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Group Activities: New and Current ones?

simfriend1968simfriend1968 Posts: 578 Member
My apologies if there is a thread somewhere already on this topic, but I couldn't find a recent one, and I've been wondering about it lately, so I thought I would post myself on this issue. Although a fan of the game, I am still interested in ideas for how the game can be improved in a variety of areas, and especially in the area of group activities. I define a group activity as an activity in which 3 or more sims can participate at the same time. Two of the best base game activities are large group conversations (which multitasking makes possible on a grander scale than previously, and which I really enjoy watching) and group meals, which, especially after Parenthood added place settings, and Seasons added Grand Meals, work really well (better than in previous games where they were a source of enormous frustration and I had to use mods even to get Sims to sit at the same table). Watching tv as a family is pretty good too, and much better with MH Stuff, where they can now watch films as well.

Admittedly, they have added some more good ones in various packs, but I feel that there is much more that could be done in this area. What are some group activities currently in game that you like and use a lot, and what are some potential group activities that are available to only two sims that you would like to see improved?

Here are some group activities currently in The Sims 4 that I like and use a lot:
1) Clubs. This is the biggest and best way for sims to do things together in groups. I particularly like the group dances at the nightclubs.
2) School projects. I love doing these in families and usually I can get everyone, including parents, grandparents, siblings, to lend a hand to the main child, and as a result I always try to do them.
3) Card games and Don't Wake the Llama. These seem to work well and allow conversation at the same time (as they should).
4) Bowling. This seems to work well, too, although I use a mod to shorten the waiting times between turns. Conversation happens between the sims while bowling at least.
5) Game console with the TV. I am glad they finally added this in City Living, and use it to have kids play together after school, to play online with absent friends and to have households or families play together.
6) Foosball table and darts. These came with Get Together and Clubs (I think) and are another group activity that is good for raising fun and social.
7) Snowball or mudball fights and throwing water balloons from Seasons. I am glad they added this back in but it doesn't seem to work quite as well as in previous games because the timing seems off. There seems to be too long a delay between sims throwing things at each other or something.
8) Singing carols in Seasons. This is just so darned cute and sounds pretty good too. I just wish there were more songs!
9) Sitting around a campfire, talking and doing various things (including roasting marshmallows, talking, singing folk songs).
10) Telling a group story/ Selvadoradan legend, ghost story or giving a lecture (from various packs). My sims seem to sit and listen to all of these.
11) Watching a live performance. I have a comedy club in which this is a major activity, and it seems to work pretty well with sims autonomously delivering monologues while the rest of the club watches and laughs. It gives so much fun that it risks causing hysteria if you are not careful. Stray sims will often join in as well adding to the immersion.
12) Watching a tree/ menorah/ kinara lighting as a family. Love having my sims do this, and it also looks really good as well as giving a solid mood boost and a nice moodlet.
13) Opening presents together from the present pile. I love that everyone, even toddlers, can do this. I usually make my present piles enormous so that everyone in a big household can join in.
14) Excavation in Jungle Adventures. After level six in Archeology, Sims can establish an excavation site in which multiple sims can dig for artifacts at the same time. I usually do this with only two sims, but I once added a third and it seemed to work.
15) Basketball. This actually doesn't work as well as I would like. I wish it were more like a real game even if I do have a mod that improves it.

There are probably more current group activities, but that is all I can think of at the moment. I'd love to hear others' ideas for any group activities that you think could work better (having all sims sit down together to watch a wedding, for instance!). As well, what are some entirely new activities, or group activities from previous versions of the game, that you would like to see in The Sims 4? Thanks in advance!

Comments

  • SimmyFroggySimmyFroggy Posts: 1,762 Member
    One thing I would love to see added in terms of group activities:

    Going on walks together - whether this is going to walk dogs or just taking a stroll around the neighborhood for couples or families.

    What I think also works as a group activity is fishing.
    There are many activities that can be done together with groups (either during club meetings or traveling together or creating a group on the home lot), which is pretty neat when you remember to set up a group (I tend to forget about that functionality a lot, unfortunately).
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  • ListentoToppDoggListentoToppDogg Posts: 2,103 Member
    The lack of group activities (especially for the non-YA life stages) really kills the game for me. I want to see more of younger sims and families interacting together.

    Toddlers can't do anything together except talk to each other, hug, and use a dollhouse (and even then, they're just playing by them self with another toddler just standing new to them). I'd like to see toddlers actually able to grab some toys and play together, interact, look at each other. Show that they are acknowledging the other toddler's existence. In the kiddie pool, let the toddlers splash each other, and have the parents interact with everyone, not just the toddler they are holding. I'd like to see similar stuff for the ball pit and big jungle gym. We need more than just a dollhouse (especially for boys). Let the toddlers play with toy cars, action figures, or stuff animals together or something. Small things like that would add so much more to these interactions.

    Kids achieve some of that with the park equipment, but I'd like to see more for it that can be done in the house. Hand games, games like tag, more playing with toys and actually interacting.

    Of course elders need more unique activities in general; like knitting, bingo, crosswords, etc. Hopefully if they ever get an update, they'll get new activities which they can do together.
  • BabykittyjadeBabykittyjade Posts: 4,975 Member
    edited August 2019
    I'm for one hoping for more activites. The most disappointing being basketball, bowling, water balloon fight and the horseshoe. They don't actually look like they are interacting with eachother. Clubs are definitely nicely done I love they they added that *add to group* option too. I use it all the time.

    I would love for pillowfights, jumping on the bed, building forts, spin the bottle, tag, cops and robbers, peekaboo, holding hands while walking, soccer, tickle fights, other imaginary games, group boat rides, dancing where they actually look at eachother or touch eachother. And for interactions for kids and toddlers like you said.
    I have much more on my list but it's so long I cant remember. But for me it's not about the big things like building a giant rocket ship. It's about all those cute little meaningful moments and interactions they share together that makes me love this game.

    I've probably repeated myself in similar threads but I participate in all of them hoping one day our voices will get heard :)
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  • jj_____jj_____ Posts: 167 Member
    @simfriend1968

    I also like those activities that you listed that are currently in game. Instead of listing those, I'm gonna focus more on new things that could be added and make a list of those.

    @darrenfroggy
    @ListentoToppDogg
    @Babykittyjade

    All of you pretty much mentioned most of the things that came in to my mind, some of those were more 2 sims activities though. But I agree, and want those kind of things in game too. :)

    Here is a list of some of those things + some other things:
    *Group activities for 3+ sims

    - Group singing: not just holiday songs
    - Group dancing: different kinds
    - Group walking: normal, holding hands, maybe jogging too
    - Group plays: pillow fights, hide and seek, cops and robbers, spin the bottle, tag, playing together with toys (actual interacting), bingo etc.
    - Group rides: boats, cars etc.
    - Group sports: soccer, volleyball, tennis etc.
    - Playing instruments together (same song, so its not a complete mess)

    I'm not sure if these already are:
    - Acting
    - Musical
    - Cloud gazing, Star gazing

    There would be more of course, but that's what came to mind at the moment.
  • telemwilltelemwill Posts: 1,752 Member
    I would like to see charades if the game could pull it off. Also, some sort of outdoor game for the kids like tag or even cops and robbers.
  • amber_ilumireamber_ilumire Posts: 1,714 Member
    We definitely need the option to do activities such as basketball, jogging, dog walking etc. as part of a group, I totally agree. I'd love more games and toys for children and toddlers to be able to play together and bond over. I feel there needs to be more opportunity for them to talk and interact with each other whilst doing these activities. Sims seem to lack interaction at t he moment which is a real game-killer for me. It feels like my sims are ignoring each other all the time!
  • IvyeyedIvyeyed Posts: 358 Member
    edited August 2019
    jj_____ wrote: »
    - Group plays: pillow fights, hide and seek, cops and robbers, spin the bottle, tag, playing together with toys (actual interacting), bingo etc.

    I realized when I read this that you mean "plays" as in "playing together interactions", but it reminded me how disappointed I was when I learned there was no live theater career in Get Famous.

    I'd love if sims could put on community performances. Put together a play, or a talent show, or a band performance (we need bands!) at a set time on a set stage with an actual audience. And you have to play through it and make your cues and stuff.

    God, I could have a whole theater/live performance GP happily. It'd be a lot of new gameplay to program, but it'd be so fun.
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  • ChadSims2ChadSims2 Posts: 5,090 Member
    The group activities we have now are pretty much all horrible the Sims cant play basketball together they just take turns dunking now with bowling they play together but act like robots no interactions when a Sim misses all the pins or does a strike there's nothing... Also the snowball fights are pathetic they really have a hard time doing any group activity right with what little we get you think they would put a little effort.

    As someone mentioned I'd love to see pillow fights, hide and seek, cops and robbers for the kids and slow dancing and other dances that can be done together (not like the Get Together routine) bands and being able to play musical instruments together also would like to see Sims play sports like an actual game of basketball and football does not need to be a full game tossing a ball tackling other Sims give me something.
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  • jj_____jj_____ Posts: 167 Member
    Ivyeyed wrote: »
    jj_____ wrote: »
    - Group plays: pillow fights, hide and seek, cops and robbers, spin the bottle, tag, playing together with toys (actual interacting), bingo etc.

    I realized when I read this that you mean "plays" as in "playing together interactions", but it reminded me how disappointed I was when I learned there was no live theater career in Get Famous.

    I'd love if sims could put on community performances. Put together a play, or a talent show, or a band performance (we need bands!) at a set time on a set stage with an actual audience. And you have to play through it and make your cues and stuff.

    God, I could have a whole theater/live performance GP happily. It'd be a lot of new gameplay to program, but it'd be so fun.

    @Ivyeyed
    Yes, I totally agree! Those are something that I also wanted to be able to have in game at some point, and was hoping to get some of those in Get Famous EP, because they would have fitted well in there. If we get those in another pack, that would be awesome!
  • Themrsg4422Themrsg4422 Posts: 332 Member
    Hoping university comes with bands, as well as a pool table. 2 great group activites.
  • SERVERFRASERVERFRA Posts: 7,108 Member
    I hope it's like Sims 3 University but better.
  • lindaatjuhlindaatjuh Posts: 52 Member
    Tags for kids and baking cookies for kids together with an adult. And Lego (or some sort of constructing toys)
    And for all sims just a lot more sports like soccer, baseball, tennis etc. I hope University will bring us that.

    I also would like to see boardgames.

  • SERVERFRASERVERFRA Posts: 7,108 Member
    They need to bring back the Keg, pillowfights & college parties. Also, it would be nice if they had University Clubs & Proms.
  • NushnushganayNushnushganay Posts: 9,418 Member
    If they had legos, I mean "stacking bricks", there could be the chance of a hilarious animation and moodlet to go with it: Stepping On Them. I can just see my parent Sims doing the Stepped On a Brick dance!
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  • telemwilltelemwill Posts: 1,752 Member
    If they had legos, I mean "stacking bricks", there could be the chance of a hilarious animation and moodlet to go with it: Stepping On Them. I can just see my parent Sims doing the Stepped On a Brick dance!

    We have those Buildem Blocks which are Lego like, but they seem to stay on the table. I think they are from the Parenthood pack. Too bad they don't come with that animation! It would have been funny and very true to life.
  • simfriend1968simfriend1968 Posts: 578 Member
    edited August 2019
    I love all these ideas. It sounds like people would like a combination of more group socials and group activities tied to objects. The more the merrier!

    I love the ideas already mentioned around children’s games, family interactions between sims of different ages, bands and/ or choirs, sports of various kinds and ordinary joint activities like jogging, dog walking etc. If we ever get strollers again it would be nice if taking a stroller out was both a solo and a group activity for a family. I forgot about pillow fights in TS2; they were fun and well animated. I’d love to have hopscotch and seesawing back and maybe some new kid activities like marbles or skipping rope too. Someone mentioned building forts: great idea, along with group play on couches or in treehouses. I also never thought of charades, or group theatrical performances— those would be lovely if well done (more than reused animations).

    For object-based group activities I would like to have the pool table from previous games back as someone mentioned. Ping pong, pinball and the Keg would be great to have back too. One TS2 game I liked, which could be played by adults and kids was Myshuno, a sims version of Bingo — really well animated.

    Group photos and portraits would be nice (involving more than 3 sims) — especially candids. From TS3, casino games would be nice to have back. Eating games (like those from TS3’s festivals) would be great to have again too. Cooking or baking or other types of contests, or any type of real competition between a number of sims would always be welcome. (I even have fond memories of the pet competitions from TS1 and the garden evaluations from TS2’s garden club).

    For new activities, I personally have always wanted croquet for my snooty sims. Badminton, volleyball (both in the pool and on the beach) baseball or ball hockey could be great games to play with groups of sims at home or at a picnic. Someone mentioned board games — yes.

    Realm of Magic has raised interesting new possibilities as well: it might also be fun with magic to have seances, tarot readings, group spell-casting and potion-making. And if we are getting magic duels, other types of individual duels as well as world-wide martial arts or fencing competitions could also be good.
  • alexspoom13alexspoom13 Posts: 7,439 Member
    I was hoping we'd finally get beach or pool volleyball with TS4, but alas. I also want to see the kids games return from TS2 & TS3, such as tag, cops & robbers and pillow fighting.
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