Hello Sims team - thanks again for this opportunity. Big fan of The Sims 4.
One of my favorite things about The Sims franchise is the fact that there are so many different ways to play and how you try to accommodate us all. So what goes into deciding which features can be optional (like weather or fame) vs. unavoidable (university progression or lack thereof, plants being in and out of season)? How do you balance making sure that players like me, who want ultimate control, are able to play that way while also trying to take care of players who like the game engine to guide them?
Along similar lines, what goes into pack integration? For example, I love that the rock climbing wall from Fitness now has more purpose due to Snowy Escape and the Rock Climbing skill. I think it's always good for the team to be thinking about ways to make new packs mesh with everything that's come before rather than conflict in ways that might frustrate players.
You put out a survey asking what older packs people would like to see improved. Can we get the results, or at least some insight into what packs were commonly mentioned and how you plan to move forward with this information (or not)? I think the Sims team has done a great job with some of the newer packs in particular and I'm excited to see what more could be done for less-robust packs released earlier in this iteration of The Sims.
Thanks again. I know that this community and the internet at large is full of complaints and rage, but I did want you to know that some of us fully enjoy the game even now while we're happy to see improvements.
EA Staff (Retired)