Retuned Attraction System (1.67 compatible)

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Uploaded: 1st Dec 2012 at 2:37 PM
Updated: 10th Apr 2014 at 10:53 AM - Patch 1.67
Updates
  • 10 April, 2014 - Patch 1.67
    As far as I know, no game files were even changed for this patch, so barring any further patches, this should be the final version of the mod.
  • 15 January, 2014 - Patch 1.66
    This patch only changed two unrelated files, so the mod shouldn't need an update.
  • 18 October, 2013 - Patch 1.63
    Despite 950 files in GameplayData being changed, the two XMLs I use for this mod were left untouched. No updates should be necessary.
  • 17 October, 2013 - Easier Purity
    This is a retuning of Purity where the non-moodlet attraction methods have scores similar to those used in Easy Variety. More details in Mod flavours below.
  • 5 September, 2013 - Patch 1.57
    This patch hasn't changed any of the XMLs used here, so they should still be fine.
  • 20 June, 2013 - Patch 1.55
    Neither of the resources used in this mod appear to have been changed in this patch, so the existing versions should be compatible.
  • 30 March, 2013 - Easier Variety flavour
    Although tuning these files yourself is easier than falling off a log, I appreciate that not everyone is comfortable using modding tools or aware of the nuances (like never saving on your original GameplayData or other package). Therefore, I've retuned the Variety package for those people who want an easier time getting attractions. Check the Mod flavours section below.
  • 26 February, 2013 - Purity retuning
    Adjusted the moodlet score on this package to keep the potential score from exceeding 3 digits after reports of weirdness.
  • 24 February, 2013 - Patch 1.50/New flavour
    The patch made some minor changes to the default tuning: chance of date calls are now 5%, down from 10%, and it takes 2 rejections to stop sims calling back, instead of 3 (my own tuning had the date call chance set at 5% already and needs 1 rejection to stop callbacks). Nothing else appears to have been changed, so this mod should be fine for 1.50. I've also added a new flavour of tuning called 'Purity', see the Mod flavours section for details.
  • 20 February, 2013 - Patch 1.50
    This patch adjusts the XML dealing with date calls, so I need to check out what they changed and then update the packages if necessary. This will probably happen around the weekend sometime. It may be possible to continue using this mod until I've updated, but for safety's sake, you should probably take it out until then.
  • 23 January, 2013 - Patch 1.48
    At the moment, I'm attempting to minimize some sporadic crashing issues (such is the risk when you use unsupported graphics cards), so I haven't been able to patch or test anything yet, but it seems that none of the XMLs used here were touched - so I'm going to presume no update is needed.
  • 9 January, 2013 - Patch 1.47
    This patch hasn't altered the XMLs used in this mod, so no update should be necessary.
  • 9 December, 2012
    After testing, I've decided to eliminate the bonus to chance of romantic socials completely, as a +50% and even the default system's +30% chance makes any town with a lot of attractions (which is highly likely under the default system) skew too heavily towards romantic interactions. Sims should now choose their socials as they would under normal conditions, though any romantic socials they do choose will still have a much better chance of succeeding than if they were not attracted. Secondly, I've added a new type of attraction based on traits, as well as including this type of scoring in the 'Variety' version of the mod. Lastly, I've tuned some of the packages to make it slightly harder for attractions to happen.
  • 2 December, 2012
    Initial release.
Compatibility
Though you don't need any SPs or EPs installed, the Attraction system came with patch 1.42, so you'll need to be patched at least that far to get any use out of this mod.

About the mod
If you're like me, you might think the attraction system EA included with the 1.42 update is poorly implemented, but at the same time, worth fine-tuning rather than shutting off altogether. So I've gone and made this XML tuning mod, which revises a bunch of the parameters that control the attraction system, changing it to something I think is a little more selective, or at least, makes more sense than a Can't-Stand-Art-er going weak in the knees at the sight of someone's painting skills.

There are eight variations of this mod, but some changes are common to all of them, so I'll list those first.
  • Normal chance that attracted sims will choose a romantic social (by default, the chance is increased 30%).
  • "Liking" bonus of 50 for attracted sims when determining "suitability" of romantic socials (originally 20. I believe this figure is added to the long-term relationship when determining the relationship's influence on whether romantic socials will succeed).
  • Your sim will only need to refuse one date call to deter the other sim from calling for dates (it takes three rejections normally) .
  • Attraction gifts/love letters are only sent when a relationship is between 50 and 100, i.e. between half and full green (the default range is -10 to 50 ... in other words, a sim who DISLIKED your sim could potentially send them a letter or gift!).
  • The maximum chance of receiving a gift per day has been cut to 5% (10% chance normally).
  • Skill levels, celebrity levels and wealth no longer have any bearing on attraction (originally all of these contributed a varying amount to the score).

Mod flavours
Now, the mods themselves. Some of them rely on one single method of attraction, while others combine them, to a degree. Just in case it isn't clear, the term 'threshold' refers to the score required to get an attraction.

Zodiac Attraction
This version requires only that the two sims have compatible zodiac signs. Update: 'Compatible' for the attraction system appears to be when the zodiac signs are the SAME as each other (Cancer-Cancer, Leo-Leo etc). Thanks to those people who pointed this out! With that in mind, Zodiac can be 'harder' to score an attraction with, since you have a 1/12 chance of getting someone with the same sign as your sim, but it does make zodiac signs mean something.

Reward Attraction
This one requires that either of the two sims has the 'Attractive' lifetime reward purchased. Since this can only happen via player input (unless your town's premades have rewards on them starting out), this lets you control which sims get attractions. Drawbacks: this is like a floodgate: once you have it, anyone your sim meets who can possibly be attracted, will be. Might be fun if you want them to be swarmed by suitors/groupies though.

Mood Attraction
This attraction setup is based on a few specific moodlets being present on the sims when they meet. For each corresponding positive moodlet, they get 35 points and for each negative moodlet, they lose 35. If the final tally scores at 100 or more, the sims will be attracted. Be aware that the moodlets are counted on BOTH sims when determining this score.
MoodletSourceScoreEP
Attractive'Gussy Up' in a mirror+35
Minty BreathBrushing teeth or bubble bar+35Late Night for the bubble bar
Feeling LuckyHaving Lucky trait+35
Love Is In The AirFrench incense burner+35World Adventures
In The MoodRomantic drink at a bar+35Late Night
Nice NailsDay Spa+35
Eye CandyEye Candy lifetime reward+35World Adventures
Feeling UnluckyHaving Unlucky trait-35
Out Of SortsHaving Grumpy trait-35
EnemyEnemy sim nearby-35
Bad Spray Tan moodletsSpray tan booth-35Seasons
Garlic BreathEating garlic or roasting food at fire pit-35
Heart BrokenBreaking up or death of loved one-35

Note that neither Late Night, World Adventures or Seasons are required for this system to work - having them merely adds extra moodlets to the consideration.

Trait Attraction
The default system also considered traits in its calculations. I've tuned this back into my packages, so now the Variety Attraction uses it, as well as this standalone version, which uses only traits to determine attraction. The way traits work with the attraction system is that matching ones between sims add to the score, while opposing ones subtract from it - in this setup, the threshold is still 100, and traits add/subtract 35 points. So, Sims need to match at least 3 traits without being counteracted by opposing ones in order to be attracted.

Variety Attraction
Variety combines the above methods of attraction to determine a score, with the individual scoring for each being less than the dedicated flavours above. The threshold for attraction is still 100.
Attraction typeScore
Moodlets+20 for positive -20 for negative
Compatible zodiac signs+40
Attractive lifetime reward+40
Traits+20 per matching trait -20 per opposing trait

Easy Variety Attraction
This is the Variety Attraction tuning as above, at the same threshold of 100, but with increased scoring as follows:
Attraction typeScore
Moodlets+35 for positive -35 for negative
Compatible zodiac signs+70
Attractive lifetime reward+70
Traits+35 per matching trait -35 per opposing trait

If you like the attraction methods used for Variety, but feel it is too 'hard', try this flavour instead.

Purity Attraction
This tuning is a variant of the Variety version above, in which the 'Faithful' and 'Eternally Faithful' moodlets give a -200 hit to the attraction score. The intention of this is to stop sims who are ostensibly faithful to their partners from being attracted to others.

There are a few caveats to this however. First is that the moodlet 'In The Mood' was retained in the positive moodlet list in order to avoid the possibility of the game reacting badly to an empty positive moodlet list. Having that moodlet under this attraction setup is pretty much guaranteed to cause attraction; however it is almost completely at the player's discretion. Inactive sims only seem to order regular drinks at bars, so the only way they can drink a romantic one is if it's given to them by an active, or if an active makes a tray of them and leaves them on a bench for them to take. Avoid making romantic drinks and you should be able to avoid any unwanted attractions.

Secondly, sims who are 'hard' reset usually lose their current moodlets. Even though the Faithful/Eternally Faithful moodlets have no expiration time, they won't be reapplied if a reset causes them to be lost, so you'll need to use a mod such as NRaas MasterController to restore them to your sims.

No moodlets apart from those mentioned above will affect the attraction score, though all other attraction methods work as in the Variety verison.

Easy Purity Attraction
Like Purity, this setup will subtract 200 from the attraction score when a sim has the Faithful or Eternally Faithful moodlets. However, the other methods of attraction will have a stronger effect than in Purity, akin to the tuning in the Easy Variety variant. At the moment, it is possible that sims who are highly compatible with each other (zodiacs, attractive reward and most traits matching) can overpower the negative scoring from the moodlets, especially since University Life added two more trait slots to qualified sims. I can change this if it becomes problematic, but honestly ... if you get two sims who are that compatible with each other, why not let it play out for drama's sake?

Conflicts
  • Relationship_0x5da0f93630ce52d4
    XML that controls all the variables used to calculate attraction.
  • AttractionNPCBehaviorController_0xc192d24b58f73168
    This XML contains the settings for gifts sent from sims who are attracted to yours.
Any mods that utilize these XMLs will be in conflict with this one.

Notes
  • Be aware that the attraction system appears to be checked only between sims who meet each other for the first time. In other words, these mods will have no effect on your sims who have met each other already, unless you are loading a game that was saved before the 1.42 patch.
  • I've tested all these packages and they have all worked as expected in new games. They should work fine in existing games, though as with anything EA, back up your saves first.
Okay that's it. Happy simming ninjas!


Additional Credits:
  • The elites who made S3PE, thanks guys!
  • notepad
  • River McIrish, Jamie Jolina and some other noobs for being in my screenshots