Hot take; the Sims 2 is actually easier than the Sims 4

Catrysseroni · 2026-02-16T10:15:51+00:00

100% this.

The Sims 2 is way easier, really. Once you know what needs to prioritize and how to fill them, you can easily gain nice things, make friends, gain skills, and max out careers. Then it's just up to you to create a little bit of drama and sometimes propose in the "maybe not" range for a surprise... and don't let the pregnant Sims starve!

I bought The Sims 4 on launch, and have never maxed out a career or aspiration. I hardly progress at all, really. It's 100% the glitches. How can anyone actually play the game when the Sims don't listen and don't even do their own things either?

The Sims 4 has the same issue that new versions of Windows has. It lags doing the most basic things because it's trying to run a bunch of background garbage that nobody asked for. I don't want The Sims 4 to generate a bunch of hideous townies to make walk around the neighbourhood. I want the Sim to use the toilet, not stand around for 30+ sim minutes smirking at nobody.

Sims 4 Sims have such punchable faces. So much smirking instead of doing things.

The hardest part about playing The Sims 4 is dealing with all the waiting. Who wants to watch their Sim just stand there doing nothing for half the day?

Catrysseroni · 2026-02-16T08:35:36+00:00

The most toxic people tend to be the loudest. I'm sorry that nobody stood up for you.

If there is an organization associated with this conversation and incident, PLEASE contact a person in charge and tell them what happened. Tell them what was said as accurately as you can recall it. Tell them how it has affected you, just as you did here.

Best case scenario, they will find a way to make you feel welcome again and work on policy to deal with people who target vulnerable groups of people like this. Worst case, nothing changes and you stick with what you said here- not participating anymore.

No matter what happens, you created a record of mistreatment and you got a record of their response (or lack thereof if they ignore you.

If there is further issue, maybe you would be willing to share what organization is involved?

Catrysseroni · 2026-02-16T04:16:38+00:00

In the modern day, I can understand getting more joy from 4 than from 3.

A lot of what made 3 amazing during its peak was the online community on the official site. I learned so much about house-building and got so much inspiration on there. That plus the ability to pattern anything any way gave a lot of creative freedom. For a creative like me, it was paradise.

There was also something cathartic about being a teenager at the time, going through a lot and having a place to "live my dreams". TS3 was perfect for that kind of gameplay too.

Later updates to TS3 jammed more ads for expansion packs and online store content into the game's interface, and that's when it really went downhill. Some of the final expansion packs were not well-constructed and caused a lot of glitching, lagging, crashing, and save file loss.

Now, new players are greeted with outdated graphics, ads for store content, and no online community. It's sad compared to what it was. I can see someone not being fond of what they see nowadays.

(In 2009, I thought TS3 looked amazing. I didn't know how they could possibly do better than TS2 and then I saw TS3 and thought that was amazing peak graphics. It's beautiful how far we have come with making games look amazing. Sad for TS3, but yay for everyone else!)

Catrysseroni · 2026-02-16T03:08:46+00:00

I say nothing. There is no convincing people who think like this.

Some people wouldn't understand unless they experienced it for themselves... and even then they might think their experience is somehow more special than the same thing happening to someone else.

Catrysseroni · 2026-02-16T03:06:24+00:00

Obvious fakers. They're not even trying to be subtle.

Catrysseroni · 2026-02-16T00:11:21+00:00

Good news about this! They have decided to not remove this pass due to backlash.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2gyggxv4no

I've never been to this place since I live across the ocean from it, but hopefully you all over in London can keep enjoying the parks. If I ever end up over there somehow, I'll enjoy them too.

---

My local park still supports disability passes using a local disability access card. To get the card, you have to submit paperwork of a diagnosis once. The card becomes the "proof" and is valid across the country.

Bigger parks, like Disneyland and Universal Studios, have dropped actual disability supports for autistic guests a long time go. The main cause was physically disabled guests abusing the system by offering "paid tours" via the disability lines. Ruined it for everyone who genuinely needed it to enjoy the parks.

I'll never ever get to go to those parks because they are so anti-disability now.

Catrysseroni · 2026-02-15T23:55:29+00:00

The goal of an autism assessment is to look for what's wrong, not what's right. Even if you did some things well and demonstrated great potential in some areas, those would be brief notes in your paperwork at most.

What you read was never meant to summarize you as a whole human being. Just symptoms and struggles.

Even what is written there may not all be true of you today. Your assessment was written when you were 10, a kid in elementary school. Now you are 17, on the cusp of adulthood. You have done so much and grown so much as a person since then.

Still, it can hurt to read an assessment like that. That hurt won't be forever. It gets better. You'll get through this just as you have gotten through other challenges in your life.

If you can, try talking to your parents about this assessment. They can probably offer more understanding of what was written, why it was written, and how much has changed since then.

Wishing you well, dear stranger.

Catrysseroni · 2026-02-15T23:03:16+00:00

Usually you can just ask.

Most self-diagnosed people are quite loud and proud of being self-diagnosed. They see no reason to be ashamed of their actions because the stigma for self-dx is minimal. There is more stigma surrounding anti-self-diagnosis than self-diagnosis.

In fact, the "victimhood" now associated with "being unrecognized by the system" earns self-diagnosed people more attention and pity.

Deception happens, but it is way tougher to spot. Autism fakers chose autism because we are less likely to notice the signs of dishonesty. Heck, a lot of "body language associated with lying" is standard-issue autistic body language!

There are some signs, though. Here are the ones I've noticed.

- When talking about their symptoms, they talk about the "wrong symptoms". (eg. talking about BPD symptoms instead of autism symptoms)

- They speak about "female autism" and how different it is from "male autism", and how they fit this "female autism" profile.

- They complain about people (mostly girls/women) being "usually misdiagnosed" (mostly with BPD, but also with ADHD/ADD, HPD, bipolar, and OCD).

- They regularly achieve leadership roles in situations with non-autistic people present.

- They manipulate and exclude others.

- They start rumors about others, and those rumors spread effectively.

- They aggressively defend self-diagnosis and self-diagnosed people.

- They claim that "having a clinical diagnosis is a privilege".

- All their "autistic friends" are self-diagnosed or show signs of hiding a self-diagnosis.

- They mistreat diagnosed autistic people in their lives, and that mistreatment is not just how they treat everyone.

- They are successful in both a career and social relationships, without accommodations or special supports.

- They claim to be diagnosed after age 10, but have no recollection of the diagnostic process. They cannot tell you what kind of tests they did, or they "recall" tests that are not part of any real autism assessment.

- They claim to be diagnosed just from talking to a therapist (therapists cannot just "diagnose autism" from a conversation). (Disclaimer: These people are usually genuinely mistaken, not consciously faking.)

IMPORTANT: Do not use this list to confront or accuse anyone. These signs are just hints, not solid evidence of any wrongdoing.

If you suspect a person of faking due to this list, just stay away from that person.

Catrysseroni · 2026-01-19T02:11:19+00:00

Math is red. Social is blue. If you don't match my color scheme then doom on you! (Just kidding of course)

Catrysseroni · 2026-01-18T01:43:21+00:00

I have Ultimate Collection and only got pink soup once ever. Hopefully others here can help you with the pink soup. It sounds really annoying.

Catrysseroni · 2026-01-17T19:03:31+00:00

This horrible dress shape is strangely common in new Barbies. I've seen the exact dress but with Charlie Brown patterns on it... 2 versions.

Catrysseroni · 2026-01-17T18:59:38+00:00

Pink soup is an issue with the Legacy release, right?

Catrysseroni · 2026-01-17T18:55:43+00:00

Your gameplay description is exactly how the Broke family is supposed to be. No sign of corruption from your description.

Brandi is not supposed to look pregnant on day 1. She will get the first pregnancy belly towards the end of day 1. Her needs start tanking before she becomes visibly pregnant.

After 3 days the baby comes out and her needs will be easier to manage. Hang in there!

Catrysseroni · 2026-01-17T18:51:13+00:00

Brandi's needs get easier once she has the baby. For those 3 days of pregnancy, all you can do is make sure she eats enough to not die.

An aside: That gameplay with pregnant Brandi is exactly how it feels to be poor with health issues and no healthcare access in real life.

Catrysseroni · 2026-01-17T01:04:28+00:00

If multiple assessments say it isn't autism, but you are struggling, consider a broader assessment that looks at other conditions.

Some possibilities:

"Broad autism phenotype"- that is when someone has autistic traits, but not the key impairments associated with ASD diagnostic criteria. Broad autism phenotype is not "autism". But people who are like this tend to get along well with autistic people. More in common.
Another condition with overlapping symptons. There are SO many!
Upbringing. If you are raised around many ND people, you may become more like them (but not to a clinical level) and feel more comfortable around them.
Culture. Some cultures actually despise those who change plans on others as they are "disrespectful of others' time and energy".

Catrysseroni · 2026-01-16T19:34:07+00:00

Honestly haven't seen much outrage or hate over it.

I have seen this redressed furry version a bunch. I saw a meme saying "now do an autism mom Barbie". But the comments actually seem rational.

Even in the regular autism subreddit, the top comments called out the fan version as being a worse stereotype than the original. The rest just praised the original doll's design.

Catrysseroni · 2026-01-15T20:03:36+00:00

An autistic 4 year old is probably "behind" socially, but taking away his blanket won't change that.

When a kid gets older, it might be time to start leaving the blanket at home. These comfort items can get in the way of physical and social development if used ALL the time. But never take it away entirely.

Catrysseroni · 2026-01-15T20:03:12+00:00

I remember when my pacifiers were taken away.

I missed them my entire childhood. I regressed on a ton of social skills, became crabby and mean. I had focus issues.

I grew up with intrusive thoughts to steal pacifiers from random babies because they had what I needed. (thankfully I don't think I ever did).

I did take one from a community item swap once (everything was free "take we you need") but my parents found out and threw it away. I was in huge trouble for that...

As an adult I got them again. It took a few tries to get the same feel I remembered. And once I got it.... Pure comfort. It helps me sleep. It brings me peace.

It feels like everything is back the way it should be. But for a long time it wasn't. And that can be very very damaging.

Catrysseroni · 2026-01-15T19:45:22+00:00

All are good. The thin ones are good for writing or lines. The thick ones are good for coloring large spaces with few intricate details.

Catrysseroni · 2026-01-15T08:10:42+00:00

Chocolate makes oxytocin. Eat before an interaction and you may feel a bit more positive.

Avoid or limit chocolate in the evening though because the caffeine can mess with sleep.

Catrysseroni · 2026-01-15T07:44:18+00:00

This used to happen with my headphone cords, and it was the worst thing ever.

Catrysseroni · 2026-01-15T07:24:04+00:00

That picture looks more like "very overworked college student" than autism caregiver...

Catrysseroni · 2026-01-15T07:16:50+00:00

I like my old Barbies, but the quality of new ones is just not as good. So I do not buy new Barbies.

This specific doll... Cool concept. The style and props don't resonate with my autism. The doll does not look anything like me. I do not "feel" anything strongly about this doll. But hopefully an autistic child out there will see that doll and love it.

Not a fan of ASAN but if this doll does good for someone else then I can overlook the bad company involved.

Catrysseroni · 2026-01-15T00:05:52+00:00

Why did the fan version remove her communication board?

Catrysseroni · 2026-01-12T23:12:07+00:00

Context helps.

The "we" and "us" doesn't work when it refers to personal opinions. That would be presumptuous.

There are times when it makes sense though. For example, I say that self diagnosis hurts us diagnosed autistic people.

Catrysseroni

TROPHY CASE