Forum Announcement, Click Here to Read More From EA_Cade.
Make a Sims 4 Kid friendly extension/option
pridesfolly
Posts: 4 New Member
I have been trying to develop a lesson plan for economics using Sims 3 but there are a few problems. I was hoping that the Sims 4 would either have a kid friendly mode(6-13) or a Kid extension pack that adds,adjusts and disabled some features.
Disabling feature
Parents don't want their kids to woohoo or kiss anyone, even in a video game. A good kid friendly version would disable these features. Perhaps get rid of the romance option altogether or add a "best friend" option or crush.
Old Features
I have Sims generational. All the new kid actions are great! Of course we don't want kids pulling pranks but we also want a good game so even those features are great. The way money, time, work, and school all fit together is great. So is allowing kids realistic jobs (delivering newspaper, mowing lawns) and chances to become entrepreneur.
However, in a kid friendly version the family budget should not include the parents job or money. Instead a kid should get a weekly allowance for getting good grades, doing chores and keeping parents/teachers happy. They could get more money by getting a job. If the player has more than one kid then all the money goes into the same group.
It would also be nice if the kid version required all sims to start off as kids or teens. The kids could pick or design their parents or guardians. However parents/guardians would be controlled by the computer. When clicking on a parent a kid could suggest or try to persuade a parent to do something. For example,go on vacation,increase allowance or ask for permission to go on a field trip. Relationship with parents would might affect the answer.
School should no longer be a rabbit hole. Instead students should have the option to ask a teacher for a hall pass to go to the bathroom. Or perhaps you could model the classroom after Montessori classrooms. This way students would have to click on the teacher and "ask" for a lesson. A school bar could take place of the work bar. Student would need to work on subjects like math, writing, art, music, an imaginary second Sim language, and volunteer. Of course they wouldn't be given real problems. I would hate for sims to go all after school special.
Educational Features
My goal was to use Sims 3 to teach economics, budgeting, saving, cause and effect, time management, the importance of relationships, even networking. All these things are already part of Sims 3 but the lack of support makes it hard to write a lesson plan.
When I was running though my Sims 3 lesson plan it was very hard to keep a chart on the side. Sometimes my Sim got bones or money for completing an opportunity but the amount isn't recorded. I didn't know how to calculate bills either. If the computer automatically kept a log of all spending and income it would really help students. Of course I would want kids to keep their own paper version but only line banking today really does keep a record for you.
A bank would be a nice feature. Here student save money for a goal and can check their budget log.
Second, a private journal function would be useful. Students could keep a log of difficulties, frustrations, goals, success... whatever. The journal would need the ability to add math symbols so students could keep notes. The journals should also be printable or have the ability to email them to the teacher. Such a function is a good way to teach writing, typing and record keeping.
Support Materials
EA could release sample lesson plans or activities for teachers and parents. Downloadable material such as balance sheets or "calculate your goal" worksheet might be helpful. However this isn't necessary because teachers tend to develop their own lesson plans. Instead create a teacher/parent form where we could share information (like those already created)
I could go on and on with ideas but I hope you get the general idea. There is a huge market for educational games that are REAL games. Kids like to play the games their parents or big sister/brother are playing. EA could sale an educational sim game to whole school districts or just teachers and parents.
Disabling feature
Parents don't want their kids to woohoo or kiss anyone, even in a video game. A good kid friendly version would disable these features. Perhaps get rid of the romance option altogether or add a "best friend" option or crush.
Old Features
I have Sims generational. All the new kid actions are great! Of course we don't want kids pulling pranks but we also want a good game so even those features are great. The way money, time, work, and school all fit together is great. So is allowing kids realistic jobs (delivering newspaper, mowing lawns) and chances to become entrepreneur.
However, in a kid friendly version the family budget should not include the parents job or money. Instead a kid should get a weekly allowance for getting good grades, doing chores and keeping parents/teachers happy. They could get more money by getting a job. If the player has more than one kid then all the money goes into the same group.
It would also be nice if the kid version required all sims to start off as kids or teens. The kids could pick or design their parents or guardians. However parents/guardians would be controlled by the computer. When clicking on a parent a kid could suggest or try to persuade a parent to do something. For example,go on vacation,increase allowance or ask for permission to go on a field trip. Relationship with parents would might affect the answer.
School should no longer be a rabbit hole. Instead students should have the option to ask a teacher for a hall pass to go to the bathroom. Or perhaps you could model the classroom after Montessori classrooms. This way students would have to click on the teacher and "ask" for a lesson. A school bar could take place of the work bar. Student would need to work on subjects like math, writing, art, music, an imaginary second Sim language, and volunteer. Of course they wouldn't be given real problems. I would hate for sims to go all after school special.
Educational Features
My goal was to use Sims 3 to teach economics, budgeting, saving, cause and effect, time management, the importance of relationships, even networking. All these things are already part of Sims 3 but the lack of support makes it hard to write a lesson plan.
When I was running though my Sims 3 lesson plan it was very hard to keep a chart on the side. Sometimes my Sim got bones or money for completing an opportunity but the amount isn't recorded. I didn't know how to calculate bills either. If the computer automatically kept a log of all spending and income it would really help students. Of course I would want kids to keep their own paper version but only line banking today really does keep a record for you.
A bank would be a nice feature. Here student save money for a goal and can check their budget log.
Second, a private journal function would be useful. Students could keep a log of difficulties, frustrations, goals, success... whatever. The journal would need the ability to add math symbols so students could keep notes. The journals should also be printable or have the ability to email them to the teacher. Such a function is a good way to teach writing, typing and record keeping.
Support Materials
EA could release sample lesson plans or activities for teachers and parents. Downloadable material such as balance sheets or "calculate your goal" worksheet might be helpful. However this isn't necessary because teachers tend to develop their own lesson plans. Instead create a teacher/parent form where we could share information (like those already created)
I could go on and on with ideas but I hope you get the general idea. There is a huge market for educational games that are REAL games. Kids like to play the games their parents or big sister/brother are playing. EA could sale an educational sim game to whole school districts or just teachers and parents.
2
Comments
I agree with this entirely this game was not ment for the ages you want. What you are asking for would infuriate the rest of the players. the game wasnt meant to be used in an elementary school environment.
IF they were to do this it would make them lose so much money they would have failed and then a lot of people would lose their jobs because a few kids needed to learn economics.
the game has progressively gotten dumbed down since the sims 1 and i pray that the sims 4 actually gives us some of it back not take away even more.
You can let your child play it and monitor them. Seriously though, what six year old think anything of kissing or woohoo? I know I didn't think anything of it, other than it being something my sims wanted
Let's rather hope this game works better than trying to dumb it down for kiddies
complete forum tutorial
Thank you @MDianaSanders for halloween-fying Golluma
And if that's not alright with you, I'm Sure you can find an alternative.
Seriously, the parents should be parents for once.
I think you have a good idea but please don't ask EA for this. They take things to extremes sometimes.
There is a Sim series called My Sims. Have you ever investigated it? I'm not sure if it has what you want but it is for a younger crowd.
http://www.amazon.com/MySims-Pc/dp/B001DDBCPK/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1375734194&sr=1-1&keywords=my+sims
I do know that Tropico 2 had a child-friendly version that cut out the brothel part of one of the entertainment buildings, but I've not heard of many games doing child-lock modes.
This would be a great game for little simmers. There isn't any needs or what not, but you the mayor of your own town and it's sims in a way.
I used to love this game as a kid.
The Sims is a teen rated game. Just like I don't want murder and mayhem in the game, I don't want it to become an episode of Barney either.
It is not nor has it ever been nor should it ever be educational software.
No video game developer, singer, director, writer, etc. should ever have to dumb down their content in order for it to be used as an educational tool for kids who shouldn't be using it in the first place.
You can not use TS3 to teach economics for several simple rules in TS3. All Sims in the game come loaded with money. Neither do they actually need to save..as this game already rewards Sims for not even going to work sometimes..next day when they do show up they may get that promotion even when they didn't deserve it.
The TS3 is already dumbed down way too much. I think you should look for another type game to teach little kids about the value of hard work, excellence and responsibility.
You need a different type of game..and there are many out there as teaching tools for little kids. However, if you just want to use 'Sims' due to their personalities and or relationship building opportunities you should try MySims..and or you could even use The TS2 Sim Castaway game to provide lessons to get the Sim from point A to B..by the gameplay already in that game.
The Sim can't buy anything right away until it fullfills certain things in the game..and the resources have to be spent wisely.
However, there are many other games on the market that can teach children the value of a dollar the reward of hard work, and the importance of relationships other than simply using people to network.
Try Big Fish games...there are many types of games on their website that might fit your purpose better. Many types of games on their site..HOG, Strategy, Large File, Adventure etc.
You may want to look into something like the Fish/or Garden games, or Farmville or something..but the Sims isn't about the economy, or a set of goal orineted linear gameplay in most cases.
And would be a very poor tool to teach young minds how to cope with the real world. If economics is your major goal...then TS3 would fail out that misearably since TS3 Sims don't really need anything.
Even all the strategy games like Ancient Rome 2, Cradle of Rome etc. and or some other type game that teaches the value of using resources and time management wisely is a better tool for that than a Sim game.
ETA: Please no EA do not waste resources on TS4 to spend on a 'stragegy' game EP or extention for this new game...make a separate for 'little kids' but not in the TS4...I want sandbox and I certaintly don't want it dumbed down as much as TS3 is already, and or time spent on that side of the game...which the focus is off the Sim and onto the 'strategy'. Please, no.
That is why one of the FTP games would be better, but then the 'school' may have a problem with children in the class room all online at one time..I'm not sure this is a class room setting? Perhaps home schooling?
MySims is a better option, really.
I assumed it was a classroom setting....and if it is you also have the problem of funding and the school board approving it (sims isnt exactly cheap
Scary stuff, 1938 movie (Snow White), 1959 movie (Sleeping Beauty), 1989 (The Little Mermaid) 1996 (Hunchback of Notre Dame)
If you're looking for an educational game, you are looking in the wrong place. The Sims is meant purely for entertainment.
It is absolutely correct that if you don't want your six year old to see kissing (are you really serious about that? you don't kiss in your house?) then you need to find them an existing game that has (or doesn't have) what you desire. EA is not responsible for others' children. They have rated the game appropriately (in fact, I think at this point Sims 3 can rightly be called "for all ages") and they do not have a responsibility to parents beyond that.
My estimate is that the core audience for this game is aged between 20 and 60 and it's not fair to have the game dumbed down because some parent wants their kid to play a game they don't approve of.
I played sims since I was about 6. Yeah, I was little. Yes, I was playing it outside the rating zone. But my older brother played with me and we didn't play with the sims until I was about 9. We just built houses.
When TS2 came out, that's when I first saw "woohoo". I did know what that was, and I blushed to see it in the game...I was 10 (I think).
TS3 was so not a good game for learning economics. TS1 and TS2 were a challenge, but TS3 was a breeze. I constantly get money in that game. Not realistic.
OP, look into mods. There may be one around that restricts this kind of thing. Or, wait until your kid is older and stick with the kiddie games.
Thanks MadameLee! I stand corrected.