I read/ see many topics in both Forums that suggest IN MY OPINION or point of viewa 'debate' over what Sims game is better as it's not just talk about the game itself,it's something like "I still prefer Sims #" for a topic. Feels like one must be 'better'than the other to me. So, I want to post about how each game is equal GREAT!As I play and have given each an equal play period, experiencing each experience for some time.* Sims 3 has an Open World & with the aid of that AWESOME pack, Ambitions you can alter the outfits of other sims;Sims 4 you have the ability WITHOUT switching households to EDIT each home/ family in every aspect(some requiring cheats). Also you can without cheats or mods play multiple households and have it set so other 'played'households age!Depending on what you like either could be considered 'better' but neither is conclusively so.* In Sims 4 sims who become 'fat', you have to actually put in work to get them thin again or they remain so.In Sims 3 sims just lose pounds like it was nothing, you have to work to keep them 'fat' if you want them so.Both game's Fatness aspect can be viewed from a different angle as being a great/ good thing or bad. It's really a matter of opinion or preference than fact.* In Sims 3 you have Burglars who sneak in your sims home at night to steal stuff; also when you're late on bills, a REPO manwho steals/ repos stuff to cover the amount of the bill (very realistic from a point of view-- who says you aren't renting items?)In Sims 4 you have new and IMO exciting Vampires who instead sneak into your house, not to steal but snack on your sims at night!And when late on bills you instead loose utilities instead of possession. (Also a very realistic feature)Depending on what you like, either can/ could be 'better'!(It could go on and on. I'm sorry if my first or multiple contrasts seem lacking or uneven as if to make one sound better or something; not intended IF SO, just giving IMO equal strength to each game; an open world can be a BIG thing after all! Based on the person playing)I've also noticed it USED TO BE that you-- or that I, myself had to not only own a TS3 sims CD but the CD of the most recent TS3 game CD in possession and in the disk drive to play TS3 but ever since TS4 came out, that somewhere along the way was changed.My point is this BOTH games are AWESOME in their own unique ways, neither is 'better' they're just DIFFERENT!And I don't think EA meant for either to be 'better' than the other or people to give up one for the other either.So why does it seem like people seem to feel one has to be talked about like one MUST be better or superior to the other?I am sure TS2 ALSO has aspects that set it as a SUPERIOR sims game!!I just think people miss the fact that, yes, each has it own strong suits, and neither is better, it's a matter of what 'strong suits'the player prefers! Than again, as I am positive EA is thinking, why pick one over the other when you can enjoy the AWESOME qualities of each? Or just one, if that's your thing; as they say, 'if it aint broken, don't fix it!'However, I realize I could just be imagining things. Sometimes I read too much into things I see/ read. :lol:

"Kilov17;d-933904" wrote:I read/ see many topics in both Forums that suggest IN MY OPINION or point of viewa 'debate' over what Sims game is better as it's not just talk about the game itself,it's something like "I still prefer Sims #" for a topic. Feels like one must be 'better'than the other to me. So, I want to post about how each game is equal GREAT!As I play and have given each an equal play period, experiencing each experience for some time.* Sims 3 has an Open World & with the aid of that AWESOME pack, Ambitions you can alter the outfits of other sims;Sims 4 you have the ability WITHOUT switching households to EDIT each home/ family in every aspect(some requiring cheats). Also you can without cheats or mods play multiple households and have it set so other 'played'households age!Depending on what you like either could be considered 'better' but neither is conclusively so.* In Sims 4 sims who become 'fat', you have to actually put in work to get them thin again or they remain so.In Sims 3 sims just lose pounds like it was nothing, you have to work to keep them 'fat' if you want them so.Both game's Fatness aspect can be viewed from a different angle as being a great/ good thing or bad. It's really a matter of opinion or preference than fact.* In Sims 3 you have Burglars who sneak in your sims home at night to steal stuff; also when you're late on bills, a REPO manwho steals/ repos stuff to cover the amount of the bill (very realistic from a point of view-- who says you aren't renting items?)In Sims 4 you have new and IMO exciting Vampires who instead sneak into your house, not to steal but snack on your sims at night!And when late on bills you instead loose utilities instead of possession. (Also a very realistic feature)Depending on what you like, either can/ could be 'better'!(It could go on and on. I'm sorry if my first or multiple contrasts seem lacking or uneven as if to make one sound better or something; not intended IF SO, just giving IMO equal strength to each game; an open world can be a BIG thing after all! Based on the person playing)I've also noticed it USED TO BE that you-- or that I, myself had to not only own a TS3 sims CD but the CD of the most recent TS3 game CD in possession and in the disk drive to play TS3 but ever since TS4 came out, that somewhere along the way was changed.My point is this BOTH games are AWESOME in their own unique ways, neither is 'better' they're just DIFFERENT!And I don't think EA meant for either to be 'better' than the other or people to give up one for the other either.So why does it seem like people seem to feel one has to be talked about like one MUST be better or superior to the other?I am sure TS2 ALSO has aspects that set it as a SUPERIOR sims game!!I just think people miss the fact that, yes, each has it own strong suits, and neither is better, it's a matter of what 'strong suits'the player prefers! Than again, as I am positive EA is thinking, why pick one over the other when you can enjoy the AWESOME qualities of each? Or just one, if that's your thing; as they say, 'if it aint broken, don't fix it!'However, I realize I could just be imagining things. Sometimes I read too much into things I see/ read. :lol: If you have all of the Expansions that came with Sims 3 you can do more than you seem to think you can do with that game.For example, if your sims is in the Archetectural Designer career your sim has to go into the homes of other sims and change them - both build and buy are used. Your sim has a budget and the house needs to be changed to suit the wishes of the resident sim. It isn't a career I play often though as I generally have no interest in changing houses belonging to sims I'm not playing.I rarely play just a single household in Sims 3. I don't know if you mean you can play multiple households at the same time in Sims 4. That is something you don't do in Sims 3. I regularly rotate between multiple households and, if I have ageing turned on (and I usually do have aging turned on) then all sims in the world age.Another way I often play is to move sims from different households into a different house together. I do this if I want to skill several sims at the same time. I most often do this with toddlers and children and teens. Not only does this let me skill them in groups but it improves the game because Sims from different homes get to know each other while at the boarding school. Once they've learned their skills I return them to their own homes and move a different group in. The only reason I'd use a cheat or a mod to do this would be if I needed to have more than 8 sims in any of the households. Going into Edit Town will let you activate a different household, or merge households. Regarding Fat Sims. In Sims 3 sims tend towards the size they were originally made. So if you want a fat sim you need to make them that way, or get them to contine eating after they get the stuffed moodlet. This is close to how it is in real life. If you reduce your food intake you will lose weight. But, you can get a fat sim to become skinny by exercising in Sims 3. I have one such Sim I made fat and sent her to the gym. She got very skinny. Since that time I've changed to play a different household and have kept a distant eye on that sim expecting her to regain her weight. After several Sims weeks she has maintained her weight loss. I suspect she is continuing to hit the gym autonomously as I've seen her there a few times.You only need the CD in the disk drive if you are playing a CD version of the game. If your latest installed expansion or stuff pack is from a digital download then you don't need to have the CD in the drive when playing Sims 3. This applies even if you own the disk but have installed the game from a digital download. I suspect, if you are on patch 1.69, you will be using a digital copy of the game.

I have been playing TS3 since late 2011 and have never owned a disc copy of the game. It's always been digital installs on my end. The ways in which valid digital installs are provided (by EA and Steam, formerly by Amazon and other authorized re-sellers) has changed a bit over the years, but the CDs have never been a requirement for such an install.

I have never played TS4 and not because I have anything against it but I am still exploring TS3 which I enjoy immensely. It is good that you find enjoyment in both games but your post is just another example of the millions (perhaps an exaggeration) of threads started which compares the two games and, when all is said and done, is from your perspective and preferences and is no better or worse than those threads but it has been done to death IMO.

(It took me a while to get into TS4 but I don't disagree. People seem to forget the lack of dev communication during TS3 because so many dang issues remain unfixed and patches were much less frequent. It's not perfect but I'm glad there was some level of EA/Maxis learning a lesson. Also I like not having the same three chat animations and idle expressions when I'm there, as well as the building tools and the array of mods and CC. Much like I appreciate create-a-style and the wider sandbox elements of TS3, especially for actually playing the game.Also TS4 players on the whole are way more friendly and less condescending. I'm here for community. Attitude counts.)

I like aspects of both..I can play 3 for hours and never get bored, I typically get bored with 4 after an hour or so. I think it's more a matter of the art styles than anything with me, Sims 3 is a perfect match for me artistically. Sims 4, while the houses and scenery are gorgeous the Sims themselves are too darn cartoony for my taste. I also consider them different sides of the same coin, I like the way you put that.

TS3 & TS4 Two sides to the same Coin

11 Replies

karritz
Legend
8 years ago
"Kilov17;d-933904" wrote:
I read/ see many topics in both Forums that suggest IN MY OPINION or point of view
a 'debate' over what Sims game is better as it's not just talk about the game itself,
it's something like "I still prefer Sims #" for a topic. Feels like one must be 'better'
than the other to me. So, I want to post about how each game is equal GREAT!
As I play and have given each an equal play period, experiencing each experience for some time.

* Sims 3 has an Open World & with the aid of that AWESOME pack, Ambitions you can alter the outfits of other sims;
Sims 4 you have the ability WITHOUT switching households to EDIT each home/ family in every aspect
(some requiring cheats). Also you can without cheats or mods play multiple households and have it set so other 'played'
households age!
Depending on what you like either could be considered 'better' but neither is conclusively so.

* In Sims 4 sims who become 'fat', you have to actually put in work to get them thin again or they remain so.
In Sims 3 sims just lose pounds like it was nothing, you have to work to keep them 'fat' if you want them so.
Both game's Fatness aspect can be viewed from a different angle as being a great/ good thing or bad. It's really
a matter of opinion or preference than fact.

* In Sims 3 you have Burglars who sneak in your sims home at night to steal stuff; also when you're late on bills, a REPO man
who steals/ repos stuff to cover the amount of the bill (very realistic from a point of view-- who says you aren't renting items?)
In Sims 4 you have new and IMO exciting Vampires who instead sneak into your house, not to steal but snack on your sims at night!
And when late on bills you instead loose utilities instead of possession. (Also a very realistic feature)
Depending on what you like, either can/ could be 'better'!

(It could go on and on. I'm sorry if my first or multiple contrasts seem lacking or uneven as if to make one sound better or something
; not intended IF SO, just giving IMO equal strength to each game; an open world can be a BIG thing after all! Based on the person playing)

I've also noticed it USED TO BE that you-- or that I, myself had to not only own a TS3 sims CD but the CD of the most recent TS3
game CD in possession and in the disk drive to play TS3 but ever since TS4 came out, that somewhere along the way was changed.

My point is this BOTH games are AWESOME in their own unique ways, neither is 'better' they're just DIFFERENT!
And I don't think EA meant for either to be 'better' than the other or people to give up one for the other either.
So why does it seem like people seem to feel one has to be talked about like one MUST be better or superior to the other?
I am sure TS2 ALSO has aspects that set it as a SUPERIOR sims game!!
I just think people miss the fact that, yes, each has it own strong suits, and neither is better, it's a matter of what 'strong suits'
the player prefers! Than again, as I am positive EA is thinking, why pick one over the other when you can enjoy the AWESOME qualities
of each? Or just one, if that's your thing; as they say, 'if it aint broken, don't fix it!'

However, I realize I could just be imagining things. Sometimes I read too much into things I see/ read. :lol:

If you have all of the Expansions that came with Sims 3 you can do more than you seem to think you can do with that game.

For example, if your sims is in the Archetectural Designer career your sim has to go into the homes of other sims and change them - both build and buy are used. Your sim has a budget and the house needs to be changed to suit the wishes of the resident sim. It isn't a career I play often though as I generally have no interest in changing houses belonging to sims I'm not playing.

I rarely play just a single household in Sims 3. I don't know if you mean you can play multiple households at the same time in Sims 4. That is something you don't do in Sims 3. I regularly rotate between multiple households and, if I have ageing turned on (and I usually do have aging turned on) then all sims in the world age.

Another way I often play is to move sims from different households into a different house together. I do this if I want to skill several sims at the same time. I most often do this with toddlers and children and teens. Not only does this let me skill them in groups but it improves the game because Sims from different homes get to know each other while at the boarding school. Once they've learned their skills I return them to their own homes and move a different group in. The only reason I'd use a cheat or a mod to do this would be if I needed to have more than 8 sims in any of the households.

Going into Edit Town will let you activate a different household, or merge households.

Regarding Fat Sims. In Sims 3 sims tend towards the size they were originally made. So if you want a fat sim you need to make them that way, or get them to contine eating after they get the stuffed moodlet. This is close to how it is in real life. If you reduce your food intake you will lose weight. But, you can get a fat sim to become skinny by exercising in Sims 3. I have one such Sim I made fat and sent her to the gym. She got very skinny. Since that time I've changed to play a different household and have kept a distant eye on that sim expecting her to regain her weight. After several Sims weeks she has maintained her weight loss. I suspect she is continuing to hit the gym autonomously as I've seen her there a few times.

You only need the CD in the disk drive if you are playing a CD version of the game. If your latest installed expansion or stuff pack is from a digital download then you don't need to have the CD in the drive when playing Sims 3. This applies even if you own the disk but have installed the game from a digital download. I suspect, if you are on patch 1.69, you will be using a digital copy of the game.
igazor
8 years ago
I have been playing TS3 since late 2011 and have never owned a disc copy of the game. It's always been digital installs on my end. The ways in which valid digital installs are provided (by EA and Steam, formerly by Amazon and other authorized re-sellers) has changed a bit over the years, but the CDs have never been a requirement for such an install.
Mikezumi
8 years ago
I have never played TS4 and not because I have anything against it but I am still exploring TS3 which I enjoy immensely.

It is good that you find enjoyment in both games but your post is just another example of the millions (perhaps an exaggeration) of threads started which compares the two games and, when all is said and done, is from your perspective and preferences and is no better or worse than those threads but it has been done to death IMO.
InfraGreen
8 years ago

(It took me a while to get into TS4 but I don't disagree. People seem to forget the lack of dev communication during TS3 because so many dang issues remain unfixed and patches were much less frequent. It's not perfect but I'm glad there was some level of EA/Maxis learning a lesson. Also I like not having the same three chat animations and idle expressions when I'm there, as well as the building tools and the array of mods and CC. Much like I appreciate create-a-style and the wider sandbox elements of TS3, especially for actually playing the game.

Also TS4 players on the whole are way more friendly and less condescending. I'm here for community. Attitude counts.)
CharlottesMom66
8 years ago
I like aspects of both..I can play 3 for hours and never get bored, I typically get bored with 4 after an hour or so. I think it's more a matter of the art styles than anything with me, Sims 3 is a perfect match for me artistically. Sims 4, while the houses and scenery are gorgeous the Sims themselves are too darn cartoony for my taste. I also consider them different sides of the same coin, I like the way you put that.
AlexaKry
Seasoned Ace
8 years ago
I highly disagree! I don´t think that they belong on the same coin, because although their names suggest a connection, they aren´t connected at all. They are two very different games in my eyes. Both of them have different game structures/play.
Whereas in Sims 3 the player has a whole town which evolves while playing, in Sims 4 the player has to generate progression for his/her town.
Of course people can like both, but I don´t think that you can compare both games as if they are the same!
And @InfraGreen: saying that “Also TS4 players on the whole are way more friendly and less condescending” is exactly this: hostile towards others!
CharlottesMom66
8 years ago
Edited to say there are wonderful folks on all the boards...some just go looking for fights though..
igazor
8 years ago
"AlexaKry;c-16281336" wrote:
And @InfraGreen: saying that “Also TS4 players on the whole are way more friendly and less condescending” is exactly this: hostile towards others!

I have to agree, there was absolutely no need for that comment unless it was meant to make community members here upset. Which, I'm afraid, is actually against the rules of this forum. Anyway, how friendly or unfriendly the forum community is perceived to be is typically irrelevant when it comes to whether and how much players enjoy which or both games.
InfraGreen
8 years ago
I stand by what I said and I'm leaving it at that.
lisasc360
Hero
8 years ago
"igazor;c-16281377" wrote:
"AlexaKry;c-16281336" wrote:
And @InfraGreen: saying that “Also TS4 players on the whole are way more friendly and less condescending” is exactly this: hostile towards others!

I have to agree, there was absolutely no need for that comment unless it was meant to make community members here upset. Which, I'm afraid, is actually against the rules of this forum.

I agree with igazor that this comment about TS4 players being more friendly than TS3 players was not needed.

Edit to say that we all love The Sims no matter which game we play. And that both sides will stand up and defend their favorite game but that doesn't make us less friendly or condescending. And us TS3 players don't go over to the TS4 side and tell or demand that the TS4 players go back to playing TS3 like I've seen some TS4 players coming over here and creating threads telling or demanding that TS3 players that we need to be putting TS3 aside and move over to TS4 as that is the new shiny game whereas TS3 is an old outdated game. And I have seen such threads like these but they don't last too long as they will get deleted.

And if us TS3 were less friendly and more condescending, then why are we allowing TS4 players to post what they did in their TS4 game as well as their TS2 game in the "What happened in your Sims game today?" thread that's over here in the TS3 GD section? I'll tell you why, it's because of our love for The Sims... ;)