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Sims 5: Story and Narrative Features Planned?

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simgirl1010simgirl1010 Posts: 35,708 Member
edited March 2022 in Off Topic Chat


All of these qualifications hint heavily at the possibility of the next Sims game having a story-based feature that’s more than just pre-made household lore that we’ve been met with in the past, especially The Sims 2 and The Sims 3.

Considering that they’ve mentioned decision making, interactive narrative experience all within different story types that are popular today could mean that the game will have a whole Story-driven gameplay – something similar to what we’ve had in The Sims Stories spin-off era.


https://simscommunity.info/2021/03/15/the-sims-5-is-planned-to-have-story-and-narrative-features/
Post edited by EA_Cade on

Comments

  • CinebarCinebar Posts: 33,618 Member
    edited March 2021
    I read the article, thanks for the link. This is sounding worse and worse isn't it. I guess they have decided since so many enjoyed the packs like that SV that Simmers would love story driven gameplay. :/

    The good news in all these updates from Simscommunity reporting on what type of positions are open to build the game, is the fact those who would love TS5 as a MMO and Story Driven/Competition game or much of it that way, I won't be there, and they can enjoy it without any negativity from me. lol Because I won't be touching it with a ten foot pole. I only point out flaws in the things I actually like and want improved such as TS4 (to a point) such as TS3 (to a point) and sometimes even in 1 &2...so, enjoy it Simmers, because I'm not going to say a negative thing about it, since I won't ever touch it and play it. Yay, for the RPG MMORPGers :p

    I never did like the Sim Story games...I was bored to tears and felt confined and didn't buy any of them. I finally got Castaway, years and years later when Origin offered for about $4.00 just to see what was the fuss. I never even finished it.
    "Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
  • DuvelinaDuvelina Posts: 2,619 Member
    I don't get it. I wanted TS5 to be a worthy successor but I don't see where this franchise is going with a story-driven game (like EPISODES?!) and a subscription.
  • friendlysimmersfriendlysimmers Posts: 7,542 Member
    could this be meaning a return of story progression in sims5? will need more info before i decide if i went to buy sims5 but key condition for me to buy offline sims5 and no subscription base https://simscommunity.info/2021/03/15/the-sims-5-is-planned-to-have-story-and-narrative-features/
    If you went the sims5 to remain offline feel free to sign this petition http://chng.it/gtfHPhHK please note that it is also to keep the gallery



    Repose en paix mamie tu va me manquer :

    1923-2016 mamie :'(
  • logionlogion Posts: 4,712 Member
    edited March 2021
    I don't think it's a terrible idea, they do mention that the narrative designer will do this for example:

    Work with multiple disciplines to direct and implement the characters, settings, goals, and conflicts from drafts in game.

    Which is something that I often feel that the sims4 lacks, there are no consequences and you often have to make up your goals yourself unless you want to just follow an aspiration.

    They also mention this:

    Explore new ways to bring characters to life and create emotional experiences in a non-linear simulation experience.

    Which is not like Strangerville at all, because that was very linear.
  • texxx78texxx78 Posts: 5,657 Member
    Maybe sims 5 will have premades with better backstories and there'll be more drama in the game, better personalities... i think it's the best news that i've heard recently about sims 5 😄
  • friendlysimmersfriendlysimmers Posts: 7,542 Member
    lol just posted the link as well
    If you went the sims5 to remain offline feel free to sign this petition http://chng.it/gtfHPhHK please note that it is also to keep the gallery



    Repose en paix mamie tu va me manquer :

    1923-2016 mamie :'(
  • Sk8rblazeSk8rblaze Posts: 7,570 Member
    I don’t know. This could be a really good thing or a bad thing simply depending on how it’s implemented. I really liked the direction of TS2/TS3 which went super in-depth in immersive backstories for every Sim.

    In TS2, you could actually look at memories and family trees, and see that the devs put an incredible amount of attention and time into ensuring that pre-mades felt real. But I really liked the direction of just giving players that much, and letting them decide where to take things next. In The Sims 4, pre-mades are an afterthought and terrible compared to the quality of TS2. Uninspired backstories, no family trees, no memories, relationships are all messed up and really feel rushed, etc.

    I just personally don’t want a hand-holding experience when it comes to playing pre-mades. Like the idea of being forced to take things a certain way with checkboxes in the corner of my screen in the style of TS4 active careers just sounds completely awful to me.

    I’m somewhat hopeful because it says “non-linear simulation experience”.
  • ClarionOfJoyClarionOfJoy Posts: 1,945 Member
    edited March 2021
    Will this come with a Create-A-Story tool where we can set up our own stories we can share for other people to play? Would come in really handy and helpful with creating our own challenges too. That would be great! Otherwise, it would be EA/Maxis just dictating to us how we should play their game and not our own. Again.


  • StrawberryYogurtStrawberryYogurt Posts: 2,799 Member
    Im actually confused what they mean. Do they mean story driven like sims life stories or open ended play like usual?
    The Sims has currently lost its identity. Bring it back for TS5

    FixedCoarseFawn-max-1mb.gif

    Personality,depth,humor,consequences,lore,customization.
  • StrawberryYogurtStrawberryYogurt Posts: 2,799 Member
    edited March 2021
    I like story driven for console. Urbz. Bustin Out. Castaway. My Sims. But i like the PC game to be open ended free play. I didnt really like Life Stories. That's what this sounds like.
    The Sims has currently lost its identity. Bring it back for TS5

    FixedCoarseFawn-max-1mb.gif

    Personality,depth,humor,consequences,lore,customization.
  • friendlysimmersfriendlysimmers Posts: 7,542 Member
    have no idea @StrawberryYogurt
    If you went the sims5 to remain offline feel free to sign this petition http://chng.it/gtfHPhHK please note that it is also to keep the gallery



    Repose en paix mamie tu va me manquer :

    1923-2016 mamie :'(
  • Sara1010PSara1010P Posts: 888 Member
    If it ends up being like life stories or castaway I will take a hard pass on it.
  • MareahMareah Posts: 792 Member
    I am trying to remain open to this kind of gameplay since i am still not sure what exactly is the meaning of it lol. Hopefully we can get a clearer picture about all of this.
  • EnkiSchmidtEnkiSchmidt Posts: 5,334 Member
    They're taking away what makes The Sims unique. Story progression and sims personalities that are independent from player decisions ("having to imagine it") are a common enough want, but injecting a real story and townies with predefined goals and scripted actions imo takes it too far. Interestingly there is a thread about the story-driven console games in the console section right now. They seem to be missed, so there definitely is a market for sims story games.

    Castaway PS 2 and Strangerville in my eyes are two sims games/packs where the story portion was done right: you hit points that unlocked new options, areas or chapters, but otherwise the story was sketchy and just there, waiting for you to integrate it into your ongoing gameplay. The npcs were just roles assigned to random sims and it was the player's call whether to make them into allys, antagonize them or add them to the household.
    Medieval and Sims/Pet stories, to the contrary, were very restrictive, with little to no options for players to make the story their own.
  • Destin2016Destin2016 Posts: 568 Member
    👎👎🤣🤣. Sounds like a train wreck & a nightmare rolled into one.
    You like me because I'm a scoundrel. There aren't enough scoundrels in your life.
  • CinebarCinebar Posts: 33,618 Member
    edited March 2021
    They're taking away what makes The Sims unique. Story progression and sims personalities that are independent from player decisions ("having to imagine it") are a common enough want, but injecting a real story and townies with predefined goals and scripted actions imo takes it too far. Interestingly there is a thread about the story-driven console games in the console section right now. They seem to be missed, so there definitely is a market for sims story games.

    Castaway PS 2 and Strangerville in my eyes are two sims games/packs where the story portion was done right: you hit points that unlocked new options, areas or chapters, but otherwise the story was sketchy and just there, waiting for you to integrate it into your ongoing gameplay. The npcs were just roles assigned to random sims and it was the player's call whether to make them into allys, antagonize them or add them to the household.
    Medieval and Sims/Pet stories, to the contrary, were very restrictive, with little to no options for players to make the story their own.

    They also were not that profitable for EA/Maxis. You wonder why Maxis does this sort of thing knowing it might not bring in as much revenue as a single player, offline, sandbox. But Maxis has moved on to making The Sims into a brand, so I assume a type of mmo or whatever, will be about the brand rather than the Simmers out there who were hoping for new technology but the same sandbox control they had with the first three. Medieval was good for what it is, but a player could mess up everything about their game if they did anything to any Sim in that game that might be in some way important to the 'story'. Such as marry another hero, or kill off (throw in pit) a townie, which might be important later for a quest, or do a number of things that could ruin the whole, entire ambition not just a quest. The game allowed it, just like sandbox, but then you realize you messed up everything and have to start all over with a different user name. Those sort of things can be really annoying to players.
    "Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
  • simgirl1010simgirl1010 Posts: 35,708 Member
    The die hard Sims 2 and Sims 3 population is getting older and I think EA might be looking to change up things in order to stay relevant. Maybe even hoping to draw in some of the MMO crowd.
  • CinebarCinebar Posts: 33,618 Member
    edited March 2021
    The die hard Sims 2 and Sims 3 population is getting older and I think EA might be looking to change up things in order to stay relevant. Maybe even hoping to draw in some of the MMO crowd.

    Yes, mobile gaming is a cash cow. Any little app can be a cash cow these days. More people (other than die hard gamers who want a super duper gaming pc to play graphic intensive games) are moving on to their phones and tablets or browser games. I think consoles will be the gamers Maxis goes after this time instead of looking at the pc gamer (sandbox, single player) first and the console player, which is usually into scripted play more than the pc player, second. ETA: Possibly built for the console first, from the ground up instead of the other way around would allow for all those mmo players to gain a footing into these games most ignore.
    "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
    They could do a real MMO like WoW and have epic battles between witches and vampires or humans against the aliens or the undead.
  • OldeseadoggeOldeseadogge Posts: 4,973 Member
    Only EA knows for sure, but that job description looks entirely too much like that for someone producing a premade story that leads the players around, not providing them tools to make their own stories. Am reminded of RPGs, and all the things pointing to online. Not a comfy feeling.
  • OnverserOnverser Posts: 3,364 Member
    I'm surprised people are negative on this, isn't lore and characters with more depth and story what we want? Story and narrative centered gameplay can show itself in numerous ways, Sims 2 and 3 had story based gameplay whilst 4 has a much more of a do it yourself approach. I always enjoyed the story missions in 3 so I'd be happy to have something like that return
  • DuvelinaDuvelina Posts: 2,619 Member
    Onverser wrote: »
    I'm surprised people are negative on this, isn't lore and characters with more depth and story what we want? Story and narrative centered gameplay can show itself in numerous ways, Sims 2 and 3 had story based gameplay whilst 4 has a much more of a do it yourself approach. I always enjoyed the story missions in 3 so I'd be happy to have something like that return

    Since they're also hiring people to create an MMO subscription-based service, I wouldn't be surprised if this story/narrative-based part would be quests and events like in The Sims Freeplay and The Sims Mobile. It doesn't sound like lore to me at all.
  • crocobauracrocobaura Posts: 7,342 Member
    Duvelina wrote: »
    Onverser wrote: »
    I'm surprised people are negative on this, isn't lore and characters with more depth and story what we want? Story and narrative centered gameplay can show itself in numerous ways, Sims 2 and 3 had story based gameplay whilst 4 has a much more of a do it yourself approach. I always enjoyed the story missions in 3 so I'd be happy to have something like that return

    Since they're also hiring people to create an MMO subscription-based service, I wouldn't be surprised if this story/narrative-based part would be quests and events like in The Sims Freeplay and The Sims Mobile. It doesn't sound like lore to me at all.

    I hope they won't be like the quests and events in Sims Freeplay cause those require your constant attention and to always be online. It gets tiresome after a while.
  • DuvelinaDuvelina Posts: 2,619 Member
    crocobaura wrote: »
    Duvelina wrote: »
    Onverser wrote: »
    I'm surprised people are negative on this, isn't lore and characters with more depth and story what we want? Story and narrative centered gameplay can show itself in numerous ways, Sims 2 and 3 had story based gameplay whilst 4 has a much more of a do it yourself approach. I always enjoyed the story missions in 3 so I'd be happy to have something like that return

    Since they're also hiring people to create an MMO subscription-based service, I wouldn't be surprised if this story/narrative-based part would be quests and events like in The Sims Freeplay and The Sims Mobile. It doesn't sound like lore to me at all.

    I hope they won't be like the quests and events in Sims Freeplay cause those require your constant attention and to always be online. It gets tiresome after a while.

    I had the exact same experience. I really don't like it either and I just HOPE I'm wrong.
  • StrawberryYogurtStrawberryYogurt Posts: 2,799 Member
    Onverser wrote: »
    I'm surprised people are negative on this, isn't lore and characters with more depth and story what we want? Story and narrative centered gameplay can show itself in numerous ways, Sims 2 and 3 had story based gameplay whilst 4 has a much more of a do it yourself approach. I always enjoyed the story missions in 3 so I'd be happy to have something like that return

    I want lore & characters, but not linear play. Sims 2 & 3 had backstory, but you decide what to do with them.
    The Sims has currently lost its identity. Bring it back for TS5

    FixedCoarseFawn-max-1mb.gif

    Personality,depth,humor,consequences,lore,customization.
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