First of all, I think it’s a great thing that the team is taking topic suggestions in this way. (Although I do wonder if you truly understand what you all are in for.) That being said, here are some topics I’d like to see discussed.
1. EP vs. GP
What factors does the team look at when differentiating an EP from a GP, especially as it relates to gameplay mechanics? It seems like every time a new EP is announced, discussions arise about whether or not it actually deserves to be an EP. This is semi-obvious when it comes to CAS assets and objects, but not for new gameplay. I would be interested to know if the team has these discussions as well, or at least what things they look at when making that decision.
2. Retroactive Development Discussions
One of the best things about the Stuff Pack votes has been getting a closer look at the development process for those packs. I would love to perhaps bring on team members who worked on other packs/features, and have similar discussions with them about how certain decisions were made or certain features were developed-even for base game elements. This would also provide an opportunity to give some insight into the more…controversial decisions that have been made over the years.
3. Community Spotlight
I would like to see some time dedicated to players Sims’ stories or experiences, perhaps centered on different theme for different months. For example, the community could be asked to submit summer themed builds, or screenshots of summer-themed gameplay. It would be a nice way to get some attention on players who don’t necessarily have a huge social media presence. Alternatively, there’s already a “what happened in your game today” thread on the forums; it might be fun to highlight some of those moments.
4. Did you know?
There are a lot of features in TS4 that players may not know about, or are not advertised-two examples that come to my mind immediately are being able to pre-set camera positions when using the photography skill, and using the present plies that came with Seasons as birthday presents during a party. It would be fun to highlight some of these.
Again, I really appreciate that the team is undergoing this effort to take suggestions from the community. I look forward to the next livestream whatever the topics may be.
EA Staff (Retired)