Sims Businesses and Hobbies Expansion Pack Negative thread.

I am preoccupied with other releases, so I don't know a lot right now.

While the new small business system is interesting (giving the freedom of The Sims 2 Open for Business pack's businesses), there is one thing I'm concerned about: Retail stores and how does these play into it.

Get to Work expansion pack is just losing value if they include the selling things system too as photography was brought to base game and if these are the better stores, then what would be the point of the Retail stores...

So, I am interested in hearing how will the existing businesses (Retail store, Restaurants, Vet clinics) play into it and if they get improved too. For now, I'm returning to new games.

Loving the tattoo system, it's what I was hoping for. But other than that... that's it? This feels like leftovers from Get to Work, with recycled content from For Rent. And Get to Work is still a broken, shallow, incomplete mess. Meanwhile, Sims 3's Ambitions looks like it will style over both packs.

There's barely any hobbies, and one of the hobbies is more of a career than something most people do in their free time. It's a good, fun career, but still a career. 

I expected knitwear, given the Nordic theme. But I'm so sick of basic, generic knitwear that looks like it could be from any pack. We have so much knitwear. Remember when we had like years of cozy knitwear clothing in nearly every pack? At least most of it doesn't look super awkward and bulky, like a lot of the fashion these past couple of years.

The pack name is bad, too. I know it's a nitpick, but Sims 4 pack names are  always super literal or follow a dumb "Get ____" or "____ Living" theme. Lovestruck's name gave me hope that they were at least going to try with names. But then they gave up like they always do lmao. For a franchise that built itself on endless creativity and chaos, having such uninspired names is so ironic. 

Tbh it's making it easier for me not to return to this franchise. I was interested in the concept of a hobby pack and was willing to come back, but between Get to Work leftovers, Sims 4's track record, the battle pass system, the FOMO bonuses, 30 million gameplay-less kits, and the constant po-ups and ads, I feel like The Sims is 4 just gouging me for money than genuinely trying to innovate and impress.

It will be broken on launch. Mark my words.

simsimsereThat’s an interesting perspective. I’d been thinking along the same lines as i_love_frogs_11, but you’re right that it must take a lot of work to make this system compatible with all previous packs, including stuff packs. And if we’ve got those packs already, we do get added value from them, I guess.

Have I wanted live in businesses for a long time? YES! Was I horrified seeing the system for choosing which part is residental/public area? Also YES. I'm sad to admit that my first thought was "Oh nooo it's similar to For Rent, all those bugs it's gonna bring us". I cross my fingers but won't be buying before I see how buggy it is. 

I also hope there is still more to hobbies, but usually they show the main things in a reveal trailer and blog post. So no high hopes.

And even though I like Scandinavia getting representation I would have preferred no world and more focus on gameplay. 

i_love_frogs_11 wrote:

Also, while I appreciate that they made a list to show a taste of what it can really offer, I find it icky that the cross-pack compatibility list was used on what is meant to be the post with main features and selling points of the pack, because that requires owning OTHER packs in order to get use of THIS pack. That should be a bonus, not a selling point.

A true "hobbies" pack would work more like TS2 Freetime and could offer sewing, glassblowing, ballet, more scientific hobbies or interests in nature, and new sports. A pack adding in some new use or functions for basegame/already existing hobbies in the game should NOT be allowed to be part of a selling key-feature!

This is where I disagree. In the polls they've asked if we want them to expand on existing systems and I always put that high priority. I don't think it can be treated just as bonus because it takes development time as well. This pack wouldn't be half as good without the time they put into making it crosspack compatibile. Maybe in the former sims games we got used to treating that as a bonus, but there are so many packs in TS4 that it's an actual workload. Businesses & Hobbies seems to acknowledge even stuffpacks (laundry is mentioned at least). Did I want the pack to have more hobbies? Yes I did and I find the name a bit misleading in that sense. But I appreciate where they put the focus here.

a_fairystory

The  pre-order page says that it will be on a normal residential lot, and they said Small Business SYSTEM, not lot, so any ideas on how this will work are welcome.

How will we identify the use of multi-purpose lots? Instead of selecting the lot as “bar” “lounge” or even “generic”, we will probably have to use that selector to choose “multi-purpose lot” or similar name. Then, a box like For Rent will pop up for activities, but is it by sectioned rooms? As an example, can I set one room to drink for an activity and another room be to bowl? How will that work if I have a library on the same lot as a gym? Sims are still doing push ups at all times any way, but curious how activities are being restricted to where we want them exclusively…

The business aspect looks really promising. The hobbies? Well tbh it really only feels like one true hobby was added as tattooing is more-so a profession and candy making doesn't seem to get a skill and is more of an object like the popcorn machine that may be attached to  baking, idk. I think they really messed up with adding hobbies in the title since it's really misleading and set way different expectations for what the pack would be centered around. Sims 4: Get to Business or something would've worked fine. 

Also, while I appreciate that they made a list to show a taste of what it can really offer, I find it icky that the cross-pack compatibility list was used on what is meant to be the post with main features and selling points of the pack, because that requires owning OTHER packs in order to get use of THIS pack. That should be a bonus, not a selling point. 

A true "hobbies" pack would work more like TS2 Freetime and could offer sewing, glassblowing, ballet, more scientific hobbies or interests in nature, and new sports. A pack adding in some new use or functions for basegame/already existing hobbies in the game should NOT be allowed to be part of a selling key-feature!

This pack simply should have been about small businesses, and then they could've thrown in a toy-making bench like TS2 had so you could even make a duel candy/toy store for the ultimate child wonderland emporium lol. 

l really can't say anything negative about this EP until it comes out...like most games with EP's. 🤗🙂

Jumping to the conclusion is null right now.