Happy Musings Thursday my friends! I’m back with another musings post. I’ve got some thoughts, so let’s get to ’em…
So, it’s snowing in Springfield. Much like real life, snow is great. But only for so long. How long until we’re all sick of snow in Springfield? From the comments point of view…we usually hear from players the day after Christmas that they’re sick of the snow. Funny how a game mimics life…
Personally, I’m good with the snow in Springfield right up until the middle of January. At that point, I’m over it and just want my green grids back. Until then I just enjoy the novelty of it…as it only comes around once a year.
And I’d tell you to take a picture of your Springfield, to remember what it looks like in the snow…but the town portrait button has gone missing! An in-game update was just released and the town portrait button has been restored. So take a picture of your Springfield to commemorate the snow!
Anyway, enough about snow. I’m getting sick of talking about it. Let’s talk about Abe’s in Toyland…
Insert collective groan from many in the Addicts Community
Yea, yea. I get it. You guys aren’t thrilled with the unimaginative Multi-Event concept. And I agree, after a year…it’s getting old. We’ve been begging EA for a while to change it up…and the only change they brought was not releasing an update for months. Not the kind of change any of us want.
So, if you love TSTO and your pocket-sized Springfields, I guess we’re stuck with this for a while.
And no, don’t worry, I’m not going to give another written lecture about the benefits of a Multi-Event. Those of you who don’t like the Multi-Events, don’t need to hear it from me. And, quite frankly, I’m getting sick of saying it.
So, while I choose to stay positive about things, and generally try to be optimistic about TSTO, let’s forget about the multi-event concept for right now. Let’s dive into the specifics of this Christmas Event.
Since 2012, Christmas has been one of the marquee events in TSTO. So my initial thoughts on this year’s marquee TSTO event? Meh.
Yes, usually optimistic Alissa said this event so far is “Meh”.
The reasoning? Where the heck is the Christmas? Or any holiday for that matter?!
Looking at the prizes, and premium items, for all 4 Acts, forgetting for a moment that there are only 3 real prizes for each Act, the most Christmas we get is the Elves and the Gingerbread Couch in Act 1. After that, it’s buildings and characters from Grandpa’s past.
Don’t get me wrong. I’ve read ahead. I know how the dialogue and the story play out. Once again, it’s a GREAT storyline from the writers. But damn it, where’s the good content?!
This event feels like it would have been better cast as a Valentine’s Day Event. Retelling stories about Grandpa’s past loves. I know Hallmark movies are super popular (some of my favorite), but those are FULL of Christmas! The prizes with this event scream hodge-podge of items from the Simpsons, not holidays. And certainly not Christmas.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the characters that are included with this. I love the story they’re trying to tell. I love the other prize track items. But damn it, it’s not Christmas! This doesn’t scream Marquee Event…this screams “alternate to Love Springfieldian Style”!
I’d take Pagan Christmas again over this. At least that had more Christmas trees (Even if they were on fire). And those cool singing rocks that sang “We Wish You A Merry Christmas”.
You guys know I try to be optimistic, and it’s not all bad. I do like the tokens in the prize track concept. It would be better if they lead to a mystery box full of NEW stuff to win. But it’s a new idea. So I’ll give them that.
Anyway, those are just my initial thoughts. As I usually do (and ask you all to do), I’ll wait to reserve full judgment until the event itself is over. I’ll see how things play out before giving my final review. But for now…good event content, good story, but would have made more sense at Valentine’s Day.
That’s it for this Thursday. I’ll be back next week with some warmer thoughts about Christmas…
Thoughts? How would you grade the events? Sound off below, you know we love hearing from you!
If you drill down into the logic behind the events, what keeps this game going is new players, not donut farmers! I have absolutely no problem with ‘old’ content being recycled if this attracts new players – the ability to obtain what has gone before is potent. Sure, a little new content for the ‘old timers’ but what is more important is the old stuff being made available to newbies – rather than being unobtainable because they missed previous events. This is what will keep TSTO going for a while longer.
For a free game without ads, we probably should complain. I do miss the old style events though, where there was a side task to go to visit neighbor’s lands and do something.
Bugs fixed !! Excellent
I was able to get back in recently and I’m loving this event. Snow, characters I can earn by playing, and a fun format with no annoying things forced on me that I don’t need or want (ie, crafting). The tokens are great for me too because it’s filled with characters from the year I was unable to get in, or characters I couldn’t afford the first time around. I’m enjoying this immensely!
I need more land! Will they be adding more land to the game any time soon?
Initial thoughts is it’s the usual 4 hour set up.
For some reason, I think it’s the eyes but I don’t like the slash screen looks weird and not very Christmas easy, maybe just me lol, was hoping for a little more on the event, present hunts, kids singing carols, just something that keeps me wanting to log on but it’s the usual so no fun.
I’ll admit that giving the tokens is a good idea, but it is exactly the same as the 12 donuts prizes from earlier events in the year. The genius of making them tokens is that people who haven’t bought out all of the mystery boxes can get an actual prize (at the cost of 12 donuts, since that’s what the tokens are worth to EA), but the core concept is the same: “You already have the real prize, so now we’re giving you donuts.”
Except that in this event, there’s no real prize even being offered, so 2/5 of the prizes are donuts. And people who have everything have very little use for these donuts, since only one new thing is being offered (well, and duplicates of the elves, I suppose). Because of this, I personally would prefer an actual prize… even if it’s a lame one. Or maybe some new mystery boxes… that would make me happy too.
All i wanted was Xmas lights.😥
Instead i got coal.
I do like the elves. Thats a win👍
10 donuts (mmmmm donuts) for more elves? What do they do to make them worth 10 donuts (mmmmmm donuts)?
The fact that they’re like the only Christmasy item is why for me. I saved mounds of donuts and really have nothing to blow them on for this event. Humbug.
For me and my newer town, have lots to choose from. I actually have items in mystery boxes. I am working on those, but also realize that tokens are available as prizes.
If those elves came with a nominal XP percentage, then I would consider getting a few.
I was really hoping for the elf house to be available. I really like items with an income and an XP percentage. I was not expecting them for $10,000 like the wailing walls, although that would be nice.
Still can’t even visit that town….can’t neighbor-ize you. Stupid glitch.
Im happy your happy. But if they’re gonna slap Santa Homer with reindeer on the splash screen…..then not give us much of a Christmas feel to the event….what the fudge? Im not upset about Death being a part of the story…i mean, come on….”Scrooged”? I just really wanted more Xmas lights dammit. Pout pout pout.😒😞🎅🎄😥
I rushed the whole thing because it’s so boring. Never done that before. It’s not worth my time to log in for any of these prizes. Tokens I can use on donuts? You mean subsidize rushing the event?
I like having old stuff to win. For the recent Halloween, I had all the items in the free token box. But for Christmas it is filled with items I don’t have, so I am excited.
I do like the crowd of elves. Maybe we will be able to buy more after we win a set.
I’m in full agreement about this not being at all Christmassy. In fact, I think EA mixed up Halloween with Christmas. Being strictly a bonut player, I always welcome free premium content, but Death at Christmas? That is just sad and dreary. EA should have given us Death at Halloween, and saved Gelatinous Homer for Christmas. After all, isn’t this the season when we all stuff ourselves shamelessly? Certainly Homer does.
“I’d take Pagan Christmas again over this” You hated that event with a fiery passion! I remember lol
But at least it had Christmas trees lol
Fair enough! I have most of them I think. However should have brought back Christmas Lights for new players imo..Other then snow they are a fun part of Christmas event.
What’s next Alissa? Finding virtue in the whale?
I think she was plenty tough in EA. Especially from the original bliss ninny.
Lay off. She lives for Christmas…and it didn’t show up this year.
I love Christmas, too! My Springfield was born on Christmas Eve 2013 and has lived for this time of year ever since. The show has had Christmas for 30 flipping years, but the game gets this pile of something. I’ll keep playing though. It’s not as big of a waste of time as it would be driving an hour to Keizer anytime during the next couple of months for a crappy burger.
Sorry, but it’s hard to reserve judgment when looking at the calendar. A bunch of tokens that I can’t use for anything except for a few donuts. A bunch of characters I don’t remember or care about and some boring buildings. I might have some use for the elves and the bus, but that’s about it.
Loving the snow. Disappointed they didn’t bring back the Christmas lights for the houses. I was expecting the Christmas event to be a little more exciting. Im going to reserve my full critiquing of the event till we are into the second week, but I feel like it will be a ba humbug. Happy Day Friends and Happy Tappin! ❄️🎄❄️
I’m probably in the minority, but I’m okay with the content. I’ve been playing for years, and I would build my event areas and that was that. Never planned for the future, so I have at least three Christmas areas (not counting the pagan area). I’m not disappointed there won’t be yet another Christmas area in my Springfield–I have enough holiday stuff. I’m fine with this event.
Great Thursday Musings.
Being a long time player, the event is just what it is. I have not expected anything in a long time. I did however think that the Christmas Event would revolve around Christmas. 🙄 <—- eye rolling.
I do like the token idea and I am sure the newer players are loving the event. At least I hope so.
~BB
There was a small, quick in-game update when I logged in this afternoon and my Bleeding Gums cloud and Cthulhu statue are back. Still no camera, though.
I started playing during the last week of the Halloween event last year, so these mini-events are pretty much all I know. They actually work fairly well for my daily schedule as a stay-at-home dad of a special needs kiddo. The four hour shifts are convenient, and the dialogue is funny enough to keep it from getting boring.
I guess since I’m so late to the party I kind of don’t know what I’m missing. I completely agree with you about the snow. I like it, but after a while it starts to feel bleak and cheerless. That’s one of the things I love about living in New Jersey, just about the time I get fed up with the cold and snow, it starts to get warm and green again and right when the oppressive August heat and humidity start really getting to me, it cools off and “Hello Fall”! I definitely want the snow gone by Valentines Day as that’s usually when Pitchers and Catchers report to Spring Training!
More “bleh” than “meh”…an event that focuses on the least likeable Simpson (and not just because he’s old – I’m old, and not all old people are insensitive boobs) and his even less likeable past. I was really hoping for something funny and uplifting and, well, “Christmasy” for the Holidays.
I was still holding a little hope that the game would recover some of it’s “zing” with the Christmas Event, but not any more. It is what it is…and lower expectations is the new normal. Sigh…😔
Awwww😞
You need a hug. And a candy cane.😊🎅
Me to there’s just no zing or snow falling 😣
I thought the same thing–there’s snow on the ground, but nothing in the air. I wouldn’t mind some snowy weather–not just snowy aftermath.
Thanks Sandy…a person can never have too many of either😊
“I’d take Pagan Christmas again over this. At least that had more Christmas trees (Even if they were on fire).”
Speaking of which… I noticed those were for sale again (for in-game cash), so I bought a whole bunch of them yesterday. 🙂
I like the snow in our TSTO Springfields because it’s a nice change of pace on the general overall look of the game (also, because I currently live in the High Desert, which doesn’t get snow as often, in the winter, as desired). But I do agree with other players about having the ability to control the seasons in our Springfields, because we players are suppose to the “Skyfingers” of our Springfields, so we should be allowed to control the seasons in the game. Now, since it usually requires the download of 500Mb-2Gb of additional data for adding snow into the game during the Christmas updates each year, maybe giving players the option to control the seasons in the game is not feasible at this time, but that does not mean that that particular feature is any less desirable.
As for this event, I agree that (except for the event dialog) this event is not really, truly, Christmas related. EA could have done a lot better with this event. In fact, it seems to me that, maybe, EA is relying solely on the event dialog (and not the prizes) to keep players interested in playing the game. In my opinion, the dialog alone, no matter how great it may be, is not enough to make any event in TSTO a great event. What makes a great event is not just good dialog, but, also, great new content & extremely hard to acquire returning content, plus highly requested features, and event themed mini-games. Basically, anything that makes the game more enjoyable to players instead of the opposite.
I think everything that could be said has been said. Having said that……….😜
This is by far the most disappointing Christmas event yet. I hate to sound like a Debbie downer, but this game has long lost its spark.
STOP!!!
No haters. Be nice.
I’m entitled to my opinion. If this game is going to survive and attract new players, the designers MUST come up with a new idea.
Agreed….and no Christmas lights…aggghhhh
I really have been wanting Christmas lights since I first started playing eleven months ago. I was SURE I’d be able to get them at Christmas time just like I was able to make Moe’s and Krusty Burger have a Halloween theme! I just assumed! How wrong I was.
Well, you chose Valentine’s Day, while I kind of think Father’s Day (which we didn’t get as an Event – ’til now, right?) – except it’s Abe Simpson only …. what about the other Dad’s in this Game App? (overlooked, of course)🙄
There’s plenty of returning Holiday Content (great if you’re a noob, whoop-dee-doo if you’re a Long Time Tapper and have everything), but this Event ignores any Holiday in December with the new Content – great writing can’t save the “meh” it’s causing due to the fact that we don’t get anything (no Christmas, Solstice, Kwanaza, Hanukah – or Atheists larfing at consumerism run amok like people do this month).
I guess zero expectations is it from now on, ’til EA does something we can appreciate (I will appreciate time with family during this month’s festivities). 🎄🦌🍹
seems they just fixed that.
Bugs are overcome – bleeding gums Murphy and the photo function. I have already downloaded a photo of my Springfield in the snow.
Personally I love the snow – at least for a while. The detail given to every item is great – have you really looked? When planes leave the ground they leave a snow imprint behind, etc. I am impressed by the way the artists accomplish this detail. However, I do find that finding Maggie gets more frustratingly difficult with both the snow and Christmas lights, but that is the game. A very merry Christmas to you all.
Bleeding gums Murthy and chatu are back to normal afforestation a minor update in mine any way
In game update just now for me. Bleeding Gum Murphy has been fixed.
Thank you, but
SIB!
SIB!
SIB!
🙄😲
I’m thinking of getting the third offering because it has table and chairs combos
2 sibs coming tomorrow..
Grumble, grumble
Grumble, grumble 😖
Probably won’t include what I’m interested in
Grumble, grumble
Grumble, grumble 😖
I’ll probably develop a hang nail next month, too
😖
Same here. I think I’m going to end up with a ton of things in inventory just because I want more reindeer and bistro sets.
I miss seeing snow falling, I hope EA will solve that.
Since the Christmas event launched, I have noticed my “ghost of Bleeding Gums Murphy” has been replaced with a picture of Lisa seeing BGM in the clouds. Anyone else seeing this?
Yes, I talked about it on the rundown post…
http://tstoaddicts.com/2019/12/11/christmas-2019-abes-in-toyland-week-1-is-live/
patch download on my Motorola fixed those today (but EA still needs to fix that “load screen” issue – I get the same thing as your S10)