but frankly I can understand how it wouldn’t be possible. There is no terrain in Sims 4, the world is a giant object. How are they supposed to make dynamic snow that accumulates on terrain when there is no distinction between grass, road, or sidewalk? They would have to make unique snow objects that appear or disappear over the entire map matching the form of the world object. That’s a significant amount of work considering the number of unique zones we have. I’ll take this, because it’s better than having no seasons.
For anyone saying it’s 2018 and comparing how it was done in Sims 2 or 3, those games were built differently. The worlds were built differently. It’s not a matter of what technology can do in this age, but what they can do with the technology they have available for this game.
Not just that, but they probably have to make sure that it’s playable on console.
Heavy snow is taxing, but also probably not something that could be added/removed with a simple Ultra to Low/Ultra etc Setting. The Sims 4 runs on Ultra (minus the lighting I think) on console and the game struggles in San Myshuno as it is.
Seasons is their second biggest EP, they definitely want it to sell well to the console market too I guess.
And the team porting the game don’t seem to have access to make huge changes to the game, and the PC team probably don’t have the budget to accomate Console changes.
I can forgive them for this, but if the rain/snow is just a filter rather than actual weather in 3D I’ll be mad.
The Sims 2 did it because they built the game poorly for Weather (even though it was an intended base game feature) and I can live with that (despite the console games getting it right and doing much better).
I will not support Weather filters in 2018, if it’s true.
How do you see the difference between a filter and actual rain? I played sims 2 but never noticed it.
Would it have been nice? Sure, but frankly I can understand how it wouldn’t be possible. There is no terrain in Sims 4, the world is a giant object. How are they supposed to make dynamic snow that accumulates on terrain when there is no distinction between grass, road, or sidewalk? They would have to make unique snow objects that appear or disappear over the entire map matching the form of the world object. That’s a significant amount of work considering the number of unique zones we have. I’ll take this, because it’s better than having no seasons.
For anyone saying it’s 2018 and comparing how it was done in Sims 2 or 3, those games were built differently. The worlds were built differently. It’s not a matter of what technology can do in this age, but what they can do with the technology they have available for this game.
Not just that, but they probably have to make sure that it’s playable on console.
Heavy snow is taxing, but also probably not something that could be added/removed with a simple Ultra to Low/Ultra etc Setting. The Sims 4 runs on Ultra (minus the lighting I think) on console and the game struggles in San Myshuno as it is.
Seasons is their second biggest EP, they definitely want it to sell well to the console market too I guess.
And the team porting the game don’t seem to have access to make huge changes to the game, and the PC team probably don’t have the budget to accomate Console changes.
I can forgive them for this, but if the rain/snow is just a filter rather than actual weather in 3D I’ll be mad.
The Sims 2 did it because they built the game poorly for Weather (even though it was an intended base game feature) and I can live with that (despite the console games getting it right and doing much better).
I will not support Weather filters in 2018, if it’s true.
How do you see the difference between a filter and actual rain? I played sims 2 but never noticed it.
I'd like to know the difference also. I'm currently playing Sims 2 and the rain looks like...rain.
Would it have been nice? Sure, but frankly I can understand how it wouldn’t be possible. There is no terrain in Sims 4, the world is a giant object. How are they supposed to make dynamic snow that accumulates on terrain when there is no distinction between grass, road, or sidewalk? They would have to make unique snow objects that appear or disappear over the entire map matching the form of the world object. That’s a significant amount of work considering the number of unique zones we have. I’ll take this, because it’s better than having no seasons.
For anyone saying it’s 2018 and comparing how it was done in Sims 2 or 3, those games were built differently. The worlds were built differently. It’s not a matter of what technology can do in this age, but what they can do with the technology they have available for this game.
Not just that, but they probably have to make sure that it’s playable on console.
Heavy snow is taxing, but also probably not something that could be added/removed with a simple Ultra to Low/Ultra etc Setting. The Sims 4 runs on Ultra (minus the lighting I think) on console and the game struggles in San Myshuno as it is.
Seasons is their second biggest EP, they definitely want it to sell well to the console market too I guess.
And the team porting the game don’t seem to have access to make huge changes to the game, and the PC team probably don’t have the budget to accomate Console changes.
I can forgive them for this, but if the rain/snow is just a filter rather than actual weather in 3D I’ll be mad.
The Sims 2 did it because they built the game poorly for Weather (even though it was an intended base game feature) and I can live with that (despite the console games getting it right and doing much better).
I will not support Weather filters in 2018, if it’s true.
How do you see the difference between a filter and actual rain? I played sims 2 but never noticed it.
Would it have been nice? Sure, but frankly I can understand how it wouldn’t be possible. There is no terrain in Sims 4, the world is a giant object. How are they supposed to make dynamic snow that accumulates on terrain when there is no distinction between grass, road, or sidewalk? They would have to make unique snow objects that appear or disappear over the entire map matching the form of the world object. That’s a significant amount of work considering the number of unique zones we have. I’ll take this, because it’s better than having no seasons.
For anyone saying it’s 2018 and comparing how it was done in Sims 2 or 3, those games were built differently. The worlds were built differently. It’s not a matter of what technology can do in this age, but what they can do with the technology they have available for this game.
Not just that, but they probably have to make sure that it’s playable on console.
Heavy snow is taxing, but also probably not something that could be added/removed with a simple Ultra to Low/Ultra etc Setting. The Sims 4 runs on Ultra (minus the lighting I think) on console and the game struggles in San Myshuno as it is.
Seasons is their second biggest EP, they definitely want it to sell well to the console market too I guess.
And the team porting the game don’t seem to have access to make huge changes to the game, and the PC team probably don’t have the budget to accomate Console changes.
I can forgive them for this, but if the rain/snow is just a filter rather than actual weather in 3D I’ll be mad.
The Sims 2 did it because they built the game poorly for Weather (even though it was an intended base game feature) and I can live with that (despite the console games getting it right and doing much better).
I will not support Weather filters in 2018, if it’s true.
How do you see the difference between a filter and actual rain? I played sims 2 but never noticed it.
I'd like to know the difference also. I'm currently playing Sims 2 and the rain looks like...rain.
Basically it’s just a rain effect you see on screen, rather than actually seeing the rain land in 3D.
Zoom inside and outside when it’s raining in TS2 and you’ll realise it’s just a filter over the top of the game, it’s not actually raining outside.
Would it have been nice? Sure, but frankly I can understand how it wouldn’t be possible. There is no terrain in Sims 4, the world is a giant object. How are they supposed to make dynamic snow that accumulates on terrain when there is no distinction between grass, road, or sidewalk? They would have to make unique snow objects that appear or disappear over the entire map matching the form of the world object. That’s a significant amount of work considering the number of unique zones we have. I’ll take this, because it’s better than having no seasons.
For anyone saying it’s 2018 and comparing how it was done in Sims 2 or 3, those games were built differently. The worlds were built differently. It’s not a matter of what technology can do in this age, but what they can do with the technology they have available for this game.
Not just that, but they probably have to make sure that it’s playable on console.
Heavy snow is taxing, but also probably not something that could be added/removed with a simple Ultra to Low/Ultra etc Setting. The Sims 4 runs on Ultra (minus the lighting I think) on console and the game struggles in San Myshuno as it is.
Seasons is their second biggest EP, they definitely want it to sell well to the console market too I guess.
And the team porting the game don’t seem to have access to make huge changes to the game, and the PC team probably don’t have the budget to accomate Console changes.
I can forgive them for this, but if the rain/snow is just a filter rather than actual weather in 3D I’ll be mad.
The Sims 2 did it because they built the game poorly for Weather (even though it was an intended base game feature) and I can live with that (despite the console games getting it right and doing much better).
I will not support Weather filters in 2018, if it’s true.
How do you see the difference between a filter and actual rain? I played sims 2 but never noticed it.
Would it have been nice? Sure, but frankly I can understand how it wouldn’t be possible. There is no terrain in Sims 4, the world is a giant object. How are they supposed to make dynamic snow that accumulates on terrain when there is no distinction between grass, road, or sidewalk? They would have to make unique snow objects that appear or disappear over the entire map matching the form of the world object. That’s a significant amount of work considering the number of unique zones we have. I’ll take this, because it’s better than having no seasons.
For anyone saying it’s 2018 and comparing how it was done in Sims 2 or 3, those games were built differently. The worlds were built differently. It’s not a matter of what technology can do in this age, but what they can do with the technology they have available for this game.
Not just that, but they probably have to make sure that it’s playable on console.
Heavy snow is taxing, but also probably not something that could be added/removed with a simple Ultra to Low/Ultra etc Setting. The Sims 4 runs on Ultra (minus the lighting I think) on console and the game struggles in San Myshuno as it is.
Seasons is their second biggest EP, they definitely want it to sell well to the console market too I guess.
And the team porting the game don’t seem to have access to make huge changes to the game, and the PC team probably don’t have the budget to accomate Console changes.
I can forgive them for this, but if the rain/snow is just a filter rather than actual weather in 3D I’ll be mad.
The Sims 2 did it because they built the game poorly for Weather (even though it was an intended base game feature) and I can live with that (despite the console games getting it right and doing much better).
I will not support Weather filters in 2018, if it’s true.
How do you see the difference between a filter and actual rain? I played sims 2 but never noticed it.
I'd like to know the difference also. I'm currently playing Sims 2 and the rain looks like...rain.
Basically it’s just a rain effect you see on screen, rather than actually seeing the rain land in 3D.
Zoom inside and outside when it’s raining in TS2 and you’ll realise it’s just a filter over the top of the game, it’s not actually raining outside.
There was one scene in the trailer, towards the end, where they point the camera up towards the sky - it's kinda hard to see because of the lightning, but you can see the rain falling towards the ground - would this be possible if it were a filter, or does this suggest that it's not?
Sorry I realise this is off topic and not what this thread is about
Well maybe it's not quite done yet? Maybe they made the video a while ago and they've since added depth? 'Cos I gotta admit, I'm dead excited about this EP but I noticed the lack of depth for the snow as well. I'm hoping it'll be there when it's launched.
Check my builds and Sims out on the Gallery, username Lizzychicago!
Would it have been nice? Sure, but frankly I can understand how it wouldn’t be possible. There is no terrain in Sims 4, the world is a giant object. How are they supposed to make dynamic snow that accumulates on terrain when there is no distinction between grass, road, or sidewalk? They would have to make unique snow objects that appear or disappear over the entire map matching the form of the world object. That’s a significant amount of work considering the number of unique zones we have. I’ll take this, because it’s better than having no seasons.
For anyone saying it’s 2018 and comparing how it was done in Sims 2 or 3, those games were built differently. The worlds were built differently. It’s not a matter of what technology can do in this age, but what they can do with the technology they have available for this game.
Not just that, but they probably have to make sure that it’s playable on console.
Heavy snow is taxing, but also probably not something that could be added/removed with a simple Ultra to Low/Ultra etc Setting. The Sims 4 runs on Ultra (minus the lighting I think) on console and the game struggles in San Myshuno as it is.
Seasons is their second biggest EP, they definitely want it to sell well to the console market too I guess.
And the team porting the game don’t seem to have access to make huge changes to the game, and the PC team probably don’t have the budget to accomate Console changes.
I can forgive them for this, but if the rain/snow is just a filter rather than actual weather in 3D I’ll be mad.
The Sims 2 did it because they built the game poorly for Weather (even though it was an intended base game feature) and I can live with that (despite the console games getting it right and doing much better).
I will not support Weather filters in 2018, if it’s true.
How do you see the difference between a filter and actual rain? I played sims 2 but never noticed it.
Would it have been nice? Sure, but frankly I can understand how it wouldn’t be possible. There is no terrain in Sims 4, the world is a giant object. How are they supposed to make dynamic snow that accumulates on terrain when there is no distinction between grass, road, or sidewalk? They would have to make unique snow objects that appear or disappear over the entire map matching the form of the world object. That’s a significant amount of work considering the number of unique zones we have. I’ll take this, because it’s better than having no seasons.
For anyone saying it’s 2018 and comparing how it was done in Sims 2 or 3, those games were built differently. The worlds were built differently. It’s not a matter of what technology can do in this age, but what they can do with the technology they have available for this game.
Not just that, but they probably have to make sure that it’s playable on console.
Heavy snow is taxing, but also probably not something that could be added/removed with a simple Ultra to Low/Ultra etc Setting. The Sims 4 runs on Ultra (minus the lighting I think) on console and the game struggles in San Myshuno as it is.
Seasons is their second biggest EP, they definitely want it to sell well to the console market too I guess.
And the team porting the game don’t seem to have access to make huge changes to the game, and the PC team probably don’t have the budget to accomate Console changes.
I can forgive them for this, but if the rain/snow is just a filter rather than actual weather in 3D I’ll be mad.
The Sims 2 did it because they built the game poorly for Weather (even though it was an intended base game feature) and I can live with that (despite the console games getting it right and doing much better).
I will not support Weather filters in 2018, if it’s true.
How do you see the difference between a filter and actual rain? I played sims 2 but never noticed it.
I'd like to know the difference also. I'm currently playing Sims 2 and the rain looks like...rain.
Basically it’s just a rain effect you see on screen, rather than actually seeing the rain land in 3D.
Zoom inside and outside when it’s raining in TS2 and you’ll realise it’s just a filter over the top of the game, it’s not actually raining outside.
There was one scene in the trailer, towards the end, where they point the camera up towards the sky - it's kinda hard to see because of the lightning, but you can see the rain falling towards the ground - would this be possible if it were a filter, or does this suggest that it's not?
Sorry I realise this is off topic and not what this thread is about
Also, the Christmas scene were they are decorating the tree - It looks like you can see snow falling through the glass of the front door, is that possible with filters?
Comments
You've said what I feel I keep failing to probably write. I agree. Both sims 2 and 3 took what was already there and then went above and beyond to create something unique. Despite isles paradiso being a mess IP is still one of my favorite packs because it feels ambitious. Same with SN, it went above and beating providing old and new and doing a great job.
complete forum tutorial
Thank you @MDianaSanders for halloween-fying Golluma
No festivals?? I missed that *dies on the inside*
complete forum tutorial
Thank you @MDianaSanders for halloween-fying Golluma
SimGuruGrant confirmed it on twitter :
YouTube: https://goo.gl/PK7vxR | The Gallery: https://goo.gl/a5DZAK
Twitter: https://goo.gl/QzQVUK | Origin-ID: SimmerNickYT
If they were to do this, it seems like a repeat of My First Pet Stuff (whereby people have to buy another piece of DLC to get the full experience) but in a more subtle, and easily excusable, way!
Edit: That being said, I don't think they should implement this mechanic - if a world is going to get snow in any shape or form, I want it to be thick snow!
I was thinking the same thing.
I know this has been said before, but the 'no response' response is basically conformation in my eyes.
If there was an accumulation of snow, the gurus would just say "Yeah of course there is, why wouldn't there be?", but the "We can't talk about this at the moment" response basically sounds as if they're waiting until a safer time to say no.
I feel so bad for Kate because only a week or two after she joined, she has probably the second most questionable design choice controversy (1st place obviously going to toddlers). Although I think she is doing an amazing job, I just think it would be much safer to just confirm whether snow accumulates or not - I don't see what's preventing them from doing so.
Definitely looking like no depth.
complete forum tutorial
Thank you @MDianaSanders for halloween-fying Golluma
@SimGuruKate does a great job. She is actually very responsive and she passed the concerns up the chain. What happens with it? No idea, that's not in her hands anyway, but let's hope they will actually listen and somehow do something about this. EVEN if it is after release.
Could not have said it better myself - she is doing an amazing job! The fact that she was so soon to address our complains and pass them on was very professional, and extremely reassuring!
Thank you so much @SimGuruKate
I don't think it is possible with the engine, it's pretty stubborn from what I've heard. If you look the leaves are also flat on the ground, looks like the ballpit texture.
complete forum tutorial
Thank you @MDianaSanders for halloween-fying Golluma
Then again, Grant did say to us that nothing is impossible in The Sims 4, just some things may take a longer time than others to make.
I guess now is the time for them to put their money where their mouth is?
Not just that, but they probably have to make sure that it’s playable on console.
Heavy snow is taxing, but also probably not something that could be added/removed with a simple Ultra to Low/Ultra etc Setting. The Sims 4 runs on Ultra (minus the lighting I think) on console and the game struggles in San Myshuno as it is.
Seasons is their second biggest EP, they definitely want it to sell well to the console market too I guess.
And the team porting the game don’t seem to have access to make huge changes to the game, and the PC team probably don’t have the budget to accomate Console changes.
I can forgive them for this, but if the rain/snow is just a filter rather than actual weather in 3D I’ll be mad.
The Sims 2 did it because they built the game poorly for Weather (even though it was an intended base game feature) and I can live with that (despite the console games getting it right and doing much better).
I will not support Weather filters in 2018, if it’s true.
Insta: https://instagram.com/jkarajs?igshid=oef2ymrand3g
I hope it’s not just a water effect. It’s really hard to tell in the trailer. It will be super easy to tell in-game. It’s painfully obvious in TS2. The Sims 3 Wii does it too and it’s soooo obvious, yet the Sims 2 console games have actual rain and it’s so much better. It’s a huge difference.
Insta: https://instagram.com/jkarajs?igshid=oef2ymrand3g
This would be a bad decision imho. Also, snowboarding was part of TS3 Seasons anyway. Skiing can really only work with elevation terrain tools and we don't have those. Simmers would be cheated out if we must buy another pack in order to experience snow depth - I do like the idea of a vacation ep to a snowy destination but seasonal effects should be unique to an expansion which is about Seasons. Any vacation addon should ideally be a game pack of maybe a full expansion with a choice of different destinations unique not just for their climate/flora&fauna, but the unique skills, social interactions, architectural elements etc, they provide.
How do you see the difference between a filter and actual rain? I played sims 2 but never noticed it.
complete forum tutorial
Thank you @MDianaSanders for halloween-fying Golluma
I'd like to know the difference also. I'm currently playing Sims 2 and the rain looks like...rain.
Basically it’s just a rain effect you see on screen, rather than actually seeing the rain land in 3D.
Zoom inside and outside when it’s raining in TS2 and you’ll realise it’s just a filter over the top of the game, it’s not actually raining outside.
Insta: https://instagram.com/jkarajs?igshid=oef2ymrand3g
There was one scene in the trailer, towards the end, where they point the camera up towards the sky - it's kinda hard to see because of the lightning, but you can see the rain falling towards the ground - would this be possible if it were a filter, or does this suggest that it's not?
Sorry I realise this is off topic and not what this thread is about
Also, the Christmas scene were they are decorating the tree - It looks like you can see snow falling through the glass of the front door, is that possible with filters?