Feedback on relationship satisfaction

@troublemakerjsh I've noticed this too, especially since adding Growing Together. Also I'm finding that phonecalls don't boost relationships very much now.

I've just been running a busy farm with parents and a child with extended family on another lot. I noticed that their relationships with their horses and dog didn't decay once maxed, but their relationships with each other and their family dropped quite quickly and were slow to rebuild again.

I had one poor Sim calling her brother and his family every day from the cowpen lol trying to stay in touch with them in the middle of brushing goats and feeding chickens. 

@troublemakerjsh @simsplayer818 I agree. As you noticed, simsplayer818, I'm finding in large households it can be a bit much, especially if you add in the new romance options, and if they're not extremely compatible. I had one couple at their first kiss and doing quite well, then I get a notice a few (in-game) days later and their romance was at zero. It was a bit harder to build theirs up, but they weren't incomparable. I'm up for having to make more effort if the compatibility isn't fantastic - some pushback can be fun. However, in my busy household it's challenging to monitor super-closely, and I was surprised that it had gotten to zero. That seemed a bit much to me. So, I would vote for some dial-back... or even the ability to build it back up fairly quickly if you had a strong relationship recently. Plus it would be nice if family relationships decayed very slowly and even if neglected if they would stay at at least 1/3 bar, just because they are family, even if they don't live with you. More like real-life... unless your sims had a falling out with them or something like that to explain the bar going to zero.

Adding my 'Me Too' and 'XP' to this. 🙌

@SheriGR I'm finding one of the worst is with toddlers and toddler/infant relatives. Especially in related households. I had some of those relationships that reset to zero between households. So I give them all the Friendly Relationship trait and as it's such hard work to build the relationship back up again with little ones especially, I'm letting it get to zero and then I'm getting it back again with Friendly Introduction. I just had to do that for my farmer Niamh and her little nephew Owen last week. They started out in the same household but quickly became strangers once she moved out to her own farm.

I've been testing too to see if it makes a difference turning down invites or rejecting phonecalls, making sure if my Sims turn down one of these that they phone the Sim back for a long chat.

It occurred to me when I saw a massive relationship drop after turning down the Motive Trials invite. I actually saw the red line over my Sims head to signify something had decreased and the relationship between Aunt and niece had really dropped by quite a bit after she gave the "only if it lasts less than a fortnight" answer. That seems harsh because it's not always possible to attend the Motive Trials.

So, next I'm splitting off a Sim from her mother and sister now to move to Ciudad Enamorada and see how I can maintain the relationships better. I'm going to use computer chatting instead on this household to keep the relationships up, since phone/video calls didn't really make much difference. Computer chatting used to boost relationships but I haven't used them for a while so want to see if that's changed. Once I've finished her house that's next on my list.

It's not a solution by any means, as you would need to purchase the High School Years pack, but only putting important relationships on Social Bunny helps to maintain those relationships. Friendship and romance go up almost too fast with strangers, but with family and close friends, it is pretty realistic. 

@gertie47 this is a good idea! i don't mind doing this for my teens since i plan to have them marry and move out with their partners when they become adults anyways. do you know how this affects romantic satisfaction, if at all?

@troublemakerjshI don't have the Love Struck pack yet, so I'm not sure of those mechanics. But it is easy to spam flirty messages on Social Bunny to cause the romance bar to stay full. 

On the Home Screen there is a survey about the new pack!! Idk if it pops up every time, but you might be able to look it up and see if you can fill it out that wya 

@gertie47 Social Bunny is definitely helping keep relationships maxed out. So that's been a really helpful tip. I won't be avoiding using it so much now. 

@troublemakerjsh in answer to your question the other day, after testing Social Bunny it seems it doesn't affect Romantic Satisfaction so far but it does help boost the romantic relationship after spamming a load of flirty messages. It doesn't affect Romantic Attraction either. So they must need to be boosted in person.