Carl's review of Dream Home Decorator pack is out

"To7m;c-17900053" wrote:

"grevilliablue;c-17897911" wrote:
Oh dear. That doesn't sound good. I still plan to get it though.

And people wonder why the game is in the state it is in and why EA get away with the stuff that they do?

This is the very epitome of why.

Edit; Carl is one of the TWO YouTubers I will watch for reviews and honesty. He pretty much mirrors anything I think, but I’ve even seen plumbella and others saying how disappointed they are.

It goes beyond whether you like the game or not now, the game is broken, the service is abysmal, the content is lacklustre and my enjoyment is nonexistent because of it. If they want money from the everyday people like me, this ain’t the way to do it.

The comment I quoted is a big problem for everyone. Sure, you’re happy with the game now, I was once too.


—T

This is one of the packs I will get only if it goes on 50% off sale, which I understand is fairly rare for GPs. I don't actually hate the stuff in the pack. It disappoints me, but I do like the stuff, I just don't believe it's anywhere near worth 20$. The job needs work, and I'm hoping there are patches that correct it by the time I'm actually willing to buy it. It's not Journey to Batuu, which automatically means I've not marked it off as unbuyable.

I don't think Carl's being influenced by the fandom's negativity, at least not on any noticeable level. Like many of us, his frustrations over the game have been growing. Sims 4 has been going on for almost 7 years, and a lot of its flaws and failings haven't been addressed - if anything, some of them have gotten worse over time. You see it in a lot of his videos, and not just his reviews: he knows what he wants to see and what the game can do to improve, but nothing is being done.

And I don't think he's being negative to cater to people. Reviews are tricky with this fandom - if you're too positive, you get called a shill and bootlicker who swallow up everything you're given. If you're too negative, people say you're a troll, a hater, doing it for views and not credible. Plumbella and Grimcookies even talked about this in some of their reviews, where they have to preface things by saying "I tried to be positive so people don't think I'm a hater" or "I've been positive in my reviews and people called me a bootlicker." I don't think it's fair to accuse most people of catering to fans, since anything but completely neutral or is going to get you side-eyes.

That said, the Game Changer program will inherently have biases because the big GCs know many of the Gurus personally and are friends with them, and they get the packs for free, before anyone else. Even if they come to a positive opinion on their own, the system is set up in a certain way. LGR, himself, brought this up and said that's why he opted out of getting free review copies. But that's not relevant to my overall point, which is that reviewers can be unfairly criticized. There's an inherent bias in the system, but that doesn't mean reviewers are easily influenced.

"SamDenny;c-17899910" wrote:

"ashcrash19;c-17898207" wrote:
Is it just me or has he become more and more negative? I remember when Carl's Guides were neutral or positive. The last year or so it seemed he's always upset.

It's because he's being influenced by the increased negativity of the fanbase in general. It gets to a point that you feel out place for thinking differently than the majority, this allows negative influences to make adjustments to way you think. I'm sad to say that I've only come to understand this now because I, myself was undergoing it.

Case in point, it follows the same deal of if you hear a lie enough times it becomes the truth.

Gotta love the idea that everyone is just "so negative" for no reason at all and we just get enjoyment out of being frustrated, and that it's a "hot new trend" instead of, I don't know, maybe the game has some actual serious flaws that people have been begging to be addressed for years, and instead we keep getting packs of diminishing quality?

I'm not here to start a fight or anything, I just really don't understand this mentality that this "negativity" is unfounded. I'm glad you're having fun with the game, but that doesn't mean everyone is? And maybe the reason why it seems so "popular" to be negative now is because more people are starting to realize how shallow the simulation gameplay in a series titled The Sims currently is?

Like, I'm still able to squeeze enjoyment out of this game because my playstyle just barely fits into the way the team is trying to encourage players to, well, play this generation. Which is to imagine your own little story and micro-manage every little interaction and fill in the gaps in gameplay/interactions/animations with your imagination. I just want good autonomy and sims with personality who aren't default nice all the time... (and wants and fears and better aspirations). Man, now I'm just remembering the gossip system from TS2 and getting sad... Memory systems... Sigh....

Like, everyone on this forum is here because we care about this game/franchise. Regardless if our opinions are positive or negative. People who seem "so negative" are upset because we realize there is so much room for improvement this iteration. I actually stand by the opinion that this generation could be just as great as the previous ones, IF they implement a few core features. This opinion has definitely wavered the last couple of years, as the systems we get continue to lack real depth to them (WHY won't my sims autonomously do things they like? WHY do they keep dancing autonomously even though they hate dancing (back to micro-managing)?? Lifestyles are almost useless and since they are pack specific they will never be expanded upon. Sentiments are... nice... but like most things in this game act as flavor-text and give another moodlet to the increasing number of moodlets that I can't keep track of anymore (good point about sentiments: sims with positive ones will autonomously want to be near each other, very cute!).

I'm glad we still have Carl's reviews (and Pleasant Sims). I loved LGR but he stopped reviewing most packs because he realized what so many of us "negative" people here have realized. That this iteration has some serious flaws that cannot be fixed with each new pack acting as a coat of paint to hide the mess underneath. In his review, Carl was trying to prove an idea, and he did. According to one of the previous posts, sims in TS3 Ambitions could recognize mess in their house for the final review. That does not seem to be the case for TS4 DHD. It being cheated there or not isn't the point. It's still recognizable and the sims reacted to it positively! He intentionally pushed the limits of the game (as you should, I think), and found one of its breaking points. Someone on twitter realized you could throw entire parties at the clients house (on their dime, apparently)! You can steal their stuff and leave them with nothing but a tub and still get paid. But some people are seemingly failing jobs for no discernable reason? To me, this points to the pack not being coded in a thoughtful way.

Every "negative" person you see just wants this game to be good. Just because we are frustrated does not mean that we aren't still finding some enjoyment out of this iteration. I'm literally about to jump into TS4 right now (and I don't even use mods). Which is why it gets doubly frustrating when people say to just "play another game if you're so upset, why play something you don't like?" Because maybe we do like it? But also see where it can do better? Things can't improve without criticism, that's literally just how life works. Again, I'm glad you don't feel "negative" about TS4, but can you at least understand that the "negativity" is not without reason? I'm critical, not a "hater".

I absolutely agree. When a person has arguements they can support with evidence the whole "Oh he's just jumping on the negative bandwagon arguement" becomes invalid.
If a person can support their opinion with actual proof then they are not just following a trend. They are creating valid arguements. It's just some people can't go up against these arguements and they say "oh he's just being negative".

Everything Carl said in the video is proven to you by actual recording of the gameplay. It's there, you can't deny it.

"texxx78;c-17899587" wrote:

"Ellupelluellu;c-17899559" wrote:

"texxx78;c-17898224" wrote:

"Ellupelluellu;c-17898218" wrote:

"ashcrash19;c-17898207" wrote:
Is it just me or has he become more and more negative? I remember when Carl's Guides were neutral or positive. The last year or so it seemed he's always upset.

It is "popular" now ;)

I miss the neutral reviews too.

I always want honest reviews.

And I never said I did not. :) Does neutral mean "not honest" these days? Person has to either love the back or totally hate it to be "honest"?

I mean Carl used to have neutral reviews, positive or not, THOSE I loved. They were good reviews, I did not want to know does he like the pack or not, I have already made my own opinion. What I needed to know what was in the pack. Good or bad, without going nuts about it.

AGAIN, to ME, and I as any others here , have the right to tell how I feel. To me (only to me, again, not to everyone or "us") , it feels more like now he is trying to get the pack to look as bad as he can, in purpose. Again, only how I feel. I might be wrong. :)


And the same goes with those who in their reveal hype the pack to heavens, no matter what is in it, not watching those either. :)

I didn't said you don't want honest reviews. I said i prefer always honesty. For good and bad. I don't want neutral, i want the truth. If the truth is neutral then that's what it is...

But you did said that being negative is popular now. And i think that's not truth. I think that whoever says a negative remark is publicly "punished". Just compare lilsimsie popularity and Carl's popularity.

Yesterday Plumbella announced that she's not making more reviews because she can't handle the anxiety of people accusing her of being overly negative or positive. Clearly, because she's leaving now, it must have been for being negative about this pack.

Being negative is not taking game changers anywhere, to any glory, to popularity. They need to be brave to do that.

And honestly, Carl, a guy that has deepen into all features of sims 3 to make really in depth guides, starts playing this career and what is he going to think? That it's in depht? You're asked to do a kitchen reno, you do a gym instead, and that's ok? Because the couches are beautiful? Carl has different standards...

But i don't have the pack. So i would love if someone could tell me if Carl is making that up, on purpose, to make the pack look bad...

For the 1st bolded part, I ONLY said , that is how I feel, and I do, just like you, have the right to have an opinion.

For the last line, I have said an say again, it does not matter to me if he likes the pack or not. He can tell his dislikes with more neutral way than what he did, LIKE he did before!!

Why I , AGAIN, personally , have no other option than think, he is jumping to making the pack as horrible as he can in purpose, to get more followers and donations. As in past it was, when LGR still did reviews, Carl was almost never even had an own thread to his. Most likely because then he stated his disagree without the unneeded drama-king part.

And yes, on my way out :)

I finally just watched his review and wow it's much worse than I thought. :#

"Ellupelluellu;c-17900238" wrote:

"texxx78;c-17899587" wrote:

"Ellupelluellu;c-17899559" wrote:

"texxx78;c-17898224" wrote:

"Ellupelluellu;c-17898218" wrote:

"ashcrash19;c-17898207" wrote:
Is it just me or has he become more and more negative? I remember when Carl's Guides were neutral or positive. The last year or so it seemed he's always upset.

It is "popular" now ;)

I miss the neutral reviews too.

I always want honest reviews.

And I never said I did not. :) Does neutral mean "not honest" these days? Person has to either love the back or totally hate it to be "honest"?

I mean Carl used to have neutral reviews, positive or not, THOSE I loved. They were good reviews, I did not want to know does he like the pack or not, I have already made my own opinion. What I needed to know what was in the pack. Good or bad, without going nuts about it.

AGAIN, to ME, and I as any others here , have the right to tell how I feel. To me (only to me, again, not to everyone or "us") , it feels more like now he is trying to get the pack to look as bad as he can, in purpose. Again, only how I feel. I might be wrong. :)


And the same goes with those who in their reveal hype the pack to heavens, no matter what is in it, not watching those either. :)

I didn't said you don't want honest reviews. I said i prefer always honesty. For good and bad. I don't want neutral, i want the truth. If the truth is neutral then that's what it is...

But you did said that being negative is popular now. And i think that's not truth. I think that whoever says a negative remark is publicly "punished". Just compare lilsimsie popularity and Carl's popularity.

Yesterday Plumbella announced that she's not making more reviews because she can't handle the anxiety of people accusing her of being overly negative or positive. Clearly, because she's leaving now, it must have been for being negative about this pack.

Being negative is not taking game changers anywhere, to any glory, to popularity. They need to be brave to do that.

And honestly, Carl, a guy that has deepen into all features of sims 3 to make really in depth guides, starts playing this career and what is he going to think? That it's in depht? You're asked to do a kitchen reno, you do a gym instead, and that's ok? Because the couches are beautiful? Carl has different standards...

But i don't have the pack. So i would love if someone could tell me if Carl is making that up, on purpose, to make the pack look bad...

For the 1st bolded part, I ONLY said , that is how I feel, and I do, just like you, have the right to have an opinion.

For the last line, I have said an say again, it does not matter to me if he likes the pack or not. He can tell his dislikes with more neutral way than what he did, LIKE he did before!!

Why I , AGAIN, personally , have no other option than think, he is jumping to making the pack as horrible as he can in purpose, to get more followers and donations. As in past it was, when LGR still did reviews, Carl was almost never even had an own thread to his. Most likely because then he stated his disagree without the unneeded drama-king part.

And yes, on my way out :)

Ofc is your opinion and you can say it anytime you want :) i was just answering with my opinion...
I don't think it's about what he likes, but about what he proved.

ETA like it was said before in this thread, the frustration piles in, year after year, and this gamepack is really empty. That must be the reason you feel a more negative spirit on him...

"texxx78;c-17898224" wrote:

"Ellupelluellu;c-17898218" wrote:

"ashcrash19;c-17898207" wrote:
Is it just me or has he become more and more negative? I remember when Carl's Guides were neutral or positive. The last year or so it seemed he's always upset.

It is "popular" now ;)

I miss the neutral reviews too.

I always want honest reviews.

Me too and I know with his review he saved some simmers some money. :) He is also an player as well and how can he be positive about the pack if he may not like it.

"simfriend1968;c-17898824" wrote:

"Calico45;c-17898760" wrote:
He mentioned BB focused players would probably not play this way and could get more out of it, by the way. A lot of stuff I am seeing about the career now that the pack is out points to the gig assessment system being rather poor. Perhaps that allows for creativity, but there is not a lot of nuance to play with and I think that is an important takeaway when you decide if it is worth the money. (Even more so since the price increased in some places apparently.) How is that adolescent?

Deliberately putting dog poop in a Sim's room after deleting all the furniture is not adolescent? Sure seems that way to me. Look, I don't need reviews to be positive, just informative. Plenty of gamechangers have mixed feelings about this pack and have pointed out the problems with it, including Plumbella and the English Simmer (who has never been that thrilled with the pack from the announcement), but they played through the career, pointed out how it worked, what the problems were and what they liked. Iron Seagull is another one who has offered honest opinions and assessments of the current bugs. English Simmer was pointing out today that the upper level gigs had some bugs, such as trying to add a new level to a house for instance, because of problems with placing walls and doors. That was useful information. She also said what she liked and what she thought worked.

Even LGR, while he could be negatively hilarious (such as when he so amusingly set his Katy Perry's Sweet Treats house afire at the end of a Sims 3 review) genuinely tried to be balanced and to look at the good and the bad. I remember in his Island Living review, where he was quite blunt in critiquing the lack of content and the emptiness of the pack, contained a few nice moments where he praised the beauty of the world, waxed nostalgic about his own time living on an island, praised the off-the-grid system, as imperfectly implemented as it was then, and so on. (Sigh, I miss him). Carl was just completely negative, barely admitting that there was anything good about the career or pack at all, when, in contrast, in my one day of a game play I see lots of similarities with the Ambition career, and even some improvements on it. That blanket negativity (along with the silly business about the dog poop) is what seems trollish to me.

Poop was maybe put there to see what kind of emotion one sim would get out of it and show how flawed it is and it is flawed for the sim should have had an negative emotion and an happy emotion Imo. I am glad he pointed that out for I quite sure there are many other flaws as well. Now the thing is how will EA/Maxis address those issues? Maybe next year for they never in an rush to fix bugs.

"Loanet;c-17899571" wrote:
The poop was just to prove a point - that decorating the room doesn't actually matter, even if you show off the poop; the only thing that seems to matter is getting a colour in Likes and Dislikes, then putting it on your walls.

I agree with you but it points something out to be as well the emotion system as it should have let off an negative emotion and not an happy one.