Object upgrades - the real list

[Marhis]

Surprise! The Prima Guide is completely WRONG.

Here's a list of all the possible upgrades. They become available at different levels of the Handiness skill; I'll add them later, when I will finish to train another sim (I didn't pay attention before, while the first sim were skilling).

Objects		Upgrade		Required Handiness Level*		Notes
Shower Tub Toilet Sink		Self-cleaning Unbreakable		3 6		-
Dishwasher		Silent Running Unbreakable		3 6		Only the cheapest dishwasher has Silent Running available.
Stove		Self-cleaning Fireproof Improved Meal Quality		3 4 7		All have the Improved Meal Quality; the more expensive stoves seems to have the Fireproof and Self-Cleaning features already embedded.
Doorbell		Change Doorbell (Default/Jingle/Jokester/Posh/Haunted)		3		Click on the front door for the menu.
Fireplace		Fireproof Auto Light Change Fire Color		6 7 9		High end fireplaces have the option to change fire color already included.
TV		Unbreakable Boost Channels		6 7		Channels may vary according to the TV model.
Computer		Unbreakable Improved Graphics		6 8		Improved Graphics available at Handiness lvl 0 if the sim has the Computer Whiz trait.
Stereo		Improved Speakers Unbreakable Wire House With Speakers		3 6 8		The portable boombox is not upgradable.
Microwave		Faster Cooking		7		-
Trash Compactor		Unbreakable Improved Crushing		6 6		-
Sprinkler		Auto Water		4		-
Teleportation Pad		Unbreakable Perfect Teleportation		6 7		-
Food Replicator		Improved Memory		9		-

----------------------

Misc Notes

• Tinker becomes available at Handiness lvl 1 and can give the object a random upgrade (or a random failure/break as well)
• Every upgrade has a probability to fail; the resulting damage may vary.
• Sims with the Handy trait will always be successful in upgrades.
• Failure in upgrading electrical objects may have your sim singed. If fails again before the "singed" moodlet wears off, the sim dies. Risk is higher if there are puddles on the floor.

[Rothchild]

You can also upgrade the lifetime reward teleporter.  I think the name of the upgrade is Perfect Teleport, no clue on the level though.

[Cheencheela]

Off-topic for a bit, what does (The sentence just started to sound retarded) the Perfect Teleporter do?

Is there a Regular Teleporter? The description mentions of some kind of errors... Can the sims be killed?
And yeah, I haven't gotten 75,000 Lifetime points yet. Don't bother to cheat.


Other than that, the sheet looks good.

[pioupiou]

You can also upgrade the Reward Food Replicator ("improve memory").

[Rothchild]

Off-topic for a bit, what does (The sentence just started to sound retarded) the Perfect Teleporter do?

Is there a Regular Teleporter? The description mentions of some kind of errors... Can the sims be killed?
And yeah, I haven't gotten 75,000 Lifetime points yet. Don't bother to cheat.

From the little bit I used it, it just has a chance to not teleport you, wasting time.  It's not worth the points though, since once you teleport off your lot you have to take a taxi back.

[VeilSethekk]

From the little bit I used it, it just has a chance to not teleport you, wasting time.  It's not worth the points though, since once you teleport off your lot you have to take a taxi back.

With the teleporter, all of your sims get the option to "Teleport Home" on their cellphones. They still will need a taxi or car to get to another lot though.

[Marhis]

Thank you, I didn't think of perk objects. List updated.

[infamy]

Teleporter is upgradable at Level 9.  That's what level my Sim was when she got hers, ergo I don't know if she could have done it at Level 8. Non-"perfected" teleporters can send you to the wrong place, though you tend to end up in the right neck of the woods.

[Cheencheela]

Woah, woah, woah.

*Rubs chin in amazement*

Trash Compactor		Unbreakable Improved Crushing		4 3

There are trash compactors in Sims 3?

[infamy]

Woah, woah, woah.

*Rubs chin in amazement*



There are trash compactors in Sims 3?

!! 

Not sure if you're thinking of the kitchen ones, or if you're hoping for a big green truck. But they do exist as kitchen appliances.  Either sort by Room --> Kitchen --> Disposal  or sort by Function --> Appliances --> Large Appliances.

Buy and build modes need little search engines.

[Cheencheela]

Bleh, I'm so used to Sims 2 where you click on the Dishwashers thingymabob and poof, Trash compactors!

Infact, I'm going to make a community lot named Trash Compactor Land, just to see it break down and some nut job trying to fix it, ending in an electricution, a funeral and a sexual relationship to a dishwasher.
Wait, what.

[linz]

ending in an electrocution, a funeral and a sexual relationship to a dishwasher.
Wait, what.

I literally lol'd when I read that, my boyfriend does that all the time (meaning he will say something and then just throw in some inappropriate random statement along with it.)

[witch]

ending in an electrocution, a funeral and a sexual relationship to a dishwasher.
Wait, what.

I literally lol'd when I read that, my boyfriend does that all the time (meaning he will say something and then just throw in some inappropriate random statement along with it.)

Well thanks n00b, that's added to my knowledge base.

[kiki]

You can get improved graphics on the PC at handiness level 0 if you have the Computer Whiz trait...that's what happened with mine. I think as a Computer Whiz, you have a sadorandom chance to improve it regardless of your handiness skill.

[Simsbaby]

What exactly does Improved Graphics do, anyway? Does it make games more fun? Because it seems unbreakable is more useful than that as they seem to break every other use.

[Marhis]

Improved Graphics should give more fun, yes, although I didn't test extensively the matter.
About the improvement, I agree that the unbreakability is more useful, but the difference is that one of the challenges of the game is to have 10 different upgrades completed, so you have to make a bit of diversification.

(Updated the main table)

[Manderin]

In addition to the ten unique upgrades, one of the "extra challenges" is to repair at least ten electronic (also one for plumbing) items. How will you ever get this if everything is unbreakable?

[J. M. Pescado]

Abuse the "tinker" command on it until it breaks.

[cheezwiz]

What does Tinker actually do, apart from breaking objects?  Just a non-book way of raising Handiness, at the cost of breaking stuff?

I had my Handy sim tinker on things a lot, assuming that it would unlock additional upgrade recipes or something, but didn't actually find anything.

[Heinel]

What does Tinker actually do, apart from breaking objects?  Just a non-book way of raising Handiness, at the cost of breaking stuff?

I had my Handy sim tinker on things a lot, assuming that it would unlock additional upgrade recipes or something, but didn't actually find anything.

Tinkering can also give random upgrades to objects.

[ElenaRoan]

If changing the colour of a fire is indeed one of the Handy options then it's available at 0 as my sim has the option and I haven't started him skilling Handy yet.

[cyperangel]

The high end fireplaces have it as a default option that any sim can change the color of the fire.
The cheap ones require a tinkerer to do some fiddling before the option shows though.

[Snooty]

After checking, I found that I could Tinker almost every object in that list with just level 1. And my Sim didn't even have the Handy trait. With level 1, I started tinkering the shower and it got Unbreakable.
Not sure what's going on there.

[hidethe_cutlery]

Sprinkler		Auto Water		4		-

oh my god there's a sprinkler? I've been watering all my damn plants by hand >:c

(yes, first post, please don't eat me.)

[Roflganger]

oh my god there's a sprinkler? I've been watering all my damn plants by hand >:c

I had the hardest time finding it at first.  If you're looking at objects grouped by room, it's under "Outdoors".  Then click on the football icon (Activities).  The water sprinkler is there.  I guess it's there because Sims can play in it, but it works perfectly well as a garden sprinkler.