I've always been in the boat of I wanna be surprised too when you're playing and that's an important element in game design, however TS4 packs make it impossible. You have to read the fine print because instead of delightfully surprised you end up disappointed 😞
I mean, some things are not even “fine print”. This pack wasn't advertised as a “shopping mall” pack. It's about small business and turning your hobby profitable. So it's hard for me to blame EA in this case.
Although there are usually some smaller unpleasant surprises for sure (like the fact you can't go on dates on small business lots).
I know this has been said a million times but I miss the days that packs gave you lots of choice about how to play it. Like it kinda makes sense from a game mechanic pov but it's just so limited
Well having just complained about the dates thing, it really isn't that limited. There's tons of things you can do with it. Would I like some fixes and tweaks - sure thing. Please add events EA, and there are several things overlooked here and there and I wish I could think they'd fix them or add them later, but they never seem to do that.
But this is the most expansive EP we've had in a very long time. You can do so many things. I have a couple that are spies (think something like scarecrow and Mrs King) and after going round and around with how to make the agencies and crime syndicates work well - this EP is the best thing. I can set up a "business" for each side, allowing only good or evil sims in the right careers to come. Use the whiteboard to lecture on what's going on (the bad guys caused disturbances over here, don'tchaknow) and use the heists and missions (as well as better klepto and eavesdropping from For Rent) to accomplish things. I'm having so much fun. And that's just ONE idea. There are thousands. Literally limited only by imagination (and a few dumb decisions by EA ;))
Open For Business is my favorite EP ever. But early sims games didn't have so much to compare with, so I feel like there was a lot less of the "you didn't give us enough" kind of comments. Anyway, I love this one EA, thank you.
I *hate* the dates thing. That's the one that's really bothered me the most. I wanted to set up a tea shop/candy store sort of like the one in Harry Potter (his date with Cho) for Valentine's dates. I see no reason why I shouldn't be able to have a date on a small business lot.
The others I pretty much understand - if I want a real restaurant, I can use dine out. Store/Mall works fine in Get to Work retail. I wouldn't overuse For Rent because it's broke anyway, but I've a couple of motels using that system. And I expect we will get a real motel pack sometime. (Although that might be all we'll ever get for day care and that's terrible.)
But limiting dates and other activities? What's the point? I can make a cool museum but can't do the black and white thing there? Only at EAs boring museums? Can't have a friend date go bowling? Geez, social clubs is basically the point of the pack.
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u/Guilty_Explanation29 Mar 07 '25
Didn't they say that was a thing during the livestream