How many sims should I start with? «12...Next Go

HillyBeth

I want to change my game play and I generally start with just one or two Sims. Should I make a whole family, or just play one or two?

CravenLestat

Just play as one sim- Male

The game is more fun pursuing a sim weeding out the bad apples searching for a soulmate as you try to move up in life.Plus you start less money less worker bees bringing in income so it doesn't stagnate and stale as fast.Same as starting with a giant mansion with all the best furnishings,what is left to buy or aspire too compared to starting with a tent no job and 500 bucks.

I chose single male but either way even if single female you will get more longevity out your game IMO.

Been playing that way since Sims 3 began in 2009 and it is 2020 and i'm still not bored yet


Starting with a ready made married family you are missing out on

First kisses,weddings,proposals,going steady,learning traits of strangers blah blah too much to list.You are denying yourself lots of great gameplay and big lifetime wish points all those are big events.

HillyBeth

Thanks @CravenLestat !! I actually started that way in my sims 4 save and now the couple had one son and a granddaughter

CravenLestat

Just play as one sim- Male

YW Hillybeth I love starting with 500-1000 simoleans a tent,a firepit and that's it.You can fish for free and cook the fish on the firepit no stove needed plus can shower at the gym etc.

If you are interested do the dumpster dive challenge.Set a number and don't cheat yourself on how many dives you get a day.For example if you say 3 a day never stray never cheat if you have a bad day (And you will!!!) then deal with it.I have had days where I found 2 bugs worth 1 dollar and a 25 dollar rug,the next day find a cheap iron ore worth 30,another bug and a 50 dollar lamp.

On the flip side every now and then you can get lucky and find washer or a dryer,stove etc that sell for good money even can find the fortune cookie machine which is big money dumpster diving.But try it and it is really fun even more so only building lil bits and walls at a time watching your lil single wall pice then 6x6 square box etc grow over time.Plus not having a 9 to 5 job gives your sim wayyy more time to have fun even more so if you dont care about being a stinky sim and skipping showers unless your lot is near the gym.

Mine always was a long drive by cab it wasted to much time so I just played stinky until could afford a shower. Dont forget you can furnish your house early with stuff you find in the dumpster like tables chairs radio,TV etc

BlackSand

Just play as two sims

If your are bored with one Sim ( I always start a save with one Sim) ... I wouldn't do more than a couple.
If you are going to have children, have them in game.

A lot of times when you get stalled in your game, it's because your Sims keep doing the same things.
The number of Sims in the house just makes it more hectic and chaotic.
Ease into it if you want Sims with kids ... Let them come on their own, and adjust your game accordingly.

Play the game, don't let the game play you ...

.

CravenLestat

Just play as one sim- Male

BlackSand wrote: »

Play the game, don't let the game play you ...

.

These are wise words indeed Sensei Blacksand,every simmer should follow this advice.Also high five on the solo sim starting,same here.

BlackSand

Just play as two sims

CravenLestat wrote: »

These are wise words indeed Sensei Blacksand,every simmer should follow this advice.Also high five on the solo sim starting,same here.

Thanks @CravenLestat ...
Now that I think about it ... My very first save was a couple.

She got pregnant ...
He cheated on her ...
She kicked him out ...
She sold his truck ...
She bulldozed the house they built ...
Her and the new baby moved to Twinbrook and bought a trailer ...

.

HillyBeth

CravenLestat wrote: »

YW Hillybeth I love starting with 500-1000 simoleans a tent,a firepit and that's it.You can fish for free and cook the fish on the firepit no stove needed plus can shower at the gym etc.

If you are interested do the dumpster dive challenge.Set a number and don't cheat yourself on how many dives you get a day.For example if you say 3 a day never stray never cheat if you have a bad day (And you will!!!) then deal with it.I have had days where I found 2 bugs worth 1 dollar and a 25 dollar rug,the next day find a cheap iron ore worth 30,another bug and a 50 dollar lamp.

On the flip side every now and then you can get lucky and find washer or a dryer,stove etc that sell for good money even can find the fortune cookie machine which is big money dumpster diving.But try it and it is really fun even more so only building lil bits and walls at a time watching your lil single wall pice then 6x6 square box etc grow over time.Plus not having a 9 to 5 job gives your sim wayyy more time to have fun even more so if you dont care about being a stinky sim and skipping showers unless your lot is near the gym.

Mine always was a long drive by cab it wasted to much time so I just played stinky until could afford a shower. Dont forget you can furnish your house early with stuff you find in the dumpster like tables chairs radio,TV etc

Excellent idea! Brings me to a new question: Besides Sunset Valley, where should I play? I feel like I over-use that world.

BlackSand

Just play as two sims

HillyBeth wrote: »

Excellent idea! Brings me to a new question: Besides Sunset Valley, where should I play? I feel like I over-use that world.

When you are starting in a tent with nothing (how all my current Sims start) ... It doesn't really matter what town you are in.
However ... If you are doing the Dumpster Challenge, I assume some towns may have more dumpsters.

You're getting stuck in the details ... Thinking about where you should start your save.
The story you end up with is in you ... Not a place, not a number, not a condition.
You will only go where you aspire to go ... And you will only experience what you try.

Dream ... And Play the Game ...

,

CravenLestat

Just play as one sim- Male

@HillyBeth Lucky Palms Yes Yes Yes

Reason is the townies are great,the town is so good too add like everything,has so many empty lots and empty big sizes to add store premade venues but also

The dumpster placement.


My favorite play through was there and at first used an obvious dumpster but then thought


Hey why not pursue the sim with a awful story the absolute last sim you would think to marry cause umm IDK she is a single prego who killed her last hubby for money while also realizing her daughter is just as bad also prego using an elder for his money while cheating a ton on the side and get this

Her property is the only sim residential lot that has a dumpster


So I was the guy at 5 am digging in her trash everyday trespassing while stalking her till she came outside only to hit on her while smelling like moldy cheese and rat poo

Bio's


Lola Lancaster

Dazzling former showgirl Lola has been entertaining a steady string of gentlemen since the untimely, and according to the police "accidental", death of her husband. But one affair may have gone too far...pregnant and in love with a married man, what's a girl to do?!

There are some hints in her family bio that she might be responsible for her husband Rico Lancaster's demise somehow, even if indirectly.


PS: They based her off Lola from the Barry Manilow CopaCabana song and dead hubby Rico from the same song where Lola shot him


Her evil daughters Bio (Lina is a pretty premade if you are interested in a good baby momma for your game)

Lina Lancaster Aka Lovers Household

Eli is a lifelong ladies man and his current lady is the lovely - and much younger - Lina Lancaster. Lina claims to love Eli, but neighbors whisper that she is only in love with his fortune! Rumors say that Lina is pregnant... but is Eli the father?



Will find my story and when I do will link you,and along the way you see my pics of my house growing tiny walls at a time it turns into a awesome build and was randon too.So great was really fun I still have the save.But yeah play in Lucky Palms and there are several QT pie lady sims to chose as a mom for your sims babies.

HillyBeth

@CravenLestat i don’t own that world or I would play there. I have all eps and riverview, though I don’t like the festival lot riverview has

Mikezumi

I don't mean to be rude but you seem to ask this, or a similar question every other week. Instead of playing a game that someone else suggests for you, perhaps you should play a save that interests you.

HillyBeth

@Mikezumi that’s part of the problem. Though I do love 3 it doesn’t hold my interest as much as it used to. On the upside it has way less glitches than sims 4 does. Lol. I’ll figure something out

Mikezumi

HillyBeth wrote: »

@Mikezumi that’s part of the problem. Though I do love 3 it doesn’t hold my interest as much as it used to. On the upside it has way less glitches than sims 4 does. Lol. I’ll figure something out

I don't see how asking how many sims you should start with would help with a lack of interest. You seem to start a lot of saves, often recreating old sims you have played, and I see you ask if you should start with a single sim/couple/family often as well. Perhaps instead of asking how you should start your save, you should ask for advice on new things to try. Or perhaps it's just time to take a break. There's nothing wrong with losing interest in a game. Interests change over time.

At what point do you lose interest? You seem pretty keen when starting out. Is it just day to day sameness that tires you or do you get sick of the sims?

CravenLestat

Just play as one sim- Male

Well found the dumpster dive game started it May 2017 the problem is early on all my screenshots are gone cause used tiny pic at the time,eventually goes to Photobucket but that ruins it.Not sure how far into the save I switch to photobucket.

https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/808585/what-happened-in-your-sims-3-game-today/p1519


Here is a quick fast forward of my house progress many sim years of that save, found these on my imgur this is that save with Lola from 2017





















Lola Lancaster you will be missed,we had great memories together

Mikezumi

@CravenLestat Your SS did very well for himself!

blazerntq

Start with a family of four- Two Adults, one Child, one Toddler

@CravenLestat I love seeing your simself.

HillyBeth

@Mikezumi i think it’s a combination of sameness and boredom. Both of which are terrible since I love playing.

McTosh

i always start with 1 sim, i like to tell her story of finding love and starting a family and off my generation goes

McTosh

HillyBeth wrote: »

@Mikezumi that’s part of the problem. Though I do love 3 it doesn’t hold my interest as much as it used to. On the upside it has way less glitches than sims 4 does. Lol. I’ll figure something out

that's called getting older

some of us don't grow up tho, i love sims 3 now as much as i did 10 years ago. but i'm sad and my life is pathetic so

Faerie197

I normally start with a single sim. Male, female, ghost, doesn't matter. Keep in mind that your sim will not leave the house other then for work under 100% full autonomy. As such you'll need to direct some things. In fact, I've done a few "100% Free Will" runs, and they tend to end badly. One sim starved himself because he refused to cook, refused to eat quick meals, and generally didn't want to eat. Another got eaten by flies after a year of going to extreme lengths to avoid washing dishes. No, seriously, the sim would pick up plates and line the outer edge of the property with dirty dishes because the dishes were blocking the path to the chair he loved sitting in to watch TV. Didn't even consider washing the dishes, just formed elaborate dirty plate displays in the yard. Only to get eaten by a cloud of flies while taking a plate out to add to the display (it was blocking the chair). I hadn't even known "eaten by flies" was a possible way for a sim to die till that happened.

I like to use wishes to decide when the sim wants to go somewhere and where they want to go. Sure, the sim isn't going to act on their desires on their own unless their home lot has what is needed. However they will get wishes that show you what they want to do. Maybe your sim wants to take a class on painting. Or maybe they want to go to the park, or go snorkling in the ocean, or go skinny dipping at the public park (only pool that isn't on a private residence), or even just go to the local book store. What ever they want to do, let them do it. Without a certain mod I'm not going to mention the name of, sims don't start romancing other sims autonomously either. But they might get a Wish to do so. Pay attention to those wishes.

Does your sim have a specific Lifetime Wish such as marry into wealth, then outlive the rich spouse? This may inspire a darkly humorous story of love, betrayal, and bittersweet revenge. I have one such save that originally followed a sim named Lisa Smalls who was greedy and an aspiring black widow. The game is currently in the 2nd generation, with her step daughter (also named Lisa) trying to distance herself from her mother's evil ways. In fact, one wish had been to move away from Isle Paradisio. I hadn't known that was a possible wish till it came up. She now lives on her own in Midnight Hollow and is an international supercop. Well, I say 'on her own', but she's got the plumbots her 1st step dad had created and is learning to take care of them. Her step mom met an ironic fate. Lisa Livewell, three time murderer and coward extraordinare, was eaten by sharks shortly after drowning her 3rd husband. She never did get those riches Lisa felt she deserved.

Mikezumi

@McTosh I was already on my way to elderly when I started playing the sims so I don't think "growing up" has anything to do with losing interest in the game. Interests can change over time for other reasons like something better coming along

HillyBeth

@McTosh I'm actually 32. 33 in two months. Been playing since Sims 2 in 2005.

Faerie197

I'm 40, or maybe 41... I'd have to do math to figure out which for sure. Don't care enough to bother though. I didn't fall in love with The Sims 3 until 2016, apparently. I'd tried the game a few years earlier via Gamefly's PC game catalogue, but hadn't been impressed at the time. In truth the only reason I bought the game was because there was a bundle of the base game, Late Night expansion, and High End Loft stuff pack on sale for only $9.99 instead of $20-$30 for each of them it normally was. This was before the Starter Edition that includes those two was added to the store.

At the time, I bought it because the deal was too good to pass up. Yeah, idiot me. I didn't like the game, yet bought it cause it was on sale for a deep discount. After paying for them, I decided that I may as well play for a few hours at least. That way the purchase could be justified instead of just wasted money. I expected to play for 2 to 3 hours then uninstall, never to touch The Sims 3 again. Instead I found myself getting sucked in for 16 hours without noticing. Before I knew it I had a hundred hours logged, and was eying the various expansions. As it turns out, the reason I got bored and hated the game originally is because I was trying to micromanage every aspect of my sim's life, every minute of every in-game day.

I get the most enjoyment out of The Sims when I only do enough to keep them alive (baring stupidity or accidents) and let them run their own lives.

McTosh

Mikezumi wrote: »

@McTosh I was already on my way to elderly when I started playing the sims so I don't think "growing up" has anything to do with losing interest in the game. Interests can change over time for other reasons like something better coming along

but nothing better has come along so there goes that theory :P SIMS 3 IS THE GREATEST GAME EVER MADE EVER IN THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE AND THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE THAT EXISTED BEFORE THIS UNIVERSE AND THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF ALL THE OTHER PARALELL UNIVERSES too - scientific fact. einstein agrees

i was 13 when i started playing sims 3, but was like 8 when i was playing sims1.

i never played sims 2 weridly, i went from sims 1 to sims 3

Mikezumi

McTosh wrote: »

Mikezumi wrote: »

@McTosh I was already on my way to elderly when I started playing the sims so I don't think "growing up" has anything to do with losing interest in the game. Interests can change over time for other reasons like something better coming along

but nothing better has come along so there goes that theory :P SIMS 3 IS THE GREATEST GAME EVER MADE EVER IN THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE AND THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE THAT EXISTED BEFORE THIS UNIVERSE AND THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF ALL THE OTHER PARALELL UNIVERSES too - scientific fact. einstein agrees

i was 13 when i started playing sims 3, but was like 8 when i was playing sims1.

i never played sims 2 weridly, i went from sims 1 to sims 3

@McTosh "Interests" are not always other games. There are many things in life that can take one away from the Sims.