The problem with the game they forget it's meant to be a game !

"Kironide;c-17882026" wrote:

"Horrorgirl6;d-989835" wrote:
I think the problem with the game. Is that the team forgot that is supposed to be a game. Take the spark show and how it was broken up. Storyteller, Builder, and Create a Sim.Every time they mention live mode they mention storyteller. The sims game is not meant to be a story editor. It is supposed to be a game.

Could you please expand on what you mean? What elements of the game state are missing in your opinion?

Alright, it's a bit hard to explain. I feel like the game is meant to be more story-wise in mind. Instead of being gaming like in mind. It feels like they feel like people only play live mode. For storytime purposes, and cute pics. Not playing the game for gaming purposes. So that's why the game feels shallow compare to the other interaction. They focus on how good the some and the places look. Instead of how fun, surprising, or deep the gameplay is.

"Horrorgirl6;c-17882064" wrote:

"Kironide;c-17882026" wrote:

"Horrorgirl6;d-989835" wrote:
I think the problem with the game. Is that the team forgot that is supposed to be a game. Take the spark show and how it was broken up. Storyteller, Builder, and Create a Sim.Every time they mention live mode they mention storyteller. The sims game is not meant to be a story editor. It is supposed to be a game.

Could you please expand on what you mean? What elements of the game state are missing in your opinion?

Alright, it's a bit hard to explain. I feel like the game is meant to be more story-wise in mind. Instead of being gaming like in mind. It feels like they feel like people only play live mode. For storytime purposes, and cute pics. Not playing the game for gaming purposes. So that's why the game feels shallow compare to the other interaction. They focus on how good the some and the places look. Instead of how fun, surprising, or deep the gameplay is.

Are you saying that you want more depth and reality in the gameplay, more negative consequences for Sims actions, more interesting game rewards for completing aspirations? More negative/positive random events, that kind of thing?

"friendlysimmers;c-17882075" wrote:
sorry but i have to disagree with what is said in this thread the game should have more positive and less negative the sims4 might be a game but its ment to have fun and escape real life everyday worrys and concern and just have fun

Actually it’s supposed to be a life simulation and life does have challenges and spontaneity and consequences. So it would be nice to have some things happen in the game that the player doesn’t plan for. Like in previous versions where “negative” things would happen but in a humorous and quirky way.

"Pamtastic72;c-17882081" wrote:

"friendlysimmers;c-17882075" wrote:
sorry but i have to disagree with what is said in this thread the game should have more positive and less negative the sims4 might be a game but its ment to have fun and escape real life everyday worrys and concern and just have fun

Actually it’s supposed to be a life simulation and life does have challenges and spontaneity and consequences. So it would be nice to have some things happen in the game that the player doesn’t plan for. Like in previous versions where “negative” things would happen but in a humorous and quirky way.

I agree.

Maybe I misunderstood, but I don't think that OP is talking about consequences and negativity vs positivity per se. At least in the sense that gameplay doesn't need to be restricted by that. For example me trying to create a sustainable household that only consumes power and water it creates itself by using the mechanics available in the game is gameplay. Me creating a sim who is eco aware, has quirky personality and rich backstory full of head canons is playing in story editor mode. You play both, but the first scenario is more in line of the traditional gameplay. Basically the concept is that the game is too sandboxy. I don't know... I might be very wrong, if so forget I said anything.

"Chazzzy;c-17882224" wrote:
It does sometimes feel like they think people only play the game to take pictures of the Sims for Tumblr storytelling or to build lots so they can upload videos to YouTube.

There are also people who only play the game just to create mods for it. They don’t play for enjoyment.

SOME of us like to play the actual game just to play it, not just use the game to upload content on other platforms.

I’ve had this same thought. It feels like it’s veering into machinima maker territory or blog enhancer. I don’t take a ton of screenshots nor do I want to be bothered with poses, and pose packs. I want to engage in scenarios and play out the stories in my head, but also be surprised along the way, or have to think on my feet and switch gears on occasion.

I agree, they try to let the sims4 be so many things that it doesn't do anything particularly well. Right now I feel that it's struggling to be both a dollhouse and a life simulator where the life simulator part is the "game" and that often feels lacking.

I thought the whole storyteller thing that they tried to market the sims4 with Spark'd was cringy. It was mostly people making up stories without having the proper tools to do it in the game.

It feels like the game has turned into Story/ Building Simulator rather than a Management Simulator.

They emphasize creativity and personal expression so much that they forget to make the game FUN. It's cool that you can make nice looking sims and build cool houses, but where's the gameplay? Where's the challenge?

It's all style with no substance.

The only enjoyment I get out of the game is through mods, who actually fix the game.

the blame is not just on ea but on every person that complained on past games "gameplay intrusion" to their storytelling plans. because of this, ea has turned the game into a dull dollhouse where nothing happens, it's all up to the player, so there's barely no randomness, no quirkiness, no surprises, etc. some people like it this way, but for example i don't. besides, developing this way is easier and cheaper for ea, so unless people demands more gameplay as much as they demanded all those cas changes, they won't deliver.

"bella_goth;c-17882856" wrote:
the blame is not just on ea but on every person that complained on past games "gameplay intrusion" to their storytelling plans. because of this, ea has turned the game into a dull dollhouse where nothing happens, it's all up to the player, so there's barely no randomness, no quirkiness, no surprises, etc. some people like it this way, but for example I don't. besides, developing this way is easier and cheaper for ea, so unless people demands more gameplay as much as they demanded all those cas changes, they won't deliver.

Maybe you're right about that... I don't know. I don't remember feeling aggrieved with any aspect of the Sims 3, except for the technical issues

And don't we all tell stories of a sort, even if they are limited to the mechanics of daily life?


The distinction imo come in how rigidly we want to stick to the stories that we have created. I personally like surprises and setbacks, but I do find some aspects of the AI to be irritating, like for instance when a sim behaves completely out of character just because that's the way they've been programmed to act, rather than due to their traits and their life context would indicate is appropriate i.e. like spontaneously trolling on a forum just because you have programming skills.


It's simple, slick and unsatisfying, which equals shallow in my mind. In this case the game fails to allow cogent story telling or be a game in the sense previously indicated by the OP. I agree completely with everything else that you posted.