Homework Hack?

[Orikes]

One of the things that really annoys me is how kids coming home from school will only try and put their homework on one desk. Even if there are enough other open desks, if whatever is designated 'first desk' is taken, they put their homework on the floor. So, I've decided to start looking for a fix.

I didn't see anything Awesome that addressed this, but I may have missed something. I saw something over on MTS2 that gets the simkids to put their homework near their bed, so in their bedroom. Of course, I don't want to put a non-awesome hack in without at least hearing from people that it's okay.

Does anyone have a particular fix for this they like?

[J. M. Pescado]

The One Desk effect is something we're used to here and plan around. However, there was something about an Ingelogical assignable desk somewhere. I believe Fat Head had those files somewhere.

[Hegelian]

Yes—Inge's Reservable Cheap Desk works great. Assign the desk and the child puts the homework on it, assuming there's nothing else in the way. nectere has Inge's things on her site, The Laden Swallow. The desk itself can be reserved for anyone for any use; for the homework function, use with Inge's Simlogical Homework patch (this is not her Homework Skills hack), which can be found at the end of the second post in the Various Patches thread (note that the description in the body of the post is for a different patch/hack—the file you want is SimlogicalHomework_patch.zip). Do not use the homework patch with other creators' homework hacks (i.e., Dizzy2's bedroom homework hack or Jenflower's homework sometimes fun hack), but it is compatible with Inge's homework-skilling hacks.

[nectere]

I prefer the desk to bedroom approach, they will always put the homework in their bedroom on their desk, even if they share a bedroom, as long as there are two desks in there and the right side is unblocked. I also use Moniques auto homework which calls them to auto do that homework at 7pm. Occasionally however if the desk is deemed too far away, upstairs at the back of the house for instance, they may not put it there as children but will as teens. For this reason I try to keep childrens bedrooms located at the front of the home for two story homes since they see distance as the crow flies and not actual distance. I have found that these two mods combined have the least conflict and do not require any additional files. (for me anyway considering the sheer amount of hacks I use)

[J. M. Pescado]

The problem with the desk to bedroom approach is that bedrooms are typically the most remote areas of the house, being accessed the least frequently during the day. Therefore, the resulting journey is quite lengthy, and since they refuse to run when performing this delivery, it can take up to 3 hours to do it as a result. WAAAAY too long.

[syberspunk]

Try dizzy's Homework in Bedroom Hack. I'm still using it. It works fine for OFB. It will direct your sims to route to their bed and place their homework nearby. Thing is, they have to have been using a specific bed for a while, I think. Once they learn which bed/bedroom is theirs, they will try to use any surfaces in that bedroom. And I think, if no surface is found, they will put it at the foot of the bed. However... if there isn't enough space in the room i.e. your room is too small, they will turn around and find some other table in the house.

I have a house with 6 teens. I have two pairs of two boys who share bedrooms. So... usually, each pair will try to place their homeworks in the room. The first one who gets there is usually successful. By the time the second reaches the room, he will consider it too crowded, and he will turn around and try to go to the dining room table. I just keep an eye on them, and cancel the icon when they reach their room, so they just plop it on the next available tile on the floor.

Ste

(mod edit to fix link).

[Orikes]

Thanks for the responses, folks. It's not a game breaking issue, but it is somewhat annoying. I have one house that currently has three teen boys and girl child. They all aim for the same desk, even though there are three desks in the study. The stupid thing was when they were all aiming for the same desk which had the computer on it... and none of them even attempted to use the others. Ah well. I'll play with some of these hacks  and see what I like.

[Ancient Sim]

I use the homework in bedroom mod and it works OK for me.  I always put desks in their rooms, or outside on the landing if there isn't room, and most of the time they find them, but if they don't they will either use the dining-table or (if they're untidy) drop it on the floor.  I then put it onto the desk and direct them there to do it.  If it's still there the following day, they will automatically put the new homework on top of the old and that will 'set' it.  I had to have something like this because I could never find their homework otherwise, which is OK if they've learnt to study, but if they haven't and you send them to it with Macrotastics, they start doing it and then can't learn in one session.  Also, Macrotastics tends to force them to eat first even when their hunger bar is almost full, so I avoid that most of the time.

[laylei]

Heh. I just x out the school icon when they get off the bus, so they drop the homework on the front lawn, usually right near the flamingo/gnome. Then I can just "Macro/Do Homework" and it's all in one contained area.

[J. M. Pescado]

Thanks for the responses, folks. It's not a game breaking issue, but it is somewhat annoying. I have one house that currently has three teen boys and girl child. They all aim for the same desk, even though there are three desks in the study. The stupid thing was when they were all aiming for the same desk which had the computer on it... and none of them even attempted to use the others.

That's because it's The One Desk. Once you know which one The One Desk is, though, you can set it up as the homework area, so that it's not too far from the entrance. Otherwise, they'll hike, SLOOOOOOOOOOOOOWLY, for about 3 hours to get to that desk.

[Orikes]

You seem obsessed with them being 'slooooow'. Or not moving fast enough. I'm guessing you consider it wasting time?

I've never had much of a problem with them not getting somewhere when they should be there. I often let them go autonomous and play around with what they want anyway.

[Sagana]

If you actually want to do without hacks (just in case), if you move the homework the first time where you want it to be, next time they'll put it there (near as I can tell, they're directed to put new homework on top of, or on top of the space, where they put homework last time.) It's a hassle to work it all out tho, so the homework mods are easier.

[twooflower]

Reading this thread reminds me of all the many ways I've tried to solve this problem.  It makes me think maybe I should just start with a desk on the lawn near the road.   

[jsalemi]

I don't worry about how fast they move -- I forget where I got it, but I have some hack that lets any sim teleport.  Comes in handy on occasion.

[Hegelian]

Reading this thread reminds me of all the many ways I've tried to solve this problem.  It makes me think maybe I should just start with a desk on the lawn near the road.   

There's nothing easier than Inge's reservable cheap desk. It's in the catalog right next to the regular cheap desk. Plunk a few on the lot, click on each one and assign it to a student, and there you go. You do need the SimlogicalHomework patch too (see above), but that's no big deal.   

For this lot with seven teens and one adult, I have a study cluster of five reservable desks inside, plus two more outside near the driveway.   

[J. M. Pescado]

You seem obsessed with them being 'slooooow'. Or not moving fast enough. I'm guessing you consider it wasting time?

If you're not moving at maximum speed, you're not really moving at all. MOVE! MOVE! MOVE!

[ChibyMethos]

Mine always leav their homework on the livingroom floor. i have to pause the game and put it on the desk. Everyday. They do the homework at the desk, but they still won't put it on the desk when they get home.

[ElfPuddle]

I don't worry about how fast they move -- I forget where I got it, but I have some hack that lets any sim teleport.  Comes in handy on occasion.

Gasp! You're a puppy killer!

Edited for my stupidity...I forgot which thing killed which mammal.

[J. M. Pescado]

How's that supposed to help with transit in mid-interaction, anyway?

[Venusy]

How's that supposed to help with transit in mid-interaction, anyway?

It doesn't... unless ElfPuddle actually meant the puppy killer instead, which does have this function in the SIM or DEST editions. Or it could be a completely unrelated teleport hack...

EDIT: Remind me to Read The F***ing Message before I post. As far as I know, there is no hack that helps with transit in mid interaction.

[Orikes]

You seem obsessed with them being 'slooooow'. Or not moving fast enough. I'm guessing you consider it wasting time?

If you're not moving at maximum speed, you're not really moving at all. MOVE! MOVE! MOVE!

Reminds me of how in EQ you could always tell the difference between PCs and NPCs. NPCs always walked, PCs always ran (unless encumbered) because well... why bother walking when you could get there twice as fast.

[gypsylady]

Monique at MTS2 has a teleport anywhere hack

[ElfPuddle]

unless ElfPuddle actually meant the puppy killer instead,

Oops, yes, I did. Let me edit that post.

[jsalemi]

I don't worry about how fast they move -- I forget where I got it, but I have some hack that lets any sim teleport.  Comes in handy on occasion.

Gasp! You're a puppy killer!

yea, it must be the insimenator that adds that -- I can't find a specific hack that allows it.