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Lack of Long-term gameplay in TS4

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  • SimmerGeorgeSimmerGeorge Posts: 2,724 Member
  • CAPTAIN_NXR7CAPTAIN_NXR7 Posts: 4,451 Member
    edited June 2020
    NXOR007 wrote: »

    It’s a Game of Smoke and Mirrors.

    TS4 is primarily about Young Adults, for Young adults ( but, hey let’s be honest, it’s mostly for teens and below even if the rating does not officially support the latter). The game Is being loaded with different themes and concepts and objects and it all looks snazzy and jazzy and fun, but what’s really happening is that all the fireworks are used as a distraction, so that the player does not immediately recognize the almost lack of Intelligent game play including long term goals. Why? Because the target audience may simply not have the attention span to get into intelligent gameplay and finish long term goals in games. They want to move on to the next level or the next theme or concept as quickly as possible. By keeping the game engine simple, it can support a lot more fireworks at a relatively quick turn around than if it was a complex core engine trying to deal with more demanding ai systems. That’s why we’re only being TOLD that the sims are smart and intelligent, but not SHOWN.

    It’s a sign of the times. I’m involved with a lot of YA’s and younger folks and man, I’m not that old myself but I certainly feel I come from a different place in time...Short Attention Span is a serious thing...

    What saddens me is that many main stream movies, ads, shows and games actually stimulate and cultivate this kind of disposable amusement, like a quick fix. Im not blaming one or the other. However, the appreciation for something simple but meaningful seems no longer encouraged.

    I personally blame parents who put smart phones in their kids' hands to distract them and keep them quiet before they can even talk, and fail to expose them to intellectually stimulating media like kids' documentary programs, physical books, and tough old 8 bit and 16 bit games because they had kids for the aesthetic or the experience or because they felt social pressure to, then didn't want to actually interact with them outside of feeding them and enjoying all the cute parts. In short, a whole generation of parents that treated their kids like pets did this.
    @Kita5399 wrote: »
    OMG so much this! My husband and I made it a priority to not let this happen to ours, and it’s a shock when friends come over to play. After hosting a play date I always feel like I need a vacation, so many kids are like mini tornados leaving destruction behind in minutes. It’s strange to me, because I often have to tell mine to put down their book or magazine and go get some exercise. My best friends kids..yikes. I love them dearly but they don’t sit still ever, and just drop toys as they go.. one thing to the next. This all seems like the norm in our circles, and I really do see tv shows/movies/toys/games all catering to this behavior. I just started letting my oldest play the Sims, and despite the fact that she’ll sit and play for a while, she likes to start a new save every time. Seems to just be the way for the younger generations, so I doubt it will really change when/if TS5 comes out.

    I have no real insight into the parenthood aspect as I have no kids (bless the poor little soul that has to have me as a parent :# ). I do see where you’re coming from based on what I observe when around friends or family with little children.

    I think the sales of those old fashioned pacifiers that parents sometimes put in the mouths of their little ones have drastically gone down.
    iPhones and IPads are the new Soothers. It starts at a young age...
    Post edited by CAPTAIN_NXR7 on
  • CinebarCinebar Posts: 33,618 Member
    edited June 2020
    I'm not going to blame parents for the lack of long term interest and gameplay in the TS4 but those who continue to buy it. Most who love this game are eager to get a new 'world' and move their Sims there or start a new save. Very little interest in a long term goal for their existing Sims. Can't blame that on parenting but the boredom of TS4. Compared to anyone who did play TS2 or TS3 and still do many still are playing the save they had back when those games were first released (16+ years later) not to say they never started a new game or 'themed' world and or played in different hoods, most of the players I know of the older games still have their saves they played for years and years. They may take a break from that save and do other things in those games, but they never let that save go.

    TS4 players may also have a save and play it today however, they are quick to start new saves, move their Sims and uproot their story to a different 'town' and theme etc. There is very little replay value about TS4 in my opinion.

    It's been six years since I wrote a feedback article expressing how all Sims in this game are the same....nothing at all has been done about it. Nothing.

    I'll start with other problems that make very little replay value: Though claimed to be best of the best of gameplay....

    Let's be honest Maxis, gender patch doesn't really address any wants or fears of transgenders, in gameplay, nor thoughts, desires, or Sim wishes/wants or struggles or whatever. It's just fluff patch, all for show and no depth. I don't use gender patch so it was nothing to me to have it added, however, many others do and what they got was not 'gameplay' but just more adjustments to body types, clothes choices etc. That's not gameplay. It's all CAS assets.

    Traits are still hampered by all Sims having the same emotions no matter their traits, and so overlappng with skills (even six years later) that a Sim who is inspired will want to cook a perfect meal, but so will Sim B and Sim C who have a trait (perfectionist) and or a Sim who has a cooking skill. Did they fix wants/wishes to make it more diverse? No..and just decided to hide wants/wishes, instead. Six years ago I went into depth about this..and it's still the same way today..nothing new under the sun.

    New worlds are no better than an old world. Why even bother to add a new world for your Sim to visit and or live in when they are all the same. What will be there? A museum, a bar, a gym (like the game needs more), and possibly a new library....wow, new backdrops with the same old buildings reused and reused.
    Did it matter at all that in one of the worlds like WB there was all that space spent on those docks that ran out into the water when No Sim at all ever takes a stroll out there? What a waste. Did it matter that in WB in the 'town square' it's never filled with any Sims unless you actually move a Sim into that area where the big clock is located there won't hardly ever be Sims there. Then people who love TS4 want to dis TS3 (not might favorite, either) for having empty spaces in open worlds... not filled with Sims..hello.

    Look at the ideas they have been pushing out..how much replay value they don't have. SV is a good example, then there is IL, a snooze fest, also the magic pack reused assets (for emotions etc.) already in game as 'new' potions, big fat eyeroll, because that was like overkill in what was already in game to influence emotions and or moods... Then there is EL which can't even hold a theme such as Industrial and or Eco Green or whatever...and bugged to the hilt. There are many other packs that offer very little replay or value for the money. Some swear story progression would help this game. Are you kidding me? lol. This game can't even offer a different want other than the same for all Sims of all stripes of life, what makes anyone think story progression could keep up with every Sim in the game, and not require culling again. It's a big fat joke to me.

    Diversity is non existant when it doesn't take into consideration the differences of those Sims and why you see one Sim who probably would never wear a turban and or one Sim wearing a scarf who probably wouldn't be wearing one, there is nothing about so called 'gameplay' that actually bring any one people's traits, and or traditions to the game or gameplay other than more food to cook...wow, that's some exciting gameplay right there.

    As far as graphics and 'it runs good' that is no longer a thing is it? I see many complaints every where about the freezing, crashing and or more an more bugs. I don't know, I think it should have been retired last year, but what do I know. Money is the name of the game and as long as they can milk it and people who are so bored with it that they keep buying more of it, hoping this time it will be fun! lol, this thing will keep going until we all have finally seen the truth about it. This is the plan to sell very little for more money and keep dangling the carrot the next pack will be better etc. etc. it's the same old song and dance.


    "Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
  • CAPTAIN_NXR7CAPTAIN_NXR7 Posts: 4,451 Member
    edited June 2020
    @Cinebar wrote: »
    I'm not going to blame parents for the lack of long term interest and gameplay in the TS4 but those who continue to buy it. Most who love this game are eager to get a new 'world' and move their Sims there or start a new save. Very little interest in a long term goal for their existing Sims. Can't blame that on parenting but the boredom of TS4. Compared to anyone who did play TS2 or TS3 and still do many still are playing the save they had back when those games were first released (16+ years later) not to say they never started a new game or 'themed' world and or played in different hoods, most of the players I know of the older games still have their saves they played for years and years. They may take a break from that save and do other things in those games, but they never let that save go.

    TS4 players may also have a save and play it today however, they are quick to start new saves, move their Sims and uproot their story to a different 'town' and theme etc. There is very little replay value about TS4 in my opinion.

    I still believe that it's a sign of the times, as I mentioned in some of my other comments in this thread, which I won't repeat here. Chewing through my essays can be a challenge in itself. ;)

    One has to look at every aspect of the matter. It's impossible to blame one thing when all the things involved feed into one another causing a snowball effect. We'll have to go back and see where the source of the problem is.

    There are so many people with short attention span, because it's encouraged by the media and society. In return, the media and society responds to the needs of those people by offering quantity upon quantity, and more sensational, but less meaningful content. Quality often suffers. And it keeps going back and forth. It's hard to tell where it started unless one is to do extensive research.

    This short term attention behavior is not only present in kids, teens or young adults alone.
    I constantly see it in adults. 2 out of 3 adults that I have a 1 on 1 conversation with, will pull out their phones the moment it gives a little *bleep* and they will read through their new messages regardless of me having a conversation with them. I mean conversation, not small talk. They will even return a message and all this goes at an incredible speed.
    They are oblivious to my presence for the brief time they're doing it. And they're the same people who'll then smile back at me and tell me that they're great at multitasking.
    Multitasking doesn't exist. I believe a human can only focus on one thing at the time. But society thinks it can multitask. I'm aware I'm going all philosophical here, but does 'long term game play' even exist anymore in our current society?

    Game data may show that very few people actually have the patience to focus on 'long term' game play. How many people hold that fast speed button flying through the interactions, so they can fast speed through the next? I'm sure there are many many simmers out there that do just that.
    Obviously game data can't show everything. That's why there are forums and surveys.
    And yes, in the meantime EA is a corporation that will try and make as much money as it possibly can. It's a beast and Its survival is paramount.

    I personally agree that the sims themselves need more personality and consequential game play based on their traits, perhaps their gender, their environment, their social relations. But for another player it's not important.

    @Cinebar wrote: »
    Let's be honest Maxis, gender patch doesn't really address any wants or fears of transgenders, in gameplay, nor thoughts, desires, or Sim wishes/wants or struggles or whatever. It's just fluff patch, all for show and no depth. I don't use gender patch so it was nothing to me to have it added, however, many others do and what they got was not 'gameplay' but just more adjustments to body types, clothes choices etc. That's not gameplay. It's all CAS assets.

    The CAS options are part of the game play, however, it's simple and above all it's safe.
    This is such incredibly sensitive subject matter. I believe a lot of research needs to be done before the implementation of any additional game play. Same goes for the addition of disabilities.
    I'm not surprised if the devs just can't find a way of patching it into the game in fear of offending people or leaving out important elements.
  • CinebarCinebar Posts: 33,618 Member
    edited June 2020
    @Cinebar wrote: »
    I'm not going to blame parents for the lack of long term interest and gameplay in the TS4 but those who continue to buy it. Most who love this game are eager to get a new 'world' and move their Sims there or start a new save. Very little interest in a long term goal for their existing Sims. Can't blame that on parenting but the boredom of TS4. Compared to anyone who did play TS2 or TS3 and still do many still are playing the save they had back when those games were first released (16+ years later) not to say they never started a new game or 'themed' world and or played in different hoods, most of the players I know of the older games still have their saves they played for years and years. They may take a break from that save and do other things in those games, but they never let that save go.

    TS4 players may also have a save and play it today however, they are quick to start new saves, move their Sims and uproot their story to a different 'town' and theme etc. There is very little replay value about TS4 in my opinion.

    I still believe that it's a sign of the times, as I mentioned in some of my other comments in this thread, which I won't repeat here. Chewing through my essays can be a challenge in itself. ;)

    One has to look at every aspect of the matter. It's impossible to blame one thing when all the things involved feed into one another causing a snowball effect. We'll have to go back and see where the source of the problem is.

    There are so many people with short attention span, because it's encouraged by the media and society. In return, the media and society responds to the needs of those people by offering quantity upon quantity, and more sensational, but less meaningful content. Quality often suffers. And it keeps going back and forth. It's hard to tell where it started unless one is to do extensive research.

    This short term attention behavior is not only present in kids, teens or young adults alone.
    I constantly see it in adults. 2 out of 3 adults that I have a 1 on 1 conversation with, will pull out their phones the moment it gives a little *bleep* and they will read through their new messages regardless of me having a conversation with them. I mean conversation, not small talk. They will even return a message and all this goes at an incredible speed.
    They are oblivious to my presence for the brief time they're doing it. And they're the same people who'll then smile back at me and tell me that they're great at multitasking.
    Multitasking doesn't exist. I believe a human can only focus on one thing at the time. But society thinks it can multitask. I'm aware I'm going all philosophical here, but does 'long term game play' even exist anymore in our current society?

    Game data may show that very few people actually have the patience to focus on 'long term' game play. How many people hold that fast speed button flying through the interactions, so they can fast speed through the next? I'm sure there are many many simmers out there that do just that.
    Obviously game data can't show everything. That's why there are forums and surveys.
    And yes, in the meantime EA is a corporation that will try and make as much money as it possibly can. It's a beast and Its survival is paramount.

    I personally agree that the sims themselves need more personality and consequential game play based on their traits, perhaps their gender, their environment, their social relations. But for another player it's not important.

    @Cinebar wrote: »
    Let's be honest Maxis, gender patch doesn't really address any wants or fears of transgenders, in gameplay, nor thoughts, desires, or Sim wishes/wants or struggles or whatever. It's just fluff patch, all for show and no depth. I don't use gender patch so it was nothing to me to have it added, however, many others do and what they got was not 'gameplay' but just more adjustments to body types, clothes choices etc. That's not gameplay. It's all CAS assets.

    The CAS options are part of the game play, however, it's simple and above all it's safe.
    This is such incredibly sensitive subject matter. I believe a lot of research needs to be done before the implementation of any additional game play. Same goes for the addition of disabilities.
    I'm not surprised if the devs just can't find a way of patching it into the game in fear of offending people or leaving out important elements.

    As far as gender patch goes there are some simple things (maybe programming isn't that simple) they could add such as when a player changes their Sim in CAS they would be presented with do they prefer male or female or some other term as a possible mate. Gender preference has been requested over and over in this game for as long as I can remember back in TS3's game, too. That adds depth to a Sim's personality by deaming who the Sim would hold more attraction to and at least add reasons (attraction system) of why one Sim is attracted to another.

    I assume this changes when one transgenders to male or female or was always there, but now more important once transgender was completed. I know Simmers of all stripes who keep requesting this sort of patch or gameplay where their own Sims should not flirt nor be seduced by the opposite sex and or vice versa the same sex.

    The neutral gender mechanics of this game is not what most people adhere to in real life, so I can't understand why they don't do this already. Let players pick a gender preference for their own Sims. Townies can remain bi as they are all now, if they don't want to deal with that much programming. But at least let players decide for themselves in CAS. Or when they make adjustments to their Sims.

    I know of several gay players here who are very unhappy the game decides their Sim now prefers females. And I know I would prefer one of my straight Sims to remain straight especially when I rotated away to play a different household. That is programming I think most people can get behind.

    If anyone wants to know why everyone has short attention spans these days it's because the internet rewires the brain. There are many studies about it. Yes, even adults have fell prey to this rewiring of brain impulses that eventually do rewire the way the brain fires off neutrons. Perhaps not giving a one or two year old a phone or a tablet is actually better for them to develop more critical thinking than just hive mind.
    "Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
  • CAPTAIN_NXR7CAPTAIN_NXR7 Posts: 4,451 Member
    edited June 2020
    @Cinebar wrote: »
    @Cinebar wrote: »
    I'm not going to blame parents for the lack of long term interest and gameplay in the TS4 but those who continue to buy it. Most who love this game are eager to get a new 'world' and move their Sims there or start a new save. Very little interest in a long term goal for their existing Sims. Can't blame that on parenting but the boredom of TS4. Compared to anyone who did play TS2 or TS3 and still do many still are playing the save they had back when those games were first released (16+ years later) not to say they never started a new game or 'themed' world and or played in different hoods, most of the players I know of the older games still have their saves they played for years and years. They may take a break from that save and do other things in those games, but they never let that save go.

    TS4 players may also have a save and play it today however, they are quick to start new saves, move their Sims and uproot their story to a different 'town' and theme etc. There is very little replay value about TS4 in my opinion.

    I still believe that it's a sign of the times, as I mentioned in some of my other comments in this thread, which I won't repeat here. Chewing through my essays can be a challenge in itself. ;)

    One has to look at every aspect of the matter. It's impossible to blame one thing when all the things involved feed into one another causing a snowball effect. We'll have to go back and see where the source of the problem is.

    There are so many people with short attention span, because it's encouraged by the media and society. In return, the media and society responds to the needs of those people by offering quantity upon quantity, and more sensational, but less meaningful content. Quality often suffers. And it keeps going back and forth. It's hard to tell where it started unless one is to do extensive research.

    This short term attention behavior is not only present in kids, teens or young adults alone.
    I constantly see it in adults. 2 out of 3 adults that I have a 1 on 1 conversation with, will pull out their phones the moment it gives a little *bleep* and they will read through their new messages regardless of me having a conversation with them. I mean conversation, not small talk. They will even return a message and all this goes at an incredible speed.
    They are oblivious to my presence for the brief time they're doing it. And they're the same people who'll then smile back at me and tell me that they're great at multitasking.
    Multitasking doesn't exist. I believe a human can only focus on one thing at the time. But society thinks it can multitask. I'm aware I'm going all philosophical here, but does 'long term game play' even exist anymore in our current society?

    Game data may show that very few people actually have the patience to focus on 'long term' game play. How many people hold that fast speed button flying through the interactions, so they can fast speed through the next? I'm sure there are many many simmers out there that do just that.
    Obviously game data can't show everything. That's why there are forums and surveys.
    And yes, in the meantime EA is a corporation that will try and make as much money as it possibly can. It's a beast and Its survival is paramount.

    I personally agree that the sims themselves need more personality and consequential game play based on their traits, perhaps their gender, their environment, their social relations. But for another player it's not important.

    @Cinebar wrote: »
    Let's be honest Maxis, gender patch doesn't really address any wants or fears of transgenders, in gameplay, nor thoughts, desires, or Sim wishes/wants or struggles or whatever. It's just fluff patch, all for show and no depth. I don't use gender patch so it was nothing to me to have it added, however, many others do and what they got was not 'gameplay' but just more adjustments to body types, clothes choices etc. That's not gameplay. It's all CAS assets.

    The CAS options are part of the game play, however, it's simple and above all it's safe.
    This is such incredibly sensitive subject matter. I believe a lot of research needs to be done before the implementation of any additional game play. Same goes for the addition of disabilities.
    I'm not surprised if the devs just can't find a way of patching it into the game in fear of offending people or leaving out important elements.

    As far as gender patch goes there are some simple things (maybe programming isn't that simple) they could add such as when a player changes their Sim in CAS they would be presented with do they prefer male or female or some other term as a possible mate. Gender preference has been requested over and over in this game for as long as I can remember back in TS3's game, too. That adds depth to a Sim's personality by deaming who the Sim would hold more attraction to and at least add reasons (attraction system) of why one Sim is attracted to another.

    I assume this changes when one transgenders to male or female or was always there, but now more important once transgender was completed. I know Simmers of all stripes who keep requesting this sort of patch or gameplay where their own Sims should not flirt nor be seduced by the opposite sex and or vice versa the same sex.

    The neutral gender mechanics of this game is not what most people adhere to in real life, so I can't understand why they don't do this already. Let players pick a gender preference for their own Sims. Townies can remain bi as they are all now, if they don't want to deal with that much programming. But at least let players decide for themselves in CAS. Or when they make adjustments to their Sims.

    I know of several gay players here who are very unhappy the game decides their Sim now prefers females. And I know I would prefer one of my straight Sims to remain straight especially when I rotated away to play a different household. That is programming I think most people can get behind.

    If anyone wants to know why everyone has short attention spans these days it's because the internet rewires the brain. There are many studies about it. Yes, even adults have fell prey to this rewiring of brain impulses that eventually do rewire the way the brain fires off neutrons. Perhaps not giving a one or two year old a phone or a tablet is actually better for them to develop more critical thinking than just hive mind.

    My game play is mostly straight male orientated. Occasionally I explore the game through female sims. I have very little insight into anything beyond that.

    What I have learned is that there are many different sexuality and gender identities and pronouns. I know some of them, but not all of them. I'm not actively involved with that community, even if some of my best friends are Gay or Bi. They're just my friends.

    However, if Transgender and Gay options are added into, say CAS, the game will also have to represent the rest of the LGBTQ+ community and add the kind of game play that represents each different member of that community.
    I don't know what the complete list is, I often need to look it up and I forget, no disrespect, but I can imagine the list and options in CAS will need to be substantial.

    I remember there was an issue about the representation of the LGBTQ+ flags in a patch last year. One was private property, one was missing. Representation in flags is one thing, representation in game play is another.

    I never like it when my sim autonomously flirts back with a random NPC who decided to get flirty with them, regardless of gender.
    I'd be raging at my sim: "No dude, you wouldn't be interested, that's not YOU. You should be p* off instead, or at least feel indifferent about what just happened."
    Even if he was feeling a little flirty at that moment. You don't need to flirt back with just anyone who's batting their eyelashes at you or gives you a wink. I shouldn't have to put the 'unflirty' trait on my sim just in order to avoid that from happening.

    That's a flaw in the personally/trait systems of the so-called 'smart' sims. Smart sims should LEARN. TS4 sims don't seem to learn anything meaningful beyond practical skills. They have no social skills because they don't know who they are themselves.
    That very system would need a complete overhaul before any of the alternative sexuality/gender options are even added, because you will get these kind of problems 100% guaranteed. And nobody wants that.

    In regard to short attention span. Indeed, brains are completely rewired. That's why there is so much zombie content these days. But that's another discussion... :s
  • SimAlexandriaSimAlexandria Posts: 4,845 Member
    I obviously play it differently.

    I've played the same family (with aging alternating between long and off) for 3.5 years, over 1000 hours. I watched it start as a couple when I created them to becoming a family with 9 children (some which have grown up and moved out, 5 of those are adopted). The youngest kids have become young adult recently but still playing the same generation. Haven't gotten bored yet.

    I write stories and then recreate them. They live in Sulani and attend festivals 3-4x a week, the dad is a stay at home father, the mum writes books, the mum and oldest daughter go on trips to the jungle as both are very interested in archaeology, they enjoy the day-to-day island life.
    I keep needs/money cheated up as I have no interest in a "Grinding" game, I play more to tell stories and simulate life.
  • CAPTAIN_NXR7CAPTAIN_NXR7 Posts: 4,451 Member
    edited June 2020
    I obviously play it differently.

    I've played the same family (with aging alternating between long and off) for 3.5 years, over 1000 hours. I watched it start as a couple when I created them to becoming a family with 9 children (some which have grown up and moved out, 5 of those are adopted). The youngest kids have become young adult recently but still playing the same generation. Haven't gotten bored yet.

    I write stories and then recreate them. They live in Sulani and attend festivals 3-4x a week, the dad is a stay at home father, the mum writes books, the mum and oldest daughter go on trips to the jungle as both are very interested in archaeology, they enjoy the day-to-day island life.
    I keep needs/money cheated up as I have no interest in a "Grinding" game, I play more to tell stories and simulate life.

    I think this is brilliant! It seems like a very relaxing game play style. Fair play for playing the same family for 3.5 years.

    I'm unable to do that but not because I'm bored. I build a lot and when I'm not building, I'm constantly inspired to tell a different story and to create new sims. My stories are very much character driven, so when I play out a story, sometimes things turn out differently than intended. At times that's great, sometimes it's not, because of how the environment reacts to that situation.

    For me personally it's important that the sim reacts based on their personality and how they learn from the environment, but it doesn't always work that way, because that system is not really in place.

    I'm quite nitpicky about sim personalities, and much less about other aspects of the game.


  • SimAlexandriaSimAlexandria Posts: 4,845 Member
    I obviously play it differently.

    I've played the same family (with aging alternating between long and off) for 3.5 years, over 1000 hours. I watched it start as a couple when I created them to becoming a family with 9 children (some which have grown up and moved out, 5 of those are adopted). The youngest kids have become young adult recently but still playing the same generation. Haven't gotten bored yet.

    I write stories and then recreate them. They live in Sulani and attend festivals 3-4x a week, the dad is a stay at home father, the mum writes books, the mum and oldest daughter go on trips to the jungle as both are very interested in archaeology, they enjoy the day-to-day island life.
    I keep needs/money cheated up as I have no interest in a "Grinding" game, I play more to tell stories and simulate life.

    I think this is brilliant! It seems like a very relaxing game play style. Fair play for playing the same family for 3.5 years.

    I'm unable to do that but not because I'm bored. I build a lot and when I'm not building, I'm constantly inspired to tell a different story and to create new sims. My stories are very much character driven, so when I play out a story, sometimes things turn out differently than intended. At times that's great, sometimes it's not, because of how the environment reacts to that situation.

    For me personally it's important that the sim reacts based on their personality and how they learn from the environment, but it doesn't always work that way, because that system is not really in place.

    I'm quite nitpicky about sim personalities, and much less about other aspects of the game.


    I would definitely agree I play it as a relaxing game. And that totally makes sense about building a lot, I can't build at all. I have tried several times and the house looks sooo messed up and unliveable haha! Roofs go through ceilings, the house is massive with tiny rooms and then miles of "nothing". I gave up haha! Very much in love with the gallery for adding in lots haha! I really admire people who can build and have it turn out decent! I like to decorate, but not build lol!!!

    I don't think I'd want Sims to react from personality, I like it how it is now, but I would like if diff personality types gave more different interactions you could select if you want to. Like Lazy sims now can "Nap Lazily" if you choose it type thing. If they all had 3-10 more things that coudl only be done with that specific trait, I think that'd be cool.

    The thing I want most in this game though is non-mutual relationships.
  • AmaraRenaAmaraRena Posts: 6,533 Member
    Considering that there are cheats for virtually everything in this game I don't understand at all why the devs would dumb it down. If anything it should be harder than TS3. They say they went to a lot of trouble to make the Sims themselves the focus and sacrificed our open world, our color wheel, and a bunch of other things to make that happen. The Sims are supposed to be much more complex than they were in earlier games. But they're really not. I do like the way they did vampires better in TS4 and honestly that's the only reason I play it. Everything else about this game is inferior to TS3, especially the world. It's boring.

    And I won't be buying the latest expansion either because good grief why would you?

  • CAPTAIN_NXR7CAPTAIN_NXR7 Posts: 4,451 Member
    edited June 2020
    I obviously play it differently.

    I've played the same family (with aging alternating between long and off) for 3.5 years, over 1000 hours. I watched it start as a couple when I created them to becoming a family with 9 children (some which have grown up and moved out, 5 of those are adopted). The youngest kids have become young adult recently but still playing the same generation. Haven't gotten bored yet.

    I write stories and then recreate them. They live in Sulani and attend festivals 3-4x a week, the dad is a stay at home father, the mum writes books, the mum and oldest daughter go on trips to the jungle as both are very interested in archaeology, they enjoy the day-to-day island life.
    I keep needs/money cheated up as I have no interest in a "Grinding" game, I play more to tell stories and simulate life.

    I think this is brilliant! It seems like a very relaxing game play style. Fair play for playing the same family for 3.5 years.

    I'm unable to do that but not because I'm bored. I build a lot and when I'm not building, I'm constantly inspired to tell a different story and to create new sims. My stories are very much character driven, so when I play out a story, sometimes things turn out differently than intended. At times that's great, sometimes it's not, because of how the environment reacts to that situation.

    For me personally it's important that the sim reacts based on their personality and how they learn from the environment, but it doesn't always work that way, because that system is not really in place.

    I'm quite nitpicky about sim personalities, and much less about other aspects of the game.


    I would definitely agree I play it as a relaxing game. And that totally makes sense about building a lot, I can't build at all. I have tried several times and the house looks sooo messed up and unliveable haha! Roofs go through ceilings, the house is massive with tiny rooms and then miles of "nothing". I gave up haha! Very much in love with the gallery for adding in lots haha! I really admire people who can build and have it turn out decent! I like to decorate, but not build lol!!!

    I don't think I'd want Sims to react from personality, I like it how it is now, but I would like if diff personality types gave more different interactions you could select if you want to. Like Lazy sims now can "Nap Lazily" if you choose it type thing. If they all had 3-10 more things that coudl only be done with that specific trait, I think that'd be cool.

    The thing I want most in this game though is non-mutual relationships.

    The gallery is indeed a great feature for those who do not want to build!

    I agree that it would be more interesting if personality types had more interactions, but they would have to be specific animations unique to that trait, not just buffs or moodlets. The lazy sim needs to lie down lazily on the couch. I do like it when a sim is angry, they smash the fridge door, although I’m not particularly gone on the walking style. I would like to See more subtle interaction animations based on emotion and traits.

    How would you like to see non-mutual relationships Represented in game? Right now the relation ship bar for both Sims Is mutual. Would you like to see them both different? As in Sim A regards Sim B as a friend, whereas Sim B regards Sim A as an enemy? One bar is green, the other is red?

  • SimAlexandriaSimAlexandria Posts: 4,845 Member
    I obviously play it differently.

    I've played the same family (with aging alternating between long and off) for 3.5 years, over 1000 hours. I watched it start as a couple when I created them to becoming a family with 9 children (some which have grown up and moved out, 5 of those are adopted). The youngest kids have become young adult recently but still playing the same generation. Haven't gotten bored yet.

    I write stories and then recreate them. They live in Sulani and attend festivals 3-4x a week, the dad is a stay at home father, the mum writes books, the mum and oldest daughter go on trips to the jungle as both are very interested in archaeology, they enjoy the day-to-day island life.
    I keep needs/money cheated up as I have no interest in a "Grinding" game, I play more to tell stories and simulate life.

    I think this is brilliant! It seems like a very relaxing game play style. Fair play for playing the same family for 3.5 years.

    I'm unable to do that but not because I'm bored. I build a lot and when I'm not building, I'm constantly inspired to tell a different story and to create new sims. My stories are very much character driven, so when I play out a story, sometimes things turn out differently than intended. At times that's great, sometimes it's not, because of how the environment reacts to that situation.

    For me personally it's important that the sim reacts based on their personality and how they learn from the environment, but it doesn't always work that way, because that system is not really in place.

    I'm quite nitpicky about sim personalities, and much less about other aspects of the game.


    I would definitely agree I play it as a relaxing game. And that totally makes sense about building a lot, I can't build at all. I have tried several times and the house looks sooo messed up and unliveable haha! Roofs go through ceilings, the house is massive with tiny rooms and then miles of "nothing". I gave up haha! Very much in love with the gallery for adding in lots haha! I really admire people who can build and have it turn out decent! I like to decorate, but not build lol!!!

    I don't think I'd want Sims to react from personality, I like it how it is now, but I would like if diff personality types gave more different interactions you could select if you want to. Like Lazy sims now can "Nap Lazily" if you choose it type thing. If they all had 3-10 more things that coudl only be done with that specific trait, I think that'd be cool.

    The thing I want most in this game though is non-mutual relationships.

    The gallery is indeed a great feature for those who do not want to build!

    I agree that it would be more interesting if personality types had more interactions, but they would have to be specific animations unique to that trait, not just buffs or moodlets. The lazy sim needs to lie down lazily on the couch. I do like it when a sim is angry, they smash the fridge door, although I’m not particularly gone on the walking style. I would like to See more subtle interaction animations based on emotion and traits.

    How would you like to see non-mutual relationships Represented in game? Right now the relation ship bar for both Sims Is mutual. Would you like to see them both different? As in Sim A regards Sim B as a friend, whereas Sim B regards Sim A as an enemy? One bar is green, the other is red?

    Yes, different more animaitons would be great. I stand firmly by Sims 4 sims having the best personality for MY PERSONAL game play style (I know it's not the case for others) but sims 2 has better animations by far (again to me, this is personal opinion). But more and better animations would be totally okay to me, I just wouldn't want to go back to cut scenes (i hate those haha) and the attraction/turn ons/turn offs I dislike as that limits my story lines. (Unless they could bring them in with a toggle off and then I have no complaints haha)

    For nonmutual relationships yes, I'd like seperate bars. It would show you the bar of how the currently selected Sim feels about the other Sim.
    So if there is a child who hates their new step mum but the step mum loves the kid, when you have the kid selected it'd show a red bar, but green when you select the step mum. Same with Sims who have a crush on another Sim but it's not reciprocated. Or a Sim who hates his boss but the boss thinks said Sim is a great worker, etc. etc.
  • CAPTAIN_NXR7CAPTAIN_NXR7 Posts: 4,451 Member
    edited June 2020
    @AmaraRena wrote: »
    Considering that there are cheats for virtually everything in this game I don't understand at all why the devs would dumb it down. If anything it should be harder than TS3. They say they went to a lot of trouble to make the Sims themselves the focus and sacrificed our open world, our color wheel, and a bunch of other things to make that happen. The Sims are supposed to be much more complex than they were in earlier games. But they're really not. I do like the way they did vampires better in TS4 and honestly that's the only reason I play it. Everything else about this game is inferior to TS3, especially the world. It's boring.

    And I won't be buying the latest expansion either because good grief why would you?

    Plenty of reasons for some people to buy the latest pack or any pack.

    I do agree that TS4 needs to have way more challenging gameplay.
    Exploring some tombs in TS3 World Adventures was pretty difficult. You had to actually use the brain to figure out the puzzles. Search for clues. Don’t tell me they were easy. If so I must be as daft as a duck.

    In my opinion, Jungle Adventures or Strangerville doesn’t encourage the player to do anything near this kind of brain work. Pity.
  • filipomelfilipomel Posts: 1,693 Member
    I will agree that some long term game play mechanics are too easy, *cough* aspirations *cough*, but personally, I see some saying that careers in Sims 4 are too easy, I disagree. I find the combination of various game mechanics makes the most of the long term game play in Sims 4, having a career, raising a family, managing relationships, participating in mundane activities on offer such as the bar nights and parties from from get together, Holidays, city and island festivals, building skills, working on hobbies, etc. Working on all these at the same time, managing when to do all these different activties/tasks, it takes me a fair amount of time to make any substantial progress in my game. But I do agree that after accomplishing these tasks there isn't much left to look forward too. I'm sure by the end of the Sims 4 they will add some sort of substantial long term game play, just a shame more hasn't been done to fill this void of game play yet.
  • AmaraRenaAmaraRena Posts: 6,533 Member
    @AmaraRena wrote: »
    Considering that there are cheats for virtually everything in this game I don't understand at all why the devs would dumb it down. If anything it should be harder than TS3. They say they went to a lot of trouble to make the Sims themselves the focus and sacrificed our open world, our color wheel, and a bunch of other things to make that happen. The Sims are supposed to be much more complex than they were in earlier games. But they're really not. I do like the way they did vampires better in TS4 and honestly that's the only reason I play it. Everything else about this game is inferior to TS3, especially the world. It's boring.

    And I won't be buying the latest expansion either because good grief why would you?

    Plenty of reasons for some people to buy the latest pack or any pack.

    I do agree that TS4 needs to have way more challenging gameplay.
    Exploring some tombs in TS3 World Adventures was pretty difficult. You had to actually use the brain to figure out the puzzles. Search for clues. Don’t tell me they were easy. If so I must be as daft as a duck.

    In my opinion, Jungle Adventures or Strangerville doesn’t encourage the player to do anything near this kind of brain work. Pity.

    Oh I loved World Adventures in TS3, precisely because of the brain teasers! And yeah, I don't see much of that in TS4...pretty much anywhere.
  • SimmerGeorgeSimmerGeorge Posts: 2,724 Member
    filipomel wrote: »
    I will agree that some long term game play mechanics are too easy, *cough* aspirations *cough*, but personally, I see some saying that careers in Sims 4 are too easy, I disagree. I find the combination of various game mechanics makes the most of the long term game play in Sims 4, having a career, raising a family, managing relationships, participating in mundane activities on offer such as the bar nights and parties from from get together, Holidays, city and island festivals, building skills, working on hobbies, etc. Working on all these at the same time, managing when to do all these different activties/tasks, it takes me a fair amount of time to make any substantial progress in my game. But I do agree that after accomplishing these tasks there isn't much left to look forward too. I'm sure by the end of the Sims 4 they will add some sort of substantial long term game play, just a shame more hasn't been done to fill this void of game play yet.

    @filipomel Well the gama came out 6 years ago. Why would they add any new long term gameplay now? That would make no sense
    Where's my Sims 5 squad at?
  • CinebarCinebar Posts: 33,618 Member
    edited June 2020
    Well, there is very little that can be done about TS4 now. I'm still convinced after all these years, TS2 is still the better game as far as Sims' personalities, memories, nuances, and interactions, relationships and what they think about that forms who they are. TS3 was better at allowing players more choices in creativity within the game instead of outside the game with CASt etc. However, more people like TS4 for it's 'graphics' which they actually mean art style, because to me, TS4's 'graphics' aren't any better than the other two games. Because of the art style everything to me looks textureless (if that's a word) and flat paint, like a comic book that isn't even drawn in 2D or without depth and shadow. Just flat. But anyway, I don't think there is much they are going to do to fix these Sims nor make it about the Sims like they did in TS2.

    TS3 was about the world and exploring how far your Sim could go, more activities which is always good but more about CASt than gameplay. TS4 is, I don't know, about the developers' game, and what current event and or political moment is important to them, and what they care about rather than what average players who want actual gameplay care about. And they have missed the boat again. It should be about the Sim, always and everything else about more to do that represents life rather than what's the latest fad and or current circumstances.

    There is still very little to do in this game after six years, that won't include painting, writing and or jogging and working out. And or sitting at a pc and just tasking away the Sim life. It's why the gallery is so popular because actually besides building lots to share and download players have very little else to amuse themselves for very long.

    Even all the careers or jobs in this game must at some point include a pc, or working out, and or painting and or writing. It's like developers have never held any other type of job nor knew anyone who did. It's a bubble world in TS4. It's so boring to so many they keep buying over and over to make it 'fun'. Every aspiration (almost) includes at some point those four activites and then just roll up a Sim, put a different hairstyle, body shape and makeup on them and viola you have the same Sim again, especially when all of them actually wish the very same things. Hive Mind should be the name of TS4.
    "Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
  • SimmerGeorgeSimmerGeorge Posts: 2,724 Member
    Cinebar wrote: »
    Well, there is very little that can be done about TS4 now. I'm still convinced after all these years, TS2 is still the better game as far as Sims' personalities, memories, nuances, and interactions, relationships and what they think about that forms who they are. TS3 was better at allowing players more choices in creativity within the game instead of outside the game with CASt etc. However, more people like TS4 for it's 'graphics' which they actually mean art style, because to me, TS4's 'graphics' aren't any better than the other two games. Because of the art style everything to me looks textureless (if that's a word) and flat paint, like a comic book that isn't even drawn in 2D or without depth and shadow. Just flat. But anyway, I don't think there is much they are going to do to fix these Sims nor make it about the Sims like they did in TS2.

    TS3 was about the world and exploring how far your Sim could go, more activities which is always good but more about CASt than gameplay. TS4 is, I don't know, about the developers' game, and what current event and or political moment is important to them, and what they care about rather than what average players who want actual gameplay care about. And they have missed the boat again. It should be about the Sim, always and everything else about more to do that represents life rather than what's the latest fad and or current circumstances.

    There is still very little to do in this game after six years, that won't include painting, writing and or jogging and working out. And or sitting at a pc and just tasking away the Sim life. It's why the gallery is so popular because actually besides building lots to share and download players have very little else to amuse themselves for very long.

    I know it might be a little long but girl put that 🐸🐸🐸🐸 on a t-shirt. That's excactly it!
    Where's my Sims 5 squad at?
  • motdkmotdk Posts: 208 Member
    I 100% Agree , it is still lacking massive in-depth gameplay. Fix the babies , give toddlers more objects to play with and events (daycare grandparents day event or parent day event), kids need more playable activities and objects with events (Talent show, sleep overs, spelling bee contest, baking contest Fundraiser). A school class president event. Teens need more teen clothes, object, activities and events (Where is PROM and Graduation event , dances, sweet 16 party, dates with and with out parents). Student council event.That is way it’s hard to tell the difference between the teens and adults. The adults have every thing except they need more wedding objects. Elders need 50 or 60th anniversaries, divorce money settlements(if divorced). Senior citizen discount and they have a neighborhood board event which would work for eco living to change prices on goods sold for certain events.
  • SimburianSimburian Posts: 6,906 Member
    The longterm gameplay comes for me in building and moving all my pre-made Sims into the Worlds, filling them up to the limit of Sims the game allows and going round giving them all jobs, leaving them to their own devices whilst I move on round the others. They then, are the ones walking around the neighbourhood and being in the welcoming committees. The game doesn't seem to fit the one family play setup. It's more on running a neighbourhood and Eco Lifestyle appears to show this.

    I evict and completely delete all of the Willowbrae, Oasis Springs families now as I got tired of them quickly but keep most of the rest as they have more traits.

    Now I'm trying to make community lots in all the worlds and going into CAS, giving them all new wardrobes and redecorating their houses. It doesn't give me much gameplay at all but that suits me. It's getting more like SimCity every pack. ;)
  • CinebarCinebar Posts: 33,618 Member
    edited June 2020
    I'm a rotational player and always have been. I can tell anyone all these Sims are the very same. It doesn't matter if they added ten more trait slots they would still all react, think and be the same. I'm not one to finish tasks nor complete aspirations anymore, did that in TS2 for a time but then decided no, I play my way, they will dance to my tune and the beat of my drum. I don't need a long time aspiration goal what I need is differences and diversity in reactions, consequences, nuances, conversations, memories, depth to their personalities, reasons why they care or don't care. Then it would be worth it to build ten different Sims and play them in a world and rotate between them. But if they are all going to like the stereo, all like the TV, all like the pc, all like basketball, all like whatever, or all get uncomfortable no matter the circumstances and or all want to hug somebody then there is no point in me playing at all. The problems to me is the Sim personality. Do they ever get nervous? Scared? hate anyone? remember anyone? remember Summer Holiday just insulted them yesterday? No, they know nothing. Know they are married? No they will flirt with anyone. Just pixels people dress up and scream oh look, I'm so diverse. But at least in TS2 they know they finished an aspiration...and talk about it to others....TS4 has no regard for any memory at all.
    "Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
  • CAPTAIN_NXR7CAPTAIN_NXR7 Posts: 4,451 Member
    @Cinebar wrote: »
    I'm a rotational player and always have been. I can tell anyone all these Sims are the very same. It doesn't matter if they added ten more trait slots they would still all react, think and be the same. I'm not one to finish nor complete aspirations anymore, did that in TS2 for a time but then decided no, I play my way, they will dance to my tune and the beat of my drum. I don't need a long time aspiration goal what I need is differences and diversity in reactions, consequences, nuances, conversations, memories, depth to their personalities, reasons why they care or don't care. Then it would be worth it to build ten different Sims and play them in a world and rotate between them. But if they are all going to like the stereo, all like the TV, all like the pc, all like basketball, all like whatever, or all get uncomfortable no matter the circumstances and or all want to hug somebody then there is no point in me playing at all. The problems to me is the Sim personality. Do they ever get nervous? Scared? hate anyone? remember anyone? remember Summer Holiday just insulted them yesterday? No, they know nothing. Know they are married? No they will flirt with anyone. Just pixels people dress up and scream oh look, I'm so diverse.

    Exactly. There is Aesthetic Diversity. No Personality Diversity.
  • CinebarCinebar Posts: 33,618 Member
    edited June 2020
    @Cinebar wrote: »
    I'm a rotational player and always have been. I can tell anyone all these Sims are the very same. It doesn't matter if they added ten more trait slots they would still all react, think and be the same. I'm not one to finish nor complete aspirations anymore, did that in TS2 for a time but then decided no, I play my way, they will dance to my tune and the beat of my drum. I don't need a long time aspiration goal what I need is differences and diversity in reactions, consequences, nuances, conversations, memories, depth to their personalities, reasons why they care or don't care. Then it would be worth it to build ten different Sims and play them in a world and rotate between them. But if they are all going to like the stereo, all like the TV, all like the pc, all like basketball, all like whatever, or all get uncomfortable no matter the circumstances and or all want to hug somebody then there is no point in me playing at all. The problems to me is the Sim personality. Do they ever get nervous? Scared? hate anyone? remember anyone? remember Summer Holiday just insulted them yesterday? No, they know nothing. Know they are married? No they will flirt with anyone. Just pixels people dress up and scream oh look, I'm so diverse.

    Exactly. There is Aesthetic Diversity. No Personality Diversity.

    This game doesn't even have a proper graveyard. It is so shallow I have no idea why people keep buying it when they have three other games that meet the life simulation definitions. This one is the DLC game, more for less content, and look over here at the new shiny....and then throw it down and demand more DLC.

    ETA: I respect Carl and his views, he touches upon a lot that I agree about, but if the Sim doesn't care why should I? That is the building blocks of a life simulator. RPG goals can be there such as aspirations and career goals etc. However, if the Sim is just a pixel without a cemetary and players can just delete mom and dad without a proper funeral like in TS3 or at least a graveyard like in TS2 then what was the point of calling this game a life simulator? Just get up one day and oh, I don't like my Sim's mom or dad, or sister or whomever..just delete...the Sim won't even remember they had one. It is a joke to call TS4 a life simulator.
    "Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
  • SimmerGeorgeSimmerGeorge Posts: 2,724 Member
    motdk wrote: »
    I 100% Agree , it is still lacking massive in-depth gameplay. Fix the babies , give toddlers more objects to play with and events (daycare grandparents day event or parent day event), kids need more playable activities and objects with events (Talent show, sleep overs, spelling bee contest, baking contest Fundraiser). A school class president event. Teens need more teen clothes, object, activities and events (Where is PROM and Graduation event , dances, sweet 16 party, dates with and with out parents). Student council event.That is way it’s hard to tell the difference between the teens and adults. The adults have every thing except they need more wedding objects. Elders need 50 or 60th anniversaries, divorce money settlements(if divorced). Senior citizen discount and they have a neighborhood board event which would work for eco living to change prices on goods sold for certain events.

    @motdk I think lack of long term gameplay in this context meant Sims personalities, goals and basically the core of the game but I'm sure some new objects and interactions would help a bit. The thing is we get a lot of new stuff for the sims to do with the packs, I thing the problem is the Sims themselves.
    Where's my Sims 5 squad at?
  • CAPTAIN_NXR7CAPTAIN_NXR7 Posts: 4,451 Member
    edited June 2020
    @Cinebar wrote: »
    @Cinebar wrote: »
    I'm a rotational player and always have been. I can tell anyone all these Sims are the very same. It doesn't matter if they added ten more trait slots they would still all react, think and be the same. I'm not one to finish nor complete aspirations anymore, did that in TS2 for a time but then decided no, I play my way, they will dance to my tune and the beat of my drum. I don't need a long time aspiration goal what I need is differences and diversity in reactions, consequences, nuances, conversations, memories, depth to their personalities, reasons why they care or don't care. Then it would be worth it to build ten different Sims and play them in a world and rotate between them. But if they are all going to like the stereo, all like the TV, all like the pc, all like basketball, all like whatever, or all get uncomfortable no matter the circumstances and or all want to hug somebody then there is no point in me playing at all. The problems to me is the Sim personality. Do they ever get nervous? Scared? hate anyone? remember anyone? remember Summer Holiday just insulted them yesterday? No, they know nothing. Know they are married? No they will flirt with anyone. Just pixels people dress up and scream oh look, I'm so diverse.

    Exactly. There is Aesthetic Diversity. No Personality Diversity.

    This game doesn't even have a proper graveyard. It is so shallow I have no idea why people keep buying it when they have three other games that meet the life simulation definitions. This one is the DLC game, more for less content, and look over here at the new shiny....and then throw it down and demand more DLC.

    I never understood the absence of cemeteries from the moment ghosts where Introduced. It’s a basegame element that should have been there from the start.
    If there are baby bassinets, there should be mausoleums.

    Sims should START someplace and END UP someplace.

    As a player I want to know where the urn of the deceased sims went. Keep all the ectoplasms organized.
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