New player: free will questions

[Lupara]

Just getting into the sims recently!

Initially I opted to play with autonomy off as I am just focusing on playing a single sim, growing his career, grinding skills, etc. but I’ve noticed that the micromanaging can be a bit much. 80% of my gameplay is just trying to keep his mood crystal (sorry I don’t know the name) green. Always needing to pee, eat, have fun…

Obviously that’s part of the game but I’m wondering if turning on autonomy will free me up to focus on queuing up important things that will help my career or experience game events. I’m actually kind of scared to go to festivals or visit other neighborhoods because my mood seems to rapidly change and my sim is too needy

I’ve also heard turning on autonomy will have them doing jumping jacks in front of kitchen fires and playing guitar outside in the rain. Not sure if these are bugs or how the designers meant it to be.

Also, what in this game can’t be toggled by autonomy? For example, I have the “evil” trait and he frequently insults people. That’s fine because that’s the sim I’m going for, but are traits always autonomous no matter what?

Thanks!

[BumpInTheNight]

Leave the default autonomy settings alone, otherwise as you're experiencing: Micro-managing every action is tedious as heck, don't turn off autonomy.

[Lupara]

Originally posted by napkinfactory:

can't you disable needs altogether somewhere? autonomy only helps with automatically raising needs that get too low, not with any "goals" or objectives the sim has (getting promoted is a wish, not a need for example).

disabling autonomy sounds like the opposite of what you want to do

Im confused. There is only one option right? Called “free will” in the menu

Maybe I missed something ?

[Xeriath]

The game doesn’t have true free will off. If your Sims reach the critical point in one of their needs the game will normally force the Sim to take care of this need. The problem with this game is that the default autonomy is mostly bad, and traits almost don’t make any difference how the sims behave. They tried to fix it a little, but the autonomy of sims is still bad if it goes to decide what they should do.

You have two settings in the option -> Autonomy Full/Off and disable autonomy for selected Sim. It doesn’t hurt to have autonomy on but don’t be surprised if sims choose to do stupid things such as: Do push up in the middle of the wedding or go to the computer in the middle of a date.

The other problem is that sims will likely more drop your actions with autonomy on and just do what they want. This is already a problem with autonomy off but with autonomy on is a little more presence.

TLDR: Sims 4 has only two settings : Autonomy off (still will take care of their basic needs if they drop low) and Autonomy full/on (will try to live for themselves but their choices will be mostly stupid. Talk, watch tv, dance, play with computer). Some people suffer from autonomy lag = Sim will just stand still and do nothing until they die. This is a bug and not per design. Sims 4 has no puppet mode which Sims really do nothing and just wait for their dead with autonomy off.

[Desdinova]

Also, that crystal thing is known as the "plumbob" and is roughly similar in shape to a common style for the measuring tool called a plumbob. (A plumbob is weight on a string that shows true vertical that's use probably dates to prehistory.)

Also, with autonomy, your Sims will do stupid, annoying stuff like you mentioned but if it's too annoying there's mods that'll fix autonomous actions like that. (Never, under any circumstances, have a Sim "enjoy" dancing. They will find the nearest radio and it's like those Medieval dancing sickness because they'll do it to the exclusion of anything and everything else until they fall over from exhaustion.

Then again, I play The Sims 4 like "High Resolution Rimworld" so my games might be a little strange compared to other people.

[Smiley1967]

Originally posted by BumpInTheNight:

Leave the default autonomy settings alone, otherwise as you're experiencing: Micro-managing every action is tedious as heck, don't turn off autonomy.

dont turn it off because it wont work anyway :D
but thanks for your opinion :D

[MachineryOfDeath]

Get traits like steel bladder and never weary, these reduce needs, u can get these points by finishing aspirations and whims, and some packs give extra points for actions u perform(like successfull comunicating with a spectre).
I would leave autonomy on, sims can die from hunger or sleepdepravation, or die from lighting if u leave em standing outside if u have seasons

[Marks fun]

testingcheats on then sims.give_satisfaction_points 100000 this give you the points to buy all the traits that Machinery describe. After you get them I then put a save in. then testingcheats off and then restart the game. Ctrl+shift+C to bring cheat screen up

[Xenon The Noble]

Free will? Yeah, that queue is more of a suggestion list.
Making mac and cheese in the magic cauldron is annoying, and putting books in the University foot lockers is just incredibly bad.

How to easily get sims only fun, social and cleanliness needs

I get a plain vanilla sim, go to the Magic Kingdumb, become a witch Spellcaster and by the book on the needs potion (apparition is set to "pets"). Use needs potions until sim levels up to witch Spell caster virtuoso. Focus on getting the two traits where spells don't fail.
Make some needs potions and the potion that removes buffs
Go to the Jungle DLC and get a gold frog or plate. When you fail at activating one of those things, use a potion.
use Duplicato spell to make 400,000 simolians worth of gold.
Use crystal crations workbench to make a quartz ring.. Charge it.
Next day, sell gold. Switch asperation to the wealth one. Boom! almost 10,000 XP. Buy mansion (have one in my gallary). Switch to Mansion barron. BOOM! another 10,000 XP.
Research vampires as far as a witch can, boom! another 2000 XP. Set the asperation to potions (nature) More XP! Set the asperation to spells, MORE XP
Use XP for steel bladder, forever full, and never sleepy.