7 years ago

The Sims 4 Online

Hold up . Don't shut me down before i've begun.

I understand that there's a lot of personal opinions towards online multiplayer games. Eg. IMVU, second life etc. And a lot of hatred about these types of games, especially from Sims players (myself included). Sims is a solo player game. I love the sims, its my escape route from reality, I don't want my screen spamming with someone else's conversation.

However....

The Sims 4 Online wouldn't have to be like that.

The idea:

A completely separate functioning world. It cannot interfere with your game whatsoever. It will simply show on your screen, sort of like a vacation spot on a separate destination screen. You cannot live there.

The sole purpose of this world would be to travel to with your played family (or single sim if multiple sims would be reaching too high) to experience a unique fun world. The catch? The sims here are controlled by other players.

There would be no "chat box", its your sims communicating not the players. The interaction menu would be near enough the same as it already is, perhaps some unique interactions??

Depending on how advanced things could go:

There could be the option to own a lot and build so you could treat it as a business/home lot? This way you could invite sims you've met to your online lot. They cannot edit your lot in any way, they are guests. You have complete control over door locking and other restrictions such as getting water, food from fridge and painting etc ( basically anything that would create mess or be annoying)

Upon buying the EP you could be granted one lot for free along with the world it comes with. And then buy extras. (as this would be through servers i'm assuming)

You should however have complete control with building on your lot and be able to change it whenever you want, expect when other players are visiting of course (you can force them to leave though)

As a business: you can set restrictions, door locking and business hours. And of course option to close whenever and have the sims leave immediately.

Things like CC. I'm not sure how that would work but seeing as it'll only be visual the other players shouldn't need the files. Either that or no CC Mods allowed in the online world.

Time cannot be fast forwarded here. The whole world would run on one continuing time for everyone.

Marriage, babies etc.. All the more fun not knowing the other players agenda. Marriage would be simple enough, however kids would be complicated. I'm not sure how that would work either. Perhaps somebody else could share some ideas.

As with all ideas, things might not suit everyone's style. Please share your ideas for an EP or a spin off like this. If the idea's not for you, thats fine and understandable, it's not everyone's cup of tea. But please do remember, all packs are optional, and this is simply an idea, a very rusty one at that.

Please add your ideas :smiley:

This is my first discussion.. and a very opinionated topic, so please be kind.

TakThomas
Rising Newcomer
7 years ago
See I wouldn't mind this all that much, except i'm not a fan of micro transactions and I don't think EA needs to be given that particular idea because they already squeeze enough money out of us sims fans already. And hey, don't get me wrong! I'm more than willing to pay a good deal of money for the sims packs because I love the game to bits, but I draw the line at micro transactions.

However, I do think you're onto a good idea here. An online pack would be pretty rad. I like the idea of taking a sim into the online world and having them live on a lot there and making friends and starting families with another sim. It would add a whole new level of drama lol!

I do really want the option for multiplayer LAN sims games though. It would be fun having my partner playing sims with me in the other room and building a house with me and controlling some of the sims in a household. So if they can work a LAN option into the online pack then I'd 100% no doubt buy it.
LittlBowBub
7 years ago
No transactions in my idea apart from maybe an extra lot but anything else would be simoleons. And no time waiting or anything like that. Simply the game how it is now but with other players
Madamelee
New Rookie
7 years ago
It's not happening.. people hate the idea
Akiyla
7 years ago
Wow! This is very detailed and I 100% agree with this. I know a lot of the people on this forum have very strong opinions against multiplayer but like you said, it should be optional and not interfere with single player. I totally think it would be a big step in the right direction for the Sims. I just want to be able to play/enjoy the Sims with my friends and family.

@MadameLee Actually, a lot of people love the idea too :)
Akiyla
7 years ago
@MadameLee The forum doesn't represent the entire Sims fanbase. Most of the Sims fanbase are not even on the forums. There are sims youtubers or people on twitter who like/enjoy the concept of a Sims multiplayer but I guess they aren't people too.. And I'm confused as to how or why you brought "special needs" Sims into this convo.
BeJaWa
7 years ago
I would never use it, but if it has absolutely zero impact on my game, (as in I am not at a detriment by not participating or not getting messages informing me of it's existence) I don't care.

I would prefer if it was just a spin off thing, then those who want it can pay for it and my main sims game can focus on other things.
"Zara;c-16332291" wrote:
@MadameLee The forum doesn't represent the entire Sims fanbase. Most of the Sims fanbase are not even on the forums. There are sims youtubers or people on twitter who like/enjoy the concept of a Sims multiplayer but I guess they aren't people too.. And I'm confused as to how or why you brought "special needs" Sims into this convo.

I don't think that was what was trying to be implied...
However, we don't have a survey of any group of the fan base except twitter and on the forums here:
http://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/934525/what-direction-would-you-like-to-see-the-sims-to-go/p1

So based on the one poll we have, it could be said most don't like online. This isn't the whole demographic but with out any other polls we have no evidence to support the wants of any others. Arguing that the unknown nonvocal group largely want online, is impossible to prove of disprove.

Ea I'm sure has done surveys and taken in feedback, the fact that there hasn't been a large online sims game yet, might indicate in and of itself the demographic isn't considered large enough to make a game for. That could very well change with newer generations and then I'm sure ea will re look into it's options.
Kim5496
7 years ago
Hmm. I actually don't mind this idea. I love the idea that there would be no chat boxes because that just would require a slew of moderators and other drama. As for marriage and babies I wonder if it would work if you decided to marry someone or have a baby with someone an exact copy of the other persons Sim would spawn in your game. Otherwise I'm not sure how that part would work but it would be a lot of fun to interact with a bunch of different Sims.
Akiyla
7 years ago
@BejaWa If you actually looked at that twitter poll, 67% actually favored multiplayer online (I'm including the people who said "combination" of single and multi). I honestly think it depends where you survey. Most of the people on this forum like the game to be very traditional and have been playing for a while whilst the people on twitter tend to be younger newer players and more socially inclined. So since the majority of people on the forums don't want multiplayer and a majority of people on twitter don't mind it, then there's really no conclusion that can be drawn about the fanbase as a WHOLE.
aejp24
Seasoned Novice
7 years ago
Maybe there should be two different games then. I don't want a multiplayer sims game. I don't want to buy one and I have no interest in online play that's why I play the sims and fallout because I don't have to play with others. I understand that others feel differently so why not have two different sims games. One for online players who want to pay a subscription to play online and on their servers and those of us who don't want an online game and want to be in control of all our sims.
BeJaWa
7 years ago
"Zara;c-16332437" wrote:
@BejaWa If you actually looked at that twitter poll, 67% actually favored multiplayer online (I'm including the people who said "combination" of single and multi). I honestly think it depends where you survey. Most of the people on this forum like the game to be very traditional and have been playing for a while whilst the people on twitter tend to be younger newer players and more socially inclined. So since the majority of people on the forums don't want multiplayer and a majority of people on twitter don't mind it, then there's really no conclusion that can be drawn about the fanbase as a WHOLE.

I don't think combining the two is fair, there could be many interpretations of how they would be combined, and at what level of involvement. I mean it could be argued that my method of it existing but not being required at all is a combination, but then that doesn't mean I would use online play. So if ea did surveys and found most people indifferent or disliked it they wouldn't add the feature.

We don't have a way of testing a larger audience so we have no way of arguing anything else, the only evidence we do have suggests that most players aren't interested (roughly 28% are interested even including the combination votes, if you combine both polls). Is it complete evidence? Not at all, only 150 some people responded in total, that is an extremely small sample.

There are people interested in multiplayer, the question is if it is enough. So far ea hasn't really gone that way and the only poll, as limited in scope as it is, also indicates limited interest, so we don't know what the whole fan base wants but it seems that it is at best a controversial move for ea to make, and that might just be something they are not willing to take with their main sims title.

Again things change, times go on, for ts5 ea might get enough evidence to support online. I maintain that I don't care as long as I don't have to use it in any way.

Also, I know there are many people on here who are younger (including myself, who just turned YA), and that many forum users have twitter. They obviously poll differently, but I would not say it is based on people being younger or older.