Sims 2 had a closed world but was definitely sandbox. You could add lots, choose the size of the lots you added, create community lots with multiple purposes, change neighbourhood deco and effects, you could change the terrain from green to desert or the other way around (this one could be an ingame cheat) ,... You could even build a neighbourhood from scratch on a blank template. In sims 2 you could create a new neighbourhoods or edit existing ones to your liking. How is that not sandbox?
Sorry about the rant but as someone who played sims 2 a lot I think it definitely qualifies as sandbox.
So do I like sandbox like sims 2 and 3 : yes. One of the biggest flaws of the sims 4 in my eyes is the rigid world that is impossible to edit.
Open vs closed worlds is a different question. In this case I prefer a smaller open environment. The open world in sims 3 was to big and laggy to be enjoyable. I hated navigating between sims on different ends of the map. I would prefer an open environment on a neighbourhood scale but with the option of linking different neighbourhoods in one save file. Like the downtown area or shopping districts you could attach to your main neighbourhood in sims 2. I never liked how most sims 3 had completely different worlds for new packs without a way to attach them to the world you were already playing in.
So I would prefer closed sandbox worlds, closed as in I don't mind loading screens when travelling but I want the ability to add lots of any lot size and edit the surrounding area (sandbox)
Definitely preferred the Sims 3 style of open world sandbox. I want there to be more worlds like Newcrest but in different settings (desert like Oasis Springs, European vibe like Windenburg, beachy Delaware vibes like Brindleton Bay). I don’t like removing NPCs and demolishing their houses. The most I even do is give the NPCs some style help and remodel/improve their houses cosmetically but I always keep the main shell of it.
But I play the most in Newcrest building my own neighbourhoods and matching home styles. I’d like the option to do this in new areas without having to trash what’s already existing. More options are always a good thing for b/b mode!
No open worlds again, please. I don't want those issues again. And even if you're gonna say ts5's programming will be better than ts3 and will handle it well, like it or not, ts5 will age too, and therefore after packs and updates it'll become like ts3.
First of all we are 11 years into the future (catch the pun? hehe ) since The Sims 3. There has been a huge technological advantage and I think tons of systems could now handle it.
Secondly, it's up to EA to make it happen. The Sims 4 has no open-world yet it's becoming almost as broken as the Sims 3. So they need to take care of their games more.
No open worlds again, please. I don't want those issues again. And even if you're gonna say ts5's programming will be better than ts3 and will handle it well, like it or not, ts5 will age too, and therefore after packs and updates it'll become like ts3.
Sims 4 has just as many problems and it’s not an open world game. Don’t blame the structure blame the programmers and gurus. Plenty of games feature an open world, it’s basically the standard for AAA games now. When most AAA games have glaring issues they typically are improved upon in subsequent entires. Sims 4 is the only modern game I can even think of that abandoned the progress of their game design in favor of a inferior, old setup that they find easier to handle (hasn’t stopped the sloppy coding that caused Sims 3’s issues...). The closed world of Sims 4 is objectively the most limited and restrictive world setup they have ever made and is inferior to technology they also made 10 years earlier.
I don't mind if only one lot loads at a time like TS2, but I much prefer TS3 open world. I just hope they don't stay in the middle like they did with TS4, with worlds we can't edit. And I'd rather have access to one world at a time with about 30 lots or so, rather than being able to travel through different small crappy ones with 5 lots each.
Basically I want all the gameplay of TS2, the traits of TS3 and the little character touches and interactions and animations from TS2 and 3, all of the occult lifestates from TS3, the color wheels and sliders of TS3, but otherwise the build mode, art style, and CAS of TS4. And I'd like to be able to toggle whether in a save I have story progression like in TS3, or whether time stands still for all but the currently active sims like in TS2.
I like how it is in TS4, but if they can make it work and perform then I'd be happy with an open world. Again though, only if it works properly. TS3 has way too many performance issues.
No open worlds again, please. I don't want those issues again. And even if you're gonna say ts5's programming will be better than ts3 and will handle it well, like it or not, ts5 will age too, and therefore after packs and updates it'll become like ts3.
Sims 4 has just as many problems and it’s not an open world game. Don’t blame the structure blame the programmers and gurus. Plenty of games feature an open world, it’s basically the standard for AAA games now. When most AAA games have glaring issues they typically are improved upon in subsequent entires. Sims 4 is the only modern game I can even think of that abandoned the progress of their game design in favor of a inferior, old setup that they find easier to handle (hasn’t stopped the sloppy coding that caused Sims 3’s issues...). The closed world of Sims 4 is objectively the most limited and restrictive world setup they have ever made and is inferior to technology they also made 10 years earlier.
It is MMO structure for the Sims 4 so of course it is a limited engine. Why SimCity2013 suffered too. Why I worry about the Sims 5 going that way too. MMO engines have weak and easily bugged engines.
“Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” –Helen Keller
Open neighborhood I guess? I like playing a lot of different households so TS3 style isn't my favorite. I could do open world if my played households stayed unchanged (except like friendships or such).
I don’t want rabbit holes.....and I do want a color wheel for clothes and furniture. It should also start with grocery stores, retail stores and cars...... those things can always be added onto. I would also like more lots. I hope it is made so we can play rotationally.
I would take Open World/Open Neighborhood and take from Sims 4 the ability to connect them with and certain limit on how many can be connected or how well an system can process the options. Sand Box for me means I do do not have to abide by the games rules on how to reach an goal for I set the goals I want to reach and I can take whatever path I want and make my own endings. No, Open World is not necessarily part of an sand box until you can use tools to make your own worlds/neighborhoods then for me it becomes part of the sandbox being I can design/create how I want to look or contain.
Post edited by Goldmoldar on
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I would like it to be like Sims 3 but with better graphics and oh yes I was very disappointed with Seasons it was just awlful.
I agree but it is in line with everything else less is good and more is bad.
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Can't vote. Just because TS2 is closed lot system doesn't mean it's not open-ended, sandbox. I will put it this way, it's possible for an open world to be a linear game or an rpg, goal driven with 'missions', even if open world system. I think you might have meant closed world (loading screens between traveling) and or open world (no loading screens) but even open world can have closed lot systems such as rabbit holes and no open lots.
"Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
Comments
Sorry about the rant but as someone who played sims 2 a lot I think it definitely qualifies as sandbox.
So do I like sandbox like sims 2 and 3 : yes. One of the biggest flaws of the sims 4 in my eyes is the rigid world that is impossible to edit.
Open vs closed worlds is a different question. In this case I prefer a smaller open environment. The open world in sims 3 was to big and laggy to be enjoyable. I hated navigating between sims on different ends of the map. I would prefer an open environment on a neighbourhood scale but with the option of linking different neighbourhoods in one save file. Like the downtown area or shopping districts you could attach to your main neighbourhood in sims 2. I never liked how most sims 3 had completely different worlds for new packs without a way to attach them to the world you were already playing in.
So I would prefer closed sandbox worlds, closed as in I don't mind loading screens when travelling but I want the ability to add lots of any lot size and edit the surrounding area (sandbox)
But I play the most in Newcrest building my own neighbourhoods and matching home styles. I’d like the option to do this in new areas without having to trash what’s already existing. More options are always a good thing for b/b mode!
First of all we are 11 years into the future (catch the pun? hehe ) since The Sims 3. There has been a huge technological advantage and I think tons of systems could now handle it.
Secondly, it's up to EA to make it happen. The Sims 4 has no open-world yet it's becoming almost as broken as the Sims 3. So they need to take care of their games more.
Sims 4 has just as many problems and it’s not an open world game. Don’t blame the structure blame the programmers and gurus. Plenty of games feature an open world, it’s basically the standard for AAA games now. When most AAA games have glaring issues they typically are improved upon in subsequent entires. Sims 4 is the only modern game I can even think of that abandoned the progress of their game design in favor of a inferior, old setup that they find easier to handle (hasn’t stopped the sloppy coding that caused Sims 3’s issues...). The closed world of Sims 4 is objectively the most limited and restrictive world setup they have ever made and is inferior to technology they also made 10 years earlier.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-sl1OoeYo4
I do like how sims 4 doesn’t crash...
I have missed my Sims community. Lately had too much work. But it means more money to spend, yeah!!!
But will wait for 5 full expansions released for Sims 5 before I spend a dime. Incomplete Sims games are no fun to play.
I agree but it is in line with everything else less is good and more is bad.
This!