I think part of the issue of reusing animations is that...there's this gray area/confusion/uncertainty about who the game is being made for, in a way.
I remember learning that a lot of ROM gameplay is just another way for Sims to do things that base game/other packs offer. Using magic to alter their day to day rather than using other methods.
Well if someone only has base game and ROM then they don't experience as much of the reused gameplay. Someone who has more packs will experience it.
But for the entirety of TS4's lifespan up until now, the content being released is paying homage to cornerstones of the franchise because the developers understand that many players have played the previous installments and have a certain level of expectation regarding the content in the game. And so there's also an expectation that the old players will continue to buy new packs full of familiar content. Which is where it gets troublesome.
And so what happens is you've got players who potentially will experience reused things as new, and others who will see it as reused stuff they already have which...makes it a smart choice for those players with fewer packs because then yeah it is a money/time/effort saving thing, but then that shortchanges the people who have more packs.
Firefighters are literally just people with fire extinguishers with firefighter suits on...same animation as your own sim putting out the fire. And the chance for them to stop attempting to put it out and roaming around.
I do not really think this is an example of reusing animations since the firefighter NPC, which has been part of the Sims series since TS1, is finally appearing in this game, largely because players have been asking for its return for a long time, from the beginning of TS4. In every version of The Sims the firefighter NPC has behaved similarly, basically using animations that are more or less the same as the normal animations for putting out fires. I guess one difference with previous versions is that TS4 firefighters won't show up in firetrucks like in TS2 and TS3, but that is largely because TS4 no longer has a carpool, so the firefighters will spawn at the normal portals that sims use to enter and exit the area of the lot. And how many different ways would a sim be expected to put out a fire using a fire extinguisher? I would be more annoyed by endlessly reused conversation animations, with the same ones being used for a lot of different interactions, than I would ever be by an animation being used by 2 different sims for the exact same interaction.
Firefighters are literally just people with fire extinguishers with firefighter suits on...same animation as your own sim putting out the fire. And the chance for them to stop attempting to put it out and roaming around.
I do not really think this is an example of reusing animations since the firefighter NPC, which has been part of the Sims series since TS1, is finally appearing in this game, largely because players have been asking for its return for a long time, from the beginning of TS4. In every version of The Sims the firefighter NPC has behaved similarly, basically using animations that are more or less the same as the normal animations for putting out fires. I guess one difference with previous versions is that TS4 firefighters won't show up in firetrucks like in TS2 and TS3, but that is largely because TS4 no longer has a carpool, so the firefighters will spawn at the normal portals that sims use to enter and exit the area of the lot. And how many different ways would a sim be expected to put out a fire using a fire extinguisher? I would be more annoyed by endlessly reused conversation animations, with the same ones being used for a lot of different interactions, than I would ever be by an animation being used by 2 different sims for the exact same interaction.
What’s the point of firefighters if they don’t have the truck for the special animations? I can just have my sim put on a firefighter suit and put it out themselves.... Honestly they should have done burglars first while they waited to finish vehicles.
Firefighters are literally just people with fire extinguishers with firefighter suits on...same animation as your own sim putting out the fire. And the chance for them to stop attempting to put it out and roaming around.
I do not really think this is an example of reusing animations since the firefighter NPC, which has been part of the Sims series since TS1, is finally appearing in this game, largely because players have been asking for its return for a long time, from the beginning of TS4. In every version of The Sims the firefighter NPC has behaved similarly, basically using animations that are more or less the same as the normal animations for putting out fires. I guess one difference with previous versions is that TS4 firefighters won't show up in firetrucks like in TS2 and TS3, but that is largely because TS4 no longer has a carpool, so the firefighters will spawn at the normal portals that sims use to enter and exit the area of the lot. And how many different ways would a sim be expected to put out a fire using a fire extinguisher? I would be more annoyed by endlessly reused conversation animations, with the same ones being used for a lot of different interactions, than I would ever be by an animation being used by 2 different sims for the exact same interaction.
What’s the point of firefighters if they don’t have the truck for the special animations? I can just have my sim put on a firefighter suit and put it out themselves.... Honestly they should have done burglars first while they waited to finish vehicles.
I'd prefer it if there were a firetruck (or, as someone suggested in the firefighter thread, a helicopter) too, but I honestly never expected it in TS4 since there is no longer a carpool of any kind in this game. If the developers had done burglar NPCs first, they would have also had to do police at the same time so that they could be arrested, and then people would be complaining that there isn't a police car, either. So, although it is late to be introducing this long overdue NPC, this patch is the perfect time to do it given that flammability is being introduced in the Build Buy catalogue as a concept, which would presumably make fires more prevalent in the game.
I remember Grant or someone saying now that they had the most requested packs (I guess that's what he meant when he said big packs) out of the way, they were excited to do some things they had been wanting to do all these years.
OK, are people going to tell me reusing animations and the packs we have seen since C&D (one of the last few, most requested packs) what they meant?
Take a long look, ROM, is that what they meant by been wanting to do for years? Or Eco Lifestyle...is that what they meant they had been wanting to do for years...or their university pack...is that what they had been wanting to do for years? Lol
No, seriously, this was said when Grant was still on TS4 and right before or after C&D...and take a long look at the packs they put out since C&D and tell me this is what they have been dreaming about doing all these years that they had never done before, that's what they said, after they finished most requested packs.
This is the new, highly desired, never before seen stuff they have been dreaming about? Are they serious? I mean IL was something they had been dying to do all these years? really? AKA packs that reuse animations and in many, many cases things already in game (in base) just shuffled around to be reused by a different object or renamed or reskinned....or the same tired old emotions given over and over and or like ROM the same thing that we could already do in the base.
"Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
As far as recycled animations goes I am not too bummed out about that. I am more about the gameplay and the gameplay for me in Sims 4 is spotty.
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I'll say this; I've been participating in Sims forums for a long time now, and this is the first I've seen people complain about recycled animations. I can't even really think of another time animations were brought up (interactions like slow dancing and such, yes, but not specifically the animation part). And I think that says more about the community than it does the Sims team.
To be honest charging 40 usd for a dlc is highly unusually expensive it is almost like the price of a brand new game. The amount of recycled animations and gameplay is not something they should do excessively and it seems they just do. I honestly hope there would be a real sims competitor like city skyline to simcity. The monopoly they enjoy simply means they can get away with anything. Realm of magic is such a rip off - the entire game is just filled with recycled gameplay ! Not just animation but gameplay !
Comments
Yes
.....but the problem is (least to me and a lot of other people.) that it ISN'T deep , immersive, and entertaining....
I remember learning that a lot of ROM gameplay is just another way for Sims to do things that base game/other packs offer. Using magic to alter their day to day rather than using other methods.
Well if someone only has base game and ROM then they don't experience as much of the reused gameplay. Someone who has more packs will experience it.
But for the entirety of TS4's lifespan up until now, the content being released is paying homage to cornerstones of the franchise because the developers understand that many players have played the previous installments and have a certain level of expectation regarding the content in the game. And so there's also an expectation that the old players will continue to buy new packs full of familiar content. Which is where it gets troublesome.
And so what happens is you've got players who potentially will experience reused things as new, and others who will see it as reused stuff they already have which...makes it a smart choice for those players with fewer packs because then yeah it is a money/time/effort saving thing, but then that shortchanges the people who have more packs.
I do not really think this is an example of reusing animations since the firefighter NPC, which has been part of the Sims series since TS1, is finally appearing in this game, largely because players have been asking for its return for a long time, from the beginning of TS4. In every version of The Sims the firefighter NPC has behaved similarly, basically using animations that are more or less the same as the normal animations for putting out fires. I guess one difference with previous versions is that TS4 firefighters won't show up in firetrucks like in TS2 and TS3, but that is largely because TS4 no longer has a carpool, so the firefighters will spawn at the normal portals that sims use to enter and exit the area of the lot. And how many different ways would a sim be expected to put out a fire using a fire extinguisher? I would be more annoyed by endlessly reused conversation animations, with the same ones being used for a lot of different interactions, than I would ever be by an animation being used by 2 different sims for the exact same interaction.
What’s the point of firefighters if they don’t have the truck for the special animations? I can just have my sim put on a firefighter suit and put it out themselves.... Honestly they should have done burglars first while they waited to finish vehicles.
I'd prefer it if there were a firetruck (or, as someone suggested in the firefighter thread, a helicopter) too, but I honestly never expected it in TS4 since there is no longer a carpool of any kind in this game. If the developers had done burglar NPCs first, they would have also had to do police at the same time so that they could be arrested, and then people would be complaining that there isn't a police car, either. So, although it is late to be introducing this long overdue NPC, this patch is the perfect time to do it given that flammability is being introduced in the Build Buy catalogue as a concept, which would presumably make fires more prevalent in the game.
OK, are people going to tell me reusing animations and the packs we have seen since C&D (one of the last few, most requested packs) what they meant?
Take a long look, ROM, is that what they meant by been wanting to do for years? Or Eco Lifestyle...is that what they meant they had been wanting to do for years...or their university pack...is that what they had been wanting to do for years? Lol
No, seriously, this was said when Grant was still on TS4 and right before or after C&D...and take a long look at the packs they put out since C&D and tell me this is what they have been dreaming about doing all these years that they had never done before, that's what they said, after they finished most requested packs.
This is the new, highly desired, never before seen stuff they have been dreaming about? Are they serious?