Quest. about NPC regeneration

[idtaminger]

If I move an NPC in, and then the game generates a new NPC, is the new NPC retained if I don't save the game?

And this is a side question, but does anyone know how to temporarily unlock NPC hairstyles? Cuz I changed hairstyles for one of the maids, and now I can't change it back to the one w/ the maid hat.

[Renatus]

The testing cheats (boolprop testingcheatsenabled true) unlock the NPC and career hairstyles in CAS, and I think when using the mirror as well. Use with care, don't go poking at things without knowing what you are doing, standard disclaimers apply. If it makes you nervous, turn it out immediately after you are done changing NPCs.

[Motoki]

If you have her use a dresser and change into her "special" outfit, she should get the hat back. This works even for service npcs you move in.

[Regina]

Here's some experiences I've had with generating NPCs and such and the results seemed a little strange to me.

If an NPC generated by using a phone call and I exited the house without saving, then checked in SimPE, that newly generated service worker was showing up in the neighborhood.  However, if I used the NPC generator object I could exit the house without saving and that sim wouldn't be saved in the neighborhood.

[gynarchy]

When I use the NPC maker tree, even the ones I don't want to keep end up staying in the neighborhood if I save the game. I ended up with 4 Mr. Bigs because I kept getting uggos. I ended up deleting all the characters because I generated way too many townies and downtownies on accident. Now I exit to neighborhood view without saving every time I generate an NPC I don't like.

On a slightly different note, is there a reason why I have 12 or more driver NPCs? Are 3 generated for each part of the 'hood (regular 'hood, community, downtown, uni)? I've also got 5 or 6 nannies and headmasters, is a new one generated each time I call for one? I don't know squat about how the NPCs are generated but I'm trying to keep the number of char files down as best I can. These three NPC types in particular really aren't helping me do that.

[Motoki]

The nannies start out with 3, but I tend to get more over time. :p One thing I noticed is if one is already there or just coming onto the lot or leaving and I call another one just for now it tends to generate a new one rather than give me one of the other remaining 2. I'm not sure why, just yet another messed up trait of the nannies.

[Regina]

When I use the NPC maker tree, even the ones I don't want to keep end up staying in the neighborhood if I save the game. I ended up with 4 Mr. Bigs because I kept getting uggos. I ended up deleting all the characters because I generated way too many townies and downtownies on accident. Now I exit to neighborhood view without saving every time I generate an NPC I don't like.[\quote]

With the NPC maker I used in the past, I was very careful that if one was generated I didn't want, to exit the lot without saving, then come back in and generate another.  BTW, from where does the NPC Maker Tree come?  This is one I need!

On a slightly different note, is there a reason why I have 12 or more driver NPCs? Are 3 generated for each part of the 'hood (regular 'hood, community, downtown, uni)? I've also got 5 or 6 nannies and headmasters, is a new one generated each time I call for one? I don't know squat about how the NPCs are generated but I'm trying to keep the number of char files down as best I can. These three NPC types in particular really aren't helping me do that.

Hmmmm.  I've noticed in my game I get more drivers than I think I should have, especially with NL if my sims don't have cars and are relying on the taxi.  It seemed that before there would only be a certain number of drivers and that would be that.  I wouldn't mind so much it if these drivers were sims with which could be interacted.

[gynarchy]

With the NPC maker I used in the past, I was very careful that if one was generated I didn't want, to exit the lot without saving, then come back in and generate another.  BTW, from where does the NPC Maker Tree come?  This is one I need!

If you shift-click the active Sim with the testing cheats enabled, one of the objects you can spawn is the NPC Maker.

[Regina]

Thank you, Gynarchy!  Now ya see?  If I'd spend more time reading these forums instead of playing my game I'd already know all this stuff!