Shopping Icon Notification Light

Eleri · March 1

I'm not trying to tread on Lenny_Ogg's turf, but this question is a little different. I'm not just asking you how you feel about the Shopping Icon Notification Light, I'm asking you why. Some people just say it's annoying, others are saying it causes problems for people with visual sensitivity. Now, I have ADHD-related light sensitivity problems. I've been known to start crying because a cloudy day turned sunny, but the small glowy yellow circle in the corner of the shopping icon didn't cause any sensory issues for me. It's possible that someone with a completely different type/cause of visual sensitivity would have a problem, even if I don't. I still find this surprising because it's identical to the notification light on the calendar icon, which has been in the game for years.

Now, I do find the light annoying, but it's for a different reason. It's kind of like when the phone call icon on my phone shows that I missed a call. I go to check it, and it turns out to be spam call, so I become annoyed because I wasted time checking for a spam call. The notification light on the shopping icon makes me feel like I'm being spammed.

So why do you dislike the notification light? Note: I also have options for people who don't care, or who aren't sure.

Edit: Option 2 ought to be "avoiding the game or updates" instead of just "avoiding the game."

PhillipaErdnuss · March 1

Not a sensory thing, I just don't like being spammed.

I haven’t updated my game, and I will refuse for some time longer to do so. So I don’t know if I have this cart-button. I dislike the cart-button in general and my main interest is to get it removed completely. But I can say that even a dot indicating there is news will annoy me, because I am too courious what’s there…. Same with the calendar-light if the indicator shows the calendar is updated I need to take a look, even knowing it can’t be something really important because it’s still an in game calendar….

DaWaterRat · March 1

I do not have a condition that causes visual senstivity, but it heard it makes the game less accessible, and I find that concerning.

I'm kinda inbetween. I don't like being spammed, but I *also* don't like that the light is/could be causing issues for some players making them unable to play the game. And in the long run, accessibility issues trumps general annoyance as to why this is a bad idea.

Atreya33 · March 1

Not a sensory thing, I just don't like being spammed.

I don't have any medical condition but I find these kind of things distracting. I don't mind adds when I load up the game but once I am in the game I want to focus on playing and this gives me stress. The calendar button constantly indicating new events was also awful. Now I have trained myself to ignore it.

simgirl1010 · March 1

Don't care.

I care for those people who have a condition that makes the shopping cart unbearable. And for that reason I do hope it is removed.

For me it's not at all an issue. When I first logged into the game on Tuesday I didn't even notice the shopping cart. After I'd logged out I remembered and logged back in. There it was. But I'd played for a couple of hours without it even registering.

Edit to add: Didn't notice the very first option. That would have been my selection. Guess I don't notice a lot of things.

I do not have a condition that causes visual senstivity, but it heard it makes the game less accessible, and I find that concerning.

BlueR0se · March 1

Not a sensory thing, I just don't like being spammed.

My opinion is the one I voted on & the first one. I don't like that it's not accessible for some folks, but I also dislike it on principle of it just sounding annoying. We've already got plenty of advertisements in game. It needs to go.

Simmingal · March 2

I don't know the long term effects as the button is not in my game yet

but from what I have seen I think my main issue personally is that it would be immersion breaking and distracting and spammy which would slowly drive me into insanity

and probably raise my blood pressure significantly due to rage so I guess it could pose health risk

especially being so prominently located in gameplay mode next to important buttons so you are bound to misclick it over and over again and it would be always there exactly when I am trying to get immersed in my game

+ I have literally zero use for such button in my game anyway cause I do not play and shop simultaneously thats just not something i do no matter how many notifications they send it will never be feature I use

so unless there is going to be toggle to turn it off completely as if it never existed I really must say heck no to the button

and yes I also have to click that 🐸 calendar notification off everytime it pops up and i hate it but at least thats something to do with playing the game not just advertisement

FreddyFox1234 · March 2

Not a sensory thing, I just don't like being spammed.

I also don’t like the fact that it seems to make the game less accessible for some people, to the extent that they’re afraid to play it. That’s not on. But for me personally, I really hate the thought of having this button there acting as an in-game ad. Thankfully I don’t actually have it yet, and I’m hoping I never get it. But I already constantly click the wrong button, e.g. clicking on Manage Worlds when I want the Gallery, or vice versa (for some reason I can never get it into my head which way round they are, or which icon represents which). I really don’t want to be clicking that ad button by mistake. Every other button on the UI (and even the flashing light on the calendar which annoys me intensely) has an in-game purpose. The ad button does not, and does not belong there.

Simburian · March 2

Don't care.

I have it. I have no flashing light. Has this been dealt with already?

Could this be because I turned off dynamic lighting in 'Other' options?
This made my laptop keys light up on my gaming laptop and it got rid of that.

Eleri · March 2

Not a sensory thing, I just don't like being spammed.

I noticed that in some of the threads, some people are reporting that their notification indicator is different. For example, some reported that the whole button pulses or glows, something I've never seen. Depending on the specifics, this might explain the averse reactions.

In my game, there is a glowing circle (not flashing) that appears on the corner of the shopping button whenever the recommendations have changed. This happens when I first load up the save, if it happens at all. If the recommendations are the same as the last time I played, there's no light. If I click on the button and then click out again, the light disappears, not to return for the rest of the game play session.

@Simburian do you have all of the packs? This might explain why you don't have notifications.

HermioneSims · March 2

Not a sensory thing, I just don't like being spammed.

In my case the little light is exactly the same as the one the calendar icon had for ages in my game, and I personally don't notice it much (in the sense that it could take a few minutes for me to even notice that something is blinking, and also at that point for me it's easy to ignore).
However, I still find it quite annoying and redundant to have more ads about the packs I don't own. I'm poor and on a low-end laptop, I don't need reminders about what I cannot afford now, in particular when I'm trying to disconnect for a while and focus on a game where the "motherlode" cheat exists.

As for the accessibility issues many users are reporting instead, I see it as a broader and separate issue. To reuse the example I started with, for instance, it's not just the cart icon that has a flashy light, but also the calendar. In terms of accessibility of the UI, I guess that being able to toggle off all the animations/lights associated with the icons should be the way to go.

crocobaura · March 2

HermioneSims wrote: »

In my case the little light is exactly the same as the one the calendar icon had for ages in my game, and I personally don't notice it much (in the sense that it could take a few minutes for me to even notice that something is blinking, and also at that point for me it's easy to ignore).

In my game both the calendar and sims phone have little blinking lights. The sim phone light is new.

GlacierSnow · March 2

Dislike it for some other reason.

I don't like the way the calendar button flashes either. It really distracts and irritates me. I just never said anything because I tend not to complain much when I think it's a feature other people might like or find useful.

For me, things moving, changing color, flashing, sparkling, etc. off to the side but within my field of view make it really hard for me to focus on what I'm doing. I can't point to any diagnosed visual or neurological issue, I just have always, all my life, had a very hard time staying focused. It's one thing if it's an alarm that is genuinely important to get my attention (for example, the needs icon for a sim changing color when one of their needs is low) but it is extremely irritating when it is doing it for no reason that matters to me.

I have trouble even reading things on the internet on many websites when there are so many ads that use video, gifs, rotating picture sequences, or other visual affects to get your attention. I am actually not able to read or comprehend the article or post I am there to read because the movement off to the side is so distracting. I have often had to leave those sites, without finishing reading the thing I wanted to read because there is no way to make them stop. I don't really care about the ad being there. I just can't concentrate with that distracting movement.

I don't get headaches, or other physical problems from flashing lights. I just am beyond frustrated with marketers using this type of technique. My main issue for myself regarding the in-game marketing button is just that I don't want it to do the same annoying thing that the calendar is already doing. With the calendar, I can at least block it out with a index card, because it is at the bottom of the screen. But they put this button at the top. So that's harder to do. When other players have said that the flashing causes them other types of physical issues, I believe them, I care about that, and I am fully aware that they may be using a physical object to block out the calendar button already, just like I do.

I do feel that the marketing button is pointless, because even if you buy a pack with it while in game, you will still need to shut down and restart your game to see the new content in-game. So it really doesn't offer any kind of meaningful convenience. But as long as it does not do anything to distract me, I really don't care if it's there. But it does matter to me that it is upsetting players, simlit writers, and modders whose company and content I enjoy.

I haven't updated my game yet, even though I do use mods (and could therefor remove the button easily with one of the ones that's already sprung up), because I'm thinking about the ethical implications (for my own conscience) of just doing what is okay for me vs. having some solidarity with players who are having problems with this button and can't use mods. That matters to me too.

And for the record, I want the calendar button to stop doing those animations also. That is very irritating to me. The marketing button is just worse because it is so utterly unnecessary to the game itself.

Ellupelluellu · March 2

Don't care.

I personally do not care, as I mod the thing out anyway. Why I picked this without actually thinking. Annoying that you cannot change the vote, mistake votings do happen

But as a person with often migraines, all flashing is bad

cyncie · March 2

I have a condition that causes visual sensitivity, but I'm avoiding the game because I heard the light is a problem.

I do get migraines from visual stimulation. A pulsating light in my peripheral vision would not be beneficial. The lights on the calendar and phone are at the bottom of the screen, so not at eye level and easy to ignore. That makes a difference. Originally, this was described as a pulsating shopping cart. That would not be good for me. If it’s just a small, glowing light, that’s less of a problem. What would be even better: move the thing out of visual range, altogether.

Now, as to this being a marketing tool, fact is, I won’t ever use it. I didn’t use in game links to buy in TS3, either. So, basically, it’s useless, for me anyway. I’m not really avoiding the game, though. I’m fine with just modding it out.

mightysprite · March 2

Not a sensory thing, I just don't like being spammed.

I think the accessibility concerns are with the flashing or pulsating version of the shopping cart button.
This is a very different animation from that little yellow light on the calendar button.
There have been different versions of the button showing up for different people (based on our locations maybe?)

Edit: just read comment above about the location of the light making a difference. I see it does make a difference!

GlacierSnow · March 2

Dislike it for some other reason.

There's been some confusion for some of us that have not yet updated regarding what exactly this thing looks like, because different players are reporting different effects. It hasn't been entirely clear if this is just people using different descriptions, or if different players are actually getting different animations in their game for this button.

But, for me, even it just having a little light that makes it stand out from the other icons makes it distracting enough to be annoying. I'd really like them to just make it not have any special effects at all, allow us to turn those effects off, or remove it.

Probably, eventually I will mod it out and move on. As I have done with a lot of "features" that have been added without a way to turn them off. But I think player feedback on this one is important.

CAPTAIN_NXR7 · March 2

Couple of reasons:

“Ad” overkill when online. The home screen on the EA app advertises packs not owned. If I want something, I can buy it from there. Once the game has been launched, there’s a red dot 🔴 on the pack tabs in the main menu reminding me about which packs I do not own. If I want something, I can buy it from there ( which will send me back to the app anyway). Having yet another spot taken up in the UI -IN GAME of all places!-just to send me another “subtle” missing pack reminder, is just a little too aggressive for my taste. By now I should know which packs I do and do not own. That’s how intelligent I am. Thanks for reminding me about 500 times already though! You can stop spamming me with your nonsense now, Electronic Arts. I paid for base game and every single pack I have installed. That’s a heap of money. Keep the shopping carts out of my game. In-game, my playtime is mine, not yours, EA. Yes, I actually paid for that “privilege”. You owe me some respect in return, especially with so many paid packs still resembling grand bug hotels. Get your priorities straight.
The button is pointless. It’s being falsely advertised as something that you can use “from the comfort of your sim’s home”, when in reality you cannot directly download and install anything from there. Due to security concerns that may arise, I hope that the latter will never be possible. Shopping carts do not belong in-game. That’s a very FTP mobile game sort of thing and I personally try to avoid it like the plague. We’re not on mobile. We’re on PC / console. Totally different experience.
Prone to hit pointless button unintentionally. Many times I’ve accidentally clicked on the Gallery button when I actually wanted to go into Manage Worlds. That’s not because I’m as blind as a bat, it’s because the buttons sit so closely together and I tend to forget which is which. Maybe that’s on me, but cluttering up the UI with an absolutely useless button ( see 2) does NOT help whatsoever. Keep it simple and accessible. No pointless button= no confusion.
Immersion breaker and potential health hazard. Pulsating, attention seeking little shopping carts are immersion breakers. I occasionally experience sensory overload myself, I’m photosensitive and let’s just say that my body doesn’t vibe with certain frequencies. I’d have more trouble with sound than visuals though, so I doubt that the flashing button will cause an averse reaction in that regard. However, it would certainly break the immersion if it was constantly blinking.
No on/ off toggle. Sure, that’s the entire point right? - that I have no control over what you shove into my face, but given the fact that I already paid for stuff…well, that’s a bit rude don’t you think? I certainly do. See all of the above points.

I’m not sure how much more I can say about this stray little shopping cart, best to roll it back into the trolley bay where it belongs. You can keep your trolley token. There’s not ONE good reason to have that button there. Prove me wrong.

Simburian · March 3

Don't care.

Eleri wrote: »

I noticed that in some of the threads, some people are reporting that their notification indicator is different. For example, some reported that the whole button pulses or glows, something I've never seen. Depending on the specifics, this might explain the averse reactions.

In my game, there is a glowing circle (not flashing) that appears on the corner of the shopping button whenever the recommendations have changed. This happens when I first load up the save, if it happens at all. If the recommendations are the same as the last time I played, there's no light. If I click on the button and then click out again, the light disappears, not to return for the rest of the game play session.

@Simburian do you have all of the packs? This might explain why you don't have notifications.

Yes, every one and it tells me so. Letting me know if anything new comes out they'll let me know. It might flash then? Maybe it would be better at the bottom left hand side of the screen?

83bienchen · March 3

I have to give that button so much undeserved attention just in order to not accidentally click on it. Everytime I see that button, I have to force myself to not rage quit but go on with mod testing instead.

lisamwitt · March 3

Dislike it for some other reason.

I find it annoying because it's in a tool bar for the game. My daughter had the same complaint. They put it in a tool bar that we use to play the game.

I feel like it's superfluous anyway because I see their ads every time I open the game when I'm online, but surely they could have put it somewhere else.

GrimlyFiendish · March 3

I have a condition that causes visual sensitivity, and the light caused an averse reaction when I played.

I have ADHD, having a blinking light on the screen is way too much sensory input for me. I played the game for less than 5 minutes the other day, because I got sick of my eyes constantly darting up to the top of the screen. Having said that I also played last night for several hours and the light wasn't there at all. I don't mind the shopping cart icon, just stop making the light blink or glow, remove the light all together.

AncientMuse · March 3

Simply put:

I don't feel spammed... I feel insulted.

I didn't pay $1200 for a video game to now (10 years later) start getting bombarded with predatory advertising tactics like a $10 F2P mobile game. I want the invasive grift-y button gone from inside of my gameplay's UI.... flashing or not flashing. Either move it to the launch page main menu or allow us to toggle it off in the game options.

Period.

CK213 · March 3

Not a sensory thing, I just don't like being spammed.

This is my play space, not my shopping space.
They already get to sell to me every time I load up the game. It's the main screen.

I don't need to be reminded of it constantly by putting it in my play mode.
If this is the way they want to do business from now on, then I refuse to do business with them.
It's as simple as that.

Breathe_No_More · March 3

I have a condition that causes visual sensitivity, and the light caused an averse reaction when I played.

I got migraines the other day when I was playing my game, so I stepped away from it. I have some sensory problems, and the cart button did some weird things (when I started the game for the first time after the patch, it did nothing, but one day later it did), so my headache might be caused by that thing.
But I won't be strictly negating that also other circumstances might have caused me feeling bad, I just can't recall another reason.

Goth583 · March 5

Not a sensory thing, I just don't like being spammed.

I don't have any sensory issues, but I do not want the shopping cart icon and definitely don't need it pulsating. We are already spammed when the EA App opens, when the game loads to the main screen there's more "suggestions" of purchases, and now they put it directly into the game... How much more money does EA feel we need to spend on a broken game?

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Shopping Icon Notification Light

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