Hi, long time Sims player here. I've owned every single iteration, including the online game, and most of the expansion packs. While I've seen the game grow exponentially in every regard, something has been lacking since the first game. Wheelchairs.
I've been a wheelchair user most of my life. While I enjoy making sim versions of people I know, I'm unable to make one of myself. Without the wheelchair, he's just not me. The world of the sims represents a great variety of the human spectrum. They can be any skin shade, fat or skinny, gay or straight, and even vampires. But disabled people, like myself, seem left out.
I'm not asking that every symptom of every disability be accurately rendered, just as I don't expect sims to bump into walls when you take their glasses off. I myself use an electric wheelchair, but I'd be perfectly happy if my sims could have a basic manual push kind. Wheelchairs could be treated as a clothing prop, like glasses. You could take it off or put it on at any time as your story dictates. Everything would be completely optional, in case someone doesn't want to see wheelchairs in their game.
In today's society, people in wheelchairs are often ignored or made invisible. I know it sounds corny, but I believe that including them in The Sims would go a long way in teaching people that disabled individuals are people too. We have careers, relationships, and houses too. We can be rude, impolite, and neurotic as well. We even WooHoo!
I've looked at custom content, but the complexity of a request like this demands official support. I know there are a lot of technical challenges behind this. How would they interact with showers, bathtubs, and cars? I don't care. Make them teleport into objects if it's really an issue. Yes, I know it wouldn't be easy, but a lot of people like myself would greatly appreciate this effort. Maxis was really brave for including gay relationships in their game, and I applaud them for it. Now I'm humbly asking for disabilities to get similar treatment. Perhaps they could package it with a hospital expansion pack. If not, there's always Sims 4.
Thanks for listening.
^^
This!
I couldn't argee more with this post, beautifully said.
You could like, customize the wheelchair with all the colors you normally have in Create A Style. It would be the name and age tab. I have it alllll figured out in my head XD
while i like this idea as a person with disabilities i don't think ea wil do it because it could offend some people. that doesn't mean i don't want this idea in the game.it might educate people.
I think this is great idea it would also create more awareness. Disabilties shouldn't be a taboo subject its part of everyday real life & this sims is THE most lifelike and realistic game around, more & more shows are incorparating disabilties into their shows.
I know alot of people wouldn't want to see sims in wheelchairs in their games as they like to play in fantasy worlds and keep things simple so like you said having the option to turn it off & on would be good.
I know the configuration would be complicated but in all the trailers for the new Generations expansion pack they seem to have baby buggies so it couldnt be too hard to configure the manouvering and basic components for wheelchairs
I see a lot of people speaking of sims and real life in one sentence. To me the sims live on their own little planet and have nothing to do with human life on earth. They don't have to "have" everything humans have or do. They are Sims, not little humans.
There are no disabilities on Simtopia and there will probably never be any.
As much as I understand your wish and would want you to have it, I don't think it will ever happen. They can not discriminate.
(against other forms of disabilities)
And Catheron...I really don't get how you could post this, especially starting with "it would be cool" It would be cool for them to make a hospital that we can actually see in and if there were wheelchairs
and if they could be blind or even have cancer
Generations would've been the perfect time to add wheelchairs! They added the walking stick/cane which is good but wheelchairs would have been even better.
Generations would've been the perfect time to add wheelchairs! They added the walking stick/cane which is good but wheelchairs would have been even better.
I was literally coming to write this! we have lifts now and sims magically get out of cars so why could it not apply here.
While I agree that wheelchairs would be a great addition, it is VERY unlikely EA'll add these in, because no only do they have to add in the wheelchair animations, but also new animations from everything a wheelchair bound sim does, answering the phone, painting, preparing food, opening the fridge, ETC.
Well said, Carnick. I totally agree with you, but my "sim-self" issues are even more complicated (walking with a disability. I don't use a cane or anything...)
That said, I agree that EA are probably too lazy to put in all the animations... or are afraid of offending people... or just don't wanna risk the money on it. Probably the latter. :P
It would be cool for them to make a hospital that we can actually see in and if there were wheelchairs and if they could be blind or even have cancer
Horrible, horrible idea to include cancer in the game. Cancer is the most emotionally painful thing a person and their family could ever go through, I know this from many personal experiences and losing many loved ones and friends. Thank God this will never be added to the game. EA knows better than that.
Agreeing that cancer would be an awful idea. If they wanted something like that, they'd have to go for a generic disease with a simlish name and even that, I think, would come across as tasteless. I understand people wanting drama or a realistic game, I really do. But ain't gonna happen.
To be honest, I'm still surprised they get away with the "insane" trait. Too many of the idles look like EA is mocking schizophrenics and others suffering from hallucinations.
I completely agree here, They have left out a very big part of life. I think that they need to have wheelchairs as well. I also think that since they have the "daredevil" trait, we need to se things like a leg or arm cast (from a trick gone bad). I was playing the other day and my sim child litteraly fliped of the trampoline, this instance should have resulted in an injury of some kind. Even if it was just a wraped arm for a few days.
This is the most amazing post I have ever read! I am trying to find a way to suggest wheelchairs to EA for the Sims. It wouldn't be that much of a change to the game and it would give us a ton more options! I'm in a wheelchair because I was born with a brittle bone disorder. I wanted to have my Sim in a wheelchair and I'm still bummed that I can't do it! It's not nice to make fun of people in wheelchairs and I honestly think if they add it to the Sims, it would also show people that despite being in chairs, people can be extremely ambitious and I think it would send the right message to the world. People don't realize how much people in wheelchairs or have disabilities are capable of! There are so many elements it would add to the game and I honestly think it would make the game a ton more fun!!!
Isn't the motto of the sims "Create whoever you want"? Be a thief, rock-star, or World Leader, Pick traits from Klepto to Evil to Romantic and More! How can we if people like the OP and the person above can't create their own self?
I have a post in another thread of how they could arrange about handicapped sims eg. shower/bath,etc
1.Disabled showers/baths:
I guess EA would need to create a speical kind of shower or bathtub
a) the bathtub could have handbars to help get in/out (and also a bath-bench)
b) a shower that the Sim could wheel into
and also have grab bars in the bathroom like those you might see in a public washroom handicapped stall.
2.Disabled bedrooms:
the beds could have railings (and they could be either big, or small depending on how safe the player wanted their sim to be.
3. (I don't know if a wheelchair sim could be able to use the LN stove?)
Well not to be insulting but then the base game would've have to have catered to wheelchair sims and elevators or ramps just were not included in the base game, many locations would be out of bounds and I don't think EA are going to make a fully wheelchair accessible world. For this one the ship has definitely sailed.
I dont see how this could ever work with the World adventures EP and EA would have to make a ton of new interactions. (EA are too lazy to do so)
Hi, long time Sims player here. I've owned every single iteration, including the online game, and most of the expansion packs. While I've seen the game grow exponentially in every regard, something has been lacking since the first game. Wheelchairs.
I've been a wheelchair user most of my life. While I enjoy making sim versions of people I know, I'm unable to make one of myself. Without the wheelchair, he's just not me. The world of the sims represents a great variety of the human spectrum. They can be any skin shade, fat or skinny, gay or straight, and even vampires. But disabled people, like myself, seem left out.
I'm not asking that every symptom of every disability be accurately rendered, just as I don't expect sims to bump into walls when you take their glasses off. I myself use an electric wheelchair, but I'd be perfectly happy if my sims could have a basic manual push kind. Wheelchairs could be treated as a clothing prop, like glasses. You could take it off or put it on at any time as your story dictates. Everything would be completely optional, in case someone doesn't want to see wheelchairs in their game.
In today's society, people in wheelchairs are often ignored or made invisible. I know it sounds corny, but I believe that including them in The Sims would go a long way in teaching people that disabled individuals are people too. We have careers, relationships, and houses too. We can be rude, impolite, and neurotic as well. We even WooHoo!
I've looked at custom content, but the complexity of a request like this demands official support. I know there are a lot of technical challenges behind this. How would they interact with showers, bathtubs, and cars? I don't care. Make them teleport into objects if it's really an issue. Yes, I know it wouldn't be easy, but a lot of people like myself would greatly appreciate this effort. Maxis was really brave for including gay relationships in their game, and I applaud them for it. Now I'm humbly asking for disabilities to get similar treatment. Perhaps they could package it with a hospital expansion pack. If not, there's always Sims 4.
Thanks for listening.
This is a touching post and I agree with you completely!
I was waiting until strollers came out to post in this thread...
While I would love the idea, it seems as if it would be something that EA won't implement. Strollers showed us that EA is not willing to allow wheeled sims to be pushed down or up hills. I don't have Generations myself but I have heard many users complain about how, unless the ground is perfectly flat, a person cannot push a stroller across that ground.
I'm not against the idea. It would be great, in my opinion. However, I don't think that this will come into play simply because of what we've seen in regards to the strollers.
At first I was against this idea, but now, I'm not. Putting it in a sugarcoated politically correct form, it sounds very touching and valid. I mean that Jarsie chick and a bunch of others took this idea too seriously, but I guess they never watched Glee, Family guy or South Park.
I agree with this thread. I don't see any reason why wheelchairs can't be added. They are on cartoons and they somehow figure out the animations. Truth is , those objecting just want to complain about anything. Keep this thread alive , op , and also get as many people as you can to email / write / fax this idea to EA. Good luck !
Comments
^^
This!
I couldn't argee more with this post, beautifully said.
I love the hospital expansion idea, too.
Carnick, you are awesome, dude.
You could like, customize the wheelchair with all the colors you normally have in Create A Style. It would be the name and age tab. I have it alllll figured out in my head XD
I think this would be a cool thing to add to the game. Although it may be "too hard" to make an animation for.
I know alot of people wouldn't want to see sims in wheelchairs in their games as they like to play in fantasy worlds and keep things simple so like you said having the option to turn it off & on would be good.
I know the configuration would be complicated but in all the trailers for the new Generations expansion pack they seem to have baby buggies so it couldnt be too hard to configure the manouvering and basic components for wheelchairs
wheelchair, lifts ,ramps,frames or walking sticks
I see a lot of people speaking of sims and real life in one sentence. To me the sims live on their own little planet and have nothing to do with human life on earth. They don't have to "have" everything humans have or do. They are Sims, not little humans.
There are no disabilities on Simtopia and there will probably never be any.
As much as I understand your wish and would want you to have it, I don't think it will ever happen. They can not discriminate.
(against other forms of disabilities)
And Catheron...I really don't get how you could post this, especially starting with "it would be cool"
It would be cool for them to make a hospital that we can actually see in and if there were wheelchairs
and if they could be blind or even have cancer
I was literally coming to write this! we have lifts now and sims magically get out of cars so why could it not apply here.
That said, I agree that EA are probably too lazy to put in all the animations... or are afraid of offending people... or just don't wanna risk the money on it. Probably the latter. :P
To be honest, I'm still surprised they get away with the "insane" trait. Too many of the idles look like EA is mocking schizophrenics and others suffering from hallucinations.
P.S. I like X-Men, so if there was a wheelchair option i could make professor X
I have a post in another thread of how they could arrange about handicapped sims eg. shower/bath,etc
1.Disabled showers/baths:
I guess EA would need to create a speical kind of shower or bathtub
a) the bathtub could have handbars to help get in/out (and also a bath-bench)
b) a shower that the Sim could wheel into
and also have grab bars in the bathroom like those you might see in a public washroom handicapped stall.
2.Disabled bedrooms:
the beds could have railings (and they could be either big, or small depending on how safe the player wanted their sim to be.
3. (I don't know if a wheelchair sim could be able to use the LN stove?)
I dont see how this could ever work with the World adventures EP and EA would have to make a ton of new interactions. (EA are too lazy to do so)
also think of all the routing problems?!
This is a touching post and I agree with you completely!
While I would love the idea, it seems as if it would be something that EA won't implement. Strollers showed us that EA is not willing to allow wheeled sims to be pushed down or up hills. I don't have Generations myself but I have heard many users complain about how, unless the ground is perfectly flat, a person cannot push a stroller across that ground.
I'm not against the idea. It would be great, in my opinion. However, I don't think that this will come into play simply because of what we've seen in regards to the strollers.