That just basically says they will "communicate via twitter." So I do not have a very positive outlook for what they may do.
Sorry to break the sad news to them, but not everyone is on twitter Info needs to be where everyone will see it. Like here.
...Numbers says the opposite. Far more Sims players are on Twitter than are on these forums? Do you really think 2 million different accounts are active on these forums? These forums consists of what? 2% of the player base?
And that's the same for all games btw. Many games have Reddits, for example that are far more active than their official forums. Or maybe having unofficial forums that are more active than the official ones.
That just basically says they will "communicate via twitter." So I do not have a very positive outlook for what they may do.
Sorry to break the sad news to them, but not everyone is on twitter Info needs to be where everyone will see it. Like here.
I think they like Twitter because it's harder to follow posts there. Whereas, in this forum, it's just easier to carry on a discussion/debate/argument which they can't bury or control as much.
I do have a Twitter account though. I never post any tweets, but I opened it so I can the tweets I like. But as I have said before, it's very hard to follow posts there.
...Numbers says the opposite. Far more Sims players are on Twitter than are on these forums? Do you really think 2 million different accounts are active on these forums? These forums consists of what? 2% of the player base?
And that's the same for all games btw. Many games have Reddits, for example that are far more active than their official forums. Or maybe having unofficial forums that are more active than the official ones.
Who is more likely to care and engage more with your products -
People that have bothered getting to the forums, or those following an account that for the most part these days only posts ads?
People following the gurus are similarly dedicated, as they are likely doing so to hear about the news, but that's about 30-50K accounts, not 2 million.
Then there's people like me, not following anyone, because I would need to follow good 20-40 Guru accounts, as TheSims main account is ad central and nothing else by now.
...Numbers says the opposite. Far more Sims players are on Twitter than are on these forums? Do you really think 2 million different accounts are active on these forums? These forums consists of what? 2% of the player base?
And that's the same for all games btw. Many games have Reddits, for example that are far more active than their official forums. Or maybe having unofficial forums that are more active than the official ones.
Who is more likely to care and engage more with your products -
People that have bothered getting to the forums, or those following an account that for the most part these days only posts ads?
People following the gurus are similarly dedicated, as they are likely doing so to hear about the news, but that's about 30-50K accounts, not 2 million.
Then there's people like me, not following anyone, because I would need to follow good 20-40 Guru accounts, as TheSims main account is ad central and nothing else by now.
I agree. This forum is specific to only The Sims products, whereas other online social media such as Twitter and Reddit cater to all kinds of subjects, not just The Sims. People on those types are split in their interests. Whereas in this forum, people who post here went to all the trouble of signing up just for this one subject - and that is The Sims games. I would say that they are far more interested in voicing their opinions and wishes for these games than those on other social media.
In Twitter, it is really difficult to carry on a discussion thread simply by its nature of posting short messages. In Reddit, it is possible to follow threads and such, but from what I've seen of it, it's mostly sharing screenshots or stories of your game. I don't really see anyone posting any hopes and wishes for their games, no complaints and improvements they want, no polling, etc.
So this forum is for the die-hard simmers - for the people who care most for The Sims games. This is the only place where we can truly voice what we want for our games. This is the place where we can fully help other simmers if they have a problem with the game. This is also the place where we can fully praise the game - I don't mean game changers, I mean real simmers who paid for their games - can come here and fully express how much we love the games, what fun things we've done with them. I trust their opinions, suggestions, and any other input from them over those of the game changers or EAxis employees.
...Numbers says the opposite. Far more Sims players are on Twitter than are on these forums? Do you really think 2 million different accounts are active on these forums? These forums consists of what? 2% of the player base?
And that's the same for all games btw. Many games have Reddits, for example that are far more active than their official forums. Or maybe having unofficial forums that are more active than the official ones.
Who is more likely to care and engage more with your products -
People that have bothered getting to the forums, or those following an account that for the most part these days only posts ads?
People following the gurus are similarly dedicated, as they are likely doing so to hear about the news, but that's about 30-50K accounts, not 2 million.
Then there's people like me, not following anyone, because I would need to follow good 20-40 Guru accounts, as TheSims main account is ad central and nothing else by now.
I agree. This forum is specific to only The Sims products, whereas other online social media such as Twitter and Reddit cater to all kinds of subjects, not just The Sims. People on those types are split in their interests. Whereas in this forum, people who post here went to all the trouble of signing up just for this one subject - and that is The Sims games. I would say that they are far more interested in voicing their opinions and wishes for these games than those on other social media.
In Twitter, it is really difficult to carry on a discussion thread simply by its nature of posting short messages. In Reddit, it is possible to follow threads and such, but from what I've seen of it, it's mostly sharing screenshots or stories of your game. I don't really see anyone posting any hopes and wishes for their games, no complaints and improvements they want, no polling, etc.
So this forum is for the die-hard simmers - for the people who care most for The Sims games. This is the only place where we can truly voice what we want for our games. This is the place where we can fully help other simmers if they have a problem with the game. This is also the place where we can fully praise the game - I don't mean game changers, I mean real simmers who paid for their games - can come here and fully express how much we love the games, what fun things we've done with them. I trust their opinions, suggestions, and any other input from them over those of the game changers or EAxis employees.
That just basically says they will "communicate via twitter." So I do not have a very positive outlook for what they may do.
Sorry to break the sad news to them, but not everyone is on twitter Info needs to be where everyone will see it. Like here.
...Numbers says the opposite. Far more Sims players are on Twitter than are on these forums? Do you really think 2 million different accounts are active on these forums? These forums consists of what? 2% of the player base?
And that's the same for all games btw. Many games have Reddits, for example that are far more active than their official forums. Or maybe having unofficial forums that are more active than the official ones.
The guru twitters would be a better source of direct information since ‘The Sims’ Twitter is mostly just to run ads. Their average follower count is nowhere near 2 million so I think we should agree that number doesn’t signify anything other than ad reach for the main account. It’s relatively small when you factor in how many copies of this game have been sold. The ‘majority’ of players don’t seem to follow game news at all.
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?
I'm curious about a few things. First, I did not see the survey so therefore did not participate. I only got Sims 4 last year. But let's start with the cars.
In Sims 3 the cars were nothing more than a means to get from lot A to lot B (at least on console) so I'm curious what you would expect from them in Sims 4? Of course, I don't like that when my Sims go to lot B, they just disappear instead of getting in a car, but really once the car got to the end of the street, it just disappeared and re-appeared on the new lot. In my opinion, not much of a difference. I do want cars back, don't get me wrong but practically speaking, I didn't see much difference in game play with them. Again, just my opinion.
Next thing I'm curious about is how many of us players really know anything about designing a video game? Personally, though I do 3D graphic art with meshes, animations, rigging and so on and I do have some experience in basic programming, I have not one iota of understanding how to make a video game. 5 years? Well, being a Blender user (open source 3D modeling and animation studio) and having spent much time talking to the devs one-on-one there, I can imagine how long it would take to get a game up and running and ready for public consumption. Again, I didn't know the survey therefore the issues brought up.
Next thing I'm curious about is would we rather they take time to give us updates or have all hands on deck trying to give us upgrades? Sure a comment here and there would be nice. A little note perhaps saying, "hey y'all, here's what's up," but Sims is not now nor has it ever been a co-op development game. Therefore, we have a choice, buy the game, play the game and give constructive criticism or not play the game. We don't have any "right" to demand anything of them. We're the consumer yes and we should give feedback. I'm just saying that maybe we should be happy that we have the game at all and perhaps not accuse them of hiding "from the storm, that is called feedback..."
Honestly, the game is playable. It is good. There are rooms for improvement and hopefully they will improve them. But here's been my experience as a Customer Service Professional. I'll give it to you in a scenario:
Two customers call in. One politely asks for assistance while the other just offers criticism and quite frankly sometimes very rudely. How do you think I handle each of them? Who do you think I am more willing to help? Or even listen to, honestly?
Trust me, it's the polite one. The one that complains about everything, I do as little for as possible and shut out most of what they say. It gets very annoying very quickly when you hear complaining all of the time. After awhile, you just want to shut down communication.
@PreCiious I know I quoted you in here but the reason I did is because of the genuine curiosity I have about what the cars would mean to you in gameplay. How they would enhance it? More than the cars, I miss the ability to go from lot A to lot B myself then have my sims jog there for their exercise and to be able to select activities for them to do before they got there. Cars to me is just a means of getting from that lot to this one, again on console. Perhaps there's a difference on pc/mac? And it's not like you could do anything to the car like wash it, just cruise around taking in the scenery, take it to the drive-in (which would be fun if such a thing existed anymore. lol) You couldn't give it tune-ups or anything. More often than not, it just stayed in your pocket taking up space. So why is it such a big deal?
P.S. Please don't think I'm singling you out. I am not. I've been on here long enough to see so many negative threads that I just mainly ignore them and I'm not even the target of them. So this is not personal, it's just that you made some comments that struck my curiosity. That's all.
Anyway, I hope you all can see what I'm trying to say. If you'd like to have a conversation with me about my opinions, I'll respond. If all you have are complaints and criticism with no solutions, I'll likely just ignore you. Nothing personal, just being honest.
I'll end by saying that in college, I belonged to a student organization group and we had a policy. If you came to us with a problem with the university, please bring two problems and at least one solution.
In Sims 3 the cars were nothing more than a means to get from lot A to lot B (at least on console) so I'm curious what you would expect from them in Sims 4? Of course, I don't like that when my Sims go to lot B, they just disappear instead of getting in a car, but really once the car got to the end of the street, it just disappeared and re-appeared on the new lot. In my opinion, not much of a difference. I do want cars back, don't get me wrong but practically speaking, I didn't see much difference in game play with them. Again, just my opinion.
The Sims 2 was limited to lot play, not even neighbourhood play and it had cars. In fact cars were a major feature that came in an expansion. You could set an alarm on your car. You could restore cars as an activity with free time. You could sell cars with Open for Business. You could take your children to school yourself.
As a lot of features in The Sims, it's not necessary, but it was a great roleplay feature for people.
Next thing I'm curious about is how many of us players really know anything about designing a video game?
Got a real Bachelors degree in Computer and Video Games. That being said, you don't need to be a chef to recognise that a food at a restaurant tastes off.
Next thing I'm curious about is would we rather they take time to give us updates or have all hands on deck trying to give us upgrades? Sure a comment here and there would be nice. A little note perhaps saying, "hey y'all, here's what's up," but Sims is not now nor has it ever been a co-op development game. Therefore, we have a choice, buy the game, play the game and give constructive criticism or not play the game.
So I suppose they have no interest in why they're losing revenue when we stop purchasing?
That's what the forums are for. They're to give feedback. Not enough communication is valid feedback. If they don't want to get feedback they can close all avenues to do with communication and just let fan spaces take over.
Not for me, though I am happy that your game is functional. Have you tried generational play or a 100 baby challenge? I am curious how far you'll get before simulation lag kicks in.
Two customers call in. One politely asks for assistance while the other just offers criticism and quite frankly sometimes very rudely. How do you think I handle each of them? Who do you think I am more willing to help? Or even listen to, honestly?
20 000 customers call in. First they're polite and you tell them that you're fixing their issues. As months and years go by, they get less polite as their issues are still not fixed. You then tell them that it's their fault that their issues will never get fixed. You then refuse a refund.
In Sims 3 the cars were nothing more than a means to get from lot A to lot B (at least on console) so I'm curious what you would expect from them in Sims 4? Of course, I don't like that when my Sims go to lot B, they just disappear instead of getting in a car, but really once the car got to the end of the street, it just disappeared and re-appeared on the new lot. In my opinion, not much of a difference. I do want cars back, don't get me wrong but practically speaking, I didn't see much difference in game play with them. Again, just my opinion.
The Sims 2 was limited to lot play, not even neighbourhood play and it had cars. In fact cars were a major feature that came in an expansion. You could set an alarm on your car. You could restore cars as an activity with free time. You could sell cars with Open for Business. You could take your children to school yourself.
As a lot of features in The Sims, it's not necessary, but it was a great roleplay feature for people.
Oh I like the sound of that. Thanks for explaining it. I haven't played anything other than Sims 3 and 4 so was curious what the big deal was. Now I know so again, thanks.
Next thing I'm curious about is how many of us players really know anything about designing a video game?
Got a real Bachelors degree in Computer and Video Games. That being said, you don't need to be a chef to recognise that a food at a restaurant tastes off.
That's true about the chef and the food. But with a Bachelors degree in Computer and Video Games, let me ask, how much effor goes into designing a video game? And if you add a new feature after the release, how long does it take to make sure that the new feature works with the rest? Also, how do you handle bugs, glitches and other anomalies that come up?
Next thing I'm curious about is would we rather they take time to give us updates or have all hands on deck trying to give us upgrades? Sure a comment here and there would be nice. A little note perhaps saying, "hey y'all, here's what's up," but Sims is not now nor has it ever been a co-op development game. Therefore, we have a choice, buy the game, play the game and give constructive criticism or not play the game.
So I suppose they have no interest in why they're losing revenue when we stop purchasing?
That's what the forums are for. They're to give feedback. Not enough communication is valid feedback. If they don't want to get feedback they can close all avenues to do with communication and just let fan spaces take over.
I'm curious, how much revenue do you think they're losing? I agree that as I said a post now and again letting us know that they're working on things but they're not obligated to give us any feedback at all. It's completely at their discretion.
Not for me, though I am happy that your game is functional. Have you tried generational play or a 100 baby challenge? I am curious how far you'll get before simulation lag kicks in.
I am sorry that your game doesn't work and thanks for being happy for me. I appreciate that. No, I haven't played any of the challenges yet so don't know how far I'd get. But I'll try one day.
Two customers call in. One politely asks for assistance while the other just offers criticism and quite frankly sometimes very rudely. How do you think I handle each of them? Who do you think I am more willing to help? Or even listen to, honestly?
20 000 customers call in. First they're polite and you tell them that you're fixing their issues. As months and years go by, they get less polite as their issues are still not fixed. You then tell them that it's their fault that their issues will never get fixed. You then refuse a refund.
Do you honestly think that the devs are not trying to fix the issues? I am not implying that they are not. I'm simply trying to get people to see that there are two sides to everything. Of course if their issue as recurring and has not been resolved, I would try to resolve it. But that's hard to do if all they want to do is argue, complain and insult me and the company I work for. But let's look at the whole scenario I laid out, first of all, without going back and reading the parts of my post that you omitted, I do believe that I mentioned about noting everyone's accounts. Those notes give us a sense of who has legitimate issues and who does not. So it's not like Customer A who has been very polite all along but suddenly starts getting angry and even rude, doesn't have his prior attitudes listed on his account.
However, I don't know how Maxis looks at the forums. I'm sure they don't have a noting system for each of us. I'm simply saying that we should all try to look at everyone's perspective. That's all.
let me ask, how much effor goes into designing a video game? And if you add a new feature after the release, how long does it take to make sure that the new feature works with the rest? Also, how do you handle bugs, glitches and other anomalies that come up?
Depends on the size of your team and what you're trying to achieve.
Normally you would have a Q&A department.
If you broke your product, you would likely be pulling all nighters to fix it.
This is not even exclusive to the gaming industry by the way. In software industry if the client would have their application broken in an update that would also be deemed unacceptable. And just like with any jobs, work is tough.
I'm curious, how much revenue do you think they're losing?
I can not know this number. I know that from me they lost the cost of all of the remainder DLCs, considering that I would normally purchase them as soon as they're out. But I can only speak for myself.
Here is Autonomy and Simulation lag megathread. Created in 2018 (issue happening at least since 2016), closed in December 2019, without a fix or a solution. They either are unwilling to fix it, or they can not fix it. Distinction between the two does not matter to a customer.
However, I don't know how Maxis looks at the forums. I'm sure they don't have a noting system for each of us. I'm simply saying that we should all try to look at everyone's perspective. That's all.
When you end up buying a defective plunger, do you worry about the perspective of the manufacturer? I really see it as no different; money for a good/service. People just want a good video game for their money. Enough with the excuses.
It's been 6 years and we just got an announcement for an announcement, which is an announcement they are working on 3 packs this year. What a surprise. They made sure to note how the content coming in the summer isn't massive. The only thing intriguing is the fact they're working on a new concept, which if it's remotely anything like the new concepts they introduced in The Sims 4... yikes.
let me ask, how much effor goes into designing a video game? And if you add a new feature after the release, how long does it take to make sure that the new feature works with the rest? Also, how do you handle bugs, glitches and other anomalies that come up?
Depends on the size of your team and what you're trying to achieve.
Normally you would have a Q&A department.
If you broke your product, you would likely be pulling all nighters to fix it.
This is not even exclusive to the gaming industry by the way. In software industry if the client would have their application broken in an update that would also be deemed unacceptable. And just like with any jobs, work is tough.
I'm curious, how much revenue do you think they're losing?
I can not know this number. I know that from me they lost the cost of all of the remainder DLCs, considering that I would normally purchase them as soon as they're out. But I can only speak for myself.
Here is Autonomy and Simulation lag megathread. Created in 2018 (issue happening at least since 2016), closed in December 2019, without a fix or a solution. They either are unwilling to fix it, or they can not fix it. Distinction between the two does not matter to a customer.
I agree with this completely but with a different perspective perhaps. Who's to say they haven't been working on it? How do we know how huge the problem is? If they've closed it, the it seems that they believe they got it fixed. I personally don't have the autonomy and simulation lag problem. At least not that I've noticed. So I can't really speak to that but by my game, it appears there is no issue, at least not since June of last year when I finally, if reluctantly, set aside Sims 3 and started playing Sims 4. So I dunno anything about that except it seems to work for me at least.
However, I don't know how Maxis looks at the forums. I'm sure they don't have a noting system for each of us. I'm simply saying that we should all try to look at everyone's perspective. That's all.
When you end up buying a defective plunger, do you worry about the perspective of the manufacturer? I really see it as no different; money for a good/service. People just want a good video game for their money. Enough with the excuses.
It's been 6 years and we just got an announcement for an announcement, which is an announcement they are working on 3 packs this year. What a surprise. They made sure to note how the content coming in the summer isn't massive. The only thing intriguing is the fact they're working on a new concept, which if it's remotely anything like the new concepts they introduced in The Sims 4... yikes.
Interesting fact, I just had to buy a new plunger a month ago. I needed it pretty badly too. The new one was defective so I had to drive 45 minutes back into town just to exchange it. So I get your analogy. And I agree that people want the service/product they've paid for.
However, having said that, my mom had to have hip replacement surgery. The surgeon went in and did the surgery. Two days later, her hip popped completely out of its socket. She screamed a blood-curdling scream that brought the entire hospital staff assigned to all wings on that floor running. She immediately went in for another surgery. After they were satisfied that the replacement took this time and after a week in the hospital to be certain, they sent her home. Two weeks after she was home, it popped out at home this time. We live 45 minutes from town. It took an hour for paramedics just to get to our house and then, there was little they could but get her stabalized enough for the trip back to the hospital. Another emergency surgery later, she recovered. Unfortunately, the surgeon explained that she would never be able to fully walk. She walks with a very hobbily limp now and will for the rest of her life.
The point of this story is to maybe get you to see that even with the best care and most qualified professionals, problems arise. When they do, all the professional can do is work to fix them. I have to believe that just as I believe the surgeon did his best for my mom, that the devs are doing the best they can for the game, thus the company, thus the gamer.
As for the "excuses," how is it that trying to express a different persective means making excuses? That doesn't make sense to me.
As for the announcement, the point of this thread is that there were no announcements. Now there are announcements. True, not the announcements that many people may have expected but at least the "silence" is broken. Doesn't that mean that this thread's concern has been met?
Also, you're saying that it has been 6 years since they've given any updates or anything? Didn't they just do a survey in a few months ago? As for the new concepts and such, let's not "yikes" it until we know what it is. It could be awesome! It could be horrible. But let's wait and see together. Okay?
I agree with this completely but with a different perspective perhaps. Who's to say they haven't been working on it? How do we know how huge the problem is? If they've closed it, the it seems that they believe they got it fixed. I personally don't have the autonomy and simulation lag problem. At least not that I've noticed. So I can't really speak to that but by my game, it appears there is no issue, at least not since June of last year when I finally, if reluctantly, set aside Sims 3 and started playing Sims 4. So I dunno anything about that except it seems to work for me at least.
Last post:
"I'm going to lock this thread as it's to unspecific and lags have many causes.
These issues aren't solved by any means
Please create new threads.
Happy Gaming
Crin"
And as I said, they're either incapable of fixing it, or are not fixing it. The outcome for the consumer is the same.
I agree with this completely but with a different perspective perhaps. Who's to say they haven't been working on it? How do we know how huge the problem is? If they've closed it, the it seems that they believe they got it fixed. I personally don't have the autonomy and simulation lag problem. At least not that I've noticed. So I can't really speak to that but by my game, it appears there is no issue, at least not since June of last year when I finally, if reluctantly, set aside Sims 3 and started playing Sims 4. So I dunno anything about that except it seems to work for me at least.
Last post:
"I'm going to lock this thread as it's to unspecific and lags have many causes.
These issues aren't solved by any means
Please create new threads.
Happy Gaming
Crin"
And as I said, they're either incapable of fixing it, or are not fixing it. The outcome for the consumer is the same.
As far as I know, to this day only one major bug has not been fixed and has been admittedly impossible to fix:
The Clashing Of Festivals bug. (there are several other bugs that has never been fixed but has not been getting the same treatment. They either say it's fixed when it's not, or they have never responded to the bug report at all).
It has been reported fixed by the devs then re-opened several times. The last update from the devs in the bug report says straight out "we can't fix this". Which is why I never go to geekcon or the romance festival unless I live in the fashion district since I risk having that square bugged out forever in that game and unusable.
Interesting fact, I just had to buy a new plunger a month ago. I needed it pretty badly too. The new one was defective so I had to drive 45 minutes back into town just to exchange it. So I get your analogy. And I agree that people want the service/product they've paid for.
Yeah, that's entirely where I'm coming from. Still love the series a lot, and play the predecessors, but The Sims 4 just never really clicked with me the same way The Sims 2 and The Sims 3 have. I think it's a lot further than the game itself and extends to how Maxis' management of this game has really declined. Whereas things felt like they were in order with the last gen, and we were getting scheduled releases every 6 months for expansion packs, The Sims 4 leaves you in the dark wondering what is going on, and then when you finally get an expansion, it feels lackluster in comparison to the expansion packs of the past, with the tightly scheduled releases.
However, having said that, my mom had to have hip replacement surgery. The surgeon went in and did the surgery. Two days later, her hip popped completely out of its socket. She screamed a blood-curdling scream that brought the entire hospital staff assigned to all wings on that floor running. She immediately went in for another surgery. After they were satisfied that the replacement took this time and after a week in the hospital to be certain, they sent her home. Two weeks after she was home, it popped out at home this time. We live 45 minutes from town. It took an hour for paramedics just to get to our house and then, there was little they could but get her stabalized enough for the trip back to the hospital. Another emergency surgery later, she recovered. Unfortunately, the surgeon explained that she would never be able to fully walk. She walks with a very hobbily limp now and will for the rest of her life.
The point of this story is to maybe get you to see that even with the best care and most qualified professionals, problems arise. When they do, all the professional can do is work to fix them. I have to believe that just as I believe the surgeon did his best for my mom, that the devs are doing the best they can for the game, thus the company, thus the gamer.
Thank you for sharing, I'm very sorry about your mother.
As for the "excuses," how is it that trying to express a different persective means making excuses? That doesn't make sense to me.
I'm more so referring to the build-up of excuses that many of the developers have given us over the years in regard to many of The Sims 4's downfalls. It goes as early as pre-release when we were told last minute that an entire life stage was cut for the excuse that "things change." As I said, I don't have to worry about the perspective of the developer with any other game. Most studios just release games that warrant the price spent, the customer buys it, and that's it. I don't care for drama or anything else aside from wanting a fun game.
As for the announcement, the point of this thread is that there were no announcements. Now there are announcements. True, not the announcements that many people may have expected but at least the "silence" is broken. Doesn't that mean that this thread's concern has been met?
My original response to you was in regards to how we should consider the perspective of the developer more.
Also, you're saying that it has been 6 years since they've given any updates or anything? Didn't they just do a survey in a few months ago? As for the new concepts and such, let's not "yikes" it until we know what it is. It could be awesome! It could be horrible. But let's wait and see together. Okay?
No, I said it was 6 years of lackluster communication and messy management of this game. It goes back to pre-release when it was only a few short months before the game was set to drop when we learned The Sims 4 would be a closed world. And it extends through all of the unorganized programs they've repeatedly tried implementing but killed off because they cannot commit to a solid communication stream for their fans (i.e Maxis Monthly).
And, again, this is from a studio that once would sell you an expansion pack and already have a little pamphlet advertisement for the next one in the SAME expansion pack's case. A solid 6-month interval between each and every expansion, even with communication, streams, etc. in between that short interval.
So I do get that they are trying their best, but they have proven capable of doing better themselves in the past. So, for the developers to manage this series so terribly all of a sudden while flaunting how this gen is best-selling and running/skipping with praises about the game, something ain't addin' up.
Interesting fact, I just had to buy a new plunger a month ago. I needed it pretty badly too. The new one was defective so I had to drive 45 minutes back into town just to exchange it. So I get your analogy. And I agree that people want the service/product they've paid for.
Yeah, that's entirely where I'm coming from. Still love the series a lot, and play the predecessors, but The Sims 4 just never really clicked with me the same way The Sims 2 and The Sims 3 have. I think it's a lot further than the game itself and extends to how Maxis' management of this game has really declined. Whereas things felt like they were in order with the last gen, and we were getting scheduled releases every 6 months for expansion packs, The Sims 4 leaves you in the dark wondering what is going on, and then when you finally get an expansion, it feels lackluster in comparison to the expansion packs of the past, with the tightly scheduled releases.
However, having said that, my mom had to have hip replacement surgery. The surgeon went in and did the surgery. Two days later, her hip popped completely out of its socket. She screamed a blood-curdling scream that brought the entire hospital staff assigned to all wings on that floor running. She immediately went in for another surgery. After they were satisfied that the replacement took this time and after a week in the hospital to be certain, they sent her home. Two weeks after she was home, it popped out at home this time. We live 45 minutes from town. It took an hour for paramedics just to get to our house and then, there was little they could but get her stabalized enough for the trip back to the hospital. Another emergency surgery later, she recovered. Unfortunately, the surgeon explained that she would never be able to fully walk. She walks with a very hobbily limp now and will for the rest of her life.
The point of this story is to maybe get you to see that even with the best care and most qualified professionals, problems arise. When they do, all the professional can do is work to fix them. I have to believe that just as I believe the surgeon did his best for my mom, that the devs are doing the best they can for the game, thus the company, thus the gamer.
Thank you for sharing, I'm very sorry about your mother.
As for the "excuses," how is it that trying to express a different persective means making excuses? That doesn't make sense to me.
I'm more so referring to the build-up of excuses that many of the developers have given us over the years in regard to many of The Sims 4's downfalls. It goes as early as pre-release when we were told last minute that an entire life stage was cut for the excuse that "things change." As I said, I don't have to worry about the perspective of the developer with any other game. Most studios just release games that warrant the price spent, the customer buys it, and that's it. I don't care for drama or anything else aside from wanting a fun game.
As for the announcement, the point of this thread is that there were no announcements. Now there are announcements. True, not the announcements that many people may have expected but at least the "silence" is broken. Doesn't that mean that this thread's concern has been met?
My original response to you was in regards to how we should consider the perspective of the developer more.
Also, you're saying that it has been 6 years since they've given any updates or anything? Didn't they just do a survey in a few months ago? As for the new concepts and such, let's not "yikes" it until we know what it is. It could be awesome! It could be horrible. But let's wait and see together. Okay?
No, I said it was 6 years of lackluster communication and messy management of this game. It goes back to pre-release when it was only a few short months before the game was set to drop when we learned The Sims 4 would be a closed world. And it extends through all of the unorganized programs they've repeatedly tried implementing but killed off because they cannot commit to a solid communication stream for their fans (i.e Maxis Monthly).
And, again, this is from a studio that once would sell you an expansion pack and already have a little pamphlet advertisement for the next one in the SAME expansion pack's case. A solid 6-month interval between each and every expansion, even with communication, streams, etc. in between that short interval.
So I do get that they are trying their best, but they have proven capable of doing better themselves in the past. So, for the developers to manage this series so terribly all of a sudden while flaunting how this gen is best-selling and running/skipping with praises about the game, something ain't addin' up.
Thank you for all of your explanations and how you expressed yourself. I am sorry if I came across as offensive or defensive or both. I'm glad for the way you responded. As for something ain't addin' up maybe because it was origonally supposed to be a multi-player game so when that fell through, they had to revamp it as best they could? I dunno but that's what I've read.
Interesting fact, I just had to buy a new plunger a month ago. I needed it pretty badly too. The new one was defective so I had to drive 45 minutes back into town just to exchange it. So I get your analogy. And I agree that people want the service/product they've paid for.
Yeah, that's entirely where I'm coming from. Still love the series a lot, and play the predecessors, but The Sims 4 just never really clicked with me the same way The Sims 2 and The Sims 3 have. I think it's a lot further than the game itself and extends to how Maxis' management of this game has really declined. Whereas things felt like they were in order with the last gen, and we were getting scheduled releases every 6 months for expansion packs, The Sims 4 leaves you in the dark wondering what is going on, and then when you finally get an expansion, it feels lackluster in comparison to the expansion packs of the past, with the tightly scheduled releases.
However, having said that, my mom had to have hip replacement surgery. The surgeon went in and did the surgery. Two days later, her hip popped completely out of its socket. She screamed a blood-curdling scream that brought the entire hospital staff assigned to all wings on that floor running. She immediately went in for another surgery. After they were satisfied that the replacement took this time and after a week in the hospital to be certain, they sent her home. Two weeks after she was home, it popped out at home this time. We live 45 minutes from town. It took an hour for paramedics just to get to our house and then, there was little they could but get her stabalized enough for the trip back to the hospital. Another emergency surgery later, she recovered. Unfortunately, the surgeon explained that she would never be able to fully walk. She walks with a very hobbily limp now and will for the rest of her life.
The point of this story is to maybe get you to see that even with the best care and most qualified professionals, problems arise. When they do, all the professional can do is work to fix them. I have to believe that just as I believe the surgeon did his best for my mom, that the devs are doing the best they can for the game, thus the company, thus the gamer.
Thank you for sharing, I'm very sorry about your mother.
As for the "excuses," how is it that trying to express a different persective means making excuses? That doesn't make sense to me.
I'm more so referring to the build-up of excuses that many of the developers have given us over the years in regard to many of The Sims 4's downfalls. It goes as early as pre-release when we were told last minute that an entire life stage was cut for the excuse that "things change." As I said, I don't have to worry about the perspective of the developer with any other game. Most studios just release games that warrant the price spent, the customer buys it, and that's it. I don't care for drama or anything else aside from wanting a fun game.
As for the announcement, the point of this thread is that there were no announcements. Now there are announcements. True, not the announcements that many people may have expected but at least the "silence" is broken. Doesn't that mean that this thread's concern has been met?
My original response to you was in regards to how we should consider the perspective of the developer more.
Also, you're saying that it has been 6 years since they've given any updates or anything? Didn't they just do a survey in a few months ago? As for the new concepts and such, let's not "yikes" it until we know what it is. It could be awesome! It could be horrible. But let's wait and see together. Okay?
No, I said it was 6 years of lackluster communication and messy management of this game. It goes back to pre-release when it was only a few short months before the game was set to drop when we learned The Sims 4 would be a closed world. And it extends through all of the unorganized programs they've repeatedly tried implementing but killed off because they cannot commit to a solid communication stream for their fans (i.e Maxis Monthly).
And, again, this is from a studio that once would sell you an expansion pack and already have a little pamphlet advertisement for the next one in the SAME expansion pack's case. A solid 6-month interval between each and every expansion, even with communication, streams, etc. in between that short interval.
So I do get that they are trying their best, but they have proven capable of doing better themselves in the past. So, for the developers to manage this series so terribly all of a sudden while flaunting how this gen is best-selling and running/skipping with praises about the game, something ain't addin' up.
Thank you for all of your explanations and how you expressed yourself. I am sorry if I came across as offensive or defensive or both. I'm glad for the way you responded. As for something ain't addin' up maybe because it was origonally supposed to be a multi-player game so when that fell through, they had to revamp it as best they could? I dunno but that's what I've read.
Thank you for being cordial! I didn't think you came across as those things at all.
It's likely that's part of the case, but for things such as pack quality and outreach to fans to feel very messy even this far out, it does make you wonder what is going on at Maxis. At any rate, I hope things improve one day for the series. I'd love to start feeling excitement for upcoming projects of theirs again.
Comments
Their preferred customers are, sorry to say, but we here at the official forum don´t count!
https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/953447/streuner-a-cat-s-tale
...Numbers says the opposite. Far more Sims players are on Twitter than are on these forums? Do you really think 2 million different accounts are active on these forums? These forums consists of what? 2% of the player base?
And that's the same for all games btw. Many games have Reddits, for example that are far more active than their official forums. Or maybe having unofficial forums that are more active than the official ones.
I think they like Twitter because it's harder to follow posts there. Whereas, in this forum, it's just easier to carry on a discussion/debate/argument which they can't bury or control as much.
I do have a Twitter account though. I never post any tweets, but I opened it so I can
Who is more likely to care and engage more with your products -
People that have bothered getting to the forums, or those following an account that for the most part these days only posts ads?
People following the gurus are similarly dedicated, as they are likely doing so to hear about the news, but that's about 30-50K accounts, not 2 million.
Then there's people like me, not following anyone, because I would need to follow good 20-40 Guru accounts, as TheSims main account is ad central and nothing else by now.
I agree. This forum is specific to only The Sims products, whereas other online social media such as Twitter and Reddit cater to all kinds of subjects, not just The Sims. People on those types are split in their interests. Whereas in this forum, people who post here went to all the trouble of signing up just for this one subject - and that is The Sims games. I would say that they are far more interested in voicing their opinions and wishes for these games than those on other social media.
In Twitter, it is really difficult to carry on a discussion thread simply by its nature of posting short messages. In Reddit, it is possible to follow threads and such, but from what I've seen of it, it's mostly sharing screenshots or stories of your game. I don't really see anyone posting any hopes and wishes for their games, no complaints and improvements they want, no polling, etc.
So this forum is for the die-hard simmers - for the people who care most for The Sims games. This is the only place where we can truly voice what we want for our games. This is the place where we can fully help other simmers if they have a problem with the game. This is also the place where we can fully praise the game - I don't mean game changers, I mean real simmers who paid for their games - can come here and fully express how much we love the games, what fun things we've done with them. I trust their opinions, suggestions, and any other input from them over those of the game changers or EAxis employees.
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
The guru twitters would be a better source of direct information since ‘The Sims’ Twitter is mostly just to run ads. Their average follower count is nowhere near 2 million so I think we should agree that number doesn’t signify anything other than ad reach for the main account. It’s relatively small when you factor in how many copies of this game have been sold. The ‘majority’ of players don’t seem to follow game news at all.
I'm curious about a few things. First, I did not see the survey so therefore did not participate. I only got Sims 4 last year. But let's start with the cars.
In Sims 3 the cars were nothing more than a means to get from lot A to lot B (at least on console) so I'm curious what you would expect from them in Sims 4? Of course, I don't like that when my Sims go to lot B, they just disappear instead of getting in a car, but really once the car got to the end of the street, it just disappeared and re-appeared on the new lot. In my opinion, not much of a difference. I do want cars back, don't get me wrong but practically speaking, I didn't see much difference in game play with them. Again, just my opinion.
Next thing I'm curious about is how many of us players really know anything about designing a video game? Personally, though I do 3D graphic art with meshes, animations, rigging and so on and I do have some experience in basic programming, I have not one iota of understanding how to make a video game. 5 years? Well, being a Blender user (open source 3D modeling and animation studio) and having spent much time talking to the devs one-on-one there, I can imagine how long it would take to get a game up and running and ready for public consumption. Again, I didn't know the survey therefore the issues brought up.
Next thing I'm curious about is would we rather they take time to give us updates or have all hands on deck trying to give us upgrades? Sure a comment here and there would be nice. A little note perhaps saying, "hey y'all, here's what's up," but Sims is not now nor has it ever been a co-op development game. Therefore, we have a choice, buy the game, play the game and give constructive criticism or not play the game. We don't have any "right" to demand anything of them. We're the consumer yes and we should give feedback. I'm just saying that maybe we should be happy that we have the game at all and perhaps not accuse them of hiding "from the storm, that is called feedback..."
Honestly, the game is playable. It is good. There are rooms for improvement and hopefully they will improve them. But here's been my experience as a Customer Service Professional. I'll give it to you in a scenario:
Two customers call in. One politely asks for assistance while the other just offers criticism and quite frankly sometimes very rudely. How do you think I handle each of them? Who do you think I am more willing to help? Or even listen to, honestly?
Trust me, it's the polite one. The one that complains about everything, I do as little for as possible and shut out most of what they say. It gets very annoying very quickly when you hear complaining all of the time. After awhile, you just want to shut down communication.
@PreCiious I know I quoted you in here but the reason I did is because of the genuine curiosity I have about what the cars would mean to you in gameplay. How they would enhance it? More than the cars, I miss the ability to go from lot A to lot B myself then have my sims jog there for their exercise and to be able to select activities for them to do before they got there. Cars to me is just a means of getting from that lot to this one, again on console. Perhaps there's a difference on pc/mac? And it's not like you could do anything to the car like wash it, just cruise around taking in the scenery, take it to the drive-in (which would be fun if such a thing existed anymore. lol) You couldn't give it tune-ups or anything. More often than not, it just stayed in your pocket taking up space. So why is it such a big deal?
P.S. Please don't think I'm singling you out. I am not. I've been on here long enough to see so many negative threads that I just mainly ignore them and I'm not even the target of them. So this is not personal, it's just that you made some comments that struck my curiosity. That's all.
Anyway, I hope you all can see what I'm trying to say. If you'd like to have a conversation with me about my opinions, I'll respond. If all you have are complaints and criticism with no solutions, I'll likely just ignore you. Nothing personal, just being honest.
I'll end by saying that in college, I belonged to a student organization group and we had a policy. If you came to us with a problem with the university, please bring two problems and at least one solution.
The Sims 2 was limited to lot play, not even neighbourhood play and it had cars. In fact cars were a major feature that came in an expansion. You could set an alarm on your car. You could restore cars as an activity with free time. You could sell cars with Open for Business. You could take your children to school yourself.
As a lot of features in The Sims, it's not necessary, but it was a great roleplay feature for people.
Got a real Bachelors degree in Computer and Video Games. That being said, you don't need to be a chef to recognise that a food at a restaurant tastes off.
So I suppose they have no interest in why they're losing revenue when we stop purchasing?
That's what the forums are for. They're to give feedback. Not enough communication is valid feedback. If they don't want to get feedback they can close all avenues to do with communication and just let fan spaces take over.
Not for me, though I am happy that your game is functional. Have you tried generational play or a 100 baby challenge? I am curious how far you'll get before simulation lag kicks in.
20 000 customers call in. First they're polite and you tell them that you're fixing their issues. As months and years go by, they get less polite as their issues are still not fixed. You then tell them that it's their fault that their issues will never get fixed. You then refuse a refund.
Oh I like the sound of that. Thanks for explaining it. I haven't played anything other than Sims 3 and 4 so was curious what the big deal was. Now I know so again, thanks.
That's true about the chef and the food. But with a Bachelors degree in Computer and Video Games, let me ask, how much effor goes into designing a video game? And if you add a new feature after the release, how long does it take to make sure that the new feature works with the rest? Also, how do you handle bugs, glitches and other anomalies that come up?
I'm curious, how much revenue do you think they're losing? I agree that as I said a post now and again letting us know that they're working on things but they're not obligated to give us any feedback at all. It's completely at their discretion.
Depends on the size of your team and what you're trying to achieve.
Normally you would have a Q&A department.
If you broke your product, you would likely be pulling all nighters to fix it.
This is not even exclusive to the gaming industry by the way. In software industry if the client would have their application broken in an update that would also be deemed unacceptable. And just like with any jobs, work is tough.
I can not know this number. I know that from me they lost the cost of all of the remainder DLCs, considering that I would normally purchase them as soon as they're out. But I can only speak for myself.
https://answers.ea.com/t5/Bug-Reports/ARCHIVED-Autonomy-and-Simulation-Lag/td-p/6918287/page/31
Here is Autonomy and Simulation lag megathread. Created in 2018 (issue happening at least since 2016), closed in December 2019, without a fix or a solution. They either are unwilling to fix it, or they can not fix it. Distinction between the two does not matter to a customer.
When you end up buying a defective plunger, do you worry about the perspective of the manufacturer? I really see it as no different; money for a good/service. People just want a good video game for their money. Enough with the excuses.
It's been 6 years and we just got an announcement for an announcement, which is an announcement they are working on 3 packs this year. What a surprise. They made sure to note how the content coming in the summer isn't massive. The only thing intriguing is the fact they're working on a new concept, which if it's remotely anything like the new concepts they introduced in The Sims 4... yikes.
I agree with this completely but with a different perspective perhaps. Who's to say they haven't been working on it? How do we know how huge the problem is? If they've closed it, the it seems that they believe they got it fixed. I personally don't have the autonomy and simulation lag problem. At least not that I've noticed. So I can't really speak to that but by my game, it appears there is no issue, at least not since June of last year when I finally, if reluctantly, set aside Sims 3 and started playing Sims 4. So I dunno anything about that except it seems to work for me at least.
Interesting fact, I just had to buy a new plunger a month ago. I needed it pretty badly too. The new one was defective so I had to drive 45 minutes back into town just to exchange it. So I get your analogy. And I agree that people want the service/product they've paid for.
However, having said that, my mom had to have hip replacement surgery. The surgeon went in and did the surgery. Two days later, her hip popped completely out of its socket. She screamed a blood-curdling scream that brought the entire hospital staff assigned to all wings on that floor running. She immediately went in for another surgery. After they were satisfied that the replacement took this time and after a week in the hospital to be certain, they sent her home. Two weeks after she was home, it popped out at home this time. We live 45 minutes from town. It took an hour for paramedics just to get to our house and then, there was little they could but get her stabalized enough for the trip back to the hospital. Another emergency surgery later, she recovered. Unfortunately, the surgeon explained that she would never be able to fully walk. She walks with a very hobbily limp now and will for the rest of her life.
The point of this story is to maybe get you to see that even with the best care and most qualified professionals, problems arise. When they do, all the professional can do is work to fix them. I have to believe that just as I believe the surgeon did his best for my mom, that the devs are doing the best they can for the game, thus the company, thus the gamer.
As for the "excuses," how is it that trying to express a different persective means making excuses? That doesn't make sense to me.
As for the announcement, the point of this thread is that there were no announcements. Now there are announcements. True, not the announcements that many people may have expected but at least the "silence" is broken. Doesn't that mean that this thread's concern has been met?
Also, you're saying that it has been 6 years since they've given any updates or anything? Didn't they just do a survey in a few months ago? As for the new concepts and such, let's not "yikes" it until we know what it is. It could be awesome! It could be horrible. But let's wait and see together. Okay?
Last post:
"I'm going to lock this thread as it's to unspecific and lags have many causes.
These issues aren't solved by any means
Please create new threads.
Happy Gaming
Crin"
And as I said, they're either incapable of fixing it, or are not fixing it. The outcome for the consumer is the same.
As far as I know, to this day only one major bug has not been fixed and has been admittedly impossible to fix:
The Clashing Of Festivals bug. (there are several other bugs that has never been fixed but has not been getting the same treatment. They either say it's fixed when it's not, or they have never responded to the bug report at all).
It has been reported fixed by the devs then re-opened several times. The last update from the devs in the bug report says straight out "we can't fix this". Which is why I never go to geekcon or the romance festival unless I live in the fashion district since I risk having that square bugged out forever in that game and unusable.
Yeah, that's entirely where I'm coming from. Still love the series a lot, and play the predecessors, but The Sims 4 just never really clicked with me the same way The Sims 2 and The Sims 3 have. I think it's a lot further than the game itself and extends to how Maxis' management of this game has really declined. Whereas things felt like they were in order with the last gen, and we were getting scheduled releases every 6 months for expansion packs, The Sims 4 leaves you in the dark wondering what is going on, and then when you finally get an expansion, it feels lackluster in comparison to the expansion packs of the past, with the tightly scheduled releases.
Thank you for sharing, I'm very sorry about your mother.
I'm more so referring to the build-up of excuses that many of the developers have given us over the years in regard to many of The Sims 4's downfalls. It goes as early as pre-release when we were told last minute that an entire life stage was cut for the excuse that "things change." As I said, I don't have to worry about the perspective of the developer with any other game. Most studios just release games that warrant the price spent, the customer buys it, and that's it. I don't care for drama or anything else aside from wanting a fun game.
My original response to you was in regards to how we should consider the perspective of the developer more.
No, I said it was 6 years of lackluster communication and messy management of this game. It goes back to pre-release when it was only a few short months before the game was set to drop when we learned The Sims 4 would be a closed world. And it extends through all of the unorganized programs they've repeatedly tried implementing but killed off because they cannot commit to a solid communication stream for their fans (i.e Maxis Monthly).
And, again, this is from a studio that once would sell you an expansion pack and already have a little pamphlet advertisement for the next one in the SAME expansion pack's case. A solid 6-month interval between each and every expansion, even with communication, streams, etc. in between that short interval.
So I do get that they are trying their best, but they have proven capable of doing better themselves in the past. So, for the developers to manage this series so terribly all of a sudden while flaunting how this gen is best-selling and running/skipping with praises about the game, something ain't addin' up.
Thank you for all of your explanations and how you expressed yourself. I am sorry if I came across as offensive or defensive or both. I'm glad for the way you responded. As for something ain't addin' up maybe because it was origonally supposed to be a multi-player game so when that fell through, they had to revamp it as best they could? I dunno but that's what I've read.
Thank you for being cordial! I didn't think you came across as those things at all.
It's likely that's part of the case, but for things such as pack quality and outreach to fans to feel very messy even this far out, it does make you wonder what is going on at Maxis. At any rate, I hope things improve one day for the series. I'd love to start feeling excitement for upcoming projects of theirs again.