In my opinion, the reason that The Sims has been so popular and lasted all these years, is because there's no beginning, middle and end to the game. The player can make the game anything they want. They can be a single sim working on a career, play a large family, play in the future or the past - the possibilities are endless. And they can change the story any time they want, or have lots of different saved games to play when they get bored with one. That's why people can continue to play the game without getting bored with it for years (many, like me, 20 years!). Lately it seems that the focus of the game is changing, and we're being given more content that comes with it's own story - which makes it a much different game. New content is great, and keeps our imagination active to create new stories. But if this is going to continue as a life simulation game, we need more props to continue making our own stories, not new stories to play.
Check out my homes on the Gallery
EA ID SassiLassi
Gallery Link SassiLassi
I think it would do the team good to take a break. They need to reflect and figure out what they really intended Sims 4 to be.
I think they've been telling us for the last six years. People just aren't listening.
If that's the case they've been saying it's a hollowed out cash grab.
Kind of. If you mean they've been saying they're chasing current trends because they make money, then yes. Star Wars is trending, as was Stranger Things, which StrangerVille was based from. So is "going green", conservation, and tiny homes. They've said they're branching out to try new things and represent more of the modern world, rather than middle class American yesteryear. They've said they're marketing mainly to teen girls, trying to get a new, broader player base which essentially changes what the game is about and also the community as a whole.
They've said a lot of things that have marked changes coming to the Sims franchise as we know it, and they've been pretty transparent about these changes. It doesn't seem to be Maxis who is confused, they seem to know exactly what direction they're heading in, it's the players who are lost. And yeah, it's a sad thing because it means "out with the old, in with the new", and the possibility of an uncertain future for The Sims as we used to know it.
And I'm just trying to be realistic, I'm not trying to make people feel bad. But it's happening, like it or not. Pretending it isn't is only going to lead to unhappiness. Best to try to realize it and move on to the next stage of grief.
I think it would do the team good to take a break. They need to reflect and figure out what they really intended Sims 4 to be.
I think they've been telling us for the last six years. People just aren't listening.
If that's the case they've been saying it's a hollowed out cash grab.
Kind of. If you mean they've been saying they're chasing current trends because they make money, then yes. Star Wars is trending, as was Stranger Things, which StrangerVille was based from. So is "going green", conservation, and tiny homes. They've said they're branching out to try new things and represent more of the modern world, rather than middle class American yesteryear. They've said they're marketing mainly to teen girls, trying to get a new, broader player base which essentially changes what the game is about and also the community as a whole.
They've said a lot of things that have marked changes coming to the Sims franchise as we know it, and they've been pretty transparent about these changes. It doesn't seem to be Maxis who is confused, they seem to know exactly what direction they're heading in, it's the players who are lost. And yeah, it's a sad thing because it means "out with the old, in with the new", and the possibility of an uncertain future for The Sims as we used to know it.
And I'm just trying to be realistic, I'm not trying to make people feel bad. But it's happening, like it or not. Pretending it isn't is only going to lead to unhappiness. Best to try to realize it and move on to the next stage of grief.
I totally agree with what you said, in my eyes The Sims will never be like the past iterations.
That's why I said it never should have been titled TS4, but instead "The Sims Next Generation", essentially a new type of game that has simulated people you can control.
I agree, they should just pull a brake on releasing content and get off of social medias, and focused on improving the current state of the game as well as bug fix.
Since they started this constant "chasing new generation of players" The Sims has become a potpurri of different game changres and feels straggly and incoherent. Therefore they can't really satisfy anyone completely. When someone pointed out last week that it is a life simulation game Lyndsay Pearson's answer was "I don't think The Sims has to be ONLY one or the other though". They wanted TS4 to be something else, they said so with this famous line "It takes a while for any one whose been a fan of a franchise that has been long running like ours to be open to new experiences." so what is it? A time management game, adventure, life sim, trend simulator etc etc. TS4 is a lost cause imo, but I think they should rethink when it comes to TS5, if it comes..
The other thing I think is very strange, it seems they are doing this game for their own sake, not the customers. That began with Rachel Franklin. A lot of her interests was implemented into the game, except for the bagpipes
Not a break, but I’ve always advocated for longer development cycles and larger (and fewer) DLCs. This would allow for more ambitious content and more time to fix the existing issues.
I am totally on board with this suggestion too. Quality over quantity. I think they need to maybe release one or two large packs a year like they used too which provided fuller content.
“Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” –Helen Keller
Feedback , when relevant and fair, can instill motivation to the receiptant.
There are many good things about Sims 4 and many bad things.
Of course, feedback must be a fair reflection of both these things to allow the receiver to understand what to carry on and what to change.
Essentially, what makes the gamer love Sims 4? Do they keep referring to functionality from prev Sims titles?
I appreciate that you cannot always replicate what happened in a previous title (due to many variables), but is there a way to get the soul/core of that functionality and add a S4 garnish?
Ultimately, anyone who works, realises that time is a key factor. Would it best for Maxis to say to EA, we need time to fix the base game/core features so we can keep our current gamers happy. It would mean one less DLC, but our gamers would be logging on EA servers more and advertising Sims to other gamers in the community.
Personally, i only recommend games when I really enjoy them. That has only been 3 games in the last 4 years.
I only got Sims 4 because it was free during my premium membership on the console. And i use to play Sims 2 and bought that 4-5 weeks after release. (I was a high school student then) 😂
So you even lost me when Sims 4 originally came out. (Sims 3 - I was at college).
Time to bring back the soul of The Sims and the essence of what made this a best seller those Many years ago.
👍🎮💻
I feel like they checked out a while ago. There's so many bugs that remain unfixed, and if any of us did our jobs this half-plummed, we'd be fired. It all just feels sloppy and uncoordinated. The Sims has lost its soul, and yeah, after playing the game for the past twenty years, it does hurt. I grew up on the Sims. My mother and I have played all the games, sharing our stories with each other, and we even played The Sims Online together - as much of a hot mess that was too. I've spent an untold fortune on everything, including all the spin offs.
It's sad to drop something I've loved for twenty years, but I'm pretty much at that point. I'll enjoy what I have and still keep an eye on what they are doing, but yeah I think I'm pretty much out now. Luckily, my computer plays 1, 2, and 3 without too many issues.
Not a break, but I’ve always advocated for longer development cycles and larger (and fewer) DLCs. This would allow for more ambitious content and more time to fix the existing issues.
I am totally on board with this suggestion too. Quality over quantity. I think they need to maybe release one or two large packs a year like they used too which provided fuller content.
Absolutely. The question, of course, becomes how would they make up the earnings loss from the all the GPs and SPs. Because I’m sure there isn’t much appetite for paying more than what EPs cost now.
In that same spirit, if you aren't enjoying the game we are getting, might I suggest the person who needs a break is, in fact, you?
Ah yes the good ol' "I love this game and if you don't like it then leave" approach. Nevermind actually discussing the issues that many people in the community are having with this game, no because someone's own first-world experience and happiness matters more. I wish I could get paid by EA to shill so hard...
Not a break, but I’ve always advocated for longer development cycles and larger (and fewer) DLCs. This would allow for more ambitious content and more time to fix the existing issues.
I would like for them to do that too, less outsourcing and more time for them to work on their packs.
There was a time when Call of Duty released every year from pretty much the same studios which resulted in those games feeling very much the same because the developers had so little time working on them. That was until Activision divided the franchise into three studios and gave them three years each to work on their next Call of Duty game. It resulted in the games improving a lot in terms of quality and content.
Maybe EA could do something similar with Maxis, I know Maxis opened a new studio recently. Have three Maxis studios work on the packs for the sims and give them three years to work on each pack, not just one year.
Feedback , when relevant and fair, can instill motivation to the receiptant.
Essentially, what makes the gamer love Sims 4? Do they keep referring to functionality from prev Sims titles?
I appreciate that you cannot always replicate what happened in a previous title (due to many variables), but is there a way to get the soul/core of that functionality and add a S4 garnish?
Ultimately, anyone who works, realises that time is a key factor. Would it best for Maxis to say to EA, we need time to fix the base game/core features so we can keep our current gamers happy. It would mean one less DLC, but our gamers would be logging on EA servers more and advertising Sims to other gamers in the community.
Personally, i only recommend games when I really enjoy them. That has only been 3 games in the last 4 years.
👍🎮💻
To expand on my previous point.
The best game I have played in 2020 (so far) is a game called Streets Of Rage 4.
The reasons are:
1) It still has it authentic arcade soul that made it popular game in the 90's and 2000's.
2) It merged this with great graphics and a modern touch up to the game
3) It allowed you use players from the original 3 games in the trilogy but you had to unlock them by reaching a threshold of points. This made an arcade game have replay value.
4) It embedded cross multiplayer to allow you to play with friends in the modern way.
(Can't beat playing together in the same room tho!) 🤣
5) It included "Easter Eggs" which allowed you to revisit a classic popular level and beat that character. Ironically accessed via an Arcade Machine using a Taser (pick up items). Merging both traditional and modern. Seriously, that was some smart thinking. Which geniuely made me smile over a classic game. 😃
6) It added new enemies but kept the old classic characters to really embed that nostalgic feeling but provide new challenges.
7) It focused on what it done best.
Which was being a classic great arcade fighting game. Then it added some new stuff to make it a new game in itself.
It can be done.
And this was done by a medium sized developer who focused on gaming before money.
If you do Business Right, the money will always come. The customers will come to a great product.
Maxxis, you have the potential to do this....
The previous Sims were iconic for a reason. Don't lose that.... 😇
I think it would do the team good to take a break. They need to reflect and figure out what they really intended Sims 4 to be.
I think they've been telling us for the last six years. People just aren't listening.
@simgirl1010 Honestly, I don't think they can decide themselves. They are constantly saying what they say. Remember the "Smarter Sims" marketing? Fast forward to now them saying "oh it's actually less complex because it's a storytelling tool" at the same time there's the "inclusivity marketing" then it became "E-Sports" and maybe a year in the future they will abandon all of it and say the game is something completely different. I don't think they know either.
The developers see themselves as artists and creators, and there is a highly respected and legitimate school of thought that believes the worst art comes from listening to the feedback. If Picasso had listened to the feedback, almost all of which was initially bad, he never would have painted anything groundbreaking.
The Sims 2 University, Open for business. The Sims 3 Ambitions, World adventures, Late night. The Sims 4 seasons.
I consider these groundbreaking or close to that because they either added something completely new and executed it flawlessly or took an older concept and evolved it into something spectacular.
But I want to close this here because this is not what the thread is supposed to be about. [/quote]
for the sake of this, i’d say Eco Lifestyle was groundbreaking in some sense[/quote]
The developers see themselves as artists and creators, and there is a highly respected and legitimate school of thought that believes the worst art comes from listening to the feedback. If Picasso had listened to the feedback, almost all of which was initially bad, he never would have painted anything groundbreaking.
I'm pretty sure Michelangelo would be a sellout by today's standards. Artists who survive by doing their art generally have to do some work on commission.
At this point, I don't want groundbreaking. I want the basic things we're missing, done competently. Once we have those, then we can talk about adding new stuff.
I started with this franchise as a pre-teen and now am an adult. While I still like reading about the sims 4 news and play once in awhile the game really hasn't been capturing me. I think part of the problem, for me at least, is that they're marketing towards teen girls and I am no longer in that demographic. Sometimes you just grow out of things if they don't change to meet your expectations and play style when you are an adult vs. when you are a teen. If I go back to TS2/TS3 however I feel those games are more aimed at adults as well as teenagers and I can get more enjoyment out of them.
As someone who was around on the Sims 2 BBS and Sims 3 forums, I think a lot of the problem too is that they don't engage with fans as much as they used to - they seem to engage mainly on Twitter and Facebook, but it seems rather limited compared to times past. We don't get to know what packs are ahead of time, we don't get much information at all apart from 2 weeks before a release, when it's too late. They did do the community stuff packs which was a great idea but we need more engagement and interaction from the Gurus. I feel that if they posted about what people wanted in the game and shared ideas/took suggestions for gameplay changes (not just DLC) such as improved emotions, traits, personalities, people would be a lot happier. I think they're off-roading with focusing too much on DLC and I'm sure a lot of that is from a financial push from EA. A lot of the content now is just re-used animations, set dressing, objects, etc instead of challenging, deep gameplay. I believe this is one of the core problems - you can buy DLC over and over, but once the shine wears off, the problems with gameplay are still there.
How about they take a break and learn to see the game as a player? Yeah that's right, play the game and I mean the different aspects of the game until they have to deal with the bugs, so then, (because I do not mean this to be a punishment) they may be able of think of ways to fix them, and feel our pain.
I'm sure many will comment that they do play the game, so I will reply beforehand, from what perspective do they play?
How about they take a break and learn to see the game as a player? Yeah that's right, play the game and I mean the different aspects of the game until they have to deal with the bugs, so then, (because I do not mean this to be a punishment) they may be able of think of ways to fix them, and feel our pain.
I'm sure many will comment that they do play the game, so I will reply beforehand, from what perspective do they play?
Thank you
I know they say they play the game, but do they really? Or do they just build or go into CAS and create. I mean are they really playing full on game with a save they've had for months or years?
Because truly if they did, they would for sure already know what bugs there are, and if they've been around a long time, they would also know that their "smarter" sims are lacking in most things.
The problem with chasing trends is it's the surest way to ensure you'll never be relevant. If EAxis wants to reach the cultural relevance of, say, Fortnite or even more recently Fall Guys, they need to learn to do their own things in their own way. "Market study" will never be up to par.
Unfortunately, EA execs have their head so far up their own derrieres they will never realize that.
That said, I quite enjoy the more recent themes of TS4 packs. What I do not enjoy however, is paying 40€ for 2 hours of added gameplay tops. Just once guys, I want depth in a pack. Stop assuming every player has short attention span.
The developers see themselves as artists and creators, and there is a highly respected and legitimate school of thought that believes the worst art comes from listening to the feedback. If Picasso had listened to the feedback, almost all of which was initially bad, he never would have painted anything groundbreaking.
I'm pretty sure Michelangelo would be a sellout by today's standards. Artists who survive by doing their art generally have to do some work on commission.
They make advertisements for Disney theme parks while working at one of the largest game publishers on earth. I find it hard to believe that "selling out" is whats keeping them from making content that the fan base actually wants.
It has become a great rift between family players and those who want adventure/fantasy in their game, this question asked in the thread become a bit questionable. "Dear Sims Team, Do you want to take a break" Is it so that they only should care for the family players or the adventure/fantasy players?! Should the Sims team only cater for one sorts of play or both?
How about they take a break and learn to see the game as a player? Yeah that's right, play the game and I mean the different aspects of the game until they have to deal with the bugs, so then, (because I do not mean this to be a punishment) they may be able of think of ways to fix them, and feel our pain.
I'm sure many will comment that they do play the game, so I will reply beforehand, from what perspective do they play?
Thank you
I know they say they play the game, but do they really? Or do they just build or go into CAS and create. I mean are they really playing full on game with a save they've had for months or years?
Because truly if they did, they would for sure already know what bugs there are, and if they've been around a long time, they would also know that their "smarter" sims are lacking in most things.
Some of them do stream it on Twitch actually. Not all of them play it for fun. I do know SimGuruGraham and SimGuruPopcorn do play it as well as the Sims 2 game too.
“Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.” –Helen Keller
Comments
EA ID SassiLassi
Gallery Link SassiLassi
Kind of. If you mean they've been saying they're chasing current trends because they make money, then yes. Star Wars is trending, as was Stranger Things, which StrangerVille was based from. So is "going green", conservation, and tiny homes. They've said they're branching out to try new things and represent more of the modern world, rather than middle class American yesteryear. They've said they're marketing mainly to teen girls, trying to get a new, broader player base which essentially changes what the game is about and also the community as a whole.
They've said a lot of things that have marked changes coming to the Sims franchise as we know it, and they've been pretty transparent about these changes. It doesn't seem to be Maxis who is confused, they seem to know exactly what direction they're heading in, it's the players who are lost. And yeah, it's a sad thing because it means "out with the old, in with the new", and the possibility of an uncertain future for The Sims as we used to know it.
And I'm just trying to be realistic, I'm not trying to make people feel bad. But it's happening, like it or not. Pretending it isn't is only going to lead to unhappiness. Best to try to realize it and move on to the next stage of grief.
I totally agree with what you said, in my eyes The Sims will never be like the past iterations.
That's why I said it never should have been titled TS4, but instead "The Sims Next Generation", essentially a new type of game that has simulated people you can control.
The other thing I think is very strange, it seems they are doing this game for their own sake, not the customers. That began with Rachel Franklin. A lot of her interests was implemented into the game, except for the bagpipes
There are many good things about Sims 4 and many bad things.
Of course, feedback must be a fair reflection of both these things to allow the receiver to understand what to carry on and what to change.
Essentially, what makes the gamer love Sims 4? Do they keep referring to functionality from prev Sims titles?
I appreciate that you cannot always replicate what happened in a previous title (due to many variables), but is there a way to get the soul/core of that functionality and add a S4 garnish?
Ultimately, anyone who works, realises that time is a key factor. Would it best for Maxis to say to EA, we need time to fix the base game/core features so we can keep our current gamers happy. It would mean one less DLC, but our gamers would be logging on EA servers more and advertising Sims to other gamers in the community.
Personally, i only recommend games when I really enjoy them. That has only been 3 games in the last 4 years.
I only got Sims 4 because it was free during my premium membership on the console. And i use to play Sims 2 and bought that 4-5 weeks after release. (I was a high school student then) 😂
So you even lost me when Sims 4 originally came out. (Sims 3 - I was at college).
Time to bring back the soul of The Sims and the essence of what made this a best seller those Many years ago.
👍🎮💻
It's sad to drop something I've loved for twenty years, but I'm pretty much at that point. I'll enjoy what I have and still keep an eye on what they are doing, but yeah I think I'm pretty much out now. Luckily, my computer plays 1, 2, and 3 without too many issues.
Absolutely. The question, of course, becomes how would they make up the earnings loss from the all the GPs and SPs. Because I’m sure there isn’t much appetite for paying more than what EPs cost now.
Ah yes the good ol' "I love this game and if you don't like it then leave" approach. Nevermind actually discussing the issues that many people in the community are having with this game, no because someone's own first-world experience and happiness matters more. I wish I could get paid by EA to shill so hard...
I would like for them to do that too, less outsourcing and more time for them to work on their packs.
There was a time when Call of Duty released every year from pretty much the same studios which resulted in those games feeling very much the same because the developers had so little time working on them. That was until Activision divided the franchise into three studios and gave them three years each to work on their next Call of Duty game. It resulted in the games improving a lot in terms of quality and content.
Maybe EA could do something similar with Maxis, I know Maxis opened a new studio recently. Have three Maxis studios work on the packs for the sims and give them three years to work on each pack, not just one year.
@Sindocat Wow this is not contributing to the discussion at all...
To expand on my previous point.
The best game I have played in 2020 (so far) is a game called Streets Of Rage 4.
The reasons are:
1) It still has it authentic arcade soul that made it popular game in the 90's and 2000's.
2) It merged this with great graphics and a modern touch up to the game
3) It allowed you use players from the original 3 games in the trilogy but you had to unlock them by reaching a threshold of points. This made an arcade game have replay value.
4) It embedded cross multiplayer to allow you to play with friends in the modern way.
(Can't beat playing together in the same room tho!) 🤣
5) It included "Easter Eggs" which allowed you to revisit a classic popular level and beat that character. Ironically accessed via an Arcade Machine using a Taser (pick up items). Merging both traditional and modern. Seriously, that was some smart thinking. Which geniuely made me smile over a classic game. 😃
6) It added new enemies but kept the old classic characters to really embed that nostalgic feeling but provide new challenges.
7) It focused on what it done best.
Which was being a classic great arcade fighting game. Then it added some new stuff to make it a new game in itself.
It can be done.
And this was done by a medium sized developer who focused on gaming before money.
If you do Business Right, the money will always come. The customers will come to a great product.
Maxxis, you have the potential to do this....
The previous Sims were iconic for a reason. Don't lose that.... 😇
@simgirl1010 Honestly, I don't think they can decide themselves. They are constantly saying what they say. Remember the "Smarter Sims" marketing? Fast forward to now them saying "oh it's actually less complex because it's a storytelling tool" at the same time there's the "inclusivity marketing" then it became "E-Sports" and maybe a year in the future they will abandon all of it and say the game is something completely different. I don't think they know either.
The Sims 2 University, Open for business. The Sims 3 Ambitions, World adventures, Late night. The Sims 4 seasons.
I consider these groundbreaking or close to that because they either added something completely new and executed it flawlessly or took an older concept and evolved it into something spectacular.
But I want to close this here because this is not what the thread is supposed to be about. [/quote]
for the sake of this, i’d say Eco Lifestyle was groundbreaking in some sense[/quote]
I’d go as far as to say it’s game breaking too😬🤣
I'm pretty sure Michelangelo would be a sellout by today's standards. Artists who survive by doing their art generally have to do some work on commission.
As someone who was around on the Sims 2 BBS and Sims 3 forums, I think a lot of the problem too is that they don't engage with fans as much as they used to - they seem to engage mainly on Twitter and Facebook, but it seems rather limited compared to times past. We don't get to know what packs are ahead of time, we don't get much information at all apart from 2 weeks before a release, when it's too late. They did do the community stuff packs which was a great idea but we need more engagement and interaction from the Gurus. I feel that if they posted about what people wanted in the game and shared ideas/took suggestions for gameplay changes (not just DLC) such as improved emotions, traits, personalities, people would be a lot happier. I think they're off-roading with focusing too much on DLC and I'm sure a lot of that is from a financial push from EA. A lot of the content now is just re-used animations, set dressing, objects, etc instead of challenging, deep gameplay. I believe this is one of the core problems - you can buy DLC over and over, but once the shine wears off, the problems with gameplay are still there.
I'm sure many will comment that they do play the game, so I will reply beforehand, from what perspective do they play?
Thank you
I know they say they play the game, but do they really? Or do they just build or go into CAS and create. I mean are they really playing full on game with a save they've had for months or years?
Because truly if they did, they would for sure already know what bugs there are, and if they've been around a long time, they would also know that their "smarter" sims are lacking in most things.
Unfortunately, EA execs have their head so far up their own derrieres they will never realize that.
That said, I quite enjoy the more recent themes of TS4 packs. What I do not enjoy however, is paying 40€ for 2 hours of added gameplay tops. Just once guys, I want depth in a pack. Stop assuming every player has short attention span.
They make advertisements for Disney theme parks while working at one of the largest game publishers on earth. I find it hard to believe that "selling out" is whats keeping them from making content that the fan base actually wants.