Open Neighborhood Rather than Open World

"FloppyFish;c-16022169" wrote:

"MidnightAura;c-16022165" wrote:

"FloppyFish;c-16022147" wrote:

"MidnightAura;c-16022139" wrote:

"FloppyFish;c-16022126" wrote:
How do you know the backdrop sacrifices gameplay? And everything added to the game sacrifices SOMETHING. If the developers decided to add in seasons, they are using those resources that could have been spent on preteens or something else, so that would be sacrificed. And the whole point of BACKDROPS is that YOU CANNOT GO IN THEM. IT IS FOR SCENERY AND FOR LOOKS. Would you rather have just a blank, white backdrop?

Why are you shouting? :|

I've already explained about backdrops and that it wouldn't bother me when I play closed world games if my sims have no back drop around them.

We aren't talking about seasons or preteens. It's my opinion that I would rather have a more interactive world than a world that is more set dressing than playable. That's all.

"MidnightAura;c-16022139" wrote:

"FloppyFish;c-16022126" wrote:
How do you know the backdrop sacrifices gameplay? And everything added to the game sacrifices SOMETHING. If the developers decided to add in seasons, they are using those resources that could have been spent on preteens or something else, so that would be sacrificed. And the whole point of BACKDROPS is that YOU CANNOT GO IN THEM. IT IS FOR SCENERY AND FOR LOOKS. Would you rather have just a blank, white backdrop?

Why are you shouting? :|

I've already explained about backdrops and that it wouldn't bother me when I play closed world games if my sims have no back drop around them.

We aren't talking about seasons or preteens. It's my opinion that I would rather have a more interactive world than a world that is more set dressing than playable. That's all.

Great. So lets have some white space in the background of our worlds.

You are missing my point entirely I'm afraid.

Then what else would you like? An ocean you can't swim in? A mountain you can't climb? What is the difference between a mountain you can't climb and a building you can't explore? :/

As I have said earlier, backdrops are pretty yes. But as others have said also, it's a painful reminder looking out over the sims 4 world and again I will use San Myshuno as an example and seeing beautiful buildings. But these are all for show, I can't interact with them in any way nor do they serve any other purpose than trying to create an illusion. I feel for example there is more illusion of a city than actual city game play in a San Myshuno. When I play Bridgeport for example almost every building outside my sims window is an actual building they can visit. None of them are set dressing. I still get the illusion of being in a big city but because there are far less back drops it feels more immersive. It feels more like a city.

I would personally have more of a playable world than back drops. I like other on this thread, like to explore and when I see back drops I feel sad because it just reminds me it's just for show and show alone. It's a reminder of a limitation. I would like to see as Cinebar says lights going off and on at certain times rather than just static buildings around. It really does help immersion.

"jackjack_k;c-16022052" wrote:

"@JoAnne65;c-16020001" wrote:

"cactusjuice;c-16019689" wrote:
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.

I don't mind rabbitholes as such actually :mrgreen: I do mind them when they are used out of 'laziness', standing in the way of potential awesome gameplay (prom, restaurant, shop and ridingschool come to mind). So I'd love a Skyrim kind of system. Open world galore, but for certain lots - visible from the outside though - a loading screen (the purely functional lots like city hall, school and some of the careers can stay rabbithole afaic).

A lot of those are actually because Open World limits how lots vary. When they explained the Rugs for the Savvy Seller Collection, they explained because the lots don't load separately, all lots are coded the same. So they had to use rugs which served as coding for the objects above to be have differently. I imagine it literally wouldn't be possible for them to have packs like Get To Work, Dine Out etc. that change the way the game plays.

Because you couldn't seamlessly switch from running a Restaurant to not and then back again. The game would have to change modes which would need to change how the whole game performs, which I'm guessing would require a loading screen.

I think Rabbit Holes weren't really laziness, but more a case of EA running into limitations of how these lots would work, because they can't code the lot any differently, all gameplay was based on object coding and attraction.

World Adventures alone proves you wrong there. I wouldn't mind an open world with loading screens leading you to such lots though, if it would be easier. Just not to each and every lot.

I don't hate backdrops as such by the way, of course they are inevitable. I do hate when backdrops limit gameplay though. I don't mind my sim in 3 can't travel to the empty mountains in the far back. I do mind they can't cross the bridge to go to those houses. I would mind less if they could at least go there through a loading screen but they can't. The house doesn't exist, it's just a painting. It's like Pinocchio's Gepetto painting a fireplace on his wall with a boiling pot over it, pretending to be cooking a meal because he's too poor to afford it.

"FloppyFish;c-16022191" wrote:

"Dreamie209;c-16022190" wrote:

"FloppyFish;c-16022108" wrote:
What is wrong with pretty backdrops being A focus though? If backdrops are impressive, people will be talking about them, lol. It is just, some people say, "NO BACKDROPS" and all of that nonsense.

Well like I said in my last post. Wouldn't you rather go to the beach than see it? It's not necessarily the backdrop, it's the fact that we still can't go there. Which leads to another question that would eventually arise, "Why isn't there a beach yet?" and then other questions arise. and the simmer comes to the conclusion of "If they can paint it? Are they at least looking into putting it in the actual game?"

So It's not a "No backdrops", I just think some of us would simply like to go to those pretty places they paint. Honestly I've never really been excited for a backdrop, it's cute but it doesn't really get me excited. But I'm more interested in if/when they actually put those things in the game.

Like that pretty place on the side of willow creek that we can't go to (by the fairies)....or those 'other houses we can't use. Like I said it's cute and it does make the neighborhood look fuller, but in all honesty I could have actually used those lots for more of my families if those lots were real :cry: .

That's just my little view on it though. So in a way, even though the backdrops are nice, I'd rather it not be the "full" focus because I'd also like to go to some of those places (in some way).

But that is the whole point of backdrops.. YOU CAN'T VISIT THEM. They are for scenery purposes. If you could GO TO THE BACKDROPS, what would be behind them? Just white space. Do you really want that?

I don't think you fully understand what I'm exactly explaining. Like I said, time after time in that exact post. It's not the backdrops the simmers feel sad about. It's the overall serious focus on them. The same amount of focus they could have had on making an actual beach lot.

Like I said in my post, we still don't have beaches where we can go to. There's not many lots for housing (newcrest helped but even by now most of the lots for simmers are full) and we can't customize those choices. Yet it feels like they use the backdrops as "full" fillers for those things.

"Dreamie209;c-16022190" wrote:

"FloppyFish;c-16022108" wrote:
What is wrong with pretty backdrops being A focus though? If backdrops are impressive, people will be talking about them, lol. It is just, some people say, "NO BACKDROPS" and all of that nonsense.

Well like I said in my last post. Wouldn't you rather go to the beach than see it? It's not necessarily the backdrop, it's the fact that we still can't go there. Which leads to another question that would eventually arise, "Why isn't there a beach yet?" and then other questions arise. and the simmer comes to the conclusion of "If they can paint it? Are they at least looking into putting it in the actual game?"

So It's not a "No backdrops", I just think some of us would simply like to go to those pretty places they paint. Honestly I've never really been excited for a backdrop, it's cute but it doesn't really get me excited. But I'm more interested in if/when they actually put those things in the game.

Like that pretty place on the side of willow creek that we can't go to (by the fairies)....or those 'other houses we can't use. Like I said it's cute and it does make the neighborhood look fuller, but in all honesty I could have actually used those lots for more of my families if those lots were real :cry: .

That's just my little view on it though. So in a way, even though the backdrops are nice, I'd rather it not be the "full" focus because I'd also like to go to some of those places (in some way).

Yes that's all I'm trying to say.

Back drops are fine but I kinda feel with the sims 4 there's too much backdrop and not enough playable space.

"JoAnne65;c-16022181" wrote:

"Cinebar;c-16022036" wrote:

"JoAnne65;c-16022015" wrote:

"Cinebar;c-16021999" wrote:
I don't like open world. I like to leave Sims and go play a different Sim, and not 'worry' about them, true TS3 Sims take care of themselves and if you told them to skill etc. they are still doing that when you get back (sometimes) but sometimes I get sick of the whole bunch and just want to go off with one, and explore their life, one at a time without the other running back home etc.

What I do like is open neighborhood, in smaller sections, but then the neighbors would probably never be home, lol, I doubt it would work the way I wanted it to work so all the games have their pros and cons and why modders improve them one way or the other.

Then stop worrying about them, they really don't need you. Focus on that one sim and leave the rest. Sims 3's open world may have its flaws but that aspect they took care of properly.

I'm a micromanager, I can't help it. If I see a red icon I have to check it out. I had Sims run back home (their motives were just fine) when I took several to places to enjoy. I have little patience with Sims, I have killed them for a lot less. ;) It's just a personal choice. Open world and Story Progression were a huge turn off to me, after about six months, when TS3 was first released. We didn't have any toggles back then to turn it off etc. It did get better over the years, and I don't like completely closed world anymore, but I play four to eight Sims for years in these games so sometimes I need some of them out of my hair...away. They all have their pluses and minuses though, I like them all for different reasons.

Yes, I believe turning off SP was bugged in the beginning of TS3? That, added to the fact people were used to no SP in Sims 2, must have been extra annoying for rotational players and micromanagers. I do understand what you mean by the way. It is different when I play a sim at home (surrounded by family) or in some tomb all by him/herself. But I notice I get more and more relaxed concerning this because they do take care of themselves.

It's not possible to micromanage them all, that is true and if you like doing that, open world TS3 style is a problem. Ambitions vs GTW shows this (I only play Ambitions careers when I only have one sim to take care of, this simply does work better in the TS4 set up). I wonder though if it might be possible to find some kind of compromise there. It would make a huge difference if they at least would allow us to give sims staying at home instructions they would perform in the background in TS4. When I first heard about Sims 4 I was very enthousiastic, because we didn't know back then how small the neighborhoods were going to be, we didn't know every lot was seperated by a loading screen and we didn't know there was no way of controlling sims we didn't choose to follow. Back then the set up sounded like the best of both worlds to me. In reality though they didn't take the best of neither Sims 2 or 3 in this respect.

Oh, I have my gripes for closed world systems, too. Like still in pjs when your controlled Sim returns home from work or out on town etc. Sims still in pjs, haven't cleaned up in TS1, TS2 or TS4, lol. I'm always willing to compromise what would make sense, like yes, I told you to learn how to cook while I'm gone, rofl, now darn it why didn't you do it? lol And yes, an open system within a district makes more sense to me than a closed one since it is 2017. Maybe the three closest houses all open like in TS3 (still have to knock on door to visit) etc. only a loading screen between districts. Or like The Sims Medieval totally open world but you can't see inside and not rendering them until you click 'look at' then you can see into any building and click stuff for your Sims to go do there.

I love Open World, so that's where my vote goes. Now for the people are saying they don't want open world because of lag, error 12, poor optimisation, I don't think anyone wants that. Try imagining an open world without all of those things and then rethink the question.

I don't get this whole white space argument *scratches head* I'm currently in game at in the University world and most everywhere I can see, my Sim can get there.

"FloppyFish;c-16022108" wrote:
What is wrong with pretty backdrops being A focus though? If backdrops are impressive, people will be talking about them, lol. It is just, some people say, "NO BACKDROPS" and all of that nonsense.

Because people rather have mobility. Take City Living it looks nice, but we can't build or run our own apartments. The part reason we didn't get that feature because it means we couldn't make them pretty?

"FloppyFish;c-16022207" wrote:

"Dreamie209;c-16022199" wrote:

"FloppyFish;c-16022191" wrote:

"Dreamie209;c-16022190" wrote:

"FloppyFish;c-16022108" wrote:
What is wrong with pretty backdrops being A focus though? If backdrops are impressive, people will be talking about them, lol. It is just, some people say, "NO BACKDROPS" and all of that nonsense.

Well like I said in my last post. Wouldn't you rather go to the beach than see it? It's not necessarily the backdrop, it's the fact that we still can't go there. Which leads to another question that would eventually arise, "Why isn't there a beach yet?" and then other questions arise. and the simmer comes to the conclusion of "If they can paint it? Are they at least looking into putting it in the actual game?"

So It's not a "No backdrops", I just think some of us would simply like to go to those pretty places they paint. Honestly I've never really been excited for a backdrop, it's cute but it doesn't really get me excited. But I'm more interested in if/when they actually put those things in the game.

Like that pretty place on the side of willow creek that we can't go to (by the fairies)....or those 'other houses we can't use. Like I said it's cute and it does make the neighborhood look fuller, but in all honesty I could have actually used those lots for more of my families if those lots were real :cry: .

That's just my little view on it though. So in a way, even though the backdrops are nice, I'd rather it not be the "full" focus because I'd also like to go to some of those places (in some way).

But that is the whole point of backdrops.. YOU CAN'T VISIT THEM. They are for scenery purposes. If you could GO TO THE BACKDROPS, what would be behind them? Just white space. Do you really want that?

I don't think you fully understand what I'm exactly explaining. Like I said, time after time in that exact post. It's not the backdrops the simmers feel sad about. It's the overall serious focus on them. The same amount of focus they could have had on making an actual beach lot.

Like I said in my post, we still don't have beaches where we can go to. There's not many lots for housing and we can't customize those choices. Yet it feels like they use the backdrops as "full" fillers for those things.

I don't think there is a big focus of backdrops. It is just, the world is closed and split into hoods, so it SEEMS like more backdrops than actual lots a lot of the time, since you can't see the rest of the world. Without A focus on backdrops though, we would have white space in the background. I would rather have what we have RN than a big world with just white space in the background.

Nobody wants white spaces and nobody says so. Suggesting that the first time showed you didn't understand what was meant, persisting this shows you don't want to understand, because it was properly explained. There is a difference, not being able to go here:

https://i.imgur.com/fQF68SJ.png

Or not being able to go here:

https://i.imgur.com/eGcokot.png

"FloppyFish;c-16022207" wrote:

"Dreamie209;c-16022199" wrote:

"FloppyFish;c-16022191" wrote:

"Dreamie209;c-16022190" wrote:

"FloppyFish;c-16022108" wrote:
What is wrong with pretty backdrops being A focus though? If backdrops are impressive, people will be talking about them, lol. It is just, some people say, "NO BACKDROPS" and all of that nonsense.

Well like I said in my last post. Wouldn't you rather go to the beach than see it? It's not necessarily the backdrop, it's the fact that we still can't go there. Which leads to another question that would eventually arise, "Why isn't there a beach yet?" and then other questions arise. and the simmer comes to the conclusion of "If they can paint it? Are they at least looking into putting it in the actual game?"

So It's not a "No backdrops", I just think some of us would simply like to go to those pretty places they paint. Honestly I've never really been excited for a backdrop, it's cute but it doesn't really get me excited. But I'm more interested in if/when they actually put those things in the game.

Like that pretty place on the side of willow creek that we can't go to (by the fairies)....or those 'other houses we can't use. Like I said it's cute and it does make the neighborhood look fuller, but in all honesty I could have actually used those lots for more of my families if those lots were real :cry: .

That's just my little view on it though. So in a way, even though the backdrops are nice, I'd rather it not be the "full" focus because I'd also like to go to some of those places (in some way).

But that is the whole point of backdrops.. YOU CAN'T VISIT THEM. They are for scenery purposes. If you could GO TO THE BACKDROPS, what would be behind them? Just white space. Do you really want that?

I don't think you fully understand what I'm exactly explaining. Like I said, time after time in that exact post. It's not the backdrops the simmers feel sad about. It's the overall serious focus on them. The same amount of focus they could have had on making an actual beach lot.

Like I said in my post, we still don't have beaches where we can go to. There's not many lots for housing and we can't customize those choices. Yet it feels like they use the backdrops as "full" fillers for those things.

I don't think there is a big focus of backdrops. It is just, the world is closed and split into hoods, so it SEEMS like more backdrops than actual lots a lot of the time, since you can't see the rest of the world. Without A focus on backdrops though, we would have white space in the background. I would rather have what we have RN than a big world with just white space in the background.

But that's the very thing i'm saying, wouldn't you like for the hoods themselves to be slightly bigger? Because it's closed shouldn't it fit just a few more houses and then the backdrop? Instead, they put lesser houses, so that have to put more focus on the backdrop to fill it out.

Again no one's saying "Lets destroy all backdrops and it's history" :lol: . What @MidnightAura and others are saying: There needs to be a balance. Let there be a taste of that beach along with the painting. Have a nice community market place close to that fairy backdrop so at the very least it feels like we're there at that party.

As one of my favorite songs used to say "Meet me in the middle" :lol: .

Got to say Open world, the fact I have to hit a loading screen while my sim in an apartment wants to visit her next door neighbour is absolute bs to me, sorry I just can't handle the fact we went back to the Sims 2 loading screens. It wouldn't be a big deal but once you have open world you expect them to fix the lagging issue and make it better, not take steps back.