Moderatorly note: This thread has been repurposed to serve as the Unified Receptacle for any and all complaints about the game, its features, existant and future updates or expansions, or others holding opinions about said game / features / updates / expansions. If you want to complain, do it here.

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Happy complaining!

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So with the Sims 4 being released and all there is a list of things we don't like about it. Here's mine:
1. The small neighborhoods. In Willow Creek, there's only about 13 residential lots. And right now, You can't lay down a new empty lot.
2. The cellphones. The cellphones in this game are huge! I feel like we're in the 90's again. If you're going to force us to have them at least make them modern.
3. The computers. Again, the computers look so old. Why not give us a modern flat screen computer? I mean really, it's 2014!
5. Glitches. There are definitely routing glitches. I saw one sim walking on a sidewalk, and she walked right through a fence onto the street.
6.Lack of NPC's/services. The only two services available are the maid, and pizza delivery. I miss having burglars, newspapers, police,etc.
7. Lack of firefighters. Should've been in the list above, but without firefighters, how do we stop our sims from dying in a fire?
8. Loading screens. I can understand having loading screens going to another neighborhood, but really? ONe just to go to a lot across the street?
There are probably more that i'm missing, but this is just what I dislike. What about everybody else?

I really wanted to post just to react to 2 - I don't know if you've ever seen a Samsung galaxy phone, but I have bad news for you.

I think they should have worked on the game more before they released it. the toddler spider limb thing is horrifying.
also they shouldn't have changed the interface so much, build/buy mode is more confusing now. also lack of pools, obviously.
are they expecting to sell expansion packs for them or something??

Maybe eventually you unlock a modern looking PC? Just guessing from what I saw in the livestreams.
Also saw in the livestreams that other sims will attempt to put your sim out with a fire extinguisher. It was too late to save the sim that one time I saw it, but that could be because the SGs and the Chat horde wanted the sim to die. Don't know what you do if the sim lives alone - I guess that sim is SOL.

1. "Smaller and with more detail! Less is more!"
2. Tiny phones are out. As the phones get smarter, the screens get bigger. Of course, it's better not to force us to be techy.
3. Strong Bad would diss those computers as out-of-date.

Where's #4 on your list? It skipped to 5 for me.

To my short list, I would add

- Career selection stinks.
- One skin texture = fresh-faced middle-aged and even elderly Sims.
- Poorly balanced. Too much motive and relationship decay, and bills scale up like mad. Also, it's too easy to become Uncomfortable, and emotions are overall too wild.

Also - does it really kick you out of your save game if everyone's dead in one house, or do you get to choose another house?

It doesn't feel like a finished product. Like, there is just not much new. As usual there are bars but no real restaurants etc. ;( Not to mention how backwards it feel to have your baby age up to a child and not even be able to carry the baby around.

The lack of firefighters bothered me when I put a fire alarm on my lot, only to find out when my sim is burning, it doesn't summon firefighters because they aren't programmed into the game.

Lemme see:
- glitches. E.g., maid comes and charges me 60 bucks to clean up, goes away. I go to the bar. When I come back, I'm told a maid cleaned up in my absence and charged me 40 bucks. WTH? Again on the same day? Next day, I come to work, leaving everything pretty dirty at that. No maid shows up, but eventually I'm told the maid charged me 120 bucks. Ugh, for what? For not even showing up on that day? I don't seem to get paid that day, either, so I guess I just paid for my own 8 hours at work.
- more glitches. E.g., I go to a bar, one of the patrons keeps rubberbanding back to the barstool (and I mean literally a zippy slide back) while trying to go to the TV. I swear it's the first OFFLINE game where I've EVER seen rubberbanding.
- and even more glitches.
- the unholy storm of tutorial popups, including ones that you can't click away, and such stuff (that again you can't ignore) as making a sim grungy that had just had a shower and was preparing to go out. Just so they can tell me how to take a shower. I know how to take one. I had already had one, ffs. If I wanted a lesson in how to take a shower, I would have used the help.
- the crap UI that manages to get in the way of edge scrolling in more than one direction
- not being able to set my own colours
- lacking a ton of basic traits, like loner
- the heavy-handed emotions system, including that it can make a conversation go irreversibly south in an instant. And by irreversibly, I mean there's no way to interact meaningfully with a guest sim for the rest of the evening any more (can't send guests to use the sports items, sorry)
- ... and the fact that it's made pointless anyway by the emotion aura objects, including the cheap plumb-bobs for owning the TS3 expansions. Essentially it's a question of how much aura stuff I buy, rather than role-playing a conversation or anything.
- the tiny lots. It's not even as much that there are too few of them, but they're small too
- that you can't edit the town before moving in your first family (which would have solved the previous problem too)

Etc.

I guess what I'm saying is that there aren't many things that I do like.

Ummm what toddlers? That is exactly why I dislike Sims 4.. all summed up in one question What followed by toddlers, pools, service NPC's, terrain tools, dishwashers etc.

This.
I've been playing Sims for more than the decade. From Sims 1 and Sims 2, there was a huge leap in the game. The graphics were a huge improvement and also they introduced new things such as being able to customize how your sims look in detail and the genetics, and so much more. From Sims 2 to Sims 3, there was an open world, no loading screens, much more detailed play and so on... As a Sims fan, I've watched so many Sims 4 videos and even streams from twitch to see the game play of it. Seriously, there is nothing really that changed. I remember buying Sims 3 when it came out in 2009. It has been 5 years. I expect a better game, not a downgrade. Yes, the emotions and the "smart" sims are somewhat of improvement. But other than that, there is no significant changes or upgrades in this game that I am seriously disappointed. Of course, expansion packs will add to the game. But that has always been the case before. And I do not expect expansion packs to totally change the game play. It will just add to it, if you know what I mean. As a Sims fan for such a long time, I really did expect something better than this. I don't mind spending money on game, if it seems worthy of the money. I was playing Sims 3 last night and honestly, it was great. I cannot imagine being stuck in the loading screens and small world anymore, even if the loading takes just a few seconds. Everything about this game is just disappointing.

Huh? Last time I checked, Loner was there. But the three trait limit is downright strangling.

I know what you mean by that. Always "funny" (annoying) to have a Sim get pissed off at you and trash the relationship down to that worthless dreaded "Acquaintances".


Also - ease of getting huge - either fat or muscle. Neither are attractive.

Well, then either I'm blind (well, they did warn me) or I'm playing a different version. I can find "Independent" that I can buy for lifetime happiness later, but I didn't see a Loner trait.

"One step forward, two steps back" is the phrase I've been using to describe the game. They made a lot of strides in the Sims 3 and, yeah, some of them didn't work out like they'd planned, but they just scrapped so many good ideas--the open world, story progression, etc--rather than trying to fix them. It feels like an updated Sims 2 with better graphics. Which might not be a horrible thing after two or three expansions, but right now...

The thing that pisses me off the most is the lack of career options. No business career? Medicine? Police? Science? It's hard to play a true "life simulator" when all of the options are so bizarre and outrageous. I got the feeling EA was going in this direction when the first expansion for the Sims 3 was world adventures rather than something more down-to-earth like pets or seasons. They're trying to appeal to a larger audience and they feel like people who want to just simulate a mundane, ordinary existence are in the minority (maybe I am, but I still don't see why I can be a secret agent and not a police officer...though if they introduce police officers later, it'll be nice that they're two separate career paths this time)

A close second is the lack of NPCs. No repairman? The only thing we can do is fix stuff ourselves or replace things? The lack of police officers and burglars and fire fighters is troublesome too. To reply to someone above, sims have to put other sims out. I did manage to save one of mine and it did create an interesting story moment with that emotional element added, but I have absolutely no idea what you'd do if you lived alone. I guess just burn and die. What a bleak existence. I miss mailmen too, they added a level of life to the world.

One of the things that bothers me off is probably something that's pissed most people off since the Sims 3: the lack of options in a base game. At least we have PIANOS this time. But even more than toddlers and pools (though pools were nice if only to give you a level of extravagance to aim for...right now, the only thing that sets "mansions" aside from regular houses is their size), I miss the simple things like video game consoles, dishwashers and trash compactors. Those were so nice to have... and right now, I just feel like after a couple hours of play, there's not a lot to aim for as far as goals.

Something I've seen that irks me that I've never seen anyone else mention is how weird it is to have the other residents just...walking around at all hours of the day, just generally being big "SOCIALIZE WITH ME!" signs with legs. We still have community lots (and I actually feel like the community lots are a lot more vibrant and alive than in previous games), so what's with this weird, surreal children of the corn thing we have going on? I can see one or two people walking past your house a day, but it's a constant stream of pedestrians at all hours, even in the middle of the night (oh, and then try and call them, they'll yell at you that they're trying to sleep).

The lack of traits is troubling too. I feel like there might be enough traits for a base game (considering how bare-bones the rest of the game is), but three slots is ridiculous, especially when you don't actually have to fill all of them. I hope a modder comes along and gives us additional trait slots, I feel really stymied when creating characters. However, the troubling thing to me is how few traits EA added over the span of the Sims 3's life. If they add as few (and as meaningless) traits over the course of the Sims 4, then it'll be a problem.

Bottom line: EA created another cheap cash in. This one's going to be fun ultimately, but it'll take a few expansion packs to do it. Unfortunately, as the Sims is one of the few games I thoroughly enjoy for more than a couple hours nowadays, I'm in, hook line and sinker. I do feel like they could have benefited from about six months of polishing, adding some of those missing features, even if it was just to add a few more items like dishwashers and trash compactors, though you can't tell me a company like EA couldn't have added pools in that span of time.

My prediction: first EP will be a seasons EP and will include pools. Just a guess.

Loner is definitely there. It's in the last tab of the traits. I have three loners in my world.



I feel the Sims ARE smarter, but I don't have a lot of empirical evidence yet. I do feel like I've gotten a lot more enjoyment from the sim on sim relationship gameplay than in previous games, but overall, yes. This game is a huge step backwards. If they'd kept the advancements from the Sims 3, the open world and story progression (and, y'know, made them work better), then this really would have felt like a step forward, even a smallish one. I haven't gotten a chance to play much (honestly, why are games released on Tuesdays? Whose brilliant idea was that?), but I will enjoy this game a lot more than the Sims 3 if the automation is better, if I can throw a party and sims aren't spending the entire time playing someone else's guitar (horribly) until they shit themselves.

And I guess in the end, actually my biggest complaint is that nothing makes any intuitive sense. It's like they went for maximum WTF factor.

I can increase my "Gourmet Cooking" skill, but that doesn't increase my "Cooking" skill? Huh? How the hell does that even work? Is my learning how to fry a herb-encrusted fish having exactly zero relevance on my frying it without herbs? Why is that even a separate skill?

I get inspired by taking a "thoughtful shower"? Huh? Computers have different magical auras that can be turned on or off? (One has focus, one has inspiration, etc.) How does that even work?

Having 4 happiness moodlets doesn't count for the "become happy" whim, if I also have 1 playful or confident moodlet? (Then they feed into that one.) WTH? So confident and uber-happy doesn't count as happy?

Etc.

I actually like separating Gourmet and regular cooking. I hated having Sims mastering Cooking because they have to cook every day (no fast food, you know?) and suddenly being able to make Lobster Thermidor after years and years of making only simple food. But Gourmet skilling should also cause regular skilling.

Emotions really need a "dead zone".

Also - being really happy and then getting enough of a Playful moodlet to push that emotion shouldn't be a lethal combination.

- small worlds
- closed worlds/loading screens
- people wandering around at all hours but not being available to come over for a visit
- skilling is too easy/quick
- emotions are like moodlets, but have to be managed and have nothing to do with the Sims' traits
- not enough traits to choose from (and some of them are not worth a slot when you only get three)
- only 3 trait slots
- not enough aspirations

I remember I had a learning curve coming from Sims 2 into 3 because of story progression but once I figured it out, I loved it. Now I feel like I have a learning curve coming into 4 because I fell in love with vibrant, changing neighborhoods in 3. Not sure how to make 4 work for me. Have to decide today if I'm going to take advantage of the return policy.

Well, I didn't say it was lethal. Just that it's counter-intuitive that I can't fulfil a wish to get happy, no matter how many happy moodlets my sim has, just because that sim told a joke two hours ago.

I can understand (kind of) how some things were cut/are lacking - like the world being small for the sake of performance - but no dishwashers? I mean.... really?

A lot of things, but my top 3 right now are
- The career selections. Too wacky, and things such as painter and writer should have been work from home jobs, like in TS3.
- No family tree.
- The goddamn musical chairs.

Ah yes, the chair thing. I knew I had forgotten something.

To be completely honest, I'm already bored of the game and it hasn't even been a week yet.

1. In The Sims 3, you actually felt like you were part of the world as you watched it interact and unfold. With The Sims 4, you feel a bit disconnected from the world, and traveling at this point isn't something that draws you in (DLC will fix this, sadly).
2. The community lots are VERY boring. The only thing you can do at the bars is drink, socialize, and use the Mic. Really, that microphone is the only thing that you give us to play with on a community lot? Outside of that, there only there for when your Sims can't afford a computer (the library), or if you want to have some drinks and socialize (the bars). The parks are beautiful, but they also wear out their welcome quickly. I would rather my Sim stay home and have a party, and eventually buy a computer. Again, there is no reason to travel at this point unless you're into collectables and whatnot.
3. There are too many core features of The Sims 3 missing from 4, you almost have to scratch your head and think, "What were they thinking?"

Limited. Very limited. Too heavily influenced on DLC already.

Do they have supermarkets at least? How do they shop?

They don't shop in The Sims 4. Everything is bought through the object itself without traveling.

- Food is bought when you select an item to cook from the fridge or the stove (think of The Sims 3 without traveling to the market).
- Books are bought straight from the bookcase.

I wonder if I'm the only one that misses the grocery stores and clothing stores of the Sims 2. They were a bit of a pain when you ran out of food and had to go out or order delivery, but I felt like they added so much to the game. And having to buy your outfits felt so real to me. This "having everything available at all times" thing that started with the Sims 3 just feels kind of lame to me.

I also miss having to buy your cellphone, though I've heard more than one person complain about that.