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What are the exact limitations of TS4 game engine?
tweedle
Posts: 89 Member
We know that The Sims 4 uses a game engine that was originally built for online gameplay but was modified to support the single player game we have today. However I don't recall the developers ever really explaining what are the specific limitations and capabilities of the engine. I would like to know why we can't have bigger worlds, open neighborhoods, complex emotions or traits, and better story progression.
All of these issues are blamed on the game engine but never really explained in depth. I would also like to know if it's possible for TS4 game engine to be further upgraded.
All of these issues are blamed on the game engine but never really explained in depth. I would also like to know if it's possible for TS4 game engine to be further upgraded.
Ding-dong! Your baby is gone!
-Social Worker, probably
-Social Worker, probably
Post edited by EA_Leeloo on
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Lindsay talks about the engine somewhat in her Q&A with James Turner, however, It's important to keep in mind the background with how the game was created when it was "Project Olympus" and when there's mention of "what they could have done differently" and "adding flexibility" there was only so much they could do because of the limitations of the engine.
(source:
Edit: Another great video in reference to "Project Olympus"
I'm not sure the engine can be upgraded or improved, the thing is that people that are running really good graphics cards are experiencing lag or performance issues, this hints that the engine can't use better hardware very effectively.
One thing that I have suspected recently is that the game is also very CPU heavy, if you don't have a good enough CPU you are going to experience simulation lag and even then, there are so many things that are running in the background now with so much DLC added to it.
They also said the game engine was purposely designed to have the capability of running on lower end machines, but many people have been experiencing issues (even on high end machines)... what gives?
It's just funny how Sims 3's lag and bugs were constantly blamed on open world and create a style, which seemed like a reasonable excuse at the time, but since Sims 4 doesn't have either of those features, how do we explain the bugs and lag it has? lol It's just comical at this point. I think EA should just come out and be completely honest... they're just too incompetent to create a game that runs properly because they don't wanna put in the extra effort to optimize it correctly.
Though, to be fair, Sims 4 was originally intended to be a game made for tablets, but EA turned it into a PC game at last minute for bigger profit.
Sims 1: Hot Date
Sims 2: Seasons
Sims 2: Happy Holiday Stuff
Sims 3: Seasons
Sims 3: 70's, 80's, & 90's Stuff
Sims 4: Seasons
Sims 4: Paranormal Stuff
Sims 4: Strangerville Game Pack
@Lustianicia The lag in the Sims 3 was not caused by open-world and Create a style. Sure these two features contributed to the lag but a big part was also because of poor coding, which if fixed makes the game a lot more playable hence why mods like Overwatch work so well.
The game just has a lot of routing errors and culling issues but has no in-built way to fix them once they keep happening over time.
The open world and create a style excuse was just used as damage control to defend the Sims 4 after the backlash and give a good reason why these features were left out, when in reality Maxis just didn't have enough time to make them (similarly to pools and toddlers) because they had to build a single-player game in an engine that was not meant for a single-player game.
But ever since they started spreading that excuse simmers keep spreading it without realizing that the developers never had to completely cut out these features to make the game work better, they simply had to optimize them (like what happened with the Sims 4 Cats and Dogs which came with a color wheel) but they were simply too lazy to optimize them so they decided to not even bother.
If I remember correctly I think I remember the former executive producer herself claiming we wouldn't have pools and the like, due to the trade offs of all the new tech and features in the game. Which was obviously not true (figured it all come down to them having to rush a unfinished product out the door due to time constraints and whatever set backs.) Got the pools, toddlers and some of the other features that were missing from launch, so I I don't think this game is too heavily limited other than what can't be changed due to labor and time. (Game can't really be a vast open world obviously with how it was designed.)
Much like when I look at pets that are decked out with a color wheel and such for CAS since they had to be made from scratch, so they had the proper channels and the like to do it. Same could have been for S4 for clothing and hair if it was planned that way. I do feel like hair MIGHT end up having sliders much like the makeup and skin to push past more of those limitations that are there.
Framework can be upgraded but it depends on the estimated time it would take to do so in hindsight. Also the game was built almost entirely with python and with version 2.7 I think. If they decide that the game would benefit from the newer features of the current python, they would have to upgrade a lot of stuff(python 2x is not compatible with python 3x) and at this stage the time required for that may not be feasible.
There is no such thing as a true limitation of an engine. Things that were not possible like pools, split foundation, terrain manipulation etc can all be added onto the engine.
The question is, is it worth the time and money to make the chance for that specific content?
Engines are constantly changed and updated.
The sims 4 engine could be changed for open world and cast if they wanted, but it would require SO much work and rewriting code that it wouldn't be worth it. I don't have a way of accurately describing how much time and money would need to go into redoing it.
This is why, instead of reusing codes, they typically start fresh with a new engine and a new sims game.
When people blame the engine, they really don't know what they're talking about. Yes, the engine was originally for olympus, but almost anything engine wise can be modified.
That has nothing to do with the engine, that's so the game can run on low end machines because people with poor laptops buy the game, and legally, the game has to run on the minimum specs advertised.
Not to correct you, but they said it was not CURRENTLY possible, because it wasn't at the time, but they said they were looking into it. That's how engines work, they are constantly updated and modified to make new things possible.
That's the thing I don't understand, just like with the limitations of us not being able to build our own apartments. A guru once stated in an inverview it was "Because if players would make a 5 story building with 100 windows the performance would take a hit" ..... And so? Let the player decide what is too taxing for THEIR personal rig. We're not playing online, we're not playing on EA's servers to hinder any other player's game performance. If someone has a low-spec laptop and they continue to buy every DLC ever put out, they wonder why there's lag. Players need to be realistic on what they are willing to sacrifice (high or ultra graphics, all DLC, Mods, CC, etc) when playing on older low-end machines.
-Social Worker, probably
For real? I haven't noticed this...
TS5 job openings mentioned the Unreal Engine. Which is a much more robust engine to use and probably easier to modify. Also...it's used in a lot of online games.... While EA has an in-house engine, the Frostbite, I'm not sure how good it is...it definitely has amazing graphics but I'm not sure how complicated it would be to use it and modify it. The studio that made Mass Effect Andromeda had tons of problems with it allegedly.
Frostbite is a good game engine the issue is EA mandated all their games use it which has been problematic to say the least. Wasn’t designed to be widely used like Unreal Engine.
I'm still annoyed about apartments. There's no reason we can't make them in game. All the technology is there. We got the roommate system in Discover University- how is that any different from living in an apartment building? And it wouldn't even require a loading screen. Then they just need to unlock elevators, trash chutes and wall mailboxes.
I think they were afraid of players building apartment buildings that were too big and would break the game, but why do they just cancel the feature completely? I don't understand why they could not have just put a restriction on the number of residents in the apartment building. It's like they think we can't handle our own games, like what Chicklet453681said earlier.