I wish people were as upset about this as they were about the new loading screen...the things the community tends to complain about still add nothing to gameplay (not saying the super saturated blue wasn't a problem since people were getting migraines) but you always see the want for cars and university and supernaturals. That stuff is nice, but it's not going to fix the base game. It'll feel empty before long because you have to keep yourself entertained. It's a game, it should be entertaining you.
TS4 doesn't need a color wheel or open world or more stuff to be better, the base game's Live Mode needs to be fixed. They can put the game out for free and give it discounts and rebrand all they want, but they're not going to keep new players if the game isn't fun.
Of course, I'm talking about the individuality of the actual sims. The personality, the unexpected reactions, the different relations, the consequences...I don't want my sims that were just in a fight to immediately start joking with each other. I don't want my teen to treat their toddler sibling like their own child. I don't want every sim to be 'tense' during a thunderstorm without the reward trait. I don't want every sim to play on the computer or play on their phone or dance for fun. Because every sim does the same thing, they lose their individuality. That's what needs to be fixed. Even when not comparing this game to 2 or 3, it's very hard to make unique characters when they're limited to the same actions and have no influence from traits.
And when people go around screaming about how we still don't have this and that, it makes it very hard for others to voice the problems with the game and we all go unheard and brushed off as 'they can't make everyone happy, people play the game differently, just be grateful for what they give us, stop complaining and being negative'. I want to have hope, but I think it's time for another break away from the game. I bought it at launch and was so disappointed, I didn't start playing again until toddlers were added 2 years later. I wonder how long I need to stay away this time...
Sorry for the rant, but in the end, there are a ton of people who have no problem with the lack of personality. I wonder if I were younger (I'm 25) if I would care as much. It does seem like they've narrowed their target audience and I guess I don't fit in it anymore.