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Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#51 Old 24th Sep 2018 at 11:50 PM
It's hard to say why for someone else certain gameplay areas are challenging and not for some of us. I have watched some Let's Play's and wanted to reach in, fix that person game play and yell at the screen though. Sometimes it's really small things and I sit here saying "no, no, no! Don't do that!"

So some things I have seen on let's Play's.

Adult picks up a toddler, walks downstairs to give them a bottle. By the time they have done that they then take them back upstairs to go potty, but toddler has already gone potty in his nappy. They then try and sit the toddler on the potty and blame the toddler for refusing. They then say how much they hate toddlers as the kid is screaming. The parent sims look like they are about to pass out so Let's Player tosses toddler in a cot to scream some more and sends adults to bed.

How to fix that situation ^ Move all the toddlers need items to the same level, all upstairs and all downstairs or have a mini fridge upstairs. Feed the toddler then quickly place them on the potty, since they have not had to wait going up and downstairs they catch the potty in time. Cancel adults take to potty queue as soon as the adult pats the toddler on the head. The tired adult is free to leave and go to bed while the toddler goes on using the potty. If the player is lucky the toddler will get potty trained. Preferably that toddler has a toddler bed to use (but these kinds of situations they never do), but if not the adult gets out of bed in time to pick the toddler up and place in the crib and goes back to bed or goes on a date. Best done just before ageing the baby up to toddler but this is also a good time. A dream date will get the adults aspiration and need meters way up high. They can then use smart milk and thinking caps and zoom through that toddler training. With those 3 in place, I can train a toddler in all skills in a day, day half max. I actually don't since I don't use aspiration awards and if toddlers are smart or not depends on their motivation level and parents motivation level (complicated) but that aside, pure gameplay wise if I wanted to I could achieve that.

Homework. Watch child place homework some odd place/don't see it placed at all because the Let's Player isn't watching, but later complains they can't find the homework. The kid is sent to watch TV for awhile then told to do homework while still in the red and with no homework help. Kid gets up partway through and leaves homework and is found later playing with toys. Player sends them to bed, next day they realize the child has a pile of homework.

Instead ^ Watch the child get off the bus so that you can see where they place the homework. Have the adult play 1-2 games of red hands with the child maxing his her fun. Teach the child how to study. Repeat and do as many homework books as possible. Make sure each day the adult plays red hands then the child does their homework. They will soon have an A+


*This is for those who find the game hard, not for those whose play style does this purposely.

As for Business Run's You, I only use the sign. it's good to be able to open, close, boot sims, etc on the sign. What I don't want is automated sims running around. Also why I hate macrotastics and that toilet runs you. Can't stand sims running off to the loo like their pants are on fire and often doing a loop in a bathroom of potty-shower-potty-shower. Nope, got rid of that really quickly after sitting there and watching it in action. I like sims to walk, I like to see what they choose to do and I like to be the one directing.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
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Forum Resident
#52 Old 25th Sep 2018 at 2:22 AM Last edited by inspiredzone : 26th Sep 2018 at 2:01 AM.
I play large households well. My current largest is a hippie commune with 17 sims, and 3 of them are pregnant. But that's multiple families, everyone pitches in and no one has jobs, so it's not that hard. What's harder when it's 1 pregnant sim with a bunch of under-teen kids who can't help feed babies and toddlers or change diapers. Also managing a large hood (500+ sims, 150 lots, 6+ generations).

Staging community lot weddings. I'm weirdly obsessed with getting wedding pictures.

Interior decorating, I guess? I like what I do, not sure if anyone else does.
Mad Poster
#53 Old 25th Sep 2018 at 8:13 AM
Jo - I use macrotastics and have never seen a lazy sim run (very active ones do) - but I do not use Business Runs you, or the toilet runs you - so I wonder if it may be those two that cause all sims to run? I often use Macro - Clean - since my sims do not have maids - and the lazy ones are slow, the sloppy ones (Me??? You want me to do it???) don't want to, the active ones do it quickly (but not always effectively) and the very neat ones give me fist pumps of joy.

I have no problem putting a fridge in a toddler's room when needed - and I don't care if it is not realistic When I (rarely, to be honest) play a house with more than one level, I simply put everything needed on both floors (and don't care if it is not realistic) - I also do not care if my twin toddlers don't learn to walk or talk - as long as they grow up happy.
Instructor
#54 Old 27th Sep 2018 at 1:55 AM
I'm good at having attention to detail i've built some houses that's i've copied or replicated as much as i could i built Sookie Stackhouses's home from True Blood which i think i'll upload soon it's like almost an exact replica except for the odd changes, takes me a lot of time to build these replicas but worth it, it's so pretty in the end and i'm good at micromanaging my sims too their needs never ever get dangerously low lol.
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#55 Old 27th Sep 2018 at 2:09 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Justpetro
Jo - I use macrotastics and have never seen a lazy sim run (very active ones do) - but I do not use Business Runs you, or the toilet runs you - so I wonder if it may be those two that cause all sims to run? I often use Macro - Clean - since my sims do not have maids - and the lazy ones are slow, the sloppy ones (Me??? You want me to do it???) don't want to, the active ones do it quickly (but not always effectively) and the very neat ones give me fist pumps of joy.

I have no problem putting a fridge in a toddler's room when needed - and I don't care if it is not realistic When I (rarely, to be honest) play a house with more than one level, I simply put everything needed on both floors (and don't care if it is not realistic) - I also do not care if my twin toddlers don't learn to walk or talk - as long as they grow up happy.


I saw macrotastics in use on Jessa's let's play-and they ran-but maybe that was the bathroom part. Not saying all the time, but suddenly they would be running. I didn't know it was influenced by sim personality, but that makes sense. Business Run's you on Mara's they are constantly running. The only one I tried is the bathroom one and that was how I said above, running in and out and annoying looping. With cleaning I prefer sims simply to clean autonomously or if I notice I will tell a sim to say clean up something that they are using. I have no need for a mod for it though.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Mad Poster
#56 Old 27th Sep 2018 at 12:24 PM
Quote: Originally posted by joandsarah77
I saw macrotastics in use on Jessa's let's play-and they ran-but maybe that was the bathroom part. Not saying all the time, but suddenly they would be running. I didn't know it was influenced by sim personality, but that makes sense. Business Run's you on Mara's they are constantly running. The only one I tried is the bathroom one and that was how I said above, running in and out and annoying looping. With cleaning I prefer sims simply to clean autonomously or if I notice I will tell a sim to say clean up something that they are using. I have no need for a mod for it though.


I don't have the mod just for the macro-clean, I really like the macro-socialize - friendly/unfriendly/romantic feature too Both these features work well for me in big families, since I can keep at least some of them (and their guests) busy while I try to sort out those who needed to be sorted out My active sims do run around but I can't say i have seen any looping. A very social sim may run out to greet a friend when his social bar is low, but I think that is vanilla.
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#57 Old 27th Sep 2018 at 12:43 PM
I have a few sims who run to catch a sim outside, probably relationship + activity level, will have to check.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Mad Poster
#58 Old 27th Sep 2018 at 12:54 PM
I wish I could make a video and how you how my lazy sims clean
Instructor
#59 Old 27th Sep 2018 at 1:43 PM
Quote: Originally posted by joandsarah77
It's hard to say why for someone else certain gameplay areas are challenging and not for some of us. I have watched some Let's Play's and wanted to reach in, fix that person game play and yell at the screen though. Sometimes it's really small things and I sit here saying "no, no, no! Don't do that!"

So some things I have seen on let's Play's.

Adult picks up a toddler, walks downstairs to give them a bottle. By the time they have done that they then take them back upstairs to go potty, but toddler has already gone potty in his nappy. They then try and sit the toddler on the potty and blame the toddler for refusing. They then say how much they hate toddlers as the kid is screaming. The parent sims look like they are about to pass out so Let's Player tosses toddler in a cot to scream some more and sends adults to bed.

How to fix that situation ^ Move all the toddlers need items to the same level, all upstairs and all downstairs or have a mini fridge upstairs. Feed the toddler then quickly place them on the potty, since they have not had to wait going up and downstairs they catch the potty in time. Cancel adults take to potty queue as soon as the adult pats the toddler on the head. The tired adult is free to leave and go to bed while the toddler goes on using the potty. If the player is lucky the toddler will get potty trained. Preferably that toddler has a toddler bed to use (but these kinds of situations they never do), but if not the adult gets out of bed in time to pick the toddler up and place in the crib and goes back to bed or goes on a date. Best done just before ageing the baby up to toddler but this is also a good time. A dream date will get the adults aspiration and need meters way up high. They can then use smart milk and thinking caps and zoom through that toddler training. With those 3 in place, I can train a toddler in all skills in a day, day half max. I actually don't since I don't use aspiration awards and if toddlers are smart or not depends on their motivation level and parents motivation level (complicated) but that aside, pure gameplay wise if I wanted to I could achieve that.

Homework. Watch child place homework some odd place/don't see it placed at all because the Let's Player isn't watching, but later complains they can't find the homework. The kid is sent to watch TV for awhile then told to do homework while still in the red and with no homework help. Kid gets up partway through and leaves homework and is found later playing with toys. Player sends them to bed, next day they realize the child has a pile of homework.

Instead ^ Watch the child get off the bus so that you can see where they place the homework. Have the adult play 1-2 games of red hands with the child maxing his her fun. Teach the child how to study. Repeat and do as many homework books as possible. Make sure each day the adult plays red hands then the child does their homework. They will soon have an A+


*This is for those who find the game hard, not for those whose play style does this purposely.

As for Business Run's You, I only use the sign. it's good to be able to open, close, boot sims, etc on the sign. What I don't want is automated sims running around. Also why I hate macrotastics and that toilet runs you. Can't stand sims running off to the loo like their pants are on fire and often doing a loop in a bathroom of potty-shower-potty-shower. Nope, got rid of that really quickly after sitting there and watching it in action. I like sims to walk, I like to see what they choose to do and I like to be the one directing.


Sorry for getting off topic, but I love your rants about Let's Players.

I'm recently finding myself getting really upset with some LPs because they swear they know the game like the back of their hand, but their gameplay doesn't indicate that. I laugh out loud when they brag about how long they have been playing Sims 2, "I've been playing The Sims 2 for 10 years, so I know the game pretty well." To be honest, Some LPs don't have the capacity to handle a sim family that includes children, no matter how long they have been playing. Another thing that annoys me about some LPs is when they constantly cry about the limitations of Sims 2 and bring up Sims 4. It's like, if you like Sims 4 so much, play it. No one is forcing you to play Sims 2. Also, if they use mods to make things easier, they'll find a way to mess up the family more with the mods. Then complain that a mod somehow screwed up their game. I'll give them some credit though, they do take some suggestions we give them, but they still find a way to make their sims (and themselves) miserable.



There's no drama, like Sims drama.

Currently Playing: Sims 2 again!




Forum Resident
#60 Old 27th Sep 2018 at 3:59 PM
I consider myself pretty good at making eyes, they're my favorite thing to make and tweak and I can't see myself ever getting bored of making more of them, I could literally only make eyes and be content with that. I'm also extremely good at procrastinating, pushing things back and forgetting all about them, losing interest in my projects, literally losing my project files, avoiding taking pictures of the things I was supposed to take pictures of when I opened my game.... But on positive skills it's definitely the eye making, maybe also retexturing hairs.
Undead Molten Llama
#61 Old 27th Sep 2018 at 4:33 PM
Never understood the appeal of macros of any type, myself. I run an entirely non-awesome (according to Pescado's definition of "awesome") game. I dunno, maybe it's because I have a heavily-modded game and just let my Sims free-will if they have no wants I can actively fill. That's when they show what they're really like, IMO. I certainly never order my Sims to clean anything and they aren't usually allowed to hire a cleaning service. Or pretty much any other service, for that matter. They have to decide to do stuff themselves. Or not. That way, my slobs actually ARE slobs, as happy in a toxic, fuming-green environment as is a pig in a wallow. And if they share a household with a germophobe, it amuses me to watch the germophobe pretty much follow the slob around, happily cleaning up the messes. Just different play styles, is all. *shrug*

Quote: Originally posted by foxmanic
I consider myself pretty good at making eyes, they're my favorite thing to make and tweak and I can't see myself ever getting bored of making more of them, I could literally only make eyes and be content with that..


...And my downloads folder would erupt in a Big-Bang-like explosion of eyes. Just eyes. A universe of eyes would then replace ours. It would be epic! You should do it!

*cough*

I'm mostly found on (and mostly upload to) Tumblr these days because, alas, there are only 24 hours in a day.
Muh Simblr! | An index of my downloads on Tumblr.
Mad Poster
#62 Old 27th Sep 2018 at 6:21 PM
Nobody needs the macro - or any other mods - if they don't want it or like it.

I have never watched Let's Play videos, I don't have time for that, and I think I am a good enough player. After all, I built a hood until there was 200+ sims over 4 years in a completely vanilla game - and even though the hood blew up, I still think that is not too bad for somebody playing on her own, sorting out and playing around problems, without being part of a community where you can ask questions.

Because the hood blew up, I tried to find out why and learned about essential mods - and others. And I have tried many mods, but only kept some And I kept macrotastics because I like it
Different people have different play styles, and I could never play a legacy with one family, I will die of boredom. I like lots of sims and I like to get to know all of them well. I also like parties, community lot outings (for fun and being scored) and having business dinners for my sims who own businesses.

I don't expect all my sims to clean up - but my soldiers have to, they get weekly inspections (not really, but they get to invite the general over). So those who are not so neat still have to clean (if they don't get fired along the way).
Mad Poster
#63 Old 27th Sep 2018 at 7:10 PM
Speaking of "Let's Play": I kept watching various, hoping to see some wonderful "period" based stuff. Or some novel/funny story or way of handling Sims. Nope, they are just amateurish, stupid, BORING!

Stand up, speak out. Just not to me..
Mad Poster
#64 Old 27th Sep 2018 at 10:17 PM
I sometimes watch the "let's play" videos on youtube - but apart from some of the building videos, I find most of them boring and amateurish, too. They're often filmed from a too large distance, and the players sometimes have an annoying knack of just filming without anything interesting happening, and there's oftena lot of other annoying things about them that makes me lose interest pretty fast. Some of the players also gets excited over weird things. I guess I'm more fond of playing my own game htan watching others play. I occasionally watch challenges and such, which is sometimes a bit more exciting. Machinimas and series too, but it annoys me to no end when they're 20+ minutes and are filmed in slow motion 90% of the time, or the angles are weird, or any number of other small annoyances. Most of the time I prefer reading stories over watching them.

Back on topic - I think I'm fairly good at finding CC. My google-fu and searching-fu is strong, most of the time anyway .
Instructor
#65 Old 28th Sep 2018 at 1:40 AM
LOL Lets Players on YTube they just mess up on purpose, allow sims need to get dangerously low even allowing 1 or 2 to die, pretend to forget about the baby like they don't know how to manage their sims needs even the best channels do it i don't watch the gameplay because of it, it's like "no way... they're clearly amazing at this game from seeing that in their building videos", a lot of content on YTube now is done for views. I love watching Sims Supply and his building videos i've learned more from his building techniques and built a couple in my TS2 game but again not his gameplay videos aren't too interesting he sends his sims off to do projects and whatever else when their energy or hungry levels are on the brink of rock bottom nobody would do that lol.
Mad Poster
#66 Old 28th Sep 2018 at 4:45 AM
I love macro because I have carpel tunnel in my right wrist.

Rather than queue up wash the sink, wash the dishes, wash the counter, wash the stove, make the bed, wash the toilet, wash the tub, because you have to because your want "Get kid into private school" isn't otherwise going to succeed, Macro-->Clean is two clicks. Macro-->do homework makes them go to their own homework . . . no matter where they dropped it, once their needs are high enough to actually do the homework.

That may very well be why ACR is a must-have, now that I think about it. I like other aspects, sure, but not having to click and click and click might be the actual reason why I can't play without it.

Pics from my game: Sunbee's Simblr Sunbee's Livejournal
"English is a marvelous edged weapon if you know how to wield it." C.J. Cherryh
Undead Molten Llama
#67 Old 28th Sep 2018 at 11:39 AM
See, that whole "schmooze the headmaster" thing annoys me, just as a concept. I mean, I can understand that it's a "challenge" in terms of game mechanics, and that's all well and good and all that. But IRL...Well, I went to an exclusive private prep school -- when I went to school at all -- and this is how they work: If you want your kids to attend, you just PAY MONEY. If you have the money, they couldn't care less if you can cook (and even if they did they'd probably expect you to have a hired cook; they'd probably be LESS impressed if you lowered yourself to make them dinner with your own hands, OMG!) or if your house is full of expensive objets d'art or if you have a clean house (because they'd expect you to have a live-in housekeeper or that you'd hire a cleaning service, anyway). They MIGHT care about your family name and/or whether or not your family has a tradition of attending that school, and they might even care about your kids' academic performance or other achievements before applying to the school...but mostly, they just want your damn money. Private school should cost lots and lots of money; that ought to be the "challenge" to overcome to get into it.

OK, rant done!

BUT! I can certainly understand using macros to reduce clicking. That's part of the reason why I play mostly "hands off" on free will. Would that you could build a house in the game without clicking 50 billion times. Maybe one day there'll be a direct mind/game interface...although that might be more creepy than anything...

I'm mostly found on (and mostly upload to) Tumblr these days because, alas, there are only 24 hours in a day.
Muh Simblr! | An index of my downloads on Tumblr.
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#68 Old 28th Sep 2018 at 11:53 AM
I would not even play the headmaster scenario; if I wanted private school it's just 2 clicks on the school changer.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Mad Poster
#69 Old 28th Sep 2018 at 12:12 PM
I have played the headmaster scenario quite often at one point, these days, my sims simply attend public school (except in a new small hood where I am trying out home school).

I don't think the house needs to be full of expensive objects, not even sparkling clean, but roaches on the pavement will cause a problem. As for the food - as I said, my headmaster likes spaghetti. He even accepted kids after eating burnt spaghetti once.
Undead Molten Llama
#70 Old 28th Sep 2018 at 12:45 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Justpetro
I don't think the house needs to be full of expensive objects, not even sparkling clean, but roaches on the pavement will cause a problem. As for the food - as I said, my headmaster likes spaghetti. He even accepted kids after eating burnt spaghetti once.


Yeah, that's why I put "challenge" in quotes. Because it's not really challenging at all. It's just...silly, and I don't see the point. I guess it's supposed to be funny or something? I dunno. In any case, if I'd programmed the game, I would have made income level the only requirement. Like, the combined net income of the household would have to be and remain at a certain level to qualify and continue to qualify, even if it didn't actually charge money for private school. A family could put every penny they earn into their children's education, live in a hovel if they have to, and still get in. Granted, this would probably be impossible for the game to calculate given all the various avenues that money can be made in the game...but then again, maybe not. It tracks profit/loss perfectly well for businesses and, for home businesses, it factors all the money that goes in and out of the household as a whole, not just business-related, into that profit/loss. (Which is actually bad and completely nonsensical in a business sense, but it does show that the game can calculate total household net income over a given period of time.)

In any case, were I programming the thing, I'd want something that makes sense, in "real world" terms. But then, I've always kind of disliked the more "cartoony" aspects of the game, so perhaps I'm biased. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with liking the silly/cartoony stuff, of course. Some people want their game to be silly and escapist and all that, and that's perfectly fine. It's just that it's not what I like. At least not all the time. There ARE some of the more cartoony things I like, like the silly fighting in the game. But generally, they are the things that I change about the game, via mods, if I can, and they're the things I would've done differently, if I'd been the one programming the game.

Quote: Originally posted by joandsarah77
I would not even play the headmaster scenario; if I wanted private school it's just 2 clicks on the school changer.


Well, yeah, there's always mods, of course! I've never actually played the headmaster scenario and likely never will. If I want a kid in a "private school" I use the school changer and manually charge the family "x" dollars per "y" time period per enrolled kid. Or I'll make a playable school and charge money. Or I'll use Inge's "boarding school" in age-modded neighborhoods where child+teen is 56 days long, for very rich families, and I charge them scads of money. But mods don't really apply if you're just critiquing or waxing opinionated on aspects of the unmodded game. You can change just about anything you want about the game at this point, sure, but that doesn't mean that you can't comment on how the game is unmodded and talk about how you'd wish they'd done things differently or how you'd do it if you'd been able to program the game. Talking about that stuff is where ideas for new mods can take root, if nothing else.

I'm mostly found on (and mostly upload to) Tumblr these days because, alas, there are only 24 hours in a day.
Muh Simblr! | An index of my downloads on Tumblr.
Mad Poster
#71 Old 28th Sep 2018 at 3:12 PM
Simoleans* not dollars.

P.S. Sorry for my bad english.
Mad Poster
#72 Old 28th Sep 2018 at 4:11 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Pygsmyemm
LOL Lets Players on YTube they just mess up on purpose, allow sims need to get dangerously low....


I kinda like watching the intentionally bad videos, if the video creator is funny and/or entertaining in other ways. There's a fine line between intentionally bad and plain bad, though. I may be patient most of the time, but I also have a short attention span. If something is too drawn out, I'm all "oh look, a squirrel!" before the video is halfway done, and start doing something else.

I'm good at hoarding CC. I have no clue how many GB of CC I have downloaded and made, but I have several external harddrives, and the newest with 2 TB is nearly 3/4 full, not all CC, but quite a lot.
Theorist
#73 Old 28th Sep 2018 at 5:03 PM
Okay, about Let's Play I hate:
"Helllloooo Guys!" (get a new intro) Maybe just once, say something else.
Low volume where you can't hear anything.
Childish voices when you know the person is probably 8 or 10 years old. (I have nothing against kids but most of them don't make the best videos).
Collaboration videos where people have these in jokes and basically talk to each other and find each other hilarious when you're thinking What the Heck?
People who crack up and think they are so clever.

While I do like "Let's Go find CC" videos when I need new ideas or new items, some of them are irritating. "OOH, that's so cute for my Sims Wanchanah...ya'll know Wanchanah? She was the one who married Goopie...(uh, no?) (and the same rules as "Let's Play" apply.)

Maybe I'm being a tad cranky today. You kids get off my Youtube and find somewhere else to be clever.

"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." Will Rogers
Instructor
#74 Old 28th Sep 2018 at 8:46 PM
I think university pretty much makes private school useless since you'd have to then send your sims to university and still be left 2 or 3 promotions behind from the top of the career track anyway i don't try to get my sim kids in private school no more knowing that the game accepts highest grades in Public School then highest grades in University to get most the way up the career track or you can just make them work up from the bottom which doesn't take long either and i've done that lots of times.
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#75 Old 28th Sep 2018 at 10:45 PM
Quote: Originally posted by iCad
Yeah, that's why I put "challenge" in quotes. Because it's not really challenging at all. It's just...silly, and I don't see the point. I guess it's supposed to be funny or something?


I mastered the scenario years ago and tried to find harder ways to play it. I found that so long as the greeting sim lines up 8 special greets like kiss kiss and fake out most sims can't lose.

Newson tribe in a trailer home. They were hard because the option for special went away on about 5, then he wasn't impressed with their home. Spaghetti and coffee to the rescue.
The 6 kids living alone (It was part of some kids alone challenge, mum was there just tucked away in suspended animation in a sleep chamber ) Now that one was hard because he only accepts cooked food not take away or nicely baked muffins. Snob. The rules said nothing about a huge fancy home with enough crap in every room so I went that rout. Special greets, house tour and coffee won him over.

Past that I was bored of his nonsense so I started using the school changer. These days my kids all go to playable prep school, public or homeschooled.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
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