I ran into a downright disturbing quirk of the game mechanics over the past weekend's play that proved that no matter how much EA tries to sanitize it, Sims 4 is still capable of some truly horrifying depths of human depravity in gameplay.Setting the scene, I had a male sim living alone in a place that was more than big enough for his own needs with plenty of room to spare, so he took in one of his friends along with her daughter. Didn't marry the mom, just gave her a place to live.He ended up serving as kind of a surrogate father to the kid, and when she grew up and became a young adult, the full range of romantic interactions opened up between her and the guy to whom she had effectively seen as a de facto stepfather throughout her childhood.In the real world, the term for this is "grooming", and I certainly wasn't about to cross that moral line, but the mere fact that a player with fewer moral scruples could basically simulate Woody Allen's romantic life...ugh. :s The game needs to find a way to recognize that a child who develops a close relationship with an adult when they're young—especially if they live in the same residence—should be off-limits for romantic socials when they grow up. It might be impractical considering the weird way aging can work (thanks to Potion of Youth or just aging the kid up fairly quickly as they hit the milestones of youth and clear all the aspirations), but it would lower the ick factor.

While that situation would be inappropriate, the game doesn’t prevent it because it would restrict story lines for players. An example would be that some people like to make orphanages or apartments, and have many unrelated Sims occupy the same lot. It would be good if the player could simply add a tag, to prevent the situation you described though. I know there is an option to “adopt as caregiver” (think it’s from parenthood), but I’ve never checked to see if using that would prevent your issue from occurring.

With all due respect, it is only "grooming" if you make it that way. Those two Sims do have the possibility of romantic interactions, but you, the player, controls what happens.Assuming that this isn't flamebait and you are genuinely bothered by the fact that two pixel people may be romantic in a simulation, I'd suggest cheating to give one the unflirty trait. Otherwise, customizable options or mechanics would be nice, but there is no "grooming" mechanic in 4 and there was never meant to be.

It's amazing the stuff people seek and find in an innocent game. And one where YOU control all relationships ??? you that same option exists in real life too right? It's up to you to pursue it or not....

Was she a young adult? Then no, that is not grooming. They have to be underage for it to be considered grooming. Older people are romantic with young adults all the time in real life.

There is no grooming mechanic in the game, you the player are playing the game and are deciding what happens and your sims will do it. They are not doing things against their and your will.Play the game how you prefer to play it.

The Creepy, Horrifying World of Family Relations

Kita5399
New Spectator
4 years ago
While that situation would be inappropriate, the game doesn’t prevent it because it would restrict story lines for players. An example would be that some people like to make orphanages or apartments, and have many unrelated Sims occupy the same lot. It would be good if the player could simply add a tag, to prevent the situation you described though. I know there is an option to “adopt as caregiver” (think it’s from parenthood), but I’ve never checked to see if using that would prevent your issue from occurring.
Bluebell23456
4 years ago
With all due respect, it is only "grooming" if you make it that way. Those two Sims do have the possibility of romantic interactions, but you, the player, controls what happens.

Assuming that this isn't flamebait and you are genuinely bothered by the fact that two pixel people may be romantic in a simulation, I'd suggest cheating to give one the unflirty trait. Otherwise, customizable options or mechanics would be nice, but there is no "grooming" mechanic in 4 and there was never meant to be.
Babykittyjade
Rising Observer
4 years ago
It's amazing the stuff people seek and find in an innocent game. And one where YOU control all relationships ??? you that same option exists in real life too right? It's up to you to pursue it or not....
fjb792
4 years ago
Was she a young adult? Then no, that is not grooming. They have to be underage for it to be considered grooming. Older people are romantic with young adults all the time in real life.
logionX
Seasoned Hotshot
4 years ago
There is no grooming mechanic in the game, you the player are playing the game and are deciding what happens and your sims will do it. They are not doing things against their and your will.

Play the game how you prefer to play it.
DaWaterRat
New Vanguard
4 years ago
"Kita5399;c-17972352" wrote:
While that situation would be inappropriate, the game doesn’t prevent it because it would restrict story lines for players. An example would be that some people like to make orphanages or apartments, and have many unrelated Sims occupy the same lot. It would be good if the player could simply add a tag, to prevent the situation you described though. I know there is an option to “adopt as caregiver” (think it’s from parenthood), but I’ve never checked to see if using that would prevent your issue from occurring.

"Adopt as Caregiver" does not prevent romantic interactions between a sim and their stepparent when the sim ages up to young adult.
Kita5399
New Spectator
4 years ago
"DaWaterRat;c-17972445" wrote:
"Kita5399;c-17972352" wrote:
While that situation would be inappropriate, the game doesn’t prevent it because it would restrict story lines for players. An example would be that some people like to make orphanages or apartments, and have many unrelated Sims occupy the same lot. It would be good if the player could simply add a tag, to prevent the situation you described though. I know there is an option to “adopt as caregiver” (think it’s from parenthood), but I’ve never checked to see if using that would prevent your issue from occurring.

"Adopt as Caregiver" does not prevent romantic interactions between a sim and their stepparent when the sim ages up to young adult.

Thanks for letting me know, I’ve never thought to check that. :D
mightyspritesims
Seasoned Hotshot
4 years ago
Seems to me that, if romantic actions are theoretically possible but your sim chooses never to engage in them, that's the same as your ethical definition of "off-limits."
DaWaterRat
New Vanguard
4 years ago
"Kita5399;c-17972464" wrote:
"DaWaterRat;c-17972445" wrote:
"Kita5399;c-17972352" wrote:
While that situation would be inappropriate, the game doesn’t prevent it because it would restrict story lines for players. An example would be that some people like to make orphanages or apartments, and have many unrelated Sims occupy the same lot. It would be good if the player could simply add a tag, to prevent the situation you described though. I know there is an option to “adopt as caregiver” (think it’s from parenthood), but I’ve never checked to see if using that would prevent your issue from occurring.

"Adopt as Caregiver" does not prevent romantic interactions between a sim and their stepparent when the sim ages up to young adult.

Thanks for letting me know, I’ve never thought to check that. :D

I didn't so much check as get caught off guard by autonomous interactions. :lol: They may have been mod-influenced, as I was experimenting with various emotion and autonomy mods at the time, so I don't even remember which one was responsible.
SimuLord
4 years ago
"Babykittyjade;c-17972379" wrote:
It's amazing the stuff people seek and find in an innocent game. And one where YOU control all relationships ??? you that same option exists in real life too right? It's up to you to pursue it or not....

This was less "seek and find" and more a big "hey, wait a minute" moment that I had while playing. It struck me less as "ew, you can do this creepy thing" (although that was certainly part of it!) and more as "next time EA says it's trying to be sensitive, I'm calling BS because the Sims is not now nor has ever been 'sensitive'." When they nerf everything else but prowling around the edge cases reveals how inherently hypocritical that is, it really amplifies the complaints of the players who have their specific Sim behaviors restricted, like "meat eaters and occult players are heavily restricted but you can actively choose to play as a predator?"

It wasn't intended as flamebait...although now that I think about a lot of players' experiences with the game, I can totally see how it can be taken as "great, another thing to get offended over." I just found it...gross...that the option's in there (even if it's ultimately my choice to set the moral standards of my own simworld. If the guy in my top post example autonomously tries to get romantic with his "unofficial daughter" in my game, he's going to end up in the graveyard, the victim of weather and/or drowning depending on the season.