In TS3 the entire world was open and i think this contributed to difficulty running the game. In TS4 the active lot and a portion of the neighborhood within the world is open. I'm not sure if this can be done for the current iteration, but in TS5 keep the neighborhood open but include not just the open spaces but also the lots (residential or commercial) in that area. That should be a happy medium between fully open world of TS3 and the half open world of TS4.

For me it's open world rather than open neighborhood and it always will. Open world only contributed to difficulties due to lousy implementing. I'm not prepared to settle for less just because they messed things up that shouldn't have been messed up. And even messed up I love it.

I could deal with open neighborhood because what I love absolutely best about open world in Sims 3 (which I'm currently playing) is seeing the activity in my sims immediate neighborhood. I like seeing the neighbors coming and going. I like being able to walk over and visit the next door neighbor or run across the street and hang out with a neighbor. What I like best about open world is being able to switch to another household member and check on what they're doing.

I agree with Joanne65 open world all the way for 5- no loading screens, no rabbit holes, no disappearing into the void. A proper Sims game.

wholeheartedly agree! easy pass on full open world but to have the neighborhoods truly open would be ideal. it's a pain having to hit a loading screen to go to the house right next door to yours.

"orkhid22;d-924788" wrote:In TS3 the entire world was open and i think this contributed to difficulty running the game. In TS4 the active lot and a portion of the neighborhood within the world is open. I'm not sure if this can be done for the current iteration, but in TS5 keep the neighborhood open but include not just the open spaces but also the lots (residential or commercial) in that area. That should be a happy medium between fully open world of TS3 and the half open world of TS4. I feel a fair mix between the two would be a fair compromise. In S2, Sims walked by the lots and could be interacted with. In S3, you could see your neibhbours in their yards and coming and going from their homes.In S4, you can see sims out and about, but they're difficult to interact with, and you never see them out and about in their own yards. There is an illusion of sims out and about, but the feeling of them actually being present is not there.I feel a happy medium could be met. An open neighbourhood could definitely be achievable if an open world could be. I would compromise if an acceptable compromise was offered.

Open Neighborhood Rather than Open World

SerraNolwen
New Rookie
8 years ago
I'd love to get open world back if it is possible without all the issues sims 3 had, as I could have various sims do different things in different places rather than wind up just playing with the one sim who decided to go to the party or whatever. However, if that's not possible, I agree open neighbourhoods would be much better than what we have at the moment. I'd love to see this happen.
kremesch
8 years ago
"JoAnne65;c-16020004" wrote:

And Sims 2's attention to a fitting map is very important to me as well. The fakeness of Sims 4's backdrops is binary. It's a painting, not a real world, and it's a painting that doesn't make any sense at all.

It's important to me too. As someone who likes to build my own worlds and have the surroundings match or at least look like it belongs with my builds, I am not a fan of backdrops. I don't like them at all.
GoldenBuffy22
8 years ago
For me it's a no brainer. Open world all the way. I just reinstalled Sims 3, and like always no lag at all.
orkhid22
8 years ago
I found TS3 world's too large and too many rabbit holes. I like what they've done in TS4 but the loading screens in the neighbourhood has to go. Admittedly I miss driving from TS3. I have a high end comp and running TS3 was a challenge. I don't want that in TS5
PinkPassion27
8 years ago
I personally find TS4's loading screens extreme overkill.....like okay it's for helping the lower spec pcs...but even in some of those areas (like the city for example), some simmers still say their lagging. So how is it really helping? I dunno, I just don't fully see the point of "alll" the loading screens.
Karilan
New Spectator
8 years ago
Personally, I believe the lag in Sims 3 due to the large world is entirely EA's fault for bad coding/design. If I can run a game like Skyrim with minimal loading screens and no lag in the open world, I don't see how the graphics or AI in a Sims game could stress my game.

If EA can't manage a completely open world like Sims 3 without lag, I'd at least like to see what OP mentioned, explorable houses in an open neighborhood. It feels stupid that I can lurk just outside someone's house but can't knock on their door without a loading screen. Tint the windows until we knock on the door or something, you don't have to load everything in the house unless we want it to!
taydevsim
New Spectator
8 years ago
I'd prefer a fully open world because, as someone stated upthread, technology and gaming are always advancing. I think it's a bit of a shame that this game had to backpedal instead.

But I'm definitely open to compromise. Compared to what we currently have, I'd certainly appreciate a semi open world where at least each neighborhood is open. Kind of ridiculous having to hit a loading screen to visit my sims' neighbor's apartment or house.
kremesch
8 years ago
"taydev;c-16021647" wrote:
I'd prefer a fully open world because, as someone stated upthread, technology and gaming are always advancing. I think it's a bit of a shame that this game had to backpedal instead.

But I'm definitely open to compromise. Compared to what we currently have, I'd certainly appreciate a semi open world where at least each neighborhood is open. Kind of ridiculous having to hit a loading screen to visit my sims' neighbor's apartment or house.

I don't have CL. I had no idea there was a loading screen to visit a neighbour in an apartment? Even S2 doesn't have a loading screen to visit neighbours in apartments.

A little OT, but you can even get your neighbours in S2 to babysit if you're good enough friends with them. They do a far better job than the nanny.
MidnightAura86
New Spectator
8 years ago
"kremesch73;c-16021715" wrote:
"taydev;c-16021647" wrote:
I'd prefer a fully open world because, as someone stated upthread, technology and gaming are always advancing. I think it's a bit of a shame that this game had to backpedal instead.

But I'm definitely open to compromise. Compared to what we currently have, I'd certainly appreciate a semi open world where at least each neighborhood is open. Kind of ridiculous having to hit a loading screen to visit my sims' neighbor's apartment or house.

I don't have CL. I had no idea there was a loading screen to visit a neighbour in an apartment? Even S2 doesn't have a loading screen to visit neighbours in apartments.

A little OT, but you can even get your neighbours in S2 to babysit if you're good enough friends with them. They do a far better job than the nanny.

I love that feature!! Sims 2 apartments are a perfect example of a closed world done incredibly well.
astridentanja
8 years ago
"taydev;c-16021647" wrote:
I'd prefer a fully open world because, as someone stated upthread, technology and gaming are always advancing. I think it's a bit of a shame that this game had to backpedal instead.

But I'm definitely open to compromise. Compared to what we currently have, I'd certainly appreciate a semi open world where at least each neighborhood is open. Kind of ridiculous having to hit a loading screen to visit my sims' neighbor's apartment or house.

That, and the fact they did very little to take care of proper routing at all. It should have been EA to think of a cleaning system like Overwatch and Errortrap, not a modder. And creating worlds like Al Simhara, Bridgeport and Isla Paradiso is a right-down disgrace where routing is concerned.