/**************************************************************************\ * * * The Sims Online * * * * A Compleat FAQ * * (Ye Olde Compendium) * * * * By: Halon50 (Tex Gotanda) * * Email: halon50@hotmail.com * * Version: 1.06 * * Last Update: 2/26/03 * * * \**************************************************************************/ .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. | I - Table of Contents | .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. I. Table of Contents II. Copyright Notice III. Revision History IV. Introduction V. Gameplay V.1 General Tips V.2 Needs/Motives V.3 Skills V.4 Interactions V.5 The Friendship Web V.6 IM and Email V.7 Extras VI. Objects VI.1 Skill objects VI.2 Job objects VI.3 Game objects VII. Property mode VIII. Q&A (FAQ) IX. Websites List X. Credits .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. | II - Copyright notice | .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. This document is copyright 2003 by Tetsuji Gotanda, a.k.a. Halon50. Distribution of this guide for profit is prohibited. This FAQ may only be used for personal, private use. Feel free to make reference to the writing herein, but please give credit as appropriate. At this time, only GameFAQs and its associate GameSpot may publicly host or link directly to this document. This policy may change later; please refer to this section for any changes in future updates. All other websites should link to the GameFAQs Sims Online FAQ repository at the following URL: http://www.gamefaqs.com/computer/doswin/game/32657.html ** Cheat Code Central does NOT have permission to host this text. If you see this FAQ on this website, please avoid it in the future, as David Allison from CheatCC has done this to dozens of other authors, taking their FAQs without permission, inserting his website URL into the FAQ, modifying its Copyright statement, and then posting it on his site. Please do not visit his site. .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. | III - Revision History | .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. 02/26/03: [1.06] (v1.238.6.6) Fixed references to "Band" object Added information on "Secure Trading" 02/12/03: [1.05] (v1.225.4.5) The "Band" group job object is in the game! Fixes for the Buffet Table "Known Issues" Expanded info on "Skill Locks" 01/31/03: [1.04] (v1.200.9.0) Modified "Cleaning" showers/baths information (Thanks MOMI!) Modified the 7-day Sim rule (cannot delete until 7 days pass) 01/29/03: [1.03] (v1.192.8.5) Added information on "Skill Locks" Moved "Finding Lots" to "General Tips" section 01/24/03: [1.02] (v1.192.8.3) Added information on the "Rock 'n' Roadie" Band group job object Expanded Neighborhoods section Added another "Known Issue" and workaround 01/21/03: [1.01] Added link to the SimBuddy help system Changed Pizza instructions a bit Prepared section for Neighborhoods (coming in v1.192.8.0) 01/11/03: [1.0] (Full release) Added base payouts for group job objects (Thanks MOMI!) Added info on the new payouts for "solo" job objects Added information on Lot Categories /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. | IV - Introduction | .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. Welcome to my Sims Online FAQ. I am somewhat surprised that many other massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) such as Everquest or Anarchy Online do not have comprehensive FAQs. As The Sims Online is the first MMOG to completely eliminate player and monster killing (with the exception of your own Sim's death), I anticipate a lot of interest in the game from those relatively unfamiliar with online gaming. Considering the lack of free FAQs for other MMOGs, I felt it high time someone put together a compendium of knowledge for a game in this genre - and you are now reading it! Please note that it will be impossible to cover every aspect of the game, especially given the constant evolutionary flux as Maxis continues to tweak old and add new features, so I highly recommend readers seek further help from the GameFAQs Sims Online message board at: http://cgi.gamefaqs.com/boards/gentopic.asp?board=13598 If you are a fan of The Sims, The Sims Online (TSO) takes the venerable yet popular series to the next step: online! Every Sim (an avatar or online persona) you meet in the game is another real person just like yourself! This makes for a virtual world that can spawn and foster relationships which parallel real life. Many have called TSO a "graphical ICQ" or "AIM with an environment," but it's quite a bit better than that. If you are familiar with the online text-based communities known as MUDs, MUCKs, MUSHes or MOOs, TSO is exactly like a graphical extension of those, without the player- or monster-killing. Veterans of The Sims (offline) series will notice many similarities between the Online and Offline games, including the Sim's needs/motives bars, job and skill objects, and the property interface that allows you to build and add to your lot. This FAQ is *NOT* designed to replace the manual included in the game box! While I may include tips and techniques that were mentioned in the TSO manual, it is still your responsibility to read through it so you'll have a better understanding of how to play the game. GameSpot's "Behind the Games" series did a feature on Will Wright and The Sims Online. The article was very well-written, and highly insightful on the process of TSO's inception, evolution, and eventual release. If you have questions regarding TSO's gameplay, who the developers at Maxis are, or just want to know why Maxis and EA are betting the farm on this game, I definitely suggest giving the article a gander: http://gamespot.com/gamespot/features/pc/simsonline/index.html The Official Sims Online website is at: http://www.thesimsonline.com The Official Sims Online message boards (you will need to log into your EA.com account first) are at: https://player.thesimsonline.ea.com/mb_index.jsp The Official Sims Online How-To Game Manuals are at: https://player.thesimsonline.ea.com/how_index.jsp If you have a question on gameplay that isn't covered here, or have some other information or suggestion that would fit this FAQ, please email me at the address above, or post on the GameFAQs board mentioned at the beginning of this section. If you email me, please include the title of this game in the "Subject:" header, or I will most likely discard the mail along with the dozens of junk mail I receive every day. The latest, greatest version of this FAQ will _ALWAYS_ be found at GameFAQs: http://www.gamefaqs.com/computer/doswin/game/32657.html /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. | V.1 - Gameplay | .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. ______________ -----------< General tips >------------------------------------------------- ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ___________ New Players ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ MOMI has recently added a feature to their website called "SimBuddy." A SimBuddy is essentially an EA Customer Support Representative with whom you chat live (like in an IM window) to ask questions and get a basic feel for how to play the game. If you're new to the game and believe you could use some help getting started, try the SimBuddy system at the following URL: http://tinyurl.com/4kr3 __________ "Greening" ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ The term "green" is usually used to indicate when a Sim needs to refill its needs. For example, if one of your co-players in Code (see Job Objects for more information) says "I have to green soon," it means that Sim will have to stop playing soon in order to refill his or her Sim's needs. ____________________ Refilling your needs ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ In general, the most efficient order to green up your Sim is to eat, sleep, use the toilet, shower, then do some other activity such as play a game of pool or watch TV to refill Social and Fun. This ordering is formed by the dependencies some of the needs have on others, such as eating affecting your Sim's Bladder. I place sleeping before showering so that your Sim will change into its regular clothes after the shower, but some people prefer to sleep after showering. It's up to you; sleeping can be done any time after eating. The order again is: EAT -> SLEEP -> TOILET -> SHOWER -> PLAY POOL/WATCH TV. __________ Idle Timer ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ If you have to temporarily leave the game running while you do some other activity (called "greening up in RL" >8^D ), the game's internal idle timer will log you off after a preset amount of time. After 10 minutes of no activity, the game will popup the idle timer window and count down from 5 minutes. If, after those 5 minutes, you don't return and click the "I'm back" button, TSO will automatically log off your Sim and return you to the Account Login window. This makes a total of 15 minutes you can be "AFK" before your Sim is forced to leave the game and you have to log back in. If you're doing some RL activity that may take longer, be sure to return to the game every few minutes and do something (such as right-clicking a different area of the screen) so you don't get logged off. Some people set an egg timer to ring after several minutes to remind them to check up on their game! _____________ Abbreviations ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ There are several words and acronyms used as shorthand for objects and other game-related terms. "Greening" as described above is one of them. Others include: "MOMI" "Municipal Observation & Management, Inc." MOMI is another name for the Maxis development team. "Maze" The 2-player "Tomb Hunters of the Lost Llama" game. "Code" The 3-player "Core Business Unit" (CBU) game. "Paper Chase" MOMI's name for "Code." "Pizza" The 4-player "Concessione DiPizza" game. " gb" Player has "Green Bars" left on his or her average mood gauge. "Mech" Shorthand for the Mechanical skill. "Charm" Shorthand for the Charisma skill. "IM" Instant Messaging. The in-game IM window can be brought up by clicking the other Sim's picture, then clicking the "Send A Message To This Sim" button on the left. "Log" Shorthand for "Logging off." Example: "I have to log soon." "Logged" Past tense of "Log." Example: "He logged." _________ Etiquette ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ BE POLITE! I cannot stress this enough. Nothing drags down a fun game more than having to put up with rude and demeaning Sims. While the Friendship Web supports making Enemies, it's more likely that a rude and annoying Sim will be kicked off the lot and banned from returning before you get the chance to make it an enemy. If it is the lot's owner or roommates that are in question, try to be patient and understanding; everyone has bad moods and worse days. If the behavior persists, try informing the lot owner via Sim Mail, or just avoid the lot altogether. Rude lot owners and roommates will quickly find their income levels dropping like a rock as more and more Sims avoid them. As an example of good etiquette, rather than demanding food ("Give me food now!"), or even just requesting it ("Food please."), ask if the roommate or owner has some time to spare for preparing a meal or restocking the buffet ("Could you please refill the buffet? I need some food." or "Would you cook a meal when you get a chance please?"). Saying "thank you" or even just cleaning up after yourself (washing dishes, flushing/cleaning the toilet, etc.) also goes a long way in making your Sim memorable to the roommates, enhancing your online reputation, and possibly ensuring your spot as the next roommate in your favorite hangout! Cleaning toilets and showers, and watering plants are definitely noticed by owners and roommates, as they can be particularly time-consuming (especially the showers!), and keep the room score from dropping lower compared to when they were just left unclean or thirsty. ____ Spam ¯¯¯¯ Yes, the building block of mass marketing has reared its ugly head in TSO as well. Fortunately, it is easy to avoid spam, and it is hard work for the spammer to reach his or her audience. If someone continually fills his or her chat bubble, or spews meaningless babble or unwanted advertising via IM or email, you can just look at their Sim profile (click its face), go to "Sim Permission Options," and then check off "Ignore This Sim." One conceivable drawback to this method is that Sim will always be ignored from then on until you uncheck its ignore box. Just be aware that if certain Sims seem to be ignoring you or don't respond, you just might have _them_ ignored! ____________ Finding Lots ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ When you first start out, you won't have any "Places I have Visited" in your lot history. If, for example, you want to train skills, decide what skills you want to concentrate on and find places with lots of people training them! Try using the property category filter to look for popular lots in the "Skills" category; the problem is, many times these lots will be full, and some of them won't even have names or descriptions telling you what skills in which they specialize! The best way to find places to train specific skills is to use the search tool on the main map view. Click on "Find a Place," then enter an abbreviation of the skill you'd like to train, like "cook" for cooking, "mech" for mechanical, or "char" for charisma, then click the three-star button ("Wildcard Search") and scroll through the resulting list for a place that is lit in yellow (online). Clicking on the highlit name will bring up a window that shows how many people are in the lot; in general, more people means a higher chance that at least 5 of them are studying what you want to train, so when you join them, you get the max 99% skill increase rate (113% if it's a Skills Category lot)! _____________________ -----------< Version information >------------------------------------------ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ The current version as of 02/26/03 is 1.238.6.6. This requires an additional 6MB download to upgrade from the previous version, as well as a 579KB patch for the updater utility. Information on the content of the current version and any bugs it fixes is available at the following URL. You will need to log into your EA.com account prior to accessing this page: https://player.thesimsonline.ea.com/news_maxis_item.jsp?thread=90643 Information on the previous version is at the following URL: https://player.thesimsonline.ea.com/news_maxis_item.jsp?thread=82678 ______________ -----------< Known issues >------------------------------------------------- ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Until new versions are released, the following are known issues with the game, and how to address them if possible: - A skill sometimes actually _decreases_ as you work to increase it. This isn't supposed to happen; you may see this quirk when you try to study a skill with a Sim who has a total of more than 20 skill points. - Showers and bathtubs will usually require two cleanings before the "Clean" option disappears. By the way, "Cleaning" toilets, showers and bathtubs help keep the room score from dropping. - Buffet tables regularly get "bugged" and become inaccessible. A "bugged" table will turn a freshly-restocked table immediately into a dirty table that has flies over it. If the last plate available at the table is contested by two Sims, the table will then be inaccessible for restocking until the lot is reset (all roommates leave the lot for a couple minutes, forcing everyone to leave). These are very old bugs associated with both buffet tables, and hopefully adding them to this section will let more people become aware of them, and they will cook more Group Meals instead! * These issues are finally fixed in v1.225.4.5 and later! Please check the Sims Online community website for the latest news and updates. Log into your EA.com account, then access: https://player.thesimsonline.ea.com .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. | V.2 - Needs/Motives | .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. Your Sim will require periodic attention, or it will become surly and resistant to your orders. Your Sim's overall need level is reflected in the "Live Mode (F1)" toolbar as the green and red vertical bars next to your Sim's picture. Each individual need, such as Hunger or Fun, are shown as horizontal bars that change from green to red as time progresses, or other events happen to your Sim. When you play the game for the first time, your Sim's needs should be completely full, or green. This means that you will not have to attend to that Sim's needs for some time unless other factors such as fighting with an enemy dramatically reduces certain need bars. When you log your Sim off or quit the game, your Sim's needs will slowly replenish until you log it back into the game world. The current offline rate of gain is approximately one half of a bar per 12 hours. This is a very useful feature, as you no longer have to worry too much about refilling your Sims' needs before exiting the game; if you don't plan to play until the next RL day, you will only need to top off the needs that were especially low once you log back in. ________________________ -----------< The Average Mood Gauge >--------------------------------------- ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ The bars next to your Sim's picture show your Sim's overall happiness level. This is a useful overall indicator of how low your Sim's needs are; 4 or 5 green bars mean your needs are all or mostly full, while 1 or more red bars mean at least one of your Sim's motives needs immediate attention. It can also be used to inform other Sims of your status. For example, someone announcing, "I have 4 green bars" (sometimes abbreviated as "4 gb") means that Sim has nearly full needs, and probably won't have to refill any of them for some time. Sims with 1 or more red bars on this gauge will usually decline to do what you want unless it is an activity that results in a gain to one of its needs. The term "green" is usually used to indicate when a Sim needs to refill his or her needs. For example, if one of your co-players in Code (see Job Objects for more information) says "I have to green soon," it means that Sim will have to stop playing soon in order to refill its needs. __________________ -----------< Individual Needs >--------------------------------------------- ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Your Sim's needs will appear to decline rapidly at first, but then gradually slow this rate as they approach empty. It is important to note that your Sim will not rebel unless his or her average mood gauge is red (see above section), or one or more needs are critically low or empty. While it may seem necessary to stop what you're doing and go refill needs when they appear low, doing so is more time consuming than it's worth, as those needs will simply rapidly decline again because they are full or nearly full. At some point, Maxis may implement a system where the rate of degradation of your Sim's skills will be directly tied to its motives, where the level of red bars increases the rate of decline. Until this is implemented, I recommend refilling your needs only when your Sim refuses to do anything else, or at least wait until many or all of the other Sims doing your activity stop to green themselves up. In general, the most efficient order to green up your Sim is to eat, sleep, use the toilet, shower, then do some other activity such as play a game of pool or watch TV to refill Social and Fun. This ordering is formed by the dependencies some of the needs have on others, such as eating affecting your Sim's Bladder. I place sleeping before showering so that your Sim will change into its regular clothes after the shower, but some people prefer to sleep after showering. It's up to you; sleeping can be done any time after eating. Maxis is considering implementing "Sim death." This may happen if you continue to ignore your Sim's needs regardless of how bad they get. Currently, a death dirge sounds if a Sim's motives are all critically low, but nothing else happens. It takes well over 2 or 3 hours of online non- idle time to get to this point, so it has to be a very conscious and deliberate decision by the player to ignore the Sim's needs and continue attempting to play with it while the Sim constantly rebels against the user. ______ Hunger ¯¯¯¯¯¯ Info: Hunger defines your Sim's need for food. This motive generally decreases at a faster natural rate than all the other needs, and will probably have to be greened first. How to refill: Eat food. Home-cooked meals generally refill more of this need than buffet meals. If you eat from the buffet, eating an entrée will cause an additional drop in your Sim's Energy need, so I recommend eating salads or desserts at this time. Eating will cause your Sim's Bladder need to decrease. Critical/empty indicators: - When low, your Sim will clutch its stomach and shake its head. - When critically low, a thought bubble containing a flashing red/black hamburger on a plate will appear above your Sim's head while it shouts and waves its hands. - Continue to let your Sim starve, and it will curl up on the floor and not move for a while. Please feed it! ______ Energy ¯¯¯¯¯¯ Info: Energy covers the overall pep your Sim has, and declines slowly as your Sim does various activities. Eating certain food items will take away some of your Sim's Energy. How to refill: Sleep. Sleeping will also increase your Sim's Comfort. Currently, sleeping in the Level 10 Energy "Moroccan Slumber Single Bed" item is hands-down the fastest way to regain Energy. All other beds and couches refill this need at a much slower rate. Critical/empty indicators: - When low, your Sim will clutch and shake its head. This indicator is also used for low Comfort, Fun and Social needs, so it can be confusing at times unless you look at the Sim's motive indicators. - At critically low or empty Energy, a thought bubble containing a flashing red/black bed will appear above your Sim's head while it yawns and wobbles back and forth. - Continuing to ignore these indicators will cause your Sim to fall over backwards and sleep on the ground; this will refill Energy slightly, but while amusing, it will instantly empty the Sim's Comfort bar. Your Sim will not wake up for a very long time while sleeping on the ground, so you may have to get a roommate to temporarily place a radio nearby to wake it up. _______ Comfort ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Info: Your Sim's Comfort is directly related to a combination of the activity it is doing, whether it is standing or sitting, and what level the current Room score is. If your Sim is dancing in a cage in a place with a very low room score, this need will drop far more rapidly than if your Sim is sitting in a Dervish Divan Deluxe with a full Room score. In fact, the Dervish Divan Deluxe - among many other chairs and couches - will keep your Sim's Comfort need completely green if you sit in it! How to refill: Sit and relax, or sleep. Since sleeping refills both Comfort and Energy, and Comfort rarely declines at a faster rate than Energy, it's easier to take care of both needs by sleeping in a nice comfy bed. If you need a quick Comfort fix, relaxing in a chair or couch with a high Comfort rating will restore it very quickly. Often when your Sim goes to eat a plate of food, some of its Comfort need will refill a bit as it sits and eats. Critical/empty indicators: - When low, your Sim will clutch at and shake its head. - At critically low or empty levels, a thought bubble containing flashing red/black symbols of a couch and a chair will appear above your Sim's head while it yells and waves a hand. - Nothing bad happens if you continue to ignore an empty Comfort motive. ___ Fun ¯¯¯ Info: What's the point of playing a game if it isn't any fun? Your Sim feels the same way about its life; a boring life just isn't worth living, and it will tell you so. This need declines at a very slow pace, but still must be addressed periodically. How to refill: Find a "fun" activity for your Sim to do. Some skill items, such as mirrors (charisma), workout benches (body), and the expensive chess board (logic) will slowly replenish this motive, or prevent this need from dropping below a certain point. All Sims think that playing pool, swimming, being bench- pressed (the Body level 8 interaction {Other->Play}), shooting some hoops, watching TV, or viewing fish in fish tanks are "fun" activities. Experiment with other interactions and activities; Maxis is constantly tweaking and adding new features to the game, and many of them affect your Sim's Fun motive. Critical/empty indicators: - When low, your Sim will clutch at and shake its head. - At critically low or empty levels, a thought bubble containing flashing red/black symbols of a basketball, musical notes, and a TV will appear above your Sim's head while it cries out and waves both hands. - Nothing bad happens if you continue to ignore an empty Fun motive. _______ Hygiene ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Info: Ever wondered what a stinky Sim would smell like? While it decreases very slowly on its own, your Sim's Hygiene level is directly affected by replenishing the Bladder motive. After using a toilet, be sure to refill this need as well. How to refill: Washing your hands at certain sinks, brushing your teeth from a medicine cabinet mirror, or taking a bath will refill this motive slightly. The best way to green this need is to take a shower, especially in one of the showers rated with a Hygiene level 10. This is the slowest motive to refill next to Fun, so be sure to let your Sim shower until it steps out on its own. Critical/empty indicators: - When low, your Sim will smell its armpit and go "Ew!" - At critically low or empty levels, a thought bubble containing a flashing red/black symbol of a shower head appears above your Sim's head while it waves its hands. - Nothing bad happens if you continue to ignore an empty Hygiene motive, but Maxis plans to add a "sickness" factor to TSO soon. ______ Social ¯¯¯¯¯¯ Info: Your Sim needs to have a social life; that is, interact and communicate with other Sims. This motive will slowly decline at approximately the same rate as Fun unless there are 3 or more other Sims on the same lot as you, in which case the Social motive will stay near the halfway point once it degrades that far. Fighting and doing mean interactions to other Sims will significantly decrease this motive. How to refill: Just talking via talk bubbles or IM will not affect this need, as allowing increases based on chatting would lead to spam. Instead, you will need to find a lot with 3 or more other Sims on it, or perform interactions with another Sim to refill this need. At present time, interactions such as shaking hands, hugging, dancing with, or just generally fooling around with another Sim usually gives a boost to this need. Other group activities also improve this motive, such as playing chess, pool, or basketball with another Sim. Critical/empty indicators: - When low, your Sim will cry plaintively and hold its head in its hands. - At critically low or empty levels, a thought bubble containing flashing red/black heads of a man and woman facing each other will appear above your Sim's head. - Nothing detrimental appears to happen if you continue to ignore this need. _______ Bladder ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Info: How long can your Sim hold its bladder before it has an "accident?" This motive is the indicator! Your bladder need will decrease every time your Sim eats or drinks. Please be warned: accepting a "Tickle Extreme" while your bladder is half empty or lower will cause an "accident!" How to refill: Use any toilet. The toilet's "bladder" rating currently has little effect on how quickly your Sim's need replenishes; every toilet, when used, will completely refill your Sim's bladder need. Using a toilet will decrease your Hygiene. Only male Sims can use the urinals though... I do have a request: if you could please order your Sim to flush and clean the toilet after using it, it would really help! It only takes a couple extra seconds to flush and clean a toilet after use, and unflushed toilets can cause very nasty toilet clogs which causes the room score to drop like a rock. Critical/empty indicators: - When low, your Sim will clutch its belly and hop up and down slightly. - At critically low levels, a thought bubble containing a flashing red/black toilet will appear above your Sim's head. - When this need reaches empty, your Sim will make a puddle at its feet. This is, of course, very gross and unhygienic, and your Sim's Hygiene motive will empty to zero. ____ Room ¯¯¯¯ Info: The Room "motive" is more of an indicator of how comfortable your Sim is with its current environment. A higher Room score means your Sim is surrounded by nice, expensive items in the current "room." A low score usually indicates there are messy or dirty things present in the room, such as trash, plates of food with flies on them, and unmade beds. A low room score will accelerate your Sim's motive decay, so try to find lots that have full room scores so you won't have to stop and refill your needs as often. One trick many people have learned is to start building their lots completely outdoors, only building walls around the bedroom and bathroom; this way, EVERYTHING that's bought and placed outside will affect the outdoors "room" score, and thus it's relatively easy to get this score to 100%. More expensive lots have a higher default room score. How to refill: Clean up after yourself! "Clean up" your plate after eating, make your bed after sleeping, pick up trash you see on the ground, and the room score will stay nice and high. Critical/empty indicators: - There are no detrimental signs or effects for a critically low or empty room need, save for the overall increase in rate of motive decay. ________ -----------< Extras >------------------------------------------------------- ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Bench Press (a Body level 8 interaction {Other->Play}) currently gives a fairly large gain to the accepting Sim's Fun and Social needs. If you need a quick boost, many Sims are more than happy to offer Bench Presses to those who _ask nicely_ (please refer to the "Etiquette" section of the General Tips). Tickle Extreme (a Friendship level 6 interaction {Other->Play}) will make the accepting Sim make a puddle on the ground if its Bladder need is more than halfway red. Making a puddle in this manner is not only surprising and gross, but also causes the accepting Sim to drop to zero Hygiene. .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. | V.3 - Skills | .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. Skills are one of the three pivotal structures in the game - the other two being money and socializing. In fact, without at least one highly-trained skill, your Sim will be unable to make much money at all! Each of the six skills available has its individual advantages. Some are used in the group job objects, but all have at least one skill-specific "solo" job object. Job objects are described in section VI of this FAQ. Note that your Sim's skill level will be rounded to the nearest integer by many of the game's objects. Thus, if your Sim has a 10.49 skill in Body and plays Code, the game will recognize your Sim as having a 10 skill. If you take a minute and train the same Sim's Body skill up to 10.50, then Code will recognize it as an 11 skill. Skill-specific job objects treat your Sim's skill as a floating-point number; thus, a Sim with a 10.98 Mech skill will make 1 or 2 Simoleans more on a gnome than a Sim with a 10.96 Mech skill. ** The TSO Manual is outdated on several points regarding skills. Using skill-specific job objects such as Gnome benches and Preserves tables no longer improves your skill! Swimming in pools also no longer increases your Sim's Body skill. ____________________ -----------< Skill Descriptions >------------------------------------------- ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ __________ Mechanical ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Is your Sim mechanically inclined? Can it tinker with objects and fix broken items easily? A Sim with a high Mechanical skill will repair objects a lot faster and for much less money than a Sim with a low Mech skill. In fact, a Sim with 10.50 or higher skill (it gets rounded up to 11) will fix a broken object in about 10 seconds, and pay half the repair cost of what a Sim with 0 or 1 skill would spend while taking more than 3 minutes to repair the same object! Mech is one of the three positions in the Code game, a.k.a. "Core Business Unit" (CBU). Mech is also used to determine the value of a gnome your Sim makes on a gnome bench. Train your Sim's Mechanical skill by selecting "Study Mechanical" from a bookcase. _______ Cooking ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ How well can your Sim cook? Will the meals it prepares be tasty and appreciated by other Sims? A group meal prepared by someone with a high Cooking skill will be immensely more satisfying, and fill up more of the eater's Hunger need compared to a meal prepared by someone with low skill. Buffets are currently unaffected by a Sim's Cooking skill, but this may change in a future update. Cooking takes up two of the four positions in the Pizza game, a.k.a. "Concessione DiPizza". The value of preserves is also affected by this skill. Study up your Sim's Cooking by choosing "Study Cooking" from a bookcase. ________ Charisma ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Does your Sim have a magnetic personality? Thinking of going into a career in Politics? Then Charm is the skill for you! Speaking at podiums and microphones currently has little effect, but at some point MOMI may implement a system whereby your Sim's level in Charisma may affect the moods of Sims in the same room as where you speak. Charisma is one of the two slots available in Maze, a.k.a. "Tomb Hunters of the Lost Llama." It is also one of the four slots in the Pizza game. Using phones for telemarketing is Charm's skill-specific job object. To gain skill in Charisma, choose "Practice Speech" from any mirror. _____ Logic ¯¯¯¯¯ Is your Sim a brainiac? Can it calculate the 553911204th digit of Pi in its head without blinking an eye? Logic is considered to be the most sought- after skill in TSO due to its demand in the two most popular group job objects. Both Maze and Code have a slot open for a Logic player. The values of solving problems on a chalkboard or making potions are determined by this skill. Improve your Logic skill by choosing "Research" on a computer, playing a game of chess, or gazing through a telescope. ____ Body ¯¯¯¯ Do you want your Sim to look like Arnold Schwartzeneggar or Kiana Tom? Janet Jackson or Bolo Yeung? Is it more likely to head for a workout instead of going to see a movie with friends? Work that body and gain some Body skill points! Body is used in both Code and Pizza. The payout from bashing piñatas is directly affected by your Sim's Body skill. Your Sim can train Body by using workout benches, dancing in cages, and riding the mechanical bull. __________ Creativity ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Is your Sim prone to self-expression as a release of its internal frustration? Perhaps it is a master pianist or one of the greatest electric guitar players ever known? Find out by training its Creativity skill! Creativity is not used in any group job objects, but MOMI is planning to introduce a group "Band" object soon. Writing stories on a typewriter or painting on easels uses Creativity as the factor in determining payouts. Practice your Sim's Creativity by playing a guitar or piano. __________________ -----------< Skill Gain Rates >--------------------------------------------- ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ When more Sims work the same skill together, and more objects intended to improve that skill are on the lot, then the overall rate of gain while each Sim works will be higher. The rate of gain will range from 10% to 99%, with the full 99% available when 6 or more Sims train the same skill, and 6 or more objects meant to train that skill are on the lot. Some objects like the 2-space bookcases can support two Sims studying from it at once; these only count as a single object (not two) towards the goal of 6 or more. The object bonus will be applied even if the object is broken. While your Sim is training a skill, you can see its current rate of gain by zooming in on it with the game's closest view. To quickly center your game screen on your Sim, try right-clicking its portrait in the "Live Mode" panel. Skill Gain chart: =================================================================== | | Number of Sims training the same skill | | Number of skill |-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+ | objects on lot | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6+ | +-----------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+ | 1 | 10% | 22% | | | | | +-----------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+ | 2 | 13% | 25% | 37% | 59% | | | +-----------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+ | 3 | 16% | 28% | 40% | 62% | 84% | 91% | +-----------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+ | 4 | 19% | 31% | 43% | 65% | 87% | 94% | +-----------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+ | 5 | 22% | 34% | 46% | 68% | 90% | 97% | +-----------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+ | 6+ | 25% | 37% | 49% | 71% | 93% | 99% | =================================================================== As of version 1.172.6.0 and later, your Sim's skill gain rate is increased when it trains on a Skills Category lot. Skill Gain chart on Skills Lots: =================================================================== | | Number of Sims training the same skill | | Number of skill |-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+ | objects on lot | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6+ | +-----------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+ | 1 | 11% | 25% | | | | | +-----------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+ | 2 | 14% | 28% | 42% | 67% | | | +-----------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+ | 3 | 18% | 32% | 46% | 71% | 96% | 103% | +-----------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+ | 4 | 21% | 35% | 49% | 74% | 99% | 106% | +-----------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+ | 5 | 25% | 39% | 53% | 78% | 103% | 110% | +-----------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+ | 6+ | 28% | 42% | 56% | 81% | 106% | 113% | =================================================================== _____________ -----------< Skill Decay >-------------------------------------------------- ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Your Sim currently has a cap of 10 skill points. Once your total levels of skill points breach 10.00, you will get a warning and your Sim's skills will slowly decay while it is on a lot. Additional points beyond this cap will increase the rate of decay. Thus, your Sim can easily reach 10.98 in a single skill and not have to worry about training it again for several hours, but once its total number of skill points passes 15.00, the rate of decay increases to a noticeable amount. Each additional 5.00 skill points will bump up this rate of decay noticeably, until your skills literally drop every few seconds at around 30.00 total points. This makes it a very difficult task to keep three skills at 10.00 or higher. The current maximum level you can attain in any one skill is 10.98 (10.99 if you lock it!). While training a skill, you may see it briefly rise to 10.99, but if it isn't locked, it will quickly fall back to 10.98 - even while you train! As of version 1.200.9.0, you can now "lock" a single skill on your Sim and prevent it from decaying by clicking the lock icon next to the skill in your Sim's profile. "Locking" a skill will not prevent it from going up while you train though! A "locked" skill will still count toward your skill cap. MOMI is considering adding skill cap increases dependent on your Sim's age. Every few days, your Sim will "earn" an additional point to its skill cap, up to a total of 30.00. Only skill totals trained beyond this skill cap will start the decay cycle. .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. | V.4 - Interactions | .--------------------------------------------------------------------------. Actions that you can do by yourself or with another Sim are called "interactions." By clicking on your Sim's avatar or another Sim on the screen, you can pull up a menu of about 30 different basic (blue) interactions. You can receive additional red interactions by making friends and enemies, or achieving certain levels of skill. When performed with another Sim, many of these red interactions will affect both of your Sims' Energy, Fun, and Social motives. In general, nice or complimentary interactions will boost both your Sims' needs, while mean and nasty ones will detrimentally affect your moods. Please note that while making enemies is supported in TSO (see the "Friendship Web" section of this FAQ), Sims rarely have a chance to exercise this option, as rude and demeaning Sims are usually kicked and banned from the lot in a fairly brisk fashion. There are cases when making enemies or fighting with another Sim may be appropriate, such as for entertainment in a playhouse, but normally you won't need to use these actions. :) __________________________ -----------< Skills Interaction Chart >------------------------------------- ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ Each skill has 4 to 6 different "special" skill-specific interactions that are received at certain levels. These red interactions are only available to Sims that have the minimum level in that skill or higher, so if your Sim's skill drops below that level later due to skill decay, it will lose that interaction until you train that skill back up. All interactions performed with another Sim will result in an increase to both Sims' Social needs unless noted otherwise. The actions you need to take are enclosed in curly braces ("{}") so they will stand out when mentioned elsewhere in this FAQ. "Self" means to click on your own Sim's avatar, while "Other" means you need to click on someone else's avatar. Some interactions will be unavailable (greyed out) if either Sim is busy with another task. Skill-based Interactions table: ============================================================================ | Skill name |Lvl| Interaction | How to perform | Additional effects | +------------+---+-----------------+-----------------+---------------------+ | Mechanical | 2 | Wipe Brow | {Self->Cool} | | | | 4 | Eye Poke | {Other->Mean} | -Social, Comfort: -3| | | 6 | Use Puppet/ | {Other->Play} | Fun: 2 | | | | Hand Puppet | | | | | 8 | Head Spin | {Self->Silly} | | | | 9 | Swallow Sword | {Self->Moves} | | +------------+---+-----------------+-----------------+---------------------+ | Cooking | 2 | Psych | {Other->Greet} | Fun: 1 | | | 4 | Cabbage Patch | {Self->Happy} | | | | 6 | Sissy Fight | {Other->Play} | Fun: 2 | | | 8 | Why Me? | {Self->Sad} | | +------------+---+-----------------+-----------------+---------------------+ | Charisma | 2 | Vogue | {Self->Silly} | | | | 4 | Sexy Wiggle | {Self->Cool} | | | | 6 | Kiss Hand | {Other->Romance}| Energy: 2 | | | 7 | Pop Star | {Self->Moves} | | | | 8 | Dance Tango | {Other->Dance} | Fun: 3 | | | 9 | Smoke from Ears | {Self->Mad} | | +------------+---+-----------------+-----------------+---------------------+ | Logic | 2 | File Nails | {Self->Sad} | | | | 4 | Nyah-Nyah | {Other->React} | -Social | | | 6 | Latin Steps | {Self->Moves} | | | | 8 | Primal Scream | {Self->Mad} | | | | 9 | Evil Laugh | {Self->Silly} | | +------------+---+-----------------+-----------------+---------------------+ | Body | 2 | Dance Jazz/ | {Self->Dance} | | | | | Jazz Dance | | | | | 4 | Flex Body | {Self->Cool} | | | | 6 | Break Dance | {Self->Dance} | | | | 7 | Back Flip | {Self->Moves} | | | | 8 | Bench Press | {Other->Play} | Fun: 3 | | | 9 | Pile Drive | {Other->Mean} | -Social, Energy: -2 | +------------+---+-----------------+-----------------+---------------------+ | Creativity | 2 | Showin' 'Tude | {Self->Happy} | | | | 4 | Rap | {Self->Cool} | | | | 6 | Give Gift | {Other->Nice} | Fun: 3, -$20 | | | 8 | Serenade | {Other->Romance}| | | | 9 | Jitterbug | {Other->Dance} | Fun: 3 | ============================================================================ 
            _________________________
-----------< Friendship Interactions >--------------------------------------
            ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Your Sim will also be given additional interactions based on the number of 
incoming Friendship Links it has on the Friendship Web.  For each incoming 
Friendship balloon you receive (and keep), your Sim will get an additional 
three (3) interactions to use unless its incoming links drop below the 
number needed for these interactions.

Some of these Friendship interactions may only be performed with another 
friend; these are marked as "Friends only."  As is the case with normal 
interactions, any actions performed with another Sim will increase both 
Sims' Social motive unless otherwise noted.  There are currently 9 levels of 
interactions available for Friendship links; those plus two "Friends only" 
actions make a total of 29 "special" Friendship interactions.

Friendship Interactions table:
============================================================================
| Incoming links | Interaction     | How to perform  | Additional effects  |
+----------------+-----------------+-----------------+---------------------+
|        0       | Secret Handshake| {Other->Greet}  | Friends only        |
|                | Propose         | {Other->Romance}| Friends only        |
+----------------+-----------------+-----------------+---------------------+
|        1       | Touchdown Dance/| {Self->Happy}   |                     |
|                |   TD Dance      |                 |                     |
|                | Berate          | {Other->Mean}   | -Social             |
|                | Hi-Five         | {Other->Greet}  | Fun: 1              |
+----------------+-----------------+-----------------+---------------------+
|        2       | No Way          | {Other->React}  |                     |
|                | Face Kiss/      | {Other->Greet}  | Energy: 1           |
|                |   Kiss Hello    |                 |                     |
|                | Heebie Jeebies  | {Self->Silly}   |                     |
+----------------+-----------------+-----------------+---------------------+
|        3       | Stomp Foot      | {Other->Mean}   | -Social, Comfort: -3|
|                | Cheer Up        | {Other->Nice}   | Comfort: 2          |
|                | Tantrum         | {Self->Mad}     |                     |
+----------------+-----------------+-----------------+---------------------+
|        4       | Grovel          | {Other->React}  |                     |
|                | Back Rub/Backrub| {Other->Nice}   | Comfort: 3          |
|                | Dance Groove    | {Self->Dance}   |                     |
+----------------+-----------------+-----------------+---------------------+
|        5       | Startled Scream | {Self->Mad}     |                     |
|                | Flying Hug      | {Other->Nice}   | Fun: 3              | 
|                | Kiss my #%@!!/  | {Other->Mean}   | -Social             | 
|                |  Kiss my Dingbat|                 |                     |
+----------------+-----------------+-----------------+---------------------+
|        6       | Tickle Extreme  | {Other->Play}   | Warning: Bladder!   |
|                | Scat            | {Self->Moves}   |                     |
|                | Worship         | {Other->React}  |                     |
+----------------+-----------------+-----------------+---------------------+
|        7       | Click Heels     | {Self->Happy}   |                     |
|                | Dip Kiss        | {Other->Romance}| Energy: 3           |
|                | Crack Back      | {Other->Play}   | Comfort: 3          |
+----------------+-----------------+-----------------+---------------------+
|        8       | Sultry Dance    | {Other->Dance}  | Energy: 4           |
|                | Can Can         | {Self->Dance}   |                     |
|                | Aristo Kiss/    | {Other->Romance}| Energy:2            |
|                |   Kiss Hand     |                 |                     |
+----------------+-----------------+-----------------+---------------------+
|        9       | Hustle          | {Other->Dance}  | Fun: 4              | 
|                | Freak           | {Other->Dance}  | Energy: 4           | 
|                | Melt Down       | {Self->Sad}     |                     |
============================================================================


            ____________________
-----------< Enemy Interactions >-------------------------------------------
            ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
There are two (and only two) Interactions you can perform against an Enemy.  
Again, I must warn you that unless you do these Interactions on your own 
lot, or with the permission of the current lot's owner or roommates, you 
risk getting kicked out and banned from returning.  No one really enjoys 
watching other Sims go at it unless it's specifically for entertainment, and 
anyway the "Attack" animation is more confusing than it is fun to watch!

Enemy Interactions table:
============================================================================
| Interaction     | How to perform  | Additional effects                   |
+-----------------+-----------------+--------------------------------------+
| Attack          | {Other->Mean}   | -Social, Energy: -4, Fun: -4         |
| Pull Out Heart  | {Other->Mean}   | -Social, Energy:-4 Fun:-4 Comfort:-4 |
============================================================================


.--------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| V.5 - The Friendship Web                                                 |
.--------------------------------------------------------------------------.

The Friendship Web keeps track of any Friends and Enemies your Sim makes 
while you play the game.  Other Sims that make your Sim a Friend or Enemy 
also show up on the Web.  Friends show as pictures circled in green with 
incoming and outgoing arrows in green, while Enemies are circled in red with 
incoming/outgoing arrows in red.

When your Sim makes a Friend {Other->Transactions}, it will blow up a red 
balloon and hand it to its new friend.  The other Sim will then show up on 
your Sim's Friendship Web circled in green, with an outgoing green arrow 
from your Sim to the other.  If the other Sim also makes your Sim a Friend 
(I would hope so!), then the arrow between them will point in both 
directions.  If necessary, you can "Break" the Friendship by either clicking 
"Break Friendship" in the {Other->Transactions} menu, or by going into the 
Friendship Web and right-clicking the other Sim's picture, then clicking 
"Break Relationship."  You are currently limited to at most 10 outgoing 
Friendships, but can have up to 100 incoming Friendship links.  Your Sim's 
10 outgoing Friendship links are shown as the inner circle on the Friendship 
Web, while incoming links (to whom you do not have an outgoing link) are 
shown in the outer circle.

When your Sim makes an Enemy, it will shout at the other Sim, then produce a 
black gauntlet, wave it around a bit, and then throw it on the ground.  The 
other Sim will then show up on your Sim's Friendship Web circled in red, 
with an outgoing red arrow from your Sim to the other.  The same rules for 
Friends apply to Enemies, except the circles and arrows are in red instead 
of green.

A note on making Friends: you are limited to making 3 outgoing links before 
you must have an incoming link to make another.  This means that you can 
give away 3 Friendship balloons before your Sim must receive an additional 
one in order to give away another.  For example, if you currently have 5 
incoming and 5 outgoing Friendship links, you will not be able to make 
another Friend unless you receive a balloon from the other Sim first, or you 
break one of your outgoing Friendship links.

MOMI recently upgraded the Friendship Web to support adding notes on your 
Sim's inner circle of 10 Friends.  To leave notes on one of your Sim's 
Friends, just right-click the Friend's picture, click "Add/Edit Comment," 
and type in what you want.  Other Sims who access your Sim's Friendship Web 
by clicking on your Sim's picture in the Web will then be able to see what 
you've written by holding the mouse pointer over your Sim's Friend's picture 
for a couple of seconds.


.--------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| V.6 - IM and Email                                                       |
.--------------------------------------------------------------------------.

In-game communications between two Sims who may not be in the same lot (or 
even online at the same time) are conducted via the icon of a Phone and 
Envelope.  If the other Sim is offline, the message is automatically sent as 
an Email which the recipient can read at his or her leisure.  If the other 
Sim is online, the game will open up an IM window.

IM windows are convenient in that you do not need to be on the same lot as 
the other Sim, and there is a log or history of the chat, so you only need 
to scroll back in order to catch something you may have missed.  This is 
quite useful for the 2-player Maze game, as the two Sims playing it can 
communicate via IM to play effectively.  Trying to play Maze without IM is 
far more difficult, and tends to spam other Sims on the lot.  For an 
example, try holding a conversation on a lot where there is one or more Code 
or Pizza games running - the chat bubbles tend to overlap and not point at 
Sims who are actually talking, confusing the situation!

When you minimize (not close) an IM window, it stays in the upper-right 
corner of your game screen as a picture of the Sim at the other end of the 
line.  To re-open the window, just click on that picture.  If you have 
multiple IM conversations going, this is a useful method to sort them out, 
as other minimized windows will line up beneath one another.  There is a 
limit to the total number of IM lines in all your IM chat window histories, 
so be careful!  If a Sim tries to send you a message when your history is 
full, he or she will get an error message, and you won't get his or her 
message!

Email functions just like RL email.  Your email list displays a date, from 
field and subject heading.  Clicking on a line will bring up that email, and 
give you the option to "reply" to the sender.  You can also click on the 
Sim's picture in the upper-left corner of the email to see his or her 
profile.


.--------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| V.7 - Extras                                                             |
.--------------------------------------------------------------------------.
______
Dreams
¯¯¯¯¯¯
Your Sim will sometimes dream while it sleeps.  These dreams appear in the 
form of a thought bubble that floats above its head.  I haven't played the 
offline Sims series, but I believe these dreams also appear in those games.  
Here is a list of the dreams I have encountered so far:

Tennis racquet and ball               Haunted house with moon behind it
Blue skill progress bar               Peace symbol
2 men and a judge(?) behind them      Red door
Music bars                            The Simolean $ symbol
Arrow (triangle?) with a curly tail   Drum and 2 drumsticks
Red heart                             Black cat
Blue couple with brown dog            Scales (of Justice?)
Grand piano                           Baby bottle
Top view of a jumbo jet               Slice of pizza in full color
Stylized dog (Weimaraner?)            Black sunflower
Red minus sign with green couple      Sun behind cloud



/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/



.--------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| VI - Objects (Secure Trading)                                            |
.--------------------------------------------------------------------------.

As of 2/26/03, Maxis has added a "Secure Trading" interface that allows two 
Sims to exchange money and objects with each other.  This is the first step 
towards creating "shopkeeper" job positions that will allow Sims to create 
clothing, artwork, or other commodities and sell them to other Sims!

You can access the Trading interface by clicking the other Sim, then 
selecting {Transactions->Trade}.  Each Sim then selects what objects from 
their inventory and the amount of money they want to trade, and then clicks 
the checkbox when everything is satisfactory.  Once both Sims click the 
checkbox, the trade is considered complete, and both walk away with the 
items and money the other Sim gave them.  Either Sim can cancel the trade by 
clicking the round X button.


.--------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| VI.1 - Skill Objects                                                     |
.--------------------------------------------------------------------------.

Training up your skills is one of the most important aspects of the game.  
Without a high skill in one area, your Sim will be unable to earn very many 
Simoleans, and you won't be able to build that dream house on the beach 
you've always wanted!  When you're ready to start training your skills, be 
sure to find a property that has the appropriate objects to use in order to 
improve your chosen skills.

__________
Mechanical
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
- Bookcases
  Message: "A three-wrench salute is in order!   has received 1
            Mechanical Skill Point."

Find a lot with lots of bookcases, and then pick "Study Mechanical" from one 
of them to start training.  Note that bookcases also offer Cooking as an 
option, so be sure to find a study group that is working on Mechanical, not 
Cooking.  Some bookcases (the ones that take up 2 squares) offer 2 books 
each, so if you have trouble finding a book, try clicking the other side of 
the bookcase if it's one of the larger ones.

_______
Cooking
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
- Bookcases
  Message: "A master chef in the making.   has received 1 Cooking
            Skill Point!"

Choose "Study Cooking" from the same bookcases that are used to study 
Mechanical.  See the above section on "Mechanical" for more information 
about these bookcases.

________
Charisma
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
- Mirrors
  Message: "Irresistible!   got 1 Charisma Skill Point!"

Any mirror will do, but the larger full-length and floor mirrors have the 
additional benefit of keeping your "Fun" motive completely filled while you 
train up your Charm.  The smaller mirrors are also fun, but your Fun motive 
will drop to a much lower level before staying constant.

_____
Logic
¯¯¯¯¯
- Computers
  Message: "You gained a Logic Skill Point, you smart little bugger."

- Chess boards
  Message: "The logic may escape some Sims, but not , who just
            received 1 Logic Skill Point."

- Telescopes
  Message: "The heavens are shining down on you.   just received 1
            Logic Skill Point."

Choose "Research" on computers, sit down and play a game of chess, or gaze 
through a telescope to train Logic.  Chess games have the added benefit of 
increasing your Social motive if you play with another person, and the 
telescopes and more expensive chess boards will keep your Fun motive from 
dropping below a certain level.

____
Body
¯¯¯¯
- Workout benches
  Message: "Buns of steel and washboard abs.   received 1 Body Skill
            Point!

- Dance cages
  Message: "Amazing moves!   received 1 Body Skill Point!"

- Mechanical Bull
  Message: "Get along little doggie!   received 1 Body Skill Point!"

Dancing in cages and working out are both considered "Fun" activities by all 
Sims, but the workout benches will keep your Fun motive completely green, 
similar to the effect large mirrors have on Charisma.  Cage dancing is also 
"Fun," but your Sim's Fun motive will stay constant at a much lower level 
than if you work out on a bench.  The mechanical bull is especially rare to 
find on lots due to its cost, and there is a limit to the length of time 
your Sim can stay on the bull before the ride ends, or your Sim is thrown 
off.

By the way, the message for the Mechanical Bull should have the word 
"dogie," not "doggie" in it; a "dogie" is a motherless calf in a range herd 
of cattle.  Thus, since the quotation pays homage to the multitude of cowboy 
songs and American ballads containing the line "Get along little dogies," it 
is a typo that will probably be very rarely seen due to the Mechanical 
Bull's excessive cost.

__________
Creativity
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
- Electric guitars
  Message: "Music makes the world go round.   has gone up 1 Creativity
            Skill Point."

- Pianos
  Message: "That right brain has been working hard.   received 1
            Creativity Skill Point."

Guitars and pianos can provide "live" entertainment for nearby Sims who are 
training other skills.


.--------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| VI.2 - Job Objects                                                       |
.--------------------------------------------------------------------------.

Group job objects are currently the fastest way to make some cash.  A Sim 
with a maximum level in a skill-specific ("solo") job object's skill (e.g. 
Cooking for the Preserves object), and who's working with 11 other people in 
a nice session will make around 4000 Simoleans in 45 minutes before having 
to green up.  Sims with maximum levels in the relevant skills for the group 
job objects (e.g. Code needs Mechanical, Logic, and Body players) can make 
between 4000 and 15000 Simoleans in the same 45 minutes.  Group job objects 
are a lot more demanding and require your constant attention, whereas the 
skill-specific job objects can be relatively mindless - just get your Sim 
started, then let it work for 4 to 4.5 minutes while you chat or do 
something else with your time.  :)


            ____________________________
-----------< Skill-specific Job Objects >-----------------------------------
            ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
__________
Mechanical
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Gnome tables.
Find a lot with lots of the so-called "Gnome benches," and get to work 
building your Gnome army.  Gnomes currently take 3:45 to complete.

_______
Cooking
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Preserves.
Find a lot with lots of Jam-making benches, and start a "Jam session."  
Preserves currently take 4:30 to complete.

________
Charisma
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Phones.
Telemarketing is a rough job, and unless your Charm is over 10, you will get 
a lot of screaming customers.  Telemarketing currently takes 4:15 to 
complete.

_____
Logic
¯¯¯¯¯
Chalkboards and potions.
Potions take 4 minutes to complete, while chalkboards take 4:30 to complete 
not including the cheering animation.  A Sim working on either object will 
count towards the overall bonus multiplier, so if 6 people are making 
potions, and another 6 are working the boards, then they will all get the 
12-Sim multiplier for the Logic job objects.

____
Body
¯¯¯¯
Piñatas.
Watching a Sim with a low (less than 5) Body skill try to bash a piñata is a 
highly entertaining experience!  Breaking open a piñata currently takes 4:45 
to complete.

__________
Creativity
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Easels and typewriters.
Painting or writing can be a nice relaxing way to earn money.  Painting 
currently takes 3:45 to complete, while writing takes 4 minutes.


            ________________________________
-----------< Skill-specific Payout Schedule >-------------------------------
            ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
As of version 1.172.6.0, it takes 16 Sims working job objects from the same 
skill category to maximize your payout.  I am working on creating a chart 
for this 16-Sim maximum.  For now, the maximum payout is around $360 for a 
Sim with a 10.98 skill working in a group of 16 or more on the same skill-
oriented objects.

Fester is working on a similar set of charts at his website:
http://www.medfordarcade.com/fester/tso/festerstsocharts.htm


            ___________________
-----------< Group Job Objects >--------------------------------------------
            ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
There are currently three group job objects in the game.  These objects have 
slots available that encompass all skills.  MOMI recently released the group 
band object that includes space for Creativity experts!

Group job objects are multi-Sim games; all slots of the game must be filled 
with different Sims before the game will commence.  Currently, this involves 
from 2 and 4 Sims, depending on the object.  In general, the payoff from 
playing group job objects is much higher than doing skill-specific objects 
in groups.  This is probably due to the intensity of the games; while you 
can start your Sim working on a "solo" object and idle for around 4 or 5 
minutes, playing a group job object requires constant attention and, in some 
cases, a lot of thinking!

Note that if the owner plays the group job object, the owner gets both the 
base payout everyone else gets, plus an additional 30% bonus rounded up!  
Thus, if the owner plays a game of Code and everyone wins $199, the owner 
will receive 199 * 1.30 = 259 Simoleans!


____
Maze
¯¯¯¯
Slots: 2
Positions: Charisma
           Logic

Its full name is "Tomb Hunters of the Lost Llama," but everyone just calls 
it "Maze."  The payout is determined by a combination of the average of both 
players' skills as well as how quickly they can reach the exit.  Maze is 
currently considered the highest-paying job object in the game, as 2 highly 
skilled, experienced players can net around $15000 Simoleans in a single 45-
minute session before stopping to green up.

Sounds great, doesn't it?  Well, MOMI decided to throw a wrench into the 
works: the Logic player can see the entire map, but not the current 
location.  The Charisma player can only see the current location and any 
surrounding walls.  The relationship usually works as this: the Charm player 
reports (usually by in-game IM to keep a chat history) the current location 
and the color of the square he or she is on, and the Logic player tries to 
figure out where the Charm player is located on the map, and guides him or 
her to the finish square marked with an X.

To aid expedience in communication between the two Sims, a system of 
abbreviations and mutually understood sequences have been developed in-game 
over the course of the playtest.  In other words, if someone springs a line 
like "RseG3s w2wall" on you, you can decode what it means after reading the 
next section!  :)

Colors (usually indicated in uppercase): 
R - Red
G - Green
B - Blue
Y - Yellow

Directions (usually in lowercase):
n - North
e - East
s - South
w - West

Phrases (how to create and decode the jumble):
     - Move  number of spaces in  direction
                 Example: "3w" = move 3 spaces West.
 - After moving  direction, the square you end up on should
                 be .  If it isn't, stop there and report what
                 happened.
                 Example: "3wsBe" = after moving 3 west then south, the
                 square should be colored Blue and have an exit to the east.
2wall   - Move  direction until you hit a wall.  To make these
                 "2wall" phrases stand out, it's better to put spaces
                 before and after them.
                 Example: "3w s2wall wn"
all     - Some prefer this phrase in place of the "2wall" phrase.
                 Example: "3w alls wn"

General conventions:
As soon as a game starts, the Charm player needs to report his or her 
current location by reporting the color of the square (the starting point is 
always colored), and what exits are available.  For example, if the starting 
square is Yellow and has exits to the north and south, the Charm player 
should report "Yns."  The Logic player can then attempt to track down the 
Charm player's location in the maze, and relay appropriate movement 
instructions.

If the Charm player starts off on a square with only one exit, he or she 
should start the message with the color of the square and the direction 
that's open, then _go ahead and move that way_.  As long as the exits 
continue to be one-way, the Charm player should continue reporting progress 
until he or she reaches a square with more than one possible direction to 
choose from (other than the way he or she arrived from).  Thus, the Charm 
player's initial report can be expanded from a simple "Rs," meaning the 
starting square is Red with an exit south, to "RseBen nes," meaning the 
Charm player started on a Red square, moved south and east arriving on a 
Blue square, then moved east again and north before stopping at a square 
with exits to the north, east and south (south is where the player arrived 
from).

Confused yet?  Don't worry - just play some games to get used to the layout 
and the job each player must perform.  Every move the Charm player makes 
will subtract 4 Simoleans from the total payoff, so if you start with 649 
Simoleans (the maximum for 2 players with at least a 10 in their respective 
skills), and take 50 moves to reach the exit, both players will receive 649 
- (50*4) = 649 - (200) = 449 Simoleans at the end.  If the Logic player sees 
that the path is too long to be worthwhile, just go ahead and cancel the 
game (click on the game's icon in your action queue), then return to "reset" 
the maze and start a different one.


____
Code
¯¯¯¯
Slots: 3
Positions: Body
           Mechanical
           Logic

Code is the 3-player "Core Business Unit" game, also called "Paper Chase" by 
MOMI.  Code used to be the most popular group job object during the initial 
days of the retail release, but the latest versions have severely curtailed 
its payouts.  Currently, Code pays about $5000 Simoleans in a 45-minute 
session with 3 highly skilled Sims - less than a third of what you can get 
playing Maze, and barely more than what your Sim could make while idling 
behind a "solo" job object!

If you are familiar with the board game "Mastermind," or the ancient UNIX 
text game "Pico," Code is like a multiplayer version of those.  At the start 
of every game, the machine randomly selects a 3-letter code from the letters 
"a," "b" and "c".  It is the players' job to enter 3-letter combinations and 
modify their guesses based on feedback from the game.  For example, if the 
players guess "abc" and the game returns "2 correct," then either the "ab*", 
"*bc" or "a*c" combination is correct.

Every game usually has a "caller" who keeps track of what combinations were 
guessed, and calls out the next combination to enter.  Take special note of 
the order the positions are listed; this order becomes relevant when the 
caller announces a 3-letter string.  For example, if the caller says "abc", 
then the Body player should enter "a", the Mech player "b", and the Logic 
player "c".

Following is a flowchart based on the logical progression of guesses 
starting with the root node "aaa".  It averages 3.89 steps per round, and 
has a maximum of 6 steps.  If you don't understand what these mean, don't 
worry about it too much; it's just the geek in me enumerating the tree's 
statistics! ^_^  This "logical" chart is the easiest method to get used to, 
and therefore the easiest to memorize.

 ___
|AAA|
 ¯¯¯
  |
 ___
|BBB|
 ¯¯¯
  |
  |  _____
  +- 0A 0B -> CCC
  |  ¯¯¯¯¯    ¯¯¯
  |  _____
  +- 0A 1B -> BCC, CBC, CCB
  |  ¯¯¯¯¯    ¯¯¯  ¯¯¯  ¯¯¯
  |  _____
  +- 0A 2B -> BBC, BCB, CBB
  |  ¯¯¯¯¯    ¯¯¯  ¯¯¯  ¯¯¯
  |  _____
  +- 1A 0B -> ACC, CAC, CCA
  |  ¯¯¯¯¯    ¯¯¯  ¯¯¯  ¯¯¯
  |  _____     ___
  +- 1A 1B -> |ABC|
  |  ¯¯¯¯¯     ¯¯¯ 
  |             |
  |             +- 0 -> BCA, CAB
  |             |       ¯¯¯  ¯¯¯
  |             +- 1 -> ACB, CBA, BAC
  |                     ¯¯¯  ¯¯¯  ¯¯¯
  |  _____
  +- 1A 2B -> ABB, BAB, BBA
  |  ¯¯¯¯¯    ¯¯¯  ¯¯¯  ¯¯¯
  |  _____
  +- 2A 0B -> AAC, ACA, CAA
  |  ¯¯¯¯¯    ¯¯¯  ¯¯¯  ¯¯¯
  |  _____
  +- 2A 1B -> AAB, ABA, BAA
     ¯¯¯¯¯    ¯¯¯  ¯¯¯  ¯¯¯

I know it looks like a mess.  All is not lost, however!  A playtest 
Alphaville Sim named Hermione created an optimal flowchart for Code that 
averages 3.43 steps and is at most 5 steps deep.  He/she put up a nice .gif 
of the flowchart at the following URL.  Good luck!
http://www.geocities.com/caeddyn/chart.html

_____
Pizza
¯¯¯¯¯
Slots: 4
Positions: Body
           Cooking
           Charisma
           Cooking

"Concessione DiPizza" is probably the most difficult game to play.  Not only 
are 4 players trying to coordinate their efforts, but the ingredients each 
player receives is random, making it possible to play long sessions without 
making a single Large Supreme (the highest payout pizza).  Pizza recently 
got a boost in its payouts due to the overwhelming popularity of Code in 
recent versions; while it is not as high as it was during the playtest, the 
payout bump now makes it possible to at least stay on par with the "solo" 
job objects.

The object of Pizza is to make pizzas!  This requires that out of the 4 
ingredients entered each round, at least one dough, cheese, and sauce *OF 
THE SAME SIZE* are present.  The combination of dough, cheese, and sauce 
makes a "regular" pizza of that size, and the addition of any topping 
(anchovies, pepperoni or mushrooms) to the mix makes the pizza a "supreme."  
The best payouts come from producing large and medium supremes, so everyone 
should try to save non-duplicate large and medium ingredients to that end.

Your skill while making Pizza is rounded DOWN.  This means that an 8.95 
skill will be considered as an 8 by the Pizza machine.

The pizza quorum (as I call them) has come up with the following set of 
conventions and abbreviations to make producing these supremes easier.

Sizes (note that only "Large" is capitalized):
L - Large
m - Medium
s - Small

Ingredients (capitalize if it is large-sized):
d - Dough
s - Sauce
c - Cheese
t - Any topping (mushrooms, pepperoni, or anchovies)

Conventions:
Every round, all 4 players should start off by announcing what ingredients 
they have in order from large to small, with large ingredients in capital 
letters, and medium and small ingredients in lowercase letters.  For 
example, if a player has a large dough, a large topping and a medium sauce, 
he or she would announce "LD LT ms".  If the player has three medium 
toppings, then either a "3mt" or "mt mt mt" is appropriate.  If there are 
enough ingredients in the right places to produce a Large Supreme, then each 
of the 4 players should enter one ingredient (dough, sauce, cheese, and 
topping).  Otherwise, play continues on to the medium, then small sizes.  If 
there aren't any ingredients to produce a pizza of any size, then a "burn" 
is called, meaning each player should "discard" one of his or her 
ingredients to be "burned."  The best ingredients to discard are either 
small-sized, or an ingredient that another player already has.

An example round for one of the 4 players might go like this:
- The player starts the round with a small cheese, a large dough, and a
    large topping.
- The player announces "LD LT sc".
- After correlating with everyone else's ingredients, everyone agrees that
    no pizza of any size can be made.
- A "burn" is called.
- The player puts in the small cheese to "burn."
- The pizza game "burns" the pizza, and the next round starts.  Every player
    gets a new random ingredient to replace the one he or she burned in the
    last round.

One pizza game I played had a single player act as the "head chef" who had 
IM windows opened to the other three Sims.  Every round, the other three 
Sims would report their ingredients via IM, and the head chef would tell 
each player which ingredient to put in.  The game went a lot more smoothly 
using this method as it was easier for the head chef to match ingredients, 
and we didn't have to keep spamming the lot with chat windows!  If you would 
be willing to act as a "head chef" (similar to the "caller" in Code), be 
sure to let the other players know beforehand!

Don't worry too much about messing up or playing the game incorrectly.  It 
may take a few rounds before you can get used to the conventions and start 
making pizzas properly; just keep playing and you'll soon become a Pizza 
Master!  ^_^


____
Band
¯¯¯¯
Slots: 4
Positions: Charisma
           Creativity
           Body
           Creativity

The "Rock 'n' Roadie Portable Bandstand" is a new group job object that 
plays similar to a game of "Simon."  Each player takes a turn to repeat two 
notes of a color/sound sequence that starts with 1 note, and increases by 1 
note up to a maximum of 25 notes total.  At the beginning of each player's 
turn, the player can choose to "Cash out," or play their part of the current 
sequence under a 20-second countdown clock.  Since there's a 1-in-9 chance 
each turn of the "Buzz" note sounding (the "Buzz" ends the current game with 
no payout and begins a new one), it's up to each player to risk getting a 
"Buzz" and continue playing, or cash out.

Colors (using the "ROY G BIV" convention):
R - Red
O - Orange
Y - Yellow
G - Green
C - Cyan/Turquoise
B - Light blue
I - Dark blue/Indigo
V - Violet

Gameplay tips:
Each game should have a "caller" who _writes down_ every note and repeats 
them back to the current player as necessary.  As the note sequence gets 
longer, I recommend switching from chat windows (they don't stay on-screen 
long enough for someone to enter all the notes) to IM windows.  In my 
opinion, it's far easier to cut-and-paste note sequences within IM windows, 
and the current player can more easily replicate long strings like 
"RBBIOCCYCBG" if they're in a permanent IM window, than in a temporal chat 
window!  Remember to report to the "caller" the next note that's added to 
the sequence if it's your turn; only the current player can see what note is 
added for his or her turn.

For more information on this group job object, refer to the following URL:
https://player.thesimsonline.ea.com/popup.jsp?key=backstage_workshop_band


            ______________________________
-----------< Group Object Payout Schedule >---------------------------------
            ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
I am working on the charts; please bear with me as I collect enough 
information to see how the new payouts are implemented.  Many, MANY thanks 
to MOMI for actually posting the base payouts for this version!

Code's base payout (the amount all Sims would get if their skills were all 
zero) is now $50.

Pizza's base payout varies depending on size as follows:
Small:          $60
Small Supreme:  $120
Medium:         $120
Medium Supreme: $240
Large:          $170
Large Supreme:  $380

In the meantime, here is what I've gathered for Maze so far.  Note that 
there doesn't appear to be a dynamic formula that determines the payout, but 
rather a fixed table much like what follows.  From what I've seen so far, 
the Maze payouts are affected by rounding DOWN each individual skill level 
to the next integer, similar to the Pizza game.

Maze payout table:
=========================================================================
| Logic | Charm | Skill Average | Skill Average with  | Starting payout |
|       |       |               | skills rounded down |                 |
+-------+-------+---------------+---------------------+-----------------+
|  0.0  |  0.0  |      0.0      |         0.0         |       325       |
|  1.0  |  0.0  |      0.5      |         0.5         |       325       |
|  1.0  |  1.0  |      1.0      |         1.0         |       328       |
|  1.5  |  1.3  |      1.4      |         1.0         |       328       |
|  2.0  |  1.5  |  1.50 - 1.75  |         1.5         |       332       |
|  2.0  |  2.0  |      2.0      |         2.0         |       337       |
| 10.8+ | 10.8+ | 10.80 - 10.98 |        10.0         |       649       |
=========================================================================



.--------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| VI.3 - Game Objects                                                      |
.--------------------------------------------------------------------------.

MOMI is working on casino game objects such as slot machines and video 
poker.  Until they arrive, current game objects have no direct monetary 
reward for using them.  Some lots may have special "lottery" arrangements in 
place whereby the lot's owner or roommates award prizes based on these game 
objects, but these are highly dependent on an honors system.



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.--------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| VII - Property mode                                                      |
.--------------------------------------------------------------------------.

Building a property up from scratch is a long-term, highly rewarding 
enterprise.  TSO is designed to allow EVERYONE the chance to purchase and 
mould their own lot in just about any way they choose.

Every new Sim starts off with $10000 Simoleans as seed money.  The cost for 
purchasing a lot can range between 2300 and 48000 Simoleans, depending on 
location.  Beachfront properties (especially those very rare 1-square 
islands) tend to be the most expensive, while lots on land far away from 
roads and water tend to be very inexpensive.


            ______________
-----------< General Tips >-------------------------------------------------
            ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
I think this is important: do _NOT_ start off your new Sim by buying a brand 
new lot!  Even with the cheapest $2300 lot and the least expensive items, 
you will not have enough Simoleans to build anything that would attract 
potential visitors and keep them visiting!  Instead, visit some other places 
(use the "Property Category" filters on the main map), train up a skill or 
two to 10 or higher, and chat with other folks around these lots.  You may 
find a place that you really like, and if you get along well with the owner 
and there's space for a roommate, you can become a roommate to see what it's 
like managing an already-established property - and make some money along 
the way!

While managing a lot may personally be a very rewarding experience, your 
income from visitors is currently limited to 1000 Simoleans per real-time 
day per roommate (not including tips and owner's bonuses on job objects).  
This means that a huge lot that's open 24/7 and has hundreds of visitors 
still will only net 1000 a day for each of the roommates.  Group job objects 
are currently the fastest way to make some cash, with net gains of up to 
15000 Simoleans possible in a 45-minute session before having to green.  
Please refer to the "Job Objects" section of this FAQ for more detail.

When you start off with building a new property, many Sims have found it 
best to only build walls surrounding the bedroom and bathrooms, and leave 
everything else outdoors.  There are several reasons for this strategy, 
including less expense (you don't need to pay for walls, floor, wallpaper 
and windows for the outdoors area); but the most important factor is a high 
room score.  Outdoors properties will have a single room score for every 
location not enclosed by walls.  Thus, every item placed outside will raise 
the room score for nearly the entire lot!  This is very useful for achieving 
a full 100% room score, and will definitely attract many people intent on 
training skills or working on job objects, as their motives will decrease at 
the slowest rate in a lot with a completely full room score.  Enclosing the 
bedroom in walls will prevent sleeping Sims from waking up due to noise 
(workout benches, radios, etc), and enclosing the bathroom is mainly for 
aesthetic reasons (would you take a shower outdoors where 16 other people 
are watching?).  Spend a few thousand more Simoleans on some nice lights 
like the wall-mounted candelabras, and the room scores for these interior 
locations will also be close to maximum.  Once you're ready to enclose your 
entire property in walls - perhaps to build the second story of your house - 
*then* you can concentrate on building rooms to divide up different areas of 
your lot.

The inexpensive "Flora Fencing" (the first item in the Decorative category 
while in "Buy Mode (F2)") is a great way to pump up room scores until you 
can afford to do the décor in your own style.  At a cost of a mere $25 each, 
and with a 4 room score, they are a highly affordable no-maintenance way to 
keep your room scores up.  You don't even have to water them!


            ________________
-----------< Lot Categories >-----------------------------------------------
            ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
All lots can be assigned a category by their owners.  There are individual 
perks and detriments to each category - but in particular, only certain lot 
categories can use special objects.  Descriptions of these categories and 
what they entail follows.

Please note: I am still collecting information on these lot categories and 
what objects are specific to each.  If you have knowledge of something that 
is not included here, please let me know!

_______
Welcome
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Motive Decay:  Easy
Special:       None

- Lots in the "Welcome" Category are intended to provide new players a nice
  place to hang out and learn the basics of the game.

_____
Money
¯¯¯¯¯
Motive Decay:  Hard
Special:       Group job objects

- Money Category lots are now the only place you can find any of the three
  Group Job Objects (Maze, Code, Pizza).

______
Skills
¯¯¯¯¯¯
Motive Decay:  Hard
Special:       Skill gain multiplier

- All Sims trying to increase a skill on a Skills Category lot receive a
  boost to the skill gain rate.  The maximum rate is now 113% on these lots.

________
Services
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Motive Decay:  Normal
Special:       Motive gain multiplier, Love Bed

- Greening up in a Services Category lot is now *VERY* fast.  Given the new
  faster rate of motive decay on Skills lots, and the low (14%) improvement
  in skills gain at those lots, I currently recommend sitting in a Services
  lot and training your skills there.  My recommendation may change once
  MOMI further tweaks skill gain rates on lots that aren't Skills Category
  lots.  Love beds are allowed on lots in this category.

_____________
Entertainment
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Motive Decay:  Easy
Special:       DJ Booth and Dance Floor

- Only Entertainment lots may now use the DJ Booth and Dance Floor objects,
  which I find interesting since there's a lot more to "Entertainment" other
  than going to a dance club!

_______
Romance
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Motive Decay:  Easy
Special:       Love Bed

- If you're looking for a hot date or just a place to meet other
  romantically-inclined Sims, then lots from this category are just right!

________
Shopping
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Motive Decay:  Normal
Special:       Can purchase new outfits or gifts for your Sim

- The "Clothing rack" and "Gift rack" items have not yet been released.
  This category will be used later.

_____
Games
¯¯¯¯¯
Motive Decay:  Easy
Special:       Casino and card games

- The Casino game objects have not yet been released.  This category will
  definitely flourish later.

_______
Offbeat
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Motive Decay:  Easy
Special:       None

- Does your lot not fit into any of the established categories?  There is
  currently nothing special allocated to this category, but hopefully this
  will change as MOMI sees what people do on lots they feel fit into this
  category.

_________
Residence
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Motive Decay:  Normal
Special:       Love Bed

- Regular houses for your Sim fall into this category.  Love beds are
  allowed in this category.


            ______________
-----------< Lot Upgrades >-------------------------------------------------
            ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
After purchasing a lot, you have a 12x12 grid of squares available to build.  
This is lot size 1, and upgrades in lot size will cost you additional 
Simoleans.  The following chart is useful to gauge the cost of an upgrade, 
and the size of the lot that comes with the upgrade.  Note that the "Upgrade 
cost" is subtractive, meaning that you only pay the difference between 
upgrade costs.  For example, if you are at lot size 6, an upgrade to lot 
size 7 is only 30000 Simoleans instead of the full 70000.  Downgrading lot 
sizes costs nothing, but you do not get any Simoleans back for going down in 
lot size.

Lot upgrade table:
==========================================================
| Lot size |  Lot area   |   Upgrade cost   |  Required  |
|          |             |                  |  roommates |
+----------+-------------+------------------+------------+
|    1     |   12 x 12   | 0 (Starting size)|    1 (you) |
|    2     |   20 x 20   |       2000       |    2       |
|    3     |   26 x 26   |       5500       |    3       |
|    4     |   31 x 31   |      12000       |    4       |
|    5     |   35 x 35   |      22000       |    5       |
|    6     |   39 x 39   |      40000       |    6       |
|    7     |   43 x 43   |      70000       |    7       |
|    8     |   46 x 46   |     130000       |    8       |
==========================================================

If you don't have the required number of roommates for the lot upgrade, you 
will have to pay an additional amount of Simoleans to make up for it.  Thus, 
if you want to go from lot size 1 to 2, and you have no roommates, you will 
need to pay the $2000 upgrade cost as well as a $2000 roommate "penalty."  
To go from lot size 1 to lot size 8 with no roommates, the penalty rises to 
$161000, making a total of $291000 Simoleans you would need to pay!  The 
amounts are as follows:

Roommate "penalty" table:
===========================================
| Roommate difference     | Total penalty |
| (# required - # actual) | for upgrade   |
+-------------------------+---------------+
|            0            |          0    |
|            1            |       2000    |
|            2            |       6500    |
|            3            |      14000    |
|            4            |      29000    |
|            5            |      51000    |
|            6            |      91000    |
|            7            |     161000    |
===========================================


            _______________
-----------< Neighborhoods >------------------------------------------------
            ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Neighborhoods are a listing of player-created associations between lots that 
form smaller communities within each city.  If you own a lot, you can bring 
up the "Neighborhood Affiliation" window by clicking the blue "Neighborhood" 
bar on the lower part of your lot's information window.

After you create or join another neighborhood, once four or more properties 
are affiliated with the neighborhood, it will appear on the main map in 
purple letters.  As more lots join your neighborhood, the font size of these 
letters will increase, making them much more noticeable on the map!  The 
only drawback is that all lots in the neighborhood must be within a certain 
radius from each other, so you won't be able to join a neighborhood that 
isn't in the same area as your lot!

For more information on Neighborhoods, please read the first two paragraphs 
of the following news post:
https://player.thesimsonline.ea.com/news_maxis_item.jsp?thread=74805



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.--------------------------------------------------------------------------.
| VIII - Q&A / FAQ                                                         |
.--------------------------------------------------------------------------.

After reviewing the posts at the GameFAQs and TSO boards, I feel it 
necessary to include this section to answer a lot of questions that seem to 
crop up every day or two.  Some of these questions may already be covered 
elsewhere in this compendium, but I've included them here as well for the 
sake of completeness.


Q. How much does this game cost?  Is there a monthly fee?

A. The game currently costs $49.99 USD, which includes the first month's 
play free.  Monthly fees thereafter are $9.99.  If you choose the Charter 
Edition (covered in another question below) for $74.99 USD, you get the 
first three (3) months free after which monthly fees are the usual $9.99.  
You will need a credit card to continue playing once your prepaid credit is 
up, so if you buy the game with a "gamecard," you will need to buy another 
gamecard after the first expires, or change your billing information at 
EA.com to a regular credit card.


Q. Do I need a credit card to play TSO?

A. Yes.  Even if you have a pre-paid gamecard, EA.com requires that you have 
a credit card number in order to activate your account.


Q. Do I need a credit card to continue playing TSO?

A. No.  EA.com requires you to enter a credit card number to keep your 
account activated, but you can purchase a pre-paid "gamecard" for $29.99 USD 
that has a number just like a credit card, and lets you play for 90 days (3 
months).  In order to continue playing once this time is up, you can buy 
another gamecard, or change your billing to a regular credit card.  Check 
cards (debit cards that work like credit cards) will also work.


Q. What is a "gamecard" and what will it do?

A. There are so-called "gamecards" available that have numbers just like a 
credit card, but you can buy them with cash.  These are similar to pre-paid 
phonecards.  Some gamecards allow you to "recharge" them by sending a check 
or money order to a central processing center.  Right now, only the 
"Official TSO pre-paid gamecard" is available for $29.99 USD, and it lasts 
for 90 days of game play.  The TSO gamecard is not rechargeable.


Q. Why is it that when I try to enter my gamecard number, EA.com still asks 
for a credit card number?

A. This is done for age verification purposes.  From the posts on the 
GameFAQs board, it is unclear whether this is to ensure the player is at 
least 13 or 18 years old.  Some suggestions to bypass this have come up 
though: buy a pre-paid charge card from your local bank or gas station; sign 
up for a check card based on your checking account (if you have one); ask 
your parents.


Q. What's the difference between the regular game and the Charter Edition?

A. The regular version costs $49.99 USD, while the Charter Edition runs for 
$74.99.  The Charter Edition includes 3 months of free play (instead of 1), 
a blue-and-silver manual with full color pictures inside (instead of a green 
cover with B&W pictures inside), a "Hot Keys" list on the manual's back 
page, photocopies of the Maxis team's signatures on the manual's inside 
covers, a rather bulky plastic keychain, a magnet with one of those "Today I 
Am" mood indicators, a "Certificate of Membership" in The Sims Online 
Charter Society (Tau Sigma Omega) which numbers your game out of a total 
16000 Charter Edition games produced, and an "Official TSO Soundtrack CD" 
which actually has a few nice tracks on it (I particularly like the Bolero-
inspired first track).


Q. Do I need any of the "offline" Sims games in order to play TSO?

A. No.  TSO is its own separate game.


Q. How many Sims can I play on one account?

A. You are allowed three Sims on your account, total.  Each Sim must be in a 
different city, so no two of them can play in the same city.  In order to 
create a new Sim in the same city, you must first delete your Sim from that 
city and then create a new one.  You are allowed only one Sim per city every 
seven (7) days, which means that once you create your first Alphaville Sim 
(for example), you cannot delete it until a full RL week has passed.


Q. Can I install my game on two computers?  Can I play in the same city with 
my real-life roommate?

A. While you can play the game from as many computers as you like, if they 
are all linked to your account, you are still limited to three (3) Sims 
total (see above question for more details).  If you and a friend try to 
play simultaneously from the same EA.com account, whoever logs on second 
will find they cannot run the game because someone is already using the 
account name.  Thus, you will need two separate accounts in order for you 
and a friend/family member/housemate/etc to play simultaneously.  In order 
to activate two accounts, you will need two different CD keys, which means 
you will each need to purchase separate copies of the game.  There is 
currently no option to purchase just the CD key by itself.


Q. I am having trouble installing TSO; what do I do?

A. Please read the pink- or green-colored paper labeled "IMPORTANT 
Installation Update" that came with your game manual.  If you seem to have 
lost it, try setting your display to 16-bpp (16-bit color) mode before 
running the TSO install program.


Q. What do these updates do?  Do I need to install them in order to play the 
game?

A. Maxis and EA.com will occasionally release important game updates.  These 
will appear as "patches" for your installer and game files.  You will need 
to install these patches in order to play the game; you will not be able to 
play unless your game version matches the version expected by the TSO 
servers.


Q. What does "Reticulating Splines" mean?

A. "Reticulating Splines" is a *really* obscure inside joke for Computer 
Science majors.  If you have taken or plan to take CS graphics courses, one 
of the techniques used in describing a curved line is through the use of 
NURBS, or Non-Uniform Reticulated B-Splines.  Without getting too technical, 
it's essentially a way to store only a few of the points that aren't even on 
the curve itself, yet still accurately and precisely describe to the 
computer how to redraw it again later.  So, rather than storing a whole 
bunch of points on the curve itself, you can easily describe a curved line 
or surface by simply storing certain spatial points and assigning "weights" 
or "gravity" to each, stretching out the base line to form something that's 
exactly or closely similar to the original curve.  I'm sure the Maxis 
development team knew that no one but us CS nerds would ever truly 
understand this "in-joke" when they introduced it in Sim City 2000!



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| IX - Websites list                                                       |
.--------------------------------------------------------------------------.

This section includes the URLs of websites that host this FAQ.

GameFAQs               http://www.gamefaqs.com

At present time, only GameFAQs and GameSpot may publicly host or link 
directly to this FAQ.

** Cheat Code Central does NOT have permission to host this text.  If you 
see this FAQ on this website, please avoid it in the future, as David 
Allison from CheatCC has done this to dozens of other authors, taking their 
FAQs without permission, inserting his website URL into the FAQ, modifying 
its Copyright statement, and then posting it on his site.  Please get your 
FAQs from one of the sites listed above instead!


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| X - Credits                                                              |
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Maxis, thank you for finally creating a massive multiplayer game that does 
not involve killing in any way!

CJayC, for being kind enough to post this FAQ.

Thank _you_ for reading my FAQ!  If you have information that would help 
fill in some of the blank spots, please let me know via RL email to the 
address at the top of this document, or in-game email to my Alphaville Sim 
named, appropriately enough, "Halon Fifty".  If you cannot reach Alphaville 
(it is currently closed to new citizens), try my East Jerome Sim named 
"Halon Fifty" instead.


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