Though concrete information about Project Rene is scarce, EA and Maxis have confirmed and promised that the mysterious project will improve on its predecessors in The Sims franchise. There are plenty of systems and features that EA and Maxis should reexamine with Project Rene, but one feature stands out clear as day.
Simmers are one of the most vocal gaming communities online and never hesitate to voice their criticism of new features from The Sims. While the feature Project Rene should revise seems great on paper, the toll and effect it has on gameplay can be quite frustrating to fans.
The Sims 4's Latest Kits Could Be a Game Changer
Though the Kits may seem like any other, The Sims 4's most recent drop could change the way DLC is constructed in the future.
Burnout Can Burnout Players, Not Just Sims
Surprisingly, one of the most frustrating features of The Sims 4 is not one that all players can access. While the Growing Together Expansion Pack is described as essential by some players, Simmers get to pick and choose which DLC they ultimately purchase from EA. This means that some players have been fortunate enough to avoid the game’s Burnout system, which was introduced in The Sims 4 in the Growing Together Expansion Pack.
Burnout adds a dash of realism to the otherwise wacky hi jinks of The Sims 4. The system closely mimics the burnout that everyday people experience and can be applied to almost every skill that Sims unlock. From hobbies to work-based skills, Burnout can be triggered by anything if done for too long.
How the Burnout Moodlet Works
Prior to Burnout, a Sim will receive either the Mental Block or Creative Block Dazed moodlet lasting a full twenty-four hours. Mental Blocks tend to occur after forcing a Sim to “Work Hard” for several days in a row with no vacation time, or by playing logic-based skills like chess excessively. Creative Block tends to occur from creative skills like painting or writing excessively. Since these more artistic skills are necessary for different freelance careers, Freelancers tend to receive Creative Blocks more often than Mental Blocks.
If these Block moodlets don’t convince players to give their Sims a break from activities, Burnout, a Tense moodlet in The Sims 4, will eventually be triggered. Unlike other moodlets, Burnout directly affects a Sim’s career. Sims will struggle to maintain high work performance, making promotions more difficult to attain. Any skill gains necessary for that career field will also be difficult to achieve. Burnout can even turn into the “Brain Block” Tense moodlet, which is even stronger than typical Burnout, with a +4 increased difficulty for skill and work gain.
Taking a break after receiving one of the two Dazed moodlets is the best method to avoid Burnout. However, Burnout can be removed by enjoying relaxing activities like meditating, going on reflective walks or jogs, or taking a vacation day. At the end of the day, Burnout is a feature that The Sims 4 players should avoid as much as they can.
Project Rene Needs to Reimagine the Burnout Feature
Burnout tends to affect players who are participating in job or skill-based challenges like the Rags to Riches challenge. As one of the most popular challenges in The Sims franchise, it would be unsurprising to see these challenges carried over to Project Rene. While Burnout is an understandable and realistic mechanic that challenges players, it can also be extremely difficult to manage. Therefore, EA and Maxis should revamp Burnout if they include it in Project Rene.
Playtests have leaked that some careers in Project Rene will be multiplayer. EA and Maxis have heavily pushed Project Rene’s online multiplayer cross-platform capabilities consistently since the game was announced in 2022, making the leaks seem more plausible. Given that Burnout impacts careers the most, Burnout would have to account for the new multiplayer structure. The current Burnout system would be too limiting for a multiplayer system, giving EA and Maxis yet another feature to revamp from The Sims 4 in Project Rene.
