Hello
So this silence and no communication from Maxis is 🐸🐸🐸🐸 me off.
I watched Deligracys Video about the survey that came in January and at the end she made a really good point about making sure to keep the players interested now, since this game is out since 5years+
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2_SLDamNkg (It starts around 12:28)
I think Maxis does a bad job at it.
We have a Maxis not so monthly... I mean they only use it when there is a bigger update now, which is a good thing, but still
Okay people would say... just play the game... a new stuff pack came out in January so whats the problem?
Well i played the game i did my thing and now its boring again. See Sims4 content gets boring a lot more faster then you think and i am not in the minority here.
Maxis still has to play catch up. After 5 years basic things are missing... I dont even wanna always compare it to the 3 or 2...
I dont mean DLC themes that they could cover.
I talk about basic things that should be there in a LIFEsimulation Game. #No Firefighter when your House burns down?!
I might be
impatience but it takes them too long to add features... why is it that you can not add a monthly patch Update... so we could have a Maxis monthly... like what are they doing... Maxis has two mobile Games and one game on differente plattforms... I mean these things take work too, but I dont know... its been 5years...
So the Team comes all suprisingly, drops the bomb and goes hiding in theyre cabin... They hide from the storm, that is called feedback, till the last rain drops are down. There are rarely any statements just nothing really.
(20th anniversary suprise)
They can not talk about what they are currently working. They (most of the time) can not share what will happen in this year... So it feels like we have no say in the game that we pay for, and play. (Minus the community stuff project)
I wonder... where are the results of the community survey? Why dont they talk about it in the Maxis Monthly Stream. Share some more behind the scenes? I would watch that- And why is it that there is no February community survey... they used to do that every month?
I know they work, but i am just wondering, what are they doing and why do we have to beg for cars after 5years? Where is the honesty? Because it just feels like they are selling hope. Because who knows if cars ever be a thing right?
That irks me.
How do you feel about it?
Comments
For example, them not addressing the fire storm that was their 20th anniversary bothered me. They started the fire, they should have at least been seen in good faith to attempt to address people's issues.
The game is still missing basic features 6 years in, and this bothers me. I think they don't address it though because it's by design. They mean to leave things out so we can pay for it later. Sims fans seem to be loyal to a fault though and will just buy everything and anything. No need to address this because they're still making their margins and the system is working for them.
I get that they can't talk about what they are working on next though and this bothers me none. We shouldn't have a say in the next packs because really, what games do people ever get a say in? Once they get to beta or alpha testing, bugs get reported or game balance suggestions but the general public doesn't get to say things like "well you made this a shooter and I wanted to play a more hands on fight game, change this please". I know sims is a different style of game, all it's own really, but that doesn't mean we get to say what they develop next. Vote with your wallets. Buy the pack if you like it, or don't buy it. Which cycles back up to my other point of people just buying anything and everything.
Part of the problem is us. We helped make them this way by allowing ourselves to be treated this way. As long as people keep buying, they won't change a thing because they don't have to. It works for them no matter how we feel and if it's working for us or not. They don't have to have communicate with us, but some would be nice. It is good PR for them, but again, I guess they don't need it because they know we blindly will just buy all the packs.
Making content for a game takes time and a lot of developers work on other projects or organize things to keep their community invested, but the team are showing so little that there is nothing to be invested in. In fact, some things they post about makes me not want to support them anymore. I used to tweet about the sims and show stuff I have done but I don't feel like doing that anymore. The sims4 have become this joke that people are just fine with and we are expected to keep buying stuff for it.
Meanwhile other studios are making some amazing work. Because they invest time, money and effort into it. And they show that they support and believe in their games. I like to take screenshots in games and I am stunned by what people are making.
Maxis are showing very little of that, they mostly just say that they believe in the sims4 but they are not showing anything close to what other studios are making. It's mostly just words.
That is a very observant comment, because many large studios in the industry have moved into the business of selling hope, and delivering little to back it up. EA is one of the most shameless, but far from the first. It is easier to groom someone and woo them out of their money rather than actually working for it, and there are people who actually do like buying that adrenaline rush, so there is an actual audience for that and it actually pays. People were completely trusting at first, but now more are catching on to the tactics of companies who are in the game of talking a good game but never delivering.
This company has had lots of time and plenty of chances to turn things around, but instead they choose to get worse every time and just talk better to cover it up. In the last earnings call, they said that they would no longer be reporting active user numbers. When a color on the palette ceases to be rosy, they just take it off and use another pretty color instead to make it look good. They could make a genuine effort to do better and turn things around, but every time they get a chance, they do something like this.
All we can do about it is make personal decisions for ourselves and choose accordingly. Of course we all love the game, but the signs continue to be bad and it is important to understand the realistic contexts of things as they continue to unfold. It's not profitable to care, they are a company, caring is what they sell. Some companies do genuinely care, and they are very different from this. This is not what that ever feels like.
It's like being in an unhealthy relationship in real life, and not even knowing it because you've never experienced a healthy one before. You know something's wrong, it just doesn't feel right, you keep trying to make it work and it never does no matter how hard you try or what you do. You keep trying and trying, and they keep saying they care, but they really don't. They're just playing you, playing the game. The only way to make it better is to get out of that unhealthy relationship, find a healthy one, and be amazed at the difference and all of the things that you couldn't see or understand before.
When things keep getting worse upon worse, and all we see is that this company doesn't (really) care, why are we here wasting our time hoping and caring about them at all? There is no good fate for the game in the hands of a company like this, there is nothing we can do to make it better, and all we can choose is how far we want to ride the Titanic while it sinks. Gaming titanics take a long time to sink, but they definitely do, and it's written everywhere on every wall for anyone who really wants to read it. That's what I think it looks like, and I think that this is what they want from us - hanging on to hope where there isn't really anything to hope for, because whether or not it's good for us - it's good for them. Until they scrape the last dollar off of the floor and run, it's good for them.
However, I would not be too complacent if I was them, someone might be seeing a big opportunity while they sleep, and by the time they wake up the cows will be in the next field.
One of the sim guru's on twitter, (I can't remember who, but I think it might have been Ninja) said something this weekend about a vote to come soon and a surprise in the vote. It's always on twitter, they don't say much on here, you know, on their own official forums. *eyeroll*
This kind of communication though, trying to be full of surprises, really doesn't do much to help with the community being disappointed and letting people's speculations and hopes get way up. Just like they did for the 20th anniversary. It was supposed to be this big thing and it really wasn't much of anything.
I also agree with this too. A little more communication would stop this easily.
Basically. It literally doesn't matter if you complain on the internet and then still buy any pack they put out. You're just wasting your time and to put it bluntly, you are part of the problem.
EA gets a pass because it's The Sims. It's a popular franchise that has been around for many years and it's one of a kind (not for long with Paralives coming though). But it's been proved that consumers can make a difference if a studio puts out a garbage game and you just don't buy it/play it. Look at Anthem, after a year it's completely dead and I am just cackling at Bioware because they thought they could get away with it.
In other words, I'm not attracted to EA's business practices/choices. Truth be told, I disagree with the ways in which they've developed The Sims 4 (especially). But, since it is the only life simulation game as it is, I stick with it.
I took that survey in January and was impressed with the questions and, as always, the possibilities. However, there's a track record here. And it's not good.
So, like an intolerable family member, I accept the franchise for what it has become (while I long for what it once meant a long time ago). And I no longer dare to imagine what the result of January's survey could mean or not mean for the game and any future changes/updates.
In fact, I no longer believe nor buy that the game itself (TS4) needs an upgrade or any changes in order to be a better game; I firmly believe that the company itself needs a better dedication to its customers and quality commitment.
On that note, can I just give a big shout out to CD Projekt Red:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EOa2ITXW4AAbcag?format=png&name=large
This says it all.
Once Maxis/EA gets THAT right, they'll be back on the road to getting EVERYTHING right.
Edited one week after CP2077.
What? most games with ongoing updates and DLC that I follow players get a say in.
To begin with almost every dev out there in 2020 keep dev logs where they showcase things at a very early concept stage for players to show feedback, it's not that hard and it really does wonders to help boost sales, nowadays when I discover a new game I always check to see if the devs have one to see if the game is still active, if it's in a final state (because let's be real, no game ever releases in a finished state nowadays) or if it has been "abandoned".
I've seen PLENTY of games change stuff due to player feedback, EA doesn't even bother to change minor Tunings that makes packs semi-unplayable like Realm of Magic, we instead have to rely on Zer0's mods to fix it.
The way developers act with The Sims is really the low of the low, it's amazing how the devs treat the community like thrash and players still buy DLCs.
Crusader Kings 2 was released in 2012 and it still sells to this day all because Paradox never let the game die with constant updates and engaging with the community, the difference between the two companies is so absurd.
Alas, all we can do is vote with our wallets and hope that there's enough of us doing so to make a difference.
I don't necessarily agree with this in relation to the Sims 4. Sure with a game like say The Witcher 3, it's not a game that's created to be constantly changed and updated for years to come. You purchase it because you like it or are interested in it for what it is and hope that the developers fix any bugs or nuisances you may encounter. Maybe you'll even get a little DLC. But that's it. The Sims is different. It's always been a game that's been designed to be improved upon, tweaked, or changed throughout it's life-cycle, which usually continues for many years as we've seen with all sim titles so far in the main series. It's much like an MMO in that sense.
I can only speak about Final Fantasy XIV in this regard. The devs behind this game are incredibly well known for being forthright in what they're working on for future content and also go above and beyond in regards to player concerns, wishes, etc. just to name one example, a player asked for a feature to be added to controllers for them to vibrate whenever a queue pops, and it was added within one of the next updates. It really shows how even something small can go a long way in showing good faith with your player base.
So, if this team is wanting people to continue playing and purchasing content, why would they NOT want to give the players what they're asking for? Why would you NOT want to give your players more of an idea of what you're working on? Why NOT open up the lines of communication a little more? "Hey, we want to show you guys this thing we've been working on, what do you think?" Think about the amount of monumental feedback they could receive. The disasters that could have been avoided. I am tired of this hush hush, top secret vibe around the Sims 4, it's not doing them any favors.
As someone who mainly follows the sims this sounds to good to be true. I think being open about their development would be good for both sides. We can better understand the design choices and see how much work everything takes and keep expectations realistic, and in return they get early feedback through us in a stage where some things can still be changed. The community stuff pack that is going on now is the only thing that comes close to this scenario and I like it.
I completely agree. This should be one of the first place for them to contact us, not an afterthought.
Also, I think that Sims 4 needs competition to get their butts in gear, to smarten up & improve the game.
You both bring up good points. I guess I just meant that a lot of games don't, but you brought up some good examples of some that do. I do think the Sims team could communicate more and it would do well for them. It just doesn't bother me that they don't give us a say in the types of things released simply because it is a game that you buy the pieces and parts that you want. (Or don't buy if you don't want). However, I do see that there is an argument for the other side too because it is a piecemeal game. You would think they would want as many people buying as many packs as possible so some community input would be a good thing here.
I would say it depends on the studio, some developers are very vocal about what they are working on and they are also listening to feedback after they have patched a game or changed something. Developers who don't have a publisher or publish their games themselves (like CD Project Red or Devolver Digital) are often also listening more to the community.
Other developers have whole teams who work with the community, organize events and promote things, they do press releases, they do interviews, they make long blog posts about what they are working on, and they have people streaming their games on twitch. They know that in order to keep people invested, they have to provide content and keep people interested. They also often add depth, story and character to their games that makes people interested. And they also work a lot on improving things and making things more interesting by adding updates that changes the game. They create a universe that feels alive even when the game is turned off.
When it comes to the sims it feels like between the releases there are a very large amount of jokes... blurry gifs...old marketing pictures and when there is an update they are often overly excited or proud over very small things.
And they also retweet a lot of things that other people are doing, not themselves or they are asking for clips, pictures or builds from other people. Or they are promoting sales.
But with the exception of this community knitting pack, they do not want to share anything at all between releases.
The sims is a game that's about simulating life, being social and sharing your experiences and improving your sims, but Maxis does not seem to be interested in that when it comes to themselves or their game.
And if they are, there are not enough people that can show it to us. No community team, no updates about what they are working on, no story or depth to what they are creating. Things that I think could be easily fixed if they hire some more people to work on their community, give their game a bit more depth and create some stories for themselves. I also wished that they could include updates that they can share and ask for feedback on, here on the forums or over at Answer HQ.
https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/973106/knitting-gameplay-questions-for-the-community
See? it's not that hard.
I hope this is not an one-off thingy.
> In other words, I'm not attracted to EA's business practices/choices. Truth be told, I disagree with the ways in which they've developed The Sims 4 (especially). But, since it is the only life simulation game as it is, I stick with it.
No, there is the sims 1, the sims 2, and the sims 3. All you got to do is put your own effort is doing a little setting up for those games to run perfectly on a machine and you're good to go.
> @SAEldarin said:
> I'm not loyal to Maxis/EA because of them...they are the only company that offers a life simulation game in the form of our sims. Those sims are what I've enjoyed over the years -- creating numerous stories, building, etc.
>
> In other words, I'm not attracted to EA's business practices/choices. Truth be told, I disagree with the ways in which they've developed The Sims 4 (especially). But, since it is the only life simulation game as it is, I stick with it.
>
> I took that survey in January and was impressed with the questions and, as always, the possibilities. However, there's a track record here. And it's not good.
>
> So, like an intolerable family member, I accept the franchise for what it has become (while I long for what it once meant a long time ago). And I no longer dare to imagine what the result of January's survey could mean or not mean for the game and any future changes/updates.
>
> In fact, I no longer believe nor buy that the game itself (TS4) needs an upgrade or any changes in order to be a better game; I firmly believe that the company itself needs a better dedication to its customers and quality commitment.
>
> On that note, can I just give a big shout out to CD Projekt Red:
>
> https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EOa2ITXW4AAbcag?format=png&name=large
>
> This says it all.
>
> Once Maxis/EA gets THAT right, they'll be back on the road to getting EVERYTHING right.
But even so i understand why 3 lags in old pcs. It has so much content, so much things to do, it's just incredible.
On the other side, it's unbeliveable that 4 has so many bugs every time devs add a few stuff, because the game doesn't have that much content for this to happen...
Hello Lukas. I do have TS2 and TS3 on my computer. And I've been putting in the "effort" as you suggest ever since I first started modding games. Mods and game fixes are one of several reasons I can enjoy TS4. Thanks for your suggestion though.
Technology is always changing. No matter how much "effort" a person puts in to make TS2 and TS3 playable (a feat not so difficult in my own experience), there will always be limitations (and no new official content) with those games (graphics quality for me is a big one). So, the sole option of going back to earlier Sims games, however practical, only goes so far (at least for this simmer).
Above all that, the main point of my post was how I'd prefer to see fundamental changes to EA's business/development/quality assurance practices regarding the Sims franchise itself. To me, those core foundational principles need to exist before any game has a chance to be truly successful. In this way, I was primarily speaking to EA's "silence" as mentioned in the first post. Personally, I prefer CD Projekt Red's business/development/quality assurance model. I don't mention this to put EA down; I just want EA to improve -- to get things right.
And as a last note, this is just my opinion of EA's business practices. I'm basing this opinion on my personal experience with EA over the past 14 years. I've also been well-acquainted with Bethesda (dedicated TES/FO player here as well). So I have some measure of comparison (good and bad). And, finally, I see what other companies are doing -- from startups to tried and true businesses that prove their worth to the consumer long before their games ever go on sale.
Edit: About Deli's choices...there were some that I really disagreed with. It makes me a little worried about how much influence they have on the developers. I have noticed some of the more popular game changers are really focused on building and it makes me question if we are getting so much pretty and less gameplay because of that.
Having only watched a few different Simmers on YT, I do get a feeling that they actually are bored with playing the game in live mode. I mean they do their LPs for each new pack, sure, but there's something in their comments across random videos that indicates to me that they don't spend a lot of time playing the game off camera. Obviously, I don't know their situations, but if at some point they flat out said they don't play the game outside of Twitch or YT videos, I would not be surprised. But I also don't think they'd just come out and say it, especially for those whose livelihood depends on their YT channel. But also not playing off screen doesn't necessarily equal boredom/discontent with the game. I'm just trying to see this situation from multiple sides.
It's just a feeling I have that game changers aren't honest enough/vocal enough and thus they aren't really changing the game the way it needs to be changed. But maybe they are being honest and it's just a difference in perception/opinions. They think things work where I personally don't.
@NationalPokedex I've felt that way for a while now. I used to watch a few game changers and only just a few years ago they were super active, with some of them having multiple LPs going on at once. Now it's like they check out a new pack when it's released, do a few videos for it, and then they're done. Some of the gamechangers I've watched previously don't seem to have played in months. Others are even playing Sims 2 and 3. The interest in Sims 4 seems to be diminishing lately (one person I watch admitted that this is the case for her). I mean, they could just busier these days, but a lot of them could be genuinely bored with the game.