Carl's take of ways for improvement.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O41yW6qlOIM Still watching before finishing. Hopefully it touches and goes over the popular things players find frustrating or boring about gameplay. Other big Game Ch...
Forum Discussion
Interesting video. These are things many of us pointed out way back in 2014. My own thread written back then of why all Sims are the same is buried here somewhere. Emotions are often given to any Sim and the same result or buff as any Sim with a particular trait. Both Sims would wish for the same thing. Behave the same way. Also, Skills over lapped with any emotion and or trait producing the same wish of what to do next and the very same buffs.
There haven't been any new buy rewards in years, either. Extra trait rewards are one of the most ignored features and not many added since release. They are the same base game rewards we had in 2014. I can't go along with remaning tense to uncomfortable over and over.
I like Carl, I'm glad he made the video, but I do want to ask Carl why it took him so long. Because at one point if you were a member on Carl's site you were not allowed to be negative about TS4 at all. I wonder what changed since I know of people who got the boot for being or expressing a negative view of the base, or any DLC.
He didn't touch upon how the past few years Maxis is rehasing and reusing assets already in the game, slapping a new DLC name on them and sellig a new pack with the very same objects, objectives or reused rewards, or interactions or rewards as 'new'. Nor how many times Maxis is reusing an object (the Sim pc) to meet the requirements of how to fill the duties of any at home career or 99% of all other careers. Nor the fact Maxis created a magic pack that barely adds in any new gameplay (assets rewards) that don't already exist in the game (spell potions) Sims could already earn with points to get those mood solvers.
He doesn't touch upon the fact none of the traits (as shallow as they are) don't even make sense. The evil Sim being the most obvivous by wanting to be best friends with someone they supposedly can't stand and reach out to give them a hug. Or why good Sims would ever autonomously perform rude introdcutions. Or why any Sim telling a lame joke would suddenly be awarded a skill point in charisma.
Half the Sim population can gain charisma without even trying.
The overlaps are unbearable to me and have been since day one. I wrote an very long thread pointing out how Sim A, B and C could have all the same emotions, whims, and behave the same based upon gaining a skill, or being in a room of decor, or gaining a cooking skill etc. Let alone the fleeting emotion overridden by any decor (no matter how cheap) could be a mood solver. Why bother earning mood boosters (points), or for that matter casting spells if it's all already in game.
It's my opinion this far out, (five years going on six) the core is the biggest problem this game ever had, and no, though I'm sure he wants improvements, these are things we asked for in 2014 and every year since, and it's not going to be improved with any new pack or patch, and time to hang it up (players) and just hope TS5 with a different vision of what makes a good life simulator (no moodlets and buffs) is where they go the next time and return to their roots rather than trying to include every type person on earth, but consider life isn't so simple.
ETA: If he needs other examples of what we mean when we say shallow. Look at gameplay of groups. Book clubs are the sum of get a book throw it down get another book. Wow, that's some deep gameplay right there, and no one building relationships though they were in the book club for years. This is only one of ten thousand examples of shallow, hollow gameplay.
ETA: More interactions that make no sense. Why can any Sim talk about their latest book when they haven't even written one, nor have they even praticed writing? If any Sim has the trait that makes them work out they don't really need it do they? Any Sim can inspire granny to get on her all fours and do some pushups. Heck, any object or aura or object can make granny do some workout routines. Any Sim feeling romantic can influence any other Sim to flirt with all in room and become romantic. Why bother watching a romantic station when the Sim standing beside your Sim can arouse your Sim into flirting and cheating with whomever is near by. Flaws in trait behaviour. Does a jealous person run around wanting to talk to their love interest twenty four seven? I don't think so, they are jealous of outside influences, such as other Sims and or wondering what the other person is doing, jealousy isn't Needy, it's envious. And one would think they would know where there is envy and strife there is every evil work, (but not in TS4) but no matter, the jealous Sim is still going to chat it up with the cheating parties, and have a good time as a threesome in a relatioship.
Then let's look at romantic interactions between a married couple. Sometimes it was like watching an old rerun of the Dick Van Dyke Show or I Love Lucy. When TV wouldn't allow couples to sleep in the same bed. But had twin matching beds. Or later, they were in the same bed but you could see they couldn't cross an invisble line to cuddle etc. But we can see the dividing line of the TS4 bed. Is that watered down for a reason, or just poor bed design? We will never know, but Sims don't even cuddle in bed in TS4 or spoon or do anything other than give each other highfives. It's like a return to an old Lucy show.
There haven't been any new buy rewards in years, either. Extra trait rewards are one of the most ignored features and not many added since release. They are the same base game rewards we had in 2014. I can't go along with remaning tense to uncomfortable over and over.
I like Carl, I'm glad he made the video, but I do want to ask Carl why it took him so long. Because at one point if you were a member on Carl's site you were not allowed to be negative about TS4 at all. I wonder what changed since I know of people who got the boot for being or expressing a negative view of the base, or any DLC.
He didn't touch upon how the past few years Maxis is rehasing and reusing assets already in the game, slapping a new DLC name on them and sellig a new pack with the very same objects, objectives or reused rewards, or interactions or rewards as 'new'. Nor how many times Maxis is reusing an object (the Sim pc) to meet the requirements of how to fill the duties of any at home career or 99% of all other careers. Nor the fact Maxis created a magic pack that barely adds in any new gameplay (assets rewards) that don't already exist in the game (spell potions) Sims could already earn with points to get those mood solvers.
He doesn't touch upon the fact none of the traits (as shallow as they are) don't even make sense. The evil Sim being the most obvivous by wanting to be best friends with someone they supposedly can't stand and reach out to give them a hug. Or why good Sims would ever autonomously perform rude introdcutions. Or why any Sim telling a lame joke would suddenly be awarded a skill point in charisma.
Half the Sim population can gain charisma without even trying.
The overlaps are unbearable to me and have been since day one. I wrote an very long thread pointing out how Sim A, B and C could have all the same emotions, whims, and behave the same based upon gaining a skill, or being in a room of decor, or gaining a cooking skill etc. Let alone the fleeting emotion overridden by any decor (no matter how cheap) could be a mood solver. Why bother earning mood boosters (points), or for that matter casting spells if it's all already in game.
It's my opinion this far out, (five years going on six) the core is the biggest problem this game ever had, and no, though I'm sure he wants improvements, these are things we asked for in 2014 and every year since, and it's not going to be improved with any new pack or patch, and time to hang it up (players) and just hope TS5 with a different vision of what makes a good life simulator (no moodlets and buffs) is where they go the next time and return to their roots rather than trying to include every type person on earth, but consider life isn't so simple.
ETA: If he needs other examples of what we mean when we say shallow. Look at gameplay of groups. Book clubs are the sum of get a book throw it down get another book. Wow, that's some deep gameplay right there, and no one building relationships though they were in the book club for years. This is only one of ten thousand examples of shallow, hollow gameplay.
ETA: More interactions that make no sense. Why can any Sim talk about their latest book when they haven't even written one, nor have they even praticed writing? If any Sim has the trait that makes them work out they don't really need it do they? Any Sim can inspire granny to get on her all fours and do some pushups. Heck, any object or aura or object can make granny do some workout routines. Any Sim feeling romantic can influence any other Sim to flirt with all in room and become romantic. Why bother watching a romantic station when the Sim standing beside your Sim can arouse your Sim into flirting and cheating with whomever is near by. Flaws in trait behaviour. Does a jealous person run around wanting to talk to their love interest twenty four seven? I don't think so, they are jealous of outside influences, such as other Sims and or wondering what the other person is doing, jealousy isn't Needy, it's envious. And one would think they would know where there is envy and strife there is every evil work, (but not in TS4) but no matter, the jealous Sim is still going to chat it up with the cheating parties, and have a good time as a threesome in a relatioship.
Then let's look at romantic interactions between a married couple. Sometimes it was like watching an old rerun of the Dick Van Dyke Show or I Love Lucy. When TV wouldn't allow couples to sleep in the same bed. But had twin matching beds. Or later, they were in the same bed but you could see they couldn't cross an invisble line to cuddle etc. But we can see the dividing line of the TS4 bed. Is that watered down for a reason, or just poor bed design? We will never know, but Sims don't even cuddle in bed in TS4 or spoon or do anything other than give each other highfives. It's like a return to an old Lucy show.
