Outdoor retreat
Dine out
Get together
City living
Backyard stuff
Kids room stuff
Movie hangout stuff
My guess is people don't consider it family play unless it has toddlers in it or if it's called generations. But I enjoy taking my kids to a jive restaurant while they draw while waiting for their food, cuddle up and watch a kids movie together, go camping and have the boys fish with dad etc.
I get you guys want more, which I understand and hope you get. But there IS family play.
Yes, some simmers can make family play out of the existing content so far, but for others, family play means something different.
I personally feel we still need a lot more parenting and children interactions (like scolding/punishing/more teaching, and physical interactions like tag, Mary Mack, and cooking kids ovens, etc), and more interactions/content for the other stages as well (Teen and Elder--prom for teens, teaching grandkids for elders, midlife crisis for adults, etc) to feel more "family like". I am glad there are still a few child activities scattered here and there in different packs, but for some reason, I feel starved for more.
Lack of toddlers and tethered babies (which we can't even bathe) just add to that lack of full-family-play feeling.
Ooh, I want grounding and curfews back! Except Id like control over it please. I want the OPTION to ground. I hated how sims 3 Sims automatically grounded.
We could have the option to ground anytime even if the child or teen isn't misbehaving.
For example of a teen was grounded and tried to play video games it wouldn't be clickable and there would be a popup that said they're grounded. They also couldn't leave the neighborhood without an adult.
Curfews should be optional too and a set by parent or set by world thing.
Yes, some simmers can make family play out of the existing content so far, but for others, family play means something different.
I personally feel we still need a lot more parenting and children interactions (like scolding/punishing/more teaching, and physical interactions like tag, Mary Mack, and cooking kids ovens, etc), and more interactions/content for the other stages as well (Teen and Elder--prom for teens, teaching grandkids for elders, midlife crisis for adults, etc) to feel more "family like". I am glad there are still a few child activities scattered here and there in different packs, but for some reason, I feel starved for more.
Lack of toddlers and tethered babies (which we can't even bathe) just add to that lack of full-family-play feeling.
Ooh, I want grounding and curfews back! Except Id like control over it please. I want the OPTION to ground. I hated how sims 3 Sims automatically grounded.
We could have the option to ground anytime even if the child or teen isn't misbehaving.
For example of a teen was grounded and tried to play video games it wouldn't be clickable and there would be a popup that said they're grounded. They also couldn't leave the neighborhood without an adult.
Curfews should be optional too and a set by parent or set by world thing.
I'll have to find the link, but I remembered there was a Sims 3 script mod that allowed the player to be able to manually decide when/if to scold and punish a child, and for the player to able to manually choose which "punishment" to use.
Outdoor retreat
Dine out
Get together
City living
Backyard stuff
Kids room stuff
Movie hangout stuff
My guess is people don't consider it family play unless it has toddlers in it or if it's called generations. But I enjoy taking my kids to a jive restaurant while they draw while waiting for their food, cuddle up and watch a kids movie together, go camping and have the boys fish with dad etc.
I get you guys want more, which I understand and hope you get. But there IS family play.
Yes, some simmers can make family play out of the existing content so far, but for others, family play means something different.
I personally feel we still need a lot more parenting and children interactions (like scolding/punishing/more teaching, and physical interactions like tag, Mary Mack, and cooking kids ovens, etc), and more interactions/content for the other stages as well (Teen and Elder--prom for teens, teaching grandkids for elders, midlife crisis for adults, etc) to feel more "family like". I am glad there are still a few child activities scattered here and there in different packs, but for some reason, I feel starved for more.
Lack of toddlers and tethered babies (which we can't even bathe) just add to that lack of full-family-play feeling.
Ooh, I want grounding and curfews back! Except Id like control over it please. I want the OPTION to ground. I hated how sims 3 Sims automatically grounded.
We could have the option to ground anytime even if the child or teen isn't misbehaving.
For example of a teen was grounded and tried to play video games it wouldn't be clickable and there would be a popup that said they're grounded. They also couldn't leave the neighborhood without an adult.
Curfews should be optional too and a set by parent or set by world thing.
This yes. I remeber having my teen sim and her friends go out to a nightclub for some mischief and I had her go home late. Once home I had to control the scene and force an argument between her and her dad for pics. It would be nice if we could set curfews with impact. Also love the idea of grounding preventing sims from using objects. I think it would be great if we could customize grounding so say if I wanted my Sim child to not be able to leave the lot, use the computer, or use their phone but still be able of use the gaming console. I mean they already have a system were we can discourage certain actions with club rules, now all they need to do is use that to make a grounding system.
Outdoor retreat
Dine out
Get together
City living
Backyard stuff
Kids room stuff
Movie hangout stuff
My guess is people don't consider it family play unless it has toddlers in it or if it's called generations. But I enjoy taking my kids to a jive restaurant while they draw while waiting for their food, cuddle up and watch a kids movie together, go camping and have the boys fish with dad etc.
I get you guys want more, which I understand and hope you get. But there IS family play.
Yeah, people don't seem to consider it "family play" unless it involves toddlers or interactions copy/pasted from Sims 2... Like playing catch, dancing on toes, swinging kids, family kiss ( I don't understand this one, I swear I've seen my TS4 Sims kiss their kids?) or any number of obnoxious interactions most people modded out, lol. I feel like the game as is has sufficient family play, albeit from a more modern viewpoint and less 1950's. I'd like to see toddlers make a return, mostly because the jump from baby to kid is a bit awkward, and I'd like to see some things like playing catch and more playground equipment come back. But I've played Sims 2 pretty recently and I didn't really see that it had that much more "family" content than TS4 if you don't count the toddlers. Curfew is sort of an outdated idea and while it would be cool to have punishments back, I agree that it needs to be in the player's control because not all parents have the same rules and values. I want to be able to have Sim parents that simply don't care what their kids are up to. Forced dicipline isn't cool and takes control away from the player.
"It's like there's a pink elephant in the room and no one's allowed to talk about it."
I was wondering the same thing. Sims 4 seems to be all about glitz, glamour and parties. Now, while I enjoy that sort of gameplay, I also enjoy switching things around and playing different types of households. So in TS3, sometimes I will play young adult students (like myself) who like to party. At other times I would play family business owners or the traditional nuclear family. TS4 has very limited options and makes the latter very boring to play.
Yes, I would love some more substantial family content as well---for all my sim families, including LGBT ones.
(I usually refuse to use the word "traditional" or "nuclear", as I usually hear lots of people use those terms to often exclude LGBT families, or diverse, or huge extended families. I myself am LGBTQA, so that's why I have issue with such terms.)
I think that the OP means a standard family in which both of the parents are married and have their 2-4 kids, including LGBTQA ones. I have gay and lesbian families in my TS3 world who are like that. Gameplay with lots of parenting options for these families, family reunions and dinners, events which signify growing up such as graduation and prom would make a lot of family players happy. I understand why you don't like the term though.
Can we have some BASIC family activities like playing tag and throwing a ball around?
Especially this one. If the parents are not around, the older siblings could play with the younger ones in the garden (with new stuff made for exactly this purpose as well, like slides or carousels), or in the house (playing tag comes to mind), or maybe going to the cinema / playground with them. And of course, if the parents are not working for once then they could accompany all their children and start a huge (as in, neighbourhood-sized) game of tag, to bring everyone in that neighbourhood together a little bit more.
There could be so much stuff all about doing something fun with your kids.
I like to make stories about families all the time and most of my families involves toddlers and preteens in which I was going to make children until I saw the survey now I want preteens as well my story can not complete without all the life stages. I mean I'm happy for all who got what they wanted but the main point of why I play the Sims because of the family is just not there.
One thing they could do for players is use the lot trait system to add a curfew for those who want one. Say your family Sims live in a house with lot traits you could pick an option to have a curfew for that lot. That way if your Sim kids break that curfew there could be a consequence. Hopefully, it would be more than a feel bad moodlet. ETA: They could also use the inappropriate interaction if you tried to take a kid out after a certain time without an adult the other Sim (parent or adult) could go to your Sim kid in your control and tell them it's too late..inappropriate, as long as you had set a curfew for that specific lot for kids.
"Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
One thing they could do for players is use the lot trait system to add a curfew for those who want one. Say your family Sims live in a house with lot traits you could pick an option to have a curfew for that lot. That way if your Sim kids break that curfew there could be a consequence. Hopefully, it would be more than a feel bad moodlet. ETA: They could also use the inappropriate interaction if you tried to take a kid out after a certain time without an adult the other Sim (parent or adult) could go to your Sim kid in your control and tell them it's too late..inappropriate, as long as you had set a curfew for that specific lot for kids.
And then the butler/nanny could get a command "Go look for the children" by the parents. That makes him/her go to the children's designated bedrooms and if he/she can't find them then that butler or nanny runs through the house and into the garden looking for the children.
I like the family content we've got so far. I like that the children can play video games, basketball, do some karaoke or sing, play with makeup, play foosball, arcade games, gather some Voidcritters and trade them, etc. I like that most of the new activities are also available for children.
I would definitely like other packs with a bigger focus on children, teens, or even toddlers, like the Kids Bedroom SP. I think teen's bedroom could use a bit more content. I would like school to be expanded a bit, or parenting, teaching, educating the youngs.
Gameplay for kids doesn't equal acting the same as a teen, young adult, adult or elder. The problem is there isn't much specific content for kids in TS4. Not like there was in TS2. Even teens and adults can see monsters under the bed. Or rather the option is there, and should have been removed because they aren't children. Slip and Slide thingy,....not specific to children. Videos games...not specific to children. If you want me to believe kids in the real world act just like adults (yes I know they mimic) then I will tell you there is no point in becoming an adult then if they can do and enjoy the same things. Here is something...when I was a child I spoke as a child. When I became a man I put away childish things....do you see any differences in child behavior in this game? No. Same emotions for everyone.
I get what your saying, but I like how children have options and so do adults. It would be no fun if children could play video games, but adults couldn't join in. They just need to fine tune interactions so adults don't perform some interactions automatically that kids do perform (e.g. Such as with drawing in placemats.) That way, if you want your adult to do slip and slide they can, but maybe they do so less automatically or only automatically when playful. It would not only make adults and kids different, but also make that emotion more useful.
True Love
Terrific Family Play
Too fun The sims 2 forever
IMO, the problem is that every one has a different idea about what "family gameplay" is. What I think it is might be different than what you think it is. Personally, I don't think there will ever be a generations type pack again. Gameplay may be added in through bits and pieces here or there.
Outdoor retreat
Dine out
Get together
City living
Backyard stuff
Kids room stuff
Movie hangout stuff
My guess is people don't consider it family play unless it has toddlers in it or if it's called generations. But I enjoy taking my kids to a jive restaurant while they draw while waiting for their food, cuddle up and watch a kids movie together, go camping and have the boys fish with dad etc.
I get you guys want more, which I understand and hope you get. But there IS family play.
I don't play a lot of kids so I'll just ask. Can TS4 kids do things like play tag? You know...general kid activity kind of things.
"People really love to explore 'failure states. In fact, the failure states are really much more interesting than the success states." ~ Will Wright
I like the family content we've got so far. I like that the children can play video games, basketball, do some karaoke or sing, play with makeup, play foosball, arcade games, gather some Voidcritters and trade them, etc. I like that most of the new activities are also available for children.
I would definitely like other packs with a bigger focus on children, teens, or even toddlers, like the Kids Bedroom SP. I think teen's bedroom could use a bit more content. I would like school to be expanded a bit, or parenting, teaching, educating the youngs.
Gameplay for kids doesn't equal acting the same as a teen, young adult, adult or elder. The problem is there isn't much specific content for kids in TS4. Not like there was in TS2. Even teens and adults can see monsters under the bed. Or rather the option is there, and should have been removed because they aren't children. Slip and Slide thingy,....not specific to children. Videos games...not specific to children. If you want me to believe kids in the real world act just like adults (yes I know they mimic) then I will tell you there is no point in becoming an adult then if they can do and enjoy the same things. Here is something...when I was a child I spoke as a child. When I became a man I put away childish things....do you see any differences in child behavior in this game? No. Same emotions for everyone.
I get what your saying, but I like how children have options and so do adults. It would be no fun if children could play video games, but adults couldn't join in. They just need to fine tune interactions so adults don't perform some interactions automatically that kids do perform (e.g. Such as with drawing in placemats.) That way, if you want your adult to do slip and slide they can, but maybe they do so less automatically or only automatically when playful. It would not only make adults and kids different, but also make that emotion more useful.
Yes, but all that's generic. There is no specific thing for kids at all to the best of memory other than the science lab and a drawing table. Kids need tree houses (adults can't use) merry-go-rounds, swings, tag, jump rope for three (two to turn one to jump) special interactions only kids know..aka special handshake, special signals, special emotions like throw a tantrum. There is not much in this game for kids to behave like kids when the only kid I have in my game right now wishes to go to a spa. > it should be run away from home, not go to a spa.
ETA: I will add more that should only be related to child in game. Not only a run away from home whim when uncomfortable or angry, but other whims pertaining to a child's mind. Play outside, such as skip stones in a pond, or run and play, turn somersaults, be praised by parent for finishing homework, those are just a few whims kids should have compared to adult whims and emotions. Hide from everyone shouldn't be in the bed, but in a closet, or under the bed.
Hide should be hide to trigger a parent to go find them. (Autonomously) not only that but either scold for hiding for so long or hug and comfort. Comfort when crying in the bed...no one cares. There is a mountain of interactions and emotions they could add to children to make them children but they don't.
"Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.
There's the monkey bars and the ships (space and pirate) for kids too, as well as the voidcritter cards and machines, and the puppet theater, the toys, etc.
For me, it's not just 'content' or 'stuff' that's missing. It's animations and interactions and little things that make it feel more intimate. (This might not be true but I don't even think in-laws get recognized in the family tree/relationship system as is. That's a minute detail but I loathe that. I loathe that sims don't recognize family members that aren't immediate.) We do have more options with babies so far as animations but they get chucked back into their crib right after a cuddle so it feels v superficial. It seems altogether like there aren't enough special animations/interactions between parent sims and their children. It doesn't feel at all like there is any 'ownership' in that way because they don't react to being parents like it's meaningful.
I like the family content we've got so far. I like that the children can play video games, basketball, do some karaoke or sing, play with makeup, play foosball, arcade games, gather some Voidcritters and trade them, etc. I like that most of the new activities are also available for children.
I would definitely like other packs with a bigger focus on children, teens, or even toddlers, like the Kids Bedroom SP. I think teen's bedroom could use a bit more content. I would like school to be expanded a bit, or parenting, teaching, educating the youngs.
Gameplay for kids doesn't equal acting the same as a teen, young adult, adult or elder. The problem is there isn't much specific content for kids in TS4. Not like there was in TS2. Even teens and adults can see monsters under the bed. Or rather the option is there, and should have been removed because they aren't children. Slip and Slide thingy,....not specific to children. Videos games...not specific to children. If you want me to believe kids in the real world act just like adults (yes I know they mimic) then I will tell you there is no point in becoming an adult then if they can do and enjoy the same things. Here is something...when I was a child I spoke as a child. When I became a man I put away childish things....do you see any differences in child behavior in this game? No. Same emotions for everyone.
I get what your saying, but I like how children have options and so do adults. It would be no fun if children could play video games, but adults couldn't join in. They just need to fine tune interactions so adults don't perform some interactions automatically that kids do perform (e.g. Such as with drawing in placemats.) That way, if you want your adult to do slip and slide they can, but maybe they do so less automatically or only automatically when playful. It would not only make adults and kids different, but also make that emotion more useful.
Yes, but all that's generic. There is no specific thing for kids at all to the best of memory other than the science lab and a drawing table. Kids need tree houses (adults can't use) merry-go-rounds, swings, tag, jump rope for three (two to turn one to jump) special interactions only kids know..aka special handshake, special signals, special emotions like throw a tantrum. There is not much in this game for kids to behave like kids when the only kid I have in my game right now wishes to go to a spa. > it should be run away from home, not go to a spa.
ETA: I will add more that should only be related to child in game. Not only a run away from home whim when uncomfortable or angry, but other whims pertaining to a child's mind. Play outside, such as skip stones in a pond, or run and play, turn somersaults, be praised by parent for finishing homework, those are just a few whims kids should have compared to adult whims and emotions. Hide from everyone shouldn't be in the bed, but in a closet, or under the bed.
Hide should be hide to trigger a parent to go find them. (Autonomously) not only that but either scold for hiding for so long or hug and comfort. Comfort when crying in the bed...no one cares. There is a mountain of interactions and emotions they could add to children to make them children but they don't.
Everything you have mentioned is for kids only. How is that "family" gameplay if the family can't join in?
There's the monkey bars and the ships (space and pirate) for kids too, as well as the voidcritter cards and machines, and the puppet theater, the toys, etc.
But where are the animations independent of 'stuff'? That's a problem throughout this game. Sims interact more with stuff than each other. The kids don't play together they do things in the same place through 'the stuff'.
"People really love to explore 'failure states. In fact, the failure states are really much more interesting than the success states." ~ Will Wright
We've got games consoles that kids can play with the rest of the family, we've got outdoor activities (ie basketball) that kids can play with the family, we've got crappy apartments in the projects if middle-class suburbia isn't your idea of a family. We've got flea markets (something MY family did every Sunday). We've got apartments and houses in good neighborhoods so you can send your kids to good-quality schools.
There's dining out with the family. There's camping with the family. There's collecting Pokemon cards, Disney Channel TV shows and pop songs starring a Justin Bieber lookalike for your kids to fangirl over.
Family play is there. It's not YOUR idea of family play, but that's your problem, not ours.
Outdoor retreat
Dine out
Get together
City living
Backyard stuff
Kids room stuff
Movie hangout stuff
My guess is people don't consider it family play unless it has toddlers in it or if it's called generations. But I enjoy taking my kids to a jive restaurant while they draw while waiting for their food, cuddle up and watch a kids movie together, go camping and have the boys fish with dad etc.
I get you guys want more, which I understand and hope you get. But there IS family play.
I don't play a lot of kids so I'll just ask. Can TS4 kids do things like play tag? You know...general kid activity kind of things.
Tag, no. There are alot of cute things kids can do like Blow bubbles, draw on menus, play voidcritters and battle trade etc.
One thing in general though is we are missing sports activities. We need passing the football, Frisbee, tag, Marco Polo etc.
We just got basketball back, it's very detailed and nice and kids can play.
A cool thing about kids this go around is they can do alot of stuff adults can like Foosball, darts, basketball etc.
I think an issue that people are picking up here is that 'Generations' and 'family play' have become umbrella terms which mean different things to different people. Two people could ask for 'Generations' and one could actually have toddlers in mind, and the other be thinking about proms. I think people need to try and be more specific an detailed about what they want (a lot of people are here, but I mean generally cross the community). Because otherwise the devs might mis-understand and give people the wrong elements of 'family play'.
To me certain things are no-brainers. Obviously people want toddlers.
I just think people are waiting for a magical unicorn of a 'family pack' which isn't going to tick every single box that everyone has. I know some people have big issues with culling and the family tree, and things that might be considered as 'bugs' rather than needing new 'stuff'. It's more complicated an issue than can be fixed by one expansion.
I completely agree with @cinderellimouse on this. I don't think "family play" can be defined or may even exist. What it is to one, may be different to another.
Some have listed things like kids needing more park objects like a merry-go-round, seesaw, sandbox, etc. They want kids to play cops and robbers or hop scotch or tag, which I want too, but those are kids game play, not family play. Kids can swim with their parents, hot tub, water slide, interact, be read to, joke with, play Don't Wake The Llama together, have "the talk", get help with homework and a lot of other things that I'm forgetting. Plus put on puppet shows for parents and wake them up when that monster under the bed comes for them.
I read the wiki of S3 Generation to refresh my memory. It mentioned a lot of interaction and rewards and objects for different stages, but nothing about those stages interacting together. There are objects like bunk beds, tree house, costume chest, etc. that I want back, but those are not "family" play items. Generations was about each stage separately. Kids got things to spark their imagination and make believe game play. They also got five schools they could go to including military, prep and art schools. Teens got rebelliousness, pranks and parties. For YA's and adults, the focus was relationships, getting married and having kids. Elders got to enjoy their golden years remembering their life.
I guess what I'm asking is, do you want more family stages interaction or more single stage action?
So, instead of saying "I want more family play" that's very general, give us an actual list of things you want to see. Be specific. I'll start.
Kids can dance with parent by standing on their toes.
Family picnic with basket and blanket.
Play (teach) catch with parent (teen).
Outdoor retreat
Dine out
Get together
City living
Backyard stuff
Kids room stuff
Movie hangout stuff
My guess is people don't consider it family play unless it has toddlers in it or if it's called generations. But I enjoy taking my kids to a jive restaurant while they draw while waiting for their food, cuddle up and watch a kids movie together, go camping and have the boys fish with dad etc.
I get you guys want more, which I understand and hope you get. But there IS family play.
I don't play a lot of kids so I'll just ask. Can TS4 kids do things like play tag? You know...general kid activity kind of things.
Tag, no. There are alot of cute things kids can do like Blow bubbles, draw on menus, play voidcritters and battle trade etc.
One thing in general though is we are missing sports activities. We need passing the football, Frisbee, tag, Marco Polo etc.
We just got basketball back, it's very detailed and nice and kids can play.
A cool thing about kids this go around is they can do alot of stuff adults can like Foosball, darts, basketball etc.
Again this proves my point that Sims spend a lot of time interacting with 'stuff' and not directly to each other.
"People really love to explore 'failure states. In fact, the failure states are really much more interesting than the success states." ~ Will Wright
Comments
Ooh, I want grounding and curfews back! Except Id like control over it please. I want the OPTION to ground. I hated how sims 3 Sims automatically grounded.
We could have the option to ground anytime even if the child or teen isn't misbehaving.
For example of a teen was grounded and tried to play video games it wouldn't be clickable and there would be a popup that said they're grounded. They also couldn't leave the neighborhood without an adult.
Curfews should be optional too and a set by parent or set by world thing.
I'll have to find the link, but I remembered there was a Sims 3 script mod that allowed the player to be able to manually decide when/if to scold and punish a child, and for the player to able to manually choose which "punishment" to use.
Ah, here it is, done by "Icarus_all sorts" user:
http://modthesims.info/d/533906
(She/her)
This yes. I remeber having my teen sim and her friends go out to a nightclub for some mischief and I had her go home late. Once home I had to control the scene and force an argument between her and her dad for pics. It would be nice if we could set curfews with impact. Also love the idea of grounding preventing sims from using objects. I think it would be great if we could customize grounding so say if I wanted my Sim child to not be able to leave the lot, use the computer, or use their phone but still be able of use the gaming console. I mean they already have a system were we can discourage certain actions with club rules, now all they need to do is use that to make a grounding system.
Yeah, people don't seem to consider it "family play" unless it involves toddlers or interactions copy/pasted from Sims 2... Like playing catch, dancing on toes, swinging kids, family kiss ( I don't understand this one, I swear I've seen my TS4 Sims kiss their kids?) or any number of obnoxious interactions most people modded out, lol. I feel like the game as is has sufficient family play, albeit from a more modern viewpoint and less 1950's. I'd like to see toddlers make a return, mostly because the jump from baby to kid is a bit awkward, and I'd like to see some things like playing catch and more playground equipment come back. But I've played Sims 2 pretty recently and I didn't really see that it had that much more "family" content than TS4 if you don't count the toddlers. Curfew is sort of an outdated idea and while it would be cool to have punishments back, I agree that it needs to be in the player's control because not all parents have the same rules and values. I want to be able to have Sim parents that simply don't care what their kids are up to. Forced dicipline isn't cool and takes control away from the player.
I think that the OP means a standard family in which both of the parents are married and have their 2-4 kids, including LGBTQA ones. I have gay and lesbian families in my TS3 world who are like that. Gameplay with lots of parenting options for these families, family reunions and dinners, events which signify growing up such as graduation and prom would make a lot of family players happy. I understand why you don't like the term though.
Especially this one. If the parents are not around, the older siblings could play with the younger ones in the garden (with new stuff made for exactly this purpose as well, like slides or carousels), or in the house (playing tag comes to mind), or maybe going to the cinema / playground with them. And of course, if the parents are not working for once then they could accompany all their children and start a huge (as in, neighbourhood-sized) game of tag, to bring everyone in that neighbourhood together a little bit more.
There could be so much stuff all about doing something fun with your kids.
And then the butler/nanny could get a command "Go look for the children" by the parents. That makes him/her go to the children's designated bedrooms and if he/she can't find them then that butler or nanny runs through the house and into the garden looking for the children.
I get what your saying, but I like how children have options and so do adults. It would be no fun if children could play video games, but adults couldn't join in. They just need to fine tune interactions so adults don't perform some interactions automatically that kids do perform (e.g. Such as with drawing in placemats.) That way, if you want your adult to do slip and slide they can, but maybe they do so less automatically or only automatically when playful. It would not only make adults and kids different, but also make that emotion more useful.
Terrific Family Play
Too fun
The sims 2 forever
I don't play a lot of kids so I'll just ask. Can TS4 kids do things like play tag? You know...general kid activity kind of things.
Yes, but all that's generic. There is no specific thing for kids at all to the best of memory other than the science lab and a drawing table. Kids need tree houses (adults can't use) merry-go-rounds, swings, tag, jump rope for three (two to turn one to jump) special interactions only kids know..aka special handshake, special signals, special emotions like throw a tantrum. There is not much in this game for kids to behave like kids when the only kid I have in my game right now wishes to go to a spa. > it should be run away from home, not go to a spa.
ETA: I will add more that should only be related to child in game. Not only a run away from home whim when uncomfortable or angry, but other whims pertaining to a child's mind. Play outside, such as skip stones in a pond, or run and play, turn somersaults, be praised by parent for finishing homework, those are just a few whims kids should have compared to adult whims and emotions. Hide from everyone shouldn't be in the bed, but in a closet, or under the bed.
Hide should be hide to trigger a parent to go find them. (Autonomously) not only that but either scold for hiding for so long or hug and comfort. Comfort when crying in the bed...no one cares. There is a mountain of interactions and emotions they could add to children to make them children but they don't.
Everything you have mentioned is for kids only. How is that "family" gameplay if the family can't join in?
But where are the animations independent of 'stuff'? That's a problem throughout this game. Sims interact more with stuff than each other. The kids don't play together they do things in the same place through 'the stuff'.
We've got games consoles that kids can play with the rest of the family, we've got outdoor activities (ie basketball) that kids can play with the family, we've got crappy apartments in the projects if middle-class suburbia isn't your idea of a family. We've got flea markets (something MY family did every Sunday). We've got apartments and houses in good neighborhoods so you can send your kids to good-quality schools.
There's dining out with the family. There's camping with the family. There's collecting Pokemon cards, Disney Channel TV shows and pop songs starring a Justin Bieber lookalike for your kids to fangirl over.
Family play is there. It's not YOUR idea of family play, but that's your problem, not ours.
Tag, no. There are alot of cute things kids can do like Blow bubbles, draw on menus, play voidcritters and battle trade etc.
One thing in general though is we are missing sports activities. We need passing the football, Frisbee, tag, Marco Polo etc.
We just got basketball back, it's very detailed and nice and kids can play.
A cool thing about kids this go around is they can do alot of stuff adults can like Foosball, darts, basketball etc.
To me certain things are no-brainers. Obviously people want toddlers.
I just think people are waiting for a magical unicorn of a 'family pack' which isn't going to tick every single box that everyone has. I know some people have big issues with culling and the family tree, and things that might be considered as 'bugs' rather than needing new 'stuff'. It's more complicated an issue than can be fixed by one expansion.
Some have listed things like kids needing more park objects like a merry-go-round, seesaw, sandbox, etc. They want kids to play cops and robbers or hop scotch or tag, which I want too, but those are kids game play, not family play. Kids can swim with their parents, hot tub, water slide, interact, be read to, joke with, play Don't Wake The Llama together, have "the talk", get help with homework and a lot of other things that I'm forgetting. Plus put on puppet shows for parents and wake them up when that monster under the bed comes for them.
I read the wiki of S3 Generation to refresh my memory. It mentioned a lot of interaction and rewards and objects for different stages, but nothing about those stages interacting together. There are objects like bunk beds, tree house, costume chest, etc. that I want back, but those are not "family" play items. Generations was about each stage separately. Kids got things to spark their imagination and make believe game play. They also got five schools they could go to including military, prep and art schools. Teens got rebelliousness, pranks and parties. For YA's and adults, the focus was relationships, getting married and having kids. Elders got to enjoy their golden years remembering their life.
I guess what I'm asking is, do you want more family stages interaction or more single stage action?
So, instead of saying "I want more family play" that's very general, give us an actual list of things you want to see. Be specific. I'll start.
Kids can dance with parent by standing on their toes.
Family picnic with basket and blanket.
Play (teach) catch with parent (teen).
Again this proves my point that Sims spend a lot of time interacting with 'stuff' and not directly to each other.