I feel overwhelmed when starting a new game in The Sims 4. Anybody have Tips?

Yup. Another here with same save and rotational play as well.

If I fancy playing a new sim. I make them and move them into somewhere (build it if need be) and all my other played sims are in the world as well. So its like a new game anyway. But if I fancy it I can steal and control the soul of another sim at a whim.

I'm very methodic and before starting a new game I typically have an idea of the kind of story I want to create and what I would like my Sims' lives to be. So my gameplay tends to be coherent with their character and storyline, and very focused on that direction. I leave room for surprises, too, but in general I tend to direct more than leave it to chance or whim.

That means I won't make my Sims waste time on activities or skills that are not "in character" with them, or "just because". For example, my Sim won't be romantically involved or have children unless this was part of the narrative, or join a career unless that career is coherent with their "story". Or go to restaurants and try experimental food if that is not a significant, relevant element of their character - or visit the jungle in Selvadorada unless they are genuinely invested in it (an adventurer, an archaeologist or relic hunter, or any kind of backstory that would justify the trip... e.g. I once had an occult go there in hope to unravel the mystery of their past).

This way I keep each Sim interesting and unique. I have many saves and many different Sims in each save, in some they interact with each other, in others they don't. There's lots of variety so that still allows me to try out the many different tools and features of the game, without making it chaotic or overwhelming.

I don't open CAS before I have a clear picture of what I want to do with the sim I'm creating. Once I know the basics about my goals for the save I'm about to start and about the starting family/families, I start making them. So my decision paralysis happens offline instead of ingame, but is there!

I can suggest making lists, whether it is for one sim or several. I also have to have goals for each of my sims before I can immerse myself in gameplay. I usually save fixing up the neighborhoods for later. Prioritizing is valuable.

"Kimmer;c-17946209" wrote:
This is the reason why I have so many different saves that I play rotationally. :D
I could never stick to one save because there is so much things to do. And some players complain that there's not enough gameplay in Sims 4... I don't know what game they're playing but it's definitely not the same Sims 4 that I have.

the thing is game is very unbalanced :sweat_smile:
on one hand there is tons of stuff to play with but on other hand it is missing things people find extremely important to their everyday gameplay

I suggest to play rotationally. Each household does different things.

Hmm…

Sometimes the calendar is helpful for me. I make little events or holidays for my sims. I plan out the next 4 days for my sim, make appropriate holidays or events and then just go by that.

It helps me focus on just that specific thing for that day.

I have multiple families on one save file, and I have about 5 or 6 now.
Anyway, I usually have a plan or a theme I plan to do in each save file. If you don't know what to really do, you could recreate Sims from previous Sims games, whether they were your Sims or NPC sims. I have one save file where I am slowly recreating my Sims that I created in Sims 2 into Sims 4. I have three families so far, and will include the other ones later on.
I also have two save files that are very similar, but slightly different. Both are made up of Sims I created for Sims 2, and a good chunk of the other Sims are ones I downloaded from the gallery that were based on series I like. Much like Lord of the Rings, Natsume Yuujinchou, and less know series.
Two save files have a specific theme idea to them. My largest of the two so far is my Frozen theme, where I base sims off of the Frozen movie. I just mostly create alternate ideas, semi-canon ideas, some gender bends, etc. i have since slipped in some Sims not are not related to the movie to give myself a slight break from my Frozen families. I cannot tell you how funny it can be when all my Elsa Sims group together in the magic Realm and interact. Over time, it may move on from the Frozen theme into other series I like. For example, the Frozen family being followed by a How to train your dragon generation, or something else I like. One Anna and Kristoff have a son named Hiccup, and a Iduna and Agnar have a daughter named Astrid. If they hit it off, they will technically be the start of the HttyD generation.
My other theme is Harry Potter, so far I just have three families. I have the Weasleys, without Ginny, because I have to wait for her to be born in-game. Ron is a toddler. I have a toddler Harry with a AU where Lily has a good relationship with her sister, and the two families live together, with Lily expecting another child. Both of their neighbors are toddler Hermione with her parents. I plan for her to become a spell castor as a teen.
I plan to include more families later on.
The point I am trying to make, is that if you feel overwhelmed, maybe just wing it, or create what you want to do. Whether it be a big project, a small project, a theme, no theme, etc.

I've never heard anyone say there was too much to do. I've only heard the opposite.

I have many expansion and stuff packs and often I get that feeling from the items that comes with them. Like when I'm decorating a new family's house, I tend to see so much stuff I want to make use of, but I don't put it in if it doesn't fit the setting or storyline of the family I want to play. So often I'm telling myself I really want to make more use of my packs, and I'm getting there at my own pace. That includes some of the gameplay that comes with some of these packs, and in some cases I may just briefly play a little with some gameplay element before playing with a storyline I'm interested in playing at the moment. For example I used one of the adult kids of one of my sims to play briefly as a mermaid just to see how that functioned, and with no real storyline attached.