Summary
Life stages are a core part of gameplay inThe Sims, where each part of a Sim’s life feels unique, with different goals and experiences. AsThe Simsfranchise has progressed, it’s added new life stages that have added depth to the lives of Sims and to further mirror life. Some gaps have been showing in recent years, however, andProject Renehas the chance to make its own mark on The Sims by adding some much-needed life stages.
The Simsseries originally launched with just three life stages: Baby, Child, and Adult, excluding many of the life stages that players are accustomed to now.The Sims 2greatly expanded on life stages, introducing Toddlers, Teenagers, and Elders in the base game, then Young Adults inThe Sims 2: University. Young Adults soon became an essential part ofThe Sims, and the life stage is now shipped with every base game. WhileToddlers were excluded fromThe Sims 4at launch, they were added in a free update.The Sims 4has since added Infants, a new life stage that bridges the gap between Babies and Toddlers, but more can still be done with the mechanic.
Life Stages in The Sims 4 Need Another Look
The Problem with Life Stages in The Sims 4
There arecurrently eight life stages inThe Sims 4, but there is still room for more considering there are massive gaps between several of the current ones. In particular, the gaps between Children and Teens, Teens and Young Adults, and Adults and Elders are very big, and are particularly noticeable between the Child and Teen life stages.
Aging Up Breaks Immersion
The Child life stage roughly covers the ages between seven and twelve, while theTeen life stagedepicts the ages between fifteen and eighteen. The tween years of thirteen to fourteen are entirely skipped over, while some players would argue that the Child life stage ends even younger and the Teen life stage starts late, broadening the age gap. This makes age progression gameplay feel unnatural. Another big gap is the one between Adults and Elders. There are minimal differences between Young Adult and Adult Sims, yet when they age into Elders their aging suddenly accelerates so that it appears that a 40-year-old aged 30 years in one birthday.
How Project Rene Could Improve Life Stages
Introducing New Life Stages
Project Renecould make both of these big jumps more natural by introducing a Tween and Middle Age life stage to smooth out the process. These different life stages need to have the same kind ofgameplay depth that the other establishedThe Simslife stageshave received over the years. As they resemble transitional life stages, they could pick up characteristics from the life stages they’re exiting and entering.
Making Current Life Stages Better
Another strategy thatProject Renecould adapt is the transition in theInfant life stage inThe Sims 4. Infants start their life stage as helpless babies, but as they hit new milestones they become more capable and make tangible growth, where it’s possible to see a very clear difference between an Infant at the beginning and end of this life stage. This isn’t the case for other life stages, where a Child at the beginning of the Child life stage isn’t physically any different from a Child at the end of it. If each life stage could have tracked growth and real, physical changes, such as growing taller, hair growth, and evidence of learned skills, every stage would be more meaningful and less jarring when characters transition to the next one.
The Sims 4
WHERE TO PLAY
Unleash your imagination and create a unique world of Sims that’s an expression of you. Download for free, and customize every detail from Sims to homes and much more. Choose how Sims look, act, and dress, then decide how they’ll live out each day. Design and build incredible homes for every family, then decorate with your favorite furnishings and décor. Travel to different neighborhoods where you may meet other Sims and learn about their lives. Discover beautiful locations with distinctive environments and go on spontaneous adventures. Manage the ups and downs of Sims’ everyday lives, and see what happens when you play out scenarios from your own real life. Tell your stories your way while developing relationships, pursuing careers and life aspirations, and immersing yourself in this extraordinary game, where the possibilities are endless
