I most likely would never play anything like this more than once; yet, I’d still buy it. Something like Strangerville with its own world and lots to build on is always a nice touch. The key being to continually improve on the next story-driven pack.
I’d like something like a superhero story-driven pack. Been watching Falcon and the Winter Soldier; so, I’d like something like this or similar if they add more down the line.
Just going to the feedback page you see the challenge for EA because so many players want varying things while others don't even want those things.
They can give players options, though. Just because someone doesn't want things or doesn't care doesn't mean they shouldn't create that content. In TS2, I literally bought expansions I wasn't interested in just for a new cheat or build feature. I mean it's as simple as putting in features to attract different types of players. Right now TS4 is designed for builders who don't play the game, storytellers who don't play the game, sim creators who don't play the game, and players who don't like any challenges. The rest of us have been left out of this iteration or mods are absolutely required to make it somewhat enjoyable.
I feel like story-driven packs don't fit into a game like Sims. I remember after I completed the story in Strangerville, I thought, "Okay, now what?" The town became like every other town. Nothing unique about it outside of its backdrop. I haven't visited it since I finished the storyline.
I would rather they focus on ways of making the sandbox game play more interesting. Like, individual occult spawn toggles so I can create theme worlds and they can make vampires, aliens, and spell casters behave like their normal selves again. Story driven game play is usually only good for a couple of play-throughs. Good sandbox game play on the other hand you can play over and over again limited only by what the game offers you.
My ideal Sims game would be that we could - 1. turn on and off individual occults and 2. we could download and place entire themed worlds made by builders or I could build myself and upload it. So, say I wanted to play a sims game set in the old American west I could just go to the gallery, find it, download it and I now have a nice theme to play in. Now say I want to make it a little weird. The old west with vampires, or the old west with mages. Sandbox game play is nearly unlimited as long as the game allows it.
You make some interesting points. Yet, do you think this is even possible to accomplish being that at the end of the day the Sims 4 is a business that wants to turn a profit and attract as many players as possible including very young players. Personally, it took me a very long time to get through one JTB category path. Yet, I was doing other things in game and it does take me a long time to accomplish things since I never try to barrel through anything.
Indeed, TS4 will make their money either way. Although I also think TS4 is the guinea pig of the franchise due to the title’s messy start. In a way their limited engine may give the team more freedom to explore story driven packs and other themes for longer, so why shouldn’t they?
I do believe it is very possible to accomplish more in-depth and challenging story driven gameplay without needing to sacrifice elements that already function well. It can work for all different kinds of players. Of course not everybody will be satisfied all the time. That’s just the way it is. But TS4 should aim for a better balance.
I play JtB and other quest driven packs similar to the way you do, in that I never rush through them. I can truly enjoy what’s being offered because I give my sim more things to do than what that specific narrative requires.
However I can also acknowledge that the way we play through those narratives needs improvement in order to cater to those who are looking for more challenges and extra motivation to replay the adventure by- for example- giving it different outcomes.
Making things too difficult can cause players to become frustrated and some to give up. JTB was very challenging for me but I did not give up.
Improvement to story driven gameplay doesn’t mean that the gameplay should only be more challenging. Simultaneously it has to offer ways to make it less challenging for those who want to play the adventure in a casual way. This is why I say they should either take the RPG model and go with it, or not do it. They’ve already shown us how difficult vs casual can work in TS4.
Paranormal Stuff is a ‘mere’ stuff pack that gives us a new gameplay system which includes difficulty options. We can play in hero mode or casual mode. It is also dead easy to toggle the primary gameplay system on or off if a player is only interested in that lovely couch and the pretty crop top. In that regard that pack got the balance almost right.
By combining and adding interesting elements the next Story Driven pack can and should be awesome for more simmers. Fingers crossed.
I for one can’t wait to see what that pack will be.
You make some interesting points. Yet, do you think this is even possible to accomplish being that at the end of the day the Sims 4 is a business that wants to turn a profit and attract as many players as possible including very young players. Personally, it took me a very long time to get through one JTB category path. Yet, I was doing other things in game and it does take me a long time to accomplish things since I never try to barrel through anything.
Indeed, TS4 will make their money either way. Although I also think TS4 is the guinea pig of the franchise due to the title’s messy start. In a way their limited engine may give the team more freedom to explore story driven packs and other themes for longer, so why shouldn’t they?
I do believe it is very possible to accomplish more in-depth and challenging story driven gameplay without needing to sacrifice elements that already function well. It can work for all different kinds of players. Of course not everybody will be satisfied all the time. That’s just the way it is. But TS4 should aim for a better balance.
I play JtB and other quest driven packs similar to the way you do, in that I never rush through them. I can truly enjoy what’s being offered because I give my sim more things to do than what that specific narrative requires.
However I can also acknowledge that the way we play through those narratives needs improvement in order to cater to those who are looking for more challenges and extra motivation to replay the adventure by- for example- giving it different outcomes.
Making things too difficult can cause players to become frustrated and some to give up. JTB was very challenging for me but I did not give up.
Improvement to story driven gameplay doesn’t mean that the gameplay should only be more challenging. Simultaneously it has to offer ways to make it less challenging for those who want to play the adventure in a casual way. This is why I say they should either take the RPG model and go with it, or not do it. They’ve already shown us how difficult vs casual can work in TS4.
Paranormal Stuff is a ‘mere’ stuff pack that gives us a new gameplay system which includes difficulty options. We can play in hero mode or casual mode. It is also dead easy to toggle the primary gameplay system on or off if a player is only interested in that lovely couch and the pretty crop top. In that regard that pack got the balance almost right.
By combining and adding interesting elements the next Story Driven pack can and should be awesome for more simmers. Fingers crossed.
I for one can’t wait to see what that pack will be.
The bolded part hahah!
But I'm definitely up for more story based packs. Sometimes I feel like I can't be bothered to make up my own stories so it's nice to have a bit of a jump start. I also feel that story based packs give the Sims 4 some desperately needed lore of their own - I loved StrangerVille for this and it's definitely one of my favourite gamepacks. It would be really cool if they explored the origin of the cowplant or something like that but what I really want for the next story based pack (if they ever touch them again) is a pirate themed pack that would be soo cool and it could feature some castaway elements that I know are a popular request.
As long as replayability is unharmed. Strangerville is a decent example, but of course, they should do better.
I can only replay the Strangerville scenario if I leave enough of a time-gap from when I played it last, basically, so that I mostly forget all the steps that I need to take to play it through.
And for the record, this is supposed to be sandbox play. I'm not really into having to play a game where the script, if you will, is already written. I guess it would all depend on what they come up with and whether or not it tickles my curiosity enough. I was intrigued by Strangerville, but disappointed by Jungle (see I can't even recall the entire name of that pack, it was such a disappointment).
As long as replayability is unharmed. Strangerville is a decent example, but of course, they should do better.
I can only replay the Strangerville scenario if I leave enough of a time-gap from when I played it last, basically, so that I mostly forget all the steps that I need to take to play it through.
And for the record, this is supposed to be sandbox play. I'm not really into having to play a game where the script, if you will, is already written. I guess it would all depend on what they come up with and whether or not it tickles my curiosity enough. I was intrigued by Strangerville, but disappointed by Jungle (see I can't even recall the entire name of that pack, it was such a disappointment).
I'm the opposite. I hated Strangerville because of how scripted it was with the go here, click this 20 times, go there, do that. In the jungle one, at least I could just wander around discovering things on my own. I still haven't completed that. The Strangerville story was a good idea with bad execution for me. I wish they would have left the clues as breadcrumbs for me to discover along the way and then included the task list as a help menu or something like that. I'm sure if it had been done that way, my Strangerville would still be strange and I'd still be using multiple generations to figure it out.
If they do more scripted storylines, I hope they leave them open-ended and don't use click this, click that tasks.
Maybe a egyptian version of Jungle Adventure, but more focused in story elements than a vacation destination. Tentative name: The Sims 4 - Pharaoh's Quest, with the mummy return now as supernatural sim like mermaid and simplant.
I'd like a murder/mystery story-driven pack if treated like Strangerville. I like the fact that with the Strangerville adventure, I can choose to (re)play it if I want, otherwise it won't affect my gameplay, while still providing new CAS/BB content and a new world.
While when I play TS4 I usually pursue the stories I come up with, I'd enjoy playing a story-driven gameplay every now and then.
Comments
I most likely would never play anything like this more than once; yet, I’d still buy it. Something like Strangerville with its own world and lots to build on is always a nice touch. The key being to continually improve on the next story-driven pack.
I’d like something like a superhero story-driven pack. Been watching Falcon and the Winter Soldier; so, I’d like something like this or similar if they add more down the line.
They can give players options, though. Just because someone doesn't want things or doesn't care doesn't mean they shouldn't create that content. In TS2, I literally bought expansions I wasn't interested in just for a new cheat or build feature. I mean it's as simple as putting in features to attract different types of players. Right now TS4 is designed for builders who don't play the game, storytellers who don't play the game, sim creators who don't play the game, and players who don't like any challenges. The rest of us have been left out of this iteration or mods are absolutely required to make it somewhat enjoyable.
My ideal Sims game would be that we could - 1. turn on and off individual occults and 2. we could download and place entire themed worlds made by builders or I could build myself and upload it. So, say I wanted to play a sims game set in the old American west I could just go to the gallery, find it, download it and I now have a nice theme to play in. Now say I want to make it a little weird. The old west with vampires, or the old west with mages. Sandbox game play is nearly unlimited as long as the game allows it.
@LittleFox2
Indeed, TS4 will make their money either way. Although I also think TS4 is the guinea pig of the franchise due to the title’s messy start. In a way their limited engine may give the team more freedom to explore story driven packs and other themes for longer, so why shouldn’t they?
I do believe it is very possible to accomplish more in-depth and challenging story driven gameplay without needing to sacrifice elements that already function well. It can work for all different kinds of players. Of course not everybody will be satisfied all the time. That’s just the way it is. But TS4 should aim for a better balance.
I play JtB and other quest driven packs similar to the way you do, in that I never rush through them. I can truly enjoy what’s being offered because I give my sim more things to do than what that specific narrative requires.
However I can also acknowledge that the way we play through those narratives needs improvement in order to cater to those who are looking for more challenges and extra motivation to replay the adventure by- for example- giving it different outcomes.
Improvement to story driven gameplay doesn’t mean that the gameplay should only be more challenging. Simultaneously it has to offer ways to make it less challenging for those who want to play the adventure in a casual way. This is why I say they should either take the RPG model and go with it, or not do it. They’ve already shown us how difficult vs casual can work in TS4.
Paranormal Stuff is a ‘mere’ stuff pack that gives us a new gameplay system which includes difficulty options. We can play in hero mode or casual mode. It is also dead easy to toggle the primary gameplay system on or off if a player is only interested in that lovely couch and the pretty crop top. In that regard that pack got the balance almost right.
By combining and adding interesting elements the next Story Driven pack can and should be awesome for more simmers. Fingers crossed.
I for one can’t wait to see what that pack will be.
The bolded part hahah!
But I'm definitely up for more story based packs. Sometimes I feel like I can't be bothered to make up my own stories so it's nice to have a bit of a jump start. I also feel that story based packs give the Sims 4 some desperately needed lore of their own - I loved StrangerVille for this and it's definitely one of my favourite gamepacks. It would be really cool if they explored the origin of the cowplant or something like that but what I really want for the next story based pack (if they ever touch them again) is a pirate themed pack
I can only replay the Strangerville scenario if I leave enough of a time-gap from when I played it last, basically, so that I mostly forget all the steps that I need to take to play it through.
And for the record, this is supposed to be sandbox play. I'm not really into having to play a game where the script, if you will, is already written. I guess it would all depend on what they come up with and whether or not it tickles my curiosity enough. I was intrigued by Strangerville, but disappointed by Jungle (see I can't even recall the entire name of that pack, it was such a disappointment).
http://www.getfreeebooks.com/star-trek-original-series-fan-fiction-trilogy/
I'm the opposite. I hated Strangerville because of how scripted it was with the go here, click this 20 times, go there, do that. In the jungle one, at least I could just wander around discovering things on my own. I still haven't completed that. The Strangerville story was a good idea with bad execution for me. I wish they would have left the clues as breadcrumbs for me to discover along the way and then included the task list as a help menu or something like that. I'm sure if it had been done that way, my Strangerville would still be strange and I'd still be using multiple generations to figure it out.
If they do more scripted storylines, I hope they leave them open-ended and don't use click this, click that tasks.
While when I play TS4 I usually pursue the stories I come up with, I'd enjoy playing a story-driven gameplay every now and then.