Grunge and Decay as a Gameplay System

EmmaVane

We need a grungy-over-time-and-use system that applies dirt and wear overlays to furniture unless they are maintained occasionally via upholstery cleaning and polishing.

Grunge could include:

1. General grime layer that gets darker over time if not cleaned.
2. A few accidents like spilled food/coffee/nectar/pet poop to cause obvious stains.
3. Rip/tear overlays from kids jumping on furniture, pet scratching already scratched items or just Clumsy sims damaging things by accident.
4. Grimy overlays for floors walls that can be cleaned, and overlays for water/fire damage that can't just be washed away but needs replacing.
5. Comfort, efficiency and environment stats getting worse over time.
6. Fading colours effect for items that are outside or in direct sunlight indoors.
7. Upholstery, soft furnishings and carpets retaining smells from pets, spills and sims. Would occasionally need spritzing with a Febreeze type product.
8. Air becoming stale, mouldy or smelly. Could be fixed by circulating air with a ceiling/other fan, propping a door open and scented products like the spritzing spray, incense or scented candles. Heaters running would reduce damp and mouldy smell.
9. Lightbulbs needing replacing occasionally.
10. Windows and mirrors getting grimy and needing cleaning.
11. Door and gate hinges becoming creaky and needing oiling.
12. Stairs and floorboards becoming creaky over time and needing fixes/replacement.

I'd also like the ability to restore grungy things with the Handiness skill by replacing upholstery or sanding, varnishing and painting things.

Having a system like this in place would give us more general housekeeping/handiness gameplay and give us a reason to replace (or fix) furniture and fittings over time, rather than just doing it for aesthetics. It would also be great for builders and players who enjoy abandoned and apocalyptic scenarios.

I would also like accessible debug cheats to apply and remove each effect similar to the one that allows application of dirty and scratched overlays, but preferably accessible from build mode too. This would allow players to build anything from a slightly shabby starter home, to an apocalyptic nightmare.

A lot challenge would allow for it to be applied on any lot (residential or community) but be off by default.

A toggle in Options to turn it off completely which removes the lot challenge from any lots placed in the world on every lot load. This is useful if a downloaded lot has the challenge on it, or it was turned on by accident.

Would you use this type of gameplay? Do you have any ideas to add?

Benjamilian

Sounds horrible, but I can see it might add to the realism.

Chicklet453681

I like the concept of it but knowing how EA does things ..... it's either ALL or nothing with them. I could see it getting annoying super fast. They don't understand the concept of gradual. Look how BtD originally released and how quickly dust would unrealistically accumulate, I could see this concept having the same thing happen.

Plus that would be a huge undertaking for the 1000's of BB objects in all the packs because each one would need a unique dirt overlay texture created and added to every object in the game.

But it's def something that could/should be implemented in Sims 5 from the beginning.

EmmaVane

Chicklet453681 wrote: »

Plus that would be a huge undertaking for the 1000's of BB objects in all the packs because each one would need a unique dirt overlay texture created and added to every object in the game.

Would it though? Pets can scratch furniture from all the packs, I believe, but I doubt they made unique textures for every object?

Chicklet453681

I know as a BB CC creator when I make things like tables, counters, stoves, showers, sinks, toilets, etc that can get a dirty grimey film over it, it requires a dirty texture overlay, so I would assume it would be the same for all BB items

crocobaura

If there is no sunlight in the room, maybe spider webs could appear over time? I'd like if walls could get a grime overlay and then show a lighter patch where a painting used to be. But I don't want my sims to paint and scrub every day to upkeep their houses. Maybe they could add things like if a dog poops on the carpet, it would require a bit of washing and not just to scoop up the poop. They could also add things like polishing mirrors, polishing shoes, oiling a noisy door hinge, repaint a bicycle or fix the chain or a broken spike, change a lightbulb.

VeeDub

I wouldn't be against such a system except that I agree with @Chicklet453681 and the "all or nothing" approach that happens too often with this game. It would also need, at minimum, an On/Off toggle. Even better would be On/Off per save and/or per lot. I'm not in the least bit interested in chores as gameplay, but I could see uses for environmental grunge and such for set pieces or as part of certain storylines.

EmmaVane

crocobaura wrote: »

If there is no sunlight in the room, maybe spider webs could appear over time? I'd like if walls could get a grime overlay and then show a lighter patch where a painting used to be. But I don't want my sims to paint and scrub every day to upkeep their houses. Maybe they could add things like if a dog poops on the carpet, it would require a bit of washing and not just to scoop up the poop. They could also add things like polishing mirrors, polishing shoes, oiling a noisy door hinge, repaint a bicycle or fix the chain or a broken spike, change a lightbulb.

Oh, remember how changing a broken lightbulb used the be a thing? I think it was in TS2? Neat sims would also autonomously clean windows, iirc.

Babykittyjade

What?!!?
Did you say dirt? grime? grunge? Ripped? Stale and decay?!!!!! Like 100000xs YESSSSSSSS
I NEED this in my life. 😭😭😭😭😭 I love love this idea.

(Disclaimer: I promise I'm not an erratic slob sim irl😂)
Perfect addition to a zombie apocalypse pack though🥲 plus it adds to the realism many players love even for those who don't love the zombies it's a win win! Just need a toggle so it doesn't get nerfed because I loved the dust pack before they nerfed it. Now I never have anything to clean.... very rarely. And I love giving my sim mundane domestic chores.

I don't have anything to add because your ideas are perfect

EmmaVane

VeeDub wrote: »

I wouldn't be against such a system except that I agree with @Chicklet453681 and the "all or nothing" approach that happens too often with this game. It would also need, at minimum, an On/Off toggle. Even better would be On/Off per save and/or per lot. I'm not in the least bit interested in chores as gameplay, but I could see uses for environmental grunge and such for set pieces or as part of certain storylines.

Lot specific tuning would be fabulous. It could work via mailbox cheats in a similar way to the "Make needs static" cheat (but for the lot itself, not household, for use on community lots too).

Babykittyjade

Oh yeah I forgot we have lot challenges now. Would make a perfect lot challenge. I feel like there is so much they could do with lot challenges.... I tack all of them onto my lots😅

Scrapdash

100% like this idea
One of the things that's always bothered me is how shiny and perfect our sims homes look. That's just not realistic especially for some of my families.
Bust the Dust addressed this a little, you can now have a filthy home but it only really changed the floors. They need to go further. Grimy windows, beat up sofa, stains, broken fences, gates hanging off the hinge.

EmmaVane

Babykittyjade wrote: »

Oh yeah I forgot we have lot challenges now. Would make a perfect lot challenge. I feel like there is so much they could do with lot challenges.... I tack all of them onto my lots😅

Oh yeah, I totally forgot about lot traits/challenges too for sec there. That would work better actually.

GlacierSnow

If that type of system were added, I would definitely want it to be completely optional. I don't usually like spending a lot of time having sims clean stuff. But it might be good for specific households. I think a lot challenge would be the way to do it. Or something like the laundry system, where you have to place a specific item in order to trigger it.

EmmaVane

I updated the first post to add some of the ideas so far (I have to go reread posts and find those I missed).