Simspiration

It is a new year, a fresh start, and an exciting time. There are countless things that I want to accomplish in the year ahead. However, like many people, I will most likely forget about them all. Okay, while I may have absolutely no follow through, and my hopes may be far-fetched, I am hoping that The Sims team fares better in this department than I do. If so, I have a few resolution ideas for The Sims in 2022, and truthfully, I think we deserve something. Don't you? I love The Sims 4. In fact. The Sims, is one of the first video games that I really got into and enjoyed playing. So, it will always hold a special place in my heart. If you are a part of The Sims 4 community, however, you know that there are a lot of issues, complaints, and negativity surrounding the game. Many players prefer The Sims 3 and some are more amatory to Sims 2. Still, whichever version you prefer, there is no denying that The Sims in genreal is pretty freaking cool! All the recent talk of EA working on The Sims 5 got me thinking… Am I ready to say goodbye to my beloved Sims 4? Is it really time to move on? After much deliberation, I’ve decided that I am not ready, and I will tell you why...

The Sims 4 Still has so much potential!

I’m gonna be that person and ask why start fresh with a game that will have nothing (much like The Sims 4 did in the early days) when we can just build on what we already have? The framework of The Sims 4 is amazing and the graphics are so much better than The Sims 3!

Why deny what we already have? Why not just improve it?

I get it, the show must go on, and it is about making money, I know. Realistically, however, it will cost a lot more to make a new game than it would to improve the one we already have, just saying’... While I may be wishfully thinking here, and I do understand that change needs to happen, there are a few things I hope to see before The Sims 4 is finished for good. Then, and only then, will I be ready to embrace new adventures - whatever those may be.

Story Progression

Oh wait, we got this. Late in 2021, the Sims team announced the introduction of story progression in the game. Although this addition is in the early stages of production, it has been well-received by the community. When it comes to story progression in The Sims 4, I hope to see more options added to it in 2022. It is great that neighbors call you to help them make big, lifechanging decisions, but I would like to see some more autonomous actions in neighborhoods occurring as well. Allow my neighbors to get divorced, have a baby, or even have an affair without my input. I am okay with that.

Generations

This is always a hot topic in the community, and I think it is a necessary requirement in the game at this point. While we may never get a true ‘generations pack,’ I would like to see a few things that would help players create this highly requested function in their games.

• Babies that are not mere objects: In order to create true generational gameplay, we first need babies that do not end up in our inventory. • Toddler Activities: While we have received quite a few cute toddler items over the years, this area of gameplay is still s i g n i f i c a n t l y lacking. I would like t o see the ability to host play dates, join mommy toddler groups, or any other activities that enhance this life stage.

• More things for

kids to do: Kids, in general, lead pretty boring lives i n the Sims 4. There is n o t a lot for them to do outside of school and a few other mediocre activities. I would love to see more events and activities that are specifically for kids in the game, as well as some definitions of the varying ages. A 6year-old and a 12-year-old should look, act, and be different. Unfortunately, in the Sims there is no distinct variety to children's ages, and that makes realism difficult at best. • More relationship types in CAS: Let me define that someone is my grandmother when I create a family. Let me make a step parent or half sibling. If the sims team would add more relationship labels, we could create more realistic storylines for our Sims.

• Power to the

elders: Nifty Knitting was an awesome addition to the Sims 4, and I really thought the ‘ r e m i n i s c e ’ interaction was a hint to a pack rewarding elders' wisdom. Sadly, there has been nothing more to indicate that our precious elder Sims will be getting the credit they deserve, hopefully 2022 is their time to shine with elder specific activities and interactions added to the game. • More events in general: A huge part of life is those small events that happen at set points. The Sims needs to provide us with the ability to create more realistic events to create generational game play. Baby showers, bachelor parties, and funerals, for example, allow your Sims to celebrate the small things that make life matter.

There Is Something Fishy Going on…

I love the large fish tanks in The Sims 4, and I use them a lot in my builds. The one thing that I cannot understand, however, is that your Sims cannot interact with the fish once they are placed in the tank. I would like to see the team add the ability to feed the fish at least. Seeing as this interaction is already in the game, it should not be too difficult to add to the tanks. My goldfish, Fluffy, is dying for some love and attention over here! Furthermore, adding interactions could impact a Sims mood by providing a relaxed moodlet after they view the fish or after feeding. This interaction would not need to be as in-depth as actual pets.Instead, it could be similar to the hamster interactions that we have in the game already but on a more basic level

Bring Back Burglars.

In 2022 the one thing I really want to see in The Sims 4 is burglars. If you have ever played the other games in this franchise you might recall the terror you felt everytime the burglar music sounded in your game. Sure, burglars were a pain in the butt, and were truly heart-stopping when they crept in through the night, but they added a level of difficulty to the game that is currently lacking. So, bring back the burglars I say, and let us live in perpetual fear once more!

More Realistic Interactions and a Better Trait System.

I hate that I can cheat on my ‘Simnificant other’ and know that my marriage will be fine in an hour. I want consequences, and long-term impacts from the things that I do while playing. I would like to see moodlets last longer and be more powerful. I want these things to truly affect the Sims happiness and wellbeing. The same goes for

the traits in The Sims 4. I want a mean Sim to be mean, a gloomy Sims to be gloomy, and those who are non-commital to commit to that role. I do not want to be able to become best friends in mere minutes or marry a non-committal Sim and have a bunch of children in the first few hours of meeting them. Give us some credit and give us a bit of a challenge!

More Mess.

The Sims 4 is the ultimate utopian universe. Everything is pristine and perfect, aside from the addition of dust to the game early in 2021. I want things to be messier and more realistic. Give our Sims the ability to make the bed at least. I don’t know about you but when I roll out of bed in the morning, my sheets are not perfectly aligned. No, they are a tangled, bunched up mess - much like the rest of my life!

Give Kids Bikes Already.

If the Sims is not giving us cars, the least they can do is allow kids to ride bikes. Being a child in The Sims 4 is actually quite sad to be honest. Can you imagine buying yourself a nice, new, shiny bike and riding it around in front of your children? Exactly!

Expand on Apartments.

In both City Living and Eco Lifestyle we were provided with apartments for our Sims, and they are great. However, what would be really great would be the ability to create our own apartment buildings. Sure, you can utilize the roommate system in The Sims 4 to do this, but it is a bit buggy and does not have the same effect. I want to build apartments or duplexes and designate which Sims will live there, or I want to be a landlord and rent out apartments in the apartment building that I created myself. I would also like to see more smaller apartments. Some of the ones we have in the game now are way too big and since you cannot move the windows, they are really hard to play in at times.

More Build/Buy and CAS.

In 2022 I would love to see more things added to the build/buy catalogue and even to CAS. I have a LONG list of demands should Maxis ever return my calls, but here is a shortened version for the purposes of this article.

In Build/Buy:

• Single hanging coats and single shoes/pairs of shoes • Blankets that we can t h r o w over a c o u c h o r chair. • T h r o w pillows. • M o r e curtains. I want more curtains, and ones that auto-fit all w a l l heights. In fact, make everything have the ability to adjust to the varying wall heights please. • More Kitchen Appliances. I want a toaster in The Sims 4. It drives me insane that the Sims make toast on the stove top. I would also love to see some other small appliances added to the game as well. I am thinking of deep-fryers, an air-fryer, a blender, a toaster and/or toaster-oven, a slow cooker, and a kettle. Any small appliances that you have in your own house will work. • More art and more mirrors. Honestly, you cannot give us too much. • Lamps and rugs. Just give us more of them. • More realistic clutter. I want cereal boxes, make-up pallets, board games, and knick knacks. I want any and all clutter that you can give me. I will gladly take it all! • More swatches. Okay, maybe ‘create-a-style is not a great concept, but could we at least

get more swatches? I would love a color wheel but I will accept added swatch options if I must.

In CAS:

• More accessories. Give us more necklaces, sunglasses, rings, etc. • Added swatches and variety of hair. Let’s be honest, this area is severely lacking in The Sims 4, let’s continue to fix this in 2022. • More Clothing. Obviously more clothing is just a good idea, but make it clothing that people actually want to wear and that world with what we already have in the game. • More Shoes. I am a girl, what can I say!?! • Better Skin Tones. While The Sims has improved, I hope that this year they will continue to expand on this area by adding even more variety. I want it so every player can make their Simself sparkle! • Improved eyes. Eyes in The Sims are not very realistic. Where is the sparkle? Where is the shine? • Height and Weight Adjustments . The fact that everyone in The Sims is the same height and relative shape makes me crazy! I am super short and skinny. I have friends and family that are super tall or curvier than I am. I would love to have the ability to adjust a Sims height somehow, even if it is simply a few preset options. • Eyelashes. I finish off this list with the one thing that I want to see most in CAS, eyelashes. I cannot even look at a Sim without CC eyelashes and now that we have an improved Spa Day, we could add the ability to get our lashes done at the spa. While this list is quite long and should keep the team busy through the new year, I do have a more things that I would love to see in The Sims 4 before it is over… However, I will stop here. I am sure I could come up with 100 more things that should be added to this game, however, I truly love The Sims 4, and I think that if the team continues to expand on the foundation that they have already created, I will still love it in 5+ years. I would love to know what kind of things you wish that they would add to The Sims 4. Share your wishlists with me on Social Media:

Twitter: @K8Simsley Instagram:@k8simsley TikTok: @k8simsley Facebook page: K8 Simsley

Have a Simtacular Day! K8 Simsley