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Everyone should be worried (Strangerville discussion)

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  • AineAine Posts: 3,043 Member
    Aine wrote: »
    @SilentKitty Whoa, she looks like she's been through the ringer. :D

    Going to have to get the poor thing a new vacation to get over the first one, lol.
    Yeah haha. :D
    Allons-y!

    ---> Afterlife Game Pack Idea - improved ghosts, cemeteries and funerals, psychics, new skills, new career and more! <---
    ---> Burglary Stuff Pack Idea - Burglars, alarm systems, and diamonds to steal!<---
  • itsaluminumitsaluminum Posts: 36 Member
    I haven't read this entire thread, but I've read enough. I've been playing the sims since the very first game was released. I grew up playing this game and have always been heavily invested in the content and game play. The sims was fantastic, the sims 2 even better. Then came the sims 3, which tbh had so many features that I still don't even think I've fully explored it.. I felt like it was this huge upgrade from the sims 2, and gave us so many ways to get immersed in the gameplay and design. Then the sims 4 came, man I was excited. But as the packs keep coming it's sort of a disappointment. It's not the sims that I know. The sims that we grew up with. Its changing quickly into some mainstream name with bogus packs and way less features and design than we should have. It's like the sims 4 has taken a step back from the sims 3 in ways of depth and creativity. They should've started the sims 4 basegame with laundry included instead of making that some separate pack. I mean its the 2000's the laundry should come automatically. Then with get famous, it was a great idea that was just executed poorly. Celebrities overtake your towns. The townies just attract to them in groups and make going in public just weird as a regular sim. Once you become an actor or media production sim, there's only so much you can do. The new gameplay they added is just so repetitive. It really takes the fun out of it.

    I'm not sure if I'm making sense here. But my point is that I agree with the concern for where this franchise is going. It's taking away the best parts of the game that we love and support and changing it to some click and play rpg that has nothing to do with what the sims actually is. The whole reason we're addicted to these games is because we can create every aspect of our virtual escape. We don't want to play someone elses story, we want to make our own. Give us more depth and detail, not some side games that give us nothing to work with.

    I bought the pack before I wrote this and honestly I wish I hadn't.
  • AineAine Posts: 3,043 Member
    @itsaluminum thank you for sharing your thoughts, I appreciate it. I agree, the Sims could be SO much more than it is right now.
    Allons-y!

    ---> Afterlife Game Pack Idea - improved ghosts, cemeteries and funerals, psychics, new skills, new career and more! <---
    ---> Burglary Stuff Pack Idea - Burglars, alarm systems, and diamonds to steal!<---
  • FairyGodMotherFairyGodMother Posts: 7,406 Member
    @itsaluminum Yeah, going from sims2 to the big open world of sims3, then to sims4? I really think sims4 should have been sims3 category because sims3 was totally different when they took it to the open world.

    I always said since sims4 came out, that it went two steps backwards, LOL.

    I like sims4, it took me two years to get into it though.
  • LiELFLiELF Posts: 6,439 Member
    @itsaluminum Yeah, going from sims2 to the big open world of sims3, then to sims4? I really think sims4 should have been sims3 category because sims3 was totally different when they took it to the open world.

    I always said since sims4 came out, that it went two steps backwards, LOL.

    I like sims4, it took me two years to get into it though.

    To be honest, I think that they should have gone back to Sims 2's roots because Sims 3 betrayed an entire segment of the original player base when they sacrificed rotational play for single household open world and story progression. They never should have taken that step if it meant turning on their existing players. They tried to wedge rotational play back in of course, but they couldn't include it without more sacrifices so it's clunky and not without consequences. I can't play it, I don't enjoy it, and I won't support it. I didn't support Sims 3 after base game and I won't support any future game that eliminates rotational play. I just don't like the game if I'm stuck with only one household. :(

    The Sims series was built, first and foremost, around the Sims themselves, hence the name, "The Sims". Every iteration should always prioritize detailed Sim play and creation. The world and fluff is secondary. Both 3 and 4 abandoned the original formula in pursuit of trying "something new". It's time they return to it.
    #Team Occult
  • LiELFLiELF Posts: 6,439 Member
    edited March 2019
    Sorry, double post. :s
    Post edited by LiELF on
    #Team Occult
  • GoldmoldarGoldmoldar Posts: 11,966 Member
    edited March 2019
    LiELF wrote: »
    @itsaluminum Yeah, going from sims2 to the big open world of sims3, then to sims4? I really think sims4 should have been sims3 category because sims3 was totally different when they took it to the open world.

    I always said since sims4 came out, that it went two steps backwards, LOL.

    I like sims4, it took me two years to get into it though.

    To be honest, I think that they should have gone back to Sims 2's roots because Sims 3 betrayed an entire segment of the original player base when they sacrificed rotational play for single household open world and story progression. They never should have taken that step if it meant turning on their existing players. They tried to wedge rotational play back in of course, but they couldn't include it without more sacrifices so it's clunky and not without consequences. I can't play it, I don't enjoy it, and I won't support it. I didn't support Sims 3 after base game and I won't support any future game that eliminates rotational play. I just don't like the game if I'm stuck with only one household. :(

    The Sims series was built, first and foremost, around the Sims themselves, hence the name, "The Sims". Every iteration should always prioritize detailed Sim play and creation. The world and fluff is secondary. Both 3 and 4 abandoned the original formula in pursuit of trying "something new". It's time they return to it.

    I agree they should have stuck to the roots of Sims 2 but as far as what group that EA/Maxis betrayed depends on the group and individual. Sims 3 lost the quirkness that Sims 2 had and EA/Maxis could have kept it an part of Sims 3 even if they went open world. But when it comes to Sims 4 I really felt betrayed by what EA/Maxis had done cutting every feature especially the ability for the program to scale to what I was using. Far as I feel I felt there were some tradeoffs in Sims 2 and Sims 3 and I liked the tradeoffs it offered but not with Sims 4. When playing Sims it is whatever floats your boat, each one has a little something to offer. Seeing Sims 5 is pure speculation so I only can wish what I would like to see. Another thing I understand is the addition of newer features that mixes with older features and that just was not done with Sims 4 but it is what it is. If anything for me EA/Maxis took Sims 4 down an darker road even if it allegedly started with Sims 3. Also yes while it should be all about the sim but just like an good system parts should complement each other so should the secondary features as I like to do more with my Sim then look at it and give them something to do. Sims 2 worked together because the Secondary stuff or fluff or features worked well with the program for me.
    Post edited by Goldmoldar on
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  • TS1299TS1299 Posts: 1,604 Member
    LiELF wrote: »
    @itsaluminum Yeah, going from sims2 to the big open world of sims3, then to sims4? I really think sims4 should have been sims3 category because sims3 was totally different when they took it to the open world.

    I always said since sims4 came out, that it went two steps backwards, LOL.

    I like sims4, it took me two years to get into it though.

    To be honest, I think that they should have gone back to Sims 2's roots because Sims 3 betrayed an entire segment of the original player base when they sacrificed rotational play for single household open world and story progression. They never should have taken that step if it meant turning on their existing players. They tried to wedge rotational play back in of course, but they couldn't include it without more sacrifices so it's clunky and not without consequences. I can't play it, I don't enjoy it, and I won't support it. I didn't support Sims 3 after base game and I won't support any future game that eliminates rotational play. I just don't like the game if I'm stuck with only one household. :(

    The Sims series was built, first and foremost, around the Sims themselves, hence the name, "The Sims". Every iteration should always prioritize detailed Sim play and creation. The world and fluff is secondary. Both 3 and 4 abandoned the original formula in pursuit of trying "something new". It's time they return to it.

    Agreed. The Sims is about the SIMS themselves. Not the big worlds, big EP's and stuff. There is no point of having well done EP's and new content if The Sims themselves feels lacking and not that in-depth. It is the most important aspect they need to do because they are the reason why we play this game.
  • Katlyn2525Katlyn2525 Posts: 4,201 Member
    True. It would have been nice if they had stuck to the Sims 2 roots in this game. Your sims had consequences for their actions. Take dating. Depending how their date scored they could have received anything from a flower bouquet to a flaming bag of poo. You had a lot to work with. Personality and aspiration boosts and penalties. Plenty of object interactions and autonomous behaviors. They all added or subtracted to the score. Maybe if the date went well you would also get a social or skill reward. Maybe even a promotion. Or maybe you got caught cheating and got your face slapped. It made for a fun game.
  • windweaverwindweaver Posts: 7,372 Member
    I've been away for quite a long time, so I'm sure I've missed all the nuances but this pack is merely a game pack, not an expansion. I agree the world is really small, but it is cool looking despite its small size.
    I view the game packs as a glorified stuff pack. So I have no expectations for it being an amazing pack. In fact, for me the sims games have never been as good as they were during the years of The Sims 2. The ep's were really detailed and packed full of things to do with your sims. Boy! those were the days, lol. But things change, and so has this game, so it seems. But after being away for so long, I am really enjoying this pack. It has caused me to burst out loud laughing on more than one occasion.
    The kids developing this game seem to really enjoy what they are doing. They are sharing with us much more than the old crew from ts2 days ever did.
    I read OP entire post. I'm not really sure what your specific objections are to this pack. Is is simply the RPG being in the game at all that has your hackles up?
    I'm sure that Maxis wants to hear all views, but I think they need to understand exactly what your objections are specifically, like I said above. Anyway, I hope you find something to enjoy in this pack. For me, it's nice to see an old and familiar career back in the game.
    My Origin Name is: Cynconzola8
  • AineAine Posts: 3,043 Member
    edited March 2019
    @windweaver I've been very specific in many posts in this thread, and at this point I feel like I'm just repeating myself. But there's a lot I don't like about it, as I said in my OP, however it's the low quality of the pack that is the worst part of it for me, and the lack of sandbox tools. I'm being pretty specific in my OP tbh, so I'm not sure how you're not getting it. I agree that the pack is more like a stuff pack, hence why I wouldn't buy the pack for full price in any case.
    Allons-y!

    ---> Afterlife Game Pack Idea - improved ghosts, cemeteries and funerals, psychics, new skills, new career and more! <---
    ---> Burglary Stuff Pack Idea - Burglars, alarm systems, and diamonds to steal!<---
  • GoldmoldarGoldmoldar Posts: 11,966 Member
    edited March 2019
    Aine wrote: »
    @windweaver I've been very specific in many posts in this thread, and at this point I feel like I'm just repeating myself. But there's a lot I don't like about it, as I said in my OP, however it's the low quality of the pack that is the worst part of it for me, and the lack of sandbox tools. I'm being pretty specific in my OP tbh, so I'm not sure how you're not getting it. I agree that the pack is more like a stuff pack, hence why I wouldn't buy the pack for full price in any case.

    I agree even though the objectives for the packs in Sims 4 has changed from the way packs were made in Sims 2 and 3. I feel the pack and, I say for me do not feel as valuable for me as from the previous versions and the reason why I rather wait for an sale or an price drop to feel by paying less I am finally getting an pack at an price that I is worth it and I do not feel guilty at all. :)
    Omen by HP Intel®️ Core™️ i9- 12900K W/ RGB Liquid Cooler 32GB Nvidia RTX 3080 10Gb ASUS Ultra-Wide 34" Curved Monitor. Omen By HP Intel® Core™ i7-12800HX 32 GB Nvidia 3070 Ti 8 GB 17.3 Screen
  • CinebarCinebar Posts: 33,618 Member
    LiELF wrote: »
    @itsaluminum Yeah, going from sims2 to the big open world of sims3, then to sims4? I really think sims4 should have been sims3 category because sims3 was totally different when they took it to the open world.

    I always said since sims4 came out, that it went two steps backwards, LOL.

    I like sims4, it took me two years to get into it though.

    To be honest, I think that they should have gone back to Sims 2's roots because Sims 3 betrayed an entire segment of the original player base when they sacrificed rotational play for single household open world and story progression. They never should have taken that step if it meant turning on their existing players. They tried to wedge rotational play back in of course, but they couldn't include it without more sacrifices so it's clunky and not without consequences. I can't play it, I don't enjoy it, and I won't support it. I didn't support Sims 3 after base game and I won't support any future game that eliminates rotational play. I just don't like the game if I'm stuck with only one household. :(

    The Sims series was built, first and foremost, around the Sims themselves, hence the name, "The Sims". Every iteration should always prioritize detailed Sim play and creation. The world and fluff is secondary. Both 3 and 4 abandoned the original formula in pursuit of trying "something new". It's time they return to it.

    I played TS3 rotationally with aging off and story progression off (when we finally got a toggle) but TS2 players are responsible for TS3's legacy style support of gameplay. It was TS2 players who played legacy play (one lot, one household for many generations) and zillions of legacy challenges. So, though I prefer TS2 I have to put some responsibilty of the lack of support of rotational play onto TS2 players who shared with Maxis they preferred one household (legacy style) and one lot while the world went by them doing it's on thing. I think TS2 players are responsible for that.
    "Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
  • LiELFLiELF Posts: 6,439 Member
    Cinebar wrote: »
    LiELF wrote: »
    @itsaluminum Yeah, going from sims2 to the big open world of sims3, then to sims4? I really think sims4 should have been sims3 category because sims3 was totally different when they took it to the open world.

    I always said since sims4 came out, that it went two steps backwards, LOL.

    I like sims4, it took me two years to get into it though.

    To be honest, I think that they should have gone back to Sims 2's roots because Sims 3 betrayed an entire segment of the original player base when they sacrificed rotational play for single household open world and story progression. They never should have taken that step if it meant turning on their existing players. They tried to wedge rotational play back in of course, but they couldn't include it without more sacrifices so it's clunky and not without consequences. I can't play it, I don't enjoy it, and I won't support it. I didn't support Sims 3 after base game and I won't support any future game that eliminates rotational play. I just don't like the game if I'm stuck with only one household. :(

    The Sims series was built, first and foremost, around the Sims themselves, hence the name, "The Sims". Every iteration should always prioritize detailed Sim play and creation. The world and fluff is secondary. Both 3 and 4 abandoned the original formula in pursuit of trying "something new". It's time they return to it.

    I played TS3 rotationally with aging off and story progression off (when we finally got a toggle) but TS2 players are responsible for TS3's legacy style support of gameplay. It was TS2 players who played legacy play (one lot, one household for many generations) and zillions of legacy challenges. So, though I prefer TS2 I have to put some responsibilty of the lack of support of rotational play onto TS2 players who shared with Maxis they preferred one household (legacy style) and one lot while the world went by them doing it's on thing. I think TS2 players are responsible for that.

    I did a lot of legacies in Sims 2 as well but I did it with many households at once so that they all mingled into the growing population. I was a colonist. I honestly don't see how supporting and playing legacies would lead to cutting out rotational play. Eventually that first household would grow and those Sims would have to move out to make room for the next generation. It doesn't seem logical for the game to suddenly take over those Sims just because the player moved them out. The player should always at least have the choice of being able to switch households and continue to play with those Sims. So I completely disagree that there is any responsibility on the players' part for a design choice that stepped away from natural play progression. To me, it's glaringly obvious to always allow for player created Sims to be played and integrated. To do less is to step backwards.
    #Team Occult
  • Writin_RegWritin_Reg Posts: 28,907 Member
    LiELF wrote: »
    Cinebar wrote: »
    LiELF wrote: »
    @itsaluminum Yeah, going from sims2 to the big open world of sims3, then to sims4? I really think sims4 should have been sims3 category because sims3 was totally different when they took it to the open world.

    I always said since sims4 came out, that it went two steps backwards, LOL.

    I like sims4, it took me two years to get into it though.

    To be honest, I think that they should have gone back to Sims 2's roots because Sims 3 betrayed an entire segment of the original player base when they sacrificed rotational play for single household open world and story progression. They never should have taken that step if it meant turning on their existing players. They tried to wedge rotational play back in of course, but they couldn't include it without more sacrifices so it's clunky and not without consequences. I can't play it, I don't enjoy it, and I won't support it. I didn't support Sims 3 after base game and I won't support any future game that eliminates rotational play. I just don't like the game if I'm stuck with only one household. :(

    The Sims series was built, first and foremost, around the Sims themselves, hence the name, "The Sims". Every iteration should always prioritize detailed Sim play and creation. The world and fluff is secondary. Both 3 and 4 abandoned the original formula in pursuit of trying "something new". It's time they return to it.

    I played TS3 rotationally with aging off and story progression off (when we finally got a toggle) but TS2 players are responsible for TS3's legacy style support of gameplay. It was TS2 players who played legacy play (one lot, one household for many generations) and zillions of legacy challenges. So, though I prefer TS2 I have to put some responsibilty of the lack of support of rotational play onto TS2 players who shared with Maxis they preferred one household (legacy style) and one lot while the world went by them doing it's on thing. I think TS2 players are responsible for that.

    I did a lot of legacies in Sims 2 as well but I did it with many households at once so that they all mingled into the growing population. I was a colonist. I honestly don't see how supporting and playing legacies would lead to cutting out rotational play. Eventually that first household would grow and those Sims would have to move out to make room for the next generation. It doesn't seem logical for the game to suddenly take over those Sims just because the player moved them out. The player should always at least have the choice of being able to switch households and continue to play with those Sims. So I completely disagree that there is any responsibility on the players' part for a design choice that stepped away from natural play progression. To me, it's glaringly obvious to always allow for player created Sims to be played and integrated. To do less is to step backwards.

    I also play multiple legacies at the same time in Sims 2. I never have less than 4 going at once in Sims 2 - I take all the non-heirs together to University in Sims 2 as well as something to do with them - and they find their true loves by graduation at Uni. But believe me my populations grow big in Sims 2 just starting with 4 Legacies plus all the offspring getting married and such and not just the heirs. Sims 2 can keep me more on my toes than Sims 3 or Sims 4 ever could - lol.

    "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.....

  • LiELFLiELF Posts: 6,439 Member
    Writin_Reg wrote: »
    LiELF wrote: »
    Cinebar wrote: »
    LiELF wrote: »
    @itsaluminum Yeah, going from sims2 to the big open world of sims3, then to sims4? I really think sims4 should have been sims3 category because sims3 was totally different when they took it to the open world.

    I always said since sims4 came out, that it went two steps backwards, LOL.

    I like sims4, it took me two years to get into it though.

    To be honest, I think that they should have gone back to Sims 2's roots because Sims 3 betrayed an entire segment of the original player base when they sacrificed rotational play for single household open world and story progression. They never should have taken that step if it meant turning on their existing players. They tried to wedge rotational play back in of course, but they couldn't include it without more sacrifices so it's clunky and not without consequences. I can't play it, I don't enjoy it, and I won't support it. I didn't support Sims 3 after base game and I won't support any future game that eliminates rotational play. I just don't like the game if I'm stuck with only one household. :(

    The Sims series was built, first and foremost, around the Sims themselves, hence the name, "The Sims". Every iteration should always prioritize detailed Sim play and creation. The world and fluff is secondary. Both 3 and 4 abandoned the original formula in pursuit of trying "something new". It's time they return to it.

    I played TS3 rotationally with aging off and story progression off (when we finally got a toggle) but TS2 players are responsible for TS3's legacy style support of gameplay. It was TS2 players who played legacy play (one lot, one household for many generations) and zillions of legacy challenges. So, though I prefer TS2 I have to put some responsibilty of the lack of support of rotational play onto TS2 players who shared with Maxis they preferred one household (legacy style) and one lot while the world went by them doing it's on thing. I think TS2 players are responsible for that.

    I did a lot of legacies in Sims 2 as well but I did it with many households at once so that they all mingled into the growing population. I was a colonist. I honestly don't see how supporting and playing legacies would lead to cutting out rotational play. Eventually that first household would grow and those Sims would have to move out to make room for the next generation. It doesn't seem logical for the game to suddenly take over those Sims just because the player moved them out. The player should always at least have the choice of being able to switch households and continue to play with those Sims. So I completely disagree that there is any responsibility on the players' part for a design choice that stepped away from natural play progression. To me, it's glaringly obvious to always allow for player created Sims to be played and integrated. To do less is to step backwards.

    I also play multiple legacies at the same time in Sims 2. I never have less than 4 going at once in Sims 2 - I take all the non-heirs together to University in Sims 2 as well as something to do with them - and they find their true loves by graduation at Uni. But believe me my populations grow big in Sims 2 just starting with 4 Legacies plus all the offspring getting married and such and not just the heirs. Sims 2 can keep me more on my toes than Sims 3 or Sims 4 ever could - lol.

    Same!

    One of my favorite things in Sims 2 is University, because I love when all of the teens reach college age and go off to share a dormitory and get to know each other. My game got so filled that I had two full separate dorms at the same University going at all times. Plus I had newly created Sims in Greek houses and some extras in a third dorm. I started dividing my two main dorms to have one be filled with the teens from my "normal" households and the other was filled with Occult/Fantastical offspring. I loved it when students from one would meet the other and invite them to dorm parties and hook up.

    Ahh, Sims 2. Those were the days. <3
    #Team Occult
  • Writin_RegWritin_Reg Posts: 28,907 Member
    LiELF wrote: »
    Writin_Reg wrote: »
    LiELF wrote: »
    Cinebar wrote: »
    LiELF wrote: »
    @itsaluminum Yeah, going from sims2 to the big open world of sims3, then to sims4? I really think sims4 should have been sims3 category because sims3 was totally different when they took it to the open world.

    I always said since sims4 came out, that it went two steps backwards, LOL.

    I like sims4, it took me two years to get into it though.

    To be honest, I think that they should have gone back to Sims 2's roots because Sims 3 betrayed an entire segment of the original player base when they sacrificed rotational play for single household open world and story progression. They never should have taken that step if it meant turning on their existing players. They tried to wedge rotational play back in of course, but they couldn't include it without more sacrifices so it's clunky and not without consequences. I can't play it, I don't enjoy it, and I won't support it. I didn't support Sims 3 after base game and I won't support any future game that eliminates rotational play. I just don't like the game if I'm stuck with only one household. :(

    The Sims series was built, first and foremost, around the Sims themselves, hence the name, "The Sims". Every iteration should always prioritize detailed Sim play and creation. The world and fluff is secondary. Both 3 and 4 abandoned the original formula in pursuit of trying "something new". It's time they return to it.

    I played TS3 rotationally with aging off and story progression off (when we finally got a toggle) but TS2 players are responsible for TS3's legacy style support of gameplay. It was TS2 players who played legacy play (one lot, one household for many generations) and zillions of legacy challenges. So, though I prefer TS2 I have to put some responsibilty of the lack of support of rotational play onto TS2 players who shared with Maxis they preferred one household (legacy style) and one lot while the world went by them doing it's on thing. I think TS2 players are responsible for that.

    I did a lot of legacies in Sims 2 as well but I did it with many households at once so that they all mingled into the growing population. I was a colonist. I honestly don't see how supporting and playing legacies would lead to cutting out rotational play. Eventually that first household would grow and those Sims would have to move out to make room for the next generation. It doesn't seem logical for the game to suddenly take over those Sims just because the player moved them out. The player should always at least have the choice of being able to switch households and continue to play with those Sims. So I completely disagree that there is any responsibility on the players' part for a design choice that stepped away from natural play progression. To me, it's glaringly obvious to always allow for player created Sims to be played and integrated. To do less is to step backwards.

    I also play multiple legacies at the same time in Sims 2. I never have less than 4 going at once in Sims 2 - I take all the non-heirs together to University in Sims 2 as well as something to do with them - and they find their true loves by graduation at Uni. But believe me my populations grow big in Sims 2 just starting with 4 Legacies plus all the offspring getting married and such and not just the heirs. Sims 2 can keep me more on my toes than Sims 3 or Sims 4 ever could - lol.

    Same!

    One of my favorite things in Sims 2 is University, because I love when all of the teens reach college age and go off to share a dormitory and get to know each other. My game got so filled that I had two full separate dorms at the same University going at all times. Plus I had newly created Sims in Greek houses and some extras in a third dorm. I started dividing my two main dorms to have one be filled with the teens from my "normal" households and the other was filled with Occult/Fantastical offspring. I loved it when students from one would meet the other and invite them to dorm parties and hook up.

    Ahh, Sims 2. Those were the days. <3

    Yep, same here.

    "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.....

  • NausNaus Posts: 405 Member
    I don't know what some people are talking about, but TS3 allows for rotational play just fine. There isn't a single difference between TS2 and TS3 rotational play as far as I can tell. I've played rotational many times, and it works just fine.

    Even with Story Progression enabled, the game won't make changes to the households you played (marked as PROTECTED), other than money (as they keep working, they'll keep earning money) and relationships (which also happens in 2). According to Twallan: "[the protected flag] was auto-assigned to any family you had ever played actively, and to any sim you kicked out of the active household." Ultimately, it means you won't see SP changes in families or Sims you EVER played. They won't die, get married on their own, have kids, move out of town, etc.

    The Protected Flag was added in PATCH 3, released on August 5, 2009, two months after the release of the game.

    When people claim that TS3 "cut rotational play" that's factually incorrect as of August 2009. As the fixes in the Story Progression toggle (Patch 2) and the protected status for played households (Patch 3), as well as aging off allows for TS2-style of rotational play.
  • CinebarCinebar Posts: 33,618 Member
    Naus wrote: »
    I don't know what some people are talking about, but TS3 allows for rotational play just fine. There isn't a single difference between TS2 and TS3 rotational play as far as I can tell. I've played rotational many times, and it works just fine.

    Even with Story Progression enabled, the game won't make changes to the households you played (marked as PROTECTED), other than money (as they keep working, they'll keep earning money) and relationships (which also happens in 2). According to Twallan: "[the protected flag] was auto-assigned to any family you had ever played actively, and to any sim you kicked out of the active household." Ultimately, it means you won't see SP changes in families or Sims you EVER played. They won't die, get married on their own, have kids, move out of town, etc.

    The Protected Flag was added in PATCH 3, released on August 5, 2009, two months after the release of the game.

    When people claim that TS3 "cut rotational play" that's factually incorrect as of August 2009. As the fixes in the Story Progression toggle (Patch 2) and the protected status for played households (Patch 3), as well as aging off allows for TS2-style of rotational play.

    Well, I'm going to have to disagree with you and Twallan. When I would leave story progression on and btw, it was never really off, it moved Sims in with my Sims and they became involved. I remember this well, when the game put my Sim in involved with a vampire the game moved into his house. And that was many years after patch 2 and 3. And no they were not protected but changed jobs and moved around. And notice you have stated these things were patched in 2 &3, showing they were not those sort of fixes when the game was first released. So, no, my Sims were never protected before story progression fixes at release (and why it was patched) and didn't support rotational play like I play, and no the patches never actually worked, either. It still was a hit and miss most of the time and why people turned to his mods.
    "Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
  • NausNaus Posts: 405 Member
    edited March 2019
    @Cinebar So are you going to disagree with Twallan, who has actually looked at the code through and through to create his mod suite? You can read his comments HERE.

    He knows what he's talking about and he explicitly says: "If you had played those sims in the past, they will now be marked as "Protected", which will stop the "Random Death" story action from firing against them. Being "Protected" also stops that family from emigrating."

    It's not an OPINION you can disagree with. It's a fact that EA Story Progression (as of August 6, 2009) marks household and Sims you played with as PROTECTED and that prevents them from random deaths, events and emigration (moving out of town). Some minor changes will still occur, like earning money, getting promotions/skills and changing relationships.

    I do agree that Story Progression was pretty hit and miss as it doesn't take into account Sims' individual wishes and personalities but what the town needs as a whole in terms of demographics. AwesomeMod and NRaas SP are much better implementations of SP and more flexible for rotational play. However, the protected status in EA's SP does work as intended preventing major changes in your played households.

    ETA: I decided to check the code myself to see how the protected flag functions.
    As you can see here, it checks protected status before every STORY ACTION method.
    VVM1j4g.jpg

    Each CLASS has a check to determine whether it's a MAJOR ACTION. If the story action is considered a major action AND the Sim or household has the protection flag (which was stored in the MiniSimDescription method), then the check returns true and the action won't take effect. Some major actions are: merge households, move in with partner, split household, move out household, move to larger/smaller household, emigrate household, kill Sim, kill Elder Sim, Add/Remove (any occult) to household, etc.

    Sims are marked as protected when: you select them (they have a plumbBob), move in a household from the library, or switch to another household from Edit Town mode:
    sQmeGPB.jpg
    Post edited by Naus on
  • LiELFLiELF Posts: 6,439 Member
    Naus wrote: »
    @Cinebar So are you going to disagree with Twallan, who has actually looked at the code through and through to create his mod suite? You can read his comments HERE.

    He knows what he's talking about and he explicitly says: "If you had played those sims in the past, they will now be marked as "Protected", which will stop the "Random Death" story action from firing against them. Being "Protected" also stops that family from emigrating."

    It's not an OPINION you can disagree with. It's a fact that EA Story Progression (as of August 6, 2009) marks household and Sims you played with as PROTECTED and that prevents them from random deaths, events and emigration (moving out of town). Some minor changes will still occur, like earning money, getting promotions/skills and changing relationships.

    I do agree that Story Progression was pretty hit and miss as it doesn't take into account Sims' individual wishes and personalities but what the town needs as a whole in terms of demographics. AwesomeMod and NRaas SP are much better implementations of SP and more flexible for rotational play. However, the protected status in EA's SP does work as intended preventing major changes in your played households.

    ETA: I decided to check the code myself to see how the protected flag functions.
    As you can see here, it checks protected status before every STORY ACTION method.
    VVM1j4g.jpg

    Each CLASS has a check to determine whether it's a MAJOR ACTION. If the story action is considered a major action AND the Sim or household has the protection flag (which was stored in the MiniSimDescription method), then the check returns true and the action won't take effect. Some major actions are: merge households, move in with partner, split household, move out household, move to larger/smaller household, emigrate household, kill Sim, kill Elder Sim, Add/Remove (any occult) to household, etc.

    Sims are marked as protected when: you select them (they have a plumbBob), move in a household from the library, or switch to another household from Edit Town mode:
    sQmeGPB.jpg

    I'm getting the idea that you're not much of a rotational player because you wouldn't need to go searching into all of this modder's code to understand how rotational play has been ruined in the Sims 3. I'm not being snarky, I'm just wondering if you played Sims 2 at all for comparison. I think that people who started with Sims 3 don't really know what rotational play has been like.

    It doesn't matter if the Sims 3 marks those Sims as protected, because it's only for what it considers major events. The game is still determining what it can and can't change, aside from those things. I still don't have full control. If I leave a Sim in a household, single, at a certain level of their career, I expect to return to that household in a few Sim days and have them be the way I left them, like it was in Sims 2, and like it (generally) is in Sims 4. (I do have some special complaints for Sims 4's version as well, but at least I can play it.) I don't want the game to decide they got promoted and became rich, or popular, or started dating someone random, or whatever. That still takes the control away from the player.

    The truth is, Sims 3 was never designed for rotational play in the first place. When the game released, it was single household only and so bare bones, I came to the forums for the very first time to look up what others were saying about it because I truly thought I was missing something. There were a ton of threads with the same exact complaints I had, so it was a hard pill to swallow when I realized that, yep, my entire play style had been abandoned. I imagine that the reason they shoehorned it in eventually was because the rotational player base was so upset. I mean, you can still tell that the game isn't properly built for it. Look at what happens when you try to switch households, you have to give up your current household's wishes, promises, descendents, and all that, so it's not without consequences. This is not proper rotational play.

    Now, I've done my share of research, but I haven't actually been able to experiment much with rotational play in Sims 3 because I initially abandoned the game shortly after base release and only tried it out once in a while after that to see if my opinion would change, but it didn't. But I picked up some packs that were on sale for $5 a few months ago and decided to try it out again. I played a single Sim for a couple of sessions to get readjusted before deciding to make another Sim household. But as soon as I tried to change, sure enough, it gave me that warning that I'd have to take these losses in my current household in order to switch, so I closed the game in frustration. At some point, I'm going to just go in and take the loss and try it anyway for experimentation purposes to see exactly how it affects my gameplay, but as of now, I still cannot play that game. It's just too poorly designed.
    #Team Occult
  • NausNaus Posts: 405 Member
    edited March 2019
    LiELF wrote: »
    I'm getting the idea that you're not much of a rotational player because you wouldn't need to go searching into all of this modder's code to understand how rotational play has been ruined in the Sims 3. I'm not being snarky, I'm just wondering if you played Sims 2 at all for comparison. I think that people who started with Sims 3 don't really know what rotational play has been like.

    I do play rotationally but I don't care about minor changes like promotions and such. TS2 also had minor changes while you were not playing like new memories, changes in relationships, gossips (which was a very intricate system in 2), etc. As long as my Sims don't die or move out of town, I'm content with minor changes and if I don't want ANY changes I can always disable Story Progression. With SP disabled, the only changes that take place are relationship and household funds. BTW, that wasn't the modders code, that was EA's code (I decompiled the assemblies for research purposes).
    LiELF wrote: »
    It doesn't matter if the Sims 3 marks those Sims as protected, because it's only for what it considers major events.
    Like I said, you can always disable Story Progression altogether if you don't want ANY changes. Even relationship changes are controlled by Story Progression. The only changes that will happen are those that happen naturally in the game while people socialize, etc. Nothing will be forced by a macro system.
    LiELF wrote: »
    The game is still determining what it can and can't change, aside from those things. I still don't have full control. If I leave a Sim in a household, single, at a certain level of their career, I expect to return to that household in a few Sim days and have them be the way I left them, like it was in Sims 2, and like it (generally) is in Sims 4. (I do have some special complaints for Sims 4's version as well, but at least I can play it.) I don't want the game to decide they got promoted and became rich, or popular, or started dating someone random, or whatever. That still takes the control away from the player.

    You do have full control if you disable Story Progression. When you return to that household after X number of days only household funds and relationships will have changed. They'll definitely don't become rich overnight. It doesn't happen even with SP enabled, as it doesn't ADD funds to your household, only money obtained through regular rabbithole jobs (not active or self-employed careers). Celebrity level, career promotions, changes in relationships forced by the system, etc. don't occur with SP disabled.
    LiELF wrote: »
    The truth is, Sims 3 was never designed for rotational play in the first place.

    I agree. I think the focus of The Sims 3 was on playing with ONE family per save game. They didn't take into account the amount of people that would want to play rotationally AND have full control. The game however always had the option to disable story progression (though the toggle didn't work the FIRST month), it was fixed by June 25, 2009 (less than a month after release). By disabling SP only tiny changes will occur to your households (those I mentioned before).
    LiELF wrote: »
    I mean, you can still tell that the game isn't properly built for it.

    ? If the game wasn't built for it, there wouldn't be a way to disable story progression as well as checks everywhere in the code to see if SP is enabled to performed certain actions. It is a major thing that has to be obviously staken into account when building the game. It isn't changing the value of a constant or a simple method.
    LiELF wrote: »
    Look at what happens when you try to switch households, you have to give up your current household's wishes, promises, descendents, and all that, so it's not without consequences. This is not proper rotational play.

    Wishes and promises have no consequences when it comes to gameplay. If you want absolutely no changes, then you're right. Other than that, switching households only gets rid of promises and wishes (without mods) and if you have SP disabled, there won't be other changes except the ones I mentioned.
    LiELF wrote: »
    But as soon as I tried to change, sure enough, it gave me that warning that I'd have to take these losses in my current household in order to switch, so I closed the game in frustration. At some point, I'm going to just go in and take the loss and try it anyway for experimentation purposes to see exactly how it affects my gameplay, but as of now, I still cannot play that game. It's just too poorly designed.

    These losses? You mean promises and wishes? That's the only thing lost when you switch households without mods. Was that enough to make your CLOSE the game out of frustration? Because you wouldn't be able to return to your household and have promises and wishes intact? Wow. You know Sims 4 makes changes to households too, right? If one of your Sim is pregnant and you play with other household for some days, the baby will be born when you return. Poorly designed? Maybe for your super specific taste, but not for most people.
  • CaityTrinaCaityTrina Posts: 555 Member
    I personally like Strangerville and felt they did it in a good way that it's easy to complete ignore the "story".
    One thing about it I think is a cheek is they put a really coveted item (laptops) in such a niche pack.
    caitytrina.png
  • AineAine Posts: 3,043 Member
    edited March 2019
    @CaityTrina I like the idea of laptops, but my opinion on these ones is that they're very half plummed - they're just reskinned desktop computers - no new animation, no new nothing. Really lame.
    Allons-y!

    ---> Afterlife Game Pack Idea - improved ghosts, cemeteries and funerals, psychics, new skills, new career and more! <---
    ---> Burglary Stuff Pack Idea - Burglars, alarm systems, and diamonds to steal!<---
  • NausNaus Posts: 405 Member
    edited March 2019
    Aine wrote: »
    @CaityTrina I like the idea of laptops, but my opinion on these ones is that they're very half plummed - they're just reskinned desktop computers - no new animation, no new nothing. Really lame.

    The design is pretty lame too. I understand TS4 has a very stylized/cartoony art style, but I don't understand why they have to make object so bulky and low poly:
    maxresdefault.jpg

    And God that texture is blurry as plum. Seriously, will it kill them to make DECENT textures. It's a 128x128 blurry mess for God's sake:
    QKh8Gc7.png

    TS1's clothing textures were higher res (256x256):
    dSzaxyL.png

    When people say TS4 has nice graphics, I wholeheartedly disagree and I have the receipts to prove them wrong. The only good aspects about TS4's graphics are lighting/shadows and post-processing effects. Meshes, textures and shaders are a mess.
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