The Sims 4: Cats & Dogs
The fourth expansion for The Sims 4 introduced household pets, a beautiful new world to explore, and the veterinarian career/business.
I designed the Vet Career, business venue, and gameplay objects as well as the world of Brindleton Bay.
With the Vet Career, we wanted to capture the feeling of caring for sick animals while staying within the quirky, upbeat vibe of The Sims. It was fun coming up with various illnesses that fit that goal.
For the Vet gameplay, we created a mini-game where the player's Sim must run various diagnostic tests in order to figure out what's wrong with each animal while trying to keep them calm. The visible symptoms and diagnostic results are designed such that an experienced player can start to quickly diagnose and treat their patients by recognizing certain combinations, but a newer player can always get it right if they take the time to have their Sim run enough tests.
The world of Brindleton Bay is based on New England coastal towns. It has some fun details like a hidden pet graveyard (complete with ghost pets at night!), a lighthouse, and special interactions for the animals who live there.
Video overview of the Vet Career:
"Secrets" of Brindleton Bay: