Karurarurarura

(my mood is cranky because my neck hurtssss)

I don't really use Interests much in this game, other than, you know, what the game itself already uses them for (sims with similar interests with get along more, and will autonomously talk about their shared interests). However...

(high interest = 6+, very high interest = 8+)

ANIMALS
Sims with high interest in animals may buy small pets IF they also roll the want for it. Previously the want to buy these caged animals are so frequent and random (and seem to be not based on any factors at all), so this is how I restrict it, without banning small pets at all.

WORK
If a household is low on cash, sims with high interest in work can apply for a job even without rolling the want for it. Sims with low interest in work don't normally get a job... unless they really, really have to (or if they roll the want for a specific job).

Teen sims who have a job and a high interest in work may do their homework even if they have no want for it. They want to keep their job, so they have to keep their grades up. Right?

ENVIRONMENT
Sims with high interest in environment may be directed to tend the garden (flowers, bushes and such--not Seasons-gardening). SIms with low interest in environment don't normally garden... unless they really, really have to.

If a household doesn't have any sim interested in environment, and their garden desperately need tending, either I pick the sim with the highest interest points or hire a gardener, if they can afford it.

SCHOOL
Teens or children with very high interest in school may do their homework without the want for it. Parents with high interest in school may help their children with their homework even if they roll no want for it.

FOOD
Sims with very high interest in food may try cooking and serve meals, even if they have zero cooking points. Normally, I only direct sims with some cooking points to serve meals.

Now, I don't always follow these rules to a letter. There's some storytelling bits I use in certain households where I have to break or bend these rules for them.

For instance, I'm playing a caretaker-less orphanage with eight sims. The story I'm running with them is they have to keep their grades high to avoid the social worker, keep the orphanage clean, and pretend that they're doing juuuuust fiiiine. So they always do their homeworks (some more diligent than the others), no matter their personality.

Or maybe Dina Caliente doesn't like working, but Nina's moved out, Mortimer's unwoo-able, and she really needs quick cash quick lest the repo man pays a visit. In that case, maybe I'll make her apply for a job, maybe go to work several days and acquire enough money to pay the bills, before quitting. Something like that. Maybe? Maybe.

So, because 1 year equals 1 week equals 1 season in my game, college naturally lasts for 4 weeks (or 4 seasons). I try to start playing college rounds on the first day of the season (Monday) whenever possible, for easier time management.

Now, with such a loooong time on college grounds, naturally it should be easier for me to make all students learn their needed skills, get A+ on each exam, and still have a little time socializing on the side, right?

Well, not really.

• The skill learning limitation described in the previous chapter still applies to college students, if not even more so. Which means students cannot (and will not) learn skills if they have no wants for it, no hobbies relating to it, or if they for some reason don't autonomously do the skilling thing themselves.
• This makes Knowledge sims generally have an easier time at college while other sims do worse. Pleasure sims especially, considering they often roll wants to skip class (which I will make them do, unless it's a final exam). Fall season gives all college sims an advantage because it makes them roll skilling wants more often than in other seasons.
• Speaking of going to class, I have dizzy's mod that makes going to class a lot more random according to their needs, personality, Aspiration, etc. I will only force sims to go to class if they have the want to go to class, or if it's the Final Exam. Similarly, I'll tell my sims not to go to class if their performance bar is already full (in which case a trip to the class will be a waste of time anyway), or if they have the want to skip class.
• I also have another dizzy's mod (will link later... if I can find it) that makes college research and doing assignment a lot more random. Sims can only start doing a college assignment if they have already attended class prior (I can pretend it's a sort of homework or something), or if they skipped class prior (to make up for it). In all cases, I'll only make them do their assignment if they have a want for it.
• Influencing other sims to do someone else's assignment follows the same rule. The way I do it is usually I'll let my sim start a college assignment, cancel it, put the assignment on an accessible desk, then influence someone else to do the assignment.
• I almost never direct my sims to start college research on their own. They'll have to autonomously do it (with the aforementioned mod, it makes it a lot rarer). However, if there is already a student or NPC (usually the mascots or cheerleader) that is already doing college research, I can direct my playable student to join them if they have a want for it.
• Students can only do their term paper on the second half of the semester. No reason why, it just feels less cheatier that way, considering doing term paper gives a massive boost to grade. However, students on academic probation can do their term paper on their probation period (if they roll the want to, of course).
• The day after (or before?) the Final Exam is considered a "free period" where students are free to do whatever they please. This is usually when I throw them parties or have them go to a community lot. They can get a headstart on their term paper if they want to, but they can't go to class (I'll just cancel any attempt at going to class). Still trying to refine this rule a bit.