I'll create this discussion as a continuation of my previous Likes and Dislikes idea. The main reason is because this one is meant to be a big idea to share and update.

This is how the Likes and Dislikes selection currently looks like (children don't have décor and fashion preferences):


Inspired by the upper part of the panel, and it somewhat acting like a tab button, and the part where you open the panel always showing smiling and frowning faces afterwards, I'd propose that the preference selection could be made into 4 sections (kind of like traits are):

• Style
• Social
• Free Time
• Food

Each category has its own likes and dislikes limit, thus Style preferences won't count towards Free Times limit for example.

Breakdown of the sections:

• Style
  • The following existing preferences could go there:
    • Color
    • Décor (Dream Home Decorator)
    • Fashion (High School Years)
  • The main purpose of it is to affect how your sim reacts to their environment.
  • I don't have any new ideas to add there. Painting genres I guess...
• Social
  • The following existing preferences could go there:
    • Sim Characteristics (Growing Together)
    • Conversation Topics (Growing Together)
  • The main purpose of it is to affect social interactions and sim compatibility.
  • Sim Characteristic ideas:

    EgonVM wrote: »

    Atreya33 wrote: »

    Thank you so much for this list. It is interesting to know all the traits and like that affect compatibility. The traits mentioned in the description clearly are just examples, not complete lists. I didn't expect lifestyles to have an effect, that's a nice surprise.
    
    The only sim characteristic I miss is a loves occult characteristic. Someone who loves spellcasters, werewolves, aliens,... And I suppose also the reverse, someone who dislikes occults.

    
    Indeed. Here are some more that come to my mind:

    • Well-Mannered Sims - Likes Neat, Proper, Good Manners sims, dislikes Slob, Mean, Bad Manners sims.
    • Unapproachable Sims - Opposite to the previous.
    • Supernatural Enthusiasts - I don't know personally what to put here...
    • Courageous Sims - Likes Brave, Self-Assured Sims, dislikes Paranoid sims and sims with a lot of fears.
    • Achievers - A special one that gives one point for each trait that come from completing aspirations.

    
    Of course that all could be put in the idea corner, but nah for now...

    • More that people suggest...
  • Additional ideas:
    • Interests:
      This is inspired from The Sims 2's interests system and affects how interactions in that topic is received by this sim. So, the first list is so:

      • Environment
      • Food
      • Weather
      • Culture
      • Money
      • Politics
      • Paranormal
      • Health
      • Fashion
      • Travel
      • Crime
      • Sports
      • Entertainment
      • Animals
      • Work
      • School
      • Toys
      • Sci-Fi
      • More, or less of the previously mentioned (money for example)

      No recategorizing interactions here. This preference should take precedence over Conversation Topics, so sim who are interested in weather but dislike small talk will accept Discuss Sunny Weather interaction. In addition, Activity preference should also affect some interaction outcomes and take precedence over interests, so, the precedence list should be Activity -> Interests -> Conversation Topics -> Default.
    • Occult:

      EgonVM wrote: »

      Update! We are getting fashion preferences! Though the max amount of likes and dislikes hasn't been increased... Though there are so few of them that I'll manage. Anyway, that's something off the list!
      
      Still holding out for occult preferences though... I'll elaborate it in detail.
      

      • It affects how easy it is to build relationship with the occult sims. Though it is possible for them to befriend an occult they dislike.
      • It affects how certain interactions about occults work on the sim.
      • Sims who like a certain occult may want to become them and don't want to be cured. The other way around is for sims who dislike that occult. This will also show itself in moodlets.
      • Occult preference will also affect how much they will enjoy occult-themed books.
      • When occult-specific fears are added, this preference will also affect how likely are they to develop those fears.
      • Occult specific things:
        • Ghosts:
          • Ghosts on the same lot with a sim who likes ghosts are less likely to break things.
          • Ghosts are more likely to scare sims who dislike ghosts.
        • Aliens:
          • Will affect the reaction when discovering an alien (sims who like them will always react positively).
          • Will affect how alien abductions will leave sim feeling. In addition, males who like aliens are more likely to become pregnant.
        • Vampires:
          • Sims who like vampires are more likely to let a vampire drink from them (and the other way around).
          • Sims who like vampires learn pipe organ and vampire lore skills faster (and the other way around for sims who dislike them).
        • Mermaids:
          • Sims who like mermaids are more likely to find mermadic kelp (and the other way around).
          • It is easier for sims who like mermaids to discover them.
          • Sims who dislike mermaids may sometimes ignore their Siren's Call.
        • Spellcasters:
          • Sims who like spellcasters will love to see them casting spells while sims who dislike them will sometimes run away.
          • Sims who like spellcasters like to be in the Realm of Magic while sims who dislike them feel uncomfortable there.
          • This will also affect how successful the spells are.
        • Servos:
          • This will affect how fast will sims learn Robotics skill. Sims who like them may even get extra parts.
        • Werewolves
          • I think that sims should have more interactions with rampaging werewolves like trying to calm them down. Sims who like werewolves may actually be successful. Sims who dislike werewolves will try to distract werewolves by throwing something before running away.
          • This will affect how successful will "Ask for Werewolf Sympathy" interaction be on the sim. It is easier to ask that from sims who like werewolves.
          • Will affect how easy it is for sims to communicate with Greg. Ironically, sims who dislike werewolves and vampires have easier time at that.

      
      I have created some sims who are supposed to be supernatural fans, so this one would be great for them.

    • Career:
      This affects compatibility with sims in certain careers. In addition, sims working in a career they like will never get the Fear of Dead-End Job, while sims that dislike it will have higher chance of getting it.
• Free Time
  • The following existing preferences could go there:
    • Activity (Hobbies & Skills, or Skills in short)
    • Music Genre
  • This affects how the sim likes to spend their free time and what media do they enjoy.
  • I still feel like Activity category needs some new skills. I get that every skill can't be made into an activity to be liked or disliked (Entrepreneur for example), but there are still some skill that have skill objects and could genuinely be hobbies (under spoilers):
    • Scientific Activities (Logic) (or could be broken down to chess, stargazing, and microscope)
    • Gardening (for children)
    • Archaeology (Jungle Adventures)
    • Fabrication (Eco Lifestyle)
    • Juice Fizzing (Eco Lifestyle)
    • Medium (Paranormal Stuff)
  • Additional Ideas:
    • TV Channels
    • Movie Genres (Movie Night Stuff)
    • Seasons & Weather (Seasons)
    • Book genres
    • Video Games
    • Physical Activities
      • Swimming
      • Jogging
      • Lifting
      • Boxing
      • Fighting
      • Basketball (City Living)
      • Soccer (Discover University)
      • Football (High School Years)
      • Cheerleading (High School Years)
      • Diving (Island Living)
      • Skating (Seasons)
      • Aqua-Zip Riding (Island Living)
      • Table Tennis (Discover University)
      • Biking
      • More I have forgot (except rock climbing, skiing, and snowboarding)

      These take precedence over fitness preference. Sims that hate fitness won't have bad time when they are doing a physical activity they like. Same is the other way around.
    • Sedentary Activities
      • Board games
      • Watch TV
      • Watch Movies (Movie Night & Growing Together)
      • Hanging Out by Fire
      • Browsing the web
      • More that didn't come to my mind and usually isn't tied to existing skill (knitting for example)

      These should take precedence over activity they are usually under (just like the physical activities).
    • Venues
      This will affect how often will sims visit the venue as an NPC (sims who dislike the venue type rarely visit it). Sims who like the venue they're in feel happy in there and will have increased benefits there (slower need decay, faster relationships, more positive sentiments, faster skills etc) while sims who dislike the venue they're in feel unhappy there and will also have faster need decay, slower relationships and skills, more negative sentiments and else.
• Food
  • Brand new section, which could house food and drinks.
  • The categories based on Dine Out's menu choosing system:
    • Cold Drinks
    • Hot Drinks
    • Fruity Drinks
    • Fizzy Drinks
    • Nectar
    • Misc Drinks
    • Foods with Grains
    • Vegetarian Foods
    • Foods with Meat
    • Seafood
    • Cakes and Pies
    • Foods with Chocolate
    • Fruity Foods
    • Misc Foods
  • Sims that eats food they like will feel great afterwards and tend to make it in better quality. Making it in bad quality will make the sim sad.
  • Sims that eats food they dislike will feel bad afterwards and tend to make it in worse. In addition, they will try to avoid it.

Though the info pop-up would be really cluttered. So I'd suggest redoing it so it shows the number of likes and dislikes in each category. For example:

Style: 12 likes, 8 dislikes
Social: 9 likes, 10 dislikes
Free Time: 12 likes, 4 dislikes
Food: 0 likes, 0 dislikes

In additions:

• I like the idea of the game suggesting likes and dislikes based on the situation (what mood the sim is when the music plays/when they do activities for example). However, it would be great to be able to turn it off.
• An ability to change likes and dislikes without going into CAS. Currently, this can be done by either letting it change "naturally" or using cheats.
• Raise the max by 5 for every new small category, 10 for every new medium category, and 15 for every new large category.

What do you think? What else could be added? Share your thoughts below.