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Original Poster
#1 Old 8th Apr 2008 at 4:57 AM
Default Sims 3 Screens - an overall disappointment.
Just bullet points, positive and negative.

* Clothing/Object customization - good. The mixing and matching of all available fabrics/grains in the game should have been available in the Sims 1. People have been complaining about trying to match a zebra couch with a mahogany end table for 8 years. Even in sims 2, one shade of wood for an easel was inexcusable. But again, it's been suggested that all available patterns in the game should be selectable for each object--and each object "feature" (such as the wood of a chair as opposed to its fabric)--for a LONG long time.

* Sims get fat now. Good. Should have been included in Sims 2. Can they get buff/busty?

* I'm seeing some architectural advances - pediments atop pillars, wall and window relief, roof-level building mods, etc. So I have to wonder if these will be objects available to place on any home. Lord knows I've wanted good pediments for a while now. If these are only features of "pre-built buildings" that can merely be placed as only the whole building, I'm going to be really disappointed. Note that I said it here.

* The screens show very identical looking "pretty sims." Cookie cutter is not
cool. They'd better include a face slider that allows careful changes, this
time, even closer to oblivion's facegen, where you can actually set the shape
of a nostril without the nose turning into a disgusting wonky hook.

* At a glance, the graphics fail to convey that there's been a technological jump of about five years. It's easy to convince yourself that you're looking at Sims 2 screens.

* Shading has improved, lighting, vector/poly counts have gone up--but who
cares. Most people will have to turn off most of these features, and even with
everything cranked all the way up, the departure from Sims 2 isn't great
enough.

Overall, much of this should have been implemented initially. This, so far looks like Sims 2.2, and the worst part is, it's going to laugh at any machine that tries to run it. My current machine can throw parties with 40+ people on max settings. So much for realism.
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Lab Assistant
#2 Old 8th Apr 2008 at 6:21 AM
Apparently not. Its supposed to be friendly with any machine, even older ones. But we will see later on
Lab Assistant
#3 Old 8th Apr 2008 at 7:29 AM
I think everyone's focussing too much on the graphics. There's no way EA can top the amazing difference of going from 2D to 3D, so why even try? Everything I've read so far seems to be indicating that graphics are not their priority with Sims 3, they're trying a whole new way of playing. I for one can't wait to find out more about the gameplay and the new AI.
Lab Assistant
#4 Old 8th Apr 2008 at 7:41 AM
I thought the graphics could be better also, but who cares?

Have you wondered how exciting it would be to play a continious neighborhood without loading screens with "Sims 2 graphics".

And like FrootLoop I most interested in the new gameplay and smarter AI.
#5 Old 8th Apr 2008 at 7:45 PM
One of the articles talked about how they weren't going for the best possible graphics because that's hardly the focus of this game. They also mentioned that they were trying to make a game that's easier for many players to run.
#6 Old 8th Apr 2008 at 7:52 PM
I do care. The whole game looks ugly to me. I know is important to everybody that the game looks good, why everybody download so much? To make the game looks better.
Seriously, I profound dislike how it looks like.
Lab Assistant
#7 Old 8th Apr 2008 at 8:10 PM
Quote: Originally posted by danicast
I do care. The whole game looks ugly to me. I know is important to everybody that the game looks good, why everybody download so much? To make the game looks better.
Seriously, I profound dislike how it looks like.



The whole game isn't done yet.
Lab Assistant
#8 Old 8th Apr 2008 at 11:14 PM
The graphics are a bit better, but not by much. But, Sims 2 graphics are already pretty good. Plus the sims themselves look more real, by being smooth and not all jagged. And they are smarter.
Field Researcher
#9 Old 9th Apr 2008 at 12:50 AM
Quote: Originally posted by livingstonekat
The whole game isn't done yet.


PWN'D!

People are so negative and unreceptive to change.
Lab Assistant
#10 Old 9th Apr 2008 at 2:21 AM
Quote: Originally posted by danicast
I do care. The whole game looks ugly to me. I know is important to everybody that the game looks good, why everybody download so much? To make the game looks better.
Seriously, I profound dislike how it looks like.

yeah..the game is only roughly 60% done.
Theorist
#11 Old 9th Apr 2008 at 2:26 AM
I agree that the graphic looks ugly. They seriously can improve that much better by making them not to look so claymationish.
Inventor
#12 Old 9th Apr 2008 at 2:40 AM
Do you people not understand that they're not done yet? Sheesh!
Lab Assistant
#13 Old 9th Apr 2008 at 3:11 AM
Quote: Originally posted by danicast
I do care. The whole game looks ugly to me. I know is important to everybody that the game looks good, why everybody download so much? To make the game looks better.
Seriously, I profound dislike how it looks like.


I actually don't download much because it looks *better* than what I already have, more for stuff that looks different so I can have more diverse styles and what not!

And as it's been mentioned, they developed the mechanics of the game first in 2D, they're really only just starting to get onto the 3D so I'm sure there'll be many changes to the look before we get our paws on it.
Lab Assistant
#14 Old 9th Apr 2008 at 6:47 AM
And just think, the better the graphics, means more lag to be expected, less playable sims you can invite to parties, more RAM needed, more Hard Drive space, and it goes on...

I'll rather The Sims2 type graphics with much better gameplay.
Field Researcher
#15 Old 9th Apr 2008 at 6:57 AM
I shall also emphasize that it's not done yet. Not nearly. Why do people have such unrealistic expectations?

They (EAxis) have said time and time again that graphics isn't the main focus of the game. It is a BASE GAME, a la the original Sims 2. We all know how differently the Sims in Sims 2 look and act with some custom content. People WILL make CC for Sims 3.

Honestly.

"Make believe in magic, make believe in dreams
Make believe impossible, nothing as it seems
See, touch, taste, smell, hear, but never know if it's real"
--The Cure, "More Than This"
Theorist
#16 Old 9th Apr 2008 at 9:37 AM
I know it's not done. Did I say anywhere that I won't buy TS3? Or did I say 'OMG that is so ugly, they won't be able to improve that no I won't buy it!!!!!'?

I merely said that it looks ugly to me, and that means it looks ugly judging from the screens. Seriously, what do you think they show us the screens in the first place? To gain our opinion and feedback. They won't be able to make an improvement if what everybody said is 'OMG You've done such a great job, it looks so realistic and beautiful, you're a god!!!' or something like that. They NEED constructive criticism.

There's a whole lot of newer games that looks way better than TS3. I especially don't like the buildings and objects, they look SO claymationish and unrealistic. The neighborhood view is the worst, did you see those trees? They look like watercolor painting.
Lab Assistant
#17 Old 9th Apr 2008 at 8:35 PM
The graphics aren't going to get that much better because, as many people have said, it is not the main focus of the game. The main focus is the gameplay and improved AI. That and they want the game to be able to run on most computers. If they had super, photo realistic graphics that would seriously limit the amount of computers it would be able to run on, therefore cutting out a huge chunk of their fanbase.
Forum Resident
#18 Old 9th Apr 2008 at 8:54 PM
Seriously, do you really expect an average computer to be able to run an entire town where everything is happening all at once AND on top of that with state-of-the art graphics?

TS3 looks way better than TS2 in my opinion and if you play the game for the graphics, then I'm surprised you stuck around for the original. The Sims is always going to be one step behind in terms of its graphics design. TS2 only looked like a huge leap because it went from 2D to 3D, compared to other 3D games, it wasn't anything impressive. Unless the whiners have some revolutionary new graphics that doesn't task average PC to the point of blowing up stashed away in their basement and they are willing to share, there's not really much further they can go.
Lab Assistant
#19 Old 9th Apr 2008 at 9:06 PM
When you look at early pictures of TS2, the control panel looked, I believe, exactly the same as in TS1. OK, now we're not talking about a control panel, but it still might change a lot and I don't think it looks that terrible. I quite like how the game looks.
Instructor
#20 Old 9th Apr 2008 at 9:14 PM
the graphics look okay for what it is. i'm more concerned about this trend of 'dumbing' the games down...they let new people do what should have been sim city 5 and look what we got,sim sociaties (which was horrid), removing the mood meters completely and adding buffs?!? wth EA, really.


i'm happy with the slight graphical improvements and the sim creation changes we've seen thus far. i'm interested to see what the finsished product looks like but i'm not anywhere near as excited about this as i was about the jump from sims to sims2. time will tell,as always

My policy is: If you have any complaints about anything at all...I hate you.
Lab Assistant
#21 Old 9th Apr 2008 at 10:11 PM
I think the graphics looks okay. Not a major improvement but it is too early to say. The Sims does not look much better but we do not knoq what improvements they made underneath. There might be more bones allowing more fluid and complex animations. I am more interested in their animation than their looks.

Looking at the Sims created by fans using custom contents shows the current graphic capability is still sufficient.

I like to know what happens in town when you enter a building. My guess is they will adopt an approach similar to Morrowind and Oblivion where they need to load the interior of the buildings and reload the town when you leave. This raise the question, what will you see when you look inside a building through a window or look outside from inside a building.
#22 Old 9th Apr 2008 at 10:44 PM
Quote: Originally posted by longdaysend
i'm more concerned about this trend of 'dumbing' the games down...


Heh, I seem to be part of the very minuscule group who actually likes the 'dumbing-down'. I always thought that taking care of motives prevented me from enjoying what Sims 2 is about...growing a family, generation-by-generation. Now that motives will be simpler, I'm hoping the game will be more enjoyable.
I like the graphics. So what if they all look the same--these are EAxis sims, which have never been known to look very original. I'm sure you guys will be able to make much more original sims once it's released, and who knows how good the game will look with custom content?
Forum Resident
#23 Old 9th Apr 2008 at 10:49 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Allison
Heh, I seem to be part of the very minuscule group who actually likes the 'dumbing-down'. I always thought that taking care of motives prevented me from enjoying what Sims 2 is about...growing a family, generation-by-generation. Now that motives will be simpler, I'm hoping the game will be more enjoyable.
I like the graphics. So what if they all look the same--these are EAxis sims, which have never been known to look very original. I'm sure you guys will be able to make much more original sims once it's released, and who knows how good the game will look with custom content?


I don't even consider it dumbing down and not sure how filling their bladder/hunger/comfort/etc meters was ever considered "smart" gameplay. There's no strategy or skill involved in it so why is taking it out "dumbing down" the game?

I'm thrilled that they are de-meterizing the game. There were too many in my opinion and it started cluttering up the CP. I would much prefer my sims to concentrate on more complex and interesting needs like emotions, mental stimulation, relationships than spending 1 hour of their day on the pot taking a dump. I don't have a problem with fulfilling their basic needs, it's not hard, it's just tedious and boring.
Instructor
#24 Old 9th Apr 2008 at 11:43 PM
i'm not saying that it takeas any real skilll or stratagy to handle sims meters,but it's part of the game, it's always been there. perhaps i'm just nostalgic about some things. and i only call it dumbing down because keeping an eye on the meters, requires you to pay attention to them... having a little pop-up telling you 'sam sim is hungry/sleepy/about to pee himself' seems an awful lot like the dummy lights on the cars dashboard telling you your seatbelts not fastened (ehh crappy analogy but it kinda works). call me old fashioned but i like my needs panel :D

My policy is: If you have any complaints about anything at all...I hate you.
Lab Assistant
#25 Old 10th Apr 2008 at 12:23 AM
The game right now gets a little boring if your sim is always happy, but hopefully in sims 3 there will be a lot more to do than just pee and eat and sleep
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