My current save is very longterm goal oriented, actually. I had realized I was barely using half the content I'd paid for, so I made a rotational save with one big extended family where I focus on a different pack for each household
I went through that realization in Sims 3 as well. I realized I hadn't touched a lot of things at all. So I started doing the same things. I was already a rotational player anyway, so I just started adding new families where the focus was pack specific. I really liked it, so I still do it now.
Features I'd like brought back from the dead.
| Picture in Picture mode | Custom Paintings | Preset scenarios for resident sims | Placing my own lots |
| Saving my own Buy Mode collections! | Saving an outfit in CAS | CaSt. Smaller is ok | Open World |
My game play varies, and my goals differ a bit with each save.
I have about 6 or save files on my PS4, and about 8 on my PC.
On my PC versions, I tend to focus on family, with some based on characters like Harry Potter, Fruits Basket, or just normal Sims. I usually have parents, and some kids already. The Dynamic can vary at times. In one save file, I have two Sims that have K/DA CC, league of legends, and my goal is to have Evelyn have many children with Don Lothario, without getting married. Also, I have Ahri a daughter, so she and Evelyn can be in-laws. Some characters I make teens, so they have more time getting together, and I plan to marry them together later on. So, my PC version basically would be a legacy save with a twist.
For PS4 versions, the goals of the save files varies as well. For my Frozen save file, I have a bunch of the same characters running around, however, my plan it to eventually phase it out, and lead into another series I like. I have family with the son with the name of Hiccup, and goofed and have two families with daughters named Astrid.
I started the million dollar scenario with one save file, and my female Sim married Clement Frost, so after the scenario, it will turn into a legacy save with their offspring. They have one child so far, who I named Emma MoonFrost. I have two smaller families in the save file too, but the scenario has my attention so far.
Two save files are a mixture of Sims I created, and Sims I downloaded from the Gallery. One save file has multiple version of Natsume from the series Natsume's Book of Friends with other Sims. In another save file, it is my Sims with more of a mixture of series I like, which include Lord of the Rings, etc.
One save file will be like the Frozen one, but with Harry Potter. I have three families where the trio are just toddlers. Two families I included were Harry and Ginny, and their kids as teens. Also, Ron and Hermione married with teens. None of the families are related, and I plan to add more.
I have another save file that I made to recreate Sims I made on Sims 2. I plan to go into that save file, because one outcome I liked that happened in Sims 2, I want to recreate in Sims 4.
I have another save file that I throw my experiments on, and have them interact. One is basically a 7-generation thing, but having everyone living together in the same world.
So, I really don't have an end goal, mostly just creating, and seeing the children that result from the creations.
I have aging off, but I may turn it back on to let my Sims die natural deaths, and free up some room.
The thing is, I basically always play the Sims the same way. Make one Sim that fits whatever goal I have at the time, then play them like crazy until they're top of their career and rich and I get to build a really neat house and decorate it. After I do all that, it doesn't feel like there's much left to do, so I eventually just stop playing at some point. When I come back in months or years I do the same thing.
I've tried to do other things, but for one reason or another I usually end up back on the same path. There was one time I played a family with aging on, and it wasn't so bad, but I lost interest in it when the kids grew up and I don't know why but the game made them look really scary, it became a little hard to take those Sims seriously anymore. Also, I think I did start running into some AI or pathing issue that eventually just made it not fun to play the family anymore.
I'd say it's when I get bored, but that's really not true. I feel like I'm constantly distracted by new packs. Whenever I get one I wind up using either one of my fave sims or making a new one to explore the new world and/or gameplay. Next thing I know, another GP or EP comes out and I'm distracted again. It never seems like the current sim is right to use in the new pack. Back when I played Sims 1 & 2 I had a stable of favorite sims that I used a lot. With S4 I only have a few sims I keep going back to, but I don't want to play them all the time. I like having new sims.
I also have trouble playing multiple sims in one house, which means my family/roomies can't get bigger than 3 sims. I've been working on that over the last couple of months. My latest game had 5 people and I was able to manage them pretty well (except for when Bob Pancakes drowned in the ocean, but I take no responsibility for that. I told him to go fishing, not go swimming all day) Dealing with all those sims was a major accomplishment for me. Maybe one of these days I'll be back up to having 8 sims in one house again without completely stressing myself out. I have no idea how I'll play once I get to that stage.
I originally was wondering this because I see people say they play with aging off, and I was like, then when do you end a story?
Then I realized, the same could be asked of nonrotational players. When do you decide you are done, and move onto a new save?
So I decided to just broaden the question. When do you feel a game/story/journey you are playing is done?
I play rotationally, with aging on, in one save.
I would get bored if my sims never aged and died personally. So for me, sometimes death is the end of the story for a household, sometimes I have gotten involved in their kids, and it continues, but this is less often. And still, eventually death is the end..
EDIT: OMG, as soon as I posted this, it occurred to me everyone is going to say, "when I get bored," lol..
Oh well, I guess we'll see. Maybe there are other reasons.
For me there is none. Life doesn't just stop.
This game needs more Sailor Moon!
Hold SHIFT while using the FRIEZE tool to apply it to a single wall, and not an entire room!
When I get bored. I am good for deleting a save out of nowhere because I'm tired of it. I start a save with an idea, do the thing, then I'm done. The only exceptions are the couple of saves that have been going for more than five or so generations & those will be done when I've finished their respective challenges.
I’ve been playing the same save for years, and finally starting to age up the next generation.
When my sims die, it’s very intentional.
Elsa Bjerson died of embarrassment because she couldn’t recruit anyone to the Cult of Johnny.
Viviane died of sadness because she tried to kill Geeta with pufferfish for flirting with Dennis Kim. But Dennis mistakenly ate the fish and passed away.
Zoe Patel died because her boyfriend, Patchy the scarecrow, called for help when he was in the jungle looking for a cure to make him human. Actually, they both died in the jungle. Very sad.
I play in aging off and sorta rotationally with a lot of families, focusing on whoever catches my fancy on that day.
I don't exactly have an end planned, as I never stop playing anyone, but the sweet spot is a family being stable and comfortable: the sims who work have an interesting job that fits them both in jobtitle and workhours, the family at large have the means to reasonably support their lifestyle and social class (in spite of me restraining their career level because high end jobs are boring), every sim feels accomplished with hobbies and outside relationships, and the house, despite never being 100% done as all houses are wont to do, has solid bones and feels like a home.
When I reach that point, I play to reap the rewards, I don't strive for anything anymore. Everything clicks into place, each day is unhurried and enjoyable, the sims have the time and means to have both a comfortable routine and unplanned fun.
Not an end as anything can happen, and I still get to play with them anyway, but the closest to it.
I usually stop a save when my starting sim(s) dies. I get attached and loose heart once they all move on to the ghost stage. I play with custom aging, so my sims live a long time, but I abandoned playing with aging off years ago.
For me it's normally when I get bored with the save. Which is normally after the first of second generation. Though with my save I've been able to continue the save for several generations so it probably won't be stopped soon.
I play rotational with aging off, I am never really done, I got so many households, so if I am "done" with a certaine goal for one sim/household they still stay in the world cuz 1.they are usually in some way involved in another households life (related/friends/enemies) and 2. I will probly get a new idea for their next goal either just on my own or when a new pack comes out.
That said I dont always have a goal/story in mind, sometimes I just play their daily lifes for the fun of it, only thing I care about is keeping it in character.
I also just love building the world(s) including actual building and populating them with oc sims
So, I got a household/sim for every occasion, whatever I feel like playing whenever.
Comments
I went through that realization in Sims 3 as well. I realized I hadn't touched a lot of things at all. So I started doing the same things. I was already a rotational player anyway, so I just started adding new families where the focus was pack specific. I really liked it, so I still do it now.
| Picture in Picture mode | Custom Paintings | Preset scenarios for resident sims | Placing my own lots |
| Saving my own Buy Mode collections! | Saving an outfit in CAS | CaSt. Smaller is ok | Open World |
I have about 6 or save files on my PS4, and about 8 on my PC.
On my PC versions, I tend to focus on family, with some based on characters like Harry Potter, Fruits Basket, or just normal Sims. I usually have parents, and some kids already. The Dynamic can vary at times. In one save file, I have two Sims that have K/DA CC, league of legends, and my goal is to have Evelyn have many children with Don Lothario, without getting married. Also, I have Ahri a daughter, so she and Evelyn can be in-laws. Some characters I make teens, so they have more time getting together, and I plan to marry them together later on. So, my PC version basically would be a legacy save with a twist.
For PS4 versions, the goals of the save files varies as well. For my Frozen save file, I have a bunch of the same characters running around, however, my plan it to eventually phase it out, and lead into another series I like. I have family with the son with the name of Hiccup, and goofed and have two families with daughters named Astrid.
I started the million dollar scenario with one save file, and my female Sim married Clement Frost, so after the scenario, it will turn into a legacy save with their offspring. They have one child so far, who I named Emma MoonFrost. I have two smaller families in the save file too, but the scenario has my attention so far.
Two save files are a mixture of Sims I created, and Sims I downloaded from the Gallery. One save file has multiple version of Natsume from the series Natsume's Book of Friends with other Sims. In another save file, it is my Sims with more of a mixture of series I like, which include Lord of the Rings, etc.
One save file will be like the Frozen one, but with Harry Potter. I have three families where the trio are just toddlers. Two families I included were Harry and Ginny, and their kids as teens. Also, Ron and Hermione married with teens. None of the families are related, and I plan to add more.
I have another save file that I made to recreate Sims I made on Sims 2. I plan to go into that save file, because one outcome I liked that happened in Sims 2, I want to recreate in Sims 4.
I have another save file that I throw my experiments on, and have them interact. One is basically a 7-generation thing, but having everyone living together in the same world.
So, I really don't have an end goal, mostly just creating, and seeing the children that result from the creations.
I have aging off, but I may turn it back on to let my Sims die natural deaths, and free up some room.
(well, unless it's one of the concluded stories below... I guess those had an end point)
The thing is, I basically always play the Sims the same way. Make one Sim that fits whatever goal I have at the time, then play them like crazy until they're top of their career and rich and I get to build a really neat house and decorate it. After I do all that, it doesn't feel like there's much left to do, so I eventually just stop playing at some point. When I come back in months or years I do the same thing.
I've tried to do other things, but for one reason or another I usually end up back on the same path. There was one time I played a family with aging on, and it wasn't so bad, but I lost interest in it when the kids grew up and I don't know why but the game made them look really scary, it became a little hard to take those Sims seriously anymore. Also, I think I did start running into some AI or pathing issue that eventually just made it not fun to play the family anymore.
TINY HOUSE CHALLENGE
The May Family
Modeling Career?
I also have trouble playing multiple sims in one house, which means my family/roomies can't get bigger than 3 sims. I've been working on that over the last couple of months. My latest game had 5 people and I was able to manage them pretty well (except for when Bob Pancakes drowned in the ocean, but I take no responsibility for that. I told him to go fishing, not go swimming all day) Dealing with all those sims was a major accomplishment for me. Maybe one of these days I'll be back up to having 8 sims in one house again without completely stressing myself out. I have no idea how I'll play once I get to that stage.
For me there is none. Life doesn't just stop.
Hold SHIFT while using the FRIEZE tool to apply it to a single wall, and not an entire room!
** SailorCeti's Builds **
If you download one of my builds, by all means, leave me a message and tell me what you did and did not like about it.
I’ve been playing the same save for years, and finally starting to age up the next generation.
When my sims die, it’s very intentional.
Elsa Bjerson died of embarrassment because she couldn’t recruit anyone to the Cult of Johnny.
Viviane died of sadness because she tried to kill Geeta with pufferfish for flirting with Dennis Kim. But Dennis mistakenly ate the fish and passed away.
Zoe Patel died because her boyfriend, Patchy the scarecrow, called for help when he was in the jungle looking for a cure to make him human. Actually, they both died in the jungle. Very sad.
That type of thing. But the game goes on
I don't exactly have an end planned, as I never stop playing anyone, but the sweet spot is a family being stable and comfortable: the sims who work have an interesting job that fits them both in jobtitle and workhours, the family at large have the means to reasonably support their lifestyle and social class (in spite of me restraining their career level because high end jobs are boring), every sim feels accomplished with hobbies and outside relationships, and the house, despite never being 100% done as all houses are wont to do, has solid bones and feels like a home.
When I reach that point, I play to reap the rewards, I don't strive for anything anymore. Everything clicks into place, each day is unhurried and enjoyable, the sims have the time and means to have both a comfortable routine and unplanned fun.
Not an end as anything can happen, and I still get to play with them anyway, but the closest to it.
That said I dont always have a goal/story in mind, sometimes I just play their daily lifes for the fun of it, only thing I care about is keeping it in character.
I also just love building the world(s) including actual building and populating them with oc sims
So, I got a household/sim for every occasion, whatever I feel like playing whenever.
Never done, never done....