Editing SWAF

'''SWAF''' (Wants, Fears, and Aspirations) is a gameplay mechanic first introduced in The Sims 2 and later reintroduced in The Sims 4 via a patch. It provides players with motivations for their Sims based on their wants, fears, and long-term aspirations. Aspirations function as a scoring system, unlocking rewards and progressing the game narrative as the player achieves these goals.

While The Sims 2 emphasized storytelling, character development, and community building through its SWAF system, later installments like The Sims 4 adopted a more “game-as-a-service” model, replacing SWAF with Whims until a patch reintroduced the original mechanic.

Despite its popularity within the Sims franchise, few other simulation games have directly implemented the SWAF mechanic, often focusing solely on fulfilling basic needs and acquiring virtual goods.

== Reimplementation ==
Tony Bark, a long-time fan of The Sims 2, incorporated his own interpretation of SWAF into his open-source Godot game template, [[Sim Framework]]. This implementation aims to provide players with deeper motivations for their simulated characters beyond basic needs fulfillment.

=== Integration into Solar Credits ===
Bark further integrated the Sim Framework’s SWAF system into his existing economic simulation game, [[Solar Credits]]. In this context, SWAF serves as a secondary scoring mechanism, incentivizing players to engage with character hobbies and enriching the in-game lore. Since money generation in Solar Credits is largely passive, SWAF provides additional depth and motivation for player interaction within the gameplay loop.