Forum Discussion
"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.- Beardedgeek72New Spectator
"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."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?"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- Beardedgeek72New Spectator
"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.- BabykittyjadeNew ObserverThe marketing definitely leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Everytime I see it,it reminds me self self instagram lifestyle. Which I try to stay far away from. Cinebar said it best.
I NEVER play with my simself to escape my miserable life into an alternate reality (sounds mentally unhealthy) and I never play a game to feel safe. I've been playing games since I was a small child and it was for nothing more than ENTERTAINING Mindless fun. And that's why I play the sims now. That and creating stories. And as stated above I want drama, good, evil, danger, safety, all of it! The fun part is having the choice! In sims 4 I struggle to get out of the "safe space" - Beardedgeek72New Spectator
"ClarionOfJoy;c-17451716" wrote:
Hi, just wanted to point out that you are NEVER locked into a TS3 world. Without mods, all the worlds have access to China, Egypt, France, the university town, and three versions of the future world. With the Traveler mod, you can go to even more - just install any or all the worlds made for the TS3. That would be hundreds of worlds of all sizes and environments. In TS4 - you're stuck with whatever EAxis made which isn't a whole lot compared to TS3's worlds. And those TS4 worlds are TINY. Don't call them worlds - they're really just small neighborhoods.
1. Mods doesn't count.
2. None of those worlds are interesting. I never liked the World Adventure and only used it for two things: Go to China ONCE per family to learn martial arts and get the training dummy and use the plants for build mode.
3. Again, mods doesn't count when discussing game features. I also don't like using them in general (I only have two mods in Sims 4: MCCC and Meaningful Stories. No CC, no other mods).
"ClarionOfJoy;c-17451716" wrote:
All TS3 worlds are editable! I don't know why you had so much trouble with it. Someone else managed to revamp Twinbrook and added in all the expansion packs except Into the Future. But TS3 being highly editable, you can add new lots to this world most anywhere you want. Here's what someone did to update Twinbrook to give you an idea of what TS3 can do.
Yes they are editable if you have the time and find it interesting to learn the modding tools. For us who only deleted lots and put in new ones... You had very limited space."ClarionOfJoy;c-17451716" wrote:
Yeah, that's the false mantra being touted about TS3 now but I have proven this to be untrue. The benefit of being able to jump from one world to another for TS4 is hollow though because those worlds are not even worlds, but tiny, TINY little neighborhoods with only a few lots each. So you would HAVE to jump from one world to another because it gets so boring just staying in one TS4 neighborhood. Moreover, you can't create new neighborhoods or even add lots of any size - you can't even move the current lots around to different areas of the neighborhood or change their size!
if you can't do it without mods, it is not "false".
Also again, the vacation worlds are not proper worlds, so I don't count them.
As for the rest, agree to disagree. I vastly prefer Sims 4's world system over Sims 3's. Sims 3's was (again, without mods) trapping you in one world. Yes it was editable, but if you didn't have the skill or the patience... And of course even for me that had a mid range gaming PC, the game ran like it thought it was Crysis or something. I did try a number of custom worlds but most were... not very good, or suffered from bugs (because not supported properly) or empty, which meant nothing but potato heads in random clothing showing up.
Now, if Maxis had expanded every world with every pack and added all the buildings in (like creating new lots in Sunset Valley like a fire station or a nightclub when those packs came) that would have been awesome. As it actually functioned you basically (again, without mods) had to chose between "In this game my family will never ever ever visit a nightclub" or "in this game my family will never ever ever be a fireman, or build a Simbot, or..." - Beardedgeek72New Spectator
"ClarionOfJoy;c-17452586" wrote:
"Beardedgeek;c-17452324" wrote:
"ClarionOfJoy;c-17451716" wrote:
Hi, just wanted to point out that you are NEVER locked into a TS3 world. Without mods, all the worlds have access to China, Egypt, France, the university town, and three versions of the future world. With the Traveler mod, you can go to even more - just install any or all the worlds made for the TS3. That would be hundreds of worlds of all sizes and environments. In TS4 - you're stuck with whatever EAxis made which isn't a whole lot compared to TS3's worlds. And those TS4 worlds are TINY. Don't call them worlds - they're really just small neighborhoods.
1. Mods doesn't count.
Yeah right. If mods don't count in TS3, then they don't count in TS4. Which means that TS4 doesn't even run properly without mods. Which means sims don't do what they're suppose to do without mods. Which means you lose most of the interesting gameplay that mods actually add to that boring game.
At least in TS3, it's not necessary to install mods to make the sims work properly or to add gameplay since there is already so much of it. I've recently been playing the game today without mods and there was a lot to do and lots of places to go.
There is also a way to go to another world without mods. You make a backup of the original worlds, China, Egypt and France, and then put a copy of a world you want your sim to go into that folder. Rename it to one of the WA worlds, and there you have it! My sim was able to go to Isla Paradiso on vacation without the Traveler mod!
"Beardedgeek;c-17452324" wrote:
3. None of those worlds are interesting. I never liked the World Adventure and only used it for two things: Go to China ONCE per family to learn martial arts and get the training dummy and use the plants for build mode.
You only mentioned China and didn't go to the other two worlds and didn't utilize all that those worlds offered? Then that's not the fault of the game, is it? That is the fault of your own rigidity.
With the World Adventure EP, you get three distinct worlds - each with their own sims people, songs, food, books, insects, metals, gems, architectural design, and three different but beautiful landscapes. Each one introduced a new skill that wasn't shallow. They all made for very deep gameplay. And of course all the tomb explorations!
1. Shang Simla (China)
https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m1UPZUzD2lg/V0Trg-UOj-I/AAAAAAAAL2k/2QfT9A7yu0sYV3kw3tsak58tnWn-0KZ1QCLcB/s1600/Shang%2BSimla%2B2%2B-%2BThe%2BSims%2B3%2BWorld%2BAdventures.jpg
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XZJrSJn_gSo/TYa5hWvz86I/AAAAAAAAAIg/V9EYrRU_KQM/s1600/the-sims-3-world-adventures-20091009021109892_640w.jpg
Major skill introduced in this world: Martial Arts
Minor skill: Meditation and Ninja Teleporting
What you see in the picture is just a small portion of the map by the way. It is beautiful and has so many interesting places to go. I'm posting a link to Carl's guide for other readers so that they will know all the good fun things they can do just in that one world alone.
Carl's Sims 3 Guide to Shang Simla (China)
And that is just the first world! Here are the other two!
2. Al Simhara (Egypt)
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xVGM6w4nA18/Tha3DG74UMI/AAAAAAABWgE/uQWUF0O5cJw/s1600/Screenshot-534.jpg
Major skill introduced: Photography
Minor Skill: Snake Charming
Carl's Sims 3 Guide to Al Simhara (Egypt)
3. Champs Les Sims (France)
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/4m_q8Dtu-cI/maxresdefault.jpg
Major skill introduced: Nectar Making
5. Again, mods doesn't count when discussing game features. I also don't like using them in general (I only have two mods in Sims 4: MCCC and Meaningful Stories. No CC, no other mods).
You're only setting up these rules for this discussion because you know Sims 4 doesn't have much to begin with. So you want to "limit" TS3 as well. Okay. If you want to go by those rules, I can use MasterController and Overwatch, but I don't need to. Unlike with TS4 which actually needs mods to make it playable and interesting. Because even without those NRAAS mods, my sims work properly and do what they're suppose to do. Plus TS3 has more gameplay that works properly. Most of the little gameplay in TS4 doesn't or can't even exist without mods.
You can't even do any work-arounds for TS4 like in TS3. For example, if you don't want to use any traveler mod, as I had mentioned before, you can still send your sims to other worlds.
So I'm glad that TS3 still has so many playable options! It has far more working features than TS4 without mods."Beardedgeek;c-17452324" wrote:
"ClarionOfJoy;c-17451716" wrote:
All TS3 worlds are editable! I don't know why you had so much trouble with it. Someone else managed to revamp Twinbrook and added in all the expansion packs except Into the Future. But TS3 being highly editable, you can add new lots to this world most anywhere you want. Here's what someone did to update Twinbrook to give you an idea of what TS3 can do.
Yes they are editable if you have the time and find it interesting to learn the modding tools. For us who only deleted lots and put in new ones... You had very limited space.
*Shrug* I'm not a modder either and I'm not a TS3 world builder. But I've been able to change all the TS3 worlds I play to just the way that I want them. I don't find it very interesting or fun when one can only work with the few lots each tiny TS4 neighborhood has. You can't add more lots, can't change the size of the current lots and you can't move them around! And on top of that, you can't even change how those tiny TS4 neighborhoods look. Again, TS4 just doesn't allow for much creativity and options. That's one of the reasons why I don't play it. It's just so restrictive which makes it so boring."Beardedgeek;c-17452324" wrote:
"ClarionOfJoy;c-17451716" wrote:
Yeah, that's the false mantra being touted about TS3 now but I have proven this to be untrue. The benefit of being able to jump from one world to another for TS4 is hollow though because those worlds are not even worlds, but tiny, TINY little neighborhoods with only a few lots each. So you would HAVE to jump from one world to another because it gets so boring just staying in one TS4 neighborhood. Moreover, you can't create new neighborhoods or even add lots of any size - you can't even move the current lots around to different areas of the neighborhood or change their size!
if you can't do it without mods, it is not "false".
Also again, the vacation worlds are not proper worlds, so I don't count them.
As for the rest, agree to disagree. I vastly prefer Sims 4's world system over Sims 3's. Sims 3's was (again, without mods) trapping you in one world. Yes it was editable, but if you didn't have the skill or the patience... And of course even for me that had a mid range gaming PC, the game ran like it thought it was Crysis or something. I did try a number of custom worlds but most were... not very good, or suffered from bugs (because not supported properly) or empty, which meant nothing but potato heads in random clothing showing up.
Again, that's just you setting the "rules" of this discussion to try to limit what TS3 can do to try to make TS4 look "more". But even with the limitations you've set for this conversation, TS3 still has a lot more playable and interesting gameplay and mechanics without mods. I played TS3 for quite a long time without mods until I got to Island Paradise. If I really didn't want to install mods but want to scuba dive and do all the fun water and beach activities that Island Paradise has, all I need to to do is use one of the many fan-made worlds to play.
And compare TS3's HUGE vacation worlds with many different lots and the whole world itself to explore, to TS4's tiny vacation neighborhoods with only a few lots that might be interesting for the initial 10 minutes. Yeah. A TS3 vacation world still gives you more bang for your buck than any of TS4's tiny vacation neighborhoods.
Also, I don't believe you at all when you say that most of the custom worlds you've tried were not very good. Every TS3 world creator gives each world plenty of time and quality test their worlds with the help of the TS3 community to make sure they run fine without lags or routing issues. Also TS3 world creators would want you to report if you see any problem with their worlds.
By the way, I played Crysis and it works fine on my ancient computer with the 4gb and integrated Intel graphics. So I'm starting to think that the problem isn't so much the games, but more you."Beardedgeek;c-17452324" wrote:
Now, if Maxis had expanded every world with every pack and added all the buildings in (like creating new lots in Sunset Valley like a fire station or a nightclub when those packs came) that would have been awesome. As it actually functioned you basically (again, without mods) had to chose between "In this game my family will never ever ever visit a nightclub" or "in this game my family will never ever ever be a fireman, or build a Simbot, or..."
This shows me that you either have never played TS3 or haven't played it much enough to know better. When the second EP, Ambitions, came out and is installed into the game, it gives an option when you start playing a new world to automatically add the firestation, salon, etc. etc. Same thing with Showtime, Supernatural and Pet commercial venues. With the Seasons EP, all the big parks get replaced with holiday versions of those parks. But you don't seem to know that!
Also, I don't know if it ever dawned on you, but if you wanted to place a specific lot from an EP into your world, you can do that - without mods even. ??? All you do is place an empty lot of any size up to 64x64 most anywhere you want in your world, update its type to what you want and then put any community or residential lot you want there. This is BASIC TS3 101. Every TS3 player knows this! I've even put in all the lots myself that I like from every EP into the worlds I play - with no mods and no problems. Where did you get the idea that you need mods for that? This is why I don't think you've really played TS3 to know what you're talking about.
Of course I tried all the travel pack features. They were boring and pointless, the crypt thing for example was just annoying. The "Nectar" thing in France was just... I can't even remember what the point was with it actually.
I just don't like vacations in Sims. the Holiday pack in Sims 1 was horribad. So was it in Sims 2. And boring in Sims 3. Outdoor Living in Sims 4 is the only expansion pack I truly regret buing even on sale, it adds absolutely nothing to the game, is just tedious and boring. (Oddly enough I really enjoy Jungle Adventure tho, unlike Outdoor Living)
So, therefore after trying everything in that pack once, I only used one vacation world, and that was China, and I only played it once with every family and only to get the training dummy, and then you never had to go there again for as long as you played that family.
As for the rest: No. I am not being arbitrary or moving goalposts. I have played 2200 hours of Sims 4 so far, most of the time completely without mods and I have enjoyed it a lot.
So no, Mods is not a valid argument when talking about ANY game. Not Sims, not Fallout, not Skyrim, Mass Effect, Dragon Age or any other. When you compare game features across games saying "Oh but you can fix that with mods" is not a plus, or a feature. It a minus, not a plus.
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