Factoids and Statistics on Skill Gaining

[Oddysey]

The Yummy Channel rocks. It makes me laugh even if I can't see it. Just that guy ranting in simlish about grilling stuff is entertaining.

[dizzy]

My sims are like me. No TV. Yummy isn't an issue.

[veilchen]

Yes, but how does it affect the ADHD point? Fun increasing faster would actually be counterproductive if it just meant the sim hit the disliked ADHD point for the Yummy channel and stopped watching faster.

Most of them keep watching, but some start channel surfing as soon as fun is full. Those malcontents I force to read the cookbook instead.

G.

[DuckSpeak]

I use cookbook when the fun level is reasonably high, then switch to Yummy Channel when it falls, but very rarely. Those blasted Sims either stop watching or switch channels, thus daring to contradict the will of the overmind. There are hacks here to solve that, but Yummy Channel is quite the noisy one, anyhow. Though I admit, the violence doesn't hurt. It's very nice and fuzzy, really.

[nectere]

I am beginning to become a fan of freewill off. I have been using it regularly for skill building and parties. It makes these tasks so much less frustrating eliminating mindless behavior and me screeching, "NO don't do that, bad sim bad!" at the computer like some lunatic. Once I am done though I always have to turn freewill back on lest I accidently kill someone.

[RainbowTigress]

I have become more of a fan of freewill off since Power Idle, even in large families, because I don't have to worry about having some one eat, potty, or sleep, to avoid mishaps.  That's why I never played with it off before, and forgot it was even an option.  But when cooking skill maxed out, I always had to watch them cook because all they wanted to cook was Lobster thermidor, and even though they have a 20% failure rate with it, that wasn't even the main concern.  The problem is that they would never fail to put the lobster in the oven and wander off to use the toilet or tell someone a joke, or worse, going off to work, thus leaving the lobster to go up in flames.  Fortunately I put smoke alarms in all my new homes as a necessity because although you'd really think a max skill Sim would not start fires, they are almost as bad as a 0-skill Sim when left to their own devices.  At least with macrotastics, they will only cook pork chops, and as boring as that is, it is satisfying and rarely burns, especially with PI to make sure they stay focused.  I guess you could say PI is like giving my sims Adderall so they can focus.  It's not perfect, but it's better than the alternative. 

I have had a couple of problems though with pregnant sims using Power Idle.  I am assuming this is because their needs drop so much faster.  I had a pregnant sim die because PI didn't kick in and tell her to eat until it was almost too late.  She was trying to caffeinate, but her bladder was falling too fast to make up for the energy gained from the espresso.  Her husband could not plead with the grim reaper because she fell out in the bathroom, and he couldn't get on the other side of her where Grim was.  So I didn't save that one.  Another time, her husband woke up in the morning starving (I was using JM's sleep clock), and he ran downstairs to fix something to eat.  But he died before he could cook the food and get it to the table.  If I were that hungry, I think I'd eat straight out of the pan without worrying about getting it to the table on a plate.  Probably an instant meal would have been better, then cook a meal.  Fortunately this time she was able to plead with the grim reaper to save his life.  The problem was that when he was ressurected, all his needs were at half way so he had to spend the rest of the day getting his needs back up, when before everything was green except for hunger, and a good meal would have fixed that.

[J. M. Pescado]

I have had a couple of problems though with pregnant sims using Power Idle.  I am assuming this is because their needs drop so much faster.

I've never had a problem with pregnancy and power idling, but it is true that some pregnancies can be quite brutal, especially if your initial need distribution is just timed completely WRONG. The hunger/energy loop is brutal under nearly any condition simply because a sim can be simultaneously too tired to eat and too hungry to sleep. I'm considering implementing a detection for this and using the Energizer a fallback when this happens. It is, however, somewhat tricky because Hunger and Energy are both needs that can't really be addressed effectively until they're already rather low, as a sim won't be able to eat his food safely if he's not sufficiently hungry and will ruin his schedule if he tries to sleep early. Thus, if they both fall low at once, you have a problem.

The problem was that when he was ressurected, all his needs were at half way so he had to spend the rest of the day getting his needs back up, when before everything was green except for hunger, and a good meal would have fixed that.

Eh, you'd be surprised how quickly Power Idle can correct that kind of slump.

[dizzy]

So, is it possible to replace the old "free will" code with Power Idle? I would just assume it wouldn't be that difficult.

[RainbowTigress]

Eh, you'd be surprised how quickly Power Idle can correct that kind of slump.

Actually, it did, he went to the bathroom and took care of two needs, ate, comfort was dealt with, kicking the flamingo took no time at all, and then he hit the espresso machine.  I'm not sure if it was in that order, but you're right, it didn't take very long and life was back to, er, normal.

[JenW]

I have noticed that learning seems to slow down with each age transition so that toddlers and children learn faster than teens and adults, and teens learn faster than adults. And it's not that the last few points are harder to get, as CAS adults learn slower than their teens and children. But I read sometime ago (I don't recall the source, but I remember it being someone fairly reputable) that children do not learn any faster than adults. Am I imagining things, or is this a result of one or more uses of smart milk as a toddler? I currently have a teen who is an absolute genius...he had logic and creativity at 8 and a handful of other points, including 2 body points, by the time he became a teen. He earns skill points extremely fast. He only got smart milk once as a toddler (I forgot to buy the thing for a long time).

Jen

[J. M. Pescado]

I have noticed that learning seems to slow down with each age transition so that toddlers and children learn faster than teens and adults, and teens learn faster than adults. And it's not that the last few points are harder to get, as CAS adults learn slower than their teens and children. But I read sometime ago (I don't recall the source, but I remember it being someone fairly reputable) that children do not learn any faster than adults.

That was me, I said that. There is no learning rate adjustment by age: All age categories increase skills at the same rate, although the object used to learn skills, as well as bonus effects like Thinking Caps and Smart Milk, as well as being taught, influence this. Toddler objects have insuperior learning rates to standard objects. The rates are as listed above. The age-learning-rate myth is debunked in the Mythology section.

Am I imagining things, or is this a result of one or more uses of smart milk as a toddler? I currently have a teen who is an absolute genius...he had logic and creativity at 8 and a handful of other points, including 2 body points, by the time he became a teen. He earns skill points extremely fast. He only got smart milk once as a toddler (I forgot to buy the thing for a long time).

That's not quite what I'd call "absolute genius". In fact, by my standards, that qualifies as "mentally retarded". Smart milk does have a bleedover effect as an obscure bug that may manifest itself, however: The Smart Milking will stick, setting SemiAttribute 0x1C to 200, meaning your sim has a +200% learning rate (300%). This is erased if you wear a thinking cap or are reinstanced (such as by deletion or moving). It is cumulative with the +100% boost for an instructor on a career object. One smart milking is often all it takes to result in being "stuck" like that, and subsequent feedings of smart milk, much like showering again when you still have green smoke coming out of you, can possibly erase this. Both the Automated Baby Controller(with Always Smart Milk OFF - Default & Recommended!) and Skillinator are programmed to detect this "stuck" condition and avoid overwriting it by feeding unnecessary extra smart milk or wearing a thinking cap. If you are using these objects and your sim avoids thinking caps or smart milks, this is why.

[JenW]

That was me, I said that. There is no learning rate adjustment by age: All age categories increase skills at the same rate, although the object used to learn skills, as well as bonus effects like Thinking Caps and Smart Milk, as well as being taught, influence this. Toddler objects have insuperior learning rates to standard objects. The rates are as listed above. The age-learning-rate myth is debunked in the Mythology section.

Figures it was you Actually, I thought it might have been you. I did look over the rates, but I'm mathmatically challenged and my brain shut down and my eyes glazed over after a few lines. I saw the myth entry after I posted this, but I'd probably still have annoyed you with the question anyway.

That's not quite what I'd call "absolute genius". In fact, by my standards, that qualifies as "mentally retarded". Smart milk does have a bleedover effect as an obscure bug that may manifest itself, however: The Smart Milking will stick, setting SemiAttribute 0x1C to 200, meaning your sim has a +200% learning rate (300%). This is erased if you wear a thinking cap or are reinstanced (such as by deletion or moving). It is cumulative with the +100% boost for an instructor on a career object. One smart milking is often all it takes to result in being "stuck" like that, and subsequent feedings of smart milk, much like showering again when you still have green smoke coming out of you, can possibly erase this. Both the Automated Baby Controller(with Always Smart Milk OFF - Default & Recommended!) and Skillinator are programmed to detect this "stuck" condition and avoid overwriting it by feeding unnecessary extra smart milk or wearing a thinking cap. If you are using these objects and your sim avoids thinking caps or smart milks, this is why.

Well, I guess either my other Sims are usually morons or I don't drive them as hard as you Plus I don't use any skill hacks/mods/whatever and have only recently been using the career rewards. I didn't know about the thinking cap (not that I use it much anymore anyway), I'll be sure not to use it on him.

Jen

[J. M. Pescado]

Well, I guess either my other Sims are usually morons or I don't drive them as hard as you Plus I don't use any skill hacks/mods/whatever and have only recently been using the career rewards. I didn't know about the thinking cap (not that I use it much anymore anyway), I'll be sure not to use it on him.

I don't use any skill hacks/mods/whatever either. I have, however, turned slave driving into a mechanically precise, automated artform.

[DaveFlew]

That's not quite what I'd call "absolute genius". In fact, by my standards, that qualifies as "mentally retarded".

Well, I guess either my other Sims are usually morons or I don't drive them as hard as you

Jen, don't feel bad - one thing I've learned is that the more you play TS2, the better you get at essential tasks like building skills. You start to realise more and more that you need to get your younger Sims to focus on skill-building. The availability of University scholarships for Level 8 skills has given added importance to skill-building for youngsters. Because of this, I expect most future generations of my raised-from-birth Sims will max out all skills before reaching Adulthood.

[RainbowTigress]

The Smart Milking will stick, setting SemiAttribute 0x1C to 200, meaning your sim has a +200% learning rate (300%). This is erased if you wear a thinking cap or are reinstanced (such as by deletion or moving). It is cumulative with the +100% boost for an instructor on a career object.

Where is this SemiAttribute stored?  Can it be changed manually?

[J. M. Pescado]

Added some new extracted statistics for some Nightlife-objects.

Bowling does not appear to utilize any personality affinities, and may be an intermittent action as well, but has a base rate of what appears to be 350. Some empirical trials will be necessary to evaluate its sustained potential as a body-builder.

The new EDS appears to carry an unknown risk of alien abduction at maximum level.

[Karen]

Bowling does not appear to utilize any personality affinities, and may be an intermittent action as well, but has a base rate of what appears to be 350. Some empirical trials will be necessary to evaluate its sustained potential as a body-builder.

Will you consider adding bowling as an option to the Skillinator?  (i.e. if there is a bowling alley on the lot, Skillinator...Body will get them to use it)

Karen

[J. M. Pescado]

Will you consider adding bowling as an option to the Skillinator?  (i.e. if there is a bowling alley on the lot, Skillinator...Body will get them to use it)

Yes, there are plans for this. As soon as I actually have the opportunity to attempt it and evaluate its skilling potential, anyway.

[Karen]

Will you consider adding bowling as an option to the Skillinator?  (i.e. if there is a bowling alley on the lot, Skillinator...Body will get them to use it)

Yes, there are plans for this. As soon as I actually have the opportunity to attempt it and evaluate its skilling potential, anyway.

That would be great, especially for kids, who don't have too many other options for gaining body points.

[Venusy]

The new EDS appears to carry an unknown risk of alien abduction at maximum level.

According to the Prima guide, there is a slim chance that previously abducted sims will unexpectedly disappear for two hours when using the EDS. It also says the chances of alien abduction in the EDS increase as the number of normal abductions increases. Not the most accurate source, and no-one here has yet reported this happening to them...

[RainbowTigress]

The new EDS appears to carry an unknown risk of alien abduction at maximum level.

According to the Prima guide, there is a slim chance that previously abducted sims will unexpectedly disappear for two hours when using the EDS. It also says the chances of alien abduction in the EDS increase as the number of normal abductions increases. Not the most accurate source, and no-one here has yet reported this happening to them...

It's probably rare.  I'll have to try it with some of my sims who have been abducted.

[Andygal]

I have heard reports of it happening to some people on the BBS. So it does happen but it is likely quite rare. I have asim that has been abducted, I might test it on her.

[cwhitney]

The new EDS appears to carry an unknown risk of alien abduction at maximum level.

According to the Prima guide, there is a slim chance that previously abducted sims will unexpectedly disappear for two hours when using the EDS. It also says the chances of alien abduction in the EDS increase as the number of normal abductions increases. Not the most accurate source, and no-one here has yet reported this happening to them...

I will report that happening to me.  I initially thought the EDS was bugged.  The sim vanished, but was still shown as using the EDS.   The EDS was idle, as if no one was using it.  After a while, he came back, and I think he showed up next to the EDS instead of actually in it, but I can't be sure.  Shortly thereafter, he was pregnant with an alien baby.

He had been abducted by aliens when he was a teen.

[PattyB]

The new EDS appears to carry an unknown risk of alien abduction at maximum level.

I also had this happen. A sim who had been abducted before and had maximum body points was abducted, returned a while later and was NOT pregnant.

[Dark Trepie]

Does the body skill gains differ with all of the options on the EDS (Easy/Medium/Hard) or are all of them the same?