We had an amazing Skill Rush Weekend, even with the little hiccup at the beginning.
The event was originally supposed to increase skill speed by 50%, but I managed to get myself tangled up in the math and caused some confusion. Since that was my mistake, I decided to make the boost double speed instead. Consider the extra skill gain my apology for temporarily losing a fight with percentages.
I hope everyone enjoyed it and managed to make some progress on their Sims, skill houses, and other lots around Plumbrook.
The turnout was incredible. At one point, we had 18 players online at the same time, which is a new SimHaven record.
I know 18 players may not sound enormous compared to modern online games, but it means a lot to me. July 18 marked only two weeks since SimHaven opened to the public. Seeing that many people online, building lots, skilling together, and helping the city come alive this early was genuinely exciting.
My goal with SimHaven has always been to recreate the feeling that made The Sims Online and FreeSO special, without introducing chaotic or unfair balancing changes. I want the game to feel familiar while still giving us room to restore unfinished features, create events, and build something of our own together.
Relationship Decay Is Now Active
Today also marks the beginning of SimHaven’s relationship decay system.
Relationship decay existed in the original The Sims Online, but it was never fully implemented in FreeSO. With this feature active, relationships will once again require occasional maintenance.
On days when your Sim is active, relationships with Sims you have not interacted with will slowly move toward neutral. Short-term relationship scores can change by one point per active day, while long-term relationships decay much more slowly.
Interacting with another Sim resets the decay timer for that relationship.
Sims you are not actively playing will not be penalized simply because you have been offline. The system is based on your Sim’s active days, so taking a break from the game will not cause every friendship you have to disappear while you are gone.
Keep an eye on your relationship panel over the next several days. This is a newly restored feature, so please let me know if you notice anything that seems unusual or does not appear to be working correctly.
Building More Than Just Lots
For a community like this to succeed, it takes both good leadership and active members.
Be creative with your lots. Host events. Decorate. Build places that give people a reason to log in, meet other players, and spend time in Plumbrook.
The Sims Online is more than 20 years old. By today’s standards, its graphics cannot compete with modern games. Yet it still had something that many newer games struggle to create.
It gave players a world that belonged to them.
The friendships, rivalries, skill houses, stores, events, strange conversations, and wildly overdecorated lots were what made the game memorable. If you are reading this article, the game probably still means something to you too.
FreeSO proved that a community could bring The Sims Online back to life. I believe we can keep that spirit going here as well.
SimHaven is not here to compete with other communities. We are here to build our own city and our own community. For that to work, though, we all need to participate. There is strength in numbers, and every player who builds a lot, welcomes someone new, hosts an event, or invites a friend helps SimHaven grow.
Event Coordinator Applications Coming Soon
I will soon be opening applications for official SimHaven event coordinators.
Event coordinators will work closely with me to plan seasonal events, community activities, and perhaps a few events that have absolutely nothing to do with the season at all.
These events may also require creative lot building, decorating, testing, and plenty of ideas. If you enjoy creating unusual lots or turning a basic concept into something players can actually experience together, this may be a good role for you.
I am also interested in hearing from anyone familiar with designing or creating objects. That experience may become especially useful as we begin planning future events and additions.
There will be more information about both opportunities soon. I am hoping to have the event coordinator applications available through the SimHaven Discord shortly.
Thank You
Thank you to everyone who participated in Skill Rush Weekend, helped us reach a new player record, and has supported SimHaven during its first two weeks.
I appreciate the trust all of you have placed in us here at SimHaven.
Well, mostly me for now.
But hopefully not forever.