BB Catalog in need of TLC
The more packs added, more EA teams are involved, and the BB catalog is no longer consequent. There are numerous examples of same sort objects being placed in different categories from pack to pack, and also some objecs being placed in multiple categories with the only result of making the catalog fuller than needed and harder to navigate. 2 garden pergolas from pack My Wedding Story can be found in Activities and Skills>Life Event Activities, while pergolas from ECO lifestyle and Base game are found in Deco>Misc. The "Sun Spot awning" from Get Together is found in Deco>Sculpture, where also a couple sun umbrellas are - but the umbrella from Business & Hobbies and the one from Seasons are in Deco>Misc. Why are not all pergolas/shades/tents/umbrellas in the same sub category?
When I add deco CC t my game I go by the following rule to help me find what I look for:
Deco>Sculpture = items placed to impress.
Deco>Clutter = items left temporarily (or in use) on floor or surface, probably being moved or removed shortly. This goes for any hobby/desk/counter and less impressive/expensive decoratives.
Deco/Misc = items that are not fitting the two previous, or that is affiliated with a certain routine/activity.
I sometimes wonder if EA forgot to write clear definations for each category?
Re Business & Hobbies, I did not check the entire bunch of new items, but already came across a few examples to highlight my frustration.
In Decoratives we find the framed painting "Frame-form Jazz" in Deco>Wall hangings, but not in Deco>Paintings and Posters. I would expect this item to be in the latter category, not a wall hanging. All paintings and posters are wall hangings, but they got their own category.
Object "The best bits gallery wall" is found in Deco>Wall hangings while similar items from recent packs like Lovestruck (Memories from a grandparent's home) and Life & Death (Grimspiration Gasllery Wall) are found in Deco>Paintings and Posters.
"King Cool's Framed Sax" is found in both Deco>Wall hangings and Deco>Misc. Why? This object is a wall hanging object so why not just leave it with that? A general rule in life is to avoid the "misc" label whenever possible ;)
It's obviopus that whoever tagged the new objects was afraid that simmers would not be able to spot the "Sharing is Caring hobby whiteboard" object under Activities and Skills>Skill (where would be the first place to look for a skill building object. Why else adding this also to Activities and Skills>Creativity and Activities and Skills>Misc? Adding the same item to 3 categories only clutters the catalog.
If we had just a few packs this would not be a big deal, but with thousands of objects the catalog does need some time, love and care. Please consider a clear defination for each subcategory, in order to help your future teams to be more consequent.
That said - with time we might need a few more sub categories. Deco>Paintings and Posters is filled up with decals, wall cracks and other stuff that might not fit super logically in this category. I think there are enough decals for their own sub category. Perhaps make it a new Deco>Signs and decals category? And please, move the wall cracks to Deco>Misc - or even better to the Build section as these are not items anyone would "buy to put in their home". We could also need Activities and Skills>Business (or Commercial) for all items that are mainly there for running a business (include signs unless they join decals... street/wall signs are currently spread all over the catalog).
This was just the top of the iceberg, but would be a good start ;)
¤Climbs down from soapbox¤
