A new survey about people's preferences while playing the Sims and the Sims 4 was sent out via email to select participants. Take a look at the questions in SimmerErin's video.Do you think these questions were poorly worded and will be difficult for EA to glean meaningful insights from players?https://youtu.be/lRkMfijgVikIn my opinion, I think many of these questions are ambiguous and difficult to contextualize. The comparison of importance section of questions was superficial and did not relate to any specifics of the game.

IMO, yes haha. They are way too vague; I don't see how this feedback will have any meaningful impact on the team's insight into what simmers want and are satisfied/dissatisfied with.

Yes. Many of these questions have nuanced answers that could be misrepresented by the choices given. It does kind of make me understand why the execution of some implemented features seem very counter-intuitive, despite being highly requested.

Yes, a lot of those questions are vague and there are also some pretty heavy questions too that are not easy to answer. I don't think I have ever seen a survey where they are asking if their players are discouraging people from playing their game and if they would keep playing their game.I think a lot of questions focused too much on the amount and rate of content, when they should have asked more on how fun it is to play their content when it comes to the different ways of playing the game and if there is enough depth and development put into it, not just if there is enough content to have fun. From reading the comments on the video it looks like players were able to type why they were dissatisfied so that's good at least.

I received the survey. There were opportunities to make comments. I was asked several times why I had chosen the answer I did. There were a few questions where I wanted to choose both options, but couldn't. For example, I want to be able to enter a story and lore rich environment, but I also want to be able to choose how to play my character. I thought the questions and value scales were interesting and would like to have the opportunity to discuss some of them in depth. I think some of them could become topics to discuss on the forum.

The survey ended for me once I entered my age. I thought they weren't doing that anymore?

New Sims Survey (11/16): Was it poorly worded?

16 Replies

i_love_frogs_11
Seasoned Ace
3 years ago
IMO, yes haha. They are way too vague; I don't see how this feedback will have any meaningful impact on the team's insight into what simmers want and are satisfied/dissatisfied with.
LiELF
Legend
3 years ago
Yes. Many of these questions have nuanced answers that could be misrepresented by the choices given.

It does kind of make me understand why the execution of some implemented features seem very counter-intuitive, despite being highly requested.
logionX
Legend
3 years ago
Yes, a lot of those questions are vague and there are also some pretty heavy questions too that are not easy to answer. I don't think I have ever seen a survey where they are asking if their players are discouraging people from playing their game and if they would keep playing their game.

I think a lot of questions focused too much on the amount and rate of content, when they should have asked more on how fun it is to play their content when it comes to the different ways of playing the game and if there is enough depth and development put into it, not just if there is enough content to have fun.

From reading the comments on the video it looks like players were able to type why they were dissatisfied so that's good at least.
telemwill
Seasoned Ace
3 years ago
I received the survey. There were opportunities to make comments. I was asked several times why I had chosen the answer I did.

There were a few questions where I wanted to choose both options, but couldn't. For example, I want to be able to enter a story and lore rich environment, but I also want to be able to choose how to play my character.

I thought the questions and value scales were interesting and would like to have the opportunity to discuss some of them in depth. I think some of them could become topics to discuss on the forum.
Kittybass
Seasoned Ace
3 years ago
The survey ended for me once I entered my age. I thought they weren't doing that anymore?
EA_Cade
The Sims Team
3 years ago
"Finvola;c-18203665" wrote:
The survey ended for me once I entered my age. I thought they weren't doing that anymore?

Interesting. I'll flag this with the team, I was under the same impression.
Kittybass
Seasoned Ace
3 years ago
Thank you!
ChadSims2
Seasoned Rookie
3 years ago
These questions seem pointless the questions are to open ended and do nothing to let the Sims team know why people are answering how they are.

They ask how likely are you to continue playing Sims 4 but are not asking why are they continuing or not continuing to play it is so much more important to know why.
ck213
Legend
3 years ago
"ChadSims2;c-18203743" wrote:
These questions seem pointless the questions are to open ended and do nothing to let the Sims team know why people are answering how they are.

They ask how likely are you to continue playing Sims 4 but are not asking why are they continuing or not continuing to play it is so much more important to know why.

Yeah, I would have answered "not likely", because the reason I am still playing is that I am playing the same sims I started with when the game launched. The reason I am still playing them is because the game started so feature poor, I delayed my sims getting married and having children. It was only until Toddlers, Parenthood, University and High School Years that I finally started playing with a next generation of sims in mind.

Once I've played through a generation of two, I will probably be done with the game because I've been playing it off and on for 8+ years and it is still has missing features and has bugs that make me not want to play it.

What is funny is my game is proceeding so slowly, The Sims 5 should be out before I start playing with the next generation of my sims.
My sims are currently on hold again because of the wants and fears issues and other odd sim behaviors. Instead I am doing prep-work for my Hogwarts sims. I will probably play them despite bugs since I don't care as much about them as my main sims.
Simmingal
Hero
3 years ago
Well my input for the survey was not offered to me

(and I'm bored :lol: blame dork (my cat) for jumping on my lap i cannot move for time being might as well)

Spoiler

1.Have I already recommended TS4 to someone?

-Yes

to multiple bored people in search of fun but back then the game was not free so i do feel like its more reasonable suggestion now that it is free

2. Have I discouraged someone from playing TS4?

- Yes

Not directly but I answer truthfully if people expect things from it there isn't and ask me about it which sure might be considered discouraging but well I ain't lie :sweat_smile:

3. How dissatisfied or satisfied you are with ts4?

- neither/ can't choose

there is things i am satisfied with and things i very much am not

------

is it important for me to create my own characters and/or story in game or to feel emotional connection to games story?

- I feel both is about as important to me I feel like there has to be lore to be inspired about and explore I think there needs to be stories to be invested in

but I should be allowed to make of it what I want, wreck it completely, make my own sims instead and ignore it if I want etc.

its not The Sims if you are stuck with particular story and particular kinds of characters in it no thats just text adventure I wouldn't play more than once if even that

how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the rate at which new content is added to TS4?

- Gameplay - dissatisfied
wish there was more and more often

- CAS and B/B - somewhat satisfied

(rate of these things is fine tbh its just that we get lots of similar stuff that i don't really care for so it feels like there isn't really much what i do care for)

also i feel its more important game isn't buggy mess new content is not urgent

How positively I feel about change free to play for base game?

- I think its good change I don't mind that as long as its not road to sneaky micro transactions and advertisements and whatnot

In game tutorial made learning how to play easy or not?

- no idea as i don't really need tutorial at this point myself :sweat_smile:

TS4 allows me to shape my sims lives as i want?

- disagree because player customization is lacking a lot in ts4 when it comes to toggles and npcs and townies and the worlds and... yeah. disagree. i cannot shape my sims lives as i want currently.

there are goals/ achievements in ts4?

- I guess some and its nice to have too i guess but I don't really play the game to reach goals or achievements i would say thats not the point of game for me

TS4 creates random and surprising experiences in gameplay?

- not really i wish there was more of that
then again ive played game for a long time so i guess its partially my own fault at not being surprised :lol:

There is enough content in base game to have fun?

- well, I guess for like day or two tbh idk because again its been years since i played only base game and theres been quite many updates since... yet i feel like we could have more fun things in base game

I find ways to play with friends/ family?

-no i play on my own thank you very much
tho i like sharing sims and builds on gallery for others which i guess is part of the question yes that much is nice

I need to buy DLC to have fun in ts4?

- sort of. but thats cause I play occults a lot and they're always in DLC and its sad without them.

How likely i am to continue playing ts4?

- very likely cause why not

I prefer video games that let me create my own world vs have story to immerse myself in?

- i prefer to create worlds that have sims with stories to immerse myself in :lol:

games with action vs games with story?

- story. I don't particularily enjoy running around slaying things or whatever if thats what you mean and stories are fun.

then again for example in sims medieval i didn't like it being just text adventures in most exciting parts

so like tbh idk what this question even means gameplay over story? story over grind?

multiplayer?
I play single player and I prefer to play on my own at all times.

fantasy/scifi vs realism

Both. fantasy and scifi doesn't feel like fantasy and scifi if there is no realism to anything.