PlantSim

PlantSim

A PlantSim

PlantSim is a life state included with The Sims 2: Seasons. It has been confirmed that PlantSims will be returning in The Sims 3: University Life.

The Sims 2: Seasons

PlantSims are created by overuse of pesticides on crops or fruit trees. Becoming a PlantSim takes time, but more trees and crops on a residential lot can help, as it's the amount of pesticide a Sim uses over time that can trigger the transformation. If a Sim becomes a PlantSim accidentally, contacting a member of the Garden Club may help to restore them to normal, a witch may also be able to help, or the Sim can call the Gypsy Matchmaker and buy the cure.

When a Sim becomes a PlantSim, they gain the ability to talk to plants (which boosts the plants' health dramatically), and automatically receive a gold Gardening badge. A PlantSim who is restored to normal Sim-hood will retain the badge, and therefore the ability to talk to plants.

History

A society of PlantSims

Since synthetic pesticides are a relatively recent development, it would seem that PlantSims came into existence recently. However, it would also appear that there is a natural society of PlantSims living somewhere in the wild. The family album of the Greenman family implies that Gabe O'Mackey and Jason Greenman went on a hiking trip and discovered this society in the mountains near Riverblossom Hills, where Rose Greenman was discovered.

Needs

PlantSims have only three needs. They have the same needs as all plants.

• Love - Can be satisfied like the social need, or by talking to plants.
• Water - Can be satisfied by swimming, drinking water, showering, bathing, splashing in puddles, being in the rain, etc. Toddler PlantSims can also satisfy their water need by drinking from a bottle or eating flowers - which seems a little cannibalistic.
• Sunlight - Can be satisfied by being in the sun or under a special greenhouse light.

It is best to always keep the PlantSim in some form of light, as the Sunlight need deteriorates faster than the other needs, and cannot be replenished with the ' MaxMotives ' cheat. A PlantSim's Love and Water motives are affected by being in the room with a Snapdragon Bouquet, but this does not affect the Sunlight motive.

PlantSims also have invisible normal-Sim motives, and if those motives get too low, they may express that in the same way that normal Sims do. For example, if Open For Business is installed, a PlantSim employed in a player-owned business may complain about normal-Sim motives. If FreeTime is installed, a PlantSim's invisible Fun motive will affect how long he or she will read a hobby magazine. A PlantSim's mood may be affected by these invisible motives. For example, when a PlantSim has been standing for a long period of time and hasn't been doing anything fun, his or her mood may be in deep red despite the three PlantSim motives being nearly full.

PlantSims, like Servos, can eat and use toilets, even though they do not need to do either. An unselectable PlantSim visiting a restaurant may order and eat a meal, and an unselectable PlantSim visting a lot may use a toilet.

Biology

Plantsim toddler.

Creation

Due to the need of pesticides to transform, it is safe to infer that the overuse of pesticides genetically alter the Sim in question.

Physiology

Because of the Sunlight need, it can be assumed that PlantSims photosynthesize like any other plant. They retain the ability to eat, although they have no need to eat and gain no benefits from eating.

PlantSims have shorter lives than normal Sims. Their only life stages are Toddler, Adult and Elder, so PlantSims who enter life as toddlers will never attend school, and cannot go to college. However, this is balanced by PlantSims passing on their skills and talents when they reproduce asexually. PlantSim toddlers may have a shorter overall lifespan than Sim toddlers, but they get a head start. Being transformed into a PlantSim does not affect a Sim's lifespan; adult and elder Sims who are transformed into PlantSims will live out whichever stage they are in. PlantSims can use the Elixir of Life to extend their lives.

PlantSims do not have any hair on their heads, and on initial transformation, any that was there before may fall out of the head to be replaced with a growth of leaves and flower saplings. This produces spores which can produce clones or improve the physical conditions of other forms of life in the immediate vicinity, including other PlantSims. When at least 3 PlantSims release the "Spores of Happiness" at once, they may mutually improve each others needs infinitely, creating the first known actual example of perpetual motion, albeit in a very natural, crude form.

With each clone, the appearance of descendants steadily changes to that resembling an elf, which in the Sims universe may place PlantSims as the explanation for the myth. As seen with the Greenman family in their photo album pictures, an entire society of PlantSims seems to exist in the wild, further supporting the theory that they fill the role of mythological elves or pixies.

It appears that PlantSims also produce pollen, or at least are capable of doing so when they wish. PlantSims have been known to play pranks on other Sims by blowing pollen on them.

PlantSims tolerate heat much better than normal Sims do. They can get warm, but cannot overheat. However, they can get cold enough to freeze.

Reproduction

Unlike other life states which result from the transformation of Sims, PlantSims can reproduce themselves. A PlantSim can "Spawn a Plantbaby" on the spot where they stand, simply by spreading the spores in their heads. The new PlantSim toddler will have all toddler skills, and will also have the same skills and talent badges as the parent, though the talent badges may be at a lower level. They will also have an identical personality, but a different star sign. This is unusual, as a newly generated Sim's Zodiac sign is normally determined by his or her personality.

PlantSims may also reproduce sexually by WooHooing as normal Sims do, and the female PlantSim or Sim will get pregnant. Male PlantSims may father other Sims' children and even alien children. The naturally produced baby will be a normal Sim, even if both parents are PlantSims, which suggests that the PlantSim transformation may not alter Sim genetics, but add an overlay to them.

Appearance

All PlantSims have a default hairstyle and clothing, so they all look very much alike aside from their facial features, but they may change their clothes and outfit if wanted. They will change into swimwear, gym clothes, etc. as other Sims do. Child PlantSims will look like their father, the ideal plantsim, a hidden NPC.

Technically, the PlantSim skin is a whole-body tattoo. For the purposes of chemistry, PlantSims are considered to have full face make-up.

Issues

The abbreviated life cycle, and general nature, of PlantSims can cause some issues, especially with regard to aspiration reward points and the lifetime aspiration bar (if present). Since PlantSim toddlers bypass the child and teen stages, already know how to walk and talk, and don't need to be potty trained, they will, in general, enter adulthood with fewer aspiration reward points and lifetime aspiration points than a normal Sim will. As far as aspiration benefits are concerned, this may be somewhat balanced by most benefits in the Motives track (except possibly Social and Comfort) being either less useful or useless to PlantSims. However, they will be at a serious disadvantage when it comes to filling the lifetime aspiration bar.

Also, that PlantSim toddlers bypass the child and teen stages makes it very difficult to influence a PlantSim's personality by means of the "Encourage..." interaction. Since toddlers cannot be Encouraged at all, PlantSims can only be Encouraged while they are adults, and then only by elder relatives.

Becoming a PlantSim

Spraying

After a playable adult or elder Sim has sprayed garden plants or orchard trees for bugs 15 times, any further spraying by that Sims has a 10% chance (per spray) of turning him or her into a Plantsim. Children, teens and young adults cannot become PlantSims, but can spray. In theory, their spraying will affect their chances of transforming.

However, it has been noted that the number of times Sims on a lot have sprayed is not saved when exiting the lot, and will therefore be reset to zero when the player loads the lot or when a resident Sim returns from a community lot. While it is not specifically mentioned, it seems likely that this will also affect Sims who are moved into the family bin.

Cheating

boolprop testingcheatsenabled true allows the player to shift-click on any garden plants and orchard trees to cause them to become infested with bugs, speeding up the process of spraying. Infesting has the side effect of causing the plants to grow to their final state before becoming harvestable.

Notes

The want tree relating to PlantSims is different from that of other occult life states, such as vampires, werewolves and witches. One difference is that non-Knowledge Sims will roll the want to cure a Sim who has recently become a PlantSim even if they barely know that Sim. Also non-Knowledge PlantSims will fear others becoming PlantSims, especially during dates (if Nightlife is installed). If FreeTime is installed, a Sim with Knowledge as his or her secondary aspiration will often roll wants to become an occult; for example, wanting to become a werewolf after the 'see wolf' want is fulfilled. However, if the PlantSim want tree is triggered on that same Sim, he or she will fear becoming a PlantSim, without having the corresponding want, but will generally not roll the want for the other Sim to be cured.

The Sims 3: University Life

A PlantSim screenshot taken during The Sims 3 Community Day.

It was confirmed by EA on their Twitter that PlantSims will be back in this expansion pack.

Appearance

The appearance of PlantSims is different from those in The Sims 2: Seasons. Their outfit consists mostly of leaves, which turn darker as the Sim ages through different life stages. When they walk, they drop flowers behind them.

Biology

Unlike The Sims 2: Seasons, any Sim from toddler through elder can be a PlantSim, and PlantSims use all the same life stages as normal Sims.

Creation

PlantSims can be created by a science experiment or planting a Forbidden Fruit and eating it.

PlantSims cannot be created in Create a Sim, even if The Sims 3: Supernatural is installed.

Reproduction

PlantSims cannot get pregnant. They can plant a Forbidden Fruit and grow it until it becomes a baby.

Motives

PlantSims do not have the Hunger or Bladder motive. These needs are covered by leaves in their motives panel. The replacement for the Hunger motive is the ability to use photosynthesis by turning themselves into a plant, which will give them a special moodlet. The replacement for the Bladder motive is the Hydrated moodlet.

Abilities

PlantSims are able to communicate with plants, but they can also offend them by telling them that their mother was an acorn. They are also better gardeners than other Sims. PlantSims can send flower kisses to other Sims, but they are also able to poison them by a kiss.

Trivia

• The Sims 3: Seasons adds an outfit made of leaves which looks nearly identical to the PlantSim skin, but PlantSims themselves do not appear in that expansion pack.

Gallery

• A PlantSim from The Sims 2: Seasons with their toddler.

  A PlantSim from The Sims 2: Seasons with their toddler.

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  A PlantSim from The Sims 2: Seasons who is about to be reverted to normal state.

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  A PlantSim from The Sims 2: Seasons collecting bugs.

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  A PlantSim as seen in the Producer Walkthrough for The Sims 3: University Life.

References

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Dates featured: July 16-31, 2012.

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