I've taken several longer breaks from Sims 3, and I've never been able to really pick up where I left off with my previously played family. I think I've ended up starting a new game every single time, whether right away or after a couple of days of not feeling attached enough to my existing sims. I even have trouble playing sims I've previously moved out within the same save, like once I stop controlling them I lose the thread and can't quite get it back.
I kind of feel bad about it, but then again, there are enough interesting potential storylines in the game that there's not much point in playing one that doesn't feel compelling anymore.
