Forum Discussion

SimmySimian's avatar
SimmySimian
3 years ago

Missed opportunities

Sorry for the rant…

Why is there so much unused space in the open neighborhoods??? Tons of routable terrain and yet there’s rarely anything to interact with besides a picnic area or a bunny. Without more incentives to explore (e.g. more random or rare collectibles), the beautifully designed neighborhoods are just backdrops and sets for photography or machinima, and not all players play like that.

So many missed opportunities… The routable areas often seem like they’re leading you to a secret corner of a neighborhood, but there’s rarely anything there. And then there’s that little tiny island + tombstone behind Garliclauter Place - a perfect spot to find something if the player discovered they could transport a sim there.

I’m constantly exploring - and also getting lost cuz there’s so much routable terrain - and finding little to make it worth my sim’s time. Once I stumbled upon a hidden chunk of terrain in the back left corner of Magnolia Blossom in Willow Creek that spawns a collectible. That was cool. And there’s a semi-hidden trash can in Del Sol Valley and one in Strangerville that I can sometimes rummage. So not much, but I’m noticing even more missed opportunities in the later packs.

Please give my sims more to explore and uncover, and make it more interesting to wander.

In other words - more spawners and/or collectibles please!

ETA this suggestion: how about repurposing the beachcomber animation in those routable but out of the way areas? Instead of shells, sims could either find an existing collectible or any random, maybe even one-of-a-kind item. It could be some found art, an unusual recipe, simoleons, jewelry (to return to owner or not), a secret communication between two unknown sims, a weird shopping list, even something from the Decor/clutter or /misc. categories. I’m not too picky, I just wish those routable areas were put to better use. - end edit

Thanks ✌️
  • OldeSimsFan's avatar
    OldeSimsFan
    Seasoned Rookie
    3 years ago
    Another possibility is a TS2 style dig for treasure action where a sim has a shovel and starts digging. While the results are usually rocks or bones, in theory it could be any small item in the catalogue or a map. There is even a chance of a chest filled with gold. In developed areas there is the chance of hitting a water pipe, with resulting fountain of water until sim fills in the hole.
  • elliandre's avatar
    elliandre
    3 years ago
    You can collect bottles with notes in them by digging in the sand piles, draw shapes on the sand and build sand castles. I would have liked to be able to dig for some pirate treasure, pirate swords, and more collectibles as well. Even just a new art object or rocks, stones from the location like different marble stones which is very Mediterranean or small statues. New shrubs, olives, or harvestable plants, Oregano spice, something Mediterranean. I was surprised you can't add any of the water activities from Sulani either like the floats or diving or play/explore the waterfall. They could add mussels or crabs along the shore to harvest and fry. Dangerous glowing jelly fish... and little cute ones to keep as pets in a bowl.
  • thatdamian123's avatar
    thatdamian123
    3 years ago
    I think they are trying to make up for open world by making vast neighbourhoods, but like everything else in this game, it’s just hollow aesthetics. Like who signs off on this stuff, clearly no one working on this game actually plays it ? (which btw is TS4s biggest problem..)

    The base game neighbourhoods may have been smaller, but were way more cohesive, with actual things to explore and even secret neighbourhoods to discover..
  • SimmySimian's avatar
    SimmySimian
    3 years ago
    "ddd994;c-18069957" wrote:
    I think they are trying to make up for open world by making vast neighbourhoods, but like everything else in this game, it’s just hollow aesthetics. Like who signs off on this stuff, clearly no one working on this game actually plays it ? (which btw is TS4s biggest problem..)

    The base game neighbourhoods may have been smaller, but were way more cohesive, with actual things to explore and even secret neighbourhoods to discover..


    Yes I agree. The place with the most collectibles hidden away is Granite Falls, I believe. Base game neighborhoods seem to have more collectibles than newer neighborhoods, too.
  • OldeSimsFan's avatar
    OldeSimsFan
    Seasoned Rookie
    3 years ago
    The very worlds are a missed opportunity. B.Bay has fishing boats, so why can't a sim participate in an offshore fishing trip? Not to rain on the Maxis parade, but this is the only way to catch tuna, as they cannot be found in ponds, streams, or off a pier.
    Strangerville has a motel, diner, and gas station along the main highway. These should not be abandoned as between highway travelers and the place being a military town there will be adequate business. TS4 still does not have functioning cars, but the station should still be active (if only in the San Myshuno sense). Sims should be able to get a meal at the diner and a room for the night at the motel. Both would be a great help for non-resident sims working on the local mystery.
    Britechester has an abandoned castle. Why can't that be explored? All sorts of possibilities there, including archaeology.
    Speaking of archaeology, Selvadoria has more potential sites than the ones we are given, such as: market area, seaport (shown on map), various levels of housing, farms, workshops. I could go on, but you get the idea. Too much set dressing, too little for sims to go to, see, and do.
  • crocobaura's avatar
    crocobaura
    Seasoned Ace
    3 years ago
    "Oldeseadogge;c-18093100" wrote:
    The very worlds are a missed opportunity. B.Bay has fishing boats, so why can't a sim participate in an offshore fishing trip? Not to rain on the Maxis parade, but this is the only way to catch tuna, as they cannot be found in ponds, streams, or off a pier.
    Strangerville has a motel, diner, and gas station along the main highway. These should not be abandoned as between highway travelers and the place being a military town there will be adequate business. TS4 still does not have functioning cars, but the station should still be active (if only in the San Myshuno sense). Sims should be able to get a meal at the diner and a room for the night at the motel. Both would be a great help for non-resident sims working on the local mystery.
    Britechester has an abandoned castle. Why can't that be explored? All sorts of possibilities there, including archaeology.
    Speaking of archaeology, Selvadoria has more potential sites than the ones we are given, such as: market area, seaport (shown on map), various levels of housing, farms, workshops. I could go on, but you get the idea. Too much set dressing, too little for sims to go to, see, and do.


    Boats, like cars, ships, trains and trams are mostly aesthetics, they do not serve as transportation. Would be nice if they added some interactions on them, like the Brindleton Bay boat you can take to the island. Sims can go to the pier in Magnolia promenade, why not be able to go for a sightseeing tour on the steam boat? A coffee stand on that pier wouldn't be out of place either. There's a whole ship yard in Evergreen Harbor yet our sims can't board a ship or work as ship captains or crew. They should make the train station in Mt. Komorebi functional as a rabbit hole place at least and let sims work as train conductors, ticket inspectors, or something. So much wasted space in that area with nothing to do for our sims.
  • Mk_2790's avatar
    Mk_2790
    New Spectator
    3 years ago
    As a mediterranean world, Tartosa could have a lot of extra activities, like pizza bake in the old fashoned brick oven like in TS3, new harvestables based in the provence herbs and maybe pottery to craft new tea sets
  • crocobaura's avatar
    crocobaura
    Seasoned Ace
    3 years ago
    "Mak27;c-18094227" wrote:
    As a mediterranean world, Tartosa could have a lot of extra activities, like pizza bake in the old fashoned brick oven like in TS3, new harvestables based in the provence herbs and maybe pottery to craft new tea sets


    I'd like a dough board and pasta making skill and some new pasta recipes. Also, Italian lemon cookies, harvestable olive trees and a juice press to make lemonade.
  • OldeSimsFan's avatar
    OldeSimsFan
    Seasoned Rookie
    3 years ago
    What about renting a boat to go out and dive for sponges, or even just go fishing. I'm sure the Med has fish types the game doesn't have yet.

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