Forum Discussion

4 years ago

(Feedback) Sims 4 needs a lot more fixing! (with examples and pictures)

I am tagging some SimGurus into this thread because I really want someone to see this. I am put a lot of effort in trying to showcase and visualize fundamental issues with the Sims 4 that need fixing. Not necessarily these specific bugs, oversights and issues but how the game in general feels of lower quality due to them or due to other countless similar issues. What I am trying to achieve is not to bash or complain but to explain how an unpolished a game can really damage player experience and make them quit playing even if it wasn't their intention.
@SimGuruNinja @SimGuruNick @SimGuruJill @SimGuruArvin @SimGuruLyndsay

ORIGINAL: from 28.05

So hey guys,

After the recent update I have to say I was very tempted to go and play the Sims 4 after around 6 months of not playing. I was very excited for Likes and Dislikes because of how much potential they have to make the gameplay more fun for me.

But,

Problems began soon after I opened up my game (Problems I have if I'm playing vanilla or not, in this case I updated every single one of my mods). I just want to guide you through around the first 2 hours of gameplay I had after not playing this game for such a long time.

1. First thing that directly happened is the "fps bug". This bug appears when I enter build mode or go back to live mode. The game basically starts lagging like crazy and the fps drops down to like 5-10. This is now a very well-known, common bug that exists for months yet no fix in sight. Only solution is to open up the notifications or options panel and it instantly fixes it.
Well anyway so I'm thinking, that's fine I'll just ignore the bug and move on... Until...

2. I decide to send my sim to her retail store. She sells clothing. This is where the second issue appears. The retail system in this game is buggy. Having mannequins is almost unplayable for me for several years now. Every time I place them down, after a few sim days this will happen:
https://i.imgur.com/zh05cHt.png

And this is not just a visual bug. This impacts the sales. My customers will not buy clothes from mannequins that are bugged unless there is nothing more to buy in the store. If they do end up trying to buy these clothes, once their sale bar is full, they will just leave. They don't allow you to ring them up and just leave the lot. So I spend hours filling these Sims' bars only for them to not purchase anything. This will happen with at least 4-8 of my customers every time I open the store.

3. While working in the retail store I noticed another thing. My sim will gain Sentintments with almost everyone. If I spent several minutes talking a sim into purchasing one of my items the sim will get a sentiment often the "Closer from happy memories" one even if my sim and the customer just met and even if I was just trying to make them make a purchase. I have sentiments with the whole town now.

https://i.imgur.com/zOknDRz.jpg

4. After a long day of work my sim goes home. At night the kids wake up scared because there is a monster under the bed. I don't think much of it and once they are calm they go back to bed. One day passes and then at nighttime on the next day same thing happens again. The kids see a monster they wake up the parents, same routine.

https://i.imgur.com/V4wLVui.png

Once they are calm, I sent them back to bed. Literally an hour later, just about when the sun is about to rise another monster thing happens... again!. Three times in two nights, I only screenshoted the last 2 times.

5. While this was happening I had my sim Betty Newbie go meet the neighbors. So I go to the Pancakes, knock on the door, get in and there is Bob watching TV. So I chat him up and choose "rude introduction" because Betty Newbie is kind of mean and is friends with Eliza so I want her to dislike Bob. So I use the interaction and this is what happens. Their friendship bar is green. I don't know about you but if a person I don't know is rude to me the first time I meet them I would dislike them. But their relationship bar is not slightly green, it's visibly green. I feel like in order to make a sim dislike me I have to actually fight with them or curse them out. Being rude isn't enough anymore.

https://i.imgur.com/vxszqn1.jpg

Sometimes I really try to be less negative and especially when I see something that has potential to make this game more playable for me being implemented. I have found myself jump back into the Sims 4 a lot of times when a pack I think I want to purchase is about to come out, or when a big update happens like the likes and dislikes or the sentiments happens.
But every single time I am dissapointed. And often it is not the new pack or update that dissapoints me. It's the amount of issues, bugs, oversights that really turn me off.
When I genuinely want to give this game a chance but already in the first 2 hours so many issues appear it just rubs me the wrong way.

I wanted to give this game yet another chance and frankly I think I am going to continue giving it a chance for now, but because of how the things I mentioned my excitement for the new update and new pack dropped from an 8.5 to barely a 4.5.

UPDATE: From 30.05

So today I decided to play again for another hour or so. This time I went into the Smith family. In the first 20 minutes of me playing this is what happened.

My Poll.Technician No.9 finds his neighbor Betty Newbie jogging around his house. I send him to use the "Implish Pester" interaction since nobody in the neighborhood likes her. Things escalate and get heated, they develop a festering Grudge. Both Betty and Poll. Technician are angry and fighting. Eventually, Poll. Technician decides to walk away and this is what happens:

https://i.imgur.com/mHLrFbw.jpg

Betty decides to ask him out on a date via text. First of all why? They just had a huge fight, both are angry and have a grudge against each other but she decides to go on a date with him. Keep in mind they have a negative relationship. ? And also can you see Betty still standing right behind him? How and why is she texting him, she isn't using her phone and she could just go up and ask him personally.
Everything about this is just incorrect and fully breaks the immersion.

Still, I decided to not give up and keep playing though I was mildly annoyed. Poll. Technician went back home to eat with Jenny, his wife. Soon problems began again. They both grabbed a plate of "French Toast" and sat down at the table next to each other. Then they autonomously started socializing. So they both grab their food, stand up from the table, go in the kitchen in order to socialize which is the first issue here. Then, for some reason Jenny automatically uses the "Blow kiss" interaction on him. Keep in mind Poll. Technician is still angry from the fight with Betty and Jenny is "Furious" with him for having flirted with another woman a few days ago. However she is still autonomously using romantic interactions and Poll. Technician accepts them. Here is the picture for demonstration:

https://i.imgur.com/9JvBSQ7.jpg

I am not making this thread to be negative or point out specific bugs and issues. I am genuinely trying to showcase that this game needs polishing overall. A big number of people who play for some time will face similar issues. If not these bugs then others. For many, this is the sims 4 experience. Potential but tons of bugs, issues and oversights (from simulation lag, to error codes, to musical chairs and non-functional dining)

Please Gurus, consider taking a short break from DLC and actually trying to polish this game. If you want to keep this game around for as long as you say you will eventually have to do the work or the game will fall apart completely.

AstroX1424
Seasoned Newcomer
4 years ago
"SimmerGeorge;d-990313" wrote:
So hey guys,

After the recent update I have to say I was very tempted to go and play the Sims 4 after around 6 months of not playing. I was very excited for Likes and Dislikes because of how much potential they have to make the gameplay more fun for me.

But,

Problems began soon after I opened up my game (Problems I have if I'm playing vanilla or not, in this case I updated every single one of my mods). I just want to guide you through around the first 2 hours of gameplay I had after not playing this game for such a long time.

1. First thing that directly happened is the "fps bug". This bug appears when I enter build mode or go back to live mode. The game basically starts lagging like crazy and the fps drops down to like 5-10. This is now a very well-known, common bug that exists for months yet no fix in sight. Only solution is to open up the notifications or options panel and it instantly fixes it.
Well anyway so I'm thinking, that's fine I'll just ignore the bug and move on... Until...

2. I decide to send my sim to her retail store. She sells clothing. This is where the second issue appears. The retail system in this game is buggy. Having mannequins is almost unplayable for me for several years now. Every time I place them down, after a few sim days this will happen:
https://i.imgur.com/zh05cHt.png

And this is not just a visual bug. This impacts the sales. My customers will not buy clothes from mannequins that are bugged unless there is nothing more to buy in the store. If they do end up trying to buy these clothes, once their sale bar is full, they will just leave. They don't allow you to ring them up and just leave the lot. So I spend hours filling these Sims' bars only for them to not purchase anything. This will happen with at least 4-8 of my customers every time I open the store.

3. While working in the retail store I noticed another thing. My sim will gain Sentintments with almost everyone. If I spent several minutes talking a sim into purchasing one of my items the sim will get a sentiment often the "Closer from happy memories" one even if my sim and the customer just met and even if I was just trying to make them make a purchase. I have sentiments with the whole town now.

https://i.imgur.com/zOknDRz.jpg

4. After a long day of work my sim goes home. At night the kids wake up scared because there is a monster under the bed. I don't think much of it and once they are calm they go back to bed. One day passes and then at nighttime on the next day same thing happens again. The kids see a monster they wake up the parents, same routine.

https://i.imgur.com/V4wLVui.png

Once they are calm, I sent them back to bed. Literally an hour later, just about when the sun is about to rise another monster thing happens... again!. Three times in two nights, I only screenshoted the last 2 times.

https://i.imgur.com/GShUo0v.png

5. While this was happening I had my sim Betty Newbie go meet the neighbors. So I go to the Pancakes, knock on the door, get in and there is Bob watching TV. So I chat him up and choose "rude introduction" because Betty Newbie is kind of mean and is friends with Eliza so I want her to dislike Bob. So I use the interaction and this is what happens. Their friendship bar is green. I don't know about you but if a person I don't know is rude to me the first time I meet them I would dislike them. But their relationship bar is not slightly green, it's visibly green. I feel like in order to make a sim dislike me I have to actually fight with them or curse them out. Being rude isn't enough anymore.

https://i.imgur.com/vxszqn1.jpg

6. And last but not least after playing with the likes and dislikes for some time, even if I kind of like them, I was still dissapointed by the oversights and also the lack of sims outside your families having their own likes and dislikes.
This video explains it best:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kK5ORf_o1L4

Sometimes I really try to be less negative and especially when I see something that has potential to make this game more playable for me being implemented. I have found myself jump back into the Sims 4 a lot of times when a pack I think I want to purchase is about to come out, or when a big update happens like the likes and dislikes or the sentiments happens.
But every single time I am dissapointed. And often it is not the new pack or update that dissapoints me. It's the amount of issues, bugs, oversights that really turn me off.

I wanted to give this game yet another chance and frankly I think I am going to continue giving it a chance for now, but because of how the things I mentioned my excitement for the new update and new pack dropped from an 8.5 to barely a 4.5.

I know how you feel. I’ve tried many times (usually after updates) to like this game, but there’s always something else that ends up bothering me. It would be fine if there were only a few problems that I had, but there’s to many now for me to enjoy playing.
Haneul33
Seasoned Adventurer
4 years ago
"ncisGibbs02;c-17895817" wrote:
"SimmerGeorge;d-990313" wrote:
So hey guys,

After the recent update I have to say I was very tempted to go and play the Sims 4 after around 6 months of not playing. I was very excited for Likes and Dislikes because of how much potential they have to make the gameplay more fun for me.

But,

Problems began soon after I opened up my game (Problems I have if I'm playing vanilla or not, in this case I updated every single one of my mods). I just want to guide you through around the first 2 hours of gameplay I had after...

4. After a long day of work my sim goes home. At night the kids wake up scared because there is a monster under the bed. I don't think much of it and once they are calm they go back to bed. One day passes and then at nighttime on the next day same thing happens again. The kids see a monster they wake up the parents, same routine.

https://i.imgur.com/V4wLVui.png

Once they are calm, I sent them back to bed. Literally an hour later, just about when the sun is about to rise another monster thing happens... again!. Three times in two nights, I only screenshoted the last 2 times.

https://i.imgur.com/GShUo0v.png

5. While this was happening I had my sim Betty Newbie go meet the neighbors. So I go to the Pancakes, knock on the door, get in and there is Bob watching TV. So I chat him up and choose "rude introduction" because Betty Newbie is kind of mean and is friends with Eliza so I want her to dislike Bob. So I use the interaction and this is what happens. Their friendship bar is green. I don't know about you but if a person I don't know is rude to me the first time I meet them I would dislike them. But their relationship bar is not slightly green, it's visibly green. I feel like in order to make a sim dislike me I have to actually fight with them or curse them out. Being rude isn't enough anymore.

https://i.imgur.com/vxszqn1.jpg

6. And last but not least after playing with the likes and dislikes for some time, even if I kind of like them, I was still dissapointed by the oversights and also the lack of sims outside your families having their own likes and dislikes.
This video explains it best:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kK5ORf_o1L4

Sometimes I really try to be less negative and especially when I see something that has potential to make this game more playable for me being implemented. I have found myself jump back into the Sims 4 a lot of times when a pack I think I want to purchase is about to come out, or when a big update happens like the likes and dislikes or the sentiments happens.
But every single time I am dissapointed. And often it is not the new pack or update that dissapoints me. It's the amount of issues, bugs, oversights that really turn me off.
When I genuinely want to give this game a chance but already in the first 2 hours so many issues appear it just rubs me the wrong way.

I wanted to give this game yet another chance and frankly I think I am going to continue giving it a chance for now, but because of how the things I mentioned my excitement for the new update and new pack dropped from an 8.5 to barely a 4.5.

I don’t have Get to Work so I don’t know about the mannequins. So I’ve fast forwarded to the monster under the bed. Hope you don’t mind.

It’s the frequency of the monster under the bed. If it was a couple of days a week that would be fine. But it’s nearly every night! ???. I wish we could set the frequency.

I find you have to very rude to get Sims disliked.

I build more than play in Sims 4 as I love the tools on that side.

Do you get the monster even after spraying or using the special nightlife? My kids' rooms have nightlights so they've never seen the monster.
logionX
Seasoned Hotshot
4 years ago
Sometimes the game feels like that, I can have a good time, being creative, building lots, making new sims, playing them and generally enjoy the calm times with it.

Other times the game spawns ugly townies, sims are annoying, bugs show up left and right and the game performs really badly and I don't feel like doing anything at all.

When those things happen, I try to play something else instead, or try to make things different or improve the game with mods. I like the game a little bit more now since I upgraded my computer too.

Maybe you could improve your game with mods, I know that you can turn off the monster under the bed with MC Command Center if you don't want to use the special lamp.
LogicallyIronic
4 years ago
"SimmerGeorge;d-990313" wrote:
So hey guys,

I don't know about you but if a person I don't know is rude to me the first time I meet them I would dislike them. But their relationship bar is not slightly green, it's visibly green. I feel like in order to make a sim dislike me I have to actually fight with them or curse them out. Being rude isn't enough anymore.

In Sims 2, some sims just never get along. Even if you try nice interactions from the get-go, there's always the chance that your sims just won't mesh. That, IMO, is pretty realistic and I wish that sims were like this in 4.

edit: With mean sims, it's sometimes on sight. One of my sim's college dormies just woke up one day and decided that they hated my sim. ?
ncisGibbs_BOSS
4 years ago
"haneul;c-17895823" wrote:
"ncisGibbs02;c-17895817" wrote:
"SimmerGeorge;d-990313" wrote:
So hey guys,

After the recent update I have to say I was very tempted to go and play the Sims 4 after around 6 months of not playing. I was very excited for Likes and Dislikes because of how much potential they have to make the gameplay more fun for me.

But,

Problems began soon after I opened up my game (Problems I have if I'm playing vanilla or not, in this case I updated every single one of my mods). I just want to guide you through around the first 2 hours of gameplay I had after...

4. After a long day of work my sim goes home. At night the kids wake up scared because there is a monster under the bed. I don't think much of it and once they are calm they go back to bed. One day passes and then at nighttime on the next day same thing happens again. The kids see a monster they wake up the parents, same routine.

https://i.imgur.com/V4wLVui.png

Once they are calm, I sent them back to bed. Literally an hour later, just about when the sun is about to rise another monster thing happens... again!. Three times in two nights, I only screenshoted the last 2 times.

https://i.imgur.com/GShUo0v.png

5. While this was happening I had my sim Betty Newbie go meet the neighbors. So I go to the Pancakes, knock on the door, get in and there is Bob watching TV. So I chat him up and choose "rude introduction" because Betty Newbie is kind of mean and is friends with Eliza so I want her to dislike Bob. So I use the interaction and this is what happens. Their friendship bar is green. I don't know about you but if a person I don't know is rude to me the first time I meet them I would dislike them. But their relationship bar is not slightly green, it's visibly green. I feel like in order to make a sim dislike me I have to actually fight with them or curse them out. Being rude isn't enough anymore.

https://i.imgur.com/vxszqn1.jpg

6. And last but not least after playing with the likes and dislikes for some time, even if I kind of like them, I was still dissapointed by the oversights and also the lack of sims outside your families having their own likes and dislikes.
This video explains it best:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kK5ORf_o1L4

Sometimes I really try to be less negative and especially when I see something that has potential to make this game more playable for me being implemented. I have found myself jump back into the Sims 4 a lot of times when a pack I think I want to purchase is about to come out, or when a big update happens like the likes and dislikes or the sentiments happens.
But every single time I am dissapointed. And often it is not the new pack or update that dissapoints me. It's the amount of issues, bugs, oversights that really turn me off.
When I genuinely want to give this game a chance but already in the first 2 hours so many issues appear it just rubs me the wrong way.

I wanted to give this game yet another chance and frankly I think I am going to continue giving it a chance for now, but because of how the things I mentioned my excitement for the new update and new pack dropped from an 8.5 to barely a 4.5.

I don’t have Get to Work so I don’t know about the mannequins. So I’ve fast forwarded to the monster under the bed. Hope you don’t mind.

It’s the frequency of the monster under the bed. If it was a couple of days a week that would be fine. But it’s nearly every night! ???. I wish we could set the frequency.

I find you have to very rude to get Sims disliked.

I build more than play in Sims 4 as I love the tools on that side.

Do you get the monster even after spraying or using the special nightlife? My kids' rooms have nightlights so they've never seen the monster.

Once the kid woken up the adult and they've sprayed it doesn't happen again for that night. I know there's a light but you have to remember to take it away when you do want the monster ?.
I love the interaction it's just the frequency of it.
Jooleeyuh
Seasoned Adventurer
4 years ago
I can't be the only person who thought this thread was about Poland.
1mooresimmer
New Spectator
4 years ago
Autonomy is a huge issue. Autonomy is off for current Sim and my Sim will do some odd things. This is not the first time this has happened. It's extremely frustrating and is discouraging me from playing The Sims 4. EA really needs to fixed these issues immediately.

I captured a video of my Sim's strange behavior. Sims are normally unable to go through fences, but in this instance she was able to. Also, why is she clapping a trash bin?
CapitanTony
4 years ago
I consider the game unplayable without mods (at least I can't play it without them) for reasons like these. I managed to trim my mods folder down to about 20 a week ago, and just keep adding mods back in as issues arise that I can't or don't want to cope with. There's 150 in there again now.
ncisGibbs_BOSS
4 years ago
That’s odd your Sim can walk through fencing.

My Sims are clapping at the bins at random intervals since the last update. It’s like their happy to have a bin. I will be including a photo but bear with me.

I understand Sims doing it when I change furniture or upgrade stuff and the like.

I always have autonomy to high but I haven’t got many packs and few mods.
The clapping at the bin is weird as they’ll cancel items to do it. The first Sim was neat so I thought maybe it’s to do with that. The next house even the slob Sim when he returned from work went over and clapped the bin.
I’m really hoping it’s to do with the latest patch and the next update will sort it. ?.

I found fencing the bin in and only allowing Sims in when needed I.e. to empty trash has helped.
Cinebar
4 years ago
"chuckjaymoore;c-17901045" wrote:
Autonomy is a huge issue. Autonomy is off for current Sim and my Sim will do some odd things. This is not the first time this has happened. It's extremely frustrating and is discouraging me from playing The Sims 4. EA really needs to fixed these issues immediately.

I captured a video of my Sim's strange behavior. Sims are normally unable to go through fences, but in this instance she was able to. Also, why is she clapping a trash bin?

I'm never going to get past why people don't expect more from Maxis. The fence thing reminds of me of some cc I have in TS2, Sims can walk through fences that are made by some creators because they used something other than an actual fence to build a custom fence. I expect it sometimes with cc. But for Maxis, I think we have let too much pass all these years. I mean they have the knowledge, the tools, the money, the experience to do better. Why do we keep buying when we know they aren't any better sometimes than a first time custom content creator.