Our Design Process + Relationship Brainstorming Highlights

Can we get a design process update soon please? 😊🙏🏼

Sydney Lovell

I absolutely adore the idea of parapets seeking out sad or tense paras!

Macey

As a fellow game designer this glimpse into your process is fascinating! Hopefully we get more design glimpses like this in the future?

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I've been thinking a crazy idea: how about the memory system which is very meaningful to the relationships. No more memories about angry reading but the memories which really affects the relationships between the paras. I give you some examples. ▪If A declare B their enemy, insult, betray, or something else very horrible to B, the memory prevents them ever become very close (again). ▪Anniversaries are nice days as long as the relationship is otherwise fine enough and the memory about the wedding party is positive. The day may give a nice boost for spouses or on the contrary, remind them of all that sorrow and disappointment. However, if the memory is positive, forgetting to celebrate it may lead to the stressful situation - the classical scenario from the comedy shows. ▪ If the para C has tendency to have grudges, the others should be aware of it and better not to piss them off if the good relationship is important to maintain. ▪good shared memories and nostalgicing them but also the missfortunes of the life survived together makes the paras closer to each other ▪depending on the para's traits, forgiving and accepting it has the big part in this system Sorry, just a few random notes and examples to describe my ideas. If I messed up the writing, please free to ask. (:

Annamaris

I was thinking over the past few days about ideas on how gradual aging could work and being able to see those changes, and I think gradual aging could work in four stages. Either by months (aka a season). So say every (again I’m saying hypothetically if we get months that correlate to seasons that equate to a year like in real life. And if paras have birthdays that would be based on the season they were born in, which they would age up in each birthday). Your para would take a year in game to gradually age up physically, until their next birthday, so you’d see over each season how they change, instead of them aging up and having a birthday every season like sims. If this is confusing I’ll give an example, if my para was born during the winter season, you’d see them gradually age physically over every season until the next winter (their birthday) instead of having them age up each season. So with that being said, every season would be divided into thirds just like how there is 3 months to a season in real life, this would add up to how many days a season lasts. 90 in game days for each season but it could be shortened if people want quicker days. Stage 1: 1-3 months Spring. Is the very early stage of a para aging up in their new age group whatever age group they’re aging in to,you won’t notice change right away or at all. Stage 2: 3-6 months or Summer . You’d notice some aging happening in the face,smaller details, but still noticeable Stage 3: 6-9 months or Autumn. you’d see more changes that will be noticeable now for their age Stage 4: 9-12 months Winter. More dramatic change now and should appear as they should be I n this age, unless they have genetic code to not age quickly but slowly, like an adult para who still looks like a young adult para.

S&M Gonzalez

I really like that idea, that you can share custody with the other parent that are involved in my paralives life!

I heared that gradual aging is difficult to programize so how about the mix of gradual aging and life stages? Like you are getting some wrinkles, your hair is starting to go lighter/grayer at some point. I think the key is to avoid the drastic jump between the ages. Adulthood is much deeper than being in your 20s, 40s and grow old. I also would like to see years, like she is 29 years old. Of course you dont have to make changes in every year, just it would add depth into the game if you could see how old is actually your charachter.

Szabolcs P.

It would be cool too if it depended on their personality because my friends remember how we first met but I don't lol.

Layla Atkinson

I can't wait for the Chalet video! And also, great ideas for relationships, sounds really exciting :)

Omg!!! I'm pretty sure one of these ideas was one that I suggested on the Reddit, it's so awesome to see you guys actually hearing us and doing your best to implement them! Even if it doesn't end up in the final product, thank you for hearing us!

Taylor

I think it’d be cool if paras remembered where they first met whether they remain friends, acquaintances or remain strangers. But if they ever do pursue to talk further they’d remember their first encounter. Or when they get crushes on other paras (based on appearances) they’ve never talked to before they’d remember where they first saw them at and got that attraction to them.

S&M Gonzalez

The detail is amazing! You guys are all doing amazing work and I cannot wait to see the final product! :)

Can You guys implement attraction and chemistry ? They are two different things and could correspond well together in the game.

Nadia

I cannot express how hyped I am for asymmetrical and open relationships. Also pets coming to comfort a sad Para? I love everything about this!

Shariza

These suggestions are all wonderful. I think the best way to incorporate a system to establish pre-existing relationship strengths for brand new created Paras would be to maybe have a 1-5 rating you could select from, with each number having a label. E.g. 1 is labelled as “Absolute Enemies”, 3 is “Amiable Associates” and 5 is “Best Buds” (and the labels could change depending on how they’re related to each other). And you just pick from these where you want these two Paras to start off at in terms of how they feel about one another.

sounds amazing!!!!

Yup, makes perfect sense ! And if somebody is impatient about building a relationship - we could always use cheats ?

PixelPerfect

im WELL glad im not programming this xD but you are the bestttttt <3 this sounds like its going to be bril!

thank you for always keeping us updated :')

Marina

Love all the ideas you grabbed. Sounds like it's going to be an actual simulation game...can't wait!

BreakingGaia

So exciting seeing this process

Twilightbutterflypink

Maybe based on first impression, one Para would remember the other for longer, and the other would already forget them. This could lead to the situations like "- Hey, Lisa! - Um, who are you? - You don't remember me? We met at Garrett's party!"

Domon0310

Amazing ideas for relationships!

Amalia12

I’m sure someone asked this already.... are pets going to be playable? I miss them being playable in the Sims but if they were independent enough and didn’t ask for walks every 5 seconds, I think I could get on board. Especially if I see them tippy-tapping when my Para got home 🥺🥰

Stephanie Kuldell

I'm really interested in game design. I think that your design process is pretty strong. Are there any reference/book or something that you will suggest? At the moment I'm studying "the art of game design".

You guys are amazing, thank you for the hard work you put into this game. Can’t wait to see more from you❤️

Tini

Amazing! I just can't with the ideas! Love them. One of them made me think about how very common jobs never make it to life simulation games, like plumber or electrician. Even if we don't play with paras during their working hours, their profession could affect the rest of their life, like with advice or fixing things, as suggested in your own ideas. With every job! FInancial, decoration or parenting advice that may or may not be taken into account, but at least is there so their life is more meaningful. PD: Love the info about how you work! You guys are amazing!

Auntyleti

looks like a very professional workflow :D paralives is in such good hands, honestly. thank you all for all your hard work!!

chameleonwren

I suggest that when you are building up a relationship with someone, you just cannot keep up talking with him pretending to be friends in 5 minutes, you have to effort about it, talk one day, another day and so until you build up a love relationship or a friendly one, and if you are too persistent with that para, she or he might be bored about you, and will be almost immpossible to recover that relationship, i hope that someome could understand me.

Felipe Garbagnati

Perfect

Felipe Garbagnati

There's so much untapped potential you guys are reaching for and I'm loving the way the team is collaborating with fans and amongst themselves to make it reality for actual game play!! Keep the passion flowing,..go team! 😄

tey711

Love the ideas. It would be awesome if paras could be introduced to eachother even without actually meeting. Like para A talks about para B to para C. Now para C knows about or has assumptions about para B.

Ashley Brent

Loving all the ideas, great job guys with the brainstorming!

Delisa Dickstein

With every post, i get even more excited for this game!! Love the ideas for relationships. I was wondering...would parafolk be able to have like reactions or impressions of certain relationships? Like if a teen girl (or boy) start dating someone, the parent could have like a "buff" when they are around the boyfriend/girlfriend and it either boosts or lowers their mood depending on if they like them or not?? Or like a grandparent disapproves of someone they can have a negative buff when they are around them or when around the in-laws...?

queentowwy

Love the ideas for relationships!!

Ida

I asked about long distance relationships a long time ago and that they are actually so interested in having it in game now makes me so happy I've been in a long distance relationship for 2 years with only 4 months of living together I'm excited to see what they are going to do with it and how it might work☺️

luana maria

Yes, yes, yes!! 😊

I'm so thrilled to hear there's community support for polyamorous Paras! I just hope it won't be in a hierarchical or couple-centric way (a primary couple whose members have secondary relationships). I also really hope non-reciprocal relationships make it into the game. It would be really cool and add so much depth to the relationship system.

Aaron

Hey, not sure if this is a valid feedback sharing space, but I also think that an amazing addition to the relationships system would be to choose some friendships to not decay over time since everyone has that friend you never talk to, but when you do, it feels like you've never been away. Normally that happens with friends you created when you were really really young, but it can also happen to people that really fit one with another. It would definitely add some extra layer of immersion to the game. All the love, everything looks amazing! <3

I’m so excited to play this game upon it’s release. Being able to create a character that’s short just like me is an experience I’ve always looked forward to 😂

Kunato

I think that pairing the examples together caused some muddying. But I took the student/teacher to mean that they wouldn't have the same type of impression/fondness of each other. So a teacher may think the child is adorable, be fond and care about them but not the way a parent would or, even if they were equally fond or hostile towards each other, it wouldn't be like peers. I hope that explanation made sense? For comparison, in an unrequited love situation, that may look like the love interest perceiving the other as their friend but the one with the crush perceiving flirting. So they would have different impressions of and/or gain different buffs/impact from an interaction

WOW, I would say, I love the paralives community so much. Those ideas for relationship are incredible. I couldn't even imagine those possibilities, seeking ideas and help from the community it is indeed the best thing to do. THANKS A LOT PARALIVES TEAM AND PARALIVES COMMUNITY. Love you 🤗

Song_Jeri~^^

I definitely like the idea of one-sided unrequited love. That happens a lot in real life. (Not talking from personal experience at all here...ahem...sniff 😥). It would make for really interesting gameplay.

Emerald Sausage

They didn't say it was a love thing, they just listed it as an example of an asymmetrical relationship

Jasmine Perdigon

Would the student/teacher be more for college?

Camy

I think the teacher and student love thing is kind of weird..

Priscilla

Aww the pet thing is so cute ♥️ I didn’t even think of that lol

Simmons

Overall, I think your brainstorming and design processes makes sense and they are key to providing an enjoyable gaming experience. I can't wait to see some gameplay in action down the road.

hjs_wells

I mean Alex, I'm still waiting for you to accept my marriage proposal... <3

Christophe Zajac

That's amazing, thank you! Have a nice weekend!

Jana Mahlich

So far, I love all of these relationship options and hope they make it in.

Tehkeela Suhnrayze

I love everything here. I'm super excited!

Elizabeth Gonzales

Thank you! We have a first version of the stairs but it's very basic. We'd like to improve the stair tools to make them really flexible. The goal is to be able to place objects under stairs but not sure yet if Paras will be able to walk under them if there's not enough room

Alex Massé

Yes! That's something we told ourselves and we'd like to work on that!

Alex Massé

We are looking into wants and fears, it's mixed with personalities and relationships!

Alex Massé

Didn't even think of shared custody, but wow, that's a great idea. I also like the pets seeking you/recognizing visitors

Shared custody options and the younger is quicker to gain+lose relationship value both seem like really excellent additions in particular

nemo

Thanks for another amazing update and all of your hardwork! I'm kinda curious to know: since you haven't started working on stairs are you planning on making it possible to have little rooms under them? or that's not planned at the moment?

John PT

Wow can’t wait until we see gameplay trailer

Shooketh

Me too! That's basically me and my husband 🥰

Anna Robbins she.they

Idk about love at first sight, but I definitely think an attraction system would work similarly where you are super attracted to someone and build relationship faster

Queen Alyssa

I kind of forgot about the Canandian Chalet build. Can't wait to see how it works out in the end!! 😊😊

Deborah Mutombo

Wow it’s pretty amazing at how much you guys have done! So excited for this game

Mikeela Chandler

Everything about this is so exciting. Thank you for keeping us updated. If all of this came to fruition it’d be a dream come true

Jaylene N

Everything on that list sounds so awesome! Some are features I didn't even know I wanted but would add SOOO much depth to the game. As usual super thrilled with the progress!😍

Katie Bellissimo

All these ideas makes me so excited! I love the pet ideas omg so friggin cute 😭😍 and yes yes yes for adult sleepovers! yall are doing amazing work and thank you to the community for the awesome ideas for them!!

Diamond Nicole

Oh my good I love the ideas about pets!!!!

Fantastic ideas!! 👏🏻👏🏻❤️ are pets and kids gonna be happy when they see their beloved parents return home from work? (If the relationship is great ofc?) I would love to see a dog jump up and down of pure excitement and a kid running into it’s parents loving arms at arrival 😍

Barbara

Oooh compatibility and chemistry is super important

Nazly Sabet

Fantastic, thank you for your transparency, I always look forward to the friday update 😊

Lucy McClean

I love _everything_ on the brainstorming list. I hope you manage to get much of it in game! Thanks so much for going into your process. I love when we get small insights into how you work. Amazing post! ❤️

Zahlea

Amazing work guys, the ideas for relationships sound really good and lots of fun, specially the pet aspect! Take care ❤️

I love the new ideas you got. I really like the ask friends for help/services feature. It would be so cool to ask your skilled neighbor to fix your shower or get a call of a friend to hang out on their house and when you get there they confess they called you because their toilet broke and you know how to fix it because you’re a plumber or whatever 😂

MrPinguv

Please Alex, Don’t forget to focus more on interactivity with the house, much more than in The Sims. Because in the end you have so many furniture and few things to do, in addition to the usual ‘handing, going to the bathroom, reading a book, etc.’

Em Cottone

I loooove the idea of love at first sight!

Awesome update cant wait for the building video

Deborah Aittokallio

Same! ❤️

Lenny

"Pets recognizing Paras that come over a lot" omg another feature I never knew I needed 🥺😭

Aleksandra

So excited for what’s to come! Thank you for the update.

Jesslynn

I love the integration and of pets helping out sad Paras!!!! That’s so awesome!

Zeevryn

Thanks for the update!

Trixia Lacsamana

I love this so much! Great to hear! Will a dynamic Wants/ and Fears system be part of Paralives? I notice it’s not listed in the Live Mode systems, but maybe it is part of another one. This is essential to my (and many others) play style. It adds a natural guided direction Also, even a very primitive points-based interest system could add depth and provide the player guidance as to how to live a para’s life, what job to choose, what hobbies to get involved with, etc.

Michael

Ahh so exciting! Thank you for this update~