Humans (and most intelligent life for that matter) are highly emotional-driven beings, and as those intelligent creatures forming virtual realities such as The Sims, we tend to incorporate this primal drive into our creations.
The Sims 4 revitalizes the Emotions mechanics used in its predecessors, adding further depth to it to make the virtual world more realistic to response.
That emotional response can be to various things, ranging from innate traits to the surroundings and even to random occurrences, much like in real life.
For more help on The Sims 4, read our Potions, How to Level Up Skills and Collectibles Guide.
The Sims 4 Emotions and Moodlets
In Sims 4, a Sim isn’t just Happy or Sad, but can experience a wide variety of emotions.
The trigger of these emotions is the combination of Moodlets that are acquired from the surroundings of a Sim, and the small incidents and instances in their daily lives.
Understanding the Emotions mechanic of your Sims is essential if you wish to build a society that prospers collectively, with its units simultaneously prospering as well.
In order to do so, you’ll need to master and manipulate these Emotions in such a way that you provide positive balance.
The Sims 4 Emotions
Emotions for your Sims have a huge impact on their social interactions and what kind of activities they can take part in.
Just like with any person in real life, there are a large variety of emotions that your average Sim will experience; and much like real life, most Sims are naturally inclined towards a specific kind of emotion that comes to them more easily.
The Emotions of a Sim can be seen at a glance when you click on them. Next to their portrait, it will often show their Emotion in texts (and their portrait will also change to reflect the emotion) with a distinctive color.
For example, if a Sim is Very Sad, it will say so with the iconic blue color, and a sad version of the portrait.
Fine
Though this emotion may seem very common, it is not, and it’s not exception for Sims. When you start a game, all your Sims will be in a Fine emotional state.
However, they’ll rarely ever stay Fine for long, and will quickly start acquiring different moodlets that will change their emotions to something else.
Fine is basically the most neutral emotion in Sims, and also the rarest. It provides no benefits or negatives, and usually occurs when positive and negative moodlets cancel each other out (almost never).
Happy
Sims get Happy easily, and you’ll tend to notice this as the most commonly observed emotion in the game.
Few of the easiest ways to get this emotion is to be in a better environment, with good decoration in your home, having good quality food, and visiting certain places.
Sims with the Cheerful trait are most likely to get Happy, and those with the Gloomy will experience this positive emotion less.
The benefits for a Sim while being Happy are near endless – nearly everything gets a slight bonus, and that specific Sim will tend to progress better in almost everything he/she does. This emotion also provides a few additional social options, which can further make other Sims happy.
In addition to helping your Sim in everyday life, Happy also tends to boost other positive emotions like Flirty or Confident; Happy moodlets will make such emotions last longer.
Confident
Confident is an emotion that greatly aids in the success that a Sim achieves in life. This emotion starts to arise when Sims start using their skills successfully, having a good day at work, or engaging in successful conversations or social interactions with others.
Sims with the Self-Assured trait have an easier time in becoming and staying confident.
Confidence also allows Sims to build up friendships easily, and really benefits when you’re working on the Charisma skill. Confident like Happy has a longer duration than most other emotions.
Playful
Sims with the Goofball trait tend to be Playful, which results them in being silly or goofy (in a good way).
Using funny socials during conversation and reading/watching comedy books/shows also allows a Sim to get into this emotion. Playful in general has a short duration but is vital in building up the Comedy skill if you wish to take it further.
Flirty
When Sims are Flirty, they actually feel romantic. Obviously, those with the Romantic trait are more likely to succumb to this emotion – not that it’s a bad thing of course.
Flirty is a short-lived emotion but holds a lot of benefits, particularly when you are looking to build relationships.
In order to get a Sim in a flirty emotion, he/she has to listen to romantic music, watch romantic shows, read romantic books, or look at romantic artwork.
A Sim can also get romantic by taking a steamy shower. This opens up romantic social interactions and can get other Sims in a Flirty mood.
Since this emotion is fairly short-lived, you’ll need to keep on doing various romance-related things to maintain it.
Flirty emotion is essential if a Sim wishes to exchange kisses and have an invitation to a WooHoo location in Sims 4, which will be more satisfying for Flirty Sims. This emotion in general, drives all relationship and sexual interactions that a Sim can participate in.
Focused
The Focused emotion is largely affiliated with Sims performing specific attention-requiring tasks like using computers or reading books. Sims with the Genius trait can become Focused quite easily compared to others.
However, other Sims generally tend to have a hard time being Focused, and it happens quite rarely. When they do get into this emotional state, it can last for quite a while, so make sure to take full use of it.
While a Sim is focused, he/she can develop four different skills much quicker and complete tasks at hand much faster and better. Sims that are in technical fields like Astronaut or Tech Guru also perform more efficiently in their work when Focused.
In order to get your Sim Focused, try and reading books and using the computer or programming. Once your Sim gets into this emotional state, utilize its duration through whatever means possible.
Energized
Energized is an emotion almost entirely related to physical activity, and can be triggered by getting your Sim to jog, work out, or play sports. Sims with the Active trait can get Energized easily.
You can also get your Sim Energized by listening to music like electronica and rock, by drinking coffee, or by watching an action movie. Once a Sim is energized, physical activities like push-ups will open up for him/her.
Energized Sims tend to perform better in physical related activities and careers, such as Secret Agent or even (sadly) Criminal. It also benefits Sims in the Fitness skills.
Inspired
Sims who feel Inspired are ready to perform imaginative and creative tasks from the go. Those with the Creative trait tend to get Inspired easily.
Sims that are Inspired can strengthen skills like Cooking, Gourmet Cooking, Painting, Mixology, Writing, Music, and more.
A Sim can become Inspired by listening to jazz or classical music, or by viewing art. Those who are in a creative careers like Writer, Entertainer career etc. will benefit greatly once they are inspired and are more likely to be promoted.
Angry
Angry Sims are mad at the world, and everything they do or say reflects that. Those Hot-Headed trait are prone to anger more than the usual Sim, and have angry social interaction options available to them.
The emotion itself is normally triggered through negative conversations or interactions with other Sims.
Generally, Angry is a negative emotion, and will often take a toll on a Sim’s life, effecting their career and having inability to make friends. Sims that are Angry even have a high risk of getting fired from work.
However, the Angry emotion – though primarily negative – can be beneficial in some cases; if you have the Public Enemy Aspiration, staying angry can allow you to complete your objectives easily.
They also develop the Mischief skill through anger, and can perform Angry art or Angry workouts.
Sad
Sad is a long-lasting and difficult to get out of emotion for Sims. Those with the Gloomy trait tend to get sad more easily than other Sims. Sims often become sad if they are socially rejected or experience negative socials.
In addition, events such as breaking up, getting a divorce, or losing a job can also trigger this emotion.
Sad Sims generally take a penalty on just about everything, with negative impacts on work, social interactions, and skill development. Going to work Sad will greatly delay your promotion.
However, Sad Sims generally tend to progress much better in creative actions like Painting and Writing.
Once a Sim is Sad, another Sim with a positive emotional state has additional social options available to try to cheer him/her up.
Uncomfortable
Sims will start feel Uncomfortable when their needs are not being met. This generally involves Hunger, lack of Hygiene, or drop in Energy.
Being Uncomfortable is obviously a negative state, and it has an effect on the development of skills, and can also greatly hurt their productivity level at work.
Unlike Sadness and Anger, Uncomfortable is an easy emotion to tackle. All you have to do is identify the needs of the Sim, and make sure that they are provided. Doing so will get rid of discomfort and allow Sims to live better lives.
Tense
Tense is a negative emotion that is closely tied with your Sim’s career and traits. Generally, if your Sim’s needs are not met before they go to work, they will become overburdened and hence be Tensed.
When Sims are Tensed, try to reduce the amount of time they work in order to prevent them from being overburdened.
Sims will also become tensed when their lifestyle is going opposite to their traits. For example, if your Sim is Outgoing but is not getting sufficient social interaction, he/she will start becoming Tense.
Sims who are Tense will struggle to develop skills and the stress will also affect their careers. You can try and reduce their stress through social interactions and partying as well.
Embarrassed
When Sims become Embarrassed, they prefer being alone for a while. This is usually as a result of some kind of experience they had that was socially awkward, such as being rejected while trying to kiss another Sim.
The impact of embarrassment is primarily on the social interactions, with majority of the social options becoming unavailable (except for apologies).
Embarrassed emotions thankfully don’t last too long, and can be gotten out of easily by apologizing or interacting with other Sims who are Embarrassed.
Bored
Bored Sims are those who are deprived of Fun.
While you might be tending to their absolute necessities, Sims that do not have enough Fun in their lives will become Bored, which will lead to lowered development of skills and lack of desire to advance towards promotion in work.
If your Sim does become bored, you can get them out of this state easily by indulging in fun activities like Videogames, Watching TV, or going out with friends.
Dazed
Dazed is probably the strangest emotion, and the least experienced by Sims. This rare emotion usually occurs after drinking too much coffee or beer, or when getting shocks from electricity.
You won’t encounter many Dazed Sims in your experience, and you should avoid making any Dazed by excessive coffee or beer drinking.
Generally, a Dazed Sim will have lowered development of skills and won’t do too well at work. However, new interesting social options will open up for those who are Dazed.
The Sims 4 Moodlets
Moodlets are closely tied with Emotions because they combine together to suggest how the Sim feels. Moodlets are basically effects that result from different influences in a Sim’s everyday life. They are mostly short-lived (a few hours) and conditional.
In order to view the moodlets, move your cursor to the moodlets icon under the currently selected Sim’s portrait. This will tell you a description of the moodlet, what is triggering it, and how long it will last.
There are over a thousand moodlets in The Sims, so identifying all of them can be hard. However, you can gather a lot from the surroundings of the respective Sim to understand what kind of moodlets are being generated.
Below are a few essential factors that can give out positive and negative moodlets to a Sim.
Needs
The first and foremost thing that will influence the emotions of your Sim are his/her basic needs.
Ensuring that your Sim is getting all of the required needs is one of the most fundamental ways of giving out positive moodlets. These moodlets are usually Happy, but will boost up any other positive Emotion that the Sim is currently feeling (Confidence, Focused, Flirty etc.).
Needs are also tied with the Sim’s respective traits.
For example, if a Sim has an Active trait, you want to be tending to his/her physical activities in order to prevent the Sim from becoming Tensed or Uncomfortable.
Negative moodlets will start to arise if your Sim is not getting his/her needs and basic trait requirements fulfilled.
Environment
A Sim’s structural surroundings play a large role in giving out positive or negative moodlets. If your Sim has a well-decorated house with plants and cleanliness, he/she will get positive moodlets.
Similarly, going to museums and other buildings with good environment will give out positive moodlets. Some objects even have a positive moodlet aura, such as a romantic painting that will give out a Flirty moodlet.
On the other hand, if your environment is poor and dirty, your Sim will start becoming Sad or Uncomfortable, with negative moodlets coming in.
Tending to these needs is essential, and the best way to do so is to make sure that a Sim’s home is well invested into, and provides lots of positive moodlets through decorations, good cleanliness, and a comfortable setup.
Socializing
Socializing is a very important factor that produces a large variety of different moodlets. While Needs and Environment are mostly controllable and have fixed positives and negatives, Socializing can provide a wide mix of moodlets that can quickly change the Emotions of your Sims.
Friendly socials will always generate Happy moodlets for others, while Romantic wil tend to increase Flirty moodlets. Similarly, some Angry Emotions can easily turn a bunch of joyous folks into Angry and Sad Sims.
Socializing can be combined with a positive Environment to encourage the generation of Happy moodlets.
Even if a conversation between two Sims isn’t going all that well, if the Environment is good, the overall combined effect of the various moodlets can allow for both of them to remain Happy or maintain any other positive Emotion.
Activities
Even when everything and everyone around you is A-Okay, sometimes you need to generate your own moods and emotions through actions.
Sims are no different in this regard, and simple actions generate moodlets. These actions can range from something as simple as watching TV to working out, and further beyond.
Almost each and every action gives out some kind of moodlet.
Take a steamy shower and you’ll get Flirty moodlets, or do well in your work and you’ll acquire Confident moodlets. The best thing that you can do is allow Sims to perform actions that go along well with their traits.
For example, for a Genius trait Sim, you want to be making sure they spend some time programming and doing smart stuff for ensure positive moodlets.
Some moodlets however don’t fall into any category. For example, a Sim could be next to a person playing an instrument in a very bad way, which can give out negative moodlets.
Similarly, how a Sim performs at work also tends to give out certain moodlets.
If gardening is something that intrigues you, then you might want to learn how to get a cowplant and grow it in Sims 4.
