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- General - I Don't Want To Leave My Sims 2 In The Cold
Instructor
#26
2nd Sep 2014 at 11:55 AM
Last edited by pizza : 2nd Sep 2014 at 2:15 PM.
Posts: 486
Thanks: 1 in 1 Posts
I'm edging towards sticking with Sims 2 because not only is it my favourite game in the franchise but it's a near perfect game with all my mods and CC, as well as this even with over 2gb of downloads the game still runs like a charm on my laptop. However I still hope people who buy Sims 4 enjoy it (I'm torn on whether to buy it myself, one minute I'm fascinated by it, the next I feel disappointed). Perhaps it will improve with future patches and mods.
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#27
2nd Sep 2014 at 3:07 PM
Posts: 1,337
I'm sticking with the Sims 2. I've put so much work into my game, learning how to recolour and mesh, buying Milkshape, learning how to use SimPE, make default replacements etc. Also each project that I make takes me hours. Then there's searching for the right cc etc. and actually playing the game. I don't want all that to be a waste of time!
I haven't really got time to just add an extra game, as I've just got back into Happy Aquarium, so between that and Sims 2 I'm too busy!
However, I think I would buy Sims 4 if I didn't have Sims 2, as it is supposed to run on crappy computers.
My deviantart http://dizzy-noodles.deviantart.com/
I haven't really got time to just add an extra game, as I've just got back into Happy Aquarium, so between that and Sims 2 I'm too busy!
However, I think I would buy Sims 4 if I didn't have Sims 2, as it is supposed to run on crappy computers.
My deviantart http://dizzy-noodles.deviantart.com/
#28
2nd Sep 2014 at 3:12 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Dizzy-noodles
I'm sticking with the Sims 2. I've put so much work into my game,... |
Exactly! I've worked so hard on my current custom neighborhood, so I'll need a better reason, other "multitasking" (which isn't that new) and "emotions" (which isn't that new either) to get me to buy TS4. (Build mode seems tempting though, I have to admit, but its still not enough. The game still kinda looks like TS3 to me.
Please, call me 'mmaa', saves time.
Learn how to use your neighborhood (terrains) efficiently!
How to avoid neighborhood and game corruption?
The Customized Sims Wiki
#29
2nd Sep 2014 at 3:44 PM
Posts: 6,198
Thanks: 116 in 1 Posts
First of all I'm a Simmer not a gamer. The Sims 2 is the only computer game I've ever really got into, and I must say I'm surprised just how hooked I am! My experience with computers is largely with normal commercial business programs like Microsoft Office, and I try to earn a living by programming Microsoft Access databases. Now my current version of Microsoft Word will open documents created with ancient versions of Word, and my Microsoft Excel will not only open spreadsheets created in old versions of Excel, but will even open spreadsheets created in the original 1980's version of Lotus 1-2-3 (which was arguably the "killer" program that established the PC as a widely used business platform). So I don't really get this thing about The Sims 1, 2, 3 and 4 all being separate games, and not being able to open an old neighbourhood/world in the new game.
There is I think only one thing that EA could do to really make me interested in a new version of the Sims: introduce some sort of virtual reality so that I could go to my Veronaville and visit my Sims in their houses. (I believe this isn't as far-fetched as it sounds -- I've heard talk of such virtual reality being added to some games platforms in the near future.) When I get there, I hope some of my knowledge Sims may know enough English (or German) to teach me Simlish so I can talk properly to them in their own mother tongue. When EA can create that game for me, I will save up to pay for it! And I'll even try to buy a PC good enough to run it. Mind you, once I get to Veronaville, I fear I'd be very tempted to move in with one of my Sims (if they'll have me!), and never come back to this old world!
(Now you know why I play with aging off and a mod to stop kitchen fires! )
There is I think only one thing that EA could do to really make me interested in a new version of the Sims: introduce some sort of virtual reality so that I could go to my Veronaville and visit my Sims in their houses. (I believe this isn't as far-fetched as it sounds -- I've heard talk of such virtual reality being added to some games platforms in the near future.) When I get there, I hope some of my knowledge Sims may know enough English (or German) to teach me Simlish so I can talk properly to them in their own mother tongue. When EA can create that game for me, I will save up to pay for it! And I'll even try to buy a PC good enough to run it. Mind you, once I get to Veronaville, I fear I'd be very tempted to move in with one of my Sims (if they'll have me!), and never come back to this old world!
(Now you know why I play with aging off and a mod to stop kitchen fires! )
Lab Assistant
#30
2nd Sep 2014 at 4:40 PM
Posts: 138
Quote: Originally posted by AndrewGloria
Now my current version of Microsoft Word will open documents created with ancient versions of Word, and my Microsoft Excel will not only open spreadsheets created in old versions of Excel, but will even open spreadsheets created in the original 1980's version of Lotus 1-2-3 (which was arguably the "killer" program that established the PC as a widely used business platform). So I don't really get this thing about The Sims 1, 2, 3 and 4 all being separate games, and not being able to open an old neighbourhood/world in the new game. |
I can read code well enough and beta tested the last version of Microsoft Office for long enough that I do understand why the old neighbourhoods aren't compatible but I also get the annoyance. If I'd been able to pull my favourite Sims 2 character into Sims 3 CAS and see what EA though would be their traits as a result of their personality points and aspiration I think I would have got into The Sims 3 a lot more. As it was I couldn't maintain an interest in the sims themselves even though the open world and story progression would make me so happy compared to the closed Sims 2 world.
The bro trait, increased obsession with young adults, and no toddlers mean I'm not even considering The Sims 4. When they fix generational play and there is a pets and seasons expansion pack I might look at buying it
I would also agree with the chat thread watching Let's Play for The Sims 4 has made me nostalgic for The Sims 3 and I chucked my disks years ago. So for now I'm looking a cheap Sims 3 bundles and knowing I want to wait until they're a bit cheaper as I'd want Generations, Season, Pets and Ambitions just to be interested in playing.
Field Researcher
#31
2nd Sep 2014 at 7:02 PM
Posts: 270
I like the multitasking, the clay molding and different body shapes, and how you can pluck everything from the upload panel full of houses and premade sims directly into the game. But no pools, no building cheats, no create a style, no toddlers, no open world or basements or lot leveling. When I think about it, the sims 4 seems to be more about whats not included rather then what is.
Mad Poster
#32
3rd Sep 2014 at 12:15 AM
Posts: 3,563
Well, you know, you can always wait three months after the release and then decide if you want to buy it or not. By then there will be plenty of praise and gripes that come from people who have actually played the game. Unless you have some other objection--like how I don't buy any game that has to be played on line because my internet is toooooooo sloooooooow--there's no reason not to wait to make up your mind.
Pics from my game: Sunbee's Simblr Sunbee's Livejournal
"English is a marvelous edged weapon if you know how to wield it." C.J. Cherryh
Pics from my game: Sunbee's Simblr Sunbee's Livejournal
"English is a marvelous edged weapon if you know how to wield it." C.J. Cherryh
Forum Resident
#33
3rd Sep 2014 at 3:33 AM
Posts: 860
If they made TS4 where one could import the neighborhoods from TS1, 2, and 3, with all of the careers, relationships, and property (including businesses) still in place, but with new features, I think I might be interested in scraping up the money to buy the game. That said, that will not happen. Even if they made an attempt at it, their attempt would most likely be an epic fail.
#34
3rd Sep 2014 at 4:26 AM
Posts: 419
Quote: Originally posted by bnefriends
If they made TS4 where one could import the neighborhoods from TS1, 2, and 3, with all of the careers, relationships, and property (including businesses) still in place, but with new features, I think I might be interested in scraping up the money to buy the game. That said, that will not happen. Even if they made an attempt at it, their attempt would most likely be an epic fail. |
Seeing as TS1, 2 and 3 were all set up in vastly different ways, I would expect them to fail, as that would most likely be an impossible task to accomplish.
Forum Resident
#35
3rd Sep 2014 at 4:49 AM
Posts: 860
Quote: Originally posted by Thax
Seeing as TS1, 2 and 3 were all set up in vastly different ways, I would expect them to fail, as that would most likely be an impossible task to accomplish. |
Highly difficult? Yes. Implausible? Probably. Impossible? No such thing.
#36
3rd Sep 2014 at 5:07 AM
Posts: 419
Quote: Originally posted by bnefriends
Highly difficult? Yes. Implausible? Probably. Impossible? No such thing. |
Yet, you set that as being what would need to happen, in order for you to spend money on the game? Talk about auto-dooming your satisfaction with unrealistic expectations.
#37
3rd Sep 2014 at 9:28 AM
Posts: 6,236
The 4 iterations of the game all have vastly different core concepts and programming that will not allow them to be integrated into one huge game-and it would be impossible for anyone (let alone EA) to integrate them into it.
So yeah, it's impossible and unrealistic to even believe that it can be done. EA has shown no interest in doing such a thing, even if it were a possibility, because they've abandoned Sims 1, and 2 for all intents and purposes-and they're in the process of also dumping Sims 3 on the dust bin. That's why they gave away the Sims 2 UC for the asking. EA is still making huge amounts of money from Sims 3, so they're going to sort of support it but not forever.
Sims 4 is their focus now, and the majority of technical and programming support will only be for that game from now on. So we're best off playing the games we love the best without indulging in this kind of fantasy.
So yeah, it's impossible and unrealistic to even believe that it can be done. EA has shown no interest in doing such a thing, even if it were a possibility, because they've abandoned Sims 1, and 2 for all intents and purposes-and they're in the process of also dumping Sims 3 on the dust bin. That's why they gave away the Sims 2 UC for the asking. EA is still making huge amounts of money from Sims 3, so they're going to sort of support it but not forever.
Sims 4 is their focus now, and the majority of technical and programming support will only be for that game from now on. So we're best off playing the games we love the best without indulging in this kind of fantasy.
Lab Assistant
#39
3rd Sep 2014 at 10:08 AM
Posts: 138
Quote: Originally posted by FranH
Sims 4 is their focus now, and the majority of technical and programming support will only be for that game from now on. So we're best off playing the games we love the best without indulging in this kind of fantasy. |
While I agree with your assessment of EA's business practices I don't think that my suggestion of allowing conversion of a Sims 2 sim to Sim 3 or a Sims 3 sim to Sims 4 was that extreme. Plenty of other companies offer similar incentives to move current customers over from the old product to the new product and it might have reduced the schism EA suffered within it's existing customer base when The Sims 3 was released and looks to be experiencing with the release of The Sims 4.
The reason companies provide incentives to existing customers is they know the size of that customer base and it is an easier sell to existing customers as opposed to the interesting marketing campaign EA has employed to bring in new customers this time round. With existing customers you stick a leaflet in the last expansion pack or a link to a web page on the launcher pointing them to the incentive and you've done your marketing.
#40
3rd Sep 2014 at 10:36 AM
Posts: 6,236
The problem being is that EA wants to literally move past all the other games. They have a completely different team, mindset and programming routine that almost leaves the rest of the games in the dust. Remember, they originally wanted to put the game on-line.
Their incentive is to move people onto the new game, and make them forget the others. The franchise has long been loved and EA has had no problem finding new customers for this new one.
And the most important part: EA doesn't want to do it. They've shown no indication of ever wanting to do it, so I think 'impossible' is the term we should use in this context.
Their incentive is to move people onto the new game, and make them forget the others. The franchise has long been loved and EA has had no problem finding new customers for this new one.
And the most important part: EA doesn't want to do it. They've shown no indication of ever wanting to do it, so I think 'impossible' is the term we should use in this context.
#41
3rd Sep 2014 at 12:05 PM
Posts: 6,198
Thanks: 116 in 1 Posts
Oh please Thax and bnefriends, kiss and make up! :lovestruc I didn't mean to provoke any unpleasantness.
I drifted into The Sims 2 almost by accident. I saw videos I liked on YouTube, and they turned out to be The Sims 2. Then I saw a heavily discounted copy of Double Deluxe in my local supermarket and bought it for all of £7. Any small profit EA may have made from that was probably negated when I spent several minutes on the phone talking to a helpful techie trying to register my game so I could use the Exchange. So personally I have no reason for antipathy towards EA/Maxis. The immense pleasure the game has given me is out of all proportion to its tiny purchase price. I know that is very different to the experience of a lot of other people.
But, not being a gamer, I just don't go out and buy new games just because they've come out. I am hooked on The Sims 2 and nothing else. Most of all I love my Sims and the neighbourhoods they live in. And really the only thing that is going to persuade me to buy a new Sims game is if I can bring them with me.
I know nothing of the technical development processes of EA/Maxis, but, if they don't build on what they've done before, it must add significantly to their development costs. (It may of course be true that they don't. Otherwise, why on earth did they not port the car door animations to TS3?) In some ways I would like to change the mindset of the computer gaming industry. Gaming companies tend to produce totally discreet games that are incompatible with each other. In the development of other computer software, the need for some sort of backwards compatibility is generally taken as read. There would be riots if the new version of Microsoft Word couldn't open documents created with the last version! The current model of mutually incompatible discreet games has obviously worked well in financial terms for EA and similar companies, but surely they would increase their revenues further if they could bring people like me along with them too.
As for fantasy, The Sims 2 is a very creative game, and I don't think a little fantasy comes amiss. Computing has changed so much in my lifetime that I tend to regard nothing as impossible. When I studied computing at university in the early 90's, they taught me that laser colour printers were impossible. But then scientists in the 1950's said that manned space flight was impossible. Oh, and colour television was "impossible" too! When a handful of programmers played simple text based games on vast and expensive mainframes in the 1950's I doubt if many of them could imagine a complex game like The Sims 2 running on affordable laptop computers. The old maxim holds good for computing: "Where there's a will, there's a way!"
I think I'll start a separate thread on the "perfect" Sims game, and see if we can provide some inspiration for EA and other gaming companies!
I drifted into The Sims 2 almost by accident. I saw videos I liked on YouTube, and they turned out to be The Sims 2. Then I saw a heavily discounted copy of Double Deluxe in my local supermarket and bought it for all of £7. Any small profit EA may have made from that was probably negated when I spent several minutes on the phone talking to a helpful techie trying to register my game so I could use the Exchange. So personally I have no reason for antipathy towards EA/Maxis. The immense pleasure the game has given me is out of all proportion to its tiny purchase price. I know that is very different to the experience of a lot of other people.
But, not being a gamer, I just don't go out and buy new games just because they've come out. I am hooked on The Sims 2 and nothing else. Most of all I love my Sims and the neighbourhoods they live in. And really the only thing that is going to persuade me to buy a new Sims game is if I can bring them with me.
I know nothing of the technical development processes of EA/Maxis, but, if they don't build on what they've done before, it must add significantly to their development costs. (It may of course be true that they don't. Otherwise, why on earth did they not port the car door animations to TS3?) In some ways I would like to change the mindset of the computer gaming industry. Gaming companies tend to produce totally discreet games that are incompatible with each other. In the development of other computer software, the need for some sort of backwards compatibility is generally taken as read. There would be riots if the new version of Microsoft Word couldn't open documents created with the last version! The current model of mutually incompatible discreet games has obviously worked well in financial terms for EA and similar companies, but surely they would increase their revenues further if they could bring people like me along with them too.
As for fantasy, The Sims 2 is a very creative game, and I don't think a little fantasy comes amiss. Computing has changed so much in my lifetime that I tend to regard nothing as impossible. When I studied computing at university in the early 90's, they taught me that laser colour printers were impossible. But then scientists in the 1950's said that manned space flight was impossible. Oh, and colour television was "impossible" too! When a handful of programmers played simple text based games on vast and expensive mainframes in the 1950's I doubt if many of them could imagine a complex game like The Sims 2 running on affordable laptop computers. The old maxim holds good for computing: "Where there's a will, there's a way!"
I think I'll start a separate thread on the "perfect" Sims game, and see if we can provide some inspiration for EA and other gaming companies!
Lab Assistant
#42
3rd Sep 2014 at 12:50 PM
Last edited by Mechanon : 3rd Sep 2014 at 1:12 PM.
Posts: 138
Quote: Originally posted by AndrewGloria
I know nothing of the technical development processes of EA/Maxis, but, if they don't build on what they've done before, it must add significantly to their development costs. (It may of course be true that they don't. Otherwise, why on earth did they not port the car door animations to TS3?) In some ways I would like to change the mindset of the computer gaming industry. Gaming companies tend to produce totally discreet games that are incompatible with each other. In the development of other computer software, the need for some sort of backwards compatibility is generally taken as read. There would be riots if the new version of Microsoft Word couldn't open documents created with the last version! The current model of mutually incompatible discreet games has obviously worked well in financial terms for EA and similar companies, but surely they would increase their revenues further if they could bring people like me along with them too. |
But the last few versions of office didn't open all the file formats your talking about when the public alpha and beta releases went out. The reason it does now is there was a year of public alpha and beta testing where people like me had separate machines or partitions running the package with nothing else because the first few public releases were buggy as hell and we were using it as we would normally use an Office Suite and sending hundreds of error reports back. You were often getting "can you replicate this bug" emails which are always fun. I joined really quite early on with Office 2010 because I was on a Microsoft mailing list which was asking for beta testers who used certain features that existed in 2003 but either weren't there or weren't functional in Office 2007.
That kind of public beta testing is insanely expensive and it's worth it for Microsoft because people who need a function will test it far more thoroughly than someone who doesn't quite know why their coding it just that it was requested a lot and the Day 1 addons were created by public beta testers. To EA and the rest of the games industry the idea of publicly releasing an alpha or beta copy of their game is asking for it to be cracked an up on some torrent. Until that isn't what they feel will happen public beta testing won't happen and day 1 or week 1 patches for game destroying bugs will continue to happen.
I can't see backward compatible games happening until public beta testing happens and I can't see public beta testing happening until the games industry stops being so terrified of piracy whether legitimately or not.
Forum Resident
#43
3rd Sep 2014 at 1:19 PM
Posts: 860
Quote: Originally posted by Thax
Yet, you set that as being what would need to happen, in order for you to spend money on the game? Talk about auto-dooming your satisfaction with unrealistic expectations. |
That's one way of putting it. Another way of putting it is that there would have to be something REALLY good about it to entice me to spend money that I really should be spending on other things.
#44
3rd Sep 2014 at 1:32 PM
Posts: 248
I will also be sticking to Sims 2. I think it is the pinnacle of the franchise. They will never be able to recreate the magic. All the information and let's plays of Sims 4 confirms that for me. I have been playing the game for nearly 10 years and I'm still enthralled by it. I tried Sims 3 and even bought a couple of EP's but have subsequently sold it. Lesson learned. I will not make the same mistake again. Sims 2 has captured my heart and I can see myself happily playing my sandbox for years to come.
At the moment the Sims 4 is new and shiny! Wait for the dust to settle and then see if it's something you want to play.
At the moment the Sims 4 is new and shiny! Wait for the dust to settle and then see if it's something you want to play.
#45
3rd Sep 2014 at 1:47 PM
Posts: 6,198
Thanks: 116 in 1 Posts
That's very interesting, Mechanon, about alpha and beta testing. I've never been involved in that sort of testing myself. Generally I'm only testing stuff that I've written myself, and even there I'll always aware that really testing properly would cost more than my clients could afford, even though my rates are very reasonable. I'm sure that a lot of Microsoft software gets pirated too, but I suppose that the difference is that a lot of Microsoft software is bought by medium to large organisations that aren't likely to want to get into piracy. Games customers on the other hand are usually individuals. The IT department of Anytown Town Council isn't likely to routinely install TS4 on all the Council's computers! Yes, piracy probably is a bigger problem for EA than for Microsoft.
One key difference though is that Microsoft expect their customers to want backward compatibility, and try to build it in, even if it doesn't work properly in the alpha and beta versions, whereas EA simply design a completely new game, and don't even think about backward compatibility. Perhaps in other games it wouldn't be relevant, but The Sims is so open-ended. Now I know that a Sims 2 Neighbourhood is a vastly more complex entity than a Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet or even a Word 2010 document. So yes, it is a big "ask", but not an impossible one. Especially not if backward compatibility is considered in the initial design.
I think the title of this thread is probably what got me thinking a long these lines. The best way not to leave your Sims in the cold would be if you could take them with you!
One key difference though is that Microsoft expect their customers to want backward compatibility, and try to build it in, even if it doesn't work properly in the alpha and beta versions, whereas EA simply design a completely new game, and don't even think about backward compatibility. Perhaps in other games it wouldn't be relevant, but The Sims is so open-ended. Now I know that a Sims 2 Neighbourhood is a vastly more complex entity than a Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet or even a Word 2010 document. So yes, it is a big "ask", but not an impossible one. Especially not if backward compatibility is considered in the initial design.
I think the title of this thread is probably what got me thinking a long these lines. The best way not to leave your Sims in the cold would be if you could take them with you!
Mad Poster
#46
3rd Sep 2014 at 2:17 PM
Posts: 3,443
Thanks: 938 in 5 Posts
Quote: Originally posted by FranH
The problem being is that EA wants to literally move past all the other games. They have a completely different team, mindset and programming routine that almost leaves the rest of the games in the dust. Remember, they originally wanted to put the game on-line. Their incentive is to move people onto the new game, and make them forget the others. The franchise has long been loved and EA has had no problem finding new customers for this new one. And the most important part: EA doesn't want to do it. They've shown no indication of ever wanting to do it, so I think 'impossible' is the term we should use in this context. |
The key is that EA wants people to buy the same things (store worlds, store objects, expansion packs) over and over again. If any stuff like worlds or objects were allowed to be transferred over with an official tool, it would bite into those profits.
They're happy to allow unsanctioned CC to occur though, because the vast majority of casual simmers (not us) will never know of, or be will willing to download that sort of stuff.
Quote: Originally posted by Nina333
I will also be sticking to Sims 2. I think it is the pinnacle of the franchise. At the moment the Sims 4 is new and shiny! Wait for the dust to settle and then see if it's something you want to play. |
These tend to be my thoughts.
#47
4th Sep 2014 at 12:52 AM
Posts: 419
Quote: Originally posted by bnefriends
That's one way of putting it. Another way of putting it is that there would have to be something REALLY good about it to entice me to spend money that I really should be spending on other things. |
Now that, I fully agree with. With all those cons, it's going to take a lot of pros to get me interested. Pros that I have yet to see.
Quote: Originally posted by jje1000
The key is that EA wants people to buy the same things (store worlds, store objects, expansion packs) over and over again. If any stuff like worlds or objects were allowed to be transferred over with an official tool, it would bite into those profits. |
^ I couldn't agree more. It seems that EA/Maxis are milking the same cow over and over and just changing the interface with each game and adding more little details. So far, Sims 4 looks like a big expansion for Sims 3, to me. Aside from the change of interface and CAS. I hope I'm wrong, though.
Perhaps they are worried about moving too far away from the original concepts. After all, they found out that they worked. That's the mistake that Dead Gentlemen Productions made with the Gamers 3. They went away from the the concepts they used in the Gamers 1 & 2 that made them so popular and tried going for something completely different. It..... failed. So I can't help but wonder if there really is anything Eaxis could do to wow the hardcore Sims gamers or if the bar was set too high, before they even began developing the Sims 4.
Forum Resident
#48
4th Sep 2014 at 2:40 AM
Posts: 860
Quote: Originally posted by AndrewGloria
I'm sure that a lot of Microsoft software gets pirated too, but I suppose that the difference is that a lot of Microsoft software is bought by medium to large organisations that aren't likely to want to get into piracy. |
That's not always true; the Business Software Alliance wouldn't have a program rewarding whistle blower employees if it were. I used to be an office aide (as a student) in a middle school IT department, and they had one master installation of Windows XP which they used to recover the broken machines, no validation of the installations. Which I would say was probably fine for all the machines that shipped with XP licenses. Whether or not they had a license to install it on all of those computers that shipped with Windows 2000 is a good question.
#49
4th Sep 2014 at 4:05 AM
Posts: 10,918
Thanks: 5466 in 47 Posts
Quote: Originally posted by jje1000
They're happy to allow unsanctioned CC to occur though, because the vast majority of casual simmers (not us) will never know of, or be will willing to download that sort of stuff. |
Really? CC isn't exactly hard to find.
#50
4th Sep 2014 at 3:05 PM
Posts: 1,257
Thanks: 1033 in 5 Posts
Quote: Originally posted by Charity
Really? CC isn't exactly hard to find. |
I know, right? Yet, so many simmers never do.
Paladins/SimWardrobes downloads: https://simfileshare.net/folder/87849/
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