In addition to this blog post, here is a link to my video which includes the CAS and my thoughts on the livestream.
High Level Overview of Pack Goals:
Give the player the opportunity to celebrate full lifetime and memorable milestones of every sim.
First goal was to make sure that family matters. That interacting with family members feels different, than interacting with random sims in the game. This was regardless of if they live together or not.
Second was to make sure all relationships across the game mattered, i.e., make all relationships deeper so that no two sims interacting would feel the same.
Another goal was to add ‘Drama of Life’. This was done in two ways. First, players could set it and second, it can also be triggered in the game, but you as the player still has control so you can say yes to no to story prompts.
Timestamp for when the Growing Together portion of the stream starts
This blog post covers the following in this order:
- Create a Sim, including Family Dynamics
- Two New ‘Like/Dislike Categories, Sim Characteristics and Conversation Topics
- Social Compatibility
- World of San Sequoia
- Milestones
- New Things for the Different Life Stages
- Higher Number of Traits!
- Temporary Stays
- New Objects
- Three New Social Events
My blog post with recent tweets.
1. Create a Sim
Clothing, Hair & Skin Details:
As mentioned above, my video, which is linked above, shows the CAS shared in the livestream.
The pack includes clothing and accessories for all ages, i.e. from infant through elder.
The pack style was urban casual everyday wear and vintage.
Also includes some clothing that can be coordinated across the ages (similar patterns, but not the same).
New headscarf that is separate from hair.
They collaborated with a professional hair stylist to help improve their hair catalogue & they tried to improve their baby hairs.
New freckles, moles, and body freckles.
Family Dynamics
Can set in CAS when you create them (and when you first install the pack you will be able to set them with your existing sims) or just not set it and let it be discovered through game play.
Some that were shown were jokesters, difficult, supportive. Also mentioned ‘distant’ and ‘close’ and showed ‘strict’ in the livestream (grandparent to child).
They can also be removed through a dynamic remover potion.
This dynamic will also remain when a family member moves out.
2. Likes and Dislikes
Now 50 vs 20 (this is a base game change)
Two New Categories which are the TWO main pillars of social compatibility.
Sim Characteristics
This is platonic and available for child sims and up.
Characteristics shown with some examples of what helps to add/lose points:
- Ambitionless Sims
- Argumentative Sims: if like this traits like Hot-Headed, Mean and Evil will gain compatibility whereas good will lose points.
- Cerebral Sims: if like this, Genius, Geek & Bookworm gain points, Creative or Goofball loses points.
- Egotistical Sims
- Emotional Decision Makers
- Family-Motivated Sims
- Funny Sims
- Hard Working Sims
- High Energy Sims
- Homebody Sims
- Idealist Sims
- Nature Enthusiasts
- Optimistic Sims
- Pessimistic Sims
- Pet Enthusiasts
- Rascals
- Romance Enthusiasts
- Spirited Sims: If like this, Outgoing, Bro Cheerful gain points. Gloomy loses points.
There are a few categories related to romance are only for teen and up.
If they like a category/dislike a category gets added up and checked against other sims they meet to see if they are compatible.
The characteristics pertain to traits, including reward traits, activity likes & dislikes and lifestyles (if you have SE and it’s enabled) of the other sims and traits across packs were considered and will also impact the sim characteristics.
Conversation Topics
Choose categories and it will affect what sims like to talk about, includes:
- Affection,
- Arguments,
- Complaints
- Compliments
- Deception
- Deep Thoughts
- Discussing Hobbies
- Discussing Interests
- Gossip
- Jokes
- Malicious Interactions
- Potty Humour
- Pranks
- Silly Behaviour
- Small Talk
- Stories
3. Social Compatibility
Sims will either have:
- Good/amazing compatibility. Puzzle pieces fit together on the sim on the social panel. Easier to make friends.
- Bad/awful compatibility. Puzzle pieces don’t fit on the sim on your social panel. Harder to make friends.
- No compatibility no puzzle pieces on the sim on the social panel.
Note that the social interactions have subcategories that match the conversation topics (there is a reorganization of social menu to base game, however, didn’t see it and base game is not getting these new conversation topics so not sure how it will work). Some things will be left uncategorized so that they don’t get impacted by a sim’s like/dislike of a category. So there will be a learning curve as you’ll need to remember where the social interactions are, but once you do, it will be quicker to find them. It seemed to me like many of the categories would help you determine what would be underneath it.
Base Game Change re Making Friends
Some ages find it harder to gain relationship when interacting with each other but will be easier for other ages. It will add additional challenge for adding relationships across different age groups.
Example give, child will find it easier to make friends with other children.
It should be noticeable but not impossible to play with.
4. World of San Sequoia
Based on San Francisco.
No sequoia trees, but there is ‘old stumpy.’
Three neighbourhoods, Anchorpoint Wharf, Gilbert Gardens and a relaxed residential locale, Hopewell Hills. They all have a slightly different vibe, like how San Francisco has unique areas.
Tweet with Lot Sizes
Close up of map:
Seasons wasn’t installed so didn’t show weather.
Hopewell Hills
- Sleepy suburb.
- Has pond with fishing.
- Has a little parklet with a pirate ship jungle gym.
- There’s a marina area you can walk out on.
- The Michaelson’s and one other family live in this neighbourhood.
- There’s a four bedroom starter for a small family built by lilsimsie and an 30×20 empty lot.
Anchorpoint Wharf
- Has the rabbit hole Movie Theater with lots of different options.
- It has a bit of a city vibe, food stand which looked like it had some foods that you previously only got with City Living (samosa, ramen and a few other items, see screenshot)
- and the founding family home is in this neighborhood (the Robles).
- It also has a family friendly library built by Deligracy.
Foods you can order at food stand:
Movie choices:
Gilbert Gardens
- Has the rec center built by lilsimsie. The rec center is a new community lot type that has game tables, work out area, you can play musical instruments, do art, & book to do social events. It is appropriate for all ages.
- You can fish and swim in the lake in that neighbourhood. Keep your eye out for white claw the crocodile.
- There’s also the public splash pad including Whaleburt in the neighbourhood. Splash pad pieces can be found in build/buy mode and are available to use on your home lot or any community lot.
- It also has three different power walking trails for elders (seemed like hikes in Snowy Escape, the walk style just looked different).
Screenshot of the Splash Pad:
5. Milestones
For All, but Special Element for Infants
Some can be specific for ages.
Infants have milestones that impact what they can do. These specific milestones replace skill building at this age, reaching certain milestones unlocks more things they can do. They do also have lifetime milestones that are more like memories (like first fire, first temporary visitor, etc.)
Milestones for other ages more like memories, some are specific to certain ages. Some other ones mentioned, learning to ride a bike, lose a tooth (child), first woohoo, got married (young adult or older). Some milestones get little rewards. One that was shown was a marriage certificate. They also showed a milestone related to having a bladder accident. This can impact sims and how they feel. Milestones will also indicate where it happened.
Note if a sim is born in game, you will be able to look back to different ages to see their milestones (not sure how that will work with existing sims that were born and raised in the game).
6. New Things for the Different Life Stages
Newborns:
New outfits for them
New kiss interaction (available for a variety of ages)
Newborns will have temperaments; they will act differently from each other. Some will be needier, and some will be easier to care for.
Infants & Toddlers
Quirks
Both infants and toddlers can have up to three quirks that you discover through game play (18 possibilities for each age).
You can use cheats to remove the quirks and set the quirks you want them to have. The latter can be helpful if you have an idea of what personality/quirks you want them to have. Just remember to turn cheats on first to see this option (‘testingcheats on’ or ‘testingcheats true’).
Some examples shown/mentioned for infant were ‘loves to be held’, ‘frequently sneezes’, ‘prefers sleeping in arms’, ‘gassy’, ‘feeding tinkler’.
One quirk the toddler got was aggressive:
Which looked liked this in the simology panel:
Then she got the loves water quirk
Changing Tables
This comes with the pack, one wasn’t shown in base game.
If you have a diaper pail attached the diaper will go in automatically.
They can be used for infants and toddlers (unless the toddler is potty trained and doesn’t use a diaper!).
There’s also one for community lots.
Baby Proofing:
Toddlers can try to break out.
The toddler in the stream was successful in breaking out and got this moodlet!
Child
4 new child aspirations:
- Slumber Party Animal
- Playtime Captain
- Creative Genius
- Mind and Body
All under ‘Multi Skill’ category vs how the base game aspirations focused on a particular child skill.
Children have more interactions with toddlers, other children and teens (showed some mean ones as the child in the family was difficult)
Children can have low, neutral, or high confidence. If they age up with high or low confidence, they will age up with high or low esteem (if it’s neutral they will get neither).
If they have high confidence, they will have a confident buff which might make the parts of base game aspirations that require inspired/playful/focused moodlets to be harder to do, though I did notice later that the child sim still got playful playing on the playhouse so it looks like that confident moodlet may not be permanently there.
Base Game Change to child skill building. They will learn certain adult skills as soon as they start doing those interactions. The adult skill will be slower to build, but the related child skill will build more quickly. Not sure if the adult skill will continue to be slow to build once they max the underlying child skill.
Also, not child related, and also coming to base game, you will see a little picture over the skill bar as to what skill they are building (with the children they show the related child skill, not the adult one. Not sure what happens when you max the child skill).
Children need to learn to ride bikes. Once they learn they can ride it around. They can fall and hit their head and loosen their tooth. There are six new kids bikes, with their own variants.
Children can lose their teeth. They will get an uncomfortable when it’s loose (see screenshot).
They can wiggle it or take it out.
Can hide the tooth under their pillow and go to sleep.
When the tooth fairy visits, they’ll get some simoleons, a certificate and a milestone.
Adults
Things added for adults were to create drama!
Adults can now have midlife crisis!
They said there were four different mid life crises. One shown was ‘Desire for Adventure’. You can find it on the aspiration tab.
Work rivals. You can sabotage or try to make friends as a work option. While you have a work rival you won’t get a promotion. You can also try to make friends outside of work.
They’ve also added a burn out system so if you’re going to hard on one skill or working too hard you sim will indicate to you that they need a break, they need to do something different.
‘Added the opportunity to get laid off’. Their company may be going through restructuring, they can try to work harder and possibly avoid it.
Elders
Have more social interactions, including the ability to sneak a treat under the new friendly subcategory ‘affection’.
They can teach life lessons, and if you have Parenthood some of these will teach character values.
They can designate a memory box, though they can only have one.
7. Higher Number of Traits!
Self Discovery System:
Sims can get moments in the game that give them an option to get a new trait in addition to the three you give them in CAS, so your sims can add up to three new traits for up to six in total.
You may also get a prompt to change a trait. If you have a slob sim who is cleaning up, you may get the opportunity to change their trait to neat.
8. Temporary Stays
They showed Kyle asking to come, new NPC that comes with the pack. They said yes, but you can say no.
Kyle’s visit was for 6 days. It shows in the calendar, but you can delete it. Length of stay can be from 1 to 6 days.
You can also initiate the stay over by asking other sims. They were planning on asking a grandparent to come until they had this ‘story prompt’ by Kyle.
Other possibilities for temporary stay pop ups mentioned were a family friend, old friend, long lost family member that’s trying to reconnect.
Temporary stay will bring a suitcase. You can also buy suitcases in build/buy.
Suitcases will work like a dresser, but they are mobile.
You can’t control the temporary stay visitor, however you can ask them to help out or have them relax (those were the the two options mentioned). They may also start a fire if they cook, which is what happened in the livestream!
9. Objects:
Treehouse:
When you purchase the treehouse it’s completely unbuilt. The one in the livestream was already partially built.
Teen or older has to initiate building it, but once they start, a child can help with building.
It is a woohoo spot (in the hidden ‘club house enclosure’) but that wasn’t an option shown as the child was playing on the tree house.
Children can play on it or watch nature. You can also set admission rules.
Can also relax, nap, or sleep in the enclosure.
You can decorate it when it’s fully built. There are four different styles you can decorate the tree in, Fairy Tale Castle, Island Castaway, Pirate Hideout, and Space Explorer. You can also leave it undecorated.
Pirate Hideout:
Space Explorer:
You can upgrade it (requires handiness skill or debug cheat). Upgrades including adding a bell, lights, slide, & sliding pole.
You can place some things on it, to find what can be placed use the search term “Placeable on Treehouse“ in the search bar. Some things shown/mentioned were big soft friends (i.e. Barfly), toys, toy box, telescope, small planters, VR gaming mat. Any useable items placed on the treehouse will remain useable.
Friendship Bracelet:
Can make and exchange.
Can use the Friendship Bracelet box or a child activity table to make a friendship bracelet. You can also make them using the knitting bag (Nifty Knitting) or the cross stitch box (Cottage Living).
If two sims in the same household exchange friendship bracelets, they both have to have made one. If you exchange them with someone outside the household, only your sim needs to have made one. The sim in the other household will automatically have it.
Friendship bracelets will eventually wear out and fall off.
Once you exchange a friendship bracelet, there is a new interaction you can do under Affection.
If you do that interaction in front of another friend, they may be a little jealous
Can also ask to have it back and the sim will get a hurt sentiment.
New Options for Game Table:
Game tables have two new options for the pack, puzzles and simbles, in addition to the base game cards. You will also be able to do other games depending on what packs you have.
They showed a puzzle from reference.
Sims can steal a puzzle piece and then place it at the end and ‘steal the finish’.
You can frame a completed puzzle and put it on the walls or put it in your keepsake box.
10. Three New Social Events:
They mentioned the three events but didn’t show them or say much about them. They did say that you can hold social events even if you have a visitor staying over.
Baby Shower – you don’t need a pregnant sim, so you can be telling the story of adopting (probably also works for the ‘science baby’ which is coming with the March 14, 2023 base game update).
Family Reunion – per a tweet can also invite extended family, close family friends. It also mentions that in the description when you go to fp
Reward for family reunion are collage photo frames.
Slumber Party
Tweet with one of the Slumber Party reward objects and a tweet reply saying there is also a basic version of the toddler sleeping bag in build buy mode:
Contact Me:
If you have any questions or want to share your own Sims game play with other Simmers head over to my Facebook group, https://www.facebook.com/groups/maplesimmersimssanctuary or my discord, https://discord.gg/aJaX7Pca8A
Maple Simmer 