This is an ongoing series about my experience playing The Sims 4 for the first time. For other previous posts in the series, click here and here.

As I’ve become more comfortable with The Sims 4‘s controls and general atmosphere, I’ve also taken a stab at trying to control my new sim, Peeps, more often than less. However, the “fact” remains that Peeps loves her computer. And if I step away from the controls for even a second, I’ll come back to find her…where? 

Well, being at home and online is the thing to do these days, so perhaps Peeps is simply being far more savvy than I think. However, in between work, sleep, and the computer, it seemed that Peeps was getting a little tense. In fact, that game told me just that. So, she started branching out…at least a little. First was a stint at gardening.

Things started out well enough and the few plants we planted grew heartily. Peeps even got some grapes and carrots out of the whole trial, but gardening tasks quickly went south. To be fair, it wasn’t completely Peeps’ fault, as one of the things I still remains at odds with in the game is understanding how to balance her days. My routine-addled brain wants her days to go like they might in real life. But making that happen in the game isn’t exactly easy. This is all to say that everything in the yard died before too long, and Peeps was left to clean up the mess.

Going a different route, Peeps then decided to take up exercise, mostly jogging with the occasional use of the weight machine in the house.

In what seemed like a matter of days, Peeps became quite interested in being out and about more. In and among all the exercise, she actually started packing on a good bit of muscle, which surprised me. I knew that sims changed over of the course of a game due to aging and having kids, but I didn’t expect to see other physical transformations. Good for Peeps wanting to stay fit, I suppose!

But working at/playing on the computer and daily jogs still weren’t providing Peeps with much happiness. So, it was time to socialize. She remained good friends with Alex, the sim with whom we completed the game’s tutorial, and the two of them got together often, mostly to discuss Alex, it seemed.

I eventually figured out how to move Peeps to other areas of her world, as well as other worlds. So one weekend, she and Alex took a trip to the park, where they met many different folks.

I didn’t realize it until after the park trip that the game had been creating a list of Peeps’ “friends” that was based off of everyone with whom she had interacted. In fact, it was then I also realized that I hadn’t actually been using her phone much– the means by which you do many a thing in the game, like visit said friends. That’s where I discovered her lengthy friends list, as well that she had been getting to know a few sims more than others. One such fellow was a gentleman named Cooper. He seemed an intriguing outlet for her more, um…coquettish days, maybe? Well, Cooper had been over a few times before, so it was something to keep in mind.

As for other pursuits, the game made known that a sim could level up in many different areas, so we tried art for a time. I’m not sure it’s going to stick, but it’s something.

For now, it seems that Peeps is most happy, if not at her PC, then chatting in her home with Alex. Even a tense conversation between friends is better than a silent house.

However, there’s still the issue of folks just hanging around, now IN the house, long after Peeps has hit the hay. Mmmm…could it be that Alex has designs on Cooper?

And so Peeps’ story (and my stumble through The Sims 4) continues!

All images including lede taken by author during PS4 gameplay of The Sims 4 © Maxis, Electronic Arts (2014).