Wait, why wouldn't we be complaining? What's wrong with complaining?

If a company releases a product we deem inferior and shows little to no effort in really addressing the overlying issues then what SHOULD we be doing besides boycotting the product entirely (which has it's own implications) or supporting competing products? The fact is "complaining" or giving "feedback" can be far more useful and powerful then not doing anything.

Um...

The Sims 4 should be compared with previous iterations, because why else it has the name that implies it being a sequel? If their hoping to get people to believe it is a "different" game (while it is an obvious fact, but it feels their trying to make as If it sounds to be in a different in a franchise/series/spin-off sense), they shouldn't have name "The Sims", and especally include the number "4".

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They would not have gotten a dime from me for that! That makes what we got look like a masterpiece! LOL YIKES! Execs who probably never played Sims a day in their lives chose the wrong direction and now we are paying for it.

The Sims 4 isn't really bad. The Sims Social was bad. The Sims 4 lacks a lot of depth, which makes the overall experience boring and lackluster.

The biggest problem I have the are the bugs that never get fixed or one bug fixed then another one comes on. Like the swimming pooll now, they are unless to even have right now. FIX the bugs then try new feature, it's very frustrating not to have bugs fixed.

What about those of us who enjoy this game more than the previous one? The Sims 4 is my favorite and yes, I have been here since Sims 1. I hated Sims 3 so it was no improvement for me. It is one thing to point out that a game doesn't have the style that you like, and another to claim that your view is superior, to those that disagree. If Sims 4 had been anything like Sims 3 I wouldn't have bought it, that is how much I hated Sims 3. So you see the idea that Sims 3 was the best ever is just an opinion, no more valid or less than my view of it. Unfortunately this site has become unpleasant for Sims 4 fans, most of whom have left, including myself. I still support it because of the modders, but even they are leaving and going elsewhere.

All the "4" indicates is that it's the 4th major iteration of the series' core concept (controlling virtual people, building houses, etc) not that it's suppose be everything the previous games weren't. The open-ended structure of the game's narrative means the successor mentality doesn't work for The Sims.

It's time to stop comparing it to the previous games and realize it's its own entity with its own unique take on The Sims concept. Only when a person does this, are they able to enjoy the game for what it is, rather than spend their days exhausting their energy with complaints about what it isn't, and likely never will be.

We all have things we would like to see in this iteration, and when/if these things are implemented, we should expect these things to be done The Sims 4 way. Not The Sims 2 way. Not The Sims 3 way.

I'm slightly thrown by this because I don't recall ever stating that anyone discontent with or complaining about Sims 4 have the superior opinion. Nor do I ever state that there's something wrong with anyone who prefers Sims 4 to the previous iterations of the game. I understand entirely why someone might. Just because I personally have problems with Sims 4 does not invalidate your personal love for it. For some reason people seem to take complaints or criticisms of something they enjoy as some personal attack on their tastes and opinion.

If you read my original post in this thread, you'll see I don't attack anyone for loving or enjoying this game. Look at my avatar! I clearly play Sims 4 even if it's not my favorite entry in the series. There are plenty of threads for people to gush about Sims 4. I'm not crashing those threads and telling those players they're wrong just because I don't share their opinion. This was simply a thread for people who have issues with it to share their grievances. But once again lovers of the game take it as some personal affront that we don't share your feelings for it.

Understand, I don't have a problem with people popping in here and defending the game but don't put words in my mouth.

I came into this expecting an EA fanboy post telling us we should stop complaining and just be happy with what we get.

Thank you for proving me wrong.

Beautiful speech. So many valid points made.

The gameplay in sims 4 has its good points but I hate it how shallow all the actions seem. Most of the actions are: animations surrounding a specific object, and that's it. Not sure if it could be even done differently, but because of that it already feels like there's no depth to the whole gameplay (as it was said).

The other thing that makes me sad is that the sims just don't seem to recognize family members. There's nothing that separates family members from other sims. No different behavior towards them whatsoever (just some different actions in the pie menu). I wish at least the text (like when a sim wishes to do something with another sim) could call the parent mom or dad, or siblings as sister, brother...

I recently went back to TS3 (modded, of course) and I don't think I can ever go back to TS4. There are so many things that TS3 has that I miss so much in TS4: cars, slow dancing, seasons, pets, many different career options, traveling, open world, extended family relationships. TS4 just has such shallow gameplay. It makes me sad because I love restaurants, clubs, yoga, camping, toddlers, and that new family play game pack looks pretty cool, but in the end you just can't fix the core problem IMO.

I agree that the lack of family connections in TS4 makes it the most difficult for me to play. I feel like it's kind of pointless giving my Sims siblings: unless they live in the same house, they won't care about them after they move out of the house, and the aunts/uncles/cousins/grandparents/etc probably won't develop any relationship with them.

What you don't seem to understand is that the whole tone of your post suggest that your view and those that share it are correct and yes superior. It is actually more honest to just say, I don't care for the style of play in Sims 4, and I miss open world, casT, etc. Or even to say, I hate Sims 4! (Just as I hate Sims 3) and leave it at that. But your post and many of those that follow, instead list a litany of "complaints" that suggest it should be improved to your taste. And again it ignores those of us who don't want it improved to your specifications. We like the style and gameplay that is offers. Hard as it may be for you to comprehend there are those of us who liked the game from the start. For me Sims 4 addressed many of the issues I had with previous sim games. And as for me "crashing" your party... I have just as much right to beat my dead horse as you do yours.

This gave me a great laugh. I thought I had started a new and separate thread so as to beat the horse by my lonesome but the smell of criticism is irresistible for some

I guess I just don't see it as a criticism of players who like S4 to say that you want more and have some complaints. People experience the game differently and have different perspectives.

* Edit - so I see I have a disagree. This means either:
a- Someone believes it is a criticism of the players themselves if someone isn't satisfied with S4. I'm going to tell you now that it is not and you need to get over it. People can experience things differently and it's not a personal attack.
b - Someone disagrees that people experience the game differently. Guess what. You're wrong. We don't share a collective brain and you need to get over this.
c - Someone is just being a troll. Screw you.

Darn near all the posts are getting a disagree by someone, so don't let that get to you. And you are right that comments about the game itself are generally not directed at the players, or should not be, for as you say, every one of us is different and we all play in this sandbox our own way.

I recently took a quick tour of the Sims 2 and Sims 3 discussions threads. They are not riddled with the disagrees like we see here. A couple of someones are definitely trolling and it's really unfair. It gives these forums a less friendly feel.

Well, Parenthood has given me significantly less to complain about than other packs. So that's a plus. This one pack is definitely giving me more enjoyment out of the game than I've ever had. But now its time for the real test. How long until I get bored again and go back to TS3? The current record is a little over a month.

Even toddlers could have been excused if they started producing packs like this earlier. It took YEARS to even acknowledge the life sim aspect, but I guess "Life Simulator" is just a pack theme now, like "Dating" and "Fame."

The disagree fairy pays us visits at the sims 2 board too.

Glad to hear you guys got a parent pack. If my computer was up to it, that would be something I would get but my old graphics card was freaking out just with base game and no cc added, as in I will make your screen break into tiny coloured chips...yeah, leaving TS4 alone.

What is in your parent pack?

Ah! Yes, the graphics demands....my laptop's fan periodically spins into high gear while playing S4. There's a small amount of objects in the pack - some nice kitchen additions, chairs, tables, a couple of new single beds, and dressers, etc... The fun part has to do with things kids and families can use, such as a journal for children and some project boxes that families can work on together, such as a science project or building a castle. The bigger draw of the pack is all that it add to the life of children and to their interactions with each other and their parents. There are discipline options, parenting skills, and character building. Parents can pack lunches from left overs that they and their children can take to school and a whole family can volunteer together in a few different rabbit holes that builds their "character".

Because why not?