General Sims Thread

[Fynn]

So, I know there's a couple of Sims fans over here, and since I've become addicted to the Sims 4 yesterday, I wanted us to talk about what we like about the series, share stories, and even screenshots! (though I can't post mine yet, I'll get to them tonight when I get home).

Overall, I think 3 is the best in the series and the Sims 4 feels a bit like a step backwards with the world no longer being open and there being no toddler life stage. That said, the added emotion system truly makes the sims feel alive and the multitasking really makes social gatherings feel like sims are actually interacting with each other. It's awesome.

So I recently started this game where there's this guy who's in the science career (careers are awesome, by the way). I made him kind of look like a stereotypical nerd with glasses. a beard, and a chubby, hamster-like face. I also gave him a sister and parents and moved them out, but they still live in town, which is cool. They meet up often as they're all family sims. So it really makes this playthrough feel that much more personal. But recently his mom died (another flaw this game has when compared to the Sims 3 - I was not informed of this death in anyway, I accidentally found out when I couldn't invite her to a party, not to mention there aren't any graveyards or funeral parties, so you can't really give your sims a proper send-off), and there was this weird moment when he invited his sister and dad over. So my sim was making breakfast while his wife was entertaining the guests on the porch, and all of a sudden his dad starts flirting with his wife. Of course, she immediately turns him down and both of their moods are awkward, and the sister is just looking at them with her mouth agape. I still wonder why he was in a flirtatious mood right after his wife died - was he just grieving so much and this was his coping mechanism, or was it more like "Yay freedom"?

So anyway, my sims have a baby now and I am having so much fun in spite of the game's shortcomings. And how about your sim stories?

[Formalhaut]

I can never bring myself to play cruelly. Whenever I play, I play to the absolute best, and basically make my Sims never know hunger or pain. I don't like seeing my Sims perish, so I tend to turn ageing off.

My more recent playthroughs have focused on one family, and I was brave and turned on ageing. I made a Sim, Eve Abberley. She lived a good life as a mechanic/electrician. With the self-employment careers mod, her job was to fix other people's machinery, being paid over time. She met her love interest, Gareth, and then married and had children - Faris and Michael. When Faris becomes a young adult, I assume direct control of that character, moving them out and letting Eve/Gareth run on auto-pilot.

Faris heads off to University and I take her down science path. She's a real whiz-kid. She meets Cedrick at University, and after graduating and working in the medical profession, have a child called Jason. Cedrick works as a busker/musician, and given the flexible working hours assumes primary care of the household while Faris works at the hospital. As Jason grows up, he receives an imaginary friend doll, who eventually becomes real. As they both grow up towards their teenage years, feelings emerge, Jason and his friend (who's name eludes me) start going out.

Now, if my old laptop didn't break the motherboard, I would have continued with Jason's path. He was set up to be an athletically-minded Sim.

I did briefly flirt with a homeless playthrough, starting with no home, no money and no skills. It is much tougher than you'd think, especially seeing how I started with a new city that I've never used before, so I didn't know all the good spots.

[Fynn]

You should try a random challenge one day. I did that a lot and it was actually very rewarding as it made me try things I would never normally do with my sims. Make one sim, completely randomize their looks (you can adjust hairstyle, makeup, clothes, etc.) and then randomize their traits. Try to only do things according to their traits, wishes, and basic needs, and see how it plays out! (also, to make sure they mutliply, try for baby whenever they want to woo-hoo)

[Formalhaut]

You should try a random challenge one day. I did that a lot and it was actually very rewarding as it made me try things I would never normally do with my sims. Make one sim, completely randomize their looks (you can adjust hairstyle, makeup, clothes, etc.) and then randomize their traits. Try to only do things according to their traits, wishes, and basic needs, and see how it plays out! (also, to make sure they mutliply, try for baby whenever they want to woo-hoo)

The Abberley playthrough was technically a 'legacy challenge', where you had to get to 10 generations of a family, which isn't really a challenge and more of a lesson in patience. I got to the third generation (with Jason), before my computer broke down on me.

I might try other challenges, if possible.

[Fynn]

I gotta look around if they have any interesting challenges for the Sims 4.

I also adore the clubs they added in the Get Together expansion. You can literally make anything you want. You can have a group of people that will just meet up to smurf in public places - and they will do it without knowing each other enough, because you set it as a rewarded club activity. Or you could establish a gang of old people who devote their free time to attack any and all teenagers they see. Really, the possibilities are endless

[Formalhaut]

I still am pained that they removed toddlers, and also removed Create-A-Style. With CAS, you could make one armchair go a long way by recolouring it however you wanted. Now we're back to pre-set colour choices. That's... annoying.

[Fynn]

It's still nowhere near as bad as it was in the Sims 2, because you get a very decent amount of choice for patterns anyway. I mean, of course it's nowhere near the level 3 offered, but you get used to it pretty quick. And I'm pretty sure they'll add toddlers in a Generations-like expansion. I honestly miss the open world the most and I don't think there's any way they can implement it without completely overhauling the game engine. this sucks because it was really the greatest revolution 3 introduced. that said, everything is always very populated wherever you go because of that - visit any club, shop, or park, and there'll be plenty of people to meet there.

Because of this I have both installed. The two games offer very different playstyles and both have awesome things that the other does not. Let's hope the Sims 5 will have a super populated open world with toddlers and emotions, and create-a-style

[Formalhaut]

It's still nowhere near as bad as it was in the Sims 2, because you get a very decent amount of choice for patterns anyway. I mean, of course it's nowhere near the level 3 offered, but you get used to it pretty quick. And I'm pretty sure they'll add toddlers in a Generations-like expansion. I honestly miss the open world the most and I don't think there's any way they can implement it without completely overhauling the game engine. this sucks because it was really the greatest revolution 3 introduced. that said, everything is always very populated wherever you go because of that - visit any club, shop, or park, and there'll be plenty of people to meet there.

Because of this I have both installed. The two games offer very different playstyles and both have awesome things that the other does not. Let's hope the Sims 5 will have a super populated open world with toddlers and emotions, and create-a-style

Sims 4 just seems like a step back when it could have been a step forward. There are positives. The emotion and multi-tasking system seems interesting. But Sims 4 looks bad because Sims 3 exists.

And the art style is strange as well. They've gone for a more cartoonish look for the Sims 4, whereas I preferred the more realistic look of Sims 3.

[Fynn]

The art style is actually pretty phenomenal. I liked the Sims 3's, but the sims in 4 are just so much more expressive and distinct.

Really, when you play it, it's more like a step sideways than a step backwards. It's about as great as 3, just in different ways, which is a shame because the games have been steadily improving - 2 was mind-boggling compared to 1, same with 3 compared to 2 (though some people disagreed). 4 would have been a huge jaw-dropping revolution had it come after 2, but it did not. But while I'll agree that 3 is the best of the series, I still think 4 is definitely worthwhile. I was pretty skeptical myself and I did not intend to buy it until Seasons come out, but I got it for Christmas, and I am honestly loving it much more than expected. There's still a lot of heart in the game and it's great for different reasons than 3. It's just not as big a revolution as it could have been.

So I recommend you at least give it a shot There's really a lot to love.

[Formalhaut]

I may try it when it gets a few decent expansions under the belt. But I'm not promising much. They'll need to add in a few things to get my interest.

[Fynn]

One big advantage 4 has over 3 is the lack of rabbitholes. If you have the Get to Work expansion installed, you can choose to have a baby at a hospital and you can navigate around the hospital just like any normal place. It's kind of funny how they always surgically remove the baby. It's not even a c-section - they literally use the same thing they use for complex surgeries. And the animation shows the nurses accidentally pulling other organs sometimes. It's crazy.

[Formalhaut]

One big advantage 4 has over 3 is the lack of rabbitholes. If you have the Get to Work expansion installed, you can choose to have a baby at a hospital and you can navigate around the hospital just like any normal place. It's kind of funny how they always surgically remove the baby. It's not even a c-section - they literally use the same thing they use for complex surgeries. And the animation shows the nurses accidentally pulling other organs sometimes. It's crazy.

Rabbitholes were a nuisance, but at least there were no loading times. It feels disconnected that each location is separated by a time window while it loads.

[Fynn]

Still, Sims 4 lets me make all my sims super cute!

Just wait until I provide photographic evidence!

(also, i think I may have a thing for red converse shoes)

[Formalhaut]

Still, Sims 4 lets me make all my sims super cute!

Just wait until I provide photographic evidence!

(also, i think I may have a thing for red converse shoes)

I do like playing dress-up. My favourite thing in Create-A-Sim is to pick their wardrobe. Which is why I'm pissed that Create-A-Style was removed.

I loved choosing traits as well, and writing a short biography. Pretty much the only thing I didn't like was the facial design, as I always struggle with that.

[Fynn]

It's great in 4. And you also get to really adjust the body.

But yeah. All my cute siiiims~~ I even got good with make-up recently!