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I never actually thought I would say this
PsychYourMind08
Posts: 3,464 Member
So, I have been playing sims since about 2003. I have been in the community for some time, and kind of dropped off when Sims 4 came out but am trying to get back in the swing of playing and coming to the boards again.
Anyway, so I head about Strangerville and immediately thought it had to do with Strange Town, as I'm sure many have. It's not that I didn't like Strange Town and the Bella Goth mysteries, but more that I just was not into it as so many players were. It didn't appeal to me at the time Sims 2 was out. When I saw Strangerville, I kind of scoffed. Like really? A linear gameplay pack in an dollhouse/sandbox game? Are you kidding me? I remember when Showtime came out for TS3 and people were up in arms about SecuRom but also the idea of having to perform shows to get access to content. Linear gameplay has been a bone of contention for years in the community (at least when I freaquented the forums years ago) and to myself. Needless to say, I was prepared to hate on this game pack and chalk it up to a flop
So imagine my surprise when I saw some game reviews (Okay, well one) that mentioned Stranger Things. (It's one of my favorite Netflix shows, for context) I was interested...and honestly, I am in a winter funk so I downloaded it and am playing now.
I feel like Maxis delivered something to me that I didn't ask for, but needed. I'm not going to jump up and say I love it, because truth be told the re-playability worries me. I paid $20, how far is this going to get me? 1 play? 2? Am I going to have to not play for a while and re-visit? That's the issue with the goal-oriented games.
With that said though, I feel this is what a game pack should be. A goal oriented, mission like game, or some kind of objective for Sims...because in all honesty it gives my sims some meaning or purpose. I love EPs, and I love that we don't have to totally abandon content (we get remakes of seasons, pets, Uni, clubbing etc though some of these really ought to be in the base....) but the whole "be born, grow up, get relationship, job, have babies" gets monotonous. As an adult in the real world I can say this 100%. I don't want my game to get bland, and these gamepacks give almost this purpose to my sim and allows me, the player, to uncover mysteries all while still being able to do my simming thing on the side and work at my own pace. It really struck a balance in that, unlike 99% of video games, it is not TOTALLY focused on a linear game and goals but gives just enough to add more flare in my sims' lives. Like, they get to perform these tasks but I still get to see them raise a family, go about their lives, etc. Like the work/job EPs.
I kind of want this to become a thing in the future, with game packs or something totally different (and I would say cheaper but we know that won't happen) because $20 for something I may only play once seems pretty steep, unless they can find a way to account for replayability and add in multiple story lines.
What are everyone's thoughts? Do you like the occasional linear gameplay and want to see more, or what it to never happen in the Sims series and rather all sandbox play?
Forgive me if this has already been discussed. I haven't been to the forums in ages.
Anyway, so I head about Strangerville and immediately thought it had to do with Strange Town, as I'm sure many have. It's not that I didn't like Strange Town and the Bella Goth mysteries, but more that I just was not into it as so many players were. It didn't appeal to me at the time Sims 2 was out. When I saw Strangerville, I kind of scoffed. Like really? A linear gameplay pack in an dollhouse/sandbox game? Are you kidding me? I remember when Showtime came out for TS3 and people were up in arms about SecuRom but also the idea of having to perform shows to get access to content. Linear gameplay has been a bone of contention for years in the community (at least when I freaquented the forums years ago) and to myself. Needless to say, I was prepared to hate on this game pack and chalk it up to a flop
So imagine my surprise when I saw some game reviews (Okay, well one) that mentioned Stranger Things. (It's one of my favorite Netflix shows, for context) I was interested...and honestly, I am in a winter funk so I downloaded it and am playing now.
I feel like Maxis delivered something to me that I didn't ask for, but needed. I'm not going to jump up and say I love it, because truth be told the re-playability worries me. I paid $20, how far is this going to get me? 1 play? 2? Am I going to have to not play for a while and re-visit? That's the issue with the goal-oriented games.
With that said though, I feel this is what a game pack should be. A goal oriented, mission like game, or some kind of objective for Sims...because in all honesty it gives my sims some meaning or purpose. I love EPs, and I love that we don't have to totally abandon content (we get remakes of seasons, pets, Uni, clubbing etc though some of these really ought to be in the base....) but the whole "be born, grow up, get relationship, job, have babies" gets monotonous. As an adult in the real world I can say this 100%. I don't want my game to get bland, and these gamepacks give almost this purpose to my sim and allows me, the player, to uncover mysteries all while still being able to do my simming thing on the side and work at my own pace. It really struck a balance in that, unlike 99% of video games, it is not TOTALLY focused on a linear game and goals but gives just enough to add more flare in my sims' lives. Like, they get to perform these tasks but I still get to see them raise a family, go about their lives, etc. Like the work/job EPs.
I kind of want this to become a thing in the future, with game packs or something totally different (and I would say cheaper but we know that won't happen) because $20 for something I may only play once seems pretty steep, unless they can find a way to account for replayability and add in multiple story lines.
What are everyone's thoughts? Do you like the occasional linear gameplay and want to see more, or what it to never happen in the Sims series and rather all sandbox play?
Forgive me if this has already been discussed. I haven't been to the forums in ages.
9
Comments
I'm hoping for more as well like sims castaway gp
Yes I would like to see a castaway one too. But, I am still hoping for a medieval farming pack with animals to come out.
Even if I do end up only doing this once for twice for a while, it was so worth the 20 I paid for it imo.
I feel so much the same. First time I saw the trailer I was more than disappointed, even said "no thank you" out loud at the screen... but then I remembered I had The Doctor sitting in my gallery, waiting to do something, and this was the perfect pack to play him. I agree the same old "grow up, get a job, rise a family" gets old quick, I never pass the first generation in my gameplays.
And second of all, I think whatever the packs EA releases, what is important in the gameplay is our own imagination and concept. I think that is the limit as well as the merit of this game.
So what I will do when I buy this new pack in the upcoming future, I won't play that as a goal-oriented game. First I will make a new character like a detective who wants to solve this new mystery. And then I will make that character blend with pre-existing families in the world. I will see how the new character associates with other villagers and plot a story of my own. And this two things will take up as much as time that is needed. Even after I start to actually play the essence of the new pack, I will still focus on the stories like focusing on the emotions of characters, interaction between characters, and taking lots of screenshots.
But there's also a downside of my gameplay. It has been a long time since I bought some packs like get to work, city living, vampires etc, I still haven't played a scientist and doctor career, still haven't visited the roof top and still haven't become a vampire. It is a little shame because I know less things about this game than other players but still I love the anticipation.
I do wish it had been more involved - more of an actual conspiracy to uncover. I do wish the military career had been more like the GTW careers with a military base. I also wish the world was bigger. But for $20, about the same price as a movie and popcorn at a theater, I think it is definitely worth it and it added new story elements other than the Stangerville story itself.
I would like to see something like Castaway too! Loved that Sims Story!