Previously in HDYPY
In Part 2, I looked in detail at the alternative Homeworking Styles of gameplay for your Sims.
In this part, I aim to look at one of the styles that can be viewed with disdain by the some players... but can sometimes be a necessity for some and enhance the game for others.
In this part, I aim to look at one of the styles that can be viewed with disdain by the some players... but can sometimes be a necessity for some and enhance the game for others.
The Cheating style
I do not intend to condemn but show how different cheats can be used in the game and how they can affect your style of playing. I will go through what I consider to be the most common cheats and how I use them.
Some purists frown at the cheaters saying it diminishes the enjoyment that they could have got from the game. I partly agree with this and believe that new players should try the game out for a few days without having to resort to cheating.
Here is what I think will be the most commonly used cheat out there.
Some purists frown at the cheaters saying it diminishes the enjoyment that they could have got from the game. I partly agree with this and believe that new players should try the game out for a few days without having to resort to cheating.
Here is what I think will be the most commonly used cheat out there.
"ROSEBUD" or "KLAPAUCIUS" & "!;!;!;!;!;!;!;!;!;"
Who has not made easy money for their Sims by using these codes?
I think that almost everyone has used one or both of these cheat codes to build and furnish a huge mansion for a new family to move into and/or give them a lot of money so they never need to work at all.
Personally, I find that this style of play becomes boring after a short time. If a family has loads of money, they do not need to go to work, improve their skills or make friends. Once the family have used all the items in the house and spent days in the pool or hot tub, taking photos of it all, what can they do next?
So, what do you give the man who has got everything? Penicillin
I think that almost everyone has used one or both of these cheat codes to build and furnish a huge mansion for a new family to move into and/or give them a lot of money so they never need to work at all.
Personally, I find that this style of play becomes boring after a short time. If a family has loads of money, they do not need to go to work, improve their skills or make friends. Once the family have used all the items in the house and spent days in the pool or hot tub, taking photos of it all, what can they do next?
So, what do you give the man who has got everything? Penicillin
Necessary Cheating
However, there comes a time when you might have to cheat. "What?" I hear you cry. Let us look at reality for a moment. Yes, it does exist.
Everyone needs to go to the bathroom at some time or other. Whether you wish to go to the toilet or have a shower/bath, you will lock the door and know that you will not be disturbed... apart from someone knocking on the door and telling you to get a move on because they need to use the toilet.
In "The Sims", you cannot lock the door and disturbances are frequent.
In my example family, Mortimer has gone to the bathroom only to be interrupted by Cassandra/Bella/a visitor demanding he leaves because she wants the toilet/chat etc.
Either way, the visit to the bathroom is interrupted, the necessary act is not completed and time is wasted. With family interruptions, you can try and control them by giving them other things to do, although first thing on a morning, this requires a lot of attention. With visitors, you cannot control the actions of your visitors... unless you cheat... and go MOO!
Everyone needs to go to the bathroom at some time or other. Whether you wish to go to the toilet or have a shower/bath, you will lock the door and know that you will not be disturbed... apart from someone knocking on the door and telling you to get a move on because they need to use the toilet.
In "The Sims", you cannot lock the door and disturbances are frequent.
In my example family, Mortimer has gone to the bathroom only to be interrupted by Cassandra/Bella/a visitor demanding he leaves because she wants the toilet/chat etc.
Either way, the visit to the bathroom is interrupted, the necessary act is not completed and time is wasted. With family interruptions, you can try and control them by giving them other things to do, although first thing on a morning, this requires a lot of attention. With visitors, you cannot control the actions of your visitors... unless you cheat... and go MOO!
"MOVE_OBJECTS ON" (MOO)
I find the MOO code to be very useful and can be used moderately without detracting much from the game. With this, you can pause the game, go into buy/build mode and use the hand to move the Sim who is about to disturb you to a more out-of-the-way location. This gives you time to have your appropriate Sim finish what he or she is doing in the bathroom or with the moved one's partner.
Also, Mortimer has been stuck a doorway trying to leave a room and someone else is trying to enter it. This has produced a blockage and has resulted in Mortimer missing work - or losing his job - because he could not leave the house in time.
There can be times when a visitor falls asleep next to the only flight of steps out of the swimming pool. Yes, you know so very well you should have built two flights of steps from the pool just in case, but sometimes funds do not allow it or you just forget. Using MOO here can be a matter of life or death! Unless you want a visit from the Grim Reaper, you could have a few drowned Sims on your hands because they cannot get out. So, if you go MOO and move the sleeping Sim to a safer place, your swimming Sims can climb out of the pool when they are tired.
MOO can be used to delete washing up, rubbish, floods of water from a broken appliance and even the bills. I frown on using it for the last one. In reality, it would be wonderful if you could simply throw away a bill and it is completely forgotten by the ones who sent it. Sadly, this is not the case.
MOO can also be used to refresh your Sim's need bars. Make sure you save the game first as all skill changes since the last save will be lost. Apply the code, go into buy/build mode, use the hand and delete your chosen Sim. Then, go to live mode and you will see the target in the bottom corner of the Sim's picture. Click on the picture and the Sim will reappear almost completely refreshed. This is a useful cheat to use just before you send your Sim to work when he has the requirements for that promotion.
Also, if you have a busy house and want all of your guests to go home without having to ask them all, just delete all of them and they will disappear. They will be alive and well when you visit their own house next time.
There are several uses of MOO when building.
You might also want to move your post box or dustbin to a more suitable place. After all, my dustbin is not by the road outside the front of my house. I often move it nearer my back door.
I did once use MOO to delete them and got numerous problems with the Lot. I had to find new ones on the Internet to replace them.
MOO is useful when expanding your house especially to move it "out of bounds" to make the most of the size of your plot. See MEO below for more about expanding the lot. This could also be part of a Sim Family story... but more about doing that in the next article.
Also, Mortimer has been stuck a doorway trying to leave a room and someone else is trying to enter it. This has produced a blockage and has resulted in Mortimer missing work - or losing his job - because he could not leave the house in time.
There can be times when a visitor falls asleep next to the only flight of steps out of the swimming pool. Yes, you know so very well you should have built two flights of steps from the pool just in case, but sometimes funds do not allow it or you just forget. Using MOO here can be a matter of life or death! Unless you want a visit from the Grim Reaper, you could have a few drowned Sims on your hands because they cannot get out. So, if you go MOO and move the sleeping Sim to a safer place, your swimming Sims can climb out of the pool when they are tired.
MOO can be used to delete washing up, rubbish, floods of water from a broken appliance and even the bills. I frown on using it for the last one. In reality, it would be wonderful if you could simply throw away a bill and it is completely forgotten by the ones who sent it. Sadly, this is not the case.
MOO can also be used to refresh your Sim's need bars. Make sure you save the game first as all skill changes since the last save will be lost. Apply the code, go into buy/build mode, use the hand and delete your chosen Sim. Then, go to live mode and you will see the target in the bottom corner of the Sim's picture. Click on the picture and the Sim will reappear almost completely refreshed. This is a useful cheat to use just before you send your Sim to work when he has the requirements for that promotion.
Also, if you have a busy house and want all of your guests to go home without having to ask them all, just delete all of them and they will disappear. They will be alive and well when you visit their own house next time.
There are several uses of MOO when building.
You might also want to move your post box or dustbin to a more suitable place. After all, my dustbin is not by the road outside the front of my house. I often move it nearer my back door.
I did once use MOO to delete them and got numerous problems with the Lot. I had to find new ones on the Internet to replace them.
MOO is useful when expanding your house especially to move it "out of bounds" to make the most of the size of your plot. See MEO below for more about expanding the lot. This could also be part of a Sim Family story... but more about doing that in the next article.
"WATER_TOOL"
I do not really view this as a cheat. I view this as a building tool. Use it in build mode and you can get pools or streams of water, and delete (using CTRL) where appropriate. It gives a more rural character to your house. However, following "Hot Date", this has become one of the "Build" Mode tools.
"MAP_EDIT ON/OFF" (MEO)
Again, I don't really view this as a cheat but another building tool. It allows you to stretch the limits of your lot toggling areas between buildable and unbuildable.
"AUTONOMY (number between 0-100)"
Are you a control freak? Do you want your Sims to do exactly what you tell them and nothing else? Then this is the code for you. By setting it to 0, you get your Sims to do whatever you want (e.g. the entire family watches TV together and stays there until you tell them to do something else) unless their moods get too low for them to do it.
Are you more laissez-faire? Do you want your Sims to do what they like while you sit back and just watch? Then this is also the code for you. By setting it to 100, you have given them complete autonomy. They will do some things that can only be applied by players... although I am yet to see what.
I have tried both these settings during my tests for the series of "Sim Brother" that I have run at this site. I have used the 100-setting to allow them to try and develop their own relationships and also used the 0 setting to make them all stay in the same place for a certain period of time.
This code is exceptionally useful for the "Story Telling Style"... but that is another article.
Are you more laissez-faire? Do you want your Sims to do what they like while you sit back and just watch? Then this is also the code for you. By setting it to 100, you have given them complete autonomy. They will do some things that can only be applied by players... although I am yet to see what.
I have tried both these settings during my tests for the series of "Sim Brother" that I have run at this site. I have used the 100-setting to allow them to try and develop their own relationships and also used the 0 setting to make them all stay in the same place for a certain period of time.
This code is exceptionally useful for the "Story Telling Style"... but that is another article.
The Already Skilled Cheat
Many of you might be aware of this. To be honest, I have used it myself a few times as I believe real people have skills and do not have to start from scratch.
"So what is this cheat?" I hear the rest of you ask. It is a slight glitch in the creation process that I hope is never fixed.
Firstly, go to create a new family. Name your family and then add member.
Make this member a child. Name the child and save it. It is up to you whether you choose a personality at this stage or not.
You will now be returned to the family screen. Click on the picture of the child you have just created and edit it.
This will return you to the Sim creation screen. Now, turn that child into an adult and choose the head and body you want. When you are happy, save it.
Repeat this process for as many adults you want in a house. Add children as normal. Save the family when you are finished.
When you move your family onto a plot, you will find your adults already have some skills. I am trying to find if there is a pattern to using it. If anybody out there has found one, please get back to me.
"So what is this cheat?" I hear the rest of you ask. It is a slight glitch in the creation process that I hope is never fixed.
Firstly, go to create a new family. Name your family and then add member.
Make this member a child. Name the child and save it. It is up to you whether you choose a personality at this stage or not.
You will now be returned to the family screen. Click on the picture of the child you have just created and edit it.
This will return you to the Sim creation screen. Now, turn that child into an adult and choose the head and body you want. When you are happy, save it.
Repeat this process for as many adults you want in a house. Add children as normal. Save the family when you are finished.
When you move your family onto a plot, you will find your adults already have some skills. I am trying to find if there is a pattern to using it. If anybody out there has found one, please get back to me.
Objects & Conclusions
I am not going to discuss the objects out there that can make you a lot of money. Look back at Part 2 for some of them. Also, it is up to you to find that pot of gold that makes you §32,768 when you buy it.
There are also household computers out there which you can summon burglars on, which is a quick way to make §1,000 if you have a burglar alarm on the edge of your lot as they'll immediately get caught. You can hack into the SimCity bank and sometimes get some money from that.
The only cheat item I will recommend is a Teleporter. There are plenty of them to be found out on the Internet (the cheapest one I have found costs only §500). The Teleporter allows you to bring anyone from your neighbourhood - housed, unhoused, Townies, vacationers, Somebodies, Anybodies, Stranges - over to your house whether you are already acquainted or not or whether they are in the mood or not. It is a quick way to make friends and have a party.
For the experienced player, I will make a quick recommendation of "The Sims Editor" that allows you to create Sims with skills, friends and an above entry-level job but I may discuss that in detail in the next part of this series.
The Story Telling Style
Dag dag!
There are also household computers out there which you can summon burglars on, which is a quick way to make §1,000 if you have a burglar alarm on the edge of your lot as they'll immediately get caught. You can hack into the SimCity bank and sometimes get some money from that.
The only cheat item I will recommend is a Teleporter. There are plenty of them to be found out on the Internet (the cheapest one I have found costs only §500). The Teleporter allows you to bring anyone from your neighbourhood - housed, unhoused, Townies, vacationers, Somebodies, Anybodies, Stranges - over to your house whether you are already acquainted or not or whether they are in the mood or not. It is a quick way to make friends and have a party.
For the experienced player, I will make a quick recommendation of "The Sims Editor" that allows you to create Sims with skills, friends and an above entry-level job but I may discuss that in detail in the next part of this series.
The Story Telling Style
Dag dag!
Written at 02:48 on Saturday 17 July 2004 by
Andy.
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