I think a big thing for me to make the game feel more lively and connected is expanding the swimming system. Right now, in a swimming pool, I can only tell my zoi to go here and go there, and to hold breath, dance, or secretly receive themselves. Below is some suggestions I think would deepen this.
Clicking in the Zoi has an option to do laps of the pool/ swim randomly when in sea. This means we wouldn’t need to keep clicking go here to do some spontaneous swimming.
Have interactive abilities when two Zoi’s are in a pool. E.g. splash each other, play a game (marco polo, pool volley ball etc. ). Right now two Zoi’s in a pool don’t interact with each other
Have swimming clubs or water aerobics. Swimming classes you could have to race the other Zoi’s. Water aerobics you could follow the dance of the coach.
These are just a few suggestions, but I feel swimming is an area that could add great immersion to the game.
I would also add that right now it doesn’t matter what level of swimming skill is, Zois swim like professionals. Without rapid fatigue, shortness of breath, and without mistakes in moving through the water. I would like to add a visual progression of the skill. The better the skill, the more, longer and more correctly Zoi can swim.
By the way, adults could teach children to swim - and then they would progress faster. And then when they grow up, they would already have non-zero swimming skills.
(Naturally, if this didn’t happen, then Zoe will still be able to swim right away, rather than immediately drown, but just with initial stats)