What can I do to bring back my love for the game?

I haven't lost interest since I got the Sims 3 and I've played the same way for years. But I like to build. If I'm bored, I start in a new world, rebuild the entire town and then do my families, sometimes I might use a few of the townie ones but not usually. And I do bios for all of them, all intertwined. Some good Sims, some devious sims, some bad. Have a little story going. That's what I do.

Take a break, miss it for a while, and come back when you feel inspired. It's like any other creative hobby. Sometimes you're in the zone, and other times you have to step away to find inspiration in something else, like a book or a show or a cool house you saw or a stranger whose face made you think "if I could rotate the nose bridge slightly and lift the jaw... that face would be good."

I find that if I force myself to play when I just don't feel like doing anything, I get frustrated and just nitpick at all the limitations of the game and stop playing. But when I feel inspired, I can still immerse myself like it's 2009 again, play within the rules of this old game, and enjoy myself, whether I'm trying something new or doing what I always do (make all the hot people do it and have da bebbiez).

The problem is, the inspiration never comes when I'm looking for it. It's random, and not usually in the game or even on the forums. You just wait for it to find you and do something else in the meantime.

@Archivist I've had it uninstalled for two weeks.

Space out weddings/babies, play a challenge, read too many fantasy, sci-fi, or mystery novels to get yourself into a different zone, or just accept that breaks are alright. I took nearly two years off TS3 and came back feeling refreshed. It'll still be there to install.

@InfraGreen I'm actually reading a long-awaited book I bought yesterday. Midnight Sun, which is still Twilight, but from Edward Cullen's point of view, not Bella's. I love it!

Is there a reason why you uninstall when you lose interest? For me, having to reinstall whenever the urge to play hits would suck the fun right out of it! I am currently on a longish break from the game but my game is still installed and ready to fire up when I am ready.

My play style hasn't changed since I got the game with the exception of adding small elements from each EP as I add them. I still haven't tried most of what the game offers but have found what keeps me interested. Perhaps a longer break is all you need to bring back the love or try sticking with a challenge from start to finish to at least get a feeling of achievement. Challenges aren't my cup of tea but I know many do enjoy them.

I have took a three-week break from The Sims 3 recently as I am preparing myself for Online Courses, but I have three Saves that are ongoing; The Oakley Legacy Save, my Twinbrook Save and my Riverview Save. The latter two Saves are for when I want to take a break from The Oakley Legacy or for when I haven't been in the mood to play The Sims 3. I like to "Shake Up" my Playstyle from time to time. One Save I could spend rebuilding the house, while another Save could have something different.

I think a lot of people take breaks. I'll play every day for a month, then suddenly stop. Breaks are okay, just like with anything else in life. Enjoy your book and maybe you'll come back more inspired.

@MamaSimTee I've been considering making a couple based off the Twilight characters, but I've done that before. It's been forever since I did that though, so I may do it again. :)

I am "myself" with my selfsim in my game, and I'm very attached to my sim family. I play on Epic and use MasterController to set the age back to the first day of the Life Stage every now and then, and only age sims up when I feel it's time. I play normal gameplay, and sometimes I make poses and take screenshots. My sim children and grandchildren have their own households that I switch between. It's fun, like an alternative life. :smile: Sometimes I add new sims I've made to the town. Sometimes pets. And I often look for new mods and CC.

It never gets boring. But sometimes I get out of ideas, and then I take breaks for a month or more. No big deal, since I love my sims. :smile:

I don't like challenges or a too fast-paced gameplay, because them I wouldn't get attached to the sims, and they become just game characters instead of "relatives and friends", if you know what I mean. That's what makes Sims so great, the many ways you can play it. :smile: