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How Generations can works with The Sims 4?

Mak27Mak27 Posts: 1,111 Member
edited May 2021 in The Sims 4 Ideas Corner
First of all, new life stages: Pre-teens and middle adulthood.

Pre-teen was first featured in The Sims Freeplay while middle adulthood can be a new life stage between adult and elder. Also there's no new life stage in the series since The Sims 2 University added the young adults.

Toddler -> Child -> Pre-teen -> Teen -> Young adult -> Adult -> Middle adult -> Elder

Like toddlers, both life stages should be added first as a patch for base game, with basic clothes, max two new traits and a couple of new interactions. Each should have an average life span of 7 days with normal settings.

Second, Pre-teens and middle adulthood should be the main focus or the basis for a possible Generations pack. We already have Parenthood GP, Toddlers and Kids SPs, both can be a "exclusive" life stage for many of the new interactions or gameplay. In the pre-teens case, boarding schools, after schools activities and other interactions. In middle adulthood case, midlife crisis, celebrations and interactions.

Third, EA can release a life stage focused SPs or Kits, including more interactions, clothes and other traits, much like for example The Sims 2 Teen Style SP or The Sims 3 70s, 80s & 90s (or "decades", like how the pack was knowed before it release).
Post edited by Mak27 on

Comments

  • DaWaterRatDaWaterRat Posts: 3,351 Member
    No way Pre-teens should be 10-15 days on normal. Child and Teen are only 13 and 14 days, respectively, and IRL, Pre-Teen only lasts for about 2-3 years. 7 days (same as toddlers) would be the maximum I'd find that stage believable in context with the length of other stages. 5 is closer to proportional.

    I also would be kinda... miffed if Pre-Teens were the only ones who could join after-school activities beyond Drama and Scouts. Especially Sports, which really needs to be an option for Teenagers at the very least. IRL, my daughter started Taekwando at 8, I started ballet at 6
  • Mak27Mak27 Posts: 1,111 Member
    DaWaterRat wrote: »
    No way Pre-teens should be 10-15 days on normal. Child and Teen are only 13 and 14 days, respectively, and IRL, Pre-Teen only lasts for about 2-3 years. 7 days (same as toddlers) would be the maximum I'd find that stage believable in context with the length of other stages. 5 is closer to proportional.

    I also would be kinda... miffed if Pre-Teens were the only ones who could join after-school activities beyond Drama and Scouts. Especially Sports, which really needs to be an option for Teenagers at the very least. IRL, my daughter started Taekwando at 8, I started ballet at 6

    Fair point. Changing the life span for each propossed new life stages.
  • kwanzaabotkwanzaabot Posts: 2,440 Member
    So uh

    um

    how to put this...?

    Animating an entire life stage, programming unique animations specific to their in-between height, and creating clothing and hairstyles that they and only they can wear, is expensive.

    REALLY expensive.
    Nearly every discipline at Maxis would have to be involved, which would mean that development on other features would effectively grind to a halt.

    From what the gurus have revealed about the development of toddlers, they took about 2 years to produce, and in all likelihood it seems that they were a skunkworks project--that is, the devs probably worked on them, of their own volition, whenever there was a lull in the workload.

    Maxis already gets a shoestring budget. Yes, The Sims is one of EA's most profitable franchises. But while EA's CEO, Andrew Wilson, takes home million-dollar bonuses pretty much whenever he decides he deserves it, TS4 doesn't seem to see any of that money.

    Look at Battlefront, then look at The Sims. Look at Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond. Look at Fifa 21. Look at NHL 21. Look at Star Wars Squadrons. Madden 21. UFC 4. Need for Speed Heat.

    Look at literally any of those games, then look at The Sims 4, and tell me that Maxis is getting their fair share of the budget.

    There's no way Maxis can afford to give a pre-teen lifestage the attention it deserves.
    Elders don't even get that kind of attention.
    Teens don't.
    Children don't.
    Toddlers barely do.
    This is a Young Adult Simulator, and the reason is simple:

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    wJbomAo.png
  • SERVERFRASERVERFRA Posts: 7,108 Member
    New Age Stages in CAS: Tweens, Young Teens, Middle-Agers & Seniors.
    New Family Members: Step-Families, Second-Cousins, Great Aunts/Uncles, Great-Grandparents, Half-Siblings, Foster_Families & In-Laws.
  • SimChic1SimChic1 Posts: 3,449 Member
    SERVERFRA wrote: »
    New Age Stages in CAS: Tweens, Young Teens, Middle-Agers & Seniors.
    New Family Members: Step-Families, Second-Cousins, Great Aunts/Uncles, Great-Grandparents, Half-Siblings, Foster_Families & In-Laws.

    I still don't understand why we don't have proper step families and in-laws at the very least. Yet another reason why TS3 is miles above TS4.
  • trineloetrineloe Posts: 37 Member
    I would love pre-teens/tweens! I totally understand kwanzaabot about the budget and the time issues, but this life stage would be great, especially for a Generation Pack! When I play, I often feel like there is quite a ... well, somethings missing between those important life stages. On the other hand, I'm afraid this will make the game lack even more.
    I would also love being able to choose 'partner/fiancé/GF/BF' in CAS - this shouldn't be that hard to make, I guess? As well, step-family etc. would be highly appreciated.
    In a generation pack, I would also be happy to see more spare time activities for kids, toddlers and teenagers: skateboarding, ballet, what ever.
    All in all, even though we already have Parenthood, I do think there'll be plenty of great ideas for gameplay, relations, BB and CAS, if we're getting a generation pack! Oh, by the way, I want to have an evil step-mom only taking care of her biological children. That could very well be included!
    Gallery ID: trineloe
    ~~ building life ~~
  • kwanzaabotkwanzaabot Posts: 2,440 Member
    trineloe wrote: »
    I would love pre-teens/tweens! I totally understand kwanzaabot about the budget and the time issues, but this life stage would be great, especially for a Generation Pack! When I play, I often feel like there is quite a ... well, somethings missing between those important life stages. On the other hand, I'm afraid this will make the game lack even more.
    I would also love being able to choose 'partner/fiancé/GF/BF' in CAS - this shouldn't be that hard to make, I guess? As well, step-family etc. would be highly appreciated.
    In a generation pack, I would also be happy to see more spare time activities for kids, toddlers and teenagers: skateboarding, ballet, what ever.
    All in all, even though we already have Parenthood, I do think there'll be plenty of great ideas for gameplay, relations, BB and CAS, if we're getting a generation pack! Oh, by the way, I want to have an evil step-mom only taking care of her biological children. That could very well be included!

    It would be great, but it's never gonna happen
    wJbomAo.png
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