Ever since it was launched, The Sims 4 has remained one of the best games out of the entire franchise with more features, updates, and gameplay mechanics that will truly test how you manage each member of the Sims family.
The Sims is all about simulating the perfect family unit. There are a lot of things that casual players might overlook that only hardcore players of this game will notice.
Most of these include managing the needs of each family member while also maintaining different aspects of the game. Don't be overwhelmed though as this article will share with you some of the best tips for playing The Sims 4.
- Life Simulated
- Picking a Trait
- Keyboard Shortcuts
- A Change of Heart
- From Trash to Cash
- Use the Sims 3 Camera Settings
Life Simulated
The Sims 4, developed by Maxis, is a life simulation video game. It is also the fourth game of the entire franchise, released in 2013 and available for both Windows PC and Mac.
The game has enjoyed several expansion packs and downloadable content with the most recent one released in November of 2020.
What makes Sims 4 interesting is that there are no endgame objectives. Players create a Sim character, allow them to explore different personalities, career, and life choices, and fulfill different challenges such as basic needs, money, and many more.
Downloading the Game
The Sims 4 is currently available for PC and can be downloaded through the official website.
Check out the website and select ‘Download' to begin downloading the game.
Launch the game after installation and log in to create a new game to initiate the simulation of your chosen Sim family.
Picking a Trait
There are a lot of traits that will give your Sim a different behavior over another. This also makes each character have different needs that need to be met as well as character growth and career path. Picking a trait is very important to the game as it will decide the overall endgame of each character.
Picking an Active trait will help your Sim have an active lifestyle which means the Sim can acquire the fitness skills faster. A Romantic trait will have the benefits of landing a good relationship with others.
Those with the Self-Assured trait are more likely to land a good career with their confidence while the Ambitious trait will help your Sim earn more money through promotions and better financial options.
Through choosing traits, you get to enhance your Sim's life and be able to help them through different areas. If you want to have a rich Sim then having the Ambitious trait or the Self-Assured trait would be best and if you want to have a fruitful relationship and family life then a Romantic trait is the way to go.
Focus on Their Needs and Whims
In Sims 4, you will notice that each Sim will have a needs bar that every player must fulfill, or else they will either stop moving or perish. Addressing the needs in a timely manner will keep the game running as smoothly as possible. Never neglect the needs of your Sim especially when the bar hits yellow.
You will notice that the Sim is in dire need of having their needs met when the bar turns red. Allow yourself to go through the needs of each Sim and deal with them accordingly even before the bar turns yellow. This way, you will not have to scramble to meet their needs when it turns red.
Whims, on the other hand, are similar to Needs but on a more specific level. You will notice a tiny thought bubble that contains different icons that Sim is thinking. Make sure to respond to their whims so you get rewarded with potions.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Building and assembling your home at the start of the game can sometimes be very complex and difficult especially if this is your first time.
Make your life easier by learning keyboard shortcuts so you won't miss a beat when building your Sim's home. Each keyboard binding is assigned to a specific task so you can always use them whenever possible.
This will make building and placing different items inside your home much easier. This prevents you from clicking around the screen which wastes a lot of time when you could just use the keyboard shortcuts.
You will wish that you learned the keyboard shortcuts before starting the game!
Personalize Each Room
During the construction phase of the game, many players want to build their houses as fast as possible. You can tell by how many quick-build videos you can find on YouTube.
But the best thing about the building is it offers you a chance to personalize every room of your home for your Sim. Take the time to build your entire house and personalize each room.
Plan out how each room will look and decorate them accordingly. Yes, it may not have an overall effect on how you play the game but it also makes your Sim family look as authentic as possible.
A Change of Heart
What many players do not know is that you can change your Sim's aspirations. Just like in real life, you don't always need to have one aspiration as you can always transition to another that you can easily fulfill.
If you are ever stuck on a stage where it is becoming difficult to fulfill your Sim's aspiration, go ahead and switch to something easy to fulfill and something that you can finish at the lowest amount of time possible.
Make sure to choose aspirations that are associated with the trait and behavior of your Sim. By aligning their aspiration with a particular set of skills and traits, you get to meet their needs and get satisfaction points very easily.
Practice Multitasking
As a player, you will need to practice a lot of multi-tasking in this game. You can also teach your Sim to multitask as well. You can have your Sim drink their morning coffee or tea while lying in a bath or talk while doing the dishes or eating their breakfast.
And while certain activities need your Sim's focus such as studying or allowing your children to do homework, you can take this time to do other things that require a lot of attention.
One of the best multi-tasking activities in the game is to listen to music. Your Sim can do anything else while listening to music.
From Trash to Cash
Just like in real life, you can earn cash through recycling in Sims 4. Purchase the NanoTouch Touchless Trash Can and you will slowly earn around $10 every time your Sim uses the trash can. This is highly advisable for larger family sizes wherein there are a lot of members.
If you are making meals for each member of the family, you can even make cooking a profitable activity that can help sustain the entire family.
It might not be enough but it will surely help with your family's finances while also instilling the habit of recycling.
The Book of Life Is a Must Have
One of the most beneficial items ever created in The Sims 4 is the Book of Life. One of the book's major benefits is resurrecting a dead Sim alongside many other uses like fulfilling all the needs of a Sim by just reading the book.
While its usefulness will always remain important, it is also one of the most difficult items to acquire in the game. To get the Book of Life, you will need your Sim to have the writer aspiration and acquire the bestselling author title which is the highest tier for your career as a writer.
You can then bind the book to a Sim which will grant them the benefits of the item.
Use the Sims 3 Camera Settings
While the Sims 4 is well optimized for both PC and laptop, the default camera of the game can be quite restrictive.
There will be times when you try to place an object inside your house and it will land on an adjacent area. It can be quite a nuisance but there is a resolution that should resolve this.
Enable the Sims 3 camera settings through the game settings to alleviate this concern and you should be able to rotate and place objects more accurately.
Zooming Out
Another reason to choose the Sim 3 camera setting instead of the game's default camera is the ability to zoom out. Zooming out lets you get an overall clearer view of your entire house and sometimes, you get to see some collectibles hidden around the area.
You can use the mouse wheel to zoom out from your current perspective or you can also use the X key on your keyboard.
Conclusion
With four expansions and a lot of downloadable add-ons to play through, The Sims 4 is one of the most interesting games of the franchise with some of the richest features found in the series.
Players will need to invest a lot of time to play the game but with all the tips featured above, you should be well on your way to having the best experience.
