As a whole, The Sims 4: Seasons takes the cake for me. The weather effects really do make the game feel exciting and less predictable. You have no choice but to play the game differently when you experience TS4 weather, and that’s a great thing. Sims just feel more connected to the weather in this pack than TS3.
The Sims 3 did have some weather effects I would’ve liked to see return. Things like fog, hail, icicles, and other weather details are sorely missed. But TS4 makes up for it in other ways, such as the very impressive thunderstorms.
Add in the immense sandbox features in this pack with its holidays, custom holidays, and decorations, as well as the many new objects, overhauled gardening system, and loads of neat little features with NPCs full of charm, TS4 Seasons is the better of the two, IMO.
That is easy Sims 3 was way better then Sims 4there is no comparison to it. I know a lot of people don't agree but it was much better then this EP Sims 4 Season. The Sims 4 Season brought some nice new things to the game but really I was not that excited for it and now I know why. Just a repeat of what Sims 3 was with a few add is maybe if the worlds were opened up but you really can't see the Seasons change much you are looking at it from the ground. I dont' get what people think is so wonderful about it they still can't swim in the ocean.
Personally I didn't get swimming in the ocean it's no different than swimming in the pool just more room. You can't even drown in the ocean in S3 for some odd reason. Though to each ones own. Seasons in each installment of the sims isn't terribly comparable as I've enjoyed just weather in each one. I loved it all in 2, 3 and now 4. It's weather and definitely changes things up and the atmosphere of the over all game.
I do love what's on offer here and I don't think I've had this much enjoyment on every season in an expansion that just wasn't Winter. I really like how each world is connected and weather functions a bit differently in each one. Sims participating in holidays (or some might depending on their trait) feels pretty immersive. Like sims care about the others around them and what's going on with the day. I actually feel genuinely interested in their daily life more so than before where it was pretty 'meh'.
This is exactly how I feel. The main reason I continued to play Sims 3 was for the winter weather.
This is exactly how I feel. The main reason I continued to play Sims 3 was for the winter weather.
Winter is very pretty and fun in S3, but I found the other seasons a bit lack luster when not involving festivals. I feel like I can be more immersed with the sims in 4 and that they react a lot better in weather conditions as well too. Then all the decorations you get to decorate your home or other places makes everything feels a lot more lively and like an actual holiday with Sims getting prepared for it and things not feeling like some gathering or party.
Just feels like there's more of a sense of time to sims in this expansion now.
It is very hard for me to compare. I do love seasons 4. It is visually stunning. I love the calendar system and being able to chose my own holidays. This alone has been game changing. But there are many things I miss from seasons 3.
I’m starting to become curious for this pack, because it seems like everybody is very positive and enthousiastic about it.
You'd probably be entertained for a week, or how ever long it would take you to get through the 4 seasons and then when the shiny wears off start remembering why you prefer Sims 3. I think there was much enthusiasm for Jungle Adventures but that kept you entertained for a couple of days?
Autumn and spring have their share of gameplay and fun in Sims 3 as well? Splashing in puddles, water balloon fights, horror house, harvesting and carving pumpkins, playing with leaves, trick or treat, roller skating, football/soccer etc. (summer too but I’m not sure what came with Seasons and what was added in IP)
Trick or treating unfortunately wasn't terribly fun for me in S3 and it was one of my more anticipated features considering Sims were never at home the majority of the time (Mines seem to enjoy the front of the theater or just hang out at the park) or just didn't want to come to the door. Bout like the crotchety people that don't like halloween and don't want to buy overpriced candy for my sim kid's enjoyment. When you think someone is coming to your house to trick or treat but they really just came to kick your pumpkin in. </3 Better in S4, but your child can't go trick or treating which makes sense considering the loading screens will get tedious (would have liked a rabbit hole at least), but I got a lot of teens and children alike to my sims home (after school hours of course).
Since the festivals came and went never felt like I could have fun with them for too long. Since I found the majority of interesting things to be with the festival's than anything. Outside of that not terribly much less I was gardening. Felt there was a lot more things in S3 Winter to do that didn't have to be connected with festivals is what I liked a lot about it.
I only remember swimming in the ocean (though patched in) and some new pool floats thus far for summer activities along with water balloons.
Of course what’s fun for one isn’t fun for the other, so for some ocean swimming (and surfing and scuba diving and going out in a boat or a jetski or snorkling or just lying on the beach and bake or saving people who are in trouble) is fun and for the other it’s planning events and watch them happen at the exact time you set it (I’m having a bit of a hard time understanding why that’s fun myself but that’s in fact why I just might buy the pack after all because I’m curious, I want to experience it, there’s no way of predicting how you’ll experience something before you have). But that’s what this topic is about, what do you prefer (or maybe not even prefer, what different things from both packs do you like or not like). I realize a lot of what I describe here was IP but those are the things I like doing in summer in the game myself, I do like being able to go into open water. I took my sim adventuring in Egypt once and then one day I decided (no, actually she decided herself) to go swim in the river. I liked that and gave her the day ‘off’. Also sent her to the beach with her friend and they played in the water and swam. I like that, for a change (not every sim day of course). I also love to make my sim harvesting pumpkins in autumn, go home and start carving them with his son. The kid’s turning out a bit clumsy but dad says he did a great job, at his age he really couldn’t make pumpkins like that and they lay it on the porch so anyone passing by can see it. I like the trick or treating too. Sure, I won’t be home for it all the time but when it happens that will only make it more special. I like sending my own kids to go trick or treating as well. Giving them a costume and off they go.
I must add by the way for me it’s not really a dry “what do you like from this pack”. I have to love the game first and then everything added to it will find its place and purpose. Even features I never thought I’d like or that didn’t appeal to me (that happened with ITF for me; I was very disappointed when that turned out to be the last theme for a pack, but in the end I had a lot of fun with it anyway because it was my own family that experienced it all).
Both did things differently, Sims 3 Seasons did a better job at adding a bunch of seasonal activities, while Sims 4 Seasons did a better job with the seasonal experience as a whole (all my opinion of course). I also like the way seasons look in 4, largely due to the fact that I really enjoy the Sims 4 aesthetics in comparison to Sims 3. Sims also seem to react more to seasonal and weather changes in 4, sims react to wind, shiver in the cold, slip and fall on ice, react to the first snow, when it rains they reach out their hands, and so on. I really am impressed with the amount of detail that went into the seasons and weather themselves this time around. So many little details here and there along with the big features. So I guess I prefer Sims 4 Seasons over Sims 3 Seasons.
Oh and you're wrong about the seasonal experience and the aesthetics. Play the game then carefully observe each season and you will see the "MISSING AESTHETICS". And if you're talking about the aesthetics of a sim, it's not aesthetic it's called function.
It takes a couple of trial experiences in game to really enjoy the Season's events and holidays in Sims 4 and I am really enjoying it more than in 3.
The build up to the events are better, choosing decorations, decorating the tree, Father Winter, exchanging presents, the Grand Meal etc.
My current Sims have just experienced New Year's Eve at home, watching the build up to it on TV, making resolutions (which you can choose), having drinks and kisses afterwards. It is realistic to the extent of making sure your Sims go to the toilet before so as not to have to dash off and miss it!
I prefer 4. My only reason for continuing to play 3 was for winter weather. I was never interested in the water/beach activities. So now that I have weather I can finally put 3 away.
They both seem to be better or worse in their own ways...
Major Sims 3 Pros: Option to choose the length of each season (per save file) to our own liking, festival grounds.
Major Sims 3 Cons: Large amount of lag the snow caused, almost infinite rain (especially in spring), forecasts being inaccurate 99% of the time.
Major Sims 4 Pros: Two new Hot & Cold outfit categories (instead of just simply outerwear), ability to create our own holidays, the CALENDAR , little to no lag when weather occurs.
Major Sims 4 Cons: Not being able to choose the length of each season to our own liking, not being able to know the forecast of other worlds (until you visit them), not being able to have certain outdoor objects outside without them being destroyed by a simple rainfall (such as an outdoor stereo, the observatory, etc), constantly having to replace outside objects due to lightning strikes (previous games never had as many lightning strikes as this one does).
Overall, I do prefer Sims 4: Seasons. The experience has been absolutely fun and entertaining so far! Of course, there are some things I wish could be changed about it... but I would honestly give the expansion pack at least an 8/10. It would be higher if some of the cons were fixed. Regardless, it has easily become my favorite expansion pack!
I find the Sims 4 seasons looking just fine, but compared to Sims 3 seasons its pretty poor if you just look at the weather effects. Winter is big disappointment due the lack of snow depth. The snow color and all that looks great, but the fact that snow is just "painted" on surfaces makes it look meh and makes me frown and want to go back to Sims 3 winter. Spring, autumn aand sumer are all good. I just wish the weather effects be more realistic. For example when it rains, the Sims should get wet and the feet should make splash of water like in in Sims 3. Water should pour down the roof like in Sims 3. It feels more cosmetic right now, an overlay if you will rather than actuaöl weather.
Oh and you're wrong about the seasonal experience and the aesthetics. Play the game then carefully observe each season and you will see the "MISSING AESTHETICS". And if you're talking about the aesthetics of a sim, it's not aesthetic it's called function.
I find the Sims 4 seasons looking just fine, but compared to Sims 3 seasons its pretty poor if you just look at the weather effects. Winter is big disappointment due the lack of snow depth. The snow color and all that looks great, but the fact that snow is just "painted" on surfaces makes it look meh and makes me frown and want to go back to Sims 3 winter. Spring, autumn aand sumer are all good. I just wish the weather effects be more realistic. For example when it rains, the Sims should get wet and the feet should make splash of water like in in Sims 3. Water should pour down the roof like in Sims 3. It feels more cosmetic right now, an overlay if you will rather than actuaöl weather.
Sims do get wet and their feet do make splashes, there is no rain dripping off the sides of roofs though, not too bummed about the lack of that detail as when I’m playing with seasons in my sims game, I’m watching my sims, not my roofs.
I find the Sims 4 seasons looking just fine, but compared to Sims 3 seasons its pretty poor if you just look at the weather effects. Winter is big disappointment due the lack of snow depth. The snow color and all that looks great, but the fact that snow is just "painted" on surfaces makes it look meh and makes me frown and want to go back to Sims 3 winter. Spring, autumn aand sumer are all good. I just wish the weather effects be more realistic. For example when it rains, the Sims should get wet and the feet should make splash of water like in in Sims 3. Water should pour down the roof like in Sims 3. It feels more cosmetic right now, an overlay if you will rather than actuaöl weather.
I agree with you, but it it the lack of fullness of the effects can be attributed for an number of reasons, capabilities of the engine used, what was the focus of the team which has me scratching my head for it makes more sense to focus on getting the best of it's game on all fronts for me. Some of the features in this version is okay but as with every other pack it is still gimped and what one may want out of the pack is different. I did not pay full price and got mine dirt cheap for what it was really worth to me. I do agree Sims 3 Seasons for the time period it was in is still more superior than Sims 4 in some areas and vice versa but not enough to say it trumps Sims 3. As an newer version it should have trumped Sim 3 version easily, but it did not or does not for me even in some areas it did it was expected to due to evolution of technology that is offered today.
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I find the Sims 4 seasons looking just fine, but compared to Sims 3 seasons its pretty poor if you just look at the weather effects. Winter is big disappointment due the lack of snow depth. The snow color and all that looks great, but the fact that snow is just "painted" on surfaces makes it look meh and makes me frown and want to go back to Sims 3 winter. Spring, autumn aand sumer are all good. I just wish the weather effects be more realistic. For example when it rains, the Sims should get wet and the feet should make splash of water like in in Sims 3. Water should pour down the roof like in Sims 3. It feels more cosmetic right now, an overlay if you will rather than actuaöl weather.
Sims do get wet in 4 and there are water splashes as they walk. All bodies of water also get hit with the raindrops.
First of all, I want to start off by saying the open seamless world without loading screens makes gameplay, to me, so much more alive like a life simulation should be. And because of that phenomenal gameplay mechanic, everything is better on a large scale compared to any Sims game to date. I knew TS3 is a game worth all the trouble which is why I'm still playing 9+ years later and on a much better and suitable computer.
TS3 Seasons
-Swimming in oceans, lakes, and rivers. Even able to swim in WA locations such as China, Egypt and France. Any body of water is swimmable as long as it not created on a lot using the pond tool. (I wish ponds were swimmable but it also depends on the technology then and/or restraints of the base game engine, time limits, etc. Regardless, being able to swim in most bodies of water is a huge improvement for gameplay.)
(I also love how Sims get a moodlet for joining the polar bear club for swimming in the cold of winter.)
-Slow dancing re-introduced to the series.
-Love letters, online dating, attraction system that may or may not be accurate according to the AI.
-Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter and all the weather effects looks beautiful in the open world. Plus, the festivals and other activities really helps to enrich the gaming experience.
-Shower and play in the rain (Cool but nothing big like swimmable bodies of water.)
-Mud puddles (Cute but those flat textures looks bad and so game breaking for immersion but then again I feel that way about the whole of TS4.)
-The only new interaction I see concerning snow is to shovel snow. (That's nice.)
-New interactions with snowpals. (I'm not fond of talking to snowpals and find it overly silly but that's just me. As some find the imaginary doll/friend to be ridiculous but I like it. )
-Weather/Season options. (I find it odd one has to buy an object in order to change the weather effects/season while it's already in progress. In TS3, one can change whatever element whenever they wanted in the options menu. Though, it would take a little time to gradually change. There is also a weather machine in TS3 Seasons. (Anyway, TS4 Seasons options are horrible for players who love to be in the most control over their games without hurdles to jump over or events/holidays to lose or get moved.)
-Pile of gifts with some new interactions.
-Decoration box is new and has new features added. (Not being able to customize decor choices whereas I'm guessing it's already just picked for you is limiting though. Is TS4 not supposed to be better than TS3 in every way or at the very least for the most part?)
-The thermostat sounds useful and a good idea. Not sure if it's implemented decently though but like how it's one of those "optional" things like TS3 laundry.
To be honest, there isn't anything about TS4 Seasons that makes me want to play over TS3 Seasons. TS4 is overall extremely underwhelming to me in art style, gameplay and overall immature tone and I couldn't take anything seriously nor even care about the Sims like I had and have with TS/TS2/TS3. I'm an artistic person so I'm quite visually enamored by what I see and have my own preference about what looks good to me or not. So yes, graphics and art style do matter to me and TS4 Seasons takes so many shortcuts in that department that I find it so uninspiring and cheap compared to what The Sims as a whole up until The Sims 3 have strove for both graphically and gameplay wise.
Each iteration wowed me when moving on to the next generation except TS4. Never bothered as I already knew what The Sims was capable of but that's the future now it seems. Oh well, at least I have TS/TS2/TS3.
“What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
Stand a little taller
Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone
What doesn't kill you makes a fighter
Footsteps even lighter”
I find the Sims 4 seasons looking just fine, but compared to Sims 3 seasons its pretty poor if you just look at the weather effects. Winter is big disappointment due the lack of snow depth. The snow color and all that looks great, but the fact that snow is just "painted" on surfaces makes it look meh and makes me frown and want to go back to Sims 3 winter. Spring, autumn aand sumer are all good. I just wish the weather effects be more realistic. For example when it rains, the Sims should get wet and the feet should make splash of water like in in Sims 3. Water should pour down the roof like in Sims 3. It feels more cosmetic right now, an overlay if you will rather than actuaöl weather.
Sims do get wet and their feet do make splashes, there is no rain dripping off the sides of roofs though, not too bummed about the lack of that detail as when I’m playing with seasons in my sims game, I’m watching my sims, not my roofs.
First of all, I want to start off by saying the open seamless world without loading screens makes gameplay, to me, so much more alive like a life simulation should be. And because of that phenomenal gameplay mechanic, everything is better on a large scale compared to any Sims game to date. I knew TS3 is a game worth all the trouble which is why I'm still playing 9+ years later and on a much better and suitable computer.
TS3 Seasons
-Swimming in oceans, lakes, and rivers. Even able to swim in WA locations such as China, Egypt and France. Any body of water is swimmable as long as it not created on a lot using the pond tool. (I wish ponds were swimmable but it also depends on the technology then and/or restraints of the base game engine, time limits, etc. Regardless, being able to swim in most bodies of water is a huge improvement for gameplay.)
(I also love how Sims get a moodlet for joining the polar bear club for swimming in the cold of winter.)
-Slow dancing re-introduced to the series.
-Love letters, online dating, attraction system that may or may not be accurate according to the AI.
-Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter and all the weather effects looks beautiful in the open world. Plus, the festivals and other activities really helps to enrich the gaming experience.
-Shower and play in the rain (Cool but nothing big like swimmable bodies of water.)
-Mud puddles (Cute but those flat textures looks bad and so game breaking for immersion but then again I feel that way about the whole of TS4.)
-The only new interaction I see concerning snow is to shovel snow. (That's nice.)
-New interactions with snowpals. (I'm not fond of talking to snowpals and find it overly silly but that's just me. As some find the imaginary doll/friend to be ridiculous but I like it. )
-Weather/Season options. (I find it odd one has to buy an object in order to change the weather effects/season while it's already in progress. In TS3, one can change whatever element whenever they wanted in the options menu. Though, it would take a little time to gradually change. There is also a weather machine in TS3 Seasons. (Anyway, TS4 Seasons options are horrible for players who love to be in the most control over their games without hurdles to jump over or events/holidays to lose or get moved.)
-Pile of gifts with some new interactions.
-Decoration box is new and has new features added. (Not being able to customize decor choices whereas I'm guessing it's already just picked for you is limiting though. Is TS4 not supposed to be better than TS3 in every way or at the very least for the most part?)
-The thermostat sounds useful and a good idea. Not sure if it's implemented decently though but like how it's one of those "optional" things like TS3 laundry.
To be honest, there isn't anything about TS4 Seasons that makes me want to play over TS3 Seasons. TS4 is overall extremely underwhelming to me in art style, gameplay and overall immature tone and I couldn't take anything seriously nor even care about the Sims like I had and have with TS/TS2/TS3. I'm an artistic person so I'm quite visually enamored by what I see and have my own preference about what looks good to me or not. So yes, graphics and art style do matter to me and TS4 Seasons takes so many shortcuts in that department that I find it so uninspiring and cheap compared to what The Sims as a whole up until The Sims 3 have strove for both graphically and gameplay wise.
Each iteration wowed me when moving on to the next generation except TS4. Never bothered as I already knew what The Sims was capable of but that's the future now it seems. Oh well, at least I have TS/TS2/TS3.
Very well done post with pictures and I agree
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In 3 I liked all the activities, kissing booth, football net, tanning booth, face pairing, snow boarding ramp, haunted house, fast food eating contest, ocean swimming, and going trick or treating and not just having trick or treaters. Also hail, though it doesn't happen often in real life in some places hail is the closest thing to snow they get.
In 4 I like the weather effects more as it feels more real and I like how you can make your own holidays and get rid of ones you don't like and because of the bigger focus on holidays they just feel more important to celebrate and not so easily ignored. And like others have mentioned I hated how in spring and fall winter would either still linger or creep into the seasons making it hard to enjoy them. I know in some places that's realistic but where I'm from spring and fall are rainy seasons with rarely any signs of snow.
For some reason, the weather is more immersive for me in this latest version. I'm not exactly sure why since there are obvious things missing (snow depth, certain rain effects, sunburn, etc). The rain used to depress me in Sims 3 and I ended up turning it off. Not the same in Sims 4 -- the rain is soothing. Maybe it's the lighting, maybe it's the sound effects, I can't tell you why.
And... the customization of the holidays and events - LOVE. The way the Sims celebrate the holidays is more in-depth.
I've played for hours and haven't even explored all the features yet such as beekeeping, flower arranging, and scouting.
I find the Sims 4 seasons looking just fine, but compared to Sims 3 seasons its pretty poor if you just look at the weather effects. Winter is big disappointment due the lack of snow depth. The snow color and all that looks great, but the fact that snow is just "painted" on surfaces makes it look meh and makes me frown and want to go back to Sims 3 winter. Spring, autumn aand sumer are all good. I just wish the weather effects be more realistic. For example when it rains, the Sims should get wet and the feet should make splash of water like in in Sims 3. Water should pour down the roof like in Sims 3. It feels more cosmetic right now, an overlay if you will rather than actuaöl weather.
The lack of snow depth is a disappointment, but winter as a whole had a heck of a lot of more attention to detail put into it in this game than in The Sims 3 (and The Sims 2). A lot of people may not care and think that winter equates solely to snow, but I have to disagree. The Sims 3's snow effects certainly win in almost every case (The Sims 4 has one edge with blowing snow), but aside from that, if you take away the snow, Winter is actually distinct in The Sims 4, and not just bare trees (which is pretty much all they did to distinguish Winter in TS3).
If this were The Sims 3, all of the plants there aside from the trees would be the same as they are in the Spring and Summer. They would be green, and if any plants with flowers were present they'd have their flowers. Plus if there were any lily pads? Those would be present in the water, all green and blooming.
Plus, the terrain. The terrain makes such a huge difference to the feel of winter and fall.
The funny thing is, the game glitched for a Sim hour or so and the grass turned Spring/Summer green and I couldn't help but that think that is (the plants all still being appropriately dry and brown aside, unlike TS3) exactly what winter looks like in TS3, bare trees with green Spring/Summer grass.
The differences here are MAJOR. In all honesty, the developers not paying any attention to differentiating non-tree plants for Seasons in TS3 is very much an aesthetic failure that at least comes close to TS4's lack of snow depth. A lot of people don't care, I get it, but Winter is so much more than snow, and TS4 *finally* got that right.
Overall, I feel like most of The Sims 4 Seasons' aesthetic shortcomings are solely because the game itself has those shortcomings. Like the broken ice on the rivers and ponds is neat, but the texture resolution of them is so horrifically low that you have to keep your distance from them for them to look any good... But then again, I think of The Sims 3's plants. They don't look so hot if you get too close to them either.
I prefer the Sims 4 version of Seasons. One reason is because I simply prefer the sims in 4 so for me that's going to have a big impact on whether or not I enjoy the features.
Comments
The Sims 3 did have some weather effects I would’ve liked to see return. Things like fog, hail, icicles, and other weather details are sorely missed. But TS4 makes up for it in other ways, such as the very impressive thunderstorms.
Add in the immense sandbox features in this pack with its holidays, custom holidays, and decorations, as well as the many new objects, overhauled gardening system, and loads of neat little features with NPCs full of charm, TS4 Seasons is the better of the two, IMO.
This is exactly how I feel. The main reason I continued to play Sims 3 was for the winter weather.
Winter is very pretty and fun in S3, but I found the other seasons a bit lack luster when not involving festivals. I feel like I can be more immersed with the sims in 4 and that they react a lot better in weather conditions as well too. Then all the decorations you get to decorate your home or other places makes everything feels a lot more lively and like an actual holiday with Sims getting prepared for it and things not feeling like some gathering or party.
Just feels like there's more of a sense of time to sims in this expansion now.
You'd probably be entertained for a week, or how ever long it would take you to get through the 4 seasons and then when the shiny wears off start remembering why you prefer Sims 3. I think there was much enthusiasm for Jungle Adventures but that kept you entertained for a couple of days?
I must add by the way for me it’s not really a dry “what do you like from this pack”. I have to love the game first and then everything added to it will find its place and purpose. Even features I never thought I’d like or that didn’t appeal to me (that happened with ITF for me; I was very disappointed when that turned out to be the last theme for a pack, but in the end I had a lot of fun with it anyway because it was my own family that experienced it all).
The build up to the events are better, choosing decorations, decorating the tree, Father Winter, exchanging presents, the Grand Meal etc.
My current Sims have just experienced New Year's Eve at home, watching the build up to it on TV, making resolutions (which you can choose), having drinks and kisses afterwards. It is realistic to the extent of making sure your Sims go to the toilet before so as not to have to dash off and miss it!
There is no comparison.
Major Sims 3 Pros: Option to choose the length of each season (per save file) to our own liking, festival grounds.
Major Sims 3 Cons: Large amount of lag the snow caused, almost infinite rain (especially in spring), forecasts being inaccurate 99% of the time.
Major Sims 4 Pros: Two new Hot & Cold outfit categories (instead of just simply outerwear), ability to create our own holidays, the CALENDAR
Major Sims 4 Cons: Not being able to choose the length of each season to our own liking, not being able to know the forecast of other worlds (until you visit them), not being able to have certain outdoor objects outside without them being destroyed by a simple rainfall (such as an outdoor stereo, the observatory, etc), constantly having to replace outside objects due to lightning strikes (previous games never had as many lightning strikes as this one does).
Overall, I do prefer Sims 4: Seasons. The experience has been absolutely fun and entertaining so far! Of course, there are some things I wish could be changed about it... but I would honestly give the expansion pack at least an 8/10. It would be higher if some of the cons were fixed. Regardless, it has easily become my favorite expansion pack!
Sims 1: Hot Date
Sims 2: Seasons
Sims 2: Happy Holiday Stuff
Sims 3: Seasons
Sims 3: 70's, 80's, & 90's Stuff
Sims 4: Seasons
Sims 4: Paranormal Stuff
Sims 4: Strangerville Game Pack
I’m wrong?
Sims do get wet and their feet do make splashes, there is no rain dripping off the sides of roofs though, not too bummed about the lack of that detail as when I’m playing with seasons in my sims game, I’m watching my sims, not my roofs.
I agree with you, but it it the lack of fullness of the effects can be attributed for an number of reasons, capabilities of the engine used, what was the focus of the team which has me scratching my head for it makes more sense to focus on getting the best of it's game on all fronts for me. Some of the features in this version is okay but as with every other pack it is still gimped and what one may want out of the pack is different. I did not pay full price and got mine dirt cheap for what it was really worth to me. I do agree Sims 3 Seasons for the time period it was in is still more superior than Sims 4 in some areas and vice versa but not enough to say it trumps Sims 3. As an newer version it should have trumped Sim 3 version easily, but it did not or does not for me even in some areas it did it was expected to due to evolution of technology that is offered today.
What are you disliking about the seasons themselves?
Sims do get wet in 4 and there are water splashes as they walk. All bodies of water also get hit with the raindrops.
First of all, I want to start off by saying the open seamless world without loading screens makes gameplay, to me, so much more alive like a life simulation should be. And because of that phenomenal gameplay mechanic, everything is better on a large scale compared to any Sims game to date. I knew TS3 is a game worth all the trouble which is why I'm still playing 9+ years later and on a much better and suitable computer.
TS3 Seasons
-Swimming in oceans, lakes, and rivers. Even able to swim in WA locations such as China, Egypt and France. Any body of water is swimmable as long as it not created on a lot using the pond tool. (I wish ponds were swimmable but it also depends on the technology then and/or restraints of the base game engine, time limits, etc. Regardless, being able to swim in most bodies of water is a huge improvement for gameplay.)
(I also love how Sims get a moodlet for joining the polar bear club for swimming in the cold of winter.)
-Slow dancing re-introduced to the series.
-Love letters, online dating, attraction system that may or may not be accurate according to the AI.
-Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter and all the weather effects looks beautiful in the open world. Plus, the festivals and other activities really helps to enrich the gaming experience.
There's literally so much more packed into TS3 Seasons.
https://simsvip.com/sims-3-seasons-guide/
TS4 Seasons
-Shower and play in the rain (Cool but nothing big like swimmable bodies of water.)
-Mud puddles (Cute but those flat textures looks bad and so game breaking for immersion but then again I feel that way about the whole of TS4.)
-The only new interaction I see concerning snow is to shovel snow. (That's nice.)
-New interactions with snowpals. (I'm not fond of talking to snowpals and find it overly silly but that's just me. As some find the imaginary doll/friend to be ridiculous but I like it. )
-Weather/Season options. (I find it odd one has to buy an object in order to change the weather effects/season while it's already in progress. In TS3, one can change whatever element whenever they wanted in the options menu. Though, it would take a little time to gradually change. There is also a weather machine in TS3 Seasons. (Anyway, TS4 Seasons options are horrible for players who love to be in the most control over their games without hurdles to jump over or events/holidays to lose or get moved.)
-Pile of gifts with some new interactions.
-Decoration box is new and has new features added. (Not being able to customize decor choices whereas I'm guessing it's already just picked for you is limiting though. Is TS4 not supposed to be better than TS3 in every way or at the very least for the most part?)
-The thermostat sounds useful and a good idea. Not sure if it's implemented decently though but like how it's one of those "optional" things like TS3 laundry.
There's more.
https://simsvip.com/sims-4-seasons-guide/
Let's see.
To be honest, there isn't anything about TS4 Seasons that makes me want to play over TS3 Seasons. TS4 is overall extremely underwhelming to me in art style, gameplay and overall immature tone and I couldn't take anything seriously nor even care about the Sims like I had and have with TS/TS2/TS3. I'm an artistic person so I'm quite visually enamored by what I see and have my own preference about what looks good to me or not. So yes, graphics and art style do matter to me and TS4 Seasons takes so many shortcuts in that department that I find it so uninspiring and cheap compared to what The Sims as a whole up until The Sims 3 have strove for both graphically and gameplay wise.
Each iteration wowed me when moving on to the next generation except TS4. Never bothered as I already knew what The Sims was capable of but that's the future now it seems. Oh well, at least I have TS/TS2/TS3.
Stand a little taller
Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone
What doesn't kill you makes a fighter
Footsteps even lighter”
Very well done post with pictures and I agree
In 3 I liked all the activities, kissing booth, football net, tanning booth, face pairing, snow boarding ramp, haunted house, fast food eating contest, ocean swimming, and going trick or treating and not just having trick or treaters. Also hail, though it doesn't happen often in real life in some places hail is the closest thing to snow they get.
In 4 I like the weather effects more as it feels more real and I like how you can make your own holidays and get rid of ones you don't like and because of the bigger focus on holidays they just feel more important to celebrate and not so easily ignored. And like others have mentioned I hated how in spring and fall winter would either still linger or creep into the seasons making it hard to enjoy them. I know in some places that's realistic but where I'm from spring and fall are rainy seasons with rarely any signs of snow.
For some reason, the weather is more immersive for me in this latest version. I'm not exactly sure why since there are obvious things missing (snow depth, certain rain effects, sunburn, etc). The rain used to depress me in Sims 3 and I ended up turning it off. Not the same in Sims 4 -- the rain is soothing. Maybe it's the lighting, maybe it's the sound effects, I can't tell you why.
And... the customization of the holidays and events - LOVE. The way the Sims celebrate the holidays is more in-depth.
I've played for hours and haven't even explored all the features yet such as beekeeping, flower arranging, and scouting.
Sim Stuff by Pegasys
The lack of snow depth is a disappointment, but winter as a whole had a heck of a lot of more attention to detail put into it in this game than in The Sims 3 (and The Sims 2). A lot of people may not care and think that winter equates solely to snow, but I have to disagree. The Sims 3's snow effects certainly win in almost every case (The Sims 4 has one edge with blowing snow), but aside from that, if you take away the snow, Winter is actually distinct in The Sims 4, and not just bare trees (which is pretty much all they did to distinguish Winter in TS3).
For example, let me take one of s1mszzang's screenshots from The Sims 4 Seasons Screenshot topic:
If this were The Sims 3, all of the plants there aside from the trees would be the same as they are in the Spring and Summer. They would be green, and if any plants with flowers were present they'd have their flowers. Plus if there were any lily pads? Those would be present in the water, all green and blooming.
Plus, the terrain. The terrain makes such a huge difference to the feel of winter and fall.
The funny thing is, the game glitched for a Sim hour or so and the grass turned Spring/Summer green and I couldn't help but that think that is (the plants all still being appropriately dry and brown aside, unlike TS3) exactly what winter looks like in TS3, bare trees with green Spring/Summer grass.
The differences here are MAJOR. In all honesty, the developers not paying any attention to differentiating non-tree plants for Seasons in TS3 is very much an aesthetic failure that at least comes close to TS4's lack of snow depth. A lot of people don't care, I get it, but Winter is so much more than snow, and TS4 *finally* got that right.
Overall, I feel like most of The Sims 4 Seasons' aesthetic shortcomings are solely because the game itself has those shortcomings. Like the broken ice on the rivers and ponds is neat, but the texture resolution of them is so horrifically low that you have to keep your distance from them for them to look any good... But then again, I think of The Sims 3's plants. They don't look so hot if you get too close to them either.