Project Rene: Base Game Content vs Pack Content

I would like to have a conversation about Project Rene and it's potential content distribution in the Base Game vs Packs. To start, staple pack themes (that have been repeated throughout the franchise), I believe NEEDS to be in the base game; Seasons, Pets/Animals, University, Active Careers/Business, Generation/Family, and Fame. All of these themes are staple parts of an average human life in some way shape or form, and would greatly contribute to a fleshed out life simulator with variety and range of the types of lives a sim could live in just the Base Game.

Beyond the potential these themes would provide in the Base Game, I also believe it would expand the possibilities of the types of DLC the team could make. Having these features in the base game would mean the team wouldn't be limited with how they can use or expand these features in DLC that they develop, creating the potential for these themes to be continuously built upon and refined as more content is created. For example, even though Seasons would be in the Base Game, they could still create a seasons themed Expansion Pack that delivers more weather and climate types, new seasonal related gameplay and activities, more seasonal related consequences and effects that influence the environment and the sims within it, etc. Another example I can think of is Pets, having pets in the Base Game would mean they could create an expansion pack that expands the pets adding more pet interactions, pet related activities and objects, pet types, animations, and so on. As it is right now with themes like Seasons and Pets being in a Pack instead of the Base Game, the potential to further expand these themes just isn't very possible or realistic, and I consider that to be a limitation.

I would also like to see the return of some gameplay systems and mechanics that have been introduced throughout various packs, in the base game of Project Rene; Retail/Business', Clubs, Lot Traits and Challenges, Customizable Holidays, Reputation, Character Value Traits, Self Sustainable gameplay, Eco Footprints and NAPs. I don't want an exact dupe of these features, but something that mimics a similar function. Again, having these features in the Base Game only expands the potential for DLC to use these mechanics in any way, shape or form without limitations.

I truly believe having all these features and mechanics in the Base Game would be a win win for both the Base Game and any potential packs that may be created. It would also be something new for players to explore and experience instead of getting the same old pack time and time again. But this is just my hot take, I'm curious to know your thoughts.

project rene

26 Replies

Madamelee
Legend
3 years ago
Seasons and Pets/Animals are big sellers for EA.
logionX
Legend
3 years ago
The challenge will be to find a way that they can have a base game that is offering a good set of features while leaving room for future DLC.

I think they should strive to offer a wide range of basic features and then future DLC can expand upon those features, like offering new ways to play and create with those features. This will give them more options when making DLC and new worlds.

The game should offer better management features too like for example offer ways for the player to assign roles to sims and controlling them more easily so they could make future DLC like Restaurants and Hotels play better.
ncisGibbs_BOSS
Seasoned Ace
3 years ago
"LeGardePourpre;c-18202171" wrote:
Smaller is the basegame, bigger will be the need of DLC.

Not everybody like the same thing, if they remove the very popular features from the packs then less people will buy them.

As we look at the last 12 months, about 90% of all revenue was from extra content, not the base game.

I don’t like the weather system for TS4 so haven’t got Seasons.

I wouldn’t like a base game which had weather that couldn’t be customised to what I would like. Even an off switch would be good for me.

I see fame and occults as DLC as I wouldn’t want those system by default.

@logion I like the sound of better management features. Options for individual Sims might be complex but if assigned roles at a workplace that might work.
jcp011c2
3 years ago
I know they're the two big sellers but it's time to have basic weather and basic pets in the base game. Or at least, basic weather and make pets the first DLC. They can still expand on weather and holiday events, etc in seasons, but the game doesn't need to have just sunny days for the fist few years. If mobile-level games can have rain from the start, Sims can too.
crocobaura
Legend
3 years ago
So far they always offered, weather, pets, shops, and businesses, etc. as separate DLC, which maybe suited them development wise, but for us players was a bit underwhelming coming from a fully fledged game to a bare bones base game. So with this in mind, maybe for TS5 they could offer basic features in base game and then expand upon them in DLC. Weather in base game, we get full weather effects, with cold and hot weather outfits, umbrellas, snowball throwing, and then in DLC they add various seasonal activities and sports. Same with Pets, we get basic dog and cats in basegame from small pool of pets up for adoption, and in DLC we get Vet, pet training, pet shows, pet career, small pets, outfits, and choose our own breeds and what not. With business, we should have basic grocery and clothes shopping at least in base game, and then expand upon the business side in DLC with ownable shops and entertainment venues. Also would be nice to have at least bicycles in basegame, and a public transit system even if the neighbourhood is not fully open, like in TS4, and make it feel like an open neighbourhood by being able to fully interact with the environment. No more decor buildings in the middle of the neighbourhood with no function to them, especially if they are designed to look like shops and public venues.
Absafraginlootly
New Traveler
3 years ago
I do feel like seasons, pets, university, owning a business, and a functional wants and fears system should be base game.

Newer stuff that I'd like to see as base game in sims 5 include parenthood parent/child interactions and customisable clubs, holidays, and neighbourhood action plans. Those features really add alot to sims 4.
EnkiSchmidt
Hero
3 years ago
As @LeGardePourpre and @ncisGibbs02 have already mentioned, the more features get moved the basegame, the higher the chance that one of them is a dealbreaker. If I feel I absolutely need the, for example, the Seasons EP, because without it the basegame weather system is annoying, then I'd rather not buy the basegame in the first place.

A feature that probably needs to be made basegame even so is the club system. Student Societies and werewolf packs were very underwhelming, because they had to invent them again from scratch everytime anew.
JesLet40
Seasoned Ace
3 years ago
If too much is included in the base game the base game will be more expensive, and as people here point out, not everyone is into the same kind of game play.

With that said, I do agree that seasons is so basic that it should be a part of any basegame (costumizable or toggable on/off for those who do not want it). My reason for this opition is that weather has a huge impact on a world, and to have it as base would make a difference on how worlds are created. For one this would be an opportunity to really think about how a world will be used from the get go:

* swimmable waters in all worlds that it would make sense in
* the ability to skate on lakes and frozen boddies of water in the winter in worlds where winter is a thing
* sledding on slopes of the worlds in winter
* holiday decorations and things like easter egg hunts, winterfest markets in public places (not lots, but town squares and other open communal areas)

But also just the planning for weater when making a world. For example San Myshuno has an open air lounge and an open walled kareoke bar, yet is a world with heavy snow in winter. Plantet Honey Pop is so poorly built that it snows inside, meaning three original locations are useless in winter. In dorms in Britechester people freeze to death because there are no thermostats in their dorms (which can only be edited by cheat codes after you move someone in). This proves that weather has not been a factor when building these places. Add weather as a base game feature, but let those who wants to turn it on and off do so.

Another feature I would add as base game is the club system, the dance floor and dj booth, restaurant and retail lots (go to not own) because these are again features of every day life. I would also add some active careers and make all other careers semi active so you can play them if you want (and build their offices). I would also make uni-education base game, perhaps not active in base game, but so that some jobs were tied to some degrees.

The DLC I would have: pets (with more than just cats and dogs), fame, own your business (including the cafés, restaurants, night clubs, bars and retail shops in the base game), school (primary, high school and uni) and all occults, holiday (with resorts of different types).
Babykittyjade
Seasoned Ace
3 years ago
I hear this idea a lot from simmers and I understand people are tired of buying packs over and over, but this sounds like a bad idea from a business prospective ?
rachaeliscool
3 years ago
I'm one of those weirdos who actually doesn't want too much in the base game. Now, I don't mean I want it to be a bare-bones game with no pools or toddlers. I also want there to be a ton of Aspirations!

But I don't want a bunch of gimmicks that make my Sims' lives difficult. I like that TS4 is easy, and while I think it could use more personality and variety in interactions, traits, and autonomous behaviors, I'm hoping we won't get something that's insanely difficult like the first Sims game. I like to create a ton of new Sims, and it gets rather tedious when they all start burning the house down the first time they cook. I also remember that in the first Sims game (and, to a lesser extent, Sims 2), it was insane trying to keep all their motives high.

I think a good solution would be a "Woes and Misfortunes" pack for those who really want a difficult challenge. With no new Aspirations, please, so I won't be forced to buy it, haha.