Forum Discussion
7 years ago
"Writin_Reg;c-16222093" wrote:
Deshong her some reading for you - here is an article popular Mechanics mag did on the Sims 4 engine - as you can see it is as I described.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/culture/gaming/a10698/inside-the-mind-of-the-sims-4-16906802/
And in comparison - here is what was involved in the making of the Sims 2 and it's engine. And why we feel they went in a totally wrong direction for the Sims 4. This design was pretty much the same for Sims 3, just more enhanced as they used an enhanced version of the same engine Sims 2 had. Sims 4 they went off the beaten path totally with the brand new smart technology engine.
http://aigamedev.com/open/highlights/the-sims-ai/
Can't read the first link as I'm not willing to allow intrusive ads.
Personally, unless there is factual evidence of a developer saying TS3 is the same exact game engine as TS2 but improved, I don't believe that. I do think all TS games use some of the same methods and concepts that proved useful but in order to implement next level features in terms of innovation, it would seem a new game engine is the solution. Rather than using an out-dated game engine as a base for the next installment.
And yeah, like I already said, TS4 was never meant to be a life simulator in the first place. The so-called smart technology engine was repurposed into something it wasn't meant to be. (To save face, they obviously needed a good sale pitch. Though anyone who is a critical thinker already saw through this.) I watched a little of a Let's Play of TS4 yesterday and the whole time I kept getting vibes of a mobile game. From the way the game looks overall, to how overly light-hearted the gameplay compared to its predecessors, to bringing back mini-games/objectives for parties, etc.
While some like being told what to do for whatever reason in a sandbox experience, I am one who can come up with my own play style and my own goals...I don't need my hand held and I don't want to be told to play in a static manner because there is no room for creativity, imagination or freedom. So much for, you are in control...yeah no, not true. And you can't even design the way you want without downloading a bunch of recolors/patterns...like in TS2 unlike TS3.
Spoiler
Any color(s)/pattern(s) I want. Even my own eye and hair colors.
https://s25.postimg.org/wcqnkkqgf/Black_Cherry.jpg
https://s25.postimg.org/n4yf401fj/Marine_Ultra.jpg
https://s25.postimg.org/owrdyuncf/Screenshot-163.jpg
https://s25.postimg.org/tini783qn/Screenshot-613.jpg
https://s25.postimg.org/qd2wgnaq7/Screenshot-3459.jpg
https://s25.postimg.org/gfrvnlau7/Screenshot-156.jpg
https://s25.postimg.org/65pgodv9b/Screenshot-84.jpg
Any color(s)/pattern(s) I want. Even my own eye and hair colors.
https://s25.postimg.org/wcqnkkqgf/Black_Cherry.jpg
https://s25.postimg.org/n4yf401fj/Marine_Ultra.jpg
https://s25.postimg.org/owrdyuncf/Screenshot-163.jpg
https://s25.postimg.org/tini783qn/Screenshot-613.jpg
https://s25.postimg.org/qd2wgnaq7/Screenshot-3459.jpg
https://s25.postimg.org/gfrvnlau7/Screenshot-156.jpg
https://s25.postimg.org/65pgodv9b/Screenshot-84.jpg
Spoiler
And yes, some complained about World Adventures being a RP experience but I think they did an awesome job. It was new gameplay, it all made sense within context, it's fun and best of all it added a lot for those who didn't care about adventures. Photography, nectar-making, new harvestables, tents, incense, martial arts, buy and build mode content, new registers, etc. Plenty to focus on as a sandbox game. The balance of it all is well done.
My Sims had plenty of fun enjoying Egypt without going on adventures at all.
https://s25.postimg.org/48o55xpgf/Screenshot-58.jpg
https://s25.postimg.org/60h40ugj3/Screenshot-6_2.jpg
https://s25.postimg.org/mo8m3cj0f/Screenshot-12_2.jpg
And one of my couples went on a honeymoon in Champs Les Sims, France.
https://s25.postimg.org/eiqk5axdb/Screenshot-2072_2.jpg
https://s25.postimg.org/5aybom5qn/Screenshot-2092_2.jpg
And yes, some complained about World Adventures being a RP experience but I think they did an awesome job. It was new gameplay, it all made sense within context, it's fun and best of all it added a lot for those who didn't care about adventures. Photography, nectar-making, new harvestables, tents, incense, martial arts, buy and build mode content, new registers, etc. Plenty to focus on as a sandbox game. The balance of it all is well done.
My Sims had plenty of fun enjoying Egypt without going on adventures at all.
https://s25.postimg.org/48o55xpgf/Screenshot-58.jpg
https://s25.postimg.org/60h40ugj3/Screenshot-6_2.jpg
https://s25.postimg.org/mo8m3cj0f/Screenshot-12_2.jpg
And one of my couples went on a honeymoon in Champs Les Sims, France.
https://s25.postimg.org/eiqk5axdb/Screenshot-2072_2.jpg
https://s25.postimg.org/5aybom5qn/Screenshot-2092_2.jpg
"Erpe;c-16222352" wrote:
Of course you are! But you are constructing “explanations” and ignoring the way a company like EA works.
EA don’t have a fixed number of developers working on the games. There are fewer developers working on TS4 than there were on TS3 and not because EA was unlucky to lose the studio in Salt Lake City which made 2 EPs per year for TS3 in both 2012 and 2013. EA didn’t “lose” that studio but deliberately moved it to less important games and then closed it down for good because couldn’t find something better for the studio to do!
Duh...TS4 has less resources than TS3. All I asked was didn't TS3 have two different EP teams yet you go on putting words in my mouth I never even said. You just been assuming what I said and what I mean than what I'm actually saying.
I'm not sure if TS2 or TS1 had two EP teams but if not they still had for the most part two EP's a year. If TS3 was the only Sims game in the series to have two teams, then I personally take that to mean because it needed a longer development because of what the game engine/base game introduced.
TS4 started out as TSOlympus so yeah duh it's resources are on a much smaller scale than the previous game.
So from the beginning EA planned to release fewer EPs for TS4 than EA had released for TS3. Why?
To answer that question we have to consider why a company like EA decides how many expansions to release for all EA’s games. Why have the Sims games always gotten more expansions than other games? And why haven’t EA released even twice as many expansions for each Sims game?
It wasn’t because EA didn’t have enough developers because EA closed both the Maxis studio in Emeryville and the Maxis studio in Salt Lake City. So why didn’t EA keep those Maxis studios and let them develop even more expansion for the Sims games?
To understand this we have to accept that it is about money. If EA releases too many expansions each year then the average simmer won’t buy them all. So when EA chose not to release even more it was because there already were signs that indicated that sales numbers would go down too much and that the average simmer wouldn’t buy even more.
Right, because two EP's a year is too much? I don't think the majority, if anyone, is or would be asking for more. It's always been 2 since 2000 so if that's too much to ask for then that's telling, don't you think? You sure I'm the one constructing explanations and ignoring how EA works?
So try to compare money instead of just comparing the number of big EPs: How much will it cost the average simmer each year to buy all SPs, all GPs and all EPs for TS4? Compare that amount to what it would cost such a simmer to buy the all SPs and EPs each year for TS3. Even considering the extra amounts a few simmers used in the Sims 3 Store I think it will be about the same.
TS4 isn't over yet so get back to this later and then calculate it all.
So my point still is that the GPs isn’t something extra that EA wanted to release for TS4. The GPs were instead meant as replacements for half of the EPs already from the beginning! ;)
Oh and if ever so true that's so grand isn't it to split gameplay in bits and pieces than just have 1 full and complete EP. Have fun completing that.
https://s25.postimg.org/wbwb2zgrj/2857824302_40730c7e25.jpg
https://s25.postimg.org/775apkhb3/Game-Incomplete-300x169.png
And the extra SPs were of course meant as a replacement for the Sims 3 Store.
Really?
Well, if that's the case TS3 store is way better since it also included free items, free sets, limited edition items and it introduced premium content which added gameplay besides more variety in CAS content along with buy and build mode items. Plus, I loved all the cool free promotional content too such as Dr. Pepper, T-Mobile, etc.Spoiler
https://s25.postimg.org/nuf425py7/Screenshot-376.jpg
https://s25.postimg.org/m07s0wq73/Screenshot-5093.jpg
https://s25.postimg.org/f9nvp221r/Screenshot-1194.jpg
https://s25.postimg.org/kht5j37vj/Screenshot-307_(4).jpg
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