My parties always suck..

[PunchDrunk]

According to the game, the parties are great and sometimes epic.. but to me they suck ass. When I invite people over for a party all they do is migrate towards the stereo or they migrate over to to TV... and they stay there the WHOLE time.

Does anybody know some ways to spice up the fun factor for my house parties? I've tried hosting a party at the beach but it didn't go very well either...

[jaydock]

sounds like a personal problem.

no, but seriously, what do you expect? there's plenty of group activity objects (dart boards, guitar, food, that stick tossing game), plus good ol' socializing. It's your game. Be creative.

[skmt999]

I've found the only way to make my parties a 'success', was to follow a set formula. Don't invite a ton of people. Five to seven is about my manageable leve, I don't care about party crashers.
Make sure there's free food laying around, and conversely enough toilets. Make sure there's music playing. Incense helps. Enough decoration in the target party area for a mood boost is a good idea. And then target two or three sims to socialize with repetitively to make sure they're having a 'good time'. Other 'fun' things for the extra guests to do is a plus, but not needed if you do it right. If there's a purpose to the party, like a Birthday Cake, or a Wedding - make sure you call people near so they aren't in the wrong part of the house when the actual point of the party starts.

In this manner, I have managed to have generational top rated wedding parties held in the front yard of my last Legacy game.


TL;DR - Small guest list, keep guest's motives high, put as many mood boosting things in your target party area as possible. Socialize.

[BenC0722]

The "Legendary Host" LTR can help as well.

The playing music thing is a good idea.

To expand on that, you should use the most expensive stereo system, and do the "Improve Speakers" upgrade on it. That guarantees a minimum +30 moodlet for any sim in the area (+40 if it's that particular sim's favorite music).

Alternatively, if you have LN, have one of your sims play an instrument if they have a level 10 skill in that instrument. That will cause a +40 moodlet for every sim in the area (including the performer). It won't even matter what music type you choose for "Jam session." You could use the "Perform Song" interaction, but I recommend against that because eventually they will stop playing, and the moodlet will disappear.

Unfortunately, you can only choose one of the two, so if you play the stereo and a sim is playing, the higher moodlet will take priority, but they won't "stack," since they're both music related.

[PunchDrunk]

The problem is I just want the people I invite over to do more things... like eat the pizza that I order ( everytime i order pizza or fix something nobody eats it ) or converse with each other. The only thing they do is hang around the stereo and occasianly read a book or even get on my computer lol.

[kykle2448]

The problem is I just want the people I invite over to do more things... like eat the pizza that I order ( everytime i order pizza or fix something nobody eats it ) or converse with each other. The only thing they do is hang around the stereo and occasianly read a book or even get on my computer lol.

i would agree with adding more things to do, so it's not just the stereo, but i would suggest possibly adding an autonomous mod to your game. i've noticed sims will do a lot more with those mods. just make sure you know which mods are gonna do what though.

[skmt999]

Yeah, unfortunately sim parties aren't really like real parties. Sims are just too stupid to actually act like they're at a party, so you can't plan on them doing anything normal. That's why the elaborate set-up if you want to pull one off. If you just want a party for the sake of having a party.... well, they just don't work so well.

Maybe after Generations comes out we'll have a few more 'party' interactions that Sims will be able to do to liven things up.

[tomomi1922]

Where do you buy incense?

[lewisb40]

Where do you buy incense?

BuyDebug mode cheat.

[Greenlea]

Or any of the World Adventures locations but that's only if you want to go about it the non cheating way. Or sometimes you can find it in the consignment shop.

[tomomi1922]

Or any of the World Adventures locations but that's only if you want to go about it the non cheating way. Or sometimes you can find it in the consignment shop.
Ah, buydebug it is. However, what exactly will it do for sims? Encourage positive moods?

[BenC0722]

Ah, buydebug it is. However, what exactly will it do for sims? Encourage positive moods?

Yes. This is how it works:

1. Get incense holder, either through one of the general stores in the WA destinations (always possible), the consignment shop (chance), or buydebug (always possible).

2. Place it in some room.

3. Activate it ("Burn Incense" interaction).

4. Sims in that room will get a positive moodlet. It will last until the incense holder is extinguished.

Note:

It will never go out (or at least I've never seen it go out) unless you make it go out (another interaction on the holder).

Also I've never seen it cause a fire, so fire risk is unknown though I'm guessing it somehow doesn't increase the risk.

[tomomi1922]

Yes. This is how it works:

1. Get incense holder, either through one of the general stores in the WA destinations (always possible), the consignment shop (chance), or buydebug (always possible).

2. Place it in some room.

3. Activate it ("Burn Incense" interaction).

4. Sims in that room will get a positive moodlet. It will last until the incense holder is extinguished.

Note:

It will never go out (or at least I've never seen it go out) unless you make it go out (another interaction on the holder).

Also I've never seen it cause a fire, so fire risk is unknown though I'm guessing it somehow doesn't increase the risk.
Just exactly what I was hoping for, I am a candle fanatic IRL. I had hope it might be scented candles, but incense will do.

[askemagus]

Also I've never seen it cause a fire, so fire risk is unknown though I'm guessing it somehow doesn't increase the risk.

I left incense burning in a game for 89 sim weeks before, and never had a fire. This was before the fireproof homestead LTR was available, so I don't believe that it will cause one.

[Daiquiri]

Also it's good to have all three incense holders in a room, each of them gives your sims a +10 or +15 moodlet. I usually place them in every room :)
I did a quick google search to find out if there's more than three holders and found something I didn't know before:

"Other than giving a basic incense buff, if Sims can smell incense in the same room, they will gain a minor secondary benefit.
The incense holder from China increases skill gain rates, the one from Egypt slows the decay of the Fun meter (so it's best placed in the Sim's office so he can write or work from his computer without stress), and the one from France increases the chance of romantic social interactions passing and thus increases the rate of relationship gain."
source: http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/the-sims-3-world-adventures/guide/page_24.html
:D

[suzetter]

Well, that's interesting and new info. Thyanks.

[BenC0722]

Also it's good to have all three incense holders in a room, each of them gives your sims a +10 or +15 moodlet. I usually place them in every room :)
I did a quick google search to find out if there's more than three holders and found something I didn't know before:

"Other than giving a basic incense buff, if Sims can smell incense in the same room, they will gain a minor secondary benefit.
The incense holder from China increases skill gain rates, the one from Egypt slows the decay of the Fun meter (so it's best placed in the Sim's office so he can write or work from his computer without stress), and the one from France increases the chance of romantic social interactions passing and thus increases the rate of relationship gain."
source: http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/the-sims-3-world-adventures/guide/page_24.html
:D

Very interesting. So each incense holder provides a side benefit, and the benefits can "stack." This is different from music, where it's either a stereo or a sim performing an instrument, but not both (only the better one is used).

Even after purchasing and playing the next two EPs, there are still things about WA I didn't know.

There are probably still things about WA I don't know. I've never been able to complete a tomb-specific relic collection, for example. I mean the ones where each item in the collection is in a different tomb.


Hmm....so a good party should include:

- A sim playing an instrument (where they have level 10 in that instrument).
- A buffet table. Though group meals could be better if the sim cooking it has level 10 cooking.
- Incense holders galore.
- The best possible television.
- Best possible video game system (only if you have HELS)
- Only the best desktop computers accessible by guests (since they sometimes get on the computers and play games).
- A dance floor.
- Mixology bars that are managed by a sim with level 10 mixology.

Although, I've had sims throw good parties even without doing some of those things by simply giving them the Legendary Host LTR. It's one of the cheapest such rewards (5,000 points), so it's something you want to get for any sim who might want to hold a party.

On this note, Excellent Groupie is almost necessary if you invite one or two sims over and do stuff with them.

[PunchDrunk]

Very interesting. So each incense holder provides a side benefit, and the benefits can "stack." This is different from music, where it's either a stereo or a sim performing an instrument, but not both (only the better one is used).

Even after purchasing and playing the next two EPs, there are still things about WA I didn't know.

There are probably still things about WA I don't know. I've never been able to complete a tomb-specific relic collection, for example. I mean the ones where each item in the collection is in a different tomb.


Hmm....so a good party should include:

- A sim playing an instrument (where they have level 10 in that instrument).
- A buffet table. Though group meals could be better if the sim cooking it has level 10 cooking.
- Incense holders galore.
- The best possible television.
- Best possible video game system (only if you have HELS)
- Only the best desktop computers accessible by guests (since they sometimes get on the computers and play games).
- A dance floor.
- Mixology bars that are managed by a sim with level 10 mixology.

Although, I've had sims throw good parties even without doing some of those things by simply giving them the Legendary Host LTR. It's one of the cheapest such rewards (5,000 points), so it's something you want to get for any sim who might want to hold a party.

On this note, Excellent Groupie is almost necessary if you invite one or two sims over and do stuff with them.

I once threw a party and went to bed before the people came and the game said that the party was " great "

All they did was dance and then leave, and nobody talked, lol

[Sanati]

If you want parties to feel like parties, get a bar, hot tub, and good stereo and put them all in the same room near the entrance. Dancing, skinny dipping, and drinking, that's a party. :beer:

[lewisb40]

Also it's good to have all three incense holders in a room, each of them gives your sims a +10 or +15 moodlet. I usually place them in every room :)
I did a quick google search to find out if there's more than three holders and found something I didn't know before:

"Other than giving a basic incense buff, if Sims can smell incense in the same room, they will gain a minor secondary benefit.
The incense holder from China increases skill gain rates, the one from Egypt slows the decay of the Fun meter (so it's best placed in the Sim's office so he can write or work from his computer without stress), and the one from France increases the chance of romantic social interactions passing and thus increases the rate of relationship gain."
source: http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/the-sims-3-world-adventures/guide/page_24.html
:D

As my active sim income grows, I get the incense for their home. At first cause they look cool, then I found out about the benefits. After a while the incense collection does go in every room, once I have got enough, but before my sim can afford them for every room, I usually place a few strategically though the house. Any place my sims skill, the China one goes, the France ones in the bedroom (although I need to do it in bath soon, when Generations come out), and the Egyptian one in the bedrooms, because fun goes down while they sleep. Helpful to find space for all of them in the nursery, cause the babies (infants too) benefit from the incense burning in their room. Found that out by accident.

[AnnaIME]

... each incense holder provides a side benefit, and the benefits can "stack."

If there were three IRL incense holders burning three different scents in the same room, the effects wouldn't stack as much as they would clash...

Good tip, though. I knew about the secondary benefits, but I didn't know you could have more than one at a time.

[skmt999]

I wish we had more incense options. I use all three in every house I play, and even with the CAST options, it still gets boring. I wish I had one of those little sand filled cups that I could light all three types in at once. It would look nice and neutrally decorative as well as saving space, lol. Too bad I can't mesh, not enough time to learn that with everything else I do.

[lisfyre]

Definitely get the "Legendary Host" LTR because it so helps your sim's party a huge success. Make sure you have at least 1 buffet table in the area. Make sure you've got your music on and if your sim is handy have him/her wire the house for speakers. And positively make sure he/she circulates and works the room.

I've had incense in all families that have gone to WA vacation destinations and I always have it lit and it's never caused any fires in any of my homes. I don't always have the fireproofed home thingy going on.

[suzetter]

Well, whether the game says your sim had a good party or not -- the truth is all TS3 parties suck at present because the mechanics of a good party like dancing, flirting, joking, laughing, eating, swimming and kissing are not set up in the game as of yet (We're about to get EP 4 -- WTF!?) The host goes to sleep mid party, sim guests start reading, watching tv, cooking, or standing around. Let face it -- even if the game says "Legendary! Epic!" -- all the TS3 parties are a big yawn and boring. Buy a bar., hire a bartender --one sim has one drink, get a hot tub - sims sit there and barely speak --then one sim decides to go skinny dipping and all the other sims climb out. If parties were like that in real life -- people wouldn't even bother throwing parties. Hopefully, there'll be some party tweaking with Generations since there will be new types of parties. Though I wouldn't put it past EA to give us parties with new party labels and nothing else changed. Let's hope not and that they actually include some real fun party mechanics/code this time around. TS2 parties were really lively and fun with tons or flirting, dancing, eating, drinking, and swimming. In TS1 I use to find sims making out in the shrubbery during parties (hilarious as they were often married to someone else at the party.) TS3 parties are just a snooze fest by comparison.

[baratron]

The problem is I just want the people I invite over to do more things... like eat the pizza that I order ( everytime i order pizza or fix something nobody eats it ) or converse with each other. The only thing they do is hang around the stereo and occasianly read a book or even get on my computer lol.
Big tip - only have laptops for your sims, and stash them away in your sims' inventories when not being used. Then guests can't start playing with the computer instead of talking to you!

Have you tried playing a sim with Party Animal trait? They get a couple of extra socials to do when a party is taking place :).

Well, whether the game says your sim had a good party or not -- the truth is all TS3 parties suck at present because the mechanics of a good party like dancing, flirting, joking, laughing, eating, swimming and kissing are not set up in the game as of yet (We're about to get EP 4 -- WTF!?)
Uh, what? :wtf: Most of those things seem to be in my game, and I only have up to Ambitions. There's plenty of dancing, eating, flirting, joking and laughing at my sims' parties. My active sims (2-4 depending on how many I have in the house) spend the whole 4 hours spamming socials to as many visitor sims as possible. There isn't usually much kissing simply because my sims usually have partners already, and parties are the time for boosting relationships with sims they don't know so well.

I agree that there doesn't seem to be much swimming or playing in the pool, though.

[kampffenhoff]

If Sims 3 parties suck just be glad it isn't like real life. We had a garden party here once. We had a Tent in the back yard and just when everyone was eating and enjoying themselves 3 of our cats came running in. One of them had an half dead bird in his mouth and all 3 proceeded to play with it. Husband and several other males attempted to remedy situation but not before bits of bird were strewn all over ground, and one person had thrown up. Compared to that my Sim party where they all went into the bathroom, because a guy was playing the drums in there, and got stuck and crashed my game was nothing----

[Jonni]

You can combat the guests reading books / playing desktop PC by making sure you keep these items, or any other annoying ones separate, in a study for instance. You can click on any door and use the lock option "allow household only" or "lock for everyone". Guests should ignore locked rooms.

[BenC0722]

You can combat the guests reading books / playing desktop PC by making sure you keep these items, or any other annoying ones separate, in a study for instance. You can click on any door and use the lock option "allow household only" or "lock for everyone". Guests should ignore locked rooms.

Other objects in this category also include art easels/drafting boards and sculpting stations.

While sims rarely manage to complete their creations, I have seen sims autonomously start painting or sculpting while at parties.

This can happen on community lots too. Know how the EA-designed consignment store is in the lot bin? If you place it somewhere, you will notice a drafting board in it. I find that from time to time, you will see a completed sketch.

I haven't paid attention to art easels or drafting boards in different lots, but I wouldn't be surprised if the same behavior takes place.

[askemagus]

I haven't paid attention to art easels or drafting boards in different lots, but I wouldn't be surprised if the same behavior takes place.

I placed easels, sculpting stations, and inventing stations in one of the Sunset Valley parks and sims use them autonomously. I even got to watch Mortimer Goth go up in flames from trying to use the inventing station (which I had stocked with scrap). My sim wouldn't help, either. He was too busy hitting on Bella. :lol: