Realm of magic. Thank you for a great pack.

"LiELF;c-17279209" wrote:

"Sindocat;c-17279198" wrote:
But cheats always have a predictable effect. Spells don't.

Delicioso lets you summon a meal instantly (and also, for those who don't know, make spoiled food fresh again) but not choose what you get. I have had a pizza show up a few times, and while it was okay it wasn't the most efficient way to feed my hungry Sims. That household still cooks regularly, too.

Mostly, spells are time-savers, without additional perks. Scruberoo is great for the Toddler's potty - because it avoids the inevitable trash can emptying dance, which can take Sim hours in a 3 story home. But Scruberoo is no replacement for a Thoughtful, Energetic or Steamy shower, nor for a de-stressing soak in the bathtub. I find it quite handy... without stealing value from other available interactions.

I think they found a good balance with the magic. It is useful, but not too useful. I still have reasons to do things "for real".

This is a great explanation and I agree.

I confess I really don't get the "spells are just cheats" argument. Cheats aren't, by default, part of gameplay, but spells are. If people use cheats it's because they want those effects in their gameplay. And isn't that the whole point of magic? To be able to do/accomplish things you can't usually do normally, or to add shortcuts? It just seems like a stretched argument to me for the purpose of trying to find fault in everything Sims 4 does. It's a little disingenuous.

That's how I have always seen magic in The Sims.
It's a way to turn useful cheats into game play, or give your sims another way to do things that they couldn't do otherwise.
I don't want all my sims to become scientists just to have the ability to clone objects. Copypasto is a nice alternative for my non-scientific sims.
Before Realm of Magic, quite a while ago, I had my Herbalist sim partner up with my alien sim working incognito at the science lab.
She provided my herbalist with a cloning machine so she could clone insects for her herbal remedy business.

I've rebooted my game since then and my herbalist is now a child and her mother is the one running the business.
But this time she is a spell caster and can copypasto the insects for herself. And also just copy the finished product to save time. :)