Erratic sims shouldn't have the Straight Jacket Icon even for their moodlets
Hello everyone, I noticed that even if the team changed the straight Jacket Icon for erratic sims in CAS, they kept that same icon for their mood changes...as someone who is neurodivergent, extreme mood changes happen all the time for me but the fact that it's associated with "the need" of straight jackets in the game makes me feel so bad? I don't know how to explain it but it feels like people who have mood changes needs to be contained. Maybe the team could change these icons: Here's an example of what my erratic sim got from switching to a sad moodlet
Cross-Platform DLC Transfers for The Sims 4
Dear Reader, As a dedicated Sim player for over 18 years, I genuinely love and enjoy the game. While I've occasionally been frustrated by some updates (or the lack thereof), nothing has been more disheartening than the inability to transfer purchased packs across platforms. I currently play on PlayStation but have been considering switching to PC/Mac for greater convenience, especially when traveling. However, I was shocked to discover that the significant investment I've made in The Sims 4 content—over $1,400 across expansion packs, game packs, stuff packs, and kits—would not carry over to a new platform. This limitation is both frustrating and discouraging for loyal players like myself. What is the point of having an EA account if it doesn't provide the flexibility to access purchased content across platforms? The idea of repurchasing the same DLC content for another $1,400 is unreasonable and alienating to devoted fans. Allowing cross-platform pack transfers would offer more advantages than drawbacks: Player Loyalty and Customer Appreciation: The Sims franchise thrives on its passionate and loyal player base. Allowing cross-platform pack transfers would show that EA values and appreciates its most dedicated players. Increasing Player Engagement: Players are more likely to engage with the game on multiple platforms when their content carries over. This flexibility enhances the player experience, encouraging greater long-term involvement in the game. Consistency with Industry Trends: Cross-platform play and transferable purchases are becoming industry standards. Major gaming companies such as Epic Games, Microsoft, and Ubisoft have embraced this model, making it easier for players to access their content across different devices. EA should follow suit to remain competitive and player-focused. Convenience for Players on the Go: Gaming isn't confined to a single device anymore. Many players, myself included, would love to play The Sims 4 while traveling or on road trips by simply hotspotting a laptop to a phone. Without cross-platform content, this becomes nearly impossible for console players. Protection Against Piracy: The current system inadvertently encourages players to seek unauthorized ways to access their paid content on other platforms. Offering a legitimate solution for transferring packs would reduce the incentive for piracy. Increased DLC Sales: Players who have the flexibility to use their packs across platforms are more likely to continue purchasing new content rather than feeling alienated by platform restrictions. Improved Customer Satisfaction: Happy customers are more likely to recommend the game and remain loyal to the franchise. Allowing pack transfers would address a significant pain point for many players, fostering a more positive relationship with the EA brand. I understand that some might argue I should simply remain on PlayStation, but it's not always practical. Being able to hotspot my laptop during travel and play like so many other players would be a game-changer for me. I appreciate the hard work the team puts into developing new content, and I'm more than willing to continue supporting The Sims series financially. However, I cannot justify paying twice for the same content. Loyal fans deserve a better solution. I sincerely hope EA will consider addressing this issue and providing a solution that benefits the entire player base. Thank you for your time and for listening to this long-time player's concerns. ~ HaleyIssues with Skate
A few issues that hold this game back from being way better and playable for years to come in my opinion as a long time fan and skateboarder. The trucks are displayed backwards when selecting them. The photo of the trucks should display the front graphic or logo of the truck, not the kingpin. You can't even pan the camera to look at the front when picking your trucks. Thrasher grip tape isn't centered on the board properly. I worked hard to unlock it and I never use it because its super crooked and looks like a zumies employee put it on for me. Skateboard stickers should be allowed to be moved around and sized up or down. Add some proper skinny jeans please, I dont like super baggy pants and I'm tired of faking it with the black leggings. The skate physics are amazing in my opinion as far as the look and feel of flip tricks, choice of flip speed, steez of tricks, wallies, slash grinding curbs, and being able to hop in and out of grinding without pop by holding right or left on the stick. These are phenomenal improvements but the are greatly held back by this map. I find alot of features that do not make sense from a skateboarding perspective and as a feature of a city as well. Stuff that looks skatable at first glance but in practice come off clunky or super unrealistic to ride. Beautiful stairs with no room for speed on top to hit them or a planter/obstacle right where you need to roll away at the bottom. Weird shaped boxes that are awkward to grind. Overcrowded areas that dont leave room to breathe in between tricks. I think if you focused on making it more of an actual city landscape it would shine because that's what street skating is about. All the bowls are weird to ride. They dont have a good flow to them. At first glance they look sick but in practice they feel off and awkward. They need rhythm to them for the nice long carves you want when riding transition, you shouldn't have to push for speed at any point in a bowl if you pump properly. Almost all the skate 3 bowls felt natural, simple, and completely pump reliant for speed. Flip tricks from transition into a grind/stall on the coping of a quarter pipe, bowl, or transition is completely non existent. I want to kickflip noseblunt these bowls and quarter pipes so bad but it just puts be back into transition or onto the deck above the coping. You can power slide into a grind and that's cool but its not the same as popping a hardflip to over crooked. This is a major oversight in my opinion, on par with the trucks issue. It seems so obvious. I love the skate franchise and have been consistently playing skate 3 for over a decade. These things would help Skate shine and make it playable for many years to come. I would pay actual money if yall ported some skate 3 maps as DLC into Skate. But I would be hesitant in a way because I can't flip trick into grind on coping. Playing those old maps lacking that component would feel like I'm missing part of the game. I dont know what your development team actually looks like but get some real skateboarders to help with the layout and features of these parks. I will admit these community parks are slowly starting to feel more skatable and fluid, but definitely still room for improvement. Thanks for reading!!!
[Traits] Add, Update/Refresh or Overhaul?
I have my starting notes, but feel free to add your own. Also, note a concept of making some pack traits, cross-pack traits so you can get from other packs as well. Generally, I think all older traits could use a refresh/update—as many of the newer traits like Lovestruck and newer have some really great traits. I also think that the new default trait should be 6 slots. I know people usually ask for 5, and that there is a mod for 5, and that GRO allows up to 5. But in CAS up to 6, because weird enough I think it looks cleaner/balanced in the Simology panel, and dynasty panel as they both as set up for 2-3 columns. As mentioned in the comments Vegetarian, Lactose Intolerant, etc. should be in a separate dietary panel. Base Game Traits: Active: This should be the only trait that autonomously works out/jogs/etc. Active Imagination: Should work on adults. Ambitious: Should work with active careers, and should get advantages for Prestige Point for Dynasties if R&L is installed. Art Lover: I think these should be merged with Creative (Artistic). Bookworm Bro: I feel this should be an aspiration or reward trait. Cheerful Childish: Should have some of Goofball aspects merged into this trait. Clumsy Creative: I think these should be merged with Art Lover (Artistic). Erratic: I think these should be split into Neurotic (mild neurosis) and Insane (highly eccentric and stereotyped "insane" behaviour) like in Sims 3. Evil Family-Oriented: Should get advantages for Prestige Point for Dynasties if R&L is installed. If children are in household, autonomy should be like a hired Nanny. Foodie: Should be in a separate dietary panel. Geek Genius Gloomy Glutton: I feel this could be merged with Slob. Good: I feen this could be merged with Loyal. Goofball: This should be split into Funny/Good Sense of Humor and Childish. Grouch Hates Children Hot-Headed: Should be stronger Angry moodlets and immune to cardiac explosion unless elder. Jealous: Should be stronger Tense moodlets. Kleptomaniac Lazy: I feel this could be merged with Slob. Loner Loves Outdoors: Should get advantages to gaining and keeping "Outdoorsy" Lifestyle if Snowy Escape is installed. Loyal: I feel this could be merged with Good Materialistic: I feel this could be merged with Snob Mean: I think unless a Sim is equipped with Mean (and possibly Evil), will not autonomously use mean interactions. Music Lover Neat: Autonomy should be just like a hired Maid/Butler. Noncommittal: Should get advantages to gaining and keeping "Single and Lovin' It" Lifestyle if Snowy Escape is installed. Outgoing Perfectionist: Should get advantages for Prestige Point for Dynasties if R&L is installed. Practice Makes Perfect Romantic: Should increase Romance Skill if Lovestruck is installed, stronger Flirty moodlets, and should get advantages to gaining and keeping "Hungry for Love" Lifestyle if Snowy Escape is installed. Self-Assured: Personally I think the icon should be updated/improved, and trait could be updated/improved. Maybe act more like a Brave trait. Slob: I feel this could be merged with Lazy. Snob: I feel this could be merged with Materialistic. Vegetarian: Should be in a separate dietary panel. Also, add the Sim Characteristic Mysterious, as with occult Sims and traits like Macabre/Mystical are Mysterious Ideals. For both likes/dislikes and turn ons/offs. Pack Traits: Adventurous: I feel this could be a cross-pack trait not just Snowy Escape, so update the icon to represent a more generic "Adventurous", and maybe add it to Royal & Legacy (as the Brave Ideals and Swordsmanship Skill, and is apt to the trait) and Adventure Awaits (for Archery Skill). Animal Enthusiast Cat Lover Chased by Death: Should be compatible with Mystical. Child of the Islands Child of the Ocean Child of the Village Competitive Cringe Dance Machine: This maybe should be cross-pack and icon/name updated to Dancer. To work with Waltzing in R&L too. Disruptive: Should be compatible with Macabre, increased Mischief Skill should be fixed, and should autonomously use their trait specific socials (or at least more so over other mischievous socials). Dog Lover Freegan Generous Green Fiend High Maintenance Horse Lover Idealist Insider Lactose Intolerant: Should be in a separate dietary panel. Lovebug: Should get advantages to gaining and keeping "Hungry for Love" Lifestyle if Snowy Escape is installed. Macabre: Should be compatible with Disruptive and Mystical. Maker Mystical: Should be compatible with Macabre. Also, if an occult, should prioritize occult autonomous actions/interactions. Nosy Overachiever: Should get advantages for Prestige Point for Dynasties if R&L is installed. Paranoid Party Animal Plant Lover Proper: This maybe should be cross-pack with R&L, should gain advantages to getting "Gold" on Holding Court/Holding Press Conferences, and want to autonomously waltz, and socialize with Nobles if Royalty & Legacy is installed. Rancher: Autonomy should be just like a hired Ranch-Hand. Recycle Disciple Romantically Reserved Self-Absorbed Skeptical Socially Awkward Shady Squeamish: I feel this could be a cross-pack trait not just Outdoor Retreat, but also for Adventure Awaits. Unflirty: Should get advantages to gaining and keeping "Single and Lovin' It" Lifestyle if Snowy Escape is installed. Wise: Should get advantages for Prestige Point for Dynasties if R&L is installed. Wanted Traits: Green Thumb: Yes, we got Plant Lover but they are plant sensitive, negative moodlets from dead plants, harvest plants, eating plants. Where Green Thumb is about the growing and harvesting of plants for cooking/flower arranging/selling being proud of your garden, and not quite thinking they are your green babies. This for base game too. Charismatic: What I like about this trait at least in Sims 3 days, is you could be Charming-Charismatic (depending on other traits) I assume that is the Outgoing trait of today, or Manipulative-Charismatic (depending on other traits). It would be really nice even if you have a more negative or mean spirited leaning Sim, to be able to socialize back into a Sim's good graces after being mistreated or been rude to, creating hot-cold socializations and relationships. Brooding: This was my favourite Sims 3 trait. I loved they would prioritize looking out a window over any socializing. Brooding trait is a social trait, and acted as an overpowered Loner trait. A Sim could just Consider the Hollowness of Life or Contemplate the Meaning of Meaning and fill their social and fun bars. You pretty much wouldn't need any social or fun and since it was autonomous it almost always be maintained. This helped with adventuring and skill raising. Irresistible: If the devs ever fix strangers joining conversations or just stop all NPCs from interrupting a Sim's queue. This is what/how the Irresistible trait use to accomplish. If you left your Sim unattended, Sims (unless Loners/Social Awkward or whatever), would approach your Sim and socialize, because they are drawn to your trait. Otherwise it is pretty much a pointless trait with NPC/Sims' non-stop socializing. And when they "Blow a Kiss" the other Sim would be fixated on the Irresistible Sim for a timeframe. Flirty: Yes, we have various romantic based traits, but I liked that Flirty traditionally was like a "tease" social, no physical contact, but would prefer flirting over other socials. In Sims 3 it actually made Romantic based Sims the more "Female" based romantic social, like if your did the "Dip Kiss" even though you initiated you'd be dipped. And "Flirty" was more the "Male" based romantic trait making all the moves as the dominant (I think like putting the arm around the Sim type idea). This for base game too. (Reward or Hidden Trait) Immortal: Some occults can't be immortal and stop aging. Such as Spellcasters. I'd like a potion (that makes the trait, and not potions to create moodlets/reduce days on aging) or reward trait to accomplish this.
🗺️ World Design
Hi, I would like to propose a way to design the worlds : Downtown neighborhood : Small area Apartments / Penthouse City activities (Festivals) Street artist / performers Local "tribes" (Similar to Tourists and Weirdos in San Myshuno) Rabbithole businesses and entertainment (movie theater, concert, opera, ...) Suburb neighborhood : Medium area Optimized for jogging and hiking Local lore secrets Historic monument (Similar to Mt. Komorebi) Nature neighborhood : Large area Optimized for horse riding and biking If water, optimized for swimming and kayaking Noble's land (64x64 or 50x50 lot) Nature secrets (Similar to Hothead Rock Geyser in Gibbi Point) The idea is to avoid the mistake done with Copperdale and Tomarang where Plumbite Pier and Night Market are lifeless. In term of vacation, it would split the world into 3 themes : Entertainment, Exploration and Relaxation. I think the game have a lot of "lush" neighborhoods and lacks of "concrete" neighborhoods with apartments.Top 100 ranked rewards makeright
I put in so many hours this month, over a hundred to play the ranked game mode to get top 100. I was top 100 two nights ago and then took a break since ranked rewards were not supposed to be finished until Sunday as EA PUBLISHED. So I fell to 103 in the world with over 5200 ranked points and over 140 wins but had the rest of the week to get back up 3 spots! But then EA inexplicably and without notice ended the ranked mode early so I missed too 100 after committing so much time!! How can I get in contact with a mod or them to see this topic? They need to own the mistake and make this right! I need to be comped my top 100 rewards that I earned after putting in multiple hours every night this month only for their incompetence to take it away from me! If you do not make this right I will never buy another EA game!!!
URGENT Hobbies and Business Feedback
The addition of Small Businesses without a broader update to Retail, Restaurants, and Vet Clinics suggests that Get to Work, Dine Out, and Cats & Dogs have been relegated to "legacy packs." But this is one game, and everything should feel cohesive and well-integrated. I played this expansion and became concerned about the direction EA is taking. This expansion is the most blatant example of adding a feature that is exactly the same as one from another expansion, without any significant novelty to justify it, while treating it as something completely different. The only time I had seen something similar was when The Sims 3 Showtime introduced fame-related careers and completely ignored the celebrity system from The Sims 3 Late Night. In The Sims 4, we had Snowy Escape and For Rent, which built upon features from Seasons and City Living, respectively, but maintained a cohesive relationship between the existing content and the new additions. This expansion, however, does not follow that pattern—it simply sidelined the retail system from Get to Work, the Restaurants from Dine Out, and the Vet Clinics from Cats & Dogs, as if they had never been released in the game. In fact, with the addition of Restaurants and Vet Clinics, the retail system from Get to Work was already in need of an update to bring coherence to the different business types, making them more harmonious and integrated—from menu structures to small interaction details. This expansion was the perfect opportunity to address that with an update. Instead, they did the exact opposite: they introduced a new retail system that overlaps Get to Work's but functions completely differently. From the menus to the features and interactions, everything is inconsistent. This is problematic because some useful features from Get to Work are missing from the small businesses, and vice versa. To make a fair comparison, I created a Sim and made them the owner of a Get to Work Retail store, a Restaurant, a Vet Clinic, and a small business. The Restaurants and Vet Clinics ended up being very similar. However, small businesses seem to have taken certain features from Get to Work and improved them—but if you play using the Get to Work retail system, you don’t get to enjoy those improvements. Meanwhile, some positive aspects of the retail system are not present in small businesses. Below are all the relevant aspects of businesses across these four packs: Information in the “Owned Businesses” Panel in Live Mode Retail (Get to Work) – Available in the “Owned Businesses” panel in Live Mode: Dropdown menu to select and purchase a retail business; “Travel to Venue” button when the owner is off-lot; “View Last Finances” button when the owner is on-lot; “Manage Employees” button when the owner is on-lot; “Employee Uniforms...” button when the owner is on-lot; “Sell This Store” button when the owner is on-lot; “Price Markup” dropdown menu when the owner is on-lot; “Open/Close” button, available when the owner is on-lot; “Transfer Business Funds” button; “Perks Points” button; “Previous Finances” section when the owner is on-lot, including Items Sold, Expenses (advertising, restocking, and Build Mode purchases), and Sales Profit. Restaurant and Vet Clinic – Available in the “Owned Businesses” panel in Live Mode: Dropdown menu to select and purchase a restaurant or Vet Clinic (similar to Retail); “Restaurant Settings” / “Vet Clinic Settings” button when the owner is on-lot, replaced by the “Travel to Venue” button when the owner is off-lot; Star rating and number of customer reviews; “View Last Finances” button; “Manage Employees” button, available when the owner is on-lot; “Open/Close” button; “Transfer Business Funds” button; “Perk Points” button; “Last Shift Finances” section, including the number of customers and meal/service profits. Small Business – Available in the “Owned Businesses” panel in Live Mode: Dropdown menu to select and purchase a lot (similar to Retail, but includes a “Travel” button and “Sell Lot” button within this menu); “Small Business Settings” button, available at all times, even when the owner is off-lot; Business alignment meter; Business star rating meter (in a different location than for Restaurants and Vet Clinics); “Perk Points” button (placed differently than in other businesses); “Open/Close” button; “Manage Employees” button; “Manage Employee Tasks” button; “Employee Uniforms...” button; “Financial Overview” button; “Sell This Small Business” button. FEEDBACK: The interface for the "Owned Businesses" panel in Live Mode should be as unified as possible to reduce fragmentation and provide a smoother experience. Business Settings Retail (Get to Work) – No single menu consolidates all settings, but price markup, advertising, and employee uniforms are configured through interactions on the cash register and/or specific buttons in the “Owned Businesses” panel in Live Mode. Restaurant – A button in the “Owned Businesses” panel in Live Mode opens a pop-up where you can configure markup, advertising, ingredient quality, menu, employee uniforms, and customer dress code. Vet Clinic – A button in the “Owned Businesses” panel in Live Mode opens a pop-up where you can configure markup, advertising, supply quality, and employee uniforms. Small Business – A button in the “Owned Businesses” panel in Live Mode opens a pop-up to configure the business name, description, and logo, business activities, entry fees, price modifier (similar to markup), and target audience. FEEDBACK: The "Owned Businesses" settings menu should allow for uniform configuration of markup, advertising, quality, menu (for restaurants), employee uniforms, and customer dress code across all business types. Additionally, like Small Businesses, all businesses should allow customization of name, description, logo, and target audience. Entry fees should remain exclusive to Small Businesses, but markup and price modifiers should function in a consistent way across all business types. Venue Settings in Build Mode Retail (Get to Work) – None. Restaurant – A tab in the “Venue Info” menu in Build Mode allows for configuring the menu, employee uniforms, and customer dress code. Vet Clinic – A tab in the “Venue Info” menu in Build Mode allows for configuring employee uniforms. Small Business – None (only the ability to designate residential, public, and employees only areas). FEEDBACK: The same settings available in the "Owned Businesses" panel in Live Mode should also be accessible in the "Venue Info" menu in Build Mode, with unavailable options grayed out based on restrictions (e.g., requiring perk unlocks). 🛠️ Additionally: The venue configuration system, including employee uniforms, customer outfits, and target customers, should be standardized across all community lots. Price Markup Configuration Retail (Get to Work) – Configured via the cash register or a dropdown menu in the “Owned Businesses” panel in Live Mode. Available percentages: 5%, 15%, 25%, 50%, and 100%. Restaurant – Configured through a pop-up accessed via the “Restaurant Settings” button in the “Owned Businesses” panel in Live Mode. Available percentages: 100%, 125%, 150%, 175%, 200%, 250%, and 300%. Vet Clinic – Configured through a pop-up accessed via the “Vet Clinic Settings” button in the “Owned Businesses” panel in Live Mode. Available percentages: 75%, 85%, 100%, 150%, and 200%. Small Business – Entry fees and price modifiers (similar to price markup) are configured via the Ticket Kiosk or a pop-up accessed from the “Small Business Settings” button in the “Owned Businesses” panel in Live Mode. Entry fees: “Disabled,” “Hourly,” and “One-Time Fee.” Price modifiers: -50%, -25%, 0%, +50%, and +100%. FEEDBACK: Markup configuration should be unified across all businesses and accessible from a single menu. Price modifiers in Small Businesses should function similarly to markup settings, ensuring consistency. Advertising Configuration Retail (Get to Work) – Advertising is configured via interactions on the cash register. Available options: "Short Term Web Campaign" "Long Term Web Campaign" "Short Term Television Ad" "Long-Term Television Ad" Restaurant – Advertising is configured via a pop-up accessed from the “Restaurant Settings” button in the “Owned Businesses” panel in Live Mode. Available options: "Silver Package" "Gold Package" "Platinum Package" "Diamond Package" Vet Clinic – Advertising is configured via a pop-up accessed from the “Vet Clinic Settings” button in the “Owned Businesses” panel in Live Mode. Available options: "Gold Package" "Platinum Package" Small Business – No advertising configuration available. FEEDBACK: Advertising should follow a unified model with tiered packages, similar to Restaurants and Vet Clinics. 🛠️ Additionally: Advertising options should be expanded to Small Businesses, ensuring players have strategic ways to increase their business’s visibility. Product/Service Quality Configuration Retail (Get to Work) – None. Restaurant – Ingredient quality is configured via a pop-up accessed from the “Restaurant Settings” button in the “Owned Businesses” panel in Live Mode. Available tiers: "Grade F (-25% cost)" "Standard" "Fresh Organic (+10% cost)" "Local, GMO Free, and Freshly Harvested (+25% cost)" This can be modified by unlocking the "Ingredient Quality Options" business perk. Vet Clinic – Supply quality is configured via a pop-up accessed from the “Vet Clinic Settings” button in the “Owned Businesses” panel in Live Mode. Available tiers: "Black Market (-50% treatment cost)" "Standard" "Premium (+50% treatment cost)" This can be modified by unlocking the "Unlock Vet Supply Quality" business perk. Small Business – None. FEEDBACK: The product/service quality system should be expanded to Retail and Small Businesses, allowing different types of businesses to have adjustable quality levels for their products and services. Additionally, all configurations should be accessible from the same settings pop-up for consistency. Employee Uniform Configuration Retail (Get to Work) – Employee uniforms are configured via the cash register or the “Employee Uniforms...” button in the “Owned Businesses” panel in Live Mode. Players can design male and female uniforms and assign them to specific employees individually. Restaurant & Vet Clinic – Employee uniforms are configured via a pop-up accessed from the “Restaurant Settings” or “Vet Clinic Settings” button in the “Owned Businesses” panel in Live Mode, or from the “Lot Info” menu in Build Mode. Restaurants: Uniforms are set for Chefs, Wait Staff, and Hosts, but cannot be assigned to individual employees. Vet Clinics: Uniforms are set for Veterinarians. Small Business – Similar to Retail, but the uniform settings are only accessible through the “Employee Uniforms...” button in the “Owned Businesses” panel in Live Mode (located in a different position than in Retail). FEEDBACK: The uniform system should be standardized across all business types and accessible from both the “Owned Businesses” panel and Build Mode, ensuring a seamless experience. To simplify the system, uniforms should be set per role instead of per employee, as done in Restaurants and Vet Clinics. Business Finances Retail, Restaurant & Vet Clinic – These businesses have separate funds from the household. When opening a business, players can transfer Simoleons into the business account. Players can also transfer more funds or withdraw money using a button in the “Owned Businesses” panel in Live Mode or, for Retail, through the cash register. Small Business – No distinction between household and business funds. FEEDBACK: The decision to keep Small Businesses using household funds makes sense given their nature. Business Perks System Retail, Restaurant & Vet Clinic – Business perks can be purchased using perk points from a list accessed via a pop-up from the “Business Perks” button in the “Owned Businesses” panel in Live Mode. Small Business – Perks are purchased using perk points through a skill tree format accessed via the “Small Business Perks” button in the “Owned Businesses” panel in Live Mode. These perks are unlocked based on business star rating and affect the business alignment system. FEEDBACK: Given the significant differences in how perks are structured between Small Businesses and other businesses, at the very least, the button to access perks should be standardized across all businesses to create a more fluid experience. Business Rating System Retail (Get to Work) – No rating system. Restaurant & Vet Clinic – A 5-star rating system based on customer reviews. Small Business – A separate 5-star rating system, different from Restaurants and Vet Clinics, along with alignment tracking (lawful/illegal), which changes based on the owner’s interactions and business perks. FEEDBACK: All businesses should follow the same star rating system, including Retail. The alignment system (lawful/illegal) can remain exclusive to Small Businesses, but the rating system should be consistent across all business types. Financial Reports Retail (Get to Work) – The pop-up opened by clicking "View Last Finances" in the “Owned Businesses” panel in Live Mode includes: Operating Hours Items Sold / Revenue Employee Salaries Net Profit Restaurant – The pop-up opened by clicking "View Last Finances" in the “Owned Businesses” panel in Live Mode includes: Star rating and number of customer reviews Number of customers served per shift Financial Report, showing "Sales," "Ingredient Cost," "Meal Profit," "Employee Salaries," "Advertising Cost," and "Net Profit" Customer Reviews, listing two areas that need improvement and one area of excellence Employee Report, displaying each employee's photo, name, relevant skills, and satisfaction level Vet Clinic – Identical to Restaurant, but the Financial Report includes "Treatments" instead of "Meals." Small Business – The pop-up opened by clicking "Financial Overview" in the “Owned Businesses” panel in Live Mode includes: Number of Customers Operating Hours Financial Report, including: "Business Opening Fee" "Ticket Sales" "Retail Sales" "Service Revenue" "Employee Salaries" "Net Profit" FEEDBACK: Financial reports should be standardized across all businesses, including sales, supply costs, advertising expenses, employee wages, and net profit. 🛠️ Additionally: A historical performance tracking feature would also help players make strategic business decisions. Starting the Business Shift Retail (Get to Work) – The shift is started via an interaction on the cash register or by clicking the “Open” button in the “Owned Businesses” panel in Live Mode. No fee is deducted to start the shift. Restaurant & Vet Clinic – The shift is started by clicking the “Open” button in the “Owned Businesses” panel in Live Mode. No fee is deducted to open the business. Small Business – Small Businesses are not necessarily tied to a single lot, meaning that the same Small Business can be opened on multiple residential or Small Business lots. The shift is started via an interaction on the Business Sign or by clicking the “Open” button in the “Owned Businesses” panel in Live Mode. A 75 Simoleon fee is deducted every time the shift starts. FEEDBACK: The opening process should be uniform across all businesses, eliminating the additional costs for Small Businesses. 🛠️ Additionally: An automatic scheduling system for business shifts could be introduced to facilitate management. Viewing and Hiring Employees Retail (Get to Work) – Available via an interaction on the cash register or by clicking the “Manage Employees” button in the “Owned Businesses” panel in Live Mode. This opens a pop-up listing the current employees and those available for hire (only Retail Employees can be hired). Each employee's profile displays their hidden skills, including Sales, Work Ethic, and Maintenance (cleaning/restocking). Restaurant and Vet Clinic – Similar to Retail, but employees can be hired for Chef, Host, and Waiter roles (tabs allow switching between roles in the hiring menu). Each employee's profile displays only the following skills: Chef: Mixology & Gourmet Cooking Host: Comedy & Charisma Waiter: Fitness & Charisma Vet Clinic – Similar to Retail, but only Veterinarians can be hired. Each employee's profile displays only Veterinary, Charisma, and Handiness skills. Small Business – Available via the “Manage Employees” button in the “Owned Businesses” panel in Live Mode. This opens a pop-up listing only the current employees and available hiring slots. Clicking a slot opens a second pop-up listing available employees (only Small Business Employees, a multi-role type). Each profile displays the employee’s relationship level with the owner and a mix of visible and hidden skills (the selection criteria for displayed skills seem to prioritize the Sim’s highest skills). FEEDBACK: The employee management interface should be standardized to match the Small Business format, ensuring all business types have the same options for viewing and customizing employees. 🛠️ Additionally: The hidden skills (Sales, Work Ethic, and Maintenance) should be made common skills and available for players who own either Get to Work or Hobbies and Business. Promoting, Demoting, and Firing Employees Retail, Restaurant & Vet Clinic – Employees can be managed via the "Manage" interaction available on employees or by clicking the "Manage Employees" button in the “Owned Businesses” panel in Live Mode. The pop-up displays current employees and available hires, and actions like promoting, demoting, or firing employees are performed through specific buttons. There are five employee levels, but you cannot directly select a specific level—you must promote to the next level or demote to the previous one. Clicking any of these buttons adds an interaction to the owner’s queue (the action is not instant). Small Business – Employees can be managed via the "Small Business" interaction on employees or by clicking a button in the “Owned Businesses” panel in Live Mode. This opens a pop-up showing only current employees and hiring slots. The "Manage Payment" button opens another pop-up where you can choose between three salary tiers: Low Pay Medium Pay High Pay The promotion, demotion, and firing effects are automatic (they do not require an interaction in the owner's queue). FEEDBACK: The employee management system for Retail, Restaurant, and Vet Clinics should allow direct promotions to a specific level, without requiring incremental promotions or demotions—similar to Small Businesses, while keeping the five levels intact. Additionally, actions from the Manage Employees button should always apply automatically for fluid gameplay, while manual interactions should remain an option when interacting directly with an employee (as already done in Small Businesses). Assigning Employee Tasks and Responsibilities Retail (Get to Work) – Available via the “Assign Work Task…” interaction on employees, allowing tasks such as: Ring Up Customers Clean the Store Answer Customers' Questions Restock Sold Items Restaurant – Chefs, Waiters, and Hosts have fixed roles and cannot be assigned specific tasks. Vet Clinic – Available via the “Responsibilities” interaction on employees, allowing the assignment of: Clean Treat Patients Small Business – Tasks can be assigned via a button in the "Owned Businesses" panel in Live Mode or through the “Small Business” interaction on employees. This opens a pop-up where up to 5 tasks can be assigned to each employee, including the owner. 📝 Note: Bars and tea/coffee counters do not function correctly as part of a business. There is an old "Hire Staff" function where a random Sim is assigned, but they do not become part of the employee roster. In Small Businesses, if an employee is assigned to work at a bar or tea/coffee counter, they will only prepare drinks and meals but will not charge customers. FEEDBACK: The task assignment system from Small Businesses should be expanded to Retail, Restaurants, and Vet Clinics. That way, all businesses would have the same task assignment interface, allowing players to customize each employee’s responsibilities. Retail Employees: Keep existing options (Assist Customers, Clean, Answer Questions, Restock Items). Veterinarians: Maintain their options (Clean, Treat Patients). Restaurant Employees: Display their assigned roles (Take Orders, Serve Customers, Greet Customers, Cook), but tasks should remain unmodifiable due to the structured nature of restaurants. Bars & Tea/Coffee Counters: The “Hire Staff” interaction should be removed, and hiring should be done via the employee roster. Restaurants should also introduce a Mixologist role. By default, employees should charge customers for orders, but players should be able to configure pricing and markups. Placing Items for Sale Retail (Get to Work) – Items placed on displays are not automatically marked for sale. Players must manually select each item and choose "Set for Sale." Items do not need to be on displays to be sold. Additionally, the cash register has an “Change ‘For Sale’ Tag” interaction, adding a visual label to objects. Small Business – Items placed on displays (including Get to Work displays) are automatically set for sale. Only items on displays can be sold. FEEDBACK: The sales system should be unified, ensuring that all items placed on displays are automatically marked for sale, as done in Small Businesses. Additionally, the manual “Set for Sale” function is inefficient and should be removed from Retail. A new interaction should allow players to designate any surface or rug as a display, enabling automatic sales for any object placed on it—applicable to both Retail and Small Businesses. Restocking Retail (Get to Work) – When a product is purchased, it is replaced by a “Sold Out” sign, which provides options to restock or remove the sign (similar to The Sims 2 Open for Business). The restocked item does not need to be in the Sim’s inventory or stored in a fridge. Small Business – When a product is purchased, it disappears from the display, and the player must manually place a new item each time something is sold. Thus, items must be in the Sim’s inventory or stored in a fridge to be restocked. FEEDBACK: The restocking system should be unified, allowing Small Businesses to also use the “Sold Out” sign and automatic restocking interaction like in Retail. This would eliminate manual placement for every sale, making gameplay smoother. Additionally, the Maintenance skill from Get to Work should be included for players who own Hobbies and Business. Remote Business Management Retail (Get to Work) – Off-lot actions: CANNOT open the business CANNOT view financial reports CANNOT manage employees (hire, promote, demote, fire) CANNOT assign employee tasks CANNOT change uniforms CAN transfer business funds CAN purchase business perks Restaurant & Vet Clinic – Off-lot actions: CAN open the business if employees are hired CAN view financial reports CANNOT adjust business settings (markup, advertising, ingredient/supply quality, menu, uniforms, customer dress code) CANNOT manage employees (hire, promote, demote, fire) CANNOT assign employee tasks CAN transfer business funds CAN purchase business perks Small Business – Off-lot actions: CANNOT open the business CAN view financial reports CAN manage business settings (edit name, description, logo, business activities, business locations, entry fees, price modifier, target audience) CAN manage employees (hire, promote, demote, fire) CAN assign employee tasks CAN change uniforms CAN purchase business perks FEEDBACK: Remote management should be expanded across all businesses, allowing players to hire employees, adjust prices, open businesses, and view financial reports from anywhere. Update: Images have been added for each feature of each business. English terms have been updated (I'm not a native speaker, and some terms differed from the game because I originally translated from my native language, but I believe all terms are now aligned with the game). Additional suggestions included. A subtitle has been added to the post.
So Tired From Marrying Off My Unplayed Households
Currently, while Neighborhood Stories allows for some changes like having babies, adopting, retiring, and moving in or out etc. there are a few important features missing that would help families grow and evolve naturally. Here are some features I would love to see added: ▪️Marriage: Sims should be able to marry autonomously, even if the player is not controlling their household. This would allow families to continue expanding without the player’s direct involvement. ▪️Divorce: Sims should be able to autonomously divorce if their relationship status changes. This would allow for more realistic family dynamics. ▪️Moving Out & Creating New Households: Teens and young adults should have the option to leave their households and create their own households, even without player intervention. This would allow Sims to continue to live their own lives, meet new Sims, and start their own families. ▪️Joining Another Household: Sims should be able to join other households, either through marriage or through other life changes. This could give rise to new family combinations and interactions. These additions would help make Neighborhood Stories more dynamic and allow Sims to live fuller lives without the player constantly managing every household. Sims could form relationships, start families, and grow old without needing direct control, allowing for organic development of family trees and more immersive storytelling. By adding these options The Sims 4 could bring a more realistic experience of life for all Sims, even those who are not being directly played. I got tired from marrying off my unplayed households... Also MC Command Center does that so I don't think this is hard to implement.
