Changing their traits won’t have any effect is my experience? I play an evil sim atm and apart from the occasional muhahaha I haven’t seen any other effect so far. Like getting whims to be mean to sims or things like that (which would be nice because she’s a vampire). Or scaring them autonomously. Don’t mind so far because the vampire gameplay in itself is awesome, but I have to fill in her being mean and evil myself.
Sadly the only way you will experience this is with mods. One in particular is called "have more personality please" or something along those lines.
I to have a evil sim and a vampire living in my current house. The evil sim rolls whims to be mean to his wife and even be means to her and plays pranks on other family members.
My vampire sim also sometimes gets in on the fun by "pretending to attack" I think it's called. She likes to scare them with all fangs out and go "rawr!" It's cute in a way cause the sims grip their chest while being startled.
But yeah without mods to boost up the autonomous game play in almost every aspect of the game I would of stopped a long time ago. Sims 4 was just a very very bad produced game.
I don't use mods so I don't know how much better my game would be with them but I just don't understand why if modders can add all these amazing things for free, why can't ea include them in their expensive packs?
It's boring because there's no drama, no challenge, no difficulty... Each sim plays the same, is almost never in any real danger, is always successful, never fails at something even if unskilled.
It's like Minecraft creative mode, fun to build in, but it's certainly not challenging.
For me sims 4 got a lot more to do than in sims 3. I thinks sims 4 is modern version of sims 2, and i could not be happier (okay.. i could!) Sims 3 was the weakest i think, cuz u did need to do missions to go to longer vacations if u didn't use codes, if u wanted to go shopping, restaurant etc it was just a rabbit hole. Not much to see at least not for me. And sims 3 store... who would pay 30 e for a world that i could just download on internet? Sims 4 sims feel more alive when they talk and do things (if u compere to sims 2 and 3), town look like there are much more to do, restaurants where u can see waitress that's having a bad day (maybe even drop his plates on floor, bowling aelly where are bowler team in maching shirts, bars where people dance and cheer. Toddlers can now learn to run. they first walk slowly and like almost they are falling and eventually run. I think in sims 4 there were much cut corners but a lot more detailed in other ways too. I like that sims don't have 'challenge' because its sand box game, i can do what i want. I make drama myself, create stories and in that purpose sims 4 awesome.
I don't use mods so I don't know how much better my game would be with them but I just don't understand why if modders can add all these amazing things for free, why can't ea include them in their expensive packs?
I think it's mostly because for maxis to get anything done, it has to go through TONS of people to get approved and it takes away from their (unreasonably tiny thanks to EA) budget.
Modders don't have to get anyone's permission and can just do things for fun.
I recommend using mods, it's a drag to update them when they break, but they make the game SO much more enjoyable (and beautiful). A lot of them just *FIX* stuff maxis breaks.
a few of my favorites:
lighting:
-Luumia No Glo (v2) (fix sim lighting)
-Lotharihoe Out of the Dark (less blue interiors and no boosted light from arches etc)
For me sims 4 got a lot more to do than in sims 3. I thinks sims 4 is modern version of sims 2, and i could not be happier (okay.. i could!) Sims 3 was the weakest i think, cuz u did need to do missions to go to longer vacations if u didn't use codes, if u wanted to go shopping, restaurant etc it was just a rabbit hole. Not much to see at least not for me. And sims 3 store... who would pay 30 e for a world that i could just download on internet? Sims 4 sims feel more alive when they talk and do things (if u compere to sims 2 and 3), town look like there are much more to do, restaurants where u can see waitress that's having a bad day (maybe even drop his plates on floor, bowling aelly where are bowler team in maching shirts, bars where people dance and cheer. Toddlers can now learn to run. they first walk slowly and like almost they are falling and eventually run. I think in sims 4 there were much cut corners but a lot more detailed in other ways too. I like that sims don't have 'challenge' because its sand box game, i can do what i want. I make drama myself, create stories and in that purpose sims 4 awesome.
@Charlotta11 Well, I am glad you enjoy TS4 so much. To each their own! But, to me, as a builder, TS4 has just been one big disappointment after another. And, I had a lot more fun playing TS3 and TS2 than I am playing TS4. To each their own!
"If you build it, they will come." - Movie: Field of Dreams
It's like Minecraft creative mode, fun to build in, but it's certainly not challenging.
This is a very good point, and something I've felt as well.
They haven't really found a balance between sandbox and RPG/strategy elements. Basically what I wrote in some previous posts of mine; it really just feels like The Sims 4 (live mode) isn't designed with the correct balance, so it plays more like a grind. There are a few reasons for this. One, I think the developers just made the game flat out too easy. There is no risk, no challenge, and you can pretty much predict how the lifespan of a Sim will be. It's entirely in your hands. Honestly, in live mode, it should not be.
Another reason is their choice to remove systems/make various systems optional. Such as wants, from TS2. In TS2, wants were mandatory if you wanted a Sim to avoid depression. Luckily, the system was well designed -- they would roll wants very relevant to their personality, interests, prospects, and environment. Then you also had fears, which were interactions and events to avoid at all costs -- really adding depth to this system. In TS3, this is scrapped, so people are given more freedom. In TS4, we were given an incredibly dull replacement, whims. Boring.
The Sims honestly just needs two different difficulty modes. I would love a live mode and a sandbox mode. Live mode should be challenging, and I should never be able to predict how my Sims' life will ultimately be. Of course, there should be various rewards I should have to really work for to steer the game my way, but other than that, it should be a game where I really have to think out and strategically play out my Sim's life.
It's like Minecraft creative mode, fun to build in, but it's certainly not challenging.
This is a very good point, and something I've felt as well.
They haven't really found a balance between sandbox and RPG/strategy elements. Basically what I wrote in some previous posts of mine; it really just feels like The Sims 4 (live mode) isn't designed with the correct balance, so it plays more like a grind. There are a few reasons for this. One, I think the developers just made the game flat out too easy. There is no risk, no challenge, and you can pretty much predict how the lifespan of a Sim will be. It's entirely in your hands. Honestly, in live mode, it should not be.
Another reason is their choice to remove systems/make various systems optional. Such as wants, from TS2. In TS2, wants were mandatory if you wanted a Sim to avoid depression. Luckily, the system was well designed -- they would roll wants very relevant to their personality, interests, prospects, and environment. Then you also had fears, which were interactions and events to avoid at all costs -- really adding depth to this system. In TS3, this is scrapped, so people are given more freedom. In TS4, we were given an incredibly dull replacement, whims. Boring.
The Sims honestly just needs two different difficulty modes. I would love a live mode and a sandbox mode. Live mode should be challenging, and I should never be able to predict how my Sims' life will ultimately be. Of course, there should be various rewards I should have to really work for to steer the game my way, but other than that, it should be a game where I really have to think out and strategically play out my Sim's life.
It's not a case of not having found a balance, they had the balance just right with TS2, but abandoned it; With TS3 I imagine it probably had to do with getting the whole open world, CASt, ETC systems working, as that must've drawn a lot of resources, but with TS4 instead of returning to the balance they just abandoned even more, likely to do with the damage done by previously being online at least initially, however they've had more than enough chances to redress the balance of TS4 (which can be done as demonstrated aptly by modders), but instead they choose to leave it.
I suspect they may be winding down the series, if not, I hope they'll avoid online multiplayer/coop play like the plague in future, the series can't take much more damage.
For me sims 4 got a lot more to do than in sims 3. I thinks sims 4 is modern version of sims 2, and i could not be happier (okay.. i could!) Sims 3 was the weakest i think, cuz u did need to do missions to go to longer vacations if u didn't use codes, if u wanted to go shopping, restaurant etc it was just a rabbit hole. Not much to see at least not for me. And sims 3 store... who would pay 30 e for a world that i could just download on internet? Sims 4 sims feel more alive when they talk and do things (if u compere to sims 2 and 3), town look like there are much more to do, restaurants where u can see waitress that's having a bad day (maybe even drop his plates on floor, bowling aelly where are bowler team in maching shirts, bars where people dance and cheer. Toddlers can now learn to run. they first walk slowly and like almost they are falling and eventually run. I think in sims 4 there were much cut corners but a lot more detailed in other ways too. I like that sims don't have 'challenge' because its sand box game, i can do what i want. I make drama myself, create stories and in that purpose sims 4 awesome.
It just looks to me that you had never really played The Sims 3 and are just parroting all the other people who don't really know either.
I think the missions you're referring to are from the World Adventure expansion pack? Most people never used codes to play it and enjoyed it they way it was designed. This is the first I've ever heard of codes being used for it. The first trips to any of the three worlds are 3 days each - but you can extend them to 6 days each if you earned the Prepared Traveler lifetime reward. Even if you just went to one of them for 3 days, it was plenty of time to do a lot of things. And you can always return in less than a week. If you do enough adventures on a trip you might even be able to reach level 3 in one go.
Rabbitholes - This is an old talking point that doesn't work anymore. The Sims 3 finished in 2013, and there are replacement rugs for virtually all of the rabbitholes. Also there's Zerbu's Ultimate Careers mod that basically converts all rabbithole careers into actives. You just have to create the lot where your sims will work, fill it with all the appropriate skill-building items on the list for that career and voila! You now have an active career. You can also build active shops like clothes stores, supermarkets and bookstores to replace their rabbitholes because there are mods and items from the Sims 3 store to make that possible. There are also a variety of mods and Sims 3 store items to also make active restaurants. And I've always thought the entertainment lots such as the bowling alleys and dance clubs in Sims 3 just had so much more and is also very customizable. So I don't know how you think The Sims 4 has so much more to do. It actually doesn't have as much activities as The Sims 3 has.
I have most of the Sims 3 store and I actually do use quite a lot of it. But The Sims 4 isn't the only one with lots of CC. The Sims 3 has a lot as well - even more than The Sims 4 actually.
One of the nice things I've noticed EA do is quietly update The Sims 3. Lately it seems to be running much better and this really surprised me - there are MORE sims in my community lots than before. I actually average about 10 - 14 sims now in each! And they don't just stand around, they use what ever items are in the lot and whatever interactions are available to them. One of my favorite place is Sunset Valley and I always have my sims hang out at the beach on their off days. It's pretty amazing to see it so active! There are sims, suntanning on beach towels with umbrellas and beat boxes blasting, some are play in the sand and building sandcastles, others are playing in the water, some swimming, some picnicking, some some playing chess, some making drinks and some drink juice! And it's the same at the bistro, the bookstore, supermarket, park, gym, library, etc! And this without mods! It was really surprising! Another thing I've noticed is that the sims do more multitasking when during conversations although not as irritating or obtrusive as in The Sims 4. Standing sims can talk to sitting sims. They talk more to each other while they eat, etc. So I'm really pleased with that.
It is right for you to praise The Sims 4 since you love it, but I don't think you should try to put The Sims 3 down when it's apparent you don't know a whole lot about it and what it is capable of.
For me sims 4 got a lot more to do than in sims 3. I thinks sims 4 is modern version of sims 2, and i could not be happier (okay.. i could!) Sims 3 was the weakest i think, cuz u did need to do missions to go to longer vacations if u didn't use codes, if u wanted to go shopping, restaurant etc it was just a rabbit hole. Not much to see at least not for me. And sims 3 store... who would pay 30 e for a world that i could just download on internet? Sims 4 sims feel more alive when they talk and do things (if u compere to sims 2 and 3), town look like there are much more to do, restaurants where u can see waitress that's having a bad day (maybe even drop his plates on floor, bowling aelly where are bowler team in maching shirts, bars where people dance and cheer. Toddlers can now learn to run. they first walk slowly and like almost they are falling and eventually run. I think in sims 4 there were much cut corners but a lot more detailed in other ways too. I like that sims don't have 'challenge' because its sand box game, i can do what i want. I make drama myself, create stories and in that purpose sims 4 awesome.
it does feel like a modern version of the sims 2 but with lots of missing features in the base game compared to the sims 2 base game.
Has anyone else noticed that the animations for a sim desperately needing the bathroom are illogical? In TS2, a sim in that state makes a mad dash for said room. In TS4 they creep along in an odd pose, behavior that in RL guarantees an accident.
Has anyone else noticed that the animations for a sim desperately needing the bathroom are illogical? In TS2, a sim in that state makes a mad dash for said room. In TS4 they creep along in an odd pose, behavior that in RL guarantees an accident.
Yes it's really stupid and completely the opposite of what someone in bladder distress would actually do.
The main thing for me continues to be Sims 4 traits and socialization.
They don't make sims as individualistic as past games. Sure, these sims are more lively and animated to watch socialize, but it's all just surface stuff. Parenthood has added more depth, but we are still stuck with shallow base game socials when it comes to sim personalities interacting with each other.
And more important that is incompatible traits. I've brought this up before.
This would usually be the source of drama in a Sims game. In The Sims 3, sims with incompatible traits would go down a path declining socialization. Drama was even built into the social bloom interactions you could choose. I made roommates of sims with incompatible traits in TS3 and TS4 and there was just so much built in drama in the TS3 household.
But this shouldn't just be about negative things. Sims with compatible traits should be just fun to play because of how well they get along compared to sims who may have indifferent traits.
And then there is socialization in general. There should be more cause and effect and lasting impact for what just happened.
Instead we have moments where what just happened is completely forgotten, or we get a general emotional moodlet that has nothing to do with the particular particular sim that caused it. I remember past games where sims would get so angry at another sim that they refused to interact further with them.
There is also collecting. Boring.
This is the first sims game where I really don't care about the things I can find in the game.
It's just stuff that I find in the game to cash in. They might as well be labeled Df-146387. I don't really care what it is.
The jump of value from common to rare isn't anything to be excited about either. I hope an EP comes along that adds depth to collecting. There should be interesting and useful things you should be able to do with all the various things you collect. I loved Pink Diamonds and Tiberium in TS3.
I do like collecting for the Herbalism skill.
You have many things to collect that have a specific purpose, but collecting them is a bit of a chore with having to go to Granite Falls. And even having to wait for a specific time of day.
Has anyone else noticed that the animations for a sim desperately needing the bathroom are illogical? In TS2, a sim in that state makes a mad dash for said room. In TS4 they creep along in an odd pose, behavior that in RL guarantees an accident.
well sims are odd in the sims 4, and not really as smart as they are meant to be either.
I find most of the walking in general cringe worthy,
@ClarionOfJoy yep, i did play sims 3. A Lot! i have played since sims 1. i have played this game since i was like 7 years old. 15 years! so dont say to me that i didn't play sims 3. yep, Yes in sims 3 u could buy store items to run bakery but those were too bad quality to even pay of those. Im talking about sims 3 expansion packs, not sims 3 whit store items or whit mods tho. Who would even buy store items. Imagine cost of sims 3 whit half store items. It is worth it? not for me. U can like sims 3 but i didn't and a lot of older sims fans didn't like that game. It's good if u like sims 3, its fine by me but i think i can say my own option. I think i can say what i want about sims 3, like u can say what u want about sims 4. I opened sims 3 like a week ago and i could not even play it after playing sims 4 so i don't really care about sims 3 updates.
@ClarionOfJoy normally when people talk about sims, they don't talk that game whit cc. In sims 4 u can do basically everything whit cc too. So when u say sims 3 have more mods or whit mods u can do something because that doesn't make any sense. Sims 3 have prob more cc because its older game. Modders have done like 5 years longer cc in sims 3 than in sims 4. i just gave my options about sims 4 compered to sims 3. U can have you're own option. I think sims 4 have much more things to do whit out rabbit holes. All sims games are different so ofc every one got different options about the game. When i say my option or think things i like in sims i normally compered it to the older sims games like in sims 1, sims 2 or 3. at least for me i get better picture of things i like in sims 4 when i compered it to the older sims games.
I don’t get why sims 3 was boring? I had a ton of exciting things happen in 3. One time my cat disappeared from my household. I saw it outside walking down the street one day so I followed it. Turns out it was kidnapped by a witch down the street and added to her household (it was probably a bug) but I pursued it into the witches house, she put a love spell on me and basically turned me into her love thrall (yeah I could have forced my sim to walk away but I decided to play along with what the game was making the NPC witch do.)
Another time I saw my neighbor burn down his house making waffles then pee his pants and start to cry. I rebuilt his house and forgot about it a while. A few months later I noticed random ladies leaving his house in a super happy mood. So I switched to control his household and see what was up. He was woohooing multiple ladies and also became a doctor and best selling author.
Back then I always chose the athlete career for my simself. The team used to show up at my house and have a pool parties.
That’s just some stuff I remember from ts3. I thought live mode had a ton of personality. I really loved it.
Ts4 seriously lacks personality but I like leveling the skills. I make households and just level everything and make them rich. We really need more lifestates (like witches and faires) so more random stuff can happen.
The Sims 4 can be bland and lifeless overall. The game lacks any kind of well thought out story progression, example Goth and Landgraab children marrying and having kids? Yes, I can go into world management click on them and tediously do all this myself but where is fun in that? Why can't the stories just play themselves out while I play my own family? As I said in another post, the mc command center mod is okay but its not for me and it doesn't mesh well with the game it feels overwhelming at times and I feel it moves way to fast and produces way to many sims.
Also the world not only doesn't act it doesn't react to anything that's going on. If Bella ran off again, that should be talk of the town because Goth's are kinda a big deal in Willow Creek? Seeing her face pop up while other sims are talking about her disappearing, or divorcing Mortimer and marrying Johnny Zest when Zest finally hit comedy gold, this would be interesting. We can get caught up with all this by using social media on our phone and reading local news! LOL! The game doesn't have anything like this it doesn't create stories, players must do the creating and often that can make the game feel mundane and lifeless... boring even or repetitive.
I want sims to get married and invite my household to their wedding, then they go on honeymoon, and it be a pleasant surprise when I ran into them while I am on vacation with my family at ski resort. Low and behold that's were they're honeymooning and then we make some memories and have a blast while all on vacation and my friends on honeymoon. I play one household, beginning to end. I never exit and go into world management and start playing another household, if they decide to do this I will create a new game. Only thing I use world management for is to build and add new sims to the world. The game doesn't reward players like me instead the game is more rewarding if you enjoy managing the entire world every step of the way and every household! while not focusing on just one household. The game promotes a casual experience, create sims, build lots, and play in various ways with many various sims.
In closing traits are meh and game needs double what it has right now... to me it all boils down to EA releasing a terrible base game. The DLC content has brought the game around to something interesting but its far from best in the series the sims 2 still holds that title by long shot. The sims 4 while a interesting game and I will be buying new content for it, a big part of me is very much so looking forward to sims 5 and hoping its the true successor to sims 2 and best game in the series and delivers for us ALL! not just a niche sims crowd.
The fact is, this just isn't the Maxis we grew up with. I won't delude myself into thinking they will suddenly find themselves becoming more like old Maxis, because it's impossible. This is the future of gaming, and anyone who plays modern games can see that big developers care more about profit than ingenuity, and making games as accessible to the lowest level of players as possible. Our only hope is if some smaller company decides to make a Sims-esque game that truly goes back to its roots, much like Cities Skylines did for diehard fans of SimCity.
I view the sims 4 as very much all style and no substance type of game. As others have said there is no challenge, no consequence and sims are all the same at their core. I do believe the game has changed its target audience and that’s partly why we have the issues we have now.
I view the sims 4 as very much all style and no substance type of game. As others have said there is no challenge, no consequence and sims are all the same at their core. I do believe the game has changed its target audience and that’s partly why we have the issues we have now.
love your sim
agree.
what is the sims 4 target audience?
off topic.
I wish you could make celebrity sims look as good as you could with the sims 2
I don’t get why sims 3 was boring? I had a ton of exciting things happen in 3. One time my cat disappeared from my household. I saw it outside walking down the street one day so I followed it. Turns out it was kidnapped by a witch down the street and added to her household (it was probably a bug) but I pursued it into the witches house, she put a love spell on me and basically turned me into her love thrall (yeah I could have forced my sim to walk away but I decided to play along with what the game was making the NPC witch do.)
Another time I saw my neighbor burn down his house making waffles then pee his pants and start to cry. I rebuilt his house and forgot about it a while. A few months later I noticed random ladies leaving his house in a super happy mood. So I switched to control his household and see what was up. He was woohooing multiple ladies and also became a doctor and best selling author.
Back then I always chose the athlete career for my simself. The team used to show up at my house and have a pool parties.
That’s just some stuff I remember from ts3. I thought live mode had a ton of personality. I really loved it.
Ts4 seriously lacks personality but I like leveling the skills. I make households and just level everything and make them rich. We really need more lifestates (like witches and faires) so more random stuff can happen.
i don't think sims 3 was boring, but that open world was boring for me. not much to see since i could not see my sims going to shops, restaurants or to the spas. Sims 3 sims look like dolls and lack of facial expressions.
I feel like all my sims 3 face look kinda same because i did have only one face style i would use to get nice looking sim. I have never found good looking sims 3 sims on the internet.
I liked sims 3 when it came, don't get me wrong but i think they just didn't add game play that i liked that sims 4 offers me. Like i love spas, massages, saunas, makeup table for doing actual makeup whit it, restaurants to order food i like, cafes, drink and eat the same time, eat popcorn and wach movie same way that in sims 4, calendar, decorate christmas tree, make you're own holidays and go shopping chothes.
those were couple thing i loved in sims, it remind me of sims 2. like open for business (sims 4 get to work), sims 2 bon voyage and camping ( out door retreat) for example.
I agree with many on this thread. It is tough for me because I do want to like this game and sometimes I have fun but it is lacking. I like playing on a rotation because my stories are usually on a world level and then each individual household has their part to play. I would be soooo bored if I only played one family. This totally ruined Sims 3 for me. In the end, I rather play Sims 4 than Sims 3 because of rotational play even though Sims 3 may outshine 4 in many ways.
What I hate most in Sims 4 is every sim feels the same even if they have different traits. The traits have no real depth. For instance, snobs shouldn't even want to talk to certain sims because of their traits. Neat sims should get annoyed with sloppy sims when they leave dirty things around. Neat sims should be disgusted when they see slobs digging around in the garbage. Jealous sims should get angry and fight if another sim flirts with their significant other.
I feel like the tense emotion is overused. Active sims are tense when they don't workout, outdoor sims are tense when they don't go outside, tense from not buying anything, tense from not flirting, tense from not playing games, tense from not being creative, tense from a criminal presence, etc you get the idea. THEY ARE ALL TENSE AND REACTING THE SAME WAY even though they all have different traits. At least with parenthood, they shout forbidden words. That makes being tense more interesting but EVERYONE is tense..lol
I don't even use the some of the traits because they are pointless and they just do pointless things over and over. Active sims are doing pushups and situps all day long. How about sims works out for 2 sims hours and they are good for the day I mean SHEESH. I miss Sim2 sims because I felt like they were all different sims even though they had less choices when it came to personality. If it weren't for my crazy mods turning my town upside down with murderous affairs, addictions to drugs, generational curses because of the sins of Sim parents, I would be done. I have to admit Seasons did change the game for me for the better but the sims themselves are still the same.
Comments
Sadly the only way you will experience this is with mods. One in particular is called "have more personality please" or something along those lines.
I to have a evil sim and a vampire living in my current house. The evil sim rolls whims to be mean to his wife and even be means to her and plays pranks on other family members.
My vampire sim also sometimes gets in on the fun by "pretending to attack" I think it's called. She likes to scare them with all fangs out and go "rawr!" It's cute in a way cause the sims grip their chest while being startled.
But yeah without mods to boost up the autonomous game play in almost every aspect of the game I would of stopped a long time ago. Sims 4 was just a very very bad produced game.
agree
I think it's mostly because for maxis to get anything done, it has to go through TONS of people to get approved and it takes away from their (unreasonably tiny thanks to EA) budget.
Modders don't have to get anyone's permission and can just do things for fun.
I recommend using mods, it's a drag to update them when they break, but they make the game SO much more enjoyable (and beautiful). A lot of them just *FIX* stuff maxis breaks.
a few of my favorites:
lighting:
-Luumia No Glo (v2) (fix sim lighting)
-Lotharihoe Out of the Dark (less blue interiors and no boosted light from arches etc)
sim interactions:
-Hug/Kiss/Show Video Pre-Greeting Greeting Slower/Nixer/Stifler
-jollisims simulationfix
-personality please
-emotional inertia
-true happiness
-uncomfortable overhaul
-variable emotional traits
fixes:
-Don't prep food where you angry poop
-don't wash dishes where you angry poop
-self configurable autonomous mod
-self configurable adjusted breakage
-unlisted phone numbers
-reduced random townies
-more traits mod
-no creepy playdate calls
@Charlotta11 Well, I am glad you enjoy TS4 so much. To each their own! But, to me, as a builder, TS4 has just been one big disappointment after another. And, I had a lot more fun playing TS3 and TS2 than I am playing TS4. To each their own!
"If you build it, they will come." - Movie: Field of Dreams
This is a very good point, and something I've felt as well.
They haven't really found a balance between sandbox and RPG/strategy elements. Basically what I wrote in some previous posts of mine; it really just feels like The Sims 4 (live mode) isn't designed with the correct balance, so it plays more like a grind. There are a few reasons for this. One, I think the developers just made the game flat out too easy. There is no risk, no challenge, and you can pretty much predict how the lifespan of a Sim will be. It's entirely in your hands. Honestly, in live mode, it should not be.
Another reason is their choice to remove systems/make various systems optional. Such as wants, from TS2. In TS2, wants were mandatory if you wanted a Sim to avoid depression. Luckily, the system was well designed -- they would roll wants very relevant to their personality, interests, prospects, and environment. Then you also had fears, which were interactions and events to avoid at all costs -- really adding depth to this system. In TS3, this is scrapped, so people are given more freedom. In TS4, we were given an incredibly dull replacement, whims. Boring.
The Sims honestly just needs two different difficulty modes. I would love a live mode and a sandbox mode. Live mode should be challenging, and I should never be able to predict how my Sims' life will ultimately be. Of course, there should be various rewards I should have to really work for to steer the game my way, but other than that, it should be a game where I really have to think out and strategically play out my Sim's life.
It's not a case of not having found a balance, they had the balance just right with TS2, but abandoned it; With TS3 I imagine it probably had to do with getting the whole open world, CASt, ETC systems working, as that must've drawn a lot of resources, but with TS4 instead of returning to the balance they just abandoned even more, likely to do with the damage done by previously being online at least initially, however they've had more than enough chances to redress the balance of TS4 (which can be done as demonstrated aptly by modders), but instead they choose to leave it.
I suspect they may be winding down the series, if not, I hope they'll avoid online multiplayer/coop play like the plague in future, the series can't take much more damage.
It just looks to me that you had never really played The Sims 3 and are just parroting all the other people who don't really know either.
I think the missions you're referring to are from the World Adventure expansion pack? Most people never used codes to play it and enjoyed it they way it was designed. This is the first I've ever heard of codes being used for it. The first trips to any of the three worlds are 3 days each - but you can extend them to 6 days each if you earned the Prepared Traveler lifetime reward. Even if you just went to one of them for 3 days, it was plenty of time to do a lot of things. And you can always return in less than a week. If you do enough adventures on a trip you might even be able to reach level 3 in one go.
Rabbitholes - This is an old talking point that doesn't work anymore. The Sims 3 finished in 2013, and there are replacement rugs for virtually all of the rabbitholes. Also there's Zerbu's Ultimate Careers mod that basically converts all rabbithole careers into actives. You just have to create the lot where your sims will work, fill it with all the appropriate skill-building items on the list for that career and voila! You now have an active career. You can also build active shops like clothes stores, supermarkets and bookstores to replace their rabbitholes because there are mods and items from the Sims 3 store to make that possible. There are also a variety of mods and Sims 3 store items to also make active restaurants. And I've always thought the entertainment lots such as the bowling alleys and dance clubs in Sims 3 just had so much more and is also very customizable. So I don't know how you think The Sims 4 has so much more to do. It actually doesn't have as much activities as The Sims 3 has.
I have most of the Sims 3 store and I actually do use quite a lot of it. But The Sims 4 isn't the only one with lots of CC. The Sims 3 has a lot as well - even more than The Sims 4 actually.
One of the nice things I've noticed EA do is quietly update The Sims 3. Lately it seems to be running much better and this really surprised me - there are MORE sims in my community lots than before. I actually average about 10 - 14 sims now in each! And they don't just stand around, they use what ever items are in the lot and whatever interactions are available to them. One of my favorite place is Sunset Valley and I always have my sims hang out at the beach on their off days. It's pretty amazing to see it so active! There are sims, suntanning on beach towels with umbrellas and beat boxes blasting, some are play in the sand and building sandcastles, others are playing in the water, some swimming, some picnicking, some some playing chess, some making drinks and some drink juice! And it's the same at the bistro, the bookstore, supermarket, park, gym, library, etc! And this without mods! It was really surprising! Another thing I've noticed is that the sims do more multitasking when during conversations although not as irritating or obtrusive as in The Sims 4. Standing sims can talk to sitting sims. They talk more to each other while they eat, etc. So I'm really pleased with that.
It is right for you to praise The Sims 4 since you love it, but I don't think you should try to put The Sims 3 down when it's apparent you don't know a whole lot about it and what it is capable of.
it does feel like a modern version of the sims 2 but with lots of missing features in the base game compared to the sims 2 base game.
Yes it's really stupid and completely the opposite of what someone in bladder distress would actually do.
They don't make sims as individualistic as past games. Sure, these sims are more lively and animated to watch socialize, but it's all just surface stuff. Parenthood has added more depth, but we are still stuck with shallow base game socials when it comes to sim personalities interacting with each other.
And more important that is incompatible traits. I've brought this up before.
This would usually be the source of drama in a Sims game. In The Sims 3, sims with incompatible traits would go down a path declining socialization. Drama was even built into the social bloom interactions you could choose. I made roommates of sims with incompatible traits in TS3 and TS4 and there was just so much built in drama in the TS3 household.
But this shouldn't just be about negative things. Sims with compatible traits should be just fun to play because of how well they get along compared to sims who may have indifferent traits.
And then there is socialization in general. There should be more cause and effect and lasting impact for what just happened.
Instead we have moments where what just happened is completely forgotten, or we get a general emotional moodlet that has nothing to do with the particular particular sim that caused it. I remember past games where sims would get so angry at another sim that they refused to interact further with them.
There is also collecting. Boring.
This is the first sims game where I really don't care about the things I can find in the game.
It's just stuff that I find in the game to cash in. They might as well be labeled Df-146387. I don't really care what it is.
The jump of value from common to rare isn't anything to be excited about either. I hope an EP comes along that adds depth to collecting. There should be interesting and useful things you should be able to do with all the various things you collect. I loved Pink Diamonds and Tiberium in TS3.
I do like collecting for the Herbalism skill.
You have many things to collect that have a specific purpose, but collecting them is a bit of a chore with having to go to Granite Falls. And even having to wait for a specific time of day.
well sims are odd in the sims 4, and not really as smart as they are meant to be either.
I find most of the walking in general cringe worthy,
i just gave my options about sims 4 compered to sims 3. U can have you're own option. I think sims 4 have much more things to do whit out rabbit holes. All sims games are different so ofc every one got different options about the game. When i say my option or think things i like in sims i normally compered it to the older sims games like in sims 1, sims 2 or 3. at least for me i get better picture of things i like in sims 4 when i compered it to the older sims games.
Another time I saw my neighbor burn down his house making waffles then pee his pants and start to cry. I rebuilt his house and forgot about it a while. A few months later I noticed random ladies leaving his house in a super happy mood. So I switched to control his household and see what was up. He was woohooing multiple ladies and also became a doctor and best selling author.
Back then I always chose the athlete career for my simself. The team used to show up at my house and have a pool parties.
That’s just some stuff I remember from ts3. I thought live mode had a ton of personality. I really loved it.
Ts4 seriously lacks personality but I like leveling the skills. I make households and just level everything and make them rich. We really need more lifestates (like witches and faires) so more random stuff can happen.
Also the world not only doesn't act it doesn't react to anything that's going on. If Bella ran off again, that should be talk of the town because Goth's are kinda a big deal in Willow Creek? Seeing her face pop up while other sims are talking about her disappearing, or divorcing Mortimer and marrying Johnny Zest when Zest finally hit comedy gold, this would be interesting. We can get caught up with all this by using social media on our phone and reading local news! LOL! The game doesn't have anything like this it doesn't create stories, players must do the creating and often that can make the game feel mundane and lifeless... boring even or repetitive.
I want sims to get married and invite my household to their wedding, then they go on honeymoon, and it be a pleasant surprise when I ran into them while I am on vacation with my family at ski resort. Low and behold that's were they're honeymooning and then we make some memories and have a blast while all on vacation and my friends on honeymoon. I play one household, beginning to end. I never exit and go into world management and start playing another household, if they decide to do this I will create a new game. Only thing I use world management for is to build and add new sims to the world. The game doesn't reward players like me instead the game is more rewarding if you enjoy managing the entire world every step of the way and every household! while not focusing on just one household. The game promotes a casual experience, create sims, build lots, and play in various ways with many various sims.
In closing traits are meh and game needs double what it has right now... to me it all boils down to EA releasing a terrible base game. The DLC content has brought the game around to something interesting but its far from best in the series the sims 2 still holds that title by long shot. The sims 4 while a interesting game and I will be buying new content for it, a big part of me is very much so looking forward to sims 5 and hoping its the true successor to sims 2 and best game in the series and delivers for us ALL! not just a niche sims crowd.
love your sim
agree.
what is the sims 4 target audience?
off topic.
I wish you could make celebrity sims look as good as you could with the sims 2
i don't think sims 3 was boring, but that open world was boring for me. not much to see since i could not see my sims going to shops, restaurants or to the spas. Sims 3 sims look like dolls and lack of facial expressions.
I feel like all my sims 3 face look kinda same because i did have only one face style i would use to get nice looking sim. I have never found good looking sims 3 sims on the internet.
I liked sims 3 when it came, don't get me wrong but i think they just didn't add game play that i liked that sims 4 offers me. Like i love spas, massages, saunas, makeup table for doing actual makeup whit it, restaurants to order food i like, cafes, drink and eat the same time, eat popcorn and wach movie same way that in sims 4, calendar, decorate christmas tree, make you're own holidays and go shopping chothes.
those were couple thing i loved in sims, it remind me of sims 2. like open for business (sims 4 get to work), sims 2 bon voyage and camping ( out door retreat) for example.
What I hate most in Sims 4 is every sim feels the same even if they have different traits. The traits have no real depth. For instance, snobs shouldn't even want to talk to certain sims because of their traits. Neat sims should get annoyed with sloppy sims when they leave dirty things around. Neat sims should be disgusted when they see slobs digging around in the garbage. Jealous sims should get angry and fight if another sim flirts with their significant other.
I feel like the tense emotion is overused. Active sims are tense when they don't workout, outdoor sims are tense when they don't go outside, tense from not buying anything, tense from not flirting, tense from not playing games, tense from not being creative, tense from a criminal presence, etc you get the idea. THEY ARE ALL TENSE AND REACTING THE SAME WAY even though they all have different traits. At least with parenthood, they shout forbidden words. That makes being tense more interesting but EVERYONE is tense..lol
I don't even use the some of the traits because they are pointless and they just do pointless things over and over. Active sims are doing pushups and situps all day long. How about sims works out for 2 sims hours and they are good for the day I mean SHEESH. I miss Sim2 sims because I felt like they were all different sims even though they had less choices when it came to personality. If it weren't for my crazy mods turning my town upside down with murderous affairs, addictions to drugs, generational curses because of the sins of Sim parents, I would be done. I have to admit Seasons did change the game for me for the better but the sims themselves are still the same.