Is The Sims too childish now? Teen & Adult players have been forgotten

"Onverser;c-17565711" wrote:
I'm 50/50, I don't think the game is really that childish but I would like to see more drama and more depth to the game. Give me some chaos please!

I think the Gurus really missunderstand this request when they read it. With more chaos and drama we mean more impact from action and even negative impact and just unexpected things or challenges.

We don't mean the neighborhood brawl, the NAPs, the Murphy bed animation that failed 99% of the time. This is where the devs get it wrong.

Guys you can make the game more " mature "...Just install mods and wicked whims if you want to have more fun ;)

"SimsLovinLycan;c-17475496" wrote:

"Leahmiller2006;c-17473949" wrote:
It’s rated 12 and i’ve had it since I was 8 (shhh?) and I have invested money into it. I have nearly all the packs and i’m 14. If they made it 15 rated i’d be technically to young. Also it needs some boundaries, it’s a 12 and your asking for this. If it was a 15 people would be asking for violence, if it was an 18 people would ask for much worse. Keeping it a 12 is very reasonable

I was technically too young for Mortal Kombat when it came out. I was about 8 then, and I was able to play the game without it rotting my young mind, because I had a mom who taught me how to handle and process media violence and a healthy dose of good sense. What your post does is illustrate two big problems with the game industry in particular and the media industry in general.

The first problem is that age recommendations as outlined by ratings systems are very generalized, and mostly err on the side of caution. I've played T rated games that are tame enough for a 7-year-old to play if the parents give them the cognitive and emotional tools necessary to understand and process the content properly. Then, there are people who are either very mature or immature for their age. So, you may have an 8-year-old who is mature enough to watch an R rated movie without acting out, repeating swear words, or having nightmares, and you may have a 17-year-old who sees an R rated movie and repeats every swear word they just heard, tries to copy all the dangerous stunts in the back yard with no protection, and can't stop having nightmares about the monster from the movie because their maturity level is far behind their chronological age. Parents need to teach their children how to handle questionable content in the media from a young age, assess their child's maturity level carefully and accurately when considering whether they should watch or play something, and talk with their children about what the media they consume to ensure that their kids are coming up right.

The second problem you've highlighted is the fact that there isn't a uniform, standardized, worldwide ratings system for media in general, and for games in particular. The U.S. has the ESRB ratings system, Europe has PEGI, and so-on. Each of these regions uses different criteria to decide what content is appropriate for what general age range and uses different ratings...and sometimes even different age ranges. For instance, the PEGI system uses the ratings 3, 7, 12, 16, and 18, directly referencing the minimum age that the game should generally be appropriate for. PEGI has stricter guidelines on gambling than the ESRB, which is why the Game Corner was removed from all new Pokémon games several years back, so that the series could remain at a PEGI 7 (I think that was the rating they were aiming for). PEGI also has a shorter and less nuanced list of content warnings than the ESRB system--9 to the ESRB's 30. This gives parents less detailed information about content and puts publishers at higher risk for getting a higher rating than intended because of how broad the PEGI content categories are.

The ESRB has the ratings E (all ages), E10+ (players 10 and up), T (players 13 and up), M (17 and up), and Ao (18 and up). The ESRB isn't as hard on gambling as PEGI is, and it has a longer and more nuanced list of specific content warnings to go along with its ratings system. So, while both systems have five general ratings, because the ESRB employs more detailed content descriptors, it gives parents more information about the product to make a more informed decision with and it gives publishers more wiggle room with their content to be able to stay within a desired rating without having to tone things down too heavily. When game companies release their games worldwide, these differences in how content ratings are handled can cause serious trouble, because the company may be trying to sell their game in all regions to players in roughly the same age range, but because the standards and rating systems are different all over the place, a game might end up either having to have multiple different international edits or just be toned down in general to try and stick roughly similar ratings in all regions. The latter sometimes works out alright, and sometimes ends up as a disaster as a company struggles to hold on to the rating they think the game should have in one region, while taking away features and content much beloved by players in other regions. Until the international community gets together and creates a single, standard game rating system, we'll keep having issues like this long into the future as companies place just as much importance on international markets as their own domestic markets.

I’m not even reading all that. Read the first line on each and it doesn’t sound have anything to do with what I said? I wasn’t talking about age ratings I’m talking about people’s stupid requests.

"PmlTry;c-17481257" wrote:
Yes. It is too childish. It went from being an interesting, creative game to a sort of online Barbie dollhouse.

A question to all you folks who piped up to say you like the childishness, the oh so pitty-pitty Sims, etc...

Would it really spoil things for you if those of us interested in more sophisticated storytelling had it as an option? Does the story really HAVE to be lobotomized for everyone in order for it to be fun for you?

I like it how it is, but I don't "like the childishness" so not sure if I'm who you mean. I just don't think it's childish.

But it would spoil things very much for me if they made the sims the way they are in, say, Sims 2. I have that game too and I can't play it without getting bored very quickly. I just can't be creative enough with it. The sims fight against me left, right, and centre to do their own thing when I want them to do something else. They have their own personality which makes it so that I can't be creative with them and tell stories in my game play the way I like to, which is really frustrating. If I wanted them to do their own thing I may as well watch a movie because my game play style is to create a story, not to watch them make the story.

Just wondering why you think that the game is to childish now? If you look at every game made that is T or up yes they all might sound childish because parents these days don't care what their kids play.Its a matter how you yourself view the game if you think its to childish then it might be to childish for you to play which is fine everyone can have their own opinions. My opinion is that there still isn't a lot to do for sims for me to even play because I lost interest when Discover University didn't wow me enough.

"SimAlexandria;c-17481617" wrote:

"crocobaura;c-17481332" wrote:

"PmlTry;c-17481318" wrote:
“But it would spoil things very much for me if they made the sims the way they are in, say, Sims 2. I have that game too and I can't play it without getting bored very quickly. I just can't be creative enough with it. The sims fight against me left, right, and centre to do their own thing when I want them to do something else. They have their own personality which makes it so that I can't be creative with them and tell stories in my game play the way I like to, which is really frustrating. If I wanted them to do their own thing I may as well watch a movie because my game play style is to create a story, not to watch them make the story.”

I found that element of free will in Sims 2 a spur to creativity. And you do know you could turn it off, right?

This is not about going back to Sims 2. (For the record, I prefer Sims 3.) This is about a newer version actually being an improvement rather than a regression that caters solely to people who want to build worlds of nothing but pretty people and fashionable clothes.

Some people are happy to just take pictures of their sims and post stories. They use pose player with lots of fake poses and interactions and, as long as they have their pretty pictures, they probably don't even notice that the actual gameplay is lacking.

"PmlTry;c-17481318" wrote:
“But it would spoil things very much for me if they made the sims the way they are in, say, Sims 2. I have that game too and I can't play it without getting bored very quickly. I just can't be creative enough with it. The sims fight against me left, right, and centre to do their own thing when I want them to do something else. They have their own personality which makes it so that I can't be creative with them and tell stories in my game play the way I like to, which is really frustrating. If I wanted them to do their own thing I may as well watch a movie because my game play style is to create a story, not to watch them make the story.”

I found that element of free will in Sims 2 a spur to creativity. And you do know you could turn it off, right?

This is not about going back to Sims 2. (For the record, I prefer Sims 3.) This is about a newer version actually being an improvement rather than a regression that caters solely to people who want to build worlds of nothing but pretty people and fashionable clothes.

No, you couldn't turn off what I'm talking about. Sim's personalities. I hate how they are done in Sims 2. Animations are great, but the personality of the Sims themselves is so deep and I can't stand it. I want a completely blank state to tell my stories. (And I dislike Sims 3 too for other reasons. I have the gamebut again get bored very quickly). Sims4 IS a better version for my game play style. Which has nothing to do with building worlds of pretty people, but even if it did, and for those that it does, that game play style is not wrong or more childish than someone elses and there's no reason Sims teams shouldn't cater to them.

You can turn sims 3 story profession , and free will off.

"Horrorgirl6;c-17549687" wrote:

"SimAlexandria;c-17548205" wrote:

"Horrorgirl6;c-17542189" wrote:

"SimAlexandria;c-17481617" wrote:

"crocobaura;c-17481332" wrote:

"PmlTry;c-17481318" wrote:
“But it would spoil things very much for me if they made the sims the way they are in, say, Sims 2. I have that game too and I can't play it without getting bored very quickly. I just can't be creative enough with it. The sims fight against me left, right, and centre to do their own thing when I want them to do something else. They have their own personality which makes it so that I can't be creative with them and tell stories in my game play the way I like to, which is really frustrating. If I wanted them to do their own thing I may as well watch a movie because my game play style is to create a story, not to watch them make the story.”

I found that element of free will in Sims 2 a spur to creativity. And you do know you could turn it off, right?

This is not about going back to Sims 2. (For the record, I prefer Sims 3.) This is about a newer version actually being an improvement rather than a regression that caters solely to people who want to build worlds of nothing but pretty people and fashionable clothes.

Some people are happy to just take pictures of their sims and post stories. They use pose player with lots of fake poses and interactions and, as long as they have their pretty pictures, they probably don't even notice that the actual gameplay is lacking.

"PmlTry;c-17481318" wrote:
“But it would spoil things very much for me if they made the sims the way they are in, say, Sims 2. I have that game too and I can't play it without getting bored very quickly. I just can't be creative enough with it. The sims fight against me left, right, and centre to do their own thing when I want them to do something else. They have their own personality which makes it so that I can't be creative with them and tell stories in my game play the way I like to, which is really frustrating. If I wanted them to do their own thing I may as well watch a movie because my game play style is to create a story, not to watch them make the story.”

I found that element of free will in Sims 2 a spur to creativity. And you do know you could turn it off, right?

This is not about going back to Sims 2. (For the record, I prefer Sims 3.) This is about a newer version actually being an improvement rather than a regression that caters solely to people who want to build worlds of nothing but pretty people and fashionable clothes.

No, you couldn't turn off what I'm talking about. Sim's personalities. I hate how they are done in Sims 2. Animations are great, but the personality of the Sims themselves is so deep and I can't stand it. I want a completely blank state to tell my stories. (And I dislike Sims 3 too for other reasons. I have the gamebut again get bored very quickly). Sims4 IS a better version for my game play style. Which has nothing to do with building worlds of pretty people, but even if it did, and for those that it does, that game play style is not wrong or more childish than someone elses and there's no reason Sims teams shouldn't cater to them.

You can turn sims 3 story profession , and free will off.

I wouldn't want to turn off story progression or free will. I like it.

But if your problem was their personalities.That would gave them the blank state you need to tell your stories.

No, it wouldn't be what I need for how I play and the stories I tell. But actually, I DON'T have a problem with their personalities, in fact I think they are perfect how they are now, if you read my other posts. I play with autonomy on, but still micromanage them, and it's the PERFECT combo for my stories just as it is now. They don't stand around and do nothing, which would be boring and unrealistic to me, but they don't do anything big on their own.

And story progession is a lot of fun for the Sims I'm no longer playing. Sure I don't want my current active sim to suddenly go get married... but I play several (3) large families, with 9 kids each, (some grown and moved out), and some of thsoe have kids.. I don't play ALL of them and I love turning on MCCC to see how the ones I Don't play progress in the background, it doesn't affect my story as they aren't part of it anymore. Story progression is awesome and I'd love to see it added to Sims 4.

What I'm saying is that I wouldn't want personalities to change BECAUSE I have no problem with them now. Story Progression and Free Will are different to me. But I would not want to see something like turn ons/turn offs or stuff like meaningful stories adds, with Sims getting random traits suddenly, or being harder to keep happy, or not getting along with another Sim that you want them too etc.

But as it is right now, I have no issues. Hope that makes sense.

*Edit unless you meant Sims 3 personalities? In which case my problem is more with Sims 2 personalities, Sims 3 I don't like for other reasons, the world felt empty and I couldn't get past the art style/graphics which are extremely important to me and I hate the Sims 3 style. I played for a little bit, got bored quick, my experience with them isn't enough to comment on if I liked their personalities or not as I don't remember now. But the Sims 4 ones are perfect (for my game play) anyways so if they are different than Sims 4, which people seem to suggest, then yeah, not interested really. I do have the game, and tried to play a couple months ago, (Sims 2 as well) but I just can't go back to them after Sims 4. Story progression was nice though. I'm grateful MCCC adds that to Sims 4, and the new phone calls are a good start with Sims 4 too but would like it properly added in one day, however, it's not a deal breaker to me and if MCCC ever stopped updating or became a pay service I'd still pick Sims 4 ahead even without the story progression. I'd just miss it.

"DragonCat159;c-17565244" wrote:
Take away woohoo (includes try for baby and that teen inclusive equivalent one) and fight interactions, and I can GUARANTEE the game would be eligible to warrant a rating E for everyone :) (:

I still wouldn't let very young kids play because of the deaths. My almost 6 year old would be extremely traumatized by seeing them freeze to death etc. Or an elderly grandma sim she loves playing die of old age, etc. Young kids find it harder to seperate reality from non-reality. If you took out deaths and grim as well, then I would agree.