Generally, I prefer to play with sims that I created myself, though there have been times when I've played with a few of the Maxis premade ones, because they 'fit' in the new packs I purchase. Such as Alex Moyer (I had her move in with my first 'hand crafted' Sim, when TS4 originally released), and Ophelia Specter (she's engaged with Grim atm, and trying to get pregnant).
I love having my sims interact and become friends (and sometimes more) with the Maxis premade ones, as well as the Townies. If one of my sims gets romantically involved with a Townie and I have them move in together, I will start playing that Townie as well. (Mostly to just get things done around the home and bring in simoleons for the family while I maintain focus on my original sim and any progeny.) I tend to create and play a single sim when I get a new EP or GP that provides a new world. (Sometimes I'll even create multiple households.) I also tend to play rotationally when I get bored with the 'current' sim I've been playing with for a while.
I have just started something new with my gameplay, though, so not quite sure how it will work out, but I'm very excited for it at this time. Basically, I've created a sim for my 'alter ego'; she's the character I am when playing any kind of RPG (either RL or online). Her name is Dulcinea and she's always based physically on my 19yr old self, but with auburn hair. (Which is the color I would have preferred if anyone had asked me before I was born. 😄) Dulci is pretty much the me I have always wanted to be, in any given RPG situation; she's always me, my actual personality, but she's also always created to fit into whatever RPG I'm playing in at any given time. (Dulci, my alter ego, began life back in my early D&D days - when that game first came out - and she's been with me through my WoW days and Skyrim, as well as my RL SCA, and my Second Life time [which I'm taking a break from, for a bit], and now she's here with me in TS4.)
One thing that never changes for me, and my sims, here, is that whenever the one I'm playing get a call from a friend or acquaintance with a question about going on a date, or getting to know someone better as a friend, or if they should have a baby .. you know, the major life stuff ... My sims' answer is always based on whether the 'request' will actively change the life of a major (playable for me) sim, or if it will just add to expanding that sim's friend pool. Like, if the requesting sim should go on a date with another specific sim (YES, if it's another townie, NO, if it's one of my main sims that I've actively played), or get to know someone better as a friend (always YES). For the try for a baby question, though, that one is always a NO, if it's about one of my played sims. (But would be a "decide for yourself" answer if it's about two townies.)
I've never really done any 'challenges' when I play (regardless of which sim I'm playing at the time), but with Dulci ... Who knows, I may just go for creating a family for her and starting a (possibly) large family tree. We'll see. 😊
