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A Letter From The Sims Team

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  • drake_mccartydrake_mccarty Posts: 6,114 Member
    edited September 2020
    Nindigo wrote: »
    Are they infact obligated to listen to the players more? I mean, for real, if we put aside all emotions for a moment.

    Well no but fan service is a good way to keep your core audience engaged. They lack consistency in this area. They have become complacent when it comes to improving the base game. Their last few build improvements conveniently appeared after an indie game showed similar features. They can respond to player feedback and fan service REALLY quick when they want to.
  • NindigoNindigo Posts: 2,764 Member
    Nindigo wrote: »
    Are they infact obligated to listen to the players more? I mean, for real, if we put aside all emotions for a moment.

    Well no but fan service is a good way to keep your core audience engaged. They lack consistency in this area. They have become complacent when it comes to improving the base game. Their last few build improvements conveniently appeared after an indie game showed similar features. They can respond to player feedback and fan service REALLY quick when they want to.
    I agree with this. And I still think a lot comes down to the lack of competition.


    Origin ID: Nindigo79

    A smile is the prettiest thing you can wear
    Time enjoyed is never time wasted

  • OnverserOnverser Posts: 3,364 Member
    edited September 2020
    Now the more that I look at the post the more it just seems like making excuses."We haven't put bunk beds in as we want uh- meaningful gameplay! yeah theyll like that that'll stop them complaining", like that doesn't even make sense for bunk beds. One person sleeps on the bottom, one sleeps on the top it's not rocket science. There's no meaningful consideration that takes 6 years.

    Judging by how they talked about the expansion pack aswell, it's something nobodys wanted and they know it's going to cause controversy so they're basically telling people in advance so they can't complain.

    Saying they've been working on it since last year also seems strategic. It's like they're saying they started it before the recent packs criticism to avoid people saying they aren't listening to that criticism because "we made it before!"
  • GordyGordy Posts: 3,015 Member
    I wonder how much paid DLC they're working on? How much will they be pumping out over the next year, while the bare necessities we don't pay for are on the backburner?
    TS1_dragons_hatching.jpg
    The Sims 4 hasn't introduced a new musical instrument since 2017
  • JACKIEJOYJACKIEJOY Posts: 802 Member
    EA has the money, technology, and skilled personnel to create the best Sims game ever. They just choose not to. And the reason for that is because short term profits for the shareholders are more important than long term players. It happens to every company that goes public. So we get "things change, too hard, too expensive, doesn't' fit the theme, we hear you" and nothing changes.
  • TOLKIENTOLKIEN Posts: 1,594 Member
    edited September 2020
    So basically from what I get reading this letter, we can expect "cars, babies, farms and bunk beds" to EVENTUALLY come to the Sims 4 before end of its life cycle - because she repeated it twice so clearly thats what they are identifying.

    Thats great - except don't expect more than that, because they just told us we will get "cars, babies, farms and bunk beds" eventually because thats the features they identify as most requested.

    I think more than anything this just shows again how different and really limited the sims 4 engine is and how hard it is for them to add features in a "meaningful" way within its framework. Thats not an excuse, but I do think the Sims 4 is showing its age now.
  • Cabelle1863Cabelle1863 Posts: 2,251 Member
    TOLKIEN wrote: »
    So basically from what I get reading this letter, we can expect "cars, babies, farms and bunk beds" to EVENTUALLY come to the Sims 4 before end of its life cycle - because she repeated it twice so clearly thats what they are identifying.

    Thats great - except don't expect more than that, because they just told us we will get "cars, babies, farms and bunk beds" eventually because thats the features they identify as most requested.

    I think more than anything this just shows again how different and really limited the sims 4 engine is and how hard it is for them to add features in a "meaningful" way within its framework. Thats not an excuse, but I do think the Sims 4 is showing its age now.

    Actually, I don't think we can expect these to happen. Hope, yes. But I did not read her letter as an expectation that these features would happen someday. What I got from the letter is that they know many players want these features, that they will not be part of the next EP, and that they haven't happened because of reasons. I just don't see anything that gives me assurance that they will happen. It's disappointing, but I just don't have much confidence that it will happen.

  • GordyGordy Posts: 3,015 Member
    TOLKIEN wrote: »
    Thats not an excuse, but I do think the Sims 4 is showing its age now.
    She really do be aging much worse than her older sisters. She was pretty but shallow, and now that she's old and lost her luster, she realizes that she has nothing to show for her "efforts."
    TS1_dragons_hatching.jpg
    The Sims 4 hasn't introduced a new musical instrument since 2017
  • NindigoNindigo Posts: 2,764 Member
    Gordy wrote: »
    She was pretty but shallow, and now that she's old and lost her luster, she realizes that she has nothing to show for her "efforts."
    A reflection of the time she lived in, I could argue.


    Origin ID: Nindigo79

    A smile is the prettiest thing you can wear
    Time enjoyed is never time wasted

  • ScobreScobre Posts: 20,665 Member
    edited September 2020
    Sharonia wrote: »
    I'm salty but at least there is one positive. What ever the next pack is it surely can't be worse than the Star Wars pack. :D

    My First Quarantine Stuff!! :p
    There actually was a thread to suggest it. Ironically it got censored by the most critical Simmers for being too negative. LOL. Like how dare a life simulation game be about real life and it's real consequences.

    GTW illnesses were treated with kid gloves. Part of the fun with the older games was that ideas weren't censored and dismissed like they are now.
    “Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” –Helen Keller
  • ScobreScobre Posts: 20,665 Member
    edited September 2020
    Nindigo wrote: »
    Gordy wrote: »
    She was pretty but shallow, and now that she's old and lost her luster, she realizes that she has nothing to show for her "efforts."
    A reflection of the time she lived in, I could argue.
    Simmers calling her out are much older than her, so what does that make them? She has toddlers to show. At least she will leave a legacy while many with their animosity will soon be forgotten. I know OP has an awesome legacy she continues to grow.
    “Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” –Helen Keller
  • ShinzenShinzen Posts: 250 Member
    "In just a matter of weeks we’ll be sharing more about our next Expansion Pack, which we’ve been working on since last year. I want to set expectations now, though, that cars, babies, farms and bunk beds are not part of this EP."

    we hear you, so we're releasing an EP with absolutely nothing people want :)
    200px-MW-misc-House_Telvanni.png
  • Chicklet453681Chicklet453681 Posts: 2,431 Member
    Sometimes there is foundational technology we need to work through.....

    That statement right there stuck out to me.

    To me it means, the core game engine is a POS and we can't do that.

    Cars in order to make them work, the roads would all need to be widened so they don't clip into each or have cars driving on the sidewalk. Each lot would need to be resized to be able to install a driveway. The lots are all small and close together. If they had to increase the size of the world to incorporate cars it would break everybody's save. Community lots would need to have some sort of off street parking or parking lots.

    The whole bunkbed thing is just ... a load of bull. That's not rocket science. You have the ladder climbing animation already. A CC Creator already incorporated that ladder climb animation with the "get into bed" animation. While it's not perfectly done like a pro would do, it still doesn't look that bad for an amateur.

    The babies? That would need to be another whole lifestate, I'm not sure they are willing to devote the time and resources to do that when that would not make them any money because they for sure would have to add that as a free update.

    Farms would require a lot of different animals and animations, even if they were objects like a chicken you fed, it would still be walking and pecking the ground. You would need the animation for the sim to collect the eggs, and milking cows, they too would need to be animated and again the sims would need to have the "sit on stool and milk" the cow animation, carry the milk bucket, etc. And if they put tractors in to plant and harvest the fields, the community would go ballistic again about tractors being added before cars.

    I just think that they don't want to put forth the effort to do all of these things when they can instead give us lack-luster, no depth at packs.
  • EveryDaySimEveryDaySim Posts: 193 Member
    edited September 2020
    I quit buying anything a good while ago because of the lack of content, the poor quality, all the bugs that never get fixed. I decided I wasn't going to spend any more money until they honor the purchases I already made and make it right.

    There's six years' worth of balls left in their court at this point. Nothing is going to change on my end, it's up to them to decide if they want to clear the court and make it right with all of the customers they're driving off.

    If they can't put out a viable product, there's nothing to get excited or hopeful for, and I don't. If they want people to think their game is worth caring about, they have a lot of work to do.

    Nothing will change on my end. Now it's up to them.
  • j1z1j1z1 Posts: 311 Member
    @Chicklet453681 A rabbit hole barn. You come out with some milk in your inventory. Chickens you can only chase around like the birds in Brindleton Bay. A horse you can sometimes spot galloping by like the Windenburg sea monster. It would be fun to start a cautionary thread about what we do NOT want to see in the packs we want lol.
  • ChazzzyChazzzy Posts: 7,166 Member
    j1z1 wrote: »
    @Chicklet453681 A rabbit hole barn. You come out with some milk in your inventory. Chickens you can only chase around like the birds in Brindleton Bay. A horse you can sometimes spot galloping by like the Windenburg sea monster. It would be fun to start a cautionary thread about what we do NOT want to see in the packs we want lol.

    This tickled me 😆
  • NindigoNindigo Posts: 2,764 Member
    Scobre wrote: »
    Nindigo wrote: »
    Gordy wrote: »
    She was pretty but shallow, and now that she's old and lost her luster, she realizes that she has nothing to show for her "efforts."
    A reflection of the time she lived in, I could argue.
    Simmers calling her out are much older than her, so what does that make them?
    It makes TS4 and them a mismatch. Conflicting values. Perhaps those longing for the next iteration will be accommodated soon - I hope they do. At the same time, I also hope that when they do, they will be large enough to leave TS4 alone to be enjoyed by whoever still finds enjoyment in it. It's always hard to listen to others critisize one's favorite teddy bear :)


    Origin ID: Nindigo79

    A smile is the prettiest thing you can wear
    Time enjoyed is never time wasted

  • gnelso1239gnelso1239 Posts: 190 Member
    edited September 2020
    I've said this 49 times and i'll say it a 50th: EA isn't going to turn their business model on its ear for Sims 5 and suddenly give everyone what they want and how they want it! The ONLY thing that can be confirmed about Sims5, is that if it's made it will be a PROFIT DRIVEN PROJECT just like the Sims4. I've got some tissues for those that need them and large mugs full of reality for those that are thirsty. Cheers!

    Inspired (again) by the statement in the post above).
  • Truecrime_addictTruecrime_addict Posts: 108 Member
    gnelso1239 wrote: »
    I've said this 49 times and i'll say it a 50th: EA isn't going to turn their business model on its ear for Sims 5 and suddenly give everyone what they want and how they want it! The ONLY thing that can be confirmed about Sims5, is that if it's made it will be a PROFIT DRIVEN PROJECT just like the Sims4. I've got some tissues for those that need them and large mugs full of reality for those that are thirsty. Cheers!

    Inspired (again) by the statement in the post above).

    As fun as sims 3 is, it’s not any cheaper and has lots of stuff packs . And an entire store. Why do people think sims 3 was created so altruistically? ? ?

  • keFUNKNEY101keFUNKNEY101 Posts: 658 Member
    Jumping in here. Let me get this bit out of the way. I get that game development takes time. I know it's not easy. Blah blah blah.

    BUT

    Here's the problem. That letter boils down to "we know what you've been requesting for years, but we're not going to do any of them, so lower your expectations for the next expansion."

    Better babies, cars, skin tones... those features have been requested since the game came out 6 years ago. They've had plenty of time to prioritze the missing and requested features, but instead, we get crap like Star Wars. This leads to a whole other conversatoin. The hate for the Star Wars pack isn't all because it's Star Wars, it's because the base game is still missing features and lacking in depth, yet they focus their resources on completely unncessary packs like that.

    Look, there's always going to be people who hate TS4 simply because it's TS4, there's similar people for 2 and 3. But here's the difference. They never had to release statements in reference to community uphevel. They've promised several times during the last six years about improving communication and transparency, but it's never gone anywhere.

    They keep saying they care and are invested, but they just aren't. Not right now.
  • keFUNKNEY101keFUNKNEY101 Posts: 658 Member
    Onverser wrote: »
    Saying they've been working on it since last year also seems strategic. It's like they're saying they started it before the recent packs criticism to avoid people saying they aren't listening to that criticism because "we made it before!"

    Exactly. They act like cars, babies, bunk beds.. haven't been requested since the game game out. They've had 6 years to add these things and they haven't, meaning that heavily requested features (that should be base game) aren't a priority.

  • ScobreScobre Posts: 20,665 Member
    edited September 2020
    Nindigo wrote: »
    Scobre wrote: »
    Nindigo wrote: »
    Gordy wrote: »
    She was pretty but shallow, and now that she's old and lost her luster, she realizes that she has nothing to show for her "efforts."
    A reflection of the time she lived in, I could argue.
    Simmers calling her out are much older than her, so what does that make them?
    It makes TS4 and them a mismatch. Conflicting values. Perhaps those longing for the next iteration will be accommodated soon - I hope they do. At the same time, I also hope that when they do, they will be large enough to leave TS4 alone to be enjoyed by whoever still finds enjoyment in it. It's always hard to listen to others critisize one's favorite teddy bear :)
    Eh there are adult Simmers that really like the game still like @simgirl1010 why that assumption rubs me the wrong way. It just comes off as confusing especially after Simmers were asking for Veteran SimGurus to come back to the Sims 4 like Will Wright and Simmers complaining that Sims 4 only made for the younger generation when most younger Simmers aren't actually Star Wars fans. Then again I have been with the Sims games long enough to know that Star Wars isn't the only pack that is theme focused. There was Katy Perry Sweet Treat pack for the Sims 3 and H&M and IKEA stuff packs for the Sims 2. Sims 4 had the Moschino Pack. If theme packs are a problem then it should discussed equally among all the iterations because it becomes less of a marketing problem and more of a personal preference issue of preferring some crossover packs over others. Technically the Sims 1 is the only one that didn't have a single company/celeb endorsement. Oh Sims 2 had Hilary Duff and her dog too.

    She's not the only Star Wars fans which I guess is being spread. Several of the SimGurus of different ages are also Sims fans.
    Eek didn't realize how many links there are, but yay for fellow Star Wars fans. Spoiler tags.
    “Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” –Helen Keller
  • krist556krist556 Posts: 70 Member
    guys cold i keep my hopes up its the happy haunts pack
  • Sk8rblazeSk8rblaze Posts: 7,570 Member
    edited September 2020
    So_Money wrote: »
    On the positive side, it seems like the negative feedback might be getting their attention. Just the fact that they felt the need to release this message at this time, not the content of the message.

    As to the content of the message, I’m not sure what segment of the player base will be mollified by these words because to me it’s it’s just a whole lot of meh. I’m not mad at it, but it’s the same thing we’ve heard for a long time now. “Hang in there simmers. We hear you but it’s really, really hard and stuff.”

    Definitely agree.

    We are SIX years into this iteration! In comparison, six years after its release, The Sims 3 was a year past completion with thirteen expansions, nine stuff packs, and a whole store of additional content (hated the store, did not support it, but content is content). Really, this game is quite expensive and these mistakes should not be made so late into its lifespan. And, mind you, this is their fourth go at doing a Sims game. Maxis should know better. They are capable of doing better.
  • NindigoNindigo Posts: 2,764 Member
    I understand the disappointment. I just don't think the continuous scolding is going to have any effect, because we can always choose not to buy their product. I think the team will continue to design the game in the way they see fit. Constructive feedback is still our best shot - the most appropriate shot, even. Certain attitudes just don't work well when trying to get others to cooperate. I wouldn't bow to a hysterical child, just to pick an extreme example. - We can talk calmly and then I'll listen, but still can't promise anything, because I have different ideas, and I happen to be in charge. It's not personal, it's just the way it is.

    Sort of like that is how I view this whole situation.


    Origin ID: Nindigo79

    A smile is the prettiest thing you can wear
    Time enjoyed is never time wasted

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