I know that people come to you complaining about personalities. Since the sims is all they know, they’re requesting traits. Of course, while traits in the way like life by you did would be ideal, it would also require a complete overhaul of the entire way inzoi behaves and will probably be a costly thing to fix. However, the way the sims does traits is extremely outdated. 80% of sims 3 traits are likes and dislikes, and since inzoi already has likes and dislikes separately, it makes most traits obsolete. Sims 4 is a different kind of demon with a joke of a personality system, so please don’t take ANY pointers from it.
Anyways, below I’ll outline a personality system that builds on top of the existing personality system and turns it into something uniquely inzoi.
To start off, personalities need a better description. Description points simply arent good enough, especially in the life simulation genre where storytelling is always king (not more interaction variety or optimal camera specs but storytelling capabilities when it comes to gameplay). They also need to influence emotional reactions, have buffs and debuffs, unique interactions and even influence likes, dislikes, and skill aptitudes. They should also influence autonomy to a degree.
Add a “morality” value as opposed to just personality cards. A low value will make a zoi more likely to commit crimes, a high value will make bystander zois more likely to call the police. Such a system would allow even rulebreaker zois to eventually become functional members of society and redeem themselves, adding an extra layer to personality complexity. Growing up in a poor family with criminal parents or having the right personality traits will ensure it starts out low. Cheating on tests will lower it. Starting in childhood, zois can shoplift. Personalities with a strong sense of morality will start out high and those with a low sense of it will start out low. Everybody else will be more or less avarage.
(As a side note, the gquestion with the best personality systems I know of are raising sims like long live the queen and princess maker)
All personality cards should have conflicting values that start out low, and once raised, the negative effects of the personality become less obvious, to show how a zoi grows over their lifetime
Add a faithfulness value that shows off how faithful a zoi is to their significant other. A low bar will make them more likely to cheat, a high bar will make them less likely. That was we can make a womanizer zoi who changes his ways when they meet the right partner. Good interactions with significat other raise it, bad interactions and failed good interactions lower it. Bad relationship with parents will also cause it to be low. Otherwise, it starts out neutral. It also makes MUCH more sense than a faithful/unfaithful taking up a precious slot.
Harder to gain relationship with conflicting personalities, easier with matching personalities.
Matching personalities will get special interactions.
At least 10 new personality specific interactions , at least 2 of them being towards matching personalities.
Example: go getter and authoritarian may get a special interaction called “inspire eachother for great success”. This will give them a special moodlet and will cause them to practice their highest level skill (if skill can be practiced on the lot) or work harder until their needs deplete.
Visionary and idealist will get a “build a world together” interaction which will give them a +3 inspiration moodlet. Maybe a “daydream together about the future” romantic interaction?
Conflicting personalities may autonomously get a social interaction “conflicting ways of life” where they’ll get a special moodlet. Special moodlet appears after performing specific, Personality specific interactions.
For example, when a Recluse and a socialite talk and the socialite talks about themselves, they will get the following moodlets:
Recluse: angry +1: what an attention seeking zoi. They need to learn to chill once in a while.
Socialite: sad +1: but I just wanted to talk about my latest accomplishments… is it so wrong?
Finally, values should play more of a role and influence actions and autonomy. zois with sufficiently high/low values may get new interactions that will influence other zoi’s values. The higher/lower it is, the more likely is a zoi to perform that interaction autonomously. Both zois have to have sufficiently high relationship and be in a good mood for the interaction to succeed. Also, when 2 zois have conflicting values, they will get a few new interactions.
For example, lets take a rulebreaker zoi and authoretarian zoi. A rulebreaker has a high sense of morality while a troublemaker has a low one naturally.
If an authoretarian zoi tells the rulebreaker to behave, the interaction will fail because they’re conflicting ways of life. However, lets say theyre talking to one another and the conversation is going well. Then the authoritarian talks about history. The rulebreaker zoi may get a moodlet like “ scared +1 heard about historical punishments. Im glad I live in the present.” That will cause their morality to go up.
Finally, since they have conflicting values, they’ll get a new interaction: “persuade to stop criminal behaviour” and “show off the benefits of crime” respectively. If they have a good relationship and conversation is going well and they’re in a good mood, the interaction will succeed and either the authoritarian’s morality will go down or a rulebreaker’s morality will go up.
Also, matching values also get new interactions that will succeed. For example, a rulebreaker has a low sense of morality, while a troublemaker also has relatively low morality. If theyre both under the threshold, they may get a new interaction called “become partners in crime”. It’s a new relationship label where they can plan heists together, pull off pranks together and defend one another.
Of course, not all zois with matching values will get new relatinship labels. If two zois both have high morality values, they could “discuss how to make the world a better place” and will get an inspired moodlet.
Remove introvert and extrovert characteristics and attach them to the personality cards. Also, stop treating characteristics like “traits” and treat them more like “quirks”. Since, again, the sims system is outdated. Also, some characteristics can be inbuilt into the personality cards.
All zois will generate with up to 3 likes and dislikes that match their personality that can easily be changed by the player. Also, when zois consistently practices hobbies that complements their personality in a good mood or goes against their personality in a bad mood, they might autonomously gain the like/dislike. Likes and dislikes also have more of an effect on autonomy and entertainment gain. Zois are more likely to perform liked activities and will get positive moodlets while performing them, and their entertainment need will go up. Zois will avoid disliked activities, and when forced to, they will get negative moodlets.
As a final note on values, you need to rework the entire values system. It’s a fantastic idea with amazing potential that was executed poorly. It needs to have a profound effect on gameply as opposed to simply “talk about value-coexistance”, because it helps no one. If it can have a good influence on gameplay, keep it in and improve it. If it doesn’t, take it out. A high coexistence value can make zois more environmentally conscious so they’ll shower quicker and litter less often, and they’re also less likely to choose interactions that have a high chance of ruining the relatinship. Now that’s gameplay. And make sure you provide either a thought above a zoi’s head or a moodlet to let players know why a zoi chose that interaction. Let’s say a zoi showers and gets out before their hygiene need is full. Players will think it’s a bug, but if you provide a thought/memory or whatever that says “gotta conserve water. I’m not the only one who needs it”, then players will realize it’s a feature and it’ll make zois appear more alive.
Naturally, if I am mistaken about values and they do play a deeper role in zoi behavior, it needs to be shown more by providing moodlets to let the player know, influence autonomy and influence wants. A description isn’t enough, players need to see it in action.
Also, unless you already have them, you need to hire some writers. A life simulation is a game with a HUGE focus on storytelling. If anything, it might be the most important gameplay aspect. You need a few writers to bring out that storytelling potential and allow the game to truly shine. And Im not talking about a linear storyline since a life sim should mostly be a sandbox game. Im talking about adding features that will collaborate together with the player and allow for deeper storytelling potential orchestrated by the player.
As a side note, good life simulation gameplay is a lot like playing with dolls but better. Players should be able to play out any story they want, as cozy or as dark as they want it (and boy did playing with dolls could get unhinged). But better in a way that the world reacts dynamically around the storytelling and may react unpredictably to the storyline to add spice and drama.
And remember, in addition to storytellers, you also need to cater to chaos orchestrators and testers when it comes to gameplay. Chaos orchestrators are people who want to cause as much chaos as they could in inzoi. A BIG part of that that is missing from inzoi is the ability to lock up zois against their will. In the sims it was done by building walls around a sim, but in inzoi when you place down walls, zois teleport off lot and that doesn’t cater to chaos orchestrators very much and should definitely be fixed. Testers are gamers who just do something to see what happens. If they want to walk around in their underwear, zois need to react accordingly to please that group of players. Also, inzoi has a VERY strong potential to attract the RPG crowd, so inzoi should cater to them as well to some degree (a perfect mix of rpg and life simulators would be the sims 4 vampires and the sims 3 world adventures, it appeals to the genral crowd).
Finally, newly generated zois will get 2 traits that defines their backstory. For example, lets say a zoi is generated with a “caretaker” backstory trait. What it means is that zois with this trait are more likely to succeed with interactions involving children and will get child related urges more often. Backstory traits only apply to young adult and older. Zois born into the game/younger than young adult will gain those traits when they perform interactions that relate to backstory traits. There should be a hidden tracker that tracks all interactions related to the backstory. The 2 interaction with the highest values win for the backstory. If the backstories are tied, one is chosen at random. Also, to minimize bloat, children of unplayed families will not get the hidden tracker and backstory traits will be assigned at random.
A few extra backstories I can list off the top of my head: creative family, family of perfectionists, divorced parents, famous parents, dysfunctional family, close knit family, childhood athlete, lost a parent at a young age
While on the topic, another thing that would add depth to personalities is relationship/family types.
Relationship types could be partner in crime (like I’ve already discussed), childhood friend, trusted advisor, ect
Family dynamics could be strict, relaxed, fun, permissive, ect.
Relationship types will be assigned after specific interactions (or automatically in the case of childhood friend).
As for family dynamics, there should be a hidden tracker that tracks related interactions, and the first to cross the threshold wins and becomes the new family dynamic. Once a family dynamic is decided, the tracker will reset and the winning type will get a +10 head start. That way, family dynamic could change.
It is different than the family meter since dynamics apply between two zois, not the family as a whole. That way, a zoi can be strict with one kid and relaxed with the other.
A similar system could be applied to couples and have different dynamics like jokesters, steamy, tense, ect
(And fine, ill admit, it’s one thing the sims 4 got right)
While such a system would require a LOT of work, it’s also profoundly important since I have a nagging suspicion that the survey results show that personality is probably the weakest aspect of inzoi.
Here are all personality cards with suggestions. They all have a short description (at least in the way I understood it) best matches, conflicting personality types and some actual effects on gameplay. Of course, my suggestions are more the tip of the iceberg and should be expanded upon
Perfectionist
You are a perfectionist. Whether it’s you or zois around you, you need everything to be perfect. Sometimes to a fault.
Conflicting personalities: rulebreaker, troublemaker
Best match: go-getter
Moodlets from product quality last twice as long
Bad moodlets from children underperforming in school, good moodltes for good grades
Can demand perfection. Will influence another zoi to practice a skill but will lower relatinship
Products take longer to make, but come out at a slightly better quality
Buffs relating to the currently practiced skill will last longer while zois practise the skill. For examle, when a zoi is flower arranging, a good flower arrangement will give them inspired +1. While theyre flower arranging, the countdown timer until the buff disappears will pause
Always clean after themselves
Innovator-extrovert
You are a leading change in the world. You have a very strong sense of justice and a big heart. However, sometimes life moves too slowly for you.
Conflicting personalities: Sentinel, Idealist rulebreaker, Recluse
Best match: leader
Can inspire other zois
Business relationship gain is more successful
When zois consistently have a positive conversation with you, they’ll get an adoring moodlet
Increased rhetoric skill gain
If zois havent watched the news in a while, will become tense
Can influence kids to do chores
Can discuss world affairs with other zois
High justice value
If zois havent accomplished something in a while, will become bored
Recluse-introvert
You are your own island. You’re often alone and enjoy it better this way since you can pursue your own hobbies. However, you may have trouble opening up to new people.
Conflicting personalities: Charmer, Socialite
Best match: Individualist
Increased skill gain when alone
Tense around large crowd
Harder to gain relationship points
Can discuss philosophy and inner peace
Faster relationship gain with animals
Meditation makes bad moodlets go away faster
Avoids autonomous conversation with strangers and will become guarded when they are forced to. Less likely to socialize with familiar zois.
Social and recognition needs take longer to deplete
Too much socializing will give them a “drained” debuff and make social interactions more likely to fail
Charmer-extrovert
You are a bright light in this world. You care about others and you care deeply. However, such a big personality also comes with big emotions.
Conflicting pesonalities: Recluse, Individualist
Best match: sentinel
Boost to friendship and romance gain
Other zois will get positive moodlets from talking ro you
All emotions last twice as long
Sad if you haven’t talked to other zois in a while
Increased rhetoric skill gain
Social need depletes faster
Parties thrown by you will give zois who attended inspired buff
Socialite-extrovert
Youre a natural born star. You love being the centre of attention and become the heart of every gathering. However, you also need constant validation.
Conflicting personalities: Recluse, individualist
Best match: pacifist
Recognition and social needs deplete faster
Can talk about your achievements
Can talk about yourself for a massive recognition boost if successful
Can seduce zois
Can complain dramatically
More likely to take selfies and check yourself in the mirror
Easier to gain fame and social media followers
Bored when havent talked about yourself in a while
Zois who talk to you may become energetic and their social need will increase faster while moodlet is active
Bored when havent gone out somewhere the whole day
Go getter
Your moto is “be better than you were yesterday”. You strive towards your goals with unshakable determination, sometimes at the expense of your body.
Conflicting personalities: idealist, individualist
Best match: Perfectionist
Focused moodlets last twice as long
Can inspire to pursue goals
Tense if they they haven’t improved a skill/got a promotion/ completed a goal in a while
Is more likely to build up their highest level skill, even with low needs. May become sick afterwards.
Easier time getting promotions
Easier to become stressed from work
Visionary-introvert
You’re a gentle soul with an eye for the arts. You want to pour your heart out on the canvas or with the soft hum of music notes. However, sometimes you may be stuck in your own world
Conflicting personalities: authoritarian, intellectual
Best match: idealist
Faster skill gain in the arts
When experiencing strong emotions, artistic crafts come out at a better quality
Can daydream for inspired moodlet and fun gain
Becomes bored if havent drawn in a while
Slower work/school gain
Can talk about art
Describe imaginary characters
Dream up alternative universe
Individualist -introvert
A true free spirit unbound by society. You know who you are and don’t need someone to tell you, and would rather focus on inner growth. However, others may not understand your individualistic approach.
Conflicting personalities: authoritarian, leader, charmer, socialite
Best match: recluse
Harder to befriend
Doesn’t take kindly to being told what to do
Meditation can give a moodlet that improves skill gain
Slower promotions in jobs that require collaboration
Worse outcomes with group activities
Explorer
The world is a big place, and you want to learn everything about it. You love going out and getting to the bottom of things, even though your family may wish you’d spend more time around.
Conflicting personalities: pacifist, Sentinel
Best match: Adventurer
Needs to go out often
Slower gain to family meter
Bored if havent gone out often
Often Wishes to find out something
Can “ask about true motivation”
Can recommend recent locations they’ve visited and had a good time at to other zois
Would want to attend festivals
Schedule is always full
Intellectual – introvert
You’re a true library of knowledge, a scholar and a scientist. You love discovering the mysteries of the universe. However, sometimes you thirst for knowledge may come off as arrogant.
Conflicting personalities: visionary, Idealist
Best match: authoritarian
Better gain in intellectual skills
Discuss philosophy with other zois
Focused moodlet lasts longer
Cant understand hypotheticals or imaginary things
Can become micro focused on certain skills and autonomously keep performing the skills over and over
Better in work/school
Tense/sad if they haven’t learned something new in a while
Can research on the computer/phone
Is more likely to read
Can write academic papers on topics they’re familiar with
Sentinel
Careful and deliberate, you’re a gentle soul who values steady relationships and a stable environment. However, you’re less open minded
Conflict: innovator, explorer
Best match: charmer
Harder to gain relationship with new zois, easier with familiar zois
Slower skill gain at new jobs, easier at familiar jobs
Tense when meeting new zois and switching jobs
Tense when buying a new house
Avoids starting fights
Faster family relationship gain
Faster skill gain in home skills
Rulebreaker
Full of chaotic energy, you like challenging the limits imposed by society and live out your true self. Naturally, you’re lax with the law.
Conflict: pacifist, perfectionist, leader, authoritarian
Best match: troublemaker
Are more likely to break the law, lie often and pull mean pranks (unless morality is high)
All crime related interactions (including punching other zois) are always available
Less likely to get caught by police. If they do, they get harsher sentences
Better skill gain in physical activities
When fighting with another zoi, becomes happy with a “oh, so you want it that way, huh?” moodlet
Doesn’t like being told what to do
If morality is high, becomes a protector
Troublemaker – extrovert
A naturally born class clown, you bring smiles wherever you go. Full of naughty jokes and mischievous pranks, your childlike charm is contagious. Of course, you also have trouble taking anything seriously.
Conflict: perfectionist, leader
Playful moodlets lasts longer
Jokes are more likely to be successful and they joke often
Increased skill gain in social skills
With low morality, will autonomously pull mean pranks
Harder to gain school and job promotions
Zois who socialize with them will get positive moddlets
Can playfully tease
Makes other zois playful
Best match: rule breaker
Adventurer
Adrenaline is your middle name. There is a whole world out there, and you’ll explore every inch of it as you laugh in the face of danger.
Conflict: sentinel, idealist
Best match: explorer
Less likely to get seriously hurt from risky endeavors
Is not afraid of fire or natural disasters
Diseases don’t hit as hard
Better skill gain for athletic skills
Wants to go out everywhere
Will become bored if they havent gone out in a while
Will become bored if they havent done anything adrenaline worthy in a while
Authoritarian
You’re steadfast and headstrong. You know how you want things to be, and know how get them to be this way. Of course, your assertion is often overbearing.
Conflict: individualist, visionary, rulebreaker
Best match: intellectual
Can command zois to do things at the expense of relationship
Don’t like being told what to do
Focused and angry moodlets last longer, playfully moodlets expire faster
Faster career performance gain in management positions as well as more likely to get raises
Will scold children more often
Less likely for values to be influenced
Leader - extrovert
A natural born leader, you shine brightest when leading a group. With a strong sense of responsibility and a clear head on your shoulders, you can move mountains. Of course, you may also be less than pleased when things don’t go your way.
Conflict: individualist, troublemaker
Best match: innovator
Moodlets related to failures hit harder
Faster performance gain in management positions as well jobs that require group collaborations
Group related projects are more likely to be successful with a leader zoi
Can do a “collaborative streak” group interaction that relates to a group activity and influence zois to practice until needs deplete. For example, a band or a group school project
Pacifist
A gentle soul who values harmony and warmth. You’re a very caring individual who holds relationships dearly and care about people closest to you. Maybe a bit too much.
Conflict: explorer, rulebreaker
Best match: socialite
Negative/failed interactions hit harder
Avoids conflict
Easier to gain relationship
Easier leveling up in household skill
Can help other zois overcome negative emotions faster
Idealist
Your head is in the clouds and your imagination is another universe. You can create a whole world in Your head, often daydreaming and enjoy meaningful conversation. Of course, you have trouble focusing on things that matter.
Conflict: innovator, intellectual, adventurer, go getter
Best match: visionary
Inspired moodlets last longer and are more frequent
Daydreams often
Harder to become foused, focused moodlet expires faster
Harder to level up in schools and careers
Can inspire others
Easier to level up writing skill and books come out at a higher quality
If you’ve made it here, i want to thank you for reading my absolute behemoth of an essay. It may be just one player’s opinions (a player who’s been absolutely obsessed with the life sim genre for 20 years), but I am hoping that that’s closer to the ideal vision of inzoi the majority of us have.
P.s: here’s the life by you system i mentioned at the beginning:
And to add a final, final note: when I talk about storytelling, I mean the interactions (in case it wasn’t clear). We need interactions that would make sense as a day to day sort or interaction (for example, “debate ethics of AI” does not fall under that category). Moreover, the animations for interactions need to be improved. I’m not asking for over the top theatrics (cause you know, inzoi is going for realism), but when i look at two zois talking, i want to be able to try and guess what they may be talking about. The new set the mood animation was actually a great example of that. Disregarding the humor (and it was great in my opinion), you couod more of less guess what they’re saying. Though, a slight critisism i have about it is that it’s happening too fast. It’d be much more impactful if the parner zoi just waits in place for a second or two longer before joining the other zoi in bed. There are other animations like that that would benefit from just a slight pause. And also the dancing animations need to better in the sense that they need to be longer. I want my zois to dance all night at the club. Not bust a move and be done. And the couples dance. The animation is good for pictures and taking videos, but it doesnt do much for storytelling since it’s way too short. A life sim is supposed to be a slow paced game where you can just sit back and relax, and certain animations need to match that pace.
Sims 3 did a great job at slow dancing animations, here’s a video reference to understand what I mean:
this is the most valuable material for me at least for the current comment response