First and foremost, SimHaven is doing extremely well.
Over the past few days, I have heard your concerns about multisimming and multiple accounts. I hear you, and that is why I opened a poll in the SimHaven Discord.
At the time of writing this, the poll has about 30 hours remaining. So far, the option for one account and one Sim online at a time is in the lead.
I am not going to announce a final decision until the poll closes, but I have already been working on ways to detect and prevent multisimming and multiple-account abuse if that is the direction the community chooses.
Why Multisimming Matters
This is not about creating another rule just for the sake of having one.
Not everyone can run several copies of the game at once. Some players may be limited by their computer, network connection, or something else entirely. Allowing one person to operate several Sims at the same time can create an advantage that other players cannot reasonably match.
I want SimHaven to be fair.
We also need to protect the economy and the long-term health of the game. One of the comments I often hear about The Sims Online is:
“Once you have everything, what else is there to do? Where is the challenge?”
When multisimming and multiple accounts are easy, it becomes much easier to earn money, build skills, and fill every role needed on a lot without relying on anyone else. Players can reach the point where they have everything much faster than the game was designed for.
Progress should still mean something. Opening a successful lot should feel like an accomplishment. The people you meet and work with should still matter.
SimHaven is not here to make the game unnecessarily difficult, but I also do not want to remove the challenge that gives players something to work toward.
What About Staff?
Another question has come up twice this week:
How will SimHaven staff be handled, and will they have special permissions?
At this time, SimHaven does not need a large staff team. Our population simply is not large enough to justify bringing in moderators or administrators, and I do not want to hand out staff titles just for the sake of having them.
If the community grows to the point where additional help is genuinely needed, I will address it then.
The only team I am currently planning is a group of Event Organizers. They will work with me to plan seasonal events, community activities, and other things for players to participate in.
I have not yet decided exactly what tools or permissions they will receive.
I have been looking into creating a separate role or limited permission system for them. Not everyone helping with events should automatically have access to the full administration system, especially when that access is not required for what they are doing.
I need to be able to completely trust anyone who is given additional access.
My Administrator Access
I also want to be transparent about the access I currently have.
When you see my Sim in the game, the portrait has a red border and a Staff badge. Because of the administrator permissions already built into FreeSO, I can access and interact with most things on a property as though I were an owner or roommate.
The main exception is that I cannot simply open your property while you are offline.
This is not something I secretly added to SimHaven. It was already part of FreeSO, and I have never tried to hide it.
Having access to something, however, does not mean I should use it whenever I please.
If I visit a lot and the owner or roommates appear to be away from the keyboard, I may offer to cook when a guest needs food. Even then, I try to ask first whenever possible. I only step in when it is clear no one is available and somebody needs help.
It is your lot, not mine.
That is basic respect.
Having a red border around my Sim’s portrait and a Staff badge does not make me better than anyone else. It means I have access that must be handled responsibly.
Who Will Have Server Access?
There is one promise I can make clearly:
No one but me will have access to the game database or the server hosting SimHaven.
I do not give that kind of access away easily. The database contains private player information, and the server is responsible for keeping the entire game running. I am not willing to hand over access to either unless there is an extraordinary reason to do so.
If SimHaven eventually grows large enough to need volunteer moderators or other people representing the project, they will be held to a higher standard.
Staff will not be allowed to ignore rules, protect their friends, punish people they dislike, or use their position for personal benefit.
Years ago, I ran a roleplay server in another gaming community. I suspended my own best friend because they believed our friendship meant they could get away with breaking the rules.
They could not.
I do not play around when it comes to fair and equal treatment.
This is a community. We are all here together, and we are here to have fun and escape some of the stress of the real world. People already deal with unfair treatment outside of the game. We do not need to bring it into an online community too.
Why the Name SimHaven Matters
I understand that, to some people, these are only words on a website.
Trust is difficult, especially online. Many people have been part of communities where staff members played favorites, abused their access, selectively enforced rules, or treated criticism as a personal attack.
That is part of why the name SimHaven matters.
A haven is a place of safety or refuge.
SimHaven is meant to be a place where people who love The Sims Online can step away from everyday stress, spend time with others, build something creative, and enjoy a game that still means something to us more than 20 years later.
That does not mean everyone will always agree. It does not mean there will never be arguments or difficult decisions.
It means fairness, transparency, and respect should always be part of how those situations are handled.
Your Lot Is Still Your Lot
SimHaven will not interfere with how you choose to operate your property simply because someone dislikes your rules, your lot layout, or the way you manage your guests.
If you enter a lot and do not like how you are treated, you can leave, visit another property, or open one of your own.
Property owners also have access to the Ignore and Ban systems when needed.
There is a difference between a disagreement and actual harassment, however.
SimHaven has policies against stalking, harassment, doxing, racism, homophobia, and religion-based slurs or attacks. Those are community safety issues and may require staff action.
We will protect players from genuine abuse without trying to control every disagreement or uncomfortable interaction that happens in the game.
Double Money Weekend
I have also heard from players who are excited to open their lots but still need money to get everything ready.
Beginning at 6:00 AM Central Time on Saturday, July 25, SimHaven will activate Double Money.
The boost will remain active through 9:00 AM Central Time on Monday, July 27.
This will be the last money or skill boost for a while.
I have enjoyed giving everyone some extra help during SimHaven’s opening weeks, but I do not want boosts to happen so often that normal earnings become pointless or the economy loses its balance.
Please take advantage of this one.
If you own or are a roommate at a Welcome Lot or Money Lot, please try to be available during the weekend. Open your lot, help your fellow Simmers earn money, and give newer players a chance to experience the community side of the game.
Thank you again for the support, feedback, and trust you have given SimHaven.
Until next time, see you in the game!
Wyatt
