EDIT: Edited this post to make more sense in 2019.
We finally had some attention from the developers when it comes to family play. We got our beloved toddlers back, as well as packs like Parenthood which improves family gameplay a lot. But there's still a glaring issue for me, and that is the baby lifestage!
I love to decorate nurseries when my sims are pregnant. Granted, I have to use mostly CC because the game lacks baby objects, but I don't mind. What I do mind is that when the baby arrives, he/she pops into the bassinet and that's it, that's the baby lifestage for you. They stay there for the rest of their baby days and the nursery is just decor that will never be used. The current babies we have on the game are literally just another piece of furniture. As a player who loves to play with families and cherish every single lifestage, this is heartbreaking, just like it was when toddlers didn't exist.
Considering TS4's version of toddlers are a bit more grown up and independent than previous games (which I love!), I think it would be a great opportunity to have the babies a bit more fleshed out too and be a more meaningful lifestage. So here are my ideas!
- New event: baby shower!
Oh, the joy of being pregnant and sharing that joy with your friends and family! I think a baby shower would make for a really fun and different event in the game.
- Guests: Everyone should be welcomed. Only females, the whole family, it's up to the player. Guests could come up to the pregnant sim, congratulate her, ask to feel the belly, etc.
- Gifts: Similar to the pile of presents we have in the game already. Guests would leave a present on the pile when they arrive. Gifts could be anything from the "kids" category. When the pregnant sim decides to open the gifts, everyone could gather around to watch and go "aaww".
- Other activities: A gender reveal balloon! This could be especially cute if we could do it with the father too, and it would be a great way to find out the gender of the baby.
- Meaningful gameplay: learning how to sit up, roll and crawl.
Toddlers no longer crawl, so I miss having a little rascal crawling all around my sims' houses. I think this is the perfect opportunity to give babies more meaningful gameplay too, and have those little milestones that are so important in a person's life.
- Learning how to sit up: They could do this with the help of another sim on a baby mat, or on their own. It could be a hidden skill.
- Learning how to crawl: Once they learn how to sit up, babies could try to roll over on their own and start to gain the crawling skill. Once they gain a few levels they could start to crawl away from the baby mat. Once they max the skill, there's no stopping them!
- More baby furniture/objects and freedom to move the babies around!
I think we should, at the very least, have more options of where we can put the babies, instead of them always being glued to the bassinet. These could be great gifts for the baby shower too.
- Baby mats: They could play with the hanging toys, move their little arms and legs around, chew on their foot, and sleep when they get tired. We could have a special baby mat (without the hanging toys) where babies could learn how sit up and crawl with or without the help of another sim.
- "Sit-me-up" seats: They could use them once they learn how to sit up. They could play with toys around them and some seats could bounce around. They could also eat on them.
- Baby swings: Kind of like the ones we had in TS3. Babies could also sleep in them and sims could come over and interact with them, playing peekaboo, for example.
- Strollers: We could go for a walk around the neighborhood with the baby. Maybe walk the dog at the same time? If we encounter a family member or friend, they could coo at the baby on the stroller. We should also be able to travel to other lots with the baby on the stroller.
- Let us take care of them.
It saddens me that babies barely need any attention. We can't give the little ones a bath and we have to change their diapers in the bassinet. Please fix that.
- Changing tables: It would be cute to have a few little interactions while changing the diapers, like kissing the baby's feet, tickle them and make them laugh, etc. This could work for toddlers too since it's weird seeing their diapers being changed while they are standing up.
- Bath time: Instead of bathing them in the sink, there could be an option on the changing table to bathe them there on an infant tub. Sims could get a moodlet when they give their baby their first bath.
- Rocking chair: A new object that would allow sims to sit down with the baby to feed them. I love that we have breastfeed in the game, but it bothers me that the sim does it standing. I really want a rocking chair where you can do this and also rock the baby to sleep and sing for them (it could also work for toddlers). It would be cute if a tired parent would fall asleep along with the baby.
- More interactions with other sims.
We have a few with adult sims, but after a while they all feel like the same thing. We need more.
- With children and toddlers: Children should be able to interact more with the baby. Maybe ask the parent if they can hold the baby, and the parent would obviously help them. Children and toddlers could play peekaboo with babies, tickle them, kiss them, hug them, etc.
- Between two sims: I loved that in past games when someone was holding a baby, another sim could come over and start playing with them. I really want both parents to be able to interact with the baby at the same time.
If you have ideas of your own, please share.
Comments
I shall try to return after I have put my thinking cap on for a while!
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I would like to see babies be able to "grow" past the newborn phase.
For example, I'd like for parents and siblings to have an interaction to teach them to sit up. I'd like to see them roll over and sit on their own. Wiggle on their bellies until they learn to crawl. Mimic sounds. Grasp a rattle. Learn to hold their own bottle or start to eat mush food.
A lot happens in that first year. Things that have been so overlooked, but could add real play value to playing with this lifestages. It's not all about feeding and diapers and praying they nap...there is so much bonding that happens while you help infants progress from milestone to milestone.
Twists In Time And Space (Updated December 2nd 2018. New discord server!)
Bob Bobson (Updated August 12th 2019)
One thing I've always wanted is for the baby to be able to sleep in the parents bed with the parent instead of always being in a crib or bassinet. Would certainly save on space/cash.
Another thing is some small detail but I know a lot of babies get happy when they see their parent, it would be so cute if the baby would react to seeing their parent like kicking, smiling, gurgling, etc.
The pics you've chosen to illustrate your point are perfect. I especially love the baby mats. It would change the game dynamic completely if we could even move the baby from one object (the bassinet) to another - the floor mats. If they could be put in sims inventory even better - or moved with 'the hand' (the way dirty plates etc can be moved directly by the player). That way, we could move them all over the house without having to go into build mode.
That said, I'm all for being able to cuddle the baby on the couch, carry it around while doing stuff around the house, etc.
They can. A guru said it's not impossible, just that it takes time or something along those lines. If someone has the quote maybe they can post it, I don't remember which guru said it and where.
I think it's just a matter of enough people asking and EA making it a priority. Even if they don't want to spend time and resources freeing the babies, they can at least give us more objects for them.
I agree. At least they have limbs and are more similar to TS2 babies than TS3, but I always thought something was off with them... I think they could've been more cute. Thankfully there's plenty of CC out there that makes babies really cute.
Yes! I mentioned mats, swings and sit-me-up seats but bouncers would be so cute as well. I want it all.
I really want the option to change baby clothes. Nothing fancy, but a variety of different colors. Beanie and socks too.
A family member of mine got a baby 2 weeks ago, and she's got such a wardrobe already. So many cute outfits to put on a newborn.
I'm of the opinion that if we want something fixed/added, then we need to constantly talk about it. If all of a sudden we stop, then EA might think we are over it. I mean, the toddler thread got pinned in the discussion forum because people were still creating threads every day about wanting them back. It may or may not mean EA is finally listening to us, but they are at least doing something and showing some interest in our ideas.
edit: and look at that! The devs were listening this whole time. There is hope!
I think they could even get a bit bigger with every day like how pregnant women get bigger every day. Sorry if this is a bit unorganized, I suddenly thought of it and wanted to made sure I got it down before forgetting it. Too bad this would cost too much time and money, it would add a lot more realism to a baby's development and I would love to see the babies turn from newborns to 9 month olds before aging up into toddlers if they ever get here.
I get what you mean. I don't know about the baby growing each day, but I can see them having some sort of skill (kind of like toddlers learning how to walk) where they can learn how to sit up. They could try it on their own on cribs or mats, and there could be an interaction where parents would help them too. Once they learn how to sit up, they could use more objects like baby bouncers and sit-me-up seats.
It's a baby skin override. This creator has multiple ones for girls and boys:
http://budgie2budgie.tumblr.com/tagged/ts4-dl-baby-clothes
They have the best baby skins, in my opinion, but if you search on google, there are a lot more out there.
One thing that bothers me above all is that time and effort into learning is completely wasted when the kid grows up. No skill in athletic or dancing even if I've moved to music three hours a day, not even a hidden skill.