kadience - Tumblr blog

[kadience]

I've already decided who was going to be heading up gen 5 of my family. But I'm so tempted to cheat and say Lacey was actually born as the 4th child and therefore heir. She turned out so pretty.

[kadience]

Next chapter is up here.

[kadience]

Okay. Attempt number two. I am hoping to post at least once a week. Maybe more. It depends. I am actually writing out a story for this one, though the first generation really has nothing of substance. It will be located here.

[kadience]

[kadience]

Hi. I’m still alive. I haven’t had much time to do video games. And I still don’t have much. But I’m trying to work on having more me time. I have 3 children 4 and under, so it’s a little tough right now. I’m also planning on doing online schooling come January, so it’ll definitely be tough.

I’m hoping to get my laptop reformatted soon so I can reinstall Sims 3 and 4 as currently it is telling me I have no space on my hard drive despite having nothing installed. In the mean time my husband is supposed to share his computer with me. xD He went into cardiac arrest last month and since getting home two weeks ago, can’t do much so he’s always on his computer playing silly games.

[kadience]

Dear Laura Miele,

I read your recent interview with VentureBeat where you discussed the future of The Sims.  As a long-time player of the series, I have concerns.

Firstly, there is no reason to ignore the elephant in the room.  The Sims 4 was originally built to be multi-player, but with the flop of SimCity 2013 (a multi-player simulation game) TS4 got a quick makeover.  While I could go on about the flaws of TS4 from its core to the stacks of micro-transaction packs built on a broken foundation, I will put aside those particular criticisms for a larger discussion.

The Sims is a life simulation game.  While you state that “Play with Life” is The Sims’s brand, I remember when it was about creating.  Create worlds. Create families.  Create chaos.  Create stories.  Create life. 

The Sims 4 has taken the franchise down a much different path.  While we can still create our sims, we cannot create the worlds they live in or even place lots.  We must purchase new packs for more locations.  We find linear action/adventure storylines implemented into packs like Strangerville or Star Wars: Journey to Batuu.  While I am a fan of sims lore, I find these particular packs irksome as they shift The Sims from life simulation to RPG.

It became a theme with almost every TS4 pack, especially those like Island Living and Eco Lifestyle–though less RPG–but more goal oriented to “saving the world” or in Snowy Escape “climb the mountain.”  A pattern like this is something I do not want repeated in the next generation of The Sims.

While I have seen many SimGurus argue that The Sims have a variety of players (which is true) and they want to appease players who want point-and-click adventures, it takes away resources and opportunities to expand the sandbox, which is the foundation of every life simulation game.

There are endless action/adventure RPG games, many made by EA.  There are few life simulation games and only one highly successful, The Sims.

While I know your interview addressed the future of The Sims and not TS4, I wanted to begin the conversation with those points as I now move to the future of the franchise.

The Sims has always been rated T for Teen, but lately a great many players have noticed the focus drifting ever closer to E for Everyone, which means including children as a base customer.  I understand EA sees an opportunity for sales, but making a life simulation game appropriate for children will limit TS5 in game play and intricacy as every aspect of the game will have to be easy enough for a five-year-old to understand.  

As an adult, this would be a major turn-off and opens to a more pressing problem I have seen questioned across the community here on Tumblr, forums, and Twitter.  The idea of making the next game compatible across all platforms, including mobile.  While I agree Xbox and PlayStation’s consoles are completely able to run a game such as The Sims, I would not want the game dumbed down for mobile.  It would mean a simple, depthless game–an issue that already disappoints customers of TS4.

Again, I understand EA wants to reach as many consumers as possible. You are a company that wants to make a profit and sees an opportunity to make more sales.  Making the game for children and mobile, may reach new customers, but it will ultimately lose a vast majority of players who desire a sequel that brings back that excitement like when we watched the trailer for Sims 2.

And you think the way to do that is to re-introduce multi-player, like The Sims Online?  You stated you believe the “social connection” is what is missing in the franchise.  I can tell you that is untrue.  Simmers are probably the most vocal gamers I know.  We have already made the “social connection” through the mediums we have chosen.  

While I know there are already people reading this–you may be included–that think, “just make online optional,” I must insist on the single player experience.

If you create Sims 5 to be like Roblox or Second Life, it will extremely limit the core of the game.  It will transition the game from life simulation to MMORPG.  While I cannot say “no one wants that,” I can confirm as a long-time player and one that knows thousands of other players, we do not want that.  

We do not want The Sims turned into IMVU and Second Life, which are glorified chat-rooms with an avatar and a marketplace to buy virtual, pixelated CAS items.  It is already an issue–of paid content–faced daily in our community.  I suggest EA not fan those flames.

We do not want the game to be centered around socializing as it is in TS4.  We want depth.  Memories.  Chaos.  Consequences.  And maybe an alien abduction every now and then?

I want to reaffirm that The Sims is a life simulation game.  A sandbox game where you play God and build worlds, houses, and manipulate lives of simulated people.  I do not see why you would feel the need to compete with Roblox or Second Life or Fortnite.  None of those games give the player the same experience as The Sims.  

Stop limiting the sandbox.  Embrace it.  Expand it for a better generation.  

Sincerely, MDP

[kadience]

Sims 3 is still so laggy, even on my new computer. I was just going to put it back on my old one, but it broke. One of the hinges broke. So now I have to reformat my husbands old computer to use and hope sins will run in it. XP

[kadience]

I totally forgot to post this here yesterday.

[kadience]

So moving went well. Mostly. My husband didn’t want to get everything from storage, so we still have to finish getting all that. We have until the end of June. Which also means I still don’t have all my Sims games. Not that it matters, I don’t have a disk reader on my new computer. So I’d have to go the long route to install it all. xP

But I will be getting back into Sims 4 right shortly. Just finishing all my unpacking this weekend, doing a quick trip to storage for a few things, then I’ll be good to go.

[kadience]

Ah! So I’m moving into our own place, finally! I’m hoping to find all my Sims 3 disks so I can make ISOs of them to install on my new PC. 

However, it does mean that for the next while I won’t be playing any Sims at all since I have to pack. I have Animal Crossing that I play briefly every day, but that’s it.

I’ll see you all soon!

[kadience]

Wondering if anyone can help me?

I purchased Sims 3 on one account on Origin, bought a few expansions. A few years later, I couldn’t get on that account, so I made a new one, bought the rest of my expansion packs on that account. Been able to play all of them for years. Cue to now. I was able to get on my old account and download all those expansions, plus the ones off my second account. But now it’s not allowing me to play all the packs at once. It still works fine on my laptop. But for some reason not on my new computer. Any one have an idea on how to get them all to work?

[kadience]

My husband had to facetime a friend to help get our new computer built. But we did it! Sims 3 here I come! Once it downloads. xD I’ll be deleting it off my laptop so I can play Sims 4 on there while my husband is playing games on the desktop. Then regardless of what computer I’m on, I can play Sims. So two legacies ongoing at once. I can’t wait for my game to download.

[kadience]

1.4 - Last One, I Swear

1.4 – Last One, I Swear

Lucia grew into a toddler faster than what it felt like Shana did. Elizabeth was glad to see her own hair colour reflected in her daughter, though the curls went to Shana.

Lucia was a very cheerful toddler where Shana was very independent. Because of the two fighting, Theo ended up moving Shana into the other upstairs bedroom so there would finally be a bit of quiet at bedtime.

Of course…