Water heaters (yes, again!) Lawn mowing Swimming pool cleaning Greenhouses like in TS2 at least Drainpipes and gutters Attic rooms More clutter: utilities, garden, garage, no matter if there's no cars yet Air conditioners and heat/cold wavesI know people demands fairies, zombies, mummies and other occult things, but The Sims is a life simulator game, and we can have both, the realistic and unrealistic things, but focusing the first as BG updates or the return of gameplay kits with the option to deactivate the chores like dust gameplay.

"Mak27;d-1005073" wrote:I know people demands fairies, zombies, mummies and other occult things, but The Sims is a life simulator game, and we can have both, the realistic and unrealistic things, but focusing the first as BG updates or the return of gameplay kits with the option to deactivate the chores like dust gameplay.I'm a little concerned about this attitude within the sims community. What's up with this notion that a "life simulator" equals "REAL LIFE simulator"? I'm really not getting it. Occult life is life too. The Sims is a fantasy game. Sure, not like Gandalf and The Hobbits kinda fantasy -unless you want it to be- but complete Cuckoo Land kinda fantasy. Why is that so hard to acknowledge?Why can't we simply say: "Let's focus on making ALL gameplay elements work: the so called "realistic" ones and the "unrealistic" elements. They both need attention equally. But hey, let's be honest here, we need fairies and zombies more. :D

"Mak27;d-1005073" wrote: Greenhouses like in TS2 at least Air conditioners and heat/cold wavesYou can design a green house using glass roofs and really large windows. Seasons already gives us air conditioning and heat/cold waves.

"Mak27;c-18207404" wrote:"CAPTAIN_NXR7;c-18207389" wrote:I'm really not getting it. Occult life is life too. The Sims is a fantasy game. Sure, not like Gandalf and The Hobbits kinda fantasy -unless you want it to be- but complete Cuckoo Land kinda fantasy. Why is that so hard to acknowledge?After BAtuu, so many things.Are you being serious? You’re not being serious are you? ?

I like having realistic gameplay and items, and I'd love to see some of your suggestions. But keep in mind that we get occult stuff like once every two years or so. Almost every single pack adds some form of real life gameplay, CAS or BB. Occults are extremely neglected in comparison. I don't think they should be pushed aside even more than they already are now.

More realism? You mean like consequences of skin cancer for sun tanning at Sulani, maybe an actual pawn shop that you have to travel to and line up to sell off your TV or furniture if you can't pay your bills, child welfare agencies showing up on your doorstep to make you explain why your kid is failing school or why you were seen out at a nightclub with your teenage offspring on a school night, ooh how about diagnoses of serious illnesses, risk of dying by misadventure, losing your job when the company you work for shuts down, having to sign on for welfare, becoming homeless etc, etc. It's all realism is it not? Or do you just mean the type of fantasy world 'realism' in a totally unrealistic life simulator, where everyone lives on Planet Sims, that we already have; the one that occults fit into quite nicely because very, very little about the Sims is actually realistic in any way, shape or form.

Before more occults, more realism

CAPTAIN_NXR7
Seasoned Veteran
2 years ago
"Mak27;d-1005073" wrote:

I know people demands fairies, zombies, mummies and other occult things, but The Sims is a life simulator game, and we can have both, the realistic and unrealistic things, but focusing the first as BG updates or the return of gameplay kits with the option to deactivate the chores like dust gameplay.

I'm a little concerned about this attitude within the sims community. What's up with this notion that a "life simulator" equals "REAL LIFE simulator"?
I'm really not getting it. Occult life is life too. The Sims is a fantasy game. Sure, not like Gandalf and The Hobbits kinda fantasy -unless you want it to be- but complete Cuckoo Land kinda fantasy. Why is that so hard to acknowledge?

Why can't we simply say: "Let's focus on making ALL gameplay elements work: the so called "realistic" ones and the "unrealistic" elements. They both need attention equally.

But hey, let's be honest here, we need fairies and zombies more. :D
BissenNess
Seasoned Hotshot
2 years ago
"Mak27;d-1005073" wrote:

Greenhouses like in TS2 at least
Air conditioners and heat/cold waves

You can design a green house using glass roofs and really large windows. Seasons already gives us air conditioning and heat/cold waves.
CAPTAIN_NXR7
Seasoned Veteran
2 years ago
"Mak27;c-18207404" wrote:
"CAPTAIN_NXR7;c-18207389" wrote:

I'm really not getting it. Occult life is life too. The Sims is a fantasy game. Sure, not like Gandalf and The Hobbits kinda fantasy -unless you want it to be- but complete Cuckoo Land kinda fantasy. Why is that so hard to acknowledge?

After BAtuu, so many things.

Are you being serious?
You’re not being serious are you? ?
Karamazov123
Seasoned Hotshot
2 years ago
I like having realistic gameplay and items, and I'd love to see some of your suggestions. But keep in mind that we get occult stuff like once every two years or so. Almost every single pack adds some form of real life gameplay, CAS or BB. Occults are extremely neglected in comparison. I don't think they should be pushed aside even more than they already are now.
EmeraldEyles
Seasoned Traveler
2 years ago
More realism? You mean like consequences of skin cancer for sun tanning at Sulani, maybe an actual pawn shop that you have to travel to and line up to sell off your TV or furniture if you can't pay your bills, child welfare agencies showing up on your doorstep to make you explain why your kid is failing school or why you were seen out at a nightclub with your teenage offspring on a school night, ooh how about diagnoses of serious illnesses, risk of dying by misadventure, losing your job when the company you work for shuts down, having to sign on for welfare, becoming homeless etc, etc. It's all realism is it not? Or do you just mean the type of fantasy world 'realism' in a totally unrealistic life simulator, where everyone lives on Planet Sims, that we already have; the one that occults fit into quite nicely because very, very little about the Sims is actually realistic in any way, shape or form.
ignominiusrex
2 years ago
I get that not everyone wants fantasy as a theme in their game (even though the game itself IS fantasy,) some people want to fantasize about only things that could happen in real life, or want to simulate their as-yet-unlived life, or maybe their should-have-been-lived life.

But there's room on the broom for everyone, whether your fantasy is grinding away at school/college/job/family, rinse and repeat, or whether your fantasy is traveling to beautiful places and exploring magical hidden tombs and encountering curses, or learning magic, or being transformed into an immortal vampire.

Sometimes what a person wants changes over their life because of what they have experienced: a person who hasn't married or had kids might find playing at it in the game, a compelling wish fulfillment fantasy or just a nice way to have a dream.

Someone who craves something unusual beyond the everyday ho-hum life of real responsibilities, might be more interested in living the impossible dream of fame and fortune or turning into a vampire, or being a magician or alien walking among humans.

Sims1 was hardly a realistic, real-life simulator: the Grim Reaper, Tragic Clown, and ghosts aren't part of any real life anything. It combined an attempt to represent a realistic playable gamified life, with humor, fun, danger, and sarcastic wit.

The cool thing is, even vampires can grind away at jobs and have to clean the lint filter, repair a leaking faucet, pay the bills or face the wrath of the repo person.
The game offers realism in a context of both plausible and implausible scenarios.
CAPTAIN_NXR7
Seasoned Veteran
2 years ago

"ignominiusrex;c-18207745" wrote:

The cool thing is, even vampires can grind away at jobs and have to clean the lint filter, repair a leaking faucet, pay the bills or face the wrath of the repo person.
The game offers realism in a context of both plausible and implausible scenarios.

Precisely. The franchise has always offered content for both.

@Mak27 I would also like to mention that I reacted to the title of the thread. It doesn't automatically mean that I’m not interested in your suggestions. Please let me elaborate.

Below is your list with a couple of my own suggestions / comments.

Water heaters (yes, again!) - Eco Lifestyle was shipped with the lot trait “geothermal”, which heats the water and keeps the bills down. Do you mean interactive boilers?
Lawn mowing - for me, only if it generates simoleons, comes with a new death (death by noise), a Plant Sims revamp, Lawnmower Man, and the all new social interaction: wave at passers- by and shout “Howdy Do Neighbor”!*
Swimming pool cleaning - YES! With one of those huge, green nets. It could be a “collection” activity. One can either collect slime or gold. If you merge 5 slimes to form a Mega Slime and make a sim eat it you’ll get a new occult life-state: Swamp Thing. A win- win for both realism and occult players: If you don’t want Swamp Thing, don’t eat the slime. You could use the Mega Slime as a (mega) fertilizer instead.
Greenhouses like in TS2 at least - I’ve built and seen tons of functional greenhouses. What do you mean?
Drainpipes and gutters - drainpipes are already available in short, long and longest. I use them all the time. I would like gutters as a roof trim. One thing I'd love to see and hear is water dripping from the drainpipes when it rains. I truly enjoy that sound in real life…*realizes that one of the drainpipes still needs fixin’*?
Attic rooms- I’ve built and seen tons of attic rooms. What do you mean?
More clutter: utilities, garden, garage, no matter if there's no cars yet - Ideally WITH cars. ? In Sims 3 all my werebeasts were inventors or car mechanics. In Sims 4 I have them build social companion robots because nobody else likes them and they don't have cars to escape in.
Air conditioners and heat/cold waves - As was previously mentioned, heat waves and cold snaps are part of the weather system in Seasons. Basegame comes with animated outdoor AC fans. These work well in combination with Season’s indoor climate system. Ceiling fans also keep areas cool. Room heaters came with Snowy Escape. It is extremely cold up there in the snowy mountains.

*English to Simlish translation: “Hurdy Dooh Nurbur!”
Simmingal
Hero
2 years ago
Why not: both.

fairies (and plantsims for that matter) go great with gardening theme
they could have nightmares about lawn mowers and be angry about sims destroying their habitats with neatly trimmed painted lawns

their houses could resemble greenhouses and tree houses and hobbit things

therefore adding build items for greenhouses, cellars and tree houses
which are all plenty realistic

and don't even pretend attics are not magical or spooky theres always something in the attic

things can coexist we don't need to limit occult content to get realism content.

also I believe we deserve at least one occult gp by year considering rest of the content (ep, sp, kit, updates ) is literally all realism and trendy objects
comicsforever
2 years ago
"CAPTAIN_NXR7;c-18207389" wrote:
"Mak27;d-1005073" wrote:

I know people demands fairies, zombies, mummies and other occult things, but The Sims is a life simulator game, and we can have both, the realistic and unrealistic things, but focusing the first as BG updates or the return of gameplay kits with the option to deactivate the chores like dust gameplay.

I'm a little concerned about this attitude within the sims community. What's up with this notion that a "life simulator" equals "REAL LIFE simulator"?
I'm really not getting it. Occult life is life too. The Sims is a fantasy game. Sure, not like Gandalf and The Hobbits kinda fantasy -unless you want it to be- but complete Cuckoo Land kinda fantasy. Why is that so hard to acknowledge?

Why can't we simply say: "Let's focus on making ALL gameplay elements work: the so called "realistic" ones and the "unrealistic" elements. They both need attention equally.

But hey, let's be honest here, we need fairies and zombies more. :D

yes we do
cyncie
Seasoned Veteran
2 years ago
I don’t even have Laundry Day. Definitely not buying the Water Heater/ Lawn Care EP. I get that some folks just love replicating the most boring parts of everyday life, but even when I’m not playing occults, I’m not wasting time doing virtual laundry. If I wanted to do laundry or mow the lawn, I’d close up my laptop and do the real thing. At least I’d get some level of personal benefit from it, then.

"CAPTAIN_NXR7;c-18207389" wrote:

I'm a little concerned about this attitude within the sims community. What's up with this notion that a "life simulator" equals "REAL LIFE simulator"?
I'm really not getting it.

When did this push for ultra realism in The Sims even start? I mean, to me, demanding “real life” kind of robs the game of its unique identity. The Sims franchise has always been a little quirky and off kilter, and occults have always been a part of that. It’s never been really “realistic.” I get that not everyone wants to play occults, but honestly, there’s no imbalance between occult and non-occult gameplay. In fact, TS4 is behind on Supernatural life states, compared to other versions of the game.