This thread is for your ideas on how The Sims 4 as a finished product (including EPs) could or should differ from previous versions of the game. Post one-line critiques or pitch a whole plan - I'm interested. If anyone wants to elaborate on my Immersive EP idea with a list of workable titles and descriptions that would be cool. (Think Medieval with base game dependency and outward expandability.) Half my ideas are not what I want but what I think is sensible or can't believe hasn't been done yet, but the thread is primarily intended for complete overhauls inspired by the lack of available info so far.

Here's mine:

Lower hardware needs in the base game
Ideally, the base game has noticeably lower hardware needs (supporting the idea of basic weather and other basic elements that could be elaborated later), as this would create player interest more easily. People would not have to upgrade to play a game they haven't used yet, and instead would upgrade later to improve the experience. (I see this a LOT on Steam, and it's especially relevant to teenagers who will have their own income during the product's life but risk alienation at the first stage.) Elements to include: hobbies / Generations interactions that don't increase the load, basic weather such as rain and seasonal lighting states (with selection setting available), reasonable extent of basic CAS items before crazy stuff most won't use (why would they want us to think they're ethnocentric anyway?*), etc. It should include a small default island world (for the base game itself) as well as a big landlocked one that can be upgraded / expanded outwards with all EP stuff. EA - do not be afraid to release a fully functional game that people will tell their friends to buy and desperately need the expansions for a good reason!

This structure allows for customers to better choose expansions based on their wants and needs. Each EP would exclusively contain content that is relevant to the pack. I know they don't want to do this, but I still hold out hope, because while the company needs to make money, it does not need to bully customers into spending tonnes elsewhere on hardware they don't want just to play the base game.

Stop rehashing expansion packs and charging the earth for should-be-base content
EPs could be more exciting and dynamic than ever before, including all manner of crazy stuff like theme park building and agricultural vocations - there could be console approximations that use the idea differently like TS2 Pets had, basically for the same reasons. Certain parts would be like someone went all-out on a minigame idea. We could have a history EP which adds loads of quirky interactions that are suited to various dates in time, for instance vague Stone Age, vague Medieval, vague Victorian, and call all of them something else like the vacation worlds are in TS3. It would still be The Sims, but taking the everyday humour further than ever before. A fantasy EP could have all the vampire/werefairy/hobbit/whatever stuff as well as undersea, desert, tundra and space elements that are currently painstakingly modded for moviemaking. The problem is that EA likes to get "weird", but doesn't go deep enough to entertain most gamers. A business EP could have OFB stuff as well as Ambitions, and we could see more (interesting) careers elaborated on. (Personally I would like to have Alter Ego style opportunities for Sims who are working or studying offscreen - things which add realism and have an impact on the Sim afterwards. Maybe our Sim could be inserted into a "screenshot" picture of the action that went down, if they're not up for showing us properly.) In this model, an EP would be somewhat like an original game, and it would be worth the price even if the price varies from EP to EP. Elements that would work in a standalone fashion could be orphaned into a paid download (but still included in the EP), e.g. Domestic Pets - it's the Farm & Zoo EP without farms and zoos! That would ensure that someone on a budget still gives EA their money for the content they want. Instead of relying on collectibility, they'd transition to making every EP a fandom within itself, and The Sims a wider-reaching franchise. This instead of making separate games like Medieval would be cool. The idea being that if you had a good enough computer, all the EPs would still be compatible together, but you'd probably be selective because they're so specific.

The Store
I want to see it contain (vetted, maybe) fan worlds, new vacation worlds once we have vacations, new base worlds not tied to an EP, and premium custom content. I know the last part is contentious, but most people who are willing would likely rather go through a well-known company such as EA for this stuff than TSR/etc. They should allow free CC elsewhere because they know it keeps people playing the games, but if they would finally exert some authority over those who are making money out of their product, then the Store content could improve and those people would have a loophole to getting paid to mod legally. Basically, decrease sketchy paysites and horrible Store downloads, and increase the company's income (other than traditional sales) and percentage of vetted, safe pay content if it insists on existing. *They could also pay these people to make difficult or niche content for the game that they're too untalented or lazy to research and create, e.g. curly hair.

If I was in charge...

EA executives, you're fired. Now I can fix everything by:

Bugfix, bugfix, bugfix!
Gone now is EA's dumb policy of releasing games bugged! I would put the game on Valve Time until most bugs are squashed. I don't really care if it's two months late, the customers will be pleased that they wont have major bugs in the game. (Of course, I'll need cleanup patches.)

Listen to Suggestions
EA is made up of a bunch of idiots at the top and everyone else is forced to follow suit. Meaning, they ignore suggestions by the people who buy the game. I'd actually pay attention to the users, who, again, buy the product. Wouldn't it be great if the Sims 4 launch was a flop because people waited to see what the game was like?

Custom Content Boom
The people running the Sims 3 thought it would be a good idea to block CC, except recolors. That did not go well. I'd not only support CC creation, I'd make it easy! I'd release all sorts of tools. Meshing tools, recolor tools, a package editor, etc. Basically, I'd make it so that the EA executives could make all sorts of CC.

Fix Everything
The Sims 2 is very prone to corruption. Why? EA didn't fix the problems that caused it! My policy is, fix everything. Fix all the bugs, I don't care if it means 10 base game patches.

Limit Expansion Packs
EA likes making a feature and packaging it with a bunch of clothes, extra objects, extra functions, etc. I would only release paid EPs for major changes. The future EP that's going to be released soon is the type of thing that I would release. Nightlife, Seasons, Bon Voyage, Pets, will all be released in an Expansion Pack, but something close to free. Something like Open for Business would count as a major change, but only just. You'd have to pay a dollar or two for the free EP discs. It would only be downloadable from Steam and Origin, the game's got to have some DRM. To be fair to everyone, I'd probably make the downloadable EP cost a bit too. Why not release it in a patch? Lower end computers. This won't work? Mojang stays afloat with something similar, and they have one game. EA has many, many games. Stuff Packs? What's a stuff pack? I release "stuff" on the Exchange.

These are just a few ways I'd fix the game.

Custom Content Boom
The people running the Sims 3 thought it would be a good idea to block CC, except recolors. That did not go well. I'd not only support CC creation, I'd make it easy! I'd release all sorts of tools. Meshing tools, recolor tools, a package editor, etc. Basically, I'd make it so that the EA executives could make all sorts of CC.

A thousand times yes!!!!
I hate to break it to Maxis but custom content makes their game for me and many others. They haven't stopped us they just made it more time consuming. The least they could do is have a package editor.

If I was in charge, I'd go indie and release the game only digital to remove the need for a publisher.
Shouldnt be too hard to get funding considering the world would be gratefull that the cancer that is EA would be removed from the sims franchise, and the franchise is amazingly popular. If even Obsidian with their buggy unfinished games can easily raise millions to make a new game, the sims franchise would make it much easier even.

I'd also revamp the online downloads, fully incorporating fan content into the store as long as its appropriate to the age rating of the game. In the store would also be a small section with items made by the dev team which cost money, but about half of what such things would cost now. In other words, the price would match the content provided. Items in the store would mostly be items that give new interactions, and it would be three versions of this item to provide variation. If for example a shuffleboard table is added, you'd get a cheap, futuristic and fancy version for example.

Money is of course required for the development, and I'd make expansions packs more expensive. The same price as the basegame, but also including the content of two expansion packs. This may allow better optimalisation of the game, new content interacting better with existing content but less releases. I'd plan for one such expansion each year but without fear of delaying it a bit if its not ready yet. In case of delay I'd release a small package of pay content thats a bit of a preview of things to come, not things in the upcoming expansion but that matches the theme of the expansion. Something to help people get exited about it.

Of course the combinations of new features would be sensible. Vacations and seasons, pets and farms, apartments and nightlife, etc. Ideal pairings to make the most out of it and provide a vastly richer experience with each expansion than what was ever possible in previous sims games.

Basegame would have more loading times to provide a smoother experience within the game, cities and villages would be divided into several areas. The world would pretty much be open, but would be less straining on computers. Loading screens would also be cleverly hidden. If your sim(s) take a car to go downtown, you'd see them get in. Once they leave the area they are in and go downtown, the camera gets locked on the car and the background becomes blurry. You'd only see the car from the front window and the sims in it.
As the game loads you could still let your sims interact inside the car and you can still review their needs, wants, etc. Your sims can talk as they are driving. If your sim is alone he/she can still sing along with the radio (can also do that with all sims in the car)
When taking a bus, you'd see your sim sit in the bus along with the other sims that stood at the bus stop. And you can interact with them, listen to music, play with their mobile phone, etc.
If your sim travels by plane to another country, you'd actually see this too. Your sims would enter the plane, and be able to interact with people on the plane as the new location loads. Some sims might be affraid of flying even, and of course it also adds the option to woohoo in the airplane toilet.
To sum it up I'd turn loading screens into something fun that actually adds to the game as well as provide a smoother experience for all.

As for jobs, I'd link this to a fully functional economy in your town. Job positions are limited based on whats needed. Can only be one mayor for example, one chief of police, etc. Makes the jobs hold more meaning. Offices can go bankrupt through poor management, but theres more than one office to work at. In a way each occupation would have some open for business features in it based on the position of a sim within the organisation.

Sims would be seen doing their work but cant be controlled. they'd basicly turn into NPC's for the time being. Which means it could be your police sim that catches burglars and brings prankster kids home. A few options would be available that determines how they do their job and you'd see them do it like that. You'd also see sims working at the office, the supermarket, etc.

Sims psychology would be a bit more expanded to give them more character.

Each sim would have:
-a fear.
-a lifelong dream. (which may change over time due to sims having a new dream after seeing something, giving up on their dream, etc. it makes it actually impressive when sims stick to their dream.)
-5 things they like and 5 things they dislike. (the things they like they will actively try to do whenever they can and the things they dislike they will always avoid doing.They could try to sing karaoke whenever they can and avoid using a swingset for example.)
-5 traits as in sims3, but traits actually being taken a lot further, as far as you'd expect from it. daredevils trying to do crazy dangerous things, geniuses being a genius, insane sims being actually insane, etc.
-Movement style. Sims can have different movement styles, the basic style is always available and other movement styles can be chosen based on traits. flirty, good kisser, charming and such allows for a confident movement style. lazy adds a lazy style. snob could add an arrogant movement style. Also determines how they sit in chairs and such.
-three turn ons and three turn offs. Was a good feature that should return expanded, helping further to determine what things they like and dislike in a partner.

University would be in the game right away, part of life and the entire educational system and tied in with available jobs. University is required to become a doctor for example. Some careers are completely unavailable for those that didnt go to university and some such as medical will be limited. sims could still be a nurse with a high school diploma, but not a doctor for example.
There would be evening classes at university for sims that want to get their degree later in life.

Months, years and seasons are in the basegame, but not weather. Better take the time to do it right. Sims also age accordingly to the years, and players may determine how many days are in a sim month. Aging can still be turned off.
What sims can do depends on their age. At age 13, a teen sim would still be more childish than at age 15. Each year they grow a bit less childish, unless they have the childish trait.

Two words: BETA TESTING

Seasons, weather, pets and nightclubs should all be in the base game. Vacation worlds should all be totally unique with totally unique stuff to do (no more generic tombs that are pretty much the same everywhere).

Also a large beta testing group, which any fan could apply to be part of.

Storyprogression needs a huge revamp, and there should be in-game options to customize it (as with twallan's mod) and an option to exclude specific households from it like Awesomemod's "Make Sacred" feature, and Sims 2 style rotation play without storyprogression or town residents in other households changing jobs and stuff should be made easy for those who enjoy it.

Agree with Inhuman One that traits should be more unique. Also bring back fears and the ability to reduce your sim to a gibbering wreck, because that was hilarious. (enjoys being mean to simmies on occasion)

And a pony, too!

And by Simmers, not some folks who like shooters that they found down the hall.

Why do people keep saying this? The base games are buggy without all of this - can you imagine how it would be with it? How slow and sluggish development would be? Night Clubs I can understand (because it's very basic), and weather (at a very basic level) but you're not getting pets in a base game. Some things just need to be expansion packs. I'm all for being cheap and economic, but not everyone wants their game to be plagued with strays and wildlife 100% of the time. It's just not a good plan.

I would hope, at least, that Pets would be one of the first EP's for it, not because pets are fun, or cute, or add realism to the game, but because that expansion tends to break custom furniture by changing the coding to allow pets to jump on top of counters and so forth. It's best to get that stuff out of the way as quickly as possible, or at least plan ahead for it.

People tend to want all kinds of complicated things in the basegame that would draw away resources from basic aspects of the game. Better to let them add the simple things in the basegame such as apartments, nightlife features, generations stuff and such. To make the game as strong as it can be at its core which can then be expanded upon.

well i agree with a lot of what others have said but one thing i don't ever want to see in any sims game ever again is social groups

I would let them create a program similar to the Sims 2 body shop.

Agreed that we need Pets to come out towards the start of the game's life for CC reasons. I'm sure this annoys modders and players almost equally, not to mention that some modders stop playing or updating over time and the items never get fixed. They have a right to quit without getting whinged at because EA couldn't be bothered to include precursors to content in the base game or soon afterwards. The team should figure out and add the structure for weather and pets long before the animations are done. Without a reasonable amount of preparation, is it a game or merely a beta game? This is a totally different ask than "give us pets and weather straight away", and would not negatively affect people who prefer the game without those elements.

In some ways I think the base game could stand to be more basic, but only if it includes a fair amount of interactions for all ages, ordinary clothing styles and other simple content that is held over for no good reason. I.m.o the purpose of expansion packs has become ironic, considering that instead of saving on space or resources compared to one full game, they require everyone to install all of them to get the basic content they would like. Breaking them up into downloadable content sets would make the game more customisable. I'm not saying don't release big disk expansions, but I think there needs to be an alternative as well, and it would gain a following with people who could never have bought a whole expansion but want a bit more content.

How about if base game objects are already designed with the knowledge that Pets will eventually come out, so there's no need to change anything whenever it's finally released? I mean, after the TS3 Pets saga, it's not exactly arcane knowledge that objects need to be compatible, so why not make that from Day 1? Extending that line of thought, how about if the roadmap of planned expansions is shared between the developers, so integration of new interactions/objects/roles/etc. can be intelligently implemented?

^That's one of the problems with the series, as of right now. There's isn't a lot of (or at least, not enough of) forward thinking, beyond the scope of the current EP.

EA is a corporation, and by law corporations must do whatever they can to make their stockholders money. This is why EA bought Maxis - they saw what people were doing with The Sims 1 & 2 (custom content & modding) and said: We can make a mint selling extra content and upgrading the game through expansion packs! -- which they perfected with the release of The Sims 3.

The Sims 4 will be no different. Graphics may be better - but it'll probably be much more harder to create custom stuff and mod. If they really cared what the fans think, they would have implemented some of the things you guys have mentioned in this thread after the release of the base game - or at the very least, after WA.

So adding businesses is a big change, but adding pets, apartments, & weather isn't?



If the 'discs' are free, then why would one have to pay for it?



Just eliminate steam from the picture, and you'd be perfect working at EA.



And how is it fair that your supposed "free" downloadable Expansion 'disc' is costing money, and is only available online and not actually available on a physical 'disc' at all?

Only within the limitation that earnings should not be generated by unethical or criminal conduct (and the unethical is a big gray zone). Was it ethical for EA to release SimCity without providing the resources necessary for buyers to actually, you know, play the game? Is it ethical to release a game with known bugs and lacking features that you alluded to in your marketing? EA's hands are, IMO, not exactly clean when it comes to ethical business practices. And the responsibility to generate a profit for their shareholders does not supersede their obligation to create products that work and are properly supported.

BTW, EA owned Maxis before Sims 1 was even made. EA funded Maxis to develop the Sims, and Sims 2. While they might have tried to capitalize on the custom content creation by selling stuff in the Store with TS3, that idea came well after The Sims/Sims 2 were released.

simple, short, and sweet:
Start with the sims 2.
add simple basic weather, aspects from NL, AL and FT, Make it use modern day requirements, add select features from TS3.
Add features/ aspects/ items from TS1
Basically a hybrid TS1/TS2 modernized
$50 for base game $40 for each EP
Quality control, actual testing, listen to fans, no or greatly reduced store/DLC
done

New sim city: Start with Sim city 4. Upgrade it to use modern day technology/graphics. A few extra features, more EPs, done.

If only I were a game designer ~

Apartments deserve one, Pets probably deserve one, weather and seasons should be released with the Base Game anyways. Seasonal changes deserve an EP, though. (Take EP to mean paid EP.)

Manufacturing costs. Read "Free EP Discs" as "Free EP" then "Discs".

The Expansion is available on a physical disc. It's costing money physical because of manufacturing costs and costing money digital because I wouldn't want to look like I'm favoring digital downloads.

Hmm... sorry to bump this, but it's a cool thread.
Let's see.
I'd make it just like real life but slightly better, with no bad stuff... the graphics would look nice but also would not need a good computer to play.
Sims would be more realistic in appearance. (I understand that not everyone likes that)
I'd improve the AI significantly, with no whining or anything like that.
There would be very few bugs, if any at all, due to extensive testing before releasing the game.
I would listen to players' suggestions and give them decent technical support.
A way to play in first-person mode, or at least better navigation with the camera.
Players could build freely and with no restrictions.
The game would have themes, such as Medieval, Sci-Fi, Cyberpunk... (complex thing I thought about the other day)
The Sims would be even easier to mod than it is now.
No game corruption.
Nothing that hasn't been mentioned before, I guess.

Why not include this, and more, and add a feature that allows you to modify or turn it all off?

Or how about me separate it from the game and allow them to flesh it out over the course if development.With all that stuff in the base game, do you know how spare content would be? I'm not objecting to them adding things into the base game LATER, as they've done with the Sims 3, but for the initial release - dear god.

I actually do think we are getting nightclubs maybe, but there's about a 0% chance of seasons and pets. They cost more to make than other expansions, they also are one of the best selling EPs, they are buggy - there would be about no chance of a stable BG if they included this, unless the game waited another two years for release - also not going to happen.

It wasn't in the survey, either. There's just no chance. Maybe TS5.