Adults

The adult phase of life is already pretty packed with activity and growth, such as careers and skill development.

But now adults have new interactions, such as the ability to scold and punish unruly children and disobedient teens.

Adults also stare down a Midlife Crisis, giving you a new set of goals between the young adult and adult ages.

Punishment

Piggybacking on the pranking and rebellious activity of children and teens, adult-age Sims can dispense punishment.

Discipline is a big part of parenting, which makes this new activity so crucial for the development not just of good Sims, but also memories.

They may not always be good memories, mind you, but there is something to be said about having a parent Sim love you enough to teach you the difference between right and wrong.

These are the activities in which adult Sims can catch children and teens, which prompts the ability to dispense disciplinary action:

-Bad grades
-Missing school or work
-Getting into a fight
-Setting a booby trap/prank
-Breaking curfew
-Sneaking out when grounded
-Getting out of Time Out
-Using a banned object, such as the computer

However, it’s not enough for these activities to take place. Adults have to catch younger Sims in the act before they can punish them.

For example, if a teen breaks curfew and is brought home by the police, the adult needs to be on the lot to witness the action. This prompts a scolding.

Parents are not the only Sims who can catch a child or teen engaging in deviancy.

It takes a village, after all. Sims with the Good, No Sense of Humor, or Mean-Spirited trait always call the younger Sim’s parents to tell them what happened.

How to Punish

Once a child or teen has been caught, it’s time to discipline. Depending on the offense, different levels of punishment may be performed.

A basic offense such as a small prank can be met with simple scolding, which slightly decreases LTR and dings the younger Sim’s mood.

A medium amount of trouble prompts the adult to put the child or teen on a Time Out.

This prompts the younger Sim to go stand in the corner for a set amount of time.

This also causes an LTR and mood hit. Parents can use choose to ban the use of an object.

Here are the available, bannable objects:

-TV
-Computer
-Treehouse
-Video Game System
-Foosball
-Playground Objects
-VR Goggles
-Dollhouse
-Pegbox
-Trampoline (Ambitions EP)
-Gnubb Field (Ambitions EP)
-Darts (Late Night EP)
-Shuffleboard (Late Night EP)
-Arcade Machine (Late Night EP)

Children and teens will autonomously avoid using the banned object. (However, if the teen in trouble is active in your household, you can direct them to use it anyway. Just be prepared to get in even more trouble if you’re caught.)

The final level of punishment is grounding. Being grounded affects mood and LTR. A grounded Sim will stay on the home lot except for school or a part-time job.

However, as soon as school or work ends, the younger Sim must come right back to the home lot.

If you cancel out that action, you are considered “sneaking out,” which can be fun for a Rebellious Sim, but can also cause even more trouble and punishment if the Sim is caught.

Bachelor(ette) Parties

Before the big day, Sims love to let it all hang out for one last night. The Bachelor and Bachelorette Parties in Generations offer another memory-making opportunity—as well as another window to indulge in a little mischief.

Get the Party Started

To throw a Bachelor or Bachelorette Party, follow the normal interactions for initiating any party. Use the telephone or computer to send out invites and then designate a location.

You can have a party on the Sim’s lot or choose a community lot (such as the beach or park) for the special event. However, unlike other parties, you do not set the dress code.

Most Sims arrive in formal wear. (However, at least one Sim will show up wearing something silly.)

If the intended is on the lot, they will be prompted to leave the lot within two hours of the party starting.

When the party starts, the engaged Sim dons a special hat. Male Sims wear a top hat. Female Sims put on a sexy veil. Female Sims also tend to put on a white outfit.

The party then unfolds as would a normal party in The Sims 3. Guests need to be taken care of, so make sure food and drink are available.

(This is also a fun chance to use some of the potions you concoct with the new chemistry lab object—see the Chemistry chapter for more details.)

A buffet table helps a lot. Otherwise, cook dishes in advance, stir up drinks at a bar, or order pizza from the telephone menu.

While the Bachelor or Bachelorette Party rages, a few things can happen. Some new socials are available, which are detailed in this section. Party Dancers may show up, which leads to some fun (and potentially trouble-making) possibilities.

Romantic socials also have a higher level of acceptance, so if you are attending a Bachelor or Bachelorette Party and fancy another Sim, now is the time to make a move.

Because there’s also a chance for fallout, look out for:

Objects have a higher chance of breaking at a Bachelor or Bachelorette Party.

Objects get dirtier faster at the party.

Attending Sims may pass out and sleep it off on the lot.

If the party went poorly due to lack of refreshments or bad behavior, the host can be hit with the highly negative Groomzilla or Bridal Monster moodlet.

Party Dancers

When you throw a Bachelor or Bachelorette Party, expect at least one Party Dancer to show up to the event.

The Party Dancers are typically the gender of the engaged Sim’s fiancée.

Party Dancers arrive in different themed outfits. Male dancers may show up dressed as cops, firefighters, or more.

A female Party Dancer can arrive in different outfits, too, including a cheerleader or maid.

Party Dancers are always allowed entry to the Bachelor or Bachelorette Party.

They set down a portable stereo and then start shaking it, dancing alone for fun or with partygoers.

Attendees have the Watch Dancer interaction, which gains Fun. Party Dancers can be flirted with, too, which opens up exciting (depending on your point of view) possibilities for the host.

Because romantic socials have a higher success rate at a Bachelor or Bachelorette Party, the host can indulge in some last-minute action with a dancer, but you should always be mindful of reputation.

Though a little acting out at a party is fine, kissing or WooHooing with a Party Dancer can ruin a wedding.

Socials

Bachelor or Bachelorette Parties introduce a few new socials, all of which add to the fun of the occasion.

Sims love to go a little wild at a party and use the new Spray Fizzy Nectar social.

Once initiated, a Sim approaches the Target, shakes up a bottle, and hoses them down with the sweet stuff.

This social cannot be refused and it is always received positively for good STC.

When Sims are sprayed down, they can either put their hands up and futilely attempt to block the incoming nectar or just open wide and gulp down whatever they can.

The host of the Bachelor or Bachelorette Party can also use the new Ask to Make Toast social. This is a one-time per event social that actually can be refused.

If you have a low LTR or ask a Shy Sim, there is a chance he will shrug off the request and ask you to ask another Sim. This results in a negative STC.

However, when the social is accepted by a friend, the Target launches into the toast.

All Sims at the party move to watch the toast, kind of like attendants at a wedding. (Any Sim who has already passed out will also wake up to watch the special event.)

While the speaker offers the toast, other Sims cheer. At the end of the toast, the speaker sprays the engaged Sim down with nectar and everybody celebrates.

The successful conclusion of the toast results in an LTR gain between the toaster and toastee.

Have Late Night?

If you have the Late Night expansion, you can throw a Bachelor or Bachelorette Party at a club. Having a party at a club is great because food and drink are easily obtained at the bar.

Any Sim invited to the occasion can get past the velvet rope, so there are no awkward moments. And because it’s being held at a club, there is no clean-up.

When the party winds down (typically at 5 or 6 AM), the owner of the club kicks everybody out to go home and sleep it off.

Wedding Enhancements

One of the most-requested objects from The Sims 2—the wedding arch—returns in Generations.

The arch can be used as a central feature of a wedding, making what is already a special occasion into a warm, wonderful spectacle.

Three wedding arches appear in Buy Mode. Once purchased, the wedding arch can be placed in the inventory until necessary.

Once desired, place the arch on the lot (it must be outside) and then use the Get Married interaction on it to start an updated wedding ceremony that is different from the regular wedding found in The Sims 3 base game.

When a wedding arch–inspired marriage begins, both Sims stand beneath the arch and exchange vows in front of invited guests.

While watching, guests will cheer and throw rice, adding greater context to the event.

When you look back on this memory in the Scrapbook, seeing the added pomp of having a wedding under the arch just increases its specialness.

In addition to adding an arch to a wedding, you can also purchase the new wedding cake and place it near the arch.

Once the ceremony is finished, wedded Sims will go to the cake and cut it, much to the delight of guests.

Guess love to partake of the cake, too.

If you are not relying on autonomy, use the new Cut the Cake interaction to start slicing.

This initiates the cutting, which is a moving moment for other Sims in attendance.

If your Sims are just watching a wedding, they can use Grab a Plate on the cake to help themselves to a serving.

If you received wedding gifts, thank the givers by using the “Write Thank You Letters” interaction on the mailbox. This boosts LTR.

Midlife Crisis

When Sims make the age transition between young adult and adult, there is a chance they will enter a Midlife Crisis.

A Midlife Crisis tends to take over the wishes and mood of the Sim, prompting them to deal with the move to adulthood for several days.

While tackling the Midlife Crisis, they get the Having a Midlife Crisis moodlet, which is mercifully neutral.

During this time, they may be spotted looking in a mirror for any sign of wrinkles or inspecting their waistline.

The chances of getting a Midlife Crisis are increased by the following factors:

-Low career level
-Never married
-Had children when young
-Low skill levels
-Never moved to a new house
-High number of break-ups and/or divorces
-High number of deceased family members
-Low LTR with family members
-Commitment Issues trait
-Ambitious trait

During the Midlife Crisis, the Sim begins seeing special wishes. These appear with a magenta background.

Midlife Crisis wishes do not have to be promised, but there is a higher Lifetime Happiness point payout if the Sim manages to satisfy the wish before leaving the crisis period.

Midlife Crisis Wishes

When the Midlife Crisis times out after several days, you are graded on performance during the period.

You are shown how many Midlife Crisis wishes you completed as well as the number of Lifetime Happiness points received for surviving the crisis in one piece.

Depending on how many wishes you fulfilled, you receive one of three moodlets: Barely Fulfilled, Pleasantly Fulfilled, and Supremely Fulfilled.