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The Sims 2: 50 FUN LITTLE DETAILS not in Sims 3 & Sims 4

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  • JoAnne65JoAnne65 Posts: 22,959 Member
    edited February 2020
    I’d really and seriously want to ask devs why they cut down details like this so drastically in the successors. I must confess I started watching a bit biased: “Ya ya ya ya, I know, Sims 2, details, superduper, yawn.” I’m 2 minutes in now and I turned around 180 degrees. It’s painful to watch how fleshed out, fluent and complete and awesome it looks.
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  • CinebarCinebar Posts: 33,618 Member
    As I said on the other thread about this video, it barely scratches the surface. There are many more not in the other games. Especially TS4.
    "Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
  • JoAnne65JoAnne65 Posts: 22,959 Member
    edited February 2020
    Cinebar wrote: »
    As I said on the other thread about this video, it barely scratches the surface. There are many more not in the other games. Especially TS4.
    As I said reacting to the same video in another topic: I’d genuinely like to ask the devs why they sacrificed the details. I don’t mind losing some of them by the way. The whole having to fetch a bottle from the fridge every time became a grind for me personally. And stepping into their car got old quite soon for me as well. But the detail and variety in conversations and interactions, especially with other sims, but also while cooking for instance, that’s just really a loss.

    ETA: oh, oops, got confused, it was actually in this topic I said that.
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  • simgirl1010simgirl1010 Posts: 35,701 Member
    Oops. Didn't realize the video had already been posted. Thought this section was for the comparison threads.
  • dconnor14dconnor14 Posts: 1 New Member
    Every time I play the Sims 4 it just makes me want to play TS2 because I get bored so easily...
  • simgirl1010simgirl1010 Posts: 35,701 Member
    dconnor14 wrote: »
    Every time I play the Sims 4 it just makes me want to play TS2 because I get bored so easily...

    You should play the game you most enjoy. Do you have Sims 2 installed?
  • KaeChan2089KaeChan2089 Posts: 4,944 Member
    edited February 2020
    One of the best games ever made (sure The Sims 1 and 3 are awesome in their own right...and no TS4 don't count with me...-throws in garbage-) this is truly one of the greatest and most awesome games <3

    ALSO, I didn't know some of these <3. Awesome I'm learning more since so long.
  • HestiaHestia Posts: 1,997 Member
    edited February 2020
    These little details are one of the many reasons why I choose The Sims 2 over the rest to this day and play The Sims 1 alongside it. I guess Will Wright did great things and it was a mistake for EA to have him not work with them anymore.

    Imagine the possibilities and how incredible the series would be today if he was still a part of the team? One can only dream...

    There are some details missed in that video, such as:
    • If a tub is broken and leaking from the second floor, the floor right below it will start spawning puddles. The ceiling will leak.
    • Clocks were functional and their dials matched the game time.
    • Proposing on the table was possible.
    • Throwing food at each other on the table.
    • Making a toast while eating.
    • Sims get sick while eating burnt food. Burning food doesn’t exist anymore in The Sims 4... it only comes out “poor quality”. It doesn’t define if it’s burned or if it’s just bad quality.
    • Sims can go on a short limo trip after their wedding. If you have Bon Voyage installed, you can plan a honeymoon overseas.
    • If a Sim comes back home after earning a large sum of money throughout their lifetime (yes, the game can calculate how much money a single Sim has earned through their job), they will feel proud and start raising their hands congratulating themselves. They can also get a memory.
    • Genes actually worked properly...yes. Dominant and recessive genes existed. Greater offspring can show genes from grandparents, etc.
    • Extensive family tree.
    • When a Sim engages or is wed, you can see the ring on their finger.
    • Slobs eat messy, fart and burp often.
    • Growing up well will increase the Sims lifespan compared to Sims who didn’t grow up well. I find it silly that they made vegetarians live longer. That’s entirely anecdotal.
    • Different diving animations according to your Sim’s personality.
    • Slob Sim can autonomously have a sponge bath at the nearest sink.
    • The Sims 2 is the only game that had actual, permanent zombies that you can control.
    • The goose interaction.
    • Sims who dislike you can not only steal your gnomes, but they can also steal your newspaper and knock over the garbage bin.
    • Sims can autonomously look out the window.
    • Dogs can autonomously “greet” newspaper girls/boys or mailmen/women.
    • The Sims 2: Freeplay added even more with hobbies and interests.
    • If you summon the social bunny from having low social needs, and if you summon two - the pink and blue, they will happily start fighting each other...
    • How many birthday cake candles present depends on the age of the Sim.

    There’s probably still so much more.
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  • JoAnne65JoAnne65 Posts: 22,959 Member
    I do think detail is something that will matter to one player more than to the other. Some of the social details look awesome, but also because they’re new to me. Considering why I love playing Sims 3 so much mainly comes down to the fact that it allows me to follow so many different storylines. Take my sims everywhere and use what’s in the game to do with it what I want to do with it. Also: the way CASt allows me to decorate my sims’ houses in detail and their clothes (and in ways that are really my own choice, not the game’s) is something I terribly miss when I play Sims 2 or 4. Others do not, so that’s personal. I also wonder if every ‘detail’ is really about detail. Like the kid playing with the fridge. That’s just a feature isn’t it? Sims 3 and 4 have features Sims 2 doesn’t have. When I visited a ruin in Sims 2, I was disappointed because it lacked the amount of detail tombs in WA had.

    So while I do regret some of it, I can’t say I regret all of it. Sometimes you have to hand in one aspect in a game to gain another. Must confess I don’t really see what that something is in Sims 4 (but others probably will), but I most definitely see what it is in Sims 3. And for me that something apparently matters more I guess. Some of Sims 2’s details became a bit grinding for me after a while even.
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  • CinebarCinebar Posts: 33,618 Member
    JoAnne65 wrote: »

    So while I do regret some of it, I can’t say I regret all of it. Sometimes you have to hand in one aspect in a game to gain another. Must confess I don’t really see what that something is in Sims 4 (but others probably will), but I most definitely see what it is in Sims 3. And for me that something apparently matters more I guess. Some of Sims 2’s details became a bit grinding for me after a while even.

    It's almost funny they said that something we gain when we gave up all the rest were the emotions for these Sims. :wink:

    "Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
  • ManakoHimeManakoHime Posts: 285 Member
    Why did it go so wrong!? I love the sims games but it seemed to peak at 2 (maybe 3 for some) and just went down hill at 4. If we really do get TS5 than I am very worried for what we will get.
  • CinebarCinebar Posts: 33,618 Member
    edited February 2020
    ManakoHime wrote: »
    Why did it go so wrong!? I love the sims games but it seemed to peak at 2 (maybe 3 for some) and just went down hill at 4. If we really do get TS5 than I am very worried for what we will get.

    Yeah, think about it. Kids in TS4 are the best to some. However, so we could have 'emotions' they can't play Mary Mack, blow bubbles, Show Off, Jump Rope, Cops and Robbers, shock other Sims with carpet static, play torment with a toddler, or play with toddler and it's toys while they use that talking rabbit, they can't play red hands, or another half of dozen interactions. They can't go sit on bed and cross legs and relax, they can't do dozens of other things that are unique to them and not adults. I hope those Buffs were worth it. I guess so since so many buy everything Maxis is churning out these days. ETA: When I think about kids in TS2 I also know it's fun to play very poor families in TS2. Like kids can jump on beds and couches for fun. You can make them do that and or they will do it if your Sims can't afford a toy or a TV etc. I have to give a lot of respect to the developers of yore who actually thought deeply about childish behavior and kids in those games.
    "Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
  • JoAnne65JoAnne65 Posts: 22,959 Member
    edited February 2020
    Cinebar wrote: »
    JoAnne65 wrote: »

    So while I do regret some of it, I can’t say I regret all of it. Sometimes you have to hand in one aspect in a game to gain another. Must confess I don’t really see what that something is in Sims 4 (but others probably will), but I most definitely see what it is in Sims 3. And for me that something apparently matters more I guess. Some of Sims 2’s details became a bit grinding for me after a while even.

    It's almost funny they said that something we gain when we gave up all the rest were the emotions for these Sims. :wink:
    Yes, to this day I don't understand what exactly they consider emotions in this game. A sim looking sad with a trembling lower lip and a pop up saying they are sad because they walked through an aura. Or a sim crying his eyes out because his spouse died or because his wife cheated on him. I'd say it's essential what the player feels while playing where emotions are concerned. "Now why on earth are you angry/flirty/sad/embarrased this time, nothing even happened!" isn't exactly what I call proper emotions.
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  • CinebarCinebar Posts: 33,618 Member
    edited February 2020
    Not only just a buff system that any old game can do, but I think only a handful of us noticed the first day, the emotion saying the Sim was angry or sad or whatever on the Avatar wasn't the expression on the Sim's face. Nope, they had a wide grin but the game UI telling me they were angry, and or sad or whatever. Their programming half the time doesn't even match what emotion buff the UI says they have. Half the time if you zoom in they aren't looking sad or angry or anything else just grinning all the way. ETA: The avatar picture shows an angry Sim etc. the Sim itself is not. Sloppy.
    "Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
  • OldeseadoggeOldeseadogge Posts: 4,973 Member
    Great video! Thank you for sharing! I've been playing TS2 since it came out and there were some things in it I've yet to see. It's the attention like that which makes that version so immersive, so fun, so the best. One thing not shown was that when 2 sims are slow dancing there is a possibility there will be a spin move, generally by the lady sim. On the banisters, the straight ones will be slid down as well and there isn't always a specific mood/trait to do it. Sometimes the kids just do. This game version is just sooooo rich!
  • ClarionOfJoyClarionOfJoy Posts: 1,945 Member
    JoAnne65 wrote: »
    I’d really and seriously want to ask devs why they cut down details like this so drastically in the successors. I must confess I started watching a bit biased: “Ya ya ya ya, I know, Sims 2, details, superduper, yawn.” I’m 2 minutes in now and I turned around 180 degrees. It’s painful to watch how fleshed out, fluent and complete and awesome it looks.

    For TS3, I honestly think it's because the devs already had so much on their plate creating an open world system. Back then, a lot of computers couldn't run it so I think that's why they cut out so much of the finer details that TS2 had. At first, I did miss those finer details, but TS3 had so many other things it offered that now I don't really miss them anymore.

    What I'm hoping for TS5 (which is now dwindling considering the CEO would like it to be an online multiplayer) is that they combine the finer details of TS2 with TS3's wonderful open world, flexibility of gameplay and the customization ability of almost everything in it. I know that the competition are reading this forum though so hopefully they will consider this as they develop their own life sim games.
  • OldeseadoggeOldeseadogge Posts: 4,973 Member
    The details are what make the game so immersive, for me anyway. It feels like one is with real little folk, not animated puppets one can just watch. While 3 has its advances, it just couldn't hold my attention, and I tried it twice - when it first came out and then much later with a stronger PC, my first set of disks, and some I found in a computer game store around 2014. I most definitely miss them in 4, the kind we can see as in the video and those that are in the background making the game dynamic.
  • JoAnne65JoAnne65 Posts: 22,959 Member
    I think that’s indeed personal. Like, for me it’s genuinely enough to watch my sim walk to the street, click and then teleport into their car. Somehow my mind just fills in the rest, I don’t need to see it all in detail. Like changing a baby by throwing them into the air is fine by me. I got the changing table at one point and when my sim house is big enough I place it for looks, but I hardly use it. Shortcuts as such don’t necessarily break immersion for me.

    What does break immersion for me is the teleporting, then a loading screen. I’m completely losing the connection when that happens. The fact sims in 2 drive off (or walk away) before the loading screen matters to me. For others however this doesn’t apply, they’re totally fine with the teleporting.
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  • HestiaHestia Posts: 1,997 Member
  • AnthonydyerAnthonydyer Posts: 1,197 Member
    edited March 2020
    This is the epitome of what we have been saying. Sims 2 has so many gems that I am still discovering them now. The one about flushing the toilet and jumping out of the shower is hilarious.

    One thing that sticks out to me is the number of sim to sim interactions in the sims 2. There are so many ways to interact. There are also many animations and little trinkets also. Such as the sim looking at us and waving when you do something they like. In the sims 2 and 3, behaviors drew strongly from traits and personality. In the sims 4, it is emotions.

    I say if there is a sims 5, I would like to generally see a combination of sims 2 and 3. I believe open world is a must. I believe computers will do just fine running the game. Remember sims 3 came out in 2009. That is a long time ago. I would much rather have more functionality than have a graphics intense game. Give us the functionality and then worry about graphics later. Sure sims 4 is a 'beautiful' game, but we are here to play games. I don't need art.
  • CamkatCamkat Posts: 2,329 Member
    edited March 2020
    I was ok with sacrificing some details in TS3 (like getting into cars for example) for the trade off we got with the open worlds and full customization of everything from the world itself down to the colour/patterns of the sim's clothing. Some of the details he mentions in these videos are still in TS3 but none of this is in TS4.

    They sacrificed an immense amount of details this time around for almost no improvements. Sure CAS and Build mode are easier to deal with but what about when we are actually playing and in their world? I can make a pretty sim who lives in a pretty house and that's it. Family play is the biggest joke. Kids don't just only have fun with electronics and tv's IRL. I would love to see my sim children interact and actually play with each other more and build a real kid relationship like I had with my own siblings, and even with their parents. TS2 did this very well and TS3 did it almost as good with just the base game and even better once you had the Generations pack.

    With how much they cut out of TS4, I think I can make some good guesses how TS5 will be and since money is always the bottom line, I think we can expect an even shallower game. Especially if they add the online elements they plan on, since that was the excuse they used for TS4 being so shallow, it will only be worse with TS5. I hope they prove me wrong.
    Origin ID: Peapod79
  • BabykittyjadeBabykittyjade Posts: 4,975 Member
    I always wished the sims 4 would just come out with a pack that focus solely on animations and sims interacting with eachother. No CAS and no new world. :s
    Zombies, oh please oh please give us zombies!! :'(
  • mcorralmcorral Posts: 512 Member
    Oh, I loved TS2. It had so many details that were great. The game was darker, harder and funnier than other games. I was constantly discovering new things when I played that game. Sometimes my sims were in some strange and funny situations that others games didn't have at all.

    On the other hand TS4 is... beautiful... but plain, childish and boring. Everything is so perfect, nothing goes wrong... I've never seen someone fighting, or screaming, you can't be robbed... it's quite boring... nothing happens. Ey!, but it's beautiful.

    Someone said that: The Sims 4 is a beautiful empty shell... it's quite true.
  • TamakiSakura84TamakiSakura84 Posts: 543 Member
    TS4 is like candy: pretty wrapping, overly sweet, and nothing but empty calories.
  • OldeseadoggeOldeseadogge Posts: 4,973 Member
    At least we don't need to throw the wrapper away. You did nail it though. Something he's not gotten into in his videos yet is what you can do in build mode. Some things I've done: homes of various sizes, true to style Victorian with actual Mansard roofing, castles & forts, multi use community lots, hotels, dorms, apartment buildings (one of them 10 story), boats/ships (Titanic, anyone? That took several lots.) I'm sure other simmers have been equally or more creative.

    Fishing is more complex in 2, and more fun. There is even a failed casting attempt where the sim spins head over heels, crashes, and has various recovery animations. They will bait the hook first, though I don't remember if TS4 sims do or not.
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