Does anyone get bored playing TS4

"LiELF;c-18061114" wrote:
Yes, I do get bored often. In contrast, I never got bored while playing Sims 2.

I've tried to look deeply at what the main "issue" is for me between the two games that makes Sims 4 seem so dull in comparison. I've found there are several, some of them have been addressed, some things changed and/or altered both for and against my personal tastes, and some things remain a problem. I'll address what I feel is, at this point, some core catalysts.

Sims 4 Sims have a tendency to autonomously behave all the same until directed by the player. And even then, they will still often gravitate to the same exact objects, default to the same exact animations, and run through the same exact emotions to the same stimuli. Some of the traits have been tweaked to cause a little more independence, but with emotions at the helm of everything, it all funnels back into moodlets and superficial buffs. In Sims 2, Sims were, first and foremost, on a sliding scale of characteristics that, by default, had them already different from each other going into the game. For example, sloppy Sims would never clean up, causing horrible messes and being fine with it while neat Sims would get stressed out from things being dirty and would autonomously clean. They would cheer if you directed them to clean something and it would lift their mood, while a sloppy Sim would look deflated and whiny if you did the same for them, and they would appear very unhappy to do it. So automatically, and with the simplest tasks, we see huge differences in behaviors that cause us to sympathize or smile or just enjoy the character of the individual Sim. We didn't need to "make it up in our heads" like we do with Sims 4; we could see it, we could influence it, and it often directed our games in unexpected ways. And this begs the question, why give them traits in the first place if, say, a computer is going to have the same pull with all Sims? Or, for that matter, if they don't recognize that they are supposed to do "evil" things if they have that Trait, or not seek socialization if they are a Loner, or eat meat if they are Vegetarian?

Another major difference is Sim to Sim interaction where, again, in Sims 4, all exchanges seem to be repetitive and have samey animations. We get a larger variety of conversation choices, but the animations and thought bubbles aren't distinctive, they're very generic, so the Sims could be discussing anything. Their Traits have little bearing on how they conduct themselves with others, and we often see them acting outside of their given characteristics on a regular basis so none of it really matters in the end. Another thing missing is sexuality. Sims have no gender preference and when they get flirty, it's with whoever is closest. They have no distinction for opposite or same sex relationships, which other games had, and no specific attractions. Again, it plays out very generic and leaves it up to the player to make choices and "direct" the Sims to their imaginary preferences. I used to love seeing signs of attraction in Sims 2, to have my Sims scan a room and tell me who they were potentially interested in. And the best thing about it was, their attraction didn't even guarantee that they would get along in the first place because they could still have opposing personality traits that clashed, which would mean the player would have to make a little more effort to get them to work out their relationship. It was engaging and often exciting while with Sims 4, it's always predictable and dull. All Sims get along in the end autonomously anyway, so there's nothing to keep the player on their toes, nothing to create drama and challenge, nothing to cause lasting bad feelings between Sims. Everyone always lives happily ever after by default when left to their own devices, and to me, that just doesn't make a good story.

On top of all that, Sims have no personal Whims or Fears or long time goals or Aspirations anymore. They have no life end game to work towards that affects them on a deep level like Sims 2 Aspirations did, while Whims have always been generic instead of personal and, rather than improved on, they were shut down altogether and remain outdated to this day. Fears have never even been a thing at all and Sims only got the ability to be emotionally afraid a year ago and that still isn't completely intuitive and needs reworking.

It frustrates me all the time because I want to love the game and I really want to be engaged and immersed. But I find myself scolding and swearing at the screen more often than not just trying to wrangle them into doing interesting things. I don't want a blank slate dollhouse that makes me do all the work and have to "use my imagination", I want independent pixel people who have minds and personalities and preferences and attitudes of their own because I created them to be that way.

Yeah i like the aspirations because they serve as long term goals. short term goals are good, but i feel having one long term goal helps with gameplay in the long term. What i also liked is that the long term goal may be unrelated to their goals as a family. (for instance a family aspiration may aspire to be number one in the medical field, or have 20 pet friends.
As far as the attraction- i noticed in TS4 that as you said- the mood around the sim is flirty, and it is with whoever is closest. So in essence a sim could not be attracted to anybody, yet the game is so generic it does have a sim have a one night stand if u will. all sims get along and it's bad. i recently started the sims 2 again, and i'm happy to see that pascal doesn't like general buzz, and sometimes they fight! even johnny and tank fight (tho i am able to make them friends in the end!) As far with that, tho in TS4, i played as my own alter ego, and my sim got an divorce because she was mad that her husband cheated. I directed him to flirt with her friend. but i miss when sims just did it without me knowing so much. anyways, now when i play her, she can't seem to flirt with her new beau. so hmm.