Stuff packs ain't cheap.

"kaywilliams;c-16376478" wrote:
Sims 3 had a store though. They were sold by the sets. And that stuff was not cheap.

True, but you could buy exactly what you wanted -- often even just one item instead of an entire set.

"lele62;c-16376504" wrote:

"kaywilliams;c-16376478" wrote:
Sims 3 had a store though. They were sold by the sets. And that stuff was not cheap.

True, but you could buy exactly what you wanted -- often even just one item instead of an entire set.

That's what I liked about The TS3 Store.
And with all these TS4 stuff packs the amount of content is catching up with the TS3 store.
Unfortunately we can't buy only the items we want.

I am with the OP for that reason though.
This is a ridiculous amount of stuff packs and I can understand people being annoyed with game play tied to them because of EA milking it.
I would rather see an extra game pack a year than 4 stuff packs.

"kaywilliams;c-16376478" wrote:
Sims 3 had a store though. They were sold by the sets. And that stuff was not cheap.

Did i claim sims 3 wasn't also stealing costumers, as matter of fact they did. Doasn't mean sims 4 isn't, doasn't make my point irrelevant, it just shows that players that let slide back then, are letting it slide back again and giving them excuses for what they are doing.

This is the very reason 10 objects from movie hang out are being sold for 27$ right now in the sims mobile. 10 decorative objects from a pack you payed 10$ to get full content out off. Just cause there are players who always have excuses.
https://i.imgur.com/vZ7EtErl.jpg

{EA_Lanna: Removed personal remark}

"kaywilliams;c-16376478" wrote:
Sims 3 had a store though. They were sold by the sets. And that stuff was not cheap.

If you watched ads you could get store content free. I know. I did. The store was in addition to expansions stuffed with content.



How many people would play with their sims 4 with no stuff packs or game packs? I wouldn't.

I don't think the stuff packs are completely useless even though I doubt I'd buy any of them. It's great for people who do not want to use CC. I have been playing Sims 4 without CC for a while, I'm too lazy to look for CC. But I am starting to do so now. Buying stuff packs are not a requirement though so it really doesn't matter how much you do or don't buy. You're not going to buy all at once, unless you have $200 to drop willy nilly.

"CK213;c-16376475" wrote:

"JoAnne65;c-16375883" wrote:

"CK213;c-16375739" wrote:

"JoAnne65;c-16375511" wrote:

"CK213;c-16375491" wrote:

"RnM92;c-16371163" wrote:
I miss the days when Sims Stuff Packs purely followed a decorative theme rather than made up lacking gameplay, followed two or three sub themes within that and had tons of objects, clothes and hair, wallpapers, floors and other building tools/objects. I know they were more expensive but not by much (£5 more than now), especially when you consider how much we got for that money. And because they were only decorative you didn't feel you were missing out on any gameplay if you didn't buy them.

Well I like it.
Each stuff pack has a theme and game play that supports the theme.
This adds more value to the pack and it doesn't hurt that it cost $10 instead of $20 as it did with The Sims 3.

Sims 3 came with 11 EP's though with loads of content/gameplay. Who even needed the SP's.

I did, because we had create-a-style and it just brought more stuff to get creative with.
I also had store content. This isn't about The Sims 3 anyway other than the obvious price difference.
No one needs stuff packs, they are just if you want more stuff to add to your game.

As a matter of fact people complained about stuff packs because they didn't offer any additional game play.
So now we have game play and another group of people complain about them having game play. :D

You made me look (thinking I misread something). You were bringing in Sims 3 there :o I disagree, you need SP’s for Sims 4 far more than for Sims 3. It was nothing but wallpaper in Sims 3 where for Sims 4 SP’s play a much more important part content wise. I don’t remember any complaints about SP’s not having gameplay. They were stuff packs, everybody knew they were. We got so much gameplay through EP’s, why would anyone need gameplay from SP’s back then?

I truly do not care who needs stuff packs more or less, nor did I suggest that any game did. All I said is TS4 has cheaper stuff packs.

I wanted a little game play with my stuff packs and I even made a thread in TS3 ideas and feedback about it.
And now we have it. People were always complaining about stuff packs and one of the arguments were that stuff packs added nothing to game play and were a waste of money. That's why I suggested the idea.

You really are hypersensitive about TS3.
Ironically, game play is the main reason why I would want a TS4 stuff pack now because with this art style and no create-a-style, I don't have much interest in TS4's blocky objects. I would rather use custom content. I don't want TS4 stuff packs for hair either. So in the end, the stuff packs have become less useful to me because of the art style. :p

Just game play and clothes. :D

Yes, that’s me, completely hypersensitive and overprotective and not in any way trying to make an objective argument. I’m not talking about Sims 3, you were, in an attempt to explain away EA’s current marketing tricks. Because Sims 3 and Sims 4, they’re both nothing more than the products of the very same company.

All I’m saying is that when you offer something cheaper but make it more essential to buy, that matters. In no way am I saying SP’s for Sims 3 weren’t a rip off, cause they were. It was much easier to tell EA so by not buying them though without missing out on anything, that’s all I’m saying (same with the Store) because they didn’t add any gameplay. They were a rip off and they had rip off written all over them. Where Sims 4’s SP’s scream: “I’m cheap, I’m cheap, and I don’t just have stuff, I also contain gameplay (that will become a bore after you’ve done it twice but I’m not going to tell you that) and did I mention I’m cheap? I’m cheap!”

By no means am I implying you shouldn’t buy and enjoy those ennobled stuff packs. But they’re not cheap just because SP’s in the predecessor (you could easily skip but definitely were overpriced) were more expensive. That’s counting yourself rich.

ETA:

"CK213;c-16376524" wrote:

"lele62;c-16376504" wrote:

"kaywilliams;c-16376478" wrote:
Sims 3 had a store though. They were sold by the sets. And that stuff was not cheap.

True, but you could buy exactly what you wanted -- often even just one item instead of an entire set.

That's what I liked about The TS3 Store.
And with all these TS4 stuff packs the amount of content is catching up with the TS3 store.
Unfortunately we can't buy only the items we want.

I am with the OP for that reason though.
This is a ridiculous amount of stuff packs and I can understand people being annoyed with game play tied to them because of EA milking it.
I would rather see an extra game pack a year than 4 stuff packs.

Huh? Ok, we seem to agree then.

"kaywilliams;c-16376478" wrote:
Sims 3 had a store though. They were sold by the sets. And that stuff was not cheap.

They were sold individually, not just by sets, which is exactly why I liked the Store (shopping). But it was a guilty pleisure shopping there cause yes, it all was overpriced unless you managed to get free points.

"Klthf;c-16374917" wrote:

"drake_mccarty;c-16371034" wrote:

"TheGoodOldGamer;c-16370938" wrote:
I doubt 3 EPs have 28-42 different items of gameplay, or did you forget each SP has 2-3 gameplay items? ;)

That said, it's extremely unlikely that someone buys all the packs at once. Most of the sales are made at release. So it really is only $10 US (or regional equivalent) every few months. I bet you spend more than that on a couple servings of coffee.

And you don't have to buy them if they don't add anything for you anyways. I'd rather have more options in my packs than less. Maybe I don't want a $40 EP for one hamster, or one bowling lane. Or, maybe I would never use a bowling lane in an EP and would rather have the kareoke instead. Mix and match, pick and choose.

28-42?

LPS - 2
PPS - 1
CKS - 1
SS - 2
MHS - 1
RGS - 2
KRS - 2
BYS - 2
VGS - 2
BNS - 1
FS - 1 (2 counting the fitness channel I guess)
TS - 1 (one piece was broken into 3 smaller pieces that use the same animation as the larger piece)
LDS - 3 (washer and dryer use same animation)


By my count that’s 21, 22 if I’m being super generous, not 28 and definitely not 42. If you’re going to try and make a case for stuff packs make one that isn’t blatantly false. Ok?

I would like to refer you to the post of SimGuruGraham (here) where he explains how new objects are made. I think this gives a pretty good idea of what is considered a new object by the developers. There are mimics, like chairs and tables, that don't require any new development and have their own block model ready. They are made by external partners based on the existing block models. New objects actually require time and effort from the developers. These new objects are all the gameplay objects, but also objects that require new functionality, and therefore a new block model. That means that things like the six seat table in Laundry Day Stuff is considered a new object by the developers. Kids Room Stuff had all the voidcritters and Fitness Stuff had the ear buds and the ability to do fitness using the television.

This means it is just a matter of perspective of what to count as new objects. Don't forget that all those functionalities require just as much time from the developers as all these new gameplay objects. And we are paying for all of that, not just the new gameplay objects.

Besides all of this, it is very unlikely someone is going to buy all the packs at once, as has been said. 10 dollars or euros or whatever the equivalent is, is just the same as the price for, say, a pizza or some cups of coffee or whatever. I do realise that not everyone is a millionaire and that this price can be much to someone that has to scrape every penny out of the bottom of their wallet every month. But it is not obligatiory to buy every pack. It remains a personal choice. And everyone has to make that choice for themselves.

I get that, and I respect it, but they are only selling these packs on the explicit new gameplay provided. It definitely took some dev time to make that 6 seater table, but in the bigger picture that isn’t new. Base game tables can hold up to 8 Sims.

Making a new mesh is not something that qualifies as new gameplay if the gameplay and animations associated with it already exist in the game.

Are All the Stuff Packs Worth the Buy? Or, only certain ones? And, yeah. They are not cheap! Waiting for a sale to drop! Come on EA! ???

"_ayogabby_;c-17276941" wrote:
Are All the Stuff Packs Worth the Buy? Or, only certain ones? And, yeah. They are not cheap! Waiting for a sale to drop! Come on EA! ???

I don't actually think that anyone can really answer that for you. If the theme of the pack appeals to you then you will probably find it worth it. If it doesn't then you probably won't use any of the items, in which case it won't be worth buying unless you are a collector and just want all the packs.