STEPPING UP
BY K8SiMSLEY
Stepping up Sims 4… Is this a step down for EA? The last few months have been a whirlwind of excitement for Simmers everywhere. November brought us the ability to vaca�on in any world, the release of the Snowy Escape expansion pack, and the introduc�on of pla�orms! While December saw an overhaul of the create-a-sim system with slider op�ons added to create custom skin tones and make-up. Oh yes, it has been an inspiring �me for builders and players alike. Unfortunately, not everyone is happy about these new tools, and websites like Facebook, Twi�er, and Reddit are saturated with cri�cisms as much as praises. While most builders have applauded the implementa�on of pla�orms in The Sims 4, which allows you to create proper split-level houses without weird ligh�ng issues, there are many bugs with the new tool and no solu�on in sight. The number one complaint about the pla�orms is the inability to add wallpaper to them without using half walls. Instead, players are forced to use founda�on swatches and the few new pla�orm swatches to spruce up the view of their new house levels. While this is great for outdoor pla�orms, many simmers are complaining that this system does not func�on well indoors, and some are calling for EA to allow them to use regular wallpaper on the edges of pla�orms. Sadly, EA has yet to respond to this request. Another complaint about pla�orms is the removal of the outside wall when you place them inside an exis�ng structure. When adding a pla�orm to a room, you will find that it immediately removes the exterior wall that it is touching. Why does this happen? No one knows, but it can get very frustra�ng very quickly when trying to build intricate structures with lots of pla�orms. While there have been workarounds created and many videos and how-to’s are available on YouTube and other sites, some people feel frustrated by yet another tool that appears to be pushed too quickly without proper tes�ng. In fact, many have said that the new system seems as if it is half complete.
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In fact, many have said that the new system seems as if it is half complete. In my online research for this ar�cle, I reached out to users online to get opinions - and they varied dras�cally. “I love them and will probably never build a house without them.” Said one user on Facebook. While another said, “I feel like they were rushed in design, and a lot of things were not thought out or tested thoroughly.” The results were the same across all types of social media. People are happy to have pla�orms and are thankful that they were a part of a base game update but feel that they lack design and performance. Opinions on the skin tone update were the same, with users expressing gra�tude for the changes but cri�cizing EA’s lack of proper execu�on. We all know that we Sims players can be a tough crowd to please. We are always complaining about something when it comes to our beloved game, but EA’s lack of thought in these latest updates has appeared to push people over the edge. This is especially true of the skin tone update, which has been a hot topic within the Sims community. There have been major concerns about diversity in the sims for a long �me, but the voices in this debate have recently go�en louder. EA stepped up to combat these concerns by introducing over 100 new skin tones. While this update made many people happy and added more diversity op�ons to the game, it came with significant flaws. One such flaw involves the gene�cs system. According to Pleasant Sims on YouTube, the crea�on of children can be a bit tricky. While two warm-toned parents will have a warmtoned child, things start to mess up when crea�ng mixed children using gene�cs. That is, if both parents have cool skin tones, they will o�en have a warm-toned child. The child seldom has a cool skin tone. The same happens when one parent has a neutral skin tone and one has a cool skin tone. The two parents will, for some reason, have a warm-toned child.
