Sims Breaking Up

My sims' partner choices are only mine to make since I play solely for genetics. I do ensure that their partners are compatible and, because of this, they roll only wishes for each other. All my friendly sims roll wishes to meet someone new constantly and I don't read this as meaning that they want to move on, rather than that they want to widen their circle of friends. My sims will also roll wishes to be friends with X if the relationship level drops below friendship for some reason - usually because my sims have had a negative encounter with a sim with bad traits who caused the drop in the first place. I see wishes as game hints rather than any meaningful desire on the part of the sims although I do project my own feelings when it suits me, for example when my loving couples roll romantic wishes for each other it makes me feel like I chose the right partner for them and that they are happy.

@Mikezumi I was looking through your Jordon and John story - how do you get their faces to look like that??

When I see two partnered sims in bed, presumably in the same bed but not necessarily, dreaming of each other at the same time, I know I have coupled them together well. Or at least that's just how I like to think of it.

Sorry, but I have to disagree on the wishes. Some of them of course make sense, but others are totally random and the Meet Someone New doesn't really or necessarily mean romantically to me either, it indicates a wish to expand one's circle of friends. My sims get wishes frequently enough that make no sense like teens who no longer wish to be friends with their parents or BFF siblings, or adults expressing a desire to break up. Not every hour or every day (except in the case of teen mood swings but those are easily forgivable), that would be alarming, but just sprinkled in here and there among the others. Luckily they have someone more logical and totally balanced around to talk them out of acting on any of these strange fleeting desires...okay, no they don't, they have me instead. ;)

@igazor I like the dream bubble idea but I have no idea what my sims are dreaming about because I never have headlineeffects turned on. Since I let my sims do what they want most of the time and they always seek each other out over other sims, unless the kids have brought a friend home from school and everyone wants to hog the visitor, I see that as a sign I have made the right partner choice.

My teens never roll wishes to no longer be friends with their parents or siblings outside of mood swings! Am I doing something wrong because I am sure that would be true to life? ;) I've also never had an adult roll a wish to break up. I am beginning to think my game is broken :#

I am sure you are a wonderful watcher ;)

I have learned, over the past six years of playing this game, that Sims seem to have their own mind in that they know whom they love and what careers are best suited for them (past the initial join the military wish). Wants do play a part in Sim lives but, some wants are totally triggered by the game such as make pancakes for breakfast will 'mostly' trigger a want to make pancakes (which I grant by-the-way, hey, they have to have something to eat tomorrow morning ;)). The 'Meet Someone New' pops up all the time for Sims with the Charisma trait or, when they want new Sims to talk to. I have only seen this icon used to indicate a desire to break-up when there are other tell-tales signs of unhappiness such as, refusing to share a meal together or a desire to go to the Park, Art Museum or any place other than where their partner is.

@ShuffleJ - I am equally fascinated by the double lives some Sims seem to lead, from Rabbit Hole Romances to hidden agendas within (townie) households.

@igazor - I don't believe in randomness in this game and view most things as either 'triggered' or 'communication to player'. I do believe the appearance of some wishes are rooted in what the Sim is wanting in that specific moment of time. Such as when I have my Sim learning to play the Bass and he suddenly sends up a wish to go fishing (complete with the fishing hook icon in his thought bubble). Barring fickle teens who seem to cycle through emotions more rapidly than the other life-stages, Sims seem to be very consistent in their desires, even when those desires change. Although, I can only speak from my own experience with my Sims.

@Mikezumi - The only time I have ever seen the game use the wish system as a hinting system' is with World Adventures, where a Sim will want to find the hidden door or disable the trap which is hidden right in front of them. This isn't to take anything away from what you stated as your perspective of the game, just happened to think of a time when 'hinting through the wish system' is used. :)

Double Post.

@mw1525 I am not known for being a particularly sentimental or imaginative person so my perspective of the wishes could be more analytical than emotional. I do suspect that what we read into the wish system and sim behaviour is coloured by our personalities and imaginations.

@Mikezumi - I am definitely analytical! I tend to notice the 'things in the detail', and the 'hidden in plain sight' aspects of this game. While I do agree our personalities, personal point-of-view, and imagination definitely has a large influence on how we interpret various aspects of this game, I also recognize there is a series of inter-woven systems in play making (or guiding) the Sims to come to certain conclusions (on their own) which they attempt to translate to us as players through icons, wants or wishes.

@mw1525 That's not how I would read that. I think that sims do "develop" as we play them in that they gain skills, have relationships, etc. but the wishes only reflect the way we have played them and are not "wants or wishes" in any meaningful way. Every wish (to me) has an underlying circumstance or set of circumstances that we, as players, have set them up for.

I am a uncontrolling simmer,appreciate the high free will system.Who am I to deny my sim the computer, if that is what he want's to do he can.Same with relationships it is fun to go to the park with 7 or 8 females there and he is drawn to a certain one or gives her the most attention then "Ding ding,we have a winner".And find it adorable when the girl you live withwhoever it may be decides to just dip kiss you for no reason then goes off to play darts watch TV whatever.

Am a softie when it comes to sims no longer in love or when one cheats.That awkwardness where you try to talk and they have no interest and get mad/angry declining your bar even further. :'( It gives me RL feels.

One time as a test married Constance Shelley from Riverview cheated intentionally right in front of her and she was a wreck.Never seen nothing like it she was honestly heartbroken and when I even tried regular convos she shut me out and we grew further apart.It was awful even though it is only a game that was hard to watch.Making it worse was the crying and thought bubbles that she had and they were not same day only it is like she dwelled on her pain and misery livng with a monster :bawling: