Re: Sims 4 Expansions, are they worth the money anymore?

Thanks for your reply, interesting to see another opinion on the matter. 

As for saying it’s cartoony I don’t mean that in a bad way, just kind of an observation. It is simplified a lot though in terms of what you can do. I get simplifying the game cuz TS3 crashes loads for lots of people (mine didn’t crash much until my computer got older though as it crashed for most games by that point) but I feel like they’ve taken things out that otherwise could have been kept like travelling without load screens etc. It’s not the worst thing in the world but I felt like vehicles where an immersive detail that I quite liked. 

In terms of dorms I don’t really agree with you in TS3 university you were able to edit the dorms and they had pretty cool layouts for shared accommodation. Maybe it is a common set up in the US but in the UK we have options for shared kitchens and bathrooms in some of the cheapest student halls around. I just thought it was an annoying thing to take away from the game when it was already there in TS3 and was a really nice feature to have. I don’t think you should really have to cheat in a game to do something you can do in any other part of the game though it seems a bit pointless. I want to live in dorms as it is a part of uni and living off campus just feels like I’m missing out on a part of the game I was really looking forward to. 

With the uni rivalry’s I guess I just don’t get the enjoyment of it cuz it’s not a part of university culture in the UK. I get the idea of having an old and modern uni but if they’re cutting so much content out of the game anyway I don’t get why that’s an option they chose to add if everything else is cut down and simplified, feel like it would be nice to just have one big campus like in Sims 3 that had a lot of stuff in it than two campuses that have less on them. 

My game does bug a lot when I activate cheats and use them a lot. I don’t have any CC or mods cuz in TS3 I had loads and it was eventually the death of the game because all the characters out of my household would have weird and mental skins and clothes on 😂 That’s why I rely so much on the expansions being worth the money.  

I wouldn’t want to play the base of sims on its own I agree with you there, but that’s why I think the expansions are a bit annoying. They don’t seem to give you a whole lot that TS3 did but i suppose that’s down to the crashing of TS3 due to the content they kept adding like you said. 

I think with TS3 the fact they did have SO much content meant that expansions felt like you’d found stuff you never had before after playing it once over with a couple sims. So maybe that’s soiled my view on the cut down content in Sims 4.

I can see your argument for Sims4 though, i do enjoy the game a lot but I definitely preferred Sims 3 more personally and TS2 will always be a classic. As for prices it’s always been expensive but again I feel like if you simplify and cut down on a game the prices shouldn’t go up. 

Thanks again for your reply, I really like chatting about Sims with other people 😊

 @PugLove888 You were so kind to spend the time to write out all of the information about the points of frustration that AttackofCatalx is having. So much helpful info!! 🙌

@AttackofCatalx  To expand on what PugLove888 was referring to, I do build a lot and use a the "bb.moveobjects on" (and using the "[" and  "]" brackets to enlarge or shrink certain objects), "bb.showhiddenobjects" and "bb.showliveeditobjects" cheats when I build. Just for clarification, the MOO "bb.moveobjects on" cheat (and using the "[" and  "]" brackets to enlarge or shrink certain objects) can be used irresponsibly. You may be thinking of this type of instance. If someone uses MOO or enlarge objects in a manner that isn't fully tested for proper placement, or if they do not properly and thoroughly play-test every interactive object and area of the build, it may seem like the build is buggy because there may then be items or areas in the build that are not usable for the sims, blocked even though it doesn't look like they are, or that delete when placed. When you read the descriptions on a room or lot in the gallery many builders will add the information that they have 'play tested' the build (if they have), and that can help you avoid this. Doing all of the proper testing of the lot if you use the MOO cheat is a huge hassle and can add a considerable number of hours of tedious, not fun time to the building and prepping process... which is why some people don't 'bother' with it. I expect sometimes this may be because they don't realize the consequences or that they only want to do what's fun in their building process, since it's a game.

Discover University does have a number of things that are super-helpful to know ahead of time... otherwise you learn them the hard way. I have heard folks recommend editing the dorms before you move in and evicting the sim who lives there. PugLove888 gave you many great tips that I'm sure will help a lot. There's also some great information here (plus links to other info, and some videos): https://www.carls-sims-4-guide.com/expansionpacks/discoveruniversity/

Personally, I've just finished putting two of my sims through university with distinguished degrees and 'A/A-' averages - so I did press them to be very on top of everything. They were in a house in Newcrest where I also had two additional part-time students who worked full time, two roomies, 8 sims and a butler. The pause button was my best friend, and it was a lot of work for them and me, but I am mentioning this to say it's possible. I was able to add a lot of amenities to the home, and one of them got married while in school, but it was some of the hardest work I have had to do in a household to maintain it properly to get them through school well. Plus these sims did not do much to enjoy of their surroundings. If they had, their grades may have been a trade-off - which is realistic.

I also found the university rivalry overdone. It is causing tension and relationship decay in the household/marriage that is more than it should be, imho.

It was nice, though, to be able to manipulate surroundings to what would be useful to them. For instance, I added the 'study Spot' trait to my lot to help them study. I also added focus moodlet items on the lot to help them focus while studying. I wanted to test the university play for scenarios that were true to my experience as a full-time commuter when I was younger, and as an adult who returned to school. I think there was a lot of realism that I'm happy with. There are some bugs DU will be working out, but my test worked nicely and I was happy with the result.

I love Sims 4 and own all packs. Though I have favorites that I think are more 'worth having/worth the money', I have no regrets about purchasing them all. The game is not perfect, it has its quirks and bugs that come and go, but I love the game and recommend it highly!

Btw... PugLove888 & I are also huge fans of Sims 2, and both played it many, many, many hours. Sims 3 broke my sims love (dare I say addiction?)... until I got re-snagged into Sims 4. 🙂

SheriGR ☕ – I don’t work for EA

Thanks for your reply! 

I really haven’t used cheats a whole lot in Sims 4 as to begin with my game really just didn’t like them. Maybe it’s my computer that’s at fault but either way I’ve just avoided them to save myself the hassle I encountered in Sims 3 haha.

Glad to hear about your game though, sounds pretty interesting! I do enjoy Sims 4 a lot but it’s just a lot different to my expectations and I don’t think I’ve really found the expansion that does it for me yet. I enjoy the ones I have (I have all of them except a few stuff packs). I am looking forward to what they do with the stuff pack options for the survey they put out recently as I’m a keen artist and they had a lot of options of things like that! 

I really didn’t enjoy Sims 4 University though so I got it refunded eventually as I don’t have that kinda money to throw away on something I’m not enjoying which I’m sure everyone can understand. 

Thanks for your reply! 

@AttackofCatalx, thanks for clarifying!  I thought you meant cartoony in a bad way. 🤭 I think that TS4 has the best looking Sims.  

Some people had an ok time with TS3, but they usually had expensive computers and had to use certain Mods to make it work better.  My computer was middle of the road, but by the games' end it was almost unplayable, which was a shame because I really enjoyed Into the Future! ❤️😢

You wrote:

"I get simplifying the game cuz TS3 crashes loads for lots of people (mine didn’t crash much until my computer got older though as it crashed for most games by that point) but I feel like they’ve taken things out that otherwise could have been kept like travelling without load screens etc. "

The problem is is that these things couldn't have been left in the game--- those loading screens keep the game manageable; take those out and we run into the same problems as TS3 had! 😮😢 TS3's main problem was the open world. All the Sims in that world would have to be loaded in the game, and then they would all move around constantly.  To make matters worse, when you went to a venue like a bar, park, or bowling alley nobody would be at that location, and usually they wouldn't even begin to head that way.  Venues were like ghost towns! 😞 Then I would have to pause the game to search for other Sims to interact with, and that would take quite a while to find some.  Then by the time my Sim traveled to that location, those Sims might not still be there!  With TS4, every time I travel somewhere either there are people already there, or else they arrive shortly after! 🙌  Pherhpas there will be a way by the time TS5 comes out (if it is coming out), that will implement an open world better than TS3 -- if that is the case, then I would be OK with that.  🙂  But to be honest, I breathed a sigh of relief when I found out TS4 wouldn't have an open world! 

I didn't find the TS3 dorms that memorable except for the Murphy beds! 😃  The best dorm experience was with TS2, even though the dorms were extremely ugly, the gameplay in them was fun!  But that is pretty much the same for all of TS2!  @SheriGR  is right when she states that we were addicted to TS2.  And like her, TS3 broke my Sims addiction (still loved the game, but I doubt I will ever be as completely immersed in a game as I was with TS2!  ).  

Yes, I've never seen a dorm with a kitchen in the U.S.!  I didn't even know the UK had kitchens in the dorms until I saw a Plumbella on YouTube explaining this and that she was shocked that the US didn't have kitchens in the dorms! 😃  But like I said before, this is for fire hazard reasons.  I used to work in a shop that sold candles and other decorative items and we would always get students that lived in dorms come to my store and ask what alternatives to candles and incense could they use to make their dorms smell nice.  Pot Pourri was an option as long as you set it out dry in a bowl (as opposed to cooking it in water over a candle in  a pot pourri pot.  But the most popular option was a lightbulb ring that used the heat of a lightbulb to warm aromatic oils.  

But I can see if how if you weren't' aware of these US restrictions in dorms how that would be confusing to you! 🤨

I do find it odd that some of the houses in DU are considered "student housing" and don't have kitchens! They aren't dorms , so I don't understand that at all! 🤔

I lived off campus for college and commuted to class everyday, But I did have friends who lived in the dorms.  And yes, school rivalries are a big thing in the US, mostly due to the sports teams, and mostly due to American football. I think it is supposed to be like the houses in Harry Potter where you are expected to have a friendly rivalry.  I have relatives who went to rival schools and they will "trash talk" the others .  This is what @SheriGR thinks is overdone in the game.  I agree in part: I don't think the rivalry is overdone , but I do think the autonomous trash talk is overdone, as is the detrimental effects that this has on relationships and reputation in the game. 😞  So, if EA were to tweak that , it would be closer to reality and much more enjoyable to players! 😇  I have one relative by marriage whose whole side of the family went to one school who is known for their fierce school pride and devotion -- she always gives my brother who went to a rival school a hard time, but in a good natured way.  My brother doesn't get offended and thinks it is kind of funny! 😃  

I prefer that DU has 2 schools!  I didn't like that University Life for TS3 only had one school, especially after TS2' University had three schools!!! 🤨🙌  I don't know how it is in other parts of the world, but part of the University experience in the US is deciding what school you want to go to and then trying to get accepted. I think DU does a good job at this aspect! 😎 I also think that having more than one campus keeps it from getting stale, and allows for a little more replay value.  🥳

Well, at least you got a refund on DU! 🙂

It really worries me if you are having problems using cheats in your game!  I'm not the most tech savvy, but it sounds as if your computer is having a hard time handling the game.😮  (In which case, you don't want an open world !!!) 😞  You can try clearing your cache files and repairing your game through Origin.  It might help. 🤔

I know what you mean by TS3 Mods and CC causing problems!  It is why I stopped using them and have never used them in TS4!  I remember there was a CC doll that I had that caused my Sims to get spider arms and legs!  Also, I had some item or Mod that caused the dreaded "Spike Baby"! 😮😢  So, I rely on expansions for my game items and gameplay as well now! 🙂

Yes, it is probably best that the expansions aren't bloated like some were in TS3.  TS3's Island Paradise was known to be pretty much unplayable, even if it was fun and full of stuff.  What good is spending money on an unplayable game no matter how many good items it has?  Better to play a streamlined game and actually be able to play it! 

Also, some of TS4's content is hidden.  For example, there are hidden bar drink recipes, and hidden traits you can get by either having a child with Father Winter, or with one of the Island Elementals .  Offspring with either of these will result in your child having a hidden trait!  So by having certain hidden aspects, the game is actually a bit more complex than one initially thinks.

And as much as I love TS4, my favorite is TS2!!! It's gameplay was phenomenal and deep!  

I'm also looking forward to the Community chosen Stuff Pack!  I chose Arts & Crafts as my favorite category (followed by the Science category) and Knitting was my favorite activity.   This is because I knit and crochet in real life, and I think it will be nice to have an activity that Elders will be able to do , as there isn't a lot that they can do in the game☹️. That is one thing that TS3 got right was its Generations EP! ❤️  I just hope the knitting skill will be able to be done by children as well!  Most people learn knitting as children and it is a great activity for them! Children in the game also need more activites that they can do!  (I also really wanted glass creation in the game, as I love glass in real life! ). 

And @SheriGR  gave you a link to Carl's Sims 4 Guide which in case you haven't checked out yet, you will find very helpful! 😇

I agree! It is always nice to talk to others about the Sims! 🥳❤️