I'll keep anything I add to this to one concept per post. I probably do have some unpopular opinions.
One of them is that I actually like the FX scenery. I can understand the complaints about how it doesn't work for historic saves and I agree with that. I currently haven't bothered with playing in other historic eras because I would need complete consistency for that.
I find the FX scenery immersive and I kind of use it as a prompt for influencing the sims that live in a given neighborhood. What's going on in those houses or buildings? I'm happy enough to wonder about it but to just focus on those that are playable.