Bringing back the *Small Details*

It is more than nostalgia. Those things mentioned helped to make the game more interesting, more real. Yes, little in themselves, but added up they make an enormous difference in quality of game play and depth of immersion. A few more: babies that are not objects tied to the basinet, when kids/teens get A+ at school they not only have a 'yeah!' response getting off the bus, but run into the house to show the report card to parents and do a happy dance. And the parents cheer. Cars to fix for either use or sale, how the cars would periodically spit smoke back, the sim backing away while positioning hands to shield face, and then looking at the car as if to say 'Don't you want to get fixed?'. Seasons actually worked, and you could customize which main neighborhood got what seasons. The tools and parts to make real Victorian homes, teens looked like teens, penguins, skunks, the seemingly endless variety of facial expressions that so clearly conveyed the sim's mood, emotions, and over all satisfaction with how life was going. I could go on, but you get the idea. TS2 was like watching real little people who had invited us to be part of their lives.