[EP/Update Concept] Sims 4: A Design for Life

This would be both a huge Base Game Update/Refresh that would be free and an EP. But what should be heavily play tested from your devs is make sure that works with a pretty much a fully loaded game. No one wants to find a slew of bugs with certain packs—this is at a foundation level overhaul/update and pack idea (but still highly user friendly if not having all packs).

The idea is that each Sim is unique in personality, behaviour, and action. With the updates and EP, Sims will be far more unique than before. Traits having more of a say in how a Sim acts, likes/dislikes in what a Sim does and doesn't do (whitelisting/blacklisting for autonomy), lifestyle(s) resulting more on the combination of traits and gameplay of a Sim (and easier to upkeep through autonomy or dismantle through player direction).

What would be Base Game Update/Refresh:

• Traits (including cross-packs), would get an overhaul/update/refresh. Including improved/better trait based autonomy, like/dislike autonomy, etc.
• Compatibility/Attraction/Ideals cohesion update. These are not exactly synced and some traits aren't included. If this means adding more categories/types (such as Mysterious) or just some updates of missed traits. Even tooltips and trait listings are out of date.
• Simology and CAS UI Update, both could use an update, the Simology panel is crazy after enough packs (and the AA Formative Moments has an awkward gap). CAS should have more ways to set up a Sim before gameplay. Such as Milestones panel, Career, Skills set up, etc. As well as in game working cheats to fix Milestones/Skill Lock/etc. without needing mods. Also, 6 Traits in CAS, with the possibility of adding reward traits in CAS instead of having to use the console cheats.
• Likes/Dislikes and Turn Ons/Offs additions/updates. There are so many missing and many more could be added. So bumping up the like/dislike cap as well as adding more likes/dislikes (for missing skills/hobbies/activities/etc.), as well as adding turn ons/offs for specific occults, Sims wearing makeup, etc.
• Mysterious tag added. For CAS and BB, occult packs and obvious occult items should be tagged as mysterious and be a turn on/off or like/dislike for clothing or furniture. So those wearing occult type clothes or surrounded by occult BB can feel comfortable or uncomfortable.
• Mobile/Computer Toggle On/Off Feature including replacement objects. This is for those who want to play era or fantasy gameplay. 
• Baking Skill, just make it base game and put the appropriate recipes under Baking. People would still need to get GTW to get those recipes and making it a base game skill wouldn't hurt—if it is pretty much just recategorizing recipes.
• Re-Introduce Learning/Learned Recipes. This can be a toggle option but if recipes can be learned, so each Sim has a customized menu/cookbook. Keeping Sims cooking within their character/personality/development. Can be a recipe book, or learned from eating if a high enough cooking/baking/gourmet skill. And allow culture specific Sims to cook those cultural recipes!
• Update Cookbook/Recipes/Foods. Update calories, as from what I understand many newer recipes were not given caloric amounts. For those who enjoy balancing food/exercise at least make calories on all foods or wise it is a broken/out of date feature. And perhaps have calories shown on the cookbook pull up too. Also, some recipes could be update to make more sense to the ingredients available cross-pack wise. This can be tracked in the Notebook and/or a Cookbook object.
• Bring Back Skill Challenges and Statistics UI. When clicking a skill a UI with what they have unlocked and at what level, skill statistics and some challenges (with rewards), would really help flesh out skills more.
• Update/Improve Customized Calendar. This really needs a cleanup and allow players to really set their calendars and not be spammed with notices. And also tailor it to their household/Sim(s).
• Actual Family Tree Editing at the World Management/Editor level, managing and connecting, adding ancestors/descendants, and a non-breaking way to add NPCs such as Grim Reaper to family trees (for Grimborns), etc.
• Styled Looks. Allow players to make their own "Styled Looks" and share them on the Gallery. Also, have a tag/toggle if the "Styled Look" be available for autogenerated townies. To stop the bad/mismatched townie outfits. Only allow "Styled Looks" to be generated on autogenerated Sims. Remove "Situational Outfits" and use preset "Situational Styled Outfits" for what was once situation random outfits, to be used instead, which players can tag/toggle for whatever situation outfit it is meant for. This will be both a fix to the mess of situational outfits, and horrible townie dressing—as well as opening up a new way to player customize and make use of the Gallery.
• More Feature Toggles. Midlife Crisis and Burnout for example.

What would be in the EP:

• New/More Traits, a nice bump in 3-6+ traits. When in doubt look to the previous installments traits still not used.
• Zodiacs, ideally not just for the sake of it, it would be great if they worked with and against traits depending on which zodiac and if their zodiac complementary or uncomplimentary their traits. Maybe if uncomplimentary these would more likely trigger personality change pop up. Or like the old school version, the zodiac is determined by personality. Otherwise, determined by calendar dates loosely based on RL zodiac/seasons/calendar. CCSP, love it if crystals/birthstones also play a part.
• Character Feature (Mind and Body). This will be an amalgamation UI of traits, likes/dislikes, turn ons/offs, ideals, etc. Traits (including select reward traits), likes/dislikes, turn ons/offs, zodiac, as well as other new CAS defining panels such as Dietary/Activity/etc. include being able to toggle on/off weight and/or muscle gain per Sim. This will including showing if their character/personality scores if in the green or red for characteristics (skipping neutral/0 scores). Basically, showing their compatibility/attraction/ideals scores. This can be viewed while in CAS or in game. Appropriate tooltips, and information center of a Sim and their character.
• One Way/Uneven/Unrequited Romances. This really is needed, and has been asked for ages.
• Health Feature (as long as you have either or GTW/EbN), this will be where balance, current illnesses and/or aliments will have details. This can also be where pregnancies or other "health class" type of notes can be shown (even if it is listing if they have any fertility buffs active). As well as the corresponding moodlet(s) still being applied.
• Lifestyles+, a cross-pack update and expansion. Not only do many lifestyles need fixes and updates, additions are sorely needed. If you do not have Snow Escape you miss out on those lifestyles, but you can get the additions/new ones added.
• Hybrids and DNA% I love this to be base game update but I get that it might have to be in an EP. Occults having a non-breaking hybrid update would be amazing. It would be very fun if they could do like an occult DNA% pie chart too even if the % is too low to be an occult it be fun to see the DNA % for our Lore based Legacy Sims.
• Alien and PlantSim Update. PlantSim as a permanent lifestate and both getting ability trees. Again I'd love this to be free but I'll understand if it is in the EP. I'd like it more if all occults got an update/refresh, including Mermaids getting their own ability tree, but I understand if that is pushing it.

Edit/Restructure, June 10th, 2026. Based on the original post concept below. That post includes other things not mentioned above. Where the post above is more Sim character/personality/identity, overhauls/updates and UI updates. As suggestions/ideas/updates are getting more evolved—I felt the need to branch off. As well as showing how to break it down to make more sense as an EP theme.

The EP that is basically the Update we have been begging for...

Since there has been no hint of fixing/overhauling Sim traits/personalities/autonomy. Instead has been Band-Aid'ed recently with Custom Venues and Dynasties and since EPs are the only way for it to be done fine... make an EP dedicated to: 

• Fixing/overhauling Sim traits/personalities and autonomy expansion at the Sim level (not with Clubs, not with Custom Venues nor with Dynasties), as a free update with the EP.
• Add more traits, lifestyles, etc. cross pack expansion features. Also update Lifestyles such as Hungry for Love/Single and Lovin' It (one is too hard to get/keep and the other is too easy to get/keep).
• Actual family tree editing at the World Management/Editor level, managing and connecting, adding ancestors/descendants, and a non-breaking way to add NPCs such as Grim Reaper to family trees (for Grimborns), etc.
• More CAS Selections and Panels: An idea to flesh out Simology and Identity of a Sim with more fleshed out panels and options in CAS.
• World and hidden world/lot editing at the World Management/Editor level. Let us be able to edit without live mode worlds/lots/households before we even start our game. I hate how much I have to go in and out of world management, households, switch households to set up a gameplay. I want access to spawners gosh darn it!!! If you won't insects/butterflies to all worlds I will!!!
• Create-A-Style (or Universal Swatches), even if you are not going to give full patterns and colour wheel at LEAST let us be able to use the same colour schemes and swatches cross packs! So many similar but not matching enough swatches that clash or don't really match make using multiple packs to dress or design a lot is so frustrating. The stupid amount of non-matched medium-dark brown woods, black/dark greys, and golds alone drive me nuts (some times I have a room with like 6+ different gold accents and 3+ wood colours or blacks).
• Toggle pack features expanded (as a free update).
• Skill/career Lock feature: Lock Skill/Career Gain Progress Type Feature | EA Forums - 12598218
• Adding/fleshing out some CAS simple adding hair styles for missing age groups or genders, adding more facial features, etc.
• Fix auto generated towny outfits, a lock or block from auto generated Sims from wearing. Just let us decide what they will wear with "default" only Base Game allowed and we can allow/toggle on our own, or by Occult or By World, so world outfits make sense.
• Add skills/premium items people have been begging for. There is really too much to list but I am sure the EA team knows the top wants.
• Update/clean up the Simology tab! (as a free update). It is crazily getting out of control with the more packs you get.
• Ideal cross-pack cohesion. There are, at this time, so many missed opportunities for cross-pack gameplay it really sucks. Though it is noted when there are cross-pack capabilities, sometimes it seems more for unscrupulous intentions for purchasing packs (for example Legacy's Event CAS EbN Dress has some people upset). I feel the biggest forgotten cross-pack homage is for Stuff Packs and Game Packs, I can think of RoM (no copypasteo for apothecary ingredients or items) or CCSP (no new jewelry, updates to Moonstone for fairies EbN, no crowns R&L, etc.) for example.
• Skills UI and expansion, it should be updated similar to Sims 3 skills (click to open statistics and challenges), all skills only with 5 levels updated to 10 and more level features added (for all the skills/packs). Some skills with only 5 levels, could be expanded with cross-packs. Entomology for example works with OR, S and ECO to an extent but it be better if they were actually better in cross-pack capability and when up to Level 10 (especially with the other packs). I'd love it if there was a more medieval version of Archery in a future pack to merge with AA Archery and increase to a level 10 skill.

I won't mind if this EP has no new world as it will give access to hidden lots/worlds, I don't mind if they skip Build/Buy items as Create-A-Style would make up for that. I would pay for this update—though more than half of this should have been free/an update.