Considering I didn't start playing Sims 4 until a year after launch I probably won't get Sims 5 at launch either unless it really is an overhaul of the game.
I'm definitely more in the camp of just improving Sims 4 instead of a new game but it'd be silly of them as a company to not start thinking about the future.
Considering I didn't start playing Sims 4 until a year after launch I probably won't get Sims 5 at launch either unless it really is an overhaul of the game.
I'm definitely more in the camp of just improving Sims 4 instead of a new game but it'd be silly of them as a company to not start thinking about the future.
Plus four is a weird number to stop on
Yeah, but Rocky V did it no favors.
"Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
I certainly hope we get more pet stuff. I would love to see birds, snakes, tarantula’s, lizards, things like that for children, and adults to play with. They are also great things to put into a pet store. It would be nice to see children be able to interact with their frogs too, and feed their fish.
No. I've just really gotten into it, though I've had it since launch. And I only have one expansion so far. I want to explore more before the next version comes out. Plus, I hope the extra time means a better next version.
This game needs more Sailor Moon!
Hold SHIFT while using the FRIEZE tool to apply it to a single wall, and not an entire room!
The Sims 4 will always be fragmented by the fact it started as a radical re-envisioning of the series with a multiplayer mode and story mode. Its existence defeats the very purpose of a new base game; it's a broken foundation, when a base game is supposed to provide a very solid one to build years of content with.
Salvaging it into the modern day, single player, The Sims 4 that we all know today cost EA a lot of time and a lot of money. And, since it's EA, where deadlines matter more than quality of their games, The Sims 4 took a noticeable hit in quality. There is so little innovation here. The features which sound like innovation on paper (multitasking, emotions, focus on the Sims themselves) all have major caveats or do not work as intended.
It would be far more ideal if The Sims 5 started development now, while The Sims 4 is still pumping out packs. This is how it was done during The Sims 1, 2, and 3, when their successor was in development. As long as it's envisioned as a single player experience from start to finish, it will have an immense head start over The Sims 4.
@Sk8rblaze they never intended to add a story Mode tô Sims 4. Project Olympus was only about online gameplay.
Many of us, Simmers, who played the Stories bakc in S2 Era would actually enjoy a story Mode If that didnt take our Freeplay Mode.
The Sims 4 will always be fragmented by the fact it started as a radical re-envisioning of the series with a multiplayer mode and story mode. Its existence defeats the very purpose of a new base game; it's a broken foundation, when a base game is supposed to provide a very solid one to build years of content with.
Salvaging it into the modern day, single player, The Sims 4 that we all know today cost EA a lot of time and a lot of money. And, since it's EA, where deadlines matter more than quality of their games, The Sims 4 took a noticeable hit in quality. There is so little innovation here. The features which sound like innovation on paper (multitasking, emotions, focus on the Sims themselves) all have major caveats or do not work as intended.
It would be far more ideal if The Sims 5 started development now, while The Sims 4 is still pumping out packs. This is how it was done during The Sims 1, 2, and 3, when their successor was in development. As long as it's envisioned as a single player experience from start to finish, it will have an immense head start over The Sims 4.
But yeah, i agree with most of the things you até saying. Sims 5 would even be better If they had started producing It 4 years Ago. All the other base games had att least that... If Sims 5 had 7 years of production we would probably have less bugs in the release date.
The Sims 4 will always be fragmented by the fact it started as a radical re-envisioning of the series with a multiplayer mode and story mode. Its existence defeats the very purpose of a new base game; it's a broken foundation, when a base game is supposed to provide a very solid one to build years of content with.
Salvaging it into the modern day, single player, The Sims 4 that we all know today cost EA a lot of time and a lot of money. And, since it's EA, where deadlines matter more than quality of their games, The Sims 4 took a noticeable hit in quality. There is so little innovation here. The features which sound like innovation on paper (multitasking, emotions, focus on the Sims themselves) all have major caveats or do not work as intended.
It would be far more ideal if The Sims 5 started development now, while The Sims 4 is still pumping out packs. This is how it was done during The Sims 1, 2, and 3, when their successor was in development. As long as it's envisioned as a single player experience from start to finish, it will have an immense head start over The Sims 4.
@Sk8rblaze they never intended to add a story Mode tô Sims 4. Project Olympus was only about online gameplay.
Many of us, Simmers, who played the Stories bakc in S2 Era would actually enjoy a story Mode If that didnt take our Freeplay Mode.
Yes they did! It would have a story mode, online mode and a freeplay mode. They scrapped all that and made sims 4 on the foundation of olympus, they also made mobile on that same foundation.
@marcel21 Shall we have some more TS3 then for greedy TS3 players?
What about a new TS2 EP or something new for TS1 which has been neglected since 2003!
Things cannot stay as they are all the time. TS4 is severely limited and this giving more does not mean that you actually get more
what does the sims 3 have to do with the comment?
the simmer above wants them to forget the sims 5 so he/she can spend even more time on the sims 4!
the sims 3 had nothing to do with my comment.
I used the word greedy because they want even more time spent on the sims 4, when EA could spend some time spent making the sims 5. seen as they have already confirmed that the sims 4 is now going to continue for another years with no news on a possible sims 5 or other game. as they usually announce such games in past.
what about the players who want the sims 5, who already are going to have to wait another three years?
i would love more content,gameplay for TS1/TS2/TS3
I agree with you fully on the sims 4 is severely limited and giving more not mean you actually get more.
The Sims 4 is ridiculous no freaking autosave what the frick I'm beyond annoyed it sucks when I pass out and the game turns off bubye all my hard work!
Doubling TS4's life would be a big loss for the series.
It cannot last forever
I agree with that. While "4" is a strange number to end a franchise, 20 is a perfectly even number.
Since "The Sims" was released February of 2000, for me and in my opinion, I think year 2020 would make sense as a good year for them to put the series to bed.
While Sims enjoys good sales and likely generates a pretty fair profit, it's a dated idea. Fun but "Where do we go from here?" VR? Holograms? a "Be in the room with your Sims!" sort of thing. (Semi joke) In any event, if there were to be a Sims 5 it would have to be a mind-blower.
After all the travails I have witness with this current version I can hardly see many willing to go out and start from scratch, and the initial release of any new version would be precisely that. A bare-bones base with plenty of "gaps" to be plugged by additional content sales. That's just how the gaming business goes.
Yet one must also keep in mind, they don't want to cook up a game so fabulous that their target audience can afford neither the game nor the equipment to play it on.
Speaking of costs and such, what I find most curious is the cost cutting and low budget afforded not only to the game but even here on the Forums, now managed by EA people who recently (31 July 18) had to make the hard decision, according to them, to "sunset" five Sims "Language Forums" and merge three others into the main forum. That does tend to sound like "trimming the fat" to me, not something one does with a series that has a long future.
Again, all this merely my opinion. One based on a gut feeling that this edition is the finale.
For all those who love the game and those to come I honestly hope to be wrong.
I agree that they need a longer lifespan for Sims 4, as well as releasing Sims 5 or another spin-off along side it for those who want something else. I love creative games where you can make custom characters and live them out. I would love a not-too-violent game where I can play as a werewolf and customise it and have a family.
I don't like MMOs. I like the Sims and I wish there were more games like it (or at least decent, offline, PG rated RPGs with character customisation).
I don’t understand why anyone wants the franchise to end. Sims 4 isn’t a great game, but it has amassed a huge following. I’m not the biggest fan of the game by any means but even I can’t deny that. EA has no reason to not try and maximize their profits from those players, and players who play other Sims games, and players who don’t play Sims at all. At some point that requires you to release a new base to continue operations.
Also the amount of money they spend on the game does not affect the price of the game. The market price for new AAA releases is $60. Publishers offer marginal upgrades at much higher prices through limited/special/collectors editions which can be expensive, but the standard edition won’t be sold above the industry standard price.
I agree that they need a longer lifespan for Sims 4, as well as releasing Sims 5 or another spin-off along side it for those who want something else. I love creative games where you can make custom characters and live them out. I would love a not-too-violent game where I can play as a werewolf and customise it and have a family.
I don't like MMOs. I like the Sims and I wish there were more games like it (or at least decent, offline, PG rated RPGs with character customisation).
I would be happy for them to extend this game for the sims 4 fans, as long as its not effecting a possible sims 5 or other game.
Doubling TS4's life would be a big loss for the series.
It cannot last forever
I agree with that. While "4" is a strange number to end a franchise, 20 is a perfectly even number.
Since "The Sims" was released February of 2000, for me and in my opinion, I think year 2020 would make sense as a good year for them to put the series to bed.
While Sims enjoys good sales and likely generates a pretty fair profit, it's a dated idea. Fun but "Where do we go from here?" VR? Holograms? a "Be in the room with your Sims!" sort of thing. (Semi joke) In any event, if there were to be a Sims 5 it would have to be a mind-blower.
After all the travails I have witness with this current version I can hardly see many willing to go out and start from scratch, and the initial release of any new version would be precisely that. A bare-bones base with plenty of "gaps" to be plugged by additional content sales. That's just how the gaming business goes.
Yet one must also keep in mind, they don't want to cook up a game so fabulous that their target audience can afford neither the game nor the equipment to play it on.
Speaking of costs and such, what I find most curious is the cost cutting and low budget afforded not only to the game but even here on the Forums, now managed by EA people who recently (31 July 18) had to make the hard decision, according to them, to "sunset" five Sims "Language Forums" and merge three others into the main forum. That does tend to sound like "trimming the fat" to me, not something one does with a series that has a long future.
Again, all this merely my opinion. One based on a gut feeling that this edition is the finale.
For all those who love the game and those to come I honestly hope to be wrong.
if it did go on to 20, a lot of us would be gone by then.
Personally, I hope they take S4 as far as they can for two reasons.
One, I don't want to feel cheated as the content in S4 is far below what we had in S3 and if you aren't going to improve on what was done before, then changes aren't really needed. IMO, and I am allowed one, I don't see Sims4 touching the content we had in S3 even in 3yrs. You have to count all content from all packs, store, and any freebees/special items from buying sim points and all of it together is outrageous. The biggest thing about S3 is that I wish they had added pigs ect. so that farming could be better. My hope for S4 will be that it continues past the 3 yrs. because we seem stuck getting one EP a year and that means only around 3 more EPs. That leaves out quite a bit. I do realize gamepacks will step in & I do like those a bunch because they are like mini EPs, but if they only cater to a style that part of the community likes, then it doesn't benefit those who like reality in their games. Life states for instance, I only would be interested in ghosts/grim being developed more and mermaids. We already have vampires, which is my only favorite, although I wish we had more stuff for them. Adding an item here and there in packs in the future would be really nice. If a simmer had them, then it would show up and if not would show up if they bought the pack. I really didn't get into the other supernaturals at all. S3 Supernatural was so jam packed that even if you didn't play supernaturals, you could find a bunch of content you did like. Basically, I just want S4 to be well rounded before they quit to go on. I cringe when anyone even mentions S5 and I'm glad that they have stated there will be 3+ years before all that. I want to feel like this game is well rounded enough to be worth buying in the first place. If many things aren't in place before they move on, it will feel like a half served game and I wouldn't want to move on for fear of S5 being partially there before they decide to move on to S6 ect. If I feel bad about buying S4, then I won't be in the mood to buy S5. For me, some of the things that would round out S4 would be:
Farming- pigs, cows, goats, chickens, farm equipment, farming job, market to sell animals/goods, farm crops, hay
Schools R Us - focusing on schools not drinking & partying- we have enough of that already(actual places/jobs)- daycare, pre-school, grade school, high school, college in setting like stores hood
Missing stuff like supermarkets, largest lot possible, shower woohoo
CAS- fixing vampires where you can turn any bin sim into one at any time without doing anything but click, like in S3
CAS- fiancée & boy/girl friend added to relationships
CAS- body hair, belly ring/chain, piercings,
Grim- more interactions- marry/have babies with Grim, loads more goth stuff
Ghosts- funeral, wills, headstones(ragged to expensive), urns(cheap to rich), service/or just for family quicky for those who don't like it, possibly the afterlife that was in the survey
JOBS- babysitting, house builder, stylist, interior decorator, farmer, smaller jobs like pizza place/factory/grocery store
If cars are possible- the main classics, junkers, regular, and one or so expensive. Bikes, 4 wheelers, tricycles for toddlers, strollers
Infants- freed, clothes- blanket, onesies, full outfits, diaper only, dressed up, themed like bunny outfit, santa suit, pea suit, goth outfit, ect.- passy(round & square)-mat and all stuff from S3& S2
Toddlers- blankie, passy(round & square), big baby doll, large truck, riders for outside, more toys, indoor ride on vehicle
stuff- Hammock, space saver beds/appliances, outhouse, porch swing
places- casino, beach/under water opened, Island paradise- boats & house boats, cruise ship, more places to travel to
buildings- farmers market to sell animals/crops, adoption agency, thrift store, potion shop -if we ever get stuff like that
hood with only large lots 64x64 ect. for farming or super rich sims
More pets- a pack for Lg. standing aquarium that sims can swim in like S1?, more aquariums/ability to put fish in, fish varieties
Old days- well, antiques, chores- sweeping, moping, making beds, canning
Out doors- Campers, sleeping bags, table top grills & hot plates to cook on for camping or poor sims
Water- floaties & boats for toddlers, waterfall other S3 pool stuff ect., floats for sims
More playground equipment- all we had before, merry-go round, tire swing,
exercise equip.- chin-up bar, mini trampoline, stepper, fitness flyer, mountain climber, stationary bike- fitness S3 & S4 lacks equip.
New to sims- woohoo blanket for floor, fur rug
Afterthoughts- fantasy creatures- unicorn, dragon, Pegasus. Preteens.
I'm probably forgetting something, but that is the gist. Bolds are the ones I really want.
The second reason, is that after reading this thread, I don't see myself buying Sims5. Open world is huge for me & if they already said no open worlds in the future, then it is a huge step back. Being in WA and being able to see the whole map and decide what you wanted to do or where people are ect. was huge. Being able to micro manage a whole house with ques is also part of that. I'm assuming we will never be able to do that again if we aren't on the lot. Some don't need that for their play styles and that is their opinion and they can still play that way in an open world, but I can't play the way that feels awesome without the open world. I will say that opening up huge spaces like in jungle adventure & the camping world was really nice. If they only could add in the immediate houses or if two houses around you could be open that would be better than a window for every house. If S5 is just more of the same and no open world then I don't see a use for it for me as a simmer. I already have S4, why would I want another game that I can't load up ques for the fam no matter where I am nor have an open world. If it is like what we have, then there is no draw for me. I'm not interested in world builder, because I don't think I can do it. CASt was really nice and I used it, but it wouldn't be enough to draw me either. I will say that all main colors should be accounted for in clothes and shoes. When black and white isn't present, then something is wrong.
Personally, I like S3 the best. I didn't have mods & cc plus I run it on suitable computer so the not working thing isn't an issue. Those 3 are the reasons I think many had problems running the game. The first 2 were avoidable. I took my cc out just before supernatural and run all games & the complete store without problems. I felt like I controlled "my world". Plus, there is no getting around the huge amount of content & jobs available. I miss babysitting, interior decorator, stylist the most. I miss the huge lots and the ability to make my town look any way I want to. I miss collecting insects, going to the potion shop to load up on supplies. I miss buildings.
I can't control in Sims4. Sims cancel out my wishes with autonomy off. I can't que in things to do for all my sims and leave and they do what I want while my sim is gone like in S3. I can't instruct my sims to run in S4; I ran them a bunch in S3. Toddlers get out of the highchairs and adults(controlled sims and other sims) are obsessed with getting them out. Therefore, no time out in the highchair like in S3. Babies are stuck. There may be nice interactions, but they are still stuck which makes S3 babies more real to me. I play a little away from things so I can see things/most of the house as a whole; I don't zoom down and micro look at the sims, so they all look fine to me. I will say S4 has improvements. Finding/putting townies in CAS for one(huge for me as many of my sims dated/married sims that I just happened upon). Ability to take accessories off sims in CAS. Ability to place more than one lot & rooms to where you want them on a lot. Ease of getting in and out of game. Shortened times saving, getting out of CAS, and getting into game. The emotion parts really haven't meant much to my gameplay. Some like to see all that, but it doesn't really figure into my gameplay.
In other words, while S3 is my favorite, I hope they wear out S4 with content so that I feel like I got my money's worth. I don't see myself moving on with S5 if it isn't open world and if I do, they will either have a huge draw for me, which is unlikely, or I will wait a few years and pick it all up on major discounts.
I find the game very satisfying at the moment and can live with some more packs, but I fear the whole thing will drown in bugs. On the other hand TS5 may be online plum for 7 years old children ...
No! No! No! It is my deepest desire that somewhere out there someone is working on Sims 5.
I saw these same remarks in S3 forums for years and we got, S4.
I read everything you wrote. I, like you, would like the open world when they make a new game and that will be the biggest factor that decides if I get S5. But my hope is that it is more than 3yrs. away so that S4 was worth buying/well rounded, so that they won't feel like limiting it to slow end computers, & will at least consider the upside to open world. They probably would never do it, but they could keep S4 going for the people who can't afford/won't upgrade & build S5 for the advancements of that year. I have an Asus that is very good, but by 3 yrs., I will buy new and lets face it, that is enough time to save up for one. Save $30 a month for 3+ years and basically, you have it.
Comments
I'm definitely more in the camp of just improving Sims 4 instead of a new game but it'd be silly of them as a company to not start thinking about the future.
Plus four is a weird number to stop on :wink:
Yeah, but Rocky V did it no favors.
It cannot last forever
Hold SHIFT while using the FRIEZE tool to apply it to a single wall, and not an entire room!
** SailorCeti's Builds **
If you download one of my builds, by all means, leave me a message and tell me what you did and did not like about it.
@Sk8rblaze they never intended to add a story Mode tô Sims 4. Project Olympus was only about online gameplay.
Many of us, Simmers, who played the Stories bakc in S2 Era would actually enjoy a story Mode If that didnt take our Freeplay Mode.
But yeah, i agree with most of the things you até saying. Sims 5 would even be better If they had started producing It 4 years Ago. All the other base games had att least that... If Sims 5 had 7 years of production we would probably have less bugs in the release date.
Yes they did! It would have a story mode, online mode and a freeplay mode. They scrapped all that and made sims 4 on the foundation of olympus, they also made mobile on that same foundation.
agreed.
it's such a bad comment I've have learnt to expect from some, not all sims 4 fans
why can't they just continue with the sims 4 and create the sims 5?
that way anybody who wants to move on and can do without having to wait years, because some simmer wants to be greedy for more sims 4!
What about a new TS2 EP or something new for TS1 which has been neglected since 2003!
Things cannot stay as they are all the time. TS4 is severely limited and this giving more does not mean that you actually get more
what does the sims 3 have to do with the comment?
the simmer above wants them to forget the sims 5 so he/she can spend even more time on the sims 4!
the sims 3 had nothing to do with my comment.
I used the word greedy because they want even more time spent on the sims 4, when EA could spend some time spent making the sims 5. seen as they have already confirmed that the sims 4 is now going to continue for another years with no news on a possible sims 5 or other game. as they usually announce such games in past.
what about the players who want the sims 5, who already are going to have to wait another three years?
i would love more content,gameplay for TS1/TS2/TS3
I agree with you fully on the sims 4 is severely limited and giving more not mean you actually get more.
3 more years is enough
off topic
love your house in your banner
and I agree, 3 more is enough
Thank you
I agree with that. While "4" is a strange number to end a franchise, 20 is a perfectly even number.
Since "The Sims" was released February of 2000, for me and in my opinion, I think year 2020 would make sense as a good year for them to put the series to bed.
While Sims enjoys good sales and likely generates a pretty fair profit, it's a dated idea. Fun but "Where do we go from here?" VR? Holograms? a "Be in the room with your Sims!" sort of thing. (Semi joke) In any event, if there were to be a Sims 5 it would have to be a mind-blower.
After all the travails I have witness with this current version I can hardly see many willing to go out and start from scratch, and the initial release of any new version would be precisely that. A bare-bones base with plenty of "gaps" to be plugged by additional content sales. That's just how the gaming business goes.
Yet one must also keep in mind, they don't want to cook up a game so fabulous that their target audience can afford neither the game nor the equipment to play it on.
Speaking of costs and such, what I find most curious is the cost cutting and low budget afforded not only to the game but even here on the Forums, now managed by EA people who recently (31 July 18) had to make the hard decision, according to them, to "sunset" five Sims "Language Forums" and merge three others into the main forum. That does tend to sound like "trimming the fat" to me, not something one does with a series that has a long future.
Again, all this merely my opinion. One based on a gut feeling that this edition is the finale.
For all those who love the game and those to come I honestly hope to be wrong.
I don't like MMOs. I like the Sims and I wish there were more games like it (or at least decent, offline, PG rated RPGs with character customisation).
Also the amount of money they spend on the game does not affect the price of the game. The market price for new AAA releases is $60. Publishers offer marginal upgrades at much higher prices through limited/special/collectors editions which can be expensive, but the standard edition won’t be sold above the industry standard price.
I would be happy for them to extend this game for the sims 4 fans, as long as its not effecting a possible sims 5 or other game.
you are very welcome
if it did go on to 20, a lot of us would be gone by then.
One, I don't want to feel cheated as the content in S4 is far below what we had in S3 and if you aren't going to improve on what was done before, then changes aren't really needed. IMO, and I am allowed one, I don't see Sims4 touching the content we had in S3 even in 3yrs. You have to count all content from all packs, store, and any freebees/special items from buying sim points and all of it together is outrageous. The biggest thing about S3 is that I wish they had added pigs ect. so that farming could be better. My hope for S4 will be that it continues past the 3 yrs. because we seem stuck getting one EP a year and that means only around 3 more EPs. That leaves out quite a bit. I do realize gamepacks will step in & I do like those a bunch because they are like mini EPs, but if they only cater to a style that part of the community likes, then it doesn't benefit those who like reality in their games. Life states for instance, I only would be interested in ghosts/grim being developed more and mermaids. We already have vampires, which is my only favorite, although I wish we had more stuff for them. Adding an item here and there in packs in the future would be really nice. If a simmer had them, then it would show up and if not would show up if they bought the pack. I really didn't get into the other supernaturals at all. S3 Supernatural was so jam packed that even if you didn't play supernaturals, you could find a bunch of content you did like. Basically, I just want S4 to be well rounded before they quit to go on. I cringe when anyone even mentions S5 and I'm glad that they have stated there will be 3+ years before all that. I want to feel like this game is well rounded enough to be worth buying in the first place. If many things aren't in place before they move on, it will feel like a half served game and I wouldn't want to move on for fear of S5 being partially there before they decide to move on to S6 ect. If I feel bad about buying S4, then I won't be in the mood to buy S5. For me, some of the things that would round out S4 would be:
I'm probably forgetting something, but that is the gist. Bolds are the ones I really want.
The second reason, is that after reading this thread, I don't see myself buying Sims5. Open world is huge for me & if they already said no open worlds in the future, then it is a huge step back. Being in WA and being able to see the whole map and decide what you wanted to do or where people are ect. was huge. Being able to micro manage a whole house with ques is also part of that. I'm assuming we will never be able to do that again if we aren't on the lot. Some don't need that for their play styles and that is their opinion and they can still play that way in an open world, but I can't play the way that feels awesome without the open world. I will say that opening up huge spaces like in jungle adventure & the camping world was really nice. If they only could add in the immediate houses or if two houses around you could be open that would be better than a window for every house. If S5 is just more of the same and no open world then I don't see a use for it for me as a simmer. I already have S4, why would I want another game that I can't load up ques for the fam no matter where I am nor have an open world. If it is like what we have, then there is no draw for me. I'm not interested in world builder, because I don't think I can do it. CASt was really nice and I used it, but it wouldn't be enough to draw me either. I will say that all main colors should be accounted for in clothes and shoes. When black and white isn't present, then something is wrong.
Personally, I like S3 the best. I didn't have mods & cc plus I run it on suitable computer so the not working thing isn't an issue. Those 3 are the reasons I think many had problems running the game. The first 2 were avoidable. I took my cc out just before supernatural and run all games & the complete store without problems. I felt like I controlled "my world". Plus, there is no getting around the huge amount of content & jobs available. I miss babysitting, interior decorator, stylist the most. I miss the huge lots and the ability to make my town look any way I want to. I miss collecting insects, going to the potion shop to load up on supplies. I miss buildings.
I can't control in Sims4. Sims cancel out my wishes with autonomy off. I can't que in things to do for all my sims and leave and they do what I want while my sim is gone like in S3. I can't instruct my sims to run in S4; I ran them a bunch in S3. Toddlers get out of the highchairs and adults(controlled sims and other sims) are obsessed with getting them out. Therefore, no time out in the highchair like in S3. Babies are stuck. There may be nice interactions, but they are still stuck which makes S3 babies more real to me. I play a little away from things so I can see things/most of the house as a whole; I don't zoom down and micro look at the sims, so they all look fine to me. I will say S4 has improvements. Finding/putting townies in CAS for one(huge for me as many of my sims dated/married sims that I just happened upon). Ability to take accessories off sims in CAS. Ability to place more than one lot & rooms to where you want them on a lot. Ease of getting in and out of game. Shortened times saving, getting out of CAS, and getting into game. The emotion parts really haven't meant much to my gameplay. Some like to see all that, but it doesn't really figure into my gameplay.
In other words, while S3 is my favorite, I hope they wear out S4 with content so that I feel like I got my money's worth. I don't see myself moving on with S5 if it isn't open world and if I do, they will either have a huge draw for me, which is unlikely, or I will wait a few years and pick it all up on major discounts.
Or more likely outdated computers.
I saw these same remarks in S3 forums for years and we got, S4.
I read everything you wrote. I, like you, would like the open world when they make a new game and that will be the biggest factor that decides if I get S5. But my hope is that it is more than 3yrs. away so that S4 was worth buying/well rounded, so that they won't feel like limiting it to slow end computers, & will at least consider the upside to open world. They probably would never do it, but they could keep S4 going for the people who can't afford/won't upgrade & build S5 for the advancements of that year. I have an Asus that is very good, but by 3 yrs., I will buy new and lets face it, that is enough time to save up for one. Save $30 a month for 3+ years and basically, you have it.