How Do You Have Fun in The Sims 4?

I usually keep multiple save files myself. I typically play generational style on all saves, but I do have some future ideas that will be a bit different from my usual play style. I think switching it up and playing a different type of story is also a great way to have fun and keep yourself invested in the game. My current saves are only a few months old since I got a new computer so none of them have made it past generation 2 yet, but I am working on it. I play between three different families right now that all are very different even though they are all families who I plan on keeping around for generations.

@Simtown15 - for me, it's all about the storytelling. I'm in Gen 3 about to head into Gen 4 in NSB. & the rules of that challenge kind of create the backdrop of the story...and then I feel it's up to me to tell the rest. Like in Gen 2....the heir had 1 child, was supposed to leave someone at the alter, etc. I made my heir of that Generation, super into the party scene, a neglectful parent, etc. I completed all the core rules...but I really got into the storytelling using the rules for my baseline.

I also like to let the whims my Sim have drive what I make them do. In my current generation, my Sim couple kept getting the whim to try for baby....which...I didn't want another baby, they already had 2. Well, they ended up with triplets and now I have a full house. My Sims husband got struck by lightening twice and died....and now she's a widow raising all these kids alone. It's these types of unexpected events that make the storytelling fun.....add even more of a challenge to the game, and for me, makes it that much more interesting.

I do tend to get bored easily. So what I do is keep multiple Saves. I have a supernatural Save, & 3 Saves for challenges (NSB, 100 baby, Legacy Challenge) & then I have a 'just for fun' save where there's no story, no rules, no challenge....just play. & I rotate between the Saves depending on my mood. & then in my Supernatural Save....it's the only Save that I play rotational.....which to me always adds another layer of interest, playing multiple families/characters, within one Save file.

I've enjoyed generational play in Sims 4. I never got beyond the third generation in previous games, but it's so much easier to move Sims in and out of households and have babies without working for days to get an adequate relationship between Sims. With each generation, I usually have some sort of story or goal in mind - for example, one generation might be intended as my handy Sim who will upgrade everything in the house.

I'll also take a break and follow a whim to start a new save. Sometimes, I'll see a house that I want to build, or I'll have a story idea that won't fit my main save (like my 'snowbound' Sim who lives in Granite Falls). I'll play out that idea, but I always end up back with my main save, because I have things my Sims need to do!

Thank you for the input, so far! I suppose I'll try either rotational (though I tried twice before and failed) or multiple saves. Maybe I'll continue looking for a challenge that interests me too.

For me, the sims is still just a strategy game mostly, to have fun I try to make it harder, I had to increase how fast motives decay and slow down skill gain.

I've decided to try rotational play. I'm beginning with 2 households, but may go up to 3 soon. I'll spend 3-4 days in each house. I put them in spoilers because House 1 is picture heavy. (House 2 isn't because I just switched.) I downloaded both households and houses off of the gallery.
House 1

House 2

Oh cool hope you have fun that way it's nice to keep multiple families when you don't want to get rid of a save but you're not sure what to do with the main family.

How I play

1. play in rotation. do a a sim week in each household, then move on to the next.
2. play regular sims, supernaturals, disney characters, celebrities, toys, other cartoon characters, real life family and friends. have them coexist
3. get a story going for each household played
4. use the imagination at times
5. visit the hidden worlds, build on it, use it as part of a story
6. build or download fun venues

There are many more things to do....

While I know that there are not many packs out and maybe those packs don't really fit your play-style. But I think Seasons was an absolute game changer for me. I am a family player and story-telling kind of Simmer. I enjoy playing Legacies, or challenge (especially when I am feeling stuck on what to do for game play). I enjoy watching my Sims grow, create jobs, make friends, get married, have kids, watch their kids grow, make friends, get jobs, and the cycle continues. =P

Seasons really brought game play that I have been wanting for a long time. I am constantly writing things down on paper for my Sims. Now with the calendar and holidays, it makes it so much more interesting and fun for me to plan things for my families. I can literally do it in game! I love it! So, I enjoy playing one main family and making Sims for that family to have friends, and those friends will have children so that my main family can have friends for their kids, or ... enemies. ;x

And I really like the legacy-style. Where I pick an heir and then I watch them grow.

Depending on how you like to play. If you're a family-player and are missing any packs. I would suggest looking into:

Parenthood
Dine-Out
Seasons
Cats and Dogs

For single player Sims. I'd look into Get Together, or Get To Work or City Living for Apartment Life.

If you have these packs already. Then if you like to create Sims (?) Try creating some Sims that you'd never create - give them a back story and really give them some personality (though I hope we get a more in-depth system with hobbies and interest later on to really push our Sims personalities more... but) then try playing them and see if that helps at all. Give them goals to accomplish as they grow.

For instance, instead of getting them a "9-5" job. Maybe try making it more challenging by letting a skill make their money. As you get money from your skill (selling paintings, for example) you can slowly build up your house. Decorating it, or saving up money and building them a new house as your family expands and you need more room. Then buying a new house and starting a "new story" there.

Actually have them go to the hospital for births/have a home birth, or set up a venue where they can get married and invite their friends out for a wedding ceremony. Also invite friends over for cook-outs and other activities.


Build their relationships, give them some drama too! Drama can help spice the game play up a little bit. You can still have some happy-endings. =)

If that doesn't sound interesting to you. Maybe try a challenge. Maybe having a set of "rules" for "guidelines" to kind of help you get started with a save will help you find a family that you enjoy playing. You don't have to follow the rules to a T, just make sure you don't cheat and add your own rules to it to help it keep it challenging/or interesting.

There's loads of challenges out there. A few that I enjoy are the 100 Baby Challenge, and Four Immortal Sisters.

Maybe you like building and game play at the same time? Try the Drifter Challenge. It's pretty interesting and keeps you progressing and not staying on one lot too long. (If you get bored easily). Not so berry is pretty popular. It gets you out of your comfort zone and allows you to try content that you might avoid otherwise. :)

Hopefully something on your thread helps you out. Good luck! :) Happy Simming. ♥

So... I ended up deleting the save. I guess I wasn't emotionally invested in it.