I believe its a horrible mistake the newly announced "lifestyles and sentiment" feature is locked behind owning this expansion and a big error in judgement from a developers point of view for the game.Lifestyles and sentiment per described as: "Unlock new personality and relationship effects with the introduction of Lifestyles and Sentiments. Lifestyles manifest in response to your Sim’s actions and habits, changing their behaviours appropriately. Similarly, shared experiences inspire Sentiments and have a lasting impact on Sims’ relationships to each other, affecting their social interactions.This should be BASE GAME BEHAVIOR, at the moment sims have NO PERSONALITY in the base game and simply ruled by their emotions. There is nothing to define them other than they way they look and dress (talk about shallow). By locking this feature behind an expansion, developers limit its functionality away from a core feature that it truly should be for the sims 4.As a basegame feature update, it would allow for deeper development and inclusion with base game coding and deeper inclusion for all future packs and updates. For example could you imagine if they made emotions an expansion pack feature? Think how that would effect the game as a whole and I believe by locking "lifestyles and sentiments" aka "personalities" behind an expansion pack they are doing that very thing.Not only that but as an expansion feature no further development or support will be given to personalities which are so core to the human experience (and what is the sims but a life simulator).I think Maxis needs to change this choice immediately and re-examine what it means to be human, not a bullet point feature for an expansion pack that many people won't buy.ALL Sims 4 players should have this as a base game feature and from a developers point of view...like seriously?

just letting you know, a thread about this already exists https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/982612/is-it-okay-for-personality-improvements-to-be-tied-to-eps#latest

"RavenSpit;c-17695590" wrote:just letting you know, a thread about this already exists https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/982612/is-it-okay-for-personality-improvements-to-be-tied-to-eps#latestI know this thread exists but Simtrippy is politely asking a question - she is giving the developers a choice to say yes or no. This should not be a discussion, but a hard point of criticism towards Maxis from a development point of view of their mistake by locking this as an expansion feature and not core code to the Sims 4.SimTrippy made a "nice" thread for people to share their thoughts, asking if they think it should be a expansion feature or not. Its the difference between going to a debate or standing up in protest to point out Maxis has made a serious mistake and fully explaining why its important. My thread is protesting and heavily criticizing Maxis for not programming this as a core feature to the game. This isn't like adding snow or a new chair to the game, its a core feature the DEFINES what it is to be human and isn't this a simulation of life? What is life without personality? Personalities are CORE TO THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE, hence for sims and not locked behind expansion packs. This thread wasn't meant to be a discussion if they made a mistake - it is a mistake, ESPECIALLY from a programming and development point of view.

As a developer this choice honestly though really makes me scratch my head though.

"TOLKIEN;c-17695608" wrote:"RavenSpit;c-17695590" wrote:just letting you know, a thread about this already exists https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/982612/is-it-okay-for-personality-improvements-to-be-tied-to-eps#latestI know this thread exists but Simtrippy is politely asking a question - she is giving the developers a choice to say yes or no. This should not be a discussion, but a hard point of criticism towards Maxis from a development point of view of their mistake by locking this as an expansion feature and not core code to the Sims 4.SimTrippy made a "nice" thread for people to share their thoughts, asking if they think it should be a expansion feature or not. Its the difference between going to a debate or standing up in protest to point out Maxis has made a serious mistake and fully explaining why its important. My thread is protesting and heavily criticizing Maxis for not programming this as a core feature to the game. This isn't like adding snow or a new chair to the game, its a core feature the DEFINES what it is to be human and isn't this a simulation of life? What is life without personality? Personalities are CORE TO THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE, hence for sims and not locked behind expansion packs. This thread wasn't meant to be a discussion if they made a mistake - it is a mistake, ESPECIALLY from a programming and development point of view. Then maybe you should have put it in the feedback section.

It's not hard to understand. Companies like EA and Maxis are all about making money, so if they can dangle a carrot in front of us to get us to buy the EP, they'll do it. I don't agree with it, but it IS business....

Lifestyles and sentiments should be BASE GAME - not expansion locked

fjb792
5 years ago
"peterskywalker;c-17696250" wrote:
I’m sure that this will be included in the patch for snowy escape. With more added in that expansion pack.

It was the same with lot trusts for city living

I hope you're right. But I don't know anymore, I don't really trust this franchise anymore. I'm preparing myself for the worst.
It's sad because I love the Sims, but if they do this, I would have to leave it. As someone who's been wishing for better personalities in the base game for YEARS, for them to release it behind a $40 paywall, It would be the last straw.

And @TOLKIEN thanks for starting this topic, I think it's good to keep this game accountable for its actions, no matter what they eventually choose.
imahulazombie
5 years ago
i won't say nothing else until we know more about this, we don't know if it's an actual personality overhaul or a simply system like the parenthood or get famous ones which don't have real impact on the gameplay. devs can be very misleading
fjb792
5 years ago
"bellagoth_;c-17696272" wrote:
i won't say nothing else until we know more about this, we don't know if it's an actual personality overhaul or a simply system like the parenthood or get famous ones which don't have real impact on the gameplay. devs can be very misleading

True. I'm just very worried. We all know how shameless EA is, and it would be a huge slap in the face to long time players.
imahulazombie
5 years ago
"bixters;c-17696284" wrote:
"bellagoth_;c-17696272" wrote:
i won't say nothing else until we know more about this, we don't know if it's an actual personality overhaul or a simply system like the parenthood or get famous ones which don't have real impact on the gameplay. devs can be very misleading

True. I'm just very worried. We all know how shameless EA is, and it would be a huge slap in the face to long time players.

agreed, but i don't really think it will be a meaningful feature. if there's something devs have been constant on, is on disappointing. if it happens to be a significant change it'll be indeed a disrespectful move to hide it behind a paywall especially cuz one of the main selling points for ts4 were smarter sims and because a good personalities system is an obvious feature for a life simulator videogame.
Purrloin9
5 years ago
I totally agree. I think it's ridiculous that they finally want to do something with personalities (something players have wanted for years) and they decide to add it to an EP instead of a free patch.
fjb792
5 years ago
"bellagoth_;c-17696303" wrote:
"bixters;c-17696284" wrote:
"bellagoth_;c-17696272" wrote:
i won't say nothing else until we know more about this, we don't know if it's an actual personality overhaul or a simply system like the parenthood or get famous ones which don't have real impact on the gameplay. devs can be very misleading

True. I'm just very worried. We all know how shameless EA is, and it would be a huge slap in the face to long time players.

agreed, but i don't really think it will be a meaningful feature. if there's something devs have been constant on, is on disappointing. if it happens to be a significant change it'll be indeed a disrespectful move to hide it behind a paywall especially cuz one of the main selling points for ts4 were smarter sims and because a good personalities system is an obvious feature for a life simulator videogame.

You're right about disappointing. It may just be a system to add more boring happy buffs to make my sims even more annoying :D Or it could be like NAPS....yuck
I guess we'll see. I wish the devs would tell us something.
bsozz
5 years ago
It’s a decision that’s hard to justify.

When games like Cities: Skylines or Crusader Kings come out with DLC, any changes to the core mechanics of the game are always included for free in an update that arrives alongside the expansion.

IMO it’s really shitty and I don’t even have a horse in the race. I’m not buying the expansion either way.
fjb792
5 years ago
"So_Money;c-17696677" wrote:
It’s a decision that’s hard to justify.

When games like Cities: Skylines or Crusader Kings come out with DLC, any changes to the core mechanics of the game are always included for free in an update that arrives alongside the expansion.

IMO it’s really ???? and I don’t even have a horse in the race. I’m not buying the expansion either way.

I would also add that their DLC are only $10-$20 at most, and many of them offer way more content than a $40 pack for the Sims 4. It just goes to show how greedy EA is.
If EA really makes us pay $40 for a core mechanic, then I'm done with ALL of the games produced by Maxis and EA. As one Youtuber says, I'll "get that fire exit door henny!" :D :D
catmando830
5 years ago
"bixters;c-17696261" wrote:
"peterskywalker;c-17696250" wrote:
I’m sure that this will be included in the patch for snowy escape. With more added in that expansion pack.

It was the same with lot trusts for city living

I hope you're right. But I don't know anymore, I don't really trust this franchise anymore. I'm preparing myself for the worst.
It's sad because I love the Sims, but if they do this, I would have to leave it. As someone who's been wishing for better personalities in the base game for YEARS, for them to release it behind a $40 paywall, It would be the last straw.

And @TOLKIEN thanks for starting this topic, I think it's good to keep this game accountable for its actions, no matter what they eventually choose.

I found a really cool theme park game I might hop on - it cost more that TS4 base game though.
WolvesCreek
New Spectator
5 years ago
Looking back a day after I posted this topic, I also must question the features title "Lifestyles and sentiments" talk about convoluted! If you simply read this title on the back of a box (without a description) you'd have no idea its basically personality features.

Its almost like they don't want to call it simply something like "personalities and growth". The fact that they are calling it "Lifestyles and sentiments" makes people gloss over it and also makes me wonder if its not going to have as much depth as we hope.