Bring back Whims!!!

"Pamtastic72;c-17261661" wrote:
I thought we still had them...they’re just on a toggle in game settings where you can turn them off or on.

the issue is there not adding new ones @Pamtastic72

Yeah - we really need some new ones. Even if it's just a couple that come with the new packs that could be better for story telling

"Sigzy05;c-17260684" wrote:

"DragonCat159;c-17260665" wrote:
This suggestion will either require devs to learn game design 101 (or just look up examples of Wishes/Wants from previous game) and learn to somewhat resolve the issue whatever technical thing prevents them to include not-superficial whims. I'm really confused as to why they don't attempt to take in previous games as reference and observe/learn the thing that made it interesting in the gameplay. It's more baffling when one of these developers have worked for developing previous game(s) as well, yet feels like their ideas/reference are being put down or they themselves don't share it.

Personality revamp is a demanded thing, and when some of it is served - it makes the pack (Parenthood/Vampires/Get Famous) that offer it get well received by the fanbase. It's a clear indication it's working and gives TS4 a praise for those additions, so why Maxis hesitate to incorporate more of it into the game?

Why is this so true though? xD

Probably because of the reception game receives? Complaint that game is boring/repetitive, lacking a personality, returning features being watered down takes, restrictions and etc. could be indication that people at MAXIS lost understanding that mechanics need to be "useful" and hold significant purpose. Somebody express the dismay, which is a strong, how spells in ROM that clean/repair/tend a SINGLE item are barely practical working towards of earning, when Sims can already do the same thing without magic. Now, If the magic could repair/clean/tend multiple objects/plants at once (in a room or lot), that would give the purpose of working towards to unlock suck powerful powers.

A whim that repeatedly throws the same mundane goal doesn't add dimension to gameplay. Add the absent check to see "If there's a swimming pool already to evaluate whether to drop such whim again pertaining the desire" doesn't help in killing mediocrity and shallowness of whims being a weaksauce.

"comicsforlife;c-17261671" wrote:

"Pamtastic72;c-17261661" wrote:
I thought we still had them...they’re just on a toggle in game settings where you can turn them off or on.

the issue is there not adding new ones @Pamtastic72

They’ve often indicated they can see what features we use in game, like they stopped adding secret lots because they had some kind of data that showed few players visited them. Perhaps it’s the same with whims. They may have data that shows that few players interact with them, especially since being able to toggle them off, and so they haven’t bothered to add new ones. I turned mine off a long time ago and hav never given them a second thought because I found them boring and repetitive and the constant cycling of them was intrusive.

"Pamtastic72;c-17262228" wrote:

"comicsforlife;c-17261671" wrote:

"Pamtastic72;c-17261661" wrote:
I thought we still had them...they’re just on a toggle in game settings where you can turn them off or on.

the issue is there not adding new ones @Pamtastic72

They’ve often indicated they can see what features we use in game, like they stopped adding secret lots because they had some kind of data that showed few players visited them. Perhaps it’s the same with whims. They may have data that shows that few players interact with them, especially since being able to toggle them off, and so they haven’t bothered to add new ones. I turned mine off a long time ago and hav never given them a second thought because I found them boring and repetitive and the constant cycling of them was intrusive.

well if they do add new ones it wouldn't bother you if yours are off also how are new players to know about them if there off by default it should have been the other way around where you can turn them off if you want but they are already on

"Pamtastic72;c-17262228" wrote:

"comicsforlife;c-17261671" wrote:

"Pamtastic72;c-17261661" wrote:
I thought we still had them...they’re just on a toggle in game settings where you can turn them off or on.

the issue is there not adding new ones @Pamtastic72

They’ve often indicated they can see what features we use in game, like they stopped adding secret lots because they had some kind of data that showed few players visited them. Perhaps it’s the same with whims. They may have data that shows that few players interact with them, especially since being able to toggle them off, and so they haven’t bothered to add new ones. I turned mine off a long time ago and hav never given them a second thought because I found them boring and repetitive and the constant cycling of them was intrusive.

Problem with the secret lots is there is nothing to do in them -- had they made them interesting places to go, they'd be used more. Same with whims. If they were relevant and interesting, they'd be used. Sims 2 had incredible depth, with wants, fears, etc. Sims 3 had a lot of depth as well, with whims being based on personality and current interests. Sim on a reading jag? They'll get wishes to read more. They stop reading for awhile and move onto painting? They'll roll fewer book-related wishes and more painting-related ones. Sims 4? They are just not interesting at all, and are quite repetitive.

"Felicity;c-17262364" wrote:

"Pamtastic72;c-17262228" wrote:

"comicsforlife;c-17261671" wrote:

"Pamtastic72;c-17261661" wrote:
I thought we still had them...they’re just on a toggle in game settings where you can turn them off or on.

the issue is there not adding new ones @Pamtastic72

They’ve often indicated they can see what features we use in game, like they stopped adding secret lots because they had some kind of data that showed few players visited them. Perhaps it’s the same with whims. They may have data that shows that few players interact with them, especially since being able to toggle them off, and so they haven’t bothered to add new ones. I turned mine off a long time ago and hav never given them a second thought because I found them boring and repetitive and the constant cycling of them was intrusive.

Problem with the secret lots is there is nothing to do in them -- had they made them interesting places to go, they'd be used more. Same with whims. If they were relevant and interesting, they'd be used. Sims 2 had incredible depth, with wants, fears, etc. Sims 3 had a lot of depth as well, with whims being based on personality and current interests. Sim on a reading jag? They'll get wishes to read more. They stop reading for awhile and move onto painting? They'll roll fewer book-related wishes and more painting-related ones. Sims 4? They are just not interesting at all, and are quite repetitive.

I was going to comment something like this. I totally agree. The problem with the way they get their game data is that it doesn't show why people aren't using things just that they aren't. They seem to think that people not playing much with something means we don't want it. So instead of improving on something they take it out which, to me, is just a lazy way of thinking. Find out why your players don't use certain items. They may find that with slight improvements these things would get used more often.

"fruitsbasket101;c-17262391" wrote:

"Felicity;c-17262364" wrote:

"Pamtastic72;c-17262228" wrote:

"comicsforlife;c-17261671" wrote:

"Pamtastic72;c-17261661" wrote:
I thought we still had them...they’re just on a toggle in game settings where you can turn them off or on.

the issue is there not adding new ones @Pamtastic72

They’ve often indicated they can see what features we use in game, like they stopped adding secret lots because they had some kind of data that showed few players visited them. Perhaps it’s the same with whims. They may have data that shows that few players interact with them, especially since being able to toggle them off, and so they haven’t bothered to add new ones. I turned mine off a long time ago and hav never given them a second thought because I found them boring and repetitive and the constant cycling of them was intrusive.

Problem with the secret lots is there is nothing to do in them -- had they made them interesting places to go, they'd be used more. Same with whims. If they were relevant and interesting, they'd be used. Sims 2 had incredible depth, with wants, fears, etc. Sims 3 had a lot of depth as well, with whims being based on personality and current interests. Sim on a reading jag? They'll get wishes to read more. They stop reading for awhile and move onto painting? They'll roll fewer book-related wishes and more painting-related ones. Sims 4? They are just not interesting at all, and are quite repetitive.

I was going to comment something like this. I totally agree. The problem with the way they get their game data is that it doesn't show why people aren't using things just that they aren't. They seem to think that people not playing much with something means we don't want it. So instead of improving on something they take it out which, to me, is just a lazy way of thinking. Find out why your players don't use certain items. They may find that with slight improvements these things would get used more often.

My favorite example of telemetry fail is for Dragon Age Origins. The devs were shocked at how popular the romance with Leliana was, with over 90% of players ending the game in a romance with her. They brought her back because they saw her as so beloved. The thing is, Leliana had a lot of really nasty bugs -- a few were related to her romance. One would switch on her romance flag inadvertently in a certain conversation with her. Then there was one where she'd confront you, and when your surprised warden would then break up with her, the flag to break up the romance was not set, leaving the warden in a romance with her and that conversation would never trigger again. So yes, the only way to avoid that scenario in an unmodded game is to not talk to her very much. And what's worse is the devs knew these bugs existed, there were endless complaints about the ending slides mentioning her over Morrigan and Zevran (slides were triggered in alphabetical order so only Alistair romances avoided the incorrect slides), yet they kept insisting that she really was that popular. Probably because one of the lead devs adored her.

Edit: The way this relates to the Sims is that looking at the telemetry without understanding WHY the data looks the way it does means there's a lot of bad information out there. Most people are not statisticians and do not really know how to interpret data. It's not nearly as simple and straight forward as most people believe. You can see trends, of course, but that gives you a starting point, not an ending one, if you want to know what your numbers are actually saying.

I noticed that too @Francl27. There are no new whims associated with any of the newer game packs. & it's the same whims over and over, like walking the dog. It's very frustrating because my Sims don't even have a dog, but yet they constantly get that whim. I think there needs to be an overhaul of the whims. By default, whims are turned off in game options & you have to turn them on. It seems super backwards to me, as whims has always been associated with Sims in every franchise. It seems like the default option would be whims turned on and you can switch them off. All I know, is that it's pointless to have them turned on, which is unfortunate.

"LoveMcQueen5683;c-17264555" wrote:

"Felicity;c-17264493" wrote:

"LoveMcQueen5683;c-17264489" wrote:
I am curious to know when they stopped adding new whims? Around what pack did that happen?

I don't want to get my hopes up but that sounds a lot like we are getting something new soon.

Hopefully wants and fears like Sims 2.

I think they took them out about a year ago. Maybe November? You could probably check the patch notes. I don't think they're planning on replacing them, though I'd love to be proven wrong on that.

Edit: I could check the patch notes as well. It was last November.

And there hasn't been any new whims related to any pack since then?

No. In fact, I'm not sure when they stopped putting new whims in, but that's the point where they made them optional. I haven't played Sims 4 for a minute as I'm back on Sims 3, but I don't remember any Vampire whims, nor any Seasons whims either, though if there are those in the game, someone will correct me soon enough.