Looking Forward To the End Of TS4
Let's look at a few reasons why.
Unlike TS2 or TS3, TS4 has been built on such a small scale, with limited gameplay, I will be happy the day it has ended and TS5 possibly revealed. Or maybe I won't if this trend keeps up into the future of half baked, limited, buggy games.
Everyone has an opinion about the new EP. Think on that a minute. Here is my opinion. Expansion. Does that mean a handful of animations or should that mean content that expands the entire game and base? I think most Simmers believe it should expand the entire game. What does the new EP do? Not much.
This is the fourth iteration of this series. The fourth, let that sink in. Twenty years of experience. Twenty years of hearing from their core fans and interacting with them. No, this is not the first team that ever chatted with players. But this is the first team that has thrown out every excuse in the book.
Points I want to make strongly.
JetSki, yay, but how is it better than the last one? It's not, it goes around in circles. We have seen it before, so shouldn't it be better? Yes, it should it's the fouth iteration. If anyone can say going around in a circle is better, here is a bridge.
Boat..seen it before, how is it better? It's not. How many can participate compared to past boats? Seriously, is it better? No.
Is the world in the pack better than any other world of this type in any other game, seriously? No, because of limited space for lots. You can't say a nice world (might be pretty) is better than a world that is pretty and allows over a hundred lots. That's just not logical. So, no, it's not better than anything that has ever come before.
Mermaids, are they better than the last ones? Are you kidding? No.
Scuba diving..wait, there isn't any. Most people don't scuba dive on the edge of water but deep dive if they pay to dive at a tourist trap. How is this better than the last time? A rabbit hole..please, talk to the hand.
Tanning, but not all skin types can tan or burn? Is that better than last time? No.
Cleaning up the beach, sure that's new, but is it any better to do that than say not to do it? What stands out that makes this gameplay so important than what you have already seen in past games? not much, because guess what the other games have flowers grow etc. when it is spring etc. trees change, grass changes, more flowers bloom etc. So, nothing new here to see, other than a strong message on environment health by Maxis.
Exploring, how many Sims can do this together? I hear crickets.
Finding stuff, aka collecting, does the Sim care? Are you sure? Moodlet gameplay, wow, isn't that exciting? Or do they even get one? Were they aware of what they found? Does it matter to them or is it important?...no. It will go right out of their head next day.
Clothes choices, o.k. do you really believe those who live on an island wear outfits that are sold in tourists trap stores? Number one rule of when you visit, blend in, don't wear flowery tourists clothes.
Segregation, can't hire Sims who don't live on the island? Bug? who messed up that? Preach inclusiveness but Quality Control misses can't hire Sims from other worlds?
Why should anyone spend $40 on this? Glory days of this series are way over.
ETA: Not finished with my opinions.
Oh, it expanded the game alright, enough to break DO. Priceless.
Swimming in ocean, is it any better than twenty years ago? No, it's limited to one world. One type of water terrain. Wow, shouldn't we all be excited?
( I hear the excuses right now).
Making a new drink....snooze fest. $40 to watch that, really? Does it do anything? No one has said it does. Or is that too, just a moodlet?
New career....wow, one whole new career, how is that better than four or five in previous EPs? It must be so amazing it took up all the budget right? Surely it did to have only one new career in an Expansion pack.
Part time work..rabbit hole life guard, wow, I can't wait to see that.
Lounge chair as part of the patch for this EP. Why bother.
Underwater scenery, 1st person view, oh, wait, non existant.
Animators I'm sure you do an excellent job but those over you must really frustrate you when they limit you to a circle and or tell you just reuse the same animations from the base game. I feel your pain. Or maybe some don't care and just slap on the last used animation.
Romance one would expect on a tropical island which doesn't include woohoo..where is it in this pack? Moonlight strolls? no. Sitting together arms around each other on the shore? no. Hand holding walking along the beach? no A romantic boat ride? No Moonlit swims together? no
But the same excuses it's too hard and too expensive for an Expansion. And that wasn't the focus..ok, but exactly what was the focus? because this pack didn't expand anything and did it worse than anything we had already in older games. Pitiful.
Unlike TS2 or TS3, TS4 has been built on such a small scale, with limited gameplay, I will be happy the day it has ended and TS5 possibly revealed. Or maybe I won't if this trend keeps up into the future of half baked, limited, buggy games.
Everyone has an opinion about the new EP. Think on that a minute. Here is my opinion. Expansion. Does that mean a handful of animations or should that mean content that expands the entire game and base? I think most Simmers believe it should expand the entire game. What does the new EP do? Not much.
This is the fourth iteration of this series. The fourth, let that sink in. Twenty years of experience. Twenty years of hearing from their core fans and interacting with them. No, this is not the first team that ever chatted with players. But this is the first team that has thrown out every excuse in the book.
Points I want to make strongly.
JetSki, yay, but how is it better than the last one? It's not, it goes around in circles. We have seen it before, so shouldn't it be better? Yes, it should it's the fouth iteration. If anyone can say going around in a circle is better, here is a bridge.
Boat..seen it before, how is it better? It's not. How many can participate compared to past boats? Seriously, is it better? No.
Is the world in the pack better than any other world of this type in any other game, seriously? No, because of limited space for lots. You can't say a nice world (might be pretty) is better than a world that is pretty and allows over a hundred lots. That's just not logical. So, no, it's not better than anything that has ever come before.
Mermaids, are they better than the last ones? Are you kidding? No.
Scuba diving..wait, there isn't any. Most people don't scuba dive on the edge of water but deep dive if they pay to dive at a tourist trap. How is this better than the last time? A rabbit hole..please, talk to the hand.
Tanning, but not all skin types can tan or burn? Is that better than last time? No.
Cleaning up the beach, sure that's new, but is it any better to do that than say not to do it? What stands out that makes this gameplay so important than what you have already seen in past games? not much, because guess what the other games have flowers grow etc. when it is spring etc. trees change, grass changes, more flowers bloom etc. So, nothing new here to see, other than a strong message on environment health by Maxis.
Exploring, how many Sims can do this together? I hear crickets.
Finding stuff, aka collecting, does the Sim care? Are you sure? Moodlet gameplay, wow, isn't that exciting? Or do they even get one? Were they aware of what they found? Does it matter to them or is it important?...no. It will go right out of their head next day.
Clothes choices, o.k. do you really believe those who live on an island wear outfits that are sold in tourists trap stores? Number one rule of when you visit, blend in, don't wear flowery tourists clothes.
Segregation, can't hire Sims who don't live on the island? Bug? who messed up that? Preach inclusiveness but Quality Control misses can't hire Sims from other worlds?
Why should anyone spend $40 on this? Glory days of this series are way over.
ETA: Not finished with my opinions.
Oh, it expanded the game alright, enough to break DO. Priceless.
Swimming in ocean, is it any better than twenty years ago? No, it's limited to one world. One type of water terrain. Wow, shouldn't we all be excited?
( I hear the excuses right now).
Making a new drink....snooze fest. $40 to watch that, really? Does it do anything? No one has said it does. Or is that too, just a moodlet?
New career....wow, one whole new career, how is that better than four or five in previous EPs? It must be so amazing it took up all the budget right? Surely it did to have only one new career in an Expansion pack.
Part time work..rabbit hole life guard, wow, I can't wait to see that.
Lounge chair as part of the patch for this EP. Why bother.
Underwater scenery, 1st person view, oh, wait, non existant.
Animators I'm sure you do an excellent job but those over you must really frustrate you when they limit you to a circle and or tell you just reuse the same animations from the base game. I feel your pain. Or maybe some don't care and just slap on the last used animation.
Romance one would expect on a tropical island which doesn't include woohoo..where is it in this pack? Moonlight strolls? no. Sitting together arms around each other on the shore? no. Hand holding walking along the beach? no A romantic boat ride? No Moonlit swims together? no
But the same excuses it's too hard and too expensive for an Expansion. And that wasn't the focus..ok, but exactly what was the focus? because this pack didn't expand anything and did it worse than anything we had already in older games. Pitiful.
