Comparison to the Sims is inevtiable...simply because it's the same concept albeit a different platform. I love LDW -- because they truly listen to the fans and they put out amazing games, the suggestions are simply that, a wish list--only the creators know how hard it is to actually script and create such a intricate game...but because they do pay attention to the fans, we always put out wish lists for them.

I can live with everything as it is, except the children...that's the one thing that bugs me. LDW if you put out a VF2 let us have babies in cribs or crawling after Mommy as she does laundry and cooks rather than having her carry them around. A crib where they can spend a good amount of time sleeping and then have them become toddlers with little shorts and little kiddie shirts...no high heels, boots, mini skirts, etc. There is another "castaway type game" out there (which shall remain unamed) where they do this...babys are in diapers and bald walking around (not realistic there) after Moms and toddlers are small and child like in shorts and t-shirts....that would make the game PERFECT for me....if you can throw in some of the other suggestions, it would be a PLUS....

AGAIN, just a wish list....xo xo xo

I agree with HulaHale. It bugs me also to see the little kids dressed like adults. In VV it wasn’t so weird, because of the clothes themselves. But this game is different, and it is off putting to see a little girl in high heels and off the shoulder shirts. I have also played that other cast-away game and one thing I loved was the babies and kids, how cute they were and how they were dressed different from the adults. I would love to see that in VF. And I would also love to have a crib or bassinette in the parent’s room for a “year” or two instead of the mom carrying the baby everywhere. The mom (and the dad too, for that matter) could go to the crib to check on the baby, change diapers, sing lullabies, feed with a bottle, and so on. Right now the only thing the mom does with the baby is change diapers, and the dad does nothing. It would be neat to see them doing more. The other kids in the family might be able to get in on it, they could play peek-a-boo, tickle, give kisses. Even if the mom could still not work because she’s caring for the baby, it would still be better, IMO. Some activities are cute when the mom holds a baby, like relaxing in the hammock or watching TV. But some just don’t work. I really hate it when the mom reads the paper or a magazine; it covers up the baby’s poor little face! Doing laundry, taking out the trash, and ironing are other activities that don’t look right when the mom is holding a baby. When she irons, she does it right on top of the baby! Then after a couple “years” of crib time they could be toddlers and follow the mom or dad around for another “year” or two. Or maybe not follow the parents and do nothing, but have specific toddler activities. (I love the idea of tantrums, that would be so funny!) Some of the things the kids do seem more toddler-like already, like banging dishes and playing in the dirt, maybe change it so kids under 5 do those things, and 5 to 13 year olds have a different set of activities. My 8 year old just went to bang dishes, that’s kind of weird. And it would be great if we couldn’t select a kid under the age of 4 or 5 to do chores or gather collectables. Maybe if we try it says too young for that or something? That would eliminate the problem of 2 year olds selling collectables online.

Just some suggestions, but I have to say, I love, love, LOVE the game, just like I loved VV, VV2, VV3, and PT! (I haven’t played FT yet, but I’m sure it’s great too.) You guys do an awesome job! Thanks for all the fun!

My three year old is doing dishes... yea... don't think that's really an age appropriate thing! lol

And I noticed when the little ones are looking for mommy or daddy, they don't really take notice when they do find them. My three year old was "looking for daddy" and blew right by him! And she was still looking for him!

I have never played the Sims games before and I do like the idea of having more interaction and detail, but I think there is a way VF can become more interactive and detailed without becoming a Sims game. A lot of the suggestions on this threat will help that. But there is nothing wrong with VF ultimately becoming a very detailed game. They can have two versions and we can decide how detailed we want our family lives to be.

Heather, your right about VV - I didn't mind it as much for several reasons...1. the games is busy...there's lots to do like carve out a survival on the island and discover all the puzzles--it's not so much focused on raising the kiddies; 2. it's drawn on a much smaller scare so the little "adult" kids look real little against the island background; 3. the clothes are castawayie so yes, you're right, it doesn't look like a baby hoochie...I especially love the outfits in VV3 I would dress all the little girls with the yellow or white puffy dresses and they looked adorable running around and the little boys in shorts...

...but here...it just doesn't look right....;o)

I see your point... maybe it's all a matter of how you use the scolding hand on them (aside from the fact that I don't think switching jobs will be allowed). But I can see them keeping the same attitude toward work as chores. A spouse could always nag them to work. lol. Or when they're teens we could pay a small sum to have a counselor work with them. ^_^

HulaHale, I agree about the graphics. They were the only good thing about that castaway game. And as cute as I think it is to see the kids dressing like adults in VF, it would be nice to have them look like kids. Actually, this could bring up a new action for the kids.. "playing dress-up" lol.

HeatherHippo, I like the idea of having one crib year and then toddler years. You captured what I was trying to describe in my playpen suggestion. Interaction between the father and older siblings with the baby would be great. And I love the idea of different actions for the ages.

And PlayAtWork is right about VF being detailed. I played the Sims once before and didn't like it at all. There are so many differences between Sims and VF that I think it'll be ok to add all this stuff and still make it a fun (and better) game.

These are great ideas guys! I hope the creators listen to them. My mom was floating on her back in the pool and baby was nowhere to be seem...I guess he was under the water. LOL!!!

I'd like to know how to know when the game is updated without having to find someone talking about it in the forum. I put in for the newsletters but never get them.

I like the fact the little ones can do chores and pick up collectibles. They move faster then the older kids and adults so things get done faster. That I wouldn't change. I just want to see the moms working. I'm sorry, but IRL many mothers go to work the very next day after having a baby. There's no excuse for them to not be working in the game.

I think the number of children should dependent on the number of beds. Once some leave for college, you should be able to have more if the parents are young enough since there are now empty beds.

A caveat, please - these comments aren't meant to be inflammatory; they're just the honest and humbly-submitted opinions of a loyal LDW fan, just like all of you. Anyhoo, here's my wish list, for what it's worth:

- Ditto speeding up the time it takes to finish chores (I'm talkin' 'bout socks/dirt smudges/weeds/wrappers/groceries). These chores sometimes feel a little tedious, and I play sim games to relax.

- Ditto the interaction with pets. Maybe have a pet life cycle, too, rather than just having them show up in every generation once purchased. And give that poor turtle a nice area in the yard or something - I feel so awful watching it try to keep up with the family! The only time it catches up is when they go to bed or take a nap.

- Diversity and gender equity, please! If the characters can be programmed to inherit parent's hair color/eye color/glasses, they can be programmed to inherit skin color as well. Women should be able to give the baby to dad to take care of after birth, and they should be able to switch off child-rearing as they please.

- Ditto collectibles showing up more quickly. I'm having the darndest time collecting bugs because most of the time when it rains, they don't appear. Pieces of the picture stopped showing up at least three days ago.

- More interaction with other characters. I want to be able to drop a kid onto a parent and see some kind of behavior. If I drop a kid onto a kid, I'd like to see them play.

- Ditto speeding up the store inventory. Since it only refreshes twice a day, there's no point in checking in more than once a day.

- Different emails. The same ones keep coming up - how many times is that guy Sam going to end up in the hospital? I don't mind the neighbor pointing out the rare collectibles in the yard, however.

- Have neighbors/friends/family visit - especially after the kids go to college. They can come back instead of just sending emails for special Isola holidays!

- Bring back the map and the puzzle screens. The trophies just don't provide as much of a sense of accomplishment (at least for me). And add more puzzles, including puzzles that can only be solved after reaching a certain, say, career level/age/etc.

- Speed up some of the actions, and connect what the characters do to the animations in the game. After the first time a couple goes through the courtship ritual when trying to have a baby, don't show the rose-petal/jumping up and down animation again. Meals take too long to prepare. When they're brushing their teeth, where's the toothbrush? It's funny to see them swim in their clothes.

- Some of the fixtures in the home seem pointless because characters can't or aren't required to use them. Maybe after 10 socks are collected, the family should have to turn on the washer. The iron just sits there. Bookshelves are full but nobody reads books, only magazines and the newspaper. I spent $1,600 on patio furniture - why can't they even sit in the chairs? The barbecue can't be used to prepare an actual meal. Why doesn't the birdbath attract birds?

Thanks for the opportunity to comment.

Hi Fussbudget,
I'd like to see some of these things too..though not all. I dont want to speed the time...My peeps age fast enough already. There are some things you mentioned that are in the game however. Here they are:

-SPEEDING UP OF CHORES / This can be done by putting all fam. members to work on them at once.

-CHARACTER INTERACTION / It would be nice if they could interact a bit more, BUT they do interact some. If you push an adult on a child she/he will TELL THEM A STORY which all the kids participate in, or TICKLE THEM. This is the only two things I've seen.
If you put one kid on another, they can PLAY TRAIN,or HAVE A GIGGLE PARTY that all the kids get into. IT'S WAY TOO CUTE! HOWEVER,it would also be really nice if they could play together like the tag game they play in Villagers 2. That was so very cute!

-PATIO / They can sit in the chairs, however you have to make them

-BARBECUE / I was disappointed that they don't eat the barbecue..and it would be nice if they ate it on the patio table.

-BIRDBATH / The birds do bathe in the birdbath, though I've only seen this in the early morning hours. ***THIS IS ONE OF THE DOWNFALLS OF THE 12 VIRTUAL YRS. OF NIGHT AND 12 OF DAY. I HATE PLAYING AFTER 5, AS ALL MY PEEPS ARE EXHAUSTED AND WILL HARDLY DO ANYTHING. REVERSING THE DAY/NIGHT THING DOESN'T WORK FOR ME EITHER, AS SOMETIMES I LIKE TO PLAY IN THE DAY...
-LAUNDRY / They will do laundry, etc. if you drop them in the right place. Since the upgrade I've seen them do some of these on their own.