During today’s Inside Maxis stream, SimGurus addressed several questions that were taken from the recent “AMA” over on the official forums on May 6th. Below is a transcript of what Gurus answered to the questions they addressed.
Question: When will pronouns be added to The Sims 4?
SimGuru: When it comes to representation, it’s not a destination. It’s a journey that we are all continuously working towards across the board. We’ve seen and read your comments regarding non-binary pronouns and their availability in game. We hear you.
At this time, we cannot confirm anything in regards to timing, but what we can say is that for a long time our team has been evaluating ways to add gender neutral language while considering how complex it would be to do so. Currently we have been investigating the changes needed, considering not only the size of the game, but the possibilities for all of our 18 supported languages to make sure that we do this work in the best way possible.
Question: Are there any plans to make new whims to add depth to Sim personalities?
SimGuru: I’m going to hit you with the bad news first and then the good news. Although we are not currently working on whims, it is a system we would like to revisit in the future. We are now committing more time in our schedules than ever before to free updates. We are starting to see – and we hope you are too – the impact of that commitment, with things like our skin tone updates, our trait improvements, and bunk beds.
Question: What factors does the team look at when differentiating a GP from an EP?
SimGuru: We want to create the best new Sims experiences. So we determine the best size pack to deliver the best experience in the best form. There are a lot of factors that go into choosing pack size. For example, if a theme is better served with a grand scope and vision, it might take a bigger broader expansion pack approach.
Other times we have a great theme and experience that can be made available to players at a more affordable price point through a more focused game pack. Other times we have a hyper-specific nuanced stuff pack or kit that could be the perfect fit. So for us it’s all about tailoring and pairing the right sized experience to the right sized offering.
Question: When will you fix the “Hates Children” issue?
SimGuru: This is a very important issue for us, and you may have already noted that it was mentioned in the last laundry list, so consent is for sure not something to play with. So we are updating the trait with the upcoming patch.
Question: Is there potential for story progression in Townies/NPC’s?
SimGuru: For those who may not know, story progression is the concept of Sims beyond the active household, having life moments without the player initiating that. So there is potential for this at some point in the future. While we can’t confirm any details at this time, we are definitely excited for the possibilities.
