I'm not going to refrain from starting threads just because other members think they're all about the same thing. These threads are all about different topics:

1) What would the Sims 4 be like if it were produced by Bethesda instead of EA?
2) Do players prefer "woohoo" or "play in bed"?
3) Should most things from previous games be in the Sims 4 base game?
4) What are the worst things to happen to the Sims franchise?
5) Has EA lowered our standards?

While they may have similar themes (e.g. EA marketing, lack of content, ridiculous prices, quality), they are not the same.

It's not my fault some of you can't tell the difference.

Reading your threads is a real treat, I'll give you that. It's even more fun when you're juiced to high heaven.

But.. but.. I thought Angel destroyed that. What? Was there a matching earring set or cufflinks?

Well, you know, if you want to get all picky 'n stuff...

I cast the spell of recall with Anya to summon it from another time and place. No matching cufflinks, unfortunately. Someone from the Harris family walked away with them years ago.

You notice how carefully he doesn't mention those earrings?

I dunno. It seemed to me that the Sims 3 base game was almost all change. And I hated almost all of it. Don't know about the EPs, kicked the game off my computer before I got to them. I figure the more this one is like 2, the better I will like it. I'm not against innovation, but it needs to work.

Can you please just fucking stop victimizing those who want to try The Sims 4 just to know what it's like?

Thank you.

By "change" I'm referring to EA's business model. For example:

CHANGE MEANs
1) Plenty of content from previous games in the Sims 4 base game
2) Plenty of new content in the Sims 4 base game
3) New EP ideas instead of the same themes every four years (e.g. Dating, Pets, Seasons)

NO CHANGE MEANS
1) Some content from previous games in the Sims 4 base game (as usual)
2) Some new content in the Sims 4 base game (probably not enough to warrant having a new Sims game)
3) Withholding content from the base game for DLC and EP sales

If we are talking about what we want from the game, I have ideas. No game is perfect for anyone. The game I would want if we looking for optimal for me is the base game and several of the standard eps--pets, seasons. Then I want the store to sell tools. Tools that we can manipulate the game with. They should be so easy to use that even I can use them. CAST could be one of those tools. Tools to make neighborhoods, to make clothing, to make furniture. Tools to control and/or change the way the Sims act, react. Tools to control story progression, turn it off or on, make rules about how it works. I'm sure you can think of more. They should be easy to use with many choices. In other words, I want a real sandbox game. Based on the Sims. I won't get that anymore than you are going to get everything you want. Instead, I look for a game close to the game I want, which is the Sims, then consider what will make it not fun for me, that mods can't fix. Pudding Sims and borked genetics made 3 not fun for me, so I kicked it off and didn't buy eps. It is conceivable that something else will ruin this game for me, but I have seen enough that I will buy the base game. And, even if the game play isn't worth it, the CAS, from what I have seen will be. I got enough fun out of Sims 2 Body Shop that I would have paid for that, if they had asked.

You must be EA's favorite customer.

Well, if we are basing it on me paying for Body Shop, perhaps. Perhaps not if we are basing it on me not buying any eps or store junk for 3. I only wish to buy what I will enjoy. I will enjoy CAS in 4. Whether or not I will buy eps is still up in the air.

Original_Sim, you are really losing your shit over this game. You do realize that you don't HAVE to buy it, right?

You're losing your shit over my thoughts on the game. Would it really be wise for me to take your advice?

I actually like TS3 better than TS2 so I didn't agree with that part, but I LOVE your idea of EA making tools that would allow us to customize the game. I will only buy the new game if it has more of the things I am looking for and so far we haven't seen any gameplay, so the jury is still out on that for me. But I do LOVE your idea of getting customization tools, that would be my dream for this game also!

YES I expect EVERYTHING!!! I expected everything from TS2 Base + EP's (not Pets) to go into TS3 Base. That didn't happen, we had to wait to get certain things near and dear to our hearts ALL OVER AGAIN!!!

I expect TS3 Base + EPs (not Pets) to go into TS4 Base. I expect TS4 expansions to be totally new and different from any other expansions that TS1, TS2 and TS3 had. Sadly this involves thinking outside the box and coming up with NEW ideas... sigh.

Don't get me wrong, I know they can't put everything from the past series plus EP's into a base game. But seriously, certain things must be included since it makes sense for it to be in BG - i.e. weather - rain, snow, CASt, basements, pools, cars, swimming in any body of water, gardening, shopping, owning businesses, self employment, musical instruments, private schools, university, real apartments like in TS2 AL, friezes, spiral stairs, L-shaped stairs, U-shaped stairs, ladders, and a few more that I'm totally forgeting at the moment. Anyone feel free to add to the list.

So yes dammit, I expect everything and then some. I won't get everything, but I also do not expect to get 99% of what I'm used to get cut from a new base game so that I can buy it all over again.

My hopes were they'd put essentials in the new TS4 BG but that was dashed as soon as they announced that CASt didn't make it. As of now, I have no expections and I still don't know if I am going to switch. It better be good in order to get me to give up CASt. My TS3 game has run smoothly from day 1 - with the exception of the blue/black lots - remember those? Once EA fixed that it was fine until Pets EP which I didn't get, patch 1.26 fixed it and it's been fine ever since. So, I still have IP and UL to get for TS3. I'm not in a rush to switch over yet.

That we disagree about which game we like best is the main reason for tools to customize the game. No two people want exactly the same game. I would like Bethesda to do the same for the next Elder Scrolls, as well. The more I can customize my own game, the better I will like it.

i don't expect pretty much everything from past EPs to be in the base game. i expect, like, CASt...but you know. whatever.

but seriously, i don't think they need to put everything in and leave nothing to be anticipated, but when i think of the same EPs being released for the FOURTH time (basically. give or take some exceptions, obviously) i just. big sigh. oh, TS4 base game! pets ep, university, ep, something like ambitions or a business based ep, a seasons ep, some kind of travel ep. soooo much suspense.
maybe they'll change it up though and TS4 is just going to be a town and some sims that can chat joke woohoo and they'll have an EP for cars, an EP for plants, an EP for leaving the house, an EP for CASt. maybe they'll split the Pets EP into one EP per pet type. or you'll buy them one by one from the store.

(i'm sorry i'm being so cynical! i am partially excited for this game but i am quickly losing reasons to be)