Relationships/Generations EP. Add your ideas!

"Louise_G0325;d-980402" wrote:
Instead of only family life, this pack would flesh out all relationships. No new world - all resources are devoted to gameplay.

INDEX

• Life stages: (pregnancy), baby, toddler, child, teen, adult, elder.
  
• Relationships: friendly, mean, romantic, family.
  
• Chemistry, dating and marriage.
  
• Death and mourning.
  
• Activities and skills.
  

LIFE STAGES

Pregnancy
Not technically a life stage but part of the cycle.
New features:

• New interactions (self-interactions): talk to tummy, sing to tummy, daydream about family.
  
• Baby shower. Sims will gift child objects such as toys.
  
• Cravings: pregnant sims will want to eat certain foods, sometimes strange combinations.
  
• Emotional during first two trimesters: sometimes grumpy, stronger emotional reactions to certain things. Might get some impulsive wishes.
  
• Getting massages (base game) and being tampered at a spa (Spa Day) alleviates a lot of stress. Pregnant sims will get wishes to be pampered.
  
• Get ultrasound. Goes into rabbit hole (or optionally the hospital, GTW) and returns with an ultrasound picture.
  
• Bonuses from reading parenting/pregnancy books.
  

Babies
New features, regardless of whether they remain objects:

• Change into different outfits. Onesies, diapers, cute beanies and mittens etc. Like with NK: pick from drop-down menu and spin in air.
  
• More bassinets and cradles. Add slot to place a toy in alongside the baby.
  
• "Add blanket" option on a baby in a bassinet/cradle. Options: tuck in (blanket on top) or swaddle (throwback to burrito babies).
  
• New interactions: sing to... sleep/entertain/soothe (more options with higher singing skill, CL), read to, peek-a-boo, coo at, tease/pester.

Free the babies:

• Put in playpen. New playpen object in which babies can wiggle around. Slight skill increase in certain toddler skills.
  
• Strollers (for babies and toddlers). Take for joyride around neighbourhood or for a soothing stroll.
  
• Bathe in sink.
  
• Travel together. If put on floor, a baby might try to crawl around (if almost ready to age up to toddler).
  

Toddlers
Toddlers are pretty great so not much to add here, imo.
New features:

• Go for joyride or soothing walk in stroller.
  
• More toys: tiny tot tea set (throw tea party with other sims (all ages) or with toys), normal-sized cuddly teddies.
  
• More interactions with other toddlers: play with toys together, babble together etc.
  
• Tiny kiddie rides (ponies, bees, cars etc).
  

Children
New activities:

• More toys: noble sim tea set (play with other sims or toys), easy bake oven, play kitchen set (felt food), hop scotch mat, jumping rope etc.
  
• Cardboard imagination station: build cardboard fortress, grocery/lemonade/muffin stand, secret tent etc. Play in, dress up and play make believe, do homework in fortress/tent etc.
  
• Tree houses and jungle gyms (TS3 style): play in, do homework in, declare top secret hangout, hang out in, prank other sims (dump bucket of water from atop) etc.
  
• More ways for kids to play without objects: tag, play make believe etc.
  
• Prank calls, slumber parties and pranking household objects/public objects and the school.
  
• Updated birthday parties: party packets, games etc. Cute decorations, more cake decoration options (toppers) etc.
  
• Also, make the void critter battle station available to all life stages child and older to play with, KRS.
  

School:

• Field trips with souvenirs (tokens, pictures etc)
  
• Rabbit hole after-school activities: ballet, sport, debate, music, book club etc.
  
• Detention if homework isn't done, caught being mischievous (through chance cards and pranks) etc.
  
• If grades stay very bad for a period of time, might get shipped off to boarding school. Players can ship sims off to boarding school to temporarily get rid of them.
  

Other:

• First crush. Obviously cannot become flirty: simply tense, embarrassed and happy when noticed. Can quickly hold hands and give a super quick peck on the cheek, followed by an "ewww!"
  
• Can accuse other kids of having cooties if they have a crush.
  
• Ask another child to one day marry them. "Proposes" with a candy/lollipop ring.
  
• Ability to do low-level gardening (watering and harvesting). Can "help with cooking" and "bake together" when a teen or older sim is in the kitchen.
  

Teens
New activities:

• Hang out and do homework in tree houses, jungle gyms etc.
  
• Slumber parties, prank calls and playing spin the bottle (PG pecks).
  
• Throw wild parties when parents aren't home. Chance of being busted by the cops. Teens may also be invited to other teens' wild parties. If the cops bust the party, they may get in trouble if they don't escape quickly enough. They may also have to sneak out of the house and back in if they don't ask their parents' permission to go.
  
• Curfews (optional through toggle) with chance of getting busted if breaking it.
  
• Get grounded by parents. Sneak out of house, with possibility of being busted. Do chores to get out of grounded state more quickly.
  
• If/when cars come back, teens can learn how to drive from others.
  

School

• Prom: scramble to get a date, dress up and have the time of their lives (for better of for worse).
  
• Detention if homework isn't done, caught being mischievous (through chance cards and pranks) etc.
  
• If grades stay very bad for a period of time, might get shipped off to boarding school. Players can ship sims off to boarding school to temporarily get rid of them.
  
• Graduating with bad grades gives disadvantages when pursuing a career. Will start off with negative performance in first two levels and might take longer to gain experience until level four.
  

Behaviour:

• Mood swings and occasional impulsive/rebellious wishes (ex: give self makeover, go through punk phase, go vegetarian (temporary or permanent trait, treated as a bonus trait instead of taking up a slot), learn a new hobby etc). Wishes to procrastinate doing homework and occasionally get very bored/tense while doing homework.
  
• If hygiene stays low for a period of time, a breakout may appear. Breakouts go away after a day if teen takes care of their hygiene and applies cream in the mirror.
  
• Wishes to attend/throw parties and to hang out in cool places (teen hot spot lot traits, assigned by player and by game (like in Late Night).
  

Adults
New features:

• May have a mid-life crisis. Strong wishes to make major life decisions (move to new home, break up/have an affair/marry boyfriend or girlfriend, change or quit career), travel (either to destination worlds or stay at a resort/hotel), take up a new hobby, purchase something very expensive, get a makeover, go vegetarian (temporary or permanent bonus trait), write a book etc.
  
• Advantage in careers from their past experience and maturity. Gain work experience a bit more quickly. However, learn new skills more slowly bc it is more difficult to learn certain new things as you age (exception: when having related trait, ex. creative and painting).
  
• Fitness skill is more difficult to gain than in previous life stages, except if already having a high skill level.
  
• Might get bored, tense or embarrassed for being "too old for this place" when at community lots with YA/teen lot traits.
  
• Get occasional tense buffs worrying about bills, mortgages, careers, the future of the economy etc, as well as worrying about back pain and wrinkles.
  

Elders
New features:

• More enjoyment out of small things like watching grandchildren play, watching the sunset/stars, eating their favourite food/drink, teaching others skills and gifting them handmade things etc. Alternatively, might be bitter/grumpy about more things (usually trait-related): scream at youngsters, chase off property, complain about numerous things etc.
  
• Reminiscing as self-interaction or with others.
  
• "Grandma/Grandpa's secret recipe" recipes in baking and cooking. Hint: the secret ingredient is love. Cooking/baking together with children and teens provide happy memories.
  
• Bonuses when scrap booking (ties in with memories).
  
• Might get bored, tense or embarrassed for being "too old for this place" when at community lots with YA/teen lot traits.
  
• More enjoyment out of quiet gatherings such as tea parties, dinners and garden parties (picnics, cooking outside and playing outdoor games). Exceptions: traits like dance machine, rebellious etc.
  
• Fitness skill is not only potentially deadly, but also more difficult to level up in. High-level fitness skill sims get a boost, but it is still not easy.
  

RELATIONSHIPS
Flesh out all relationship types, not just romantic. Friendships gradually become closer and more meaningful, with more interactions being unlocked, especially if many memories have been shared together (memory system patched into base game). Enemies are much more hostile towards each other and may try to ruin each other's lives with rumours, kick over each other's trash cans etc.
More relationship types are available in CAS: boyfriend/girlfriend, fiance, cousin etc.

Interaction ideas
Chit-chat:

• Small talk
  
• Chat about day
  
• Talk about news (might bore a sim)
  
• Talk about... (unlocked when sim finds out that the sim has a certain skill or trait, like cooking, fitness, books etc. Good relationship boost as it shows interest in the other sim)
  
• Try to impress (might fail, causing embarrassment)

Friendship:

• Tease about... (other sim's love interest)
  
• Discuss mutual dislike for... (sim with negative relationship for both sims)
  
• Rant about ... (sim)
  
• Rant about life
  
• Discuss which fictional character you are
  
• Speculate futures (can give various buffs, ex. "I'm going to be rich" or "What do you mean I'll have 8 kids?")
  
• Gush about future with... (love interest)
  
• Ask if... is a good match (love interest. Pop-up saying yes/no etc. Might offend sim if friend says no)
  
• Ask for advice about... (sim's relationship with another sim. Negative relationship or love interest)
  
• Better and longer deep conversation animation.
  
• Burp contest

Mean:

• Hit insecurities
  
• Insult... (skill/personality trait)
  
• Suggest sim has no future
  
• Spread rumours about... (might either lower your sim's relationship with talked-to sim (if they have a positive relationship with subject sim) or lower talked-to sim's relationship with subject sim as intended)
  
• Gossip about... (sim)
  
• Turn against... (sim)

Romance:

• Discuss future together (might either make a sim tense for not wanting to commit so quickly, or open a possibility of the other sim asking you out on a date and proposing in the next few days. Non-played sims don't propose, which makes sense as it might ruin stories, but it would be great if we could influence it to happen)
  
• Discuss previous lovers (high chance of making other sim upset, especially if jealous)
  
• Dinner table proposal, Picnic proposal
  
• Slow-dancing
  
• Confess affair, Accuse of having affair
  
• Ask for open relationship (trait-specific response. Allows sim to romance other sims without jealousy. Should ask all parties, though, otherwise the unknowing sim will react as if being cheated on. Still only able to marry one sim at a time, though)

Socials that prompt a pop-up:

• Gossip (pop-up with something that is actually happening in town, like in TS3)
  
• What's wrong? (If a sim is in a negative mood. Pop-up explaining cause, like "My parent died" or "broke up with.." or "got in fight with.." etc. I think this will complement the emotional system very well, as a big part of real emotions is sharing them. We can also get to know sims better by knowing what's going on in their lives)

CHEMISTRY, DATING AND MARRIAGE
Chemistry and turn-on/off system
Chemistry refers to whether two sims get along well or not, regardless of romance. This is influenced by traits, interests etc.
A turn-on/off system is added for romantic attraction and is picked in CAS. A sim can be very attracted to another but have bad chemistry, which either results in a relationship full of turmoil or a one-sided crush.
Sims can feel differently about each other according to the combination of their chemistry and turn-ons/offs. One sim might find another the hottest thing on earth while they might return a feeling of utter disgust.

Dating and marriage
Dating is enhanced by the general enhancements of the romantic system and relationships.
There are new ways of proposing (dinner table and picnic blanket proposals). Sims might now be proposed to through a prompt if certain interactions (like discussing future together) are carried out.
Bachelor/ette parties make a comeback and can get very wild with dancers dressed up as firefighters, police and burglars. One last night of freedom - a great idea or a gateway to some very questionable decisions?

Weddings get some updates, especially in the decor department. Along with extra birthday cake toppers, more wedding cake decorations are now available. The new finger food recipes come in handy for feeding your guests - will you settle for budget sandwiches or a fancy high tea menu? Make it yourself or request a special menu from your caterer.
Photographers can be hired like caterers through the party planner interface to take nice photos of any event. Finally it is easy to frame that romantic kiss under the arch!


DEATH AND MOURNING
Mourning
The death of loved ones affect sims more deeply, also over the long term with memories coming back. Certain things may occasionally remind sims of a death and make them sad for a while.

Funerals
A funeral event can be held on a home lot or a cemetery lot. Cemeteries, in my opinion, would make more sense in TS4 if they double as funeral homes. Not only can they mourn at the graves, but also give/listen to speeches about the deceased, eat funeral finger food together etc in a mausoleum or designated area. NPC sims will only go to cemeteries if they are mourning someone they knew, are attending a funeral, were invited there, are an occult (vampires and witches skulking around for victims and searching for ingredients for potions that spawn in cemeteries) or if it is related to their traits (edgy gloomy punk sims).
Sims can talk about the deceased, give condolences, express glee for the demise of their enemy and dance around their grave/urn etc.


ACTIVITIES AND SKILLS
Hobbies:

• Update card tables to switch to board games like checkers + snakes and ladders.
  
• Portable picnic basket with picnic blanket (place on floor or on picnic table).
  
• Portable sleeping bags (for camping without a tent, sleepovers etc).
  
• New outdoor games like the return of the Gnubb set.
  
• Scrapbook making.
  
• New teatime recipes: sandwiches, biscuits, crumpets, finger foods etc.
  

Careers:

• Therapist/counselor: general or school counselor.
  
• Day care: active career, similar to TS3.
  

New social events and party types:

• Baby shower, slumber party, wild teen party, bachelor party.
  
• Tea party, garden party.
  
• Funerals.
  
• Updated/expanded events: birthday party, weddings.
  

Feel free to add your ideas :smile: