I saw that Toddlers are coming to Sims 4. Having managed without them since the launch in 2014, I didn't really mind not having them. I adapted. It didn't stop game play after all. Babies go straight to children in Sims 4 - no problem, stories were adjusted. I haven't looked back. It's been different, no learning to walk, talk and stuff but I accepted this.
They have finally arrived in 2017. I'm happy for those who wanted them.
But what about those of us who haven't minded their absence? I haven't joined in the crowd in campaigning for them. I haven't asked for them to be added. I can't be the only one.
Surely their addition would have been fairer as a separate free download? You can't please everyone but if people have more choice - it's a start. They didn't have to be added as a mandatory update.
I've had to accept other updates to get later stuff packs and City Living and I'm getting weary. I got stuff I don't want but must download if I want new packs etc. I love The Sims 4 and constantly feel I'm being made to choose.
We need options in these updates. What part of them you want. Skipping those that are of no interest should be allowed. If they're just adding additional stuff, you can say no and wait for the next one.
The Sims 3 store used to have free items and if you liked them you could download.
Now alternating between Sims 2,3 and 4! 😊☕️🌞
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And you do have this really incredible option...You've always had it. It's called birthday cake. You bake one and then bring the toddler to it as soon as it ages from a baby. Then they age to child. Easy-peasy!
They can't add a free patch as an optional download for several reasons. For starters now that toddlers are base game content, any future EPs and GPs will probably include hairs, clothes and objects for toddlers too (the same way the include content for kids). If toddlers were optional, this new content would cause issues and stability problems with players who had chosen not to install them. So they would probably just not add any more toddler content in future releases (which is a big no no).
Also, toddlers are really optional. It's not like you can't age them (in TS2 you had to wait until 2 days before their birthday to use the cake; and in Ts3 there were penalties if you didn't teach your toddler basic stuff). If you don't like toddlers there are several workarounds:
1. Age them using the cake
2. Enter the cheat "cas.fulleditmode", go into manage households, select the family, click "modify in CAS" and age the toddlers up in CAS.
3. If you really hate babies and toddlers, don't let your sims have kids via "try for a baby. Instead do the same steps as in 2 above and make your sims have children in CAS using the play with genetics tool. That way you can have instant children or teens if that's what you like.
The patches have updates for expansion packs like Get Together etc which I don't have. But this means the expansions aren't stagnant. Sorry if I'm missing something but couldn't this be applied to other stuff? You just don't get the changes if you don't have it?
Yes there's the cake I suppose if I decide to update. Thanks, I didn't think of that.
There's the Vampire Stuff Pack I do want. Oh well...
I know not everyone wants toddlers though and some players would want to avoid them so surly players can age them up without any issues?
Thanks for the information. it's really kind of you.
You're welcome! Anyhow, I suggest you give them a chance. Toddlers in previous games were pretty repetitive (just teach them to walk, speak and potty train them) and sometimes annoying. But they have really improved them this time around and they're also more independent (if that's what you want) since you have more control over them (e.g. They can climb strairs, climb out of their beds, sit on sofas and chairs, etc). Even players who declared themselves as "not toddler fans" have fallen in love with them this time around.
It's just I got used to toddlers being absent. They drove me nuts in Sims 2 and weren't so bad in Sims 3.
I just wasn't expecting them to add them as they've been delayed so long.
Well no one expected toddlers to be added at this point but I think they should still be easy to avoid. I found a lot of shortcuts with them in TS3 which made them more enjoyable than those of TS2, like you said, they drove me nuts as well lol
This game is buggy enough as it is, lol.
Plus, these toddlers are now a sims staple, and should have been base game content from the get go. It's a life sim. It's what a life sim should be having as it progresses.
These toddlers need future support and stability and dev attention. They're not just one-off things. They will need future interactions and CAS items. The devs and gurus have said they plan to add more stuff to them.
It would make things messy if they were optional downloads because they would probably have to adjust to the different options if tots were optional, and some things may be dropped or cancelled to make way for other things, etc.
(She/her)
I'm going to have to really think about it, if I want the Vampire Stuff I'll have to update.
Yes they were very repetitive in Sims 2 and 3. I generally age up any existing toddlers ASAP in those two games. But I forgot about the cake for 4. I haven't had to use it at all.
But the toddlers aren't sounding so bad, I like the climbing aspect and the more control.
I dont get it, it takes at most 30 seconds of your life.
edit: I just read that you did not know that cake was an option.
Disagree then what I wrote, I am just fed up that people complain about a free update. And I am not even someone who was on the "toddler train".
Well it could be worse, imagine if people had to pay for toddlers? That was always a concern and luckily something that did not happen.
I loved Sims 2 tots (lukewarm towards 3's), and yes, sometimes they can be tedious with the teaching aspect at times.
Now, I greatly prefer these Sims 4 tots, because they can become more self-sufficient, and my adult sim parents don't have to teach them anything. The tots learn through doing things, and they can get food from the counter and climb stairs and sit on sofas, etc.
(She/her)
This sounds like a better option with toddlers to make the lifestage more playable and less of a 'burden'
Don't get me wrong, I have always seen viability of having toddlers but there is never enough time in a Sims game to look after them. Considering that toddlers have been revamped rather than just a copy and paste , this gives them more value in the game. Players can actually enjoy them even if they didn't enjoy them in the past?
Yes it was the same thing in both games, but I remember - it was some years ago - the Sims 2 ones they just sat on the floor mostly with their bottles or banging on the musical toys or playing with that rabbit head. They would never stop crying about something! That's when I started ageing up ASAP.
The Sims 3 ones were a lot calmer but I still aged them up ASAP in case they played up.
Do you have to teach the 4 toddlers to be more self sufficient?
I'm liking the climbing aspect very much, also getting food from the counter and sitting on the sofa.
Yeah, it really does helps with the fast sims time, and makes it less tedious to have to teach them everything. (Well, you still have to train the potty thing, but that's like real life.)
I feel that it is realistic to have toddlers become more independent as they get older. It's like gradual aging to the next lifestage, sort of.
But, don't get me wrong. These tots are still a handful!
I had seven of them in one household, with a couple of fussy and a couple of clingy ones in the mix. OMG, the crying, and waking Sim Mom for attention every few minutes, lol! I had to lock Mom's door after awhile and call a Nanny. Remember, Sims 4 are very social...which means the tots are constantly social as well and the clingy and fussy ones really, really want a lot of attention from the caregivers often.
(She/her)
In TS3 I usually focus on getting the toddler skills out of the way. Start with one parent do the first potty training and then teach to walk or talk. If I change the house hold, the toddler will usually be taught while I am away from that household. If I return later the skill should be complete. I will then direct that Sim, or another (I like both parents to have taught at least one skill to a toddler) to potty train again and teach the second skill. Again I will leave the house hold and return later and the skill should be complete. Only one or two more potty trains would be needed and within 24 Sim hours the toddler can be skilled up so if I want to age them up I can choose a trait. If I want to leave them at the toddler stage for a while they would be easy to look after.
That is how I do things in TS3, I do not cheat, I just use shortcuts
Good plan! I might try that one.
They are much more self sufficient and they learn how to be more self sufficient both by themselves and with their parents' help. For example, toddlers can walk from the get go (however they stumble a lot and are not very stable). They learn how to walk better by raising the movement skill. This skill raises naturally when your toddler walks around and also by using the "wander" action. They can also raise this skill playing bill block etc.
As regards the potty train, your toddler can't use the potty by themselves until they're level 2 in the potty skill. But from that moment your toddler can use the potty autonomously or you can direct him or her to use it when their bladder is full. You can also click on the toddler and choose "use diaper" if you prefer lol
As regards food, they can grab plates from low surfaces such as coffee tables. If you put a group meal ona coffee table then you can have your toddler take a plate and sit on a sofa (or just sit on the ground) to eat. Of course you can also use the high chair.
Also they can climb in and out of their beds, so you don't need an adult for that. If your toddler wakes up at 7am they won't cry until someone releases them; they'll just climb out of their bed and play with their toys until adults wake up.
All in all, I think these toddlers can be pretty independent if you want to.
I have a lot of short cuts in TS3. Some skills can be completed while you are away from a house hold as well. I have a Sim who had the 'Perfect mind, perfect body' Life Time Wish which requires maximum body and logic skills so I once got him on the treadmill and left the household. When I returned he had completed his body skill so I got him on the chess table. I again left and when I returned he completed his logic skill and thus he completed his lifetime wish.
off topic I want a cake i can buy, i hate baking them
I don't think it's a big deal. Just like before and even better, When they have aged up to toddlers, you now can have a nice birthday party and age them up to kids immediately if you want to. It isn't that much trouble, is it?