Make-yourself-simulator vs dollhouse simulator
Has anyone noticed the shift in marketing? It seems as if they're catering to a very specific kind of escapism.
Forum Discussion
"LiELF;c-17452901" wrote:
I see where you're coming from, but preference is still a very big factor and functionality remains debatable. If someone isn't a builder and doesn't care at all about that aspect of the game, then moving lots and changing the world environment isn't going to mean anything to them. So it does actually come down to what the player wants from the world and from the game.
You see, this is the only thing I can give The Sims 4's worlds - convinience. You load up the game and it has everything you would ever need on a basic functional level from the get go. No need to add things. No need to build things if you won't want. And I can see why this would appeal to some people.
That said, I find a lot of the Maxis builds in The Sims 4 weirdly sad, big and empty though... In terms of decor that is, as you said, Sims do flock them as intended. Maxis lots have never been great, but you won't find a Maxis lot quite was depressing as Planet Honey Pop, the default Karaoke bar from City Living (the absolute worst offender imo) in The Sims 2.
They're still the least flexible neighborhoods and lots to this date. Even a non-builder player who only plays family play one day might go "I'm running out of lots where my extremely extended family of 7 generations can live." In previous games you go "OK, let's add a new lot to the world map then.". In The Sims 4 you go "Looks like I to get rid of a community lot to house them!"
The other thing I like from a function perspective about The Sims 4 though is its incredibly easy to change lot type in build mode. In The Sims 3 you had to go into edit world, and in The Sims 2 you had to exit out of your family onto the world map. I know this annoyed me when I was trying to build a lot I affectionately call "Ugly Dive Bar" in The Sims 3. The Sims 4 just has a better and more accessible build mode with way more options for customisation in general though, but.... What's the point in such a good and in depth build mode when your neighborhoods are going to be so crap and uncustomisable? 1 step forward, 2 steps back.
I do see what you mean about community lots in The Sims 3 being empty though. I find it's very hit or miss, and neighborhoods in their fresh states with all of the maxis premades still in tact tend to have more active community lots without mods, though this may be an utter coincidence. Some times I'll go to a community lot to see no one. Others I'll see an entire group. And for certain lots like libraries that's OK I guess. But I've never been to a pub irl that's just been a complete ghost town, but then again... I don't go to a lot of pubs. :tongue:
