A question for those who own all or most of the packs (Expansion, and Game packs)

I used to start a new game with a new sim and have a plan for a career and kind of go from there. I would get bored once they reached the top of their career or whatever goals I might have given them. Then I would go back to sims 3 for a while. After a while I had a bunch of sims saved in my library so I started playing rotationally and adding them all to one game. Now I have tons of my own sims and also play all the premades with homes. I’ve added versions of my sims 3 sims and a lot of premades from sims 3, mainly occults. I have created relationships between many sims. It’s kept me from getting bored most of the time but honestly if it was easier to play rotationally in sims 3 and not have save issues, I would be playing sims 3.

I'm trying to remember if I have done this, but I don't think I've ever made and played a Sim without any direction in mind BEFORE I make them. There's always some kind of gameplay reason when I make a Sim whether it's for a challenge, a scenario, a contest, to try out new pack features or just general gameplay. I used the 'Create a Sim Stories' a couple times with the quiz thing, which was fun, but it was mostly just because it was new and I was curious what kind of Sim I'd get.

I don't believe for a second the game is intended for a generational gameplay only. A lot of Simmers love to play that way, but it's not the only way to play the game. I rarely play with generations, in fact once my Sims get a partner and perhaps have a child, I get bored with them and start thinking of other ideas I'd like to try which usually results in starting a new save with a new Sim. My personal challenge has curbed that tendency a bit, but I still have other saves I play along with it when I have time.

My favorite way to play is with a single Sim starting out Rags to Riches style with a specific goal or set of goals in mind for them. I've said it many times before, but there is just something so satisfying to me helping them gradually succeed in their little pixel life. I like to keep this Sim single for as long as possible since it's so much easier for me that way. I get overwhelmed trying to play with too many Sims in a household since I'm a micromanager.

I've tried the full autonomy way to play when having more than one Sim in a household, but it's just too frustrating for me. The Sims left to their own devices do such silly, random, repetitive things that mean nothing most of the time. I wonder, why have them at all if they're just 'there' in the background doing their own thing? I guess I just care about my Sims too much and want any I'm playing to have a goal and work towards it. I just can't let them go wild and do whatever. I'll admit sometimes they do surprising things, but not often. I've tried mods to nuke those repetitive actions, but it never lasts. They just get enamored with another object and it starts all over again.

There is SO many different ways to play this game, it satisfies my creative side like no other game. I have all the packs except one EP and a few kits. It makes me happy I have so many options on what to do with my Sims or builds. The possibilities are endless and no, you don't always have to have an imagination to make things happen, but it does help to have an open mind and not get stuck believing you are required to do this or that. Play in whatever way makes YOU happy! <3

One last thing, about my challenge. I started it specifically to do aspirations I've never tried before and have a Sim live in every world doing them, plus build a new house for them every month since I love to build. I didn't intend to write a story as the year progressed except for their background story and a short summary of their progress with a daily post pic. However, gradually I did start to write a story. Here's where the imagination comes into play. Every month, I have to come up with a reason why they are moving using the next month's aspiration(s) to explain it. I don't have a clear vision written out at the beginning of the year. Playing that way is challenging and fun, especially if it works out these reasons somehow all work together and reveal a final outcome at the end of the year! At least for me since clearly I love to write.

Anyway, to sum it all up, I don't just make a Sim and plop them in a world without a vision in mind for them, there is always a reason, but not always a story. My goal in playing Sims is not generational, not rotational, it's playing one Sim and exploring everything the game has to offer, it's building houses/venues, it's telling stories, it's playing challenges, it's taking beautiful screenshots, collecting and so, so much more. :)

Happy Simming! <3

"Ilikebuilding;c-18185082" wrote:
It's not a sandbox game. Many build options for example have to be unlocked, as do skills. They have to be gained. People can play however they like to of course, but I still wonder why some ignore the generational aspect of the game? It's a main part. Sims age and die.

Not for me, my sims never die, unless it's part of MY story. I play leisurely and don't want to be forced to hurry up and grind to do this or do that before they die and get all stressed out because their days are "numbered". I play with aging turned off and age up when/if I feel it fits the story. I play to relax.

I play many different households/stories. They're not all connected, I focus on that household instead of an entire world of sims. I prefer it this way, now if I get attached to certain sims in the world I might make a new save and play out their story, but it's never in the same save because I have very distinct idea of how I want that save to play out.

So for me I can honestly say I have never, not in any of the games, ever played generationally.

"Ilikebuilding;c-18185082" wrote:
It's not a sandbox game. Many build options for example have to be unlocked, as do skills. They have to be gained. People can play however they like to of course, but I still wonder why some ignore the generational aspect of the game? It's a main part. Sims age and die.

Because it's my game, I spent a ton of money on it, it's here to entertain me and bring me joy and I can play it however I want.

My sims live perfect little Stepford Wife lives. They're rich, happy, and living their best pixel lives. They also never age or die. That's not allowed in Stepford World.

I get super annoyed with the more they take away from us, the more they try to force their idea of how this game should be played on us. It's my game. I'll play it however I want.

Now to answer the original question. I played generations but eventually realized that I get overwhelmed if I'm playing more than 1 sim at a time. I can't handle it because I have to control every aspect of their lives and it was too much. So a couple of years ago, I created my simself and I've been playing her as a single sim in various versions ever since. I mostly play a "start over" game. I kind of enjoy demolishing all the worlds and making all new lots and then making about 150 new sims to live in those worlds. I make up stories for them, set up relationships, give them careers. Then I play it for a couple of days, get bored and repeat the process.

I try to have a plan to work towards a goal. I recently excised my mods folder and my saves. I started with a completely clean slate...scary. I now have 2 lovely ladies who are both casters...totally different in interests but are friends. That was not planned but a bright spot in the story. I sort of take it from there as to what their interests are. I used to try to have my sims know all different things. Too much of the big picture was overwhelming me, so I took it a little at a time. My sims love to drop by the bar in the evening after a hard day's work for a drink and to find out the latest gossip, maybe play darts or fooseball with a regular, that sort of thing.

If I don't have a goal of what my sim will be doing and accomplishing, I just won't play. I hate sitting down at the computer and staring at the main screen page...only to turn it off.

I hope this helps. Happy Simming!

I tend to try out new packs with my next generation growing up, instead of making new sims for the pack, but it can cause quite a bit of lag between when the pack comes out (or when I buy it) and when that generation is actually old enough to use it :)

I never really have a set pathway in mind. I will admit that I do have the Avengers set as everyday Sims and they do play a little towards what their characters are. But any original sims I just kind of play by ear. For example, I went into CAS last week and wanted to make a Sim Couple and I wanted one of them to be Irish. I have a lot of red-headed female Sims in my game, so I decided I wanted male ginger and him to be married to a female. I randomized most of the clothing and other features, then I forgot to set up the relationship (I always forget that) and they ended up being roomies in this 2 bedroom home in Windenberg. They ended up bonding and being besties and now I can't even imagine them being married or even in a relationship. LOL. The male went with reading as his first 'like' so I made him a writer. The female went with dancing, backyard music, and fitness for her likes so she's kind of a bum until she finds a 'like' I can translate. So yeah... I let it kind of happen unless the muse strikes.

I make my own sims, depending on the storyline I have in mind. I like playing with a community and play rotationally. I start out with ideas for which jobs I want to play, pick the sims for those jobs, and begin their lives. I enjoy seeing my sims getting to know one another in the community. I play a variety of ways such as a farming community, a game of different occults, pirates, etc. I am planning a game based on Skyrim, when the game bugs are fixed and I can return to playing. The Sims 4 should be played in the way the player wants, there is no wrong or right way to play. Sometimes I want to focus on one family and will play that family incorporated the neighbors/NPCs into my game. Depends on my mood each day! :) I haven't been playing at all recently, mainly due to the wants/fears and phone obsession, as I doubt I will enjoy these in my game. Waiting for the ability to shut off wants/fears so that it stays off before I return to my game. Hoping it is soon, as I do miss my games.

Often the main issue is making the sim in the first place, especially if I have a specific character or type in mind. After all these years TS4 simply does not have enough traits or trait slots to make realistic sims. Not surprising. The only time there is attention to detail is with artwork of some kind.

I play the other way around in that I don't start with a sim, but with a setting. For example the most recent three things I wanted to play were a high seas fishing crew, a recycling plant and a village constable. That led to me first picking what objects and careers I could use from the packs, and only then putting sims into the setting. An already existing sim from my cottagecore save became the constable and in the same save I created my fishermen and their ship. For the recycling gameplay I used a short lived side save.