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How have the last 4 years been?

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I was a madly dedicated simmer since TS1, saving for months to buy a new computer for each new game, taking time off work for every new pack and sinking all my time (and money!) into the games. Until TS4, which I found shallow and childish and playing felt more like a box ticking exercise where every sim was the same. I gave up nearly 4 years ago, after vampires and toddlers were released. Both were well done but didn't help with the lack of gameplay and samey sims.

So how is the game now? Is the gameplay better, do sims feel more unique? Any packs really good?

Comments

  • BabykittyjadeBabykittyjade Posts: 4,975 Member
    edited November 2020
    If you ask this forum the majority answers would be it's the same shallow lifeless cash cow/cash grab, broken buggy unplayable lazy mess as always. Don't bother and go play sims 2 or 3.

    If you ask me I've really had a lot of enjoyment these last 4 years. It's not a perfect game but I've gotten thousands of hours of fun and it has kept me sane during quarantine. I have every pack and enjoy each one of them. (University the least)
    The latest snowy escape is amazing and they added sentiments to base game which really add depth for a lot of people. I think it will only get better from here and that they will keep improving personalities to the best of their abilities.
    I play daily almost since quarantine and I have loads of fun. No major bugs lags or issues for me personally.

    One thing I can say though. If you didn't enjoy it last time you played you probably won't enjoy it now. Essentially it's the same game you remember with more stuff to do. 😆😁
    Zombies, oh please oh please give us zombies!! :'(
  • hells456hells456 Posts: 32 Member
    Babykittyjade, that's the kind of balanced answer I want. I know TS4 will never stand up to the earlier games, I just want to know if there's anything new that makes it worth playing. I'll look into snowy escape. Can you recommend any other packs or mods?
  • Nate_Whiplash1Nate_Whiplash1 Posts: 4,074 Member
    Gameplay has not improved, Sims are still pretty much all the same. I don't play nearly as much now because of this--there are no surprises, I already know what to expect
  • BreeNillaBreeNilla Posts: 160 Member
    edited November 2020
    If you like building, Build Mode has improved immensely. If you like CAS, there's a skin tone update coming next week that'll add a bunch of skin tones.

    If you want gameplay? ...Nah lol. The sims still feel the same. They recently added Sentiments to the base game which adds a layer to relationships, but other than that there's nothing to make the sims feel individual. My game is loaded with mods to try to fix this lol.

    Any good packs? I haven't played Snowy Escape yet, but I believe it's very contained in its own world. Discover University may be good, it's somewhat difficult and you don't have to live on campus to be a student. Seasons is also really good, naturally.
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  • babajaynebabajayne Posts: 1,866 Member
    I was in a similar place a few years ago. I came back to TS4 when Seasons came out. It made the game come alive more for me. The customizable holiday calendar is awesome.

    I got a lot of packs on sale but I paid full price for Island Living and that was most disappointing in terms of gameplay. So I recommend getting it for half price if you can. Snowy Escape is a better value if you are going to pay full price. I don’t regret paying it for SE, personally. I think the real mountain sports are way better than any half-pipe we got before.

    The base game updates in the past few years have been pretty great. Configurable stairs, platforms, and many other build features. Firefighters are back. Sentiments are the new thing people are exploring now and I think they show the team has been listening when many have been asking for more depth in relationships. Maybe see how you like the base game now before you buy many new packs.
  • mustenimusteni Posts: 5,403 Member
    edited November 2020
    TS4 is probably my favourite in the series, just seems to suit my playstyle well (rotational storytelling). That said I must agree with earlier post that if you didn't enjoy it four years ago you probably still wont. The core gameplay has barely changed, there's just more stuff to do and some improvements like ladders and sentiments. There have also been some additions that enhance personalities, Get Famous adds quirks for celebrity sims and Snowy Escape adds lifestyles. But the effect is mostly just moodlets, so if you don't like those it wont help much. I'm not really a fan of how the moodlets work and how big role they have. I still enjoy pretty much all packs :smiley: My favourites are Seasons and Get Together, followed by City Living and Get Famous. I haven't played Snowy Escape. You probably haven't tried Seasons? It seems to win every poll about favourite packs, could be worth a shot.
  • adamzaidadamzaid Posts: 1,999 Member
    tbh u just need to play it and see weather u like it or not cuz some people like the sims 4 and some people do not. imo its better if u form ur own opinion. but personally for me the sims 4 is a good game its just that i think people arent used to change cuz the sims 4 is so diffrent from sims 2 and 3
  • adamzaidadamzaid Posts: 1,999 Member
    edited November 2020
    tbh u just need to play it and see weather u like it or not cuz some people like the sims 4 and some people do not. imo its better if u form ur own opinion. but personally for me the sims 4 is a good game its just that i think people arent used to change cuz the sims 4 is so diffrent from sims 2 and 3. the sims 4 is also rllly focused on u creating the story rather than it happening naturally if u get me. like unlike previous games u immediately go to CAS not the world
  • SharoniaSharonia Posts: 4,853 Member
    edited November 2020
    I've only been playing the Sims 4 since seasons released. I bought it at launch but the lack of toddlers killed it for me and I didn't return until seasons. It's been a fun sort of roller coaster for me since then. I enjoy the game a lot but at the same time it frustrates me with all the bugs and glitches left unfixed for such a long time and the odd design choices like situation outfits, random bike helmets, random school uniforms. Just stop with all this random nonsense and let me decide what my sims wear.
  • CK213CK213 Posts: 20,525 Member
    edited November 2020
    I uninstalled it a few weeks ago because I was fed up with glitches, odd behaviors, shallow traits and socialization.
    And also the boulder that broke the camel's back: Eco Lifestyle's NAPS.

    And of course EA comes out with Snowy Escape a week later.
    Japanese culture and winter sports, Lifestyles and Sentiments: Reinstalled everything but Eco Lifestyle.

    I haven't played enough, but I suspect Lifestyles and Sentiments won't be as deep as I would like, but I have had a few moments with sentiments that I liked. It's a step in the right direction and I hope EA follows through on the great ideas they had in one of their recent surveys. Currently, I am enjoying my game.
    Post edited by CK213 on
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  • bella_gothbella_goth Posts: 1,770 Member
    lots of improvements on the build mode, cas will get newer skintones this december, gameplay now has sentiments & lifestyles (lifestyles are only in a pack), simulation lag is still a thing alongside many other bugs, there's tons of packs now which i recommend you to see gameplays before making a decision (not a trailer, an actual gameplay video)

    if you weren't surprised with vampires or toddlers then i'm not sure if you will like any of the other features as the most celebrated ones are still those two lol anyways seasons is a well done pack too (although ppl still has to pay for weather on the game, but whatever)

    if you want to know better i'd say reinstall the game and play it yourself. if you end up liking the game then good for you, if you end up disliking it once again, uninstalling it will be pleasing and at least you will have quit the doubt of playing or not
  • GoldmoldarGoldmoldar Posts: 11,966 Member
    For me Sims 4 has been an lot of misses and very feel hits and the packs lacks an true connection between them. Since certain features may never make it into Sims 4 it will always feel less satisfying for me. I can go deeper but I rather keep it short and sweet. :)
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  • hells456hells456 Posts: 32 Member
    Thank you for all your replies, they have been really helpful. I'm not keen on TS4, but after more than 11 years playing TS3 I am eager for new content. I am interested by seasons and snowy escape, so I will look for some videos on these before I decide.
  • JasonRMJJasonRMJ Posts: 744 Member
    4 years and we still have these 🥰, nonsense shadows of the window and door build items from the City Living EP.

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  • calaprfycalaprfy Posts: 3,927 Member
    TS4 is my first venture into the Sims franchise and I find it interesting that the series has apparently gone downhill.
  • BabykittyjadeBabykittyjade Posts: 4,975 Member
    hells456 wrote: »
    Babykittyjade, that's the kind of balanced answer I want. I know TS4 will never stand up to the earlier games, I just want to know if there's anything new that makes it worth playing. I'll look into snowy escape. Can you recommend any other packs or mods?

    Hard to say without knowing your playstyle.
    For reference I'm a 50%live mode 50% story teller using pose player. Most would consider my style really boring to watch. I like to pause often and zoom in on all the details and watch them do mundane stuff like eat dinner s.l.o.w.l y. Lol
    I enjoy apocalyptic story lines using custom content to make my worlds look rusty and broken down.

    And some of the packs I enjoy most is ecolifestyle because it adds more in depth off the grid play that goes well with the apocalyptic theme. They have to work my crafting things and selling it in the vendors stand to make money. Dumpster dive for food, and use the bee box and insect farm to power the generator and try to get enough electricity to take a bath. Or use a bucket to gather water from the pond. And I use the cheat to keep the world in a polluted state which makes the sky's look foggy and brownish. Plus sims cough and get an uncomfortable moodlet. It also came with roaches that gather if you don't take out the trash death by flies, insect eating, garbage man that comes every week, and that kinda stuff.

    If you enjoy taking pictures you would love moschino stuff pack. For a stuff pack it's pretty well done. The free lance photographer career is fun and I enjoy setting up photoshoots with sims in the studio using custom backdrops and custom poses. I even sort of made it into an actual modeling career by having one of my sims model then sell the photos for fame and money

    One of my favorites is island living. Now I admit I don't think they added nearly enough actives in that pack but at the end of the day sulani is amazing and I love living the island life style. Lots on the world are a nice size and I love that you can build half in the water. Mermaids should have been expanded on but it's still one of my most used occults.

    Snowy escape has really fun snow activites. Half the world is Japanese style with tiny lots and the other half is all snowy mountains. With an additional 3 hidden lots to build on. I use it as a vacation world (we can now have rentals in any world) and it really brought a lot to the table for ts4 standards 😅 rock climbing is really adventurous.
    Hiking is my favorite. Sims can walk side by side and chat with eachother. I just finished building a cozy rustic cabin in the mountain area.

    When I'm tired to dragging my sims through the eco mud 😅 get famous is a fun one if you're into the celebrity life style.
    Celebrities have a tree sort of like vampires that make them more customizable, quirks they can develope, and the acting career is fun. Plus different ways to build fame and different levels of fame. Stalkers can follow you too watch out lol.
    The only thing I'm still sour about is how people complained and they nerfed celebrities so fans don't go crazy over my sim like they use to. A sim here and there will acknowledge me and paparazzi will show up. But I use to get swarmed by crying fainting fans before. I know it was extreme but that's what made it fun to be famous. Plus you could go out in disguise if you didn't want the attention ugh.
    They also nerfed vampire break ins, alien abductions and party invites that was a big part of get famous. Now it rarely ever happens if ever.😑

    I mean, I could go on and one but to me EVERY pack adds something. I literally use stuff from every single pack. I think the combination of all of it together makes it so great.
    Like the knitting pack I initially thought I had no use for. Now I had a grandma sim sitting but the fireplace in the snowy moutain vacation cabin, knitting warm sicks and sweaters in the rocking chair. So the pack you enjoy all depends on how you like to play.

    Sentiments has bettered their personalities. They now better react to enemies,cheating and close relationships. They can hold grudges or adore eachother. They have I believe 50 different sentiments and each sim can feel different about the same experience. Plus the new sim profiles added to base game is really nice.
    BUT the emotions system without mods still flip flop too much and the traits still need more work. They are too week and controlled by emotions which can still make them feel samey. However, they are improving.

    Build mode is always improving we can now even stack windows and we have platforms which got me into building. I made sunken living room, almost spiral stairs, functional bunk beds and more using platforms.

    I go crazy on cc because it doesn't really cause glitches and my pc can handle it. But I try to limit mods as much as possible because they need constant updating and can be a hassle to keep up with.
    But the mods I consider essentially are meaningful stories. This one really balances out the emotions and stops all the constant flip flopping between them.

    Mccomand. I use it to slow down time and needs and make days longer so I don't feel rushed and my sims have leisure time. But it has a ton of functions to allow tweaking of things to your liking. Like allowing more sims in a zone so you can have up to 50 or more sims on one lot. Love it for big parties.

    Lotharihoe walkby mod is a must. It keeps sims restricted to their world and now I won't see vlad playing with sand on the beach. Love it 😂

    Sacrificial fame mod (if you want expanded celebrities)
    Spinningplumbob expanded mermaids (if you're into mermaids)
    Werbesu more Cas columns if you spend a lot of time in CAS and with mizuriyuki standstill in CAS.

    TMEX tool mod (if you are into building.) I use it to place items outside of the lot and also it can be used to move sims around with posing.

    I can't think of anything else I consider a must have. Any other mod i use for just playing around and having a different experience like sacrificial zombie mod and many others he hasbut i think they can't be discussed here. And other mods by littlemisssam and Zero (free on patreon) is good for eliminating annoyances.
    Like I have her no idle chat mod, no fire mod, no fire reaction, no eco living idles and that kinda stuff.
    Like I said less is more unless you mind all the time, trail and error they take to keep up during patches.

    Phew..... that was a lot but I hope it helps you make a decision. Just be aware it's still the same game. You won't find anything mind blowing if you were not into before. But I'm sure if you give it a try you will find something to enjoy.😃


    Zombies, oh please oh please give us zombies!! :'(
  • BabykittyjadeBabykittyjade Posts: 4,975 Member
    Oh I forgot to add,if ever you don't feel a pack is worth it, they have sales going on all the time. You can get atleast almost all of them half off. I think it's atleast worth that 😌
    Zombies, oh please oh please give us zombies!! :'(
  • haneulhaneul Posts: 1,952 Member
    For the first few years of TS4, it was my least favorite of the series. Now, it's my favorite. Somehow my playstyle changed and became very TS4-friendly. I got lots of mods, CC, and almost all packs except Star Wars. If you want to play this game as you played Sims 2 or 3, it's just not going to work and the disappointment will continue. I like having my Sims travel from world to world with no travel time now because I can take better advantage of their time and do more things. If you want to try it again, I would really suggest doing something differently from what you did in 2 or 3 (like try rotating if that's not normally your style).
  • GalacticGalGalacticGal Posts: 28,216 Member
    hells456 wrote: »
    Babykittyjade, that's the kind of balanced answer I want. I know TS4 will never stand up to the earlier games, I just want to know if there's anything new that makes it worth playing. I'll look into snowy escape. Can you recommend any other packs or mods?

    I can recommend a few mods. MCCC by Deaderpool; Slice of Life by KS; Mortem (which adds more realism in that Grimmy isn't around, but rather a Sim must call to report a death and they send out a Medical Examiner who takes notes and removes the body, then you get a chance to be the Executor for the deceased if you wish and either throw a memorial or a funeral depending on whether you choose cremation.) I also have Private Practice, also by Simsrealist which is an overhaul to the Doctor Career. With these mods and the initiation of Sentiments and Lifestyles I'm having a blast. Oh, and if you desire to have a singer in your game Road to Fame by Sacrificial is a must.
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  • hells456hells456 Posts: 32 Member
    You are all so helpful. I'm going to start with reinstalling what I have and getting these mods. That way I can try playing a new way before I shell out on new packs. Definitely getting MCCC and I really tried to like the doctor career before so I'll give private practice a go.

    It's interesting that the eco pack gets mixed reviews, but I do like a gritty feel and realism in my sims so I'll find some gameplay videos for that one too.

    I'm not sure how to label how I play. I usually play one family per save, but whether I'm trying to fulfill lifetime wishes, or explore different worlds, do various legacy challenges, asylums, top careers, randomise everything or whatever depends on my mood. For me build mode and CAS are the boring bits I have to do before I play.

    Great idea to try a new style haneul, I've never tried rotational.
  • SimAlexandriaSimAlexandria Posts: 4,845 Member
    Well, I would say they've been great, but we might have differing view points because I prefer Sims 4 Sims to those in earlier games. So the best bet is to try it out yourself and not go by my taste haha!
  • kiwi84kiwi84 Posts: 1,087 Member
    I see you've gotten a lot of great feedback already. I too think the gameplay in sims 4 is "to easy" there is no quirks and funny moments like I remember the sims 3 was. However I do enjoy a lot of the stuff sims 4 has now when I compare it, and I struggle to go back to sims 3 because of it. Depending on how you prefer to play, if you want realism I think Eco lifestyle and tiny living are great packs. I find the snowy escape world boring because it is just not much to do, but I do enjoy the sentiments a lot. I play without mods, but I have seen a lot of people have to have it to enjoy the gameplay :)
  • OnverserOnverser Posts: 3,364 Member
    I think it honestly depends on your interests, I couldn't have played the game 4 years ago as the packs and gameplay that were there then didn't remotely interest me but now I can play it as there's packs that interest me.

    Other than that it honestly hasn't really changed, it's very much followed on the same trajectory it was on back then. There's been some little improvements here and there but it's still much the same game. Some things have gotten a lot better like build mode and CAS, others have got worse, like the worlds which have sadly continued to get smaller and have started to get completely filled with fake buildings which makes a lot of them unplayable for me and feel like a ghost town.

    My biggest gripe with 4 has always been that packs are lacking, and they still very much are. That honestly goes for every single pack in the game. Sure you can have fun with them but it's pretty short lived and you have to keep buying to maintain an interest
  • SallycutecatSallycutecat Posts: 269 Member
    Depends on what you like in a game. For me I've played since Sims 1 and I like 4 the most. It's much easier to manage their needs and the game runs smoothly. I tend to choose what each Sim is like and what they like to do and who they want to be. I like that with Sims 4 they've given the control back to the player. I've played it more in the last year, but that's because I was too busy with other things previously. I got it when it first released, but the computer I had couldn't run it and what I was able to get could only manage it on low settings so I never really got to play it much to notice what was there and what wasn't, so I can't say much on what's been added in the last 4 years. I recently got a new computer so I can now enjoy the packs and the game on its highest settings. I really enjoy the packs that give fun activities to Sims like Island Living and Snowy Escape. Those two are my favourites. I just don't get the packs that don't interest me (and there's a lot of them) so what packs I buy I am very happy with and I haven't actually spent that much money on the game. All the packs I have I have purchased within the last 12 months and it doesn't feel like a waste at all. So it all comes down to personal playstyle and preferences. If you don't like the basegame then I wouldn't recommend getting any packs for it since the packs expand on the existing basegame by adding more activities for your Sims to do. Don't expect them to overhaul core components of the basegame. For someone who likes the basegame, the packs add a lot especially if the theme is something that really interests you.
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