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Adding depth and challenges to TS4

MissusGerbitMissusGerbit Posts: 124 Member
edited August 2021 in The Sims 4 Game Feedback
I want to preface this saying I missed the 24hr-thread regarding challenges in-game. But I spent quite some time thinking this through and would still like to add some ideas.

My 2 ground rules for more challenges would be:
  1. It needs to be optional/player initiated (this way it won't affect players who don't want it).
  2. It has to be possible to remedy relatively quickly if preferred.

With that being said, what are the parts of the game that often get referred to as easy and how can we add a challenge?

1. Money
It is quite simple earning money in the sims and not that many ways of losing it. Adding options to lose money would be help a lot. This can be as simple as allowing us to actually 'delete/throwaway' items, instead of selling them. You know that ratty old couch? How about you pay for the local thrift store to pick it up? This could be located in the hire a service phone option and could use the same animations as the repo-guy.

Or what about adding a travel cost? Going directly to the map could stay free, but the option to (wormhole) travel using a bus stop or call a taxi could add a paid option to those who want to make things more challenging.

Another option would be to allow elderly sims to create their will a.k.a. donate a percentage of their funds to a charity upon their death. Junior might be living in a mansion with a 200.000$ fund, but if daddy-dear donates 90% upon his death Junior might have to get a job after all!

2. Jobs
Speaking of jobs, how about adding some challenges there too? Remember checking the newspaper daily to see which 3 jobs are available that day? Limiting the available jobs would add more challenge to the game. You could even add it option to 'check available jobs' to all community boards (Eco Lifestyle N.A.P., City Living apartment bulletin, Snowy Living/Cottage Living Village boards).

People who do want to keep access to all jobs at all times could simply go to the phone/computer and sign up to 'SimsJobz', unlocking all jobs at once.

3. Predictability
Once you played the sims a lot, the game gets quite predictable. So let's add some more chance cards!

Listening to Talk Radio or watching PolitiSim could prompt new chance cards to spice up the game. Some suggestions would be:
  • Property taxes raised/lowered
  • Tuition fees raised/lowered
  • Massive employee strikes -> Build & Buy is unavailable
  • News story about a cat that ate all grilled cheese --> dang all pet owners have to pay a new pet tax
  • Job market crashed, sim will lose their job

The chances could last a couple of days at the time and possibly stack if you want to make it truly difficult--> (taxes raised 4 times in a row?!) And if people don't want this, perhaps they could bribe or convince their local politician to change it back.

This mechanic could be added to Gossip/Deep Personal Conversation interactions as well:
  • OMG, you heard Don Lothario has another baby mama?
  • Cassandra is looking for a girlfriend, any suggestions?
  • Johnny Zest found a new job as a SpaceSmuggler!
  • Old Vlad finally kicked the bucket.

Nothing worse than finding out your partner lost their job (and income!) through the town gossip...

Don't want to impact the game this drastically based on chances? Sure Jan, just roll your eyes and dismiss that rumor for what it is, just a rumor.

3. Heritage
Another thing that could add a challenge to the game would be inheriting traits. We already have a 'randomize' button, could we add a 'heritage' button as well? This could pick a random trait based on the parents traits.

Want to add even more challenge? Having a positive relation with your parents could allow you to keep clicking the heritage button until you get a trait you like. However when the relationship is more rocky, your stuck with the first roll.

4. Reward Store
Are these reward for our precious Sims or... for us as the sin.. uh Simmers? Perhaps we can add more depth to it by allowing both sides of the coin:
  • -500 point for the Always Welcome trait? --> you can borrow +500 point for the Never Welcome trait. Be prepared to kicked out if you overstay your stay.
  • -500 Speed Cleaner --> +500 Slow Cleaner
These are just a few examples, but you could pretty add the opposite for all traits.

5. Autonomy
Instead of simply having on/off, let's add some more options (either in game menu, cas, or reward store).
Focused: Long action queue + will complete all of them
Distracted: Long action queue + will randomly reset the queue
Forgetful: Short action queue + will randomly reset the queue
And who knows maybe stubborn sims will randomly add their own things to the queue or decide not to complete activities.
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Comments

  • Gamer_34567544Gamer_34567544 Posts: 1,300 Member
    In Sims 3, there was an absent-minded trait. But if they were going to put that in again, they'd need new trait slots. 3 is limiting.

    Money... I mentioned on the unpopular opinions that they should add challenges for money- surcharging everything and/or getting less pay at jobs. If they were both available, it would allow you to set the difficulty.
  • GoldmoldarGoldmoldar Posts: 11,966 Member
    I written off Sims 4 ever adding depth as they afraid to tamper with the performance or even challenges as they may feel Sims 4 cannot handle it.
    Omen by HP Intel®️ Core™️ i9- 12900K W/ RGB Liquid Cooler 32GB Nvidia RTX 3080 10Gb ASUS Ultra-Wide 34" Curved Monitor. Omen By HP Intel® Core™ i7-12800HX 32 GB Nvidia 3070 Ti 8 GB 17.3 Screen
  • LoanetLoanet Posts: 4,079 Member
    Well, I think we'd need more than three jobs available per day now, considering our choices. A lot of jobs involve working for yourself.
    Prepping a list of mods to add after Infants are placed into the game. Because real life isn't 'nice'.
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