Sims 4 Gameplay Rules: General
- phdsimmer
- Feb 8, 2024
- 12 min read
Updated: Aug 24
Last Updated: 24th August 2025
Here are my gameplay rules for the Sims 4 when I am playing rotationally (not for my general LPs), this is an ever evolving process so please check back for new developments and changes in the future. If you have never played Sims 4 rotationally before and are thinking to try, check out my handy guide on how to do it. You can also check out my Sims 4 mods list to see all the mods I currently have in my game. I hope you enjoy reading this and finding out how I play the Sims 4 rotationally!
Navigation
Wants & Fears
I consider my Sims wants and fears when deciding how to play out their life. However, I do not use them exclusively, I allow myself to make my own judgements because even with mods the Sims 4 wants/fears isn't amazing. I will use wants/fears alongside a Sim's aspiration, traits, personality, hobby, bucket list to decide what I want them to do.
I use a combination of Miss Hissy's mods to overhaul the wants and fears system in the Sims 4. I consider this essential. I use the following mods:
Hopes and Fears (with the add on to remove the life fulfillment part of this mod)
Hobby Mod (with the hobby development pop up file in the optional folder removed).
Please note the Custom Wants and Lot 51 Core Library mod are required for these mods to work in game.
Playing A Round
I play 1 week rounds (i.e. I play all households for 1 week to complete 1 round).
I rotate between households in the early hours of Monday morning (between 1 and 3am - this is essential so your sims don't miss work/school (in Sims 4 all Sims will all be present on the lot when you load the household even if they should be at school or work).
I play University at the beginning of a new round.
Neighbourhood Stories
I have neighbourhood stories turned off for played Sims and on for un-played Sims. If there is a specific un-played Sim that one of my playable Sims is dating, or I am planning to pair up with, I turn off neighbourhood stories for that Sim's household.
I have all neighbourhood stories on except for move in and move out so I don't lose track of where people are.
I have a mod to add marriage and suggesting marriage as a neighbourhood stories option.
Age Span & Season Length
I play with a custom age span set using the mod MCC Command Centre mod - for the normal lifespan this is babies (2 days), infants (3 days), toddler (4 days), children (7 days), teens (14 days), young adult (21 days), adult (28 days) and elder (14 days+).
I play with a 14 day season length. I don't care about having holidays synced around my neighbourhood. For example, I don't have any interest in playing "winterfest" for all of my households during winter, I just play it for whichever household it lands on when it arrives.
I delete holidays that I don't have any interest in from the calendar e.g. neighbourhood brawl, talk like a pirate day.
In the Game Options I have auto age for played Sims set to "only active household" and for unplayed Sims set to "no" when playing all households except the first one in the round when I change it to "yes" just for the duration of that households round. This is important! It is so that the un-played sims age at the same rate as my played sims. Remember to turn it back to "no" when you move onto your second household in the round otherwise your non-played Sims will age really really fast! I keep in a note in my spreadsheet to remind me of when to turn it to yes/no.
Aspirations, Traits, Bucket List, Personality, Hobbies, Likes & Dislikes
All Sims born in the game have their aspiration and traits randomised at age up for all life-stages. I use James Turner's website for this. This can end up in strange combinations but I find it quite fun this way and I get a lot of Sims with traits/aspirations I would never usually play.
If I complete the randomised aspiration, I get to pick a new aspiration of my choice. If my Sim earns a degree from University I get to randomise a new aspiration and decide if I want to keep it or the stay with the original aspiration.
If a Sim rolls a teen specific aspiration I will play this and then will change it at age-up to young adult to a new randomised aspiration.
I do not currently use custom traits or aspirations in my game.
Sim's can change or add new traits through game play pop ups, I do a virtual coin flip to decide if I accept this or not heads = accept, tails = decline.
I don't set any likes and dislikes at the start of the game for any of my Sims, but if they pop in game I'll do a coin flip to determine if I accept them or not heads = accept, tails = decline.
If anything that is randomly generated really contradicts with a Sim's traits, aspiration or hobby I may override the result of the coin flips as described above.
For the Personality Mod and the Hobby Mod I choose these for each Sim using random number generators
I do not currently have specific sub-hobbies, Sims can do anything for their hobby based on their wants.
I do not allow my Sim to create a bucket list until they reach the adult lifespan. This is so I can play with different game features for different life stages.
Finances & Businesses
Sims pay 10% of their household value (capped at 10k) at the start of the round as tax. I do not use this money for any purpose like I do for in the Sims 2, it just gets taken off their household funds.
I enable child support payments for non-married Sims, and set this at 1% through the MCC Command Centre mod.
I do not currently have any specific rules regarding bank accounts, there is a mod to have a bank accounts for your Sims but I don't personally use it, see here. I may introduce this in the future if my teen sims get jobs or earn money in some way.
I keep track of any money brought in to a household through marriage, and consider this along with the value of the home when deciding on a divorce settlement.
I do not currently have a welfare system, my un-employed Sims make money from hobbies, collecting and selling items etc. I am now experimenting with the SimCare Mod which has a welfare payment system, I will update these rules if I decide to carry on using this going forward.
I do not currently have any specific business related rules, I have Sims set up businesses/small businesses if it suits them or their aspirations/wants etc. Money in the business funds is also taxable at 10% at the start of the round.
Adoption, Pregnancy & Parenting
Sims can try for a baby/adopt if they have the want to. I use the in game wants system, as well as the Relationship and Pregnancy Overhaul Mod (modules 0 and 1 only) where:
If both parents want a child they can try for a baby/adopt without having a want for it.
If one or both parents are neutral they can only try for a baby or adopt if one of them has the want to.
If one or both parents do not want children they cannot try for a baby/adopt even if they have the want to but, they may accidentally get pregnant through risky woohoo or alien abduction.
Pregnancy duration is currently 2 days in my game (set via the MCC Command Centre mod).
I set "aging during pregnancy" "on" through the MCC Command Centre mod.
So that I can name babies born to households I am not playing, I set "pause on playable labor" "on" via the MCC Command Centre mod.
For parenting chance cards, I roll a random number and choose an option based on this working from left to right.
I don't use the super fertility reward from the reward store or use fertility massage etc.
I also don't do anything to influence the gender of the baby or cheat to change the number of babies e.g. twins/triplets.
Careers
I do not use any custom careers.
Sims can do full time jobs (including the active careers), part time jobs, freelance or odd jobs.
If they roll a want to have a specific job before I've decided on one, I go with that want. Otherwise I decide based on the Sim and their aspiration/traits etc.
Job opportunity and career progression are not currently defined by University degrees or limited in anyway. There is a mod (I do not currently use) to overhaul careers so that degrees are required for progression, but I will link it in case you are interested see here.
School
I play active high school as when I wish to for story-telling purposes. Mostly I play 1-2 days of active school per household per round, it depends on how interested I am in the Sim and their high school experience.
Sims can join any after-school activity if they want to or if suits their aspiration/hobby etc.
Only teens can use social bunny (this is so I can play with different game features at different lifespans). Social bunny is de-activated for other life-stages.
Sims only do homework when they have the want to this includes children, teens and college students.
When a Sim reaches a D or lower, I flip a coin on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays heads = do homework, tails = don't do homework.
University
Sims with a D or F cannot go to University.
Only Sims with an A grade or valedictorians can do distinguished degrees.
I use a mod to make University more expensive.
I use a mod to only need 4 credits to complete University so I can complete it in one round if my Sims take 4 classes, or 3 classes and an elective.
Note: It is important to play through all of a University household in one go, as time doesn't pause and your Sims may end up on academic probation or get expelled if you leave and come back after having played another household later.
Pre-established young-adults/adults/elders can also go to University if they roll the want to.
Sims can study for a degree of my choice based on their aspiration/traits/hobbies etc. If I cannot decide based on these I roll a random number and work down the list on the menu of degree choices.
Sims can only do University homework if they roll the want to. I flip a coin on Monday, Wednesday and Friday: heads = do a presentation or term paper, tails = don't do either of these.
I have no specific rules about scholarships, loans etc.
Sims can fail University (and that's okay!).
I use cheats to enable Sims to apply for University on the last day of their round and get their letter immediately. This is so they move to University at the end of their round and are ready to start a new round at Uni next time.
Clubs & Societies
I delete all the EA clubs that come with Get Together and create my own clubs. I have clubs for parents, children, teens and elders of the worlds I am playing (e.g. parents of Willow Creek, teens of Oasis Springs). I also have clubs based on hobbies and activities such as wellness, gym, DJing, cooking which have specific trait or skill requirements. Plus clubs for singles or for romance/non-committal Sims.
I allow myself to cheat to unlock the extra two slots for the clubs so more Sims can join. I do not do this if I am playing a Sim who runs their own club and has the Leader of the Pack aspiration.
Sims can join after school activities, University societies, werewolf packs. I have no specific rules/restrictions on these and usually base it on their aspiration/traits/hobbies etc.
Pets
Sims can get a pet if they roll the want to.
I allow my Sims to get horses unless they don't have the space for one or are living in an apartment.
I have no rules about how these pets are found e.g. downloading pets from the gallery, adopting pets and using create-a-pet.
Sexuality, Romance & Marriage
I randomise a Sim's sexuality when they age up to teen and set it via the options in CAS. I roll a random number between 1 and 100, 1 to 20 = gay, 21 to 40 = bisexual, 41 to 100 = straight.
I use the pronoun, impregnation, jealousy and toilet use settings in CAS to set Sims up as needed , I have no restrictions on the use of these.
Sims can flirt/get engaged/get married if they have the want to.
Marriages at a communal church/wedding venue cost £500. Home weddings are free.
Break Up & Divorce
Sims will break up if they roll the want to do so. If no want is rolled and I think the situation calls a break up into question (e.g. caught cheating, left at the alter) I will flip a coin = heads they break up, tails = they stay together.
If a non-committal Sim is getting married I roll a random number between 1 and 100, if the result is less than 30 the Sim leaves the their partner at the alter.
The Sim who is caught cheating or leaves the other at the alter is the one to move out. If the decision to break up is mutual and there are children in the home I will allow the primary caretaker parent to stay in the house with the children and the other parent moves out. In all other cases, I will do a coin flip to determine who moves out.
Children cannot be split between separated parents, one parent has full custody and the children live with them until they reach adulthood or go to college. They can have sleepovers at their other parents home. After adulthood/college they can move in with any parent they want or out on their own.
When a Sim gets married I keep track of how much money their spouse brings into the household when they move in. If the pair divorce, the Sim that moves out is entitled to have 50% of the money returned to them.
Any owned business stay with the Sim who primarily owns/runs the business.
Skills
Sims can build skills if they roll the want to and naturally through interaction with objects autonomously or for their job/ hobby etc. I don't force them to skill build unless they have a want to.
Occults
Sims can be abducted by aliens and have an alien pregnancy if this happens naturally via gameplay. I do not do anything to force this to happen.
Sims can become a vampire/mermaid/werewolf/spellcaster/fairy if they have the specific aspiration and/or traits related to these.
Reitement, Death & Inheritance
I allow my Sims to retire if they want to.
Elder Sims living alone move in with a family member or to a communal retirement home.
I allow my Sims to plead for another Sim when they die.
When a Sim dies, I roll a random number 1-100, if less than 10 I will choose to play them as a playable ghost. If not they are to be a free-roaming ghost.
I move graves to a communal cemetery/graveyard.
Funerals and burials at the cemetery/graveyard cost £500 per young adult or older, and £250 per teen or younger.
I don't make any Sim die purposefully, use any mods that alter the chance of death, and I don't avoid deaths by reloading the game.
I don't allow Sims to be re-born unless they I have a very specific story line for this. It is something I will only do rarely in my game.
I will allow Sims to be resurrected if a Sim has a want to resurrect a Sim but I have not seen any wants for this in my Sims 4 game so far.
Inheritance is based on the relationship of the deceased Sim with their direct family members (adopted family members/alien off-spring also count). This money does not come from the household funds but from an imaginary life insurance policy. If a Sim completes their bucket list before they die their family members receive a bonus.
Spouse: £10,000 (inc. bonus £15,000)
Child: £5,000 (inc. bonus £7.500)
Grandchild: £1,250 (inc. bonus £2,000)
I keep track of how much money is given to which Sims as inheritance in my spreadsheet so I remember to have teens and younger take it with them when they age up and move to University or out of the family home.
I don't have any particular rules about which children can inherit properties after their parents die.
Misc. Gameplay Settings
In the game options I turn off "build mode items grant gameplay effects" to stop my Sims emotions getting clogged up with moodlets that are not important to me.
I have the maximum Sim count currently on 200.
Autonomy is on full.
Misc. Pack Settings
I do allow my Sims to gain fame. However, so that family can talk to their famous relative (e.g. grandchild speaking to famous grandparent) I use MC Control in the MCC Command Centre mod to have the celebrity introduce themself to the other Sim.
I turn off the lifestyle system as I don't enjoy it.
I limit werewolves to Moonwood Mill and Fairies to Innis Green.
I turn off acne, as it seems to get stuck on my Sims.
I leave all Growing Together and For Rent options enabled.
I do play with laundry in my households (as long as it fits!). I also have laundry rooms in my apartment buildings and dorm rooms.
I do play with bust the dust (but I heavily mod this to work better!)
I disable everything under Eco Lifestyle settings (NPC voting/Eco Footprints) unless I am playing in Evergreen Harbour and I have a Sim with a specific story line based on their career/aspiration/traits related to this.
I do play with luck and the balance system that came with Enchanted by nature but this is heavily modded to work better.
Comments