How can we fix the emotion system?
We see it all the time, complaints about the emotion system, and rightfully so. Emotions as they stand are a mess. A great idea with not so great implementation. But how can we fix them? Saying "emotions are bad" over and over again will do nothing.
I started having some ideas on how to fix them and figured I'd just make a thread for others to share their ideas. This thread is for constructive criticism. If you have an issue with something, offer points on how to improve it. Stating "Blank stinks" and offering no feedback helps nothing.
Let's start with the basis. Positive emotions currently drown out negative emotions and this is due to a couple reasons.
So how can we improve this aspect?
This will balance out the positive vs negative emotions a bit and prevent them from always being drowned out with positive moodlets, but there's still more we can do. Something that the emotions system fails to take into consideration is that in real life, new experiences typically outweigh old ones. Let me give an example so I can make myself clear.
You've been working hard at work lately, and your boss finally recognizes you and you earn that promotion you've always wanted. You're happy, until you come home to your wife and find her in the arms of another man. Despite being happy about the promotion, this new experience quickly sours your mood.
A good example of this being done poorly can be found all over in the Snowy Escape Live stream. When Graham's sims are hiking up the mountain, they are happy because they are with family and having a fun journey, which makes sense. But upon being attacked by bats, Grahams sims are still happy and raring to go because the positive outweigh the negative. Same with the sim in the hot spring who's relaxing happily, until he sees his enemy and gains a small angry buff, and continues to relax.
It gives off the impressions that sims do not react to new scenarios because they are too busy being occupied with getting a massage 4 hours ago, or smelling some candles etc.
So how can we fix this?
In my opinion, we should change how the moodlets work. As it stands right now, you may get a +5 positive moodlet that lasts 5 hours for getting engaged. (Just an example.) After the 5 hours the moodlet completely fades. Perhaps having it gradually fade over the course of 5 hours would help balance it a bit. So after the first hour, the +5 becomes a +4, the second hour it goes down to +3.
Basically, new moodlets start off strong so they can have priority, but fade over time leaving room for new ones to take their place.
Emotions also need to better affect Autonomy, with traits being kept in mind. (Traits also need an overhaul, but that's a thread someone else can make.) A hotheaded sim and a friendly should not react to their emotions the same way. A hot headed sim while angry may autonomously start fights, insults etc, but a friendly sim may process anger differently and only result to minor insults or cursing under their breath.
That's all the ideas I can think of for now, let me know what you think of mine, and any ideas you can think of!
I started having some ideas on how to fix them and figured I'd just make a thread for others to share their ideas. This thread is for constructive criticism. If you have an issue with something, offer points on how to improve it. Stating "Blank stinks" and offering no feedback helps nothing.
Let's start with the basis. Positive emotions currently drown out negative emotions and this is due to a couple reasons.
- Having a nicely decorated lot will give your sims positive moodlets by default
- Positive moodlets stack off of each other. Happy moodlets always boost any other positive moodlets.
- Positive moodlets tend to be a lot stronger than negative ones.
So how can we improve this aspect?
- Remove the happy moodlet for nicely decorated lots, or severely nerf it. Have the moodlet appear only when new things are bought that have high environment scores. I may be really happy about a new TV I bought, but eventually that happiness will fade and become mundane for me.
- Allow negative moodlets to stack. There is a mod by Zerbu that makes uncomfortable moodlets boost negative emotions, just as happy boosts positive. So if your sim is hungry and has an uncomfortable moodlet, that moodlet will boost negative emotions like anger, sadness, etc.
- Increase the strength of negative moodlets in general. Humans naturally feel negative emotions stronger than positive ones.
This will balance out the positive vs negative emotions a bit and prevent them from always being drowned out with positive moodlets, but there's still more we can do. Something that the emotions system fails to take into consideration is that in real life, new experiences typically outweigh old ones. Let me give an example so I can make myself clear.
You've been working hard at work lately, and your boss finally recognizes you and you earn that promotion you've always wanted. You're happy, until you come home to your wife and find her in the arms of another man. Despite being happy about the promotion, this new experience quickly sours your mood.
A good example of this being done poorly can be found all over in the Snowy Escape Live stream. When Graham's sims are hiking up the mountain, they are happy because they are with family and having a fun journey, which makes sense. But upon being attacked by bats, Grahams sims are still happy and raring to go because the positive outweigh the negative. Same with the sim in the hot spring who's relaxing happily, until he sees his enemy and gains a small angry buff, and continues to relax.
It gives off the impressions that sims do not react to new scenarios because they are too busy being occupied with getting a massage 4 hours ago, or smelling some candles etc.
So how can we fix this?
In my opinion, we should change how the moodlets work. As it stands right now, you may get a +5 positive moodlet that lasts 5 hours for getting engaged. (Just an example.) After the 5 hours the moodlet completely fades. Perhaps having it gradually fade over the course of 5 hours would help balance it a bit. So after the first hour, the +5 becomes a +4, the second hour it goes down to +3.
Basically, new moodlets start off strong so they can have priority, but fade over time leaving room for new ones to take their place.
Emotions also need to better affect Autonomy, with traits being kept in mind. (Traits also need an overhaul, but that's a thread someone else can make.) A hotheaded sim and a friendly should not react to their emotions the same way. A hot headed sim while angry may autonomously start fights, insults etc, but a friendly sim may process anger differently and only result to minor insults or cursing under their breath.
That's all the ideas I can think of for now, let me know what you think of mine, and any ideas you can think of!
