would be height. Just fixed heights, tall, average and short. Animations between tall-tall, average-average and short-short sims would need no remaking since there wouldn't be any actual height difference between them. New animations would only be needed for interactions between

tall-average
tall-short
average-short,

tall-average and average-short could use the same animations since they would have the same amount of height difference. So that would mean one animation set for same height sims, one set for sims with little height difference, and one set for sims with a lot of height difference. Just 3 sets in total. Short sims could use the teen height (meaning, they never grew since their teenhood, now that was the case for me ), average sims the default, and tall sims can be even taller (I know that even default sim height is actually considered tall, and that realistically height scale isn't the same for women and men, since there aren't as many 6'4'' women as men or 5' men as women in the world, but this system would be just fine in sims for simplicity's sake, I think). I wouldn't need heights for child and teen stages since that would be too much for both EA and my computer.

I get that some people say it would be too much for a base game software and I'm no tech expert but I think it's certainly doable if they can make adult sized sims hug and family kiss teen sized ones.

I was hopeful at first when the first rumors about sims 4 came out, but now I pretty much know that height won't be included. Well, there goes my money. In a life stimulation game where one of their biggest selling points is body modifying and "make any sized sim you want!", all people in the neighborhood being the exact same height is really disappointing, unrealistic and boring for me.

I just want height difference between couples and an awkward adult mom/daughter where the daughter is much taller than her mom Think of how cool it would be if your girl (or boy :D) sim could rise on their tippy toes to kiss their boy(girl)friend! Or same sex couples with height difference! NBA basketball players! Finally making that Buffy sim without her looking like she grew a foot overnight! A hug that seems like one has disappeared in the other's embrace! The gameplay and story making possibilities would be endless, really.

....and then choppy or missing animations will put you off it. Seriously, they didn't allow kids to play the piano or grow vegetables in TS3 and you expect EA to give us not one but three height diferences across all genders and ages?

It's stuff like this that makes me wish they would push the game's release back a year, because the wait would be totally worth it, in my opinion.

Not across all genders and ages. I said different heights for adults only that doesn't differ between genders.

The fact that they did a bad job with the sims 3 does not justify them to do a bad job with the sims 4 too. From 2 to 3 they should have done a big step ahead and they did not, but if they don't do it this time they'll surely loose a lot of players... Anyway height is not one of the most important thing for me... A thing that would make me buy the game instantly would be an improved build mode, i expected a more realistic graphic but I'm not going to be satisfied... Anyway,the landscape images will probably convince me not to buy the game

I happen to agree with you, however, the financial markets don't. Look what just happened to Ubisoft. They announced a delay in their release of Watch Dogs, and their stock was knocked down 26% in one day, Even market analysts stated it was an overreaction, and the delay to polish the game before release was probably a good long term strategy, but the financial community, especially after seeing what GTA V did, expect blockbuster hits turned out on time. Given the level of grief EA has with their own stock performance, I doubt they'll risk a delay for any reason, short of maybe the DVD factory burning down halfway through the initial pressing.

But it will only hurt them in the long run. Screw stocks, Rockstar's stocks lowered after they refused to be bought out by EA, and guess who's laughing now. GTAV is the proof that taking your time to make a genuinely good game will pay off more in the long run than half-assed games ever will. Heck, butchering their games to meet a thought deadline is part of the reason why EA's stocks are suffering in the first place, because their games just aren't as good as they should be and a lot of gamers are finally telling them to go screw themselves. As for Ubisoft, they are the second most hated game company after EA, so if they're suffering it's no surprise for me. Although, they have been improving a little bit lately, delaying Watch Dogs included, so they're much better than EA now.

Actually, you don't specify that it is for adults only, but I maintain my opinion that EA could use the resources in a more meaningful way. Different heights doesn't add much to the gameplay.

Ubisoft is not much better than EA now just because they delayed one game. And unfortunately, after seeing what happened when they delay one single game, they're likely to absolutely never delay a game ever again. You can bet your ass EA won't either. Long term is not as catchy to investors and shareholders. EA is anything but stupid. Greedy maybe, ignorant, incredibly, but they know how to make money. This is simply another example of how disconnected financial executives are from gaming consumers. They don't understand what quality in games actually IS, so their plans to make money just don't add up to it. But that's ok for them, because they make money and their stocks don't drop 26%. That's an absurd amount. I don't know where I'm going with all this, but I don't think this spells anything good for future releases from ANY mega-corporation game company.

And a little bit more on-topic:
Different heights wouldn't add much of an appeal for me, I hardly notice that they're all the same height anyway since I'm constantly moving the camera around. I don't understand why there is this rage in the community for differing heights, it really wouldn't add *any* fun new exciting actual gameplay, in my opinion. Ok yeah I'll grant you it might be cute at times but there's so much more I'd rather see than a short person kiss a tall person.

Actually, I said, "I wouldn't need heights for child and teen stages since that would be too much for both EA and my computer." And I said women and men's height stages could be the same for simplicity's sake.



I get what you mean, but I feel the same way about weight and being able to make their thighs thinner or thicker. Weight and bodyshape in general doesn't add anything in terms of gameplay either, stick thin and obese sims act the same provided they have the same traits in Sims 3 (actually they act the same regardless of whether they have the same traits, but that's another subject). It's just a fun superficial customization that doesn't do anything, just like hair color and hair meshes, but is a huge part of sims that does make people buy the game. One of the biggest marketing points of Sims 3 was new bodyshapes, and height is a big part of that that gets left out, imo. Having the same height sims is like having sims with the same eye or hair color all around, for me.

You have very low standards, but you probably still won't get what you want.

I'm with the camp that believes height differences would be nice, but there are a lot more important features that I need. I'd rather have a fun game that plays well than to have height differences.

Ok, I see your point. I admit I hadn't thought about it in comparison to the weight differences and examples you provided. I feel that all types of customization and expression are important. I've also been thinking about those magnet points they keep talking about, and I've seen some documentaries about animation (therefore I iz a pro ) and I can't help but wonder why they can't put magnet points on skeletons and use those as animation points. Does that make sense at all? Am I just blathering nonsense? I feel like then they'd be able to have all sorts of different heights if all they had to do was connect HandMagnetA to HandMagnetB or LipsMagnetA to LipsMagnetB. I'm sure that would cause some distortion or something but maybe that would be a starting point? I don't know. Heheh

I doubt EA would care enough to include that. We can always hope, though!
I'm actually really excited for this walking style thing.

Ok, so if current sim height is the avereage height, the teenage height is the short variation, you basically want a new tall height variation. They would still need to make interactions between the different heights and the objects. Why not just pretend you have short and tall adult sims and have the teenage height as the short variant? Persoanlly, in TS3 at least, I can't tell the difference in height between the teenagers and the adults unless they are sid by side so I think it would only be usefull for modders to create those romantic interractions between young adults and teenagers.

Right on. Right on.

Don't think theres anything they could add to the game that I could care less about than heights.

For me there is no one thing. I want a game where there is attention to detail - detail we discover as we explore the game. That can be a cute animation, or that perfect sweater, or a really funny object description. It doesnt have to be BIG things - lots of small well thought out details will make this game fun.

Maybe even 2 years. Better yet, 3. No more than 5 though.

I could deal with two, but anymore than that would just be too long

Edit: I just realized how dirty that sounds

Nope, I need more than that

There are four things I need before I can buy this game. CASt. I just want my CASt back. Even if it's at the expense of open worlds. I can forgive the cartoony graphics. I can forgive the shitty hair because I know CC makers will fix that. But as a builder, I can't go back to not using CASt. That's why I stopped building in TS2 (still play it though. I just move my sims into premade houses are ones that I've downloaded)

Nightclubs where my sims can go and see more than 2 other people a day. Actually scratch that. It doesn't have to be a club. Just any community lot in general. Isn't there a way to just make people congregate to wherever my sim happens to be?

An easier alternative to CAW. Even if it's just creating neighborhoods the way TS2 did it. I'm probably in the minority here but I made one world in CAW and it was absolute torture. Not a fun experience at all! I'm surprised I mustered up the strength to finish after almost two weeks. And it still came out as one of the most mediocre worlds I've ever laid eyes on. It's still my main hood. I'm just not a fan of how it turned out.

The emotions. EA. Please shut up about them

A moneyback guarantee if it turns out to be shit.

CASt, That is the one thing that is holding me to the fence and making me reconsider whether I want to buy it.

Never happen

One thing? I can maybe limit it to five.

Heights would be nice, but not a dealbreaker for me.