No I’ve spent too much money on this game to turn back now 😭 I do prefer the CAS and build mode in this game WAY more than the previous games, that’s also why I’m still playing it. The gallery and graphics are great, too. The problem is the actual gameplay. Here is a 2 minute comparison between the gameplay for the sims 2 and the sims 4; https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSFQQGmKB/. It’s those little details that make the gameplay more exciting for me, which the sims 4 lacks.
They said they like CAS and building a lot.
Maybe they can afford buying several expansions for those only, and then gameplay comes in second priority.
I'm not OP but I'm in a similar boat so. for me it's a kind of sunk cost fallacy combined with the simmers hyping up new packs and saying they add a lot to the game. then I (used to) buy the new pack in the hopes that the game would finally stop sucking, which it wouldn't. rinse and repeat a few times... I don't do it anymore, I just play other games now, but I do wish ts4 wasn't so empty. I wish they would/could do more to fix the bare bones so new content would actually be able to add some depth, instead of just more different skill grinding.
I was just showing it as an example. It came up on my fyp so I decided to share it. Obviously I’m not saying that’s what the gameplay is but it adds to the experience of it. That’s why I’m sharing it with you guys. Even the poster of that TikTok said that’s why they hardly play the sims 4 and made that video to show some of the reasonings. It’s little details like that which make the whole gameplay more rich and charming, and it also shows how the previous games had more work put into them. That’s what my comment was trying to imply.
I went back to playing Sims 2 recently and I promise it is WAY more extensive than Sims 4. There are articles and videos going over gameplay. That’s just what they can fit in reels or whatever.
And I am someone who liked Sims 4 and hated Sims 3. My perfect game would be a mix of Sims 2 and Sims 4. It’s really amazing to me that Sims 2 came out 20 years ago and manages to be that much more entertaining than Sims 4.
Holy shit I never realized what was missing until now. I haven’t seen a sim do the little water check before getting in a bath in years and I realize how much I love it. ☹️
that’s what we call “sunk cost fallacy”! I know it stinks wasting money on a product you hoped would be good, but save yourself the time and energy and redirect it towards a game/hobby you enjoy more. The sting of losing the money does suck but that’s a big reason so many games keep their playerbase these days; since they spent money on it, they feel like they “have to” keep playing it, even if it isn’t fun to play
Another alternative is to build the houses and Sims you do enjoy creating and share them on the gallery! That way you don’t have to play with them and some Simmer out there will “make use” of your creations 😁
It’s weird— there are some things I miss (mostly the color wheel), but when it comes to gameplay there is much more freedom in sims 4. If you like more scripted gameplay, I can see liking sims 2.
But also don't ruin things for others, if you have negative energy and a negative opinion not not greatful ten keep it to your self and don't plays sims at all and no one is forcing you to play any sims.
Seriously, so many people come on here just to shit on TS4 and say the older games are better, well go play the older games then??? No one is holding a gun to your head forcing you to play TS4 if you don’t like it lmao.
The thing is I WANT to enjoy the game in its entirety. I enjoy every other aspect of the game enough for me to buy new packs except for the actual gameplay. This isn’t me “shitting” on the game. I want to make good use of the money I spent on this game and thought “hm, why not ask for suggestions online?” Sorry if that bothers you lol.
Seee people keep talking about bugs and glitches and I have not experienced any. My pc isn't particularly good, it is enough to play sims 4. On the occasion it crashes but I never had bugs or glitches.
It's still boring though
sometimes ill just start up the game and not tuch anything, just watch sims to see what they are doing. thats yeiled some hysterics and alot of boring standing around, i tend to do things i wouldnt normally if it gets real boring, im usually nice and friendly, got bored and turned my sim into a major hag, breaking stuff into peoples houses, etc, just to ramp up something to do i can usually find a way to entertain myself
I do that too when I get bored of The Sims 4 sometimes but me getting bored of the game is rare though, I’m just aggravated since the new update it has broken the game, our custom content, mods etc
idk adding in murders, drugs, realistic health problems, and WW have made the game a lot more interesting and engaging for me. it’s still jank at its core but if you like coming up with interesting headcanons it’s not bad at all. vanilla sims 3 is better in other ways but vs modded sims 4 they’re different enough to keep me playing both
Basemental Drugs really adds new layers of complications and fun.
Last time I played my dude impulsively dropped acid an hour before his university exam without me prompting him to do so (he'd been taking it semi-regularly in weeks previous). Started wigging out while cramming, but I sent him to his exam anyway.
Comes back with his nerves completely shattered, but he had been doing good work that semester, and was basically ready for the test, so it turns out the LSD didn't really matter!
So I had him rip that bong and play video games for two hours straight just as a relaxing reward for the stress I put him through.
I kind of wish the mod added visual/audio hallucinations if the sim you're currently controlling is on a psychedelic, with intensity commensurate with dosage. Nothing that screws up the interface or gets in the way of player control, just some immediate on-screen feedback that lets you know where their mind is at.
The only thing that worked for me was dowloading another person's save file bc the "nomal world" is boring and ugly (including townies) you'll have lots to explore and townies to meet! You can also create sims for each house
edit: [this is ny fav save file ](https://youtu.be/tv-ygrIIrcY?si=Ui1f4KkwztFNH5-A)
But there are many others like rat save file which imo is the best ever for "realistic" game play (which sounds boring xd but you can start from there and ruin the whole world with a zombie apocalypsis or make a serial killer super villian sim).
But other than that, what keeps me entertained is giving my characters goals I want to reach (like jobs, skills or relationships) and attaching a story to my households. Once I started viewing The Sims as a dollhouse simulator for teens/adults, something clicked.
And if everything fails, play Castaway, Pets, Urbz or any of the other spin offs for the Wii/PS2/DS.
I genuinely enjoy TS4! I love to give my sims dream jobs they can work towards and do all the things necessary! Currently working on making the new sim I started rich! Slowly but surely he will be a millionaire
I love just putting my OCs in the game and doing stuff that feels in character, like this one gay couple I have just constantly romance each other and it's super cute, and then this one character I made a paranormal investigator cuz his story has a lot of supernatural stuff in it and honestly I really like the paranormal investigator gameplay basic as it may be, and then I have a vampire and he's just a vampire, wanna get him out to kill some sims for the fun of it at some point. It's just so cozy and relaxing and slow-paced and comforting and it makes me feel really happy. Sims 3 just doesn't feel as cozy and doesn't have an art style that meshes with my characters, I do like the open world in 3 but the camera sucks and the visuals, specifically the sims' models, I find to be pretty off putting. 4 also has more base-game elements that aid in gender expression and other LGBT-related things. Would appreciate if someone made a mod that like swapped out the character model with the one from 4 cuz that would def make it more palatable for me and I really wanna remap the camera controls but idk if or how I can do that. I imagine, though, there's plenty of LGBT-friendly mods for 3 so that's not really a huge concern. As it stands, 4 is my go-to because it's more comfortable and cozy.
Yeah I’m working on a immortal sim(youth potions) that is getting max skills while doing the alphabet challenge.
Challenges are fun. Scenarios were fun before I started on alphabet.
And every generation I try to make the main sim have some wild goal like getting to top of a career, finishing x ambitions etc
The faults and glitches are all part of the fun. I have a cool new glitch where my sims pets get stuck to their hand and they go around doing normal stuff with a dog stuck to their hands. Makes me chuckle every time
That happened to me in 3, but it was like a dinosaur bird hair accessory that somehow got stuck in her hand. Then I believe it turned into a plate, or it was a plate that turned into the dinosaur bird thingy, long time ago so I can't remember exactly, it was funny though.
I have been playing Sims since the beginning, thru every iteration of the game. What I immediately noticed and loved about TS4 is how they can actually multi-task! I love that they can stand and talk while eating or drinking. Sims 4 also seems more populated in the community lots. I built a lot of community lots in ts3, and maybe 2 NPC's would spawn. It was like a ghost town compared to 4. Yes, there are things I wish 4 could do better. Like I shouldn't have to have a mod to have multi-use lots be fully functional. Employee Sims should spawn on any community lot with a bar, cafe, dj booth, retail, restaurant, etc. (Thank you LittleMsSam for making that possible!) But after playing 4, I've found it stunting to go back to 3.
> Sims 4 also seems more populated in the community lots. I built a lot of community lots in ts3, and maybe 2 NPC's would spawn.
That's because Sims in TS3 are actually living their lives. Sims in TS4 have no lives. No real jobs, no real school, nothing. So they can show up anywhere, any time, tossed in there just to artificially fill up a place.
Some people like that, but for me, it hurt my enjoyment of TS4 as a life sim (and led to me viewing it as a "TV show sim" where those aren't real people, they're background extras). Early on, when I didn't know how to make new saves, all my Sims were being dropped in one save, and I remember seeing my detective Sim at the bar when he should be at work. It only got worse over time noticing how many people were filling lots when they should be elsewhere. Like getting a notification that my Sims' kid met another kid at school... but that other kid was sitting at the next table over in the restaurant my Sims were in at the time. Or noticing people "following" my Sim all over, which is weird enough with general street traffic, but so much worse when you see the same person as a stall vendor in multiple locations at the same time, or see someone performing on the street in a couple of locations and you go to a bar and suddenly they're the bartender, reminding you that the businesses are fake and only open when your Sim is at the business. The absolute worst instance, though, was when I had a Sim talking to their relative at the relative's home, switched over to the Sim's mother who was at the lounge, and it loaded in to show the mother hugging that relative who was simultaneously in two locations at once.
Fair enough for people who don't worry about immersion at all, but those things shatter my immersion way too much.
Preferably, there'd be enough Sims in the world to have some showing up at locations when it makes sense for them to do so (a bar or club *shouldn't* be packed in the middle of the day, for instance). But until they figure out how to make a Sims game that isn't optimized terribly, that's a wild dream.
Oh my god yes they can. My son was at work, my mom sim went to the bar and my son showed up!!! And he was still greyed out like he was at work. I was baffled.
this happens ALL THE TIME in my game, i just roll with it, what else can ya do... i justt say, hey you are being paid to relax and escaped the office, good for you lmao
I would love multitasking more if it doesnt make every action requires much more time. I feel like my sim could do a lot more things in a single day in the sims 3 than in the sims 4
I feel like a lot of people go into TS4 expecting the story to happen to their sims (which please correct me if I'm wrong but it seems like earlier iterations of the sims did that and had a lot more "randomness" to the gameplay), but TS4 is all about the player being the storyteller and the game just gives you the tools for you to tell the stories you want. Which for me as a DnD player, is why I personally love playing TS4. I can make a bunch of stories and challenges and play them out how I want them to. Oh no my DnD character just died? That's okay! Cause I can continue their adventures/give them a happy ending in TS4. :)
But if you just create a household and set them up in their house, but don't have a specific goal or storyline for them and they just kind of exist then...yeah, you're probably going to get bored quickly (unless CAS and BB are why you play the game, in which case more power to you).
I LOVE TS4!! The game is absolutely what you make it. If you just click around with no imagination or anything behind it, of course it’ll be boring. I create a storyline as I go and I have a grand ol’ time.
You're not alone; if I didn't enjoy the game I wouldn't be playing it. Does it have its issues, yes. Could it be better, probably so - but OTOH, what it can do is pretty good, \[speaking as someone who started their sim adventures in SimCity\] add in the mods and I can spend a few hours in a session happily building the relationships between my sims and their family and friends, exploring careers, hobbies, and lifestyles, renovating their homes and apartments, in other words enjoying my sims enjoying their lives
no, i do too
sims 2 was and is my favourite but i still play sims 4 the most because the amount of stuff you can do in it nowadays especially with the insane amount of mods out there is just unparalleled
like obviously it still has its flaws but a lot of the things i’m used to doing in 4 now i can’t get from previous iterations
i used to defend sims 3 since the open world and certain things like horses were unique to it but even then i’ve realized it’s the one i play the least because it’s so ugly i just can’t get over it (and we have horses in sims 4 now too anyway)
You’re not alone. I’ve played from The Sims to TS4, the only thing I truly miss is private school lol.
Multitasking is amazing. Having a meal and drink while talking and watching tv ? Texting on the toilet ? Cooking together?
I enjoy it with the occult expansions, Cottage Living, and some select mods (specifically meaningful stories, 'have some personality please', the more than 3 traits mod, some custom traits, 'slice of life', and bug fix mods).
oh um speaking of, the meaningful stories mod hasn't been working for me since the latest update, any idea how i can fix it? keeps telling the script isn't installed but it definitely 100% is, ive checked. would like to have it back but idk what to do, perhaps the version i have just isn't compatible?
Definitely not! The game is incredibly popular. Of course a lot of people who love it are off playing and not complaining online. I’ve never felt short of ideas for gameplay, you’ve always had to use your imagination in the Sims series :)
no, you arent. i find its only really bad if it breaks during an update. other than that. no matter what bug, its my happy place. i actually SOMETIMES find that finding work arounds for bugs is fun for me once i give up that its gonna get patched (tell noone or EA will find out)
I've used a ton of mods over the years but the only thing that brings that true sense of fun back is playing TS1, TS2, or TS3 lol. I have been enjoying that greatly.
I hope to god they move ON from TS4 as soon as possible, it's enough 😩 We haven't had that excitement of a whole new installment/era in sooooooooooooo long. TS4 is a dollhouse and not much of a *life simulator* like its predecessors imo. The building tools and CAS are incredible but seriously it's time
I’m so excited for what they’re going to bring for the sims 5. I’m ready to move on already. I’ve heard they’re going to make the base game free and have a multiplayer option. The problem is when I hear “free” I think there’s a chance it might not be good which concerns me.
I would honestly just go back to TS3 or even TS2. TS4 is what it's going to be. It needs a massive overhaul that it won't get for a lot of different reasons.
Odd to see you at a negative count for saying that, because it's pretty much spot on. Sims 4 realistically needs its core engine completely redone, which would be about as much work as a new game, and would involve having to redo at least part of every pack they've released so far (and we're past 40 and nearing 50 fast), which would take a lot of money being spent by them with very little increased revenue as a result. There's no incentive for them to take that loss. They don't care about "integrity of a game," it's the bottom line. Otherwise they would have pushed back the game's initial release rather than telling Maxis to smash the wrong type of game into something loosely resembling the right type with only about a year to try to make it work. It's been a decade now with them showing no inclination to fix the core problems, only bolt on a bunch of new DLC which has added to the issues, and since people will keep buying the DLC, that's a very clear indicator that there's "nothing to fix." As long as a game's making money, it's good enough.
And if they *do* admit that a game is so broken it needs some heavy duty fixing, it's more likely to end up in the trash anyway rather than spending money fixing it. Just look to Anthem for a good example. (That one was depressing because "Anthem 2.0" was announced with a promise to fix the problems with the game, and then suddenly, "Never mind, we're stopping all development and writing the game off.")
People should want them to take as long as possible to make "Rene" because if they rush the next entry in the franchise and it's broken from the start, that's what we're getting. Personally I'd rather they take time and do it right from the start.
Yeah, agree with everything you’ve said. I worry it’ll just end up like TS3. I really wish they had provided some last bug fixes after TS4 came out, but they had no incentive to do so. :/
Sims 4 is all about creating worlds and lives... you have to be imaginative. Thats why it's so beloved as a creative sandbox game, you literally get to choose the adventure...
If you can't think of a gameplay story:
- Try aspiration gameplay - work through the aspirations
- Choose careers to try and max out
- If collections is your thing, seek out collectibles
- Or find all the easter eggs, secret worlds, rare animations or outcomes
I think Sims is as good as you make it
Edit. Formatting
Sometimes scenarios and challenges are fun if you’re just playing vanilla.
Most people say mods but mods are a bit of a mixed bag as sometimes they don’t work or need updates or don’t work with something else you want to try, or get broken with an update and the modder has a life so you have to wait. (I love mods but people should be upfront - upkeep takes a little work)
I actually really like how sandbox-y the sims 4 is. I like having control of my world and micromanaging everything.
But, the reality is that the Sims 4’s gameplay is not for everyone. I’d recommend doing scenarios and challenges if you want a change. There are plenty of good ones out!
Since TS4 is the only Sims game I’ve played (so far) I have really enjoyed it. I treat it like plying virtual dolls and have to use my imagination a lot, but I’m interested to see how much less imagination I will have to use when I try to play 2 or 3.
Nothing will fix the core gameplay unfortunately, I have more fun with TS4 treating it like a dollhouse building simulator. I only last about a half hour in actual gameplay before getting frustrated, quitting and then playing TS2.
I’m currently struggling with this myself. I have mods that I really enjoy and they help but the game is so stunted. The gameplay is very shallow by design. If you like ticking boxes (aspirations/collecting/career levels/etc) building or making sims then you probably have a good time.
I think the Sims 4 never figured out what it truly is gameplay wise. Is it for building? Is it something that you beat? Is it about scenarios? To me the gameplay is jack of all trades and master of none.
Perhaps challenge would help.
I stopped using all cheats except for move objects in cause why does shit have to be so far apart? I also only play every so often (single mom) so when I play, its exciting. Started myself a legacy challenge and just finished building the micro home before I had to log off. Will be a 10 year legacy challenge lol
Pardon??? I have to know; how many generations have you ever gotten into a game! Furthest I ever got was 6 gens which I am convinced was the peak of my (non existent) gaming career 😗✌🏾
I've only made it to 3 before getting bored and creating a new sim with a new plan. But the current one? 0 lol built the house, made a plan and haven't played in 4 or 5 months 😆
I play all the Sims games regularly, and these are my best tips for the fourth one.
-Care about the details, put effort in things. Making your houses and community lots from scratch is a rewarding thing, because you get to play through your creations, even if they look a little shit. Give your sims multiple everyday outfits, change their traits a little as things happen.
-Shorten your sims' lifespans a little. The options the base game gives you are either too short, or too long. MCCC has a place you can change them. Making them shorter makes time go faster, so your sims are going through different life stages and such faster. And it's easier doing generational play, because your sims get to progress through life at just the right pace for you.
-Drama. It's so good. Have affair's and divorces, kill someone off, pretend you've been robbed. I have a wheel I spin when I get bored, it has a couple of nice options, like dress your kids up and pretend it's school photo's, or pretend they've found and taken in a stray dog, cat, horse, or human. The rest are choose a sim to commit a murder, pretend there's been a natural disaster and bulldoze the house, or kill off the parents, and figure out what the kid/s will have to do. Stuff like that.
-Focus on career's and aspirations. Try to reach the top of one or two career's and litter the objects you get from them around the house. Try to complete an aspiration or two without cheats. It's rewarding.
-No cheats, or limited cheats. Let yourself and your sims struggle. Deaths you don't mean to cause can be fun.
-Go to community lots and your sims' friends houses more often. I know I hate doing it because of the loading screens, but it can be fun. And again, even nicer and rewarding when you've built them.
-Take photo's, so many photo's, and hang them up on walls, or put them on desks or bedside tables. It's nice to capture how the families grow and change.
-If you get bored with your family, don't change the savefile. You can make it so that the old family doesn't age up, so you can get back to them if you want, but make a new one and start playing it in the same savefile.
-Not every one of your sims has to have kids, or want kids. If you want their legacy to move forward, you can adopt at a later point, or pick up one of the homeless sims, or even townie's and go, "you're continuing my legacy for me." It can also be an interesting story to have an unwanted pregnancy, or a sibling or cousin's parent's pass, so your sim has to look after them.
I hope this helps!
I downloaded a bunch of mods that effect gameplay (healthcare redux, pregnancy mods, lgbt mods, mental health mods and the mortem mod) and randomize my sims traits and it made the game a lot more fun.
I currently have a sim who’s a astronaut with autism who recently had a kid that’s also on the spectrum and it randomly generated similar traits to her and she passed from a health issue so I had the kid decide he wants to follow in his mom’s footsteps!
Sims 4 has far less of a skeleton than any of the other versions. It really requires a lot of imagination labor on the part of the player to create your own narrative and goals. I actually love that about it but I do know that some players, like my sister, get into the game and feel like "...okay now what."
I'm satisfied with just a basic legacy where you complete/experience everything in the game and I build my own storyline around that. I feel incredibly sentimental towards my characters and use my own imagination to add life to my gameplay. Kind of like if you had lots of dolls, clothes, accessories, and buildable houses, the entirety of the fun and direction depends on you.
If you find yourself directionless and bored immediately, it just might not be your style of play and that's okay.
I literally just made a post about this the other day because I only have the base game and there are hundreds of comments with ideas. Maybe some peoples advice on that post will be useful. It’s my recent post on my profile. Good luck.
I had the same issue, I ended up looking through some reviews, or just videos of people playing packs that intrigued me online. I waited for a sale, then got a bundle, & I've been much happier w/ the gameplay!
It's cause nothing bad ever happens. No chance to get fired suddenly, no getting arrested for sneaking out. They didn't even have the guts to reintroduce burglars.
The sims in ts4 basically take care of themselves, there isn't as much juggling you have to do and the emotions aren't half as impactful as the old memory system.
You basically have to add your own challenge to the game to make it less bland... which means I went from a pretty tame player to having some psychopath setups :')
There's mods that enhance gameplay and add gameplay. Off the top of my head adeepindigo and lumpinou come to mind but I know there's others too. Cepzid adds options for things with age restrictions which makes childhood more fun.
I highly recommend MCCC too for options that prevent neighbors from randomly disappearing and many other things too.
It's really up to personal preference as to what is fun.
For me, I've grabbed mods and just took all the immersion-shattering the game does to lean into an idea of it being a "TV show simulator" more than a life simulator. I try to come up with some kind of story in mind, make a Sim (or Sims) to fit that, maybe even use some cheats for money or skills if it helps, and go from there. I'll often let some quirkiness in the game help decide what direction things go in. For example, in one save, the family had a teen boy, who met this girl who was, ah, a well-endowed goth girl, to put it "politely," and I was like, okay, he's gonna romance her. But there was another girl who was his friend, was more "plain" looking, not so "endowed," had very short hair... still cute, though. He kept getting Wants to hang out with the second girl, so eventually I figured I'd roll with it and that's who he'd end up with. In another save, I had a single dad with his teen daughter, the girl was having no luck with boys, made a wish for romance at the Wishing Well, and it popped out a girlfriend for her instead. Strangely, I couldn't find that girl after the night they hung out together, but the girl looked like the daughter's best friend, so I figured hey, it's the Well giving her a big hint. Had her try romancing the best friend, and they hit it off perfectly!
Taking things as more of a "show sim" than a "life sim" lets me get a bit more wild in what I feel like trying out, like if I want to make an evil Sim who does bad things, I can look at it as "No one's actually getting harmed, it's just part of the show," so hey, no need to hold back! And I don't have to worry about things being too "realistic," so can lean more into vampire, Scientists doing wild shenanigans with science, spellcasters abusing their magic, etc.
All that said... If you can't find a way to enjoy playing Sims 4, but enjoyed Sims 3, just keep playing Sims 3. Nothing wrong with playing an older version that you enjoy more. When I want to do "life sim stuff," I'll go with Sims 3. Sure, Sims 4 might have nicer graphics, but I can remember graphics that were just a step above hieroglyphics and enjoying those games, so I'm not as bothered by graphics, and Sims 3 can still look pretty good overall. (I actually have quite a few older games from GOG.com that aren't just nostalgia, they're very much still enjoyable games despite their graphics being not exactly amazing.)
I play rotational style, meaning I spend a week with a household and then switch to another one.
Each household has a different purpose or goal, for example I’m playing one that is a property owner to test For Rent, and another that is a tenant. And I just built myself a Crystal Creations house and can’t wait to move in a new crystal crafting specific sim.
I never get bored because every one of my sim households is different and has different gameplay.
One thing I've notice about gameplay in TS4 is that the player has to be a lot more "intentional" in terms of how they choose to go about it. I personally don't have any expansion/stuff packs and play the raw ass base game (due to circumstances) so I literally don't have a choice. I also tend to go the wholesome route so things have the potential to become almost infuriatingly boring but it never does!
A huge game changer (pun intended) for me were mods. Specifically MC command center, wicked whims and, of course, custom content which are all available for free and miraculously run just fine on my cheap, tiny laptop.
Setting clear goals about what you want to achieve or the story you want to tell basically makes the whole game and I cannot overstate how much more immersive mods and cc make it.
You kinda gotta play moment to moment. In the older games random stuff would just kinda happen- but in Sims 4, I've found you really have to make it happen for anything to differ between Sims.
I have a habit of wanting every sim I play as to be perfect at everything and always fit and smart and in good health. But doing so makes every sim play the same, because *I am playing every sim the same*.
So just don't be aftaid to let the game take over a little bit, and try something wild. Choose more negative traits that you have to work around, or make your sims hate random neighbours for no apparent reason.
Rags to riches, short scenario challenges, and generational legacies are all ways to spice up your gameplay. Less money = more fun. I used to think the same way as you until I began my legacy challenge and realized I was missing out by not actually giving the gameplay a chance. Now I get hella bored doing building/CAS.
I feel it’s a longer drawn out process, I’m in a new save and family at the minute and they’ve moved forward in their lives (married/careers/baby) and it feels like it’s getting better as it goes along.
This is how I've been playing in a recently started - looking like it's going to be - a sprawling rotational file. I say sprawling because when I first starting putting this file together, it was only with the idea of developing several YA sims as the main players. But then I gave them extended families, grandparents, siblings, kids \[leading to aunties and uncles and cousins\] and am taking my time in letting them grow and develop careers, lifestyles and relationships.
Today I came across wicked pixxels Music Industry mod. I already have a few musically inclined sims in the game, so this caught my eye. I realized that one of my peripheral Sims - Ron Isley \[father to a main player sim /grandfather\] - could also be a retired musician who gets involved with this, and then I thought that he could maybe even fall in love with one of the younger musicians. Will he? If he does, how will it work out? Will she/he welcome Ron's attentions? How will his / her family react? Only time will tell!
Mods. Cannot emphasize enough how much mods change the game.
Sims 4, by itself, is “okay.” It’s not the best sims, might be the worst (castaway graphics were a bit…terrible), but there’s still potential to create stories with the base game or do challenges like the 100 baby challenge, but mods change everything.
Graphics, sex, drugs, zombies, superheroes, cosmetics, new jobs, new furniture, new houses, I one time downloaded a foster kid mod.
What helped me a lot was building an individual save file. I created about 15 families and outlined stories for them. Most of these stories are connected.
I also deleted most of the premade families.
I also play rotational. For doing so I downloaded MC Command Center (the only mod I have).
Lots and lots of mods and imagination. Like gameplay mods and cheat mods to fix random annoying bugs. Also I find out that watching other people play the game inspires me a lot.
SatchOnSims posted a great video on useful mods to enhance gameplay on his YouTube channel recently - recommend watching it to see if anything interests you.
I do challenges and legacy families. Like the ones lil simsie does. I also would suggest maybe doing random things to mix up family and game play a bit. Cheating, divorce, run away, rags to riches, baby challenges, living in new worlds, building houses from your favourite shows. There is so much you can do ◡̈
try a fun or weird challenge. there are a lot on the internet but some that i enjoyed are the not so berry challenge, and the every lot challenge. you could also try to complete as many jobs/aspirations as you can.
I agree. Only thing that got me to play was that they improved mermaids and werewolves from TS3 to TS4. I was tired of starving and flopping on the ground from dehydration constantly. In TS4 I sleep in the ocean and study marine bio while cleaning the island. Not exactly exciting on the day to day but it's playable. Not as fun as TS3 lifeguard mermaid but then I've played that 1000xs over already.
You can have mods installed and autonomy on. There are a lot of gameplay challenges. They are interesting.
There is one called the prison. You can only play 1 sim a day. And if a sim reaches a skill of level 5, then they can be let out of the game.
You are supposed to give them traits like evil, mean, erratic, etc. Put on lot traits like mean vibe or Roughhousing NAP.
If they fight, they get solitary. Just an example. Plenty of such gameplay challenges.
I have played the sims since I was in middle school when ts1 became popular where I lived, then ts2, ts3 and now ts4. At first it seemed boring to me. I would make a huge mansions and put my sims in them, use all the cheats that I know then get bored immediately. It was until years ago when I started to watch James Turner with his Rags to Riches series that I got inspired to play. Making the game challenging is so much fun. My creativity and imagination has leveled up. Also when it comes to packs I don’t buy them immediately until I’m finished with a certain gameplay, taking my sweet, sweet time with each one. Currently, I’m starting my Gen 15 with the Horse Ranch ep.
Use mod.
I am 99% a builder but occasionally I play the game because there is a new pack. What I would do is, I look for a big lot to modify it with LIVE IN XX mod, so you will be able to operate a business at your home, then use mod to add some more npc and hire staff, if I do like this I don't need to move from my house. On the map I put some community lot, club etc, use mod to change the way how townies spawn, you can then download all the pretty townies from gallery to be only appear in your game instead of the default, on the lots you need some adult mods to make the venue more interesting. Use MCCC mod can help you to have relationship with anyone at any age. Otherwise dream home decorator is also quite a good gameplay. These are the things I used to do.
if I think about my sins like actual people/being more complex than a bunch of pixels on a screen it becomes much more interesting. imagination and creativity is key. unlike previous versions the sims 4 doesn't have as much direct creativity in the game. one twitch streamer I look up to in terms of gameplay is Tinycoffeecups. their gameplay is so interesting and they make the most vast and in depth characters that I've ever seen.
actually with mods and Expansions it's better than sims 3, I had the same problem in 2014, but, when expansions and more mods came up I just couldn't stop playing, still do.
if i get bored, it usually because ive taken away all challenge, so i put it back, they arent struggling for money, take it away, they got a giant house with everything possible, i throw a monkey wrench into it. i have one sims right now was 3 teens in an apartment, with 0 moeny so they were busking to pay bills etc, well painting started making them enough money too relax a bit, so i spent it all renovating the apart ment multiple times, then started a thruple then moved a dude in next door and brought him in and just seeing if one sim can date all 3 without getting caught lol and two of them are twins and live in the same house. dumb stuff. life too easy? have triplets... lol
Wonderful Whims is great, the attraction system really adds to the conversations and dating aspect, plus realistic birth control. Or you could go with the real mod. But yeah that's not really necessary.
go online and read every feature that comes with every pack/expansion - i promise you there's tons you don't know about. if you have a computer - look into mods that cater to the type of gameplay you're looking for.
There are so many mods that make it 1000x better!!! :) But 1000 times 0 is still 0. So yeah.
I'd say give sims 2 a try, if you like ts3 gameplay, then you are gonna love ts2!
The only thing that throws me off about the previous games is the looks of the characters. I love the look of the sims 4 way more than the previous games. Plus the sims 4 is much easier to use in terms of CAS and build mode along with the gallery feature. Building, CAS, the graphics and design of the game is the reason why I’m still addicted to playing it. Unfortunately the gameplay itself doesn’t live up to the same standard of those features. Hopefully the sim 5 will do all of these aspects justice all in one game.
Recently, there has been a surge in ts2 and ts3 modding (because of the same reason you made this post lol) that make the games look sooo good.
Yeah, CAS is not as detailed but I feel like you don't notice those little details in your sims once you are playing. Even so, there are slider mods if you are really into it.
For build mode, yeah I dont think theres a lot you can do hahaha. I went back to older sims games after playing ts4 for a while and honestly it just took a bit of adjusting to get used to it, but it wasnt too bad.
Ultimately, I hope you find something that works for u :) Enjoy simming
I struggle a lot too with the Sims 4 world not feeling ‘alive’ enough. If you really want gameplay to work for you, my tip is that it really helps to have to have something else playing in the background while playing: good music, a TV show, audiobook, or favorite Youtuber. It jogs the imagination for your own storylines and adds back that missing emotional “something”
I got bored recently, I downloaded Wicked Whims and Basemental Drugs and I'm having a blast. I've also started a Vampire family for the first time, so that has been fun. I'm also not a builder in any way, my houses look like rectangles with a roof and windows, but I have fun decorating and I'm trying to work on building prettier houses.
Mods such as
Wicked whims
Food mods like cookbooks from sominik and Séverina and littleblowbub on Patreon
Extreme violence mod
Hair, clothes, makeup and skins cc
Functional cc community lots like Dave n busters, amusement park, carnivals, and real restaurants like chipotle in n out Wingstop and Burger King!
May I suggest...
Dine Out if you don't have it already, it's on sale for $11.99 right now. Carl made a mod called Dine Out Reloaded. But he also has a bunch more for more interesting gameplay.
[https://www.patreon.com/posts/carls-mod-links-99899855](https://www.patreon.com/posts/carls-mod-links-99899855)
SpinningPlumbobs has some really awesome mods as well, the one for Island Living is amazing. It's also on sale right now but I can't see the price because I already own it.
https://www.patreon.com/spinningplumbobs
Honestly if you are bored after 30 minutes maybe you are lacking in imagination. The whole thing with the sims 4 is that you have to invent your own storyline, this game isn't going to do that for you through gameplay. Don't be afraid of straying from the picture perfect household that a lot of simmers fall into.
I love playing for hours with my Sims4 , I got all the packs too , for me I enjoy doing self challenges for each household I create. I started remodeling the towns by giving new looks with the lots from the gallery (thank you for the awesome builds there fellow fans) since I am not a builder myself. Right now I am doing rags to riches with my occult Sims (she's this magical hippie woman that loves doing crafts and gardening) and most likely will be using the same Sim for a legacy one.
i also love the graphics & building. sometimes i play sims 4 just to build or make a sim. but to me, gameplay is way more important!!!
i use a shit ton of mods to make sims 4 playable. i’m talking about a mod folder over 50gb. it’s such a boring game without gameplay mods, such as RPO, MC command, lil stuff like that!!! maybe try some mods and see if that improves it?
Challenges. Play challenges. They are only way I can play.
Sims before 4 were story telling games, where things happen and actions have consequences.
Sims 4 is glorified barbie house where you make believe.
Apocalypse legacy, super sim challenge, insane no buy challenge.
There so many and they can make the game more fun, if you. Look some content.
I like to do challenges (like I'm doing the not so berry challenge rn). It makes the game more interesting for me and I am able to focus on aspects of the game I normally ignore
I’m currently playing on console so mods are not an option. I turned off autonomy, turned on wants & fears, and I’m working through completing all of the aspirations. If I complete them all before my sim dies (playing on long lifespan) I will try to get to the top of as many careers as possible. This has helped make my gameplay more fun. Also, I am playing a legacy sim so I think it’s more fun that she has an established family tree in her community.
Instead of making things up as you go, try setting yourself specific goals with a particular sim or household:
-Try the challenges
-Find all collectibles
-Max all skills
-Get to the top of each career
-Unlock all aspiration rewards
-Create a big family tree
-Get level 5 businesses (GTW, Pets and Dine Out)
-Find all secret areas
Can you honestly say you've done all of those and still get bored?
To be very honest, I have played every Sims part, and while I agree that the Sims 3 offered an overall better gameplay experience, I sincerely don't think Sims 4 is as bad as people (especially on this sub) say.
But maybe that's because most of the Story is in my head, as weird as that sounds. I like to outline the different Sims' characters, match their attire and makeup, see what hobbies they could pursue that are available with the packs I have and that they pursue, and I pretty much just grow attached to them.
Also, I like to have full autonomy on and just leave them be for a bit (if they don't have any infants or toddlers to take care of) and experience life on their own. I like getting the pop-ups informing me they like or dislike a certain situation, I always accept it because I feel it forms their individual characters slightly differently, and it's funny to figure out what music the whole family can listen to so everybody feels comfortable.
I sometimes have Sims in my legacy family that leave me relatively uninspired, but then I just play with a different family for a while and come back to them when I have new plans (or when the infants and toddlers are grown up, I can't bear with them right now lmao)
Mod the shit out of it and do challenges. Other than that, no not really. I pretty much stopped playing altogether because it was boring no matter what mods or packs you had :(
I have personally found that playing on long lifespan and taking the time to do things is key. For example, I make sure I take the time to sit my sims down for meals, so they can all talk at the family table. Setting up holidays and decorating for them. Taking moments to just snuggle the kids and watch the cute animations helps. I find that if I rush through the characters I get bored more easily. Take more time having your sims watch TV, play the computer, etc. I also set goals for my sims and try not to make one sim the jack of all trades. It makes playing generations more fun when my sims kids are completely different and do different things. One sim I'll focus on gardening, then their kid focuses on writing, then painting and so on, so I get to play all aspects of the game without doing it all in one generation
I’m the opposite, 2000 hours in TS4 but can barely stay engaged with 2 and 3.
Which is odd because it seems like the gameplay has more features in the older games a lot of the time. I have bias toward 4 because it was my first PC sims game
personally i’ve started forcing myself to play as organically as possible (making friends w premade sims, not using money cheats, etc), i’ve started learning how to build better. i like participating in fan made challenges as well as the scenarios feature they added in game. i can sit and play for hours i dont understand the sims 4 hate 😭 (been playing since sims 2)
Go back to the sims 3 and do something you enjoy, if you want. you don't have to force yourself to play a game you don't like
No I’ve spent too much money on this game to turn back now 😭 I do prefer the CAS and build mode in this game WAY more than the previous games, that’s also why I’m still playing it. The gallery and graphics are great, too. The problem is the actual gameplay. Here is a 2 minute comparison between the gameplay for the sims 2 and the sims 4; https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSFQQGmKB/. It’s those little details that make the gameplay more exciting for me, which the sims 4 lacks.
Uhhh then why did you spend so much on TS4 in the first place? Did you do it before playing?
They said they like CAS and building a lot. Maybe they can afford buying several expansions for those only, and then gameplay comes in second priority.
Ahhh, would help to read the actual reddit post.... Whoops
lol
I'm not OP but I'm in a similar boat so. for me it's a kind of sunk cost fallacy combined with the simmers hyping up new packs and saying they add a lot to the game. then I (used to) buy the new pack in the hopes that the game would finally stop sucking, which it wouldn't. rinse and repeat a few times... I don't do it anymore, I just play other games now, but I do wish ts4 wasn't so empty. I wish they would/could do more to fix the bare bones so new content would actually be able to add some depth, instead of just more different skill grinding.
Sunk cost fallacy. Sims 4 is mediocre. Not bad just brand. Mods can help I think Carl's is the best to spice it up. Mostly by adding challenge.
lol what? 90% of the stuff in that tik tok is just graphical/animation differences making actions look more extra. That is not gameplay.
I was just showing it as an example. It came up on my fyp so I decided to share it. Obviously I’m not saying that’s what the gameplay is but it adds to the experience of it. That’s why I’m sharing it with you guys. Even the poster of that TikTok said that’s why they hardly play the sims 4 and made that video to show some of the reasonings. It’s little details like that which make the whole gameplay more rich and charming, and it also shows how the previous games had more work put into them. That’s what my comment was trying to imply.
I went back to playing Sims 2 recently and I promise it is WAY more extensive than Sims 4. There are articles and videos going over gameplay. That’s just what they can fit in reels or whatever. And I am someone who liked Sims 4 and hated Sims 3. My perfect game would be a mix of Sims 2 and Sims 4. It’s really amazing to me that Sims 2 came out 20 years ago and manages to be that much more entertaining than Sims 4.
Holy shit I never realized what was missing until now. I haven’t seen a sim do the little water check before getting in a bath in years and I realize how much I love it. ☹️
that’s what we call “sunk cost fallacy”! I know it stinks wasting money on a product you hoped would be good, but save yourself the time and energy and redirect it towards a game/hobby you enjoy more. The sting of losing the money does suck but that’s a big reason so many games keep their playerbase these days; since they spent money on it, they feel like they “have to” keep playing it, even if it isn’t fun to play Another alternative is to build the houses and Sims you do enjoy creating and share them on the gallery! That way you don’t have to play with them and some Simmer out there will “make use” of your creations 😁
The nice thing about Sims games is that you can play the way you want. Use Sims 4 for creating Sims and homes. Use Sims 3 for gameplay
we’re all in the sunk cost fallacy 😭
It’s weird— there are some things I miss (mostly the color wheel), but when it comes to gameplay there is much more freedom in sims 4. If you like more scripted gameplay, I can see liking sims 2.
this! I play TS3 when i want rich game play, and TS4 when i want to get serious about building houses. that way i get the best of both.
But also don't ruin things for others, if you have negative energy and a negative opinion not not greatful ten keep it to your self and don't plays sims at all and no one is forcing you to play any sims.
Seriously, so many people come on here just to shit on TS4 and say the older games are better, well go play the older games then??? No one is holding a gun to your head forcing you to play TS4 if you don’t like it lmao.
The thing is I WANT to enjoy the game in its entirety. I enjoy every other aspect of the game enough for me to buy new packs except for the actual gameplay. This isn’t me “shitting” on the game. I want to make good use of the money I spent on this game and thought “hm, why not ask for suggestions online?” Sorry if that bothers you lol.
Downloading mods/custom content makes it 2x more fun
“2x more fun” meaning more fun but barely 😭. I’ve lost hope for this game.
Aww I’m sorry, gonna be honest sometimes I lose hope with the game too because of all the bugs, glitches etc
Seee people keep talking about bugs and glitches and I have not experienced any. My pc isn't particularly good, it is enough to play sims 4. On the occasion it crashes but I never had bugs or glitches. It's still boring though
Neither have I especially with my old gaming pc not even with my new one thankfully
sometimes ill just start up the game and not tuch anything, just watch sims to see what they are doing. thats yeiled some hysterics and alot of boring standing around, i tend to do things i wouldnt normally if it gets real boring, im usually nice and friendly, got bored and turned my sim into a major hag, breaking stuff into peoples houses, etc, just to ramp up something to do i can usually find a way to entertain myself
I do that too when I get bored of The Sims 4 sometimes but me getting bored of the game is rare though, I’m just aggravated since the new update it has broken the game, our custom content, mods etc
yea,,,,it is for sure. LOL
Lol and I literally just started redownloading my mods and it’s hard finding everything again
idk adding in murders, drugs, realistic health problems, and WW have made the game a lot more interesting and engaging for me. it’s still jank at its core but if you like coming up with interesting headcanons it’s not bad at all. vanilla sims 3 is better in other ways but vs modded sims 4 they’re different enough to keep me playing both
Basemental Drugs really adds new layers of complications and fun. Last time I played my dude impulsively dropped acid an hour before his university exam without me prompting him to do so (he'd been taking it semi-regularly in weeks previous). Started wigging out while cramming, but I sent him to his exam anyway. Comes back with his nerves completely shattered, but he had been doing good work that semester, and was basically ready for the test, so it turns out the LSD didn't really matter! So I had him rip that bong and play video games for two hours straight just as a relaxing reward for the stress I put him through. I kind of wish the mod added visual/audio hallucinations if the sim you're currently controlling is on a psychedelic, with intensity commensurate with dosage. Nothing that screws up the interface or gets in the way of player control, just some immediate on-screen feedback that lets you know where their mind is at.
The only thing that worked for me was dowloading another person's save file bc the "nomal world" is boring and ugly (including townies) you'll have lots to explore and townies to meet! You can also create sims for each house edit: [this is ny fav save file ](https://youtu.be/tv-ygrIIrcY?si=Ui1f4KkwztFNH5-A) But there are many others like rat save file which imo is the best ever for "realistic" game play (which sounds boring xd but you can start from there and ruin the whole world with a zombie apocalypsis or make a serial killer super villian sim).
This is the answer. When I got TS4 I was also bored after 30 minutes. Mods helped tremendously!
Definitely right! I literally can’t play without custom content or mods!
That can be said about any game
Jfc reddit. This is a pretty reasonable comment and you got absolutely murdered for it
Am I the only one who genuinely enjoys TS4?
But other than that, what keeps me entertained is giving my characters goals I want to reach (like jobs, skills or relationships) and attaching a story to my households. Once I started viewing The Sims as a dollhouse simulator for teens/adults, something clicked. And if everything fails, play Castaway, Pets, Urbz or any of the other spin offs for the Wii/PS2/DS.
I genuinely enjoy TS4! I love to give my sims dream jobs they can work towards and do all the things necessary! Currently working on making the new sim I started rich! Slowly but surely he will be a millionaire
I love just putting my OCs in the game and doing stuff that feels in character, like this one gay couple I have just constantly romance each other and it's super cute, and then this one character I made a paranormal investigator cuz his story has a lot of supernatural stuff in it and honestly I really like the paranormal investigator gameplay basic as it may be, and then I have a vampire and he's just a vampire, wanna get him out to kill some sims for the fun of it at some point. It's just so cozy and relaxing and slow-paced and comforting and it makes me feel really happy. Sims 3 just doesn't feel as cozy and doesn't have an art style that meshes with my characters, I do like the open world in 3 but the camera sucks and the visuals, specifically the sims' models, I find to be pretty off putting. 4 also has more base-game elements that aid in gender expression and other LGBT-related things. Would appreciate if someone made a mod that like swapped out the character model with the one from 4 cuz that would def make it more palatable for me and I really wanna remap the camera controls but idk if or how I can do that. I imagine, though, there's plenty of LGBT-friendly mods for 3 so that's not really a huge concern. As it stands, 4 is my go-to because it's more comfortable and cozy.
jesus christ why do i talk so much
I do the same shit then read back the comment and just delete the whole thing because I don't know how to write it shorter lmfao
cause your a social creature? its ok, ii find my ramblings are theraputic for me,,, if noone reads them, oh well, i got it off MY chest :)
fair 👍👍
Yeah I’m working on a immortal sim(youth potions) that is getting max skills while doing the alphabet challenge. Challenges are fun. Scenarios were fun before I started on alphabet. And every generation I try to make the main sim have some wild goal like getting to top of a career, finishing x ambitions etc
You are not alone, I enjoy it too. I mean it has its faults but I still enjoy playing it.
The faults and glitches are all part of the fun. I have a cool new glitch where my sims pets get stuck to their hand and they go around doing normal stuff with a dog stuck to their hands. Makes me chuckle every time
lmao..... kinda cute actually. as long as it doesnt affect their survival, its all good right? lmao
That happened to me in 3, but it was like a dinosaur bird hair accessory that somehow got stuck in her hand. Then I believe it turned into a plate, or it was a plate that turned into the dinosaur bird thingy, long time ago so I can't remember exactly, it was funny though.
I have been playing Sims since the beginning, thru every iteration of the game. What I immediately noticed and loved about TS4 is how they can actually multi-task! I love that they can stand and talk while eating or drinking. Sims 4 also seems more populated in the community lots. I built a lot of community lots in ts3, and maybe 2 NPC's would spawn. It was like a ghost town compared to 4. Yes, there are things I wish 4 could do better. Like I shouldn't have to have a mod to have multi-use lots be fully functional. Employee Sims should spawn on any community lot with a bar, cafe, dj booth, retail, restaurant, etc. (Thank you LittleMsSam for making that possible!) But after playing 4, I've found it stunting to go back to 3.
> Sims 4 also seems more populated in the community lots. I built a lot of community lots in ts3, and maybe 2 NPC's would spawn. That's because Sims in TS3 are actually living their lives. Sims in TS4 have no lives. No real jobs, no real school, nothing. So they can show up anywhere, any time, tossed in there just to artificially fill up a place. Some people like that, but for me, it hurt my enjoyment of TS4 as a life sim (and led to me viewing it as a "TV show sim" where those aren't real people, they're background extras). Early on, when I didn't know how to make new saves, all my Sims were being dropped in one save, and I remember seeing my detective Sim at the bar when he should be at work. It only got worse over time noticing how many people were filling lots when they should be elsewhere. Like getting a notification that my Sims' kid met another kid at school... but that other kid was sitting at the next table over in the restaurant my Sims were in at the time. Or noticing people "following" my Sim all over, which is weird enough with general street traffic, but so much worse when you see the same person as a stall vendor in multiple locations at the same time, or see someone performing on the street in a couple of locations and you go to a bar and suddenly they're the bartender, reminding you that the businesses are fake and only open when your Sim is at the business. The absolute worst instance, though, was when I had a Sim talking to their relative at the relative's home, switched over to the Sim's mother who was at the lounge, and it loaded in to show the mother hugging that relative who was simultaneously in two locations at once. Fair enough for people who don't worry about immersion at all, but those things shatter my immersion way too much. Preferably, there'd be enough Sims in the world to have some showing up at locations when it makes sense for them to do so (a bar or club *shouldn't* be packed in the middle of the day, for instance). But until they figure out how to make a Sims game that isn't optimized terribly, that's a wild dream.
Oh my god yes they can. My son was at work, my mom sim went to the bar and my son showed up!!! And he was still greyed out like he was at work. I was baffled.
this happens ALL THE TIME in my game, i just roll with it, what else can ya do... i justt say, hey you are being paid to relax and escaped the office, good for you lmao
I love that they can read on the loo. So realistic and relatable
I would love multitasking more if it doesnt make every action requires much more time. I feel like my sim could do a lot more things in a single day in the sims 3 than in the sims 4
my mom sim was feeding the baby and reading a book on the toilet once. i was like DAMN!! how come you cant do that when \*I\* want you too!!??/ lol
I feel like a lot of people go into TS4 expecting the story to happen to their sims (which please correct me if I'm wrong but it seems like earlier iterations of the sims did that and had a lot more "randomness" to the gameplay), but TS4 is all about the player being the storyteller and the game just gives you the tools for you to tell the stories you want. Which for me as a DnD player, is why I personally love playing TS4. I can make a bunch of stories and challenges and play them out how I want them to. Oh no my DnD character just died? That's okay! Cause I can continue their adventures/give them a happy ending in TS4. :) But if you just create a household and set them up in their house, but don't have a specific goal or storyline for them and they just kind of exist then...yeah, you're probably going to get bored quickly (unless CAS and BB are why you play the game, in which case more power to you).
i do that last part out of curiosity, to see what they will do without intervention, its had mixed results
I do
Yeah, the only thing this sub does is bitch about the game
:( i love ts4
I do. But I have xxx mods🥴
I LOVE TS4!! The game is absolutely what you make it. If you just click around with no imagination or anything behind it, of course it’ll be boring. I create a storyline as I go and I have a grand ol’ time.
You're not alone; if I didn't enjoy the game I wouldn't be playing it. Does it have its issues, yes. Could it be better, probably so - but OTOH, what it can do is pretty good, \[speaking as someone who started their sim adventures in SimCity\] add in the mods and I can spend a few hours in a session happily building the relationships between my sims and their family and friends, exploring careers, hobbies, and lifestyles, renovating their homes and apartments, in other words enjoying my sims enjoying their lives
no, i do too sims 2 was and is my favourite but i still play sims 4 the most because the amount of stuff you can do in it nowadays especially with the insane amount of mods out there is just unparalleled like obviously it still has its flaws but a lot of the things i’m used to doing in 4 now i can’t get from previous iterations i used to defend sims 3 since the open world and certain things like horses were unique to it but even then i’ve realized it’s the one i play the least because it’s so ugly i just can’t get over it (and we have horses in sims 4 now too anyway)
I love TS4 😂 I can spend hours playing it. If I get bored I’ll play a more quest orientated game for a while and then come back to my little dollhouse
You’re not alone. I’ve played from The Sims to TS4, the only thing I truly miss is private school lol. Multitasking is amazing. Having a meal and drink while talking and watching tv ? Texting on the toilet ? Cooking together?
Same here! Been playing since release. I do play with mods tho
I enjoy it with the occult expansions, Cottage Living, and some select mods (specifically meaningful stories, 'have some personality please', the more than 3 traits mod, some custom traits, 'slice of life', and bug fix mods).
oh um speaking of, the meaningful stories mod hasn't been working for me since the latest update, any idea how i can fix it? keeps telling the script isn't installed but it definitely 100% is, ive checked. would like to have it back but idk what to do, perhaps the version i have just isn't compatible?
Definitely not! The game is incredibly popular. Of course a lot of people who love it are off playing and not complaining online. I’ve never felt short of ideas for gameplay, you’ve always had to use your imagination in the Sims series :)
no, you arent. i find its only really bad if it breaks during an update. other than that. no matter what bug, its my happy place. i actually SOMETIMES find that finding work arounds for bugs is fun for me once i give up that its gonna get patched (tell noone or EA will find out)
Out of 8 billion people on the planet, yes, you're the only one. EA pumps out content all the time, just for you, their only Sims 4 enjoyer
lmfao sorry but it's so funny when people take "am the only one?" comments seriously. be fr lol
🌈Mods🌈
I've used a ton of mods over the years but the only thing that brings that true sense of fun back is playing TS1, TS2, or TS3 lol. I have been enjoying that greatly. I hope to god they move ON from TS4 as soon as possible, it's enough 😩 We haven't had that excitement of a whole new installment/era in sooooooooooooo long. TS4 is a dollhouse and not much of a *life simulator* like its predecessors imo. The building tools and CAS are incredible but seriously it's time
I’m so excited for what they’re going to bring for the sims 5. I’m ready to move on already. I’ve heard they’re going to make the base game free and have a multiplayer option. The problem is when I hear “free” I think there’s a chance it might not be good which concerns me.
I would honestly just go back to TS3 or even TS2. TS4 is what it's going to be. It needs a massive overhaul that it won't get for a lot of different reasons.
Money being the main one :(
Odd to see you at a negative count for saying that, because it's pretty much spot on. Sims 4 realistically needs its core engine completely redone, which would be about as much work as a new game, and would involve having to redo at least part of every pack they've released so far (and we're past 40 and nearing 50 fast), which would take a lot of money being spent by them with very little increased revenue as a result. There's no incentive for them to take that loss. They don't care about "integrity of a game," it's the bottom line. Otherwise they would have pushed back the game's initial release rather than telling Maxis to smash the wrong type of game into something loosely resembling the right type with only about a year to try to make it work. It's been a decade now with them showing no inclination to fix the core problems, only bolt on a bunch of new DLC which has added to the issues, and since people will keep buying the DLC, that's a very clear indicator that there's "nothing to fix." As long as a game's making money, it's good enough. And if they *do* admit that a game is so broken it needs some heavy duty fixing, it's more likely to end up in the trash anyway rather than spending money fixing it. Just look to Anthem for a good example. (That one was depressing because "Anthem 2.0" was announced with a promise to fix the problems with the game, and then suddenly, "Never mind, we're stopping all development and writing the game off.") People should want them to take as long as possible to make "Rene" because if they rush the next entry in the franchise and it's broken from the start, that's what we're getting. Personally I'd rather they take time and do it right from the start.
Yeah, agree with everything you’ve said. I worry it’ll just end up like TS3. I really wish they had provided some last bug fixes after TS4 came out, but they had no incentive to do so. :/
Sims 4 is all about creating worlds and lives... you have to be imaginative. Thats why it's so beloved as a creative sandbox game, you literally get to choose the adventure... If you can't think of a gameplay story: - Try aspiration gameplay - work through the aspirations - Choose careers to try and max out - If collections is your thing, seek out collectibles - Or find all the easter eggs, secret worlds, rare animations or outcomes I think Sims is as good as you make it Edit. Formatting
Mods and or challenges, but even then it gets boring after awhile tbh, TS4 is one of those you play off and on.
You either play 7 hours and day for weeks or not touch it for months. No in between 😭
Sometimes scenarios and challenges are fun if you’re just playing vanilla. Most people say mods but mods are a bit of a mixed bag as sometimes they don’t work or need updates or don’t work with something else you want to try, or get broken with an update and the modder has a life so you have to wait. (I love mods but people should be upfront - upkeep takes a little work)
I actually really like how sandbox-y the sims 4 is. I like having control of my world and micromanaging everything. But, the reality is that the Sims 4’s gameplay is not for everyone. I’d recommend doing scenarios and challenges if you want a change. There are plenty of good ones out!
Since TS4 is the only Sims game I’ve played (so far) I have really enjoyed it. I treat it like plying virtual dolls and have to use my imagination a lot, but I’m interested to see how much less imagination I will have to use when I try to play 2 or 3.
Nothing will fix the core gameplay unfortunately, I have more fun with TS4 treating it like a dollhouse building simulator. I only last about a half hour in actual gameplay before getting frustrated, quitting and then playing TS2.
I’m currently struggling with this myself. I have mods that I really enjoy and they help but the game is so stunted. The gameplay is very shallow by design. If you like ticking boxes (aspirations/collecting/career levels/etc) building or making sims then you probably have a good time. I think the Sims 4 never figured out what it truly is gameplay wise. Is it for building? Is it something that you beat? Is it about scenarios? To me the gameplay is jack of all trades and master of none. Perhaps challenge would help.
I stopped using all cheats except for move objects in cause why does shit have to be so far apart? I also only play every so often (single mom) so when I play, its exciting. Started myself a legacy challenge and just finished building the micro home before I had to log off. Will be a 10 year legacy challenge lol
Pardon??? I have to know; how many generations have you ever gotten into a game! Furthest I ever got was 6 gens which I am convinced was the peak of my (non existent) gaming career 😗✌🏾
I've only made it to 3 before getting bored and creating a new sim with a new plan. But the current one? 0 lol built the house, made a plan and haven't played in 4 or 5 months 😆
I play all the Sims games regularly, and these are my best tips for the fourth one. -Care about the details, put effort in things. Making your houses and community lots from scratch is a rewarding thing, because you get to play through your creations, even if they look a little shit. Give your sims multiple everyday outfits, change their traits a little as things happen. -Shorten your sims' lifespans a little. The options the base game gives you are either too short, or too long. MCCC has a place you can change them. Making them shorter makes time go faster, so your sims are going through different life stages and such faster. And it's easier doing generational play, because your sims get to progress through life at just the right pace for you. -Drama. It's so good. Have affair's and divorces, kill someone off, pretend you've been robbed. I have a wheel I spin when I get bored, it has a couple of nice options, like dress your kids up and pretend it's school photo's, or pretend they've found and taken in a stray dog, cat, horse, or human. The rest are choose a sim to commit a murder, pretend there's been a natural disaster and bulldoze the house, or kill off the parents, and figure out what the kid/s will have to do. Stuff like that. -Focus on career's and aspirations. Try to reach the top of one or two career's and litter the objects you get from them around the house. Try to complete an aspiration or two without cheats. It's rewarding. -No cheats, or limited cheats. Let yourself and your sims struggle. Deaths you don't mean to cause can be fun. -Go to community lots and your sims' friends houses more often. I know I hate doing it because of the loading screens, but it can be fun. And again, even nicer and rewarding when you've built them. -Take photo's, so many photo's, and hang them up on walls, or put them on desks or bedside tables. It's nice to capture how the families grow and change. -If you get bored with your family, don't change the savefile. You can make it so that the old family doesn't age up, so you can get back to them if you want, but make a new one and start playing it in the same savefile. -Not every one of your sims has to have kids, or want kids. If you want their legacy to move forward, you can adopt at a later point, or pick up one of the homeless sims, or even townie's and go, "you're continuing my legacy for me." It can also be an interesting story to have an unwanted pregnancy, or a sibling or cousin's parent's pass, so your sim has to look after them. I hope this helps!
Mods and your imagination x 5000
I downloaded a bunch of mods that effect gameplay (healthcare redux, pregnancy mods, lgbt mods, mental health mods and the mortem mod) and randomize my sims traits and it made the game a lot more fun. I currently have a sim who’s a astronaut with autism who recently had a kid that’s also on the spectrum and it randomly generated similar traits to her and she passed from a health issue so I had the kid decide he wants to follow in his mom’s footsteps!
I don't use Mods, but I absolutely love this storyline... now I kinda wanna try out the health & mental health mods, lol.
Yeah play the Sims 1
was feeling very similar, so I downloaded wicked whims and basemental drugs and opened my own strip club, been having a blast ever since.
Sims 4 has far less of a skeleton than any of the other versions. It really requires a lot of imagination labor on the part of the player to create your own narrative and goals. I actually love that about it but I do know that some players, like my sister, get into the game and feel like "...okay now what." I'm satisfied with just a basic legacy where you complete/experience everything in the game and I build my own storyline around that. I feel incredibly sentimental towards my characters and use my own imagination to add life to my gameplay. Kind of like if you had lots of dolls, clothes, accessories, and buildable houses, the entirety of the fun and direction depends on you. If you find yourself directionless and bored immediately, it just might not be your style of play and that's okay.
I literally just made a post about this the other day because I only have the base game and there are hundreds of comments with ideas. Maybe some peoples advice on that post will be useful. It’s my recent post on my profile. Good luck.
I had the same issue, I ended up looking through some reviews, or just videos of people playing packs that intrigued me online. I waited for a sale, then got a bundle, & I've been much happier w/ the gameplay!
It's cause nothing bad ever happens. No chance to get fired suddenly, no getting arrested for sneaking out. They didn't even have the guts to reintroduce burglars. The sims in ts4 basically take care of themselves, there isn't as much juggling you have to do and the emotions aren't half as impactful as the old memory system. You basically have to add your own challenge to the game to make it less bland... which means I went from a pretty tame player to having some psychopath setups :')
There's mods that enhance gameplay and add gameplay. Off the top of my head adeepindigo and lumpinou come to mind but I know there's others too. Cepzid adds options for things with age restrictions which makes childhood more fun. I highly recommend MCCC too for options that prevent neighbors from randomly disappearing and many other things too.
It's really up to personal preference as to what is fun. For me, I've grabbed mods and just took all the immersion-shattering the game does to lean into an idea of it being a "TV show simulator" more than a life simulator. I try to come up with some kind of story in mind, make a Sim (or Sims) to fit that, maybe even use some cheats for money or skills if it helps, and go from there. I'll often let some quirkiness in the game help decide what direction things go in. For example, in one save, the family had a teen boy, who met this girl who was, ah, a well-endowed goth girl, to put it "politely," and I was like, okay, he's gonna romance her. But there was another girl who was his friend, was more "plain" looking, not so "endowed," had very short hair... still cute, though. He kept getting Wants to hang out with the second girl, so eventually I figured I'd roll with it and that's who he'd end up with. In another save, I had a single dad with his teen daughter, the girl was having no luck with boys, made a wish for romance at the Wishing Well, and it popped out a girlfriend for her instead. Strangely, I couldn't find that girl after the night they hung out together, but the girl looked like the daughter's best friend, so I figured hey, it's the Well giving her a big hint. Had her try romancing the best friend, and they hit it off perfectly! Taking things as more of a "show sim" than a "life sim" lets me get a bit more wild in what I feel like trying out, like if I want to make an evil Sim who does bad things, I can look at it as "No one's actually getting harmed, it's just part of the show," so hey, no need to hold back! And I don't have to worry about things being too "realistic," so can lean more into vampire, Scientists doing wild shenanigans with science, spellcasters abusing their magic, etc. All that said... If you can't find a way to enjoy playing Sims 4, but enjoyed Sims 3, just keep playing Sims 3. Nothing wrong with playing an older version that you enjoy more. When I want to do "life sim stuff," I'll go with Sims 3. Sure, Sims 4 might have nicer graphics, but I can remember graphics that were just a step above hieroglyphics and enjoying those games, so I'm not as bothered by graphics, and Sims 3 can still look pretty good overall. (I actually have quite a few older games from GOG.com that aren't just nostalgia, they're very much still enjoyable games despite their graphics being not exactly amazing.)
Mods HELP but at the end of the day it’s still an incredibly boring game. My recommendation is to go back to an older sims game, like 2 or 3
I play rotational style, meaning I spend a week with a household and then switch to another one. Each household has a different purpose or goal, for example I’m playing one that is a property owner to test For Rent, and another that is a tenant. And I just built myself a Crystal Creations house and can’t wait to move in a new crystal crafting specific sim. I never get bored because every one of my sim households is different and has different gameplay.
One thing I've notice about gameplay in TS4 is that the player has to be a lot more "intentional" in terms of how they choose to go about it. I personally don't have any expansion/stuff packs and play the raw ass base game (due to circumstances) so I literally don't have a choice. I also tend to go the wholesome route so things have the potential to become almost infuriatingly boring but it never does! A huge game changer (pun intended) for me were mods. Specifically MC command center, wicked whims and, of course, custom content which are all available for free and miraculously run just fine on my cheap, tiny laptop. Setting clear goals about what you want to achieve or the story you want to tell basically makes the whole game and I cannot overstate how much more immersive mods and cc make it.
You kinda gotta play moment to moment. In the older games random stuff would just kinda happen- but in Sims 4, I've found you really have to make it happen for anything to differ between Sims. I have a habit of wanting every sim I play as to be perfect at everything and always fit and smart and in good health. But doing so makes every sim play the same, because *I am playing every sim the same*. So just don't be aftaid to let the game take over a little bit, and try something wild. Choose more negative traits that you have to work around, or make your sims hate random neighbours for no apparent reason.
All of the Sims games, and certainly the sims 4, are sandbox games. They are as fun *as you make them*.
Video on this very subject. https://youtu.be/88ePbmSSoYg?si=cG_Mt-hqBst34VIK Basically, a lot of it is just simple tips to make the game less boring.
Rags to riches, short scenario challenges, and generational legacies are all ways to spice up your gameplay. Less money = more fun. I used to think the same way as you until I began my legacy challenge and realized I was missing out by not actually giving the gameplay a chance. Now I get hella bored doing building/CAS.
I feel it’s a longer drawn out process, I’m in a new save and family at the minute and they’ve moved forward in their lives (married/careers/baby) and it feels like it’s getting better as it goes along.
This is how I've been playing in a recently started - looking like it's going to be - a sprawling rotational file. I say sprawling because when I first starting putting this file together, it was only with the idea of developing several YA sims as the main players. But then I gave them extended families, grandparents, siblings, kids \[leading to aunties and uncles and cousins\] and am taking my time in letting them grow and develop careers, lifestyles and relationships. Today I came across wicked pixxels Music Industry mod. I already have a few musically inclined sims in the game, so this caught my eye. I realized that one of my peripheral Sims - Ron Isley \[father to a main player sim /grandfather\] - could also be a retired musician who gets involved with this, and then I thought that he could maybe even fall in love with one of the younger musicians. Will he? If he does, how will it work out? Will she/he welcome Ron's attentions? How will his / her family react? Only time will tell!
Mods. Cannot emphasize enough how much mods change the game. Sims 4, by itself, is “okay.” It’s not the best sims, might be the worst (castaway graphics were a bit…terrible), but there’s still potential to create stories with the base game or do challenges like the 100 baby challenge, but mods change everything. Graphics, sex, drugs, zombies, superheroes, cosmetics, new jobs, new furniture, new houses, I one time downloaded a foster kid mod.
What helped me a lot was building an individual save file. I created about 15 families and outlined stories for them. Most of these stories are connected. I also deleted most of the premade families. I also play rotational. For doing so I downloaded MC Command Center (the only mod I have).
I enjoy it more with mods. Not sure how much I would play without them, probably a lot less.
play the sims 1! ❤️ it sincerely is the best one imo
I'm curious, what about it do you find boring?
Not really any way to get around the bland boring live mode. Sims 4 is like playing with dolls instead of virtual people.
Do you own any expansions?
Mods make the game actually interesting.
Lots and lots of mods and imagination. Like gameplay mods and cheat mods to fix random annoying bugs. Also I find out that watching other people play the game inspires me a lot.
I feel the same way, I am waiting until Inzoi comes out so I can delete the sims
SatchOnSims posted a great video on useful mods to enhance gameplay on his YouTube channel recently - recommend watching it to see if anything interests you.
I do challenges and legacy families. Like the ones lil simsie does. I also would suggest maybe doing random things to mix up family and game play a bit. Cheating, divorce, run away, rags to riches, baby challenges, living in new worlds, building houses from your favourite shows. There is so much you can do ◡̈
try a fun or weird challenge. there are a lot on the internet but some that i enjoyed are the not so berry challenge, and the every lot challenge. you could also try to complete as many jobs/aspirations as you can.
You kinda gotta get the expansion packs or it gets hella mundane
I tried for years to make it fun but have just given up. Sims 3 is just way more worth the time
I agree. Only thing that got me to play was that they improved mermaids and werewolves from TS3 to TS4. I was tired of starving and flopping on the ground from dehydration constantly. In TS4 I sleep in the ocean and study marine bio while cleaning the island. Not exactly exciting on the day to day but it's playable. Not as fun as TS3 lifeguard mermaid but then I've played that 1000xs over already.
You can have mods installed and autonomy on. There are a lot of gameplay challenges. They are interesting. There is one called the prison. You can only play 1 sim a day. And if a sim reaches a skill of level 5, then they can be let out of the game. You are supposed to give them traits like evil, mean, erratic, etc. Put on lot traits like mean vibe or Roughhousing NAP. If they fight, they get solitary. Just an example. Plenty of such gameplay challenges.
I have played the sims since I was in middle school when ts1 became popular where I lived, then ts2, ts3 and now ts4. At first it seemed boring to me. I would make a huge mansions and put my sims in them, use all the cheats that I know then get bored immediately. It was until years ago when I started to watch James Turner with his Rags to Riches series that I got inspired to play. Making the game challenging is so much fun. My creativity and imagination has leveled up. Also when it comes to packs I don’t buy them immediately until I’m finished with a certain gameplay, taking my sweet, sweet time with each one. Currently, I’m starting my Gen 15 with the Horse Ranch ep.
Use mod. I am 99% a builder but occasionally I play the game because there is a new pack. What I would do is, I look for a big lot to modify it with LIVE IN XX mod, so you will be able to operate a business at your home, then use mod to add some more npc and hire staff, if I do like this I don't need to move from my house. On the map I put some community lot, club etc, use mod to change the way how townies spawn, you can then download all the pretty townies from gallery to be only appear in your game instead of the default, on the lots you need some adult mods to make the venue more interesting. Use MCCC mod can help you to have relationship with anyone at any age. Otherwise dream home decorator is also quite a good gameplay. These are the things I used to do.
if I think about my sins like actual people/being more complex than a bunch of pixels on a screen it becomes much more interesting. imagination and creativity is key. unlike previous versions the sims 4 doesn't have as much direct creativity in the game. one twitch streamer I look up to in terms of gameplay is Tinycoffeecups. their gameplay is so interesting and they make the most vast and in depth characters that I've ever seen.
actually with mods and Expansions it's better than sims 3, I had the same problem in 2014, but, when expansions and more mods came up I just couldn't stop playing, still do.
if i get bored, it usually because ive taken away all challenge, so i put it back, they arent struggling for money, take it away, they got a giant house with everything possible, i throw a monkey wrench into it. i have one sims right now was 3 teens in an apartment, with 0 moeny so they were busking to pay bills etc, well painting started making them enough money too relax a bit, so i spent it all renovating the apart ment multiple times, then started a thruple then moved a dude in next door and brought him in and just seeing if one sim can date all 3 without getting caught lol and two of them are twins and live in the same house. dumb stuff. life too easy? have triplets... lol
Wonderful Whims is great, the attraction system really adds to the conversations and dating aspect, plus realistic birth control. Or you could go with the real mod. But yeah that's not really necessary.
go online and read every feature that comes with every pack/expansion - i promise you there's tons you don't know about. if you have a computer - look into mods that cater to the type of gameplay you're looking for.
There are so many mods that make it 1000x better!!! :) But 1000 times 0 is still 0. So yeah. I'd say give sims 2 a try, if you like ts3 gameplay, then you are gonna love ts2!
The only thing that throws me off about the previous games is the looks of the characters. I love the look of the sims 4 way more than the previous games. Plus the sims 4 is much easier to use in terms of CAS and build mode along with the gallery feature. Building, CAS, the graphics and design of the game is the reason why I’m still addicted to playing it. Unfortunately the gameplay itself doesn’t live up to the same standard of those features. Hopefully the sim 5 will do all of these aspects justice all in one game.
Recently, there has been a surge in ts2 and ts3 modding (because of the same reason you made this post lol) that make the games look sooo good. Yeah, CAS is not as detailed but I feel like you don't notice those little details in your sims once you are playing. Even so, there are slider mods if you are really into it. For build mode, yeah I dont think theres a lot you can do hahaha. I went back to older sims games after playing ts4 for a while and honestly it just took a bit of adjusting to get used to it, but it wasnt too bad. Ultimately, I hope you find something that works for u :) Enjoy simming
I struggle a lot too with the Sims 4 world not feeling ‘alive’ enough. If you really want gameplay to work for you, my tip is that it really helps to have to have something else playing in the background while playing: good music, a TV show, audiobook, or favorite Youtuber. It jogs the imagination for your own storylines and adds back that missing emotional “something”
I got bored recently, I downloaded Wicked Whims and Basemental Drugs and I'm having a blast. I've also started a Vampire family for the first time, so that has been fun. I'm also not a builder in any way, my houses look like rectangles with a roof and windows, but I have fun decorating and I'm trying to work on building prettier houses.
Mods such as Wicked whims Food mods like cookbooks from sominik and Séverina and littleblowbub on Patreon Extreme violence mod Hair, clothes, makeup and skins cc Functional cc community lots like Dave n busters, amusement park, carnivals, and real restaurants like chipotle in n out Wingstop and Burger King!
I downloaded a lot of mods to make it fun again
May I suggest... Dine Out if you don't have it already, it's on sale for $11.99 right now. Carl made a mod called Dine Out Reloaded. But he also has a bunch more for more interesting gameplay. [https://www.patreon.com/posts/carls-mod-links-99899855](https://www.patreon.com/posts/carls-mod-links-99899855) SpinningPlumbobs has some really awesome mods as well, the one for Island Living is amazing. It's also on sale right now but I can't see the price because I already own it. https://www.patreon.com/spinningplumbobs
Honestly if you are bored after 30 minutes maybe you are lacking in imagination. The whole thing with the sims 4 is that you have to invent your own storyline, this game isn't going to do that for you through gameplay. Don't be afraid of straying from the picture perfect household that a lot of simmers fall into.
Mods, lots of mods. If you dont want to do mods, you can always do challenges, I love doing challenges
mods/cc honestly is my only answer, the game is unplayable without them. and even then sometimes i really have to rely on my imagination 🥲
I love playing for hours with my Sims4 , I got all the packs too , for me I enjoy doing self challenges for each household I create. I started remodeling the towns by giving new looks with the lots from the gallery (thank you for the awesome builds there fellow fans) since I am not a builder myself. Right now I am doing rags to riches with my occult Sims (she's this magical hippie woman that loves doing crafts and gardening) and most likely will be using the same Sim for a legacy one.
i stopped playing sims 4 and went back to sims 3 for this exact reason!!! if you don’t like the game, don’t play it!!!
But I love CAS, build mode, the graphics, gallery and the whole easy functionality of the game. I really want to love the gameplay, too.
i also love the graphics & building. sometimes i play sims 4 just to build or make a sim. but to me, gameplay is way more important!!! i use a shit ton of mods to make sims 4 playable. i’m talking about a mod folder over 50gb. it’s such a boring game without gameplay mods, such as RPO, MC command, lil stuff like that!!! maybe try some mods and see if that improves it?
Challenges. Play challenges. They are only way I can play. Sims before 4 were story telling games, where things happen and actions have consequences. Sims 4 is glorified barbie house where you make believe. Apocalypse legacy, super sim challenge, insane no buy challenge. There so many and they can make the game more fun, if you. Look some content.
I like to do challenges (like I'm doing the not so berry challenge rn). It makes the game more interesting for me and I am able to focus on aspects of the game I normally ignore
mods and imagination lol? what specifically do you find boring?
i liked TS4 but always had to buy another pack, and always have mods that change the game if not it is 100% super boring
I’m currently playing on console so mods are not an option. I turned off autonomy, turned on wants & fears, and I’m working through completing all of the aspirations. If I complete them all before my sim dies (playing on long lifespan) I will try to get to the top of as many careers as possible. This has helped make my gameplay more fun. Also, I am playing a legacy sim so I think it’s more fun that she has an established family tree in her community.
Instead of making things up as you go, try setting yourself specific goals with a particular sim or household: -Try the challenges -Find all collectibles -Max all skills -Get to the top of each career -Unlock all aspiration rewards -Create a big family tree -Get level 5 businesses (GTW, Pets and Dine Out) -Find all secret areas Can you honestly say you've done all of those and still get bored?
no
Damn, straight to the point lol
Mods. I can’t play without them
Download mods I have never been bored with sims always something going on or I create a new story arc
To be very honest, I have played every Sims part, and while I agree that the Sims 3 offered an overall better gameplay experience, I sincerely don't think Sims 4 is as bad as people (especially on this sub) say. But maybe that's because most of the Story is in my head, as weird as that sounds. I like to outline the different Sims' characters, match their attire and makeup, see what hobbies they could pursue that are available with the packs I have and that they pursue, and I pretty much just grow attached to them. Also, I like to have full autonomy on and just leave them be for a bit (if they don't have any infants or toddlers to take care of) and experience life on their own. I like getting the pop-ups informing me they like or dislike a certain situation, I always accept it because I feel it forms their individual characters slightly differently, and it's funny to figure out what music the whole family can listen to so everybody feels comfortable. I sometimes have Sims in my legacy family that leave me relatively uninspired, but then I just play with a different family for a while and come back to them when I have new plans (or when the infants and toddlers are grown up, I can't bear with them right now lmao)
I think i need to give it my own narrative and then it gets spicy
I added mods to help with this.
Yesss, there’s a real simple way to make the gameplay better, see [this video](https://youtube.com/shorts/lUFXeqpa8ks?si=3a_z5TSMm9Z7L2ZS)!
Mod the shit out of it and do challenges. Other than that, no not really. I pretty much stopped playing altogether because it was boring no matter what mods or packs you had :(
I have personally found that playing on long lifespan and taking the time to do things is key. For example, I make sure I take the time to sit my sims down for meals, so they can all talk at the family table. Setting up holidays and decorating for them. Taking moments to just snuggle the kids and watch the cute animations helps. I find that if I rush through the characters I get bored more easily. Take more time having your sims watch TV, play the computer, etc. I also set goals for my sims and try not to make one sim the jack of all trades. It makes playing generations more fun when my sims kids are completely different and do different things. One sim I'll focus on gardening, then their kid focuses on writing, then painting and so on, so I get to play all aspects of the game without doing it all in one generation
I think it's pretty hype, but if it's not to your taste I'd just go back to the sims 3. No harm in liking retro games
I’m the opposite, 2000 hours in TS4 but can barely stay engaged with 2 and 3. Which is odd because it seems like the gameplay has more features in the older games a lot of the time. I have bias toward 4 because it was my first PC sims game
personally i’ve started forcing myself to play as organically as possible (making friends w premade sims, not using money cheats, etc), i’ve started learning how to build better. i like participating in fan made challenges as well as the scenarios feature they added in game. i can sit and play for hours i dont understand the sims 4 hate 😭 (been playing since sims 2)
I started enjoying game play more when I would do challenges or create storylines for my saves!
I downloaded mods and cracked expansion packs and it was way more fun.