Sims 4: Diana Prince

Sims 4 is the first game in the series that I have played. I picked it up when Origin was offering it for free. My first Sim, Steve Rogers, died a horrible death after getting really angry while cooking dinner.

The screenshots in this blog post were taken in June of 2019.

Not knowing what else to do, I made a new Sim in a completely different area from where my first one started There’s definitely a learning curve with this game.

My new Sim is named Diana Prince, in keeping with my superheroes theme. I gave her the following traits: Loves Outdoors, Good, Bookworm, and Quick Learner. My intent was to make her an adult, but when I started the game, it turned out I left the setting on “Young Adult” instead.

Diana quickly acquired the Video Gaming skill. If you look closely at this screenshot, you can see that she is in the bathroom, in front of the sink… playing with her smartphone.

I took what I learned while trying (and failing over and over) at creating Steve Roger’s house and started from scratch. This time, I knew how and where to place doors so that my Sim can easily walk through the house.

Unlike last time, I made sure to put Diana’s house right next to the mailbox that the game planted near the corner of this lot. My hope was that there would be plenty of people walking on the sidewalk that Diana could meet and make friends with.

I didn’t want her being super lonely like poor Steve was.

There wasn’t a career option that fit well, so I selected the Tech Guru Career for her. She started as a Live Chat Support Agent at Rainy Day Entertainment. Sims make money at their jobs, and the player can use that to upgrade stuff in the Sim’s home and build more rooms.

My guess that there would be people for Diana to meet on the sidewalks outside her home proved correct. Here she is having a “casual discussion” with a woman whose name I cannot recall.

Sims convey what they are thinking in little pictures, leaving the player to try and decipher what they are trying to say. I think Diana was introducing herself. These two had a longer conversation than Diana had with anyone else. I hoped that they would become friends.

Diana also had a “casual discussion” with this blonde lady who was feeling very tense. Off to the side, the game shows that Diana acquired the Comedy Skill. It allows her to tell jokes at a microphone and write jokes on a computer.

It appears that the blonde lady did not find Diana’s jokes funny at all.

Diana acquired the Cooking Skill. It will allow her “to prepare delicious, straight forward classics.” She will unlock more recipes as her cooking skill increases.

Sims don’t always seem to understand that they need to cook for themselves. To my surprise, Diana Prince did not seem to mind cooking. She was also smart enough to go make dinner unprompted.

It probably helped that I upgraded her stove almost immediately after starting this game. If I remember correctly, I also stuck a fire alarm on the wall behind the stove.

Diana Prince loves her job. She is able to get dressed and run to work without me having to remind her about it, and she comes home happy. I used some of her money to give her a dining room.

It was not my intent to fill her house with green things, but that’s what ended up happening. It doesn’t look bad and will do for now.

It is possible to scroll over the books that your Sim is reading. The titles, and the brief descriptions of the story, are always amusing.

Untamed Treachery of the Heart – Genre: Romance. By: Leslie Nighttime.

While parts of this saucy novel contain examples of your more typical treachery, the vast majority of this treachery is completely untamed!

Diana Prince explored her neighborhood and found a garden. It is unclear whether this is a small community garden or if she was trespassing. She found some potatoes, and acquired the Gardening skill.

Diana found something. Whatever it was had +2 Common Upgrade Parts. Again, this is not her backyard. I’m hoping it is a community garden, but I’m starting to have doubts about that.

To keep Diana Prince from getting bored, I sent her to the library with her friend. She immediately found a book to read. This is not a surprise, considering that I gave her the Bookworm trait.

In doing so she acquired the Logic skill. Diana’s new Skill in Logic will allow her to Play Card Games, Chess, and Use Scientific Equipment. As the Skill increases, the chance of winning Games is also increased and new Interactions will become available on the Microscope and Observatory.

This was the first I heard that there was an Observatory that she could visit.

Diana and her friend had the place all to themselves for a while. What is Diana reading?

Logic Vol 1: An Introduction To Reason – Genre: Logic Skill. By: Stephen McLackney

Logic has been studied for thousands of years by some of the most brilliant minds. This book tries to sum it all up in a few chapters. Seem reasonable?

After going home for the night, she decided to continue reading Untamed Treachery of the Heart while listening to music.

The next morning, Diana Prince woke up feeling uncomfortable. It seems that staying out late at the library, and then staying up to read more of her book, didn’t work out so well for her.

She attempted to make herself something to eat, and that made me nervous. My first Sim, Steve Rogers, managed to kill himself in a fit of rage while trying to cook when he was unhappy.

Fortunately, Diana survived. She made herself a Garden Salad (of poor quality), plunked it on the dining room table, and walked away. The Garden Salad, by the way, is official listed as Vegetarian-Safe.

It makes sense that Diana, a Bookworm, would attempt to read something as a way to make herself feel better. What is she reading?

The Glutton Spiel – Genre: Science Fiction By: Thomas Hinkle

In a post-apocalyptic city, 9 random teenagers are chosen at random from their cave communities to eat until they are stuffed. They, they waddle onto the Field of Terrors and fight to the death. Why? THE FUTURE!!

Not satisfied with the science fiction novel she selected, Diana tried to see if reading a different book would help. What was Diana reading?

Point Farmer No More: The Downfall of Grant Rodiek – Genre: Fantasy By: Robin Taylor

Grant Rodiek falls in love with at Corgi named Peaches, and neglects to farm points.

So far, Diana Prince is my most self-sufficient Sim. But, she couldn’t figure out what would make her feel better. So, I directed her to take a bath. That worked, and her mood changed from uncomfortable to fine.

It amuses me that The Sims pixelates a Sim that is either taking a bath or using the toilet. It’s a good idea, done in an amusing way. It is sort of like the way they change clothing – by spinning around in a circle and magically swapping out one outfit for another.

Diana earned an achievement I didn’t know existed in this game.

Introvert Achievement: Have a Sim do nothing for 24 hours.

She mostly spent her day reading and recovering from her lack of sleep. It doesn’t sound bad at all! What’s Diana reading now?

Lucas Dark And The Increasingly Unlikely Series of Coincidences – Genre: Mystery By: Lucas Dark

This gripping mystery tells the tale of Lucas Dark, an exceedingly attractive author with nothing left to lose but his mind. Written by future award winner Lucas Dark, this — but wait, that;s the main character’s name too! What a coincidence!

The next day, Diana and her friend returned to the library, stood outside for a while, and had what the game described as a “casual discussion”.

Sims don’t talk to each other in ways that the player can easily understand. The verbalization of ….whatever language Sims speak… is unintelligible. In general, I try and get the main concepts from their conversations based on the pictures that appear in the speech bubbles over their heads.

These two ladies are talking about video games. Diana’s friend spent her time at one of the library’s computers playing video games. Diana also likes video games, so they have something in common.

This led to an extremely awkward hug.

After the awkward hug, Diana’s friend said something that visually translated into a wedding ring that is attached to a “ball-and-chain”. What does this mean? I’m not entirely sure.

One possible meaning is that this woman viewed her marriage as … less than satisfying… and is now divorced. Maybe she really needed a hug from a friend.

Or, maybe she just wanted to make it clear that she isn’t interested in dating Diana Prince in a way that would result in a serious relationship? I dunno.

This interaction resulted in Diana acquiring the Charisma Skill: Diana’s new Skill in Charisma will allow her to successfully Joke more frequently and learn about other Sims faster. More varied types of Interactions unlock at higher levels.

To be clear, it is possible in Sims 4 to have your Sim engage in the most awkward, confusing, conversation possible (with an unexpected hug) – and still earn a Skill called “Charisma”.

This time, the library was crowded with people.

Diana used a computer to post on the Pen Pal Forums. Now, she has to wait and see if anyone responds. She then proceeded to read lots of books.

Violin Vol 1: Basic Violinin’ – Genre: Violin Skill By: Stringy Banner

Interested in learning the violin? Great! If you don’t succeed as a concert violinist, you can always play in the subways for a few bucks on the side!

Point, Don’t Stare – Genre: Mystery By: Helmuth Von Gluck

If you see trouble, act upon it and tell the constable. That’s how things are supposed to go in Hergstrom. However, the fog is thick in the town by the bay and devious dealings are afoot. How can you watch for murder when the fog is this thick?

Painting Vol 1: The Fundamentals of Painting – Genre: Painting Skill By: Siggy Sue

Learn some basic brush techniques as well as some pretentious vocabulary to use at art galleries.

Polka Dot Rumble – Genre: Romance By: Agatha Arlington

1950’s housewives face off in this intense back stabbing, passive-aggressive drama. Gossip abounds, and claws come out, but always with a polka dot apron and a smile.

Eventually, as the library started clearing out, Librarian Raylan Zapata (who is also a Young Adult) started flirting with Diana Prince. The picture in his thought bubble looks like a glass of wine, some crackers, and some cheese.

One would assume that a librarian likes books, so these two have at least one thing in common with each other.

While they were talking, Diana reached Video Gaming Level 2: Diana can now Discuss Game Strategy with other Sims.

When the library was nearly empty, Raylan and Diana talked about cars.

Raylan’s thought bubble shows a burger, fries, and a soda. I think he might have been asking Diana out to dinner.

And then Raylan decided to talk about himself for a while.

The next night, Diana went exploring (other people’s backyards) and found a time capsule.

After returning home, Diana started reading a book. What is she reading?

Love in the Time of Sandwiches – Genre: Romance By: Honcho Sogrensen

Tiny Tino and Gina are in love, but Gina bends to pressure and marries another. Devastated, Tiny Tino finds solace in a love affair with sandwiches of all shapes, sizes, and flavors. Many years later, Gina becomes a widow. Can she love Tino again? Especially now when he isn’t so tiny?

Ok, I think that’s my favorite book out of the ones Diana has read. It makes me giggle!

Later that night, Diana ended up in a conversation with the lady who didn’t like her jokes. This time, it was Diana who wanted to get out of the conversation. As you can see from the screenshot, Diana was tired, hungry, and needed to pee.

This is the only time that I had to fiddle with those controls and point Diana Prince towards a bathroom. Usually, she’s self-aware enough to figure that out on her own.

After using the bathroom, Diana started cooking herself some dinner. In doing so, she reached Level 2 of the Cooking Skill.

Before Diana could eat her dinner, Raylan Zapata sent her a text. He wanted to come over and hang out. Diana no longer needed a bathroom, but she was still hungry and tired.

Diana is thinking about her dinner, and trying to finish eating it. Raylan’s thought bubble has two little pink hearts in it.

Raylan started talking about himself again. This gave Diana some time to eat more of her dinner. Eventually, she managed to get enough to eat, but was still tired.

Shortly after this screenshot was taken, Diana got up, walked into the bedroom, changed into pajamas, and went to sleep. Raylan was still there, so I had to figure out how to get her out of bed and back in the living room.

They had a discussion about … furniture. I think.

At the end of the night, after Raylan left, Diana was exhausted, yet happy. And it appears she really wanted to eat a giant cupcake. Instead, she got some sleep.

Diana Prince got promoted to Quality Assurance. She makes a little more money per hour now, and gets 3 Vacation Days. Her bonus consisted of some Sims money and a Stainless Steel Auto-Pot. I’m guessing that the pot will make it easier and/or faster for her to cook meals.