Events

While there were events in previous TheSims games, The Sims 4 takes social events to a new level. Each social event has goals that you must try to meet during the course of the event. Your event is judged by how many of these goals you have met, and it’s awarded a Bronze, Silver, or Gold medal at the end. Just remember: the better your award, the better your reward.

All social events have an Event window to help you keep track of your progress.

Once an event begins, an Event window appears in the screen’s upper left corner. At the top of the window is a meter that keeps track of how well the event is going—and which award you have earned so far. Below the meter is the main goal. For your event to be at all successful, you must meet the main goal. It is usually not too difficult to meet this goal, and if you can get it, you earn a Bronze award. In addition to the main goal, two or three additional goals appear at a time. As you complete one, another may take its place. As you achieve these goals, the meter fills up and you begin working toward a Silver or even Gold medal for the event. Some goals can be difficult to achieve because many rely on what the other Sims at your party do. If you can’t control them, you’ll need to help facilitate those Sims towards those actions. For example, you may need call them to dance, make sure the right objects are available to them, and of course: keep the drinks well stocked! Try to fulfill as many of the goals as you can in the allotted time limit.

Dates

Dates are the most basic type of social event and the best one with which to start to learn how events work. Dates don’t cost anything and no planning is required. There are several different ways you can start a date. You can use your cell phone to invite another Sim on a date. A second way is to click on a portrait of a Sim in the Relationship window and select the Ask on a Date action. Finally, during a conversation, you can ask a Sim on a date. Don’t do this unless you have several hours right then and there because the date starts almost immediately once your invitation is accepted. You then go to the travel screen and pick a location for your date. It can be at any of the venues, a park, or at a home. While a nightclub or bar might be a typical location, you can still have a successful date anywhere—even the gym. Try to pick a location that fits your date’s traits and personality.

The only real planning for a date is to pick a location.

Once you and your date arrive at the location, the date begins. The main goal of all dates is to talk to your date for at least two hours. That is usually easy to do and gets you a Bronze medal. Other goals that you get initially are usually to sit and talk to your date. Start up a conversation with your date, then find a table with chairs, or a couch, and choose to Sit Together to get both of you sitting. Flirting is another easy goal to achieve. Just select Flirt three times from the romance socials during your conversation and one more goal down. Other goals such as joking with your date or having a deep conversation require you to select these socials. Other goals could be to be Playful with your date. Therefore, you need to use socials to help you both get into a specific emotion. Tell jokes to get Playful for example.

You can have a successful date anywhere. If your date loves the outdoors, try going to the park for a date. This will put your date in a good mood right from the start.

Parties

You can host four different types of parties. While each is a bit different and has its own flavor, for the most part the parties are very similar in planning and hosting. Once you are ready to host a party, get on your cell phone and select the Plan a Social Event option. This opens up a window where you get to plan the event. You can choose from a House Party, a Birthday Party, a Dinner Party, or a Wedding. Weddings will be covered later, but the planning portion is the same for all of these events. Parties cost money, and you have to pay up front. Once you select a type of party, you then get to invite Sims. Start off by selecting the host, which will be one of your Sims—you can have more than one. For a Birthday Party, select the Sim whose birthday you are celebrating. Next you get to invite Sims. You must invite a minimum of 2 Sims to a party and a maximum of 20. For your first parties, keep attendance low because it is easier to achieve goals. Next you can select an Entertainer, a Caterer, and a Mixologist. These can be your Sims, Sims you know or you can hire a random Sim to fill these slots. These positions are optional, but they can really help a party. Just be sure that you have the requirements at the location you choose for these Sims to do their jobs. Finally you can select a location for the party. This can be your home, several of the venues in the community, or even the home of one of your friends.

Planning the party is half the fun.

Event Positions

After you select the location, the party is ready to begin. The Sims you asked to fill roles will arrive and get to work as your guests are also arriving. Focus on the main goal for the party and as many of the other goals to make your party a success and earn a Gold medal.

Parties can be a lot of work as you try to achieve all of the goals for a successful event.

Party Main Goals

At the end of the party, you receive a reward depending on what medal you receive. Gold medal rewards are usually useful objects. If you only get Bronze, then you will find a book in your household inventory—usually something related to socializing.

Party Rewards

Weddings

Weddings are a special type of social event. While you plan it just like the other parties, there are a few differences. You need to have a wedding arch and a cake to complete the basic objectives of the party. The main goal of the wedding is to get married. That action takes place using the wedding arch. In order to get a Gold medal for a wedding, you will need a wedding cake—which you can already have in your inventory or at the location—and a bar so you can serve drinks to your guests. While you can also have a Caterer, Entertainer, and Mixologist, they are not required. If you can get a Gold medal for your wedding, you get a new kitchen appliance, which appears in your household inventory. This is great for starting a new home.

Weddings can be a small affair. You don’t need much to get married and have a successful event.