There is just so much wrong with the game. I'm trying to like it, but there's so many holes in the wall. No fireplace will keep me warm. If you know what I mean.
Anyway, to get back to the OP, I say it's got all to do with money and time. Because EA.

And technically they didn't remove anything since they rebuilt everything. But either way, I too feel that it's pathetic that they scrapped so much.

I get the same feels about that interaction, especially for adults and elders. Teens, the excitement and throwing up a fist is fitting but a couple that are in a committed relationship for a while, there should be something more mature and different as a reaction. At least I would appreciate the Sims 2 reactions when sims are doing something they want, the animations were more hilarious.

yup, I was. dunno about the 'make out on the bed' bit, as I haven't played sims 2 for ages. I did the other day, but that was only to build a house. and then I was interrupted by my oldest cat jumping on the table and sitting in front of my keyboard.

I Love it how things like the chess table is a MUST, but they are starting leave out everything else, whatever happened to the gaming console?

Is this the part people object to? I agree - it gets old quickly and seems off. Even in a one-night stand it feels off for adults and elders. It's not the least bit romantic. I also miss the cuddle interaction after the moment. There was something I liked better, but it's escaping me now.

We're still discussing the lack of features that TS4 has? I thought that we had all established by now that it's a shitty overpriced console rehash.

Smh

Woohoo, we did it! yay!

I don't like it either. In previous games they would at least kiss before doing the thing. Now they're just like "yes i agree to have sexual intercourse with you"

I remember what it is that I like about the new woohoo - not the fist bump, but the music. There's a mood to it that suggests more than lust. It's a change from the fireworks. Coupled with the new animations, it feels more like something that has emotional intimacy as well as physical.

I think I really miss out playing with sound switched off so much (so as not to disturb others in my home), the music really does add something to many interactions.

Could you play with headphones? A large appeal of any game is the music and the sounds. Without it, I don't feel like I'm playing.

I think it is worth exploring some options. My current headphones are not comfy to wear.

As to why did they leave out slouching on sofas....I imagine it will be back at some point.
I'm hoping my gut instinct is correct that they spent more time growing the tree and less on dressing it with tinsel for TS4.

I'm playing the game and trying hard to like it, the closest I'm getting to enjoying it is all thanks to the mods though. Without them it just seems... broken and empty to me. I'm really glad people love it and I'm not giving up, but so much is missing. I hate the careers and the bugs are game breaking. I didn't appreciate the bug definition EA so kindly included in the "lessons". Especially after hearing them go on and on about how stable and reliable this new opus would be. It felt condescending and arrogant to me. Maybe they meant to be funny or something, but it felt like getting a take away from McD's, getting home with the bag unopened (because they wouldn't let me check the contents beforehand), opening the box to find a warning on the lid that says "Food poisoning happens. Deal with it", then realizing that for the price of a pretty decent burger I got half a bun, and then being thrown a pickle like they're doing me a favour, which I'm meant to be grateful for because it's free. Hello? I thought I'd actually payed for a burger in the first place? Well I guess if this pickle is free though, I'm not allowed to complain. And I'd better eat my possibly poisoned delicious expensive meal without complaining, because if I don't go back for more fries (probably single potato peel?) every six months for the next six years, it has been made clear to me this is the last meal I'm gonna get.

I agree. I do like to play this game, but it does have a lot that's missing. The things that kind of make it up are the smaller things, like pen pal post cards and the secret lots. But then you have the travel feature, which feels suddenly very Sims 2 like. In Sims 3, you could just got to a lot, especially if it was already in your neighbourhood. You didn't have to travel. Basic transportation (like a bicycle) removed. The gnome (!!) is missing, and it's harder to fill the community lots with NPCs yourself. Just things on and on like that. Man, I could really go in about the things that are missing and removed.

It's funny you mentioned the postcard collections because that's exactly the sort of thing I like doing too! It's the little things. I like to watch my Sim eat and drink. I waste so much time getting the whole family to sit at the table, each with a plate and a glass, just to watch them have a realistic meal, but it's not enough to make up for the emptiness, and dead feeling there is to it. It's worrying because how many times can one collect postcards and still enjoy it? And the traveling between lots becomes boring really quickly. There's nothing to travel to that's worth it in my view, the only times I really want to switch lots is when I need to switch between Sims, and that's worse because I need very frequent switches in order to feel I'm in control of both (or more, ugh), and after a bit I realize I've spent most of my time staring at white screens, growing bored. That didn't happen in TS3 of course (I absolutely loved the open world and never, ever thought I'd have to live without it) but it didn't happen in TS2 either because time stopped when you left a lot so frequent switching was unnecessary. Though it was a nuisance trying to keep the neighborhood up to date, at least I didn't have to worry about my other Sims when I was attending to another elsewhere. TS4 seems to have really got it all wrong in that respect, as far as my game play is concerned, at any rate.

Also, I actually loved following my sims around in their cars! I downloaded so many cars from MTS just to pack the family into one and send them for a drive. That was part of the fun, the only reason they actually went to the pool instead of building their own in the garden. So yes, now I hardly ever leave the house and sit and collect postcards and make drinks for the ridiculous amount of stalkers that hang around my doorstep, or spend time on the secret lots because they still feel new, and rack my brains trying to find a story that can keep me interested and entertained despite the suffocating limitations of house arrest.