Don't Talk, EAT! grrrr

[linolino]

I really like the new chatting at the table options.  I used to find it very irritating when they could no longer chat once they'd eaten the last morsel of food, especially if the main reason I sent them to eat was to get social and then the other person finished eating as they sat down.

But... no, thats not right, that's not after NL. My sims always chatted at the table, even if they had already finished their meal. I know it because once i forgot the Headmaster was coming to dinner and had already made the family eat, then when he arrived, i served a plate of food for him, and told my sim to sit down at the table, and they chatted normally.

[Ancient Sim]

I really like the new chatting at the table options.  I used to find it very irritating when they could no longer chat once they'd eaten the last morsel of food, especially if the main reason I sent them to eat was to get social and then the other person finished eating as they sat down.

But... no, thats not right, that's not after NL. My sims always chatted at the table, even if they had already finished their meal. I know it because once i forgot the Headmaster was coming to dinner and had already made the family eat, then when he arrived, i served a plate of food for him, and told my sim to sit down at the table, and they chatted normally.

Mine didn't.  Sometimes they would stay sat down if they needed more comfort, but they never spoke to anyone else at the table.  They would sometimes do so if they were standing next to the table, but once they'd finished eating, the conversation also stopped. 

[RainbowTigress]

But if you direct your sim to sit in an empty chair at the table after they finished eating and got up to leave, they will start chatting with the other sim who is eating after a moment.

[linolino]

yes, my sims always chatted when sitting, whathever is they are doing. in my game the dining table is in the living room, and theres a sofa in the living room.
so far i have seen sims chatting while doing these:

on of them reading a book on the sofa, the other just sitting.
one drinking coffe on the table, the other eating on the table
one eating on the table, and the other just sitting at the table.

however i don't think i have ever seen sims waching television chatting with sims that are NOT waching television.

[RainbowTigress]

however i don't think i have ever seen sims waching television chatting with sims that are NOT waching television.

No, seems they always have to ask them to join first.

[dsk]

So, turn it off. All the music in the game is optional.

I did.  It still plays as the main theme when loading, so I just mute the sound until I'm in a neighborhood.   Yes... the sims chatted before, but it wasn't so involved that it took them hours to eat a meal together.

[radiophonic]

The bottom line is: eating is a social event.

It helps maintain our relationships in real life and in sim life. I appreciate the fact that they talk more, it helps maintain friendships and fulfils at least three needs when they eat: social, comfort and hunger while at the same time building new and existing relationships.

[RainbowTigress]

The bottom line is: eating is a social event.

It helps maintain our relationships in real life and in sim life. I appreciate the fact that they talk more, it helps maintain friendships and fulfils at least three needs when they eat: social, comfort and hunger while at the same time building new and existing relationships.

This is true.  The family that eats together stays together! 

[nothingbutsims]

Lilith Pleasant and her fiance are having lunch in their dorm cafeteria and she begins talking about this other college guy she finds attractive, and from the balloons that pop up from her fiance (a toy with an "X" through it, then a wedding ring), I gather he is reminding her that she shouldn't play around because she is engaged , to which she then smiles and shakes her head as if in agreement.

[Dark Trepie]

The bottom line is: eating is a social event.

It helps maintain our relationships in real life and in sim life. I appreciate the fact that they talk more, it helps maintain friendships and fulfils at least three needs when they eat: social, comfort and hunger while at the same time building new and existing relationships.

The other bottom line is that it can be detremental to a sims health.  Especially if they're pregnate and getting close to hunger desperation.  Last night my sim insisted on sitting down at the table with his pregnate wife and interupt her dinner.  She began eating so slowly that her hunger meter didn't go up, but still edged down a little.

I fully expect a hack to change the way they talk at the table back to the way they used to do it. 

[sanmonroe]

The only problem is, when you have a family of four sitting down for a meal together, it shouldn't take 4-5 hours for everyone to get full!  They talk so friggin much that the hunger motive goes down only slightly less than it goes up.  It's so annoying that I've had to start staggering my sims so each one eats alone.

Just pretend they are Italian.

[AnnaM]

What I don't like is the way single Sims out for a meal are sat at separate tables, I'd rather they were put with someone else, or even better asked "Do you want to dine alone, or with other Sims?"  That way if they needed social, or to meet people, they'd have the chance.  

Someone already suggested forming a casual group before leaving home. What I have done a few times is form a casual group on the spot, in the restaurant (though of course people you have never met are unlikely to accept).

The other thing is -- I think that is what the option "Be seated at counter" is for. I say "I think" because I haven't actually had a chance to test it yet, but I think it means that you will have a chance of socializing with other Sims who are sitting at the counter, either eating or drinking. (I'll test it next time I get a chance...)

[dusty]

I just had a sim child get rejected from private school because the headmaster took too long to eat his meal with all the chatting, so food points stayed at zero. When I had him back over I made him eat alone.   

[C.S.]

What I don't like is the way single Sims out for a meal are sat at separate tables, I'd rather they were put with someone else, or even better asked "Do you want to dine alone, or with other Sims?"  That way if they needed social, or to meet people, they'd have the chance.  

Someone already suggested forming a casual group before leaving home. What I have done a few times is form a casual group on the spot, in the restaurant (though of course people you have never met are unlikely to accept).

The other thing is -- I think that is what the option "Be seated at counter" is for. I say "I think" because I haven't actually had a chance to test it yet, but I think it means that you will have a chance of socializing with other Sims who are sitting at the counter, either eating or drinking. (I'll test it next time I get a chance...)

Still haven't got Nightlife, but I'm guessing "Be seated at counter" means meeting new people, the way sims do when they sat the bar (e.g. the University Way community lot in Uni) and there are already other sims on the bar stools?

The reason I ask is that I don't want my sims to know and befriend too many people at once. I usually have my sims concentrate on macro-skillinating on weekdays and call friends on a Saturday to maintain friendships. With autoyak and about 30 friends, it takes about one whole day from the moment it is light till late into the night before they've repaired the slides in the daily relationship meters over the week. And thank goodness for cellphones!

It'd be great if talking to a stranger sim doesn't automatically mean a memory of having "Met so-&-so" and instant exchange of phone numbers until they've been (self-)introduced. It shouldn't count as having met someone until there's a handshake or somebody's been greeted, or something to that effect, but oh well, it's Merola's Mind Control Mirror to the rescue in the meantime....

So, can someone verify this please? Many thanks in advance.

[buddha pest]

 Hopefully someone will make a hack.

I'm betting a lot of money J.M. is not going to tolerate well the inefficiency of this taking-hours-to-eat business.

Family meals are quaint and all, but it's pretty obvious why everybody's sims are falling asleep face first in their plates so often.

[gynarchy]

I've come close to falling asleep on my keyboard waiting for my Sims to finish eating, I don't blame them one bit for passing out in their pasta.

[dusty]

It'd be great if talking to a stranger sim doesn't automatically mean a memory of having "Met so-&-so" and instant exchange of phone numbers until they've been (self-)introduced. It shouldn't count as having met someone until there's a handshake or somebody's been greeted, or something to that effect, but oh well, it's Merola's Mind Control Mirror to the rescue in the meantime....

So, can someone verify this please? Many thanks in advance.

They get memories of meeting everyone (including all the service NPCs like the person who shows them to their seat when dining etc).  When I have sims downtown, my other neighbourhood sims are there chatting away to any and everyone - a couple have made new friends I have had nothing to do with. 

Indeed, one particular sim (Kim) seems determined to win back her ex-husband (Ryan) entirely behind my back.  He hates her, but they keep meeting in town when I am not in control of either of them and chatting their way back to a positive relationship.  If Ryan hadn't already remarried I might just let her win... but she doesn't deserve him!

[Faizah]

They get memories of meeting everyone (including all the service NPCs like the person who shows them to their seat when dining etc).  When I have sims downtown, my other neighbourhood sims are there chatting away to any and everyone - a couple have made new friends I have had nothing to do with. 

Indeed, one particular sim (Kim) seems determined to win back her ex-husband (Ryan) entirely behind my back.  He hates her, but they keep meeting in town when I am not in control of either of them and chatting their way back to a positive relationship.  If Ryan hadn't already remarried I might just let her win... but she doesn't deserve him!

I've had one of my sims get into a fight with a strange woman while I was on the lot with a different sim. When I played that sim's lot next, the sim was furious at the sim he'd fought with, although I have no idea why they'd gotten into a fight in the first place, since he's happily married, and she was a complete stranger.

[Brynne]

Maybe she was one of those downtown slob townies who do nothing but walk around in their pjs and fart while sims are dining. 

[Motoki]

I've had one of my sims get into a fight with a strange woman while I was on the lot with a different sim. When I played that sim's lot next, the sim was furious at the sim he'd fought with, although I have no idea why they'd gotten into a fight in the first place, since he's happily married, and she was a complete stranger.

Welcome to Nightlife. 

In my game there's this one old lady downtownie who absolutely despises this other downtownie guy who wears a bowling shirt. She's kicked the poor guy's ass several times too and everyone in town keeps gossiping about it. It seems like it never fails that every time I got to a lot those to are there and that old bag jumps him and kicks his ass. I have no idea what started it or why, all I know is since NL if a sim looks at another sim the wrong way it ends up in a knock down drag out fight.

[Muisie]

The eating/talking only bothers me with big outings.  I have trouble making them fun in general, but letting them dine together is a sure killer.  The meter runs out before they're halfway through.   All that chatting doesn't seem to help the score.

[wyrdwing]

Welcome to Nightlife. 

In my game there's this one old lady downtownie who absolutely despises this other downtownie guy who wears a bowling shirt. She's kicked the poor guy's ass several times too and everyone in town keeps gossiping about it. It seems like it never fails that every time I got to a lot those to are there and that old bag jumps him and kicks his ass. I have no idea what started it or why, all I know is since NL if a sim looks at another sim the wrong way it ends up in a knock down drag out fight.

I haven't seen the downtownies get into a fight yet.. although they did have a poking match where the guy got so mad he walked off the lot. miss crumplebottom sure is an alcoholic on my lots...

Sims sure do talk a lot at the dinner table... but it's mostly annoying when you're trying to get them off to work/school and their hunger meter isn't going up very fast.... they seem to giggle at nothing too at times  (no one farted or burped)
I didn't realise till I had an open kitchen/living room sims eating can still talk to sims reading a book or sitting down elsewhere. 

[Motoki]

miss crumplebottom sure is an alcoholic on my lots...

LOL yep, I noticed that. She also likes to gamble and bowl on my lots as well. She may act like a prude, but she's got her vices too. I'd love to see the old bag try karoke sometime though.

[Havelock]

I hate the gossip insteed of eating had more then once visitors of my family wet there Pants while missing the toilet by excessive chatting. And my Sims kick the Townys and my other Sims always when i visit the Downtown. I have a Female Sim seen lurk on another Sim with the hearts over the had at one moment the next i have seen her fight him.

[Assmitten]

I just had a sim child get rejected from private school because the headmaster took too long to eat his meal with all the chatting, so food points stayed at zero. When I had him back over I made him eat alone.   

Okay, this is the topic that is driving me out of lurkerdom. This eating thing is driving me crazy! I am finding it IMPOSSIBLE to get children into private school now because of the zero food points thing.

Do you not get points if dinner takes too long? Has anyone found a strategy to deal with this crap? My Sim kids are coming home with their fun meter in the toilet, and I can't get them into ps, and it takes them so long to eat that there is less time for fun...so running a large house is a nightmare now, and pretty boring, too.

There, I feel a little better now.