Okay, larger Expansion Pack budget but can't create unique animations for worm farm?

Reusing animations or reskinning an object to use as a 'new' game play feature, does not add anything to the base game. New animations and new objects add to the game. Because those are totally new animations and objects we have not seen before. The lack of truly new animations and objects is one of the biggest complaints coming from the Sims community. And after almost six years, seeing the same animations and reskinned objects has become boring. It almost seems as if they look for certain animations to use while new packs are in development rather than create new animations that will eat into the budget. Even if that animation doesn't really make sense when used in certain cases. Case in point being the rubber ducky the toddlers play with while sitting in the ocean. How much budget money would it have taken to place a seashell in a toddler's hand rather than the same duck we have been seeing since toddlers were added to the game? When a modder is able to create new water toys for toddlers while the devs can't, something is definitely wrong with how well these packs are done, and small details that have always been part of the game's charm, are lost. The latest packs were filled with missed opportunities to make new gameplay features stand out as unique and surprising. And is one of the main reasons why I do not pay full price for new packs. If the teams cannot manage to put more effort into new packs, I am not going to pay full price for animations and objects I have seen a thousand times. But I do donate to mod creators who can create the unique things I feel will benefit my enjoyment of my game. Truthfully, I have spent more money donating to mod creators than I have for new packs. But I guess EA is okay with that and is why every pack for Sims4 is on sale most of the time. Because a lot of players are donating to mod creators rather than pay full price for new packs that feel half finished. And why are Sims sliding down that new ladder coming in the June update, when they are able to climb down the one that came with Island Living? Same object with a very different animation that doesn't make much sense is just what the game needs. SMH

Remember the animation when you try to recruit squad in Strangerville using the serum? They threw the serum in the recruitee's face! Using the throw drink animation... This reusing animation sometime does not make sense, this is an appropriate interaction but uses rude animation instead.

As an animator myself, I find it beyond disappointing the amount of reused animations within the entire game. Similar animations would be one thing, but reusing completely identical animations for multiple different actions is what bugs me.

The worms in eco lifestyle reusing the rodent animation makes absolutely no sense to me. First of all, I don't know anyone who snuggles worms. Second, I swear in the trailer it doesn't even look like the sim is making contact with the actual creature. Would it have been too hard to make a new animation of a sim rubbing the worm's head with one finger or something? It sure shouldn't be.

I honestly could pull up so many examples from multiple packs, but it's not worth it. Instead of investing in modelers to make 40 different toilets, I say the budget should be geared to animators.

Also, I'm not saying reusing animations is not fine at all. I'm just saying that why do they reuse animations with objects that should be new gameplay objects? In ALL my time playing TS3 I never ONCE thought to myself (Why is TS3 reusing animations?!) I never did. Even if they did I would not know. It' s just blatantly obvious in TS4 for some reason and sticks out so much I have no idea why.

"ListentoToppDogg;c-17496371" wrote:
As an animator myself, I find it beyond disappointing the amount of reused animations within the entire game. Similar animations would be one thing, but reusing completely identical animations for multiple different actions is what bugs me.

The worms in eco lifestyle reusing the rodent animation makes absolutely no sense to me. First of all, I don't know anyone who snuggles worms. Second, I swear in the trailer it doesn't even look like the sim is making contact with the actual creature. Would it have been too hard to make a new animation of a sim rubbing the worm's head with one finger or something? It sure shouldn't be.

I honestly could pull up so many examples from multiple packs, but it's not worth it. Instead of investing in modelers to make 40 different toilets, I say the budget should be geared to animators.

And thank you so much for your input! It's awesome to have an actual animator chime in.

"ListentoToppDogg;c-17496371" wrote:
As an animator myself, I find it beyond disappointing the amount of reused animations within the entire game. Similar animations would be one thing, but reusing completely identical animations for multiple different actions is what bugs me.

The worms in eco lifestyle reusing the rodent animation makes absolutely no sense to me. First of all, I don't know anyone who snuggles worms. Second, I swear in the trailer it doesn't even look like the sim is making contact with the actual creature. Would it have been too hard to make a new animation of a sim rubbing the worm's head with one finger or something? It sure shouldn't be.

I honestly could pull up so many examples from multiple packs, but it's not worth it. Instead of investing in modelers to make 40 different toilets, I say the budget should be geared to animators.

I will bring up a lost opportunity. The TS4 kiss is a fine example of corners cut and everyone saying ah, how cute..when older games actually knew how to make that work and look believable. We can go on with this for many more years and then avoid the little games that are hardly animated at all such as Virtual Families old games, but TS4 is moving right up into that sect of lack of care.

I don't really see the issue with them sliding down the ladder - it faster!

"xMyrthe;c-17499657" wrote:
I don't really see the issue with them sliding down the ladder - it faster!

My elders who can’t stand straight without back pain would like to have a word with you.

"bsasin;c-17499742" wrote:

"xMyrthe;c-17499657" wrote:
I don't really see the issue with them sliding down the ladder - it faster!

My elders who can’t stand straight without back pain would like to have a word with you.

We don't even have elders in this game, they're just older looking Adults with a bit of wrinkles.

Like I said in a few other threads. It seems like new worlds take way too many resources which doesn't leave a lot for actual new gameplay, which sucks. This is why Seasons feels a lot more packed than most other EPs.

"Omri147;c-17500691" wrote:
Like I said in a few other threads. It seems like new worlds take way too many resources which doesn't leave a lot for actual new gameplay, which sucks. This is why Seasons feels a lot more packed than most other EPs.

And even still TS3 Seasons seems a lot more jam packed. So sad.