Understanding once and for all why GIGS are not given.

[Rope]

I've been researching a lot about the gigs. 95% of the people seem to have gotten only one gig opportunity or less in their whole sim-life. Most people seem to dismiss the gig feature as simply "broken", but I want to understand if it is really broken or it's just very tricky to get a gig opportunity.

I've read Carl's guide on bands (http://www.carls-sims-3-guide.com/info/latenightband.php) and many topics on how to get gigs, still I'm having no luck.
I did everything that has been suggested:
- I got the 4 members of the band all living in the same househould;
- I registered them all as a self-employed band;
- I made sure I have all the required lots (Sports Bar/Local Watering Hole/Dive Bar/Fusion Lounge/Vampire Lounge/Exclusive Lounge);
- I made sure all these lots have all the instruments and a Mixologist working there;
- I also ensured my sims don't have their opportunity slots filled;
- I even tried becoming good friend with one of the Mixologists, but it didn't help;
- I checked with the Master Controller if I meet the requirements for more Band opportunities, but I can't see any new one.

So, what's missing? Why are the gigs opportunities never prompted?
In months that I've been playing, I only had the same gig opportunity offered twice (to two different sims I believe), to play at the Dive Bar in Bridgeport.

Anyone has any more suggestion?

[AdamantEve]

...It is "simply broken".

[Rope]

Carl, the writer of that linked guide, has had several gigs, so it does work for somebody.

[Zokugai]

The first couple of gig opportunities tend to take FOREVER (like unicorn spawnings), but after that they come pretty fast, in my experience.

[BigBertha]

It takes a while to get started, what I'd recommend is the "More/Less Gigs for your Band" Mod, it really makes it a better experience. You have a show every two-three nights, with good pay!

[Rope]

Zokugai (cool name btw), I have been playing for months but I never got any other gigs beside that same gig twice.
BigBertha, thanks, but I'm trying to get through this gig thing without any mods. I just want to understand what to really do to get them they way we were meant to.

[kewpie]

Sometimes EA throws out stuff broken and you need to get a mod to play "how it was meant to be". The most recent example is the horribly broken brick fence that made the bricks stack the wrong way by default. I am very sure that the creators didn't say "You know? Let's be creative and make it work the opposite way people assume it would just to mix it up and startle people!"

Right now, I am having troubles in my game because I took out all the rabbit holes and mixed and matched them with rabbit holes from other towns. Now I am sure I am "meant to" be able to do this, but it turns out a need a several mods to fix the fact that the rabbit holes weren't very well designed and can screw up if you use some from one town and some from another. I am fairly certain that the EA folk didn't mean for this to happen - otherwise, why would all of the rabbitholes from all the EPs be available in buy/build?

It's a sad fact, but if you play mod-free 100% you are not playing "how it was meant to be" but "how it turned out by mistake" many times.

[calisims]

One thing you don't have on your list is sending your band members out to play for tips. Their band career levels will rise as they make more money, and being a higher level band opens the possibility of better gigs.
That doesn't guarantee you'll actually get the gigs, mind you. In my experience the whole gig system is broken without mods, and no matter how high my band Sim got in his career level, he never got gigs. (I also refuse to play a band living together. My husband is a musician, and his response to that idea was, 'live with those squirrels? No f***ing way!')
But there are some gigs only available when your career level is high enough, so in theory, playing for tips to increase your career will open up more gig possibilities.

[Rope]

But there are some gigs only available when your career level is high enough, so in theory, playing for tips to increase your career will open up more gig possibilities.

Ah, finally a valuable tip, thanks, I'll try to get them to play for tips and raise their career level a bit! :)

[Rope]

Just wanted to say, doing all the things I was already doing before, plus having had my sims play for tips in the metro, made me get more gigs!
So it's not broken, it's just very hard to get the gig opportunities!