"Cinebar;c-17361013" wrote:
"LiELF;c-17360391" wrote:
"Cinebar;c-17360343" wrote:
"LiELF;c-17360338" wrote:
Most of your list has nothing to do with reality vs Occult gameplay and I think you know that. The bulk of what you're actually complaining about is the general execution of tasks, details, animations, autonomy and design choices.
Life simulator. None of what I listed is a reflection of real life is it? But perfectly acceptable as not 'magic'. lol
The Sims franchise was never based on "real life" though? Even Sims 1 had Grim Reaper, magic, ghosts, Bone Hilda, etc. The argument of, "The Sims is supposed to be a life simulator so the gameplay should reflect every single detail of real life"... never stands. You should know that. The first game was inspired by dramatic soap operas, wasn't it? Yes, it's a life simulator, but whose life? Not ours. It's never been ours, we only have opted to play it that way. It's always been fictional with real life parallels so that the player could relate to it and use it as they wanted.
Also, there's a whole world of "real life" out there, so which segment is the game supposed to represent? In earlier games it was loosely American middle class, late 1900s, but the player base is international now and we're in the 2000s. It's never going to please all players with realism because everyone's "reality" is different. So all players can do is request the details that they want to see in the game. For example, buying groceries. It's not in the game at all. Players can take fruits and vegetables and create a produce shop with the retail system if they want. But what about online ordering? The evolution of technology, at least in the US, allows people to order groceries online in many areas and have them delivered. This is essentially how it was done in Sims 2 (but not with a computer, it was through the fridge - was that magic too?) but in Sims 4 there is no way to do that. Personally, I don't care, but some people might. The point is, there are a bazillion elements to "real life" that are not going to make it into a video game. There are many, many details and lifestyles to consider, especially as time moves forward and technology/medicine/science/humanity/culture/regions evolve. This is probably why each base game focuses initially on modern lifestyles and trends. With every decade comes change, and every generation wants representation. But I'm digressing.
What you are actually pointing out is the lack of fine details that you got used to in previous games. There's no need to disguise it as "realistic" or "Occult" for the purpose of.... Actually, I can't even tell what exactly you're trying to accomplish with this thread? You've made these exact same arguments for five years now, over and over in a hundred other threads and I'm sure anyone who has come into the feedback section is well aware of how you feel by now, lol. Like other posters have said, you're just being divisive here.
You say in your OP that this post isn't click bait, but it actually seems to be. I'll just let @EA_Rtas and @EA_Mai decide.
I might ask you why my opinion is divisive to you? Am I not allowed to say it, no matter how many ways I say it? I might think you are being contrary but I'm not going to say it. And I see my brand of humor is lost on some. What I'm trying to point out is if we really want realism in game (I want more) (and I want more mythical play, too) it would seem many who say they want realism isn't what they actually mean, when they also don't want death, illness, disablity, or consequences of bad choices. I just want people to speak plainly when they say realism.
I'll be honest with you because I know you can handle it. Your OP comes off as divisive because once you get past the opening paragraph, it's presented in bitter sarcasm. The list doesn't read as someone who is inviting discussion or receptively curious, it reads as the kind of salty humor thrown by someone who wants to spread discord without purpose, or to try to "catch" players in some kind of contradiction, both realistic and fantastical alike. It reads as if the poster doesn't really
want to understand, because they are already inflexible and have made their own decision as to what makes "realistic" gameplay acceptable and what is considered "Occult". It seems that it may not have been your intention, so if it wasn't, my apologies, but there does seem to be a personal agenda in there as opposed to open invitation to discussion. And I think that's why the first several posts in this thread were questioning your intent and challenging your discussion.
Your post also implies that in order to define "realistic" gameplay, the game must include that list of your personal demands, or else it negates the play style of players who prefer realism. And by the same token, also implies that Occult players should have, all this time, been happy because we already have "magic" in the game in the form of animation limitations. I'm sorry, but this is preposterous, lol. And you seem unreceptive to the fact that within play style "types", there are always variations of preference.
It is clear that you want specific things in your Sims game in order to be able to enjoy it. We all have our checklists of demands, so to speak, whether we are realistic, fantastical, builder, generational, deviant or any other type of player. And to be honest, I don't think any player is thoroughly one single type, but a combination of percentages of various styles. I consider myself mostly fantastical and rotational/colonist. But I do like to play generational on top of these styles when the game allows for a good attraction system because for me, families start with single Sims who have to date and find someone they connect in some way with. So I find myself joined with "realistic" players in many threads asking for chemistry, attraction, personal preferences and detailed personalities. My
reasons may be different, but the desire for that content is the same.
I personally don't care about those "realistic" details of opening drawers or going to a grocery store. I don't care about laundry or knitting, but sometimes when those things are in my game, I do use them once in a great while because they suit a specific household. (I play a LOT of households.) I still hate rabbit hole buildings and I'm chagrined to see Sims 4 taking on that style. To me, it's a waste of time for my Sim to travel to a building that has no gameplay. I'd rather they go out the door and disappear to their destination, leaving me to play my other household Sims in peace, not have to make sure they got there in time. And like in Sulani, going all the way to a cave entrance or dive at a buoy just to have my Sim disappear and leave me staring at scenery. I just hate rabbit hole locations. They are time wasters, especially in the open world of Sims 3. I know that other players find that they add more immersion but it's one of the many reasons I didn't play Sims 3. I want to do fun things with my Sims in the short time they have in a day, not watch them travel back and forth and waste time while their needs decay. And I just think that if my Sim is going to head to a location, that location should be playable in some way. Otherwise, why leave the house?
Anyway, to return to the Occult vs Realistic player in terms of pack releases and purchasing content and how that content plays in the game, I have had pretty much the same opinion I've had since Vampires came out. If a pack is created specifically catering to Occult/Fantastical players for the reason that toggles will not be a thing in Sims 4, then I strongly believe that those packs should not hold back or be gimped down the line for players who only bought them for the CAS/build/buy. I know that separate packs are not the best solution for those who like to play Occults occasionally, and it's unfortunate, so I still think that there should be in game "triggers" to set Occults in full swing, like studying about them and finding out they exist, or approaching one on the street. But I also think they should still have a subtle presence in the game regardless because
that's the purpose of having a themed pack in the first place. Realm of Magic really disappointed me in this regard because I
wanted to see Sims using magic all over the world, but that was scrapped in favor of players who didn't want a magical presence at all, yet bought a pack dedicated to magic. I mean, what?? Just...no. Now, if an Occult comes in an EP, I can accept that their existence will remain unknown, because an EP is a broader pack that caters to a broader player base. I love the Alien abductions, but they should have come with a condition, like in Sims 2 with using the telescope at night. There is an item that can keep them away, but I understand why that's not really practical for "realistic" players. I also didn't like when Alien abductions were nerfed due to complaints, but at least I get why. Aliens should have had their own Game Pack if they didn't come with a telescope trigger.
I'm stopping here because this post is too long and I have to "get to work", lol.
