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Island Living; is it lacking?

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  • Sigzy05Sigzy05 Posts: 19,406 Member
    edited June 2019
    Yes, Island Living is Lacking
    Honestly the whole conservation aspect could have been completely deleted from this pack. I don't care for it, and for what it's worth, it's not even a fun career. It's repetitive and boring. There's no reward for completing the mural which doesn't even make sense honestly....and the result for making the island better isn't that fascinating. Rarer fish, more dolphin time and a pink dolphin....whatever. I like the conservationist as a concept, changing the island for the better and such, but it was ultimately a crap decision to implement such a boring career in the game.

    I think they should have put resources somewhere else, like making scuba diving not a rabbit whole.

    They just wanted to use the Strangerville world changing tech so much didn't they?
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  • WallSims4everWallSims4ever Posts: 755 Member
    Yes, Island Living is Lacking
    The most lacking pack so far, including Game Packs.
  • SummerspritSummersprit Posts: 3 New Member
    Eh, Island Living is tolerable
    I love this expansion pack cas options, they are literally beautiful. I usually don’t buy things just for the cas items because of cc, but I just need this pack. But I don’t love it enough to buy it full price, since I’m waiting for the summer sale. This pack has some nice features and it lacking, but I still think it’s a good pack.
  • AlbaWaterhouseAlbaWaterhouse Posts: 3,953 Member
    Yes, Island Living is Lacking
    As an Expansion Pack it is definitely lacking.
    I am still enjoying many aspects of it but the price tag and the EP label are unjustifiable.
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  • Paigeisin5Paigeisin5 Posts: 2,139 Member
    Yes, Island Living is Lacking
    The pack feels as if it was pushed into an early release. Once again they had good ideas, but lacked the time or resources to add any substance to those ideas. That is what frustrates me so much. We don't have an open world, yet we get rabbitholes for the lifeguard career and scuba diving. smh Since we already know what the next stuff and game packs are going to be, there's little hope this expansion will be added to in the future. Heck, I'd be happy with a huge bug fix patch so I can play my game again in a way that makes sense to me.
  • FredraFredra Posts: 42 Member
    Yes, Island Living is Lacking
    I have a feeling that I can't dislike this pack only because is stunning. It's almost unfair - Sulani is too pretty to be hated, same with build buy objects, they are cool and I can't complain. BUT! Beyond this it's lacking. Mermaids are worse swimmer than regular Sims, they can't even use buoy over the reef! That absurd! I wish that mermaid have the same ability tree as the vampires. And I don't want again read about my Sim's fantastic adventures, I want to play in to it...
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  • Frn0731Frn0731 Posts: 7,180 Member
    Yes, Island Living is Lacking
    All those shell houses need to be opened up and playable. Why are there no house boats no skiing, no hotels , no vacations no underwater dive spots. the list goes on and on. This is more like a game pack than an expansion pack. Yes the scenery is beautiful but I want more.
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  • Charlotta11Charlotta11 Posts: 399 Member
    Yes, Island Living is Lacking
    Ugh it really lacks. Tbh i think sun tanning, swimming and sand castles should come whit seasons. This island living dont add literally anything that would make this pack as an expansion pack. I love the world and items that came whit it and have had a lot of fun whit it but i also see that sims 4 and its gamepacks are just for hard core sims 4 lovers ( like me who really love to build, create and play) and i would never suggest anyone to play this game anymore since this feel more like a collectibles collection than a fun game.
    I mean they have updated basegame and all but im too bored to get every feature in game or expansion pack. Tanning in IL, ice-cream in a beach= IL+Cool kitchen stuff etc. If you want butlers buy stuff pack. Literally any indivitual feature has its own pack.
    You have to own so many packs to do basic stuff and i'm just started to get worried about its future and if this continue.
    I dont want that we get every thing on a pack.
    I still loove this game and have had so fun whit sims 4 but im also started to be worried and even change my mind whit this game.. hate to say that :(
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  • Simsfan1967Simsfan1967 Posts: 3 New Member
    I think it is lacking but I am enjoying what little new gameplay there is. I really don't think we are going to be really happy with anything as long as we have the closed worlds. I hope that when Sims 5 does show up that they have open worlds again.
  • SAEldarinSAEldarin Posts: 428 Member
    edited July 2019
    Yes, Island Living is Lacking
    Maybe it's just lacking to me because I wanted something different than what I got? I'm sure plenty of people are happy (right? those are the ones not on the forums as they're playing the game?). I really don't want to step on anyone's toes with my opinion, but since this is a poll....

    The world is beautiful. There's no doubt of that. Build items, CAS items -- terrific! Dolphins and baby sea turtles -- oh yea! There really is some pretty cool stuff in this pack but, for me at least, the experience is what's lacking. Am I wrong to have imagined my sim actually swimming under water? Diving through coral reefs and maybe (just maybe) being able to explore underground ruins?

    Ok, to be fair, the pack is "Island" living. But oceans are a HUGE part of tropical islands. The watercraft are also fantastic -- but, here again, limiting. Why oh why are they for one person? At least let my sim zip around on one with someone else to explore the island with -- make it feel like it's a breathing world, not so shallow.

    Grief, I hate sounding so negative. Really, I just want to share the good and the bad with the hope that things might get fixed or, at the very least, considered for future releases or whatever.
  • CheekybitsCheekybits Posts: 1,030 Member
    I feel like I just answered this in another forum.
  • TechbiltTechbilt Posts: 258 Member
    Yes, Island Living is Lacking
    I think the pack is good, but not good enough to be a $40 expansion pack. I have seen a lot of game changers say it's either a hard sell at full price or that it's flat out not worth it at full price, that it feels like a game pack.

    There are parts of the pack I have found that I really like and hope they continue with: Conservationist for example, I like the fact that the career as you go through it affects the world around you - but I wish they had extended the clean up/anti-environmentalist stuff to the other worlds as well and made conservationist an aspiration as well. I know a lot of people concentrate on cleaning beaches and we absolutely should clean up beaches but its not just beaches that need cleaning up, when I walk home from work I clean up any trash I see on the way - it would have been neat to have that implemented throughout all the neighborhoods in Sims 4.

    It's honestly a beautiful world, and I love the architecture the pack offers but I just can't justify spending $40.00 on a pretty world and beautiful architecture.
  • NorthDakotaGamerNorthDakotaGamer Posts: 2,559 Member
    Yes, Island Living is Lacking
    To me the pack is just full of a pretty backdrop and no phenomenal gameplay. It can get boring within only 3 sim days of play.
  • ashcrash19ashcrash19 Posts: 4,404 Member
    Other, ...
    The only two things I feel are lacking is the ability to go on underwater lots/Atlantis secret lot and a more "Castaway" type option for sims. Sure, off the grid is fun and all, but not quite there.
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  • wamayeliwamayeli Posts: 147 Member
    Yes, Island Living is Lacking
    This seems more like a Sims 3 Store world than an EP. The lack of gameplay is really disappointing.
  • drake_mccartydrake_mccarty Posts: 6,114 Member
    Yes, Island Living is Lacking
    wamayeli wrote: »
    This seems more like a Sims 3 Store world than an EP. The lack of gameplay is really disappointing.

    Good comparison!!
  • GosiaWKGosiaWK Posts: 56 Member
    Eh, Island Living is tolerable
    I think that it is tolerable, but their budget went into the wrong places. The vampire system in the Vampires Game Pack was so much better than the mermaids BY FAR! If they had used the budget for a better mermaid system, then maybe the pack would have been amazing. I honestly use it only for the open ocean feature, since that is very cool.
  • BOYBOY Posts: 540 Member
    edited July 2019
    Yes, Island Living is Lacking
    yes, unfortunately. i like what is present, but i feel like there should be more considering this is an expansion.

    my main complaint: mermaids. lifestates are one of my favorite parts of the Sims games, i need them to even fully enjoy the game. (favorites being witches, vamps, and mermaids.) i love how vampires were done, and i still have high hopes for witches/magic since there will be a dedicated GP. mermaids were a let down, sadly. :( i think the animation of their tails is beautiful and the customizability is great. i love the eyes and teeth, the tails are gorgeous. but they don't feel complete, consistent or special enough. i don't think they need an entire perk system like vampires or (hopefully) witches. but there are other details that would make them feel more complete, especially considering they can't dive. having a tail in a hot tub and kiddie pool. some sort of simple swimming underwater activity (such as snorkeling for humans). their tails aren't animated properly when they clean up garbage or when they doggy paddle. their hydration is a reskin of hygiene, a replacement makes sense, but a reskin makes it inconsistent, like interactions in the waterfall lower their hydration instead of fill it (i do like the fish speech bubble though, it's cute). i wish they had a bassinet, an urn/tombstone, and some sort of mermaid woohoo would be cool. the option to eat raw fish and kelp. a few special moodlets, like, one after talking to a fish in a fishbowl, or after eating human food, etc. also some build/buy would be appreciated, some mermaid themed items. also child mermaids would've been AMAZING, but i get that that would double all the work unfortunately. i could go on, but y'all get the point.
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  • BrittanyChick22BrittanyChick22 Posts: 2,130 Member
    Yes, Island Living is Lacking
    From what I've seen in game play, it's very lacking in game play.
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  • BradyGalaxyBradyGalaxy Posts: 306 Member
    edited July 2019
    Yes, Island Living is Lacking
    Yes, yes it is definitely lacking. I'm really, really underwhelmed with this pack because I was expecting something like Island Paradise from TS3. My expectations were pretty high. Let me explain.

    Scuba diving is a big disappointment. Why can't you go with your sim? Why can't you see the ocean? Really, all you get is to wait for your sim to explore the ocean that you can't see, and then you get a response saying "OH BOY LOOK WHAT YOUR SIM FOUND!!!!!!" Yeah, cool, but I would've liked to have GONE and SEEN the ocean with them.

    And then we have the boats. Not much to really complain about them, but I wish that you could have multiple sims on a boat. When I first saw the boats when I loaded up the game, I thought you could have 2 sims on a jet ski, but nope. One. And the bigger boat. Nope, one. Again, not really a big deal but for an expansion, this just should've been there.

    Mermaids. I don't really care for them anyways, but what I've seen from playing with them a little is that they're kinda boring. You can't do a whole lot from them. But I personally don't really care because I'm not that interested with them in the first place.

    And there's just not a lot to do in this pack, really. I wish there were resorts, I wish there were house boats, I wish there were underwater houses, I wish you were able to also vacation to Sulani, and I just wish there was more to explore.

    All that aside, Sulani is really beautiful. Over the top beautiful. The sunsets are amazing, the water looks gorgeous, the island itself looks phenomenal. The build mode and CAS, while a little lacking, has some of the best items I've seen. I love it all.

    While it is lacking, I just love the vibe I get from this pack. The scenery makes me really relaxed and joyed. I feel like I payed just for Sulani, in my opinion. Everything else got boring quick.
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  • logionlogion Posts: 4,712 Member
    edited July 2019
    Yes, Island Living is Lacking
    I really feel like if there are different teams over there working on different parts of this pack, then the CAS team, and the team responsible for designing the world and some build items did a great job, and those developers that were responsible for gameplay should be looked into. So many amazing CAS and build items, but there is so little you can do on the island, most things are just rabbit holes.

    It's probably not divided into that, but more a question about management (what they decided to put their resources into), but still, so lacking in gameplay.
  • GrumpyGlowfishGrumpyGlowfish Posts: 2,207 Member
    Eh, Island Living is tolerable
    I have to start this off by declaring that I have not actually played this pack myself and am basing my opinion purely on what I've seen and heard.

    The announcement at EA Play absolutely blew me away. It was once again one of those packs I didn't specifically ask for, but fell in love with when I saw it. Well, that feeling faded quickly when the Game Changers' videos came out and I realised that what was shown at EA Play was actually all there is. I was especially disappointed by the volcano being nothing but a decorative object after all (I was hoping for a little more danger in this otherwise overly happy and safe game), and most of the new careers as well as scuba diving being rabbit holes. So my initial opinion changed from "This might be the greatest EP yet" to "It's okay for an EP by TS4 standards, but nothing more". As someone else already said, pretty much all the gameplay revolves around living on the island, whereas EPs normally introduce features that affect and can be used in all worlds, such as fame, weather, and pets.

    But when I rate or rank new expansions, I always do so in comparison to others, so I can't single out Island Living as being especially lacking when the same can be said about almost all previous packs. City Living is yet another pack where the only things you can use outside of its world are the CAS and BB items, even the careers usually require you to travel to San Myshuno if you play them actively, and Get Together, which is always praised for its huge world, barely has anything to offer other than said world, unless you consider the lacklustre club system a great gameplay feature.

    So all in all, I say Island Living is okay. Not great, definitely lacking in some regards, but not in a way that it sets new standards.
  • stilljustme2stilljustme2 Posts: 25,082 Member
    No, Island Living is Fine
    RexZheng wrote: »
    I guess they really did not spend their budget too well on Island Living It feels like a map pack because it seems that’s where most of the budgets went. Have to give them credit on the map though, I don’t think any future world could possibly surpass its beauty.

    The conservation part is actually also pretty in depth and I have to say it’s not my favorite career because it’s not fun enough for me, but the global policies part really is a cool feature and I hope they had made the political career just like this. Can’t wait for more careers like this in the future.

    Other features are really not that impressive. Mermaids are okay since it at least is a step forward; Jet Skis are okay for the customization and ability to be placed in pools.

    The rabbit holes are so not needed in this pack. I mean of course we need new careers but come on, my Sims don’t even unlock that lifeguard outfit after maxing out; and the diver reward is bugged because I have one in my inventory but cannot buy a new one because it still says “locked”. The cave is disappointing, the diving is boring and disappointing. And the odd jobs... I wish they put that passion in writing all those humorous notifications elsewhere.

    And then the culture... Well, the festivals are so lackluster, apart from the fishing competition, which is good and unique and I like quite a lot, are basically the same. And then there’s not enough cultural stuffs. You know it when they reused bonfires in Get Together and swing sets in Seasons.

    I kinda hope they added more depth to the existing contents... But now it’s a pack where there are not a lot to do (if you ignore the rabbit holes) and the existing stuffs lack depth.

    Personally I could accept it if they add more culture like new dance, new recreation, or at least work from home lifeguard and fisherman or a system that is in depth like the fame or reputation, clubs or holidays... And add scuba diving, an underwater world and mermaids in a separate GP.

    To me depth is everything. I don’t need a rabbit hole career for my Sims to be in to “imagine” my Sims did stuffs on the beach as a lifeguard. I can already do that if I give him an existing career and just say “he’a lifeguard, actually”.

    I don’t hate this pack, because the feel of the world is really stunning. But I can’t recommend it at full price. And I don’t think it is on par with any other Sims 4 Expansions.

    For those who don't have GT or Seasons, it gives them access to items they'd otherwise have to spend money to get. I could see them doing the same with odd jobs if/when they work on University Life. (I'd like to see odd jobs patched in to base game and to enable them for teens; it would add a new dimension to my runaway teen gameplay.)

    I haven't really done anything with mermaids (I just got Hugo Villareal set in Sulani and had him eat a few bowls of Taste of Diet ice cream to slim down, then I need to get him to work out to look more studly) but seems to me they're similar to aliens in that they're fairly limited because they're not the main focus of the pack, unlike vampires in Vampire GP or whatever the occult is in the upcoming Realm of Magic (with a name like that I'd assume witches but one never knows for sure). Plus I'm not sure the lore is really there for mermaids like it is for vampires, but a lot of people wanted them and if they didn't include them in an island pack many in the community would have been upset. Haven't really come across any of the festivals yet; I haven't played much mainly because I was waiting for some key mods to get updated, then I've been ill and haven't been able to spend much time at the computer so I've barely scratched the surface of the pack.
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  • Atreya33Atreya33 Posts: 4,411 Member
    I think there are things missing. It is not the features that are left out like resorts that bother me but rather the included features that seem unfinished or not properly developed.
    - rabbit hole diving and no underwater lot or view,
    - missing mermaid animations (first mermaid transformation, snorkeling,...),
    - no child mermaids
    - rabbit hole cave instead of a secret lot,
    - lounge chairs without multi-tasking options. (they came with the patch but were developed for IL so I include them in this list)
    - missing terrain tools and pools for water lots

    The pack has its good points too like the environmental career. After turning an ecological pack into a pack about household chores (yes, I am talking about laundry day stuff) I did not expect to ever get something ecological in the sims 4.
    And Sulani looks wunderful, this is the biggest selling point of the pack in my opinion.

    Too bad the undeveloped features overshadow the good stuff.
  • jooxisjooxis Posts: 515 Member
    Yes, Island Living is Lacking
    If they had sold it as a Gamepack (maybe removed some playable lots to compensate) and added the option for "rental" to be be a lot type so you can both rent/live there, I would have been satisfied with it more or less.
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