(we’re completely derailing, hope it’s not a problem; this all has got nothing to do with gameplay)
I strongly disagree Sims 3’s graphics are ‘trash’. Calling it that annoys me to no end because it’s utterly over the top. On highest settings the game looks totally fine (understatement, I love taking screenshots in the game because I so often love what I see) and the lighting often is stunning as well. I understand the difference between art style and graphics, but I also understand the confusion because what’s the point in great graphics when they did such a sloppy job on some aspects like what CK213 is pointing out and the ugly legs I showed compared to the detailed legs in Sims 3? Or a ball pit with the most laughable balls in it in the history of gaming. What do I care about graphics when that’s the result?
That being said, this is not the subject of this topic. Gameplay is. I don’t understand anyone quiting a game because of graphics anyway but that’s me.
I completely agree about the gameplay. I'm not defending the Sims 4 in that regard. It will never live up to Sims 1 and 2 for me.
I'll just have to agree to disagree with everyone here about Sims 3 graphics. Of course I would quit a game that's terrible to look at. Why play a game with virtual people when I can't make them look nice? The lighting is probably the worst I've seen in a modern game (again, my job is literally making art for video games) but whatever.
So anyway, the gameplay in Sims 4 is lacking and most here agree.
I’m not even sure if we’re disagreeing about the graphics. I played Sims 3 on medium the first years (and had missed the option to smoothen the edges or what’s it called in English ) and that looked pretty bad. I didn’t mind back then - I also didn’t know any better I must add - but I couldn’t go back to that (play everything on highest now) so yes, looks do matter to me. The way however people keep insisting “The Sims 3 art style was certainly not its strongest quality, lol” comes across condescending to me (quoting LiELF there, not you). Because ‘lol’ I happen to really like that art style and prefer it to Sims 4’s (though I do manage to embrace and appreciate the cartoony look when playing fortunately). Besides, Sims 2’s and Sims 3’s art style are completely similar. If anything some textures in Sims 2 are even more realistic than in Sims 3. Yet the sims are not and it wasn’t a problem in that game then? The Sims 3 slating comes in inimitable ways sometimes, from my perspective obviously. I’ve never seen any strange discrepancy in the game myself anyway (nor in Sims 2). Preferring one art style doesn’t necessarily make another art style poor just because you happen to prefer it. I’d love the Sims 3 art style to return in a next iteration, with better graphics. And as for the sims, one of the reasons I can’t get into Sims 4 completely except for the game play (though really happy with how my vampire turned out, but I’m feeling so miserable about the males in the game ) is in fact the sims. If only people could get their head around the fact personal preference isn’t a status quo but just that, a preference. I’ve posted this comparison before and I’m convinced everyone will pick a different sim as their favourite.
But you’ll have to believe me that for me it’s most definitely the middle one And he matches perfectly with his ‘ultra realistic’ (they aren’t ultra realistic at all) surroundings.
As for gameplay, I think preferences play a part there too and I’m still trying to pinpoint why exactly it isn’t working for me in Sims 4. I still think for most people it really comes down to lacking personalities. Those were superior in Sims 2. I’d love it if they could find a way to tone down the emotion system and level up the personalities.
that ts3 sim is dowright gorgeous.
I think the problem with ts4 sims is the textures. The ts4 sim 3d model is fantastically detailed in the face, however the changes made to it are kinda difficult to see because of the bland textures. moreoever, ts4 default eyes have specular added to them which is what makes them all have that glazed look.
here's one of my characters vanilla, with cc, with cc+reshade
As you can see, it's still very maxis match--it just has better textures. I agree with OP that a slight texture on items would go a long way. I really like the way Peacemaker does his textures.
people go on about how ugly sims are with the sims 3 and I agree that some are,not all, however, you can make some gorgeous females and hot males with the right CC/MODS
For the record, my TS3 guy there was vanilla. I think you can create very goodlooking sims vanilla and very hideous ones with CC personally.
I do think, had The Sims 4 actually focused on the roots of The Sims, the franchise could have went in a direction that satisfies both The Sims 2 and 3 fans.
IMHO, it alienated both players. The staple of TS2 was rich live mode gameplay, with very intelligent Sims and awesome legacy/family features. In virtually every way, it drove the series forward with way more customizable worlds, 3D Sims, better AI, etc.
The Sims 3 did skimp more than I would’ve liked on the Sims themselves, but gave us beautiful graphics, large worlds, and just so much customization. The expansions add so much gameplay too.
The Sims 4’s base game threw all of these things away to focus on nothing big. A new base game is such a large investment. I wish EA/The Sims Studio cared more about putting out the best quality work they could, and at the very minimum, combined the big staples of these two games.
I agree. The only reason I’m enjoying Sims 4 atm is because I found a type of sim where they actually did pay attention to making the sim itself (the vampire) interesting. My problem continues to be (toddlers are great too but not enough to carry the game) the sims surrounding the life stage/state that is interesting (they are as dull and identical as ever). They should all be like that. An exaggeration of human behaviour, that’s the roots of The Sims. They’ve picked up the exaggeration but forgot about human behaviour.
Exactly, agree completely. That exaggeration of human behavior was very common in the earlier games, and executed better than in The Sims 4. There was more of a dark, but much funnier side to things.
Vampires and toddlers were done very well in The Sims 4, but it’s such a shame the base game and core gameplay are so boring and recycled from the earlier games. It is hard to play the game entirely without longing to play a different version.
It just really stresses how vital it is for EA/The Sims Studio to rush or skimp out on the base game.
If they’re planning to keep developing for Sims 4 for years to come, there’s a part of me hoping they will patch in adjustments to the personality system and the emotions. They are busy improving sims reactions so who knows it’s possible.
What lol.
For the record some people, not all make some really horrible Sims both vanilla and with cc/mods!
I never mentioned a single thing about the SIM being made with cc/mods, so what was the point you you calling me out with it?
I would have to be blind not to see he was vanilla.
(we’re completely derailing, hope it’s not a problem; this all has got nothing to do with gameplay)
I strongly disagree Sims 3’s graphics are ‘trash’. Calling it that annoys me to no end because it’s utterly over the top. On highest settings the game looks totally fine (understatement, I love taking screenshots in the game because I so often love what I see) and the lighting often is stunning as well. I understand the difference between art style and graphics, but I also understand the confusion because what’s the point in great graphics when they did such a sloppy job on some aspects like what CK213 is pointing out and the ugly legs I showed compared to the detailed legs in Sims 3? Or a ball pit with the most laughable balls in it in the history of gaming. What do I care about graphics when that’s the result?
That being said, this is not the subject of this topic. Gameplay is. I don’t understand anyone quiting a game because of graphics anyway but that’s me.
I completely agree about the gameplay. I'm not defending the Sims 4 in that regard. It will never live up to Sims 1 and 2 for me.
I'll just have to agree to disagree with everyone here about Sims 3 graphics. Of course I would quit a game that's terrible to look at. Why play a game with virtual people when I can't make them look nice? The lighting is probably the worst I've seen in a modern game (again, my job is literally making art for video games) but whatever.
So anyway, the gameplay in Sims 4 is lacking and most here agree.
I’m not even sure if we’re disagreeing about the graphics. I played Sims 3 on medium the first years (and had missed the option to smoothen the edges or what’s it called in English ) and that looked pretty bad. I didn’t mind back then - I also didn’t know any better I must add - but I couldn’t go back to that (play everything on highest now) so yes, looks do matter to me. The way however people keep insisting “The Sims 3 art style was certainly not its strongest quality, lol” comes across condescending to me (quoting LiELF there, not you). Because ‘lol’ I happen to really like that art style and prefer it to Sims 4’s (though I do manage to embrace and appreciate the cartoony look when playing fortunately). Besides, Sims 2’s and Sims 3’s art style are completely similar. If anything some textures in Sims 2 are even more realistic than in Sims 3. Yet the sims are not and it wasn’t a problem in that game then? The Sims 3 slating comes in inimitable ways sometimes, from my perspective obviously. I’ve never seen any strange discrepancy in the game myself anyway (nor in Sims 2). Preferring one art style doesn’t necessarily make another art style poor just because you happen to prefer it. I’d love the Sims 3 art style to return in a next iteration, with better graphics. And as for the sims, one of the reasons I can’t get into Sims 4 completely except for the game play (though really happy with how my vampire turned out, but I’m feeling so miserable about the males in the game ) is in fact the sims. If only people could get their head around the fact personal preference isn’t a status quo but just that, a preference. I’ve posted this comparison before and I’m convinced everyone will pick a different sim as their favourite.
But you’ll have to believe me that for me it’s most definitely the middle one And he matches perfectly with his ‘ultra realistic’ (they aren’t ultra realistic at all) surroundings.
As for gameplay, I think preferences play a part there too and I’m still trying to pinpoint why exactly it isn’t working for me in Sims 4. I still think for most people it really comes down to lacking personalities. Those were superior in Sims 2. I’d love it if they could find a way to tone down the emotion system and level up the personalities.
that ts3 sim is dowright gorgeous.
I think the problem with ts4 sims is the textures. The ts4 sim 3d model is fantastically detailed in the face, however the changes made to it are kinda difficult to see because of the bland textures. moreoever, ts4 default eyes have specular added to them which is what makes them all have that glazed look.
here's one of my characters vanilla, with cc, with cc+reshade
As you can see, it's still very maxis match--it just has better textures. I agree with OP that a slight texture on items would go a long way. I really like the way Peacemaker does his textures.
people go on about how ugly sims are with the sims 3 and I agree that some are,not all, however, you can make some gorgeous females and hot males with the right CC/MODS
For the record, my TS3 guy there was vanilla. I think you can create very goodlooking sims vanilla and very hideous ones with CC personally.
What lol.
For the record some people, not all make some really horrible Sims both vanilla and with cc/mods!
I never mentioned a single thing about the SIM being made with cc/mods, so what was the point you you calling me out with it?
I would have to be blind not to see he was vanilla.
Sorry for the misunderstanding. You said ‘you can make some gorgeous females and hot males with the right CC/MODS’ and since I often see the statement here that you can only make them look good with CC (not implying you said that) I just wanted to add that this particular sim was vanilla. I agree with you, with the right cc/mods you can make gorgeous sims. And without cc as well when you pull the right sliders. It was rather an addition to your post than contradicting or criticizing it or ‘calling you out’. Maybe I didn’t use ‘for the record’ properly? I meant ‘just to be clear’. You were reacting to someone who was commenting on my sim.
I have recently been looking at the Goths, Calientes, and Don Lothario, because of a recent forum discussion.
And it has me looking at ages, careers, and these characters over game generations.
I haven't played TS2 in ages, but all this is making me remember the game set ups.
There was a history to the sims you were playing. They had generations of pre-history.
It's like the game had been played before you entered it and things were just interesting.
I particularly liked Cassandra/Don jilting at the alter, and the little movie was hilarious.
The Calientes in TS4 are so out of wack with any kind of Sim lore that I am going to remake them.
Mortimer is a writer instead of a scientist, because of the base game I guess, so I will fix that thanks to Get To Work.
It's an alternate time line, but it's no where near as interesting as past Goth lore. Basically, the Goths are boring.
I will be reworking them all to play out TS2's scenario.
Katrina Caliente will be getting the boot.
I don't play pre-mades much and these are so blank slate, you might as well delete them and create your own if you have the time. I am moving the Landgraabs out of the desert and into the nice lot in Willow Creek. I think I will only keep the Goths, Landgraabs and Pancakes.
My CAS sims have pretty much taken over Brindleton Bay, but I will leave most of Windenburgs families as they are.
Yes! I really miss this, too.
Sims in TS2 would have not only generations of pre-history, but also memories of past events, as well as lots of varied relationships with other Sims in their neighborhood. I really miss that level of detail/care. Scrapping all of these stories to do an 'alternative universe' that was so poorly written and not detailed at all was such a let down.
(we’re completely derailing, hope it’s not a problem; this all has got nothing to do with gameplay)
I strongly disagree Sims 3’s graphics are ‘trash’. Calling it that annoys me to no end because it’s utterly over the top. On highest settings the game looks totally fine (understatement, I love taking screenshots in the game because I so often love what I see) and the lighting often is stunning as well. I understand the difference between art style and graphics, but I also understand the confusion because what’s the point in great graphics when they did such a sloppy job on some aspects like what CK213 is pointing out and the ugly legs I showed compared to the detailed legs in Sims 3? Or a ball pit with the most laughable balls in it in the history of gaming. What do I care about graphics when that’s the result?
That being said, this is not the subject of this topic. Gameplay is. I don’t understand anyone quiting a game because of graphics anyway but that’s me.
I completely agree about the gameplay. I'm not defending the Sims 4 in that regard. It will never live up to Sims 1 and 2 for me.
I'll just have to agree to disagree with everyone here about Sims 3 graphics. Of course I would quit a game that's terrible to look at. Why play a game with virtual people when I can't make them look nice? The lighting is probably the worst I've seen in a modern game (again, my job is literally making art for video games) but whatever.
So anyway, the gameplay in Sims 4 is lacking and most here agree.
I’m not even sure if we’re disagreeing about the graphics. I played Sims 3 on medium the first years (and had missed the option to smoothen the edges or what’s it called in English ) and that looked pretty bad. I didn’t mind back then - I also didn’t know any better I must add - but I couldn’t go back to that (play everything on highest now) so yes, looks do matter to me. The way however people keep insisting “The Sims 3 art style was certainly not its strongest quality, lol” comes across condescending to me (quoting LiELF there, not you). Because ‘lol’ I happen to really like that art style and prefer it to Sims 4’s (though I do manage to embrace and appreciate the cartoony look when playing fortunately). Besides, Sims 2’s and Sims 3’s art style are completely similar. If anything some textures in Sims 2 are even more realistic than in Sims 3. Yet the sims are not and it wasn’t a problem in that game then? The Sims 3 slating comes in inimitable ways sometimes, from my perspective obviously. I’ve never seen any strange discrepancy in the game myself anyway (nor in Sims 2). Preferring one art style doesn’t necessarily make another art style poor just because you happen to prefer it. I’d love the Sims 3 art style to return in a next iteration, with better graphics. And as for the sims, one of the reasons I can’t get into Sims 4 completely except for the game play (though really happy with how my vampire turned out, but I’m feeling so miserable about the males in the game ) is in fact the sims. If only people could get their head around the fact personal preference isn’t a status quo but just that, a preference. I’ve posted this comparison before and I’m convinced everyone will pick a different sim as their favourite.
But you’ll have to believe me that for me it’s most definitely the middle one And he matches perfectly with his ‘ultra realistic’ (they aren’t ultra realistic at all) surroundings.
As for gameplay, I think preferences play a part there too and I’m still trying to pinpoint why exactly it isn’t working for me in Sims 4. I still think for most people it really comes down to lacking personalities. Those were superior in Sims 2. I’d love it if they could find a way to tone down the emotion system and level up the personalities.
that ts3 sim is dowright gorgeous.
I think the problem with ts4 sims is the textures. The ts4 sim 3d model is fantastically detailed in the face, however the changes made to it are kinda difficult to see because of the bland textures. moreoever, ts4 default eyes have specular added to them which is what makes them all have that glazed look.
here's one of my characters vanilla, with cc, with cc+reshade
As you can see, it's still very maxis match--it just has better textures. I agree with OP that a slight texture on items would go a long way. I really like the way Peacemaker does his textures.
people go on about how ugly sims are with the sims 3 and I agree that some are,not all, however, you can make some gorgeous females and hot males with the right CC/MODS
For the record, my TS3 guy there was vanilla. I think you can create very goodlooking sims vanilla and very hideous ones with CC personally.
I do think, had The Sims 4 actually focused on the roots of The Sims, the franchise could have went in a direction that satisfies both The Sims 2 and 3 fans.
IMHO, it alienated both players. The staple of TS2 was rich live mode gameplay, with very intelligent Sims and awesome legacy/family features. In virtually every way, it drove the series forward with way more customizable worlds, 3D Sims, better AI, etc.
The Sims 3 did skimp more than I would’ve liked on the Sims themselves, but gave us beautiful graphics, large worlds, and just so much customization. The expansions add so much gameplay too.
The Sims 4’s base game threw all of these things away to focus on nothing big. A new base game is such a large investment. I wish EA/The Sims Studio cared more about putting out the best quality work they could, and at the very minimum, combined the big staples of these two games.
I agree. The only reason I’m enjoying Sims 4 atm is because I found a type of sim where they actually did pay attention to making the sim itself (the vampire) interesting. My problem continues to be (toddlers are great too but not enough to carry the game) the sims surrounding the life stage/state that is interesting (they are as dull and identical as ever). They should all be like that. An exaggeration of human behaviour, that’s the roots of The Sims. They’ve picked up the exaggeration but forgot about human behaviour.
Exactly, agree completely. That exaggeration of human behavior was very common in the earlier games, and executed better than in The Sims 4. There was more of a dark, but much funnier side to things.
Vampires and toddlers were done very well in The Sims 4, but it’s such a shame the base game and core gameplay are so boring and recycled from the earlier games. It is hard to play the game entirely without longing to play a different version.
It just really stresses how vital it is for EA/The Sims Studio to rush or skimp out on the base game.
If they’re planning to keep developing for Sims 4 for years to come, there’s a part of me hoping they will patch in adjustments to the personality system and the emotions. They are busy improving sims reactions so who knows it’s possible.
I hope so.
It's disappointing how repetitive The Sims 4 can get though -- I really want to see some gameplay improvements that make building legacies worth doing. As of now, nothing really gets passed down, and larger legacies mean absolutely nothing. Family trees, which were a delayed feature for the first time since 2, don't even show the entire family once your deceased Sim's ancestors inevitably get culled from the game.
And then you factor in how aspirations are, too, extremely repetitive, and it really shows the live mode of the game is so weak, and cannot be enjoyed unless you use too much imagination.
And then you factor in how aspirations are, too, extremely repetitive, and it really shows the live mode of the game is so weak, and cannot be enjoyed unless you use too much imagination.
The other thing that seems very odd to me is how much longer it is (not necessarily harder, but takes longer) to get some aspirations done vs. others. The bodybuilding one, I had a Sim who got that done before she was finished with Young Adult stage (way before, if I remember right). It's super easy. On the other hand, Successful Lineage requires the Sim to have a child get to the top of a career, which cannot possibly be completed before very late Elder stage (and probably even then only with at least one Potion of Youth). So you can have one Sim with the quicker aspirations to do 3 or 4 of them in a lifetime, and another who can't get one done without "cheating" just during the normal span of life, no matter how hard you work at it. That seems... off... to me. It's like they did not play-test this stuff to ensure that it's balanced internally.
While I LOVE the aesthetics of the game and how it looks, actually PLAYING it is tedious and repetitive and boring.
I don't know what it is. Is it the lot types and how the game codes them to play out? Is it that there is no new lot types? No new traits? No difference in how you set a sim up? They ALL play the same.
I initially loved how it was looking....but this is the first one of the entire 4 series that I cannot play in live mode for very long. And TBH, the only reason I played live mode in S3 was for the tomb exploration.
I think Sims lost it's Live Mode charm with Sims 2.
I can spend hours upon hours in build mode and create-a-sim in 4 because my imagination wants something, but as soon as I enter live mode, the excitement dies and it feels so tedious.
Such a shame for such a pretty ( looking) game.
I have had a lot of fun playing the Sims 4 BUT I find many aspects to the game frustrating and time consuming, by that I mean trawling through inventories that contain lots of items to find the one things you want. I often think back to the Sims 2 and think how I played that game for more hours than I care to admit almost every day. I couldn't wait for new EP's etc to come out. A game should improve not go backwards which I think the Sims 4 has in many ways. As the OP has said, the game is very pretty and I totally agree, but it has come with sacrifices as far as I am concerned. In the Sims 2 I was inspired to make stories and build lots, but I have had none of this inspiration in the Sims 4.
What I miss is the quirkiness of the game, when having a great date a gift would be left on the doorstep, now it just goes into the home inventory. Flaming bags of poo being left on the doorstep after upsetting a Sim usually after a break up. Mrs Crumplebottom hitting someone with her handbag are just a couple of examples. For me these kind of things made the game. I loved the little video's that cut into the game play when woo-hoo was in a hot tub, first kiss etc. The Townies in the Sims 2 had personality. The Townies or NPC's in the Sims 4 just walk around and do not really engage as they did in previous Sim games.
I like a challenge in a game but I don't want it to be a lottery, which to me is what the Sims 4 is all about. In the items your Sims finds when collecting, with fish and so on. My Sim needs to know what bait is required either by buying a book or actually catching the fish and recording it. Yes we have the Sims notebook on the phone but it seems so many fish like the same bait! I want to know where those places are to catch certain fish and guaranteed of catching what I want, not fishing for hours and hours and catching the same fish over and over. And I don't expect my Sim when maxing out fishing skill to be fishing out rubbish or other items they do not need. Why can't our Sims talk to other Sims while fishing to build up relationship points and charisma?
In the Sims 3 I used to love collecting rocks and precious metals/crystals and when they brought out a reward to see where these things were it made it even better. These things existed in all the worlds not just one special world. The spawning of items in the Sims 4 Outdoor Retreat is frankly frustrating and spawning places change. Even after several vacations there trying to fulfill the whole collection of insects is again a lottery. It is why I give up and have my Sim head for home! I used to enjoyed making my Sims a vacation home in the Sims 2 Bon Voyage, but none of this possible in the Sims 4. It is all rentals.
I haven't got Seasons EP yet and I am sure it will give more to my game, but like some of the other things that have already been released I will be thinking that it has been done on a budget and we are only being given a taster. I found this to be so with the Business side in the Sims 4, it was not a patch on the Sims 2 Open For Business. I have also recently been running a Vet Clinic and there are aspects to that I think could have been so much better. There is no real control over employees or helping them get skills, it's just pay the money for training! And still they don't use the surgery machine or seem to know what they are doing even when they reach the top LOL
I think we had been spoiled with the Sims 2, it embraced so much of the charm that the Sims 1 gave us and was improved with so many other things that opened up the game. It kept it alive with so many aspects to explore. Even the Sims 3 had tons of content and game play but it became too much for me to play with the open neighbourhood. It was too big, but I loved many aspects.
There are times when I find the Sims 4 tedious and turn it off, especially when there has been new content and patches added into the game which have messed things up, as they are now, but I know I will go back and play and still keep buying the new items that are put out in the hope the game will improve more. I will continue to explore the game to find out new things I have not seen and often will take on a one of the many "challenges" that have been made up for the game, e.g.the Legacy Challenge etc. this often lets me see another side of the game I have not explored before and refreshes me from my usual style of play.
And then you factor in how aspirations are, too, extremely repetitive, and it really shows the live mode of the game is so weak, and cannot be enjoyed unless you use too much imagination.
The other thing that seems very odd to me is how much longer it is (not necessarily harder, but takes longer) to get some aspirations done vs. others. The bodybuilding one, I had a Sim who got that done before she was finished with Young Adult stage (way before, if I remember right). It's super easy. On the other hand, Successful Lineage requires the Sim to have a child get to the top of a career, which cannot possibly be completed before very late Elder stage (and probably even then only with at least one Potion of Youth). So you can have one Sim with the quicker aspirations to do 3 or 4 of them in a lifetime, and another who can't get one done without "cheating" just during the normal span of life, no matter how hard you work at it. That seems... off... to me. It's like they did not play-test this stuff to ensure that it's balanced internally.
I'm really convinced the developers don't play-test live mode enough, judging by how many universal bugs TS4 gets, and how stale the gameplay is.
You mentioned the lack of gameplay balance, which I agree with. I have noticed this especially in traits. It looks as if the developers were on track with some traits; certain traits contain a positive, and also a negative. For instance, creative Sims have special interactions, and receive the Inspired emotion more often. The downside is they become upset if they're not creative often. Whereas Self-Assured Sims simply tend to be confident. There is no negative downside.
When you're only letting us choose three traits, I would hope that there would be a big deal in the traits we pick, and they would be interesting. Unfortunately, that is not true, with certain traits simply adding an emotion, and providing no depth other than that. This is not even considering how the trait system itself in TS4 is a horrid system for us to customize our Sim's personalities.
(we’re completely derailing, hope it’s not a problem; this all has got nothing to do with gameplay)
I strongly disagree Sims 3’s graphics are ‘trash’. Calling it that annoys me to no end because it’s utterly over the top. On highest settings the game looks totally fine (understatement, I love taking screenshots in the game because I so often love what I see) and the lighting often is stunning as well. I understand the difference between art style and graphics, but I also understand the confusion because what’s the point in great graphics when they did such a sloppy job on some aspects like what CK213 is pointing out and the ugly legs I showed compared to the detailed legs in Sims 3? Or a ball pit with the most laughable balls in it in the history of gaming. What do I care about graphics when that’s the result?
That being said, this is not the subject of this topic. Gameplay is. I don’t understand anyone quiting a game because of graphics anyway but that’s me.
I completely agree about the gameplay. I'm not defending the Sims 4 in that regard. It will never live up to Sims 1 and 2 for me.
I'll just have to agree to disagree with everyone here about Sims 3 graphics. Of course I would quit a game that's terrible to look at. Why play a game with virtual people when I can't make them look nice? The lighting is probably the worst I've seen in a modern game (again, my job is literally making art for video games) but whatever.
So anyway, the gameplay in Sims 4 is lacking and most here agree.
I’m not even sure if we’re disagreeing about the graphics. I played Sims 3 on medium the first years (and had missed the option to smoothen the edges or what’s it called in English ) and that looked pretty bad. I didn’t mind back then - I also didn’t know any better I must add - but I couldn’t go back to that (play everything on highest now) so yes, looks do matter to me. The way however people keep insisting “The Sims 3 art style was certainly not its strongest quality, lol” comes across condescending to me (quoting LiELF there, not you). Because ‘lol’ I happen to really like that art style and prefer it to Sims 4’s (though I do manage to embrace and appreciate the cartoony look when playing fortunately). Besides, Sims 2’s and Sims 3’s art style are completely similar. If anything some textures in Sims 2 are even more realistic than in Sims 3. Yet the sims are not and it wasn’t a problem in that game then? The Sims 3 slating comes in inimitable ways sometimes, from my perspective obviously. I’ve never seen any strange discrepancy in the game myself anyway (nor in Sims 2). Preferring one art style doesn’t necessarily make another art style poor just because you happen to prefer it. I’d love the Sims 3 art style to return in a next iteration, with better graphics. And as for the sims, one of the reasons I can’t get into Sims 4 completely except for the game play (though really happy with how my vampire turned out, but I’m feeling so miserable about the males in the game ) is in fact the sims. If only people could get their head around the fact personal preference isn’t a status quo but just that, a preference. I’ve posted this comparison before and I’m convinced everyone will pick a different sim as their favourite.
But you’ll have to believe me that for me it’s most definitely the middle one And he matches perfectly with his ‘ultra realistic’ (they aren’t ultra realistic at all) surroundings.
As for gameplay, I think preferences play a part there too and I’m still trying to pinpoint why exactly it isn’t working for me in Sims 4. I still think for most people it really comes down to lacking personalities. Those were superior in Sims 2. I’d love it if they could find a way to tone down the emotion system and level up the personalities.
that ts3 sim is dowright gorgeous.
I think the problem with ts4 sims is the textures. The ts4 sim 3d model is fantastically detailed in the face, however the changes made to it are kinda difficult to see because of the bland textures. moreoever, ts4 default eyes have specular added to them which is what makes them all have that glazed look.
here's one of my characters vanilla, with cc, with cc+reshade
As you can see, it's still very maxis match--it just has better textures. I agree with OP that a slight texture on items would go a long way. I really like the way Peacemaker does his textures.
people go on about how ugly sims are with the sims 3 and I agree that some are,not all, however, you can make some gorgeous females and hot males with the right CC/MODS
For the record, my TS3 guy there was vanilla. I think you can create very goodlooking sims vanilla and very hideous ones with CC personally.
What lol.
For the record some people, not all make some really horrible Sims both vanilla and with cc/mods!
I never mentioned a single thing about the SIM being made with cc/mods, so what was the point you you calling me out with it?
I would have to be blind not to see he was vanilla.
Sorry for the misunderstanding. You said ‘you can make some gorgeous females and hot males with the right CC/MODS’ and since I often see the statement here that you can only make them look good with CC (not implying you said that) I just wanted to add that this particular sim was vanilla. I agree with you, with the right cc/mods you can make gorgeous sims. And without cc as well when you pull the right sliders. It was rather an addition to your post than contradicting or criticizing it or ‘calling you out’. Maybe I didn’t use ‘for the record’ properly? I meant ‘just to be clear’. You were reacting to someone who was commenting on my sim.
it sounded a little patronizing to me. what I mean is anybody whos played the game and uses CC/MODS as much as I have, could tell he was vanilla by those picks.
if you had said BTW ( By the way) I would of felt differently!
for the record irritates me!
just to be clear, or BTW, are better.
sorry for the misunderstanding on my part.
no hard feeling.
Even though I love the aesthetic of the Sims 4 and have racked up an embarrassing number of hours played, I agree that live mode can get boring after awhile. There are a lot of times where I'll just make a sim in CAS with no intention of playing with them because it's so tedious to start.
The only reason I have save files that span more then a couple generations is because I take my time and write my own stories for them and I play with A LOT of mods. I can't even imagine what this game is like without anything, let alone just playing with the base game.
Even though I love the aesthetic of the Sims 4 and have racked up an embarrassing number of hours played, I agree that live mode can get boring after awhile. There are a lot of times where I'll just make a sim in CAS with no intention of playing with them because it's so tedious to start.
The only reason I have save files that span more then a couple generations is because I take my time and write my own stories for them and I play with A LOT of mods. I can't even imagine what this game is like without anything, let alone just playing with the base game.
Definitely agree. I end up doing the same, making Sims in CAS and avoiding live mode due to how boring it can get.
Multitasking and emotions really weren’t enough to make a whole iteration out of. The gameplay is largely recycled from The Sims 2 and 3, but nowhere near as fleshed out and immense.
While I LOVE the aesthetics of the game and how it looks, actually PLAYING it is tedious and repetitive and boring.
I don't know what it is. Is it the lot types and how the game codes them to play out? Is it that there is no new lot types? No new traits? No difference in how you set a sim up? They ALL play the same.
I initially loved how it was looking....but this is the first one of the entire 4 series that I cannot play in live mode for very long. And TBH, the only reason I played live mode in S3 was for the tomb exploration.
I think Sims lost it's Live Mode charm with Sims 2.
I can spend hours upon hours in build mode and create-a-sim in 4 because my imagination wants something, but as soon as I enter live mode, the excitement dies and it feels so tedious.
Such a shame for such a pretty ( looking) game.
I have had a lot of fun playing the Sims 4 BUT I find many aspects to the game frustrating and time consuming, by that I mean trawling through inventories that contain lots of items to find the one things you want. I often think back to the Sims 2 and think how I played that game for more hours than I care to admit almost every day. I couldn't wait for new EP's etc to come out. A game should improve not go backwards which I think the Sims 4 has in many ways. As the OP has said, the game is very pretty and I totally agree, but it has come with sacrifices as far as I am concerned. In the Sims 2 I was inspired to make stories and build lots, but I have had none of this inspiration in the Sims 4.
What I miss is the quirkiness of the game, when having a great date a gift would be left on the doorstep, now it just goes into the home inventory. Flaming bags of poo being left on the doorstep after upsetting a Sim usually after a break up. Mrs Crumplebottom hitting someone with her handbag are just a couple of examples. For me these kind of things made the game. I loved the little video's that cut into the game play when woo-hoo was in a hot tub, first kiss etc. The Townies in the Sims 2 had personality. The Townies or NPC's in the Sims 4 just walk around and do not really engage as they did in previous Sim games.
I like a challenge in a game but I don't want it to be a lottery, which to me is what the Sims 4 is all about. In the items your Sims finds when collecting, with fish and so on. My Sim needs to know what bait is required either by buying a book or actually catching the fish and recording it. Yes we have the Sims notebook on the phone but it seems so many fish like the same bait! I want to know where those places are to catch certain fish and guaranteed of catching what I want, not fishing for hours and hours and catching the same fish over and over. And I don't expect my Sim when maxing out fishing skill to be fishing out rubbish or other items they do not need. Why can't our Sims talk to other Sims while fishing to build up relationship points and charisma?
In the Sims 3 I used to love collecting rocks and precious metals/crystals and when they brought out a reward to see where these things were it made it even better. These things existed in all the worlds not just one special world. The spawning of items in the Sims 4 Outdoor Retreat is frankly frustrating and spawning places change. Even after several vacations there trying to fulfill the whole collection of insects is again a lottery. It is why I give up and have my Sim head for home! I used to enjoyed making my Sims a vacation home in the Sims 2 Bon Voyage, but none of this possible in the Sims 4. It is all rentals.
I haven't got Seasons EP yet and I am sure it will give more to my game, but like some of the other things that have already been released I will be thinking that it has been done on a budget and we are only being given a taster. I found this to be so with the Business side in the Sims 4, it was not a patch on the Sims 2 Open For Business. I have also recently been running a Vet Clinic and there are aspects to that I think could have been so much better. There is no real control over employees or helping them get skills, it's just pay the money for training! And still they don't use the surgery machine or seem to know what they are doing even when they reach the top LOL
I think we had been spoiled with the Sims 2, it embraced so much of the charm that the Sims 1 gave us and was improved with so many other things that opened up the game. It kept it alive with so many aspects to explore. Even the Sims 3 had tons of content and game play but it became too much for me to play with the open neighbourhood. It was too big, but I loved many aspects.
There are times when I find the Sims 4 tedious and turn it off, especially when there has been new content and patches added into the game which have messed things up, as they are now, but I know I will go back and play and still keep buying the new items that are put out in the hope the game will improve more. I will continue to explore the game to find out new things I have not seen and often will take on a one of the many "challenges" that have been made up for the game, e.g.the Legacy Challenge etc. this often lets me see another side of the game I have not explored before and refreshes me from my usual style of play.
"And still keep buying the new items they put out in the hope the game will improve"
That is the biggest problem with the fanbase. It sends the wrong message to EA that they don't really have to try harder because enough people buy whatever they put out. I am not saying this as a personal attack to you because I used to be the same but I grew tired of it. Imo the sims hasn't progressed at all since the end of the sims 2. We need quality, we need a new engine that is built to support dx11/dx12 so we can have a game that feels like a true upgrade with real life simulation and new ideas. New graphics is NOT enough!
While I LOVE the aesthetics of the game and how it looks, actually PLAYING it is tedious and repetitive and boring.
I don't know what it is. Is it the lot types and how the game codes them to play out? Is it that there is no new lot types? No new traits? No difference in how you set a sim up? They ALL play the same.
I initially loved how it was looking....but this is the first one of the entire 4 series that I cannot play in live mode for very long. And TBH, the only reason I played live mode in S3 was for the tomb exploration.
I think Sims lost it's Live Mode charm with Sims 2.
I can spend hours upon hours in build mode and create-a-sim in 4 because my imagination wants something, but as soon as I enter live mode, the excitement dies and it feels so tedious.
Such a shame for such a pretty ( looking) game.
I have had a lot of fun playing the Sims 4 BUT I find many aspects to the game frustrating and time consuming, by that I mean trawling through inventories that contain lots of items to find the one things you want. I often think back to the Sims 2 and think how I played that game for more hours than I care to admit almost every day. I couldn't wait for new EP's etc to come out. A game should improve not go backwards which I think the Sims 4 has in many ways. As the OP has said, the game is very pretty and I totally agree, but it has come with sacrifices as far as I am concerned. In the Sims 2 I was inspired to make stories and build lots, but I have had none of this inspiration in the Sims 4.
What I miss is the quirkiness of the game, when having a great date a gift would be left on the doorstep, now it just goes into the home inventory. Flaming bags of poo being left on the doorstep after upsetting a Sim usually after a break up. Mrs Crumplebottom hitting someone with her handbag are just a couple of examples. For me these kind of things made the game. I loved the little video's that cut into the game play when woo-hoo was in a hot tub, first kiss etc. The Townies in the Sims 2 had personality. The Townies or NPC's in the Sims 4 just walk around and do not really engage as they did in previous Sim games.
I like a challenge in a game but I don't want it to be a lottery, which to me is what the Sims 4 is all about. In the items your Sims finds when collecting, with fish and so on. My Sim needs to know what bait is required either by buying a book or actually catching the fish and recording it. Yes we have the Sims notebook on the phone but it seems so many fish like the same bait! I want to know where those places are to catch certain fish and guaranteed of catching what I want, not fishing for hours and hours and catching the same fish over and over. And I don't expect my Sim when maxing out fishing skill to be fishing out rubbish or other items they do not need. Why can't our Sims talk to other Sims while fishing to build up relationship points and charisma?
In the Sims 3 I used to love collecting rocks and precious metals/crystals and when they brought out a reward to see where these things were it made it even better. These things existed in all the worlds not just one special world. The spawning of items in the Sims 4 Outdoor Retreat is frankly frustrating and spawning places change. Even after several vacations there trying to fulfill the whole collection of insects is again a lottery. It is why I give up and have my Sim head for home! I used to enjoyed making my Sims a vacation home in the Sims 2 Bon Voyage, but none of this possible in the Sims 4. It is all rentals.
I haven't got Seasons EP yet and I am sure it will give more to my game, but like some of the other things that have already been released I will be thinking that it has been done on a budget and we are only being given a taster. I found this to be so with the Business side in the Sims 4, it was not a patch on the Sims 2 Open For Business. I have also recently been running a Vet Clinic and there are aspects to that I think could have been so much better. There is no real control over employees or helping them get skills, it's just pay the money for training! And still they don't use the surgery machine or seem to know what they are doing even when they reach the top LOL
I think we had been spoiled with the Sims 2, it embraced so much of the charm that the Sims 1 gave us and was improved with so many other things that opened up the game. It kept it alive with so many aspects to explore. Even the Sims 3 had tons of content and game play but it became too much for me to play with the open neighbourhood. It was too big, but I loved many aspects.
There are times when I find the Sims 4 tedious and turn it off, especially when there has been new content and patches added into the game which have messed things up, as they are now, but I know I will go back and play and still keep buying the new items that are put out in the hope the game will improve more. I will continue to explore the game to find out new things I have not seen and often will take on a one of the many "challenges" that have been made up for the game, e.g.the Legacy Challenge etc. this often lets me see another side of the game I have not explored before and refreshes me from my usual style of play.
"And still keep buying the new items they put out in the hope the game will improve"
That is the biggest problem with the fanbase. It sends the wrong message to EA that they don't really have to try harder because enough people buy whatever they put out. I am not saying this as a personal attack to you because I used to be the same but I grew tired of it. Imo the sims hasn't progressed at all since the end of the sims 2. We need quality, we need a new engine that is built to support dx11/dx12 so we can have a game that feels like a true upgrade with real life simulation and new ideas. New graphics is NOT enough!
I am too tired of less features, but more graphics and whatever features there are it is not meaty enough to me.
Post edited by Goldmoldar on
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"And still keep buying the new items they put out in the hope the game will improve"
That is the biggest problem with the fanbase. It sends the wrong message to EA that they don't really have to try harder because enough people buy whatever they put out. I am not saying this as a personal attack to you because I used to be the same but I grew tired of it. Imo the sims hasn't progressed at all since the end of the sims 2. We need quality, we need a new engine that is built to support dx11/dx12 so we can have a game that feels like a true upgrade with real life simulation and new ideas. New graphics is NOT enough!
I am guilty of it as well.
At first I was not -- I tried original Sims 4 ("Vanilla"), became highly frustrated with it, and ditched it. Until a couple of months ago when with all the expansion packs and the addition of toddlers (which I had hated being left out of the original game), and pets, and seasons, I figured I'd give it another try. And now I do have most of the x-packs and whatnot. Which I probably shouldn't have done because it sends the wrong message.
On the other hand I am having fun to some degree, so I enjoy the game. Just not as much as the previous 2.
Even though I love the aesthetic of the Sims 4 and have racked up an embarrassing number of hours played, I agree that live mode can get boring after awhile. There are a lot of times where I'll just make a sim in CAS with no intention of playing with them because it's so tedious to start.
The only reason I have save files that span more then a couple generations is because I take my time and write my own stories for them and I play with A LOT of mods. I can't even imagine what this game is like without anything, let alone just playing with the base game.
Definitely agree. I end up doing the same, making Sims in CAS and avoiding live mode due to how boring it can get.
Multitasking and emotions really weren’t enough to make a whole iteration out of. The gameplay is largely recycled from The Sims 2 and 3, but nowhere near as fleshed out and immense.
I agree.
emotions and multitask, create a sim and build mode just was not enough for the base game.
live mode was boring.
they did not create proper sims for,
newborns
toddlers
teens
as well as gameplay and items
family play was poor.
it had no fun place to visit in the community,
lack of lots.
horrible careers.
had some great skills and cooking recipes,books but some of those huge items tho, cupcake machine,telescope ect ect.
it had a lot of decor and a huge lack of basic stuff like,
trash compactor
newspaper, paper boy/girl
npcs like
burglar
police
fireman
house phones
grocery shopping
even today the base game alone is one of the poorest in the whole series for me, for the price it cost. it was a bit of a rip off for what came with it compared to past games.
Live mode is excruciatingly boring. There is absolutely nothing happening, ever, aside from Sims walking about and engaging in friendly socials. There’s no drama in this “game about drama” - Rachel Franklin (2015). There’s no struggle by any means.
Most of the home based gameplay has been eliminated, or significantly reduced. The chance of a fire happening are very rare, but in the event one does occur there are no firefighters Sims can just extinguish themselves and the fire autonomously. Repairing electronics rarely results in your sim being shocked, even at low skill. There are no burglars to steal your things, no repossession when you are negligent on your bills. There is a heavy emphasis on being social which would be fine if it wasn’t so repetitive. The expressive animations they made for the game, that are used in every social situation, are mostly over the top and result in every sim sharing the same body language. I find it a little robotic as their motions are predictable and stale after 4 years of repeated use.
The game is also riddled with preset goals and checklists. Every event, career, and aspiration has a checklist assigned to it that never changes, and most interactions in the game take an insanely long time to complete. This makes the game feel like a grind because to advance through a career for example, you must complete certain objectives. When the objectives take forever to complete you are left staring at your virtual person doing the same thing over and over, and you just complete this task repeatedly especially for skills objectives. Seeing how skills take forever to increase you are basically forced to grind or never progress very far into your chosen career. I have always believed this to be by design because the game is rather empty and boring at the base level. Makes sense they would overload players with objectives to encourage them to continue playing in predesigned ways after getting bored of the game as a sandbox.
We will never communicate with the Sim as we do with real people. I do not care if its repetitive I know they are not real and can not understand me. But that's no excuse to say the same thing over and over for years. So yea your right boring. I would love to see townies treat us more mean, more street fighting, just randomly, someone can bump a sim and like throw food at them, and a fight breaks out lol not full of dust but one we can see. Also maybe we could join the fight if its a friend, pickpockets. Car Accidents
Also instead of just calling Sims on the phone to cheat or date, your partner let them do it in your face. for more fun drama. We need to fight more.,
If you take away romance then give Violence, but now we have nothing. Sims should also woo-hoo autonomously, I rather not be involved in their house-shoe wearing happy times.
Omg, Sims will flirt with anything and anybody. Now, that's just weird. Sims will date one sims then call later and ask her father out on a date, then get flirty with the toilet, or a plant. hahaha
The jobs are so boring, and you make so little. None of my sims work anymore. Like if I had motherload in real would I work, No.
I only play the Sims when I am multitasking, my brain just cannot go that slow, not even when I am sleeping. If not for CC I would be dead in the sims. EA/Maxis, hair, skin, eyes, clothes, furniture, count me out.
Just do gardening you make more money than motherlode every day. you can make 300,000 a day on a tiny garden. I mean its so so much money in gardening. So yea we are all farmers.
Simmers buy the Sims not only because we are simmers, Simmers supports EA/Maxis always even when they do not do what we ask. but because we like our Sims in the game. EA should be happy they made the toddlers and pets because I have no intentions of giving them up ever.
regardless of how much they run me nuts.
we'll give you a full refund. Just make sure you make your request within 24 hours after you first launch the game, within seven days from your date of purchase, or within seven days from the game's release date if you pre-ordered, whichever comes first.
Who said EA doesn't have a sense of humor
"And still keep buying the new items they put out in the hope the game will improve"
That is the biggest problem with the fanbase. It sends the wrong message to EA that they don't really have to try harder because enough people buy whatever they put out. I am not saying this as a personal attack to you because I used to be the same but I grew tired of it. Imo the sims hasn't progressed at all since the end of the sims 2. We need quality, we need a new engine that is built to support dx11/dx12 so we can have a game that feels like a true upgrade with real life simulation and new ideas. New graphics is NOT enough!
I agree with you so much on this. I wish the fanbase would stop buying packs just because it has the sims name on it. Imo the foundation of the game is what's lacking and no amount of add ons is going to make it better. I wish more people would show their disappointment by just not buying anymore. They'll just keep doing it otherwise.
Have a super fantastic awesome splendid amazing day! -TheQxxn
I agree with you so much on this. I wish the fanbase would stop buying packs just because it has the sims name on it. Imo the foundation of the game is what's lacking and no amount of add ons is going to make it better. I wish more people would show their disappointment by just not buying anymore. They'll just keep doing it otherwise.
Although, again, you're right, that the way to show how you feel is through your money clip (or wallet, purse, what have you), I don't think it's strictly true that people just buy packs because the Sims name is on them. I think that they buy expansion and game packs in the hopes that they will make the game better. I bought Cats and Dogs because I thought adding pets to the game would make it more interesting. Heck, as I have said repeatedly on this forum, I came back to Sims 4 overall, because of Cats and Dogs (and a Lets Play that had them in it). Had I known how buggy the pets were, would I have come back at all, let alone bought the pack? Probably not. But my "logic" if you want to call it that, was certainly not "it has the Sims name on it," but rather, "Oooh with toddlers and pets in the game now, maybe it will be more fun."
And it probably would be, if both toddlers AND pets weren't so bugged that having them in the household is worse than not having them.
Sorry Simmers, but we are not strong. We want to be strong when it comes to the new game packs but no we are not. It does not matter what we know is wrong with the game we wait so long for new content we are simply desperate for something to make our game fun, So we put our hopes in the next pack.
Do we wait to check it out first say like wait 2 weeks or a month after release Nope?
We do countdowns, and we prepay or buy the day of release, and I am sure some of us may cry if we do not get it on the first release.
Ever ask yourself why we are so crazy over the Sims,? Why do we defend EA/Maxis no matter what,? Me too.
Why do we eat sleep and think about the sims daily? Everything people say in their comments here is true, and its true we will pre-pay next time its a new pack, Right or wrong, It does not matter we are addicted hopelessly so, Me too. Yup, my game is boring, need more and better animations. But Next pack I will be tripping with everyone else. We do need help this is stronger than us.
we'll give you a full refund. Just make sure you make your request within 24 hours after you first launch the game, within seven days from your date of purchase, or within seven days from the game's release date if you pre-ordered, whichever comes first.
Who said EA doesn't have a sense of humor
Sorry Simmers, but we are not strong. We want to be strong when it comes to the new game packs but no we are not. It does not matter what we know is wrong with the game we wait so long for new content we are simply desperate for something to make our game fun, So we put our hopes in the next pack.
Do we wait to check it out first say like wait 2 weeks or a month after release Nope?
We do countdowns, and we prepay or buy the day of release, and I am sure some of us may cry if we do not get it on the first release.
Ever ask yourself why we are so crazy over the Sims,? Why do we defend EA/Maxis no matter what,? Me too.
Why do we eat sleep and think about the sims daily? Everything people say in their comments here is true, and its true we will pre-pay next time its a new pack, Right or wrong, It does not matter we are addicted hopelessly so, Me too. Yup, my game is boring, need more and better animations. But Next pack I will be tripping with everyone else. We do need help this is stronger than us.
Umm, don't say "we" because you don't speak for everyone. I don't prepay, and I have never prepayed anything sims related ever and I am sure as hell not gonna buy anything more for this iteration because the foundation is weak and the game won't change with any future pack. Sure there are some weak people around here that will buy anything they put out but I honestly believe the sims 4 will die a slow death eventually because people will realise soon just how empty and weak the game has become and each pack makes it more obvious. People have weak moments but everyone can change and not everyone is stupid.
Sorry Simmers, but we are not strong. We want to be strong when it comes to the new game packs but no we are not. It does not matter what we know is wrong with the game we wait so long for new content we are simply desperate for something to make our game fun, So we put our hopes in the next pack.
Do we wait to check it out first say like wait 2 weeks or a month after release Nope?
We do countdowns, and we prepay or buy the day of release, and I am sure some of us may cry if we do not get it on the first release.
Ever ask yourself why we are so crazy over the Sims,? Why do we defend EA/Maxis no matter what,? Me too.
Why do we eat sleep and think about the sims daily? Everything people say in their comments here is true, and its true we will pre-pay next time its a new pack, Right or wrong, It does not matter we are addicted hopelessly so, Me too. Yup, my game is boring, need more and better animations. But Next pack I will be tripping with everyone else. We do need help this is stronger than us.
Speak for yourself. I’m sure there are many that do as you describe. But I do not. I’m at a point where I’m finished with the sims 4. If people have that mindset you describe then I’m sorry but they only have themselves to blame when they are disappointed.
Sorry Simmers, but we are not strong. We want to be strong when it comes to the new game packs but no we are not. It does not matter what we know is wrong with the game we wait so long for new content we are simply desperate for something to make our game fun, So we put our hopes in the next pack.
Do we wait to check it out first say like wait 2 weeks or a month after release Nope?
We do countdowns, and we prepay or buy the day of release, and I am sure some of us may cry if we do not get it on the first release.
Ever ask yourself why we are so crazy over the Sims,? Why do we defend EA/Maxis no matter what,? Me too.
Why do we eat sleep and think about the sims daily? Everything people say in their comments here is true, and its true we will pre-pay next time its a new pack, Right or wrong, It does not matter we are addicted hopelessly so, Me too. Yup, my game is boring, need more and better animations. But Next pack I will be tripping with everyone else. We do need help this is stronger than us.
Speak for yourself. I’m sure there are many that do as you describe. But I do not. I’m at a point where I’m finished with the sims 4. If people have that mindset you describe then I’m sorry but they only have themselves to blame when they are disappointed.
Right on! this cheered me up Always nice to see some sensible people from time to time, thank you
Sorry Simmers, but we are not strong. We want to be strong when it comes to the new game packs but no we are not. It does not matter what we know is wrong with the game we wait so long for new content we are simply desperate for something to make our game fun, So we put our hopes in the next pack.
Do we wait to check it out first say like wait 2 weeks or a month after release Nope?
We do countdowns, and we prepay or buy the day of release, and I am sure some of us may cry if we do not get it on the first release.
Ever ask yourself why we are so crazy over the Sims,? Why do we defend EA/Maxis no matter what,? Me too.
Why do we eat sleep and think about the sims daily? Everything people say in their comments here is true, and its true we will pre-pay next time its a new pack, Right or wrong, It does not matter we are addicted hopelessly so, Me too. Yup, my game is boring, need more and better animations. But Next pack I will be tripping with everyone else. We do need help this is stronger than us.
nah, I always wait to get a pack on sale. So far I've only paid full price for Laundry Day. All the other's I've gotten 50% off though sales and discounted bundles. I've yet to get the mouse since it just doesn't seem worth it even on sale at all.
but I understand your point. And I don't think it's wrong for you to use 'we' since that's obviously just a general statement about the average reaction that fans have to the series, and I agree.
Comments
What lol.
For the record some people, not all make some really horrible Sims both vanilla and with cc/mods!
I never mentioned a single thing about the SIM being made with cc/mods, so what was the point you you calling me out with it?
I would have to be blind not to see he was vanilla.
Yes! I really miss this, too.
Sims in TS2 would have not only generations of pre-history, but also memories of past events, as well as lots of varied relationships with other Sims in their neighborhood. I really miss that level of detail/care. Scrapping all of these stories to do an 'alternative universe' that was so poorly written and not detailed at all was such a let down.
I hope so.
It's disappointing how repetitive The Sims 4 can get though -- I really want to see some gameplay improvements that make building legacies worth doing. As of now, nothing really gets passed down, and larger legacies mean absolutely nothing. Family trees, which were a delayed feature for the first time since 2, don't even show the entire family once your deceased Sim's ancestors inevitably get culled from the game.
And then you factor in how aspirations are, too, extremely repetitive, and it really shows the live mode of the game is so weak, and cannot be enjoyed unless you use too much imagination.
The other thing that seems very odd to me is how much longer it is (not necessarily harder, but takes longer) to get some aspirations done vs. others. The bodybuilding one, I had a Sim who got that done before she was finished with Young Adult stage (way before, if I remember right). It's super easy. On the other hand, Successful Lineage requires the Sim to have a child get to the top of a career, which cannot possibly be completed before very late Elder stage (and probably even then only with at least one Potion of Youth). So you can have one Sim with the quicker aspirations to do 3 or 4 of them in a lifetime, and another who can't get one done without "cheating" just during the normal span of life, no matter how hard you work at it. That seems... off... to me. It's like they did not play-test this stuff to ensure that it's balanced internally.
I have had a lot of fun playing the Sims 4 BUT I find many aspects to the game frustrating and time consuming, by that I mean trawling through inventories that contain lots of items to find the one things you want. I often think back to the Sims 2 and think how I played that game for more hours than I care to admit almost every day. I couldn't wait for new EP's etc to come out. A game should improve not go backwards which I think the Sims 4 has in many ways. As the OP has said, the game is very pretty and I totally agree, but it has come with sacrifices as far as I am concerned. In the Sims 2 I was inspired to make stories and build lots, but I have had none of this inspiration in the Sims 4.
What I miss is the quirkiness of the game, when having a great date a gift would be left on the doorstep, now it just goes into the home inventory. Flaming bags of poo being left on the doorstep after upsetting a Sim usually after a break up. Mrs Crumplebottom hitting someone with her handbag are just a couple of examples. For me these kind of things made the game. I loved the little video's that cut into the game play when woo-hoo was in a hot tub, first kiss etc. The Townies in the Sims 2 had personality. The Townies or NPC's in the Sims 4 just walk around and do not really engage as they did in previous Sim games.
I like a challenge in a game but I don't want it to be a lottery, which to me is what the Sims 4 is all about. In the items your Sims finds when collecting, with fish and so on. My Sim needs to know what bait is required either by buying a book or actually catching the fish and recording it. Yes we have the Sims notebook on the phone but it seems so many fish like the same bait! I want to know where those places are to catch certain fish and guaranteed of catching what I want, not fishing for hours and hours and catching the same fish over and over. And I don't expect my Sim when maxing out fishing skill to be fishing out rubbish or other items they do not need. Why can't our Sims talk to other Sims while fishing to build up relationship points and charisma?
In the Sims 3 I used to love collecting rocks and precious metals/crystals and when they brought out a reward to see where these things were it made it even better. These things existed in all the worlds not just one special world. The spawning of items in the Sims 4 Outdoor Retreat is frankly frustrating and spawning places change. Even after several vacations there trying to fulfill the whole collection of insects is again a lottery. It is why I give up and have my Sim head for home! I used to enjoyed making my Sims a vacation home in the Sims 2 Bon Voyage, but none of this possible in the Sims 4. It is all rentals.
I haven't got Seasons EP yet and I am sure it will give more to my game, but like some of the other things that have already been released I will be thinking that it has been done on a budget and we are only being given a taster. I found this to be so with the Business side in the Sims 4, it was not a patch on the Sims 2 Open For Business. I have also recently been running a Vet Clinic and there are aspects to that I think could have been so much better. There is no real control over employees or helping them get skills, it's just pay the money for training! And still they don't use the surgery machine or seem to know what they are doing even when they reach the top LOL
I think we had been spoiled with the Sims 2, it embraced so much of the charm that the Sims 1 gave us and was improved with so many other things that opened up the game. It kept it alive with so many aspects to explore. Even the Sims 3 had tons of content and game play but it became too much for me to play with the open neighbourhood. It was too big, but I loved many aspects.
There are times when I find the Sims 4 tedious and turn it off, especially when there has been new content and patches added into the game which have messed things up, as they are now, but I know I will go back and play and still keep buying the new items that are put out in the hope the game will improve more. I will continue to explore the game to find out new things I have not seen and often will take on a one of the many "challenges" that have been made up for the game, e.g.the Legacy Challenge etc. this often lets me see another side of the game I have not explored before and refreshes me from my usual style of play.
I'm really convinced the developers don't play-test live mode enough, judging by how many universal bugs TS4 gets, and how stale the gameplay is.
You mentioned the lack of gameplay balance, which I agree with. I have noticed this especially in traits. It looks as if the developers were on track with some traits; certain traits contain a positive, and also a negative. For instance, creative Sims have special interactions, and receive the Inspired emotion more often. The downside is they become upset if they're not creative often. Whereas Self-Assured Sims simply tend to be confident. There is no negative downside.
When you're only letting us choose three traits, I would hope that there would be a big deal in the traits we pick, and they would be interesting. Unfortunately, that is not true, with certain traits simply adding an emotion, and providing no depth other than that. This is not even considering how the trait system itself in TS4 is a horrid system for us to customize our Sim's personalities.
it sounded a little patronizing to me. what I mean is anybody whos played the game and uses CC/MODS as much as I have, could tell he was vanilla by those picks.
if you had said BTW ( By the way) I would of felt differently!
for the record irritates me!
just to be clear, or BTW, are better.
sorry for the misunderstanding on my part.
no hard feeling.
The only reason I have save files that span more then a couple generations is because I take my time and write my own stories for them and I play with A LOT of mods. I can't even imagine what this game is like without anything, let alone just playing with the base game.
Definitely agree. I end up doing the same, making Sims in CAS and avoiding live mode due to how boring it can get.
Multitasking and emotions really weren’t enough to make a whole iteration out of. The gameplay is largely recycled from The Sims 2 and 3, but nowhere near as fleshed out and immense.
"And still keep buying the new items they put out in the hope the game will improve"
That is the biggest problem with the fanbase. It sends the wrong message to EA that they don't really have to try harder because enough people buy whatever they put out. I am not saying this as a personal attack to you because I used to be the same but I grew tired of it. Imo the sims hasn't progressed at all since the end of the sims 2. We need quality, we need a new engine that is built to support dx11/dx12 so we can have a game that feels like a true upgrade with real life simulation and new ideas. New graphics is NOT enough!
I am too tired of less features, but more graphics and whatever features there are it is not meaty enough to me.
I am guilty of it as well.
At first I was not -- I tried original Sims 4 ("Vanilla"), became highly frustrated with it, and ditched it. Until a couple of months ago when with all the expansion packs and the addition of toddlers (which I had hated being left out of the original game), and pets, and seasons, I figured I'd give it another try. And now I do have most of the x-packs and whatnot. Which I probably shouldn't have done because it sends the wrong message.
On the other hand I am having fun to some degree, so I enjoy the game. Just not as much as the previous 2.
I agree.
emotions and multitask, create a sim and build mode just was not enough for the base game.
live mode was boring.
they did not create proper sims for,
newborns
toddlers
teens
as well as gameplay and items
family play was poor.
it had no fun place to visit in the community,
lack of lots.
horrible careers.
had some great skills and cooking recipes,books but some of those huge items tho, cupcake machine,telescope ect ect.
it had a lot of decor and a huge lack of basic stuff like,
trash compactor
newspaper, paper boy/girl
npcs like
burglar
police
fireman
house phones
grocery shopping
even today the base game alone is one of the poorest in the whole series for me, for the price it cost. it was a bit of a rip off for what came with it compared to past games.
Most of the home based gameplay has been eliminated, or significantly reduced. The chance of a fire happening are very rare, but in the event one does occur there are no firefighters Sims can just extinguish themselves and the fire autonomously. Repairing electronics rarely results in your sim being shocked, even at low skill. There are no burglars to steal your things, no repossession when you are negligent on your bills. There is a heavy emphasis on being social which would be fine if it wasn’t so repetitive. The expressive animations they made for the game, that are used in every social situation, are mostly over the top and result in every sim sharing the same body language. I find it a little robotic as their motions are predictable and stale after 4 years of repeated use.
The game is also riddled with preset goals and checklists. Every event, career, and aspiration has a checklist assigned to it that never changes, and most interactions in the game take an insanely long time to complete. This makes the game feel like a grind because to advance through a career for example, you must complete certain objectives. When the objectives take forever to complete you are left staring at your virtual person doing the same thing over and over, and you just complete this task repeatedly especially for skills objectives. Seeing how skills take forever to increase you are basically forced to grind or never progress very far into your chosen career. I have always believed this to be by design because the game is rather empty and boring at the base level. Makes sense they would overload players with objectives to encourage them to continue playing in predesigned ways after getting bored of the game as a sandbox.
We will never communicate with the Sim as we do with real people. I do not care if its repetitive I know they are not real and can not understand me. But that's no excuse to say the same thing over and over for years. So yea your right boring. I would love to see townies treat us more mean, more street fighting, just randomly, someone can bump a sim and like throw food at them, and a fight breaks out lol not full of dust but one we can see. Also maybe we could join the fight if its a friend, pickpockets. Car Accidents
Also instead of just calling Sims on the phone to cheat or date, your partner let them do it in your face. for more fun drama. We need to fight more.,
If you take away romance then give Violence,
Omg, Sims will flirt with anything and anybody. Now, that's just weird. Sims will date one sims then call later and ask her father out on a date, then get flirty with the toilet, or a plant. hahaha
The jobs are so boring, and you make so little. None of my sims work anymore. Like if I had motherload in real would I work, No.
I only play the Sims when I am multitasking, my brain just cannot go that slow, not even when I am sleeping. If not for CC I would be dead in the sims. EA/Maxis, hair, skin, eyes, clothes, furniture, count me out.
Just do gardening you make more money than motherlode every day. you can make 300,000 a day on a tiny garden. I mean its so so much money in gardening. So yea we are all farmers.
Simmers buy the Sims not only because we are simmers, Simmers supports EA/Maxis
regardless of how much they run me nuts.
Who said EA doesn't have a sense of humor
I agree with you so much on this. I wish the fanbase would stop buying packs just because it has the sims name on it. Imo the foundation of the game is what's lacking and no amount of add ons is going to make it better. I wish more people would show their disappointment by just not buying anymore. They'll just keep doing it otherwise.
Although, again, you're right, that the way to show how you feel is through your money clip (or wallet, purse, what have you), I don't think it's strictly true that people just buy packs because the Sims name is on them. I think that they buy expansion and game packs in the hopes that they will make the game better. I bought Cats and Dogs because I thought adding pets to the game would make it more interesting. Heck, as I have said repeatedly on this forum, I came back to Sims 4 overall, because of Cats and Dogs (and a Lets Play that had them in it). Had I known how buggy the pets were, would I have come back at all, let alone bought the pack? Probably not. But my "logic" if you want to call it that, was certainly not "it has the Sims name on it," but rather, "Oooh with toddlers and pets in the game now, maybe it will be more fun."
And it probably would be, if both toddlers AND pets weren't so bugged that having them in the household is worse than not having them.
Sorry Simmers, but we are not strong. We want to be strong when it comes to the new game packs but no we are not. It does not matter what we know is wrong with the game we wait so long for new content we are simply desperate for something to make our game fun, So we put our hopes in the next pack.
Do we wait to check it out first say like wait 2 weeks or a month after release Nope?
We do countdowns, and we prepay or buy the day of release, and I am sure some of us may cry if we do not get it on the first release.
Ever ask yourself why we are so crazy over the Sims,? Why do we defend EA/Maxis no matter what,? Me too.
Why do we eat sleep and think about the sims daily? Everything people say in their comments here is true, and its true we will pre-pay next time its a new pack, Right or wrong, It does not matter we are addicted hopelessly so, Me too. Yup, my game is boring, need more and better animations. But Next pack I will be tripping with everyone else. We do need help this is stronger than us.
Who said EA doesn't have a sense of humor
Umm, don't say "we" because you don't speak for everyone. I don't prepay, and I have never prepayed anything sims related ever and I am sure as hell not gonna buy anything more for this iteration because the foundation is weak and the game won't change with any future pack. Sure there are some weak people around here that will buy anything they put out but I honestly believe the sims 4 will die a slow death eventually because people will realise soon just how empty and weak the game has become and each pack makes it more obvious. People have weak moments but everyone can change and not everyone is stupid.
Speak for yourself. I’m sure there are many that do as you describe. But I do not. I’m at a point where I’m finished with the sims 4. If people have that mindset you describe then I’m sorry but they only have themselves to blame when they are disappointed.
Right on! this cheered me up
nah, I always wait to get a pack on sale. So far I've only paid full price for Laundry Day. All the other's I've gotten 50% off though sales and discounted bundles. I've yet to get the mouse since it just doesn't seem worth it even on sale at all.
but I understand your point. And I don't think it's wrong for you to use 'we' since that's obviously just a general statement about the average reaction that fans have to the series, and I agree.