Reacting to Memories: The Happy, the Sad and the Tragic.

[Cassie]

Hi all!

Well, a discussion was taking place in the 'Hospital' thread, and to save it from going any more off-topic than it already has, I have decided to go ahead and make a little thread for it.

So basically, Sims have memories in TS2. But what are they useful for? Absolutely nothing. Yes, they are there, but they don't do anything. They're pretty much pointless.

So what we were saying is, how would it be for Sims to actual feel emotions when remembering things? Places and people can create these emotions. For example, if your Sim meets the love of their life in the diner, and they get married etc etc, whenever they go into that certain diner (or wherever they met their significant other) they would get a happy moodlet or perhaps sigh or smile as they pass it, making them aware that this is where they met.

I also would like to quote Nicole's (dejadejavu) excellent elaboration to this:

Sims should definitely remember where things took place, not just what happened. If sims got married at a certain spot, it could especially romantic for them to go back, but maybe a romantic sim just wandering past that spot could get a happy moodlet. Especially if he/she also has the dreamer trait. This should also work for other scenarios, say teens have a favorite house to party at. Whenever they go over there, they automatically get a little bit of a boost because they've had a history of having a good time.

This should happen in a negative way as well, if a sim had a tragic moment somewhere, they might not feel the happiest in that spot. This is definitely true with real people. I had some awful experiences at this place where I worked, and whenever I'm in the area (especially if I walk by), I start to feel really angry/sad etc. Maybe a teen sim got dumped for the first time somwhere, or a tough sim lost a fight. They should avoid/be uncomfortable at that place. This shouldn't last for too long though, maybe a few days. More if they got left at the altar or something.

End Quote.

Also, what if, for example, Melanie Sim had just broke up with her husband/boyfriend after a long time, with many happy memories? And she strolls passed the hospital - she had broken her leg, and Michael Sim had been the doctor to fix her up, and they'd fallen in love. What if, after the spilt, she gets upset when she passes the hospital? Wouldn't that really work with over-emotional Sims? She could start crying, and recieve an unhappy moodlet thereafter.

Reactions to memories should take place for all kinds of things - good and bad. Maybe they could get upset when they pass by where they used to work but got fired? Or upset when they pass the spot where a good friend or member of the family passed away? Even if it's a certain room. If Grandma Sim died warm in her bed in her bedroom, what if the Grandma's daughter, who had a strong bond with her mother, immediately felt unhappy and uncomfortable being in that room? There are tons of possibilities for this...

But not just places - what about Sims too? It would be amazing if Sims could recognise when a Sim and another Sim look like each other (with no family ties). What if they had a bad relationship with the Sim the other Sim resembles? What if they looked like their Ex?
That could be asking a lot, but still, Stubborn Sims who don't forget and forgive things easily should always react to a Sim who did something mean to them in the past, such as spreading a rumour, when they see them in the park or at the shops etc.

Please, elaborate if you can! And I'd like to know what you all think of this.

A lot of credit goes to Nicole for helping me expand this idea.

- Cassie x