Will Sims Move Into Empty Houses? A Comprehensive Guide to Population Dynamics in The Sims 4
Fast answer first. Then use the tabs or video for more detail.
- Watch the video explanation below for a faster overview.
- Game mechanics may change with updates or patches.
- Use this block to get the short answer without scrolling the whole page.
- Read the FAQ section if the article has one.
- Use the table of contents to jump straight to the detailed section you need.
- Watch the video first, then skim the article for specifics.
Yes, Sims will move into empty houses in The Sims 4, but it’s not always automatic and depends on several factors, primarily whether Story Progression is enabled. When Story Progression is on, the game actively tries to populate your world with new families, ensuring that empty houses don’t stay empty for long. This is crucial for keeping your neighborhoods feeling alive and dynamic. However, this isn’t the only way Sims might end up moving into your vacant lots. Other game mechanics and player actions also play a role in determining how your Sim neighborhoods populate. Let’s dive deeper into how it all works.
How Story Progression Impacts Population
Story Progression and Automatic Move-Ins
The cornerstone of automatic Sim relocation is Story Progression. This setting, found in your game options, dictates whether the game will autonomously generate and move families into empty residential lots. With Story Progression enabled, you’ll notice that your neighborhoods fill up naturally over time, simulating a bustling community. This system is specifically designed to address the need for NPCs (Non-Player Characters), like coworkers, neighbors, and friends, which are essential for engaging gameplay. If you’ve ever wondered why random Sims are wandering around town, it’s often Story Progression at work, filling in the gaps of your world.
The Pace of Repopulation
While Story Progression ensures that your worlds will eventually get populated, the rate at which new Sims move in isn’t always immediate. The game typically adds new households slowly, often with a new one moving in roughly once per Sim week. This staggered approach keeps the game from feeling too crowded too quickly, and provides a more organic sense of growth. Keep in mind, however, that only your currently played world is subject to automatic repopulation. Other worlds, when not actively played, will generally remain as you left them.
Player Actions and Household Management
Moving Sims Into Empty Lots
Even with Story Progression on, you’re not completely at the mercy of the game. You have the option to control the population dynamics yourself. For example, you can move a household from your Library (where you save your custom families and lots) into any empty residential lot. To do this, simply click on the vacant lot in live mode and select “Move in Household from Library.” This option allows you to pick from your pre-created families, and move them in without them having to pay for the lot.
The Moving Truck Icon
Another way to populate your neighborhood is by manually moving in your actively played household into an empty lot. When you want your current family to move, you can navigate to the desired empty lot and click on the large button in the bottom-right corner, which is symbolized by a moving truck icon. This allows you to move your current household into a new home directly.
Evicting and Merging Households
When you attempt to move your household into a lot that’s already occupied, the game will prompt you with two choices: evict the current family and take their lot, or merge your current family with the existing family. If you choose to evict, the evicted family does not disappear from the game; they become “homeless” and no longer reside on a residential lot. This action, if you use the “Move in Household from Library” feature as described above, will not remove a family already residing on an inhabited lot, you will be unable to use this option on such a lot. If the lot is empty, then you can use the “Move in Household from Library” feature.
Controlling NPC Movement
Using Beds to Discourage Move-Ins
If there are specific lots you don’t want NPCs to move into, you can change the number of beds in those lots to zero. Doing this discourages NPCs from moving in. This can be particularly useful if you want to keep lots open for future building or other purposes. By limiting the presence of beds, you are in essence telling the game that the lot is not intended to be occupied.
Newcrest and Custom Towns
It’s worth noting that Newcrest is a world intentionally designed to be completely empty. It’s not a bug if it’s devoid of Sims when you load it up; Newcrest is meant for you to create your own town, either by building your own lots or importing them from the gallery or your personal library.
Common Issues and Troubleshooting
Resetting Stuck Sims
Sometimes, your Sims might become stuck or unresponsive. To fix this, you can use the “resetSim” cheat. Simply open the cheat window by pressing CTRL + Shift + C and type “resetSim [Sim’s First Name] [Sim’s Last Name]”. This is useful if Sims are not performing actions correctly and you need to essentially “reboot” them in game.
Moving Between Households
If you’re having trouble transferring Sims between households in Manage Worlds, it’s possible you’ve reached the maximum sim count. To fix this, either increase the max sim count in the game settings or move some unplayed Sims into the “other households” category.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How do I stop random Sims from moving into my empty houses?
While you can’t completely stop it with Story Progression on, you can reduce the likelihood by changing the number of beds to zero. Also, you can turn off Story Progression entirely to control the move-in process more directly.
2. What happens to evicted Sims in The Sims 4?
Evicted Sims become “homeless” in that they are no longer living on any of the residential lots in your worlds but remain in the game for interactions. This is not the same as deleting them. They still exist as NPCs within the world, ready for your Sim to interact with.
3. Why can’t I ask a Sim to move in?
The “ask to move in” option appears in the FRIENDLY menu once you have a certain level of friendship. Focus on building either romantic or friendly relationships with the desired sim to unlock this option.
4. Why is Newcrest empty when I start a new game?
Newcrest is designed to be a blank slate, a world of empty lots for you to build or download and populate as you wish.
5. Why are none of my Sims moving?
If your Sims are stuck, try using the “resetSim” cheat. Open the cheat console with CTRL + Shift + C, then type “resetSim [Sim’s First Name] [Sim’s Last Name]”. If this does not help, try turning on Story Progression within the game options.
6. Can I move an NPC into my household?
Yes, the simplest way to move in an NPC is to have one of your playable Sims marry them. This moves them in automatically and allows you to promote them to a playable Sim. The marriage option becomes available when the relationship reaches a certain level.
7. How can I have multiple households in the same neighborhood?
You can create new families by selecting an empty lot and creating a new family there, or by using the household manager from the map view. The option with the two people in the upper right corner allows you to start a new family.
8. Why can’t I transfer Sims between households in Manage Worlds?
This typically happens if you’ve reached the maximum sim count allowed by the game. Either move some sims to the ‘other households’ category or increase the sim count in the game settings.
9. Is there jail in The Sims 4?
There is a jail for Sims who commit crimes, and they are taken away in a helicopter by the police to the jail.
10. Does The Sims 4 have an ending?
The Sims 4 is an open-ended game without a defined ending. It encourages you to create your own goals and narrative for your Sims’ lives.
11. How likely is my Sim to get pregnant when trying for a baby?
The base chance of conception from the “Try for Baby” interaction is 80%, making it highly likely.
12. How can I kick out a Sim from my household?
Use the phone, computer or a newspaper and select the “Move out sim” option from there you can move that sim to a household you have no intention of playing as.
13. How do I age up my Sims quickly?
If aging is suspended in your game options, bake a cake and then click on the cake, selecting “add birthday candles”. Then select “blow out candles” from the menu and the sim will age up.
14. How do I move my Sims to a new house without paying?
Select the lot and chose “Move in Household from Library” from the interaction menu. Select your household from your library. Sims moved in this way do not use their funds to buy the lot.
15. How often do new Sims move into town?
With Story Progression enabled, you’ll usually see a new household move in approximately once per Sim week.
Hopefully this thorough guide answers all of your burning questions about Sims moving into empty houses in The Sims 4! Happy Simming!