Random Sim Musings 8-3-2020 Icongate!

Let's start with this picture.  It's summer and what's better than a beach?  

Actually, I like that picture better than the one making the rounds of the Sims Universe now.

Quite the "controversy".  This was "leaked" "accidentally" while EA was showing how to share submissions for the Sims reality game show.  Yeah, that's probably worth a whole post on it's own.  But let's stick to today's controversy.  I think they knew this icon was there before sending out the information.  It sticks out.  I just can't see this being overlooked before sending it out to the public.

There's a lot of details about the look of it.  But the big speculation is that it's....a Star Wars themed game pack.

Let me make my point very clear...NO.  Not just in English, but in every language ever known to man in the entire history of communication.  The costumes are fine.  Baby Yoda , um The Child?  No problem.  Those are free updates to the game and you never have to use them.  But to ask people to fork over $20 for something that is so narrowly specific?  FUCK NO!

It doesn't fit with The Sims at all.  Whew, enough anger.  There's enough garbage going on in the world and I don't want that to come into my Sims happy place.  Another thing I don't want is Star Wars.

Keep it long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away.

The more likely speculation is a future themed pack,   Ehh.  It's been done with Sims 3.  I didn't play it much in that game and just not that interested.

Now honestly if it was a space themed pack, that would be more interesting.  Even though the astronaut career has been there since Day 1 and aliens with their own planet have been around for awhile, too.  I wouldn't mind seeing that expanded.  Make it like a cross between the Magic Realm and the vacation worlds?  With a touch of Strangerville and maybe Get to Work?

Ya got your town, let's call it Luna Bay.  Home of a private aeronautics company.  New career, private astronaut?  I don't know how that will work, doesn't matter.  Then there's a lot, like the lab in Strangerville where you can go for outer space travel.  You take a vacation to the new planet...Llamaria.  Introduce a new alien race spoiler alert...they look like LLAMAS!  🤯  You can learn the Llamarian culture.  Negotiate business deals with the locals.  Do a nice little refresh of some base game careers.

Anyway, it's all speculation until something is announced.  

One last thought...if it's not space I'd be okay with a winter/mountain theme.  Even though there's already Granite Falls.  The three circles on the icon could be snowballs, the pointy thing on the right is a mountain and the building on the left is a lodge.  What the hell, no crazier than STAR WARS!!!!!

That's enough for today.  Until the next controversy.

Go 4th and Sim!

Simmer 4 Life!

Random Sim Musings 5-20-20 Sims 4 VS Paralives VS Sims 5 + Bonus Musing

Wow, one day with a couple videos and everything explodes. 

Yesterday a new game play trailer for the Eco Lifestyle expansion dropped.  Personally, I think it looks pretty fun.  I'm happy with any new game play for The Sims.  Probably won't buy it when it's released, just wait for a sale.

But the comments and some reaction videos.  I should know better than to watch and read but I do.  Even with seeing a little bit, everyone is an expert. 

"It's all recycled from other packs!"

"It's not enough for a whole expansion!"

"NOBODY WANTED THIS!!"

Well, Eco stuff has been voted for addition by the community.  I think I voted for it, too.  I do the surveys and forget what they were for.  There's been some Eco play added in a few other packs and updates.  The argument that things are split up over different packs is a pretty valid point.  It's kinda frustrating to buy a few packs to feel that something is complete.  It's been a common theme in Sims 4 but I can't see it changing at this point.  I'm sure opinions will change yet again after the live stream tomorrow. 

This community...

Which brings me to the other big video yesterday.  The first look of the Parafolk from Paralives.

First the comments (paraphrased by me)...

"HEIGHT SLIDER!!!1111"

"THE HAIR MOVES!!!!!"

"THE CLOTHES MOVE!!!!!"

"COLOR WHEEL!!!"

"EA IS SO SCARED NOW!!!"

I can appreciate the work put in on this game.  It looks pretty good for just the work a few people.  I'm keeping an open mind but I need to see more.  I wish them well with the project though.

The fact that people think this is going to KILL the Sims franchise is wrong.  Yeah, I said it.  The Sims has 20 years worth of background.  Consistent releases has kept it alive.  There's probably more that can be said overall of the franchise but that's the basics.

Let's look at Sim City for how to kill a franchise.  Cities Skylines didn't have 100% to do with it, they did it to themselves.  It was screwed up right from the very start and that's why there may never be a Sim City game ever again.

Sims 4 is winding down and Paralives may fill the void until Sims 5 is released and if the base game isn't good, to say the least, Paralives may come in and succeed where The Sims failed.  If it get's some traction it may get backing from a large developer and it will go from there.  Only time will tell what happens.

Now for the shadow looming in the corner...Sims 5.  Rumor has it that it's going to be announced at EA Play in June.  And that feels right to me.  There was some staff shuffling a few years ago and the timing seemed right to start up a new game.

After some in depth research I've come up with this timeline...

Sims 4 announced on May 6, 2013.

Sims 3 Into the Future was released on October 22, 2013.

Sims 4 was released on  September 14, 2014.

Over the next 6 months there's going to be an expansion , Eco Lifestyle, a stuff pack, Nifty Knitting Stuff, probably and a game pack to be determined.  So that takes us to the end of the year. 

The was a recent survey so anything from that is at least a year away.  The results of that will take us into 2021 and I think that will wrap up this series.  It will probably finish on an expansion, not sure what will come maybe yet another stuff pack and game pack.  There's no shortage of stuff they can add.

So my uneducated best guesstimate is early 2022 for Sims 5 release.  And that is already too much to wrap my brain around.  And a perfect place to end.

Given everything going on in the world right now, I'm glad to have The Sims in my live as a distraction.  That's really the most important thing.


Bonus Musing...Animal Crossing New Horizons is one thing I'm sorry to be missing out on.  But a Switch just isn't in the budget, if I could even get one.  And getting it for one game just doesn't make sense to me.  But I do play Pocket Camp and even if the stepchild of the Animal Crossing community, I still love it.

Go 4th and Sim!
Simmer 4 Life!

Twenty years ago...

We all have days in our life that stand out for various reasons.  Good, bad, momentous, whatever.  They all stand out.  The first time I played The Sims is one of those days for me.  Which coincidentally was the release day, February 4, 2000.

I don't remember much of my playing that day but I do remember installing it, reading the manual (RIP Mergatroid Fishlips you never got the recognition you deserve) and then meeting Bob and Betty.  They were new to the neighborhood, as was I.  I helped Betty get a job.  I helped Bob get a chair (oh that orange recliner!) then they danced the night away listening to the Latin station.

Listening to that Base Game sound track still brings me back to that time.  Yeah, it's probably stupid to feel that way about a video game but it seems there's an emotional attachment to this franchise that isn't there for many others.

So yeah, it started 20 years ago today.  Four main versions in, console versions, side games (Castaway for PS2, Urbz and The Sims Medieval especially) and looks like Sims 5 is on the horizon.  Amazing!  I could probably go on and on but I at least wanted to acknowledge today on this crappy little blog.

I think I'm going to end this year and go revisit Bob and Betty (Sims 4 version) and we'll dance the night away to the Latin station just like old times.

Go 4th and Sim!
Simmer 4 Life!