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How To Make Time Fly: A Sim’s Guide to Aging in The Sims 4

Aging in The Sims 4 is a fundamental aspect of the game, driving the narrative and allowing your Sims to experience the full spectrum of life. Aging other Sims beyond your active household can be achieved in a few key ways. The most common and straightforward method is through the use of birthday cakes. Simply have a Sim bake a cake, add birthday candles, and then have the Sim you wish to age blow out the candles. This will trigger their age transition. Alternatively, for more immediate results, you can use Sim commands/cheats. Open the cheat console (Ctrl + Shift + C), type testingcheats true, then shift-click on the Sim you want to age and select “Trigger Age Transition“. Keep in mind that age settings impact how quickly Sims age overall, which we’ll discuss below.

The Mechanics of Mortality: Understanding Aging

The Sims 4 operates with distinct life stages: Baby, Toddler, Child, Teen, Young Adult, Adult, and Elder. Each stage has a set lifespan determined by your game settings. Understanding these mechanics is crucial for managing your Sims’ lives and ensuring a balanced gameplay experience.

Lifespan Settings

The duration of each life stage is governed by the lifespan settings in the game options. You can choose between Short, Normal, and Long lifespans. A Short lifespan offers a faster-paced game with quicker transitions between ages, perfect for players who enjoy rapid generational changes. The Normal lifespan provides a balanced experience, allowing Sims to develop skills, relationships, and careers at a reasonable pace. The Long lifespan extends each stage significantly, giving you ample time to explore all facets of your Sims’ lives and complete aspirations. Choosing the right setting is key to aligning the game’s progression with your personal play style.

Turning Aging On and Off

The Sims 4 allows you to disable aging altogether, effectively freezing your Sims in their current life stage. This is useful if you want to focus on specific Sims without worrying about them aging or if you want to create a timeless neighborhood. You can toggle aging on and off in the game options. Just remember that disabling aging affects all Sims in your game, not just your active household. There’s also an auto-age (played Sims) and auto-age (unplayed Sims) setting. Disabling auto-aging for unplayed Sims allows you to control the aging of your active household while the rest of the world doesn’t progress with time.

The Birthday Cake Method: A Sweet Transition

The birthday cake is the classic Sims method for aging. Any Sim with a cooking skill can bake a cake. Then, by adding birthday candles to the cake, a Sim can blow them out and immediately age up to the next life stage. This method allows you to control when a Sim ages, ensuring you’re ready for the transition.

Diving Deeper: Cheats, Mods, and Advanced Techniques

For players seeking more control over their Sims’ aging, The Sims 4 offers cheats and supports mods that can significantly alter the aging mechanics.

Using Cheats for Instant Aging

Cheats provide a direct way to manipulate your Sims’ age. To use them, open the cheat console by pressing Ctrl + Shift + C. Type testingcheats true and press Enter. This activates cheat mode. Then, shift-click on the Sim you want to age and select “Trigger Age Transition“. This will instantly age the Sim to the next life stage. Be mindful that using cheats can sometimes have unintended consequences, so save your game before experimenting.

Mods for Customized Aging

The Sims 4 community is vibrant, and many talented modders have created mods that offer fine-grained control over aging. These mods can allow you to customize the lifespan of each life stage, create custom age ranges, and even introduce new aging-related gameplay elements. Popular mods for aging control include those that allow you to set specific lifespans for each age group or to pause aging for individual Sims. Always download mods from reputable sources and be sure to read the installation instructions carefully.

Aging Up Pets

While pets don’t age in the same way as Sims, you can still control their aging to some extent. There are treats you can buy that can either age up or age down your pets. They don’t change life states, like puppy or kitten, but can give them the physical appearance of a younger or older pet.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some frequently asked questions about aging in The Sims 4, designed to provide even more clarity and guidance.

How do I stop my Sims from aging?
- Go to the game options and disable the “Auto Age (Played Sims)” option. This will prevent your active household from aging. You can also disable “Auto Age (Unplayed Sims)” to prevent other Sims in the world from aging.
Can I reverse a Sim’s age?
- Not without using cheats or mods. The Potion of Youth will restart the current life stage, not send them back to a previous stage.
How do I make my Sim age faster?
- Set the lifespan option to “Short”. Alternatively, you can use cheats or mods to instantly age up your Sims.
What happens when a Sim reaches the Elder stage?
- Elders can still live active and fulfilling lives. They can pursue hobbies, spend time with family, and even work. Eventually, Elders will die of old age, though the timing of their death is somewhat random.
Can I control when my Sims die of old age?
- Not directly. However, you can extend their lifespan by keeping them happy and healthy. Certain skills and aspirations can also grant traits that increase longevity.
How do I bake a birthday cake?
- Your Sim needs a cooking skill of at least level 2. Then, select the “Bake Cake” option on the refrigerator or stove. Once the cake is baked, you can add birthday candles to it.
What happens when a baby ages up to a toddler?
- They get a full makeover! They can now walk around, talk, and learn skills. Toddlerhood is a crucial stage for developing your Sims’ personality and future traits.
Can my Sims die from anything other than old age?
- Yes. Sims can die from a variety of causes, including fire, drowning, starvation, electrocution, and even emotional stress.
What are the consequences of aging in The Sims 4?
- As Sims age, they gain new abilities, unlock new interactions, and develop their personalities. However, they also face new challenges, such as declining health in the Elder stage.
How do I use cheats to age up a Sim?
- Open the cheat console (Ctrl + Shift + C), type testingcheats true, then shift-click on the Sim you want to age and select “Trigger Age Transition“.
Do pets age in The Sims 4?
- Yes, pets age but in a somewhat different way than Sims. There are treats that will change their appearance to that of a younger or older pet.
Can I pause aging for a specific Sim?
- Not without using mods. The game options only allow you to pause aging for all Sims or for your active household.
What are the benefits of a long lifespan?
- A long lifespan gives you more time to develop your Sims’ skills, complete aspirations, and build relationships. It also allows you to experience more of the game’s content.
How do I choose the right lifespan setting for my game?
- Consider your play style. If you enjoy rapid generational changes, choose a Short lifespan. If you prefer a more relaxed and immersive experience, choose a Long lifespan.
Where can I learn more about game design and educational approaches to gaming?
- You can explore resources like the Games Learning Society, which focuses on the intersection of games and education. Visit their website at GamesLearningSociety.org to discover more about how games can be used for learning and development.

By mastering the art of aging in The Sims 4, you can shape the destinies of your Sims and create compelling stories that resonate with your own experiences and aspirations. Experiment with different settings, explore the possibilities of cheats and mods, and most importantly, have fun!

How do you age other Sims in Sims 4?