I play with a set of sims that started in 2015 with the Renegades/Villareal and by now has a stable cast of six main families and a ton of supporting townies. However, the actual saves I play these sims in are short-lived. Often I have a clear goal or follow challenge rules.
When I feel that I have achieved a happy end I take notes how my sims grew and start over in a different setting. I need the sims be happy and their world reasonably nice before I bring down the curtain.
An exception is my 1760s save. I planned to only temporarily abandon it to test horses in a different save, but I grew so attached to that new save that it lasted for months and then my interest in historical gameplay had vaned.
