*Updated: June.2019*Culling Mechanics - Game Update: 6/18/2019 – PC 1.52.100.1020 / Mac 1.52.100.1220
In a nut shell, the culling system allows players to pick and protect their sims from culling. Culling will still happen but now you can choose which sims or ghosts will never be culled.
The total population cap is now 800 as of the Island Living Expansion. *(See posts below for any updated info)
Click on images to see larger view:
Go to: Options > Game Options > Gameplay and look for Maximum Sim Count and choose from 80 up to unlimited from the drop down list.
Note: A higher limit on Sims could lead to an increase of load times, especially on slower machines.
- Now households/sims can be placed into 'My Households'/favorited. This creates a pool of sims that are 100% safe from culling and any skills or relationship losses.
- Protecting sims/ghosts in 'My Households' also ensures these protected sims will not lose skills or relationships.
- The maximum number on the new culling system refers to the maximum number of sims you can place into 'My Households' and protect from culling.
- The Unlimited option for the Maximum Sim Count feature means you can add unlimited Sims to 'My Households', and make them protected. But they still need to be manually added to My Households. (note this setting is not recommended)
- Housed sims that are not in 'My Household' can be culled once the games limit is reached.
- When this happens your sim will get a notification that their friend has moved - if they had a relationship.
- Dead sims need to be moved back into 'My households' to be protected as dead sims are automatically unfavorited.
- Ghosts will now no longer disappear from family trees when they are returned to the netherworld or culled by the game.
- Housed dead sims will now spawn an urn or a gravestone even on an unplayed lot, even if they are NPC's you've never played and even if you are not on the lot when they die.
- There is a countdown on the graves 90 days(hidden game mechanic).
- When this is countdown is at 14 days the gravestone will get a new interaction called 'Strengthen Connection to the Physical World'
- This allows you to keep the ghost in the game for longer. In game terms, it resets the counter on the gravestone back to 90 days.
- If you do not choose this the ghost will be culled/returned to the netherworld - the timer will expire.
- To further protect a newly made ghost they can be moved into a house (their original household if you want) and then put into 'My Households'.
