TS4 Remastered: Wish Build
I wasn't on hiatus, so it feels weird to say I'm back. I just stopped playing the game and as such stopped wanting to open Blender for a game I wasn't playing, [there are just so many good games out to distract from reality] but I will always CC/Mod shop and the news of the game being fucked over to Evil Trump #16 and the rando Saudis killed any desire to play [if you'd asked me when I was 9 if my sims game would become political conversation, you'd get the same strange look but for two very different reasons] but I CAN'T STOP WISHCASTING FOR THE REMASTER.
So to get this out of my head since apparently the ACTUAL remaster is going down like a house on fire, here's how I'd design TS4 if I could stand learning how to code, they actually listened to fans, and they'd hire me to just tell them what to do:
*probably gonna keep this post to the base game but I want to do wish builds for the EPs, GPs, SPs, and kits since they're refreshing those as well???*
Startup:
blah-blah-blah the opening screen & loading screen, even if they redo this it'll just be modded over by hardcore aestheticist [do console players even care?].
same goes with main menu BUT + official mod integration hub [mod manager/plumbuddy are such lifesavers. this update was easier to navigate between what was broken [removal made easy by my freakishly organized mods folder] and easy to jump back into game to test the new update, a serious must and of course still allow a folder path to add other mods for mod testers and such]
New Game takes you to generate a WORLD MAP
Yeah, this is Foundation with very little tweaks and additions b/c I'm obsessed with how the game makes every save fresh, new, and challenging and TS4 could learn from Foundation and Fabledom. Not an actual concept map, but the idea behind the idea.*
The background picture would be modable for the aesthetic.
Generation is based on owned packs/allowed worlds
Presets based on those allowed worlds with resource sliders
Can be shared across the community via sharing code
Can be reused across saves via copying code.
Checkbox to base new saves off this file, regardless of lots added [can be deselected at anytime, acts as default, only one allowed]
Alien worlds [Sixam, Batuu] have special conditions which I'll talk about during that pack.* [* for further expansion in future]
-> World Rules <-
Mods checkbox
Select starting season and C or F [yes base weather]
Non-housed/Nomad checkbox
Infinite resources checkbox
+ random treasure/mystery/curses, and other general POIs across neighborhoods checkboxes
Natural disasters checkbox*
[if I think of something else/mods/updates]
This is just save file setup with a twist. Based on the leaks I've read an open world isn't possible even in the remaster but I think a map generation buffer instead of those circles would add the illusion of an open world and add customizations simmers crave. After the rules are set, you see the final map, and accept your world map, you'll hover over that part of the map and it'll take you to
NEIGHBORHOOD MAP
Seems like the regular map we already know and customize... because it is. The only thing I'd love to be integrated in the base game worlds are rabbithole debugs and POIs, and I considered the ability to add lots of various unofficial sizes but I can see how that could bloat the gallery, affect save sharing, and might undo the world map and lead to corruption if 4R is any indicator.
[Image if found &/or I attempt to recreate it &/or use R&L as guide]
I saw this post on twitter a few years ago where someone had redesigned the neighborhood map to have a new window with everything pertaining to that neighborhood [if I ever find that post again, I'll link it b/c 12/10] but as soon as I saw the R&L button it immediately reminded me of that post. So still that BUT
this is where Neighborhood Stories would be
any POI will be question marks at the bottom of the list so that way you can decide if you want to pursue that in this "world"
which NAPs are active*
local royals*, local politicians*, local celebrities*, local criminals
the new taxes and royal decrees*
AND THEN YOU'D HAVE THE OPTION TO ENTER CAS OR SELECT A PREMADE HOUSEHOLD. That's it.
okay, not completely it. Still have to go through General World Updates, CAS, BB, Live/Gameplay, and Gallery/Account Updates [which I will gradually add to this post].
General World Updates:
All lots are navigable via vehicle/transport unless checked to be off-the-grid or unnavigable. Any roadblockers for navigable lots would be removed from world or toggle added to object itself to lower/remove for passage/etc.
NEW BASE GAME WORLD - can't believe base game has had no new world in a decade. This one based in a forested mountainous world. (even DDV does better with this)
Larger navigable off lot space
A 5th-6th floor
CAS:
NEW Randomize aspiration dice
NEW 'more details' : Zodiac signs/Sheng Xiao, Diet - vegan, vegetarian, lactose intolerant, celiac, pescatarian, carnivore*, herbivore*, insectivore*, Occult belief - yes, no, and curious, Vice/Flaw, NEW Lucky Number, NEW Favorites [movie, song, drink], NEW selection R, L, ambidextrous, NEW Motive Priority
NEW Personality Type [informed by traits]
NEW selection Blind, Deaf, Mute
NEW Walkstyles - wheelchair, crutches, trained seeing-eye pet*
In Eyes, selectable heterochromia
Update every CAS item to work down to toddlers, color wheel, ombré styles, quality updates to earlier packs!
NEW sections - jackets, purses, back,
Ability to set styled looks
BB:
So many new categories and changes: Kitchen - Cabinet items, Kitchen - Pantry items, Decoration - Clothes , Fantasy Category
Spiral Stairs - steep and shallow
Resources for Build requirements or satisfactions - you can still build walls but if you've collected the wood/resources to build walls it won't cost you. Of course, for builders nothing will change if building from ‘build’ and not from ‘live’
NEW/FIX actual 3D roofing - no more white roof textures
Update every BB item for quality updates
Half tile placement without alt
Fix diagonal windows
Fix/add rounded wall windows
Cabinets/counters store items!!
Live Mode/Gameplay:
Comfort motive back.
Stir-Craze back.
No phone automatically
Cleaning skill and cleaning preference
Gallery/Account:
Lot size search entered manually to differentiate between searching for a 20x30 and a 30x20
if gallery can’t place lot in five minutes, it auto stops and scans for cause
Set main gallery picture using in-game camera [duh]
