I loved CAST! It's one of the things I play TS3! EA can't take that away from me!

What? WHAT?! This stupid idea for EA if they had not included it in the game as it is one of most popular features in sims 3 and one of the few I like. Though knowing EA if it is not included then sell as a separate item for high price or put at the last minute to appease fans but make it hard to keep working in game.

In today's broadcast, Jill mentioned her sim wearing a "sexy red dress" to give her confidence for her date. If the dress gives her confidence because the dress itself is somehow earmarked as "sexy" that's one thing, but if the color "red" gives her confidence, it could explain the lack of CASt. If emotions are tied somehow to colors, having infinite varieties of those colors could be a problem. It could be an example of EA trying to do what we wanted (have "favorite" colors have some effect) and not implementing it in a way that is universally pleasing (eliminating CASt to be able to achieve the result)

You can use a range of RBG numbers to get the same result. Within a certain range, the color would be designated as red. Another range might be pink or orange. This should work fine with the scripting because they just stick the range into the programming. Of course, they may say they can't do that, but it should be possible.

Things EA said were impossible have often been accomplished by modders and players. Dive lots in worlds other than Isla Paridiso is the most recent example to come to mind. As much as I love the Sims, and I'm sure the individuals working on it are trying their best, it does seem the easy way out is often taken. It seems much easier to eliminate CASt than to program color ranges.

I may totally be barking up the wrong tree (wouldn't be the first time). I'm just trying to figure out some reason why they would eliminate CASt, when it is one of the most popular features of Sims3, and such an integral part of that game that it wasn't even on people's wishlist for Sims4... it was just assumed that it would be returning.

I don't think adding the ranges would be that hard. They most likely already use the color number to designate Red. All they have to do is replace that number with a range. I am not a programmer but have watched lots of boring videos on scripting with C# (don't ask) and it doesn't look that difficult.

The current version of MS paint does that. Anyone here can check now if they want. Hover over any color (preset or custom), and it will tell you what the color actually is.

So, I don't want to hear shit from EA about it being impossible.

Edit:

:O
MAGIC

What if they already have a working version of CASt, and they're just pretending it won't be included and waiting for us to complain about it just to make it look like they "listened" to us when they finally announce they are including it?! [/conspiracy theory]

I thought the same thing about curved hulls in Island Paradise.

Let's hope that's the case. Haven't they read the uproar about this by now?

Oh I don't know.. This is Ea after all.. I never try to underestimate making backwards missteps that Ea could make in this game.. Just that cynical part of me I guess...

This is a perfect example, thank you!

It's a very pre-alpha version and they are going to add more colors that's for sure. We all made sure to tell them that CaST is most important or many won't buy the game if it's not in there. We can only hope they do listen.

Crinrict, thank you! Now, if EA is smart, CASt will be added in due time.

This nothing personal to anyone here, but why do we keep referring to the released materials as "pre-alpha"? They've been working on this for over 3 years. They are committed to a release date of less than a year from now. Hell, they're already taking pre-orders on it.

It's clear that many tradeoffs in design occurred to fit in with the online, multiplayer experience they planned on, at least up until SC came out. So custom skins are out. CAST is out. Big development tools we relied on are cut out because if you're playing online, you can't have that stuff, with custom content flying between people's games (although why they believe that is a bit confusing to me, there are plenty of ways to safeguard the shared content to keep folks from unintentionally collecting custom stuff they don't want). Instead of improving the already decent tools provided to support individual creativity, we're being thrown back to Model T days, where you can have the car in any color you want, as long as it is black.

What makes the whole thing truly surreal is that they think some casual, FB game loving player is going to plunk down $80 on the premium, special, gold edition they're trying to sell pre-orders for. This is shaping up as a good business school case study in how to not create and market a product. Then again, I'm sure when the time comes, EA will insist that the game performed even better than they hoped for in the marketplace.

Because until recently, they were building an MMO and are now adding in the single player game features. Graham called this pre-alpha and he should know better than we do. Actually, it makes EA look very bad to be in pre-alpha this close to release.

Bad thing is the game probably won't be finished at release either.

EA is most definitely going to end up having to change the release date. Otherwise, TS4 could end up becoming a hot mess.

The terminology and the state of the game are probably playing up viewer/consumer ignorance. Many people who play games just know of the final product. Terms like "Pre-Alpha" go over people heads.

Alpha is playability of major gameplay features, which we saw, and beta is the installation of major assets and addition features, which the game is currently. This is Pre-Beta. "Pre-Alpha" is probably a safety net to prevent people from saying the game is crap. To be in development for 3 or 4 years, and to not even have hit Alpha less than 8 months before release makes them look TERRIBLE as a game development company. Since most people know nothing about game development, it goes over their heads; It means nothing. We know otherwise.

If they're lying, their stupid for having used the word, which doesn't help them at all, and if they're telling the truth, the game wont be ready before release.

I admit that I am extremely ignorant when it comes to terms such as "alpha," "pre-alpha," "beta," "zeta," and the like. But what matrix is saying worries me. Only about 50% of me wants this game. The other half is praying for a complete game. *sigh*. When is this cycle ever going to end? Isn't EA dizzy from this merry-go-round yet?

If they told good lies, being dizzy wouldn't be an option.

I am not so sure about that. Lots of players now beta test games. They know what these terms mean. In fact, in my experience, there are many many gamers who just scour the internet looking for alpha or beta testing spots. Sims fans are unique because they often only play Sims games or games like this. They are a unique demographic of committed gamers.

But the gamers and magazine editors that follow games know. They know that admitting that you are in pre-alpha is a bad thing so close to release. It makes EA look very very unprofessional and I can bet that these poor Gurus, who are really not responsible for this, are getting screamed at and pushed.

EA is a public company and bad publicity is not going to help them, especially after the SimCity debacle.

So yeah, the average non-gamer person doesn't know. But I know, and while have some experience in the indie game market and have beta tested a few big company games, I am a novice compared to a lot of gamers out there.

I will test it out on my average gamer friends at our tabletop night tomorrow. I bet they cringe when I tell them EA has 8 months to release a game that is now only in pre-alpha. They know what alpha and beta means...and pre-alpha sounds like nothing.

Hey, I have a game we created right now on our server that is in pre-alpha! LOL Should I take pre-orders?

But winning two nasty awards twice in a row makes them look very, very unprofessional. I'm surprised they've yet to make it into FOX's Hall of Shame.

^Actually, no. Most gamers do not know what these terms mean. People who play games frequently will have a general idea of the terms, but they still don't know what goes into game development. Most people who play games play for the thrill and leave it at that because they don't care.

So, is pre-alpha the first stage? If so, then, hot damn! EA needs to get with the program!