Until Death Do Us Part: Paralives Dev Journey July/August 2023

The upcoming life sim Paralives has received several updates in recent weeks, including cute wedding scenes, independent Parafolks, and a first look at death in the game.

Paralives, an indie life simulation game, is inspired by The Sims, and regarded by many as a potential competitor to the franchise. In this article we take a closer look at some recent developments.

Yes, you can imprison unwanted Parafolks in doorless prisons, just like in The Sims.

Starvation, the first of many deaths, has been added to Paralives. It was showcased in an update about autonomy. In the following video we see what happens when Roger is unable to find food.

It’s clear to see the devs are aiming for casual realism in Paralives with less goofy animations than we’ve seen in The Sims.

I mean, can you truly call yourself a Simmer if you have not yet trapped a Sim in a room by deleting the doors, and then watching them suffer until they inevitably starve to death? How about the old classic: “removing the pool ladders” trick?

We don’t yet know if Parafolks will be smart enough to figure out how to leave a swimming pool without the assistance of ladders, however, what we can expect to see are many more deaths in Paralives.

Adding more deaths to the game is also something I’m really looking forward to ✨

Alex Masse – Paralives Patreon

The early stages of the autonomy system (free will)

Autonomy in Paralives is still in early stages of development, but the devs have recently given a short demonstration of this feature in a Patreon post.

Parafolks will have a mind of their own through the autonomy system. Essentially, autonomy is a game mechanic that simulates independence; it triggers when your Parafolks need something. For example, if they are hungry, the autonomy system will direct them to find food. Here are a few examples of what it can do so far:

• If it’s time for work, your Parafolk will leave automatically.
• When nature calls, they’ll take a bathroom break or handle other urgent needs without you micromanaging them.
• If they’re bored, they’ll find something to do, like watching TV or reading.
• Sometimes, dramatic events or extreme hunger can lead to automatic Parafolk deaths. You can’t trigger this on your own; it’s part of the autonomy system!

We’re eager to build upon this first version of our autonomy system to do more and more! Parafolks could automatically clean the house or highly skilled musicians could decide to play music in their spare time, for instance.

Alex Masse – Paralives Patreon

However, if you prefer to control every aspect of your Parafolks’ life, the game has you covered! Players can choose to disable autonomy in the options menu.

New wedding themed Paramaker items & animations added

We got a glimpse of what weddings might look like in Paralives with a big Paramaker update that showed off wedding dresses, fancy outfits, and accessories.

New animations were created for this preview and many of the following photos were created using the game’s Photo Mode, which means players should be able to create similar in-game scenes themselves. We don’t have any details on actual wedding gameplay features just yet, though.

You can find more photos in the original Patreon post here.

Picture Perfect: The painting skill enters the game.

In a recent sneak peak, the devs showcased the painting skill in action. In the footage below we can observe Maggie creating 2 paintings on a canvas. The first piece appears to be in the style of Van Gogh and the second piece looks like a portrait of another Parafolk. Players will be able to choose from various painting types.

Players can actually watch a painting take shape in real-time (or sped up). Beginning with a blank canvas, as soon as a Parafolk starts painting, you’ll witness the artwork gradually coming to life. It will start with sketched outlines and eventually fill in with colours.

Dinner Time: Progress made on cooking interactions

A selection of currently available food items were shared on the official Paralives Twitter account. The developers are currently working on the various steps and animations needed for cooking interactions, so we should expect to see culinary gifted Parafolks in action very soon! *chef kiss*

para** dinner 🤤 pic.twitter.com/SyRDhNHzvw

— Paralives (@ParalivesGame) July 20, 2023

New large and small appliances appear in new house build

In an effort to test the various aspects of Live Mode gameplay, the Paralives dev team created a small home featuring lots of new items we haven’t seen before. Amongst these items are large and small kitchen appliances such as coffee machines, toasters and dish washers.

Keep in mind that this house has been made to test things out, including those small interactable objects, you might not be able to place them as they are on the picture if it leads to technical issues later on. Also, some items might not be functional and just be clutter.

Paralives Patreon

While we are on the topic of furniture, note the new bed. The developers have recently been working on the animations for the sheets when Parafolks are interacting with beds, so we may see footage of this soon.

You can see more screenshots of this house in the original Patreon article here.

Paramaker’s expanding wardrobe

The devs are on a roll with the paramaker and have been sharing new updates each month. Amongst the new styles we see a more alternative look featuring black leather biker boots and ripped skinny jeans (I am a sucker for boots). It’s also really great to see more afro-carribean representation making its way into the game.

You can see more screenshots in the original Patreon post here.

Love Paralives? The Paralives Hub is a fansite dedicated to all things Paralives. Check back often for more updates, or why not take a look at our Forums?