4 years ago
Utility features that they can add right away
I call these utility features because they are small in-game additions/improvements that don't impact the gameplay necessarily while still being incredibly useful across ALL playstyles. Think about the Register Ministry of Labor interaction. It's small, simple, and optional but useful enough. English is not my native language, please understand the crookedness. thanks
1) INDIVIDUAL SIMS' BIO
I already made a thread about this a while ago which can be accessed here https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/17726107. How? Accessible through household management as pages next to the household bio, the new Sims Profile, and/or the Phone (notes tab)
2) CUSTOM CALENDAR EVENTS / CALENDAR "STICKY NOTES"
I don't mean a whole new system to create custom social events, no. That'd be too scary for them. What I mean by this is the ability to add sorta sticky notes on the in-game Household Calendar with any text/description that we like. It's as simple as that. Just some text that can be displayed on the calendar. This sounds like something really small but it can actually be really powerful. Players can plan stuff for gameplay direction and storytelling purposes or just simply to not forget what we want our Sims to do. It always bothers me that we only a few number of social events.
3) CREATE-A-SIM STORIES THAT IS ACTUALLY USEFUL AND MAKES SENSE
I was so excited when it was first added. But now? If not for this discussion, I wouldn't have remembered that it exists. It's just so limited and... wasted opportunity... and clearly a product of laziness in the game design department. It's already there! They only need them to influence one another and add sensible stuff like: number of skills to randomize depending on age (example 3-5 for YA, 5-6 for A, 5+ for E) with randomized career influencing the level of some skills (like Logic if Astronaut),
if Adult or older, have the chance that they have gone to University and have a degree (degree, degree w/ honors, dist. degree, or dist. degree w/ honors),
if Teen, add a little bit of progress to Character Values
if YA or older, have a chance to have a random trait gained from Character Values like Bad Manners, Irresponsible, etc.
if YA or older, add a little bit of progress to Fame and Reputation, Lifestyle, etc.
if Vampire/Spellcaster/other Occult, add a little bit of progress to the respective level and with quirks already
You get what I mean. This is also really useful in promoting other packs! (because duh it's what they always want to do) This can also help players prevent themselves from creating the same Sims with the same characteristics over and over and over again. It's basically a much worthier Create-A-Sim Stories
4) DICE OBJECT
Useful for challenge players, storytellers, or those who can't decide between options in the game. Can be brought from a PC or phone. Like all other live objects, it can be stored in the inventory and draggable. If clicked, will return a number from 1 - 6 (depending on the type of die purchased). Results can be simply shown as a notification. Even better, add Sim-to-Sim interaction.. like basic gambling or something lol.
5) THE WHIMS, of course
Whims don't necessarily affect gameplay... so I don't know why it's taking them so long to update it. Tune down those that tell us to buy stuff! Add more specific things! If not, add every relevant interaction goddammit
6) USEFUL LOADING SCREENS
For a game with a lot of loading screens, you'd think that they're made to be interesting enough. Same tips over and over and over again??! Why not simply add in a picture and description of the lot or world or district that you're travelling to, or a random townie with its different outfits and traits (like a showcase), or some pictures from previous packs or previous games, or the household that you're playing as and the information about them like TS2's but better. Just be a little more creative, yes?
1) INDIVIDUAL SIMS' BIO
I already made a thread about this a while ago which can be accessed here https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/comment/17726107. How? Accessible through household management as pages next to the household bio, the new Sims Profile, and/or the Phone (notes tab)
2) CUSTOM CALENDAR EVENTS / CALENDAR "STICKY NOTES"
I don't mean a whole new system to create custom social events, no. That'd be too scary for them. What I mean by this is the ability to add sorta sticky notes on the in-game Household Calendar with any text/description that we like. It's as simple as that. Just some text that can be displayed on the calendar. This sounds like something really small but it can actually be really powerful. Players can plan stuff for gameplay direction and storytelling purposes or just simply to not forget what we want our Sims to do. It always bothers me that we only a few number of social events.
3) CREATE-A-SIM STORIES THAT IS ACTUALLY USEFUL AND MAKES SENSE
I was so excited when it was first added. But now? If not for this discussion, I wouldn't have remembered that it exists. It's just so limited and... wasted opportunity... and clearly a product of laziness in the game design department. It's already there! They only need them to influence one another and add sensible stuff like: number of skills to randomize depending on age (example 3-5 for YA, 5-6 for A, 5+ for E) with randomized career influencing the level of some skills (like Logic if Astronaut),
if Adult or older, have the chance that they have gone to University and have a degree (degree, degree w/ honors, dist. degree, or dist. degree w/ honors),
if Teen, add a little bit of progress to Character Values
if YA or older, have a chance to have a random trait gained from Character Values like Bad Manners, Irresponsible, etc.
if YA or older, add a little bit of progress to Fame and Reputation, Lifestyle, etc.
if Vampire/Spellcaster/other Occult, add a little bit of progress to the respective level and with quirks already
You get what I mean. This is also really useful in promoting other packs! (because duh it's what they always want to do) This can also help players prevent themselves from creating the same Sims with the same characteristics over and over and over again. It's basically a much worthier Create-A-Sim Stories
4) DICE OBJECT
Useful for challenge players, storytellers, or those who can't decide between options in the game. Can be brought from a PC or phone. Like all other live objects, it can be stored in the inventory and draggable. If clicked, will return a number from 1 - 6 (depending on the type of die purchased). Results can be simply shown as a notification. Even better, add Sim-to-Sim interaction.. like basic gambling or something lol.
5) THE WHIMS, of course
Whims don't necessarily affect gameplay... so I don't know why it's taking them so long to update it. Tune down those that tell us to buy stuff! Add more specific things! If not, add every relevant interaction goddammit
6) USEFUL LOADING SCREENS
For a game with a lot of loading screens, you'd think that they're made to be interesting enough. Same tips over and over and over again??! Why not simply add in a picture and description of the lot or world or district that you're travelling to, or a random townie with its different outfits and traits (like a showcase), or some pictures from previous packs or previous games, or the household that you're playing as and the information about them like TS2's but better. Just be a little more creative, yes?