"jimjam1009;c-16215183" wrote:
"Magdaleena;c-16214568" wrote:
They pretty much proved with the vampires that the different lifestates could be done really well in TS4, so I'm waiting for more of them. Getting somewhat impatient here. Chop chop. It has almost been a year. Announce the werewolf pack already. Or fairies. Or witches. Or heck, even superheroes. Anything fun like that. Please.
I agree 100% I want another supernatural soon too. It’s been so long since vampires, I’m ready for a new one.
Yes! More supernaturals, occults, fantasy, sci-fi, and anything strange or unrealistic! <3
*Cough* Sorry. Like minds build enthusiasm. :)
I did think of a few more opinions that are varying shades of unpopular. (Really enjoying this thread, it's so interesting to see the diversity of preferences and open honesty.)
1.
I loved the base game when it first came out. - That's right. I actually, genuinely, enjoyed it. I was skeptical to purchase it in the first place because I had been so disappointed in Sims 3's base game, so I was a little apprehensive if I would ever enjoy another Sims game after my great love affair with Sims 2. I first tried out the CAS demo and it immediately hooked me with the art style and the much smoother, diverse Sims and the flexible creation mechanics. It also actually even had long, thick, wavy hair and mohawks for choices, which were styles I really wanted. As someone who invests a lot of game time creating my own population, it had my full attention. But knowing that CAS isn't the entire game, I still waited a couple of months before I decided to take the plunge and purchase Sims 4, and I was very happy that I did. My experience this time was much better, the world was just gorgeous, and I took my time exploring the neighborhoods and experimenting and enjoying the expressiveness of the Sims themselves. And there were more interesting places to go to, like bars, right in the base game! And when ghosts were patched in, that was exciting. (Though, I do wish they'd get a makeover to be playable and creepier.)
2.
I didn't even notice toddlers weren't in the base game and didn't miss them. - I know. Blasphemy! Lol. But I honestly didn't even notice. Family play has never been my priority because the majority of age groups I play are teen-adult for the most part. Of course, once they came out, I did find I enjoyed them more then I expected, so that turned out nicely. I'll also add that I didn't care that much about object babies either. Even in sims 2, babies were just something for me to name, take a screenshot, and age up because there was just nothing interesting for me to do with them. I did think it was a little bit strange to have them stuck to a crib, but I wasn't bothered by it.
3.
I prefer having a larger variety of swatches to CaST. - This one is kind of hard to explain. For someone who loves to create Sims and enjoys variety and choice, it's kind of counter-intuitive for me to NOT want CaST, but it was kind of overwhelming and I felt like I was dwelling way too much on something as superficial as a pattern. And even though some of Sims 4 clothing could use some better designs or neutral colors, basic black or solids, I find that in some ways, when I have a static selection in front of me, it helps me be a little more creative in mixing what is already there. And believe me, that takes long enough, haha. But I was thinking that I might be able to get on board with a mechanic that's kind of in between, where we have one grid of color choices and one grid of patterns (kind of like what we have with the eye and hair colors), something organized and easy to view, and we could select one from each and also have a smart randomizer that would color match on its own. I just don't do well with color wheels and tabs because then I'm just cycling through everything on a single Sim and get nowhere because I'm overwhelmed. It already takes me two hours to make a Sims the way it is now. I mean, I love what we can do with pets because we can make all kinds of animals, but sometimes I look at it and I'm just like....nope. Luckily, they included all of the lovely breeds and additional colors for them, as well as a grid to change the colors of the layers that are already in place. Love that design.
4. Ready for this one? It's a doozy....
I don't think that "gameplay" is always the answer. - Whoa! I know, right?! This one is especially hard to explain but I'll do my best. I think that there are many facets to a Sims game that make it something enjoyable. It's a game like no others and because of its unique nature, it is beloved by millions of people of a variety of ages, worldwide. I see a lot of people on the forums demanding "gameplay" but not specifying what exactly it is they want, and I've also seen a few people describe instead, specific simulations or age groups or objects or even weather, and call it "gameplay". I think that each of us hears the word and then imagines what it means to us, and we universally cry out for "more gameplay", when in fact it isn't exactly what some of us are truly asking for, and sometimes it's even the
type of gameplay that's important to us. In my opinion, the Sims games should include gameplay, of course, but also balanced with a certain amount of simulation, flexibility for player choices, environment, time management, activities, interaction, creation, animation, etc. To me, Vampires was definitely a good example of gameplay with a variety of powers and weaknesses to choose from that influenced the behavior of each Sim with it's own progression system and titles and layers. But another reason I loved that pack was the ambiance of Forgotten Hollow and the gorgeous Victorian/Goth vibe in build/buy. In fact, for me, a very underrated addition in that pack was the wall stickers for cracks and stains that added to building run down houses, and I'm not even much of a builder. That's not gameplay, but a grand addition nonetheless, and very important to me. Another example of gameplay is the GTW careers, which some people enjoy, but others can't stand. I've seen a lot of people state that they would much prefer the control to do whatever they want instead of catering to a checklist. I thought I wasn't going to like them very much, but there are days when I do really enjoy playing them. But the point is, I feel that it's more important for us all to try to articulate what exactly it is that we are seeking in our game, being as specific as possible instead of summing everything up as "gameplay" because sometimes, that's not exactly what we're looking for.
5.
I like Stuff Packs - These little mini-packs are awesome. They each have a cohesive theme, they are inexpensive, they include interactive objects, and they are completely optional. I never feel like I
need to buy them, and the themes are so distinct that if I don't want one, I won't miss it. I don' feel like they belong in other packs, I think their purpose is to offer additional tidbits, similar to what the Sims 3 store did, but on a much more manageable level for those who are completionists. The way I see it, they have a completely separate team who create them, so there is not work being taken away from anything else, and if EPs or GPs feel like they fall short, that is entirely on the budgeting/time management of those teams alone. I don't see a reason to blame any setbacks or dissatisfaction on Stuff Packs because they are
meant to be separate, and for what they are, they are generally good. Granted, I think they have improved a lot since year one, same with Game Packs.
Okay, I think that's all I've got for now. :)
