Make-yourself-simulator vs dollhouse simulator

Again, regarding the marketing: Looking at the trailers for Sims 2, 3 and the first trailers for Sims 4, Family Play (Dollhouse) is definitely NOT the focus. In fact the marketing is turning back to what it was in the beginning.

"ListentoToppDogg;c-17447008" wrote:
They've been doing that for a while, and it came out in full force starting with their hideous rebranding.

Yeah, whoever is on the graphics and PR team doesn't seem to know what they're doing, but at this point, EA don't even need branding and marketing, the franchise is huge and has such a large core audience.

"Beardedgeek;c-17447914" wrote:
quote="Beardedgeek;c-17447447"]I simply does not consider this a valid complaint for reasons I have already stated. Again, Sims 4 takes place in the modern world. The fact that you still can use the mailbox for as much things as you can is actually becoming unrealistic already.

I know the US is behind Europe (not being obnoxious, I have an American wife and have spent a lot of time in the US) like actually paying people by check still (!!!), something that stopped in Sweden around 1982 (not exaggerating). After that it was automatic bank transfers only. But even taking that in consideration... For me, as a Swede, not having a smart phone I guess is like for an American to not have a car. Virtually unheard of.

It absolutely is a valid complaint. The Sims 4 is a sandbox game. You know what else isn't realistic? Vampires. The Sims 4 has them.

I don't see what's so obscene or out there about catering to people who want to set their game in different eras or setting styles. The Sims 3 did this. Into the Future, Dragon Valley, there was a whole Steampunk set on the store, etc. The Sims 4 has nothing like this. I think a Victorian themed pack would be super cool. The issue is the lack of Create-A-World. You should be able to create your own world theme, and add existing sub neighborhoods, like in The Sims 2.

Does San Myshuno not fit in with the play style you're using for one save file, but you still enjoy City Living as a whole? Just don't add it to that file! It'd be such a simple fix, and The Sims 2 could do it, albeit save files were handled differently.

"Magnezone;c-17450671" wrote:
It absolutely is a valid complaint. The Sims 4 is a sandbox game.

...Not how sandboxes work.

Roller Coaster Tycoon is a sandbox game. But you can't sway too far from the original premise anyway. You still have to build modern amusement parks. And so on.

As for the rest... If you start adding different eras to the game (and do it correctly, so no phone and whatnot)... who decides which ones? Because i am definitely not interested in a Sci fi one OR a Victorian one (19th century is the most boring century I know of). If you get a victorian pack, then I should have the right to expect a Pre-Roman Persian pack.
Quite frankly if they open that can of worm, they really should be obligated to release on pack per age, at least. One stone age, one bronze age, one iron age, etc. Because why should I be left out?

(Now if they give another community pack, and you can vote for a period pack? Go for it. That's fine; no voted on packs so far interest me anyway)

"Beardedgeek;c-17451030" wrote:
l
As for the rest... If you start adding different eras to the game (and do it correctly, so no phone and whatnot)... who decides which ones? Because i am definitely not interested in a Sci fi one OR a Victorian one (19th century is the most boring century I know of). If you get a victorian pack, then I should have the right to expect a Pre-Roman Persian pack.
Quite frankly if they open that can of worm, they really should be obligated to release on pack per age, at least. One stone age, one bronze age, one iron age, etc. Because why should I be left out?

Holy slippery slope fallacy, batman.

You do realise The Sims 3's towns were all designed after different eras and places, right?

"The Future" from Into The Future was futuristic, as was Lunar Lakes, Twinbrooke was very 50-60s era in the style of its Sims (clothes and hair styles of many premades - though some like DeAndre Wolff were not), Riverview had a very dated southern feel but not being American its difficult to put my finger in it, Dragon Valley was high fantasy middle ages, Barnacle Bay (I honestly nearly wrote Booty Bay before going 'wait that's not right') had a pirate/sailor theme to it, etc etc.

There's nothing wrong with adding stylistic choices. I just wish there was a way by default to stop the game from randomly generating townies that don't fit into whatever theme you're going for, and well, create a world tool.

Edit: got autocensored, word I said wasn't a swear. It's the name of the Goblin harbor town in the south of the Eastern Kingdoms in WoW. If you know, you know.

"Magnezone;c-17451175" wrote:

"Beardedgeek;c-17451030" wrote:
l
As for the rest... If you start adding different eras to the game (and do it correctly, so no phone and whatnot)... who decides which ones? Because i am definitely not interested in a Sci fi one OR a Victorian one (19th century is the most boring century I know of). If you get a victorian pack, then I should have the right to expect a Pre-Roman Persian pack.
Quite frankly if they open that can of worm, they really should be obligated to release on pack per age, at least. One stone age, one bronze age, one iron age, etc. Because why should I be left out?

Holy slippery slope fallacy, batman.

You do realise The Sims 3's towns were all designed after different eras and places, right?

"The Future" from Into The Future was futuristic, as was Lunar Lakes, Twinbrooke was very 50-60s era in the style of its Sims (clothes and hair styles of many premades - though some like DeAndre Wolff were not), Riverview had a very dated southern feel but not being American its difficult to put my finger in it, Dragon Valley was high fantasy middle ages, Barnacle Bay (I honestly nearly wrote ???? Bay before going 'wait that's not right') had a pirate/sailor theme to it, etc etc.

There's nothing wrong with adding stylistic choices. I just wish there was a way by default to stop the game from randomly generating townies that don't fit into whatever theme you're going for, and well, create a world tool.

Edit: got autocensored, word I said wasn't a swear. It's the name of the Goblin harbor town in the south of the Eastern Kingdoms in WoW. If you know, you know.

I only played Sunset Valley until the City pack came out, and then I played that. The reason? Because you were locked into a world, the City one was the ONLY map I could fit everything I wanted into the world and still have actual households. Because of the fact that you had an "open" world which didn't let you leave that world.

I never liked Riverview compared to Sunset valley; I would have loved to play in Twinbrooke but the map was so small you had to sacrifice 90% of things you got in expansion packs if you wanted to play there and so on.

Besides, the "feel" has nothing to do with actual settings; Oasis Springs is modeled after a (when it was built) very modern 60's suburb to Las Vegas. But it doesn't mean it is taking place in the 60's. Neither does the fact that Twinbrook is New Orleans mean it "takes place in the past" unless you believe that IRL New Orleans is in the past?

"Beardedgeek;c-17451346" wrote:
I only played Sunset Valley until the City pack came out, and then I played that. The reason? Because you were locked into a world, the City one was the ONLY map I could fit everything I wanted into the world and still have actual households. Because of the fact that you had an "open" world which didn't let you leave that world.

I never liked Riverview compared to Sunset valley; I would have loved to play in Twinbrooke but the map was so small you had to sacrifice 90% of things you got in expansion packs if you wanted to play there and so on.

Besides, the "feel" has nothing to do with actual settings; Oasis Springs is modeled after a (when it was built) very modern 60's suburb to Las Vegas. But it doesn't mean it is taking place in the 60's. Neither does the fact that Twinbrook is New Orleans mean it "takes place in the past" unless you believe that IRL New Orleans is in the past?

Oh my god. You actually really are trying to argue this. They are absolutely intended to be set in the era they're based on. I don't know what to tell you.

You think this family is intended to be a "modern day New Orleans" family? This is the Castor family from Twinbrook.

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/sims/images/5/53/Castor_family.png/revision/latest?cb=20121001042754

Ignoring that, lets put Twinbrook to the side for now, how can you argue this when DRAGON VALLEY is clearly supposed to be high fantasy medieval? Even ALL OF THE SIMS there are dressed in fantasy clothing! Dragon Valley is not set in modern day. There is absolutely no point in trying to tell you this if you're going to ignore the very basic realities of the game - thematically (and even in lore, look it up, Sunset Valley, Twinbrook and Riverview are set 50 years before The Sims 2, which we can assume was set in 2004), these locations are based on the past, and whether or not you played in them is completely irrelevant. Sure, you can place modern things if you like, but we're not arguing that. They shouldn't be fundamental to the game to do basic things, there should be alternatives for people who want to play this way.

For example! In The Sims 3 you could go to a rabbit hole and apply to a job in person. You could register as self employed at the Town Hall. You could basically opt out of using the phone entirely, except for things like throwing parties. The only thing you really needed a PC for was writing skill.

There is even an Off The Grid lot trait in The Sims 4 game, for people who don't want houses with running electricity, yet you still need a PC to do so much, so what's the point in it?

"Magnezone;c-17451364" wrote:

"Beardedgeek;c-17451346" wrote:
I only played Sunset Valley until the City pack came out, and then I played that. The reason? Because you were locked into a world, the City one was the ONLY map I could fit everything I wanted into the world and still have actual households. Because of the fact that you had an "open" world which didn't let you leave that world.

I never liked Riverview compared to Sunset valley; I would have loved to play in Twinbrooke but the map was so small you had to sacrifice 90% of things you got in expansion packs if you wanted to play there and so on.

Besides, the "feel" has nothing to do with actual settings; Oasis Springs is modeled after a (when it was built) very modern 60's suburb to Las Vegas. But it doesn't mean it is taking place in the 60's. Neither does the fact that Twinbrook is New Orleans mean it "takes place in the past" unless you believe that IRL New Orleans is in the past?

Oh my god. You actually really are trying to argue this. They are absolutely intended to be set in the era they're based on. I don't know what to tell you.

You think this family is intended to be a "modern day New Orleans" family? This is the Castor family from Twinbrook.

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/sims/images/5/53/Castor_family.png/revision/latest?cb=20121001042754

Ignoring that, lets put Twinbrook to the side for now, how can you argue this when DRAGON VALLEY is clearly supposed to be high fantasy medieval? Even ALL OF THE SIMS there are dressed in fantasy clothing! Dragon Valley is not set in modern day. There is absolutely no point in trying to tell you this if you're going to ignore the very basic realities of the game - thematically, these locations are based on the past, and whether or not you played in them is completely irrelevant. Sure, you can place modern things if you like, but we're not arguing that. They shouldn't be fundamental to the game to do basic things, there should be alternatives for people who want to play this way.

For example! In The Sims 3 you could go to a rabbit hole and apply to a job in person. You could register as self employed at the Town Hall. You could basically opt out of using the phone entirely, except for things like throwing parties. The only thing you really needed a PC for was writing skill.

There is even an Off The Grid lot trait in The Sims 4 game, for people who don't want houses with running electricity, yet you still need a PC to do so much, so what's the point in it?

As I said, I never played Twinbrooke, really; the few times I tried I got so annoyed I couldn't fit everything I wanted in that I started over on another map, as usual. I guess I missed that; they were ugly so I never talked to them. (Who me shallow?)

I stand corrected, you have a point. Especially about Dragon Valley. I never played that; I had stopped playing Sims 3 before that came out (I got less and less interested in it and I quit after the Supernatural pack came out (I still regret buying that; I bough it, spent a weekend making fairies, then quit Sims 3 and never started it again).
Anyway, point is, you are right; I am wrong.

However, having different towns set in different eras does not work if you can travel between them freely. And that is the one benefit Sims 4 has over all the other games: You are not locked in the world you start in. And if I have to chose between the two? Heck yes I take Sims 4's approach EVERY. TIME. Being locked in one world felt so very very limiting in Sims 3 after the charade of the "Open world" is clear to you (Yay you can go everywhere but you can never leave).

So, what is needed here if you want to play a new era is simply a spinoff. Like Castaway or Medieval. That's the only way this will function. And that I am all for, btw. I would probably buy a new "Sims 4" Medieval.

"Beardedgeek;c-17451381" wrote:
As I said, I never played Twinbrooke, really; the few times I tried I got so annoyed I couldn't fit everything I wanted in that I started over on another map, as usual. I guess I missed that; they were ugly so I never talked to them. (Who me shallow?)

I stand corrected, you have a point. Especially about Dragon Valley. I never played that; I had stopped playing Sims 3

OK thank you. Sorry if I came across as harsh, but it felt you you were hammering a point which just wasn't true.

"Beardedgeek;c-17451381" wrote:
However, having different towns set in different eras does not work if you can travel between them freely. And that is the one benefit Sims 4 has over all the other games: You are not locked in the world you start in. And if I have to chose between the two? Heck yes I take Sims 4's approach EVERY. TIME. Being locked in one world felt so very very limiting in Sims 3 after the charade of the "Open world" is clear to you (Yay you can go everywhere but you can never leave).

I addressed this in the post I agreed with the idea initially.

"Magnezone;c-17450671" wrote:
The issue is the lack of Create-A-World. You should be able to create your own world theme, and add existing sub neighborhoods, like in The Sims 2.

Does San Myshuno not fit in with the play style you're using for one save file, but you still enjoy City Living as a whole? Just don't add it to that file! It'd be such a simple fix, and The Sims 2 could do it, albeit save files were handled differently.

In The Sims 2, I could add sub-neighborhoods with any theme I liked. They were listed as "Downtown" and "Business District", but they were essentially just new neighborhoods you could build from scratch, and didn't really have a unique function from the base neighborhood as opposed to the college campuses and vacation neighborhoods, as far as I can tell. People even took the other neighborhoods in the game and converted them to sub-neighborhoods, allowing people to make what is referred to as "megahoods", which are essentially the same as The Sims 4 - all the neighborhoods combined into one save file. So not only did you have the option to add any neighborhoods you like, but you had the option to keep ones you didn't want out too, without needing to entirely uninstall the pack.

"Beardedgeek;c-17451381 wrote:
So, what is needed here if you want to play a new era is simply a spinoff. Like Castaway or Medieval. That's the only way this will function. And that I am all for, btw. I would probably buy a new "Sims 4" Medieval.

I'd also love a new Sims Medieval, playing up the fantasy elements way more. Contrary to popular opinion, that is. But it absolutely flopped sales-wise, so it's not happening

"Magnezone;c-17451395" wrote:

I'd also love a new Sims Medieval, playing up the fantasy elements way more. Contrary to popular opinion, that is. But it absolutely flopped sales-wise, so it's not happening

My problem with Medieval was the fixed perspective and the complete change of gameplay. It was what first turned me off of Strangerville btw (now I actually like the expansion and especially the world); I was had bad memories of the whole "point and click adventure" thing that Medieval had going.
And I think that was the reason for the flop in general; it was not the Sims. It was... something else. The humor was on point, the character design was on point... but the rest? It was a very shallow point and click adventure where you could not actually build your own castle but just peek thru the front windows of it.

"Beardedgeek;c-17451399" wrote:
My problem with Medieval was the fixed perspective and the complete change of gameplay. It was what first turned me off of Strangerville btw (now I actually like the expansion and especially the world); I was had bad memories of the whole "point and click adventure" thing that Medieval had going.
And I think that was the reason for the flop in general; it was not the Sims. It was... something else. The humor was on point, the character design was on point... but the rest? It was a very shallow point and click adventure where you could not actually build your own castle but just peek thru the front windows of it.

Yeah, I think a free-form style medieval game would be really fun and right up my alley, though I doubt it would be all that interesting to most sims players is the thing, but the community is free to prove me wrong.

It needs elves though. Actual elves! Not people with pointed ears, which is what I made them like in Medieval when I wanted someone to be elven.