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What makes a sims 4 pack good ?

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  • LeGardePourpreLeGardePourpre Posts: 15,175 Member
    Creativity

    When it's not a simple copy/paste of the previous games.
    I like when Maxis tries to improve the gameplay and go further.

    Game Packs are the symbol of that, they are the best packs.


    Entertainment

    What really matters for me is the fun activities, my sims need more hobbies.

  • Tanja1986Tanja1986 Posts: 1,237 Member
    edited June 2022
    What I like about the Sims 4 packs and extensions is that many of the packs build on each other. Meaning with each pack that releases, new packs then take some of the new concepts and build on top of these and create new possibilities! Like Get Together and the club function together with vampires, creates a nice club full of vampires who do vamp activities! Now with the Werewolves pack coming out my hope is that this is once again used in combination with storytelling like they did in Strangerville! Really enjoyed that a lot!
  • LeowyldLeowyld Posts: 73 Member
    What I should answer - A well considered and properly executed concept that stands out as something fresh and interesting but also coherently adds to the existing Sims 4 experience in a meaningful way for the long term.

    What I'll actually answer - Werewolves!
  • KerriganKerrigan Posts: 1,571 Member
    Tanja1986 wrote: »
    What I like about the Sims 4 packs and extensions is that many of the packs build on each other. Meaning with each pack that releases, new packs then take some of the new concepts and build on top of these and create new possibilities! Like Get Together and the club function together with vampires, creates a nice club full of vampires who do vamp activities! Now with the Werewolves pack coming out my hope is that this is once again used in combination with storytelling like they did in Strangerville! Really enjoyed that a lot!

    I have the "Bloodbath" club and it's a vampire club that shows up at the Dance clubs and slowly begins creating havoc. I had some great screenshots of half the dancefloor being slumped over sims. I really hope one of the werewolf club activities is fighting vampires so I can put a Wolf club against Bloodbath.
  • JestTruJestTru Posts: 1,761 Member
    I think well fleshed out gameplay. Good CAS and BB items are just an added bonus. Even though I love to build so really good BB is important, but it's the game and storytelling that keeps me playing.
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  • CynnaCynna Posts: 2,369 Member
    Cinebar wrote: »
    What makes a pack good is if it expands the base, the core of the gameplay. To expand the core, then there should always be more aspirations and not repeats of the tasks lists but new things to gain, new ways to get them, and new emotions, whims, careers, and of course newer animations and not repeats of the same old objects and interactions. New traits, new trait slots and of course, new townies, new NPCs, and new consequences.

    The Sims should always be the focus of any pack, never the player. What happens to the Sim, how the Sim feels about stuff, what interaction and or memory and or consequence will change it's life forever? Or at least for a very long time. Gameplay matters, so much more than something to do temporarily and or decor but of course decor adds to immersion. But gameplay should always expand the soul of the Sim. It's not a race to the top or bottom but the journey.

    Well said. Your second paragraph, in particular, was spot on. "The Sims should always be the focus of any pack, never the player." That was the sentence that resonated most. It sums up the peculiar turn that TS4's development has taken.
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  • SharoniaSharonia Posts: 4,853 Member
    edited June 2022
    83bienchen wrote: »
    I judge a pack on how much gameplay and immersion it brings. I particularly enjoy features that enrich my Sims' everyday lives.

    This ^^

    Gameplay is the key to what I find makes a pack good, especially gameplay that affects the game as a whole and isn't just specific to the pack theme and world. I care very little for building items, I feel like the game is already quite bloated in that area so when a pack comes with more build and buy than it does gameplay then that's when it looses my interest.
    Post edited by Sharonia on
  • enskijenskij Posts: 31 Member
    For me it's things that really may not matter to other people.

    If it includes a new death it's an immediate plus - this is the reason I love My First Pet Stuff, even though it's kinda controversial. I just love the possibility of dying because of a small little rat.

    Worlds are obviously a huge factor when deciding on a pack, but a new world doesn't mean I want to buy it. I think the world in Strangerville is gorgeous, but I don't want to buy it because of the story aspect of the pack. Same with Batuu. I think we all can agree on why Batuu is not... great.

    I love new Woohoo spots so they're a plus. The sauna in Spa Day? Closets in Get Together? Tents in Outdoor Retreat? Immediate need! They're just fun little things to add to the game and I love them.

    I'm very superficial when it comes to packs, but I don't mind it. If i spend 20 euros on a pack because it has a new death, a nice hairstyle and two nice furniture pieces I may not be the smartest person, but I'll definitely be happy for like the next 2 days.
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  • OldeseadoggeOldeseadogge Posts: 4,973 Member
    For 20 euros/pounds/dollars/whatever I'd want to be happy for a lot longer than 2 days.
  • SimsLovinLycanSimsLovinLycan Posts: 1,910 Member
    1. Strong gameplay. The theme should be fully fleshed out with deep and interesting systems and features. This includes skills that are fun to use and make a real impact on gameplay, strong character customization options for occults that allow you to emphasize their strangeness, and theme-related careers that enhance the player experience whether players engage with the main meat of the pack.

    2. A decent balance of CAS for both male and female sims. If a pack's CAS is too heavily weighted to female sims, then that shafts players who like to play with/create males more often. Sure, unticking the "Masculine" search option expands your selection, but if these female clothes are also very feminine styles and you're making a masculine dude...it's not much of a help. Same goes for heavily male-leaning CAS and players who prefer to make female sims. Don't alienate players with lopsided CAS offerings.

    3. Well-designed, theme-appropriate Build/Buy items. You know, beds, decor, wall papers, flooring, landscaping, and, LGR's favorite, chairs.
    There is a song I hear, a melody from the past...
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  • MichelleWMichelleW Posts: 665 Member
    Stuff Pack- adds new gameplay even if it's something minor, decent collection of bb/cas

    Game Pack- Adds a new world. This is primary for me and a major buying motive. Adds new major gameplay (that works and doesn't lag up my game), decent collection of bb/cas.

    Expansion Pack- All of the above plus adds gameplay that can be used repeatedly, not a one and done. Expands on the experience of the game in some way. Adds group activities.
  • happyopihappyopi Posts: 1,355 Member
    When you can play for 5 hours and not feel like you've already seen everything in it.

    Instant gratification gameplay really doesn't mesh well with life simulation games, I don't know why the devs keep trying.
  • motdkmotdk Posts: 208 Member
    Whether it’s an expansion pack or game pack. GAAME PLAAY is what makes any of it worth it!
  • Mr_MuffinTopMr_MuffinTop Posts: 131 Member
    edited June 2022
    Repeatability and pack integration.

    While I am not a huge fan of get famous and I feel it could use some more flushing out, I cannot deny that the fame system is a good feature. Its a bit lacking and could use a bit of flushing out, but the fact that I can make any sim famous for almost anything is pretty good. You can make a famous comedian, athlete, singer, actor, computer tech, hacker, artist, musician, fitness instructor, doctor, herbalist, chef, writer and probably more.

    Yes I may have to use cheats to set up some like the famous writer, and sadly some of the fame perks don't really cater to the lifestyle of some of these professions, however becoming famous in most of these careers require different game play which contributes to repeatability even if you dislike how the fame system works. It offers different ways to play while still being able to reach the goal of becoming the best of the best in your career.

    The same could be said for seasons which gave weather to all worlds which can impact a sims day no matter what pack I am playing with, although I do feel seasons missed the opportunity to allow the weather channels in game to actually tell you the weather and to allow for seasonal allergies to exist. It also enhanced gardening game play a bit so you can merge it with herbalist or spell castor potion making. The seasons can ruin a date or make you have to change your plans which makes for a bit of unpredictability in your stories which is good to keep things fresh and entertaining.

    Vampires although a niche pack, it captures repeatability and integration rather well. Due to the skill tree you can change up the game play so you may only be able to come out at night, or maybe drinking plasma stresses you out. Vampires don't impact the entire world like seasons or get famous, but the weakness tree offers enough diversity for each vampire to feel different when playing.

    EA wants me to play there game for a long time, but this is a life simulation game. Getting a job, getting rich, maxing skills and reproducing gets redundant by your 3rd or 10th kid so making content repeatable by integrating packs together in order to add on to features in the game helps enhance game play.

    As a final example, Eco living is the example of a good pack idea made into a bad pack. The eco idea could have been repeatable and well integrated into other packs. The idea of every world being able to be dirty or clean based on how sims care for the environment is a fun idea that could have really added some new game play if it was executed better. Sadly the feature was poorly implemented with it still being kind of broken. It missed the opportunity to integrate island livings conservation job into its system, to make use of get to works hospitals by offering more illnesses caused from dirty surroundings or worlds which could have required sims to make use of doctor visits, and it missed the opportunity to make all worlds get a trashy map if not cared for.

    Also getting the environment into smog is so hard that it isn't really worth trying to do. This pack while a good idea that comes with a lot of features, it fails to offer repeatable content as it isn't worth trying to dirty a place, and once you've made a place clean there is no reason to do it again as the game play won't change. The lack of pack integration prevents the pack from offering any diverse game play when living in a smog city. Yes I cough, but coughing doesn't ruin my sims date, living in a smog city is the same as living in a clean city except I cough.

    Sorry this is a bit long, but I wanted to explain that bells and whistles in packs are only fun when played with 1 to 3 times, what makes a good pack in my opinion is when the pack integrates with other packs to enhance game play we already have, and when a pack offers repeatable content that even when I'm on my 20th family generation, the content hasn't become redundant b.c there is enough different ways and conflicts to achieve the end goal.
  • EleriEleri Posts: 534 Member
    For me, a really good expansion pack adds game play that can apply to lots of different characters, that has powerful customization, but also an instant gratification element so you can just jump right in and play. To me, Get Together has this because Windenburg itself is immediately playable. You don't have to do any set up, you just take you sim out on the town and have fun. At the same time, the club system is broadly customizable. You can use it to organize gatherings with your friends and families, rather than using it for hobby clubs. If you make your own hobby club you use pretty much any activity as the central theme. I had a club for conspiracy theorists headed by George Cahill. I had a club that revolved around hanging out at the beach drinking umbrella drinks.
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  • filipomelfilipomel Posts: 1,693 Member
    I really enjoy packs that deepen existing mechanics, and complicate my sims lives and routines. Get Together for example deepens and complicates my sims social lives with new social activities, and the club system that has had a real meaningful impact on how my sims pursue and manage relationships.
  • XxAirixXXxAirixX Posts: 2,567 Member
    Packs that not only that has features that works well; but enhances the game. I have a lot weddings, etc...so I reuse that pack a lot, etc....

    I liked how things are broken down to more than one pack as it helps to flesh things out. For example, people might not like style of the werewolves; but I think so far they are best out of all the previous werewolves. I have my sims travel to do new things, that is what helps make the game fun.
  • TARDISgradeTARDISgrade Posts: 193 Member
    What makes a pack good for me is a combination of as many of the following elements:

    - lots of original BB and/or CAS content
    - new gameplay elements that allow me to enhance my game in novel ways if I choose to, but that I can also choose to ignore if I don't want them in a particular story
    - new skills and/or aspirations and/or careers
    - new world
    - the theme is something I'm interested in and/or relevant to the stories I play
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  • MonaveilMonaveil Posts: 652 Member
    The packs I like best are Vampires, Realm of Magic, and StrangerVille. I liked these packs because they included better than average premade households, better than average game-play, and interesting worlds. The build and buy stuff was mostly well done although there were missing items like wall cabinets to match the counters in RoM, and matching or missing color swatches for build items in StrangerVille.
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