For me, these quest focused packs, make it feel like it's ME playing the game instead of me playing THROUGH my sims. That's the huge difference of playing a video game vs a life simulation.
One of our goals with this pack was to get the story to feel like it was part of the simulation and not some weird thing we shoehorned in. I'm sure the judgement of how well we accomplished this will vary from person to person, so I'm eager to get peoples' feedback.
I think I know what you mean about feeling like it's YOU playing the game instead of playing THROUGH your Sims, but if you could elaborate on it, I'd appreciate it. What types of things really make you feel like you're playing through your Sims in a life simulation versus playing a game as a player? No worries if you don't want to respond, I don't want to put you on the spot.
@SimGuruHouts LOL are you serious? This stuff is basic knowledge for a Sims dev. I'm not trying to be mean, but the sims were initially about simulation and sandbox tools that let the player make their own stories. There already are hundreds of linear story telling games where you solve 'mysteries' - once and done. The sims was always about the creativity of the players and creating worlds and events within the limits of the sandbox. If you shrink the sandbox and limit the tools, then you get less and less creativity and less and less immersion to the point where you might aswell play another game that does storytelling better. The sims just need a strong foundation of depth of AI and interface with the game, and tools to create worlds and stories, and you're good to go. The 'extra' flashiness can be added if you still have stuff to do after all that. The core of the game is not 'go here do this', it's 'do this or this or this or this 20 different ways, or not'. I'm baffled with this question. I get that you're trying to engage and understand, but having a linear 'story' is not a simulation. If you had 20 different version of the story, or if aspects of it, or the entire thing, was customizable, then that would be a simulation. Again I respect your hard work, but I'm flabbergasted at this question/reply.
I disagree as the thing I've been missing most about Sims 1 and 2 are all the stories that made the game what it was and what has been missing for so long with Sims 3 and 4. Don't get me wrong - I love Sims 3 - but it was very different than Sims 1 or 2. Sims 2 over all was the best life simulation and all the many stories of all the towns people is what made it so interesting and fun. You could go through their memories and the memories of people in the other memories and follow their who life story - then finally pick it up and continue it during the present or go in a total different direction. I had goals to continue the stories and fix the feud (Capps and Monty's for one) and it was all doable because we had their stories right there in the game to fix or do what ever with. The sims were very much story Oriented - like the story of what happened to Bella Goth - well I hunted it all down and solved it and brought her back. That was only possible because the whole story is there and can be made right if you were so inclined - but if that was nt your thing then you ignored that part of the game. I never ignored anything though and I very much love the option of having the choice and story there if I so desired to go that route. That option is back in this new pack - but I can't help but wish all the packs and sims also had their stories in the game too - just like the game was designed. It had many ways to play there if you so desired to follow them.
I never really played Sims 2 but aren’t those stories just, like you say, background stories and pictures? It’s not actual gameplay you have to go through is it? Sims 3 had background stories like that as well, just not the pictures. Handing someone the beginning of a story is something entirely different than having to play out that story.
They are just character back stories. They don’t have any influence on the game and if you ignore them there is no consequence. When you play each house when you begin a new game there are certain scripted events that will happen like for example the Calienties being robbed. I don’t quite understand the comparison to them and this new game pack. One is to flesh the characters and neighbourhood out, the other is the selling point of a new pack.
Disappointed they have still not listened to the majority on what they 'really' want in a GP. I'll probably buy it just so I keep on track of having all of them.
Please stop assuming that what 'you' want, is what the majority wants.
For me, these quest focused packs, make it feel like it's ME playing the game instead of me playing THROUGH my sims. That's the huge difference of playing a video game vs a life simulation.
One of our goals with this pack was to get the story to feel like it was part of the simulation and not some weird thing we shoehorned in. I'm sure the judgement of how well we accomplished this will vary from person to person, so I'm eager to get peoples' feedback.
I think I know what you mean about feeling like it's YOU playing the game instead of playing THROUGH your Sims, but if you could elaborate on it, I'd appreciate it. What types of things really make you feel like you're playing through your Sims in a life simulation versus playing a game as a player? No worries if you don't want to respond, I don't want to put you on the spot.
Well most video games are progressive, you're given a mission to complete. With life simulation games you're given an open world with real life objects and situations that can be used a million different ways by any number of characters one creates. In life simulation games the player becomes the character on the screen, that's why first thing people do when they play sims is create themselves.
Introducing video game progression into a life simulation is jarring as the player can literally feel themselves being pulled back into their own body. They are the ones figuring out the preset mission, not the sim. The immersion stops.
Some people that are excited about this pack most likely dont realize how packs like this will ruin sims if done too much. They will find they dont like the feeling of playing of it but wont know why. Perhaps it's because I play tons of video games that I can easily feel the difference.
I worry EA is trying to entertain players with mission driven packs like this. We dont need entertained. We just need EA to provide us with the proper tools to entertain ourselves.
I disagree, and not because I don't understand video games, or haven't played video games, or am incapable or realizing change and effect. No, my disagreement does not stem from an ethical or cognitive defect but because I don't think that sandbox and story elements are mutually exclusive. You can simultaneously have open ended gameplay and a hook that says "hey, something is going on in the world". This pack will be a prime example of this.
You see, we've had progression in Sims titles for decades. What did you think those parties starting back in The Sims 2 were and are all about? However, now instead of a player-initiated and totally optional series of tasks that result in a bonus or item, we have player-initiated and totally optional tasks that tie the character into the world and its backstory. You can put it off until you want to do it. You can do it in bits and pieces, You can ignore it forever.
In the end, I have a sim that belongs in this sim world. They have ties to the neighborhood; they've done things, for good or ill. And because of that, their relationship to those in the neighborhood have additional weight. That's a great step forward for this series, and something I hope will be incorporated in a hypothetical sequel. Otherwise, we're really just purchasing The Sims 2 for the fourth time.
That's great if you're able to find replay value in this new pack. That is, if you're able to play it through your sims characters. For me, it will feel like I'm playing so I can only do it once. I dont think I will have any reason to bring all of my characters over to try it. It will have no replay value for me and most mission style quests are not meant to be done repeatedly. I never said you cant have bot a life simulation and a video game, I just said if it's done too much it will end up feeling like a different game. It will not feel like the sims I love and been playing since the beginning.
I've remade all of the Strangetown folk quite awhile back. I've had them waiting to go for a very long time because I wanted various packs... like I know for Olive Specter I want a Witches pack.. or dare I hope some sort of Underworld/Grimmy pack. I'd thought maybe JA would help her family by having some creepiness but other than giving her dad something to do and more for their backstory overall it's still not quite how I see her. I'm excited now because they started you off in Strangetown in Sims 2 but you didn't really have anywhere to take it but where you wanted to with what was provided.. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with you just doing what you want to do by the way. I liked it, but frankly I didn't do very much with them but enjoy the sims and backstories and played them pretty normally or with the tombstone of life? So now I'm hoping I can either play out that backstory I've been hoping for with some of them (mostly General Buzz Grunt and his wife that I have later plans for and sons to be) because of the military career. If not at least I have a better setting and world to place them all in ... that will be strange. It sounds like it will be slightly strange "have a very small presence in the world" and I'll have to do something to kick the story off.. I want that story... to me it will just add to canon. But I get to live that out with my sims now. I've had them (the strangetown crew) mostly sitting in Oasis Springs but will be moving them all there. I'm hoping too to have more to do with the Curious Brothers, the Beakers and the Smiths also. I know we have aliens and the science career but this should add even more especially because of what's been uncovered in the code. I'm ready to bring my much loved characters to life through this.
I've been wanting the tools to tell my stories all along, and I've been getting it. I don't mind a little guidance and I'm sure I can play it with various types or even just ignore it. Personally I have a feeling I'll have my sims living in the new "Ville" a lot.
In some saves, I might solve the mystery and end the in-game game. Then I might make Strangerville my base of operations for my aliens to live. In some saves they might stay hidden and in disguise. In others saves, I might make them key characters that have taken over Strangerville and are keeping the town in a hostage type of situation, using their mental powers to keep the town under control. Or maybe I'll make Srangerville the town where an alien space ship landed and both humans and aliens are trying to figure out a way to live side by side in peace and harmony. Of course not everyone will want that so there maybe a "club" of disgruntled anti alien haters that want to be rid of them and take control of their town back.
I see a lot of possible options to play, so I'll have a lot to set up for all of my scenarios. I might start building today. In one save, I have a ship based on the City hall from Lunar Lakes in S3. In that story, after humans crashed on their planet, they sent a ship and crew to investigate humans and the landed in Oasis Springs in a house that looks oddly like the ship the humans crashed on Lunar Lakes.
For me, these quest focused packs, make it feel like it's ME playing the game instead of me playing THROUGH my sims. That's the huge difference of playing a video game vs a life simulation.
One of our goals with this pack was to get the story to feel like it was part of the simulation and not some weird thing we shoehorned in. I'm sure the judgement of how well we accomplished this will vary from person to person, so I'm eager to get peoples' feedback.
I think I know what you mean about feeling like it's YOU playing the game instead of playing THROUGH your Sims, but if you could elaborate on it, I'd appreciate it. What types of things really make you feel like you're playing through your Sims in a life simulation versus playing a game as a player? No worries if you don't want to respond, I don't want to put you on the spot.
Well most video games are progressive, you're given a mission to complete. With life simulation games you're given an open world with real life objects and situations that can be used a million different ways by any number of characters one creates. In life simulation games the player becomes the character on the screen, that's why first thing people do when they play sims is create themselves.
Introducing video game progression into a life simulation is jarring as the player can literally feel themselves being pulled back into their own body. They are the ones figuring out the preset mission, not the sim. The immersion stops.
Some people that are excited about this pack most likely dont realize how packs like this will ruin sims if done too much. They will find they dont like the feeling of playing of it but wont know why. Perhaps it's because I play tons of video games that I can easily feel the difference.
I worry EA is trying to entertain players with mission driven packs like this. We dont need entertained. We just need EA to provide us with the proper tools to entertain ourselves.
You opened my eyes even more, thank's. We don't want The Sims to become a game like that.
I apologize, I honestly didn't mean to be rude at all. I was just confused by the post I replied to. Sometimes my passion for the game gets the better of me. Truly sorry all.
@Writin_Reg I'm aware there are stories in Sims 2, but these stories are not the core of the game, which is my point. I love stories that you can choose to act out, where you have a lot of options and especially customization. Stories are a great addition to already existing depth of gameplay, but they are not in themselves inherently sandbox oriented. A good example of sandbox tools that are story oriented are the different life states in Sims 2 - where you can avoid them pretty much completely if you want, but also you can use them to create many many different stories. It's the versatility in the story tool that I'm talking about here, I'm not against having certain linear stories either, but we were talking about what simulation and sandbox is about, and a linear story is not it. That said, ofcourse I am intrigued by the story and what it is, and I might enjoy playing it also, but it's still not sandbox, and for me it never was what Sims was about.
Your point about memories is a great example what is missing with Sims 4 - memories is a sandbox tool that effectively helps you create complex stories - especially because those memories effects how the sims interacts with other sims. There are many many more examples to draw from previous installments, and because Sims 4 is lacking in certain core sandbox tools, until we get those, stories just won't be the same for me. I'm still holding out hope that we will get wants/fears and likes/dislikes and an attraction system - preferably with a memory system.
I'm hoping for this too. But someting is telling me we will never see it again in The Sims...
So, one of my Sims Emily got tense last night due to a bad day in high school. She ended up spending a few hours walking around the house like those Sims in the trailer. I've never seen that before. Is it something that often happens with being tense, or did it come with the new patch? Her eyes are big and she was leaned way back looking at the ceiling with her arms all weird, kinda half out half floppy. She looked like she was in a daze but wasn't. Anyways looking forward to the new pack. I just didn't think that people walked around like that outside of the stranger Ville down when we can finally get it.
So, one of my Sims Emily got tense last night due to a bad day in high school. She ended up spending a few hours walking around the house like those Sims in the trailer. I've never seen that before. Is it something that often happens with being tense, or did it come with the new patch? Her eyes are big and she was leaned way back looking at the ceiling with her arms all weird, kinda half out half floppy. She looked like she was in a daze but wasn't. Anyways looking forward to the new pack. I just didn't think that people walked around like that outside of the stranger Ville down when we can finally get it.
It’s happened before, I think it came with Parenthood, not so sure. But yes, it’s from before Strangerville. Be careful, iirc they can die this way too
So, one of my Sims Emily got tense last night due to a bad day in high school. She ended up spending a few hours walking around the house like those Sims in the trailer. I've never seen that before. Is it something that often happens with being tense, or did it come with the new patch? Her eyes are big and she was leaned way back looking at the ceiling with her arms all weird, kinda half out half floppy. She looked like she was in a daze but wasn't. Anyways looking forward to the new pack. I just didn't think that people walked around like that outside of the stranger Ville down when we can finally get it.
It’s happened before, I think it came with Parenthood, not so sure. But yes, it’s from before Strangerville.
So, one of my Sims Emily got tense last night due to a bad day in high school. She ended up spending a few hours walking around the house like those Sims in the trailer. I've never seen that before. Is it something that often happens with being tense, or did it come with the new patch? Her eyes are big and she was leaned way back looking at the ceiling with her arms all weird, kinda half out half floppy. She looked like she was in a daze but wasn't. Anyways looking forward to the new pack. I just didn't think that people walked around like that outside of the stranger Ville down when we can finally get it.
This a teenage mood swing - there are several versions with different emotional moods - and they all have the same exaggerated walk. It lasts until the buff vanishes.
Disappointed they have still not listened to the majority on what they 'really' want in a GP. I'll probably buy it just so I keep on track of having all of them.
Please stop assuming that what 'you' want, is what the majority wants.
Yep.
With very few exceptions, almost all forums with disappointed fans are actually the minority complaining, because only the disappointed will bother to post.
I have experienced a few genuine cases, but in those cases it tends to be obvious (aka sales are tanking, sometimes even bankrupting the company).
Otherwise it tend to be a loud minority, while the game in questions sells well, while they accuse the devs (of whatever game) to be "out of touch and not catering to the majority".
I admit I was very negative towards the Jungle Adventure pack. But I never argued that devs weren't aware of what fans wanted. They would not spend time and resources on something they didn't have, on paper, statistics saying people were willing to buy. I just thought it wasn't for me (and then it turned out I loved it, go figure).
For me, these quest focused packs, make it feel like it's ME playing the game instead of me playing THROUGH my sims. That's the huge difference of playing a video game vs a life simulation.
One of our goals with this pack was to get the story to feel like it was part of the simulation and not some weird thing we shoehorned in. I'm sure the judgement of how well we accomplished this will vary from person to person, so I'm eager to get peoples' feedback.
I think I know what you mean about feeling like it's YOU playing the game instead of playing THROUGH your Sims, but if you could elaborate on it, I'd appreciate it. What types of things really make you feel like you're playing through your Sims in a life simulation versus playing a game as a player? No worries if you don't want to respond, I don't want to put you on the spot.
@SimGuruHouts I'm going to take a shot at answering this with my own preferences, but I don't know if it will actually be helpful, lol. For the record, I'm really looking forward to the pack and I'll look into sharing my honest feedback after I've played out the story.
First, I'll say that I think a lot of assumptions are being made by first impressions and that none of us can really know exactly how invasive or flexible the story is until we've seen it play out, either by ourselves or by watching a Youtuber.
I think that when it comes to immersion in the life simulation aspect of the Sims, there needs to be a balance between what a player can do through their Sims and what they choose to do as a player. I also don't think it's something that can be generalized because it's going to be different for everyone regarding their personal preferences and play styles, and also some activities in the game won't translate as well in certain ways. But this kind of issue makes me think of Jungle Adventures and the temple puzzles. Now, I personally love that pack and I think it was very well executed, but as someone who also likes to play games like Myst and Secret World, I like to solve riddles and would have loved to have some more player input in how the puzzles were resolved and would have prefered to see more complicated puzzles. I've also seen some other people state the same. However, the Sims certainly isn't Myst, it's predominantly a simulation game, so even though I would have prefered something different, I feel that development managed to stay true to the essence of the Sims by making the Sims themselves and their skill levels (and even emotions) somewhat important to solving the traps. This, to me, is playing mainly through our Sims. It adds a little bit of a challenge, but not so much that it causes a complete obstacle, and it's flexible. It was very well executed, even though those of us who do enjoy more obstacles would have maybe like a variety of levels of difficulty or something. But, again, that kind of steers away from the life simulation and into another territory so I can accept why it is the way it is and still enjoy it. However, I also think that some people might say that JA still had too much player input needed because it does, on some level, require the player to pay attention to what skills or emotions are needed to solve the traps. So in the end, it's a great example of the balance between player and character input without compromising either one or favoring one over the other.
Like everything in this game, this is debatable, of course. And that's the real problem that I think you, as developers, have to face on a daily basis. Lean too much to the player side and those who want a real life simulator get upset. Lean more to the simulation basics of the Sims, let the Sims do all the playing on their own and people who want more cerebral gameplay get bored. But as I said, I think the choices are very circumstantial to what the content is supposed to involve. I mean, there have definitely been complaints from people who think that the Sims do too much on their own so that the game is essentially playing itself. I don't envy your position in having to make all of these decisions, lol.
I guess I'll end this by saying that I think you guys are on the right path by trying to offer us as many choices as possible. I've noticed this being a thing more and more and it's honestly the best way to approach incorporating new content. Flexibility is always important and has a higher probability of pleasing the most people. There are always going to be players who prefer things specific to their personal play styles, but the inclusion of choice at least increases the possibilities.
Anyway, thanks for reading and sorry this didn't really give a specific perspective on that information one way or the other, but I can give more constructive feedback when I've actually played through the story.
For me, these quest focused packs, make it feel like it's ME playing the game instead of me playing THROUGH my sims. That's the huge difference of playing a video game vs a life simulation.
One of our goals with this pack was to get the story to feel like it was part of the simulation and not some weird thing we shoehorned in. I'm sure the judgement of how well we accomplished this will vary from person to person, so I'm eager to get peoples' feedback.
I think I know what you mean about feeling like it's YOU playing the game instead of playing THROUGH your Sims, but if you could elaborate on it, I'd appreciate it. What types of things really make you feel like you're playing through your Sims in a life simulation versus playing a game as a player? No worries if you don't want to respond, I don't want to put you on the spot.
@SimGuruHouts I'm going to take a shot at answering this with my own preferences, but I don't know if it will actually be helpful, lol. For the record, I'm really looking forward to the pack and I'll look into sharing my honest feedback after I've played out the story.
First, I'll say that I think a lot of assumptions are being made by first impressions and that none of us can really know exactly how invasive or flexible the story is until we've seen it play out, either by ourselves or by watching a Youtuber.
I think that when it comes to immersion in the life simulation aspect of the Sims, there needs to be a balance between what a player can do through their Sims and what they choose to do as a player. I also don't think it's something that can be generalized because it's going to be different for everyone regarding their personal preferences and play styles, and also some activities in the game won't translate as well in certain ways. But this kind of issue makes me think of Jungle Adventures and the temple puzzles. Now, I personally love that pack and I think it was very well executed, but as someone who also likes to play games like Myst and Secret World, I like to solve riddles and would have loved to have some more player input in how the puzzles were resolved and would have prefered to see more complicated puzzles. I've also seen some other people state the same. However, the Sims certainly isn't Myst, it's predominantly a simulation game, so even though I would have prefered something different, I feel that development managed to stay true to the essence of the Sims by making the Sims themselves and their skill levels (and even emotions) somewhat important to solving the traps. This, to me, is playing mainly through our Sims. It adds a little bit of a challenge, but not so much that it causes a complete obstacle, and it's flexible. It was very well executed, even though those of us who do enjoy more obstacles would have maybe like a variety of levels of difficulty or something. But, again, that kind of steers away from the life simulation and into another territory so I can accept why it is the way it is and still enjoy it. However, I also think that some people might say that JA still had too much player input needed because it does, on some level, require the player to pay attention to what skills or emotions are needed to solve the traps. So in the end, it's a great example of the balance between player and character input without compromising either one or favoring one over the other.
Like everything in this game, this is debatable, of course. And that's the real problem that I think you, as developers, have to face on a daily basis. Lean too much to the player side and those who want a real life simulator get upset. Lean more to the simulation basics of the Sims, let the Sims do all the playing on their own and people who want more cerebral gameplay get bored. But as I said, I think the choices are very circumstantial to what the content is supposed to involve. I mean, there have definitely been complaints from people who think that the Sims do too much on their own so that the game is essentially playing itself. I don't envy your position in having to make all of these decisions, lol.
I guess I'll end this by saying that I think you guys are on the right path by trying to offer us as many choices as possible. I've noticed this being a thing more and more and it's honestly the best way to approach incorporating new content. Flexibility is always important and has a higher probability of pleasing the most people. There are always going to be players who prefer things specific to their personal play styles, but the inclusion of choice at least increases the possibilities.
Anyway, thanks for reading and sorry this didn't really give a specific perspective on that information one way or the other, but I can give more constructive feedback when I've actually played through the story.
I'm so excited, but I'm really scared at the same time... I am the most excited for the military career because I can have better stories with my sims.
> @SimAlexandria said: > So, one of my Sims Emily got tense last night due to a bad day in high school. She ended up spending a few hours walking around the house like those Sims in the trailer. I've never seen that before. Is it something that often happens with being tense, or did it come with the new patch? Her eyes are big and she was leaned way back looking at the ceiling with her arms all weird, kinda half out half floppy. She looked like she was in a daze but wasn't. Anyways looking forward to the new pack. I just didn't think that people walked around like that outside of the stranger Ville down when we can finally get it.
Thats really weird. If that happened to me I'd be really scared... But I'm looking forward to the new pack too.
For me, these quest focused packs, make it feel like it's ME playing the game instead of me playing THROUGH my sims. That's the huge difference of playing a video game vs a life simulation.
One of our goals with this pack was to get the story to feel like it was part of the simulation and not some weird thing we shoehorned in. I'm sure the judgement of how well we accomplished this will vary from person to person, so I'm eager to get peoples' feedback.
I think I know what you mean about feeling like it's YOU playing the game instead of playing THROUGH your Sims, but if you could elaborate on it, I'd appreciate it. What types of things really make you feel like you're playing through your Sims in a life simulation versus playing a game as a player? No worries if you don't want to respond, I don't want to put you on the spot.
Well most video games are progressive, you're given a mission to complete. With life simulation games you're given an open world with real life objects and situations that can be used a million different ways by any number of characters one creates. In life simulation games the player becomes the character on the screen, that's why first thing people do when they play sims is create themselves.
Introducing video game progression into a life simulation is jarring as the player can literally feel themselves being pulled back into their own body. They are the ones figuring out the preset mission, not the sim. The immersion stops.
Some people that are excited about this pack most likely dont realize how packs like this will ruin sims if done too much. They will find they dont like the feeling of playing of it but wont know why. Perhaps it's because I play tons of video games that I can easily feel the difference.
I worry EA is trying to entertain players with mission driven packs like this. We dont need entertained. We just need EA to provide us with the proper tools to entertain ourselves.
And I agree with this post for I too believe it changes the direction too much.
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For me, these quest focused packs, make it feel like it's ME playing the game instead of me playing THROUGH my sims. That's the huge difference of playing a video game vs a life simulation.
One of our goals with this pack was to get the story to feel like it was part of the simulation and not some weird thing we shoehorned in. I'm sure the judgement of how well we accomplished this will vary from person to person, so I'm eager to get peoples' feedback.
I think I know what you mean about feeling like it's YOU playing the game instead of playing THROUGH your Sims, but if you could elaborate on it, I'd appreciate it. What types of things really make you feel like you're playing through your Sims in a life simulation versus playing a game as a player? No worries if you don't want to respond, I don't want to put you on the spot.
@SimGuruHouts LOL are you serious? This stuff is basic knowledge for a Sims dev. I'm not trying to be mean, but the sims were initially about simulation and sandbox tools that let the player make their own stories. There already are hundreds of linear story telling games where you solve 'mysteries' - once and done. The sims was always about the creativity of the players and creating worlds and events within the limits of the sandbox. If you shrink the sandbox and limit the tools, then you get less and less creativity and less and less immersion to the point where you might aswell play another game that does storytelling better. The sims just need a strong foundation of depth of AI and interface with the game, and tools to create worlds and stories, and you're good to go. The 'extra' flashiness can be added if you still have stuff to do after all that. The core of the game is not 'go here do this', it's 'do this or this or this or this 20 different ways, or not'. I'm baffled with this question. I get that you're trying to engage and understand, but having a linear 'story' is not a simulation. If you had 20 different version of the story, or if aspects of it, or the entire thing, was customizable, then that would be a simulation. Again I respect your hard work, but I'm flabbergasted at this question/reply.
I disagree as the thing I've been missing most about Sims 1 and 2 are all the stories that made the game what it was and what has been missing for so long with Sims 3 and 4. Don't get me wrong - I love Sims 3 - but it was very different than Sims 1 or 2. Sims 2 over all was the best life simulation and all the many stories of all the towns people is what made it so interesting and fun. You could go through their memories and the memories of people in the other memories and follow their who life story - then finally pick it up and continue it during the present or go in a total different direction. I had goals to continue the stories and fix the feud (Capps and Monty's for one) and it was all doable because we had their stories right there in the game to fix or do what ever with. The sims were very much story Oriented - like the story of what happened to Bella Goth - well I hunted it all down and solved it and brought her back. That was only possible because the whole story is there and can be made right if you were so inclined - but if that was nt your thing then you ignored that part of the game. I never ignored anything though and I very much love the option of having the choice and story there if I so desired to go that route. That option is back in this new pack - but I can't help but wish all the packs and sims also had their stories in the game too - just like the game was designed. It had many ways to play there if you so desired to follow them.
I never really played Sims 2 but aren’t those stories just, like you say, background stories and pictures? It’s not actual gameplay you have to go through is it? Sims 3 had background stories like that as well, just not the pictures. Handing someone the beginning of a story is something entirely different than having to play out that story.
They are just character back stories. They don’t have any influence on the game and if you ignore them there is no consequence. When you play each house when you begin a new game there are certain scripted events that will happen like for example the Calienties being robbed. I don’t quite understand the comparison to them and this new game pack. One is to flesh the characters and neighbourhood out, the other is the selling point of a new pack.
Actually the backstories go all the way back to the Sims birth or childhood in a lot of cases, and are before the game is activated. They sometimes contain why they are like they are toward other sims due to things that happened in their back stories. Like what happened to Bella. Like why the Capps and Monty's had been feuding since their college days. It was all in the memories. The back stories told a lot that without checking them out when the game begins can be lost. You learn the connection to Jon who is buried in downtown to his 7 kids he fathered. You discover what happened in the strange vampire House in downtown and the 3 sims buried there - and who they are. There are many - many stories buried in the memories and mysteries that are solvable in Sims 2 in every single pack. Even more you can learn by talking to the dead and the present living Sims that are revealed connected through these memories.
You did not have to play the way I did - but I very much enjoyed the backstory mysteries and spent months following them through (kept notebooks of every story) and getting the whole stories. It's also how you learn Agnes Crumplebottom and old Mrs. Crumplebottom were two separate people who both had tragic marriages and lost their husbands on their wedding day. One to drowning and the other to a chandelier falling on the husbands head. If you don't play out the memory backstory - you never learn all the stories.
Sure you can play without knowing any of that - but I liked it because it deepened the game for me and I miss that kind of thing not being in the game -
"Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
In dreams - I LIVE!
In REALITY, I simply exist.....
Comments
They are just character back stories. They don’t have any influence on the game and if you ignore them there is no consequence. When you play each house when you begin a new game there are certain scripted events that will happen like for example the Calienties being robbed. I don’t quite understand the comparison to them and this new game pack. One is to flesh the characters and neighbourhood out, the other is the selling point of a new pack.
Please stop assuming that what 'you' want, is what the majority wants.
That's great if you're able to find replay value in this new pack. That is, if you're able to play it through your sims characters. For me, it will feel like I'm playing so I can only do it once. I dont think I will have any reason to bring all of my characters over to try it. It will have no replay value for me and most mission style quests are not meant to be done repeatedly. I never said you cant have bot a life simulation and a video game, I just said if it's done too much it will end up feeling like a different game. It will not feel like the sims I love and been playing since the beginning.
I've been wanting the tools to tell my stories all along, and I've been getting it. I don't mind a little guidance and I'm sure I can play it with various types or even just ignore it. Personally I have a feeling I'll have my sims living in the new "Ville" a lot.
I see a lot of possible options to play, so I'll have a lot to set up for all of my scenarios. I might start building today. In one save, I have a ship based on the City hall from Lunar Lakes in S3. In that story, after humans crashed on their planet, they sent a ship and crew to investigate humans and the landed in Oasis Springs in a house that looks oddly like the ship the humans crashed on Lunar Lakes.
Legacy Challenge
SOOOOOOO DOING THIS.
Same. I am so hyped about the supernatural stuff!
You opened my eyes even more, thank's. We don't want The Sims to become a game like that.
I'm hoping for this too. But someting is telling me we will never see it again in The Sims...
It’s happened before, I think it came with Parenthood, not so sure. But yes, it’s from before Strangerville. Be careful, iirc they can die this way too
Okay thanks! Good to know haha.
This a teenage mood swing - there are several versions with different emotional moods - and they all have the same exaggerated walk. It lasts until the buff vanishes.
Yep.
With very few exceptions, almost all forums with disappointed fans are actually the minority complaining, because only the disappointed will bother to post.
I have experienced a few genuine cases, but in those cases it tends to be obvious (aka sales are tanking, sometimes even bankrupting the company).
Otherwise it tend to be a loud minority, while the game in questions sells well, while they accuse the devs (of whatever game) to be "out of touch and not catering to the majority".
I admit I was very negative towards the Jungle Adventure pack. But I never argued that devs weren't aware of what fans wanted. They would not spend time and resources on something they didn't have, on paper, statistics saying people were willing to buy. I just thought it wasn't for me (and then it turned out I loved it, go figure).
@SimGuruHouts I'm going to take a shot at answering this with my own preferences, but I don't know if it will actually be helpful, lol. For the record, I'm really looking forward to the pack and I'll look into sharing my honest feedback after I've played out the story.
First, I'll say that I think a lot of assumptions are being made by first impressions and that none of us can really know exactly how invasive or flexible the story is until we've seen it play out, either by ourselves or by watching a Youtuber.
I think that when it comes to immersion in the life simulation aspect of the Sims, there needs to be a balance between what a player can do through their Sims and what they choose to do as a player. I also don't think it's something that can be generalized because it's going to be different for everyone regarding their personal preferences and play styles, and also some activities in the game won't translate as well in certain ways. But this kind of issue makes me think of Jungle Adventures and the temple puzzles. Now, I personally love that pack and I think it was very well executed, but as someone who also likes to play games like Myst and Secret World, I like to solve riddles and would have loved to have some more player input in how the puzzles were resolved and would have prefered to see more complicated puzzles. I've also seen some other people state the same. However, the Sims certainly isn't Myst, it's predominantly a simulation game, so even though I would have prefered something different, I feel that development managed to stay true to the essence of the Sims by making the Sims themselves and their skill levels (and even emotions) somewhat important to solving the traps. This, to me, is playing mainly through our Sims. It adds a little bit of a challenge, but not so much that it causes a complete obstacle, and it's flexible. It was very well executed, even though those of us who do enjoy more obstacles would have maybe like a variety of levels of difficulty or something. But, again, that kind of steers away from the life simulation and into another territory so I can accept why it is the way it is and still enjoy it. However, I also think that some people might say that JA still had too much player input needed because it does, on some level, require the player to pay attention to what skills or emotions are needed to solve the traps. So in the end, it's a great example of the balance between player and character input without compromising either one or favoring one over the other.
Like everything in this game, this is debatable, of course. And that's the real problem that I think you, as developers, have to face on a daily basis. Lean too much to the player side and those who want a real life simulator get upset. Lean more to the simulation basics of the Sims, let the Sims do all the playing on their own and people who want more cerebral gameplay get bored. But as I said, I think the choices are very circumstantial to what the content is supposed to involve. I mean, there have definitely been complaints from people who think that the Sims do too much on their own so that the game is essentially playing itself. I don't envy your position in having to make all of these decisions, lol.
I guess I'll end this by saying that I think you guys are on the right path by trying to offer us as many choices as possible. I've noticed this being a thing more and more and it's honestly the best way to approach incorporating new content. Flexibility is always important and has a higher probability of pleasing the most people. There are always going to be players who prefer things specific to their personal play styles, but the inclusion of choice at least increases the possibilities.
Anyway, thanks for reading and sorry this didn't really give a specific perspective on that information one way or the other, but I can give more constructive feedback when I've actually played through the story.
You have always amazing posts!
> So, one of my Sims Emily got tense last night due to a bad day in high school. She ended up spending a few hours walking around the house like those Sims in the trailer. I've never seen that before. Is it something that often happens with being tense, or did it come with the new patch? Her eyes are big and she was leaned way back looking at the ceiling with her arms all weird, kinda half out half floppy. She looked like she was in a daze but wasn't. Anyways looking forward to the new pack. I just didn't think that people walked around like that outside of the stranger Ville down when we can finally get it.
Thats really weird. If that happened to me I'd be really scared... But I'm looking forward to the new pack too.
And I agree with this post for I too believe it changes the direction too much.
Actually the backstories go all the way back to the Sims birth or childhood in a lot of cases, and are before the game is activated. They sometimes contain why they are like they are toward other sims due to things that happened in their back stories. Like what happened to Bella. Like why the Capps and Monty's had been feuding since their college days. It was all in the memories. The back stories told a lot that without checking them out when the game begins can be lost. You learn the connection to Jon who is buried in downtown to his 7 kids he fathered. You discover what happened in the strange vampire House in downtown and the 3 sims buried there - and who they are. There are many - many stories buried in the memories and mysteries that are solvable in Sims 2 in every single pack. Even more you can learn by talking to the dead and the present living Sims that are revealed connected through these memories.
You did not have to play the way I did - but I very much enjoyed the backstory mysteries and spent months following them through (kept notebooks of every story) and getting the whole stories. It's also how you learn Agnes Crumplebottom and old Mrs. Crumplebottom were two separate people who both had tragic marriages and lost their husbands on their wedding day. One to drowning and the other to a chandelier falling on the husbands head. If you don't play out the memory backstory - you never learn all the stories.
Sure you can play without knowing any of that - but I liked it because it deepened the game for me and I miss that kind of thing not being in the game -
"Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
In dreams - I LIVE!
In REALITY, I simply exist.....