Lycanthropy in The Sims 4: A Long-Time Werewolf Lover's Idea List
Well, since the dev team wants us to keep yelling at them here on the forums, I've come to holla. Sure, there are a few threads about supernatural stuff in general, but I just think that The Sims 4 gives some unique opportunities to give werewolves some serious love and extra depth this time around. So, as a long-time werewolf lover and one who has poured over countless pages of folklore and Hollywood mythology (and crafted her own fictional universes with their own werewolf lore using elements of the above), I give you my list of things that I'd like to see in TS4 werewolves.
1. The "Bestial" Trait
The "Bestial" trait would be a special extra trait that a sim would acquire from becoming a werewolf (and lose if changed back into a normal sim). This trait would have several different effects including:
A. Giving a sim the ability to eat raw fish, as well as adding in a new Quick Meal (Raw Meat), regular recipe (Rare Steak), and gourmet meal (Steak Tartar...if that's not already there, that is...) to their meal options at the fridge.
B. Enhancing the effects of emotion affecting traits (Cheerful, Hot-Headed, Active, Gloomy, Insane, etc.) on the day and night of the full moon, making the moodlets generated by these traits pop up more frequently and possibly amplifying their strength by one point. Why? Because generic grumpiness for werewolves is such an old hat that Fred Flintstone wore it to his high school prom. Enhancing existing personality traits is a much fresher approach!
C. Unlocks new interactions and moodlets. For example, a mischief interaction called "Mark Territory" (works best when confident, of course), where your sim takes a wiz on the selected tree or bush (great for taunting enemies or making new ones ;) ). Or, an uncomfortable moodlet from eating salad called "Where's the Beef?" Or an interaction called "Make Sad Puppydog Eyes" which, if successful, can get another sim to stop being mad at them. Little touches like that can really add some substance to the gameplay.
D. A small chance (based on shapeshifting skill level) of transforming when hitting level 2 or level 3 of an emotion. For example, a lower level shapeshifter would have a 5% chance of transforming when hitting level 2 of an emotion and a 10% chance of transforming when hitting level 3. A high level shapeshifter would have a 0% chance of transforming when hitting level 2 of an emotion and a 2% chance of transforming at level 3. (Because, emotions.)
2. Shapeshifting Skill
This is a big want for me. Basically, just like the other skill sets, moving up in skill level will unlock new interactions, moodlets, etc. Werewolves would be able to enhance their shapeshifting skills through reading special skill books, as well as through getting in touch with their wild side (basically, meditation) and using their shapeshifting abilities. Werewolves would get uncomfortable moodlets from transforming too much, similar to the ones that come from exercising too hard...because, you know, shapeshifting is a very physical thing. Energized, Confident, and Focused are all good candidates for moods to enhance the learning of this skill.
Level 1: Your sim gains the ability to "Get in Touch with His/Her Wild Side." May receive Confident moodlet "Walking on the Wild Side" or Angry Moodlet "Stupid Wild Side", with the probability of either depending on level. (Level 5 and under has a 70/30 split in favor of the latter, Level 6-8 has a 70/30 split in favor of the former, Level 9-10 has a 90/10 split in favor of the former.)
Level 2: Your sim gains the ability to change to werewolf form at will, but at this stage has a 50% chance of failure. Failing an attempted transformation would give a 1-2 hour embarrassed moodlet.
Level 5: Your sim's chance of success at transforming to werewolf form goes up to 75%, and your sim will be able to transform more often before getting an uncomfortable moodlet.
Level 6: Your sim gains the ability to change to full wolf form, but with a 60/40 success/failure ratio. Failed full wolf transformations would just default to werewolf form and your sim would get a Playful moodlet called "I MEANT to Do That." Full wolf form would unlock interactions like "Dig up a Hole" (a mischief interaction with a small chance of uncovering treasure like fossils, capsules, and maybe even a few simoleons...but the main reason is to mess up a yard or have some unsuspecting sim trip over it) and a "Chase" interaction for sims and pets (warning: They may end up chasing YOU instead).
Level 8: Your sim's werewolf form transformation success rate becomes 90%, your Sim's full wolf transformation success rate hits 80%, and successful transformations have a small chance of generating the Confident moodlet "Fluid Form."
Level 9: Your sim gains the ability to transform their ears and grow a tail at will...if that stuff can be added... o:)
Level 10: Werewolf form transformation become 100% successful, full wolf form becomes 95% successful, and your sim gains the ability to resist the change during the full moon. However, resisting the change generates the Uncomfortable moodlet "On a Short Leash"...because resisting the pull of the moon is no simple feat, even for a master shapeshifter!
3. Werewolf Form
TS2 werewolves looked O.K., but TS3 werewolves...pics I've seen are just not that, well, werewolf-like IMHO (maybe it's those protruding bottom fangs that do it...). In TS4, I would love to see werewolf form progressed into a shape with pointy, really wolf-like ears at or near the top of the head, a muzzle, and hopefully a tail this time. I don't know why, but tailless werewolves bug me just a little...
Anyway, the ears and tails would provide some really interesting flavor to expressing emotions. For instance, the ears could droop and the tail could hang limp and low when sad or embarrassed, the ears could go back and the tail could be out straight or up slightly when angry, wagging tails for Happy and Energized, tail held high and ears fully erect when confident...Again, it's the little touches.
And, speaking of little touches, instead of just one generic fur color, I think that it would be awesome if a werewolf's fur color could either match or be slightly lighter than their hair color. Just that tiny touch of morphic resonance can make all the difference between good-looking werewolves and great-great werewolves.
These are just a few little ideas that I've had sloshing around in the old noggin. I won't be mad if some of these things are just too big to do with the current technology/game engine, but hopefully they spark some inspiration. ^_^
The "Bestial" trait would be a special extra trait that a sim would acquire from becoming a werewolf (and lose if changed back into a normal sim). This trait would have several different effects including:
A. Giving a sim the ability to eat raw fish, as well as adding in a new Quick Meal (Raw Meat), regular recipe (Rare Steak), and gourmet meal (Steak Tartar...if that's not already there, that is...) to their meal options at the fridge.
B. Enhancing the effects of emotion affecting traits (Cheerful, Hot-Headed, Active, Gloomy, Insane, etc.) on the day and night of the full moon, making the moodlets generated by these traits pop up more frequently and possibly amplifying their strength by one point. Why? Because generic grumpiness for werewolves is such an old hat that Fred Flintstone wore it to his high school prom. Enhancing existing personality traits is a much fresher approach!
C. Unlocks new interactions and moodlets. For example, a mischief interaction called "Mark Territory" (works best when confident, of course), where your sim takes a wiz on the selected tree or bush (great for taunting enemies or making new ones ;) ). Or, an uncomfortable moodlet from eating salad called "Where's the Beef?" Or an interaction called "Make Sad Puppydog Eyes" which, if successful, can get another sim to stop being mad at them. Little touches like that can really add some substance to the gameplay.
D. A small chance (based on shapeshifting skill level) of transforming when hitting level 2 or level 3 of an emotion. For example, a lower level shapeshifter would have a 5% chance of transforming when hitting level 2 of an emotion and a 10% chance of transforming when hitting level 3. A high level shapeshifter would have a 0% chance of transforming when hitting level 2 of an emotion and a 2% chance of transforming at level 3. (Because, emotions.)
This is a big want for me. Basically, just like the other skill sets, moving up in skill level will unlock new interactions, moodlets, etc. Werewolves would be able to enhance their shapeshifting skills through reading special skill books, as well as through getting in touch with their wild side (basically, meditation) and using their shapeshifting abilities. Werewolves would get uncomfortable moodlets from transforming too much, similar to the ones that come from exercising too hard...because, you know, shapeshifting is a very physical thing. Energized, Confident, and Focused are all good candidates for moods to enhance the learning of this skill.
Level 1: Your sim gains the ability to "Get in Touch with His/Her Wild Side." May receive Confident moodlet "Walking on the Wild Side" or Angry Moodlet "Stupid Wild Side", with the probability of either depending on level. (Level 5 and under has a 70/30 split in favor of the latter, Level 6-8 has a 70/30 split in favor of the former, Level 9-10 has a 90/10 split in favor of the former.)
Level 2: Your sim gains the ability to change to werewolf form at will, but at this stage has a 50% chance of failure. Failing an attempted transformation would give a 1-2 hour embarrassed moodlet.
Level 5: Your sim's chance of success at transforming to werewolf form goes up to 75%, and your sim will be able to transform more often before getting an uncomfortable moodlet.
Level 6: Your sim gains the ability to change to full wolf form, but with a 60/40 success/failure ratio. Failed full wolf transformations would just default to werewolf form and your sim would get a Playful moodlet called "I MEANT to Do That." Full wolf form would unlock interactions like "Dig up a Hole" (a mischief interaction with a small chance of uncovering treasure like fossils, capsules, and maybe even a few simoleons...but the main reason is to mess up a yard or have some unsuspecting sim trip over it) and a "Chase" interaction for sims and pets (warning: They may end up chasing YOU instead).
Level 8: Your sim's werewolf form transformation success rate becomes 90%, your Sim's full wolf transformation success rate hits 80%, and successful transformations have a small chance of generating the Confident moodlet "Fluid Form."
Level 9: Your sim gains the ability to transform their ears and grow a tail at will...if that stuff can be added... o:)
Level 10: Werewolf form transformation become 100% successful, full wolf form becomes 95% successful, and your sim gains the ability to resist the change during the full moon. However, resisting the change generates the Uncomfortable moodlet "On a Short Leash"...because resisting the pull of the moon is no simple feat, even for a master shapeshifter!
TS2 werewolves looked O.K., but TS3 werewolves...pics I've seen are just not that, well, werewolf-like IMHO (maybe it's those protruding bottom fangs that do it...). In TS4, I would love to see werewolf form progressed into a shape with pointy, really wolf-like ears at or near the top of the head, a muzzle, and hopefully a tail this time. I don't know why, but tailless werewolves bug me just a little...
Anyway, the ears and tails would provide some really interesting flavor to expressing emotions. For instance, the ears could droop and the tail could hang limp and low when sad or embarrassed, the ears could go back and the tail could be out straight or up slightly when angry, wagging tails for Happy and Energized, tail held high and ears fully erect when confident...Again, it's the little touches.
And, speaking of little touches, instead of just one generic fur color, I think that it would be awesome if a werewolf's fur color could either match or be slightly lighter than their hair color. Just that tiny touch of morphic resonance can make all the difference between good-looking werewolves and great-great werewolves.
These are just a few little ideas that I've had sloshing around in the old noggin. I won't be mad if some of these things are just too big to do with the current technology/game engine, but hopefully they spark some inspiration. ^_^
