Upon announcement of The Sims 4, we asked the BeyondSims team to share their general thoughts and opinions about The Sims 4’s announcement and what they want to see from the next generation of The Sims.
First up from the staff team is our editor, MapleSim! Check out what he had to say below:
Please note: These are MapleSim’s views and do not reflect other staff members views or opinions.
[flickr id=”8741727344″ thumbnail=”medium” overlay=”false” size=”medium” group=”” align=”center”]With all of the rumours and conspiracy theories floating around these past couple of months, I guess it was only a matter of time before EA/Maxis announced the official successor to The Sims 3. It’s hard to believe that just under 4 years ago this generation of Plumbobs launched, and by the time it comes to an end we will have 11 Expansions, 9 Stuff Packs, and 9 Store DLC Worlds.
Am I excited for The Sims 4? Certainly! I’ve found this last series to be everything I wanted in a procrastination-enabler and more. I’ve been able to plunge the depths of Ancient Tombs, build Robots Whirlygigs and Air Fresheners, Juggled Flaming Batons on a stage in front of a crowd, and so much more… things I could never even dream to do in my real life (hell, I couldn’t even find a space in my one bedroom apartment for those nifty batons).
I feel like customization was one of the foremost ideas prior to the launch of The Sims 3. With neat tools like Create-A-World and Create-A-Pattern, and pretty decent support for Modders and content-creators, the team behind the scenes sparked a generation of simmers to think outside the lot and dream of what happens across the street with those kooky neighbours, cycle along the pagodas of Shang Simla, or play hide-and-go-seek with Fairies, Zombies, and Aliens (Oh my!).
Midway through (I think around Pets or so), I had to take a break from The Sims 3 as school papers took precedence over my simulated life, and took a specific toll on my aging Laptop. Shortly thereafter we said goodbye to it and laid it to rest. One of the goals of The Sims 3 was accessibility, making the game available to a much larger group than other games on the market at the time. Surprisingly low system requirements meant that almost anyone with a computer or (indeed) a laptop could run the simulation at least relatively well. Being able to do so and offer new innovations like NO LOADING SCREENS was impressive, but did so at the cost of some of the immersion… enter the dreaded Rabbit Hole.
While annoying and potentially out of place, they are necessary to ensure that one’s lower end netbook will not implode and yet not impact the Alienware’s or CyberPower’s experience too much. So many issues can be easily avoided with an upgrade of one’s computer, and to some extent people have to decide if they want to continue on with the world into a new age or stay safely behind on the classics. If there isn’t somewhat of a rise in system requirement over this generation, I would be surprised if Rabbitholes weren’t included in The Sims 4. Those of you who are joining us on the ride into the future might just want to pretend we’re all heading to Wonderland and get with it J (For the record my replacement was a pretty sweet desktop that glows blue!)
My one over-arching criticism with this generation? Too much fan input is not necessarily a good thing.
Yes, I know, drawn and quartered and all of that. Here me out though:
How many times have you or someone you know (online or otherwise) said “I’m so excited that they made this expansion, now I only need (insert Sims 2 Expansion here), (insert Sims 2 Expansion here),and (insert Sims 2 Expansion here) and I will be able to keep playing!! LOLSMLFODLLMERL!!!:)JJJJ
I know people dearly enjoyed The Sims 2, and yes many a memory could hardly compete with the experiences had now in The Sims 3. In truth, quite a lot of simmers still play the last generation regularly (many of the BeyondSims staff included). What seemed to have happened is that the Team tried some brand new ideas toward the beginning of The Sims 3, and were quickly shot down by players who wouldn’t hear of anything but their Sims 2 equivalents. They were either for or against (with many falling into the latter category), potentially in part due to their desire to play the same families and the same story as their beloved Sims 2. In a way The Sims 3 didn’t seem to happen; only a sequel to The Sims 2 instead of a new edition to an established series. An easier way to explain my outlook: I find it hard to find a forum that doesn’t contain posts about how The Sims 3 sucks because there isn’t Open For Business or Freetime.
I would rather have creative people come up with fantastical ideas than bend to the will and sacrifice their artistic vision to redo the same game over and over. First Person Shooters do that and I didn’t sign up for it here. Ask as many questions in community polls and surveys as you’d like and I’ll gladly answer them. But I’d like that to be the fun little additions instead of the entire premise. I’m not sure how much additional gameplay Farming could insert in a game that has already had Gardening for a pretty long time.
I’m not at all against the community as they do bring up really good points that I feel should be looked at with The Sims 4.
Seasons and weather would be an excellent base game addition, as would a robust assortment of careers/jobs, social outings, pets, and some really neat Build/Buy assets. Let’s take it one step further though and include extensions of those ideas that Simmers have never dreamed about (I’m still holding out for an Event Planner/Wedding Coordinator position… cough..my background.. cough..).
Will there be a Store for The Sims 4? We would be silly to think there wouldn’t be. Do I mind? Not so much… but I would prefer less of a presence if that makes sense. I would like the opportunity to buy a complete Expansion or Stuff Pack that includes a large number of “Premium Content Items” rather than have to rely on a DLC version. I don’t particularly hate DLC as a lot of Simmers have voiced, but I would prefer that it be practical and reasonably priced. Given the stance that EA has taken the last couple of years I am sure a large emphasis on micro-transaction type indulgences would be given, and that our beloved Guru’s would have zero control over.
That brings me to a rather big final point; Internet Connectivity. There are chasms wrought over this topic, and while a good number of the voices come to the party ill-informed, there are quite a few bad things to be said about it. While it has been announced that The Sims 4 will be an offline, single player experience, it can’t be expected that in this day and age a game would not be wired to some degree. I’ll leave it with this: I bought SimCity and lived to tell the tale. I really appreciate the notion of connecting like-minded gamers from across the world in an easy, non-threatening way. That isn’t to say that I don’t like penning my own stories. If SimPort was a test-run, we can only hope that they’ve gathered what they needed and will improve from there. And from the looks of that funny little Blue Plumbob, myself, Spon1Player, theblackscorpion and the rest of the team here may be visiting your living rooms while we pen our Sims Stories together, and hopefully it will be with an invitation instead of a battering ram.
Sul Sul! -MapleSim
I agree with you that I’d rather see more innovation in the game/expansion pack designs rather than straight up retreads.
I feel I have to make a few key points:
(1) By the third generation, it is not unreasonable to expect ESSENTIAL features such as weather and night activities to be included in the base game. I don’t think anyone, even the most rabid fanboys, like to pay TWICE for the same content. It is just that EA left so much content out just to milk the cow some more.
(2) I am all for new ideas. The Opportunities, which really seems like an upgrade of the Chance Cards system in past generations, offer some direction for those who like it in the game. But in the process the core value of being a simulation was lost. It’s fine to try out new things, but do not abandon the core gameplay which is to simulate. A illogical story progression system coupled with a game that initially told you rather than showed you what happened turns the game into a text RPG. I think with the later EPs the team really returned to its roots.
I’m hoping The Sims 4 will offer the core essence of TS1/TS2 with the open world and customization improvements in TS3.
Yes, I honestly think EA shouldn’t tie premium content with worlds!! If they put premium content (e.g Hotair Balloons, sushi thing etc) as a product alone, I would buy it! But I do not want to spend as much money as an expansion pack (sometimes more) for a world with only 2 new items which really is not worth it! BUt I do not buy worlds so I hope people are doing the same! 🙂
Nice points @funnykid, I’m interested to see what the other’s pieces will be about.
“With neat tools like Create-A-World and Create-A-Pattern, and pretty decent support for Modders and content-creators,..”
How was there any support for modders and content-creators? There wasn’t. They literally had to hack the game to get their mods and content in.
And how is CAW a neat tool? It’s dead clumsy to work with, sucks RAM like insanely crazy to a point beyond workable and you can’t even plop in families.
“Surprisingly low system requirements meant that almost anyone with a computer or (indeed) a laptop could run the simulation at least relatively well.”
Only if you have few to none expansions. Otherwise you’d better plop in a better video card and more ram. Don’t get me wrong. I think the system requirements are pretty decent considering the extensiveness of the game, but to call them ‘low’ is just wrong.
“What seemed to have happened is that the Team tried some brand new ideas toward the beginning of The Sims 3, and were quickly shot down by players who wouldn’t hear of anything but their Sims 2 equivalents.”
They weren’t shot down. Even now, both World Adventures and Ambitions are among the top-rated EPs. What really happened was that EA got both lazy and greedy and we saw a quick slide downhill as far as quality and content was concerned.
“An easier way to explain my outlook: I find it hard to find a forum that doesn’t contain posts about how The Sims 3 sucks because there isn’t Open For Business or Freetime.”
Really? That’s what you base your view on? People will always compare sequals to their prequels and yes, they will always ask for missing prequel features they liked. Expecting they don’t is denying human nature.
You claim the Sims 3 should have aimed to be different from the Sims 2. I disagree. I think the Sims 3 should aim include every popular gameplay the Sims 2 had, preferably with some neat twists and tweaks and variety, and expand the field with even more new and enticing gameplay. And you might hate people for complaining about OfB and freetime missing, but can you really deny they added a huge amount of gameplay? Can you really claim that NOT adding something similar to the Sims 3 would be a wise decision, fanbase-wise, gameplay-wise and revenue-wise? But looky here! They’re adding resorts to the game! A nice twist on OfB with similar yet different gameplay! And what’s even better, even those not interested in running a business might like the expansion! Hello islands and diving! THAT is what they should have kept doing! Not reinventing the same old wheel, no, but making an even BETTER mode of transport by using invented wheels and adding new ones wherever necessary.
Remember NekaraNef, these are HIS opinions. Also, it’s NOT cool to attack the staff. Be nice and NOT rude.
I second NekaraNef. And i failed to notice any rudeness, only a disagreement that was missing a sugar coating that would have made it sound different then it actually is. I’ve been a hardcore simmer since the sims1 first came out, but it’s the only game i play. if they changed it into a different game, i wouldn’t play it anymore. instead, i’d be productive or something. I’m worried the bugtastic MO will continue and they’ll hand us a hollow broken game for 80$. P.s. I can’t run pets, seasons or supernatural… even though it says on the box i can.
I love the Sims games. I got the Sims on my PC but it would be cool if they would make another Sims game for the console. They only put out 2 of the Sims games out the Sims 3 and Sims 3 pets. But the only thing that makes me mad about that is that they make everything for the computer. And the ones on the computer is the best. I’m a big fan of the Sims but it would be nice to out it on the console.
I would rather have creative people come up with fantastical ideas than bend to the will and sacrifice their artistic vision to redo the same game over and over. First Person Shooters do that and I didn’t sign up for it here.
This is my first time i visit here. I found so many interesting stuff in your blog especially its discussion. From the tons of comments on your articles,
I feel like customization was one of the foremost ideas prior to the launch of The Sims 3. With neat tools like Create-A-World and Create-A-Pattern, and pretty decent support for Modders and content-creators, the team behind the scenes sparked a generation of simmers to think outside the lot and dream of what happens across the street with those kooky neighbours, cycle along the pagodas of Shang Simla, or play hide-and-go-seek with Fairies, Zombies, and Aliens (Oh my!).
I second NekaraNef. And i failed to notice any rudeness, only a disagreement that was missing a sugar coating that would have made it sound different then it actually is. I’ve been a hardcore simmer since the sims1 first came out, but it’s the only game i play. if they changed it into a different game,
I feel like customization was one of the foremost ideas prior to the launch of The Sims 3. With neat tools like Create-A-World and Create-A-Pattern, and pretty decent support for Modders and content-creators,
This is my first time i visit here. I found so many interesting stuff in your blog especially its discussion. From the tons of comments on your articles,
I love the Sims games. I got the Sims on my PC but it would be cool if they would make another Sims game for the console. They only put out 2 of the Sims games out the Sims 3 and Sims 3 pets. But the only thing that makes me mad about that is that they make everything for the computer.
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