Could you try to refrain from criticizing until the prospective changes have actually been posted? It's possible that some of your concerns will be addressed.
@dethdukk, No, you have not seen the full version that is currently under discussion. We're still awaiting input from a couple of team members -- that's what Metro and Nutella meant by "ironing things out."
Well I'm glad to hear that the current rule is just a placeholder. Though I am a bit confused, if you guys are actively discussing what the rule should be wouldn't now be the perfect time for me to put in my opinions on what the rule should and shouldn't be, rather than waiting for the "official" version of the rule? I mean if the official rule meets what I'd like, awesome, but if it doesn't then my points will still stand anyways.
We'll be defining the conditions under which someone may add new Sims.
This is exactly what I'm against. There shouldn't be a condition that does or does not allow a player to add Sims to their game, it should either be allowed for any and all players, or not at all. Giving players who's games meet a certain condition an advantage over players who don't shouldn't happen. If adding Sims will be allowed for anyone, it should be allowed for everyone, and the limitations should be set on how you add Sims or which Sims you can add.
To some extent, it's our fault for not paying more attention to players' complaints about the game-generated Sims sooner.
Yes. No offense intended, but it's been two years since this challenge was created, multiple people have completed the challenge, and this issue was reported to you guys literally weeks after this challenge was released, by Playalot and others. There are literally PAGES on this forum topic discussing the lack of random Sims, what the player can do to get more Sims generated, people asking if they can move Sims into houses, people asking if they can add Sims to the game, people asking if they can use Sims within the household as friends, since their heirs friends keep getting culled... So why is it only 2 years later that it's suddenly so huge an issue that the Dynasty team feels that they have to add this rule, that goes against so much of what used to be banned in the challenge?
When TS4 first came out, we followed the model from TS3. With 5 traits and a non-changeable aspiration, there could be a big difference between game-generated Sims and player-created ones. But in TS4, aspirations can be changed at will, and traits don't make much difference. I've had noncommittal Sims accept proposals and Sims who hate children take good care of the baby. They get tense, but you can easily override that.
I completely agree, Sims 4 traits don't really change how a Sim behaves, and even the ones that do can be easily forced against their natural behavior... but there's still a difference between having to work with whatever traits you get (especially in the early generations) and getting to custom build whatever Sim you want.
We are not trying to make the Immortal Dynasty easier, but we are trying to make it more enjoyable. One of the things people liked about Union Cove was that we added characters like Marilyn Monroe and also Carl, Pam, and Metro. And players won't be able to get away with making all their additions creative, cheerful, and romantic. YAs and older will be required to have one negative trait.
Trying or not, you will make it easier. Admittedly, not by a huge amount, but the ID challenge has already had it's level of difficulty kneecapped by all the expansions and changes to Sims 4 anyways. Making YA and older need 1 negative trait won't affect a smart player. If it was me, I'd just make a family with a teen daughter/son who's set with 2 traits and an aspiration that I want, then I'd just move her into my dynasty house before she aged up so I could control the last trait.
Edit: One last thing to note. With the exception of LenalJ, none of the Challenge team has actually completed the ID challenge, and even LenalJ did it in a speed run form. The only player who has completed the challenge and commented on this rule change
@Playalot has made it clear that she's strongly against it. If I may make a recommendation, maybe run the rule by the people who have played and completed the challenge, see what their thoughts on it are, rather than keeping it entirely in house. Sadly I cant include myself in that list, but I do suspect that I'm one of less than 15 people total who have made it past gen 6.