Sims 2 Gameplay Rules: General
- phdsimmer
- Feb 8, 2024
- 11 min read
Updated: Jan 29
Last Updated: 29th January 2025
Here are my general gameplay rules for the Sims 2 when I am playing the world rotationally, this is ever evolving so check back for more in the future. I hope you enjoy reading this and finding out how I play!
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Wants & Fears
I consider my sims wants and fears when deciding how to play out their life. However, I do not use them 100% exclusively all of the time. I allow myself to make my own judgements alongside their wants/fears for story-telling purposes.
Rotating
I usually play 7 day rotations, and switch households in the early hours of Monday morning (usually around midnight). However, for recording YouTube content and keeping the length of the video reasonable, I am now playing 5 day seasons as one rotation.
I play in a set order of households which is the order the households are in on my tracking spreadsheet.
I play University for 8 days as I use a mod to reduce the length of University to 8 days. I play University at the end of the rotation.
Age Span & Season Length
I play with a custom age span I have set up myself - babies (3 days), toddler (4 days), children (7 days), teens (10 days), adult (39-47 days) and elder (maxis standard).
If a Sim does not go to University their life-span does not change and they have 47 days of adulthood, if they do go to University 8 days are removed from them at the end of University so they have 39 days of adulthood (as they spent 8 days as a YA). This is to sync up their ages with Sims that did not go to University. I use a mod by to do this, and then I use an adjusted version of the Sim Blender mod to do this as you can add/remove days to a Sim's life if I need further corrections e.g. a Sim has to repeat a year.
I play with a 5 day season length and use all four seasons in my current neighbourhood.
Aspirations & LTW
All sims born in game have their aspiration randomised when they age up to a teen. For the primary aspiration, I roll a random number 1-6 and work clockwise around the menu of options that pops up.
Turn on and turn offs are left as they were set on age up (unless they really clash!).
A secondary aspiration is chosen at random when the Sim has enough aspiration points and is a Young Adult, Adult or Elder (I roll 1-5, ignoring grilled cheese and the locked out primary aspiration that has already been chosen). Teen Sims don't have a secondary aspiration assigned until they age up to Adult or Young Adult and go off to college.
If a Sim passes Sophmore year, I roll for a new aspiration (as described above) and decide if I want to change their aspiration based on the outcome of the roll.
I will try to leave the LTW at whatever is randomised on age up to teen or what is randomly selected for pre-mades. If a LTW is really not suitable, I use the LTW chooser mod. I select "from personally available" and roll a random number to select from the list.
I do not use the TS3 traits project (except the main mod file so I can assign favourite colours to my Sims, see misc section below).
Finances & Businesses
See this separate blog post for more details on my finance and tax system
I use a mod to enable child support payments, the money can be saved in a bank account for the child or kept in the household funds.
I have a welfare system as part of my finance and tax system. My un-employed Sims can also make money from activities such as painting and other sources of income such as child support.
I do not use money cheats (e.g. kaching or motherlode) and also use the no 20k handout mod.
I use bank accounts in game which come with the hacked computer, and I keep track of finances in my neighbourhood tracker spreadsheet.
I allow my Sims to take out loans, and use the loan jar. Loans can only be used to buy a bigger house, pay for a car, pay taxes/bills or pay for their college bill. A Sim can also sell household furniture if they can't afford their bills or tax for example. For house loan, Sims must have a job at least level 4 and have 10% deposit for the house they want the loan for. Loans are re-paid with 3% interest per day as set by the loan jar.
I do not currently have any specific business related rules (except for in my Build a City Challenge), I have Sims set up businesses if it suits my sims personality, aspiration, LTW and for story-stelling purposes.
Adoption & Pregnancy
Sims can only try for a baby/adopt if they have the want to - otherwise I use risky woohoo. There are no rules about how many times they can try, they can keep trying until they are elders but their chances reduce with age via the ACR mod (which I edited in SimPE to fit my custom lifespan).
Sims can adopt through the adoption service on the phone, or if an orphanage has been established, they can adopt from there.
I set risky woohoo (chance of getting pregnant from woohoo rather than try for baby interaction) to 10% using the ACR mod.
I reduce the length of pregnancy to 48hrs using this mod.
I don't currently use abortion mods, but I do use a miscarriage mod (that I edited in SimPE to reduce the chances).
I currently have no limits on the number of children Sims can have, but they must roll the want to have a baby. However, I may introduce rules based on aspiration in the future for population control.
I have turned off autonomous try for baby for both married and un-married Sims in the ACR mod mod settings.
I don't get the super fertility reward from the family reward tree.
I don't do anything to influence the gender of the baby or number of babies.
I don't use the triplet/quads mod.
I do use the equal genetics mod.
For single romance Sims I will flip a coin when they become pregnant, Heads = put baby up for adoption, Tails = keep the baby. I also do the same coin flip for alien pregnancies and for a pregnant Sim that has the simultaneous want and fear of having a baby fulfilled on the day the baby is born.
Careers
Elders, Adults and Teens can have any job they roll a want for or have LTW wish related to.
Teen Sims can also get a job if they roll the want to get a job or if they are a fortune Sim.
If a Sim just rolls the want to get a job but it is not specified which one, I chose one based on their personality, LTW, aspiration or for story-telling purposes.
Career choices are not limited (except in my Build a City Challenge) and career progression is not currently defined by the need for certain levels of education.
Elders are not required to retire but can if they roll the want to, they can get part-time jobs if they want to after retirement.
If a Sim rolls the want to quit their job, they can quit their job but they are not forced to. I decide based on their situation at the time.
School
Children and teens can do their homework when they have the want to or if they or another household member have the want to help with homework.
As I have found that teen Sims rarely roll the want to do homework, I have introduced a system based on their interest points for school:
0-3 Interest = Coin Flip Monday, Wednesday and Friday (heads = do homework, tails = don't do homework).
4-7 Interest = Coin Flip everyday (heads = do homework, tails = don't do homework)..
8-10 Interest = Do their homework every day.
Teens that have the want to get a job but can't due to a poor grade can work on homework to get a passing grade to enable them to get a job.
Sims can only go to private school if someone in the household rolls the want for it and the household funds (inc. money in bank accounts) is over 50k.
Sims with a D+ or lower when they return from their last day of high school cannot go to University unless they have reached the top of a teen career.
University
See this separate blog post for my University System and Rules.
Cars
Sims can purchase a car if they roll the want to.
My Sims must have a driving licence to drive. I let the pre-made adults/elders have a license but any teens that age up need to learn to drive, I use this mod.
Driving lessons cost £150, and 4-5 are required for a Sim to be ready for their driving test (according to the mod). However, Sims can also learn to drive with a family member for free.
Pets
Sims can adopt/purchase a cat or dog if they roll the want. I have a mod to change the wants to cat/dog rather than puppy/kitten and so any age pet fulfills this want.
Sims can train and encourage pets to breed kittens/puppies if they roll the want for a kitten or puppy.
The above rules apply to all Sims except if I have specific cat/dog breeders living in town, then they can adopt/purchase/train/breed pets at anytime without needing to roll wants for these.
Romance & Sexuality
Sims can flirt, get engaged, get married/joined and even cheat if they roll the want to.
Marriage/Joined costs £500 if held on a community lot, home weddings are free.
When a Sim ages to a teen I randomise and set their sexuality via the ACR mod.
I use the in game attraction system, and try (not-essential) to find my Sims a person to pair up for the long term who they have at least 2 bolts with, preferably 3! I allow my sims to date other sims except for those they find or unattractive (red cross through bolt). However, romance Sims can date anyone they want.
My global setting for jealousy via ACR is set to "in love".
Romance Sims are the only sims that can have jealousy turned off via the ACR mod.
Sims with the LTW want of Golden Anniversary must be set to be Totally Faithful via the ACR mod. Other Sims with the primary Family aspiration can be set to be totally faithful at my discretion unless they have a secondary Romance aspiration.
I use custom turn on/turns offs.
I use a mod which takes into account secondary aspirations for chemistry.
Hobbies & Skills
Sims can build skills if they roll the want to and naturally through interaction with objects e.g. cleaning the sink, fixing the toilet. I don't force them to skill build.
I consider a Sim's One True Hobby as indicated in game to be their main hobby. I do not currently have specific sub-hobbies, Sims can do anything for their hobby based on their wants. Note: I have recently introduced a sub-hobby system and am trying this out. I will make a post about this if I decide to keep it and update the rules here also.
Occults
Sims can be abducted by aliens and have an alien pregnancy. I have a mod that allows teens-adults both female and male to have alien babies.
Plant Sims can be created through gameplay - only Sims with a max enthusiasm in nature as their one true hobby can be turned into a Plant Sim.
Sims can become a vampire/mermaid/werewolf/witch if they roll the want to.
Sims can be cured of lycanthropy if they or someone in their household rolls the want to.
Orphanage/Children's Home
See this separate blog post for my Orphanage Rules
Prison
See this separate blog post for my Prison System Rules.
Retirement & Death
Elder Sims living alone must move to the retirement home.
I allow my Sims to plead the grim reaper for another Sim.
I move graves to a communal cemetery/graveyard.
Funerals and burials at the cemetery/graveyard cost £500 per young adult or older, and £250 per teen or younger. The urn/tombstone will stay on the household lot until they can afford to pay this.
I don't make any sims die purposefully and I don't avoid deaths by reloading the game without saving.
I will allow Sims to be resurrected if a Sim has a want to do this, and do this via the Ressurect-o-nomitron. A Sim can also be resurrected, if a Sim wishes it from the genie (see misc section below for genie rules).
I don't use any mods that alter the in-game sickness system or the spread/danger of fire.
Break Up & Divorce
Sims will break up if they roll the want to do so. If no want is rolled and I think the situation calls a break up into question (e.g. caught cheating) I will flip a coin, Heads = they break up, Tails = they stay together. I also do this coin flip if a Sim leaves another Sim at the alter.
The Sim who is caught cheating is the one to move out. If the decision is mutual and there are children in the home I will allow the primary caretaker to stay in the house with the chilren and the other Sim moves out. In all other cases, I will do a coin flip to determine who moves out.
Children cannot be split between divorced parents, one parent has full custody and the children live with them until they reach adulthood or go to college. At adulthood/after college they can move in with any parent they want or out on their own.
When a Sim gets married I keep track of how much money their spouse brings into the household when they move in. If the pair divorce, the Sim that moves out is entitled to have 50% of the money returned to them.
Money in the household funds is split 50:50 between divorcees and any large assests that are shared e.g. cars are decided with a coin flip. Heads = one Sim keeps the asset, coin flip to decide, Tails = the asset is sold and the profit is split 50:50.
Any money in personal bank accounts remains with the Sim who owns the bank account.
Inheritance
I do not allow my sims to inherit money as per the games vanilla settings, I use a mod to stop this.
I arrange my own pay-out of inheriance based on the aspiration level of the deceased Sim and their relationship scores with direct family members as per the table below (adopted family members also count). This money does not come from the household funds or town treasury but from an imaginary life insurance policy.
Sims on welfare do not leave inheritance as they would not have been able to afford the policy.
I keep track of how much money is given to which Sims as inheritance in my spreadsheet so I remember to have teens and younger in particular put the money in their bank accounts so they can take it with them when they age up and move to college or move out of the family home.
Adults and Elders pay 10% of the value of the inheritance as tax, and this is added to their tax bill during their next playable round. YAs and younger do not pay inheritance tax.
Household funds are then left to the household members to split if they wish to. I don't have any particular rules about which children can inherit properties/cars after their parents die i.e. I don't follow a patriarchal system or anything like that, I just do whatever feels natural whilst I'm playing.
Relationship to Deceased | Died in Platinum Aspiration | Died in Gold Aspiration | Died in Green Aspiration |
Spouse | £20,000 | £10,000 | £5,000 |
Child | £10,000 | £5,000 | £2,500 |
Grandchild | £2,500 | £1,250 | £625 |
Misc
Sims can use their car or taxi to go to Bluewater Village or other sub-hoods. They can only walk to other lots in their home neighbourhood.
Only 1 wish is allowed for the magic lamp and it granted to the person who found the lamp or rolled for if I do not see who finds it (memories are broken so can't be used). I have no rules on what wishes can by made, a Sim can wish for anything.
When a chance card pops up I choose one option at random using a coin flip, excluding "ignore", with Heads = the first option, Tails = second option.
Smark milk can only be made by a Sim in platinum aspiration.
Favourite colours are assigned by the colour of the shirt a Sim is wearing when they age up to a Child (or for pre-mades their current shirt colour). If they are wearing a full body outfit I go with the most dominant colour in the outfit.
When a child is born roll 1-100, below 20 they will wear glasses.
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