Here is absolutely EVERYTHING we know about TS4, as of: 5/9/14
Multitasking- New technology allows Sims to eat and talk, exercise and watch TV…nearly any feasible combination of interactions. This makes Sims feel much more natural and believable.Group Controls- Sims can form groups of up to six Sims. Groups can perform group interactions. Sims don’t have to all be standing or doing the same thing in a group. Sims will turn their heads and their upper body appropriately during conversations.Needs/Motives- No more motive bars. Each need is either green, yellow or red, meaning it requires immediate attention (see below).
Emotional States- Within each of the emotional states – including happy, sad, inspired and depressed, among others – are a range of nuances that will unlock contextual actions. Sad Sims might be inspired to paint something depressing, while angry Sims might have extra drive when working out! Mood influences Sim behavior and animation as well- the way the Sim gets out of bed, walks, talks, and interacts with other Sims are all affected by mood. Emotions can even be triggered by dreams!
There will be 15 emotional states in the base game. Below are the known states:
- Neutral (Default)
- Angry – Enraged – Furious
- Bored
- Confident
- Cranky
- Dazed
- Embarassed
- Energized
- Flirty – Romantic – Passionate
- Focused – Inspired
- Happy – Elated
- Playful
- Sad – Depressed
- Stressed
Emotionally Triggered Abilities- Sad Sims do poorly at work, unless they are writers. Flirty Sims can dim the lights by clapping their hands. Emotions are like temporary traits.Furniture Influence on Mood- An inspirational painting could boost the creativity of a Sim, while a room decorated with many romantic objects will make Sims feel “flirty”. However, just one romantic candle will not dramatically affect the mood of a Sim…it is more about the overall tone of the room.Create-A-Sim- Like molding clay, but not as messy. Each Sim has 18 points the player can grab and mold to perfection. Advanced tweaking is also possible. Jewelry, hats and shoes are completely free from clothing. Body shape is genetic. Clothing can be unlocked by completing certain tasks and achievements. Click here to watch a demo of the new CAS!Buy Mode- Furniture can be purchased through an Ikea-like catalogue, offering a range of items that directly influence how a Sim feels within the environment. You can drag and drop an entire room set and it will adjust to the size of the room dynamically. Furniture can be unlocked by completing certain tasks and achievements.Build Mode- Just as in the new CAS, everything is fun and simple; you just plop down rooms and pull them apart and shape them as you please. The new “blocks” system allows for extreme flexibility. You don’t need to plan a house beforehand. The new system is more flexible and requires less time and patience. You can adjust the pitch, curvature and overhand of roofs! Still no curved walls. Automatic window tool.Relationship System- Instead of one relationship bar that slowly increases from friendship to romance, TS4 now has two concurrent bars- romance and friendship. It will be much easier to stay friends with a Sim without delving into romantic territory. This also opens up the possibility for “soul mates”, or two Sims that have maxed out friendship and romance bars!Aspiration System- Sims can have an unlimited number of Aspirations, which feature intermediate goals along the way and wide-reaching progression branches. Once a Sim completes an Aspiration, they’ll get the corresponding Aspiration Trait that goes along with it. A Sim that becomes a master chef, for example, will get a cooking-based Aspiration Trait.Whims- A short-term goal for your Sim, like playing chess or mixing a drink. Similar to Wants in TS2 or Wishes in TS3. Grants Aspiration Points.Traits- Some new, some old. Five trait slots and one for primary aspiration. Traits can be unlocked by completing certain tasks and achievements. The only confirmed traits so far are mopey, shy, hot-headed, sociopath, insane and peppy!Skill System- Skills are split into three categories: Focus (logic, cooking), Inspiration (painting, writing, bartending), and Energize (athletic). Around 10 skills in base game. Some more skills are piano, guitar, violin, gardening (which is much more complex in TS4), social, writing, painting, dating, and exercise.Active Careers- The core game system allows for events where players can go out and play through certain parts of their Sim’s career. Again, you’ll be interacting with other Sims as well to move up the career ladder.Health- Sims naturally change over time. Eat too much and/or never exercise, you’ll get fat. Eat healthy food and work out, you’ll lose weight and/or maintain health. Sims will notice gaining/losing weight. Sims can no longer be muscular and obese at the same time.Vibrant Neighborhoods– Chose among brilliant and diverse lots for your Sims to live in. Vivid visuals bring your Sim’s home to life. The new neighborhood looks a lot like the Southern US, but more stylized and charming.Memories- Sims will remember past outfits, relationships and experiences. These memories will have a significant effect on their behavior and mood.Sound Design- The game has over half a million sound files, and the sound system has gotten a technical overhaul. Sound now has direction; a Sim with his back facing the camera will sound a little muffled when he speaks. Music and sound will even be different depending on the shape of the room. Basically, TS4 has acoustics.New Simlish- The Sims voice team has now tripled to nine different actors. There is specific ‘slang’ for different Sim age groups, and there is a greater focus on object-specific terminology. Simlish feels more like a real language in TS4.Animation- Sims no longer pause in-between animations or look like robots when sitting in a chair. Everything is fluid and natural. It is subtle but very effective. Sims can perform most interactions either standing or sitting (you can sit on a bed and eat).Path System- Sims in crowded spaces will maneuver around each other. Sims can pass each other on stairs. A hundred Sims can pass each other without a single one getting stuck. Similarly, a hundred Sims can all walk through a single doorway at once without anyone being stuck, stamping their foot in protest, or auto-canceling the interaction.Events- For example, a Sim can host a singles event, and invite all the single Sims in the neighbourhood to a party. Or as a chef, a Sim can attend a special event dinner.Confirmed Objects- Cowplant, teapot, rocket ship, voodoo doll, cupcake maker, cars, painting easel, punching bag and more!Expansions and DLC- A list of over 40 expansion packs and content for TS4 was released by EA in an official survey. Much of this content will likely appear in the game at some point. Click here for the full list of titles and descriptionsFeatures that are NOT in the game:
Going to work with SimsCreate-A-Style-ToolHeight customizationHair growth and animationUnlimited levels in build mode (TS4 has three-floor limit)Hair and skin tone customization (all of hair is one color, you must choose from pre-set color options, cannot dye or highlight, skin tones are also pre-set colors)WeatherGradual aging or new life stages