Carl's Guide: A History of the Sims 4

No. I do not regard myself as a Castaway. I have my own ship to sail and it’s floating just fine.

However I do agree that we need to voice our concerns with the game. That has to happen in a constructive manner, which means we need to offer solutions and not just rant and complain without giving new ideas. A lot of these ideas have been implemented already. They just don’t work the same for everybody. That’s why not everyone’s happy. Including Carl.

Personally I get great enjoyment out of The Sims 4 for what it is and what I can currently do with it. It has come a long way. I also see all elements offered in the Sims as gameplay elements: I get just as much enjoyment out of CAS and BB as I get out of live mode.

Having said that, I’ve always felt that there’s a lack of sim personalities, challenges and consequences in this title. It can feel bland at times.

For me the lack of “personalities” is actually the main problem. I prefer to explore character driven stories which is not easy when the sim looks the part but doesn’t act the part. Take umbrellas for example. My jungle hero Rambo dude doesn’t give a darn about getting his head wet. He doesn’t Care. One. Bit. Yet the game insists he’d use a bleedin’ umbrella in the slightest pis. s of drizzle.
The game should give me a (hidden?) behavior trait that disables umbrella use for this specific dude!! Not just a toggle to turn off the umbrella. It should go as deep as their personality. But there is none, because the game doesn’t really care about who he is deep inside. I care. I care about who he is deep inside. So at least there’s that.
Anyway. I know there are truckloads of mods for those things, but these nuances should be weaved into the core script that make our sims who they are. Not something “patched” on top.

I’m also aware that this can’t be easy, creating a life simulator that simulates personalities and consequences in a non-linear - based on real life - fashion. I actually believe TS4 tried to do this, but bit off more of the “smart sim cake” than it could actually chew resulting in not really succeeding in any of it. As a consequence it may have made the previous iterations look better in that regard. I’m not sure if it will succeed. I do appreciate sentiments & lifestyles and I wonder how and if these will develop into something more substantial and meaningful.

For me the lack of personalities is the only thing that actually bothers me in TS4.(+ Judith, Nancy and those ugly Pear Shaped Ogres constantly ruining the landscape. STAY HOME FFS! )

I can easily live with the rest. I don’t mind any of the pack types, including Kits. Doesn’t bother me one bit. Sure I have a couple of comments to make about the content, but not about the concept itself.
Overall I still look forward to see what else TS4 can offer us. I’m pretty sure I can work with it. But that’s just me on my boat.

"Sk8rblaze;c-17837454" wrote:

"Sallycutecat;c-17836544" wrote:
I like the Sims 4. I can do what I want and there's not really any obstacle to overcome. I found Sims 2 to be too challenging. I didn't like the aspiration meter, the wants and fears, and the need decay was too fast. I got bored playing Sims 3. I find it boring to watch and wait while my Sim walks from one side of town to the other. The game was also very laggy and didn't run well on my computer. Sims 4 is the first Sims game where I don't need cheats to keep on top of their needs. It's easy to get promotions or do well in school, build relationships, and skill up in whatever I want my Sim to be good at. Sims 4 really suits me and my way of playing.

To preface this, I’m glad you found a Sims game which meshes better with your style of play, and I wouldn’t want them to radically redesign TS4 to take that away from you.

But I don’t think the solution for everyone is to strip the game entirely of fun gameplay systems and make retained systems like Needs way too easy to manage. Not at all insinuating you are, but I’m personally not someone that lives vicariously through my Sims. Keeping the game in normal mode and watching them slowly ski, rowboat, or go to the spa does absolutely nothing for me. That’s all visual stuff. I need depth/meaning behind it, and I need to feel like the game is challenging me in some capacity, otherwise I leave. And I don’t even think it needs to be complex. Things to the extent of TS2’s dating or headmaster system were fine enough.

I’ve said it before, but I definitely think they should make a simplified sandbox mode for players like you and a life simulation mode for players like myself that want challenge, risk, and spontaneity.

In previous games, the solution for those types of players was the sheer amount of cheats included. They could have instant money and max motives. That was easy mode.

"CAPTAIN_NXR7;c-17837557" wrote:

Having said that, I’ve always felt that there’s a lack of sim personalities, challenges and consequences in this title. It can feel bland at times.

For me the lack of “personalities” is actually the main problem. I prefer to explore character driven stories which is not easy when the sim looks the part but doesn’t act the part. Take umbrellas for example. My jungle hero Rambo dude doesn’t give a darn about getting his head wet. He doesn’t Care. One. Bit. Yet the game insists he’d use a bleedin’ umbrella in the slightest pis. s of drizzle.
The game should give me a (hidden?) behavior trait that disables umbrella use for this specific dude!! Not just a toggle to turn off the umbrella. It should go as deep as their personality. But there is none, because the game doesn’t really care about who he is deep inside. I care. I care about who he is deep inside. So at least there’s that.
Anyway. I know there are truckloads of mods for those things, but these nuances should be weaved into the core script that make our sims who they are. Not something “patched” on top.

I agree with this part so much. I didn't start playing 4 until about this point last year because of everything that was left out. When I saw most of it was (slowly) added back in I decided to check it out. I've played all iterations of this game and 2 is likely always going to be my favorite. Despite the limited aspirations they had so much more personality. If they weren't interested in something they had negative reactions. They had hobbies!
I didn't really get into 3 because of their looks but recently started playing again and was amazed at the complex personalities in that. My sim had to wear down an unflirty sim for DAYS. He would let some things fly and then throw down a "you have problems, bye" and I'd have to try again the next day.
And don't even get me started on reactions to cheating.
I think adding more personality and making traits actually mean something would quell a lot of issues people have.
I do agree with Carl as well. I legit used to skip college classes to play the new Sims 2 expansions right away. I was out with friends in high school and just wanted to go home and play Sims 1. And I could play for HOURS. I sometimes can play for awhile in 4 but I need to be doing some kind of challenge and not just casual play. I haven't felt motivation to play in a few weeks.
I'm meh on Kits. But I think if they put out one that was focused on personality or adding more interactions in regards to family and romance a lot of people would appreciate that.
They rely on modders too much to add things for them and try to get too creative with some (not all) of these packs. They need to listen to the community. But they likely won't because why would they? They get that money either way.

"eternalrainn;c-17837224" wrote:

"SimmerGeorge;c-17837160" wrote:

"PreCiious;c-17837006" wrote:



I think its sad, that this game is about the players and not so much about the sims themselfs

But then when you tell people you want to play an actual game and not make everything up like its a dollhouse they say "It's your fault you find it boring, you are not creative enough".
Since when do we have to make such a huge effort to enjoy a game?

What would you all want? Honest question, because I liked the fact StrangerVille gave you a goal and actually something to do besides go to work or a date, but everybody seemed to hate it. Or Jungle Adventure gave you a goal to explore the jungle and try to survive it, and there's a real chance your sim won't make it unless you have the right stuff. Is this stuff you all would want expanded more on? Or something totally different.

Imho Strangerville would have been better off as an side project like they did with Sims 2 Castaway which was not part of the Sims 2 line but as an separate entity and used some of Sims 2 assets. Also for me if Sims 4 had all the features that I loved I wouldn't have minded Strangerville but it didn't so the disappointment. Glad Carl commented on Sims City 2013 for which he is 100% correct about Sims 4 being partially influenced by that game outcome and Sims 4 not being the game it should have been and it is an weakened form of an Sims game.

"logion;c-17837524" wrote:

"Ellupelluellu;c-17837352" wrote:
I did not watch it. Carl is now the whiny "wannabe LGR".. anyhow I am sure he makes great amount of money at his patreon at these days. Good for him :)

I think it's good that we have people like Carl, the sims community don't have many youtubers left with a large amount of subscribers that focus on constructive criticism. We do see the occasional video with that from other larger youtubers like James Turner and Plumbella but Carl have a good way to analyze these things more in detail which I think is a good thing.

Deligracy, James' girlfriend actually did provide constructive criticism on packs last year and got attacked by her own community over it so much she had to take a break from social media, so I see Youtubers getting fed up not being allowed to express a real opinion without some fans bullying them over it. It isn't healthy the bullying that has been allowed to thrive during this iteration over having any constructive feedback. Communication is at skill level 1 during the Sims 4. Carl is just a good example of another. He was 100% supportive so interesting to see him treated like I was because I used to love the Sims 4 before all the fun and consequences got nerfed out of it. It no longer became a fantasy or life Sim game, but an only take pictures of single Young Adults game. Game was designed for Twitter posts and nothing else it feels like. Even Youtubers struggle to get any story out of this game.

I agree with most of what Carl said (just a few little disagreements here and there but the general premise, yes) and I hope to add more to this conversation when I have time because I think it's a very good discussion and an important one.

"StrawberryYogurt;c-17837717" wrote:

"PreCiious;c-17837006" wrote:


I think its sad, that this game is about the players and not so much about the sims themselfs, basically confirming that its also the community that keeps the game a float. I dont like how they made this game a tool for a safe space to express yourself. Everything is a trigger. Maybe thats why we dont have burglars. I dont like how they try to make this game a second life kind of thing you know? Or how they try to be Diverse(TM) or politicial. I liked it better when it was an alternative Universe with some refrences.

Mt.Komorebi Disscussions and cultural controversy.

I do wish they'd stay away from Diversity™ pandering & promotion and instead try to implement systems in game that allow you to create/customize your own cultures or practices. And delve into sim personalities instead of just physical appearances or superficial stuff :/

Yeah we really do need more tools like that. I would love customization system with religions too. I mean they have a system in seasons to expand holidays more. They just need to utilize existing tools in the game more. I would love a customized school and daycare system too. The Go to School mod expanded upon the Get to Work tools really well. It was sad the superficial and CAS stuff was the first thing the Sims listened to with diversity, but taking on the baby steps to get the bigger issues worked on too. I got bullied a lot on requesting the opacity slider for makeup but it really is a tool that needed implementing to have a base on applying to bigger ideas like a color wheel for CAS and build mode. Hopefully can use it on more gameplay things like future birds and reptiles too. I feel like even the superficial stuff is poorly designed especially the fx effects for animals which hinder the gameplay too. I rather have a well designed gameplay rather than fx effects. I rather not have adult female only clothing being the only feature of every single content release. I feel like CAS is the only focus for the Sims 4 and even lacks that with a lot of the tools the Sims 3 base game provides. Babies are a joke in design.

"StrawberryYogurt;c-17837717" wrote:

"PreCiious;c-17837006" wrote:


I think its sad, that this game is about the players and not so much about the sims themselfs, basically confirming that its also the community that keeps the game a float. I dont like how they made this game a tool for a safe space to express yourself. Everything is a trigger. Maybe thats why we dont have burglars. I dont like how they try to make this game a second life kind of thing you know? Or how they try to be Diverse(TM) or politicial. I liked it better when it was an alternative Universe with some refrences.

Mt.Komorebi Disscussions and cultural controversy.

I do wish they'd stay away from Diversity™ pandering & promotion and instead try to implement systems in game that allow you to create/customize your own cultures or practices. And delve into sim personalities instead of just physical appearances or superficial stuff :/

Exactly
I was very curious when the rebranding started, but when they released this sort of freedom/therapy add that basically defines the Sims4 it was quiet telling. But i guess they also want to be trendy/woke and get down with the kids these days

This is why we have players demanding the exact eyebrow shape that they have in real life, the exact underlying skin tones, when i just sit here and use the maybe 20Skintones even though we have 100+. Its still a game where a sim looks like a Disney character.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZhi2bSdXnQ&ab_channel=BuzzFeedMultiplayer


Can we not expect to have equal content for Live Mode/CAS and Build&Buy in every patch that they release. And not only prior to a pack release to make the pack look more full.

2020 and i can think of maybe 3 things that was added in LiveMode Gameplay. Beeing new
- Firefighters (Before Eco Livestyle)
- Sentiments (Before SE) adding more Sentiments only in that pack yet



@Mstybl95


I'm pretty sure that when TS4 was in development, it was supposed to be a second life competitor. That's why the focus is on the player rather than the sim. You were supposed to only use these sims as avatars and not play a family or how we have played in the past.

Yet it seems like they are trying the same approach again in the future or even now? Before you know it EA is going to sell narcissism rather then a game.

When a game is still in development, there's time for improvement, the sims 4 is world's away from where it was at launch, there's also been talk of story progression possibly coming to the game (which I would personally love), the truth is nobody knows where this game will be going or when it will end apart from the developers, i don't believe the sims 4 will have every feature and detail as the previous games, at the end of the day its everyone's own personal opinion of what they think of the sims 4

"Nikkih;c-17837796" wrote:
When a game is still in development, there's time for improvement, the sims 4 is world's away from where it was at launch, there's also been talk of story progression possibly coming to the game (which I would personally love), the truth is nobody knows where this game will be going or when it will end apart from the developers, i don't believe the sims 4 will have every feature and detail as the previous games, at the end of the day its everyone's own personal opinion of what they think of the sims 4

Sims 4 era will be ending soon. EA wouldn’t have made kits a thing if this game weren’t wrapping up in the next year or two. They want to squeeze every last drop of money out of people who buy Sims 4 content while they still have an audience this size.