How can you make your sim's love story more realistic?
Hello! Have you ever faced the problem where all your sims have the same love story? You create a partner for them or meet someone in the game world, they start a relationship, move in together, and then comes the wedding. That’s how my characters used to find love, but is life really that simple?
Today I want to share with you how I develop my sims' relationships: how they get hurt, suffer from unrequited love, or eventually meet that special someone they want to spend the rest of their lives with.
1. First impressions matter
Usually, the first thing we notice about someone when fate brings us together is their appearance. My sims do the same when evaluating the people around them, and they’re helped by the attractiveness system.
With the recent “Lovestruck” update, the game introduced the “Attraction” system. This allows you to customize the visual qualities that your sim finds appealing in others. However, the range of these qualities is fairly limited. Your character's preferences can only be set regarding hair color and how a sim is dressed. While I don’t think these are the most important factors in real life, sometimes even these traits are enough.
If you want to expand the number of attraction parameters, one of the most popular mods in the sims community can help you. I’m talking, of course, about Wicked Whims. The mod's developers have carefully and thoroughly crafted an attraction system. Here, you can customize a wide variety of preferences, from hair color to hip size.
So, now our sim has decided whether or not they want to try flirting with someone. If your character is rather flirtatious by nature, it looks like they've found their fun for the evening.
It’s important to remember, though, that the object of your sim’s affection may have entirely different tastes. Even if your character decides to make a move, there’s no guarantee they’ll get a positive response. But don’t be discouraged, appearance isn’t everything!
2. Serious relationships
If your sims decide to try building a relationship, physical attraction alone won’t be enough. This is where other factors come into play: compatibility, preferences, lifestyle and more.
I usually consider at least a few key aspects:
1) In-game compatibility system (requires the “Growing together” expansion pack)
Here the game automatically determines what your sims like or dislike, their in-game tastes and preferences, and calculates how compatible they are with each other based on this.
2) Attraction system (requires the “Lovestruck” expansion pack)
This system also helps you define your sim’s preferences regarding their partner’s personality. You can set the level of attraction to another character based on factors like life approach, personal qualities and relationship style.
3) Lifestyle
Different characters have different lifestyles. For example, your sim might be health-conscious, preferring an active lifestyle and healthy eating, while their partner is a homebody who loves fast food. In real life, such differences often lead to conflicts, and over time, when one of them gets tired of staying home watching TV every day, it could become a hurdle in their relationship.
This is the minimum I consider while playing. There can be many more parameters: poor compatibility with the partner's parents or friends, different career progressions leading to different incomes, relationships between your partner's parents and your sim's parents, and so on. Any character trait or nuance related to a sim’s outlook on life can either strengthen the relationship or completely destroy it.
The key is not to be afraid to use the mean actions in the dialogue menu and ask your partner a potentially harsh but important question. Your sim needs to remember to love themselves and take care of their mental well-being.
3. Years later
Here, you’ll need to engage in deep reflection and analysis of your gameplay, but sometimes, you might come to interesting conclusions and even gain valuable insights for yourself.
From the outside, it may seem like we’re seeing the perfect couple, a happy marriage, and a strong bond that no challenge could ever break. But sometimes, even after many years together, love can fade. Some people overcome this crisis, while others part ways forever...
In the game, surprises often come our way too. Throughout their lives, sims' personalities, tastes and family dynamics change, and new interests arise. Sometimes, it’s hard to accept these changes in a partner. How strong are the relationships your sims have built, and will they stand the test of time?
I usually assess how the relationship started in the first place and how it developed. Can it be considered a solid foundation for a healthy relationship?
It's also important to observe how they behave in their daily lives. Do they completely ignore each other and get lost in daily routines? Or do they find time for their partner even on a tough day?
Our sims often develop fears, just like us, and they rely on those around them to cope with their inner struggles. Does your sim’s partner support them, or do they have to face these fears alone?
Try having your characters engage in a conversation, letting them discuss their worries and frustrations. If your sim harbors a deep resentment toward their partner, perhaps it’s time to consider whether the right person is by their side. But I hope they’ll be able to resolve their differences and overcome all hardships!
Thank you for reading! This has been Kiris Woo, and may everyone find their true love!
Kiris Woo:
