The thing EA needs to take note is consistency and balance between expansion packs. I felt the Sims 2 had that sort of consistency by having so many additional features as the expansion packs progress and no expansion pack feels lesser than the other (unless if your own preferences say otherwise). The Sims 3 however didn't have that balance nor consistency, WA and Ambitions's additions were really minor compared to that of ITF and University, Generations felt like a stuff pack with additional interactions which could have been suitable for the base game and Late Night and Showtime (aka Late Night 2.0) was quite disappointing since the additional features could have been formed into one good expansion pack... I really liked the whole urban/night life/ celebrity motif.

Yes, I know EA/Maxis used a new engine for TS3 however they didn't display enough quality nor quantity into TS3 as they would have preferred... even though I have my full support for the Sims 4, however I'm quite worried about the balance of the EPs for these next 5 years.

I never said that EA would only start releasing information a month before release. Just that they could.

And of course there will be information before the release date otherwise their game just won't sell. They might not be good at giving you what you want sometimes but they're not idiotic.

I take it you haven't played any of their games.

I didn't say you DID. I was saying doing that is a bad idea if EA did something like that.

And SADLY, I have to disagree with you on EA not being idiotic. I can point to multiple examples that prove otherwise. Dating all the way in the late 90's when they fucked up Ultima to what they are doing now with the Sims 4.

I'm not very familiar with E3 but could they have some kind of contract to show their product there first? Or it is not the way it works? If that is the case it means we have to wait two months more. I don't know what to think anymore.

In your opinion. I have played multiple EA games. Mass Effect, Dragon Age, Sims 1, Sims 2, console sims games and more.

In my opinion what they did with Sims 3 was idiotic but that doesn't make the company as a whole idiotic.

If you really have such dislike for them I suggest you buy no more of their games, including Sims 4.

How did you even come to the conclusion that I bought any of their products? Just because I played the Sims 3 doesn't mean I bought it. Also, I know it's an opinion. That's why I said I to disagree with you, not that you were wrong. Plus, even if I don't buy any of their products that doesn't mean I can't have an opinion on their flawed business practices. As I said, I have more problems with EA besides the stupid shit that was done with the Sims 3.

Let's just watch ourselves here guys, and remember that the posting guidelines explicitly rule out condoning theft of intellectual property, if that's what you're getting at Animator. It's not more okay when it's done with a little wink and a nudge, so tread carefully.

On the other hand, everyone here has a right to an opinion. This isn't a "who knows EA best" competition, and we can surely agree to disagree on claims like whether or not EA is "idiotic", rather than risk derailing the thread over it.

The balance and distribution of expansion packs in Sims 3 was just awful. First we got adventures and traveling then came ambitions then late night and those have absolutely nothing much in common. Also don't get me started on that first we get vampires in Late Night and then "improved" in Supernatural, why do one in Late Night then? Sims 3 was a complete fiasco in all it's ways while IMO Sims 2 was a bit more balanced on expansion packs matter. Sims 1 too.

That's fair enough if you don't want to buy their products, of course you're allowed an opinion on their business practices - but to me, if the games are good and well supported that is all that matters. (Unless of course they have Securom ruining your system, and other such nonsense)

I'm just a little tired of all the whining in the gaming community (in general) - it's sort of ridiculous sometimes. If a developer chooses to take something in a different direction than they want it's torches and pitchforks. Nobody even knows what the Sims 4 is going to be like, so all it takes is a little patience rather than complaining on a forum and coming up with the worst possible outcomes.

This is EA we're talking about though. The worst possible outcome happens with them more often than not XD

I have grown cynical with EA lately and fear how Sims 4 may turn out. I do hope that the information they release for Sims 4 will prove me wrong and give me lots of egg on my face but I don't have much hope for it. I have lost all faith that my favorite game will ever be as great, not like when they released Sims 2. It still breaks my heart.

That does seem to be the case lately.

I'm hoping now that Maxis is back on board with the series that it will be stronger, but we can only wait and see.

Yeah, I'm just spoiled by the company who makes my strategy games, who give plenty of info about games before they're out, complete with developer diaries, shots of gameplay, and programmers who answer questions.

With EA, it's like a state secret that they've got the newest incarnation of their biggest franchise coming out this fall. Shhh!

Maxis has always been on board, it was acquired by EA long, long ago, and a few of the staff are still there from when Maxis was Maxis. Maxis isn't back, the brand was brought back, presumably because it has much better brand currency than EA Play had, but it's still just EA Play, renamed Maxis, and unfortunately fooling quite a few people into thinking there's been some kind of ideological change with the brand switch..

Also I don't see anything specially good about the Maxis brand since they bought out Bullfrog and instantly abandoned Theme Hospital.

I didn't know this and it kinda makes me mad since Theme Hospital is one of my favorite games.. ever.

You can count me in with the whole Theme Hospital love-fest - that was an epic game; I still play it now!! Love building up my own NHS-fail healthcare system - complete with vomit in the lobby, caretakers who quit on the spot, reckless doctors and patients dying in the toilets .... ah, good times, good times... *sobs*

In Sims4 related news, someone took SimsVIP's Sim from Gamescom and gave it a makeover/comparison/how cool would this look with CC-kinda thing; I saw it on her Twitter feed and thought I'd share the direct link: http://daddygrahn.tumblr.com/post/8...-4th-generation

Thoughts?

We must have very different interpretations of "well supported". If you mean game breaking flaws that either take years to get fixed, or never get fixed at all, then, sure, it's "well supported".

As for the whining in the gaming community, and it's perceived ridiculousness, remember that without that community, there would be no games, since, at the end of the day, the games are a product being sold to a customer base. What you call "whining" I call "feedback". It only makes good business sense to pay attention to what your customers are saying.

I said it a long time ago, but EA doesn't deserve my patience anymore, nor the benefit of the doubt.

That image is about as useful as concept art in determining how CC will look, since it's as far as I can tell it's a piece of art, not a manipulation of the original image.

At least the pic shows that also the 4th generation will probably look horrible without the help of modders... oh no, they call it cartoony.

Man.. This thread turned into a debate... Let's all not argue each other please.. It's like I got argued with some random guy at Grand Theft Auto Forums..

But TS4 is all about emotions, it's good people are getting them emotions out.

Better than TS3. xD

Absent of any real information, all that's left is debate. Or abandon the forum. Make your choice.