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Theorist
#26 Old 6th Apr 2017 at 2:45 PM
I hardly ever max out my Sims' skills and even if I max out the skills I hardly see that Sim as "finished", their life goes on after all.

Quote: Originally posted by Peni Griffin
If goal-directed play is what you need, it sounds like it's time to experiment with new goals. You aren't at the mercy of the game for that - you can invent them. Define sets of sims who ought to be intimate friends and make it so, for instance.

Try to define what it is about gaining skills that is so satisfying for you, that the other game-set goals lack, and then perhaps you can find a way to add that quality to other activities, or invent a goal that scratches the same itch.

You don't necessarily have to choose their next interaction, you know. You can let them do for themselves for awhile, see if you can get engaged with a different part of the game.


^ In this case I'd also recommend looking into the Challanges forum. There are a lot of variant rules with unlocking and earning things and all that good stuff.
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Scholar
Original Poster
#27 Old 6th Apr 2017 at 4:33 PM
My problem is that I’m a control freak and I don’t like when sims decide something on their own. I often pause to tell everyone what to do, and try to pause before they start doing something. Sometimes they can manage to start something and it annoys me, because stopping an already started interaction takes more time than cancelling it when they just started walking towards the object. I somehow don’t want to turn free will off, I’m not sure why, maybe I find challenge in trying to be fast enough with pausing so they can’t start doing anything themselves? No idea
I think I like skills so much because it feels the most progressive from all the tasks; what I need is create more short-time goals which will make easier for me to choose interactions. For example, I want Ophelia’s dog to reach the top of their career, but it’ll take several days, and I need to fill those days with something.

You all have interesting ideas though, I like reading how other people play even if it’s not something I’d do in my game

“Secret is only a secret when it is unspoken to another.”
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Scholar
#28 Old 6th Apr 2017 at 4:45 PM
I do want to have at least one Sim that has maxed out EVERYTHING. All Skills, all Badges, all Vacation Memories...accomplished all the cool things in college...just everything.

"Oh look, my grandchild is now an elder. They grow up so fast. Gee, I wonder when I'll finally graduate college." Sims 2
The Great AntiJen
retired moderator
#29 Old 6th Apr 2017 at 4:48 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Charity
I must have the opposite playstyle. My sims can go for days without skilling until something reminds me to check their promotion needs. Even then not everyone goes to the top of a career. Plus, watching them sit there and read a book is so boring. I also like it that one person with an interest in cuisine might have the highest cooking points and some sims just stay bad at it. XD Because of my aging off playstyle I have skill limits for younger age groups and slower skilling, so I don't end up with 10 skill point toddlers. If they don't need a skill point or want one, then I usually say screw it and let them mess around. XD

Heh - That would be me too. I don't do anything at all with toddlers or kids - never direct their actions to skill. If a kid spontaneously plays the piano, then fine - that's what I did as a kid after all. The only thing I do with toddlers is the parents will teach them to pee, talk and walk because it's natural enough for a parent to do that (and peeing you can't really avoid unless you have a very neglectful parent who lets the kid fill his nappy/diaper instead) and sometimes they do the nursery rhyme but I never direct them to the skilling toys. They're often lying about the house but it's up to the toddler to play with them if they want. Kids will often (though not always) do their homework - at first with their parent's help if their parents are that way inclined.

I no longer come over to MTS very often but if you would like to ask me a question then you can find me on tumblr or my own site tflc. TFLC has an archive of all my CC downloads.
I'm here on tumblr and my site, tflc
Field Researcher
#30 Old 6th Apr 2017 at 6:02 PM
I've had sims who maxed all their skills and went straight on to getting gold badges in everything, while also becoming big sim on campus and reaching the top of several careers and making a ton of money and teaching all the kids all their skills and growing their own food and making 30 best friends and... (deep breath). Some sims are just overachievers. Playing ALL sims like that would get very repetitive, though.

One important aspect here is whether you focus on playing one household, or switch between several different ones. Because if it's different households, then you can set up separate goals for them. In one family, the heir and their spouse have to get all the vacation memories before they die (or even before they turn elder), but maybe they have to stay in the neighborhood for X number of days before going on a new vacation. In another home, it's all about the workbenches - and then maybe you start a business or two where you sell the creations. Another household focuses on gardening and fishing and have to live off the land. Another makes it a goal to collect all the career reward objects - perhaps with a limited number of sims career hopping, or in a set time period, or strictly from jobs offered in the newspaper. One family could have witches/warlocks of different alignments, each one working to max their magic skill while also creating certain objects, and you could see who gets there first. In one family it's constant stargazing and trying to get abducted, in another household you try to gather as many different kinds of supernatural sims as you can, in another every child has to earn the dancing and pool playing scholarships or they're not allowed to go to college, and so on and so on....

If you're not completely opposed to creating your own families, you can also try to challenge yourself with family set-ups, something like elders raising toddlers with a shortage of cash on hand. If you prefer premades, then go with the Newsons as they come, or give Brandi Broke multiples without moving anyone in to help or getting her any money, or have a single sim trying to teach the Critturs some manners while holding down a fulltime job - push yourself in other ways than what you're used to, if a challenge is what you need.
just a girl
#31 Old 6th Apr 2017 at 7:59 PM
How about fulfilling wants? It can be very challenging. You could set a goal in amount of bonus points you want to earn. I know you've said, you like to control your sims all the time, so you could challenge yourself in that as well - make up a rule, that you are allowed to control sims ONLY to fulfill their wants. Or even fears, which is harder. You'll see and do a lot of new things and interactions you've never saw and did before.
Also, you might like the Apocalypse challenge. It's pure strategy and A LOT of pausing to choose best interaction.
Alchemist
#32 Old 6th Apr 2017 at 8:08 PM
I've never had a Sim max out their skills. They're all way too busy doing what I consider to be fun (like social interactions) to have a chance to. I have the mod to lower the rate of skilling because I have an extended lifespan and I don't want them to progress too quickly. For me, the game is kind of part virtual fish tank. The spontaneity and autonomy of the Sims holds a lot of charm for me, and sometimes I like to sit back, watch the show and give the Sims a chance to shape their own lives.
Scholar
Original Poster
#33 Old 6th Apr 2017 at 8:48 PM
I don’t think I would like challenges, because one of the best things in TS2 for me is that I can do whatever I feel like doing, and challenge rules would limit that. The only think I could do it’d be coming up with my own challenges for certain sims – then it would be what I want
I think the void is slightly less noticeable after some time when I become more used to not having skills to build, I’ve been playing with Johnny and Ophelia again and had less trouble with choosing interactions. And I made them join the garden club, which I’ve never done before I have a small garden for fresh produce quite often, but I never bothered with the club.

“Secret is only a secret when it is unspoken to another.”
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Mad Poster
#34 Old 6th Apr 2017 at 9:16 PM
Sounds to me like you're already doing a challenge that limits you. The perfect life challenge that most players do in the beginning, where they play one family until they are bored of them and then don't touch them again. Maxing all skills, topping career, perfect grades. Same thing over and over with each Sim.

Stick around. Eventually the forum rubs off on you and you start challenging your own way of playing, and discover new ways to enjoy the game. And if you are so fond of skills and progress, might I suggest you try a game called Anti-Idle: The Game. You'll find it on Kongregate.com. Never ending supply of goals, bars and progress for the achievement-lover.

Creations can be found on my on tumblr.
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#35 Old 6th Apr 2017 at 11:08 PM
Reading up, I don't think your play is really goal orientated either. Most of us who enjoy goals also enjoy having some rules or challenge connected to it. I'm thinking, and don't be offended, that you are a perfectionist. So I am back to the suggestion that once you have your sim perfectly rounded the way you want them to be that you set new goals for each like was suggested before, badges and hidden skills.

"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
#36 Old 7th Apr 2017 at 3:55 AM
There is nothing wrong to max out skills if you want to - it is often a LTW for knowledge Sims, and it makes them so happy. I tend to stretch the maxing of skills more over time and make them do other things from the start, but it also depends on the Sim and his/her situation. The game offer so much things for Sims to do, though, and I love the garden club joining

There is nothing wrong with not playing challenges - I don't, and I probably never will. I also do not like to kill Sims or make them suffer, and that is a personal preference which is not going to change easily.

The only rule is to enjoy the game!
Scholar
Original Poster
#37 Old 7th Apr 2017 at 8:12 AM
Yes I’m definitely a perfectionist, I want my sims to have as perfect life as possible. and I also don’t want them to suffer or die, I try to keep them happy, and I think I could compete with @AndrewGloria with respect to trying to protect my sims from any harm

“Secret is only a secret when it is unspoken to another.”
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Test Subject
#38 Old 7th Apr 2017 at 4:22 PM
I second the thought that it's pretty boring to max all skills. How are the sims going to differ from each other in that case? Traits can only go this far in making the sim special. And I like my sims to be like real people. Noone irl has all the skills maxed. But if you wonder, what to do next, have you considered creating? As in building, uploading videos to youtube etc.?
Mad Poster
#39 Old 7th Apr 2017 at 5:49 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Nonenina
Noone irl has all the skills maxed.

While it is true that no one irl has maxed every irl skill, irl has a whole lot more skills than the 7 TS2 ones.
Mad Poster
#40 Old 7th Apr 2017 at 5:51 PM Last edited by SneakyWingPhoenix : 7th Apr 2017 at 6:08 PM.
I remember only maxing a servo's skills, but that because he had a LTW for that. IMO forcing all sims to max all the visible skills makes the game just boring, because everyone are just then Omnipotent, in a figurative sense that, they don't suck on any particular study/activity domain. Just choose only a few skills (3 or 4) for any average sim to master. And like I said: looking at their interest points, personality, turn on's and hobbies (especally when you get a bubble message in the corner saying along the line's "I'm glad I tried this out!" and the glow on the hobby's bar, which both these factors determines what hobby best suits the sim, allowing you to pick a skill relevant to their hobby) - these things play a magor role for a storyteller to easily pick and choose what skill (s)he may apply for that sim to work on. You just gotta try that and see, on how YOU can choose the skills for your sim to master.

You just can make all it up based on what usually hooks them up to do frequently, through their lifetime. If a sim plays piano a lot, instead of prime'ing/cooking/play chest, have that sim just focus on improving their creativity, without priotizing others too much. Pick 3 or 4 things, corresponding to the skill, on what they like/are doing often in their free time (aka, on free will on).

ETA: To OP, sorry - I didn't read your post and comments fully. I guess I'm just gonna leave my advice/tips&tricks for those who are struggling and do not mind applying to make the following changes.
Scholar
Original Poster
#41 Old 7th Apr 2017 at 11:20 PM
Yes I created this thread not exactly to get an advice, because I do like my playstyle, but more out of curiosity about how other players approach skills Maybe I will use some of your ideas as an inspiration if I feel like doing something new, but not yet, I haven’t got bored with maxing out skills yet

Also @Nonenina I do build a lot (one of my rules is only self-built lots, so I never download any), and I’m also a CC creator, as you can see in my profile

“Secret is only a secret when it is unspoken to another.”
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Mad Poster
#42 Old 7th Apr 2017 at 11:39 PM
It is a game!
The only rules applicable is the player's
Scholar
#43 Old 8th Apr 2017 at 12:35 AM
You could make up some extra ones that aren't built into the game, but you'd have to monitor it manually.
Mad Poster
#44 Old 8th Apr 2017 at 1:58 AM
Yes, you could make up some rules. Most of us probably have a couple of rules, even if they are unwritten.
But you don't have to.
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#45 Old 8th Apr 2017 at 2:19 AM
So long as you are not bored/not wanting to change, than don't!

"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
#46 Old 8th Apr 2017 at 10:57 AM
My Sims and I are in agreement that rules only exist to be broken! I'm sure there are conventions I follow in the way I play, but no rules set in stone. I don't play challenges either. I think I (and my Sims) would find the rules far to restrictive, and many/most challenges expose Sims to unnecessary danger. I don't think I want all my Sims to be perfect, but I do like them to be happy. (The constitution guarantees them an "inalienable right" to the "pursuit of happiness".) Peni used to have an aphorism in her signature, "All you can do is the best you can do", and I, and many of my Sims find this rather inspirational. I wouldn't like to think I was holding any of them back from fulfilling their full potential. Most of my teens and children end up with A+ grades because they can, and I don't like to stop them. Besides which, I would have been terrified to go to school without my homework done, so they (almost) always do it.

As for skills, they can't be that important to me or my Sims as none of my Sims has yet maxed out all skills, although I've been playing some of them ever since I started in November 2012. Andrew maxed his logic skill long, long ago, and Julian recently joined him, but did it so quietly that I didn't even notice at the time. (Andrew in contrast celebrated his success with a big party, which is still remembered by the many Veronaville teens who attended it.) Craig Royce, the "slob" who runs Downtown's "teen townie hostel" maxed his creativity skill, and now writes novels instead of going to work. There may be others, but that's all I can think of. I've nothing against maxing skills, but, with my aging-off playstyle, my Sims have time on their side, and there's no hurry. Some may eventually max all their skills, especially if it's their LTW, but, as the old saying goes, "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." My Sims are in general much better at balancing their priorities in life than I am. (Jack, meaning happy-go-lucky Romance teen Jack Gill of Mendoza Lane, Downtown Veronaville, is certainly not a dull boy! He says, "Life is fun man! Enjoy it!" He has high (but not maxed) creativity and logic skills, because he enjoys painting and chess.)

I'm a bit of a control freak too, but I don't cancel my Sims actions if their decisions are sensible. I often concentrate on one or two Sims on a lot, while leaving the rest of them to get on with it. My Sims aren't stupid and mostly their decisions make sense. Like OP, I'll pause the game frequently and check what they're doing, but as long as they're doing nothing stupid, I usually let them get on with it. One action I do often cancel is the "Have meal" one. "What about your children and visitors?" I ask. I note what they wanted to eat, cancel the action, and tell them to make the same meal for everyone. But the choice of what to eat is still theirs.

Yes, when it comes to my Sims' physical safety, I'm very protective. I love them, and I want to keep them around -- ideally for ever! I use mods to keep them safe, but a lot of it is sheer vigilance. I think I almost regard them as souls in my care. I'm sure a guardian angel was looking over them in my early days while I was learning the game. Also my early Sims, Andrew and company, are nobody's fools. When they had to, they fought fires with the fire extinguishers with skill and courage, perhaps helped by my frequent use of the pause button. When I was a railwayman, I was taught how to use a fire extinguisher, and I passed my knowledge on to my Sims -- always direct the jet at the base of the fire. Nonetheless I found those early fires very scary -- they would keep flaring up when we thought we had them extinguished -- and I was heartily glad when I put an end to them, first by fire alarms and later by Squinge's No More Fires mod. I put the latter in after a real scare when the Veronaville Fire Brigade's response time fell way below its usual high standard. My Sims were actually asking me for fire alarms for a while before I installed them -- I didn't know where to find them in the catalogue, and I really didn't think that fire would strike twice in the same place.

I think an element of pride is creeping into the way I protect my Sims. I have been playing for nearly four and a half years now, and in that time I have never seen the Grim Reaper in my game. All the Sims I've ever played are still alive and healthy. I also had never seen a Social Worker until, a couple of months ago when some of my Baldrair Bluffs Sims started to adopt children: not only has nobody died, but no child or toddler has ever been taken into care either. Having kept them all safe for so long, I think I now feel I want to keep them safe for ever!

I do my best to keep them safe, but my Sims mustn't see me as a god. (In Veronaville at least, they have a church for that.) As a "god" I'm sorely deficient -- I often lead them into temptation to commit fornication and other "sins of the flesh"!

All Sims are beautiful -- even the ugly ones.
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The Veronaville kids are alright.
Mad Poster
#47 Old 8th Apr 2017 at 11:33 AM
I do not play challenges either - I do not like rigid rules and have no interest in following rigid rules when I am playing a game for sheer enjoyment.

Andrew, with FT (I think) came the ability as an aspiration thing for knowledge sims to teach other sims with less skills. That means a knowledge Sim with maxed skills can teach almost anybody else in the hood a skill or two - and it is a great way to establish friendships too. It is a great role for especially my elder knowledge sims to play in a hood, for they go to community lots and teach some skills to the others, especially helpful at my Unemployment Center. They also teach some skills to their grandchildren. In my hood, elders are the wise people, which is something I take from the traditional African culture still seen in my country, where elders are not only seen as wise, but are the advisers and leaders of the villages and tribes.

So depending on play style, maxing skills can be very important. And, without mods, maxing all skills is by no means easy to achieve. It has to be done while balancing work, family, social life, visiting community lots, going on outings, hobby time, gardening time and perhaps running a business after work hours too. Not even all knowledge Sims will do it in the end.
Mad Poster
#48 Old 8th Apr 2017 at 12:41 PM
I do love playing challenges. It adds a new perspective and flavour to the game, when you get bored of the same rut.
Theorist
#49 Old 8th Apr 2017 at 1:24 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Justpetro
I do not play challenges either - I do not like rigid rules and have no interest in following rigid rules when I am playing a game for sheer enjoyment.


Well the thing about self-imposed challenges, at least for me, is to know/decide which rules you want and which you don't. After all it's your game and, aside from some exceptions, there isn't really a way to enforce challenge rules.

Like, I wrote in another thread that I liked Post-apocalyptic play and the Apocalypse Challenge. I have played that challenge several times in the past. I have never 100% followed the rules (no dancing anymore? get out! This is the post-apocalypse, not Footloose).

To me challenges are fun when they provide whole alternative play stiles. Since the player is so powerful in Sims and the game itself so easy, I quite enjoy it when some of hat power is taken away from me and I have to make do with the stuff that remains.
Mad Poster
#50 Old 8th Apr 2017 at 11:34 PM
Those challenges are not for me. At least, after playing for 10 years, the game still offers me plenty of challenges!
Have you ever had 6 dorms with 6 playable students each and tried to have all 36 graduate at the same time?
Have you ever had CAS Sims marry only townies?
Sent all the available townies to Uni? All of them - the BV, downtownie and newspaper peeps too?
Had one Sim on the top of every career? (He has to retire before somebody else takes that top job, or resign).
Had 1 Sim running 12 businesses? Had every single family adopt a child (or two)?
Had a special sub hood for farming to provide the food for the rest?
I have done all of that And there are plenty of things I have in mind for the future!
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