TS4 needs a difficulty system.

"LiELF;c-17338945" wrote:


This isn't quite correct. Will Wright's original intention for The Sims was to explore states of failure because it was more interesting and engaging than consistent success. The purpose of the actual gameplay was for the player to decide if they would allow Sim needs and aspirations to bottom out, resulting in Sims having breakdowns or dying, ...or if they would care for their needs and goals, resulting in happiness and fulfillment. It put the player in the position of a God. The entire premise was to put the fate of the Sims in the player's hands, and when you activated live mode, the game would creep towards failure without player intervention. And there were higher chances of random failure and disaster from unskilled Sims. The player creativity came mostly from build mode and the extra content, but the essence and the core of the actual gameplay was to simulate ultimate failure if left to its own devices. It was more about getting through life's obstacles and the struggle to succeed and meet fulfillment while confronting fears and failures, so when the player finally got their Sim to reach their end goal in their aspiration, there was a sense of accomplishment and reward. It was satisfying because it had challenge and purpose.

The game used to be a lot more than a simple virtual dollhouse of happiness. It used to be an actual game. The devolution of the series has led it to become more of the opposite of what it used to be; it's now a Utopia simulator with the option of failures that actually need to be more forced into happening, which is why people get bored all the time. The challenges and obstacles have been neutralized. It has completely lost its way from Will Wright's original design. And I'm not saying many people don't enjoy Sims 4 for what it is or are wrong for doing so, but it's definitely not the kind of game that Will Wright had intended.

This is how I feel. I loved that I had to try. I loved that sometimes everything went wrong and I had to help.

I get that people like sandbox mode, but I don't feel like I should have to be imposing rules on myself. I shouldn't have to be making a game for the game. Just give me a game. A challenging or at least interesting game. I shouldn't have to be using cheats constantly so I'm not able to afford things.

I want furnishings and homes to degrade in price like they used to. I want conversations and friendship and seduction to be difficult like it used to be. I want to have to try!

And I want a quick toggle back to sandbox mode for the people who don't. You can put it right next to the "vampire", "alien", and "strangerville storyline" toggles that I also want XD.

I guess my point is that I want difficulty levels as suggested by OP.