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What is The Sims 4?

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  • GoldmoldarGoldmoldar Posts: 11,966 Member
    What Sims 4 is to people is subjective and here is my take on it, I chose not to vote and it is my opinion Sims 4 is an combination of both Life Simulation and Sandbox. For me it is not an great blend now I think the whole series has been an blend of both, some versions was better than the other and for me Sims 4 is the lowest. Sims 4 while it is true has the lowest form of being an Sandbox when compared to Sims 2 and 3 and Sims 4 form Life Simulation is more controversial than Sims 2 and 3. Sims 4 does not have an full palette of features that I can chose from as far creativity goes that was present in Sims 3 and even Sims 2. Why compare with other versions one might ask because I can as Sims 4 is part of the same franchise it is not an reboot or spinoff.
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  • ChampandGirlieChampandGirlie Posts: 2,482 Member
    Currently, The Sims 4 is a good blend of a life simulation and a sandbox game.
    I think it is both depending on the situation. I would say that I probably lean toward being a sandbox player so that may be why I like it. I like being able to turn off elements that I don't want and choosing what to do. (I was not someone who bought Vampires and then complained about them). It's important to keep the sandbox element to it but the game does need "more to do". I like keeping that completely optional not to be easy but to keep it a sandbox in which I can do what I want, whatever that is.

    For example, I've liked how the StrangerVille challenge ended and I could decide what to do which in my case was just to include the world in my game. I get that people want harder sides of the game and I am open to that but I also like being able to decide how my sims will react in a given situation. I'll say that while the game can be kind of a drama simulator there is definitely a general life simulation element to it. For example, a player can minimize drama in the game and just play with the various elements, gameplay objects and scenarios that have been coming out. Sometimes I basically do that so I'm also a simulation player.

    To be less boring, I do think these optional challenges are good examples of the way forward. They could also give us some more game events that have unpredictable effects. More recently we've gotten pop-ups that prompt sims to get married or relatives to have a baby. I'd kind of like to still keep these optional and sometimes I've ignored the marriage one. A tricky side of this is just that players want to do different things and sometimes get offended by different things so they probably try to cater to as many as possible.

    One of the biggest issues that I think is a factor is that I think this version is also tailored a lot to children playing the game as well. A lot of the humor is very silly and most of what is added to the game can basically be geared to kids. Likewise we probably don't all want the same themes in our games. It just results in gameplay possibly being very watered down but I think that keeping an open-ended side to the game is important even as it would benefit from more gameplay.
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  • simgirl1010simgirl1010 Posts: 35,701 Member
    I've always approached The Sims from the standpoint of a role playing game. There is no winning or losing but my goal is to complete all 'tasks' in the game.
  • TriplisTriplis Posts: 3,048 Member
    Currently, The Sims 4 is more of a sandbox game.
    Based on the definitions you've used, I would say it's wayyyyyy more of a sandbox game. It seems to me, based on what I've seen, that the people who want to do machinima, write backstories, etc... in other words, make up stories they use the gameplay options to tell, are consistently the ones who are most happy with TS4. And everybody else has major ups and downs, or has left a long time ago.

    That is, as it relates to gameplay. Obviously there are some people who get most enjoyment out of, like, build mode, and that's a whole other question in itself as to who and what it appeals to.

    No matter what they tweak to make live mode more lively and in-depth, it seems to do a lot of annoying people or letting them down. And honestly, it may be the biggest reason is just the responsiveness issue that others have pointed out years ago. That with all the spammy idles and multitasking, sims aren't great at doing what you want them to do when you want them to do it, which when compounded over time, can kill flow if you're relying on the responsiveness of the simulation to keep you engaged. Whereas, if you're willing to make up stories to project onto the simulation, the responsiveness isn't as relevant. You need time to figure out where things are going in the story next anyway. At least, that has been my experience the few times I've tried a "make up stories" approach.
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  • NorthDakotaGamerNorthDakotaGamer Posts: 2,559 Member
    Currently, I'm dead inside.
    The game is too restrictive to be considered a sandbox game, at least to me. I also think the emotions system is too easily manipulated to have it be a true life simulation game for me too. There are noticable problems for it to be anything more than a build simulator.
  • friendlysimmersfriendlysimmers Posts: 7,542 Member
    Currently, I'm dead inside.
    i find the sims4 the best game ever to play so far
    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



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  • SERVERFRASERVERFRA Posts: 7,108 Member
    Currently, The Sims 4 is a good blend of a life simulation and a sandbox game.
    I've been seeing alot of Sims 3 comebacks in Sims 4 & new fun plays in the game. It's finally growing as a game & I'm so happy that they didn't just drop it to move on without trying to fix the glitches like they did to Sims 3. ;)
  • Nate_Whiplash1Nate_Whiplash1 Posts: 4,085 Member
    Currently, I'm dead inside.
    My vote is actually for #3 (both sandbox and life simulation), but dead inside was just too funny to pass up lol
  • OldeseadoggeOldeseadogge Posts: 4,973 Member
    Currently, The Sims 4 is more of a sandbox game.
    While TS4 is a blend, it feel more on the sandbox side. TS2, for me, seems to be a better balance of the two - closer to 50-50, or close to it.
  • MonaveilMonaveil Posts: 652 Member
    Currently, The Sims 4 is a good blend of a life simulation and a sandbox game.
    I wouldn't say it's a good blend of a sandbox and life simulation but overall it's OK. The programming is wonky which makes it pretty hard to "tell your own story" when the game keeps forcing things on you like the multitude of townies that it generates who then follow your Sims wherever they go.

    The game generates families with terrible traits. If one parent is mean then the other parent is likely to be either evil or hates children and one of the kids is probably a kleptomaniac. If there's only one parent then it will probably be mean, evil, or hates children.

    I get a lot of elderly female Vampires that have no skills. If they do have a skill it will be Level 15 Vampire Lore.
    Aliens are predominantly adult or young adult females that have three or four skills that almost always include painting.
    I get a lot of female NPCs in various roles like mail carriers, pizza delivery, yoga instructors, bartenders, gym instructors. They almost always have four or five skills which almost always include painting and singing.

    Maxis, in the meantime, has created an overabundance of pre-made Sims that have the Creative trait or who are Music or Art Lovers. Most of these are females and all of them show up wherever there's an easel. Several also appear as street musicians.

    I haven't done a count yet but it seems that townies and premades come in three main varieties - Musers, Quick Learners, or Collectiors. If someone gets the Dastardly or Domestic trait then that will go to a townie Vampire.
  • RionAgriasRionAgrias Posts: 305 Member
    A place for kids or kids-at-heart to build their Barbie playhouse, or an endless attempt to make a fake person's life more interesting than your own when you're forced to use tools that were not implemented in the game in the first place.
  • DeKayDeKay Posts: 81,472 Member
    Currently, I'm dead inside.
    "Currently, I'm dead inside" should be changed to "Currently, The Sims 4 is dead inside".
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  • StarfreeStarfree Posts: 1,443 Member
    Currently, The Sims 4 is more of a sandbox game.
    I wish the game had more consequences like in real life, but I doubt that will happen.
  • AnthonydyerAnthonydyer Posts: 1,197 Member
    Currently, The Sims 4 is more of a sandbox game.
    The sims 4 is strongly a sandbox game, although it does have a weak life simulation. I believe the game is lacking the structure seen in previous titles. I believe the series is best when balanced; that is what made the series successful.

    Sims 4 went too easy, whereas sims 2 and 3 (cannot speak for sims 1, never played) adds elements of surprise and chaos which we need to respond to. I find that each game of Sims 4 has become the same scenario and there is weak diversity in sims (that is - in terms of traits and behaviors). An example of chaos is the burglar; it is well balanced because it adds an element of chaos while it is not devastating nor causes irreversible damage. I also miss the special little touches especially seen in sims 2. @phantasmkiss You mentioned the child standing on dad's feet. Sims 2 is filled with so many hidden gems such as subtle behaviors seen depending on the situation. I remember there being 2 youtube videos a little while ago in which someone found a large list of hidden sims 2 gems.

    Of course, we don't want to swing too far in the other direction either, because the series has always allowed its followers to be creative and do story telling.
  • ignominiusrexignominiusrex Posts: 2,680 Member
    Currently, I'm dead inside.
    compared to previous Sims games, it's like an RC toy instead of a robot: it goes where you direct, and makes sounds and lights up in the same ways repeatedly when you push certain buttons. Limited novelty value once you played enough to see the repetition and lack of evolution of the characters so it doesn't have staying power.
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  • ScobreScobre Posts: 20,665 Member
    Currently, I'm dead inside.
    I don't think it is either. It was inspired by this app game sadly:
    https://apps.apple.com/us/app/kim-kardashian-hollywood/id860822992

    So it is a Hollywood fantasy dress up game.

    The interview where they called it a Kim Kardashian game:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOiYMtwINXI
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  • ncisGibbs02ncisGibbs02 Posts: 2,015 Member
    edited July 2021
    Currently, The Sims 4 is more of a sandbox game.
    For me it’s leaning more to sandbox.

    I love the build aspect and recreating houses from TV shows and then having Sims use them.
    So that’s why I feel it more sandbox.

    If it were more life simulation then I’d expect Sims to walk to work by going to the edge of the screen and fading like in Sims 2. It’s very jarring to have them teleport outside their house.
    There’s still no cars, taxis or buses.

    Whilst I wasn’t expecting an open world, l thought loading screens to the house next door disappointing. I’d love my Sims to be able to pop in to their neighbours for a chat etc.
    Now alternating between Sims 2,3 and 4! 😊☕️🌞
  • HazellyHazelly Posts: 38 Member
    From what I remember the sims 4 originally was going to be a dress-up kind of game? i could be wrong but I remember that's why cas was the most fleshed o ut part of the game and then before it came out they had to scramble to finish the rest of it.
  • texxx78texxx78 Posts: 5,657 Member
    Currently, The Sims 4 is more of a sandbox game.
    I'm not dead inside but 4 slowly died inside of me, and it hurt...
  • WildIrishBansheeWildIrishBanshee Posts: 2,104 Member
    Currently, The Sims 4 is a good blend of a life simulation and a sandbox game.
    A good blend? No. I would have voted "A Hot Mess" but that wasn't an option. The Sims franchise is in the life simulator genre, in sandbox style - and they can't seem to get either right. And I enjoy the Sims 4 for what it is, but I'm not blind to what it isn't. They have really leaned heavily towards stuff rather than gameplay, as someone else mentioned, things are opt-in instead of opt-out, and it's just a hot mess. They need to take a seat and really remember the genre they are in. Life simulator. Which means we need some peaching LIFE in our game. And then they need to allow those who do not want to take part to opt out. All it takes is a couple of lines of code to add a toggle, is it really that difficult? Granted, they were getting better with that, and then they go the other way - seems they keep zig-zagging on that one.

    All the Sims 4 says to me, is that the left-hand doesn't have a bloody clue what the right hand is doing.
  • ArzekialArzekial Posts: 665 Member
    Currently, The Sims 4 is a good blend of a life simulation and a sandbox game.
    Scobre wrote: »
    I don't think it is either. It was inspired by this app game sadly:
    https://apps.apple.com/us/app/kim-kardashian-hollywood/id860822992

    So it is a Hollywood fantasy dress up game.

    The interview where they called it a Kim Kardashian game:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOiYMtwINXI

    I'd describe the game as a simulation within a sandbox world.

    Also, not once did they even mention Kim Kardashian in that video. I did however hear Lucy say at 11:46 "sandbox world simulation" when talking about Will Wright and the overall design of the game.
  • filipomelfilipomel Posts: 1,693 Member
    Currently, The Sims 4 is a good blend of a life simulation and a sandbox game.
    I find the sandbox elements are a way for me to adjust how my simulation plays out.
  • CK213CK213 Posts: 20,525 Member
    edited October 2021
    Currently, I'm dead inside.
    I believe the game is too busy course correcting from the Olympus "original" direction to be a proper sandbox/simulation game.
    That said I do admire what the developers have done despite this. They managed to save it from being a total failure like what happened to Sim City.

    This iteration of the sims has been very strange for me.
    I usually jump in at the start of new game generation and start playing my sims. This time, everything is delayed. I didn't start playing the game seriously until we received Toddlers, Parenthood, and University.

    And in a way, I still won't begin to play the game seriously until all my sims have graduated university, I place all the dormies that I have come to like in their own homes, and I've edited the few remaining pre-mades to better reflect (give evidence) of the suggested lore in their household description.

    I've tested that on the BFF household. Summer and Liberty actually have romantic feelings for Travis now. I've earned them some reward traits that support their given traits. I will cheat some character values that make sense for them. I have started editing their bedrooms to better reflect their personalities. I've given them a few skill points that reflect their personality, skills, and careers. I plan to give/earn them a few likes and dislikes that make sense for them. I plan to have them belong to clubs that make sense for them. There will be a sense of an existing social network.

    This all intended to create a master save to replace the default start.
    I want it to feel like The Sims 2 where you felt everyone lives were in motion before you first entered their world.
    As it is now, the game is all talk with little evidence.

    So If I decide to start a new game and a challenge, or simply a single sim, I can begin in a world that is already set the way I like with a lot of interesting sims and relationships, homes, and community lots. It will at least feel like there is a simulation at work.
    Post edited by CK213 on
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  • JunkyPoemJunkyPoem Posts: 135 Member
    edited October 2021
    Currently, The Sims 4 is more of a sandbox game.
    Part of the discord with this franchise, is that it is so far removed from what it was originally - a life simulation.

    Remnants of gameplay left with the Sims 3 (according to most). Current timeline is outta sync, aspirations are for noobs (not gamers) & mods are almost always necessary to fix the bug issues or create a good storyline before the devs get around to it.

    However, I do feel that the Sims 4 is a direct reflection of our current era. The inclusion & adjustments made over the past 7 yrs are a true complement to the game. Pools & toddlers & skin tones, oh my. CAS & BB are excellent sandbox mechanics which help us build a really pretty dollhouse in a kinda cute town.
    Post edited by JunkyPoem on
  • SindocatSindocat Posts: 5,622 Member
    Currently, The Sims 4 is more of a sandbox game.
    Here's the thing, though - it has ALWAYS been a sandbox game. One has always been able to steer toward good outcomes or bad. That's the charm, for me, anyway. I don't think it has ever been, or was ever intended to be, a realistic life simulation.
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