Suggestion: Fix ageing
This is not the first thread about ageing, and I am certain it won't be the last, but I still want to make my contribution to the debate. Please tell you what you think.
For me, the issue with sims ageing is 1) their lifespans are too short and 2) it's unbalanced. Most of all, sims are not adults for long enough. I've seen many attempt to explain this with YA lifestage lasting until you're 45 (apparently I just reached adulthood this year), but even with this, the math just do not add up.
So let's crunch the numbers, using a normal lifespan as the base. This is what the Sims Wiki says about a normal lifestage (newborn, infant, toddler, child, teen, YA, A, Elder)
So a sim lives for 132 days (unless they have earned bonus days or been pregnant). If we assume you live a normal lifespan in the year 2025, that would mean ca 74 years (world wide), 78 years (US), 79 (Europe). Say 80 for easy math.
But this doesn't add up when you look at the lifespans for children. Newborn+infant+toddler+child+teen = 48 days. Now if we all agree that you most often end high school at 18/19 and start university somewhere between 18-20, then 48 days = 20 years.
Now if 48 days = 20 years, 132 day = 60. So the average sim (without bonus days) only live until they're 60 years old, which is 20 years (or 48 days) less than what they ought to. They become elders at 54! Now honestly, do the elders in the game look like they're 54 or closer to a 100? I know people over 80 that are far more youthful than they are! If they added a preteen lifestage, as many are hoping, this would be warped even more. Seriously, sims need more time for adulting.
But sims adult already as teens, some might say, and yes they do. Too much so. Teens need to act younger, YA needs to act younger, and there needs to be a greater difference between lifestages in general, but that doesn't change that sims need more time as adults. See their kids grow up and move out and go to college or get jobs. Become grandparents. Perhaps even great grand parents.
My suggestion is in two parts: 1) make the adult lifestage longer and 2) add a third adult lifestage (Late adult) that is visually different from adults (more wrinkles, salt and pepper hair, receding hairlines).
The difference between these two lifestages would not need to be big, mostly just visually different to show the passing of time, and a reduction in fertility to stop babies being born to people about to become elders. Midlife crises, which we already have could be moved to late adulthood, or be allowed in both.
If a new lifestage is not an option at least make the adult lifestage longer (perhaps the elder lifestage as well for that matter), so that sims can see their kids grow up before they die. Also if preeteens are ever added, adult lifestage needs to be made longer still - to keep the balance.
