Do it the Sims way.

Sims 4 is on Game Pass, so we rejoiced.

Not with wild, uncontrolled euphoria, mind you: just a little thrill of excitement at getting to taste the Sims life anew.

Y'see, back in the day, me and wifey did plenty of Simming with the Sims, working up their career skills tirelessly (had to become army general!), upgrading their home (the sonic shower was my highlight), chuckling and equally being irked at their wasting time with an angry dance when woken up too early (and now, nodding with grim appreciation at the foreshadowing of real life), going through the social and family motions...it was fun.

So, we were keen on seeing what changes and improvements Sims 4 brought to the table. I mean, it was still a fairly old table, as the start screen told me this game is from 2017 (pre Covid, another world!), but a definitely more modern surface than its origins.

Verdict: we enjoyed it, although the interface felt a bit obtuse -it showed that it was made for PC, put it that way.

But, that's not what spurred me to imprint my thoughts to digital paper: it was the Sims' way that I wished to consider. Or, more specifically, their single-minded focus on their skills.

Take the...I think it was the charisma skill: my Sim could go to the bathroom, and spend an infinite amount of time in front of the mirror to talk themselves into being more charming. Or, they could make meal after meal to improve their cooking, or increase their painting by spending hours with a canvas.

Now, time of course is not reflected accurately, as it would be rather boring spending weeks on a canvas, nor is everything a facsimile of real life (try talking yourself up in a mirror long enough, you're likely ready for a trip to the asylum); but, ultimately, it does truly boil down to: do something, repeatedly and consistently, and you'll improve at it.

Take my efforts with Unity: consistency and repetition are certainly not high. Had they been, the course I've been doing for the past...ahem, a while, would be concluded.

Invariably, it is easier said than done: we are not mindless machines able to focus so perfectly.

We tire, we wander, we have other priorities.

Yet the fact still remains the same: to master something, we must do that something, repeatedly and consistently.

We must Sims up about it in real life.

Your amateur Sim,

Stefano Ronchi