The previews show five age groups. That is only two more than Sims 1. We need at least seven like in Sims 2/3. Why would they reduce the amount of age groups? This makes no sense at all...

the number of age groups shown in the picture is just a placeholder, there will probably be more.

It didn't show five age groups. It showed five placeholder images; lifestages weren't even implemented in the demo. While the fact that there were five placeholder images and not more would show that they're probably only working on five lifestages at the moment, it says little about what to expect in the final product. I do agree that reducing the amount would be terrible, though, and I really hope they implement as many or more than there were in TS3.

I dunno, combining toddler and babies would be nice. But recombining Young Adult and Adult would be pretty disappointing.

What? No! We need more "interactive" babies, not the opposite - and certainly not a combined baby/toddler life stage.

Have they shown pictures of these age groups yet?

What I have personally always hoped for was a tween stage to be added to the game. That would make the aging cycle complete-er IMO. That and layered clothes like those exclusive to Sims 2 console. And CASable (hope that's a word :P) babies

No, we've only seen one age group, the adults.

Someone on a particular thread said they saw five buttons, but they were greyed out.

Oh, I remember now. I think I've seen them in CAS too. I was just wondering if we had screenshots of the non-adult sims themselves. We really should be getting more instead of fewer life stages this time. If it were up to me, I'd want these life stages:

1) Baby
2) Toddler
3) Children
4) Preteen
5) Teen
6) Older Teen
7) Young Adult
8) Adult
9) Middle Age
10) Elder

If that is CAS than five is what I would expect, although I had heard of the possibility of a middle age or young elder stage. If those 5 were the age groups it would most likely be toddler, child, teen, adult and elder like it was in sim 2 and sims 3 base game. Young adults have always come later and babies have never been shown in CAS.

Considering young adults were included in the Sims 3 base game, it'd be a step back to withhold them for an EP.

Ah, you're right, they did. I don't play sims 3 very much and was confusing YA with uni. In sims 2, you need uni to have YA.

That's true. It's not even possible to have YA in regular hoods without mods in the Sims 2. If they include YAs in the Sims 4, I'd want them to have the option to go to college but have it be a rabbithole or off-screen location like school and work. And later expand on it with an EP.

That's a great idea. I've always wanted uni and the YA stage to be more flexible.

EA's up-to-date list of bad decisions:

1. CONSIDERING the removal of CASt
2. burrito babies
3. vomit milk
4. CONSIDERING anti-mod
5. secuROM
6. persistent connection-based DRM
7. Ruining spore (need I say more?)
8. Sims 3's crappy trees
9. discontinuation of TSO
10. discontinuation of Sims Social
11. Removing TS2 from their website

Terrible idea.

Young adults were basically the same as adults all along, so I don't have any qualms of combining them in some way. There's barely any difference in TS3. Why not have older teens as the uni kids, somewhere around 18 but not quite looking adult?
Although I don't mind only one teen stage, I'd really like a preteen stage. I've always thought the jump between child and teen is too big, especially for storytelling.

1) Baby
2) Toddler
(2b - preschooler - jump between toddler and child is somewhat big, although it's not very necessary if height is adjustable)
3) Children
4) Preteen (absolutely necessary!)
5) Teen
6) Older Teen/YA (university)
7) Adult
(8 Middle Age - not really necessary, although it would be nice if they could add slight wrinkles or some such just before they hit the elder stage)
9) Elder

Personally, I am not in favor of multiplying age stages. What I would PREFER would be gradual aging, with no distinct stages at all... characteristics (like starting high school or being allowed to work full time) would come up in particular sim years as appropriate, not in clumps all at once.

But if we don't get that, which it would appear we don't, I still think fewer is better, and more realistic, than more.

I don't know. I'm a huge fan of gradual aging but have given up all hope that we'll get it in Sims4 base game. Perhaps it'll be in one of the expansion packs before Sims5, though. I can even see them experimenting with the concept then by combining two age groups where one gradually ages into the other (baby to toddler, child to pre-teen, etc.) Without it, though, I'd like more age groups, so long as each one isn't celebrated as a milestone. For example, baby, toddler, and child stages age normally with the usual fanfare, but then the child ages into preteen quietly, and then the preteen ages into teen with the usual fanfare. But each stage, whether it comes with celebration or not, adds more options for what the sim can do. Sleep addled brain just dreaming right now.

I like you're suggestions. But, I really hope that middle age is included. Obviously, all ages have a big leap to them. But going from adulthood straight to elderly is just too much, for me at least. One day they are at their prime, have a birthday and suddenly just old.

I like the idea of gradual aging too. But if EA was aiming for a multiplayer online game, maybe they only had adults in mind. Perhaps, they now have to add age groups they weren't going to in the first place? I may be jumping with that idea, but it seems that EA doesn't really have an idea or concept what The Sims are to begin with

Anyways, it would be nice that all of these age groups were represented. With the option of turning the aging off or speeding it up if we want.

More age groups has been requested since Sims 2, I assume maybe even Sims 1, but I never went to any forums when I played that. So, it's obvious to me that we all want some form of aging, without real huge leaps in appearance and abilities.

I've seen many lists of what can be done with every age group, and how days could work. So if we can come up with creative ways to make age groups distinct, I would think if EA took the time to think or just copy our ideas. They could do it. I mean they started the whole aging groups to begin with, you'd think they would continue to add to that concept...and maybe they have. But, if they can't show a pre beta family and only adults, I find that strange. Although, I do recall in one of the pictures from a few days ago, that showed an old man.

Anyways, I replied to your post Simmer 22, but just continued on, instead of making a new post!

The issue with too many age stages is to make all of them feel different from each other (this is true for many games outside of the sims that have different races or classes per example) is reasonably hard. Balancing in a video game is one of the hardest part which age stages so far in the sims have shown it's not good enough to implement more. I have to admit TS2 did a better job at this than TS3.

I wouldn't want to see less than 7 ( Infants - Toddlers - Children - Teenagers - Young Adults - Adults - Elders) but I wouldn't want to see more because I would rather have them all feel really unique to each other. EA really dropped the ball when it comes to that in TS3. Adults were just older versions of YA, teenagers were younger versions of YA with more limitations.. that's all. Oh and the game was way too focused on YA which ruined the other life stages. So I disagree with the demands of "middle" age stages. Sure I'd like gradual aging but I find it unrealistic in our day and age (meshing for that sounds like a real nightmare).
I want EA to get it right this time and if it requires for it to be more basic then so be it, I'd rather have a full-fledged game with solid foundations than 1349125 micro-features implemented just to pleased the loudest people *cough* weather/seasons/pets *cough*.

I have no idea if this can be a realistic or dreamy desire for game play. Gradual aging sounds nice and having sims mature into each age stage sounds cool, but after reading and seeing how other series lost one aspect of gameplay to implement another, it's kind of scary to see what we will lose so we can have what is wished and posted here. I just don't know.

I want 7-9 stages, and it to be at that. They could add a tween, and a middle-age. anything more seems too detailed.

tween/ pre-teen = not a child, but not a teen

preschooler = not a life stage, a type of student.

YA = 18-30
adult = 30-40
middle age = 40-60
elder = 60+

I can see nine existing, but more than that seems like too much to me.

A few ideas on how to make each age group unique:

Baby
Can be breastfed and cannot walk. Some cry more than others and if shy, not likely to feel comfortable when picked up by a complete stranger. Neglect at this stage could make them self-reliant or needy later in life. Too much attention may also have unwanted consequences.

Toddler
Can learn to walk, talk and go potty. Neglect and constantly low motives could lead to bedwetting in children. Exposure to music may or may not allow them to skill faster when playing musical instruments as children/teens. Other actions include stealing toys from other toddlers, biting, screaming, pooping in the wrong places.

Child
Can go to school or be home schooled. Can play with other children as well as younger/older sims. Cannot woohoo, drive go to work (except newspaper delivery) or drink from the bar. The bubble blower is off limits. Can make lemonade. Babysitters are still needed. Neglect can affect relationships in adolescence and adulthood. They may become sensitive or cold. TLC can lead to stronger familial bonds and better friendships.

Preteen
Can go to middle school or be home schooled. Old enough to babysit. Cannot woohoo, drive or drink from the bar. Work is limited to babysitting and mowing the neighbor's lawn. May develop crushes. May need braces. Aspiration can be set. Life experiences and memories can influence how they behave as teens.

Teen
Can go to high school or be home schooled. Cannot woohoo or drink from the bar. Bubble blower is available. Can work part-time jobs in addition to babysitting and mowing the neighbor's lawn. Can suffer from acne. Can develop crushes, flirt, kiss, make out and go steady. Aspirations set in the preteen stage can change. May become rebellious, obedient or stay the same. Can throw parties and go to prom. Can runaway, sneak out and learn to drive. Teens that don't learn to drive at this stage will not be able to drive later in life, but they can always learn at any age from this point on.

Older Teen
Can go to high school or college. Can only woohoo older teens and young adults, drink from the bar, throw parties and go to prom. Can "play with herbs" if available. Can work part-time as well as full-time. Can drop out.

Young Adult
Same as older teens without high school. Can go to college. Can woohoo and try for baby with life stages ranging from older teens to elders. Marriage is available. Can move out. Part-time and full-time jobs are available. Chances of getting pregnant are higher. Can drink from bar as well as mix drinks.

Adult
Same as young adults. Aspiration and personality are set but can be affected by life experience and memories. Sims that have had a good life may be more confident at this stage than they were earlier in life.

Middle Aged
Visibly more wrinkles than adults. Strands of gray hair. Lower chances of getting pregnant. May or may not have a mid-life crisis, which can lead to a strong desire to purchase a red sports car and woohoo younger sims. May become reckless or more cautious.

Elder
Low to no chance of getting pregnant. May or may not need a walking stick. Posture depends on overall health and fitness. Bladder need may be more demanding in men. Length of time at this stage depends on previous life experiences, fitness, happiness and stress levels. Fulfilled aspirations can lead to a happier sim.