This thread is in no way an attempt to lesson anyone else's opinions or to change their perspective on playing the game, but I wanted to give my own perspective on how I play the Sims 4 and what I find is possible.
The Porters (Kimberly-mom, Gary-dad, Ryan-son, Anna-daughter) are a family that live a pretty idyllic life in Willow Creek.
Kimberly and Anna have a very close mother/daughter bond.
Ryan took his little sister to the park. While he loves her, he can't resist teasing her sometimes. It's what big brothers do!
Although she can give as good as she gets herself.
Gary is a chef and foodie, so he nearly always prepares the family meals. They opted for a backyard barbecue, a perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon.
As evening closed in, Kimberly made time to read Anna a story before bed.
It was then time for kisses and hugs goodnight.,
There'll be no monster visits in this room!
Kimberly and Gary relaxed on the front porch before turning in themselves.
The next morning was a school day for Anna and Ryan. Kimberly is a stay-at-home mom so she is always there to see them off in a morning.
But both parents play an important role in keeping the kids' education on track.
After homework, Anna met a new girl out in the neighbourhood - Jayda.
It was back home for dinner to try one of Gary's new cuisines.
A kiss goodnight from dad this time.
Jayda came around to play after school the next day, she and Anna are becoming good friends.
Anna loves arts and crafts, and is building on her Creative aspiration.
Kimberly went over to meet Jayda's mother, Aleah, and they swapped cute family pictures.
Ryan makes sure to balance friends and studying (sometimes at the same time). His friend Easton happens to be Aleah's son and Jayda's brother.
He is a normal teen, he loves playing the Sims.
Kimberly headed to the spa with her friends Aleah and Charlee, walking in like they own the place.
Kimberly is trying new hobbies while her children are at school, so she checked the group in for a yoga class.
Synchronization!
She headed home and spent some time with her family, feeling energised after her yoga session.
Even though the children are Gary and Kimberly's number one priority, they also make time for each other and headed off to the lounge for date night.
Kimberly has started keeping her own garden. She picked up a green thumb from her mother (who now lives overseas in Windenburg).
Friday night- Homework for Anna, fun for Ryan!
He and Easton headed to the diner/arcade for the evening.
On Saturday afternoon, Anna headed to the park to meet her friends she had met at school (Jensen and Ryley May) for a playdate.
Ryan joined in for a while...
Until his interests moved to Anna's friends' teen sister, Nicole, who had also chaperoned them to their playdate.
Ryan certainly has a mischievous streak.
Uh oh.
I guess she likes the bad boys.
Kimberly waited on the street for the kids to arrive back.
Gary is working at the restaurant, so it is pizza night!
Nicole and Ryan seem to enjoy each other's company, so they headed off to somewhere a little more private.
The next day, Ryan and Easton were out on a walk when they bumped into the new twins who had recently moved into the neighbourhood - Daryl and Lane.
Back home, Kimberly and Gary were also getting "acquainted."
To celebrate Gary's promotion, the family headed off to the restaurant for dinner.
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Ryan and Easton decided to hang out upstairs away from the moms and watched a horror movie together.
They also became best friends!
Ryan is an athletic Sim who hopes to improve his shape. He headed to the gym where Easton's dad, Jerome, works as a trainer.
Maybe sending that to Nicole?
Anna has formed a club with her best friends: no boys allowed!
But she still finds time to spy on her brother.
Nicole came over to pick up Ryley May and Ryan took the opportunity to make sure she had his number.
Showing off his 'moves.'
First kiss, right there in the kitchen!
Things got more heated as they headed up to his room to make out in the closet. I hope Anna isn't still hiding in there.
I guess this is how the kids say goodnight nowadays.
Kimberly and Aleah arranged a catch up while Anna and Jayda had a playdate.
Aw, someone is all played out.
Kimberly and her friends headed off for another yoga class, her balance has certainly improved!
Ryan invited the twins over to watch a movie.
Anna has taken up violin lessons, much to the dismay of her family.
Friday night is boys night! Seen as it's no longer just Ryan and Easton, they have decided to form a club.
Easton and Ryan try out their new club handshake.
As Ryan and Kimberly have improved in their hobbies, they've decided to purchase some home equipment.
Kimberly is happy to see Anna and Ryley May have become best friends.
The girls made an exception and let Jensen join in their playdate.
Kimberly has got her own bonsai tree, tying into both her interests in gardening and wellness.
Even though Kimberly has started embracing a healthier lifestyle, she still enjoys girls' nights in with a glass of nectar.
And Gary has started his own guys' nights...
Although the card games usually only occur when Kimberly is in bed.
It's date afternoon, so Kimberly gussied up before they headed to the coffee shop.
Ryan and Anna have grown up a little bit, becoming more interested in raising their skills and becoming more independent.
But she still loves attention from mom and dad.
Ryan and Nicole are still going strong.
Ryan is sure to make an effort when she is coming over.
Or when they're headed out for a date.
Kimberly found out about Ryan and Nicole's relationship, so decided it was time for "the woohoo talk."
"Mom..."
I think that most people on here know just how much I miss toddlers, and I do find their omission to have a negative bearing on my gameplay. However, from my own personal experience, I don't think that the statement I have seen that "TS4 has no family gameplay" correlates with my own experiences with playing the game. I hope that this thread might be helpful for some people in giving them ideas for playing families in TS4. I find playing my family to be very rewarding and charming to watch. I love that the Sims autonomously interact with their family members, and how we have so many family interactions that were missing in TS3 (such as parents cuddling children, family kisses, playing with dollshouses together).
I've also seen comments about how Sims have a lacking personality or individuality, and how there really isn't much to do except partying. I hope this thread might give people a few ideas on things their Sims can do. Like you can tell from this thread, my Sims aren't exactly party animals. But I find that I can still give them all unique and varied hobbies, and there's never a shortage of things to do. I feel like each age and (more traditionally) gender have things that they can do that feel real and engaging. I feel like I have given each of my main Sims a personality and lifestyle which they can engage with alone and with their friends, but they can always come back together as a family unit. I like how I have been introduced to clubs in this game session (something I hadn't explored before) and how clubs can be built overtime from just two Sims to a whole group of friends.
Anyway, like I've said, this thread isn't at all to diminish anyone else's opinion or to make them view the game differently. We are all welcome to our own perspective and I appreciate that some people won't agree with all of the points I've made. I just hope that this thread might give some people some more ideas for playing and enjoying the game.
One thing I wouldn't agree with, though, is their personalities. I don't see any differences shining through. And if you had an evil or insane sim, for instance, they wouldn't really behave much differently.
It is great that you've got a good game going on, but if that was me I would probably want to also be popping in to play as their friends households too... then I'd return to the main family to find they were no longer that awesome loving unit but hardly knew each other...
I like to rotate sometimes, which seems to be a disadvantage in the sims 4. One example of this would be the fact that I went back to my favourite household, to discover both elders had died, but it was like they never even existed. No mourning, no tombstones, nothing. Obviously relationship culling has been previously mentioned but thats still a bugbear for me and the fact that sims just don't 'react' to situations the way they used to in previous games. they've become less 'real' to me.
I am, however, loving the fact that you seem to be getting lots out of the game, and I actually really would like to see how this family progresses and what happens when Ryan and Anna grow up!
Stay happy, my friend!
I do agree with @elanorbreton that personalities don't shine through, and relationship decay when you play rotationally is a huge problem. I don't rotate families anymore which I do miss doing.
I would like to see how your family progresses as well.
@elanorbreton @AshlieBoom @altad1 Thank you guys! Now I understand what you guys mean about personality, like how Sims usually all react to a situation the same way regardless of their traits. Like once I tried a gloomy Sim and she was constantly happy because of decor moodlets overriding her trait. I guess what I meant I've done with my game is give them "artificial personalities". Like how they're all individual in their interests. And another example Ryan is the only one who'd do anything mischievous, but I'm the one controlling that. So I definitely get what you guys mean. And I hope the culling gets fixed, I would hate that. I can't imagine how that would feel if I played rotationally.
@Hermitgirl Thank you! Glad you liked it, I'll add more of their lives here.
Brilliant thread! I really enjoyed looking at all your pictures and seeing those relationships develop. I think we have a similar view of family play in TS4. I actually enjoy playing with families more in TS4 than I did with any other series, I find my family members are really adorable with each other, and I think the emotion system really brings them to life!
I think that the family players and legacy players do have legitimate concerns that do need addressing, and of course we really need those toddlers back! But I do truly feel like family play in TS4 is really rewarding. Thank you for sharing your screenshots and sim stories here.
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I almost always really want to play this way as well but usually my sims' careers and aspirations take over and that is what I focus more on...
For me, it means I don't play families as I find the huge leaps in ages stages to jarring. I really don't like it. I don't want to play without the bonding period of toddlers and teens just look like I missed most of their stage as they look like are ready to turn young adult immediately.
I do like the child stage, but it's obvious to me that EA felt to pressured to get the game out to bother with toddlers and give teens more time for unique animations. I will buy more packs and play families when we get Generations. Other than that I will just play TS3 for a better family experience.
There are far, far too few differentiating life stages for a great game of life. They should have been adding more, not taking them away.
Whilst @Simanite did a beautiful story, I can't help thinking how it would have read if there had been a new addition to the family and one day they suddenly had a child amongst them the same age-stage as Anna.
We all know that Ryan is a teen, because we were told so. And you can think of him as a teen in your head because of that knowledge - but if we had been presented with just the pictures I would probably have thought there were three adults in the household. Sadly, when Anna grows up she will suddenly look as though she should be out at work rather than high school.
I'm happy that you are able to find and make family play in your game. Your pics show wonderful grinning happy sims and I'm glad you can have fun. It doesn't change my opinion that I cannot find the happy in family play in Sims4. It does not meet my expectations as it does yours. I can't find the happy in any play in Sims4. I'm totally defeated by the art style, goofy smiles, silly walks, load screens and Stepford feeling that I got when I tried to play. The sims were all the same. Gave me the creeps. Happy Simming to you though.
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@poeticnebula Thanks! And I agree.
@Omri147 Thank you! And I'm pretty much the opposite, even when I try to focus on careers romance and children always become the priority.
@CK213 I understand. I can only play this way, making the Sims in CAS. I can't stand to have my Sims reproduce in-game, so that limits me to only starting at childhood with my Sims and then not being able to let my children grow up and have families themselves. I hope we get what we want soon.
@king_of_simcity7 Thanks!
@bekkasan I understand, and I'm sorry.
It seems like a lot of work, which can be a good or a bad part of playing.
@luthienrising Thanks so much! You're always so sweet.
@JasonAnthonySterling Thank you! You I'm having a lot of fun. The house is pre-made but I've loved decorating it.
Promise rings!
But Ryan also ensures he makes time for working on his athletic aspiration.
#ProgressPics
Anna has completed ALL of the child aspirations! She has become quite the little genius, she made this out of clay...
And it looks like her violin classes have finally started paying off.
Why are Kimberly and Gary being so sickeningly romantic all over the place?
And why is Gary exercising and cooking healthy meals?
Caption: Look what she's making me eat.
Kimberly is discussing the 'surprise' with her friends.
It is Kimberly and Gary's 20 year wedding anniversary, so they are renewing their vows!
Nicole: "I can't wait until that's us."
The kids are more interested in what there is to eat.
Kimberly's mother, Eloise, has visited all the way from Windenburg!
Ryan introduced Nicole to his best friend, Easton.
Kimberly and Gary caught up with Nicole's parents, they seem happy about their kids' unofficial commitment to each other.
Grandma had some great news for Ryan and Anna - she is staying with them for a few weeks for the holidays!
Ryan isn't so happy he has to give up his room and sleep on a camp bed in Anna's room though.
Wake up! It's Halloween.
Anna carved her pumpkin (with adult supervision) first - a cute cat!
Ryan's was not so cute.
Neither was Gary's cake.
Nicole brought Jensen over for the Halloween costume party.
Anna, Ryley May and Jayda opted for matching spooky pumpkin costumes.
All the better for scaring your big brother with!
You don't mess with the sausage and his pumpkins.
Poor Ryan.
But at least Nicole will give him a treat.
They look... appetising.
Later that night, Ryan invited his friends over to tell them a spooky story and prove he was no scaredy-cat.
Cassandra Goth decided to walk by at the worst time.
Pumpkins are fun to make... and fun to smash.
Eloise is settling in nicely.
And two green thumbs are better than one.
So happy you are enjoying the game, and still hoping you get your T's
*hugs*
Although your screenshots are absolutely adorable, most of it was just you being a good storyteller. I don't see this "gameplay" that you are talking about though. I literally just saw the same actions over and over. Drinking, eating, going to the diner, drinking, eating, going to the diner, then I just saw two kids playing at the dollhouse, the parents doing the same kiss cheek interactions over and over, a "woohoo talk" which really doesn't have much new animation, and thats about it. When you compare it to what you could do in past games "teaching your teens to drive, going out and doing REAL activities with your teens and kids, trick or treating, skating, kids could do pranks by this time in Sims 3, they could drive, parents could teach them to drive, parents could ground their children and teens, could scold them for not going to school, kids could go to prom with their dates by this point, pull pranks on others and the school itself, have a graduation ceremony, etc........there is so much that I can't list it all because it would be paragraphs long. At Carls Sims though he has a list that goes on for pages.