Severe oversimplification of relationships in the Sims 4

Core game design issues with the Sims 4 relationships. The TLDR is don't reinvent the wheel and don't fix what isn't broken. 

1) More one-sided relationships...i.e. Sims A and B have different relationship numerical values between each other as well as potentially different relationship types (friend, crush, etc.).

• WHY SIMS 4 IS BAD AT THIS: most relationships in the game are carbon copies between sims, which oversimplifies the game. You only need to view a relationship from one Sim to fully understand it. Prevents intrigue from asymmetric relationships, which are hard to create.

2) Speaking of relationship types, where is the variety of relationship types in the Sims 4 compared to the Sims 2 like friend, best friend, crush, going steady, engaged, married, enemies?

• WHY SIMS 4 IS BAD AT THIS: just not enough types for the diversity of relationships

3) Where are the numerical scores? I want to read a number. I don't like a fuzzy bar that is small so that I can't see minute changes based on my interactions. When you make something TOO graphical and remove contextual numbers, that's a problem.

• WHY SIMS 4 IS BAD AT THIS: the indicator bars are small and have stripped away the incredible insight one can deduce from seeing numerical changes based on the interaction choices the player makes. You can see how many points one has gained or lost based on the interaction and context

4) Where is the Lifetime Relationship bar? I like the introduction of the romantic bar, but we need a third bar that represents a stable and enduring relationship. The daily relationship is heavily fluctuating and decays fast, but the lifetime relationship slowly marches to meet the daily relationship and stands in for slower growth or decay.

• WHY SIMS 4 IS BAD AT THIS: The Sims 4 conflates the daily and the lifetime relationship bar. There is just the daily relationship, and it's WAY too easy to max out. You can get married in a day. Lack of lifetime relationship makes the game have fewer consequences or challenge