Recent Discussions
What Music Are You Listening To Right Now?
This was a long running thread in the Off Topic section of the old Vanilla forums. Many of us were introduced to so many new artists we might never have found otherwise. We were reminded of old favorites we had forgotten too. Music moves the world, this thread is a place to celebrate the most universal art form. EDM, Blues, Punk, Metal, Hip Hop, Soul, if it moves you share it here. Don't You Worry Child - Swedish House Mafia
Let's Talk about The Sims and Generative AI
For many, AI is a buzzword; a controversial and convoluted topic thrown around so much it's easy to roll your eyes and ignore it. In recent years we've seen the use of AI become popularized and even standardized with OpenAI's DALL-E and ChatGPT providing image generation and automated responses respectively. Google has their AI search overview — which can be at times inaccurate and misleading — as well as their new Gemini assistant. Microsoft has Copilot, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Whatsapp and Messenger have Meta AI, and X has Grok. Generative AI is the norm now, the "future," but what does this mean for The Sims and why should we even care? Anyone who has been at least somewhat following The Sims 4's competitor inZOI knows that they use generative AI in their game, though KRAFTON claims its AI is trained using a database of assets owned by the company and copyright free. Despite this, it's easy to take a look into the files of the game and see that it simply uses a fine-tuned version of Stable Diffusion 1.5 with only a few kilobytes difference. Copyrighted material has been seen generated in-game. It takes a large amount of data to train AI models, something most people either overlook or are unaware of in the first place. AI consumers are also probably unaware of the fact that generative AI has an impact on the environment as well. Generative AI isn't just stealing from artists and writers or being used as a tool to get homework done faster; it is increasing energy consumption, water consumption, and carbon emissions. So again, what does any of this have to do with The Sims? If utilizing generative AI is the path that EA wants to go down in the future, I can only imagine the effects it would have not just because of issues with AI but also gameplay- and feature-wise. The witty writing could either disappear or completely fall flat. Sims could lose their character and the things that make them unique. As typical with AI, things would no doubt start to make less sense — and not in the fun Sims way we know and love. Of course all of what I just proposed is hypothetical, but I know it isn't something I would enjoy. From what EA has shown with The Sims Hub, its features appear to use more of an image recognition technology than generative AI, but they do promote it as powered by AI, so I remain skeptical. That paired with EA's recent survey for Sims players who also played inZOI makes me suspect that they might want to jump on that bandwagon. It's upsetting to see how lenient everyone has become to AI as a whole without taking into consideration the consequences of its use. The Sims franchise is something that both my mom and I have deep feelings for. My mom's been playing ever since 2000, and I remember playing The Sims 2 and having all of the CDs as a kid. I played The Sims 2 and The Sims 2 Castaway all the time on my pink Nintendo DS. The Sims games are a comfort to me, a safe space, and a way to get away from a world that is admittedly seeming more unstable as I grow up. I want The Sims to continue to have the charm it started off with, and while people may disagree about whether The Sims 4 still maintains that charm and personality, I think that it does — but how long is it going to last? I didn't mean to ramble for so long, and while my words might fall on deaf or ignorant ears, I believe it's worth saying anyway. Dag dag!
Wait, they are holding a giveaway just for signing up for their newsletter?
When I loaded up my game I saw this https://www.ea.com/games/the-sims/giveaway Only catch is apparently just joining their mailing system, from what I can see. I'm just surprised EA is giving away something for free, and in this case, ALL of the packs (expansion, game and stuff) and the kits. Well made this thread so people can be aware of it. I'm shocked really.
I can't seem to purchase the Mac version of The Sims Medieval
I have a Mac, and every time I've tried to buy The Sims Medieval for Mac, it's appeared as the windows version in my library. I tried purchasing the windows version instead to see if they were just labeled wrong, but it still showed up as for windows. What the heck do I do?Bring in the Sims legacy collection over to consoles re-release of the Sims 3
It seems annoying for people that don’t have PCs and prefer games consoles cannot play this release of the Sims one and two you can even have on the store requires keyboard and mouse support for console also for the Sims three which requires a very high specification requirement on older Pacific operating systems And I played it on my Windows 10 PC a few years ago it run perfectly with all the add-ons for one day when I played it again it kept crashing into the desktop. It didn’t tell me why it just didn’t wanna run afterwards so I thought it would be easier for you to release a patch for the game and bring it over to console the Sims three I think it would be a good opportunity to release the game for consoles and the legacy collection for it as well Sims three is one of my favourites but not being able to play it because of this problem is really annoying
I asked AI to describe "The Sims"
Ah yes, The Sims -- The only game where you can spend 6 hours designing a house down to the individual placement of a toilet brush, then forget to feed your virtual family and watch them die in a suspiciously flammable kitchen fire. At its core, The Sims is a life simulator. Not your life, mind you -- unless your life involves peeing yourself at a dinner party, getting stuck behind a chair, and having your boss shoe up to scold you for missing work, while you sob in a hot tub. This game is where you can create your dream self, give them a perfect home, an amazing job, a golden retriever, and then immediately remove the pool ladder just to see what happens. (Spoiler: They drown --They Always Drown.) Sims themselves are weird little digital people who speak fluent Simlish (a language made of baby babble and emotional trauma) and they have the intelligence of a Roomba in a haunted house. They'll cook gourmet meals but forget how to use a door. They'll flirt with the Grim Reaper moments after watching their spouse die of embarrassment. They cry when you delete the toilet, yet seem completely unfazed when a meteor lands on the neighbor's baby. You're not just a player--you're a god. A chaotic, petty god who gets bored halfway through building a family legacy and decides to trade someone in a windowless room full of dirty dishes. In conclusion, "The Sims" is like real life, if real life were written by a caffeinated toddler with access to a cheat code that gives you infinite money and zero ethics 10/10 highly recommend.Breaking Open the Cave Challenge
Did anyone else get old school "Zork" vibes, when your character was climbing down the cave. Part of me expected to see a pop up reading "turn on the lantern" or else "you are likely to be eaten by a grue" to be displayed. To Those who have never played it Zork is the grandaddy of Text adventure games, though some would call it "google Maps for masochists... if Google maps was written in 1977 by English majors with too much time on their hands." Picture this: you're dropped into a world with no visuals, no tutorials, and most certainly no mercy. Your only tools? A blinking cursor and the blind optimism that typing "go north" won't immediately get you eaten by something. Spoiler alert: it will. The game opens with the iconic line: "you are standing in an open field west of a White House, with a boarded up front door." This sounds peaceful, doesn't it? WRONG!!!!! That house is a portal to Hades disguised as a fixer-upper. Inside are puzzles that defy logic, mazes that would confuse rats, and a thief who steals your stuff with the frequency of a raccoon on espresso. Let's not forget: THE GRUE--a nocturnal monster whose entire job is to eat you if you even think about walking into a dark room without a light source. It's like playing a game where every mistake is met with "Oh you don't know that? Too bad, you're dead now." In short: Zork is like reading a choose-your-own adventure novel where every choice leads to your inevitable doom, and yet somehow you can't stop playing. If you've ever wanted to yell at your computer for not understanding "USE SWORD ON TROLL", this would be the game for you.
Bring back Castaway!
I spent my childhood playing sims 2 castaway after my sister introduced me to it. I’ve been many of years on and off after brining my PlayStation 2 back out to relive it and play again. Unfortunately with the technology getting older with the game and everything else advancing it is becoming more and more difficult to be able to play it. There is still absolutely no game like it or that even compares to what this game offered and I wouldn’t even think twice before buying a new release for my PlayStation or even Pc just to play that game again. I’m sure there are many others that agree. It is still the best sims game hands down in my eyes and I’ve played them all for many hours. Island living on sims 4 doesn’t even come close like others might say. Please look into it!!! 🥺
The Sims
*The Absence of Direct Control in Sims: A Balanced Discussion* The Sims series has long been known for its engaging gameplay and addictive nature, but one aspect that has sparked debate among fans is the absence of direct control in certain gameplay mechanics. In this piece, we'll explore the pros and cons of this design choice and compare it to classic control mode. *The Case for Absence of Direct Control:* 1. *Increased Autonomy*: By giving Sims more autonomy, players can experience a more realistic and immersive simulation. Sims can make their own decisions, form relationships, and pursue careers without constant player intervention. 2. *Streamlined Gameplay*: Without direct control, gameplay becomes more streamlined, allowing players to focus on high-level decisions and strategy rather than micromanaging every aspect of their Sims' lives. 3. *Emergent Storytelling*: The absence of direct control can lead to emergent storytelling, where Sims' interactions and relationships create unique and unexpected narratives. *The Case Against Absence of Direct Control:* 1. *Loss of Agency*: Some players feel that without direct control, they lose agency and the ability to shape their Sims' experiences and outcomes. 2. *Frustration and Unpredictability*: Without direct control, Sims may make decisions that contradict the player's intentions, leading to frustration and unpredictability. 3. *Limited Customization*: The absence of direct control can limit the player's ability to customize their Sims' experiences and create specific storylines. *Comparison to Classic Control Mode:* Classic control mode, where players have direct control over their Sims, offers a more hands-on experience. Players can dictate every action, decision, and interaction, providing a high level of agency and customization. However, this can also lead to: 1. *Increased Complexity*: Direct control can add complexity to gameplay, making it more challenging to manage multiple Sims and their relationships. 2. *Less Emergence*: With direct control, the gameplay experience can become more predictable, reducing the potential for emergent storytelling. *The Best of Both Worlds:* Perhaps the ideal solution would be a hybrid approach, where players can choose between direct control and more autonomous gameplay. This would allow players to: 1. *Customize Their Experience*: Players could opt for direct control when they want to shape specific storylines or outcomes. 2. *Enjoy Emergent Storytelling*: Players could also choose to give Sims more autonomy, allowing for emergent storytelling and a more immersive experience. *Request to EA:* We, the Sims community, would love to see more flexibility in gameplay mechanics, allowing players to choose between direct control and more autonomous gameplay. This could be achieved through: 1. *Optional Gameplay Modes*: Introduce optional gameplay modes that cater to different player preferences, such as a "Direct Control" mode and an "Autonomous" mode. 2. *Settings and Preferences*: Provide players with settings and preferences that allow them to customize the level of control they have over their Sims. By offering more flexibility in gameplay mechanics, EA can cater to a wider range of players, enhancing the overall Sims experience and fostering a more engaged and creative community. *Join the Discussion:* Share your thoughts on the absence of direct control in Sims and the pros and cons of classic control mode. Do you prefer direct control, or do you enjoy the autonomy of Sims? Let's discuss!
