@simvasion
NPCs when created can have an associated region of creation even if they don't live in housing - e.g. the city living NPCs that populate each district are assigned as "street townies" associated as living in San Myshuno, and in particular districts. Entertainers don't have to live in housing in a region, the game just has to recognize that they exist there.
I tested my game yesterday and I had the same NPC appear at two different lounges. I got the game to generate the NPC to appear by hiring them. Then I started seeing the same NPC listed as an entertainer at two different lounges in two different worlds without me hiring them. I had this happen in multiple tests. The NPC was in manage worlds but was not placed in any world in the game.
NPCs can also learn skills through random gameplay - once I saw an NPC pick up a guitar and he was awful, but then I kept seeing him trying out guitars all over the game and now he's a highly skilled street busker.
That requires a Sim going to a lot with only a piano and waiting for the NPC Sim to gain skill level 3 in the piano skill. An easier way to do this would just be to populate the worlds with Sims that have the skill.
The entertainer provides some fun background flavor, but my sims visiting lounges don't depend on one being there.
I think this is where we differ in our play styles. The lounge for me is a place where Sims go for live entertainment. The live entertainment is what makes the club different than a lounge form a gameplay standpoint.
The lounge used to be an upscale version of the club when the game first came out. It would attract elder and adult Sims and they would dress in formal wear. Now at the lounges, Sims wear their everyday clothing and Sims from young adult to elder visit. If Get Famous is installed, teens will visit as fans of the celebrities.
Basically, there is no difference between a lounge and a club besides the live entertainment. The lounge and club have the same objects needed to function except the lounge requires a microphone and a musical instrument. At this point, an entertainer should be required for the lot to make it different than a club.
there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with the filters - you just have to give it enough time and a window of opportunity where other background roles aren't competing for a spot on the lot
I tested base game only, I was not able to get one to spawn after visiting the lounges several times without hiring one first. The game doesn't have that many roles to prioritize because there aren't multiple packs installed.
I was able to get the game to generate an NPC for Club Calico Brindleton Bay by hiring one. Then one was able to spawn on the lot each time I went. I had an older save I played for months over multiple generations and one didn't spawn. It should not take that long to have NPC's spawn at lounges. The time to have one spawn in the game seems excessive.
