While the dollhouse analogy is true for TS1, 2 and 3 (also awesome, and very fun to read), I wouldn't have mind playing TS4 with other folks; a game I'm far too often wandering aimlesly in...
In Ts3, dude would change Nancy Landgraab's aspiration from C.E.O to heartbreaker, I'd have said 'makes no sense whatsoever, get out of my game, bruh/sis!'. If he'd want to do that in TS4, I'd say 'suit yourself, you just need one click, and she won't see the difference anyways, cause whims are pointless'.
Ooook I'd still yell for 'Nina Caliente-bodybuilder'... but that's about it.