When the game starts and the map loads, please show the entire town in a sweeping view like in The Sims 3. It might seem like a small detail, but it really sparks the desire to explore the town right from the beginning.
In The Sims 3, when you choose a new town and start the game, the town is shown in a sweeping panoramic view and strangely enough, even now, just seeing that scene makes my heart race