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Motives, or needs, are the basic physical and mental requirements or desires of Sims and pets. In The Sims 2, The Sims 3 and The Sims 4, Sims in different life states may have different motives, and some motives will drop faster or slower depending on a Sim's life stage.
Sim's motives
Basic motives
- Hunger/Thirst (Replaces hunger for vampires in TS3/TS4)
- Comfort (Moodlets in TS3 and TS4)
- Social
- Hygiene
- Fun
- Room/Environment (Moodlets in TS3 and TS4)
- Energy
- Bladder
- Sunlight exposure (Hidden motive for vampires in TS3 that is shown with moodlets, such as fatigue)
In The Sims Social and The Sims FreePlay, fulfilling motives/needs will make the Sim inspired, and inspired Sims will earn more simoleons. In FreePlay, giving a Sim a cupcake will instantly fill the Sim's motives.
Cut motives
Moodlet-motive Chart
Note: These numbers below are from internal game data - there are no numerical indication for motives in-game.
The Sims 3
| Motive | Resulting Moodlets (Deficit) | % Full | Resulting Moodlets (Surplus) | % Full |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunger | Hungry | 32 | No Moodlet | |
| Very Hungry | 20 | |||
| Starving | 10 | |||
| Bladder | Has to Pee | 20 | No Moodlet | |
| Really Has to Pee | 5 | |||
| Energy | Sleepy | 20 | Well Rested | 100
(50) |
| Tired | 10 | |||
| Exhausted | 0 | |||
| Social | Lonely | 20 | No Moodlet | |
| Desolate | 5 | |||
| Hygiene | Grungy | 20 | Squeaky Clean | 100
(85) |
| Smelly | 10 | |||
| Fun | Strained | 40 | Entertained | 55 |
| Stressed Out | 20 | Having a Blast | 75 |
The Sims 4
| Motive | Resulting Moodlets (Deficit) | Icon | Resulting Emotion (Duration) | % Full |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunger | Hungry/Famished* | 
|
+1/+2* Uncomfortable (24 Hours) | |
| Ravenous | +40 Uncomfortable (24 Hours) | |||
| Bladder | Has To Pee | 
|
+1 Uncomfortable (3 Hours) | 20 |
| Really Has To Pee | +40 Uncomfortable (3 Hours) | 10 | ||
| Peed Self | 
|
+5 Embarrassed (5 Hours) | 0 | |
| Energy | Tired | 
|
+1 Uncomfortable (3 Hours) | |
| Exhausted | +3 Uncomfortable (3 Hours) | |||
| Social | Lonely/Very Lonely* | 
|
+1/+2 Sad* (24 Hours) | |
| Desolate/Abandoned* | +3 Sad (∞) | |||
| Hygiene | Grungy/Grubby | 
|
+1 Uncomfortable () | |
| Filthy | +2 Uncomfortable (∞) | |||
| Fun | Needs Amusement | 
|
+1 Tense (6 Hours) | 15 |
| Desperate For Fun | +3 Tense (∞) | 5 |
Other life states
Servo motives
The Sims 2: Open for Business
- Power (Replaces energy)
- Social
- Fun
- Environment
The Sims 4: Discover University
- Fun
- Social
- Durability
- Charge
PlantSim motives
Water(Replaces bladder)
The Sims 2: Seasons
- Water
- Love (Replaces social)
- Sunlight
- Fun (Hidden motive)
The Sims 3: University Life
- Water (Replaces hygiene)
- Energy
- Social
- Fun
Mermaid motives
The Sims 3: Island Paradise
- Hunger
- Social
- Hydration (Replaces Hygiene)
- Bladder
- Energy
- Fun
The Sims 4: Island Living
- Hunger
- Social
- Hydration (Replaces Hygiene)
- Bladder
- Energy
- Fun
Vampire Motives
The Sims 3: Late Night
- Thirst (Replaces hunger)
- Social
- Bladder
- Hygiene
- Energy
- Fun
The Sims 4: Vampires
- Vampire Energy (Replaces energy)
- Thirst (Replaces hunger)
- Social
- Hygiene
- Fun
Spellcaster Motives
- Spellcaster Charge
- Bladder
- Fun
- Hunger
- Social
- Energy
- Hygiene
Werewolf Motives
The Sims 4: Werewolves
- Fury
- Bladder
- Fun
- Hunger
- Social
- Energy
- Hygiene
Pet motives
All large pets in The Sims: Unleashed, The Sims 2: Pets, The Sims 3: Pets and The Sims 4: Cats & Dogs share these motives:
Other pet motives are:
- Room[TS:U]
- Social[TS:U][TS2:P][TS3:P]
- Comfort[TS:U][TS2:P]
- Hygiene[TS:U][TS2:P]
- Fun (cats and dogs, not horses)[TS:U][TS2:P][TS3:P]
- Scratch (cats)[TS2:P][TS3:P]
- Chew (dogs)[TS2:P]
- Destruction (dogs)[TS3:P]
- Exercise (horses)[TS3:P]
- Thirst (adult horses)[TS3:P]
- Bowel[TS4:C&D]
- Play[TS4:C&D]
- Affection[TS4:C&D]
Small pets have no visible needs, but will die if not fed for too long.[TS:U][TS2:P][TS3:P][TS4:MFPS]
SimBot motives
- Scrap Reserves (Replaces hunger)
- Waste Buildup (Replaces bladder)
- Charge (Replaces energy)
- Human Interaction (Replaces social)
- Trivial Entertainment (Replaces fun)
Plumbot motives
- Battery Power (Replaces energy)
- Maintenance
- Social
- Fun
Fairy motives
The Sims 4: Enchanted by Nature
- Emotional Force (Replaces Hunger)
- Fun
- Energy
- Social
- Hygiene
While it is not shown in the Needs menu, temperature functions like a motive in [TS3:S], and is frozen in the center when testingcheats are used to freeze motives.
Urgencies and motive failures
A Sim suffering from severe hunger
A Sim will react to low motives through urgencies. When a need becomes too low, a Sim will have a thought bubble with the image of that need over their head and will make a motion, such as holding themselves if they need to use the bathroom, or by clutching their stomach and pointing at their mouths when hungry.
Sleeping Sims with low needs often have nightmares about the low motives. Sims with low needs tend to wave at the player and complain, and will not learn any new skills until their mood improves. They will also refuse to do several actions. Visiting Sims whose needs fall too low will leave in order to fulfill them.
If a motive is not fulfilled and is fully depleted, motive failure will occur. This will have major consequences to the Sim. In The Sims: Livin' Large, if most of the family members are in a bad mood and the Tragic Clown painting is on the lot, the Tragic Clown may pay a visit.
Below are the list of motive failures and their final effects.
- Bladder failure: The Sim wets themselves, creating a puddle of water and a subsequent hygiene failure. This will also immediately max out the bladder motive. In The Sims 3 for smartphone, the Sim's bladder may explode, which will cause death.
- Comfort failure: No special effects aside from a significantly decreased mood.
- Energy failure: The Sim passes out on the ground. If this motive failure happens while swimming, the Sim will drown (or in the case of The Sims 3 start the drowning countdown).
- Environment failure: No special effects aside from a significantly decreased mood. In The Sims, Sims will not complain about this motive being low. In The Sims 2, Sims can get eaten by flies if there are too much of them, which will cause to death.
- Fun failure: No special effects aside from a significantly decreased mood.
- Hunger failure: The Sim will usually die of starvation. Babies, toddlers, and child Sims will get taken away by a social worker.[TS2][TS3][TS4]
- SimBots[TS3:A] will not die, and will instead short out for 1 or 4 hours as if they had power failure or become soaked.
- If this motive failure happens to immortal Sims, such as Ghosts, the Sim will grab a bar of food and consume it, even if it doesn't appear to be in the inventory, which will fulfill the motive.[TS4]
- Hygiene failure: Green whiff clouds will begin to emanate from the Sim.[TS2][TS3][TS4] If the Hygiene meter is red, mud stains will appear on the Sim.[TS4] Other Sims will react negatively to the stench and may reject social interactions from the affected Sim.
- Social failure: The Social Bunny appears to fulfill the motive.[TS2] In all games, Sims will suffer from a significantly decreased mood. In The Sims and The Sims 2 (console) Sims will cry until their social is raised. Children may get taken away.[TS3] In The Sims 4, Social can cause Non-Loner Sims and especially Outgoing Sims to become sad, and as such they may periodically cry until Social is raised or their mood changes.
Occult-only motives
- Brain Power failure:[TS3:S] The alien will emit a "Brain Shockwave" that breaks or scratches most objects on the lot. Other Sims near the shockwave can get the "Brain Fried" -50 moodlet for 1 hour.
- Hydration failure:[TS3:IP] The mermaid dies of Dehydration if not splashed in time.
- Maintenance failure:[TS3:ITF] The Plumbot will frequently cancel ongoing actions and autonomously make creaky joint movements.
- Power failure:
- If Servos[TS2:OFB] run out of power, they will automatically attempt to recharge, even if they are located indoors or if it's nighttime. If the Servo isn't allowed to recharge, they may run amok and cause chaos, often electrocuting other Sims in the process.
- SimBots[TS3:A] who run out of energy will short out for 1 or 4 hours and become partially unconscious with a negative moodlet.
- Plumbots[TS3:ITF] will shut down in a standing pose for 1 hour, somewhat similar to in the case of SimBots.
- Sunlight/Water failure:
- Sunlight exposure failure:[TS3:LN][TS3:SN] If vampires spend too much time exposed to sunlight, they may pass out, temporarily lose their vampire abilities, and become thirsty for plasma much more quickly.
- Thirst failure:
- Spellcaster Overload:[TS4:ROM] If spellcasters have too much charge from casting too many spells, they will spontaneously combust with magical energies. If this happened repeatedly this will cause a death by spellcaster overload.
- Werewolf Fury:[TS4:WW] If werewolves gain too much fury, they will transform uncontrollably and start destroying and scratching random objects around them.
- Emotional Force:[TS4:EBN] Fairies require to feed off of emotional energies from Sims, emotion potions, or emotion stones. If a fairy loses too much emotional force will die from Emotional Starvation.
Gallery
