I've been saying it for years, the sims needs competition and it's crazy no one ever made a serious attempt.
I think it where only some poorly made 18+ games with limited content focused only on dating.
Competition is what pushes developers to step up their game. Even if you don't play the competing game, you benefit. If the competition offers more content for less money, the sims can't stay behind of course.
And naturally, a competitor would be excused for not having all the content a new sims game had in previous installments. It's a fresh start, a clean slate. They only need to offer more than the sims does in their base games at launch.
I think a competing game could get pretty far if they focus on a 16+ rating, having some more mature content but not showing sex, drug addictions or such. But it would enable alcohol, smoking and murder. Possibly some risque stuff like the pie dancers the sims used to have but would never dare to put in their games anymore.
Offering a better career system that interacts more with the world could also be a selling point.
Same for layered clothing, letting you pick your sims underwear and put clothes over it. Like Saint's row and other games have been doing for many years already.
And more varying personalities of course. Not hard to beat sims 4 at that, and I feel like it could have been better in previous sims games too.
Like how the interests and hobbies could never be selected but where random.
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So far it does seem to shape up to contain more in the base game than any sims game had, but seems it might still take years and I won't get too excited untill I see the people and their customisation.
Build tools look very solid, they're definately going to beat the sims in that department. But making fancy houses, while great for builders, won't help if pathfinding is awful and the people living in it aren't interesting.
I'll certainly keep an eye on this game though, looking forward to them showing the characters.
While there are many other simulation "lite" games, none comes close to The Sims in terms of freedom and possibilities/content.
Competition can also scare off the developer, think of what happened to Tony Hawk when they had to compete with EA Skate, which didn't really go anywhere after driving out the Tony Hawk franchise. Practically took a whole genre with them.
I feel like financial support for Paralives is a feedback loop that's initiated on the part of Alex, the main developer. Right now he's making enough on Patreon to hire a 3D artist. The more people he hires, the faster he can push out updates. The faster he can push out updates, the more people will be interested to support him on Patreon. I hope he eventually hires enough people to be finished by early 2021 at most.
I think once he reveals the Parafolks, and if they're really well-made, he'll see a huge spike in patrons and he'll be able to hire another person for the project. Fingers crossed
Race Against the Clock: Can your elder sim turn back the clock before their time runs out?
Omg it is. :0 I guess this is really happening
Wishlisted that thing
Race Against the Clock: Can your elder sim turn back the clock before their time runs out?