How the save works

The rules

The guidelines, goals and boundaries that shape how I play.

The guiding idea

A little structure for a lot of chaos

The aim is to follow one Sim at a time, embrace randomness and let consequences become part of the story.

  • Control one Sim
  • Accept random outcomes
  • Let consequences stand
  • Choose story over optimisation

Save setup

Basics

  1. Keep the save vanilla. No gameplay cheats, mods or custom content may be used to gain an advantage.
  2. Technical fixes are allowed. A cheat may only be used to correct a bug or restore something lost because of a technical problem. It must not improve money, skills, relationships, needs or progression.
  3. Play on the shortest lifespan. Sims may only be aged up once the game announces their natural birthday. Deliberate life extension and resurrection are not allowed.
  4. Do not undo the story. Deaths, relationship changes and other unwanted outcomes may not be reversed by reloading. Reloading is allowed after a crash, serious bug or genuine accidental input.

Who you can control

Main character

  1. Play only as the main character. Other household members may be controlled only to:
    • resolve a bug or stuck state;
    • respond to an immediate emergency;
    • complete an unavoidable menu or age-up choice; or
    • perform an essential action the main character cannot perform on their behalf.
  2. Respect household autonomy. Do not queue, redirect or cancel another household member’s autonomous actions unless one of the exceptions above applies.

Passing on the plumbob

Heirs and succession

  1. The oldest surviving child is the heir. Biological, adopted and science-born children are equally eligible. For twins or other multiple births, household order determines who is eldest.
  2. The heir takes over as a young adult. Until then, the existing main character remains in control.
  3. A spouse may act as regent. If the main character dies before the heir becomes a young adult, their spouse becomes the temporary main character.
  4. An eligible child is the fallback regent. If no spouse is available, the oldest child who is at least a teenager becomes the temporary main character.
  5. Regency ends when the heir becomes a young adult. Control then passes to the designated heir.
  6. The legacy ends if nobody eligible remains. If there is no surviving heir, spouse or teenage descendant able to continue the household, the family line is complete.

Let relationships surprise you

Socialising

  1. Choose social interactions from the first wheel. The first wheel means the options initially visible before selecting More Choices. Choose from those options without reopening the wheel to search for something better.
    • Interactions needed to care for a child may be selected at any time.
    • Interactions focused on learning about a Sim, such as Get to Know or Discuss Interests, may be selected at any time.
    • If a romance or dating interaction appears on the first wheel, one must be selected.
    • Try for Baby must be selected when it appears, up to once per in-game day for the main character. This does not apply during pregnancy, when the household is full or when the game otherwise prevents it.
    • A specific interaction required to fulfil a Want may be selected directly.
  2. Let relationships develop naturally. Build friendships and romances by meeting numerous Sims. Do not force the main character towards a predetermined partner or friend.
  3. Use a consistent priority. Emergencies and technical fixes come first, followed by childcare, Want-specific interactions and then the first-wheel restriction.

Work with what the game gives you

Character creation

  1. Allow one young-adult makeover. After reaching young adulthood, a Sim may be modified once before becoming the main character, but they must still resemble their original randomised appearance.
  2. Use random traits whenever available. A randomly assigned trait may not be rerolled simply because it is inconvenient.

Homes should evolve naturally

Money, moving and building

  1. Keep structural changes believable. Rooms may be added, removed or altered only when the result is a plausible renovation of the existing property.
  2. Pay for every move and renovation. Household funds must cover building work, furniture and new properties. Existing objects and building materials may be sold at their normal in-game value.

Consequences create the story

Gameplay outcomes

  1. Accept every like and dislike prompt. This includes prompts that change an existing like or dislike.
  2. Accept game-generated consequences. Death, job loss, break-ups, occult changes and other unexpected developments remain part of the save unless caused by a confirmed bug.
  3. Continue for as long as the family line survives. There is no target generation; the playthrough ends naturally when the succession rules can no longer produce a main character.

Need to catch up on what has happened?

Read the story