No. If you want to set "difficulty", there are mods for that.
So, no. The game is challenging enough. It's supposed to be a fun game.
Honestly having to tell your Sims to pee, eat, shower, sleep, go to work, pee, sleep, eat, pee....
That was a turn off to me. For a game, I'd rather play . That stuff isn't bad, just making it like "Tetris" where it gets more and more is "A Bad Idea".
So now instead of taking an hour in-game to eat, it takes 20 in-game hours at higher difficulty? Hmm...
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I understand you are saying over time things get harder.
This other stuff has been tested, (Sometimes unintentionally with patches). So no. ;)
Good question and concept though.
Cheers.