How to increase happiness?

[JFK_360NoScope]

I can't really progress because my happiness is always low. I don't starve or stay out in bad weather but it just doesn't seem to go up, and if it does, it goes back down due to the random events at night.

[Art]

There are perks you could unlock overtime that reduce happiness loss, getting the dog from a random event by sleeping outside helps too and eating fruits, chocolate, drinking soda and hot chocolate help too I think. If you're really desperate you could get Bliss from the drug dealer or drink beer, both of which could lead to addictions though so it'll be bad for you in the long run. I've only just started playing too so maybe someone more experienced has a better answer

[JFK_360NoScope]

Originally posted by AZ:

There are perks you could unlock overtime that reduce happiness loss, getting the dog from a random event by sleeping outside helps too and eating fruits, chocolate, drinking soda and hot chocolate help too I think. If you're really desperate you could get Bliss from the drug dealer or drink beer, both of which could lead to addictions though so it'll be bad for you in the long run. I've only just started playing too so maybe someone more experienced has a better answer

I've only played two games (one was just testing some things) The dog doesn't seem to help much with happiness. He's gotten me change and have stopped muggings, but I've only gotten one or two events where he helped my happiness a very small amount. Those foods also don't restore hardly any. I mostly use them so I don't die. I tried a run with bliss but it's never seems to be a good idea since you're permanently (I think) addicted and it's expensive to keep buying it. I think alcohol is the best idea (that's how I won my other game) I think you can handle one or two a day without addiction and even so, if you get it all the way up, it only takes a few days to recover.

[FallenAngel0995]

This is my issue also. I do everything right, sleep in a shelter, never starve, make sure to stay clean, study, etc. But my happiness always stays low (Even when I buy items that say staying in a shelter will help my happiness like the pillow). It honestly ruins the game since there is no way besides alcohol and drugs to stay happy.

[The Motley Geek]

If you're just at the beginning of the game, and you have smokes or alcohol, then these work well but should be used sparingly. Only drink after you've been to the library, 6 hours before 8pm, otherwise you won't get into the shelter. And only drink once every 4 days, and smoke once every 4 days. These should keep your happiness levels up, and avoid addiction.

Keep digging through trash and picking up recycling. Don't worry about hygiene going below 50 for the first couple of weeks. Keep scavenging, and you'll get the perk that gives you some happiness when recycling max trash. If you keep your trash inventory low (mine is capped at 20, I never take perks that increase this), then you can spam this quite a bit.

Study a lot. Set yourself up in a shelter near a library and water fountain. When you get up, keep picking up recycling, get to the fountain, wash yourself, and then go into the library. Study as many times as possible (may only be available later). At some point, you'll get the perk that gives you happiness for studying well. This is pretty good too.

Save money to buy a pillow. Probably the most important item, as it restores happiness when you sleep in a shelter. Just visit every store on your walk, you'll see it sooner or later.

Buy juice for quick boosts. Save hot chocolate to drink during winter. Stock up on juice / hot chocolate at vending machines when you have cash, it's great because the vermin don't take drinks.

When a vendor is selling apples, buy enough for the day. This will give you a great happiness boost alongside keeping you full. Just don't keep them overnight as the rats will come. Also remember to get the perk that gets you cheap vendor prices.

Lastly, avoid begging. The happiness loss from mean people is hard to counter.

[The Motley Geek]

Originally posted by JFK_360NoScope:

Originally posted by AZ:

There are perks you could unlock overtime that reduce happiness loss, getting the dog from a random event by sleeping outside helps too and eating fruits, chocolate, drinking soda and hot chocolate help too I think. If you're really desperate you could get Bliss from the drug dealer or drink beer, both of which could lead to addictions though so it'll be bad for you in the long run. I've only just started playing too so maybe someone more experienced has a better answer

I've only played two games (one was just testing some things) The dog doesn't seem to help much with happiness. He's gotten me change and have stopped muggings, but I've only gotten one or two events where he helped my happiness a very small amount. Those foods also don't restore hardly any. I mostly use them so I don't die. I tried a run with bliss but it's never seems to be a good idea since you're permanently (I think) addicted and it's expensive to keep buying it. I think alcohol is the best idea (that's how I won my other game) I think you can handle one or two a day without addiction and even so, if you get it all the way up, it only takes a few days to recover.

Just FYI, Bliss addiction isn't permanent. It can be beaten. But it takes a really long time, and you have to get addicted to smokes/alcohol to get over bliss, as trying to get over bliss reduces your happiness by a crazy amount. I think it took me more than 2 weeks in game time to beat bliss.

[Tactrix]

Ok let me tell you how I keep my happiness up. First DON'T SMOKE, DRINK OR USE BLISS UNLESS YOU ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO. And even then avoid using them for more then 1 day ever.

The way you keep your happiness up is by never starving, being near or at 100% hygiene never freezing. And unlocking some of the following. When begging unlock a trait that gives you happiness when you have a successful beg. When busking unlock the trait that gives you a chance to get happiness from max multiplier. Now in the meantime you need to hunt around for items that give you happiness like a pillow for the shelter, a trait that makes it so you stop loosing happiness from sleeping outside.

And finally the biggest secret to keeping happiness up of them all is buying little things from the vendors and vending machine. The apple gives you +10 health and +1 happiness and it's pretty cheap, the juice box gives you +1 happiness and it's only about $0.89, and coffee also extremely cheap and gives you +1 happiness. Buy those things IN BULK!

Try to never get arrested or moved and study the area you are so you know exactly where to go when you need to clean your clothes, warm up in a bathroom, and where most of the stores up so you can buy items daily. Oh and also use the library for both warmth and to get your happiness up whenever you have a successful study.

[lizmac21]

does digging in the trash can lower happiness?

[Nthsideplaya]

Day 1 I walk collecting trash until i find a day labour sign, find the closet hostel,
do labour jobs for the next 5 days until i have residency,
if you have a hostel close you can squeeze in 2 day labour tasks in 1 day.

By day 6 you should have at leat $75,
then spend then 6th go on what i call "A happiness mission"

Walk, and keep walking and checking all vending machines and shops and looking for street vendors selling apples or apple juice, collecting trash and recycling along the way.

When you find apples and apple juice, buy as much as you can afford.

Apples give food and happiness, juice gives happiness.

Then go about the game as normal, and when happiness starts getting low eat 5 or 6 apples and down about 20 or 30 juices

when i get down to 5 juices and 5 apples i repeat that process, just I have a backup supply of smiles