THE SIMS™ 4 AND THE SOCIALLY AWKWARD TRAIT

Editor’s Note: As of September 23, 2022, this story has been updated in areas to reflect more accurate gameplay messaging.

Remember those awkward high school days of not knowing what to say or do? That awkwardness sometimes transfers to adulthood too. Here at EA, that is okay with us. In this new The Sims 4 High School Years Expansion Pack, EA has decided to take a different approach. Featured in this new expansion pack is a new trait —Socially Awkward. EA Technical Writer Nia Morgan sat down with EA intern Anna Machata who recently returned to EA as a Game Designer for Maxis to give you the latest news on this new trait she designed as a part of her intern project.

Tell me about yourself and your experience as an EA intern.

Anna: I am a Bachelor student in Computer Science. I chose this major because I wanted to go into a field that allowed me to make a difference, though I had no idea I’d have the opportunity to do so as an intern. The company culture at EA really values all employees for their individuality and diverse perspectives, which is the reason I was eager to come back full-time. As a neurodiverse person on the game design team, I had not only the support and advice from the internal disability-focused employee resource group, but also the support from all members on my team and my manager to both create my feature and make sure I felt like my unique needs were always put first and accommodated for. I can’t express enough how grateful I am to have received the opportunity to be a part of a team so forward-thinking.  

What exactly can players expect from the Social Awkward trait?

Anna: Players can expect new game challenges and deeper relationships with the Sims they interact with. Sims with this trait will feel anxious in most social situations and will be able to act accordingly. When they choose to interact with other Sims or engage in a social environment, they will gain big rewards.

What in-game benefits will Sims receive from having the Socially Awkward trait?

Anna: In the last few years, The Sims™ 4 team has introduced sentiments to the Sims’ world. Sentiments are the overall emotional connections that your Sims feel towards each other. These sentiments are tracked in the game and factor into determining Sim moods. When a Sim has the Socially Awkward trait, they are more likely to have awkward interactions with other Sims making it more challenging to progress closer friendships, but still possible -- this becomes less challenging as they build their charisma skill. As a result of overcoming challenges of social interactions, Socially Awkward Sims can often get tense or embarrassed. However, when Socially Awkward Sims are able to overcome their social struggles, they are granted unique confident and happy Moodlets and gain powerful positive sentiments to those they grow close to. 

Tell me more about what inspired you to create this feature?

Anna: It has always been a passion of mine to break stigmas surrounding mental health and bring more awareness to neurodiversity. I’ve been playing The Sims™ franchise since I was a kid because it gave me a place to explore all facets of my identity – it was a safe space. While this trait was not intended to be representative of any mental health condition or neurodiversity, I wanted to create a trait that reflected some aspects of my experience as a neurodiverse person in the hopes that even a few players could relate to me and find comfort in the safe space for storytelling that The Sims™ has provided me for years. While not all players will relate to this trait, I hope that those it resonates with feel empowered to live their most authentic lives both in the real world and in game. Creating a trait like this just seemed like another step toward making a more inclusive and realistic environment for all players.   

What is your favorite part about the process?

Anna: The creative process was my favorite process.  I wanted the trait to be realistic, but also really wanted to highlight the rewarding aspects of social anxiety as I have experienced it – those special moments where you are able to overcome and persevere, and the special connections that can be felt when true friends are made. One of my favorite parts of the trait is the Two Peas in a Pod sentiment. When two Socially Awkward Sims become friends, they receive this sentiment which makes it easier for them to improve their relationship with each other and makes their friendship fade slower from lack of contact. I hope that players who relate to this trait can find comfort knowing that there are these special opportunities for happiness and confidence both in The Sims™ and in the real world. I am really looking forward to players discovering more trait quirks like this in the game. 

What was the process like from beginning to end? What considerations did you make? What type of research did you do?

Anna: Well, there are two other traits in this pack as well: Party Animal and Overachiever. Both of which are school related. There wasn’t really a social trait. As you know this is a high school expansion pack so I thought it made sense to include something about social awkwardness, and was excited at the idea of bringing a trait to the sims that I think a lot of neurodiverse people can relate to. We have all been socially awkward at one point in time and given our current pandemic climate social anxiety and anxiety in general is on the rise among teens. A report I read on social anxiety in seven countries reported that around 22% of 16–17-year-old teens said they experience some form of social anxiety. I wanted that experience to be represented in our Sims as well. I used a lot of my own experience, external experience, and worked with internal subject matter expert consultants to conduct research. Creating this trait was difficult because realistically social anxiety and social awkwardness are triggered by many things that couldn’t be replicated in the game. I don’t want players to feel like this trait is prescriptive of what social anxiety is in real life, but rather I hope that some players that use this trait may see a little bit of themselves in it and be comforted as their sim overcomes social challenges.I didn’t want this idea to be scary for players to encounter but to feel approachable. I tried to add situations that would make socially awkward people anxious like the cafeteria, hanging out with friends, or unique social situations at work or school where Sims would have to make defining choices.

What do you hope players will get out of this feature?

Anna: I really hope players will be able to create and identify more with themselves through their Sims. I want this trait to allow players to play out a little bit of their own awkwardness in the safety of our game. I think for players who do relate, it will be very rewarding to see their sim grow more successful socially over time, and ideally give people more confidence to approach these sometimes intimidating social situations in their day-to-day. It will also hopefully generate sympathy and understanding for players who struggle socially and create meaningful conversations and change.

At EA, we are always looking for innovative ways to bring more diversity into our games. If you would like more information about this feature or The Sims 4, visit the official website.