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NightLife vs The Sims 4

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CinebarCinebar Posts: 33,618 Member
When will TS4 ever get a complete EP that will include as much gameplay and objects and interations as TS2's Nightlife?

I think that is a fair question since most of TS4's EPs (not GPs) seem to have less than even an EP from 2005.

For the record I'm listing what NL did contain in one EP.

Bars and Bartenders, also our Sims could work at any bar. We could also run a bar (hire employees or our Sim to work the bar) if we had OFB.

Bowling (with relationship building, conversations, seating conversations and group bowling, more than two and real game) It was such a large thing about bowling it included it's on collection folder.

Chemsitry/Attraction system, this feature changed everything about why your Sims liked someone else.

Restaurants, restaurant stove, (could be used on any lot other than home) complete with host/hostess, and could be owned and run by our Sims because of OFB if we had that installed. Table interactions (romantic)

Dating, an all new way to get some free stuff from other Sims and to find out what other Sims wanted from your Sim while on the date.

Also, this added the feature in conversations to find out how much someone earned, their interests, and many other things even if not romantically interested. All new interactions.

Groups (manage by phone) for timed outings and or just for fun. Or invite anyone near by to go out for fun (no pressure) to eat out together and or go and do anything together or even at a home lot.
Also, added consequences for a bad timed outing. Or a good consequence.

DJ booth and townie DJs, also our Sims could work as DJs, or hire a DJ for party, or as an employee if you also owned OFB. Or work it yourself.

Karaoke machine, for home and community lots. A lot of people used it to make music videos for a laugh. (gains creativity)

Jukebox, for your dives and diners etc.

The HottCorp Burning Fire Jet (a round object that shot fire from it, roast a marshmellow on a community club lot and or burn up your Sim by accident.

Electro Dance Sphere, easy/med/hard..a chance your Sim would be abducted and become pregnant (males) if you used the hard setting without many body skills.

Photo Booth for more than one Sim, normal and goofy pictures. Place them on a wall or desk etc.

A poker table called 52 Pickup, card table...for two or four win money ($100) per hand. Or lose $100

Also, restaurants objects and building materials had it's own collection folder.

A new wall TV for sports bars and or anywhere you wanted to use it.

A 🐸🐸🐸🐸 woman who could sell you potions to cure vampirism and or later werewolf and or plantsims.

Or she could fix you up with a blind date.

Vampires downtown that once you met them they may visit invited to your home, and or go off and bite other townies and other Sims if you made your Sim bite someone. They took a licence to do that because you started it. lol

That doesn't even include all the new floors, wallpapers, build materials nor CAS assets.

I would like to know has anyone thought about how many EPs or packs and or stuff packs they had to buy in TS4 to get even half this stuff and it not even be as good as it was in 2005/2006?

I assume the answer is we will never see this type of full EP again. Which also included a new sub world. All new characters (townies and NPCs) around 150.

All new buildings to visit and use and or own, all new neighborhood decorative objects, land marks, trees etc. etc. This also doesn't even list all the new paintings, decor and or furniture or anything else. Huge.

A lot of little things people overlook that came in later games, like some opportunities.

Such as being invited downtown by a stranger (DT townie) go or refuse. Mrs. Crumplebottom, who turned out to be a lush, and would leave you alone if your Sim went to a bar and not hit your Sim on the head with her purse ( mimics an old Laugh In segment) for getting into a hot tub.

Getting admired, roll with it and or your Sim may throw a drink. Depends on who does the admiring and why.

Bust a Move in some cases falls under romantic interactions (with a chemistry bolt) and can either ruin a relationship or build it up.
Flirting too far or just right. You had to figure out which one would actually work the best. If relaltionship was not high enough you might regret clicking flirt if it had a chemistry bolt on the action. Little things too many to mention.

A community graveyard. Somewhere to take the dead. No longer did your Sim have to be scared to literal death take the headstone to the graveyard and or build your own. And no they were never culled.

Breaking it down as much is feasable.

Bowling (stuff pack in TS4) $20 and it didn't even come with the main features.

Groups (EP) $40.00 GT

Vampires (GP) $20.00

Potions..of any kind...two packs a GP and an EP...$60.00 in the magic EP and the vacation GP.

Karaoke machine, where was that? in the CL pack? $40.00

Jukebox? Can't remember where you had to buy that..oh, yeah, the original $80 and or $60 base before the now price drop of $40.00

Bars and bartenders (the base original price without deluxe or prem.) $60 for the first year.

Restaurants...GP, DO, $20.00 and can't work the stove nor wait tables even though you have GTW (OFB 2.0)

Photobooth..where was that? Can't remember but I'm sure it cost either $20 or $40.00 and IIRC it didn't even work like the one in NL.

Dating..base game

Let's see, another $40 or $20 to see chemistry (if ever) and or a graveyard, (if ever) and or anything else I might have forgotten.

Ok, $60 for the base+ DO+ GT+Vamps+CL+OR+the magic thing+ equals so far $240 compared to the $29.99 back in 2005 or 2006, and still a lot of what was in the pack that people still request such as chemistry is going to cost even more.

Ridiculous. Even if you got those on sale.



















"Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
Post edited by Cinebar on

Comments

  • crocobauracrocobaura Posts: 7,342 Member
    I wish it were still possible to earn money from tending bars or coffee carts. Or be the chef in your own restaurant.
  • CinebarCinebar Posts: 33,618 Member
    crocobaura wrote: »
    I wish it were still possible to earn money from tending bars or coffee carts. Or be the chef in your own restaurant.

    Yeah, it's why I still play NL. :D
    "Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
  • PrincipleOfEntropyPrincipleOfEntropy Posts: 389 Member
    I always loved how the vampires were designed to be so in tune with everything else in the pack. Their needs would rapidly drop and they would die if awake during the day (indoors or not, a touch I personally prefer) but then as a trade off their motives would completely freeze at night, meaning they were free to do anything and everything they wanted downtown.

    I really miss that poker table too, and all the animations that came with it, or pretty much all the animations across the pack in general. The way Sims would act when sat at the bar, the conversations over a meal, the ridiculous dancing from outgoing Sims that would make every other Sim laugh, it had so much life to it.
    Madotsuki-Chair-Spin.gif
  • crocobauracrocobaura Posts: 7,342 Member
    Cinebar wrote: »
    crocobaura wrote: »
    I wish it were still possible to earn money from tending bars or coffee carts. Or be the chef in your own restaurant.

    Yeah, it's why I still play NL. :D

    I could try that too, but then I might get upset when I don't have functions there that are currently available in TS4. :neutral:
  • BabykittyjadeBabykittyjade Posts: 4,975 Member
    To answer to question no I don't believe we will ever get a pack that big. I believe the model they have now is purposely done to make the game last longer. One thing I always hope for though is that they higher more animators!!! I never understood why we lack so many animations in sims 4 😭😭😭😭
    Zombies, oh please oh please give us zombies!! :'(
  • CinebarCinebar Posts: 33,618 Member
    crocobaura wrote: »
    Cinebar wrote: »
    crocobaura wrote: »
    I wish it were still possible to earn money from tending bars or coffee carts. Or be the chef in your own restaurant.

    Yeah, it's why I still play NL. :D

    I could try that too, but then I might get upset when I don't have functions there that are currently available in TS4. :neutral:

    You have quite of few of the things from NL in TS4 but you had to pay several times to get them then wait for them to be patched to even resemble how NL works such as bowling.
    "Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
  • crocobauracrocobaura Posts: 7,342 Member
    To answer to question no I don't believe we will ever get a pack that big. I believe the model they have now is purposely done to make the game last longer. One thing I always hope for though is that they higher more animators!!! I never understood why we lack so many animations in sims 4 😭😭😭😭

    The official excuse is that they are very difficult to do, but I doubt they hire junior animators for everything. Maybe they just decreased the budget a lot for whatever reason.
  • bella_gothbella_goth Posts: 1,770 Member
    ts2 nightlife has way more content than ts4 base game cuz ea realized how much of a cash cow this franchise is and how braindead are some fans, who will literally buy & defend anything about ea
  • crocobauracrocobaura Posts: 7,342 Member
    Cinebar wrote: »
    crocobaura wrote: »
    Cinebar wrote: »
    crocobaura wrote: »
    I wish it were still possible to earn money from tending bars or coffee carts. Or be the chef in your own restaurant.

    Yeah, it's why I still play NL. :D

    I could try that too, but then I might get upset when I don't have functions there that are currently available in TS4. :neutral:

    You have quite of few of the things from NL in TS4 but you had to pay several times to get them then wait for them to be patched to even resemble how NL works such as bowling.

    I don't mind that they put them in different packs, and we got other things with those packs as well. But the loss of functionality is really bothersome. Why try to become a level 10 mixologist if you can't prepare drinks in a bar for money? It makes no sense they removed this option especially since we can now register as freelance workers.
  • OldeseadoggeOldeseadogge Posts: 4,973 Member
    Nightlife is a sterling example of the difference between the games, so much more in one pack than in several of those in 4. The same goes for all the other packs where you not only got vast amounts of things for the theme, but for the base game as well. There is so much in them there are 200+ page guide books to help you get through it all. Each EP. Even the stuff packs were loaded and had mini-guides with them.
  • ClarionOfJoyClarionOfJoy Posts: 1,945 Member
    And this is just one pack from TS2 - all the other TS2 packs are just as jam-packed as this one! On top of that, it's not riddled with bugs and has smarter sims with more complex personalities. I'd play it more if it was open world. I really hope TS5 has both of the best of all these iterations!


  • MareahMareah Posts: 792 Member
    I agree with some of this like the restaurants. I like Dine out but since it was a whole gp centered around restaurants it was a must to make them as fleshed out as possible, and with no missed opportunities. Well, it sadly fell short to me in somce places like what you said about not being able to make the meals yourself. Also agree with bowling having its own stuff pack, just why?!! I would rather they add this to a gp or ep so i dont have to buy this pack just for bowling, sure you get clothes and furniture but i dont care about that stuff and bowling would be the only reasong to buy it for me, but that alone doesnt seem worth the price to me so i skip. I mostly dislike ts4 sps but there are one or two that i feel are really well done and have more than usual.

    Sorry but i fail to understand your comparison when it comes to prices, you say people are paying 40 dollars to get groups but there is also lots of stuff that came with that pack like cafes? I get it if that is the only thing you want from that pack, then it would be the same as sps not being worth it to me, but that doesnt mean everyone would feel like they are paying that price just for clubs. That feels like me saying you have to pay more money for resturants in ts2 than you do in ts4. It might be true that ts2 has more features in its packs, but part of the way you did this comparison is not fair, imo.
    crocobaura wrote: »
    Cinebar wrote: »
    crocobaura wrote: »
    Cinebar wrote: »
    crocobaura wrote: »
    I wish it were still possible to earn money from tending bars or coffee carts. Or be the chef in your own restaurant.

    Yeah, it's why I still play NL. :D

    I could try that too, but then I might get upset when I don't have functions there that are currently available in TS4. :neutral:

    You have quite of few of the things from NL in TS4 but you had to pay several times to get them then wait for them to be patched to even resemble how NL works such as bowling.

    I don't mind that they put them in different packs, and we got other things with those packs as well.
    That is what i am trying to say in the second part of what i wrote above. You worded it much better and with less worlds than it took me lol.
  • CinebarCinebar Posts: 33,618 Member
    edited August 2020
    Mareah wrote: »
    I agree with some of this like the restaurants. I like Dine out but since it was a whole gp centered around restaurants it was a must to make them as fleshed out as possible, and with no missed opportunities. Well, it sadly fell short to me in somce places like what you said about not being able to make the meals yourself. Also agree with bowling having its own stuff pack, just why?!! I would rather they add this to a gp or ep so i dont have to buy this pack just for bowling, sure you get clothes and furniture but i dont care about that stuff and bowling would be the only reasong to buy it for me, but that alone doesnt seem worth the price to me so i skip. I mostly dislike ts4 sps but there are one or two that i feel are really well done and have more than usual.

    Sorry but i fail to understand your comparison when it comes to prices, you say people are paying 40 dollars to get groups but there is also lots of stuff that came with that pack like cafes? I get it if that is the only thing you want from that pack, then it would be the same as sps not being worth it to me, but that doesnt mean everyone would feel like they are paying that price just for clubs. That feels like me saying you have to pay more money for resturants in ts2 than you do in ts4. It might be true that ts2 has more features in its packs, but part of the way you did this comparison is not fair, imo.
    crocobaura wrote: »
    Cinebar wrote: »
    crocobaura wrote: »
    Cinebar wrote: »
    crocobaura wrote: »
    I wish it were still possible to earn money from tending bars or coffee carts. Or be the chef in your own restaurant.

    Yeah, it's why I still play NL. :D

    I could try that too, but then I might get upset when I don't have functions there that are currently available in TS4. :neutral:

    You have quite of few of the things from NL in TS4 but you had to pay several times to get them then wait for them to be patched to even resemble how NL works such as bowling.

    I don't mind that they put them in different packs, and we got other things with those packs as well.
    That is what i am trying to say in the second part of what i wrote above. You worded it much better and with less worlds than it took me lol.

    I said it because of the following. What else came with TS4's 'groups'? A new world? Ok, so did TS2. Not only a new world but the ability to build multiple new worlds as many as your pc could handle. You mentioned cafes, that was more of a TS3 thing but true TS4's group pack came with cafes while NL's groups came in a huge EP.

    Someone mentioned that bowling comes with all the clothes for the theme etc., well NL also came with bowling clothes and things for the theme. I said it was so much that it got it's own collection folder. However, clothes and hair etc. isn't in the TS2 collection folders but remain separate in CAS. So, that's a wash since NL also had themed clothes for that activity.

    In other words, the comparison with GT and NL is NL contains much more, and much more gameplay while GT if you compare it to 'groups' came with only one thing that NL didn't come with and that is cafes. But it had restaurants and no need to buy DO. So, in my mind NL still contains in one EP than all the packs in TS4. That's why I can compare costs.

    Wait, I'll give TS4 it's dance contests in GT, too, which were not in TS2 until FreeTime, but the DJ booth is what we are comparing, and we all know the dance contest features were broken right out the door. The comparision is this with just GT if that what's you want to compare, GT came with two things NL didn't cafes, and dance contests etc. everything else and all other packs I mentioned were in NL so in my mind people paid (me too) $40 for what wasn't in NL, cafes and dance contests all else was already in NL. And this still does not include all the new floors (which TS4 rarely gets) and all new wall coverings and decor.

    Now that I think about it, I'm curious to know after six years how many vinyl floor coverings are in TS4? And or how many new carpet threads/styles and or colors, and or how many new tile, brick, masonary floors are in TS4? I would guess it is still not many. But to stay on topic I'm actually comparing NL to the entire TS4 and how much some of us spent to get what was in one EP in TS2 and still don't have a lot of the gameplay after six years that was in NL. Such as attraction system etc.
    Post edited by Cinebar on
    "Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
  • CamkatCamkat Posts: 2,329 Member
    We won't ever see packs like in TS2 again. They started chopping them down in TS3 and haven't looked back. They've figured out that they can sell smaller packs for similar prices and they can nickel and dime through stuff packs and the TS3 store. I'm not that upset though, it's business, like my favourite bacon brand still the same price but a smaller weight. It's not fair, but there's not much we can do about it until we are willing to vote with our wallets by not buying the new packs.
    Origin ID: Peapod79
  • CinebarCinebar Posts: 33,618 Member
    edited August 2020
    Camkat wrote: »
    We won't ever see packs like in TS2 again. They started chopping them down in TS3 and haven't looked back. They've figured out that they can sell smaller packs for similar prices and they can nickel and dime through stuff packs and the TS3 store. I'm not that upset though, it's business, like my favourite bacon brand still the same price but a smaller weight. It's not fair, but there's not much we can do about it until we are willing to vote with our wallets by not buying the new packs.

    That doesn't work. There are many new people who they chase to buy with a free base. It's somewhat mean to their core who got them here. Keep milking with smaller packs and higher prices, all while giving new players who might not have ever played these games a free base and or free packs and they won't know they are getting less for more. But we do.

    If I think about it, I can't blame them, it's the way it is, however, there is no shame, either, lol. They brag about making a billion (more than TS2 or TS3) for TS4 and still put out halfbaked packs and or much, much less for more money. How did they get that billion? By breaking up packs into a thousand pieces. It's no longer about the game but the green and I think most of us know it. It stopped being about the actual game years ago.
    "Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
  • crocobauracrocobaura Posts: 7,342 Member
    edited August 2020
    I wonder if the new development and release system they have might have a play in this. In TS2 it used to be 2 EPs and 3 SPs every year. SPs had no additional gameplay to them. In TS4 they divide gameplay between EPs, GP, and SPs, and since they cannot release just gameplay objects, they always include additional objects without new gameplay like furniture and stuff. Maybe they could add more gameplay if they didn't spend so much money on decorative stuff to fill out the GPs and SPs.
  • ClarionOfJoyClarionOfJoy Posts: 1,945 Member
    crocobaura wrote: »
    I wonder if the new development and release system they have might have a play in this. In TS2 it used to be 2 EPs and 3 SPs every year. SPs had no additional gameplay to them. In TS4 they divide gameplay between EPs, GP, and SPs, and since they cannot release just gameplay objects, they always include additional objects without new gameplay like furniture and stuff. Maybe they could add more gameplay if they didn't spend so much money on decorative stuff to fill out the GPs and SPs.


    Decorative stuff is cheaper than having to write new code for gameplay and creating new animations.


  • crocobauracrocobaura Posts: 7,342 Member
    crocobaura wrote: »
    I wonder if the new development and release system they have might have a play in this. In TS2 it used to be 2 EPs and 3 SPs every year. SPs had no additional gameplay to them. In TS4 they divide gameplay between EPs, GP, and SPs, and since they cannot release just gameplay objects, they always include additional objects without new gameplay like furniture and stuff. Maybe they could add more gameplay if they didn't spend so much money on decorative stuff to fill out the GPs and SPs.


    Decorative stuff is cheaper than having to write new code for gameplay and creating new animations.


    Yes, but when added up they still spend a lot of time and money on it. Also, I understand that code is something they do in house, they outsource only meshes and textures. So when we have the bar and coffee cart with all animations available, why is it not possible to add the additional interaction of getting paid for tending the bar or coffee cart?
  • ClarionOfJoyClarionOfJoy Posts: 1,945 Member
    crocobaura wrote: »
    crocobaura wrote: »
    I wonder if the new development and release system they have might have a play in this. In TS2 it used to be 2 EPs and 3 SPs every year. SPs had no additional gameplay to them. In TS4 they divide gameplay between EPs, GP, and SPs, and since they cannot release just gameplay objects, they always include additional objects without new gameplay like furniture and stuff. Maybe they could add more gameplay if they didn't spend so much money on decorative stuff to fill out the GPs and SPs.


    Decorative stuff is cheaper than having to write new code for gameplay and creating new animations.


    Yes, but when added up they still spend a lot of time and money on it. Also, I understand that code is something they do in house, they outsource only meshes and textures. So when we have the bar and coffee cart with all animations available, why is it not possible to add the additional interaction of getting paid for tending the bar or coffee cart?


    I'm thinking that they're hoping a modder will do it for them for free.... :#


  • TS1299TS1299 Posts: 1,604 Member
    One of the factors why we won't see jam packed expansion packs like that is because of EA. We have to remember that the development Cost that they allocate for Developers are lower compared to 15 years ago. If they have given Maxis or any of there games the same budget then there is no worry for The Sims Studio to prioritize certain features because they can create many of them. The latest Expansion Pack Eco Lifestyle if you compare it to old content packs, the only new "big" feature are Eco Footprint and NAP in which both are unpolished, bugged, and has almost no impact on long term gameplay rather than aesthetic.

    I bet if this expansion pack was in The Sims 3 or even in The Sims 2 every world will be affected by Eco Footprint in which there are actual trash and garbage in the world, more gameplay features, and less bugs compared to the current one where only one world has Eco footprint layers, and the rest are nothing but a color palette change in the sky, alongside with a moodlet.
  • simgirl1010simgirl1010 Posts: 35,708 Member
    Makes me want to load my Sims 2 game! Almost. 😄
  • CinebarCinebar Posts: 33,618 Member
    edited August 2020
    TS1299 wrote: »
    One of the factors why we won't see jam packed expansion packs like that is because of EA. We have to remember that the development Cost that they allocate for Developers are lower compared to 15 years ago. If they have given Maxis or any of there games the same budget then there is no worry for The Sims Studio to prioritize certain features because they can create many of them. The latest Expansion Pack Eco Lifestyle if you compare it to old content packs, the only new "big" feature are Eco Footprint and NAP in which both are unpolished, bugged, and has almost no impact on long term gameplay rather than aesthetic.

    I bet if this expansion pack was in The Sims 3 or even in The Sims 2 every world will be affected by Eco Footprint in which there are actual trash and garbage in the world, more gameplay features, and less bugs compared to the current one where only one world has Eco footprint layers, and the rest are nothing but a color palette change in the sky, alongside with a moodlet.

    There is absolutely no proof EA gives Maxis less of a budget than they did sixteen years ago. Considering today's demands for higher salary for those in charge and or even employees, and not sure what perks an intern who works for free gets these days (if anything) and the cost of computers etc. and or the rental of design tools that these companies have to buy or rent or lease or whatever, (which can be expensive) I doubt it's less, it's what they decide to do with what is left that matters to the players. I doubt it's a smaller budget than back in 2000. Maybe all the money goes to the orchestra for new music in TS4. I don't know. :#
    "Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
  • izecsonizecson Posts: 2,875 Member
    edited August 2020
    That's explained why I really got so overwhelmed when playing The Sims 2 because even a single pack include so many features, I may need to google a little bit on how to disable the installed packs and play the game one pack at a time until I'm getting the grasp of all the features included, really hoping those chemistry and dating system is implemented in The Sims 4 though!
    ihavemultiplegamertags
  • CinebarCinebar Posts: 33,618 Member
    You know there is one thing about 'dating' in TS4 I did like and it was when they patched in (should have been in a pack) the townies or your Sim's partner calling up and asking our current Sim for a date. We had been asking for that for many years. It was great for a long time, until some patch and or new pack broke it. The bug occurred when they would show up at the place and turn and leave as soon as they got there. TS4 has some good ideas, at times, due to player input, because we had been begging for years, but they always seem to break anything players have been requesting for years.
    "Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
  • OnverserOnverser Posts: 3,364 Member
    edited August 2020
    To put it simply, never.

    To be fair some things they do have an excuse for. In past games, a lot of animations were more tacky and less sleek so they took less time to create. Meshes were also much more simplistic and low poly so they were much simpler and quicker to make aswell. That all means they can create more in less time. And in previous installments, to be frank the build buy and cas that came with packs suckd. Packs were focused much more on gameplay rather than making things look nice.

    The main Sims 4 pack that focuses on gameplay rather than visuals is Get to Work, and people complain no end about how much they hate the world and don't like the items that came with it. With that pack you get open for business and multiple active careers all rolled into one which I think were seperate packs in previous installments but people spend their entire time complaining about it as they don't like the world.


    But yeah TS4 is lacking in a lot of ways, most of which I blame EA for. Way too many restrictions are put on the developers, they have to push out so many different packs every year and EA don't give them the time, resources, or staff numbers to make solid content. Sadly they're stuck under a terrible company which doesn't give them the freedom to make quality content and values quantity over quality.
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