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One installer. Every essential fix, mod, and tool for The Sims 2, set up for you in a few clicks.
I got tired of hunting down the same "must-have" fixes every time I reinstalled The Sims 2 (to the point where it has kept me from playing), so I made a tool that does it for you! 🥳 You choose the fixes, mods, and tools you want, click through, and it installs them all — with automatic backups and a built-in undo, so nothing is permanent and nothing gets lost.
It works with both the 2025 Legacy Collection (Steam and EA App) and the older Ultimate Collection.
⚠️ One heads-up: I only own Legacy (on Steam) and the Ultimate Collection, so I haven't been able to test the EA App or Epic versions of the Legacy Collection myself. They should work, but if you run into any issues on those, please let me know and I'll push out a fix!
Most importantly, none of this content is mine. Every fix, mod, and tool belongs to the creators who made them — I only automate installing them. Full credits and links are in the guide that comes with it. Please go support these people 💜
⬇️ Download: SFS | GitHub
📋 Want to see exactly what's included first? Here's the full list of every mod, fix, and tool, with credits: https://github.com/familyfunds/sims2-essentials-setup-tool/blob/main/GUIDE.md
More details under the cut 👇
What is it?
The Sims 2 Essentials Setup Tool is a single Windows installer (.exe file). Instead of downloading, unzipping, and hand-placing dozens of separate fixes, you run one program, choose what you want from a checklist, and it puts everything in the right place for you.
There are three quick presets so you don't have to think too hard:
Recommended — the sensible default set.
Complete — everything.
Custom — start from a blank slate and pick only what you want.
What's included
Everything here is curated to work together and this isn't a random pile of downloads. I checked every package against the others for conflicts (comparing the actual game resources each one touches), dropped or swapped anything that clashed, and set the load order in the few cases where two mods needed to coexist. So you can tick things freely without worrying that two fixes will quietly fight each other.
Over 140 hand-picked fixes and mods, grouped into:
Anti-corruption & core — the safety-critical stuff that keeps your neighborhoods healthy.
Bug fixes — dozens of fixes for Maxis bugs, from memory issues to gameplay glitches.
Helpful gameplay mods — quality-of-life tweaks that just make the game nicer to play.
Essential tools & systems:
CEP (Color Enable Package) — downloaded straight from MTS at install, see the note below
The Scriptorium
Radiance Lighting System 2.5
GunMod's Camera Mod 3.1
Rugs off-grid
TS2 Extender 0.8.1 (fixes only, optional extras off by default)
Objects.package corruption protection
Missing content restore (you supply your own Ultimate Collection or disc files — EA content is NOT bundled):
Restore IKEA Home Stuff (works on both Steam and EA/Epic — it sets up whichever your game needs)
Restore Missing Music
Missing Holiday Items
Neighborhood setup: clean/empty stealth 'hoods, or fully disable them, plus the MATY no-townie-regen mods.
Startup cheats: 45° object rotation and quarter-tile placement.
Third-party tools: SimPE, Mootilda's HoodChecker / LotAdjuster / Sims2Pack Clean Installer, and Body Shop for the Legacy Collection.
Backups & undo
This is the part I care about most: before the tool changes or replaces any file, it backs up your original first (to C:\ProgramData\The Sims 2 Essentials Setup Tool\backups). To undo anything, just run the tool again and choose Undo — you get a checklist and can roll back everything or only certain pieces. It does not add itself to "Add or remove programs"; it stays fully self-contained.
Requirements
Windows (I tested and created this on Windows 11)
The Sims 2 Legacy Collection (2025) or Ultimate Collection
For the "Missing" content (IKEA / Music / Holiday), your own UC or disc files
How to use it
First, a friendly nudge: back up your Sims 2 "Documents" folder. The tool shouldn't touch your saves, neighborhoods, or downloads — and it automatically backs up anything it does change — but it's always better safe than sorry. Just copy your Documents\EA Games\The Sims 2… folder somewhere safe before you start. (Besides… when was the last time you backed up your saves? 😉)
Download the .exe. It's unsigned (normal for community tools), so if Windows SmartScreen pops up, click More info → Run anyway.
Right-click the .exe and choose "Run as administrator" — it needs admin rights because it writes into your game folder.
Pick your edition, confirm your Documents folder, tick what you want, and click through.
That's it. To undo later, run it again and choose Undo.
A note on CEP
CEP isn't bundled in the installer — Numenor asks that it only be hosted on Mod The Sims. So if you tick it, the tool downloads it directly from MTS at install time. None of Numenor's files are redistributed here. That does mean CEP is the one thing you can't install while offline — but everything else in the tool works completely fine with no internet connection.
Credits & terms
Genuinely, all of the credit goes to the creators — Numenor, LazyDuchess, GunMod & the Radiance team, HugeLunatic, Mootilda, cyjon, Pescado & MATY, TwoJeffs, Nopke, simler90, LordDarcy, MidgeTheTree, hiloyt, CroconawSims, and so many more. The full list with links is in the included guide.
While I've reviewed everyone's terms of use in detail to make sure I wasn't breaking any rules, I'm only human and I could have missed (or misinterpreted) something. If one of your mods or tools is included in this installer and you'd like me to remove it, please shoot me a message and I'm happy to do so.
The tool itself is free and open-source — you're more than welcome to review every file and exactly what it does on GitHub. It's not affiliated with EA or with any of the creators above.
Missing something? Suggestions welcome
Think I've left out a crucial bug fix or a genuinely helpful mod? Send it my way. If the creator's terms of use allow it, I'm happy to look into adding it.
A quick heads-up on my philosophy, though: I originally built this for myself, and I like my game as close to vanilla as possible. So mods that change gameplay in a big way, or add features that were never in the base game to begin with, generally aren't ones I'll bundle. This isn't meant to be an "everything" list, but I'm always glad to consider suggestions, so don't be shy about sharing what you'd love to see!
UPDATE: There is now a cc-free version available for download!
UPDATE: Version 1.2 is out and contains some minor fixes like adding missing storytelling images and fixing surnames.
It's finally here! This is a recreation of Pelican Town from Stardew Valley as a custom Sims 2 neighborhood. It contains:
17 playable lots/families
7 bin families
14 community lots
5 custom townies (+ Leo in the adoption pool)
6 stray animals inspired by the cats and dogs you can choose in SDV
All buildings and Sims are supposed to resemble their SDV counterparts as much as possible. I am definitely more comfortable with building than with CAS, so feel free to give the Sims makeovers ^^ All sims have custom memories, relationships, skills, bios, family photos etc.
All EPs and SPs are required! Keep in mind that this is by no means a CC-free hood. I have included all of the CC with the download, see the attached README for more information. I might make a CC-free version one day if anyone's interested, but that's a pretty big might! I am using default replacements in the screenshots, these are not included in the download.
DOWNLOAD ver 1.2 (SFS)
DOWNLOAD - CC Free ver 1.2 (SFS)
If you decide to play the hood, be sure to let me know about any problems or feedback you might have. I am super excited to see what you all do with it. This is the first time I created and shared a custom neighborhood for TS2, so I hope everything is working properly.
Full disclosure, I experienced some pink soup issues during playtesting :( They were usually resolved by exiting and re-entering the lot. I don't know if it is caused by my system or this particular neighborhood, maybe it's the amount of trees? Anyway, let me know if you encounter any similar issues.
Thanks y'all for showing interest in this project and encouraging me to finish the hood! I started this back in March 2022 and was done building a long time ago, but setting up all the SimPE stuff took much longer than expected. I had loads of fun though!
Since tumblr will not let me put enough images into one post, I'm going to make seperate posts with more info about the lots and families. Or you can check out the download and see for yourself :) Happy Simming!
This is my first ever converted object! Yay 'hood deco! I wouldn't have been able to do it without @angelapleasant's help with texture mapping and milkshape wizardry. Thank you so much again for your patience and knowledge. Now your 'hoods can have a cool piece of historyyy! :-)
There's a wide version that lines up with the sidewalk, and a narrow version that lines up with the road. I wanted an option that made more sense for simmers who use road defaults with no sidewalks. You can have both if you want, or whichever you prefer.
They're tall enough to fit one of @criquette-was-here's semi-trailers through with a bit of clearance. I did that on purpose!
You can find it in stone.
I've included the PSD to add your 'hood name, bridge name, and the year it was established if you want to do so.
As it says in the screenshot, the bridge name (middle) has to be backwards in order to show up properly.
I used @ajaysims' western font. If you want more options, this is a great list.
SFS ✨ MF
everything is compressed :-)
@angelapleasant — teaching me about texture stacking / mapping / milkshape
@jinxxsims — tutorials on 4t2 object conversions ( 1 / 2 )
@ajaysims — western font
@franzillasims — font list resource
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Hello, The Sims lovers! Recently, you probably caught @morepopcorn update about the FAME PACK mod, which is going to bring back some cool features from the Sims Superstar EP (and not only!) 🤩
I can't express how excited I am to bring brand-new animations to these iconic objects and finally see them in action inside the game. I wanted to share a sneak peek of the WIP process with you! These clips come from the Recording Studio and showcase both the successful and failed versions of doing jingles and handling rejection.
After following the Rockwells for a bit now, I've been inspired to explore using more wheels and randomizers in my own gameplay. So, I've put together a quick masterlist. If you know of any others that I should add, please let me know.
CAS |
Aspirations
Traits 1 + 2
Likes + Dislikes: | Activities 1 + 2 | Conversation Topics | Sim Characteristics | Color | Decor | Fashion | Music Genre | All in One: 1
Random Sim Name Generator 1 + 2 + 3
Random Sim Generator (traits and physical characteristics) 1 + 2 + 3 (options 2 and 3 also include basic attraction)
Gameplay |
Wheel of Drama (rated R + requires mods)
Yes / No
Careers
World / Lot Picker
Formative Moments
Random Generation Generator
Love and Dating
Sims Challenge (designed for ts2 + ts3)
MISC |
Random Townie Generator
WCIF | Looking for randomizers / wheels that include the following:
Kuttoe's Pizza
Xosdr's Road to Wealth - Networth
Sexual Orientation (more depth than above)
Romantic Boundaries
Collections
Wicked Whims Traits & Turn-ons and Turn-offs (see link to all in one above)
Also, if anyone updates these, please share!
@/deykxn made post with more details about how he plays here.
A selection of mods designed to give you greater control over your Sims' outfits and the Townies in your save file
Next Project: I'm currently working on modifying a lot of the game filter to delete townies generation, with a little configuration beforehand!
🍵 If you’ve been enjoying my content, your support would mean so much! A small donation here could go a long way, especially as I navigate my career change. Thank you!
👔 No Outfit Change When Promoted
Currently in testing phase
If you are like me and you like to manually set-up the work outfits of your sims, nothing is more frustrating than having to re-create the outfit after your sims get promoted.
This mod prevents work outfits to be modified when a Sim is promoted or demoted. Additionally, it provides some options to adjust the work outfit, available when clicking on a Sim under the Outfits > Work Outfit sub category:
Regenerate Work Outfit: recreate the work outfit(s) using the current level of the sims career(s)
Modify in CAS: quick access to the sims.modify_career_outfit_in_cas cheat
Thanks to Scumbumbo for their work on the Outfit Tools that really helped me set this up, and Scripthoge for the injector that allow to replace existing scripts!
Required: the XML Injector
Status: ✅ Updated on 09/27/25: Removed the option to copy items from the everyday outfit, as it could cause issues and I'm not able to fix it.
Download: SimFileShare
🎭 Removed Situation Jobs Outfits
Many creators already tackled this subject: many situations in the game spawn Sims and for Sims in those Situation Jobs, a random outfit is generated (with some tags used). But in most cases, the result is a disaster, and sometimes, it would be better to use their regular outfits.
I took a different approach, and instead of overriding all those Situation Jobs, I created a simple injector that allow me just to replace that part. It makes the mod way less likely to break stuff at updates (as Situation Jobs are regularly changed, last time it was for the L&D patch).
Some examples of outfits replaced:
Active Careers from Get To Work will use your Sims Work Outfit instead of generating a new one
Entertainers and DJs will use their Party Outfit
Students in High School and Teachers will use their regular outfit (even for those part of a club)
Sims spawned for many festivals or events (City Living festivals, Cottage Living fair, Island Living festivals…) will use their regular outfit
Other situations like paparazzis, loungers in parks, weirdos from City living will also use their regular outfit.
I plan to play more and identify even more outfits to replace, but I think that's already a good start 🤗
Status: 🔄️ Updated on 02/14/26: Situations from Adventure Awaits and Royalty & Legacy added.
Download: SimFileShare
💘 Less Randos on Cupid Corner
This mod limits the number of random Sims appearing on Cupid's Corner to focus mainly on the ones from your own save. You should have 5 Sims from your save (with a stronger chance of using played Sims) and 1 random sims (this sims should be from the Gallery if enabled).
As it's a little bit less than the initial number of potential matches, I reduced the cooldown to 8 hours.
I added an alternate version that removes the ridiculous fish and trophy poses, as they don't make sense in most cases.
Required: Lovestruck
Status: 🔄️ Updated on 02/14/26: Compatibility with the latest patches and Royalty & Legacy.
Download: SimFileShare / SimFileShare (no Fish & Trophy poses)
🫸 No more paparazzis and fans
I think this kind of mod have been done and redone, but here is my version of it, with minimal impact as it only affect the situation jobs. If you want to play a celebrity and enjoy them again, just remove the mod.
Required: Get Famous
Status: ✅ Updated on 02/26/25 for Businesses & Hobbies
Download: SimFileShare
🌿 Plant Sims use the Enchanted by Nature Hairstyle
Instead of the base game green fauxhawk, Plant Sims (both the ones appearing in Innisgreen and Sims eating the Forbidden Fruit) will use the Enchanted by Nature leafy hairstyle. Sims with a low water need will see their hair turn grayish.
Required: Enchanted by Nature
Status: ✅ First uploaded on 07/28/25
Download: SimFileShare
🚷 No Townie Generation and Relaxed Filters
Currently in testing phase
This is quite a big mod that replaces a lot of the game filters in order to completely prevent new townies from being generated and make some existing ones flexible, to use existing unplayed Sims fill-in the role when applicable. This one requires some set-up to work correctly so read the instructions.
As it overrides a lot of filters, it might conflict with the mods that impact those filters. To avoid those conflicts, you can try and edit your Resource.cfg file and put it in a specific folder (follow the instructions here, but with a lower priority, like 200)
You can also visit my gallery (under my EA ID Down-In-Simsland) to get some additional townies that will work with this mod, they all have [NPC] in their title.
My main recommendation is to have many unplayed Sims with skills and no job, and to disable aging for unplayed Sims to ensure they stay there. For really specific Sims like in Henford or Copperdale, make sure you still have them or download them in the gallery.
Here are some things this mod modifies:
For NPCs like stall vendors, baristas or staff in the actor's career, the game will use unplayed Sims without a full-time job. They won’t get assigned a job, so they can still be used to fill-in other positions in the future.
For NPCs like massage therapists or bartenders, the game will use unplayed Sims with a high skill in wellness or mixology. Make sure to have some unplayed Sims with at least at level 5 of those skills: Mixology, Wellness, DJ Mixing, Gardening, Fitness, any Instrument, Cooking, Charisma and level 2 of those skills: Dancing, Media Production, Veterinarian. And at least one sim with the Insane trait.
For some other NPCS like the maid or the mail deliverer still primarily use Sims with the related hidden trait (the career is not needed anymore) but will use other Sims if that’s not the case. I plan on creating an injector that makes those hidden traits stay there if those Sims become played.
For Butlers, the game will favor using a butler that your family already met, meaning that it reduces the chance to get another random butler
For High School Students, the game will favor teens that your sims have already met, it’s easier to find your friends there to sit down in class and do nothing exciting at all.
Because of that flexibility, the staff at restaurants, vet clinics or retail lots might not be the people you hired if you visit the lot. Small Businesses are not affected by that issue.
For University Organizations, as the game enrolled so many Sims in universities to make it work, you now need to have at least some students in each university and part of university organization (one for each)
For region filters, that are used in Sulani, Mt. Komorebi, Chestnut Ridge, Tomarang and Nordhaven, those worlds will favour using Sims that either live there to fill in those roles, or have the hidden trait corresponding to the world (trait_IslanderCulture_Islander, trait_Hidden_SummmitLocal, region_Residential_EP14World, region_Residential_EP15World, no trait for Nordhaven). For Henford, Sims from this world can visit other worlds and for Strangerville, only Sims with the Strangerville related roles (conspiracist, military, scientist…) will be prevented from appearing elsewhere. To assign townies to those regions, you can add those traits by cheat, and assign them using Kuttoe’s Home Regions (you can delete the mod after, I think it will conflict).
For Selvadorada, it will try to use Sims with at least level 2 in the Selvadoradan Culture skill, regardless of where they live.
For Get To Work careers, it will try and use existing Sims in those career, so you need to have some in your Save to have coworkers. For the Detective career, a level 9-10, a level 4-8 and a level 1-3 at least, for the Doctor career a level 6-10 and a level 1-5 at least, for the Scientist career, a level 1-2 at least and another one at any level.
For criminals in the Police Station, and for the burglar, the game will use any Sims in the lower levels of the criminal career.
For the Get Famous Actor career, the game will need at least two Sims in the Acting career, unplayed or not.
For Ravenwood, the game will try to primarily use sims in the Lawyer career for the Will Lawyer and in the Undertaker career for the Cemetery Keeper.
For Innisgreen, for Plant Sims, the game will try to primarily use unplayed sims with the Plant Lover trait (if there are none, it can also favor Sims who like gardening).
I think that should cover a great part of it, even if I’m sure I forgot something. Use it at your own risk (the only risk being you won’t see any Sims appear to fill in a role, so nothing major). I won’t be able to provide support for any specific case encountered, so if you understand a little bit how those things work, you can open the file in Sims 4 Studio to understand why a specific NPC doesn't appear.
Required: with the use of Group IDs, no filter should be used if you don't own the pack, so I'm not sure any pack is required.
Status: 🔄️ Updated on 02/14/26: Compatibility with the latest patches and Royalty & Legacy.
This custom content pack will provide updated versions of every Maxis dog & cat breed in the sims 2, ranging from small tweaks to significant model changes and new coat colors (coats and breeds unlocked through gameplay are not included or required). This will diversify the gene pool for pets and provide the variety and genetics mixing that the community has desperately wanted for years. I plan to release this in 3 parts, starting with the large breed dogs. The goal is to have part 1 posted within the next couple months.
In the meantime, here's a sneak peek at the new Great Dane model and some genetics testing I did.
I gave the Dane model a much larger/wider head and slimmed the rest of its body a bit to make it look closer to real-life Great Dane proportions.
For genetics testing, I used the above fawn coat (a Maxis Dane coat I altered to give it more depth) and a completely custom "merlequin" coat variant. I used this mod by KittenInTheWindow to show all coat markings on the puppies.
Father
Mother
They had a litter of 3, 2 of which had a nice mix of layers from both parents (and the other is just a merlequin with tan feet I guess haha).
These are the pups as adults:
I then tested to see how the merlequin coat would mix with Webster's (a premade Kerry Blue Terrier). At first the puppy seemed like he would be almost a copy of Webster, but turned out to have nicely mixed genes when he grew up.
I'm so excited to get this project finished and I hope I can make something the sims community will love! Feedback is always appreciated and encouraged!
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I was asked to tell more about the holidays in my legacy gameplay, so here is a super long and detailed post on the subject! 😊
How I use holidays in my game
I used to hate the holidays, cos I saw them as something my sims had to participate in and there was always so much pressure to complete all the traditions! But then I cracked it...
Holidays are a great way to add objectives to gameplay! When every day is some kind of a holiday with its own theme, there's always something for my sims to do.
I tick the "day off" box only if the holiday is a major one or the traditions would feel too rushed if my sim worked on the same day.
I try to have a lot of outdoor/traveling holidays in the spring and summer, and more home lot based holidays in the autumn and winter.
For some holidays, I add a diverse set of traditions and then choose only one or two to complete every sim year.
Sometimes my sims are just too busy with other things in life to participate at all. The No more "awful holiday" sad moodlet mod (linked below) is super useful because it completely takes the pressure off of completing holiday traditions!
It's very refreshing to use custom icons for the holidays, it matters more than you'd think! I use the More selectable icons mod (linked below) for this feature.
I've taken ideas and inspiration for some of my holidays from countless lists made by other simmers over the years.
Holiday mods
Traditions
Please note that some of these mods feature some of the same traditions - pick and choose so you don't get duplicates! Every custom tradition I use in my game is from these mods.
Icemunmun's traditions
LittleMsSam's traditions
Kiara's traditions
Renegadesims's traditions
Lychee's traditions
Pet traditions
Toddler traditions
Kids traditions
Occult traditions
Crafting traditions
Relaxation traditions
Eco-friendly traditions
Food traditions
Baking traditions
Writing traditions
A Night Out traditions
Cottage Living traditions
More Cottage Living traditions
Island Living traditions
Snowy Escape traditions
More Snowy Escape traditions
Paranormal traditions
University traditions
Realm of Magic, Paranormal & Vampires traditions
Other
More selectable icons
No more "awful holiday" sad moodlet
Holiday traditions in my game
The number next to each tradition shows which mod it's from. If there is no number, it's an EA tradition.
Spring
🌅 New Year's Day (day off)
A chill day for spending time with your family after New Year's celebrations.
Family dinner ³
Cleaning
Cook pancakes ³
Play cards ³
Tell stories
🌟 Resolution Day
It's time to make those New Year's resolutions reality! At least on this one day of the year...
Fasting
Exercise
Donate ³
Volunteer ³
Find penpal ¹⁵
🔫 Play Day
Play is the work of the child. Child sims should invite their friends over for some play time!
Activity table ⁸
Make an experience ⁸
Monkey bars ⁸
Play pirate ⁸
Space explorer ⁸
🌄 Explorer's Day (day off)
Once per season, sims have a day off for exploring the world! Maybe this year you could go on a mini vacation to Granite Falls to experience it in every season? Whatever you decide to do, this is a day for adventure!
Go hiking ³
Go for a walk ⁶
Go on a vacation or travel
Go sailing ³
Go camping ³
🌍 Earth Day
You take care of nature and nature takes care of you.
Apply eco upgrades ¹²
Give gift to wild animal ¹⁷
Island clean up ¹²
Socialize with wild birds ¹⁷
Go hiking ³
🥪 Picnic Day
Pack some tasty snacks and go on a picnic with your friends.
Go picnic ¹⁸
Invite guests
Play horseshoes ³
Collect bugs ³
Fire
💝 Love Day (day off)
Take your significant other on a date and show them how much you love them! Or stay in and watch a romantic movie... with a special someone or alone, either way is fine!
Romantic spirit
Go on a date
Out for coffee ¹⁶
Send love letter ¹⁵
Watch romantic TV
🌮 Dining Day
Today's all about eating as many different meals as you can. Taste something new or stick to old favorites!
Eat cultural dishes ³
Eat grilled cheese ³
Eat pizza ³
Hot pot ¹³
Order food ¹³
🧨 Gnome Day
It's gnomes. Just gnomes. We can survive this. It's only once a year. We just have to keep them happy. It should be easy, right?
Holiday gnomes
🧽 Spring Cleaning
Spring gives you a boost of energy. It's time to clean the house and fix anything that needs fixing!
Cleaning
Do laundry ³
Upgrade animal shelter ¹⁷
Upgrade chicken coop ¹⁷
Water crops ¹⁷
🪩 Party Night
No self-respecting sim stays home on this wild night! It's time to partaaaaaay!
Out for coffee ¹⁶
Drinks at the bar ¹⁶
Go bowling ³
Bubble blower ³
Party spirit
🛠️ DIY Day
It can't be that hard, the tutorial made it look pretty easy... Famous last words.
Build-a-bot ¹⁰
Crafting ¹⁰
Fabrication ¹⁰
Juice fizzing ¹⁰
Woodwork ¹⁰
🐇 Bunny Day (day off)
Children's favorite holiday that's all about bunnies!
Egg hunt
Socialize with rabbit ¹⁷
Baking
Flower Bunny
Give gift to wild animal ¹⁷
🌺 Festival of Flowers
A celebration of the spring turning to summer.
Flower arranging ¹⁰
Give flowers
Visit flower stall ¹⁷
Sunbathe ³
Gardening
Summer
☀️ Start of Summer
It's finally summer and you can do all those fun things you dreamed of in the dark of winter!
Streaking
Go fishing ³
Go swimming ³
Kiddie pool ⁷
Play basketball ²
🐶 Pet Day
Show your pet how much you love them on this special day!
Feeling the love ⁶
Pamper pets ⁶
Play with dog ⁶
Play with laser pointer ⁶
Teach tricks ⁶
🌄 Explorer's Day (day off)
Once per season, sims have a day off for exploring the world! Maybe this year you could go on a mini vacation to Granite Falls to experience it in every season? Whatever you decide to do, this is a day for adventure!
Go hiking ³
Go for a walk ⁶
Go on a vacation or travel
Go sailing ³
Go camping ³
🧸 Children's Day
Spend time with your children today. Take them to the park or the beach, or play with them at home.
Voidcritters ¹
Build sand sculpture ³
Games
Puppet show ³
Space explorer ⁸
🐄 Farm Day
Visit a farm in Henford-on-Bagley and get to know the cows, chickens and llamas!
Harvest animal produce ¹⁷
Harvest crops ¹⁷
Take care of farm animals ¹⁸
Make animal treats ¹⁷
Socialize with villagers ¹⁷
🌞 Summer Vacation (3 days off)
Enjoy summer to the max with 3 days of vacation!
Go on a vacation or travel
Go swimming ³
Invite guests
Sunbathe ³
Water fun
🍼 Toddler Day
Take your toddler to the park or arrange a toddler play date.
Ball pit ⁷
Kiddie pool ⁷
Slide ⁷
Tiny treehouse ⁷
Jungle gym ⁷
🎵 Music Day
Enjoy music in all its forms. Sing, play, listen.
Dancing ²
Music ³
Party spirit
Watch live performance ³
🌻 Garden Day
Does anything make one happier than a thriving garden? Shower your plants with love (and water) today, make a new garden plan, or sow new seeds.
Sow seeds ¹⁷
Fertilize crops ¹⁷
Gardening
Collect bugs ³
Plant oversized crop ¹⁸
👩👩👦 Family Day
Sometimes life feels so busy that you barely see even your own family. Make sure to spend some quality time with your loved ones today.
Baking
Family dinner ³
Games
Puppet show ³
Water fun
🏝️ Beach Day (day off)
Celebrate summer in Sulani!
Build sand sculpture ³
Interact with dolphin ¹⁹
Go snorkeling ¹⁹
Go sailing ³
Collect seashells ⁵
🍃 End of Summer
One last chance to enjoy a warm summer evening... Have a barbeque with your family and friends!
Bar-B-que
Sunbathe ³
Hot tub ³
Eat ice cream ³
Juice keg ²³
Autumn
🔥 Bonfire Night
Dark autumn evenings are perfect for a little gathering around a bonfire. Look at the stars, roast some marshmallows, and wrap yourself in a blanket when it starts to get cold.
Fire
Stargaze ³
Fireworks
Tell stories
Fire dance ⁵
🧛 Occult Night
They're creepy and they're kooky... mysterious and spooky... They're the occults and this is their night!
Alien powers ⁹
Mermaid powers ⁹
Use vampire powers ⁹
Cast spells ⁹
Use cauldron ⁹
🎲 Game Night
Play some games with your family or friends to bring a bit of fun into this dark season.
Games
Go bowling ³
Play cards ³
Play darts ²
Play foosball ²
🌄 Explorer's Day (day off)
Once per season, sims have a day off for exploring the world! Maybe this year you could go on a mini vacation to Granite Falls to experience it in every season? Whatever you decide to do, this is a day for adventure!
Go hiking ³
Go for a walk ⁶
Go on a vacation or travel
Go sailing ³
Go camping ³
❓ Life Change Day
Do something today that has the potential to change the rest of your life!
Meet or adopt ⁶
Go on a date
Write a book ¹⁵
Go on a vacation or travel
Run errands for villagers ¹⁷
💡 Skill Day
Learn something new today! Either work on skills you already know, or try doing something outside of your comfort zone.
Art & music spirit
Woodwork ¹⁰
Juice fizzing ¹⁰
Candle making ¹⁰
Craft wool items ¹⁷
🛋️ Couch Potato Day
After the toil of yesterday, take it easy in good conscience today. It's not a day off, but you could always call in sick... Cough, cough.
Watch a movie ³
Sports TV
Sauna ¹¹
Read a book ³
Relaxing soak ¹¹
🍂 Autumn Day
Enjoy the crisp air, the sunshine on the colorful leaves, and cosy autumn activities!
Fall fun ⁴
Fire
Canning ¹⁸
Drink tea ³
Candle making ¹⁰
🧓🏽 Parent's Day
If you're in good terms with your parent(s), today's the perfect day to remind them how much you love and appreciate them.
Family dinner ³
Gift a parent ³
Hug parent ³
Remembrance
Tell stories
⚽ Sports Day
Whether you like pumping iron or shooting hoops, do some exercise today.
Exercise
Go rock wall climbing ¹
Play basketball ²
Play soccer ³
💋 Date Night
Whether it's your significant other or someone you don't even know yet, ask them on a date tonight!
Go on a date
Woohoo ³
Romantic spirit
🕯️ Other Side Day
The veil is thinning... If you have business with someone in the afterlife, today's the day to get in touch.
Summon Bonehilda ⁹
Summon a ghost ²²
Conduct a seance ⁹
Commune with the departed ²²
Remembrance
🌽 Harvestfest (day off)
Give thanks for everything the land has given you this year. Treat your garden, treat your animals, treat yourself.
Invite guests
Grand meal
Thankful spirit
Make animal treats ¹⁷
Harvest crops ¹⁷
🎃 Spooky Day (day off)
It's time to get spooky!
Carve pumpkin ³
Spooky spirit
Trick or treat
Wear costumes
Use cauldron ⁹
Winter
🥧 Baking Day
Get your baking supplies out, because today's all about the magic of flour and sugar! Have pancakes and coffee for breakfast, and bake all your favorite pastries.
Baking
Cook pancakes ³
Drink coffee ³
Decorate cookies ¹⁴
Make cupcakes ¹⁴
🌄 Explorer's Day (day off)
Once per season, sims have a day off for exploring the world! Maybe this year you could go on a mini vacation to Granite Falls to experience it in every season? Whatever you decide to do, this is a day for adventure!
Go hiking ³
Go for a walk ⁶
Go on a vacation or travel
Go sailing ³
Go camping ³
📚 Written Word Day
Read your favorite book in your favorite armchair, or go the library to find something new to read. Write a letter to someone, or finally start writing that book you always dreamt of.
Find penpal ¹⁵
My private journal ¹⁵
Writing skill ¹⁵
Read a book ³
Send love letter ¹⁵
💥 Chaos Day
It seems like everyone's lost their social filter today! It's chaos all around! I hate all my friends! OOPS, did I say that out loud...
Air grievances
Fighting
Mischief spirit
Streaking
Magic duel ⁹
🎁 Do Good Day
Today is all about being good to others. Make the world a better place by helping those around you.
Donate ³
Make pet food ⁶
Run errands for villagers ¹⁷
Volunteer ³
Vote for policies ¹²
🤝 BFF Day
Invite your best friend over for a nice cup of tea or coffee. Share secrets, cry and laugh, have some fun.
Invite guests
Drink coffee ³
Drink tea ³
Play cards ³
Out for coffee ¹⁶
🧘 Mindfulness Day
Take care of your mind and body.
Meditate ¹¹
Sauna ¹¹
Massage ³
My private journal ¹⁵
Do yoga ¹¹
🏔️ Snow Day (day off)
Celebrate winter in Mt. Komorebi!
Go rock climbing ²⁰
Go skiing ²⁰
Go sledding ²⁰
Go snowboarding ²⁰
Hot springs ¹¹
🏡 Homebody Day (day off)
Have you ever dreamed of just staying at home when it's dark and cold outside? Well, today you can!
Canning ¹⁸
Knitting ¹⁰
Cross-stitching ¹⁸
Practice herbalism ¹
Make pet food ⁶
🎄 Winterfest Eve
Put up decorations for this wintery holiday, cook a delicious dinner, and then enjoy the evening as you wait for Father Winter's visit.
Attend holiday ceremony
Decorate
Festive spirit
Father Winter
Grand meal
☃️ Winterfest Day (day off)
It's the most peaceful day of the year. Spend it with your loved ones.
Invite guests
Family dinner ³
Baking
Go skating ³
Open presents
🎨 Creativity Day
Get your easel down from the attic, find your old camera in the garage, or pick up the knitting needles that have been collecting dust on the shelf. Let's do some arts and crafts!
Art & music spirit
Activity table ⁸
Cross-stitching ¹⁸
Writing skill ¹⁵
Knitting ¹⁰
❄️ Yamachan Day
Travel to Mt. Komorebi to meet Yamachan!
Yamachan ²¹
Make a Tanabata wish ²¹
Hot pot ¹³
Order from Mt. Komorebi festival food stalls ²¹
Go hiking ³
🥂 New Year's Eve
It's time to celebrate the year gone by, and welcome the new one that's right around the corner.
Countdown to midnight
Drinking
Eat pizza ³
Fireworks
Make resolutions
More holiday ideas
If you want to create your own holidays, but struggle with coming up with ideas, here are some things I always consider when I create holidays.
Can you match a world with a season? Summer holidays in Sulani, winter holidays in Mt. Komorebi, etc.
Alternatively, have a summer holiday in Sulani when it's winter elsewhere, a winter holiday in Mt. Komorebi when it's summer elsewhere, etc.
What if you took the default holidays and placed them in a different season? Celebrate Winterfest on the beach in the summer!
Can you match a world with a theme? Nature holidays in Granite Falls, city holidays in San Myshuno, etc.
Think of a simple theme for your holiday (games, sports, food, animals, books, etc.) and choose traditions based on that.
Create a holiday that requires your sim to travel from world to world to complete all the traditions.
Have a 3 day holiday for a vacation trip, with different traditions to complete each day.
Create holidays for specific life stages. What would a teen or an elder sim do for their holiday?
Create a holiday for each occult type. How would a Spellcaster spend their holiday?
Can you think of a way to combine holidays and clubs?
Put two really different holidays right next to each other so you have lots of variety in gameplay.
If you're playing a legacy, create a holiday for each heir sim based on their personality, and have their offspring celebrate these holidays to honor them.
Research real life holidays that are celebrated around the world to find new ideas.
Can't find the traditions that you need in your game? Follow this tutorial by LittleMsSam to create your own traditions!
This is an updated version of my 2023 "CAS Starting Sims" mod
This mod will replace EA's default starter Sims with a new, diverse group of Sims.
Information about this mod:
It has a total of 40 Sims: 20 female Sims and 20 male Sims.
No custom content or packs were used. Only base game.
Sims are undressed in other outfit categories.
How to install the mod? Extract the package file and place it in your Mods folder which is located in "Documents > Electronic Arts > The Sims 4 > Mods". Make sure mods are enabled in Game Options.
Credits? No need to credit me if you use and share these Sims, they are entirely yours.
Shout out to @simplyanjuta for sharing an awesome guide on how to do this!
I finally managed to find the resource containing the frames used in CAS!! Unfortunately it seems I must be missing some textures? Because none of the two I found fit on some of the frames (take the first on to the left for example). Or maybe not all are visible/used in CAS? Maybe I should try loading it and see how it looks.
I haven't seen anyone extracting these frames yet, but please enlighten me if it has been done! I've wanted them as frames in-game for so long. I mean, look at these textures!!
Well it wasn’t just me, to be fair. I would have never been able to without @fireflowersims help and HugeLunatics trust in both of us. Thank you to both of them for their work and thank you @teaaddictyt for reaching out and doing the more public communication.
I’m super happy I got the chance to work to fix it. It wasn’t an easy undertaking. It seemed like every little thing would cause more errors, I fixed one and another thing broke. But now it seems stable, finally.
A lot of technical stuff below the cut, beware.
Fixing such an old forum is not easy. Documentation is rather sparse because the framework it runs on is old. There is however a more modern version, but updating is difficult. Here was the issue for the forum - upgrading failed.
A website (usually) consists of two different parts: 1 - The files. They contain the code, scripts, designs, images, attachment, profile pictures etc. 2 - The database. The database connects all the different parts and tells the website where to find something. Everything gets stored in tables, assigned IDs and given values. Everything written, each post and topic is also stored in the database. So without the database the whole page would be useless.
It was clear from the beginning that the database was the culprit for the failed upgrades. I got an earlier backup from HL and started working.
I set up a local environment with two versions of XAMPP. One running on php 7.4 (the last version having compatibility for the forum framework version and the upgrade script to the recent version) and the other on a modern 8.3, which was the same as the version the server @fireflowersims set up for GOS.
I ran the upgrade script (which consists of 4 separate parts) on the old backup and ran into errors right away. The script would just outright crash on me, most often without a log or message. The (local) server would just stop responding. My original plan had been to upgrade to version 2.0 first, then 2.1, since it was the recommended order. However the database backup had already been partly upgraded to 2.1. That was the reason my upgrade script failed. Reversing those changes could have been a possibility but extremely time intensive.
(This is the frontpage of the upgrader. I stared at it so much. Like you can see it has a ton of steps)
Instead I asked for the current database and HL provided it to me. This one was already further along on the upgrade and I could see the error HL had run into before handing over. I had to look at the upgrade scripts and source php files to diagnose what the framework was expecting - and failing - to find in the database.
That’s where I found the main culprit for *most* of the errors: Time tables. The framework saves every action that a user does in a log, a long table with the action, an id and a date. This was where everything had gotten wrong. The upgrader expected to see one column for the date, named *day*, while the current table had a different column for day, month and year. I tried fixing the table at first but that didn’t seem to work, so I completely deleted the table and created a new empty one myself. (By now I think the issue stems from forgetting to uninstall certain packages before upgrading, more on that later)
That was possible because the log actually doesn’t hold relevant information for the forum to work. It just records each step, probably for moderation purposes. Once I had done that step the upgrade script was finally able to proceed.
There were a few more errors where I had to look at what the script was doing, find the corresponding code in the sources and edit the database myself. Thankfully the code is relatively well commented and named, so I was able to find what I needed.
Finally I got the upgrade script to run to the end and I was actually able to open the forums (local) page. I hadn’t been able to for now so it was a first. But a lot of stuff was still missing, like all the topics. I could see that the posts were back, but not sorted correctly.
The fix was simple but annoying. The forum framework comes with a repair_setting.php file which I had run several times to fix all the paths, but apparently it didn’t fix *all* of them. So back to the database I went, ran some queries and fixed them myself.
Then the forum finally worked again!
(This is what the forum looked like when I first opened it. It ONLY had recent posts)
(The working local forum, no files yet with the default theme. Seems wrong to look at GOS without the dark theme, right?)
There were still a few things I needed to fix but the database seemed to work fine now. I had never done so many queries in my life. I know SQL, and had to fix databases before but not this intensely. So I guessed I learned something new haha.
Next was the exciting step to upload my clean install to the server. @fireflowersims and I had some directory issues, but I was able to fix them manually once again.
Then I had to take a look at the files which mostly consist of avatars and attachments. They didn’t work at all once moved to the clean install. Once again I took a look at the code and realized that the upgrade script would have changed those files as well, but because I ran it on a clean install it didn’t actually do this step.
I didn’t want to run the upgrade script again, worried that it would mess up a now working database. Instead I wrote a script myself that sorted through all the attachments, looked for the IDs of the avatars from the database so it could move and rename them.
Last were the attachments. This was an easier fix. They just had to be given the ending .dat. @fireflowersims ran a command through the console and then the attachments worked too!
We were getting closer!
Next was the theme. The old theme didn’t work on the modern framework anymore so @fireflowersims looked for a new one which I customized with CSS, trying to get it closer to the way the forum looked before. I think it turned out quite alright, hope you guys think so too!
(Trying to find out what CSS class addresses what? Make everything red and green!)
(All the spider webs)
Next was packages, or mods, to the framework. Fire and I encountered some hiccups here too, since there were some leftovers in the database. The packages hadn’t been properly deinstalled before running the upgrade script, which was another source of the errors. I tried fixing them manually but one of the packages would continue to just break the site no matter what I tried, so we settled for an alternative.
Some more work was put into SSL and making the forum secure. Once again some settings seemed to just break the page and each time I had to go back in the database and manually fix what had gone wrong. It was tedious but by now I knew my way around quite well.
@fireflowersims handled a lot of the server administrative work and DNS settings. I know very little about that part so having @fireflowersims there was great and they made sure the page is reachable at the correct address.
So yeah, I hope the site stays online for a long time now. It’s such a big part of our community and communities history. I used to download so much from there when I was younger. I wanted to give back to the community I love so much. That was the reason I spent many many hours digging through code and old forum threads.
Jules, I cannot emphasize enough just how cool you are for having done all of this work to get GoS back online! I'm glad I was able to provide a good new space for GoS to live from now on and assist with all the DNS. It was a trip alright, and I'm glad we could work together on this!
You are a hero and I (and I bet so many others) am so grateful for your skill and dedication! ♥️
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I was going to write this up in a reply to a specific person, but I thought it would make a better standalone post.
I think Paralives is a case where a little knowledge is a dangerous thing - if you're coming from a Sims background, some of the subtle differences can leave you way more confused and stumped than someone coming to the game completely fresh-eyed.
But having sunk the past few days into the open access, I truly feel like it has good sandbox life sim gameplay, so here are some tips for anyone coming to Paralives from a Sims background who doesn't know how to quite approach this game!
(It's very long, because I cover a lot of stuff, but I tried to make it clear enough that you can skip around to the parts that interest you:)
Quick tip for the Paramaker: In my opinion this is a really great character creator, BUT if you're coming to it from The Sims 2 or even 3, you'll need to alter your mindset. It's a lot closer to The Sims 4's CAS in that to achieve certain features you to pick a preset that's closest to what you want and edit it - you won't be able to reverse-engineer every feature from every starting point.
Visual example: If you want a rounded nose closer to the one on the left, don't start with a pointed nose like the one on the right, and vice-versa.
Below: Some more examples of features which are only or most easily attainable through presets; cleft and bulbous chins under the "chins" presets, cheekbones and jowls in the "cheeks" presets, etc.
Basically, if you're having a hard time wrangling a Para's features into what you want, double-check the related presets for a better launching pad.
Unlike The Sims 4, though, you still have the benefit of manual sliders; here's the eye modifiers for example - if I were to click and hold the button for "eye position", I could drag the mouse around to move the eye around the Parafolk's head. HOWEVER, if you click on that modifier, you can see sliders for the parameters I'm actually controlling when I do that - namely, how far apart the eyes are (width), and how high on the head they are (height). So you have the benefit of being able to sculpt your Para's head in broad strokes, and then manually edit the sliders to make very fine alterations.
And if you make a mistake, don't worry. At any time during gameplay you can open the cheat console (CTRL+SHIFT+C) and enter "editcharacter" to open up the Paramaker again and edit them as much as you want, so you aren't locked into anything.
Another Paramaker or outfitting tip: When selecting clothing with layers, check for the layering icon (outlined here in red). This allows you to swap out the clothing underneath, which you can also customise. Secondly, the tucked/untucked icon (outlined here in green) allows you to choose whether some pieces are- well, tucked in to pants or not, lol.
I like big households in The Sims, so I picked a household with 3+ Parafolk in it for my first playtest, but in retrospect I think it would have been better to start by playing a single-person household. The core mechanics of the game can take a second to get used to and there's so much in the world to explore that I think it would've been nicer to worry less about multiple Parafolk while I was still learning to walk.
The skill system in Paralives is nested: There are broader "knowledge" skills, and then other related but more focused skills under them; for example, "music" is a knowledge skill, under which are the skills "guitar", "piano", etc. Practicing a specific skill - for example, playing the guitar - will not only raise your guitar skill, but your broader music skill, too. And if you then start learning how to play the piano, your existing music skill means you will pick up the piano faster. Sometimes your Parafolk will not be able to increase the base knowledge skills, usually because of something like being in a bad mood or having low motives. So a Para who's really tired when they're practicing the guitar might still raise their guitar skill, but it won't raise their broader music skill.
Parafolk have "wants", but you get to/have to pick them, based on their emotions. Emotions in Paralives work in a similar way to moodlets in The Sims 3, in that Paras can feel multiple emotions at once, and to different degrees. These impact various things; your success rate at certain social interactions (see below), how effectively you gain skills, whether your Paras will even agree to perform actions at all, etc. Randomly, these emotions will get little exclamation marks next to them, which means your Parafolk wants to choose how they "react" to that emotion. This is a want! Click on the emotion to choose from a little list, which is decided by their personality, recent actions, hobbies, etc. The option you select from this list becomes one of their wants and the rest are discarded. Wants reset when Paralives sleep and at the end of the day, but you can pin one want to hold onto it until you fulfill it (or un-pin it).
Fulfilling Parafolks' wants earns them personality experience points. When they level up, you get to choose upgrades along trees based on their personality (vibe), social perk, and talent (hobby). These perks are less like personality traits and more like the Aspiration benefits from Sims 2 Freetime, or the Professions your farmer can choose from when skilling up in Stardew Valley. IMO they don't dictate your Parafolks' personalities or railroad them into certain behaviours. This system is definitely still being worked on and some of these perks aren't very useful lol (while others are VERY useful), but it's a neat system so far. IIRC I also had the option to add to one of my Para's Physique/Mind/Creativity/Charisma points during one level-up? I presume they might add other ways to increase or change these stats in the future, because there are some things like jobs that require you to have them to a certain level.
Socialisation in Paralives is like a series of mini event cards, and increasing friendship with other Paras is not the only or even the primary outcome. It is not like the Sims, where socialisation is a pretty shallow and easy grind until Sims achieve the relationship you want. In Paralives, the most immediate outcome of talking to other Paras is that you have the chance to improve (or dampen) your Para's mood and the mood of the Parafolk they're talking to. What mood you want your Para to be in can depend on their personality, perks, wants, goals, and the direction you want to take the conversation/relationship.
I kept falling back into the thought process that a "good" outcome from conversation cards was the same thing as 🧑🤝🧑➕➕, but that's not what a positive outcome (usually) achieves. And a "negative" interaction does not necessarily lower your relationship. Think about it more as if you are trying to keep a game of cards going: avoiding bad cards, playing neutral/bonus cards, until the card you REALLY want comes up. This might sound tedious until you realise that the right card can immediately make your Parafolk friends, or romantic interests, etc. and then the way it scales with socialisation in The Sims makes more sense. Play your (together) cards right, and you could befriend another Parafolk within a short conversation. I really enjoy the feedback loop of socialisation in Parafolks once I got the hang of it!
Your Parafolk's personalities and interests matter much more in how well they get along with other Paras. You can't just force a friendship between two clashing Paras the way you can force a friendship between any two Sims by spamming social interactions. Find a Para with a personality closer to yours and you'll have a much easier time befriending them.
There are other bonuses to conversations, too. There are cards that give you the opportunity to learn more about the Parafolk you're talking to, such as their relationship status, family, job, personality, etc. You also sometimes get options to boost your and other Para's moods, and my favourite part: talking about skills increases that skill for all interested Parafolk! (Uninterested Parafolk get bored instead, which is another good way to learn more about them.)
In The Sims, group activities - playing games, watching TV together, WooHoo, etc - often require one Sim to initiate the action, then call the other to join, or to interact with the other Sim first and ask them to start the activity together. In Paralives, similar activities are usually initiated by selecting multiple Paras and directing one of them to start. For example, click and drag to select two Paras, then click on a couch to get them to sit together and chat, or a bed to get them to "get intimate". Parafolk are also experts at body doubling and a lot of actions can be done "together"; cooking, eating, showering, walking, etc. The entire time counts as raising the conversation bar to get new together cards, so socialisation doesn't have to be a static thing like in The Sims; see how far your Paras can get going about their lives without breaking a conversation!
This gets interesting with certain needs. For example, I had two Parafolk in a group and directed both of them to use a toilet. I expected one of them just to kind of hang out while the first one did their business (gross but socially efficient), but the other Para actually hunted down a second toilet on the lot to use! Can be useful when managing multiple Parafolk's needs in a hurry?
Speaking of selecting multiple Parafolk - you can also hold down shift, then click and drag over individual Paras to add them to the group, kind of like computer files, lol. This helps you avoid including other random Paras. CTRL+U also automatically selects all the Paras in the household you're currently playing (useful with smaller families).
Parafolk not only automatically wash their hands after using the toilet, but also after cleaning and repairing objects, so keep this in mind when queuing actions 👍
Books do still exist in Paralives, but computers kind of better fill their role. Basic skilling and other grunt work is better handled by a computer than a bookcase, so if you have to choose one, choose the PC.
Careers in Paralives seem to make a LOT more use of lateral motion than The Sims, and most jobs have much higher application requirements than anything in The Sims. What I mean by that is that it makes a lot more sense to just find any job your Para qualifies for, then use that time and experience to gain skills necessary to qualify for the job they actually want (and they can suggest wants or long-term goals for certain careers, usually talent/hobby-based, which can be worth pinning and working towards). Sometimes experience in one field can allow you to qualify for a job in a different field; for example, you can work in the service industry to get enough experience in service to get a job as a waiter, which also gives you experience in the food industry, which you can use to qualify for jobs in the kitchen. You should also have your Parafolk manually apply for a job in a higher position in the same career after earning experience in their entry-level position rather than randomly waiting to get promoted from, like, a fast food line cook to a restaurateur.
If your Parafolk works in a store (e.g. the salon), then the front door is a rabbithole during their work hours. I didn't know how to best prepare my Parafolk for work so I sent them directly into the shops ahead of their shifts, but if you're doing that it's better to just let them loiter around outside; they will disappear at the front door when their shift starts and reappear when it's over, so there's no point in being actually inside the building, or even loading it at all.
Make use of the bus!! I thought the map was small enough not to need them unless I was going from one opposite end to the other, but they really are a life saver, especially for moving multiple Parafolk at once (click and drag to select all of them, then direct them to catch the bus - voila!) Learning the bus "zones" helped me break the map up into smaller chunks to get a feel of where I need to go. (Some bus stops are only the sign, not the whole shelter, for example at the base of the hospital.)
Calling Parafolk on the phone is currently borderline useless, but it's obviously something that will be fleshed out as the game grows. Instead, when you check on a Para's relationship - you see this thing here where it says "Find Parafolk"? The part that looks like a nothingly header between a banner and some actual stats?
Yeah, that's a BUTTON. Click it.
It will immediately show you on the map where that Para is so you can hunt them down like a conversation-seeking missile.
This is currently the best way to try and seek out specific Parafolk to befriend, because they're almost never home. It ALSO glitches sometimes unfortunately, but it usually works if I wait and try again later.
On the flipside you can break & enter into any Parafolk's house and they won't care. This is surely a bug and not a feature so take advantage of it while you can and just use everyone's furniture while they're out and about👍 Then bother them as much as you like when they arrive home at like, 12 AM.
Parafolk can check if they're pregnant via peeing on a stick on the toilet.
If you're lost on what to do next, check the newspaper (the one you the player read, not your Parafolk - look for the button in the top right corner of the screen) and one of the request noticeboards (there's one by the train station, usually with an exclamation mark above it). The newspaper will tell you about interesting events going on that will generally attract other Parafolk, allowing you to meet new Paras, take advantage of objects like computers or exercise equipment, etc. They also showcase areas of the map you may not have paid attention to before. The request noticeboard is a good way to befriend new Paras, earn Paradimes, and learn about mechanics such as hunting for collectibles, etc. (Note that these can sometimes be a bit glitchy, especially in befriending Parafolk I've noticed, but it's still a nice way to explore the game.)
Photo mode is super interesting and I can see how it will be incredibly powerful for machinima & storytelling, especially as they continue to iron out the kinks. But for casual gameplay screencaps I found it more useful to hit CTRL+H to hide the overlay. The navigation (click/dragging the mouse, etc) also seems to work closer to photo mode in this mode. It's kind of like cameraman mode in The Sims. The game doesn't tell you about it except for when you're in photo mode, and even then it doesn't explicitly tell you that CTRL+H still works even outside photo mode, so it's good to know early.
When it comes to decorating, a lot more objects are modular than you might think! Many can be lengthened, shortened, widened, and scaled up/down, while retaining functionality. Single beds can become queen, double, king size; bookshelves can be shrunk up or down; you can stretch one counter to size rather than placing multiple; the same table can be a tiny two-seater or a family dining table; desks and standing clothes hangers can be as wide as you want them; windows can not only go wherever you want on the wall, but be whatever dimension you need! Try it with a BUNCH of different buy AND build objects to achieve the vibes you want.
Also, this is specifically a tip for people coming from The Sims 2 since this became a lot more normalised in other Sims entries, but check objects for these three dots:
It means that object has variants, such as these matching corner, island, and cabinet counter pieces.
SAVE OFTEN! This game is in open access and bugs are inevitable. Do your part by making sure you save frequently so that you don't lose too much progress when something unintended happens. Edit: The bugs are also the reason I do not currently recommend using the game's autosave feature, because bugs aren't always immediately noticeable, and if it auto-saves after something particularly annoying or even game-breaking, that would be bad! For now I recommend double checking all the Paras in your household are "safe" (especially in places where it's easy for them to get stuck, like halfway up staircases) before saving, and saving manually.
That's it for now! I have played Paralives pretty much every day since I got it because I've wanted to, so if you have any questions, I can try my best to offer my advice from the perspective of a Simmer. 🫡
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