PSA: About Animations and NPCs

Posted on 26 Oct 2018 by NixNivis

Since this is a question I’ve been asked a few times, and also something I’ve seen come up on other sites:

None of my animated objects are controlled by NPCs!

Contrary to what seems to be popular belief, animated objects don’t always require an NPC to run; whether they do depends on the type and complexity of the object and not just on whether or not it’s animated. Objects that move around the lot, like Rebecah’s farm animals, usually need an NPC to work, but simple animated objects like mine, that rotate/swing/rock in place, do not.

But if any object of mine did spawn an NPC (which I say again, they do NOT), I promise you it would say so very, very clearly in the upload post. I know there are creators out there who like to foist undisclosed features upon their downloaders, but I’m not that kind of creator.

Tube for Tots

Posted on 22 Apr 2015 by NixNivis

Tube for Tots

Category: Electronics -> TVs & Computers
Cost: $250 (large); $235 (small)
Poly Count: Low poly (856)
EPs Required: None – base game compatible

At Affinity Sims, KittenOnACloud made a request for a TV that her Sim toddlers could watch. Me, I thought this sounded like a great idea – so I made her a Tube for Tots.

Bonus: If you want your little ones to have their very own TV channel to watch, Kitten (Bubblebeam @ MTS) has created the Tiny Tots TV Channel just for them, here.

TSM Stereo in LACK Colours

Posted on 12 Jun 2014 by NixNivis

TSM Stereo in LACK Colours

Category: Electronics -> Audio
Cost: $750
EPs Required: University or above
Poly Count: Low poly

So, there I was, scrolling through the TSM game files looking for… something I can’t quite remember, but anyway. There I was, happily scrolling through the files – and then I did a double-take, going “was that file called stereo?” Scrolled back up, and sure enough, there was a mesh called “stereoModern”, complete with textures. 😮 Now, I’m reasonably sure they didn’t have stereos in medieval times, so my guess was that this was an object from another game (TS3, perhaps?) that EA had used as a template and then as per EA usual didn’t bother to take out. But I liked the way it looked, and like I said it had textures and everything… so I went ahead and converted it anyway. 😛

It requires at least one EP, but it doesn’t matter which one – anything between UNI and AL goes.

Five TSM Music Boxes as Animated Stereos

Posted on 3 Apr 2014 by NixNivis

Walls and floors by Lama at The Medieval Smithy

Category: Electronics -> Audio
EPs Required: None – base-game compatible
Poly Count: Low poly (848 – 912)

Update, 6 Feb, 2019: Meduza has updated these to have NL/BV/Pets/FT functions. Thank you for doing what I should have done ages ago! ❤

I love the TSM music boxes, I think they’re adorable, and so I really wanted to convert them and make them functional (read that: turn them into stereos. ‘Cause I cheat like that in my medievalish ‘hoods). Problem was, I knew for a fact this was something that had been done before, and I don’t like to repeat what somebody else has already done if I can help it. So, like Ol’ Blue Eyes I did it my way, and turned them into stereos… with custom animations. 😀

When the music box is turned on (do you turn on a music box?), the lid opens, and the figurine appears and starts rotating. It will obligingly keep on doing so until you turn the music box off; then the figurine disappears again and the lid closes. But you don’t have to take my word for it – see for yourself:

The Deceptively Modest Painting (i.e. Wall TV) + DR Remotes

Posted on 6 Apr 2013 by NixNivis

The Deceptively Modest Painting

Category: Electronics -> TVs & Computers
Cost: $35
Poly Count: Low poly
EPs Required: None – base game compatible (but can be shifted if you have AL and also moved with the M&G quartertile cheat)

I admit it: My medieval-ish Westeros ‘hood isn’t quite as medieval as it could be. My Sims have lots of cleverly disguised but no less horribly anachronistic appliances, such as phones, stereos, computers – and TVs.

Personally, I prefer wall TVs for my Sims (even though I know there are different kinds of table TVs out there as well). Now, I’ve seen some two-tile wall TVs disguised as big, ornate paintings, and they’re great – for lords, ladies and knights anointed. But what about the smallfolk? The peasants and the common labourers, who don’t have all the gold of Casterly Rock at their disposal – what are they supposed to watch?

Why, this little one-tile wall TV disguised as a painting, of course! 😀