Life Dreams Update!

[SIMazing]

Back when I played the game I mentioned earlier (it was virtual villagers, btw), I got used to the death part. The initial shock was really hard, but then I understood how the game progressed, and it became easier. HOWEVER, the game wasn't designed around the death of the people in it. There wasn't a reward that unlocked other things in the game. I also played virtual families, but this time I knew the people were going to pass on, and I didn't get close to them. When the time came, their pictures were on a special screen that allowed me to hold their memory. In both games, the progression of life occurred without any action on my part, I did my best to take care of the characters and I felt blameless if they died. This is a VERY different approach than what we are about to experience.

Hypothetically, you have sims with chosen personalities, who will age, and only certain actions age them:
> We chose two or more sims to progress towards locking the two content lots.
> We make a distinct choice whether to select actions that will result in their death.
> We invest time and money (and maybe real money) into these sims, assuring that they have everything they need.
> At the end of their aging cycle, we trade the sim we invested in for the 4th currency towards this update's selected lots
> We chose another sim to pass the orb to, who, despite any attachments we might develop, will then be assigned to die.
>> Repeat until the orb is complete.
> At some point, you have an orb that has completely fulfilled it's potential and you'll be able to open a community lot.

My issue isn't that I don't want to face death. There have been plenty of deaths in my family and among friends, same as many people. Nor is my issue that my attachment is over the top. But even if it is, it has more to do with love for a really good story, and who doesn't love a really good story? Neither am I attached to ALL of my sims. Some of them are replaced on a regular basis.

My problem with the update is that TO ME, to unlock the new content, I have to willfully cause the death of a sim. It is my own actions, my own choices, my own heart that will be reflected here. To Me. It. Feels. Like. Murder. for the sake of content.
I know it's a game, but that's not a game that I want to carry in my heart. To me the death described in this game is not a positive twist.

Yes, I can try out the next update and see how scenario plays out. If those suggesting that we don't have to chose a personality for every sim or not every sim ages happen to be wrong, then my favorite sims are at risk from my own hand. I won't pay money to keep them from dying. I will simply stop playing the game, and keep their loving memory while I play something else.

[telemwill]

Something else I'm wondering about is our teen idols. Basically they have to remain static if we want to keep them, since the game allows only one. (Don't see why we can't have an actual band.) I have four due to the glitch earlier. So that makes it difficult to decide about their families as well.

I am wondering if Sims with children will be "allowed" to die. So many questions. I wish someone from FM would make themselves available to answer a few of them. I don't understand why they don't release complete update notes. All of the other games I have played in the past do so. Nothing takes you by surprise if you choose to read them.

[Baltimore21224]

What I wonder.....I have yet to unlock the Idol sign ( to get the Idol Mansion). I also have two idols via the glitch. My worry is they will be forced to age before I can unlock the sign and I don't want to start over with that. Bad enough I had to revert the game back to pre " Adulthood" quest because my game went wacko. I'm now on the "Birdfeeder" quest.

The only positive to redoing those quests is I did not use any LP's. ( I've been able to overlap the long goals).

Ive finished Fishing
Woodworking (2x)
Skating

I'm desperately trying to finish swimming to get those diving boards. I'm almost done with Ghost Hunting.

As for pre teens I'm in the middle since I had the pre teen issue and had to delete them.

I'm going as fast as I can even missing work ( not in RL) to just hobby all day and plant.

To be forced to start over because a sim has " aged" will suck.

Oh and one more thing....WHY is the seniors hobbies so long? The reaper will end up making a visit before the hobby is done!

It said anyone above level 24 will start aging, lower levels not as fast....and I'm not spending Cash to keep them young.....

A lot to think about and I see no sleep in some sims lives.....

[J-is-for-Jane]

I do believe there is a big difference between "escape from real life", like most of us told they are looking for, and "abnormal attachment".
I would like to tell more about this issue, but,unfortunately, English is not my mother tongue, so I am possibly incapable to explain what I feel and think.

I just want to say that I don't like being judged in a game forum. I wrote some personal things in this thread because I felt that the other players here understand and maybe feel the same.
I do not care what a psychologist may think. If I need the opinion of one, I will go and ask by myself.

People can express opinions here, but I am am sure that judgment goes further than an "opinion".

You express yourself just fine and a lot of us will understand your position. I'm kind of in-the-middle. No one in my immediate circle is suffering, or old, or poorly, thank heaven, so I'm not getting personally hurt by this update (more ethically offended), and I can even see the funny side of their absurd, crazy, baffling update. (What were they thinking?!) But I know full well how any little hits can get at you when you're already vulnerable and posters have to be sympathetic to that, even the trained psychiatrists amongst us.

Would we face the 'abnormal' charge if we were affected by a book or a poem or a piece of music? They're all art forms you invest in (if you read or listen deeply). Why wouldn't we become involved in our own created worlds in a similar way?

(Edit to say 'bloody good post to J is for Jane!')

Thanks, SimMutt. Big props to your post too

Something else I'm wondering about is our teen idols. Basically they have to remain static if we want to keep them, since the game allows only one. (Don't see why we can't have an actual band.) I have four due to the glitch earlier. So that makes it difficult to decide about their families as well.

I am wondering if Sims with children will be "allowed" to die. So many questions. I wish someone from FM would make themselves available to answer a few of them. I don't understand why they don't release complete update notes. All of the other games I have played in the past do so. Nothing takes you by surprise if you choose to read them.

I wonder about logistics too. All 21 of my adult sims perform approximately equal amounts of tasks. If they all age up around the same time, that'll be a lot of seniors (or 189 LPs I'll have to cough up). So yeah, clearer and more forthcoming explanations from FM would be most welcome.

[Gem410]

I've read through these posts and can't find an answer - perhaps I've overlooked it or there may not be an answer yet... I'm wondering if we opt to pause ageing or elect to avoid death of a sim will that mean we'll never be able to earn the new community lots. Or will we be able to 'pay' in whatever form and continue to complete the goals to get the new lots. I'm also a senior and find this game a relaxing pastime. I'm happy with my sim community and welcome new updates but not those that appear to be as intrusive as this one.

[SIMazing]

I've read through these posts and can't find an answer - perhaps I've overlooked it or there may not be an answer yet... I'm wondering if we opt to pause ageing or elect to avoid death of a sim will that mean we'll never be able to earn the new community lots. Or will we be able to 'pay' in whatever form and continue to complete the goals to get the new lots. I'm also a senior and find this game a relaxing pastime. I'm happy with my sim community and welcome new updates but not those that appear to be as intrusive as this one.

According to comments on Facebook, it is implied that we can pay real money to skip the orb and death part. Otherwise, if you do not do the aging and death, you can not get the new lots.

[PaQuilter]

Back when I played the game I mentioned earlier (it was virtual villagers, btw), I got used to the death part. The initial shock was really hard, but then I understood how the game progressed, and it became easier. HOWEVER, the game wasn't designed around the death of the people in it. There wasn't a reward that unlocked other things in the game. I also played virtual families, but this time I knew the people were going to pass on, and I didn't get close to them. When the time came, their pictures were on a special screen that allowed me to hold their memory. In both games, the progression of life occurred without any action on my part, I did my best to take care of the characters and I felt blameless if they died. This is a VERY different approach than what we are about to experience.

Hypothetically, you have sims with chosen personalities, who will age, and only certain actions age them:
> We chose two or more sims to progress towards locking the two content lots.
> We make a distinct choice whether to select actions that will result in their death.
> We invest time and money (and maybe real money) into these sims, assuring that they have everything they need.
> At the end of their aging cycle, we trade the sim we invested in for the 4th currency towards this update's selected lots
> We chose another sim to pass the orb to, who, despite any attachments we might develop, will then be assigned to die.
>> Repeat until the orb is complete.
> At some point, you have an orb that has completely fulfilled it's potential and you'll be able to open a community lot.

My issue isn't that I don't want to face death. There have been plenty of deaths in my family and among friends, same as many people. Nor is my issue that my attachment is over the top. But even if it is, it has more to do with love for a really good story, and who doesn't love a really good story? Neither am I attached to ALL of my sims. Some of them are replaced on a regular basis.

My problem with the update is that TO ME, to unlock the new content, I have to willfully cause the death of a sim. It is my own actions, my own choices, my own heart that will be reflected here. To Me. It. Feels. Like. Murder. for the sake of content.
I know it's a game, but that's not a game that I want to carry in my heart. To me the death described in this game is not a positive twist.

Yes, I can try out the next update and see how scenario plays out. If those suggesting that we don't have to chose a personality for every sim or not every sim ages happen to be wrong, then my favorite sims are at risk from my own hand. I won't pay money to keep them from dying. I will simply stop playing the game, and keep their loving memory while I play something else.

SIMazing, I agree with everthing you say. My problem is that my understanding is that ALL of our Sims will eventually age aand die off. I could live with your scenerio but not with mine. I really don't care about having a community beach or arcade center, not if it means I have to kill off my Sims. I hope your scenerio is the correct one, but knowing how the Firemonkeys operate, I seriously doubt it. They haven't proven to be trustworthy in the past...just look at all the problems people had with the Island update and no one could get a straight answer then either. It's weird, I use to like updates but now every update costs us more money and makes the game play depressing. What a way to screw up a nice game.

[mockingbird288z]

Back when I played the game I mentioned earlier (it was virtual villagers, btw), I got used to the death part. The initial shock was really hard, but then I understood how the game progressed, and it became easier.

Oh my goodness! When I heard about this update I thought about virtual villagers and the time I came home from class, turned my laptop on and discovered 7 skeletons just lying on the ground. I was HORRIFIED! But I got used to the process and worked to mark sure my little villagers didn't starve to death. I would still make sure they buried the skeletons of the ones who did die as quickly as possibly, though.

____


I am curious about something though, the people who are the most upset/anxious/frustrated about this update... How long have they been playing? I am just wondering if it is the players who have more time invested in their sims, or who had planned stories for them that didn't include death who are more upset than newer players. Maybe, it was just a thought...

I myself have been playing from almost the start (give or take a few weeks) and find it highly aggravating that the woman in the video says something about having always planned to include death. From the start. Why then be so tight-lipped about it? Why, when repeatedly asked if babies were going to be able to become toddlers (and toddlers to pre-teens, pre-teens to teens, teens to adults) were they so quiet about it?? I feel like this could all have been avoided if at some point earlier they had just announced that this is where the game was headed.

From what I have read I gather that past Sims games included death, but growing up I was never allowed video games or computer games so I had never played any Sims game before. That was the main reason for me downloading SFP to begin with. I wanted to try it out, I was curious. When the news came out about this update I was...I'm not sure....I wasn't exactly angry....DREAD that's the word, I dreaded this upcoming update. Now that I have had some time to get used to the idea I dread it less but I am still not looking forward to it. I mean, come on! Adelaide Jackson (my first sim, ever) has been with me for over TWO years. I have definitely grown attached to her in those two years.

Sorry if this sounds random and jumbled...I have lots of thoughts about this update and can't quite get them all pinned down.


P.S. I will be super duper mad, however, if the first goal I get right out of the box is to have a toddler build a sandcastle at the beach. Or for a time sensitive quest include having a sim die.

[RiverSong11]

So sad. My senior couple is my two original sims that I had from the beginning. And I do not want my vampire family to age. But still I'm kind of excited

[PaQuilter]

Back when I played the game I mentioned earlier (it was virtual villagers, btw), I got used to the death part. The initial shock was really hard, but then I understood how the game progressed, and it became easier.

Oh my goodness! When I heard about this update I thought about virtual villagers and the time I came home from class, turned my laptop on and discovered 7 skeletons just lying on the ground. I was HORRIFIED! But I got used to the process and worked to mark sure my little villagers didn't starve to death. I would still make sure they buried the skeletons of the ones who did die as quickly as possibly, though.

____


I am curious about something though, the people who are the most upset/anxious/frustrated about this update... How long have they been playing? I am just wondering if it is the players who have more time invested in their sims, or who had planned stories for them that didn't include death who are more upset than newer players. Maybe, it was just a thought...

I myself have been playing from almost the start (give or take a few weeks) and find it highly aggravating that the woman in the video says something about having always planned to include death. From the start. Why then be so tight-lipped about it? Why, when repeatedly asked if babies were going to be able to become toddlers (and toddlers to pre-teens, pre-teens to teens, teens to adults) were they so quiet about it?? I feel like this could all have been avoided if at some point earlier they had just announced that this is where the game was headed.

From what I have read I gather that past Sims games included death, but growing up I was never allowed video games or computer games so I had never played any Sims game before. That was the main reason for me downloading SFP to begin with. I wanted to try it out, I was curious. When the news came out about this update I was...I'm not sure....I wasn't exactly angry....DREAD that's the word, I dreaded this upcoming update. Now that I have had some time to get used to the idea I dread it less but I am still not looking forward to it. I mean, come on! Adelaide Jackson (my first sim, ever) has been with me for over TWO years. I have definitely grown attached to her in those two years.

Sorry if this sounds random and jumbled...I have lots of thoughts about this update and can't quite get them all pinned down.


P.S. I will be super duper mad, however, if the first goal I get right out of the box is to have a toddler build a sandcastle at the beach. Or for a time sensitive quest include having a sim die.

I've been playing for a year. I downloaded the game for the same reason you did. I've heard about Sims for years but I'm not a computer game player so when I got a tablet I looked at what apps were available. I found Virtual Families and started playing it. I was fine until my first generation family person died. I thought, "This is depressing." So I looked for something else. Sfp came up. I thought I'd give it a try because it said something about building my own town the way I wanted it. Well, the first day I was amazed with the graphics. When it first started, it flew in from the ocean towards the town and I thought WOW this is pretty neat. I started like everyone else, the first house and my first Sim, Angela Robinson, then came her neighbor's house and her soon to be husband, Nick. She got a dog too, Bailey. Eventually, they had a baby, Tommy.

The first big update I did was the "Moving Up" one where we added the upstairs to our houses. By then, I had all my houses built so I worked really hard to get second stories on all my homes before the Construct-O-Coins went away. The next big update was the "Mysterious Island" Update. So you see, it has always been about the buildings and places to live. Even the "Teen Idol" Update was about getting the Teen Idol Mansion.

It wasn't about the Sims until everyone kept wanting the teens to grow up. Well, I hope those people are happy because they aren't just going to grow-up, now it looks like they are all going to die too. Let's see if they are happy when they have to spend a fortune to replace the Sims that die off. You know Firemonkeys don't do anything that costs us less money.