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Scenarios are a waste of time

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filipomelfilipomel Posts: 1,693 Member
edited August 2022 in The Sims 4 Game Feedback
When scenarios were first introduced to the game my immediate thoughts were not very positive at all, and I'm sad to say many of my concerns continue to be realized with the existence of this feature.

Scenarios were quite literally an incomplete feature upon their release and were advertised as such, "only 2 scenarios at launch, and more coming in the future!" They added more scenarios since, but I would argue to this day that scenarios are still an incomplete feature, as they lack any functionality with any content beyond the base game. Lets call a spade a spade, any feature that lacks universal functionality with all the content in the game is by default an incomplete feature, and since it doesn't look like they will ever expand scenarios beyond base game content it seems this feature will always remain incomplete.

Another concern I had was that they used precious time, budget and resources to give us a feature nobody asked for, and promised to continue using said precious time, budget and resources to give us more of this feature nobody asked for. The latest patch released today (August 30th, 2022), is a sign of exactly that, budget and resources being used towards scenarios instead of much more important areas of the game. Instead of updating more traits to be more meaningful parts of a sims identity, they give us more scenarios. Instead of updating wants and fears to work with more pack content, they give us more scenarios. Instead of fixing game breaking bugs, they 'fix' issues related to scenarios, as if these fixes help make the game a more stable and playable experience.

I also remember thinking to myself that scenarios are basically an incredibly simplified alternative to aspirations, with this train of thought scenarios couldn't possibly be that difficult to maintain as a stable feature in the game right? Wrong! This latest patch shows that not even scenarios are safe from bugs, issues, and in general being a broken feature. So not only did they release an incomplete feature, not only do they use resources for this incomplete feature that could be used elsewhere, but this feature is also prone to breaking, meaning even more resources will be used trying to fix this feature instead of the rest of the game!

Last thing I'll say about scenarios is that they really don't add anything new to the game, no new gameplay or functionality, they just slap a to do list on top of existing content with no meaningful consequences upon completing said to do list. If anything I find scenarios incredibly limiting for the player, as it turns the sims from a player driven experience to an experience where you are told what to do.

In general scenarios are an incredibly uninspired and genuine waste of a feature, and a reminder that the development priorities for the sims 4 will never be where they are supposed to be.
Post edited by EA_Solaire on

Comments

  • 83bienchen83bienchen Posts: 2,553 Member
    I sadly have to agree and I also said since the launch of the first scenarios that I wished they'd put their time and effort into literally anything else.

    Maybe they added scenarios because they do give the Sim youtubers something to do in their videos? I mean there are some youtubers that do play these scenarios (JamesTurner, LittleSimsie, OshinSims and Dr. Gluon do). But then Pixelade said on stream today that he never touched them, so even they don't seem to like them - and even those who play them are mostly meh about them.
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  • simgirl1010simgirl1010 Posts: 35,701 Member
    I like scenarios for two reasons.

    I only play one family and scenarios give me the opportunity to take a break from my one family one save playstyle and try something different.

    I like goal oriented gameplay.
  • vulpdenvulpden Posts: 16 Member
    I get what you mean. I do like some of them though, they're basically just the team's version of challenges from the community. It's noce to do a challenge and have the rules up on screen etc but yeah, theyre usually lackluster and aren't as big or popular of a feature as the team seems to think they are.
  • logionlogion Posts: 4,712 Member
    Scenarios were probably created to increase player activity because they want people to return and check out scenarios.

    But that doesn't work for me because they don't spend enough resources on developing interesting gameplay so it would just be a slightly different way of playing the same game.

    I agree, resources would be better spent on other things than this.
  • Jade47Jade47 Posts: 206 Member
    They're certainly a waste of development time, there's plenty of other issues which they could be focusing on.
  • GordyGordy Posts: 3,015 Member
    edited September 2022
    For me, I'm fine with them existing even if they're kind of lazy, since I know people enjoy them. But it's frustrating to see them get so much attention, when there's stuff that's been in the game for years that haven't gotten the development or fixes they need. Stuff that actually provides unique gameplay or depth, instead of stuff you can do in-game already but this time they made it a FOMO event.
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  • SlackerSlacker Posts: 2,820 Member
    I wish i could opt out of scenarios. The same like neighbourhood stories, its great features but my playstyle has developped around the stories i create for my sims, basically with split timelines and parallel universes... To me scenarios are boring and useless. Im never gonna use them. I tired a couple and i understand folks who like em and want more. I just dont, i just play kinda randomly!
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  • Umbreon12Umbreon12 Posts: 877 Member
    I haven't been interested in the scenarios, except for one, which is the million simoleon challenge.
    If I didn't do it, I wouldn't have Clement Frost married to a Sim, and the scenario is pretty entertaining due to that. I plan to finish the scenario, and switch the scenario into a legacy.
    Other than that, I am not a huge fan of scenarios.
  • elanorbretonelanorbreton Posts: 14,518 Member
    Having played a rotation which included almost all of the scenarios (some were no longer available at the time I started) I can honestly say they are boring and pointless and some of them are simplistic or similar to others. It might be an improvement if there was a special reward for completing one.

    As it stands, I'd rather just come up with my own ideas to play, or just use ideas from other players.

    I was quite dismayed when I read today's patch notes and so much of it was devoted to new scenarios or old scenario fixes. I'd much rather get more important fixes.
  • SimmingalSimmingal Posts: 8,885 Member
    edited August 2022
    Meanwhile I agree that they should maybe reprioritize and fix some of the more frustrating game breaking bugs first

    i do realize that maybe these scenario bugs were easier/faster to find fix for than some of the bigger issues and maybe thats why we see them being fixed first

    what I don't understand though is why they keep shooting us with new scenarios constantly with no time outs

    like one a season maybe but at this speed who is to keep up with them? is there even anyone who has done all of the scenarios so far?

    has anyone actually said "oh i wish we had new scenario already i am so bored"? :sweat_smile:

    I just feel like the focus is off the rails with the game lately
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  • luciusstormluciusstorm Posts: 1,552 Member
    Scenarios aren't my thing. I have no interest in them at all. However, I'm sure there are some people who absolutely love them and that's fine. I'm sure those people were as frustrated by bugs impacting scenario play as I am by the Wants and Fears bug... but the Wants and Fears bug, among others, impacts everyone. It seems obvious to me that limited resources should be focused on problems that broad impact. To not even address a problem with a board impact is extremely disrespectful and frankly poor management.
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  • SERVERFRASERVERFRA Posts: 7,108 Member
    Scenarios are ok to play once in a blue moon when I get bored & my imagination has run low.
  • pvrescue1pvrescue1 Posts: 59 Member
    These efforts should be exhausted toward more bug fixes! I have actively avoided updating my game to patch 1.90 because of the appalling and honestly disgusting bugs that riddle this game. How do these issues slide? All these efforts for largely unwanted features of the game: kits and scenarios. This patch does nothing to address the gravest of the community's concerns. Sadly Origin is forcing me to play this embarrassing version of the game - long live version 1.89, the last acceptable version of this game. No one seems to care about the quality of this game anymore, and it's REALLY starting to show if it hasn't already.
  • InuMiroLoverInuMiroLover Posts: 1,184 Member
    The only good thing about this month's patch notes is that it barely bothered my usual mods. Otherwise it's hardly worth getting any excitement over since scenarios got the main focus. And I don't play scenarios. I don't see the point in them.
  • DiassaDiassa Posts: 156 Member
    My opinion on scenarios is somehow mixed. I like to do them. But I hate time limited scenarios. Whose idea was that and why on earth I need to do them in limited amount of time??
    Also, I agree with you that they should focus on fixing bugs, not adding new scenarios. We don't want them, when the game is so glitchy...
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  • Atreya33Atreya33 Posts: 4,404 Member
    SERVERFRA wrote: »
    Scenarios are ok to play once in a blue moon when I get bored & my imagination has run low.

    Well said. I feel the same. I have played them once or twice but in general I prefer to play my stories.

    I think scenarios are a nice side feature for those interested but with this patch they got a disproportionate attention. Just look at how much base game fixes are scenario fixes! How about fixing the wants and fears so we can actually turn them off like promised.

    As for these new scenarios: they come with premade households. Creating a new family for a new story is half the fun. I have no interest in playing premades so these new scenarios have even less appeal than the existing ones.
  • MelisendreMelisendre Posts: 195 Member
    I like some of the more challenging scenarios. But most of them are a waste of time.
    The new scenarios from the patch yesterday are more like tutorials for new players and that's my issue. Aren't new players able to play a sandbox game anymore? Aren't they able to create their own households?
    The scenarios are so many lost opportunities. Give the players an editor to create their own scenarios and share it with the community. There are so many creative people out there. That would make the simmers play the game and not what EA thinks the simmers would like to play.

    But untill they don't fix the bugs new scenarios are useless. It's not that the player need new gameplay inspirations. They need a bugfree game.
  • SheriSim57SheriSim57 Posts: 6,934 Member
    I didn’t want the scenario’s to begin with, but I started a new scenario rotational save and I have enjoyed it. Part of the fun is in creating the families for it.

    That being said I would still prefer bug fixes, rather than new scenario’s and them having to spend time fixing them. And these new scenario’s have premade sims…… making the families was half of the fun.
  • LiELFLiELF Posts: 6,439 Member
    What I don't understand is they can constantly update and bring in new scenarios but they can't do that for main features in the game? Things like clubs, sentiments, traits, likes/dislikes, whims/wants/fears... These are things in the game that should be always expanding for base game, packs and Sim personalities and actually contribute to core gameplay. They treat these things like they're throwaway mechanics but here, have another scenario that you can already play in the game on your own. Scenarios are just repeats of existing gameplay with a name and time stamped on them.
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  • filipomelfilipomel Posts: 1,693 Member
    LiELF wrote: »
    What I don't understand is they can constantly update and bring in new scenarios but they can't do that for main features in the game? Things like clubs, sentiments, traits, likes/dislikes, whims/wants/fears... These are things in the game that should be always expanding for base game, packs and Sim personalities and actually contribute to core gameplay. They treat these things like they're throwaway mechanics but here, have another scenario that you can already play in the game on your own. Scenarios are just repeats of existing gameplay with a name and time stamped on them.

    Exactly this! Say it louder!
  • Chicklet453681Chicklet453681 Posts: 2,431 Member
    edited August 2022
    LiELF wrote: »
    What I don't understand is they can constantly update and bring in new scenarios but they can't do that for main features in the game? Things like clubs, sentiments, traits, likes/dislikes, whims/wants/fears... These are things in the game that should be always expanding for base game, packs and Sim personalities and actually contribute to core gameplay. They treat these things like they're throwaway mechanics but here, have another scenario that you can already play in the game on your own. Scenarios are just repeats of existing gameplay with a name and time stamped on them.

    I have said this from the beginning! The problem with TS4 is the devs evidently have no idea what pack integration means! Adding those extra things to include stuff from other packs SHOULD BE A PERK of owning that pack! It's like a little bonus something extra.

    I don't really understand the lack of cross-pack functionality in this version. Maybe they bring in temporary people to work on a certain feature and these people have no idea what is already in the game, how the game works and how it could be integrated with the other packs. Or maybe it's just too much work to do anything extra because we now have a million packs.

    And I really do like the suggestion by @Melisendre about implementing a feature that simmers could create and share their own scenarios with the community. That would really get people interested (plus you know they'd be well thought out because they would be created by simmers, who actually play the game, know how things work, what pack features that could be part of it, etc) .... but, nooooooooo! Once again, it's a "Play with Life ..... (our way)" type thing.
    Post edited by Chicklet453681 on
  • wingedwalkerwingedwalker Posts: 5 New Member
    > @LiELF said:
    > What I don't understand is they can constantly update and bring in new scenarios but they can't do that for main features in the game? Things like clubs, sentiments, traits, likes/dislikes, whims/wants/fears... These are things in the game that should be always expanding for base game, packs and Sim personalities and actually contribute to core gameplay. They treat these things like they're throwaway mechanics but here, have another scenario that you can already play in the game on your own. Scenarios are just repeats of existing gameplay with a name and time stamped on them.

    > @filipomel said:
    > Exactly this! Say it louder!

    Yes, yes, agreed!
  • filipomelfilipomel Posts: 1,693 Member
    So English Simmer just posted on their YouTube community page an issue she encountered with the new scenarios. Basically if you start a new scenario it will automatically load into the save that's set up on the 'Resume' tab of the game, so if you wanted a different save to play the scenario in you'll have to first make sure the save you want is in the 'Resume' tab of the game before starting the scenario.

    To summarize, the new scenarios are broken. 🙄
  • Winifred_WillowWinifred_Willow Posts: 423 Member
    I have zero interest or desire to play scenarios, it's just not "my thing" but I get that some people might enjoy them and I'm not about taking away something that someone else might enjoy... but... The bugs and features in the game OTHER than scenarios should take priority. My game is a little glitchy right now and that's on a new save. I'm afraid to open my main legacy save because I don't want to bork it. I would like it if everyone can play a game that we have all spent tons of money on and not have it bug out and become unplayable.
  • Atreya33Atreya33 Posts: 4,404 Member
    LiELF wrote: »
    What I don't understand is they can constantly update and bring in new scenarios but they can't do that for main features in the game? Things like clubs, sentiments, traits, likes/dislikes, whims/wants/fears... These are things in the game that should be always expanding for base game, packs and Sim personalities and actually contribute to core gameplay. They treat these things like they're throwaway mechanics but here, have another scenario that you can already play in the game on your own. Scenarios are just repeats of existing gameplay with a name and time stamped on them.

    Exactly this. I want existing features like clubs, holidays traditions, likes and dislikes to receive new options for each pack that was released.
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