I didn't want to read through all 30 pages of this thread, so if I say something that has already been said, I apologize.
This is the first The Sims game that I have played. It is an enjoyable game, but as of right now it feels too rushed. I wasn't trying to do everything, and it was nerve racking just getting what needed to be done, done. By the time I got the few skills I was trying to raise up, I was elderly. There is no time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Getting done what you can and then immediately starting it all over again with the next generation of Sims is burnout out play. Ultimately, this will drive me away from the game.
One thing I think might help with this is providing players with a means to set the duration for the life stages. I have no interest in playing the child and teenage years of Sims. I would prefer to focus on the young adult and adult years for the majority of play. Others may wish to keep the children younger longer and keep/play the family unit together for a greater amount of time.
Another thing that might help is providing the players with the ability to set the life span for Sims. I started a Sim as a young adult. He went from young adult to elderly in 102 game days. That felt short and rushed to me. Allowing players to set the life span to 2x to 10x will allow players enough variety to let them find their comfortable progression pace. If players are relaxed while playing they will derive more pleasure from the game.
One last suggestion on an unrelated note, progression bars for tasks would be helpful for players in deciding if they can finish their current task or if they need to abandon it. Such as knowing if they can finish repairing the sink before they have to leave for work. At the start of the task the plumbob turns red and gradually becomes green as the task nears completion.
EA Staff (Retired)
