I need gameplay ideas!

I made this post about playing premades, but it works with any sim really:

"EmmaVane;c-18054318" wrote:
I like to play them all, even the boring ones. As most of the premades don't have preferences/degrees/lifestyles/fame/reputation/occult status, they can be made more interesting by adding them or working towards them.

For all sims, give them some preferences in CAS according to how you interpret their traits, style (favourite colour, more outfits to match their aesthetic), home décor taste and ethnicity. (E.G. I like to give my Latinx sims one of the Latin music stations as a preference, then choose another that suits them. If sims live in an apartment with noisy neighbours, they might build up a Like or Dislike of their neighbours preference etc).

You can also make a list of recreational objects and activities in game which don't technically count as hobbies in preferences (because they aren't a skill) and either pick or randomise something for them to get into. This could be some kind of game, sport, craft or other feature. Maybe they like to go camping somewhere on weekends (handy for collectors/gardeners), play poker (sabacc, for gambling) every Friday night or are part of the local Swim Team. You could make a club for it, do it alone or do it as a family activity. Also decide what their favourite genres are for books, movies and TV shows (if they like those activities) and sell/buy books to represent that preference. If they are a painter or musician, give them a favourite style or quirk. You might have a guitarist that only busks at cafés because he has the Coffee Addict lifestyle, or an artist who only paints surrealist works.

If you want degrees for premade sims without moving they can work towards degrees from home while doing part time jobs/producing/crafting/freelancing/odd jobbing etc. for cash, or they can start/stay in a full time career if you want them at a lower level non-degree position for variety. (E.G: Liberty Lee could quit her Astronaut job then buy, build and upgrade a rocket while gaining a physics degree. The rocket science hobby earn money towards the household funds and skills towards her degree and when she graduates she can re-enter the career at a high level).

Some sims may work towards or discover items that change their lifestate. A sim who takes up caving (spelunking) and finds mermadic kelp in a Sulani cave becomes a Mersim or gifts it to someone else who does. Maybe you spot Moira Fyres browsing in an occult shop so the next time you play her you buy her the Magic Beans she seemed so interested in and she eventually becomes a PlantSim.

Decide if your sim would collect anything based on their personality. Gamers might collect MySims or VoidCritters, for example, whereas an Art Lover might collect prints of all types. They might collect non-official collection too, such as sports memorabilia or celebrity autographs.

For Adults, roll a dice each time you rotate to them to see if they have a mid life crisis. You decide the probability. If they roll one, then randomise what about. Things to change could be a change of scene (move to a new world), a new partner, career or hobby, a personality change (change a trait, get lifestyle coaching, invert a preference), selling a beloved collection and starting another etc.

Lots of ways to spice up those less interesting sims.

I feel like I've done everything in TS4.

Well, I'm still not sure what exactly you mean - all careers? Aspirations? Have you tried a lot of Challenges?
I'll leave this aside (for now) and present some other ideas instead.

1. If you've played other Sims games before, why don't you try recreating your favourite family that you made? Or maybe you still remember that one save that unfortunately got corrupted so you couldn't keep playing. Why not give a try in TS4?
2. In a similar vein, why not try recreating some premades that don't appear in TS4 (or any other games other than the one they debuted in) and play out their lives anew? Maybe it'll even be the start of a great new legacy!
3. This is a very big project, so this probably isn't for everyone, but have you ever considered creating your own save from the ground up? You can rebuild the worlds, renovate lots or leave them as is and simply create new households. You may think you have played out every idea you ever had - but others may be looking for that one storyline or household you came up with. What seems boring or overdone to you may be something new and exciting for someone else. Generally, I just think it's fun to share saves with others. :)

"aob;d-997471" wrote:
I feel like I've done everything in TS4. Can we make a big list of fun gameplay ideas? Storylines, scenarios, parts of the game you like to explore etc...

@aob do you have all packs? Helpful in suggesting gameplay.

ETA: Stalked your comments to see what you normally do in game but that didn't help. ? Mostly off topic games.

@aob just curious since you tried so many different types of gameplay styles, challenges, storylines etc., which ones do you think are the most fun? I usually just do rotation play with my Sim households and premades in the games. I am always looking for new ways to play too

Have you tried rotational play? It's just a simple suggestion, but sometimes people haven't.

"musteni;c-18057833" wrote:
Have you tried rotational play? It's just a simple suggestion, but sometimes people haven't.

I can attest to that. I played rotational in TS2, but not in TS3 at all and never in TS4 either until I started a new game this past Christmas. It really is a game-changer.

I'm getting so much more enjoyment out of the game again, just with the simple refresh of that style of play. And I haven't even touched on doing rotations that include any of the interesting (to me) premades. Other than the Fengs, the only households in my rotation is my own Sim and the generational offspring thereof.

"Stormkeep;c-18057837" wrote:

"musteni;c-18057833" wrote:
Have you tried rotational play? It's just a simple suggestion, but sometimes people haven't.

I can attest to that. I played rotational in TS2, but not in TS3 at all and never in TS4 either until I started a new game this past Christmas. It really is a game-changer.

I'm getting so much more enjoyment out of the game again, just with the simple refresh of that style of play. And I haven't even touched on doing rotations that include any of the interesting (to me) premades. Other than the Fengs, the only households in my rotation is my own Sim and the generational offspring thereof.

@Stormkeep I have a new type of speed rotation for premades which I have been finding really fun. I set my rules to leveling up each Sim in the household which goes by pretty quick:
2 points to a skill
1 career task or promotion completed
1 aspiration task completed
1 new friend made for a Sim
1 visit to a recreational lot
1 outfit makeover
1 room renovation or new deco item placed
1 holiday or event or family trip or home activity for the household

..and then I quickly switch. So I find I never really want to leave the house, but then if I do I remember them more fondly and want to play them again in future and I just play more houses this way with more variety.

How does that work then? Do you do everything on the checklist before switching, or just any one thing?

You said "Speed rotation" so I'm guessing, any one thing?