Quote:
Originally posted by ZimsexZim
Apparently there's this explanation circulating the internet lately:
I was wondering what the hell EA was thinking, but then I remembered the rumors from earlier this year / late last year about the Sims 4 formerly being an online multiplayer game until the SimCity debacle, and how it now seems kind of barebones even though the release date is a few months away. I mean, it's just a rumor, but it would make sense given everything that's been revealed so far and the weird structure and limitations of the game (worlds divided into sub-divided neighborhoods of only five lots each). It definitely does seem "neutered" compared to its predecessors, which would make sense if it was supposed to be a small sandbox online like SimCity:
You would think EA would learn a thing or two after both The Sims Online and The Sims Social utterly bombed.
But it explains everything.
The pared back art style and lack of CASt were to improve performance for online play. Multiple small neighbourhoods in a world were so that only a small group of players were together (but could still visit other players). The separate lots were to create a private space for each user. The public spaces were to be the main hub where players could meet.
Story Progression was never included because all Sims would be controlled by human players. Teens and Elders are essentially Adult clones because Adults were likely going to be the only real age group (like TSO and TSS). Toddlers aren't in because they were never planned to be in from the start. Pools were probably left out for some technical reason (since the sources suggest that the online TS4 ran like ****) or never a priority to begin with.
It would also explain the strange radio silence and delay, and why some people were laid off and brought back again. It also explains why they promoting the "emotions feature" so much. They had to salvage what they could from the online project, so CaS, Buy/Build and emotions were pretty much all they had. Then EA had them make a working game around these things at short notice so that it doesn't ruin their prime money printer.
I feel sorry for the devs who have had to work on this game. Sounds like a complete mess.
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Makes sense.
Although I don't think they would put something out unless they were confidant.
The original version of The Sims 2 was completely different until other 3D simulators were coming up better. The Sims 2 looked completely different.
The original Sims 2 wasn't going to let you play in true 3D. You still had to look from above. Not to mention Create a Sim was based on the original.
So they stepped up. I don't think they would make the Sims 4 comprise so much when they could just go back to the drawing board like they did with the Sims 2. The Sims 2 had major changes from when it was first announced and it was released less than a year later.
Let me stick to TS3.
People were okay with that. 
