Below are information posts about the current status of Sim culling, relationship decay, and relationship culling in The Sims 4. @Neia and I will attempt to keep these up to date as we discover alterations to these systems. This topic is not an opinion or debate or feedback topic. If you have feedback on these mechanisms, please use the Feedback section of the forums; if you have suggestions on how they could be altered, please use the Ideas Corner. Any opinion or debate or feedback etc. here is off topic, no matter how constructive it is. Please do feel free to ask questions about how the system works - we'll probably add an FAQ, and flesh out our posts as well over time. We've provided some info on mods for those of you interested in that option. For help using MC Command Center, please head here. If you'd like to make sure you can find this topic easily, I recommend starring it so you can find it under the site's Bookmarks. IndexSim CullingRelationships DecayRelationship CullingFurther Details

Sim Culling This is the removal of households from the game. It has had several changes since launch, including two raisings of the original cap and less effect on genealogy (see below for more detail), followed by a new household protection system. Current Status (June 2019)Culling Sims that are not protected by being added up "My Households" can be culled when the population limit is reached. This now includes housed households, not only unhoused. The current whole-population limit is 800. If a housed Sim that your Sim had a relationship with is culled, you will get a notification to the effect that they've moved (similar to Sims 3). Culling does not effect what you see in Genealogy.**My Households Individual households can be protected from culling by adding them to "My Households". Cap options for the protection system are 50, 100, 200 (recommended), and Unlimited. Unlimited does not mean that all households are protected; it means that there is no cap on how many households you can protect. The cap does not include dead Sims. Favoriting a household does not protect Sims in that household after they die; protecting a ghost requires that it be added back to the household. Dead Sims are moved to a new hidden* household, and automatically unfavorited. NOTE: There is currently a bug in the My Households count:https://twitter.com/SimGuruChibi/status/929066459195572224https://twitter.com/SimGuruNick/status/929065444303974401Consider temporarily using "Unlimited".Ghosts and Genealogy Family trees remain intact in spite of culling.** Housed Sims will generate tombstones upon their death, including when you are not on the lot when they die. Tombstones are not generated for Sims that died before the November 7, 2017 patch. Ghosts have a culling timer, which is set on death to 90 days. When that has counted down to 14 days, you will be notified that that Ghost is nearing the end of availability. At this point, tombstones get the interaction 'Strengthen Connection to the Physical World,' which resets the culling timer for that Ghost back to 90 days. Sim culling is a performance-management mechanism. Using the Unlimited protected household setting may, at some point, have an effect on game stability. Use this at your own risk. *A current bug means that this household may be unhidden; deleting it can cause you problems. Leave that household for now. fixed Nov. 15. **If you see an exception, please let @SimGuruNick know and provide a save file.BackgroundAt launch, that population culling threshold was 180; it was raised to about 210 in December 2015 (prior to Get Together); by about 25% in October 2016 (prior to City Living); and by another small amount in December 2016. Originally, Sim culling had a harsh effect on unplayed ghosts, tombstones, and genealogy trees. The effect on genealogy was significantly lowered in Winter 2016. A new household-protection mechanism was added in November 2017, along with tombstone generation for non-active households and full genealogy protections. Maximum population was updated in June 2018 and again in June 2019.Related Mods To obtain the current total population of your game: MC Command Center adds a cheat-window code get_pop. (An older mod, Get Town Population, is no longer supported but may still work.) To stop culling entirely: MC Command Center (Population module) or Neia's No CullingSim culling is a performance-management mechanism. Stopping it entirely may, at some point, have an effect on game stability. Mod at your own risk. UPDATED June 19, 2019

Relationship Decay This is the gradual reduction in the strength of a relationship between two Sims. Current Status Relationships decay for the active household at all relationship levels and for all relationship types, like they always have. For non-active played Sims, only low-level relationships decay; higher-level relationships (e.g., friend, sweetheart) don't. For nonplayed Sims, relationships don't decay. After enough relationship decay, some relationships may be culled (removed/forgotten); see the next post.If you'd like the more complex details, to help you figure out if the current system will work well for you without mods, please see Neia's post below. BackgroundRelationship decay has been a feature of The Sims 4 (as previous versions) for currently active households (the household you're playing at the moment) since launch. In Spring 2016, relationship decay was extended to non-active played households. This resulted in a lot more relationship culling (Sims forgetting each other — see the next post). Relationship decay was tweaked again in Fall 2016 to affect fewer relationships.Related Mods To stop relationship decay entirely: MC Command Center To reduce the speed of relationship decay (or even increase it): MC Command Center An older mod, The Relationship Decay Mod, from September 2014, is no longer supported.Relationship decay affects the performance mechanism called relationship culling, because relationships are culled based on their strength. Mod at your own risk.

Relationship CullingThis is the removal of a relationship between two Sims, so that they have "forgotten" each other. Relationship culling is a performance mechanism that was introduced in December 2015. It is noticed more by rotational players than by single-household players; single-household players are more likely to notice it if they use Get Together's Club system. Particularly you're playing at or below recommended specs, you may notice that lot loading in particular is faster when relationships have been culled. Current Status Relationship culling happens in the middle of the Sim night, every Sim night. It affects relationships between unplayed Sims, and it affects non-active played Sims that have over 35 relationships. Your currently active household is protected. It removes lower-level relationships before higher-level ones, working its way up from 0-level. Within-household relationships and family relationships are protected. For played Sims, there are events and past relationship levels that cause a relationship to be protected. It does not take into account shared Club membership or coworker status: Club members and coworkers can forget each other. Neia's post below has much more detail, to help you decide if the system will work well for you unmodded. Related Mods To stop relationship culling completely: Neia's No More Relationship Culling or MC Command Center To customize the targets and levels for relationship culling: MC Command CenterRelationship culling is a performance mechanism. Mod at your own risk.

Further detailsRelationship DecayDecay for :- Sims in the active household- played Sims between -20 and 20No decay for :- played Sims above 20 or under -20- unplayed SimsRelationship CullingCulling for :- Played/Played or Played/Unplayed relationships when a Sim has more than 35 relationships- Unplayed/Unplayed relationshipsNo culling for :- Relationships in the active household- Relationships with a special tag that prevents cullingSpecial tags that prevent culling :- For played Sims only : First kiss, BFF, Good friends, Good friends (Evil), Divorced, Getting Married, Got cold feet, Left at the altar, Significant other, Lovebirds, Enemies with benefits, Lovers, Soulmates, Sweethearts, Total opposites, Enemy, Archenemies, Declared Archenemy, Partners in crime, Have done woohoo, Has been unfaithful, Cheated with, Leave at the altar, Have done woohoo recently, promised, Renewing vows, Pregnancy Birthparent, Widow, Widower,- For played and unplayed Sims : Brother, Sister, Son, Daughter, Grandchild, Grandparent, Parent, Stepsibling, Cousin, Aunt, Uncle, Niece, Nephew, Engaged, Married, Husband, WifeSome of these tags don't appear in the relationship panel, be cautious with those since they may not be fully implemented.

Culling, Relationship Culling & Decay: Current Status

fullspiral
8 years ago
Thanks both @luthienrising and @Neia for this thread. Bookmarked for future reference and developments.
Cerimonster
8 years ago
This is awesome! Thank you Luthien and Neia for compiling this.
simgirl1010
Hero
8 years ago
Great post. One of the reasons I've avoided rotational play is a lack of understanding of culling. This really helps. Gonna re-read later. Thanks to both of you. :)
simsimsere
Seasoned Rookie
8 years ago
This is a really handy thread, thanks for creating it. I'm currently happy playing rotationally without mods, hoping to keep it that way.
MsPigglyPooh
8 years ago
Awesome post thanks a ton! <3 :)
Terra575
8 years ago
Thanks for this! I have a couple questions.

@Neia - Is 'Romantic Interest' protected? Before I started playing with mods, I had a Sim forget someone who was his romantic interest, but I'm not sure if that's changed.

@luthienrising - About relationship culling, you say "It affects relationships between unplayed Sims, and it affects non-active played Sims that have over 35 relationships. Your currently active household is protected." Is it new that the current active household is protected? Before I started using mods, I had relationships in the active household get cut all the time, but that was a little while ago now.

This might be a lot of extra work, but would you consider adding to your master posts the most recent Guru statements about these mechanics? It might be a helpful resource for people who are trying to figure out how well (or not) the team has been communicating about these issues. However, even if you don't want to go through the extra work of doing that, this is a great resource for players that I really appreciate you taking the time to put together.
luthienrising
Hero+
8 years ago
@Terra I believe it was a bug that active-household relationships were culled. I haven't seen a report of it since the last patch.

Most of what we know here actually doesn't come from SimGuru statements - it's from @Neia poking in files and answering my and others' questions :) When I get a chance, I'll do some hunting down, though, because I do believe there are some statements about purpose and the like, especially if they're checking into possible bugs. It might take me a bit to get around to that. New CPU = must play things :D
Terra575
8 years ago
"luthienrising;15368356" wrote:
@Terra I believe it was a bug that active-household relationships were culled. I haven't seen a report of it since the last patch.

Most of what we know here actually doesn't come from SimGuru statements - it's from @Neia poking in files and answering my and others' questions :) When I get a chance, I'll do some hunting down, though, because I do believe there are some statements about purpose and the like, especially if they're checking into possible bugs. It might take me a bit to get around to that. New CPU = must play things :D

Yeah, I was thinking most of it came from Neia so I thought some people might find it interesting or helpful to see how much has been deduced by players and how much has been flat out said by Gurus. But it's not imperative - playing comes first, especially if you have a new computer! :smiley:
benjiu
8 years ago
@Terra
I just checked and no, "Romantic Interest" isn't protected apparently :)
Terra575
8 years ago
"Neia;15368392" wrote:
@Terra
I just checked and no, "Romantic Interest" isn't protected apparently :)

Thanks for checking!