Toddlers in the new update! Thoughts?

[Hechicera]

I must say, playing with a toddler that has the Independent trait quite annoying, but there are a few side benefits to it.

Now that I've played a couple of toddler's with this trait, I rather like it. I did have to learn to not micromanage those toddlers, which was an adjustment. They do a fine job of taking care of themselves and bug adults easily for what they need. Free range toddlers. When there are four toddlers, and the mayhem of different traits like you say, that one is the most safely ignored. Just leave some low spoilage food out, and it will probably not only be alive but have met all its needs after you put out the Clingy and Fussy fires, while the Wild child kept interrupting for dance help 12 times.

The best incident yet: Nightmares. Most toddlers wake at least one adult for comfort, some wake several! The independent one decided to go grab a cookie from downstairs, since he was also hungry, pottied himself and by then was no longer scared and put himself right back to bed. Fantastic midnight adventure and no adults the wiser, except for the missing cookie.

Yes, they do get the angry moodlet from some interactions but it makes me laugh. The mouseover text for being lectured is so hilariously ... toddler. It ends with "Who do they think they are!". 

[cyclonenic]

I must say, playing with a toddler that has the Independent trait quite annoying, but there are a few side benefits to it.

The best incident yet: Nightmares. Most toddlers wake at least one adult for comfort, some wake several! The independent one decided to go grab a cookie from downstairs, since he was also hungry, pottied himself and by then was no longer scared and put himself right back to bed. Fantastic midnight adventure and no adults the wiser, except for the missing cookie.

I simultaneously snorted and aww'ed reading this. Now i want to try to recreate this in my game as it sounds like it would have been positively adorable to watch!

[Nindigo]

I have only had a brief look at the toddlers - they are extremely cute! I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw they were finally a reality. Just a moment later, I noticed the vampire announcement. I accidently hurt my fiancé when I flailed my arms in excitement To heck with bugs at the moment. As long as they are not game breaking...

Don & Clara are expecting again. They have two twin boys together who didn't get to be toddlers. So excited!

[Jase~]

I know that I'm a bit late to the party, but I cannot fully express in words how thrilled I am about toddlers finally being added to TS4...

It's never been a secret that missing toddlers has always been my biggest complaint with the game. Honestly, I'm shocked at the amount of gameplay, décor, and objects included with this patch.

Maxis really outdid themselves in my opinion!!

[Nindigo]

@Jase~  Skipping the toddler state from the beginning was a huge mistake and really felt like an amputation. It'll be interesting to see if people will find it balanced and managable. I've heard it said that too many toddlers at once is nearly impossible to care for, and that the game is quick to threaten to send a social worker to remove the kids  

[Playalot]

@Nindigo I'm playing through the 7Toddler challenge and it really isn't that bad at all. Once you forgo the highchair really it is almost easy getting 7 toddlers to L5 in all their skills in 7 days. I think it just takes a bit of time to get used to the game mechanics and then it's fine. I'm just using one YA sim and no nanny or butler etc. No Reward Traits etc as it was a newly made sim straight from CAS. There isn't time to do anything much else apart from a quick workout each day and leveling up the YA's cooking skill but that's ok. it's not like you'd have 7 toddlers in the house under any other circumstances anyway.

[Franki]

Like @Playalot  I've found the toddlers pretty easy, did six toddlers with different traits as a tester before starting my main family and found that by day 7 they were all well and truly maxed out on skills. Again, as Playalot said, it's just a matter of time before you get used to the mechanics.

[oshizu]

@Playalot and @Franki

I'm so impressed that both of you have successfully maxed out skills on so many toddlers at the same time!!
Especially after watching TheSimSupply's Let's Play series, I see that what you've done will not be as easy for others/me as it was for the two of you.
I think I'll try to do two min-challenges first, each with four toddlers with different traits, before I tackle seven toddlers at once.

[Playalot]

Naa @oshizu seriously, you'll manage it no sweat. Toddlers are very self reliant and will naturally gravitate towards the skilling toys anyway. I've had 2 toddlers good friends with each other by day 2 just because they auto chat to each other. The trick is to actually not micro-manage them 24/7 as they will auto do a lot of the skilling on their own. Once you have group meals in the fridge you can drag those out and the toddlers will help themselves when hungry. It's the hygiene that is the challenge until they can use the potty by themselves. Also play to their traits as the traits do make a difference in what kind of adult intervention they will need.

[Franki]

@oshizu , @Playalot  is correct, Toddlers are pretty self reliant, as long as you don't micro mange, toddlers are really quite easy.

[vancanuckfan86]

Naa @oshizu seriously, you'll manage it no sweat. Toddlers are very self reliant and will naturally gravitate towards the skilling toys anyway. I've had 2 toddlers good friends with each other by day 2 just because they auto chat to each other. The trick is to actually not micro-manage them 24/7 as they will auto do a lot of the skilling on their own. Once you have group meals in the fridge you can drag those out and the toddlers will help themselves when hungry. It's the hygiene that is the challenge until they can use the potty by themselves. Also play to their traits as the traits do make a difference in what kind of adult intervention they will need.

Agreed - my last toddler had the charmer trait so he just talked the ears off of his dad and mom! He was also slightly obsessed with the skilling blocks and was constantly stacking them without my direction. It would have been quite easy to max all the skills if I had wanted too. I chose not too though as I didn't want him building skills and moving up the career ladder faster. I like a challenge when playing families so I try to avoid anything that makes the game easier (completing toddler skills to max, completing child aspirations, etc.)

[Hechicera]

I'm impressed the lot of you has maxed skills to five or is looking forward to it! I am past a half-dozen or so toddlers naturally worked into my regular games and haven't done it.  I haven't tried overly hard, but that is part avoidance as it seems like it would be work to me. Though I do get the non-micromanage part.

I partly play for the story social aspects. Full autonomy helps entertain me too.  Also, I'll always be working on other adults aspirations & careers as well as other children. I guess I have my own "legacy-like" set of internal rules I impose to set the game to where I enjoy it. So, I rather like the fact I don't have to be overly stressed to max every toddler skill, and like the flexibility that it still offers that challenge to those of you that are up to it and so inclined. You do get "part-credit" for skills 3! I like that design choice.

[coolsim9999999]

I'm really excited that toddlers are finally here!  I have mainly played TS4, and I got TS3 to see what toddlers were like.  I really love TS4 toddlers --- although, in some ways, TS3 toddlers are easier to raise.  Now, I'm getting used to TS4 toddlers, and they're so much more developed than TS3 toddlers.  Because I started with TS4 before toddlers, I didn't know if I wanted them in the game.  However, now that I've gotten used to them, they're awesome with so many animations and so much fun to help to master 5 skills !

[GoFeesh]

Okay, I'm probably going to sound strange, but I have never liked the toddlers in any variations of the sims franchise.

Though, reading about the toddlers and hearing about their developments, I'm curious to try them out and see how they change the dynamics within my generations.

Doesn't sound strange to me. I've always hated dealing with that life stage when the parents both had careers. I'm sure I'll give it a shot eventually, but for now I'll stick with my single sim with aging off lol

[Nindigo]

I'm pleased that toddlers can climb stairs in TS4. They are a little quick to throw a tantrum though. In my humble opinion. My first and only toddler so far is getting angry no matter what need is low. That's perhaps slightly unvaried. But better get used to it - have another one coming up