Good afternoon Sims Team,
Thanks for taking the time to read all of these awesome posts. Now for my own thoughts... First, I need to bring up the glitchy/unfinished so-called "Old Packs" - they may have been released a while ago, even years, but are they not still for sale? Customers are paying for them currently and will continue to do so, and therefore they're improvement and fixes should - without question - be a PRIORITY on your part.
I know Sim Lag is an issue you are looking into, so I won't beat a dead horse. However, along the same lines, the Action Queue never seems to work properly. Some actions consistently budge in front of others, and the multitasking often fails by making the multiple actions take2-3 times longer than normal. Likewise, some actions just take too long. Eating, even a Quick Meal, is the epitome of this problem. When my Sim is preparing for work or school, eating quickly is impossible. They're late or they're starving. Why can't they simply eat their meal like a normal person?
In the same vein, Sims 4 Pets are not an enjoyable feature of the game. Because they are not controllable like a Sim, interacting with them requires way too many processes. For example:
1) Dog whines.
2) Player has to notice.
3) Sim has to ask "What's wrong?"
4) Dog has thought bubble of "Potty Need"
5) Player has to notice.
6) Sim has to ask "Ask to Go Potty"
7) Dog goes outside and pees.
This is ridiculous. (And this is a scenario in a normal home, not an apartment!) If I could control the Dog, I would go out to pee by myself. Either Pets need to be controllable characters, or they need to be more intuitive or independent. It's clunky and not much fun.
Even though there is (oddly) no burglar in the Sims 4, random Sims seem awfully good at breaking into and entering my Sim's home and then won't go, even once Asked to Leave or Sent Home.
And speaking of Random Townies... I have a story: Recently, I spent months emptying an entire world save of people and buildings so that I could go on a "real estate shopping spree" through the gallery. I filled my entire save with AMAZING creations from fellow Simmers. I had the best time. Once the world was built, I began curating my populace. I hand-made families and downloaded some. I wanted my new save to feel personal to me. It was great, I picked traits, played with genetics, added pets, crafted lineages, stories, etc. Time came to move them into the detailed homes I'd specifically reserved for them. I quickly hit the 150 Sim Max. OK. If they all couldn't be Played Households, at least the rest of them could be seen walking around town and filling jobs around the maps. Or so I thought. I deleted the pack-specific townies and kept the OG households (like Pancakes and Goth), and Did Not move them into any homes. I finally start playing my Curated Save. Guess what!? Bella Goth, Eliza Pancakes and COUNTLESS (new) RANDOMLY GENERATED TOWNIES are populating my Save. My hand-made Unplayed Households (the ones with no homes) are nowhere to be seen in-world. Why? (If there's a solution, please tell me.) I made these Sims so that I wouldn't have a game crowded with those hideous (and horrifically named) Randomly Generated Townies. Why doesn't the game spawn My Premade Sims?
Plus Bella (for others its Nancy Landgraab or Judith Ward) keeps showing up EVERYWHERE. It's like she's stalking me. It's no longer funny after the first 10 times. That problem needs looked at for sure.
My premade, Unplayed Sims should be able to fill jobs, and not just to Cater a Party. They should be able to have a job manning a Food Stall or working at the Spa, you know?
Sims all feel the same, like copies. The traits (though recently improved - thanks) aren't enough to make Sims feel unique or like individuals. When I started playing my new Curated Save, even though I hand-picked traits and gave them jobs and skills, I quickly felt let down by how shallow the gameplay itself felt. Sure my World Edit was beautiful looking and thoughtfully made, but the Sims seemed so lifeless that I stopped playing it. The Sims need to be more unique. A simple Attraction System or even just Preferences/Favorites would improve things. Sims 3 had the ability to choose a Sim's Favorite Color/Music/Food, and I believe it was Sims 2 that had Romantic Preferences such as Hair Color, Body Type, Hygiene Level and Outfit Choice. Can any of this be implemented? It'd be a vast improvement in making Sims feel like they have Actual Personalities.
Just like the lack of likes/dislikes, there is a lack of jealousy. Real jealousy. A married spouse who gets cheated on should feel hurt, sad, angry - betrayed. The current reactions in the Sims 4 is quite lackluster. On the topic of Romance, Marriage Anniversary Parties don't exist? Married Sims should reject Romantic advances from those who are not their spouse. They should feel bad for flirting with other Sims, and flirt more with their partner. There is no feeling of LOYALTY in the Sims 4 relationships, which feels very odd. Family playing is not as fun as it has been in past Sims iterations.
Babies are OBJECTS in the Sims 4 (and yet you can't even carry them around in your inventory like you can a family-sized platter of hotdogs apparently). They should be able to be taken out in a stroller, like Sims 3, or shown off to friends and family, carried in the arms of the parents, maybe learn to crawl, maybe Child and Teens could have more interaction with them in and out of the bassinet. Why no cribs, btw? Cribs are normal. Bassinets aren't as common as cribs are in real life. Babies seem to be ignored.
Kids. Can they do homework together? Can their Teen siblings help with homework? Enough. Art. Tables. Already. Give them a new activity. A school bus should pick them up and drop them off! They just leave the front door and disappear into thin air. It sounds like a nightmare for the parent, honestly. Kids seem forgotten.
Teens are basically no different than Young Adults. They look, sound, and basically behave the same way. Where is their First Love experience? Prom? Highschool Graduation?? Sneaking out. Zits that happen autonomously and aren't just stuck in CAS. Learning to drive a CAR. (Oh yeah, those things we see driving around every world? We needed those 7 years ago.) Teens aren't teenagers anymore.
Elders need more stuff to do. Elder Sims need a Bingo Night at the very least. Elder specific clothing, hobbies, actions. Grandma's house could have a Happy or Nostalgic Moodlet, Grandpa could have a Specialty Recipe, or they could give Grandparent Advice to their Adult Children or Grandkids. Grandparents should be able to raise their Grandkids in the absence of the Parents. Just some ideas to make Elders less boring and more of a feature.
I really love the Sims, I've been addicted ever since the first game came out. And I've spent hundreds and hundreds of dollars on (apparently) untested/unfinished Sims 4 packs, which is why I expect these packs to be fine tuned. If players like me, who have supported the Sims 4 with their hard-earned money and time and thoughtfulness, are left holding the bag, you can't expect us to be there for Sims 5.
Okay, I've written enough. There is more, but I'd just be repeating what others have stated. I hope you read this all the way through, and if you did, thank you.
Sincerely,
Jacqueline
EA Staff (Retired)