So, recently Simcity went the online path and was a disaster, only because it was forced online and required internet to play. Between server mishaps, disconnects and rooms being full, it was a major flop.

The Sims has gone fully online a total of 4 times:
- The Sims Online (2002-2008) (PC)
- The Sims Bustin Out Online (2003-2008) (PS2)
- My Sims Online (2007-2011) (PC)
- The Sims Social (2010-2013) (FB)


Only 1 of those (The Sims Social) was successful, although its shutting down.

However, i feel that if there was a full online component where you could go to other peoples houses, go to community lots and chat, and do other things, and basically make it very much like TSO, it could be pretty fun, as long as it was completely optional. If that was to happen, a main menu could look like this:


I think that if online was fully optional, but in the online world it was actually free and engaging, it could be fun. If it had support for chatting, gifts, and other things that The Sims online and The Sims Social had.


What would you think? Would you enjoy an optional MP mode as long as it did not interfere with the single player game? I know I would. I actually enjoyed The Sims Online and The Sims Bustin Out online.

Lets see where this goes shall we?

Correct me if I'm wrong but wouldn't it be easier for the developers (and easier on the computers of those who just want one or the other, not both) to just make The Sims 4 and the Sims Online two separate games?

Well, they do say there will be online components and focusing on making it primarily offline does away with servers which, trust me, is a good thing. How those online parts work and what they do has yet to be seen but I think you might get a good comprimise.

However, to make it quicker and more accessible to customers, it would be better to make them both streamlined.

Not to mention that some people might see "The Sims Online" on store shelves and avoid it because the original "the Sims online" failed.

I'm not too bothered about actually visiting other sims, but I would like something along the lines of a Spore-type player-created universe... Basically a built in Bodyshop that you can create your own CC in, but is accessible to anyone who cares to look at it. I wouldn't want the game to automatically add the other people's CC (like Spore did), but an option to see what has been created and then choose to download it onto your own game would be awesome.... Combine Bodyshop with CAST and even chuck in a meshing program to come up with CAI (Create An Item)? Maybe a separate one for Lots too! Or even better - anything you create youself ingame, whether it be a lot, a sim, a dress etc could be available to upload to a cloud that would be accessible to everyone.

But only if you choose to!

That's assuming people even remember or played the Original Sims online. I didn't but that's only because I was like 7 and my parents didn't want me playing games with people online :P

Yeah I've seen a few other people asking for this kind of thing but in my opinion what is being asked for is way beyond the normal scope for a game. I don't think they could do justice to either type of game if they tried to combine them, not with the time and budget they're typically given to develop games. Plus I feel like those of us who don't care about online play would be subsidizing the smaller group of fans who want this, and I would much rather see my money go to the offline development of the game. Like better AI, routing that is 100 times better than what we have now, babies with legs, open shops and restaurants, more options for sim-to-sim interactions... etc., etc.

If they do this, I'd like for it to be a completely separate game that people can purchase if they want that option. But has been pointed out, they did say there will be social elements in TS4 but no info at all yet on what they will consist of. Hopefully whatever they are will make you happy.

How would it be beyond the scope?

The Sims Bustin Out on Playstation 2 was pretty true to the original sims, even if it was a console game, and it perfectly had an online world you could play in.

But you just said it - the Sims 2 Bustin out for console was a separate game.

I disagree because the development will have to be split between online and offline developmental focuses. I'd rather just have one solid singleplayer game with some online features then two broken singleplayer and online games.

Get a solid singleplayer experience and then focus on a multiplayer game afterwards. Maybe they'd do it right.

Even if I was a online game play fan, I wouldn't want to use EA's servers. First I feel simmers are the last of their concern when it comes to connectivity problems. Fixes will take a long time to address and "I don't got time for that!". I am booted out regularly from the in game wall now and the online features are not a big deal. Then there is stupid notifications popping up, someone whining about being bored and want us to entertain them or "my fingernail hurts, pray for me" type posts. Grr! I am sorry about your personal problems, but I don't freaking care! I want to play my game in peace, no nonsense notifications lagging my game, intruding my time and my game freezes or crash from most of them.

I see OP from other posts you are very enthusiastic about gaming online and talking to each other, I am happy for you because it looks like the connecting features will stay. I do not want and can entertain myself very well in MY game. If I need more social entertainment, I will come off the game and spend intimate time with my friends and family.

If you want to experience a multiplayer life simulation, with "sims" controlled by other, real, live players, there's still Second Life and IMVU. Both are still alive and accepting new members. I'm not seeing a need for a third player in the marketplace, especially one that has proven to be less than adept at deploying multiplayer sim-like SC games. Even the "successful" Sims Social is being shut down. I think that track record speaks for itself.

Accept the fact is, ive tried them both and both are terrible "Games".
They were not worth my time.

How exactly would an online option work with several EPs and such? If you wanted to share items or visit lots or whatever, then that could be difficult if the other player has a different game combo, wouldn't it? We're even seeing it now, when people with EPs share items that aren't compatible with BG only. Visiting other people's houses and such might not be the easiest thing. Depends on how it is solved.

I've never used any online options on my games, so for me I wouldn't really care whether or not they added an online option - as long as it was optional. I DO NOT want to have to be forced to be online to play a game. Not everyone has a stable online connection, and they would only end up losing several players.

From what I've seen of Second Life and IMVU the graphics are not the best, the animation not much better, and videos suggest it's a slow progress game when the two or more players are not in the same room. It is possible to play online like this, but hardly the best gameplay experience.

http://forum.thesims3.com/jforum/posts/list/675024.page

... Oh, really? That's news to me (because for the most part they don't seem to realize what the fans actually want in the game)

Think of Playstation Home.
When a player connects to a friend, and if you dont own that content, you can still see it because it will still Download.
As long as your in their house, you can see/use the content. However, once you leave that content is instantly vanished from your game unless you own it.

This could be similar in TS4.
Servers you join, you can still see peoples contents, pets, etc, even if you dont have that EP, due to active syncing.

I've not been an avid online player (except for mini games), and only have a PS2 that never went online (not sure there was online connection for that console), so Playstation Home tells me nothing. But I think I get the concept.

And I still don't think it's necessary. But as long as people can choose, it's fine. I probably won't use the online function anyway.

I am with Lewisb40 - 100 percent. If I want online I would be online and would not be playing the sims games that I choose because they are not online. I was not interested in either of the sims games that were on facebook even though I have over 3 dozen relatives who did at one time play them and beg me to join them. I am not interested. I tried all the versions of Sims Online and quite frankly was bored to tears, and hated staying with in what is allowed. Online is nothing like what we have now and is basically a ploy so companys can monitor everything you do 24/ 7 and toss ads at you.

Sims is where I spend all my free time that I am not on a sims forum - because I really hate online playing - paid - free or what have you - there is no difference to me. Online is the equivalent of me living my life in a department store - not my thing.

In fact a bunch of us had already said if Sims 4 was online - we were not even willing to try it. I refused sim City for that very reason and had been a former Sim City player heavy duty. I was so excited when they were making a new one after all these years, and then they went and put it online - no thankyou.

Until that other person has a piece of cc that attaches itself to everything or has a broken mod, or one that is not on the same patch level you are on. Then your game is borked. Or some idiot decides to do everything in their power to destroy your current game by messing up relationships, or basically being a pain in the ass. No thanks.

the thing is if this was made as an online game you would have near enough everything censored out. Things like woohoo. How would you honestly feel known some pervert is playing with your teenage daughter and making their sims woohoo together... doesn't sit right with me. Making it an online game is just a disaster and will ruin it for everyone else because of a few stupid people. And 10 years from now i want to still play my game however do you honestly think EA would keep the servers up forever? Then you would have to hire more staff to moderate the online play from perverts, scammers and the likes.

NOTHING good comes from online play. The servers will eventually be shut down when EA brings out the next generation of games. Its not worth it.

Sims Online was horrible. No to online for sims, they are welcome to make a new version to cater to those who wish to play that way.

the only reason i would want an online option is so i could play with known friends (such friends inconveniently live in other countries, but still enjoy the sims, and id love to collaborate a legacy with them or something). but NOT through EA's horrible wannabe-facebook site. i wouldnt want an open-to-everyone online experience...just my own selective little worlds with selective other players, but i doubt TSO would be like that. :T

You might think this will be fun, until:

1. EA requires you to save your game on their servers. Then their servers lose your ten generation legacy game. Yes, and we all know that is exactly what will happen.

2. EA decides t hat it no longer is making money on the Sims 4, and they shut down their servers. Or they go bankrupt, and their servers are shut down. Or some other company buys them out and decides they no longer want to support the game, and the servers are shut down. At this point, your investment of several thousands of dollars in the game is lost.

3. EA decides they want to go to a subscription model. So you can continue to use their servers for a fee of $20.00 per month.

4. Some smart ass decides it is more fun to wreck other people's games than to play his own. So they manage to mess up your game. Of course, EA will not hire enough moderators to prevent this from happening. What makes you think they will run this any better than they run their forums or the exchange?

I totally agree. They wont support the game forever and what if you continue to play 10 years later? It isn't impossible considering people are still playing TS1 and TS2 now. They didn't even wait 10 years before shutting down the official forums.

i like the online feature on sims 3. its nice talking to others that are playing when im playing. i dont like how on sim city you cant hardly find other players to play with and that your city relies on the other players in the region to get a great works completed. i will say its fun for me when i am on with another person at the same time in the same region because its fun to talk and help each other with something needed. but if sims 4 is going to be online only they need to make it easier to find friends to play with somehow and i dont want to have to rely on others to help play the game. i would love to visit a neighbor and that neighbor be playing in real time. i think that type of interaction would be really fun. even though i dont mind the online feature i dont think its fair that they made sim city totally online only because if something happens and they decide to shut the server s down then the game cant be played. i want to be able to play a game i paid for even if the company goes to the toilet. i really think sims4 will be online only though and that really sucks for us fans that have been playing since the very beginning. the buyers should have that choice because without us buying the games then they would go to the toilet very fast. i cant get excited just yet about sims4 because i havent been able to get all the ep's with sims3 yet. i think they come out with expansions way too fast. they act like people are just made of money or that we all have a money tree to harvest from. i'd like them to slow down a bit on releasing them. remember when it took forever to get a released ep for sims2? i want that again and i want them to test the game and ep's longer and work on glitches before releasing but thats just wishful thinking. we all know they just push them out as fast as they can.