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Kit Packs Are Stuff Packs

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  • LoanetLoanet Posts: 4,079 Member
    edited February 2021
    Look at it this way - if you were going to buy an ice cream, would you rather pay $5 for an ice cream that is too big, and have to freeze some of it for later, or $5 for an ice cream that is just the right size at the moment, and have none for later? At least, it's just the right size for you; it's too small for most other people. But who cares about those other people? They're not you.

    Then, for no obvious reason, the ice cream gets smaller. It costs more. They stop adding the sprinkles. Then they stop adding the syrup. Then you have to pay more for the flake. It's not big enough for you any more. Gosh, if only you had said something when it was bigger...

    Too many people are being like "Oh, it's okay, I don't mind if the kit isn't bigger." But wouldn't you prefer it to be bigger?
    Prepping a list of mods to add after Infants are placed into the game. Because real life isn't 'nice'.
  • DaWaterRatDaWaterRat Posts: 3,351 Member
    Loanet wrote: »
    Look at it this way - if you were going to buy an ice cream, would you rather pay $5 for an ice cream that is too big, and have to freeze some of it for later, or $5 for an ice cream that is just the right size at the moment, and have none for later? At least, it's just the right size for you; it's too small for most other people. But who cares about those other people? They're not you.

    Then, for no obvious reason, the ice cream gets smaller. It costs more. They stop adding the sprinkles. Then they stop adding the syrup. Then you have to pay more for the flake. It's not big enough for you any more. Gosh, if only you had said something when it was bigger...

    Too many people are being like "Oh, it's okay, I don't mind if the kit isn't bigger." But wouldn't you prefer it to be bigger?

    It depends. If Bigger means that the only way I can get a sundae made is with pistachios rather than peanuts, I might be inclined to skip the sundae and just go for a simple scoop, even if that's not as much ice cream as I want now. And if I don't like pistachios now, why would I want to freeze half a sundae to have some later? So maybe ice cream isn't the best analogy for this situation.

    I mean, yes, I compared the Build/Buy items in Cool Kitchen to what's coming with Country Kitchen, and Country kitchen is lacking. The item count in Throwback Fit looks roughly even with a "normal" Stuff pack's CAS offerings - even if there aren't any hairs, and Bust the Dust... I have no interest in adding vacuuming and dusting to my game, but that there are only 5 items isn't, in my estimation, an issue because of the work needed behind the scenes to get the animations and the gameplay. That those five items don't include a feather duster and a broom, however, is a fair issue. So yes, I'd like a little more.

    But at the same time, I can see a potential benefit to kits, because they would allow things that are too small, or too similar to existing things, to justify a pack on their own. Heck, it's allowing me to skip out on a gameplay system I have no interest in, while still picking up the kitchen set, even if I think it could stand to be a bit bigger. And while I know it would upset people, it might even be a suitable way to have DLC for DLC and allow them to expand on past packs while also actually getting revenue for it. (I'm not sorry that I see no problem with DLC for DLC provided there's sufficient time between the two.)

    It's a delicate balance, between waiting to get enough information and speaking up before it's too late, I understand that. But I think the least we can do is wait until the 2nd - when we were supposed to get this information in context - before we start demanding they abandon this idea.
  • Amapola76Amapola76 Posts: 1,904 Member
    Loanet wrote: »
    Look at it this way - if you were going to buy an ice cream, would you rather pay $5 for an ice cream that is too big, and have to freeze some of it for later, or $5 for an ice cream that is just the right size at the moment, and have none for later? At least, it's just the right size for you; it's too small for most other people. But who cares about those other people? They're not you.

    Then, for no obvious reason, the ice cream gets smaller. It costs more. They stop adding the sprinkles. Then they stop adding the syrup. Then you have to pay more for the flake. It's not big enough for you any more. Gosh, if only you had said something when it was bigger...

    Too many people are being like "Oh, it's okay, I don't mind if the kit isn't bigger." But wouldn't you prefer it to be bigger?

    This is a terrible analogy.

    (1) It's much more like saying, if I hate strawberry ice cream, would I rather pay $10 for two scoops of ice cream if they are a scoop of strawberry smooshed together with a scoop of chocolate, or would I rather pay for $5 for a single scoop of just chocolate? Take a wild guess what most people would choose.

    (2) Even if we take your analogy as written, your solution is that I should buy ice cream that I don't want-- and the ice cream shop shouldn't give me any other options-- because some other hypothetical person might want something different than I do?

  • DalekFridayDalekFriday Posts: 31 Member
    To me, it feels like the team is almost at the end of the road (TS4 vs. TS5) so they're starting to "empty the attic" by selling stuff they did not manage to add to a stuff/game/expansion pack.
  • MovottiMovotti Posts: 7,774 Member
    I wouldn't be surprised if kit packs are going to be 1/3 size of stuff packs, and were created because there's a lot of people who have lost their jobs due to covid, and now don't have as much money to splash out on the larger packs.
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  • SimmervilleSimmerville Posts: 11,644 Member
    Loanet wrote: »
    Look at it this way - if you were going to buy an ice cream, would you rather pay $5 for an ice cream that is too big, and have to freeze some of it for later, or $5 for an ice cream that is just the right size at the moment, and have none for later? At least, it's just the right size for you; it's too small for most other people. But who cares about those other people? They're not you.

    Then, for no obvious reason, the ice cream gets smaller. It costs more. They stop adding the sprinkles. Then they stop adding the syrup. Then you have to pay more for the flake. It's not big enough for you any more. Gosh, if only you had said something when it was bigger...

    Too many people are being like "Oh, it's okay, I don't mind if the kit isn't bigger." But wouldn't you prefer it to be bigger?

    My choice would be to stop buying that icecream, unless they added a new flavor that I really wanted.

    With game packs, I buy them on release day if I want them, and when I'm in doubt I skip or wait for sale. I think all these packs indicates that nobody is expected to buy every single new release. Now that our games are filled with content, I appreciate the option to add something new without adding tons of stuff I don't really need. EPs normally add a decent number of chairs and tables and decor, while the selling point might be a new feature. With kits I can get (smaller) new features without all the extras. So - for the ice cream term - If I really want to check out that new icecream flavor, I might not be all that interested in the cone and misc topping that I already tasted.
    Simmerville on Youtube | My blog is updated weekly: Simmerville's Sims<br>a.jpg
  • EmmaVaneEmmaVane Posts: 7,847 Member
    Loanet wrote: »
    Put all together, there's 43 items. The highest number of items is in the CAS pack, which is the easiest pack to make. That's significantly less than your average Stuff Pack. But I bet it'll cost $4.99 for each pack. So they'll be making about $5 for quite a lot less, just by dividing up what is ultimately a Stuff Pack into its component furniture/functional/CAS parts. We're not getting any hairstyles with our athletic pack, we're getting two functional items with multiple skins that we only use if we want to do more work, we're not getting any chairs or tables, and we're getting very little Clutter for what they're calling a KITCHEN pack...

    The Dusting Kit is kind of like the Laundry Day pack - to get the most out of it you need to have less fun - by dusting.

    False. The Country Kitchen pack actually has more items if you consider the multiple different meshes for each counter, island and cabinet. Only the basic piece is shown for each. This is why we rarely get kitchen sets. Kits will be great for this.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0 New Member
    edited March 2021
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • Bluebeard45Bluebeard45 Posts: 3,889 Member
    Honestly I don't care what you call them. If they improve the game and work as advertised then call them Sunday. Normal telescope, Pool stuff and free the baby they got my money.
  • Chicklet453681Chicklet453681 Posts: 2,431 Member
    To me, it feels like the team is almost at the end of the road (TS4 vs. TS5) so they're starting to "empty the attic" by selling stuff they did not manage to add to a stuff/game/expansion pack.

    Or this is to test the waters, see if this new pack type is successful and testing it on TS4 and ultimately continue this pack type with TS5 (I read this in another thread and it made a lot of sense). But I'm not a huge fan of this new pack type, I hate to be the person that wants stuff for free but some of this stuff like the vacuum should be a BG update imo. Sometimes when I look at other games and see all those huge free DLC updates I wonder why TS4 can't have that, like is it greed? Or is there some kind of limitation?

    For me, in my opinion, that's the only reason I can come up with regarding everything that is watered down in the packs, and why the packs are broken up and spread out over multiple packs in TS4.

  • Pamtastic72Pamtastic72 Posts: 4,545 Member
    I want all three kits, and will buy all three kits, no they didn’t start charging more for packs in other countries they started basing the price off of current exchange rates, against the US dollar instead of charging a flat $39.99, $19.99, & $9.99 per pack type no matter the currency because news flash: EA is a for profit entity which basically means yes, they’re a cash seeking missile. Nobody is obligated to spend anything on any of it if they don’t want to. It’s entirely possible that by doing this with smaller objects and gameplay features that they will be able to dive deeper on bigger gameplay features in other packs because the budget won’t be spent on yet another set of countertops and cupboards. Maybe now bigger packs can finally focus on personality, relationships, and consequences instead of carpeting, flooring, curtains, and appliances.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0 New Member
    edited March 2021
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • LoanetLoanet Posts: 4,079 Member
    They're clearly a rip-off. Which is ironic because they cost exactly as much as I predicted. Additionally all three kits have things I wanted so I bought all three. But they are absolutely a rip-off, especially the Furniture and CAS Kits.

    The Dust kit is almost worth it, but in the past we would get that gameplay in a full Stuff Pack, like we got Knitting and Paranormal.
    Prepping a list of mods to add after Infants are placed into the game. Because real life isn't 'nice'.
  • SimmerGeorgeSimmerGeorge Posts: 2,724 Member
    edited March 2021
    I think that kits are going to be more niched items that wouldn't fit into an actual pack

    @Chicklet453681 Hmm, now let's think about this for a second. If Kits are meant to bring more niche gameplay, then how come all three kits have similar gameplay to what we already have.

    For the fitness one I have to say. We already have tons of sportwear in the base game, we got some with Fitness stuff, we got TONS more with University and even Snowy escape had extreme sport, ski, fitness outfits.

    The kitchen could have been part of the kitchen stuff pack or maybe Cats and Dogs that had that country vibe or maybe with any other EP.

    And finally the dust stuff could have been in either Laundry day or Eco Lifestyle. Also,why put only vacuums but not brooms and cleaning clutter too?

    If you are a niche player, are these things you might wish for when we already have these in the game? There are niche players out there who want stuff like body hair, dragons, fairies. How does putting stuff we already have in a kit satisfy niche audiences? If this is an attempt to create more niche gameplay I have to say they failed.
    Where's my Sims 5 squad at?
  • LoanetLoanet Posts: 4,079 Member
    edited March 2021
    You can say that things could have been in other packs, but they weren't, and now never will be. I do think the sportswear is nice, but if they wanted to fill a gap, they could have added beachwear, for swimming, since we have so little pool wear.

    The kitchen stuff is extremely "I was cut out from another pack, just like My First Pet." Like a FARMING pack. There's no table or chairs, only one choice of fridge and sink, and not much clutter either.

    Ultimately, it all feels like a single pack split up. Clothes, furniture, and functional items.
    Prepping a list of mods to add after Infants are placed into the game. Because real life isn't 'nice'.
  • MidnightAuraMidnightAura Posts: 5,809 Member
    £5 for 15 pieces of kitchen ware is a total rip off I’m sorry. Ditto the suspiciously similar athletic kit that looks a lot like the stuff we have got recently.

    Knowing this is only the beginning of kits makes me worry what else will be piecemealed.
  • LoanetLoanet Posts: 4,079 Member
    edited March 2021
    I was right about the prices, btw.

    Ironically, Stuff Packs were just starting to become about worth the price with packs like Nifty Knitting and Paranormal bringing simple gameplay with them, then EA brings out this.
    Prepping a list of mods to add after Infants are placed into the game. Because real life isn't 'nice'.
  • Pamtastic72Pamtastic72 Posts: 4,545 Member
    edited March 2021
    Just going to say, this is what you get with Bust The Dust for $4.99 USD
    • works with the robot vac from C&D
    • Works with maids (and I think Bonehilda).
    • Works with existing traits in game: Lazy - sims won't autonomously clean much, Slobs - won't care if it's dirty, Neat - sims will be very uncomfortable in dirty environments and be more compelled to clean autonomously and will be more difficult to romance if the home is dirty, as will Squeamish sims, and Foodies - will find it hard to cook if it's dirty.
    • It can be difficult to woohoo in dirty homes if your sim isn't a slob.
    • There are 2 new aspirations.
    • Kids can earn Parenthood traits for helping vacuum if you have that pack installed.
    • The cleaning bot from Discover University works with the dust system.
    • If the environment is really dirty some sims will "rage clean" and gain energy from it.
    • You can turn off dust effects in the current household and just have the vacs for aesthetics if you like.
    • You can encourage/demand other sims to clean for you.
    • Vacuums can be upgraded with many features including the ability to work off the grid.
    • Neglected Dust Bunnies morph into Filth Fiends which can spontaneously combust if they get angry enough.
    • Clean environments make sims feel confident and inspired making skill gains easier.
    • Some sims will be embarrassed to entertain in a home that isn’t clean.
    • The more sims you have in a household the faster dirt accumulates.

    There’s way more to this pack than a handful of vacuums. I strongly encourage anyone who is on the fence about this one to watch the livestream. The pack is the last one covered, but Ninja went deep into it, and while the number of objects is small, it can have a big impact on your game.
  • catloverplayercatloverplayer Posts: 93,362 Member
    edited March 2021
    Here is some things I'd like to see in Kits.

    Heart Kit
    HeartHottubs,Bathtubs,Beds,Sinks,Fireplaces and Candles

    Pool Kit
    Pool Slides,Pool Waterfalls and Poo Bars

    Sleepwear Kits

    World Kits

    Themepark and Waterpark Kits
  • SimmerGeorgeSimmerGeorge Posts: 2,724 Member
    Just going to say, this is what you get with Bust The Dust for $4.99 USD
    • works with the robot vac from C&D
    • Works with maids (and I think Bonehilda).
    • Works with existing traits in game: Lazy - sims won't autonomously clean much, Slobs - won't care if it's dirty, Neat - sims will be very uncomfortable in dirty environments and be more compelled to clean autonomously and will be more difficult to romance if the home is dirty, as will Squeamish sims, and Foodies - will find it hard to cook if it's dirty.
    • It can be difficult to woohoo in dirty homes if your sim isn't a slob.
    • There are 2 new aspirations.
    • Kids can earn Parenthood traits for helping vacuum if you have that pack installed.
    • The cleaning bot from Discover University works with the dust system.
    • If the environment is really dirty some sims will "rage clean" and gain energy from it.
    • You can turn off dust effects in the current household and just have the vacs for aesthetics if you like.
    • You can encourage/demand other sims to clean for you.
    • Vacuums can be upgraded with many features including the ability to work off the grid.
    • Neglected Dust Bunnies morph into Filth Fiends which can spontaneously combust if they get angry enough.
    • Clean environments make sims feel confident and inspired making skill gains easier.
    • Some sims will be embarrassed to entertain in a home that isn’t clean.
    • The more sims you have in a household the faster dirt accumulates.

    There’s way more to this pack than a handful of vacuums. I strongly encourage anyone who is on the fence about this one to watch the livestream. The pack is the last one covered, but Ninja went deep into it, and while the number of objects is small, it can have a big impact on your game.

    @Pamtastic72 Still very overpriced in my opinion
    Where's my Sims 5 squad at?
  • Chicklet453681Chicklet453681 Posts: 2,431 Member
    I think that kits are going to be more niched items that wouldn't fit into an actual pack

    @Chicklet453681 Hmm, now let's think about this for a second. If Kits are meant to bring more niche gameplay, then how come all three kits have similar gameplay to what we already have.

    For the fitness one I have to say. We already have tons of sportwear in the base game, we got some with Fitness stuff, we got TONS more with University and even Snowy escape had extreme sport, ski, fitness outfits.

    The kitchen could have been part of the kitchen stuff pack or maybe Cats and Dogs that had that country vibe or maybe with any other EP.

    And finally the dust stuff could have been in either Laundry day or Eco Lifestyle. Also,why put only vacuums but not brooms and cleaning clutter too?

    If you are a niche player, are these things you might wish for when we already have these in the game? There are niche players out there who want stuff like body hair, dragons, fairies. How does putting stuff we already have in a kit satisfy niche audiences? If this is an attempt to create more niche gameplay I have to say they failed.

    Ok first of all I never stated that I thought the kits were to bring more “niche gameplay”. What I said, was that I felt like these were going to be more “niched items”. A lot of people like clutter and stuff that doesn’t necessarily have game play attributes, that’s what I mean.

    It’s obvious you do not like the concept of them, but some people do. I personally am holding off judging them until I see what other kits they make.

    If these kits bring some things to the game that haven’t made it into a pack and it’s something that I’ve been wanting … I'm buying them, you know why? Because it's something I've been wanting. Not everybody is going to feel the same way and that's ok, they don't have to buy it.

    I personally could not give a flying flippin’ leap about any current or future occults, but I have bought all of the existing occult packs and will probably buy any new ones that come out just for the BB/CAS items and never play with the actual occult gameplay of that pack. Many other simmers do that as well, so these kits might cater to us, allowing us to get “stuff” without having to purchase a full pack with gameplay we won’t use.

    But we don't know what the other kits will include, we don’t know the themes, we don't know how often they will release them, and we don't know if it will always be split up into 3 different kits each time they are released …. with a tiny kit that has a gameplay feature, a BB kit, and a CAS kit.

    I personally don’t need a new world, more hairs, clothing, and furniture in every single DLC that is released so if these kits add things that I've been wanting like:

    Activities for kids
    Activities for elders
    Pool Tables
    Pool stuff (an actual diving board, pool slide)
    Kids bikes
    Instruments

    I’ll spend my money on them. And again…… Do you know why? …………. Because these are things I’ve been wanting!
  • Evilyn_1007Evilyn_1007 Posts: 761 Member
    I think the kits are one US dollar to expensive. I think $3.99 would have been a more appropriate price.

    I am very conflicted about the kits. I think once they release other packs. I can see if I feel like things are missing from them. Then I will know whether I feel like kits are a good idea.

    Most of the things that I can think of that would make a good kits pack I also think would make a good fleshed out stuff pack.
  • 12JEREMIA12JEREMIA Posts: 3,143 Member
    Here is some things I'd like to see in Kits.

    Heart Kit
    HeartHottubs,Bathtubs,Beds,Sinks,Fireplaces and Candles

    Pool Kit
    Pool Slides,Pool Waterfalls and Poo Bars

    Sleepwear Kits

    World Kits

    Themepark and Waterpark Kits
    All we're missing is diving boards (Don't say diving platforms, cause The Sims 4 is the only game that has no diving boards)
  • Pamtastic72Pamtastic72 Posts: 4,545 Member
    Just going to say, this is what you get with Bust The Dust for $4.99 USD
    • works with the robot vac from C&D
    • Works with maids (and I think Bonehilda).
    • Works with existing traits in game: Lazy - sims won't autonomously clean much, Slobs - won't care if it's dirty, Neat - sims will be very uncomfortable in dirty environments and be more compelled to clean autonomously and will be more difficult to romance if the home is dirty, as will Squeamish sims, and Foodies - will find it hard to cook if it's dirty.
    • It can be difficult to woohoo in dirty homes if your sim isn't a slob.
    • There are 2 new aspirations.
    • Kids can earn Parenthood traits for helping vacuum if you have that pack installed.
    • The cleaning bot from Discover University works with the dust system.
    • If the environment is really dirty some sims will "rage clean" and gain energy from it.
    • You can turn off dust effects in the current household and just have the vacs for aesthetics if you like.
    • You can encourage/demand other sims to clean for you.
    • Vacuums can be upgraded with many features including the ability to work off the grid.
    • Neglected Dust Bunnies morph into Filth Fiends which can spontaneously combust if they get angry enough.
    • Clean environments make sims feel confident and inspired making skill gains easier.
    • Some sims will be embarrassed to entertain in a home that isn’t clean.
    • The more sims you have in a household the faster dirt accumulates.

    There’s way more to this pack than a handful of vacuums. I strongly encourage anyone who is on the fence about this one to watch the livestream. The pack is the last one covered, but Ninja went deep into it, and while the number of objects is small, it can have a big impact on your game.

    @Pamtastic72 Still very overpriced in my opinion

    That’s up to you, it’s your money. I think it’s a great value. I have been playing all afternoon and having a great time of it. Finally some consequences and rewards for doing and not doing things! It’s been a blast!
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