The whole Sims 4 graphics issue

Yes, everyone is up in arms about the graphics.  Mostly, I think, because it was expected that the franchise was going towards a more realistic style.  I recall a faked teaser from a year ago that looked almost like a photograph, it was so realistic. I wasn't sure how I felt about that and when I first saw the initial "leaked" images for The Sims 4. I wasn't sure how I felt about this completely different direction either. Having seen about as much of the pre-alpha game as anyone outside of the studio, I can say it is not the game I was expecting at all. 

And that is not a bad thing.

There is no getting around it.  The graphics are cartoony.  There is a definite Disney-esque feel to them. And if realism is what you truly live for, then this might not be the game for you. But if what you love about the Sims is the charm, the humor and the fantasy of being able to be anything...make anything...than I still think this game has tons to offer.  I found that after watching the sims in motion and seeing the game in action, the cartoon aesthetic worked. It looked better in motion and within the context of this new world they have created for these creatures....our sims...to inhabit.  In some ways, playing this game will be like directing your own Disney film.  And as a director, I think you will be delighted with the new ways you can cast your actors and design your sets.  

But the point is this: it is a NEW game.  Not an expansion pack of the Sims 3.  It is a whole new game.  And they have decided to take the franchise in a direction that, while controversial to some, has a strong, distinctive look. It is a storybook come to life and you are the author. It wasn't what I was expecting and I wasn't sure I was going to like it. But once I got into it and dropped the preconceived ideas of what I thought it might be, I saw a humor and a twinkle in the eye that have been missing from our sims for a while now.  The cartoon aesthetic feels FUN.  I . for one, am looking forward to immersing myself in this whole new quirky world of The Sims 4.

Into the Future Build Buy Items!

Loved my hands on with Into the Future!  Confession time: modern stuff (if you know me at all this is no surprise) is not my bag, baby.  So I wasnt sure how I would feel about this one.  But I saw so many cool objects alone that I am actually more inspired to build some modern futuristic stuff.  And the robots!  LOVE the robots...cant wait to have the one that will take care of your garden for you.  Every sim I have will be making one of those...lol.  Another cool feature that stood out to me as a builder was the plants section.  There is a holographic plant that you can change the style of plant it is with 4 choices, as well as change the color of the light.  And several outdoor plants are now able to be placed inside with no cheat...perfect for making a terrarium. Anyway...enough talk.  Let's get to the pictures!

Did you catch the book cases?!? Those are not stacked..they come that way. You can make the most amazing Beauty and the Beast style library with those things.

That funky egg looking thing is the robot making station.  The object with the screen on the left is a holographic easel.

Some pretty sculptural windows and doors

These are the new collectible: crystals.  They grow in plant form and there are several varieties that do different things.  You can grow them, eat them, throw that at other sims for interesting effects.

How is that for a planter?  

This is not everything....I seem to be missing the kitchen stuff and some other things as well...we ran out of time for the hands on and I think I forgot to copy those into my folder.  Sorry about that.  I am sure another simmer must have grabbed them though...and at least you have a good taste of what to expect with this new expansion pack.  

Here's the deal....

Haven't been posting every day like I wanted to...intended to...but the fact is they have had our schedule busy from early morning to late night. Between that and the fact that jet lag has really kicked my butt a d I haven't been sleeping, I am too wiped out to put together coherent thoughts.

I have been tweeting or posting little blurbs on Facebook during the event when I have a chance..but a real update...all the details (the ones I am allowed to tell anyway) and pix will have to wait until I have had so e sleep. It's a ten hour plane ride to Washington DC a small layover and then a three or four hour flight home to Austin. Hope to get some stuff posted along the way...if I am not passed out!

Day one of Simscamp:like a rock star!

Where to start? How about the EA press conference sine I just got back from that....and my ears are still ringing! That thing was loud! The bass was rumbling in our chests and with the smoke and lights, it felt like being at a rock concert. And we were VIPs too. We got to go I ahead of everyone else, sit in our reserved seats before the crowd, and when it was over there was transportation waiting for us at the front door.

I thought the Sims 4 clip looked fun and perhaps like the Sims have reclaimed the sense of humor we all love about the franchise. I heard from some simmers during the broadcast via tweet that the build system is still worrisome. I get that...as a builder myself I am wondering the most about build buy too.  But I feel like I can't freak out given that so little is known at this time. So I am reserving judgement until I get actual hands on time and I know what we are dealing with. No sense in getting worked up until I know what exactly I am getting worked up about.

Simmers are such a fun bunch to hang out with, by the way. We all share a common interest and it has been so fun to finally meet on line friends I have known for years. What a treat and I am so humbled to be included. Here I am with Sara de Moor of the DNA request team at the press conference....we had a blast!

Checked in to Simscamp!

Well that was an interesting trip! My connecting flight from Houston was late so I had just enough time to meet Ed...aka ehaught..for our ten hour flight to Frankfurt. Ten hours of crying baby..someone behind me kicking my seat..and someone having a seizure on the plane...we landed. Only to find that Ed's luggage didn't make it to the train area. As he was finding out about that, it was time for our train to leave. He had to stay behind and reschedule his train trip and find his luggage, while I ran to catch my train and almost didn't make it. I swear the door closed right behind me.
Finally arrived at the hotel to meet the nicest EA people who checked me in to Simscamp and gave me a bag of goodies and the itinerary

Looks like the week is going to be packed with fun stuff to see and do! But I am exhausted because I could not sleep on the flight and I feel like I am back in college pulling an all nighter.  So maybe the fun will have to wait until I take a little nap. Supposed to meet fellow simmers tonight for dinner...very excited to see old friends and meet new ones. 

By the way...when I stumbled to my hotel room, this was waiting in the bathroom

What a fun, nice little touch! You can be sure those are getting peeled off and coming home with me at te end of the week.

Packed up and ready to travel!

Well maybe not ready. I have everything packed, though. I decided to go with carry on only so I don't have to worry about my stuff getting lost on the way. Looked at some "pack smart" travel sites and heard about something called a travel envelope. Ever seen one of these? Looks like...well...a giant envelope made out of backpack nylon that closes with Velcro. You fold your stuff, stack it and then seal it tight in the envelope and it saves space and (supposedly) keeps stuff from getting wrinkled.

So this is what it looks like all packed up. In that thing I have 6 tops, a couple pairs of jeans, a hoodie, and a light sweater. Really. And in a standard carry on wheelie case, this is how much space I have left over:

So...yeah....I am now a big fan of the packing envelope.

And fussing about packing and such is taking my mind off the fact that I will be spending something like over twelve (!) hours in an airplane. And I am not a fan of flying. But I did find out fellow simmer Ed, aka ehaught will be on the same flight and I do have some games and goodies loaded on my iPad. Even caved and got a couple of e-books. If you have any tips for surviving a long flight, I would love to hear them. For now, I have to keep reminding myself why I am going

Rumors Rumors and more Rumors....

So the leaks have started and the Sim world is swirling with rumors about what Sims 4 will be like.  Apparently the official Sims magazine in Germany got a sneak preview and they have published some stuff that is sending people into a frenzy. Things like:

* No create a style
* Emotions are more important than needs and affect all aspects of sim behavior
*multi-tasking
*a romance meter and a friend meter that work independently of each other
*furnishings that have more effects on sim emotions and moods
*block style building with walls that can be pushed and pulled
* The ability to sculpt a sim by adjusting more body parts independently
* hats that can be added to any hairstyle

And on it goes.  If you want to see some images, Gothican has posted some on a thread on the main forum and you can find them here: Sneak pix of Sims 4

No create a style?  Whaaaaa....?  I am going to keep an open mind.  I recall all of the speculation that swirled around Sims 3 before it came out and how many of the things we thought ended up being wrong, or different, or just changed in some way.   We simmers are a finicky bunch.  I admit it.  We know what we like and we don't particularly like change...so every new thing is generally regarded with skepticism and wariness.  I am going to wait until the 20th when I get to see things for myself.  I will post as much info and pix here as I am allowed by EA, so please check back next week.

In the mean time, I am repeating the same thing over and over "keep an open mind."