Hello fellow Simmers and the MTS community!

Who Is Sim State Dude?

I'm Sim State Dude and I'm trying to learn to Mod The Sims 3 little by little! I have been playing The Sims since about 2002/3 when my parents allowed me to buy it and fell in love with it ever since! Not moved onto 4 but not a hater either just don't use origin and like to stick with Sims 3 due to the open world nature and completed development allowing for less headaches modding (in theory :P).

What is this thread for?

In short I am trying to learn script modding and thought opening a thread to journal my personal experiences with that and anything useful I found could be of help to others interested down the line! I've currently got one mod released which was a simple XML mod adding crafting to the inventing system but I'm in the process of working on a larger project called 'Sim State' which I'll explain below. Feel free to post comments, suggestions and findings below. I am hoping to make a basic scripting PDF of some sort documenting simple but useful things to help modders make more gameplay based mods and I'll post a link to that in this thread too as it gets going.

What is this Sim State mod?



The idea behind Sim State is to release a modpack or one larger package if I can facilitate it as a mini-expansion of sorts. I'm trying to focus on a variety of little additions to add more actual gameplay along the theme of you living in a 'Sim State' with a few more realism tweaks and hopefully a few additions to add end game content systems. I have a variety of ideas but I'd like to work on it without promises so that as it comes together I can showcase each part as it comes but here's a basic roadmap:

-New Custom Loading Screen & Maybe a custom intro video and/or loading music.
-Invention Crafting Overhaul with support for a variety of essential items across the expansion packs.
-PowerSurges during thunderstorms which either break or knock out power completely from your sims home lot for a period of time. (Potentially linked to bills or tax payment failures aswell, can think about this.)
-Seasonal Tax Payments system.
-Gaining celebrity status according to a variety of factors such as certain career levels etc. (For example with the Showtime careers).
-Potentially exploring the Savvy Seller set to somehow add a deeper business system like business perks etc
-And more...much more in my head but would rather get a few bits going before posting about them.

The end goal with Sim State is to release it as a custom all in one expansion package (hah see what I did there...), the good thing about this is that the mods should compliment each other rather than adding X Y Z feature from different mods which work independantly, so hopefully the tax system can affect the power system and so on :P. I know this is a bit different and perhaps people would like some of this stuff standalone but I'm hoping to maybe have ingame options down the line.

Are you going to collaborate with other modders?

Yes and no for the following reasons:

Yes for help and suggestions if people are willing and interested as certainly learning the Sims 3 code base and getting better at C# will require more than my own efforts hah!

No for collaborating code etc basically because that way I can keep it consistent as it will be my own written code/comments style etc that I personally understand, I have no doubt there are MANY better coders than myself bu it just makes it easier and will allow the project to go in different directions without issues if people aren't coming and going.

Are you open to suggestions/ideas etc?

Absolutely :D, I'm not adding everything and the goal is to make it fun and have similar vibes to the Sims 3 game, so please don't suggest anything innappropriate, adult, controversial or otherwise :P. Also I don't own the supernatural expansion as I'm not into that kindof gameplay myself . I am not planning to be an open house for mod requests but suggestions that fit into the project theme will be considered absolutely!

Any other business?

Not really, as the project progresses I'd like to set up a YouTube channel and perhaps do video updates so we'll see how it goes.

I hope this concept is of interest to some and look forward to chatting to other modders and simmers! All the best, stay safe!

Regards,

Sim State Dude!

A combined modpack would be great to see, just for a more unified experience (it's something to have to cobble together several mods at once). Definitely anticipating this!

Some notes:

IMO Custom Main Menu Loading screens are bit of an last-thing-to-do feature as they've already been done for awhile, along with custom Main Menu loading music. That being said, an improved intro video would be great, as the original is really low-res for today's monitors.

As for Custom world loading screens, they're already here by @gamefreak130: https://modthesims.info/d/638475/wo...rhaul-v2-0.html , but I think that custom world loading screen music would be a great improvement to that as well, especially for custom worlds.


Definitely this, some of the future items should be inventable. I might also suggest a similar extension to the sculpting station as well, perhaps allowing your sims to sculpt more furniture as well (essentially allowing your sims to create a custom furniture/woodworking store)


No comments here, would be great to see. I wonder if generating moodlets would be possible, along with excluding certain items (i.e. candles)?


To add to this, I think that sims should be able to pay their bills autonomously, or at least be prompted to pay their taxes when due. There was this mod, but it seems to have been broken for awhile: https://modthesims.info/d/383084/au...5-5-and-10.html


Would be great to see, I wish the celebrity feature in general really does need to be more realistic. At the moment, it's too automatic, and sort of lacks the supporting PR network that real-life celebrities have around them.

I think that the fame system perhaps needs to be gatekept a bit- I think your sims should be able to gain maybe up to a star in fame on their own, but anything beyond that should require exponentially more points to achieve- maybe to get to those levels, you'd hire an agency via phone/computer, which would essentially act as a multiplier to your interactions and offer you opportunities.


The thing I sort of wish the Savvy Seller set had was a more polished UI- compared to TS2, it does feel a bit janky to have to navigate through the radial menu- it definitely needs more information neatly presented. Maybe also an general economic 'mood' system could be interesting to see in the background, maybe acting as a multiplier on the number of sims entering your lot and their willingness to purchase, and would add some depth to your business decisions (i.e. slashing hours during a recession, or lowering prices during Black Friday).It could be something that your sims would read the computer or newspaper to figure out.

I think another note is that it would be nice to have XMLs or in-game menus available in case you want to tweak some settings to your own personal liking. I would also suggest separating the sections of your mod into separate module packages like NRAAS, for more customization (i.e. if you want power surges but not a new tax system).

Wow thank you so much for taking the time to do such a detailed well thought out reply! If you don’t mind I’m going to save this to reference as I look at implementing these features. Great ideas there and some had crossed my mind already such as an XML or in game settings. I would rather give the option to turn it off in settings instead of separate mods as it’s hard to get them to reference each other in code if I make them available separately, also I can do ‘SimState’ fixes instead running through multiple mods I guess hah. I’m on my phone at the moment but I will check back later with a few screenshots and more comments on what you’ve said! Power surges are what I’m currently implementing at the moment and I’m interested in contacting Ani to see if she would mind me using her savvier seller mod as a base to build upon / tweak for the OFB stuff. Thanks again! I’ll update later . SimStateDude.

Ok so just a little update, here's a video preview of the power surge (after the surge) although hard to see lighting as I filmed during the day ><, after that you see the start of the business system which I'm hoping will allow players to set up little shops with the buy mode items:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ex-...eature=youtu.be

Looking promising!

In terms of power surges- are you planning on having lights go out?

I also wonder if there could be a small chance that it breaks an electronic- just to make the event even more significant?

Not to add too much feature creep, but maybe if your sim has a generator object (could just be a decorative object cloned from TS4, I could provide you with that object), it could allow you to reduce the extent of the power surge (i.e. phones and laptops stay working)?

Yeah so lights go out, the video doesn't do it justice as I recorded during the day >< :P. Randomly stereos and tvs break and I might add computers too! Yeah I'm considering the options for reduction of the chance of it happening, currently its 'assumed' that you have a backup generator as wall lights turn red but can be enhanced. Technically with this system it would be possible to add in an option that requires an item to provide power, meaning that when it runs out you need to 'regenerate' it, but the basics are there.

Been working more on the business system today mainly.

Thanks.

Wow, looks like you're off to a great start! The name "Sim State" really fits the scope of what your modpack is about imo, sort of like an overarching body governing stuff like utilities, taxes, and commercial functions.

As for feedback, I'll just add my two cents in addition to what jje1000 already mentioned:

I agree that this should probably come towards the end of your project. If you're looking for an updated video, I saw this Sims 3 intro remake on Twitter the other day. It includes clips from all of the different expansion trailers and has a higher resolution than the current one.


More items made craftable is always a plus in my book. It really gives my businesses a sense of purpose. Instead of just buying an item from buy mode to sell in my shops, my sims have to put in the work to get the reward. Also, yes on the sculpting expansion.

Additionally, I think it would be really cool to add more cars to your invention mod so you could effectively own a store selling cars that your sim made from scrap. Currently, I don’t see much of a point making a car dealership for my sims to own as I just grab the cars from buy mode and plop them down; not much investment there. But my sims having to build the cars themselves would definitely change that.


Love the power surges during storms idea, very realistic. Are you considering having sims pay an electric bill, either added on to the regular bill or separate? And maybe a water bill as well? I do like that the Eco Lifestyle update for TS4 added more depth to bills this way by breaking down utility costs.


I'd like to know more about your plans for this in the future, but I'm intrigued by this concept.


The celebrity system is definitely lacking and I would love to see it expanded. Different agencies with different requirements for approval (celebrity level, skills, career level, number of friends/celebrities known, etc.) could make for some interesting gameplay. Maybe celebrity sims could create their own brands to make money and gain more fame (directly biting off of the Lifestyle Brand system from Get Famous).


I love all of the suggestions here. It'll really give the feeling that our sims are having an impact on the economy. I'm in favor of pretty much anything that makes the business system operate closer to OFB's. As for UI, maybe the resort UI from Island Paradise could be used? It has a review section built in which is nifty.

When townies buy items will they show up in their inventories or be destroyed after they’re purchased? For performance sake, I’d like it if the items were destroyed so NPCs don’t wind up with a bunch of stuff clogging up their inventories, but I know others may prefer the items actually being purchased like they are in the Savvier Seller mod. Maybe there could be a toggle?

I'm looking forward to seeing how this comes along. Good luck!

Well got todays progress update video, more progress on the idea of the OFB system at the end of the video and a clearer demo of power surges:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTa...eature=youtu.be

Now thank you for such an amazingly detailed post again Alunn, awesome!

In response:

-Loading screen stuff is not top priority but something that will give the mod more polish as I get more features implemented.
-Adding cars to inventing is easy and can be done, you might also little the car from Roaring Heights Store content as thats a fix em up kind of thing.
-I want to add my own tax system that will trigger each seasonal change as an *addition* to bills, so your sims will have more to pay for potentially mixing into the business system if you own one to pay tax somehow on that but all to think about. Considering having electric tax bill failure cause power outage also.
-Celebrity system additions such as agents sounds awesome, will keep that in mind when I get round to that bit of the code! (Thanks Jje also as I know you suggested it too ).
-Going to look at the various UIs and how to use them but definiately want to have this actually feel more like a business with perhaps level ups and cash payouts etc savvy seller was underwhelming and those rugs are ugly. Check the video for how Its working currently on a basic level, but once I get buying/selling owning businesses setup then I can add more features to bulk out the system.

Any more thoughts/suggestions let me know, I'll keep posting updates and hopefully screenshots soon.

Thanks,

SimStateDude.

Definitely so, your new video explains the idea more clearly.

Just throwing another idea out there- maybe alternatively, the generator won't automatically stop a blackout, but it gives your sim the option to interact with it (maybe 30-45 mins to make sure it's not too cheaty), and then ends the blackout early?

YouTube Voiced Sim State Overview

Evening!

For anyone interested here's a quick progress update:

-Opening a business now costs $1000.
-You can only own one business per lot, and for real estate its first come first served :P.
-The promotion career SFX now plays as you open your business.
-You can enable/disable the set for sale interaction on items around the business lot.
-You can control the store via the University Hobby Register.
-You can open/close the store with effects on the interactions available for customers.
-Opening/Closing times can be set induvidually.
-You can view business information via the till such as sales, rank, opening times and name.
-More but I don't remember it all lol

Next:

-I want to work out how to play animations to make it more realistic/immersive. (Including adding the simoleon splash effect like when you sell a painting).
-Making sure items set for buy/sell remain in that state after saving, businesses themselves already save but not the data on the items so need to add that to the save function.
-Allowing store owners to set markup. At first store wide but then on a per object basis.
-Doing a check for objects required before opening including a 'fire check' so you must have a fire alarm and fire exit sign before being granted the option to open your business.
-Adding more AI checks for the customers so that they purchase objects based of the price of the object and a variety of factors.
-Stopping the University Hobby Register NPC showing when you place it, this seems to be an auto check by the game to add the buy comics interaction so hopefully I can disable this.
-Rank/Business level upgrades after amount of money spent, or perhaps a more random customer satisfaction check alongside the purchase factors.
-Perks - Allowing players to earn points which they can spend on rewards such as cash grants, lifetime happiness, and maybe in business perks too.
-Custom moodlets...

Thats it for now, let me know what you think!

Thanks,

Sim State Dude!

Nice vid! I really like what you’ve done so far. The possibility of having different business types in the future is exciting. I hope restaurants are on that potential list. I’ve always been salty that EA never did them justice in sims 3.

For the hobby register NPC, the easiest way I can think of to fix this is to create a new custom object script class for a clean slate to add your interactions to. Then you can override the cloned hobby register’s script with your own script (I hope this makes sense, I’m writing this pretty late at night).

PS: Your new logo looks very snazzy!

Thanks, yeah I'm planning to just start with ownable stores and learn the ropes of TS3 code base with that if I can, then can consider other options. I did actually clone the register rather than just add new interactions too it its a seperate custom script so not sure if the game picks up automatically on those and does it on the backend somehow, can certainly take a further look.

Glad you like the logo, its a WIP too but the foundation is there.

Thanks again!

Thanks mate, really appreciate your comments. Yeah lots to consider. I am hoping to look into more depth of gameplay stuff for the power outage, certainly have the possibility of adding in power generation or off the grid style gameplay, although my current focus is on the business stuff at the moment. Just trying to prioritise the many great suggestions I've been given as I learn hah.

I will review the inventing mod at somepoint, but yeah I found the same issue, you can't add CC stuff afaik as you have to choose which pack it came from, and potentially got the option for store content too.

If I get this far I'd like to look into making a custom crafting system using the bench so that you need to mine metal/harvest wood etc but not promising anything right now so as to keep within the scope of the project for now haha.

Thanks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBEyrziz5Pk

Quick update notes:

-Fixed some bugs so that stores will function correctly on reloading a save.
-You can now set opening a closing times & it will actually affect sales times.
-Blackouts/Power cuts will also stop sales even though technically the sales interaction is removed from some objects with the blackout feature other non-electronics will just say that you can't purchase due to the till not working.
-Your busines can now rank up, level 1 - 5. Each level will allow you to set the markup price on items higher without complaints.
-You earn XP through transactions which will level up your business, its based around the cost of the object.
-Customers also have a chance of giving satisfaction points that you can spend on onetime or recurring rewards.
-Points are not automatic, if your sim is frugal they will be unlikely to be satisfied unless the price is below catelog price, and if its set too high they can even lose you customer satisfaction.
-All sims will only give satisfaction if the price is not too high, but they may still buy it even if they weren't so happy with the price. They must also be in a good mood, so best keep toilets etc on the lot! Sims with the good trait will be happy irrespective of their mood.
-Any sim (though especially Frugal sims) can now complain if they think the price is too high, and currently they won't purchase it if its priced above your rank markup.
-At rank level 5 some of the customer satisfaction restrictions are removed. :wink:

Thats all for now, more soon, but getting there. At least you can run a family business now with some actual challenge to it.

Thanks for reading, check back later for a new video upload hopefully! :D

SSD.

Well just a brief update for today:

Restocking!
+Active household sims can now restock objects on the lot and will play the 'replace object' interaction from when an object breaks. Sets the object for sale again and charges the Sims household.

Mystery Shopper
+At rank level 2+ you have a random chance (based off a few factors) of having one of the customers be a 'mystery shopper', their job is to check your shops stock and pricing etc and they will give you a review.
+The review will contain a score out of 100 which will tell you how well your store is doing!
+Above 75 you will get a financial bonus which is more generous the higher your score.
+Should you get below 75 points you may inccur a fine.
+Be care though the current lowest score you can get it 50/100 and if you get below 60 3 times in a row your store may close. (Although I may make this optional and give the player the option to pay a fine or something...or a business perk to reset the counter perhaps).

So the overall business system for stores is now working as expected, not too easy not too hard with a variety of features as mentioned in previous posts, I'm now in the process of testing the mod with a few users.

Next up:
+Polishing features/bug fixing.
+Adding more animations to various aspects to make it a bit more realistic.
+Looking to implement a custom moodlet or two if I can.

After the business stuff is implemented I will start work on the taxation/financial systems of Sim State and go back to the power surge stuff to make it work cohesively with those aspects. Overall though coming along nicely :D.

Thanks,

SSD.

@simstatedude

I thought I asked some great question on the sims forum but there are some great ideas and observations of your mod here and who can blame us players when we are all looking forward to a brand new lovely mod to play with that has OFB similarities and extra gameplay to go along with it too.. I love the idea of restocking and mystery shopping as these sorts of animations add such enjoyable gameplay. I really appreciate you taking the time to create new interesting mods for us to play with :D

Todays progress on the UI:

Well finally got the annouce trailer I wanted to make, its short if anyone's interested haha:

New Update Video #3 - Employees, Restocking & Custom UIs OH MY!



Also got Patreon now for any generous peeps interested!

https://www.patreon.com/simstatedude

Thanks as always for all the support!

Hello! Sorry its been a while, the video explains more, here is Update #4!



Thanks for your time!

Just a quick one, new updated logo for Sim State:



Also brief roadmap to release:

-Add Sim State ID (Citizenship/Bank Accounts & Debt Management)
-Add custom moodlets
-Fix bugs/polish features & test
-Release

Thanks for the support!

You can add CC items to the XML without any issues you just have to also add NGMP entries. Arsil has a tutorial on this for on the page for his Generic Food Generator.

How do you plan to implement Bank Accounts? There is already a Bank Account Mod in existance, but it is only for saving money as Sims do not pay from their bank account for things but from the Household money. I always wished there was a way to set my teen Sims on an allowance making them unable to access their parents money.

Well thought I'd do a quick update on this to say that the mod is now released! I think most people are already aware anyhow. Been a great response so thank you, got a selection of fixes I'm working on to hopefully polish up/improve some of the features. Not got a roadmap for the future as not sure if I'm going to just get to fixed and working smoothly or start adding a few new features. One thing I would like to improve however is the economy of the mod to ensure that you actually need money to run the business and that debt is either limited or not allowed stopping operations, if I do this I may just go ahead and implement a basic version of Sim State ID which was intended anyhow, lets see!

Either way the support has been great thank you everyone,

SSD & Co. :P

The mod is great but I noticed a small hiccup. I have the deliciously indulgent bakery store set so I used that bakery lot with this business mod. I set the already baked goods for sale. Sims buy the items and it leaves a shadow because it needs to be restocked, but when the store closes and reopens the next day all those baked items on display are completely gone.

My sims can’t restock the items or anything. Which is kinda weird because they could restock them just fine on the very first day the store opened.