Ok, so let’s share some ideas on how to make TS5-gameplay more interesting, customizable and varied with some new awesome categories of Traits! In my opinion this could be succesfully done by including:
1. Customized Sim-Traits – A dream-feature that’s still on top of my TS5-wishlist since many years now. Let’s hope that TS5-CAS finally includes this ultimate game-changing tool! It would work similar to how we today easily create custom-made Holidays in TS4 (but needless to say - a Customized Trait would be implemented quite differently in-game than a Created Holiday of course.)
Creating our own customized sim-traits would make each sim more special, unique and fun to follow around in-game. No more “all sims act the exact same way” ever again! (:
With a more puzzle-pieces based Trait-system where pre-programmed small puzzle-piece (with actual game impact!) are easily drag and drop-merged into Customized Traits, a sim-player could micromanage how a certain sim behaves on a whole different level than today.
Drag and drop maybe 5-10 different puzzle-pieces from a bunch of premade puzzle pieces (in order to work as intended this New Trait-feature would require quite a large number of small Trait Puzzle-Pieces though (I’m talking hundreds here…) - unlike in TS4-Create a Holiday where there are not that many puzzle-pieces to choose between)
These smaller trait-pieces would be categorized in different sections and once put together, you’d have to name the finished custom-made Trait! Hopefully each and every sim equipped with custom-made traits would surprise you in-game on a whole different level than today. Also no two neat-traited sims would ever behave in the exact same way again. (One sim may avoid germs and bacterias best they know how and maybe step away if someone coughs or sneezes, while another sim can’t stand smoke from the grill or disgusting scents - just for an example.)
2. Relationship Traits: Every sim-relation of significance (positive or negative) for example Childhood Friend, Best Friend, Long term work colleague, Nemesis, Spouse, Parent, Ex-partner etc, should have an option where the player may add a few Relationship Traits to spice things up a bit (Similar to how TS4-Lot Traits work today, just with A LOT more game-impact…)
A system like this could more easily define how different sim-relations evolves in a less random way than today. Perhaps also provide some special interactions between sims with some sort of history together? Will the divorced couple get along fine or keep a grudge? (Or is in fact one of them still emotionally involved and wishes nothing but getting back together with their ex again?) Are two work colleagues more likely to back each other up or less likely to credit the other sim’s work efforts and talents..? Are the newly engaged couple head over heels deeply and crazily in love or more unsure and hestitant about a future life together? Once again - endless possibilities in my opinion, if well implemented.
3. Neighborhood Traits: Yeah, I know… The customization of TS4-worlds/neighborhoods is basically non-existent. But it doesn’t have to stay that way in TS5, right? We do already have TS4-Lot Traits, so why not TS5-Neighborhood Traits as well? A fully customizable open TS5-world would benefit greatly from something like this. For example: “Abandoned” (less NPC’s spawning than usual, common lots opening and closing at random hours), "Crowded" (more NPC’s than the average neighborhood) "Runners’ roads" (more joggers), "Unreliable weather", "Spooky atmosphere", "Pickpocket gnomes", "UFO-hotspot", "Under construction", etc.
What kind of Traits would you create with these features in TS5? Is it something you’d use often? Share your thoughts!
1. Customized Sim-Traits – A dream-feature that’s still on top of my TS5-wishlist since many years now. Let’s hope that TS5-CAS finally includes this ultimate game-changing tool! It would work similar to how we today easily create custom-made Holidays in TS4 (but needless to say - a Customized Trait would be implemented quite differently in-game than a Created Holiday of course.)
Creating our own customized sim-traits would make each sim more special, unique and fun to follow around in-game. No more “all sims act the exact same way” ever again! (:
With a more puzzle-pieces based Trait-system where pre-programmed small puzzle-piece (with actual game impact!) are easily drag and drop-merged into Customized Traits, a sim-player could micromanage how a certain sim behaves on a whole different level than today.
Drag and drop maybe 5-10 different puzzle-pieces from a bunch of premade puzzle pieces (in order to work as intended this New Trait-feature would require quite a large number of small Trait Puzzle-Pieces though (I’m talking hundreds here…) - unlike in TS4-Create a Holiday where there are not that many puzzle-pieces to choose between)
These smaller trait-pieces would be categorized in different sections and once put together, you’d have to name the finished custom-made Trait! Hopefully each and every sim equipped with custom-made traits would surprise you in-game on a whole different level than today. Also no two neat-traited sims would ever behave in the exact same way again. (One sim may avoid germs and bacterias best they know how and maybe step away if someone coughs or sneezes, while another sim can’t stand smoke from the grill or disgusting scents - just for an example.)
2. Relationship Traits: Every sim-relation of significance (positive or negative) for example Childhood Friend, Best Friend, Long term work colleague, Nemesis, Spouse, Parent, Ex-partner etc, should have an option where the player may add a few Relationship Traits to spice things up a bit (Similar to how TS4-Lot Traits work today, just with A LOT more game-impact…)
A system like this could more easily define how different sim-relations evolves in a less random way than today. Perhaps also provide some special interactions between sims with some sort of history together? Will the divorced couple get along fine or keep a grudge? (Or is in fact one of them still emotionally involved and wishes nothing but getting back together with their ex again?) Are two work colleagues more likely to back each other up or less likely to credit the other sim’s work efforts and talents..? Are the newly engaged couple head over heels deeply and crazily in love or more unsure and hestitant about a future life together? Once again - endless possibilities in my opinion, if well implemented.
3. Neighborhood Traits: Yeah, I know… The customization of TS4-worlds/neighborhoods is basically non-existent. But it doesn’t have to stay that way in TS5, right? We do already have TS4-Lot Traits, so why not TS5-Neighborhood Traits as well? A fully customizable open TS5-world would benefit greatly from something like this. For example: “Abandoned” (less NPC’s spawning than usual, common lots opening and closing at random hours), "Crowded" (more NPC’s than the average neighborhood) "Runners’ roads" (more joggers), "Unreliable weather", "Spooky atmosphere", "Pickpocket gnomes", "UFO-hotspot", "Under construction", etc.
What kind of Traits would you create with these features in TS5? Is it something you’d use often? Share your thoughts!