Feedback on Spa Day Refresh + ideas for future
With this topic, I would like to give my feedback on the Spa Day refresh we got a while back. And I would like to mention how future refresh could be better.
I really believe updating older packs is step in the right direction. And while I think Spa Day Refresh was nice, at the end I think it wasn't that underwhelming as it seems to be. I totally understand this was the first refresh, so I hope next ones will actually be even better.
What I find most important is update of gameplay; new features I could enjoy. And I just don't feel like that this refresh did gameplay justice. New features that were added aren't ultimately that groundbreaking. For example; Its nice we can earn money, but I wish some thought was given to this. Calendar was added, so why not be able to plan our sessions or clients this way? Why not add course and certificates in order to earn money from the wellness? (because unlike other usual activities you can earn money from, wellness is tied to certificate). Same actually goes for yogga sessions. And while we got manicure and pedicure, I really wish the wellness skill would got more, even if it was divided into two new skills each adding something new. (like yoga and meditation skill would make yoga different, different positions etc, while wellness skill would give new additions to wellness activities), As for the new aspirations and traits, I don't find them important for their basically pack tutorial character, but I'm disappointed that they were highly inspired by aspirations and trait from a modder (what I mean is that trait was basically the same, aspirations really similar). As for face masks, I really miss the little animation of actually putting it on a face.
I listed some *, so lets see good things; I like manicure and pedicure, this is excatly what I want from refresh - new feature with new gameplay. Face masks are nice too, but as I said, I miss there a details to make it feel like feature. I also like inclusion of toddlers and children, I believe this one is really needed. And of course, nail polish and nails.
I haven't mentioned new swatches, objects and clothes. I think they are important as well, but as I said, I feel like refresh (especially refresh of gamepack) should contain more on the gameplay part. Instead of a new massage chairs or tables, I wish the money would be used on something different in gameplay part. I think it would be best if future refresh somehow divided the gameplay refresh from refresh of CAS and BB (like new clothes, swatches, basically everything not important for new gameplay)
What I also missed in this refresh is ability tu run a spa (hoping that there is a bussiness update coming and thats why we didn't get it), eyelashes treatment, other spa procedures... Basically, there could be done more on a gameplay part.
So thats my Spa Day refresh feedback. So how could be future refresh(es) be better and what is important?
1. Divide refresh into two parts, refresh of CAS and BB, and refresh of gameplay. Gameplay features should be the focus if you can't divide it.
2. Make up for transfered items from pack to base game - this one is really important. Hairstyles, clothes, features and items (like hot tub that was a theme of a whole stuffpack) are being moved from packs to base game. Refresh should always focus on compensating this
3. The size of a refresh - size of a refresh should depend on the pack. Not only expansion packs deserve more, packs on their own needs to get right amount of new content. For example, refresh of Island Living deserves more than refresh of Seasons, because Island Living compared to Seasons doesn't offer that much. Or when you compare Vampires to Dream Home Decorator, DHD just doesn't containt that much like Vampires.
4. Focus on toddlers, kids, teens, elders, pets and on cross-pack gameplay
What I also want to mention is the importance of stuffpack refresh - compare Paranormal to first stuffpacks. See? First stuffpacks don't feel like stuffpacks now. I know that the survey mentioning update of older packs didn't include stuffpacks, but it was before Paranormal and its success - You should consider giving stuffpacks refresh too, because they could add so much more (like laundry day adding ironing please)