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[Ithil]

I've tried out the Sims 4 Create A Sim, and while the interface takes getting used to, positives are that it runs very fast and smooth, and the "hands-on" way of changing the appearance is good and versatile. The selection of clothes, hair, etc, is pitiful as you'd expect, though it is a demo.

However, the lack of Create a Style or the Color Wheel completely cripples it. Going from selecting ANY pattern in the game no matter the material and changing each part of it to whatever colour you could make, to only being able to select a few premade colors is horrendous and really kills the customization. If you have a specific Sim in mind you want to make, good luck in the clothing section.

Like if you select a jacket combo or something, you can't pick the colours for the individual parts like the jacket, the lining, the shirt, etc. You can just pick from 5 or so premade colour combinations (like blue jacket, white shirt, etc).

 

[NobleXenon]

EA's marketing for Sims 4 is going to be entirely BS, I know, but there's nothing about the Sims 4 that is evolutionary. Evolution is an improvement, aberration, or vestige from its previous incarnations and there is very little of the Sims 1, 2, or 3 in the Sims 4, which leads me to believe that the Sims 4 is an entirely different species. Perhaps if you go back far enough they look similar... but currently (if the situation is truly "evolutionary") I'd describe it as a man vs. ape situation. Whatever similarities they shared, it was a looong time ago.

Your move, EA.

Yeah, I don't even know why they bothered to call it The Sims 4. It should just be called The Sims just like Sim City was.

 

[inky]

Like if you select a jacket combo or something, you can't pick the colours for the individual parts like the jacket, the lining, the shirt, etc. You can just pick from 5 or so premade colour combinations (like blue jacket, white shirt, etc).

This is such a step back it's ridiculous.

I get the "they were probably making an online game, then re-purposed it once Sim City failed miserably" theory, but in every sense this looks like a less ambitious game, and I just can't understand why, other than, it's fucking EA, so there's got to be a fucked up reason for it.

 

[Tabby]

This is such a step back it's ridiculous.

I get the "they were probably making an online game, then re-purposed it once Sim City failed miserably" theory, but in every sense this looks like a less ambitious game, and I just can't understand why, other than, it's fucking EA, so there's got to be a fucked up reason for it.

This guy explains why

 

[inky]

This guy explains why

So they sacrifice the whole game and tons of features for the sake of performance, yet they don't take advantage of 64 bit based systems which according to Steam stats (as an example of gaming community specs) amount for 50% of the systems games are being played on nowadays.

Mhhm.

 

[twobear]

LOL, I didn't know about no terrain tools. So that means every lot is going to be a flat square. WOW, this is comical now. It shouldn't surprise me after Sim City. Probably too much work so they didn't bother again.

holy wow, this is fucking terrible

what's the point of improving the build tools if you're going to take away something as fundamental as terrain tools

this game is a fucking mess

 

[Delio]

I've tried out the Sims 4 Create A Sim, and while the interface takes getting used to, positives are that it runs very fast and smooth, and the "hands-on" way of changing the appearance is good and versatile. The selection of clothes, hair, etc, is pitiful as you'd expect, though it is a demo.

However, the lack of Create a Style or the Color Wheel completely cripples it. Going from selecting ANY pattern in the game no matter the material and changing each part of it to whatever colour you could make, to only being able to select a few premade colors is horrendous and really kills the customization. If you have a specific Sim in mind you want to make, good luck in the clothing section.

Like if you select a jacket combo or something, you can't pick the colours for the individual parts like the jacket, the lining, the shirt, etc. You can just pick from 5 or so premade colour combinations (like blue jacket, white shirt, etc).

This is what kills me. I was playing Sims 3 today and completely went nuts with color combos for a Sim and his wild house. It then came to me that you cant even do that in Sims 4. How can anyone be happy with such a step backwards? It boggles my mind.

 

[JaseC]

So they sacrifice the whole game and tons of features for the sake of performance, yet they don't take advantage of 64 bit based systems which according to Steam stats (as an example of gaming community specs) amount for 50% of the systems games are being played on nowadays.

Mhhm.

To be fair to EA, it's probably hard to develop granular data when your metric is the amount of installs.

 

[McNum]

I have to say, this thread has been quite useful to me this weekend. I decided to get an early start on making a text draft for the Sims 4 OT even if that's well over two weeks away still, and all of these cut features gathered in one easy to reference thread has just been great.

I have to admit, when I signed up for that last August, I did not expect to need a header called "What's NOT in The Sims 4?" and most certainly not to need to divide that part into sections because it got too unwieldy to read...

Ah well, just because the game looks disappointing doesn't mean I won't try to do a good job on my first gaming OT anyway. Even if the game probably doesn't deserve the effort I'm putting into this thing.

 

[Koomaster]

Ah well, just because the game looks disappointing doesn't mean I won't try to do a good job on my first gaming OT anyway. Even if the game probably doesn't deserve the effort I'm putting into this thing.

Good luck with the OT.

To be fair to Sims 4; it will probably be a solid game. Taken on its own it could probably even be an excellent game. Unfortunately it has to compete with its past versions; and in doing so seems like a huge downgrade because of that.

The only light I can shine is that they do patch some things into the base game for free sometimes. I certainly hope we get something basic like pools at the very least. Maybe create a style if the Gods are shining on us and there is enough outcry for it post launch. I very seriously doubt we'd ever get the open world back. Seeing how the game is structured with the divided lots and loading times even between houses they'd have to change too much about the base game. I feel it would be a similar situation where people wanted larger cities in SimCity and Maxis just said it couldn't be done because of the engine. Even if they could sell it as an expansion by itself it probably can't be done.

 

[McNum]

I will be mostly neutral. The Sims 4 does have some genuinely good new things coming, but that NOT section just keeps growing. And I'm not even nitpicking. It's not like I'm listing "It has no wants and fears" just because the things are called "Whims" in Sims 4 and work slightly different. It's there, just different.

But I think I have a pretty good grasp on things. Been adding the trailers to my Youtube playlist as they were released, most of the graphics are done, and the only part I'm still iffy over is the expansion packs and DLC part. Because EA is saying nothing at all.

I mean, I know it'll be called "The Sims 4 Premium", it will be a subscription service, and you will get the expansion packs early as well as exclusive content if you're subscribing. And that there will be Day 1 DLC. Because shipping a game that seems feature starved and then having Day 1 DLC is the best way to create customer trust and loyalty! ...wait.

But there's nothing official said yet, so... I hope we get some news about that in before the game launches. If not, well, there an Edit button on Gaf for a reason. Will probably have to edit in some review scores anyway. Can't see this game have an early review embargo lift. At least not a week ahead.

Still weighing my options for the subtitle. Got a wonderfully snarky one that's oh so tempting, and it does fit in with a silly joke I had in mind from day one for the thread, so... Yeah, I don't know yet. Do feel free to suggest stuff, though. Also, if you see something DLC related, I'd like to know.

Also, did you know Gaf has an [indent] tag? Quite useful.

 

[Dead Man]

I have to say, this thread has been quite useful to me this weekend. I decided to get an early start on making a text draft for the Sims 4 OT even if that's well over two weeks away still, and all of these cut features gathered in one easy to reference thread has just been great.

I have to admit, when I signed up for that last August, I did not expect to need a header called "What's NOT in The Sims 4?" and most certainly not to need to divide that part into sections because it got too unwieldy to read...

Ah well, just because the game looks disappointing doesn't mean I won't try to do a good job on my first gaming OT anyway. Even if the game probably doesn't deserve the effort I'm putting into this thing.

Good luck and godspeed with the OT. It will almost certainly be more than the game deserves.

 

[Retro]

Yeah, I don't envy anyone having to make the OT for this steaming pile. It was pretty clear EA was just using Maxis as a cash grab back when the Sims 3 had something like $50 worth of cash shop items before it even launched. Since then we've had the SimCity debacle, so.... I dunno how anyone can be surprised by Sims 4 is a hatchet job.

Good luck with that OT, maybe take a lesson from Docbon's Elder Scrolls Online OT and just phone it in for comedic value?

 

[Delio]

No repairman? - So does your home just get zero visitors now? No burglars, no repoman, no babysitters, and no repairman either? I really don't understand this. If my home catches on fire can I at least count on a fireman showing up or do I just let everything burn down? But aside from that, I have read about the new repair system and how you have to scavenge for parts and such to repair something. I like the idea behind that. But sometimes I just want to call someone to fix stuff for me, especially if a couple things break at once, I don't have time for my sim to repair everything. And with repairing being even more difficult, no repairman.. I just don't understand this..

The hell at this. No Repairmen? I like never fixed my own shit and just got some guy to come fix it. My sim doesnt have time to sit and repair the toilet and the sink D:. Wow.

 

[Tankanko]

EA gonna milk out those expansion packs.

Sims 4: Summer Party
Sims 4: Daycare Dilemma
Sims 4: The other content we cut out from the main game but is in Sims 3.

that seems too easy, split that last dlc into 3 parts. Consumers love 3 part dlcs (thanks EA <3)

 

[Delio]

Dunno if there is a good place to ask but. I keep getting the Error 12 on my Sims 3 game really preventing me from playing long anymore. Anyway to fix this?

 

[jWILL253]

I can't believe they have the gall to ask for a subscription fee for this mess...

 

[CTLance]

Yeah, I am loving the Subscription service thing. It's like straight out of the cookbook for games like Battlefield. If they can get the cattle their audience to swallow that, then they'll be swimming in mad cash. Can't fault them for trying when it's already working out nicely for their other game(s).

Dunno if there is a good place to ask but. I keep getting the Error 12 on my Sims 3 game really preventing me from playing long anymore. Anyway to fix this?

Good luck.

 

[A-V-B]

The hell at this. No Repairmen? I like never fixed my own shit and just got some guy to come fix it. My sim doesnt have time to sit and repair the toilet and the sink D:. Wow.

Maybe shit doesn't break anymore.

 

[Zareka]

Dunno if there is a good place to ask but. I keep getting the Error 12 on my Sims 3 game really preventing me from playing long anymore. Anyway to fix this?

Only thing I can suggest is saving often, like every sim night. If you get error 12, "Save as..." might work but that was only ever a temporary fix for me.

I figured that getting error 12 just meant I had a huge save file and just started over at that point. It sucks.

 

[McNum]

Good luck with that OT, maybe take a lesson from Docbon's Elder Scrolls Online OT and just phone it in for comedic value?

Eh, I'll do it properly. An OT that doesn't really tell what the game is about is useless. There will be a few jokes at its expense, of course, but I want to make it so if you read the OT, you'll know the good and bad of the game.

 

[BrassDragon]

Maybe shit doesn't break anymore.

Pretty sure there was a death by repair electrocution in one of the demo videos but can't be bothered to look it up. The return of the handiness skill has been confirmed on twitter and in screenshots.

Still puzzled by the lack of service people, such as the repair man... it seems like such a simple thing to add. Is there a gameplay reason?

 

[RP912]

This game is pretty much doa. At least SimCity had some sort of method to it's madness and shamefully get put down for the wrong reasons.

 

[DedValve]

This game is pretty much doa. At least SimCity had some sort of method to it's madness and shamefully get put down for the wrong reasons.

Such as...?

 

[Trigger]

I've tried out the Sims 4 Create A Sim, and while the interface takes getting used to, positives are that it runs very fast and smooth, and the "hands-on" way of changing the appearance is good and versatile. The selection of clothes, hair, etc, is pitiful as you'd expect, though it is a demo.

However, the lack of Create a Style or the Color Wheel completely cripples it. Going from selecting ANY pattern in the game no matter the material and changing each part of it to whatever colour you could make, to only being able to select a few premade colors is horrendous and really kills the customization. If you have a specific Sim in mind you want to make, good luck in the clothing section.

Like if you select a jacket combo or something, you can't pick the colours for the individual parts like the jacket, the lining, the shirt, etc. You can just pick from 5 or so premade colour combinations (like blue jacket, white shirt, etc).

I agree completely. I almost wish I could fuse the The Sims 4's art style with the actual features of The Sims 3. It's odd not being able to customize their hair, clothing, and accessories in greater detail.

 

[Retro]

Eh, I'll do it properly. An OT that doesn't really tell what the game is about is useless. There will be a few jokes at its expense, of course, but I want to make it so if you read the OT, you'll know the good and bad of the game.

Oh no, he did it properly, he just did it in MS Paint; http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=793043

 

[Aquamarine]

Eh, I'll do it properly. An OT that doesn't really tell what the game is about is useless. There will be a few jokes at its expense, of course, but I want to make it so if you read the OT, you'll know the good and bad of the game.

I'm glad you're taking it somewhat seriously.

The Sims 4 does add some cool new features, for all of the stuff they're unnecessarily dumbing down / removing.

A non-serious OT...I don't know. It feels more spiteful than anything.


Hopefully...I'm praying...that post-launch Maxis will receive enough backlash to start the reversal process...and mods will start to fill in the gaps. I really want this game to be good.

 

[The_Inquisitor]

EA is killing yet another 3. It really hurts that they screwed up Sim City so bad. I was ready to buy it, and instead I have had to stick with Sim City 4.

 

[LurkerPrime]

Eh, I'll do it properly. An OT that doesn't really tell what the game is about is useless. There will be a few jokes at its expense, of course, but I want to make it so if you read the OT, you'll know the good and bad of the game.

If you need some inspiration for TS4's OT, check out EviLore's Awesome Dragon Age 2 |OT|!

I figure it's only fair to put as much effort into the OT as the people making the game would. Not that I've ever made one... but really, it's weird seeing so much effort going into an OT for games that are half-baked.

 

[Zareka]

Kotaku just posted an article with a developers response to the pool thing.

I know little about the tech side involved in this, but it still doesn't seem like it'd be...that difficult. I dunno. I know it's a new engine and all but you'd think after 3 games they'd know what they were getting in to.

 

[Darklord]

Kotaku just posted an article with a developers response to the pool thing.

I know little about the tech side involved in this, but it still doesn't seem like it'd be...that difficult. I dunno. I know it's a new engine and all but you'd think after 3 games they'd know what they were getting in to.

So the new engine designed for SimCity can't handle a city sized lot and the new engine built for The Sims 4 can't handle pools.

WHY DO THEY BUILD ENGINES THAT CAN'T RUN THEIR OWN GAMES? Who the fuck is making these engines? Glassbox is the biggest piece of shit ever.

 

[Aquamarine]

"It's easy to look at something and think, 'That looks pretty simple.' When you think about a feature like pools upfront, it looks like a square box on the ground and you put a shader on the top surface and have Sims jump in."

"But ultimately, it's more complexity in terms of what tech's there and what isn't there, what we have to build to support this. How do we cut down into the terrain, how do we get Sims going through portals across different levels of pools? There's so much that's going on in the background that you don't end up seeing just to have a Sim go swimming."

So EA, despite being a multi-billion dollar company with more than 9,300 employees around the world, can't spare the resources to make pools work?

I can't believe they're making these kind of excuses. Almost as stupid as Ubisoft's "animating females is hard" nonsense.

 

[Jurassic Munson]

So the new engine designed for SimCity can't handle a city sized lot and the new engine built for The Sims 4 can't handle pools.

WHY DO THEY BUILD ENGINES THAT CAN'T RUN THEIR OWN GAMES? Who the fuck is making these engines? Glassbox is the biggest piece of shit ever.

It's like they want me to stop liking these franchises. They lost my Madden, Dragon Age, and SimCity money. With two franchises in their stable left that interest me EA seems desperate to make it one.

I will not be fooled by a DLC scam. I'm waiting for EA to finish wrecking Mass Effect so I can enjoy never giving money to such a bad company.

 

[Sub Zero]

I think pools and toddlers will eventually come as free updates down the line. One thing EA did right with the Sims 3 was that they added major features that came with expansions packs as free updates to the base game, it would be stupid for them to not do it this time, especially when they have received such backlash from the fans.

However it is amusing how arrogant the Maxis employees can be. I read numerous interviews from them and their always spouting some lame excuses for all their missing features blaming everything on engine limitations and are always trying to change the subject by advertising the new CAS and emotions system. Do they really think that all their customers are so technologically inept and ignorant?

I am a long time Sims fan and I always considered the first two games as challenging and rewarding experiences. 3 streamlined a lot of stuff and lessened the challenge but it was still fun to play with the open world. With the Sims 4 and some of the Sims 3 expansion packs they basically focused only on a specific demographic, that of teenage girls that only care about flashy and over the top stuff and are only seeking a digital barbie dollhouse rather than a challenging and fun to play life simulator experience

 

[Mr Swine]

It's like they want me to stop liking these franchises. They lost my Madden, Dragon Age, and SimCity money. With two franchises in their stable left that interest me EA seems desperate to make it one.

I will not be fooled by a DLC scam. I'm waiting for EA to finish wrecking Mass Effect so I can enjoy never giving money to such a bad company.

Same here, last EAS game I bought was The last TS3 expansion

 

[EatinOlives]

Kotaku just posted an article with a developers response to the pool thing.

I know little about the tech side involved in this, but it still doesn't seem like it'd be...that difficult. I dunno. I know it's a new engine and all but you'd think after 3 games they'd know what they were getting in to.

I guess that's a confession that they're incompetently developing this game.

I mean yes, at face value it's a broad-strokes explanation of why a basic game feature doesn't exist. But when you think about it, even for one second, he's essentially admitting that the engine they wrote for Sims 4 is so terrible it can't get staple Sims features implemented without significant resources.

I don't understand how I'm expected to react to the news. "Oh, I'm sorry I had no idea the Sims 4 team has so terribly written their own engine they can't get basic features working anymore. That clears it all up, here's my money"?

 

[BrassDragon]

Kotaku just posted an article with a developers response to the pool thing.

I know little about the tech side involved in this, but it still doesn't seem like it'd be...that difficult. I dunno. I know it's a new engine and all but you'd think after 3 games they'd know what they were getting in to.

This seems to be a new trend - developers explaining expected but missing content by citing technical difficulty that us mortals can't grasp. Maxis is not the only one doing it, see also Ubisoft and Activision.

The Sims 4 pools is apparently the new Sim City offline mode.

Despite the terrain being flat without flexible landscaping, despite buildings only having a limit amount of floors and no basements... they still can't get pools working like they have in three previous installments?

I don't think asking for base features from previous games is demanding unreasonable and unfeasible feats of engineering. Maxis already tried this line of defense with their last game, you'd think they know better. I guess we'll see how hard it really is when they release the DLC pack containing pools.

 

[Tabby]

Kotaku just posted an article with a developers response to the pool thing.

I know little about the tech side involved in this, but it still doesn't seem like it'd be...that difficult. I dunno. I know it's a new engine and all but you'd think after 3 games they'd know what they were getting in to.

I find it hard to believe anything they say afterSim City and the "Making it offline is hard" fiasco.

 

[Crimsonclaw111]

Pools are hard.

 

[Incandenza]

They're using the "It's just too hard to do ______". It's too hard to put pools in. It's too hard to make animations for varying sim heights, etc. At some point you're just saying "We're not up to the task of making the game that consumers want/expect" (which secretly means "We basically had to reboot this game so we're working our asses off just to get the thing in a shippable state," which I can at least sympathize with).

 

[Koomaster]

WHY DO THEY BUILD ENGINES THAT CAN'T RUN THEIR OWN GAMES? Who the fuck is making these engines?

This right here is my exact thought. That's like them saying; 'We built this engine for Sims 4 but it can't actually render sims; but we're going to use it anyway.' This excuse is 100% horse hockey. You know pools have been in the base game since 1 - why are you not coding the engine to handle pools? Who is building this; and for what purpose?

I think pools and toddlers will eventually come as free updates down the line.

If that were true, I think he would have said something about it in the interview instead of given that non-answer to this very question that was asked.

As a PR move it would stem a little of the negativity toward the game to just go; mea culpa guys, we couldn't get toddlers/pools ready in time for launch. But we are working on them now and bring them to you as a free update down the line.

The actual absence of them saying anything like that leads me to believe that at best they are taking a wait and see approach. They already sent out surveys asking about pools and water fun DLC. They want to see how far they can nickle and dime Sims 4 players. Worst case is they have the Pools DLC ready to go; although I doubt they would be brash enough to have it available as day 1 DLC.

As for toddlers, I am already convinced they will be in a Generations expansion pack.

 

[Boss Doggie]

I'm already turned off by the neighborhood UI. This is just making me confirm my non-purchase.

 

[LurkerPrime]

Pools are hard.

My NeoGAF EXCLUSIVE review of TS4:

The Sims 4 treads water, and ultimately lacks depth.

 

[RP912]

Such as...?

The small maps which I didn't mind since I like to have certain themes for cities. The whole region idea is kinda awesome in my eyes.

I also enjoyed the dlc especially cities of tomorrow. Most folks were stuck on simcity 4 which is fine but feels somewhat dated imo.

 

[twobear]

So the new engine designed for SimCity can't handle a city sized lot and the new engine built for The Sims 4 can't handle pools.

WHY DO THEY BUILD ENGINES THAT CAN'T RUN THEIR OWN GAMES? Who the fuck is making these engines? Glassbox is the biggest piece of shit ever.

It's complete bollocks. They make the engine, so its being able to have pools is up to them.

 

[McNum]

I'm already turned off by the neighborhood UI. This is just making me confirm my non-purchase.

If I wasn't doing the OT, I'd be tempted to wait it out, too. Sims games are notoriously buggy in version 1.00, anyway.

But I'm honest enough with my self to realize that this game has totally crossed the Duke Nukem Forever line for me. It's more a curiosity piece for me than a game I'm anxiously awaiting now. I have to see this thing, I want to see the new glorious v. 1.00 bugs, and mostly, I want to see if EA truly is going to kill their cashcow franchise.

 

[Revven]

Kotaku just posted an article with a developers response to the pool thing.

I know little about the tech side involved in this, but it still doesn't seem like it'd be...that difficult. I dunno. I know it's a new engine and all but you'd think after 3 games they'd know what they were getting in to.

My reaction to the article:

 

[McNum]

Well, the Create-a-Sim demo just released for everyone on Origin, so if you want to see it, it's under Demos and Betas there. Can't really link it, since Origin insists on being in Danish on the web for me.

I'm giving it a try, at least.

 

[BrassDragon]

Well, the Create-a-Sim demo just released for everyone on Origin, so if you want to see it, it's under Demos and Betas there. Can't really link it, since Origin insists on being in Danish on the web for me.

I'm giving it a try, at least.

Tiny rant: why the hell do I get an order receipt for a 0,00 euro payment mailed to me when I download a demo from Origin? It's small annoyances like this that turn me off the platform... I suppose I could open a ticket to complain but FFS, don't they test their own user experience?

 

[Delio]

Well, the Create-a-Sim demo just released for everyone on Origin, so if you want to see it, it's under Demos and Betas there. Can't really link it, since Origin insists on being in Danish on the web for me.

I'm giving it a try, at least.

Thanks for the heads up.