I came up with this idea while browsing the forums, and I thought it would be a perfect idea to post it! Feel free to add on and share your opinions.
CAS
CAS would include lots of clothes for children and even more for toddlers, more clothing good for teenagers, a few new kinds of facial hair that could be seen on a teenage boy, and some clothes good for elders. And the ability to create two new lifestages- babies and preteens/tweens!
B/B
Build/Buy Mode could include new activities for kids, and not just the drawing and science tables. Actual, completely new things! Lots of child, teen, toddler, and elder specific items could be added.
World
The new would could be inspired by places in England, I think this is fitting because the only livable worlds that aren't stereotypically American (coming from an American) are Selvadorada and Windenburg, and I don't see a family pack featuring a world from anywhere but North America or Europe.
Babies
Babies can now officially be made in CAS, though they're not quite out of that crib just yet. Babies are still unplayable, just like Cats and Dogs, but the cribs, despite taking up only one space of the floor, now have a space of 6x6. There are changing table objects, baby bath objects, and highchair objects that can all be placed inside that 6x6 space, and they are all usable. This does not free the baby from it's crib, but also makes them much more worthwhile. The lifestage now lasts 5 days instead of just 3.
Preteens/Tweens
Preteens/Tweens are right inbetween the teenager and child lifestates. It's length is inbetween toddler and child, lasting around 10 days. They go to middle school and have new, special interactions such as "Attempt to Impress" for teenagers, "Tease" to babies, toddlers, and children, etc.
Elders
Elders should receive a small overhaul, which includes a new venue type, retirement homes, that they can go to as soon as they retire from their jobs until death. There is also a new game, bingo, which can be played on the new bingo table.
School
The school system is now active. It's pretty simple, but adds a lot more depth to the game. Children go to Elementary School, Preteens/Teens go to Middle School/Jr. High, and Teens go to High School.
Other Stuff
New events, such as prom, graduation, and sleepover could be added. I also think it would be super cute if couches got a new interaction, called "sleep on", that just gives less energy than a bed would but more than a nap would, along with a couple blankets on top of whoever is sleeping.
This is a link to a thread that I think has great ideas as well, though it might make this to full for an Expansion Pack:
https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/964947/divorce-having-a-bigger-impact-on-families-why-how-and-what-it-should-involve#latest
Idea Credits:
http:/https://forums.thesims.com/en_US/discussion/906981/better-baby-stuff-pack/p1
Comments
Additionally, I think learning to crawl and taking the first few steps should be there. The reason being because that stage of life isn't represented at all in the games currently. They pop out of the bassinet and then all of a sudden they're walking around just fine. I'd really like to see them learning to crawl and become mobile before aging into toddlers.
And imo, we don't need a longer baby life stage. They're already annoying enough, and no amount of clothes or objects is going to change that for me.
I agree, but this is EA we're talking about. I was trying to be realistic, with at least one aspect of this game.
We already have a parenthood pack, so I'd like to see a pack like this focus less on family dynamics and more on activities for each generation to do together or separately. It could add a whole slew of new hobbies from knitting to making mud pies in the dirt.
I can see them adding bikes for all ages, scrapbooking photos, a stroller to take toddlers on walks, rocking chairs, bunk beds, tea parties for children, sleepovers, more playground equipment, elders passing on wisdom and skills, garage bands, skate boards with ramps, and perhaps even a playable daycare for your sims to run. Overall, just more for each generation to do.
New events could include funerals, improved weddings, and sleepovers.
A nice suburban neighborhood type world would be nice (maybe European or Australian to add some diversity), with streets and sidewalks where kids can ride their bikes and play hopscotch.
dislike idea of preteens in my game because I don't see anything they could do that kids or teens don't do
and i never felt like there is between stage in real life either like ur either teen or kid and thats about it
I'd rather have this importance order for life stages/family pack if there was one
1.Elders
2. Babies
3. Older Adults
4. Teens
5. Kids
6. YA
Elders and older adults have like nothing to do in the game at the moment
so I'd give them loads of gameplay (bingo, knitting, walking canes, middleage crisis...)
and babies well, even if in crib could have more depth like op also suggested
teens could have first crushes and proms maybe teen aspirations? they're bit too similar to ya
kids could have some stuff too like tree houses idk not too fussed personally
surely someone else could name more things than me when it comes to kids
YA? maybe something small though almost every pack is ya pack so idk
(keep slipping to romance or uni packs which well should be separate packs obviously)
maybe some ... juice would be in order
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Adults are still having babies, while elders have one foot in the grave. Where's the middle-age transition?
I do think that babies should be unlocked from their cribs though. We do have a mechanic for Sims not leaving a community or neighbour lot without their toddler, so there should be no issue to set up the same way (I think the biggest problem is technical: how to switch from what's essentially an object with encoded genetic data into a proper Sim). I'd love to see prams or strollers or baby carriers that Sims can bring a baby in to places outside of their lot. Even if babies would not have the "Put Down Here" interaction (with exceptions for baby-specific objects like a changing table or a high chair), it would be an improvement. Though I'd prefer the basics of it being included in base game.
I think the biggest draw of preteens for me isn't so much "but it's such an important life stage irl" as it is the massive jump from Child to the current Teen stage visually right now. A stage between that would make the transition less harsh. Granted, had Teens not just been mini-YA Sims, this wouldn't have been an issue at all & I'd be right there with you.
The baby stage being longer would make sense once there's actually stuff to do with them away from the crib.
Maybe the general lifespan could get an overhaul. As is, (with Seasons, on a 7 day season cycle and the long lifespan) Sims age into Elders at the ripe ol' age of 53 Sim years, which is just... wow. Extending the life stages by a day or two, adding the Preteen stage and maybe an Older Adult/Senior stage (no more ability to be pregnant, looks somewhere between Adult and Elder) would extend the general Sim lifespan to something a little more realistic.
I'd rather see the school system be fully developed in its own pack to include a Teacher/Professor career, so keeping schools as rabbit holes wouldn't bother me. But I'd love to see a bigger variety of after-school activities: sports clubs, chess club, choir/marching band, cheerleading, martial arts etc.
Having a family-focused world would be fun (yes please on the non-American one). There could be a big shopping center/mall community lot with editable units (instead of the whole lot being editable) for retail spaces or cafes, a bowling alley (for those who have the pack) and/or a cinema. And a kiddie area for toddlers and children to be left at (a daycare center maybe?). Have the parent/carer Sim get a call if their kids' needs are dropping low to they go pick up their child.
Oh and please please include the ability for children to take dogs on walks, thank you.
I agree with you on both counts. I would much rather see improvements to toddlers, kids and teens than have babies removed from the crib or a new life stage added. I would also like something specific to Elders.
Honestly, I played Sims3 the other day day, and even then, the babies I played stayed in the crib. I did like that I could SEE THEIR NEEDS though.
@nerdfashion @ListentoToppDogg I used to hate so much when my Sims left the babies laying on the floor... Its so annoying. But making them objects is even worse.
They don't need to be stuck to the crib to avoid being tossed to the floor, the devs should just add something to the codes that even books are lacking. Sometimes i put my sim to read something and they jsut leave the book everywhere, but MCCC has a thing where our sims will directly towards the closest bookshelf to put it back after reading it. Thats just what babies need, a better coding than usually is done.
They gave us object-babies because thats the cheapest and easiest solution, not the smartest.
idk personally i love my sims leaving books all over so i at least have something to clean (there is far too few things to clean for my sims)
and well babies on floor is bit more annoying but still could deal with it
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So you're either a small child playing with toys one day or a fully grown adult messing around the next day interesting.
Family Tree
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I mean it totally depends how you play your sims
and the actual gameplay is already there for kids and teens to achieve ''preteen'' you are talking about
since they don't do anything that kids or teens don't
its very easy to make kids appear bit older or teens appear bit younger
and I think the overall what kids/teens do and don't do in the lifestage depends on their personality
there is teens that don't ''mess around'' and kids that prefer to just play with toys no matter the age
kids that grow up faster or slower than other kids and kids that never really become stereotypical teen or whatever
and also I can make it so they gradually change behavior even if inside the lifestage
meaning kids may start with playing with toys and then become more involved in school and hobbies closer to end
and teens might start up child like and become more ''social'' and ''rebellious'' closer to end of lifestage
I don't see why there needs to be extra lifestage when they could just improve the existing ones
especially since for me tween seems just purely cosmetic difference I don't need in my game
I mean if I saw 13 year old irl I would not think ''its a tween'' i would just think ''its a kid''
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Wrong discussion! I think you might have clicked this one on accident.
active school is fine as long as it is optional and there is option of rabbit hole school if you just want your sims off lot and have fun with other family meanwhile
I had school mod before but it got tiresome after a while so i sort of understand not wanting it though
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I did mean active school as in it's like active careers. Optional! Except it's just as hard to boost your grade when you choose not to follow as when you do.
I was worried about how active school would look like with more than one child of same age range in the family, because with active adult careers, you can't control more than one sim at the time and they won't even go to the same place despite being coworkers. Would it be the same for children, not going to the same school as their siblings anymore?