To all the people who said they're tired of complaints about toddlers / toddlers hijacking the conversation about what's lacking in TS4: I really do not on principle disagree with you. I like toddlers in TS3, but I don't love them, and if they'd be the only thing missing from TS4, I don't think I would care very much at all. I know there'd still be people who'd be very unhappy about that, and I do not on principle disagree with them either, but I wouldn't spend my time responding to these kinds of thread if that'd be all the game was missing. I'd be playing TS4 instead.
But what someone said about toddlers (or even CAW) being a symbol? Yeah, kind of. It's not that they're necessarily a symbol for what "the sims" is, but they're definitely a symbol for what's wrong with TS4: the fact that this is not a life simulation game, because it lacks - in nearly every area - the very complexity necessary to imitate life at all.
See when I complain about "what TS4 lacks in essential features", I actually rarely think of toddlers first, if at all. The thing that bugs me most about TS4 is its simplicity. The fact that it skips over an entire life stage, jumping from baby to a perfectly happy child whose traits I can always choose (regardless of how much time I spent with the baby) isn't the cause for this game's emptiness. It's a glaring symptom. Besides, this 'baby' isn't even a sim at all (that's why it has no needs & can't be carried around), It's an in-game object, pure and simple, and my sim can interact with it to produce simple in-game animations. Just like bird-feeding, really. Nothing more. It has no memories, no personality, and no actual needs. But when I speak of TS4 being an empty, unfinished game, I do not relate this to toddlers. That is where this simplicity problem sticks out to some. To others, it's tools like CAW. To me, it's mostly these three things: interactions, autonomous actions & emotions.
YES. YES. YES. This is the most spot on post I've read. I attempted to make similar points in my last post, but you said it better than I ever could. I agree that toddlers are symbolic for everything that's wrong with TS4; I just wish more players would say this explicitly so the Sims team would realize the REAL issue we all have with this game - the complexity that Sims gameplay once had is gone. The trait system is just one thing that drives me absolutely nuts. They shouldn't even really be considered traits because sims' personalities are indistinguishable. They're essentially just emotion enhancers. "Romantic" make sims flirty more often. "Squeamish" makes them uncomfortable. "Jealous" makes them tense ALL. THE. TIME. Traits, however, hardly do anything to guide their actions (other than, like you said, the kleptomaniac trait). Anyway, thank you for this post. I hope awareness of these root issues spreads among the community.
LGR the best youtuber Let's player around - he tells it like it is with no chaser
ETA no disrespect to any of the names named as potential influencers but if anyone tries to "influence" me to think in a way other than the way I think I'm walking the plank.
Gag just the word "influence" in context with a computer game has an ominous tone to it.
LGR the best youtuber Let's player around - he tells it like it is with no chaser
ETA no disrespect to any of the names named as potential influencers but if anyone tries to "influence" me to think in a way other than the way I think I'm walking the plank.
Gag just the word "influence" in context with a computer game has an ominous tone to it.
As a side note @faytheful is there a different meaning to ETA that I am not aware of?..
LGR the best youtuber Let's player around - he tells it like it is with no chaser
ETA no disrespect to any of the names named as potential influencers but if anyone tries to "influence" me to think in a way other than the way I think I'm walking the plank.
Gag just the word "influence" in context with a computer game has an ominous tone to it.
As a side note @faytheful is there a different meaning to ETA that I am not aware of?..
I always took it to mean edited to add - am I mistaken ?
bc that's what I did there I added that part after ETA & after publishing; just didn't put a space
LGR the best youtuber Let's player around - he tells it like it is with no chaser
ETA no disrespect to any of the names named as potential influencers but if anyone tries to "influence" me to think in a way other than the way I think I'm walking the plank.
Gag just the word "influence" in context with a computer game has an ominous tone to it.
As a side note @faytheful is there a different meaning to ETA that I am not aware of?..
I always took it to mean edited to add - am I mistaken ?
bc that's what I did there I added that part after ETA & after publishing; just didn't put a space
LGR the best youtuber Let's player around - he tells it like it is with no chaser
ETA no disrespect to any of the names named as potential influencers but if anyone tries to "influence" me to think in a way other than the way I think I'm walking the plank.
Gag just the word "influence" in context with a computer game has an ominous tone to it.
As a side note @faytheful is there a different meaning to ETA that I am not aware of?..
I always took it to mean edited to add - am I mistaken ?
bc that's what I did there I added that part after ETA & after publishing; just didn't put a space
@faytheful When I see it on a forum, I always assume it means 'edited to add'. But before I had much forum experience, and in the context of my job, it usually had the other meaning.
The Sims
Where are we going, and why am I in this hand basket?!
yea I said u guys had jokes bc I've heard it in the other context too
but in the context of writing in a forum I've only heard it to mean edited to add unless
there's something I don't know which is always possible. #openmind #learningeveryday
LGR the best youtuber Let's player around - he tells it like it is with no chaser
ETA no disrespect to any of the names named as potential influencers but if anyone tries to "influence" me to think in a way other than the way I think I'm walking the plank.
Gag just the word "influence" in context with a computer game has an ominous tone to it.
Sorry to ask, but what or who are these 'influencers' that some players are talking of lately?
i have played the sims since sims 1 im 37 so i was a young adult when i started playing i have the sims 4 and its installed but i dont play it much because i play sims 3 i think people need to have an open mind with sims 4
LGR the best youtuber Let's player around - he tells it like it is with no chaser
ETA no disrespect to any of the names named as potential influencers but if anyone tries to "influence" me to think in a way other than the way I think I'm walking the plank.
Gag just the word "influence" in context with a computer game has an ominous tone to it.
Sorry to ask, but what or who are these 'influencers' that some players are talking of lately?
Most of the popular Sims Youtubers. Deligracy, XURBANSIMSX, James Turner, Wee Albet, Curtis Paradis, The English Simmer, SIMSVIP, to name a few.
LGR the best youtuber Let's player around - he tells it like it is with no chaser
ETA no disrespect to any of the names named as potential influencers but if anyone tries to "influence" me to think in a way other than the way I think I'm walking the plank.
Gag just the word "influence" in context with a computer game has an ominous tone to it.
Sorry to ask, but what or who are these 'influencers' that some players are talking of lately?
Most of the popular Sims Youtubers. Deligracy, XURBANSIMSX, James Turner, Wee Albet, Curtis Paradis, The English Simmer, SIMSVIP, to name a few.
EA CREATOR NETWORK MEMBER — Want to be notified of patches, new Broken Mods threads, and urgent Sims 4 news? Follow me at https://www.patreon.com/luthienrising.
LGR the best youtuber Let's player around - he tells it like it is with no chaser
ETA no disrespect to any of the names named as potential influencers but if anyone tries to "influence" me to think in a way other than the way I think I'm walking the plank.
Gag just the word "influence" in context with a computer game has an ominous tone to it.
Sorry to ask, but what or who are these 'influencers' that some players are talking of lately?
Most of the popular Sims Youtubers. Deligracy, XURBANSIMSX, James Turner, Wee Albet, Curtis Paradis, The English Simmer, SIMSVIP, to name a few.
Never heard of them...
Except for SimsVIP but I actually though that they where a fan site
LGR the best youtuber Let's player around - he tells it like it is with no chaser
ETA no disrespect to any of the names named as potential influencers but if anyone tries to "influence" me to think in a way other than the way I think I'm walking the plank.
Gag just the word "influence" in context with a computer game has an ominous tone to it.
Sorry to ask, but what or who are these 'influencers' that some players are talking of lately?
Most of the popular Sims Youtubers. Deligracy, XURBANSIMSX, James Turner, Wee Albet, Curtis Paradis, The English Simmer, SIMSVIP, to name a few.
yea I said u guys had jokes bc I've heard it in the other context too
but in the context of writing in a forum I've only heard it to mean edited to add unless
there's something I don't know which is always possible. #openmind #learningeveryday
ETA Police, EMT, & many other professions use it
ETA in the Sims as HappySimmer 3 said means Edited to Add.
At one point in the forum if one wanted to edit a post they had to give a reason for the edit - so we had to add in an ETA. Some of us just do it out of habit even though it has been a long time since we had to actually need a reason to edit. LOL.
"Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
In dreams - I LIVE!
In REALITY, I simply exist.....
The whole culture of "influencers" is rotten. Yes, it's good that some people like to create social channels or websites to support their favourite game. Unfortunately, human nature takes over with many and they soon become part of the machine, continuing the actions to serve their own ends. Because at the end of the day, they continue (not begin) to do it for the money.
One of these influencers is surprising in particular, considering the Sims 3 Store theft scandal from some years back. It's interesting that such a thing can be overlooked when mutual financial benefits are on the table. Anybody around long enough to remember that will know what I mean.
Maxis embraces influencers because it reduces their marketing bills. Simple as that. They can utilise the services of young, energy-rich people with a passion for their product at minimum cost to themselves, with the added effect of them allowing distance and deniability when the kaka hits the fan.
Imagine if one of the influencers was responsible for the "all life stages will be present in TS4" comment. We wouldn't have the huge furore it entailed when the promise wasn't fulfilled.
The REAL reason for the embracing of "influencers" is financial, and the beneficiary of the spoils is Maxis, pure and simple.
To @Sk8rblaze, thank you for the shout. It was nice to read. Unfortunately, the reason I and other people like me (and my website abandoned because Maxis totally killed any enthusiasm I have for the game over the past four years), would NEVER be included in any such thing is that we would refuse to be on a leash. The criticism would be direct and unrestrained. Only yes men get hired by these sorts of companies.
Look, if a company was to do their job correctly by providing an enjoyable product supported by adequate support, engagement and promotion, it would be embraced by people like me and others. I'm a big fan of other media. DC Comics and Scientific American Mind are two publications I have and will always support. Film directors like Wong Kar Wai and act/ors/resses such as Julianne Moore, Masanobu Andô, Moritz Bleibtreu, Gael García Bernal, Hugh Dancy, Byung Hung Lee and Tom Hardy always get my dollars. Assassin's Creed, The Elder Scrolls, Shin Megami Tensei and Koei Tecmo series always get a pass. They know what they do, they do it well, and missteps are always rectified.
I only wish Maxis had the humility to do what Ubisoft has done with Assassin's Creed. Reign it in, take it off the market, reevaluate and reestablish, then aim for a relaunch truly worthy of the history it has built up.
It's tiring to have a company trying to decorate 🐸🐸🐸🐸 and bandaids with gold wrappings and pretty talking heads. It's transparently ugly.
The whole culture of "influencers" is rotten. Yes, it's good that some people like to create social channels or websites to support their favourite game. Unfortunately, human nature takes over with many and they soon become part of the machine, continuing the actions to serve their own ends. Because at the end of the day, they continue (not begin) to do it for the money.
One of these influencers is surprising in particular, considering the Sims 3 Store theft scandal from some years back. It's interesting that such a thing can be overlooked when mutual financial benefits are on the table. Anybody around long enough to remember that will know what I mean.
Maxis embraces influencers because it reduces their marketing bills. Simple as that. They can utilise the services of young, energy-rich people with a passion for their product at minimum cost to themselves, with the added effect of them allowing distance and deniability when the kaka hits the fan.
Imagine if one of the influencers was responsible for the "all life stages will be present in TS4" comment. We wouldn't have the huge furore it entailed when the promise wasn't fulfilled.
The REAL reason for the embracing of "influencers" is financial, and the beneficiary of the spoils is Maxis, pure and simple.
To @Sk8rblaze, thank you for the shout. It was nice to read. Unfortunately, the reason I and other people like me (and my website abandoned because Maxis totally killed any enthusiasm I have for the game over the past four years), would NEVER be included in any such thing is that we would refuse to be on a leash. The criticism would be direct and unrestrained. Only yes men get hired by these sorts of companies.
Look, if a company was to do their job correctly by providing an enjoyable product supported by adequate support, engagement and promotion, it would be embraced by people like me and others. I'm a big fan of other media. DC Comics and Scientific American Mind are two publications I have and will always support. Film directors like Wong Kar Wai and acto/rs/resses such as Julianne Moore, Masanobu Andô, Moritz Bleibtreu, Gael García Bernal, Hugh Dancy, Byung Hung Lee and Tom Hardy always get my dollars. Assassin's Creed, The Elder Scrolls, Shin Megami Tensei and Koei Tecmo series always get a pass. They know what they do, they do it well, and missteps are always rectified.
I only wish Maxis had the humility to do what Ubisoft has done with Assassin's Creed. Reign it in, take it off the market, reevaluate and reestablish, then aim for a relaunch truly worthy of the history it has built up.
It's tiring to have a company trying to decorate 🐸🐸🐸🐸 and bandaids with gold wrappings and pretty talking heads. It's transparently ugly.
I myself don't know anything about the 'Store content scandal' and I don't want to know either.
But I agree with the influencers; It is good to have other 'players' on board but they are indeed part of a 'machine' or a 'system' if you like. These individuals, as decent as they might be are not players I know personally. They are very much part of The Sims community but they are not in my circles, they do not post here and they do not know me so they are just strangers who 'post stuff on Youtube' and they are not people I follow either as I as a rule, never really follow 'Lets plays' on Youtube unless requested by a friend from here.
My main interests with 'Simmers on Youtube' (I hate the term 'Youtuber') is for heir talents in making films such as I do. I do not want to here player's opinions on a game that I may or may not play.
Of course they might be a benefit for the company, and that is all very well. The influencers will be at no disadvantage either and so I see no harm in the situation but why can only a select number of players be influencers when in reality we all influence the game in one way or another and have done for the past 16 odd years.
Are us Simmers just 'commoners' who are not of real 'importance' no longer allowed to influence anything?
To @Sk8rblaze, thank you for the shout. It was nice to read. Unfortunately, the reason I and other people like me (and my website abandoned because Maxis totally killed any enthusiasm I have for the game over the past four years), would NEVER be included in any such thing is that we would refuse to be on a leash. The criticism would be direct and unrestrained. Only yes men get hired by these sorts of companies.
I love all of your post @MrHawk , and agree with you as always, but especially with this.
I think @Sk8rblaze is awesome for giving me a shoutout too, but EA would never listen to me. They want to sell their product, not have someone like me mouthing off about how terrible I think it is
I would like to think they would, but it wouldn't ever happen. They want people who are going to extol the virtues of their product the way it is. Someone like me, or you, or MrHawk or anyone you listed would provide feedback that required too much change, and it's clearly not something they wish to do.
Our vision doesn't coincide with theirs, and by all accounts, they don't seem really interested in anyone's feedback if it isn't in line with said vision.
I truly do think these "influencers" are a terrible idea. Not only do they give the impression of a huge sense of self importance for some fans, while making others feel unworthy, but, the only way I see it is EA gathering a whole load of people that are only going to be back patting and congratulating, and not stirring up any dissent or asking the hard questions.
That isn't useful. Anyone can be a "yes man". They would be better off with people with a hard, critical view.
I don't want community people "influencing" design decisions or giving their opinions as if they're speaking for the entire community. Often, their way is not my way to play. And I'll bet that goes for a lot of other people too. Who's going to speak for us?
That's just my opinion anyway.
Also please don't let the Simalogue stagnate @MrHawk ! I love your site and the content that you've provided for us
I just made a video in response to this thread. For some reason it won't let me link it, but if you go on my website (TS4News.com) it's front and center. It's more generally about EA's communications strategy, but I have a bunch of quotes from this thread so I hope you guys will check it out. I used two quotes from @sparkfairy1 and @Cinebar, and of course a bunch from @SimGuruDrake.
@Rflong7 I would also watch - why- because I have no idea how to do it. That's the only YouTube videos I watch, where I can't do it myself. I generally don't watch lets plays, they are not my thing.
The influencer thing is not new or unique to sims 4 as others have said, but this is something that annoys the heck out of me in real life. I want people to think for themselves. Don't get my wrong l respect people's talent but that's different from following then pack or whatever it's called,
Comments
YES. YES. YES. This is the most spot on post I've read. I attempted to make similar points in my last post, but you said it better than I ever could. I agree that toddlers are symbolic for everything that's wrong with TS4; I just wish more players would say this explicitly so the Sims team would realize the REAL issue we all have with this game - the complexity that Sims gameplay once had is gone. The trait system is just one thing that drives me absolutely nuts. They shouldn't even really be considered traits because sims' personalities are indistinguishable. They're essentially just emotion enhancers. "Romantic" make sims flirty more often. "Squeamish" makes them uncomfortable. "Jealous" makes them tense ALL. THE. TIME. Traits, however, hardly do anything to guide their actions (other than, like you said, the kleptomaniac trait). Anyway, thank you for this post. I hope awareness of these root issues spreads among the community.
ETA no disrespect to any of the names named as potential influencers but if anyone tries to "influence" me to think in a way other than the way I think I'm walking the plank.
Gag just the word "influence" in context with a computer game has an ominous tone to it.
As a side note @faytheful is there a different meaning to ETA that I am not aware of?..
I always took it to mean edited to add - am I mistaken ?
bc that's what I did there I added that part after ETA & after publishing; just didn't put a space
Where are we going, and why am I in this hand basket?!
It means Estimated Time of Arrival
oh okay lol
lol both of you got jokes today
Where are we going, and why am I in this hand basket?!
but in the context of writing in a forum I've only heard it to mean edited to add unless
there's something I don't know which is always possible. #openmind #learningeveryday
ETA
Sorry to ask, but what or who are these 'influencers' that some players are talking of lately?
Most of the popular Sims Youtubers. Deligracy, XURBANSIMSX, James Turner, Wee Albet, Curtis Paradis, The English Simmer, SIMSVIP, to name a few.
Not just YouTubers, though. There's a bit more on it in this, just posted this aft: https://www.platinumsimmers.com/articles/the-sims-4-influencers-panel/
Never heard of them...
Except for SimsVIP but I actually though that they where a fan site
OT: like your new av.
I'm not a psychopath. I'm a high-functioning psychopath. Reaper
ETA in the Sims as HappySimmer 3 said means Edited to Add.
At one point in the forum if one wanted to edit a post they had to give a reason for the edit - so we had to add in an ETA. Some of us just do it out of habit even though it has been a long time since we had to actually need a reason to edit. LOL.
"Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
In dreams - I LIVE!
In REALITY, I simply exist.....
One of these influencers is surprising in particular, considering the Sims 3 Store theft scandal from some years back. It's interesting that such a thing can be overlooked when mutual financial benefits are on the table. Anybody around long enough to remember that will know what I mean.
Maxis embraces influencers because it reduces their marketing bills. Simple as that. They can utilise the services of young, energy-rich people with a passion for their product at minimum cost to themselves, with the added effect of them allowing distance and deniability when the kaka hits the fan.
Imagine if one of the influencers was responsible for the "all life stages will be present in TS4" comment. We wouldn't have the huge furore it entailed when the promise wasn't fulfilled.
The REAL reason for the embracing of "influencers" is financial, and the beneficiary of the spoils is Maxis, pure and simple.
To @Sk8rblaze, thank you for the shout. It was nice to read. Unfortunately, the reason I and other people like me (and my website abandoned because Maxis totally killed any enthusiasm I have for the game over the past four years), would NEVER be included in any such thing is that we would refuse to be on a leash. The criticism would be direct and unrestrained. Only yes men get hired by these sorts of companies.
Look, if a company was to do their job correctly by providing an enjoyable product supported by adequate support, engagement and promotion, it would be embraced by people like me and others. I'm a big fan of other media. DC Comics and Scientific American Mind are two publications I have and will always support. Film directors like Wong Kar Wai and act/ors/resses such as Julianne Moore, Masanobu Andô, Moritz Bleibtreu, Gael García Bernal, Hugh Dancy, Byung Hung Lee and Tom Hardy always get my dollars. Assassin's Creed, The Elder Scrolls, Shin Megami Tensei and Koei Tecmo series always get a pass. They know what they do, they do it well, and missteps are always rectified.
I only wish Maxis had the humility to do what Ubisoft has done with Assassin's Creed. Reign it in, take it off the market, reevaluate and reestablish, then aim for a relaunch truly worthy of the history it has built up.
It's tiring to have a company trying to decorate 🐸🐸🐸🐸 and bandaids with gold wrappings and pretty talking heads. It's transparently ugly.
I totally agree. Amen!
I myself don't know anything about the 'Store content scandal' and I don't want to know either.
But I agree with the influencers; It is good to have other 'players' on board but they are indeed part of a 'machine' or a 'system' if you like. These individuals, as decent as they might be are not players I know personally. They are very much part of The Sims community but they are not in my circles, they do not post here and they do not know me so they are just strangers who 'post stuff on Youtube' and they are not people I follow either as I as a rule, never really follow 'Lets plays' on Youtube unless requested by a friend from here.
My main interests with 'Simmers on Youtube' (I hate the term 'Youtuber') is for heir talents in making films such as I do. I do not want to here player's opinions on a game that I may or may not play.
Of course they might be a benefit for the company, and that is all very well. The influencers will be at no disadvantage either and so I see no harm in the situation but why can only a select number of players be influencers when in reality we all influence the game in one way or another and have done for the past 16 odd years.
Are us Simmers just 'commoners' who are not of real 'importance' no longer allowed to influence anything?
I'm a simple gal. I see toddlers, I'm happy.
I love all of your post @MrHawk
I think @Sk8rblaze is awesome for giving me a shoutout too, but EA would never listen to me. They want to sell their product, not have someone like me mouthing off about how terrible I think it is
I would like to think they would, but it wouldn't ever happen. They want people who are going to extol the virtues of their product the way it is. Someone like me, or you, or MrHawk or anyone you listed would provide feedback that required too much change, and it's clearly not something they wish to do.
Our vision doesn't coincide with theirs, and by all accounts, they don't seem really interested in anyone's feedback if it isn't in line with said vision.
I truly do think these "influencers" are a terrible idea. Not only do they give the impression of a huge sense of self importance for some fans, while making others feel unworthy, but, the only way I see it is EA gathering a whole load of people that are only going to be back patting and congratulating, and not stirring up any dissent or asking the hard questions.
That isn't useful. Anyone can be a "yes man". They would be better off with people with a hard, critical view.
I don't want community people "influencing" design decisions or giving their opinions as if they're speaking for the entire community. Often, their way is not my way to play. And I'll bet that goes for a lot of other people too. Who's going to speak for us?
That's just my opinion anyway.
Also please don't let the Simalogue stagnate @MrHawk ! I love your site and the content that you've provided for us
Edit to add stuff.
PoppySims Archive
InnaLisa Pose Archive
Devolution of Sims - a once customisable open world sandbox which has become a DLC Party catalog in a shoebox
I ♡ Pudding
Enjoy guys
The influencer thing is not new or unique to sims 4 as others have said, but this is something that annoys the heck out of me in real life. I want people to think for themselves. Don't get my wrong l respect people's talent but that's different from following then pack or whatever it's called,