"CheesySimsLover;c-16857097" wrote:
I've always figured one reason is the open world, and that's the reason EA decided to introduce the semi-open world in TS4 so it would perform better. All the Sims games are buggy, but TS3 is hands down the most. I've played TS3 on several machines of various specs and haven't had too many issues other than mild lag. I probably haven't played it enough to experience anything major, though. Out of 2, 3, and 4, I've played 3 the least.
With TS2, TS3, and TS4 all installed on my current computer, I prefer TS4 because of its performance. It runs so much smoother, but the game itself is less complex (obviously a major complaint of TS4 players and the reason a lot choose to play TS3 instead). I think they tried adding too many features to TS3, which set the bar high for simmers. Now they're focusing on performance to allow more people to play on lower end machines.
I’d say Sims 4 by now is a very close second, if not the new leader where bugs are concerned. There is a difference of course between performance and bugs. Performance for me has always been fine in Sims 3 (granted, I do start new saves every few generations, throw everyone important back in and continue playing). I prefer the complexity myself, I can deal with the hiccups. Was playing this morning. One sim made her homework, one sim practiced martial art, both boring to watch but no problem, I had a third simmie who had to catch butterflies for school, so I followed him around. In the end I sent him to the science lab, a rabbithole building. Much hated by many, because you “can’t follow your sim inside”. True, he disappeared inside but I didn’t have to sit there and wait, I went home where the daughter had finished doing her homework and appeared to be playing on the swing in the garden, while her mother had stopped practicing martial arts, had had an autonomous shower (hygiene was maxed) and was now talking to her best friend, a roommate living on the same premises (I made an apartment complex). I ordered the girl to go buy some books and mom to cook. By the time she was finished her son had returned home (an instruction I had given him after entering the RH) and so had the daughter with the books. Dinner was ready so they all ate and after that went to bed.
This is the kind of set up no smoothness in the world can replace for me.
