I'm increasingly of the opinion that either:1) Each trait needs to have more depth to it (which is potentially a lot of polishing work to do)2) CAS trait slot is increased from 3 for adults to 5 (bit of UI tweaking, but could make a lot of difference with little time investment required, comparatively).Reason being, many of the traits are rather shallow in how they impact the sim's behavior. So you pick 3, but it doesn't distinguish that much from another sim you make. I think if it was expanded to 5, that would help a lot with the existing choices being shallow. Instead of getting 3 limited-depth traits, you'd get 5, making it an overall more impactful combination of traits that gives the sim more overall character depth. In other words, you're potentially improving depth simply by increasing the number of trait slots. Furthermore, there are 4 types of CAS traits (Emotional, Hobbies, Lifestyle, and Social) so it would make more sense if you can choose at least one of each of these, if that's the way you want to build a character. For this reason alone, I might suggest 4 instead of 5, except that the design of the UI seems pretty full already and it might require a more involved approach to make 4 look sensible rather than 5.With that in mind, I put together a mockup of how the UI could theoretically be modified to have 5 instead of 3.https://i.imgur.com/4PiJvAi.jpghttps://i.imgur.com/oY7IWU8.jpgI'd also recommend, along with this, changing the Child slots to 2 and Teen to 3, to fit with the extended number for adults.Unfortunately, there's no way for me to test this idea effectively, cause I can't really get in and modify the UI itself. Maybe it'd help with depth as I think or maybe it'd be profoundly disliked and damage the game.But I think it'd be a relatively low investment thing to try and see what it does for the game in some internal playtesting, if nothing else. Especially as the game ages and the number of hours logged by players goes up, variety is increasingly important for keeping people interested. And if this could help with it, while requiring little investment, I'd say that's an opportunity to seize. (Side note: If there are concerns about changing the game this late in, you could theoretically create an option that enables or disables expanded trait slots. More involved, but certainly a safer bet.)

we also need more Traits and more in-depth traits, maybe another at least 10

I know what you mean. The impact the various traits have on gameplay is very imbalanced, to say the least. Some of them really affect your sim's behaviour at every opportunity, others don't seem to do anything except unlock unique dialogue options which, in the long run, don't really matter. I was shocked to discover that even so-called "Bookworms" gain more pleasure from watching TV than reading books. No one in the sim world really enjoys books, it seems, but everyone loves videogames. Not very realistic.But it's not only that. Sometimes the sims I want to create, especially those inspired by real people, just have more traits than what the game allows me to give them. The real me is a Loner, Creative, Unflirty, Bookworm, sometimes Gloomy, not exactly child-friendly, and a Cat Lover. My simself is only the first three of these things because the game forced me to narrow it down to my most essential personality traits (and because, obviously, Cat Lover is not even in the game yet). Adults in TS3 actually had five traits - what went wrong? :s

Both 1 and 2 are definitely needed. So many of the traits really just do not do much, and for traits that don't do much, limiting it to 3 traits is just...gosh, it just does not let Sims actually have distinct personalities, and it breaks my heart. For a game that's so vivid with its visuals, it's sort of a shame for the personalities to all be so run-of-the-mill.On top of that, and it could be just a matter of waiting for all the Expansions and Packs to come out, we could use a lot more traits.If it's too difficult to overhaul the current traits, having a greater variety to choose from and having the option to pick up to 5 would potentially be very beneficial. It would be great if they could make any future traits pack a bit more of a punch, at the very least.

It needs a lot of work. Right now, the traits don't mean anything aside from them getting tense if they haven't bought something ( materialism) or getting tense if they haven't been promoted ( ambitious) or getting tense if they see new sims ( loner) or getting tense around bugs ( squeamish) etc. The sims don't feel any different no matter what trait you give them. A sim needs to get outside, or needs to play a video game, or this or that. Just because it's different things they do doesn't mean it's different lol. I hope I am making my point that they all feel the same. Mean and evil sims don't act mean and evil. They just have an evil laugh every now and then, but if you see them out in the world when controlling another sim, they are happy and hugging and socializing just like the rest of them. So are loners. I remember Rachel saying the sim would remember something that happened the next time a sim saw another sim. I haven't seen that yet. In fact, even right after you get them in to fights and make them mortal enemies, the first thing they do after a scrap is make nice and chat with said enemy. I can only do so much with my creative mind and creation of sims. When the game contradicts what it purports to do and how sims behave, then "pretending" only gets you so far. The reality of it is that they are all the same with no depth or memory at all.

I would love to have more traits to work with per sim! Three isn't always enough and it can be frustrating to get to that last trait slot and be torn between two or three different traits that you would like to add to your sim that all fit the character you're creating. Reward traits are mostly just bonuses that add buffs to your sim, there are absolutely no negative ones. "Vampires" adds weaknesses that add to a sim's personality...but only for vampires. It kind of makes you miss the personality sliders from TS2. They were a bit limited in their own right, but they had a bigger impact on your sim and his/her behavior than TS4's three traits...especially with the added complication of the overabundant ambient happiness that 95% of all decor and furniture gives off...

We need more than 3 CAS traits per sim

55 Replies

happyfrog10
8 years ago
we also need more Traits and more in-depth traits, maybe another at least 10
GrumpyGlowfish
Seasoned Ace
8 years ago
I know what you mean. The impact the various traits have on gameplay is very imbalanced, to say the least. Some of them really affect your sim's behaviour at every opportunity, others don't seem to do anything except unlock unique dialogue options which, in the long run, don't really matter. I was shocked to discover that even so-called "Bookworms" gain more pleasure from watching TV than reading books. No one in the sim world really enjoys books, it seems, but everyone loves videogames. Not very realistic.

But it's not only that. Sometimes the sims I want to create, especially those inspired by real people, just have more traits than what the game allows me to give them. The real me is a Loner, Creative, Unflirty, Bookworm, sometimes Gloomy, not exactly child-friendly, and a Cat Lover. My simself is only the first three of these things because the game forced me to narrow it down to my most essential personality traits (and because, obviously, Cat Lover is not even in the game yet). Adults in TS3 actually had five traits - what went wrong? :s
VaguelyAloof
8 years ago
Both 1 and 2 are definitely needed. So many of the traits really just do not do much, and for traits that don't do much, limiting it to 3 traits is just...gosh, it just does not let Sims actually have distinct personalities, and it breaks my heart. For a game that's so vivid with its visuals, it's sort of a shame for the personalities to all be so run-of-the-mill.

On top of that, and it could be just a matter of waiting for all the Expansions and Packs to come out, we could use a lot more traits.

If it's too difficult to overhaul the current traits, having a greater variety to choose from and having the option to pick up to 5 would potentially be very beneficial. It would be great if they could make any future traits pack a bit more of a punch, at the very least.
fullspiral
8 years ago
It needs a lot of work. Right now, the traits don't mean anything aside from them getting tense if they haven't bought something ( materialism) or getting tense if they haven't been promoted ( ambitious) or getting tense if they see new sims ( loner) or getting tense around bugs ( squeamish) etc.

The sims don't feel any different no matter what trait you give them. A sim needs to get outside, or needs to play a video game, or this or that. Just because it's different things they do doesn't mean it's different lol. I hope I am making my point that they all feel the same.

Mean and evil sims don't act mean and evil. They just have an evil laugh every now and then, but if you see them out in the world when controlling another sim, they are happy and hugging and socializing just like the rest of them. So are loners.

I remember Rachel saying the sim would remember something that happened the next time a sim saw another sim. I haven't seen that yet. In fact, even right after you get them in to fights and make them mortal enemies, the first thing they do after a scrap is make nice and chat with said enemy.

I can only do so much with my creative mind and creation of sims. When the game contradicts what it purports to do and how sims behave, then "pretending" only gets you so far. The reality of it is that they are all the same with no depth or memory at all.
SimsLovinLycan
8 years ago
I would love to have more traits to work with per sim! Three isn't always enough and it can be frustrating to get to that last trait slot and be torn between two or three different traits that you would like to add to your sim that all fit the character you're creating. Reward traits are mostly just bonuses that add buffs to your sim, there are absolutely no negative ones. "Vampires" adds weaknesses that add to a sim's personality...but only for vampires. It kind of makes you miss the personality sliders from TS2. They were a bit limited in their own right, but they had a bigger impact on your sim and his/her behavior than TS4's three traits...especially with the added complication of the overabundant ambient happiness that 95% of all decor and furniture gives off...
Cynna1065
8 years ago
Heck, yes!!!

That is all.
kaeyresky
8 years ago
I tend to be against the idea of increasing the amount of CAS traits you can give a sim. Primarily because I feel like sims are already emotional roller coasters with 3? I think if you allow them too many, you could easily end up overshadowing the aspects of certain traits with other traits and ultimately take away from their character instead of add to it.

What I would like to see though, is for some of the more obscure and pointless CAS traits to be reworked to rely less on the emotion system, and then taken out of CAS to be earned through gameplay, similar to the parenthood traits.
fullspiral
8 years ago
"CyrusTheLoser;c-16104229" wrote:
I tend to be against the idea of increasing the amount of CAS traits you can give a sim. Primarily because I feel like sims are already emotional roller coasters with 3? I think if you allow them too many, you could easily end up overshadowing the aspects of certain traits with other traits and ultimately take away from their character instead of add to it.

What I would like to see though, is for some of the more obscure and pointless CAS traits to be reworked to rely less on the emotion system, and then taken out of CAS to be earned through gameplay, similar to the parenthood traits.

The sims are not emotional rollercoasters. At all. They ALL fall victim to the same coding which makes them all feel the same. They all have things that make them tense, or make them happy...but they don't PLAY any differently.

They have no character as the system stands now. None.
kaeyresky
8 years ago
"fullspiral;c-16104244" wrote:
"CyrusTheLoser;c-16104229" wrote:
I tend to be against the idea of increasing the amount of CAS traits you can give a sim. Primarily because I feel like sims are already emotional roller coasters with 3? I think if you allow them too many, you could easily end up overshadowing the aspects of certain traits with other traits and ultimately take away from their character instead of add to it.

What I would like to see though, is for some of the more obscure and pointless CAS traits to be reworked to rely less on the emotion system, and then taken out of CAS to be earned through gameplay, similar to the parenthood traits.

The sims are not emotional rollercoasters. At all. They ALL fall victim to the same coding which makes them all feel the same. They all have things that make them tense, or make them happy...but they don't PLAY any differently.

They have no character as the system stands now. None.

My point wasn't really as to whether or not they have any character, I believe it's entirely possible to be an emotional wreck and still have no character (especially when everyone else around you is also an emotional wreck)

What I'm saying is, when my sim goes from being angry due to hotheaded to being energized because his fellow "bros" are around to being tense because he's not outdoors all in the matter of less than a minute, and then forgets it all because look, there's a pretty painting on the wall!.. I consider that emotional instability, whether it means he has "character" or not
fullspiral
8 years ago
"CyrusTheLoser;c-16104262" wrote:
"fullspiral;c-16104244" wrote:
"CyrusTheLoser;c-16104229" wrote:
I tend to be against the idea of increasing the amount of CAS traits you can give a sim. Primarily because I feel like sims are already emotional roller coasters with 3? I think if you allow them too many, you could easily end up overshadowing the aspects of certain traits with other traits and ultimately take away from their character instead of add to it.

What I would like to see though, is for some of the more obscure and pointless CAS traits to be reworked to rely less on the emotion system, and then taken out of CAS to be earned through gameplay, similar to the parenthood traits.

The sims are not emotional rollercoasters. At all. They ALL fall victim to the same coding which makes them all feel the same. They all have things that make them tense, or make them happy...but they don't PLAY any differently.

They have no character as the system stands now. None.

My point wasn't really as to whether or not they have any character, I believe it's entirely possible to be an emotional wreck and still have no character (especially when everyone else around you is also an emotional wreck)

What I'm saying is, when my sim goes from being angry due to hotheaded to being energized because his fellow "bros" are around to being tense because he's not outdoors all in the matter of less than a minute, and then forgets it all because look, there's a pretty painting on the wall!.. I consider that emotional instability, whether it means he has "character" or not

I guess my mods stop some of that ridiculousness. Thank God.

What it comes down to, is the BS emotions ruse that they used that they said made the game interesting.

It doesn't. It's nothing more than an annoyance and a hindrance on how simmers really want to play. The game needs a total overhaul on the emotions system.