Clocks don't actually move in the Sims 4

"crocobaura;c-17805765" wrote:
You cannot play elements that you cannot control. The neighbours going about their lives are just that animated background. They are not gameplay. When you switched houses the game made random changes to your played families. You had no control over the simulation so there were no changes to society made by the player.

Here we go again, arguing the Sims 2 vs the Sims 3. *sigh*

- In The Sims 2, the Sims actually have less autonomy on what they can do with their lives. So, the player often has to shape the Sim's lives for them. Again, a lot of micromanaging. In The Sims 3, there is much less micromanagement. Instead, you can see "random changes" that have happened to your Sims and what part of life they are in. Your Sims may have graduated college (or not). All Sims age up at the same time, so inactive households all age up with your Sims. Inactive households can also form relationships with other Sims in the Sims 3, but in the Sims 2, there is very little romantic autonomy. Sims may flirt in the background, but rarely. In the Sims 3, you can ask a Sim to break up with his or her partner, and if the inactive Sim accepts, the relationship will be severed. Now, the Sim's ex-spouse will become enemies with your active Sim, so you can definitely change the world in that sense. With that said, I have a sense that you are a micromanager and want to play every single moment of a Sim's life. Well, TS2 is great for that. In TS3, you can just micromanage your active household. The inactive households will have their own lives. Story Progression has given Agnes Crumplebottom in my game Level 8 in the Stylist career, which is fantastic, because now she can just retire with a hefty pension.
- In The Sims 2, Townies may appear in some kind of random outfit, but with the Open For Business EP, you can suggest an outfit for them in your shop, make-overing the Sims in the process. In The Sims 3, if you own Ambitions, you can send your Sim to join the Stylist career and help change the Sim's whole wardrobe, earning money in the process. At least in the Sims 3, you get paid to do make-overs, and the payments can work towards the Sim's LTW. In The Sims 2, the Sim just buys the suggested outfit, wears it, but does it matter for the seller's LTW? Well, only if that Sim has "Earn $5000 want". The Sims 2 only looks at earnings, apparently, while The Sims 3 looks at earnings and household funds and uses them in wishes.
- In The Sims 2, reading non-skill books is pretty pointless. It merely increases the Fun meter and maybe some Enthusiasm points. Does it work towards LTW? Only when you have a want locked. But, even at that point, you can only gain Cooking, Cleaning, Mechanical and the EP-related skills. Reading those non-skill books is next to useless and a waste of time. You are better off having the Sim view a sculpture for a quick boost in the Fun meter. In The Sims 3, there are books with different titles, and that will count towards your Sim stats. A Bookworm Sim wants to read a ton of books, and he can get that stuff done at the public library or using the bookstore. Bookworms read faster than non-Bookworms, and those non-skill books are easier to complete. Once completed, the points earned will work towards LifeTime Happiness points, and that will be calculated in determining the type of tombstone at death. They can also increase Fun, so Sims can get a wish done and increase Fun at the same time.
- Sims with Very Happy and Elated mood meter can earn LifeTime Happiness points passively. This can come in handy in achieving those expensive LifeTime Rewards. In TS2, earning points must be done per action, and you can lose points too. Then, you spend your Aspiration Points on the Aspiration Rewards catalog on objects that can boost productivity - energizer machine, money tree, noodlesoother. In The Sims 3, you are given a lot of options in LifeTime Happiness Rewards, and they all have an effect on gameplay.
- In TS2, the Aspiration Rewards stop at the Elixir of Life. In TS3, there are many more expensive Rewards, so it really becomes a fun challenge to try to earn them.
- The Sims 2 has the ability to write novels, but there is no point in reading them, because they will just treated like ordinary non-skill books. The Sims 3 allows the ability to write multiple novels, and the novels may appear in the Sim's inventory to be read. Reading those books will actually work towards the Book count, earning more LifeTime Happiness Points.

From what I can tell, I have the feeling that you like to micromanage a lot, and well, TS2 is the perfect game for you then. Sims don't have much autonomy over their lives, but if that translates to more "gameplay" for you, then go for it.

I say The Sims 3 offers way more in gameplay, because (1) you can fulfill those wishes, (2) you can fulfill responsibilities like household chores and jobs and homework and (3) you can complete opportunities/quests/missions, and everything goes on AT THE SAME TIME, adding a lot of strategy element. For example, you can have a Sim work towards a skill, and that skill will also complete an opportunity at the same time. It's about more gameplay strategy, less about micromanagement.