WE'RE ONTO YOU SARAH HOLDING
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Maxis is, yet again, removing basic features from new Sims 4
- Thread starter EatinOlives
- Start date
WE'RE ONTO YOU SARAH HOLDING
Gentle Rodriguez
Member
I'm going to actively try to prevent anyone from buying this garbage, it's unbelievable that the fact that it doesn't have a 64 bit version isn't even the worst of its problems.
Nice job EA, making it really easy for me to boycott all of your crap.
Nice job EA, making it really easy for me to boycott all of your crap.
I've never played any of the Sim Games (except Sim City obviously, used to buy all those back in the day up to Sim City 3 or whatever it was called)
It seems to me like Peter Moore is out of touch. Gamers don't have a problem dropping $60 on a good title. The problem is that EA's corporate shills have problems allowing their developers to make GOOD titles.
Yes, Mass Effect series, Dragon Age 1 and a few other games have come out of the company in recent years that are awesome, but a lot of stinkers have as well and the ones that suck usually seem to suck because it feels like the game went through some lame marketing check list before being released.
EA is missing a unique opportunity right now because they are so focused on big budget AAA releases.
They, and most other developers, are totally missing the resurgence in CHALLENGE. What do I mean? People are looking for a challenge again and are actually starting to buy games that are a bit harder than they have been the last few years. We are also looking for something new.
What they should do is go back to their roots and release non-dumbed down games from older libraries. A game like the original Ultima Underworld Series (maybe not in the same world, but something akin to that game) would be very unique right now, and could play on consoles and PC's. The old Magic Carpet games were a total blast to play, why not redo those for a modern era? Do I need to even get into Wing Commander? The Consoles would be great as a space opera platform and are unique for gamers, something new... , and no, you don't need to have FMV in the game like Chris Roberts had with WC3-5.
In short, EA no longer leads. They RE-ACT. When they do lead, its their smaller developers that do it (BioWare) or they "lead" with some game that feels like its been designed by some "check list" and run past a focus group, and then sucks.
People don't know what they want until they see it. Demand is created when CONSUMERS are given something to DEMAND. Give us some good versions of Ultima Underworld, Magic Carpet and Wing Commander on the PC and consoles, with some great gameplay, graphics and some basic multiplayer, and people will buy them.
It seems to me like Peter Moore is out of touch. Gamers don't have a problem dropping $60 on a good title. The problem is that EA's corporate shills have problems allowing their developers to make GOOD titles.
Yes, Mass Effect series, Dragon Age 1 and a few other games have come out of the company in recent years that are awesome, but a lot of stinkers have as well and the ones that suck usually seem to suck because it feels like the game went through some lame marketing check list before being released.
EA is missing a unique opportunity right now because they are so focused on big budget AAA releases.
They, and most other developers, are totally missing the resurgence in CHALLENGE. What do I mean? People are looking for a challenge again and are actually starting to buy games that are a bit harder than they have been the last few years. We are also looking for something new.
What they should do is go back to their roots and release non-dumbed down games from older libraries. A game like the original Ultima Underworld Series (maybe not in the same world, but something akin to that game) would be very unique right now, and could play on consoles and PC's. The old Magic Carpet games were a total blast to play, why not redo those for a modern era? Do I need to even get into Wing Commander? The Consoles would be great as a space opera platform and are unique for gamers, something new... , and no, you don't need to have FMV in the game like Chris Roberts had with WC3-5.
In short, EA no longer leads. They RE-ACT. When they do lead, its their smaller developers that do it (BioWare) or they "lead" with some game that feels like its been designed by some "check list" and run past a focus group, and then sucks.
People don't know what they want until they see it. Demand is created when CONSUMERS are given something to DEMAND. Give us some good versions of Ultima Underworld, Magic Carpet and Wing Commander on the PC and consoles, with some great gameplay, graphics and some basic multiplayer, and people will buy them.
Apparently Willow Creek is a "world", split into six separate neighborhoods, only one of which can be active at a time. Each of those neighborhoods has a five lot limit (not sure if it's five residential / community each, or five total). So the "world" of Willow Creek can have around 30 lots total, but again you're going to go through loading screens each time you want to switch between any of the six sub-neighborhoods, and then to an individual lot - so the other lots you see in screens aren't directly accessible.
Honestly, I want to give this game a fair shot, because I'd love nothing more than to be able to jump in again after having been disappointed with TS3 - but after having looked at some trailers and gameplay videos tonight, I'm not really seeing the justification for a new base game vs. another expansion pack called "The Sims 3: Emotions!" The graphics aren't noticeably different from The Sims 3 - probably because the game has to run on the same hardware as its two predecessors. Create A Sim looks great, and the lighting and textures look really detailed in that mode, but then you see the actual in-game models during gameplay and it's the same low-resolution textures and skintones that were in the previous games, including TS2.
The whole "Emotions" thing might be a nice addition to gameplay (or it could just be a tedious, shallow management task), but it doesn't seem particularly revolutionary - I feel like similar gameplay changes were introduced in expansion packs (e.g. additional romance options and interactions). So, yeah... over the past few weeks this has gone from a potential day one to being a big disappointment.
Eh, I don't know if I'd endorse the difficulty statement. Just because Dark Souls, for example, sells better than expected doesn't mean that casual gamers at large are looking for a more "challenging" game. There's a reason that CoD, Battlefield, sports, etc. sell every year, and RPGs like Dark Souls have a niche, though expanding, fanbase.
Boss Doggie
all my loli wolf companions are so moe
Oh, there are mods like that, but mostly outside of modthesims. Like say, NRAAS and Moreawesomethanyou.
Winchestur
Neo Member
After the fiasco that was SimCity, I'll never buy another game from these people again. If you want to have an impact and stop these kinds of anti-consumer policies, you should do the same. I know I'm beating a dead horse, but vote with your wallet people.
endresults
Member
What exactly is inaccurate about it? What you bought is what you got on consoles up till last gen in 99.99% of cases. There's plenty of examples to pick from last gen that had "DLC" locked away on disc or turning content that should have really been included with the game (ME 3 comes to mind) into DLC, etc etc etc etc. It's a generalization, yeah, but it's an apt one.
I'm coming back here in 6 months to bask inthe irony of your post in this thread.
OrlanisWorks
Banned
It's gonna sell because people want it and they don't give a shit if it is a leap backwards.
That saddens me. Maxis needs to go bye bye and form a new studio outside of EA influence.
That saddens me. Maxis needs to go bye bye and form a new studio outside of EA influence.
Boss Doggie
all my loli wolf companions are so moe
You don't even really need all expansions. I'd recommend simply buying Ambitions, Generations, Night Life, and Seasons. The rest is mostly for taste.
As for Stuff Pack... well, lol. With that said, despite being associated with Katie Perry, it does have a really nice "candy land" theme of objects if you're into that.
The brand is what sells.
GungHo
Single-handedly caused Exxon-Mobil to sue FOX, start World War 3
That comes in the Wal-Mart Steak Stuff pack, along with a Sim Graham Elliot.
I was wondering what the hell EA was thinking, but then I remembered the rumors from earlier this year / late last year about the Sims 4 formerly being an online multiplayer game until the SimCity debacle, and how it now seems kind of barebones even though the release date is a few months away. I mean, it's just a rumor, but it would make sense given everything that's been revealed so far and the weird structure and limitations of the game (worlds divided into sub-divided neighborhoods of only five lots each). It definitely does seem "neutered" compared to its predecessors, which would make sense if it was supposed to be a small sandbox online like SimCity:
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=103423583&postcount=37
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=103423583&postcount=37
Huh, I was wondering why that post seemed familiar. Then I clicked the link. What a handsome fellow who wrote that.
It would go a long way to explain everything, wouldn't it? Like how there's no Story Progression since every other lot would have been controlled by another player, so there would be no need for it. Toddlers being gone because, well, who'd want to play a toddler online for more than the novelty of it for a few minutes? Building sizes being limited to encourage moving around and meting more people. Don't see why we couldn't have had pools online, though.
EA really, really, REALLY need to do something. Show off the game, warts, bugs, and all. People are getting restless and there's only two months until release. Not having seen any raw gameplay at this point is getting worrying. The Live Mode UI is a complete secret, for some crazy reason.
I get the feeling the developers have a gag order on what's in the game, so they can only really answer questions about what's not. If that's so, it's a hilariously incompetent communications department. "You can only say things that impact the value of the product negatively!" Smooth!
BrassDragon
Member
There is some noise surrounding ex-Maxis developer Patrick Kelly who worked on project Olympus, an online Sims game that was kicked off in 2008 (same year Sims Online was put out of its misery). He claimed (in blog and forums posts that have since been deleted) that Olympus and The Sims 4 were essentially the same thing until 2012, when a change of direction came about (2012 is before the Sim City debacle).
You can read a summary here with some corroboration from official interviews.
The word of a digruntled employee is not the most reliable source but it seems plausible.
I personally believe this rumour - mandating persistent online and social features across the board seems precisely the kind of corporate 'vision' Maxis would have been espousing anno 2011. Remember that EA corporate was also going around proclaiming the death of single player around the same time.
Yeah, I think the resumes of other former employees help lend support for the "formerly online" rumor.
Also, because it's very odd the way the game's been promoted - they've focused on "emotions" in their marketing materials and announcements, but from looking at the videos... emotions really just seem like a re-skin / extension of the wants / wishes and mood mechanics that have been in the game since TS2; they're a sub-mechanic, not a selling point. (I love some of the fan comments I've been reading online about how the game is probably pared down because the "emotion engine" takes "too much processing power!") The CAS and Build Mode revisions look nice, but they're what you'd expect to accompany a sequel, not a justification for making a sequel in the first place.
I highly doubt they had a project planning meeting where they justified starting a multi-year, multi-million dollar project on "emotions" ("But... that's kind of already in the game.") Most likely they wanted to sell it as "instead of fake Townies, the other Sims in your neighborhood are other people online!" And hey, I don't even think that's a terrible idea - so long as the single-player experience remains deep and feature-rich and playable offline, with the online components just complementing that. But I guess they over-reached and had everything blow up in their face, so they had to come up with something else to repackage and justify the game.
Yeah, for a game that's releasing in September... shouldn't they kinda be done by now? And doing developer walkthroughs to get people hyped for the game? Or releasing images / videos but saying things might change slightly in the final version? It really has been kind of bizarre, and that above all confirms the project is being rushed (if you can call a project which may have started in 2008 or 2011 "rushed"). Usually by this point EA would have deluged the community with information.
BigTnaples
Todd Howard's Secret GAF Account
Lil off topic but where is Sim Ant 2??
Boss Doggie
all my loli wolf companions are so moe
All this stuff makes me sad a good SimGolf 2 will never be made unless EA made Friaxis in total control of the development.
Dorsal Axe
Member
You would think EA would learn a thing or two after both The Sims Online and The Sims Social utterly bombed.
But it explains everything.
The pared back art style and lack of CASt were to improve performance for online play. Multiple small neighbourhoods in a world were so that only a small group of players were together (but could still visit other players). The separate lots were to create a private space for each user. The public spaces were to be the main hub where players could meet.
Story Progression was never included because all Sims would be controlled by human players. Teens and Elders are essentially Adult clones because Adults were likely going to be the only real age group (like TSO and TSS). Toddlers aren't in because they were never planned to be in from the start. Pools were probably left out for some technical reason (since the sources suggest that the online TS4 ran like shit) or never a priority to begin with.
It would also explain the strange radio silence and delay, and why some people were laid off and brought back again. It also explains why they promoting the "emotions feature" so much. They had to salvage what they could from the online project, so CaS, Buy/Build and emotions were pretty much all they had. Then EA had them make a working game around these things at short notice so that it doesn't ruin their prime money printer.
I feel sorry for the devs who have had to work on this game. Sounds like a complete mess.
Peter Moore hasn't been with Maxis in years.
lifa-cobex
Member
Hehe. Good times....
Yikes at how much sense this makes.
that explains so much. The overemphasis on the lackluster "new" creators, the graphical change to a simpler cartoon style, lack of older and familiar features, limit on lost per neighborhood that would make Sims 1 laugh out loud, lack of hands on game-play footage with a focus on scripted scenes during presentations. Yeah, EA screwed up another franchise, I would be SHOCKED if there isn't a HUGE pushback and riot when it is released September.
Aquamarine
Member
It's really annoying how the game is so distorted from the online -> offline shift and yet EA managers are still trying to force the game out ASAP.
Yeah it's going to cause an uproar for people who bought and played The Sims 3. The point of a sequel is to continually iterate on improvements, not completely pretend as if those improvements never existed.
DanteSparda504
Banned
The removals do not bother me at all. It's unfortunate that I can't build a pool, but I never used one when I made it. I never found enjoyment in killing my Sims and my Sims almoat never got into the pools I had. There are plenty of activities to keep them busy.
As far as the todler goes. Its fine with me. I felt that there was too many child phases anyways.
As far as the todler goes. Its fine with me. I felt that there was too many child phases anyways.
Boss Doggie
all my loli wolf companions are so moe
To those people doubting Sims 3 right now, I suggest picking it up for cheap. Update it with the latest patch and use NRAAS and Moreawesomethanyou on it. Seriously, it's a huge, huge leap from its original release frame.
AtomnayaKlubnika
Member
That downgrading is pretty amazing. I would be curious to know what guys at Maxis really think of it.
Yankee Ruin X
Member
Wouldn't surprise me if EA/Maxis start billing you monthly to pay your mortgage for your house, then let's not forget the electric, gas and water. Oh you need food to feed your sim no problem buy our weekly grocery DLC pack to get a weeks supply of food. Of course all of this is "adding value" to the experience and giving the player more choice, want your sim to eat and not starve to death then just buy the DLC pack every week or go rumage in the neighbours bins for scraps, the choice is yours.
cripterion
Member
Wow glad I stumbled on this and read this thread, thanks OP.
This is indeed some shameful shit, these guys take their customers for simple tools or what?
People, you know what to do, vote with your wallets. It would be seriously messed up if this game doesn't get abysmal sales on release.
This is indeed some shameful shit, these guys take their customers for simple tools or what?
People, you know what to do, vote with your wallets. It would be seriously messed up if this game doesn't get abysmal sales on release.
unknownhero
Member
I hope you guys are spreading the word about this to your friends and telling them not to buy this. Maxis and EA will keep doing this shit if people keep buying it.
Master Yoshi
Member
So is it safe to assume that PC Sims games are going the same route as the console Sims games took? Unbelievable.
I was hyped for this one, but I will not be buying.
I was hyped for this one, but I will not be buying.
cripterion
Member
I already see someone in this thread who is ok with this shit. I would love nothing more than for this game to fail to show EA/Maxis how we don't take shit from them but gamers these days...
Bit OT, but since i'm now staying with the Sims 3 for a while might as well:
Does anyone have any solid recommendations for Sims 3 mods for either Story Progression or otherwise? I've just been the base game and a few expansions, but all the mod talk in here has got me excited- just dunno where to start!
Does anyone have any solid recommendations for Sims 3 mods for either Story Progression or otherwise? I've just been the base game and a few expansions, but all the mod talk in here has got me excited- just dunno where to start!
I kind of want to see this thing for myself. I'll probably buy the basic game. If it sucks as much as it could, well, I can have fun mocking it.
It's kind of like Duke Nukem Forever for me. I know it probably won't be any good, but I want to see it for myself anyway.
Get the NRaas mods. Overwatch is essential, MasterController is great, and for Story Progression there, well, StoryProgression.
It's kind of like Duke Nukem Forever for me. I know it probably won't be any good, but I want to see it for myself anyway.
Get the NRaas mods. Overwatch is essential, MasterController is great, and for Story Progression there, well, StoryProgression.
They're trying to make certain things more casual, and integrated with the internet, like with social media.
This game will sell well and Maxis will add/fix enough of the stuff everyone don't like with expansions and patches like they did with the Sims 3.
Whilst it's easy for us to focus on the negatives there's probably going to be quite a bit of improved core stuff too. I bet it wouldn't have been hard to focus on a list of 'removed' things from 2 to 3 too. Whilst I am disappointed, I'm still hoping the game will be a good amount of fun. I've always liked The Sims' expansions too, although they churn them out they actually do proper expansions like we used to have in the good old PC gaming era. I always nab an origin key cheap too so only ever paid £15 at the most for a Sims 3 expansion.
This sounds pretty cool:
This sounds pretty cool:
I have this pre-ordered for ~£22, but after reading all the shit about this, I may as well just cancel and re-install Sims 3.
It may run like crap, but at least it has a lot of features. Especially as I own most of the expansions.
Was there ever any mods/patches etc. that helped the performance issues?
It may run like crap, but at least it has a lot of features. Especially as I own most of the expansions.
Was there ever any mods/patches etc. that helped the performance issues?
BrassDragon
Member
To those are still optimistic about this, which new features are you excited about?
The only distinctive additions I can find are the emotions (which seems just like moodlets with a little flavour animation instead of just an icon) and the UI improvements.
Anything else they mentioned is already in The Sims 3 - and we have to distill this stuff from tweets and blog posts, rather than seeing actual live gameplay.
The only distinctive additions I can find are the emotions (which seems just like moodlets with a little flavour animation instead of just an icon) and the UI improvements.
Anything else they mentioned is already in The Sims 3 - and we have to distill this stuff from tweets and blog posts, rather than seeing actual live gameplay.
It was also announced that the game will not have a 64bit client and will be limited to 4GB of RAM for the foreseeable future... Disappointing to say the least, considering the game will be around 5+ years...
http://simsvip.com/2014/06/26/the-sims-4-utilizes-a-32-bit-executable/
No 64bit client even though 80%+ of Steam users have support for 64bit....
http://store.steampowered.com/hwsurvey/
This is the most incredible thing. It's a shame they can screw over consumers so bad because there aren't really any alternatives to the sims if you're looking for that sort of experience, are there?