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Test Subject
Original Poster
#1 Old 15th Apr 2011 at 2:59 AM
Default NPCs Won't Move into NPC Doors
After finding a mod that enabled the apartment mailbox to be viewable in the catalog on this site, I decided to make my own apartment building as I already knew how to do this, not having access to the mailbox was the only thing previously inhibiting me.

However, I've run into a problem, it isn't a very big one, but not being able to figure it out is annoying nonetheless.

No NPC will move into the doors I've marked as NPC doors. I've tried playing a game in my custom apartment for a while, thinking it just took time for it work, but to no avail.

I would appreciate any assistance, thank you.
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Instructor
#2 Old 15th Apr 2011 at 3:47 AM
How much time did you let pass?

They should move in eventually.
Veteran Finn
retired moderator
#3 Old 15th Apr 2011 at 4:49 AM
Even though you say you knew how to do this, I'm gonna ask few questions that rule out the most common mistakes.

- Are you sure you set the doors to NPC doors?
- Are the NPC rooms marked with hidden room marker?
- Is the room outside NPC doors a closed area, marked with public room marker? (if the doors are outside the building, that area needs to be fenced and have the marker)

And since you have played it, have you tried knocking on the doors to check if anyone lives there?
Top Secret Researcher
#4 Old 15th Apr 2011 at 9:27 AM
I seem to have this problem as well. I know there is a greyed out "Ring Bell" option at the door, so I know the door is rentable (or the presumed hidden room behind the door). I am just dying to have any sim move in, and as soon as that happens I can CAS edit that sim to anyone I see fit.

I work for a living, but I don't necessarily live for a working.
dodgy builder
#5 Old 15th Apr 2011 at 10:02 AM
If you shift click or something on the house should give you some options. You have to reset the renting option somehow.
Test Subject
Original Poster
#6 Old 16th Apr 2011 at 4:17 AM
Quote: Originally posted by armiel
Even though you say you knew how to do this, I'm gonna ask few questions that rule out the most common mistakes.

- Are you sure you set the doors to NPC doors?
- Are the NPC rooms marked with hidden room marker?
- Is the room outside NPC doors a closed area, marked with public room marker? (if the doors are outside the building, that area needs to be fenced and have the marker)

And since you have played it, have you tried knocking on the doors to check if anyone lives there?


Sometimes it's the simple mistakes that screw people up, they tend to get overlooked. The answer is yes to all the above questions. I haven't been able to try knocking on the door, as the option is grayed out.

Do I have to have a separate room for each individual NPC apartment, or is it okay if every NPC door goes to a single hidden room?

Quote: Originally posted by tomomi1922
I seem to have this problem as well. I know there is a greyed out "Ring Bell" option at the door, so I know the door is rentable (or the presumed hidden room behind the door). I am just dying to have any sim move in, and as soon as that happens I can CAS edit that sim to anyone I see fit.


You can CAS edit NPCs that live in your building?
Instructor
#7 Old 16th Apr 2011 at 4:23 AM
Quote: Originally posted by SimsJunkie
You can CAS edit NPCs that live in your building?


Not ordinarily.

You need a mod that includes this functionality. I use Twallan's MasterController, which is one such mod. There are probably others. AwesomeMod might have this function too.
Veteran Finn
retired moderator
#8 Old 16th Apr 2011 at 5:33 AM
Quote: Originally posted by SimsJunkie
Do I have to have a separate room for each individual NPC apartment, or is it okay if every NPC door goes to a single hidden room?


It's ok.
I don't know if there is a max number of doors to lead to one NPC room though, I have usually made max 4 apartments per floor.
Test Subject
Original Poster
#9 Old 16th Apr 2011 at 6:00 AM
Quote: Originally posted by armiel
It's ok.
I don't know if there is a max number of doors to lead to one NPC room though, I have usually made max 4 apartments per floor.


The building in question has 4 doors on one floor and 3 (one is the player's) on the other. The others are skipped.

It's in a shell, it not an "actual" building, I don't know if that would matter.
Me? Sarcastic? Never.
staff: administrator
#10 Old 16th Apr 2011 at 1:39 PM
Forum Resident
#11 Old 17th Apr 2011 at 3:20 AM
Since it's a shell, make sure you've got a complete set of walls inside, following the line of the shell. I'm pretty sure I had problems trying to customize my bottom floor the one time I forgot to put down actual walls all the way around. So, for the NPC doors, just check that each door goes to a 'room' with four walls - even if the room is only a couple of tiles big - and then the lobby also has to have full closure on four sides too, otherwise the public and hidden areas get mixed up.
Test Subject
Original Poster
#12 Old 17th Apr 2011 at 6:19 AM
Quote: Originally posted by skmt999
Since it's a shell, make sure you've got a complete set of walls inside, following the line of the shell. I'm pretty sure I had problems trying to customize my bottom floor the one time I forgot to put down actual walls all the way around. So, for the NPC doors, just check that each door goes to a 'room' with four walls - even if the room is only a couple of tiles big - and then the lobby also has to have full closure on four sides too, otherwise the public and hidden areas get mixed up.


I have walls all the was around, except at the very front because you can't place an actual door where the shell door is. The actual door is two tiles back. The lobby actually has more than 4 walls.

Also, HugeLunatic, I have tried this and have a test game going now. Nothing has happened yet, but I haven't been at it for very long yet.
Test Subject
#13 Old 18th Apr 2011 at 8:20 PM
I am working on an apartment project right now too... the only thing that is bugging me is the grayed out Ring Bell option on NPC doors because no one lives there.

I've studied the original buildings and looked all over the internet making sure I am doing everything correct.

I hope you solve your problem so I can solve mine as well.


I will be posting screenshots for people to see in great detail. I know my walls are right, I know my hidden room and public markers are right, I know that elevators need a public room marker and call-boxes trash chutes and wall mailboxes are in place.


One thing I am a little iffy about is the size of my NPC apartments. Theoretically they dont need to be real apartments with rooms and furniture (based on original NPC apartments in game) so I figured the size of the apartment will not need to be any bigger than a 1x1 room with a door marked as NPC door and a hidden room marker placed inside.
Lab Assistant
#14 Old 19th Apr 2011 at 8:12 PM
Quote: Originally posted by SimsJunkie
After finding a mod that enabled the apartment mailbox to be viewable in the catalog on this site, I decided to make my own apartment building as I already knew how to do this, not having access to the mailbox was the only thing previously inhibiting me.

However, I've run into a problem, it isn't a very big one, but not being able to figure it out is annoying nonetheless.

No NPC will move into the doors I've marked as NPC doors. I've tried playing a game in my custom apartment for a while, thinking it just took time for it work, but to no avail.

I would appreciate any assistance, thank you.
How long is "awhile"?

I had the same problem with my custom-made apartment, and just decided to let it go and ignore it. Imagine my surprise several days later to see an NPC coming home! Come to find out, I just hadn't allowed enough time to pass. And by "enough time", I mean that it took several weeks (in game) to see an NPC move in. I guess it just takes longer for the computer to recognize a custom apartment as opposed to a prebuilt one.

Visit my site: La Vie En Sims!
Veteran Finn
retired moderator
#15 Old 20th Apr 2011 at 6:28 AM
The amount of time the NPC's take to move to empty apartments depend on how many empty homes there are in the world. For example, if you start a new game on a world that has not been populated, the NPC's move to the apartments after you "need" them. For another example, if you have a nectary, the nectar sales person does not move anywhere until you visit the lot and "activate" the sim.

For my unpopulated world that I'm making, it took about 2 sim weeks for every NPC-apartment to have a sim living there.
Test Subject
#16 Old 27th Jul 2011 at 12:10 PM
Default another sitchuashun!!!!
I mada an apartment outta scratch, no shells and all that. I want to make my CAS generated Sim into an NPC, but I don't know how. I've also experienced that no npc moves into my 2nd apartment. How do I make my sim into an npc so I can move in another one?
My features:
The outside compound is closed and I have a public room marker and call box
I tried to put the hrm in my current sim's apartment but when I went to edit town, it didn't turn him into one.
My sim is very patient.
I also tried ctrl shift clicking while in build/buy and to make the other one an npc door but it didn't work.
Nyone help?
Forum Resident
#17 Old 2nd Aug 2011 at 5:13 AM
Quote: Originally posted by armiel
The amount of time the NPC's take to move to empty apartments depend on how many empty homes there are in the world. For example, if you start a new game on a world that has not been populated, the NPC's move to the apartments after you "need" them. For another example, if you have a nectary, the nectar sales person does not move anywhere until you visit the lot and "activate" the sim.

For my unpopulated world that I'm making, it took about 2 sim weeks for every NPC-apartment to have a sim living there.


On average, it's taken about a week and a half for NPCs to move into apartments. It varies, with it sometimes taking almost 2 1/2 weeks.

I actually read somewhere that most NPC who move into apartments were dependent on the "Working Class" of NPCs. I've noticed that as I had several occasions where paper boys/girls will move into an apartment by themselves.

But you're saying it's dependent on the empty homes in the game? Like if all the homes are filled, NPCs will more likely move into apartments?

Also it would be nice if there was a mod that could "aggregate" the homeless population to fill designated apartments ala Twallan's Register.
Forum Resident
#18 Old 2nd Aug 2011 at 5:26 AM
Quote: Originally posted by UniversitySeasons13
I mada an apartment outta scratch, no shells and all that. I want to make my CAS generated Sim into an NPC, but I don't know how. I've also experienced that no npc moves into my 2nd apartment. How do I make my sim into an npc so I can move in another one?
My features:
The outside compound is closed and I have a public room marker and call box
I tried to put the hrm in my current sim's apartment but when I went to edit town, it didn't turn him into one.
My sim is very patient.
I also tried ctrl shift clicking while in build/buy and to make the other one an npc door but it didn't work.
Nyone help?


Sorry for double posting, but let's see if I can help out

You want to make a CAS generated Sim into a NPC? So like an active sim? You would need a mod like Pescado's Awesome mod or Twallan's Master Controller. Essentially, what you would be doing is turning the selectablity of that particular sim off. You will find in this in Master Controller this way:

Click Sim>>>>Advanced>>>>>Selectability

Remember once you do that, your sim will now become a NPC and you will no longer have control over them(unless you turn it back on).(I do not know the method for Awesome as I do not own that mod)

Now the second part of your question is much harder. Currently, there is no way to assign NPCs to apartments. They just kind of move in on their own. I'm assuming it wouldnt be too hard as we have mods to assign NPCs to registers, jobs, etc. But as of now, there is no way. I'm sorry. (Unless Awesome has a method that I know nothing about. Can anyone verify this?)

How long have you waited for NPCs to move into your 2nd apartment? The average is at least a week before reporting errors
Test Subject
#19 Old 14th Jan 2013 at 4:51 PM
Quote: Originally posted by BenC0722
Not ordinarily.

You need a mod that includes this functionality. I use Twallan's MasterController, which is one such mod. There are probably others. AwesomeMod might have this function too.



Or you can just use testingcheatsenabled true, shift & click on any sim and then the option to edit sim in CAS will come up. No need for unnecessary mods.
Lab Assistant
#20 Old 20th Jan 2013 at 4:29 PM
Sorry to hijack the thread - I'm working on a custom highrise building, and would love to get NPCs to move into the hidden rooms I've created. I have no idea how to set a door as an NPC door - if anyone could pass that info along, it would be greatly appreciated.

~Simoleon
Lab Assistant
#21 Old 24th Jan 2013 at 7:10 AM Last edited by chaosme : 24th Jan 2013 at 7:22 AM. Reason: forgot to mention that this should be done in buy/build mode
Shift+click on a door that leads into a room with the hidden room marker in buy/build mode and you should get the option to set it as an npc door along with the other stuff like locking it.
Test Subject
#22 Old 14th Aug 2013 at 8:05 PM
Ok, I am a bit late in reading this, but I wanted to list my problem. I have all current expansions, including University, and I realize there is a bug that allows "roommates" to move in, beyond my control. Though I have dismissed them, I am having issues setting my apartment doors to allow for NPC's to move into the allotted apartments. Yes, I am aware how to set it, the options just are not there. Any suggestions?

Don't sweat the small stuff...It's all small stuff!
dodgy builder
#23 Old 15th Aug 2013 at 8:51 AM
Why don't you go here instead of waking up an ancient thread? http://modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=507647
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