More Limits For Paralives

[@SimmerErin]

These answers come from a recent Dev chat; I covered other key things not coming to early access in this past video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZq9q5mNe6-deqM

[@highfive7689]

Did they mention how or if DLC will be done in the future? Do they have comments of any themes that they are considering making? Since they are talking early access, does that suggest that they have people testing out their program, or is that the idea of early access - we are the paying test dummies (lol)? Really, thank you for keeping us abreast with the Paralives, Erin. 🖖

[@lisgraa82]

We HAVE to remember this is an indie game not a tripple A game.

[@KittysuitSavesthePrincess]

you are aware the sims 1 and the core gameplay of the sims 2 was made with a 12 person team in 4 years right 😂 not to mention they used their OWN engine.

[@efficient_pluto]

@@KittysuitSavesthePrincess Yet, they were all professionals while the Paralives team basically contains hobbyists and folks who work on the project in their spare time. That's how the original dev behind Paralives started out after all. Summed up, they have less time, money and (professional) experience. If you've ever coded a project this big in your life, you'd know that you can't just make something like this up out of thin air, let alone create your own engine 🙄

[@maxonite]

@@efficient_pluto This isn't really true. The Paralives team are all professional developers. You can check out the bio of each dev on their website. They have worked on other games or media. Just because it's a passion project doesn't mean they're not professionals.

[@PlagueBunny]

They can add script mod support later on. I feel like mods should not be a priority for a game within its first few years of release.

[@SimmerErin]

that's fair ! I do admire that they have a strong sense of focus, plus that they are so open in answering questions

[@PlagueBunny]

@@SimmerErin yup! It’s a sign of good things to come. Knowing what your limits are, knowing where you want to go, and knowing what you want to achieve are very Important in game design.

[@captainjoy8976]

@@PlagueBunny so many games that got crowdfunded lost focus and ended up being micromanaged to literal death. I am so glad this aint the case here !

[@westanimesims]

Once again Paralives teams knowing thier boundaries is always a good thing. I'm interested in a mixed used lots but I'm not too mad it isn't included. Same goes for no active careers, I'm not really a fan of that but I can see some people want it. I think the limitations in clothing or hair does make sense to avoid clipping. I just realized Sims 2 does have only certain hair length and dress never really goes too poofy or have long trains.

[@SimmerErin]

It sounds to me like mixed use are planned, just they don't know the full level of customization yet. def a bonus if there those of any kind yeah. you don't really see long trains in sims games, period. that's really most suited to custom content- which will still clip usually

[@mayaha200]

I don't think we need script mods right now. It's too early. I like they focus on finishing the game first. It's more important in my opinion. Honestly I don't care for story progressing at all. Disagree we need story progressing as soon as possible, the gameplay is the most important thing here. Not story progressing, you can always add this later stage of the game. That's my opinion anyway

[@SimmerErin]

that's fair! if they do add story progression though I do think it'd be best in early access vs well into launch

[@cutejustice]

I gotta agree. The sims 4 managed to do well for decades without story progression so I don’t see it as a breaking point either. Also agree with the script mods point. If modding is just as good then that’s enough for me. 👏

[@hezvandermeij]

I fully agree with you on this. I never ever missed it in the Sims 4, and honestly could just do without still in there. Also script mods are often not implemented in any early access game or even early release! We just got spoiled by mega teams the last few years.

[@AstroIsAlive]

Agreed, I don’t think we should all be so gun ho about instantly modding the game, and plus it will be supported with workshop which honestly is more accessible and easy to manage then script mods anyway

[@hezvandermeij]

@@AstroIsAlive oh facts

[@ninjakiwigames5418]

It's very important to note that that's just for early access, there could still be things added down the line!

[@SimmerErin]

yes, I mention that. I think not having mods right now is fine. the clipping issues def make sense to me and I'm not too fussed about active careers right now one reason I'd advocate for story progress towards the end of early access would to be make sure it integrates well and also gets feedback

[@fransmith3255]

@@SimmerErin Yes, plus eventual release is a big selling time, and more people are likely to buy it on release if it does have story progression. 🙂

[@gwjsbm]

I’m just excited for the height slider. Something the Sims and even Inzoi do not have

[@SimmerErin]

the height slider is awesome!! I was wowed when I first saw it

[@arthur_shadows5078]

with all these reasons i am more interested inzoi cant wait for it.

[@TessesKingdom]

Super exciting

[@РыжаяТварь]

4:15 I think it says that children can't die from accidental causes (fire, drowning, electrical shock, ect) but something would happen to them if they aren't taken care of properly, like with social services in The Sims.

[@SimmerErin]

yes, it sounds like children cannot die, just would be taken away

[@headerahelix]

I think people who are expecting this game to be exactly like the Sims but reskinned are going to be disappointed. They're completely different games, they will function differently and the backbend is entirely different. If people are expecting to mod it exactly how they would the Sims, that's incredibly unrealistic. Let Paralives be Paralives. I do not see these kinds of complaints and expectations for other game genres.

[@SimmerErin]

It's possible some are, while other may expect it to be better in. every way. I have long said it is its own game these I don't think are complaints: this is a dev chat they hold regularly to ask questions, requests and feedback

[@fransmith3255]

Exactly. I've been telling people this 'til I was blue in the face way back when Paralives first came out!! This is a "The Sims" thing! I just doesn't exist in other genres. The problem was that The Sims was a genre on it's own for so long that people who play that game (particularly since so many people play ONLY The Sims and no other games) can't even imagine a life sim that is even a little different. That's slowly changing now that they've seen evidence of what difference IS, but the phenomenon is still there...

[@joyfulgirl91]

I think a lot of players are just trying to figure out HOW it is different, other than the graphics and the vibes, and for better or for worse the Sims has defined the terms for describing various features in a life sim

[@TheDawnofVanlife]

@@fransmith3255 I mean in general across gaming I find the focus on mods…confusing… Bethesda games are also modded like crazy which is keeping them alive BUT now when new games come out people are already going “mods please”. Like modding use to be the thing you did after you’d played the game for YEARS still loved it, but were looking for fresh ways to play it and shake things up a bit. Also, before Steam and Creation Club and curseforge and more…mods were something amongst fans. There was no expectation of some ‘mod store’ delivering with the game day of release. Its wild.

[@RitoReyes2033]

im not mad about it since i feel like they're so much to do in this game.. hopefully they add it after full release.

[@SimmerErin]

they very well could. they have a fair few things they are considering adding later on, from occults to realistic features

[@RitoReyes2033]

@@SimmerErin wow I didn't know that... im very much excited for the future of paralives

[@nathanlamaire]

I'm familiar enough with game development (and make money for my living), there's a reasons why it's not added (yet). I will use as simplest words as possble. - Adding script mod support and maintaining its mod-to-game communication is a huge maintenance effort. As you can see that The Sims 4 is by no means a stable platform and mods do break very often on it. If Paralives wants to support script mods, modders may expect it to be stable and at least reliable enough to work with. If also want to exceed the bar, they also need to develop documentation and maintain community support. It's not just about making support and done (which is what The Sims 4 has been doing all the time), but also meeting modder expectations. - Since the game is based on Unity, external script modding tools for Unity games already exist. If Paralives maintain good code and easy to follow codebase, there's no need for it to exist. If Paralives team is generous enough to not compile code with Unity's fast compiler "IL2CPP", their game's code will always be accessible and modders can figure things out manually.

[@SimmerErin]

thanks for the explanation!

[@gaymiens]

I think people forget that while the Sims 4 does support script mods, it wasn't like the game launched with mod tools or anything. Modders had to decompile the game and figure out its limitations/possibilities on their own, and the engine is still kind of janky. By connecting with the steam workshop for custom content and including in-game "modding" tools (like the translation feature), Paralives is already doing more for mod support than the Sims 4 did on release.

[@miguelpadeiro762]

As an indie team, I feel like they can be cut slack when it comes to making development decisions to focus on core features of the game instead of falling under their own weight by trying to master everything at once and deliever an underwhelming product. A team with limited resources planning out how to best spread out their work is always good, shows self-awareness. Instead of falling to common pitfalls of promising things that they simply cannot do (looking at No Man's Sky, though all my respect goes to how they handled the aftermath of that disaster, best indie team out there) They can work their way up during early access and cement the features that were left limited. Now, although I'm an avid supporter of mods and think they enrich all games that support them and give them a tenfold lifespan, the dev team should be careful on not being too reliant on the community to provide for actual content. Mods should enhance an already rich game, not make up for its lacklustre gameplay (Looking at you Sims 4.). Look at Rimworld, it's a good goal imo. Amazing game with infinite possibilities in its own right, seriously, that game will challenge you to get bored of it. Yet the modding community makes it even more so Bethesda is an awful example here, a company that has grown complacent in their games, releasing underwhelming products knowing the community will make all the content for them with the creator kit, and now they're even trying to monetize on it.

[@SimmerErin]

mods for sure, ideally should only be used as fun add ons and enhancements. I worry about some games being developed right now the other way regardless, you def want to have a strong base. I often see the argument for sims for ex that something shouldn't be added because there is a mod, and I don;t agree with that at all

[@BrendaJones-yr9ew]

None of these are deal breakers for me. Game still looks great.

[@digitalbrinjen3245]

Script mods can always be added later. Better to release a functioning game first, which the Paralives team definitely seem to be focused on.

[@SimmerErin]

script mods I agree can wait, I don't think they are really needed for early access either

[@SheBeast-OG]

I personally only ever get mods to fix things that are broken or lacking in the base game. So if the game is good, I’m fine if they never do script mods.

[@SimmerErin]

I don't personally use mods myself. I would be fine, just am unsure about the main base of who will play who knows

[@JEUndisputed]

@@SimmerErin With the graphics looking as crap as they do, not many probably. I certainly won't it looks like a poor man's sims ypu'd play on a cheap web browser

[@grngoblin1015]

Bingo, make a good game and the script mods aren’t really needed!

[@Gladissims]

​​@@JEUndisputed I mean it's a game made by a small indie team. Of course it's not going to look like something made by a billion dollar company. If that's what you want, play Inzoi instead. Personally I prefer this art style.

[@stevenchippss]

Eh? In my humble opinion, if the gameplay is already great from the get-go, script mods are not really that essential. Personally, I never even use those heavily scripted mods in TS4, so I doubt I'll be using one in Paralives if it's gonna be supported. I know there are people who are very creative and have great ideas, so I'm always open to it if they'll make it possible in the future. But for now, it's nothing of a big deal for me.

[@SimmerErin]

yeah, don't either. I'm playing devil's advocate from the perspective of Knowing at least in the sims community, I think I am in the minority. I don't know the norms of how heavily people mod in cozies or Indies

[@fransmith3255]

Exactly. I play a lot of games and I use various mods, scripted or not, but ONLY after I've played the game in full and still want more, with more varied gameplay (see Rimworld, Workers & Resources, Transport Fever II, Stardew Valley, just to name a few starters that have a LOT of mods). Play the game as is first, THEN consider scripted mods. And script mods SHOULD NOT be required in a well made game. If you need script mods, it's NOT a well made game. See The Sims 4...

[@stevenchippss]

@@fransmith3255 I totally agree with your point. That's how I play my game as well, play it the way it is. After I get the hang of it and still am craving for more content, that's when I might start looking for mods to spice up the gameplay.

[@joyfulgirl91]

I’ll admit that I’ve bought games that didn’t interest me until somebody made a song of ice and fire mod for them. A fan’s heart wants what it wants lol

[@Hope_On_The_Stage]

I can't wait for InZoi and Paralives. Something new is always a good thing.

[@lavender111]

I hope they allow for script mods in the future. Life simulations get boring as a certain point, and having the ability to add script mods to challenge or add more fun to the game will be beneficial for all parties. But this is my person opinion, of course.

[@SimmerErin]

hopefully so. Mostly for me, I just think it offer more of an expansive community. I am not one of them, but some won't play a game if you can't add script mods. I think it'd be fine imo to not have them during early access

[@catacriste1997]

Its unity guys. Easily moddable. It doesn’t matter if they support modding or not. For them to not “allow script mods” they would had to go out of their way to stop and protect their game. But it doesnt look like they have that in mind. There will be always someone who will build framework of mods for the game without official support because of being unity and unity being very easy to modifiy

[@TheDawnofVanlife]

@@catacriste1997 thank you!! People have forgotten mods aren’t DLC. Modders mod cause they want to and will find a path to it in most cases.

[@Kizaco]

The children death thing is for age rating, it’s why sims does the child services thing. Child death is considered more gruesome than adult deaths

[@TheDawnofVanlife]

Modders are gonna mod! They always find a way, allowed or not. I think not supporting script mods is fine, anyone who's played early access games knows later doesn't always mean "5 years later". I honestly think a lot of the first few weeks of getting this game is learning how *this* game work. It bothers me the first thing people think about with a game that hasn't even come out yet is how they are gonna change it through mods. Like any other feature, Rabbit holes are a matter of execution (InZoi has rabbit hole school and a few other rabbit hole buildings). I care less about rabbit holes vs "live" as it's all a matter of execution. The rabbit hole buildings in Sims 3 worked very well, like Town Hall. You couldn't go in with your sims, but how it worked with the town's as a hub was well executed in design to have the open world. How you interacted with it made the difference. I like having a balance of rabbit hole and live careers in sims 4. Like in a two parent family, sometimes I just want one parent to disappear and make some money for a few hours a day while the other is the home maker. Or I might want the parents on basically "autopilot" while I focus on the kids development and making friends in their school years.

[@Blood-PawWerewolf]

Look at CSII, modders were making script mods prior to any official support was available.

[@SimmerErin]

I very much agree about rabbit holes! I don't see them as inherently good or bad (Though I admit I don't see an appeal, with active schools). It really does come down to balance

[@PeachHerkimer]

Honestly, if I had to choose between a complete and sound game being released or having script mods available from get-go, I’d rather have the former. The Sims 4 has left too much to the modders to fix.

[@SimmerErin]

I think script mods at least are not necessary during early access at all

[@neilbiggs1353]

Story progression feels like the holy grail of life sims. Sims 3 tried to let you interact with a whole world at once, but it feels like they dialed that back so that lots would be properly populated in Sims 4. Even there though, it just doesn't feel like the community around your sims has agency of their own. If Paralives can create a sense of living in a dynamic community, I feel like that gives them a feature that the Sims has not mastered yet. I'm a fan of Rabbit-holes. Active careers in both Sims 3 and 4 feel very 'grindy'. Go to location, click and repeat... If there is a compromise, I hope that Paralives goes with letting you play key moments, like Prom in high school, or instead of the random events where you click an option blindly in a career. I don't want to micro manage a sim or para through the repetition of work!

[@cryingwatercolours]

a move objects cheat won’t be necessary, im pretty sure it’s basically on by default

[@fransmith3255]

It was in provided in The Sims to get around their horrendous and many bugs. Games generally don't need such cheat tools to get around bugs!!

[@evlinboo9071]

Tbh I’m don’t mind about the scripts mod, these are things they add later. About the Early access it’s a yes for me I want them to release it for us next year , I don’t mind if there isn’t everything they made yet , just a little demo is ok for me tbh , I’m just too excited 😅 I also think it’s not safe to ask them about too much contents in the base game , they already give stuff like seasons and pets and other extra realistic contents in the base game which are stuff we had to wait years in the sims to have so I think we should trust them on projects. Yes I think apartment in the base game will be amazing and is something I thought about a lot and think it’s shouldn’t be a pack but a basic content but it’s better to tell ourselves just because something isn’t there now doesn’t mean it can’t be there in the future ^^

[@SimmerErin]

I agree there are some pretty awesome features planned for the base. I may recap those again! I think it's safe to ask them- they are very respectful and like to hear ideas. course, asking is very different than demanding or getting angry.

[@evlinboo9071]

@@SimmerErini also agree with your comment , don’t get me wrong my comment isn’t for coming at people who asks them questions, I think us having the opportunity to ask them things is amazing, I was more concerned about some people that wants to push them to give the game a certain looks too fast , my fear will be the team feeling overwhelmed by it. I do understand people for wanting the game to look a certain way after being disappointed by ts4 cause same tbh lol EA should be sued for stealing people’s money but that’s an other topic 😅.

[@SimmerErin]

@@evlinboo9071 yeah, there certainly are some out there comments, often, luckily they have seemingly? slowed down, but I Agee on that. For a while there . there was crazy pressure on the team

[@Elwaves2925]

I can understand that some would find this disappointing but not me and I can understand the devs point of view. Getting the game launchable is the priority, script mods can be added later during early access, as you point out. It's not like there's no modding at all. Multi-use lots will be extremely useful and once again, they can add more variety later. Adding more and fixing bugs is pretty much the point of early access.

[@Elwaves2925]

I meant add multi-use lots later, not more variety,

[@SimmerErin]

yeah, I think not having script mods during early access is not a big deal. even a very basic multi use lot to me is fantastic

[@Elwaves2925]

@@SimmerErin A residence above a working cafe, launderette or whatever may be cliched but it's something I've always wanted.

[@katelynsewell3928]

This is all very interesting information. I know that Early Access has limits because it’s not the full release and I don’t have a single problem with what l learned watching this video. I trust the devs with how they are developing PL and I know that it will all be worth it in the end. Have a great day Erin! 👍

[@SimmerErin]

I hope so! I still think the game has a lot of promise. and of course, not everything can be in the game especially right away. it is indeed quite a task to create a game like this, especially for a small team You have a good day too!

[@Vix_Vi]

I don't mind waiting for some of these to get implemented later on, but lack of story progression is a bummer. I usually play just one self-made family, seeing everyone in the world not do anything with their lives is really boring to me.

[@SimmerErin]

yeah, that is the only one here I personally care about for my own gameplay. I don't mind waiting, but as it's such a major system and if they do plan to do it, I do think it'd be best if possible to get feedback during early access.

[@TheDawnofVanlife]

@@Vix_Vi They say there will be some town autonomy (whatever that means 😂) so I think it will take some play with the game to figure out how much that affects the experience of feeling like the town is alive around you.

[@Marlodrama]

Reeeally happy to see the positive responses to all this news in the comments! Its so good to see a community just be excited for a game and understand its limitations.

[@hanro50]

Paralives is a unity game, if I recall. Modding unity games isn't the most difficult thing

[@warzshadow9701]

Imo, if they make a solid sound fun game, mods are not necessary.

[@SimmerErin]

for me they certainly are not. I barely have ever used mods for any game. I played with some and prefer without however, I do know I may be in the minority there

[@HonestInsightsTarot]

I appreciate your takes on all of this. I also appreciate you making such detailed overviews. I definitely understand and kind of agree with you that they should add story progression in some form during early access because I think it will expand the appeal of Paralives to especially their Sims fan audience. Story progression isn't really a dealbreaker for my personal play style. When they added "story progression" to Sims 4, for me it was more of a nuisance than proper story progression. I did really see much of a difference other than having to click through more UI and look at the mailbox if curiosity struck me that day, but for the most part I don't use it or really care about it. But, that's specific to Sims 4, and I think it's a good example of my next point. I don't really care if the Paralives team does story progression unless they know they will be able to execute it well. As far as the hair issue goes, it sounds like hair down to a Para's hips is their limit, If I'm understanding that correctly. To me, that's plenty long and substantially longer than hairs in a no-CC version of Sims 4. I really don't care about some minor clipping. I think that's also somewhat up to the player whether they want to use a super long hair with a super puffy or textured or flared bottom. I feel like for the most part it sounds like the clipping is avoidable if you don't want the clipping. It would take a very specific style of clothing, which definitely applies to some characters, but arguably not most. It's annoying to have things clipping, but I'd rather have some options for long hair than none at all. If clipping is a side effect of that, then so be it. I'll take it. Since I really don't use mods in any of my games, I don't have the best handle on what counts as a script mod and what doesn't. I'm not really the best person to give feedback on that, but I'm with you that if script mods make some players enjoy their gaming experience more, then it would be nice to have Paralives allow that option at some point. I don't think it needs to be right away if it's just not feasible, but I do think it's important that the Paralives team respect that feedback especially. Modders make so many cool, intriguing, creative game experiences, and it would be a shame not to see some of that in Paralives. (I'm kind of thinking ahead to some of my favorite SIms storytellers, and mods do contribute a lot to their ability to tell fun, interesting, diverse, inclusive, lasting stories.) While I don't use mods, I do understand the appeal. I'm also a Stardew player, and oh would I love to have that Skull Cavern elevator mod. So yes, I get the appeal. 💜

[@SimmerErin]

Thanks, and I def appreciate you taking time to share your thoughts story progession is very tricky, there is no denying that. so I will kinda understand if it is not added- it's honestly the timing that would concern me. I think part of why sims 4's is eh is that adding t later adds complexity. but... it's also 4's engine, and so many other things. I do like sims 3's, but of course it has its own issues and many mod it Yeah... hair down the hip is actually quite long! I don't see a need for it to be more extensive for official content.

[@MylingCyrus]

I hate the sims community so much. (That part of the community ) I’m wanting to play paralives to get away from the sims. Why are they so adamant on making the game the exact same. The para team has so much patience to deal with those toxic people

[@SimmerErin]

cheats and mods are common for all games, so I wouldn't say that is inherently connected to sims

[@SimmerErin]

I also will say, asking for features or providing critique is a lot different than "this game is terrible because it doesn't have x" which is something I do see. But mainly, I see some pretty hard extremes on both sides, which is what I personally dislike

[@pietrofattorello]

i feel that a feature as big as story progression should absolutely be implemented by the time early access rolls out, not after; and i truly hope the late implementation of it doesn't mess with everything else they've been building i'm not an expert, but it feels like they should be building the game with story progression in mind and I hope this doesn't mean they're just gonna try to slap it on when it's too late... but then again, modders added story progression to The Sims 2 nearly 20 years later, so it's not impossible

[@TheDawnofVanlife]

Early Access isn't a monolith, like it's not a stuck fixed point. Things can change drastically DURING early access. I think it's more important some sort of story progression is there before 1.0 release.

[@jamietaylor4464]

Have you played many early access games

[@SimmerErin]

yes, this I agree with. all of these other things not being in early access is no big deal imo it is of course an incredibly complex system t add, and I understand them wanting to take their time. Yet because it is complex, I do think it'd be best served to get feedback and due testing. In the long run, it prob? Is easier to already have it there as opposed to add it way down the road when other content may be added in. Of course, I am not an expert either

[@MirificentJoy]

There's a lot of customization in the game and they are going for a certain vibe first. Also, no need for script mods if you have a solid game. 👀 But more importantly, I'd rather they focus on having a solid basis before making the game moddable. It prevents having money hungry cc makers as well, which would migrate from other games (TS4, but also Second Life, etc). though I say that and I'm sure there will be cc makers. I don't know how the steam workshop works but I hope there's no monetization by modders happening, it kinda ruins a lot of stuff in the sims community. For children I believe they can't die at all but they will get taken away. I don't know if it was in a dev chat but I read they're not sure if the children taken away can be taken back or not, hence the "we don't know what to do with them yet". It might be an unpopular opinion but I like that Paralives is purposefully limited. It will target a certain audience (and hopefully a not too toxic one that is just ultra demanding).

[@SimmerErin]

I don't mind Patreon limited monetization- that is, those that abide by the rules to lock their content only for a few weeks. purposefully limiting some features will be important for paralives as it makes the project manageable

[@henriquebastosbernardoni3630]

Oof, I hope they change their minds on the story progression after early access part. This is one very important aspect that many players are going to count on, including myself, story progression will be a deal breaker to me. The fact that it is considered kinda of an afterthought (I mean, I look at the other post-early access features in their website, and feel kinda minor to be added right now), makes me worried on how well current systems are being thought to be integrated with it.

[@SimmerErin]

The other factors I personally don't care much about, but I am a little worried for them on that one... I can see how they feel it cannot be rushed, but I also think due to the complexity of it, is is best added soon as they can. to continue to tweak it. It's very hard to get a good balance on it,

[@KittyBGaming]

I agree with you on adding it as soon as possible with story progression because as far as I know, the sims 3’s story progression is good (better with mods) because it was there from the beginning but since sims 4 didn’t have story progression until years later. The sims 3 story progression has depth while sims 4 story progression is as flimsy as paper. Adding story progression elements early would make everything have more depth and it would be improved over the years because it’s been in the game longer

[@SheBeast-OG]

The funny thing is that people complained wildly about the Sims 3 story progression mode back when the game first came out (I was there, Gandalf. I was there 3000 years ago). It was common to just turn it off, as it would randomly delete played households and replace them with townies, or move families out of their houses for no reason and into empty lots. I remember swapping to a household to fix something on the lot and then realizing the family I had put dozens of hours into was deleted and unrecoverable when I tried to go back to them. There’s a reason there were as many mods for it as there were. We look at it with rose tinted glasses now, but it was a huge problem at the time.

[@TheDawnofVanlife]

@@SheBeast-OGsims 4 ‘story progression’ (neighborhood stories) is also turned off by a lot of players despite people swearing they want it. And a lot of people who use it mod it heavily. A lot of people want it then hate what they get when they get it. Also someone eventually made a story progression mod for Sims 2, so it could always be a mod for people who want it. And almost everyone who uses story progression in Sims 3 and 4 mod the game’s story progression. I find people have an idea of what they think story progression will do then their game moves a couple of families they didn’t want to move and they hate it and turn it off. Story Progression is tricky.

[@SimmerErin]

yes, that's really my only concern (out of all of these ). The rest of the missing features either make sense or I feel could have a small impact but not be too big of a deal. Of course.. I do understand that story progression is very complex, and very hard to implement. So if they do add it, of course they need to take their time. But I do think getting early feedback and making sure it integrates well early on would be ideal

[@joyfulgirl91]

This is why I think at least the skeleton of how they plan to do story progression should be available in early access, to make sure they get the feedback they need to avoid a system that is too annoying to use at all

[@TheDawnofVanlife]

@@SimmerErin They said there is ‘Town Autonomy’ so until I have a sense of what that even means vs what they are calling ‘story progression’ I am not in a panic. I want to play with it first. I think they will learn a lot about what events happening on there own and not pushed by players matter the most to players in early access. If the town has ‘autonomy’ already it seems like story progression would be there mostly for marriage and births. Which isn’t a huge leap if there is autonomy and an attraction system. Then all you need is a percentage chance factor for marriage and births for unplayed Para (and maybe adoption to).

[@BlackJar72]

I'd love there to be script mods, but they aren't easy. Script mods would make a lot of the code more complicated, and it is the kind of thing you need to plan for from the beginning. I probably wouldn't include them either, as much as I'd want to.

[@SimmerErin]

that's fair. I don't personally feel t's a must have. They do make a good point as to how much you can customize in the game

[@fransmith3255]

Move_objects was added to The Sims waaaay back because it was buggy. Why would other life sim games need that specific function? And it's not generally in other games - just The Sims. Move_objects is a specific The Sims object implemented to get around it's extraordinarily buggy nature. Other games don't and SHOULDN'T need it!! As for various features, remember that they are making the commitment to work on this game for the looooong haul (no DLC, just updates) - probably looooong after the early access period is finished. This game is likely to be similar to Stardew Valley in that respect. So many of these highly requested features that are a "no" right now might make it into the game with time in the longterm future.

[@SimmerErin]

very well could be, yes.

[@Minakie]

There are two things I would like to clarify: There will NEVER be a Move Objects On in Paralives simply because that mod is not needed. Unlike in The Sims, where you need to activate a cheat to be able to have free placement, in Paralives that same free placement is something that is built into the mechanics of the game by default, which is why you won't need a cheat to activate it. The second thing is that Paralives will have Story Progression, just not right from the start (it has been in the roadmap since the beginning, planned for During Early Access).

[@SimmerErin]

yes, I apologize if my critique wasn't clear- I said I was concerned about it being implemented later, not not at all/ I

[@stevenchippss]

Unpopular Opinion: I despise Active Careers. I'd rather have Rabbit Hole Careers. Part of why it's hard for me to get into Inzoi now is because they're Active Careers. (or can you actually opt-out and did I miss anything?) I'm not saying this on behalf of everyone, but I just really hope if they're gonna make a Career active, I hope we can opt-out and choose the Rabbit Hole version. I also really hope that we are not required to play the Active Career to get promoted coz that's my biggest issue with TS4's Active Career. As fun as they could be (for the first few times), some of them have promotion tasks or something locked behind taking part in the Active Careers. Some people don't wanna play Active Careers for a number of reasons. Me personally, I'd rather do more interesting stuff with my Paras / Sims rather than doing the same job tasks every shift and also these Active Careers are just a pain in the arse to manage once your household is getting bigger. I'm fine with Freelance Careers, you can control your pace with those.

[@SimmerErin]

I'm not a huge active careers person; though I enjoy them on occasion. I think I mostly like to have options- when possible- to suit different gameplay styles. I don't feel it's necessary right now, especially, and I do think they have talked about potentially doing some down the road LBY having all active careers always felt risky to me; I know InZoi is going down that route too. It also sounds very demanding and difficult to implement. some jobs honestly just won't be very interesting active (imo)

[@brendavargas6724]

This is an indie game. I feel like they are striving for a feel good game. Whenever they are able to give us with such a small team I will be thankful for.

[@Catloverplayer]

Here while back I asked about cuddling and kissing on the sofa and was told no but they'd like to add that in the future. They have a lip sofa but your paras can't kiss on it.

[@SimmerErin]

at least they are considering it!

[@keg10609]

I feel like they shouldn’t have shut down the idea of expansion packs. They could’ve added some other things down the road.

[@SimmerErin]

I agree. they did say they'd add all free content in the future but. I questioned the sustainability of it

[@MissisChannel]

i think its impressive that he has come this far as one person team and do believe in time he will get more support and it will take off. their build tool and avatar edit tools that inzoi copied, I believe, is impressive. I'm looking forward to playing them even tho starting out they have less

[@fransmith3255]

Hehe, yes... they were so innovative when they started that they were mercilessly copied - mostly by The Sims 4, actually. I guess imitation is the sincerest form of flattery...

[@SimmerErin]

indeed, it's been awesome seeing it evolve from a solo project

[@pmnt_]

Actually I'm fine without scripts mods when the existing mod tools allow new animations and interactions. "Autonomy Rules" sounds already very close to scripting. (Also, let's just hope that the game is not completely broken and requires bug fixes in the form of script mods) Story progression is a huge deal for me. I usually get bored in generation 2 or 3, but it's always nice to see what the old families are up to... or maybe even marrying someone and realizing that they are a descendant of an old family that I played. I'm not sure if I like active carreers, it also depends on how the game plays in general. If the full neighborhood is playable like Sims 3, I can see myself playing active carreers as well. If it has only one active lot like Sims 4, I actually hate active carreers, because it makes the rest of the family unplayable.

[@SimmerErin]

I'm def not a big active careers person either. I think it may be good for them to add one or freelance could be easier? I know they have discussed the possibility of both later on. For me, I don't care too much personally. I too, of these really care most about story progression. I would def still play without! But it does sound like they are hoping to add it, it;s more a question of its timing and what it looks like

[@joyfulgirl91]

I would like to know more about what they call “town autonomy”. I don’t know that scripted events with cut scenes is what everyone thinks of when they say story progression. Personally, I am only going to watch scenes like that once, but I expect to play a game for hundreds of hours. Neighbors having a daily and weekly schedule, building relationships, and experiencing milestones on their own is important to me, but not premade characters and canned storylines.

[@SimmerErin]

huh, I don't think I have really seen cut scenes with paralives? Did I miss something?

[@joyfulgirl91]

@@SimmerErinthe question they answer about story progression asks if there will be events such as don lothario leaving Cassandra at the alter. Since that’s pretty specific, it leaves me with more questions about the dev’s answer

[@Thyana-ig5no]

Town automony seems to me the smoke'n'mirrors variant of faking people having a day-to-day life. Push a non-active person to be at places so they don't feel empty, fake them having needs and such. In comparison, story progression is if non-active people can have babies, marry, get a job, move in or out. As well as relationship/job/skill progress which not just happened by chance because the character performed the task in view of the camera. Advanced systems like daily/weekly schedules or routines are a step beyond that i think

[@mrdavis8814]

I think that the biggest problem is that people are hoping for this to be as much like the Sims as possible, but that game already exists. Inzoi and Paralives both have things I can't get in Sims and that's what got me interested in them.

[@priisema]

oh no… the story progression is a huge factor for me, it should definitely be present at launch

[@Simfyre]

My son died 10 years ago. So child death is not gameplay I would want to see in a game anyway.

[@SimmerErin]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

[@jonas3333]

As usual, I think people are expecting far too much from this little, amazing team. We've lost a lot of trust from EAs shenanigans over the years but ALSO have become spoiled by everything Sims offers cumulatively through all their expansions/etc. We need life simulators. That's it. Any life simulator is competition, but doesn't HAVE To be competitively similar. I don't care if there are pets, seasons, script mods, vacations, or half the stuff Paralives is already including. Real genetics would be nice.

[@joecamel919]

I'm curious about death and ghosts.

[@westanimesims]

On Para child deaths: I believe deaths related to neglected needs will not be featured and they might be collected by social service a la Sims. But from fires, drowning or other accidents is quite possible, who knows whether is too traumatic or might affect their rating.

[@Thyana-ig5no]

I'd say, seeing comic figures die is either 6+ or 12+, even if they are kids. Definitely not higher, unless you're playing a shooter or similiar and YOU are the one who kills them, then imo it'd go 16+ or 18+

[@catelynh1020]

I've played the early access of satisfactory for a number of years (logged about 500 hours before release) and early access seems crucial to have enough players play the game like players (one reason why developers don't test is because we know what the code is and don't think how someone will try something we would never expext and how that would affect things until we get complaints it isn't working) It also renews hype when a large update comes out since people will post things about it and go back to play with the changes. I doubt the community for paralives will be like the one for satisfactory, where an update had a trailer about the toilet and people went crazy over the fact that the toilet would flush, which was not something they needed to add at all. Like, they didn't push the new content that was integral to gameplay, but instead had the whole trailer be the character running for the bathroom passing new things and then hearing the toilet flush. (And yes, once i finished the hub base upgrades, i immediately went to flush the toilet)

[@jmelovesGod]

I'm just ready to see more of the game in action, just to see the progress since the last update. Also, I'm fine with them limiting stuff early on and maybe opening stuff up later.

[@NovaG0]

The answers seem genuine and honest. Refreshing really

[@SimmerErin]

yes, I do really admire their honesty and transparency

[@ScarletAmethyst]

It's worth mentioning that The Sims 3 (including TS3 and TS3 Pets on PS3/Xbox 360) and The Sims 4 include an option to disable aging in the Options although in The Sims 2 and The Sims Stories, you had to use a Ctrl+Shift+C command (cheat) to toggle aging. It could be possible to include console commands in Paralives although I suspect it would "punish" you (i.e., blocking achievements). Minecraft include console commands (cheats) and Creative Mode but on Xbox 360 and PS3 Editions as well as Bedrock Edition (including Windows 10/11, iOS, and Android), enabling cheats, playing on Creative Mode, or otherwise not playing a regular Survival World will disable Achievements/Trophies which is warned if this is the case. However, Bedrock allows backing up Worlds which could avoid this penalty provided the World is in Survival and you don't switch/enable cheats on the main World. The way Children can't die in Paralives differs from The Sims where all Sims could die although The Sims 2 changed how Children work. At least in The Sims 2, having a Child about to starve or getting too hot/cold (The Sims 2 Seasons) will cause the Social Worker to take the Child away and the same game as well as possibly Life and Pet Stories also has the Social Worker remove the Child who gets an F grade similar The Sims' Military School (I believe The Sims 3 changed that). In The Sims 3 Console, Sims who die aren't immediately removed whereas Sims who die on Windows and macOS will (as with previous games) be removed unless you have a Death Flower or the Sim has the Unlucky Trait. Fact about The Sims 2, the scenario is designed to have Cassandra left at the alter much like how the Pleasant Family is meant to have Daniel caught cheating because of the Chance Card firing or demoting Mary-Sue (which forces a Sim to head home if fired/demoted) where Daniel would (if the player sets it right) Woo-Hoo with Katelynn just as Mary-Sue walks in. I suppose the Pleasant Family is meant to teach players what "cheating" (flirting with anyone *except* your lover) does, and maybe how negative relationships (also seen in Veronaville as well as the Grunts and Smiths in Strangetown) work since Angela and Lilith have negative relationship meaning both Sims will usually use mean socials if allowed to (unless Free Will is disabled or the player raises their relationship out of negative).

[@SimmerErin]

ah yeah I guess a cheat could be nice for that if possible

[@Rich50v]

I love mods for games and believe they should certainly add support for script mods down the line as it drastically increases the lifespan of the entire game. That being said it is by no means a priority over getting the game finished, polished and out the door.

[@pandaonsteroids5154]

Only having one sim with aging turned off his important for me 😭😭 Let's see how good the gameplay is and that will determine how forgiving I can be for lack of other features.

[@englishtree56]

I've waited for this game for too long It's just going to be stuck in development purgatory forever considering the direction they're taking and high expectations from the fans

[@SimmerErin]

I don't think so. They are here setting limits - which is sort of the point.

[@Syyy98]

I really hope they had realistic genetics and so excited for this game ❤

[@ladyteruki]

A lot of these "the lack of this feature could turn away some potential players" things are just code for : "people who are looking for a duplicate of The Sims in a game other than The Sims are not going to find it in Paralives", imho. Which should be obvious but is not. (and also even TS4 didn't have all of these features at launch... or now) A large portion of the life simulation audience act like they've never played more than one game franchise, but would benefit from learning that different games do different things, including within the same genre.

[@SimmerErin]

just playing devil's advocate. I'm honestly not sure. I think like I said, that paralives has a lot going for it

[@sipsu77]

I gotta admit i'm dissapointed to hear story progression hasnt been focused on during the development so far

[@SimmerErin]

of all this, that's really the only one that troubles me. I think at least it should be in early access, for a few reasons. Not necessarily at launch if not doable, but before the official release.

[@Pvydrow]

Script mods might not be something that will be possible right away, I honestly think they could consider it after release, we don't really know the extent of the current modding tools anyways, it's that kind of thing you can only know when you get your hands on it

[@SimmerErin]

while I am unsure if they will ever be added, I agree that script mods don't feel like a must for early access. early access should be about testing and playing with the game's content itself

[@Zaenyx]

mods are always gonna be possible no matter the game. will it be harder for modders? yeah but mods are always possible. people are intelligent and always find a way.

[@hexthepatriarchy-1111]

If we can indeed move most things where we want, I only then want a cheat mod for needs (at least to start out with). The environment is so cute in this game and can't wait to build in it. I just can't get over the paras themselves. Are they going to leave that outline around them? They don't look to me like they fit or are the same graphic quality of the environment. Kind of like they are just drawings on a page. I guess I should go read and answer my own question as I'm a Patreon supporter. :) Thanks for the video!

[@puddingface1902]

Just because the Devs aren't supporting script mods doesn't mean modders can't use script mods. Sims 3 technically doesn't have script mod support either but the community figured out ways to do that. Skyrim has all kinds of script mods that don't even use the coding language of Skyrim. A lot of modding is hacking into the game, smart modders will figure out a way. Also since paralives' modding system is allowing the creation of interactions, animations and moodlet like system, script mods won't even be that necessary. Sims 3 needed script mods to do all that and that's what most sims 3 script mods do.

[@ItsThatJaylaShow]

I know the mods will eat with this game but honestly with what we’re getting and more to come? Mods is the least of its worries. We honestly wouldn’t really need mods. But also, when it comes to story progression? I think it’s a must have but not really a need considering the way already from what we’ve seen gives a little story already without it being officially implemented.

[@citrusctrl4129]

I don’t think script mods are in any way necessary for early access. I mean, why mod a game that isn’t fully finished when you know a completed version is coming soon after? It feels like it isn’t giving the game a chance as it is.

[@SimmerErin]

I agree that script mods, while probably best for the long run for some pickier players, is not something I would be concerned about in early access. It is unclear to me if they will be supported after or not. and I agree , the focus should be on the core of the game My only concern here would be a later integration of story progression.

[@sziklamester1244]

It all depends on what kind of tools they are using because there are games which does not have any modding capability at all (officially) but with the right tools you can check the files and can write in it. If someone know a little coding or recognizing what things do by trial and error then you can mod the game. I have IDE for this reason also using Atom to check files but I mainly use notepad++ for modding my games. For game making currently trying the Godot but have some experience with blender, nifskope, sketfarb. For the long hair they probably would change the physics for hair simulation but currently the hairs are premade and static stuffs. Making hairs with physics is not an extreme hard thing but it could eat a lot since they probably using something which does not support too much physics. This would mean much more degradation because the hair alone could be an entity which adds extra stress to the engine and calculation. Cloth-Hair Physics are nice thing to have but these probably made within a good engine which capable to handle, also works like 250-30 people on the project. None of these things match maybe the engine if I know right they are using the Unity for this.

[@TheDawnofVanlife]

I think modern “kids” (yes you 20 year olds) are so use to accessible mod marketplaces, they don’t get that the majority of modding for older games, the very core of modding, was games people just wanted to mess about with. There was no expectation of being officially supported or having a marketplace or storefront. That’s what DLC is, not mods.

[@sziklamester1244]

@@TheDawnofVanlife That's the fancy thing of it and most people could do it even the 20 years old and younger because they are now more tech oriented and have access to many tools to do mods. Me with my 38 year I modded few games (most of them are just simple scripts) but this is like coding. Trial and error always there to check if something works but a lot of people just giving up on it because they think the failure is an ultimate state and not something they can learn from. It's more or less really about if the said person is understanding the said code language and know how a code line built up. If they can figure it basically they can make a mod. The official mod support is just the developer giving you the tools to do something. Educational, beneficial but ultimately the best thing is you do the trial and errors.

[@lovelybones8071]

I’m sure people will figure out how to make script mods without tools after all modders for BG3 created script mods without official mod support.

[@TheChocoDoll]

I'm not mad about anything missing right now of the said features/issues/limitations either. There's a lot great stuff in this game already. But I will be upset if we NEVER get things like script mods. Not sure how much I care about extra long coats, puffy skirts or very long hair... I feel like the sims 4 doesn't have them either (mods/cc do not count) because they probably have the same type of limitation that too long coats, hair or extra puffy clothes cause ugly visual issues etc. But we shall see where things go after the game is released.

[@Miakemi]

Not having script mods at launch isn’t much of a problem for me as long as there is enough substance to the game that I don’t feel like things are missing. I’m lazy when it comes to updating mods. I prefer to not need multiple script mods to make a game feel playable. I am a little concerned with the lack of story progression though. Not having the foundations for it baked into the base game code feels like a potential misstep. I’m not a game dev, though, so I don’t know how hard it will be to add later…

[@SimmerErin]

Yeah, I agree that script mods later would be maybe best for widening the audience (I don't care for myself at all) but not a huge concern and especially not right away. I too am mostly only concerned about the story progression factor,. It's a very complex system to add , and I'd at least think more mishaps could happen when added later.

[@everylittlebreeze]

Please, please can we have more detail in the characters? I don’t like the cartoon look when everything else is very well detailed. They stand out it looks wrong.

[@SimmerErin]

explain that a bit more- where does it seem the least detailed

[@mikeycjdean707]

Thanks for the video. I’m very surprised that they’re holding story progression until after launch. 😮Even a basic couple of options would be good. I wonder if they want to add a more complex system so people can really have an individual game. 🤔

[@SimmerErin]

perhaps. It certainly is no easy feat to integrate, and to get the balance of it correct

[@Lili-dv6lm]

tbf tho i only use the mods in sims 4 bc i have to. not having mods makes the game so much simpler, so long as the game works right and has lots of features. this is slightly disappointing but honestly i get it and it doesnt change anything for me at least

[@SimmerErin]

To me, I don't care at all for myself- I don't use them even for sims 4. mostly, I want the game to have the most appeal as possible. I do think one upside for no mods is a lot of people honestly don't maintain their mods or rely on them a ton. But it Also sounds like they aren't conclusively out of possibility

[@captainjoy8976]

I want long hair as in long hair in updos :D I find long open hair mostly boring so i hope they add nice updos and hairstyles that just have a lot of hair - which prevents clipping anyways :D

[@SimmerErin]

long hair updos would be a lot more doable yep . I really like one of the updos they showed in that wedding paramaker showcase

[@doggytheanarchist7876]

I can already hear I'mma need a death mod.

[@garthst.claire3459]

A lot of these limitations don't bother me much. I prefer rabbit hole careers and school, and I think hip-long hair is plenty. The one that concerns me most is script mods. But hopefully a lot will still be added during and after Early Access.

[@SimmerErin]

I DEF prefer rabbit hole schools ha, I never felt active added much in any game I have played. Yes, it doesn't sound like a firm no on script mods, so I'd say it's plausible it could happen eventually

[@UhhOlivia]

am i the only one that wishes that theyd adjust the art to make the limbs less doll like :'D?

[@SimmerErin]

can you explain that a bit more?

[@UhhOlivia]

@@SimmerErin the knee and elbow area has some pretty intense lineart around there, i feel like if they toned it down a bit more it would feel like less like as if they were attached like a doll

[@Thyana-ig5no]

Problem with all these "we'll (maybe) add them later" is that we are talking about CORE SYSTEMS here, which must either be created very early, at the very least prototyped very early, and definitely must be thought of while implementing all other systems. Basically, what I'm afraid of that a lot of these things should have been thought of and written down in the game design documentary - so at the very begin of thinking of the game! Creating such complex systems like story progression as an afterthought after everything else... means simply that it's extremely extremely unlikely to be good, unless they want to redesign and rewrite a lot of the code. So expect it either to be very shallow, very disconnected, very buggy, or not possible at all and must be done via smoke'n'mirrors.

[@SimmerErin]

for story progression yes; I do think som things can be added later but have a larger concern for expansive systems

[@ruedays]

Script mods aren't a necessity for a game, especially not for an indie game. I think it's a little ridiculous to want or expect them to rewrite the game's code, especially when they already have what sounds like pretty good modding tools. Sims 4 lets script modders do all the heavy lifting for the game. You have to have script mods to make the game not suck and there's less pressure on the company to make the game suck less because people will just download script mods and play anyway. I think not having script mods will probably be a benefit to the actual game itself. Removes the temptation of using the community as a crutch like the Sims does.

[@SimmerErin]

an interesting perspective ,. thank you!

[@inspectorspinda]

yeah honestly who cares because if the game is good than the vanilla game should be enough. ive never used mods on a game i thought was great

[@SimmerErin]

I am the same, I am not really a mod user at all. I will say, we may be the minority

[@vingedheart]

The main reason for many mods is because the game isn't good enough as it is (The Sims 4). I don't expect it, I don't play with mods as it is, so I guess I am not that worried about it. The same go for cheats - they often end up making the game boring. So I am fine with it.

[@SimmerErin]

I personally feel that way too (though honestly I don't use mods for sims 4 and don't feel a desire too); I prefer games without mods. . for me, it's a more of a question about potential players.

[@caramellyxo2900]

I wonder if gshade or reshade will be something you can use with this game 🤔

[@SimmerErin]

not sure yet.

[@regishel]

Meaning NO other creator can make active careers... That sucks😢

[@SimmerErin]

it's not a def no. It's more uncertain. It seems they want it added, but are unsure if they can

[@koololdster]

Really disappointed about Story Progression. That seems like a few steps backwards.

[@SimmerErin]

it does state that they do want to add it, so it does sound more like prob a q of when

[@tabby32720]

amazing video friend

[@josephsisk2359]

@SimmerErin Script mods for me is a no. I like if there was an option to do that, though. Either way, I'm super excited about Paralives. I'll definitely play it when it comes to early access. If the devs want to be different than other simulation games, then they should add microwaves over stoves and cabnets at some point (maybe as a free update)? 2025 can't get here fast enough! #Paralives2025

[@SimmerErin]

seems feasible and would be a nice feature. I'm looking forward to early access too!

[@james64468]

I hope they add more later down the road. A game like this is very risky. That's part of why some stuff isn't being added right away. I will buy it when they allow non members (whatever the platform they using to fund this is). Just going to be a slow process because their team isn't as big as the Sims team. I hope people set their expectations low. If its successful maybe they make a different game or make a sequel to Paralives.

[@SimmerErin]

It sounds like they have some updates and other content planned if they succeed in the future. you are correct, a game like this is a big investment and risk

[@hpatdh077]

This game will definitely get delayed. Maybe a full release for 2028.

[@SimmerErin]

The full release isn't scheduled yet. so I don't see how we can predict a delay for it. the only date we have Is early access

[@JessiTheBestiGaming]

I really hope there are mods. I really really dislike the way the paras look, especially the babies. The outline on them is so weird considering nothing else has an outline. If I'm going to play this, I'm gonna need mods for the paras. And the babies look like weird old people and so odd.

[@SimmerErin]

custom content will be available via the steam workshop (I hope I mentioned this) - it's script mods that we are not sure about. In other words, custom content like skin overlays should be supported

[@everylittlebreeze]

I guess everybody knows there there will be NO Sims 5?

[@SimmerErin]

for now that is true yes

[@newbuddie]

sims rely on mods, maybe paralives dont need mods

[@SimmerErin]

it's a matter of perspective, I don't personally feel sims relies on mods (I don't use them at all).

[@lynfletcher7744]

paralives got cancelled

[@SimmerErin]

no, it did not. It has early access planned for next year. You must be thinking of Life By You

[@user-pw6ol5ck1p]

I’m glad they’re focusing on their game. Script mods shouldn’t be necessary if the game is good.

[@Bridenbrad]

not to be that person, especially since im a console gamer and im pretty sure they arent even targeting us in the first place. but at this point i would like to just see the game finally come out to early access in whatever state its in. i mean it was first announced in like what, 2019? i get it, its a small team, and they are coming out against giants like The Sims etc, so they probably want to make sure they make a very good first showing. but until the game even makes it to early access its hard not to stay skeptical and wonder if its just going to end up like Life By You and get shelved before even making it there. it just seems like they keep coming up with more and more things to add to the game, or tweak etc, before even getting to early access when then bulk of that will start happening anyways.

[@SimmerErin]

early access was announced for 2025. Not to be argumentative, but rene has been in development as long as paralives I don't think LBY's main issue was how long it took overall as much as not making substantive improvements. and of course, a very different situation . You're talking about proving to investors that the game will be worthwhile. and they also bled a ton of money. I always say, there is of course not guarantee a game will come out and do well, and I stand by that.

[@TheDawnofVanlife]

Its notable they have’t always been a “small team”, they haven’t even always been a “company”. It was just one guy with a dream (Alex) working alone on what he *could* accomplish and code alone. What he’s built since then, including an actual team and legit “company” in only 5 years is kind of amazing.

[@oufukubinta]

So if your child is burning in a house fire child services will take it away? lol

[@SimmerErin]

good question

[@cryingwatercolours]

my guess is they’re either immortal or will escape or be rescued? tbh i find that annoying since the decades challenge for example requires you to be able to kill any age character and id like to do that challenge on paralives mods will be necessary there but it might just be a case of using the in game tools to unlock death? idk

[@SimmerErin]

@@cryingwatercolours yeah it's unclear to me. It doesn't definitively say children can't die at all, but it seems they at least cannot die from hunger? so that makes me think that they cannot die?

[@cryingwatercolours]

@@SimmerErin we talked about it a lot in the patron channel, and since it’s the same as what’s in the public dev chat, im pretty sure it’s okay for me to say it’s confirmed kids won’t die :/

[@TheDawnofVanlife]

@@cryingwatercoloursI am sure there will be a death mod at some point, where there are enough players who want it a mod appear.

[@Remmo_Uk]

It pains me to say it, but I can’t see Paralives staying in the race for long. Game design is leaping ahead whilst paralives just lags further and further behind. I don’t doubt they will have a small, hard core and very loyal fan base, but whether that will provide the sums of money needed to stay a float…? I hope so. But I’m out now. For me, Simulation should be at the beating heart of a life sim around which everything else revolves. Gluing story progression on afterwards and hoping the join will be seamless is just baffling to me. And nothing but rabbit holes seems like a huge step backwards.

[@SimmerErin]

totally fine to make that decision for yourself to clarify, it isn't all rabbithholes: for now, schools and jobs are. Yes, many games are going to be made using generative AI. I look at however many in the indie market and believe there is a spot for paralives as well

[@joyfulgirl91]

I agree with you about simulation. If story progression is not integral, what exactly is being simulated?

[@TheDawnofVanlife]

@@Remmo_Uk there’s gonna be town autonomy at launch and story progression is on the road map. It just won’t be there at the drop of early access. Sims 1 and 2 also never had story progression. Sims 2 has a mod for it now, but people have stuck by Sims 2 loyally for 20 years because the personality and character systems are so good. Which is why the mod was able to be built off said systems. I think folks are missing how important Town Autonomy is as a building block for a later story progression system. And missing how much more important it is. Story progresion will likely be things like paras getting married on their own and having kids. Maybe job progression and skill learning. But early access will tell them a lot about what players want happening without them pushing a broken progression system in the game. Neither Sims 3 or 4 made most players happy and both story progression systems are heavily modded when they are not just turned off.

[@ismichi]

I don't mind them being honest and sensible about their limitations But it does come across weak whenever he excuses it with, "We're not 200 people!" Repeating it ad nauseum doesn't feel genuine when he has a proper explanation how it's a feature that can be implemented before its release with minimal concern; a type of final touch.

[@ismichi]

And since they have plans to have "free" expansions etc, I'd rather they keep that a promise than rush it to EA and allow it to remain in EA limbo as they simply pretend they're working on the next big addition. eg story progression.

[@SimmerErin]

I can only speak for myself but I'd say 'we have a small team and we are prioritizing x, and then go onto to explain why something doesn't fit. they actually often do! just didn't specifically here