EA and Maxis wants to know your opinions about The Sims 4 Animations.
It seems that The Sims Studio is ready to finally tackle the big question of animations quality and variety in The Sims 4. Or lack thereof in some cases. The first Sims 4 Animations Survey is here, lead by The Sims Labs team who worked on some of the other Base Game improvements.
The Sims Labs wants to know how impactful are animations in The Sims 4 for the average player. And what they think of the given ten Base Game animations. Including detailed ratings for each one that the survey taker will have to give.
The Sims 4 Animations Survey is currently live. You can take it through the button linked down below!
The Sims 4 Animations Survey Overview
We appreciate your honest and actionable feedback to help improve our game so don’t be afraid to share with us your thoughts and opinions! Responses you leave in this survey will be anonymized and will not be shared with any parties outside of EA.
Please note, this survey will contain various elements that are not optimized for mobile devices like phones and tablets.
We highly recommend you take this survey on a PC or Laptop for a smoother experience.
Play History
Have you played The Sims 4 in the last year? This introductory question wants to see the experience of the Simmer taking the survey. Be honest with your answer!
About this Survey
For this survey we ask that you provide feedback on various animations used in The Sims 4. You’ll be presented with questions and asked to complete various thought exercises to help us best understand what matters to you, the player!
Ultimately, your input will help determine what is most important and what could be improved, etc.
Giving your Feedback
Please rate these animations based on what you personally feel and think about them in the context of The Sims 4. What’s most important for us is to understand your unique experienceand reasoning behind your answers and/or ratings to create actionable feedback.
Actionable feedback helps us build a better game– its good for us to understand if you like or dislike something, but more importantly we need to know why you like or dislike it and/or how you would prefer or expect it to be improved in the future.
Example
Basic Feedback
“I do not like the wallpapers provided”
Actionable Feedback Example
“I do not like the wallpapers provided because the colors do not match the furniture options. I would prefer if the wallpaper could be color customized to match.”
Introduction
Overall, how satisfied are you with the animations in The Sims 4?
Overall, how well do animations reflect the unique personalities of your Sims?
In a sentence or two, what changes to animations in The Sims 4 could make them feel more modern and authentic?
What are your most memorable or favorite Sim animations in The Sims 4? (You can share up to 3 animations)
Animation Exploration
You will now be presented with various animations from The Sims 4.
Please view each animation thoroughly and make sure you provide your feedback focused on what’s most important to you as a player for The Sims 4!
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Please note: You’ll be shown a random selection of animations each labeled with a unique name (e.g., Zano, Kira, Velo, Juno, etc.). These names are just for reference and have nothing to do with the animation itself.
Animation “Velo”
Animation Description: “Sim is very embarrassed”
Animation “Enoa”
Animation Description: “Sim is cleaning a sink with a sponge”
Animation “Nemo”
Animation Description: “Sim washes their hands”
Animation “Havi”
Animation Description: “Sim is responding to something slightly sad”
Animation “Kari”
Animation Description: “Sim is slightly angry”
Animation “Tali”
Animation Description: “Sim is asking someone or something to go away”
Animation “Lumo”
Animation Description: “Sim is using a phone”
Animation “Nalo”
Animation Description: “Sim is talking to someone on the phone”
Animation “Kira”
Animation Description: “Sim’s energy motive fails and Sim collapses on the floor and naps”
Animation “Nari”
Animation Description: “Sim flirts with the other Sim by complimenting their body”
Specific Ratings for Each Animation Type
After giving a varied response for each of the animation in The Sims 4 Animations Survey, you’ll then be presented with a wide list of ratings that you need to give out for each animation type. Ranging from Unrealistic to Authentic, Artificial to Genuine and around 15 checkboxes in total for each animation type. Vote carefully!
Overall Thoughts
The final questions for The Sims 4 Animations Survey include your general opinions about The Sims 4 Animations. Their impact on storytelling and your constructive criticism towards what could be improved.
Here are the final questions you’ll be met with:
Take the Survey!
The official Sims 4 Animations Survey is currently available to take for all players. Simply click the button below to be forwarded to the official EA Survey page where you can start sharing your feedback and thoughts.
What are your thoughts on the possible improvements we could get as a product of this survey? Share your opinions in the comments down below and stay tuned on Sims Community for the latest Sims 4 News!
Hii Jovan! Thank ysm for posting this; we definitely need a major update for in-game animations. I would like to see animations based off of what traits we use altogether rather than just one single trait. Like what trait combo we use is what influences how our sims emote rather than the same useless idle animation or the way they perform actions. Like sims with active, romantic, goofball traits wouldn’t do things the same way a sim who is a romantically reserved, lazy, genius would. The cooking animations are so tiring and need refreshing too because what’s up with the adding earwax animation? I get the sense of it trying to be quirky or whatevs but it’s honestly just unrelatable and so tiring to see. I miss the complexity of Sims 2 and 3 compared to the animations we have now. No two sims feel different now, even with all of the traits/packs. And don’t get me started on the push-up animation; the absolute worst.
totally agree, I have over 9,200 hours in this game and the only trait I have ever noticed giving my Sims visually unique behaviors is when a Clumsy Sim drops the dishes they’re washing. It would be so cool to meet new Sims and be able to guess their trait combinations based on how they act.
This is such a great idea! It would be so funny and had more depth to our Sims. I think there is so much potential with all the different traits we had (and the most recent ones are kinda cool). 😀
Exactly, we have dozens of traits that would give our sims depth and individuality if their emotes were tailored to their personality. That would be the best update in my eyes because our sims would finally feel a bit more unique rather than just seeing them do senseless things like pushups out of nowhere. The updated animations could change how they walk, talk, converse, etc. So much possibility 🙂
Right, I do like some trait based idle animations like the lovebug ‘heart hands’ from Lovestruck but a good amount of the animations for traits are boring/repetitive. It makes the game feel basically underwhelming when we have maybe three or four decent animations.
I filled out the questionnaire, I mainly talked about the animations of the sims 2 and how funny and amusing it was compared to the sims 4, I also insisted on the fact that we didn’t have canes for the elderly, that some animations took too long, that everything was too predictable and serious, and especially very repetitive, that the toddlers all looked too much alike, that I would like to find more diversity of hairiness for men, that some animations were but really very boring, the sim who walks all the time while typing on his smartphone, in short I really insisted on the too serious, slow, repetitive and abusive or even unrealistic side of certain animations, that the lack of gameplay did not allow for new animations and that I would like to find the crazy side of the sims 2.
The worst animations are easily the workout ones in Fitness Stuff. It looks like some amateur made those TV ones.
Two of the animations that need to be reworked or have an alternative players can select – first kiss and whooho reactions between sims. In some situations the originals work but not in all story telling situations. They also need some changes to the idle animations too especially when sims do random push ups and sit ups. Unless they’re a gym bro or health focus sim it just doesn’t make sense to me.
Apparently Sims only do random exercise animation when in an Energized mood based upon one of the random idle animations that generated when I tried to do the survey on my PS4. Personally I think its fine if idle animations change based upon one’s mood though I kinda wish we could just customize which idle animations are used. I wouldn’t mind more variety or customization provided it doesn’t cause the game to lag or make certain actions take forever.
i just did the survey test, i gave the feedback your sims should spend less time on their mobile and doing stretching out, push and sit ups during conversation or other activities
makes sense in certain sports to do sit/push up and/or stretching out but not in other activities
and your sim should spend less time on their mobile during conversations or doing other activities
If this survey could mean the end of the swipe animation everywhere, it would be a massive win for the community!
Thiss! I absolutely hate that any new gameplay features are literally just the same tired swiping animation and it doesn’t even make sense in most situations. This game really lacks the complexity and variety we had in older Sims games!
i also did the survey and I also commented on how boring Animations are compared To Sims 2 I have played sims since Sims 1. I forgot to mention we need a definitive difference between teens and adults! Elders need more stuff to do and they need canes! I also stated on how much we need different exercise equipment and spiral Steps!
A larger variety of animations based on traits (like walking styles, seating postures etc.) would be great. And more gradual shifts, for example when pursuing creative activities like woodworking, painting etc.
I would like to see a return of cross legs sit down pose for female from the sims 3 not really needed but would be nice thanks
I finished the survey and emphasized how clunky, SAFE, generic, boring and outdated all the animations were. The use of motion capture artists would benefit this game sooo much, particularly when it comes to animations involving multiple sims. introducing body language attached to some personality traits would also help diversify sims alot too. you cant tell sims personalities apart unless they do very specific things. like a lazy sim can slouch while walking or sitting.
I hope someone commented on the fridge animation and idle animation the survey is closed now so I can’t input
What about the fridge animation?
A few rounded showers would be reeeaally cute !!
The survey is closed now.
I’d like to see EA make it easier to add animations from modders to the game.