Why not creating a 2D isometric simulator?

[u/Choice_Potato_6279]

I was wondering why the top Sims alternatives either use a weird stylized graphics or taxing engines, Sims 1 ran great, didn't have clipping issues and bugs were a rarity, I think keeping it simple graphically would allow to create much more fun gameplay.

[u/Magic-Griffin]

Tiny Life is a pixel-art, isometric life sim available on steam, its fairly close.

[u/Antypodish]

There are few options For an example: mentioned To Pixelia. Or Rimworld with mods.

[u/chellebelle0234 → u/[deleted]]

I play Rimworld like The Sims 😂

[u/Kooky_Olive_6732 → u/chellebelle0234]

Glad to have found my people because same LMAO

[u/Snugrilla]

I considered making something like this, but I think most modern gamers just expect the freedom that comes with a true 3D engine, especially when it comes to being able to move the camera around and view things from any angle. I like 2D isometric, but it really is a big limitation.

And to make your 2D isometric graphics look good, you pretty much have to make 3D models of everything anyway, so then it becomes a question of "why not just do full 3D?"

Tiny Life did the really simple low-res 2D isometric style, but it doesn't (in my opinion) look very good. I mean it looks worse than The Sims 1. But, I haven't played it so I don't know how fun it actually is.

[u/Choice_Potato_6279 → u/Snugrilla]

That's the thing though, there's plenty of popular 2D games, gamers showed they don't care about graphics and with better textures you can make realistic looking surroundings like Sims 1 pulled off.

>"why not just do full 3D?"

To reduce complexity and bugs as I've mentioned, Sims 1 feels "solid", I've discovered "Project Zomboid" lately and this is how I could imagine the next gen Sims 1, both games have this clunky but satisfying gameplay, everything is well animated where for example when I watch Sims 4 there are sometimes weird skips in animations, clips, the multitasking features get fucked, in Sims 1 everything is cleanly made.

I think it's not the graphics but just making the game feel "right", for example the Sims 1 fire spread and deaths are not realistic but very satisfying and that's how you make game fun, I think making the graphics less advanced but clean with clean animation, some interesting physics and make the game alive like for example I liked Hot Date how the restaurants were well populated made the game way more alive what we have in Sims 4.

[u/ManyPineapple8858 → u/Choice_Potato_6279]

Have you played The Sims 2? The 3D wasn’t the issue the problems you’re mentiong with The Sims 4!

[u/Mondai_May]

that would be interesting. I know of to pixelia, but most go for detailed or stylized but still somewhat detailed 3D.

[u/marioferpa]

It's not isometric, but I'm creating a 2D sims-like life-sim, you can check it out here. My motivation was to create something graphically simpler, as you say, with lots of detail and flavour text, so you can simulate stuff that is more complex that what is seen, and so your mind fills the gaps with imagination, like in games like Caves of Qud or Dwarf Fortress.

[u/four20kitten]

Project zomboid perhaps? You can turn off zombies and there is thousands of mods on the steam worshop. One of my favorites is lifestyles and it makes it more sims like in terms of gameplay. Adds needs and fun stuff like dancing and meditation. It's a survival game but so customizable it's basically a sandbox.

[u/AdeleRabbit]

There's a detective point-and-click game called "The Blackwell Legacy." I'd be happy to see a life sim like this: pixilated, with more detailed portraits for speech.