Add more ways to use existing skills instead of adding more. (hobby game pack)
I'm not against new skills, but I feel like so much more could be done with what we already have. Make them more broadly usable so that not every household has to use the exact same object to develop the more specific skills, outside of books of course.
Ideal for a hobby game pack.
Some suggestions:
Rocket Science.
-Let sims build small rockets to launch, already available for teens like some sort of science project.
-Let sims build unmanned rockets or probes to send into space for various amount of times (1 day, 3 days, 7 days.) that return with better items the longer you send them away.
-New rocket ships to build and each getting their own matching space suit. Seriously, nothing was done with this since the base game, not a single new rocket ship added. I want an alien space ship for the aliens.
-Let evil sims be able to build a doomsday rocket to fire at some famous landmark of choice, getting a big happiness bonus from that and it could even be a goal under mischief. Would be a chance they get put in jail for a while after destroying the landmark. Evil laughter while firing the rocket is mandatory.
Painting.
-Add bigger easels specifically for larger paintings. So our sims can make more varied art.
-Add sculptures that sims can paint in various styles, or leave unpainted.
-Add a miniature wargaming table where sims can buy one of several armies and pick one of several ways to paint them. They could play against other sims too, developing their logic skill once there's two painted sets of miniatures available. (Could be a shelf attached to the table with room to display all purchased armies, nice thing to collect over time for nerdy sims.)
Logic/Mixology.
-Alchemy set returning. Making potions should not be unique to spellcasters, and this could give some very interesting effects. I'd want there to at least be a random potion with it that can give ANY effect of the other available potions at random. Good or bad.
Improves both logic and mixology skills.
Photography.
-Birds could be added to the world, sometimes landing and photographing each type could be a goal for sims. But they'd have to be careful to not scare them away. Could maybe be a magic bird or such too who drops gems.
Wellness.
-Zen garden. Your sim can garden in it or meditate in it. Could be several sizes of Zen gardens, the largest one could maybe also have more options.
Acting.
-Puppet show. Sims can use this item to perform with hand puppets, either with or without an audience. Children and childish sims would especially like seeing this. Hand puppet interactions could also be added to improve acting outside of the puppet show.
-Mime. A pair of white gloves could be a new item sims can put in their inventory, they can start to mime by selecting that option on them, they'd switch to a mime outfit and can perform for tips. Some locations could also have NPC sims practicing mime.
Robotics.
-Cybernetics. Adds a table where sims can be given cybernetic upgrades, thus adding the new cyborg life state. They'd share some characteristics with robots. Some upgrades here could also be applied to robots.
Writing/painting.
-Make comics. Sims can make their own comic books instead of writing books. They can make a series and just keep releasing new numbers in it even. It would mainly improve the writing skill, but also the painting skill a little.
Athletics.
-Sword fighting. We have the animations for lightsabers, why not have it for regular swords too? Like have two swords on the wall that can be used for sparring. Only the start and finish animations need to be different since regular swords aren't ignited.
And finally, I'd suggest adding a performance stage for sort of a vaudeville/talent show thing where sims can demonstrate a lot of varied skills for an audience. Could be great for a public venue.
Any instrument can be played, stand up comedy can be done, they can act, juggle, mime, be a strongman/woman, do magic tricks or even do like a psychic reading with the medium skill.
Performances could either be done alone or with two sims, depending on the activity. Completing lifetime goals could also be required to unlock some performance options, giving sims a chance to show off.
Like being a strongman/woman could require finishing the bodybuilder goal, only spellcasters can do the magic tricks, etc.
And if you'd have the Journey to Batuu expansion sims could also perform a sword fight with lightsabers instead of regular swords.
Pet tricks could also be possible if you have the pack that adds the required animal.
Ideal for a hobby game pack.
Some suggestions:
Rocket Science.
-Let sims build small rockets to launch, already available for teens like some sort of science project.
-Let sims build unmanned rockets or probes to send into space for various amount of times (1 day, 3 days, 7 days.) that return with better items the longer you send them away.
-New rocket ships to build and each getting their own matching space suit. Seriously, nothing was done with this since the base game, not a single new rocket ship added. I want an alien space ship for the aliens.
-Let evil sims be able to build a doomsday rocket to fire at some famous landmark of choice, getting a big happiness bonus from that and it could even be a goal under mischief. Would be a chance they get put in jail for a while after destroying the landmark. Evil laughter while firing the rocket is mandatory.
Painting.
-Add bigger easels specifically for larger paintings. So our sims can make more varied art.
-Add sculptures that sims can paint in various styles, or leave unpainted.
-Add a miniature wargaming table where sims can buy one of several armies and pick one of several ways to paint them. They could play against other sims too, developing their logic skill once there's two painted sets of miniatures available. (Could be a shelf attached to the table with room to display all purchased armies, nice thing to collect over time for nerdy sims.)
Logic/Mixology.
-Alchemy set returning. Making potions should not be unique to spellcasters, and this could give some very interesting effects. I'd want there to at least be a random potion with it that can give ANY effect of the other available potions at random. Good or bad.
Improves both logic and mixology skills.
Photography.
-Birds could be added to the world, sometimes landing and photographing each type could be a goal for sims. But they'd have to be careful to not scare them away. Could maybe be a magic bird or such too who drops gems.
Wellness.
-Zen garden. Your sim can garden in it or meditate in it. Could be several sizes of Zen gardens, the largest one could maybe also have more options.
Acting.
-Puppet show. Sims can use this item to perform with hand puppets, either with or without an audience. Children and childish sims would especially like seeing this. Hand puppet interactions could also be added to improve acting outside of the puppet show.
-Mime. A pair of white gloves could be a new item sims can put in their inventory, they can start to mime by selecting that option on them, they'd switch to a mime outfit and can perform for tips. Some locations could also have NPC sims practicing mime.
Robotics.
-Cybernetics. Adds a table where sims can be given cybernetic upgrades, thus adding the new cyborg life state. They'd share some characteristics with robots. Some upgrades here could also be applied to robots.
Writing/painting.
-Make comics. Sims can make their own comic books instead of writing books. They can make a series and just keep releasing new numbers in it even. It would mainly improve the writing skill, but also the painting skill a little.
Athletics.
-Sword fighting. We have the animations for lightsabers, why not have it for regular swords too? Like have two swords on the wall that can be used for sparring. Only the start and finish animations need to be different since regular swords aren't ignited.
And finally, I'd suggest adding a performance stage for sort of a vaudeville/talent show thing where sims can demonstrate a lot of varied skills for an audience. Could be great for a public venue.
Any instrument can be played, stand up comedy can be done, they can act, juggle, mime, be a strongman/woman, do magic tricks or even do like a psychic reading with the medium skill.
Performances could either be done alone or with two sims, depending on the activity. Completing lifetime goals could also be required to unlock some performance options, giving sims a chance to show off.
Like being a strongman/woman could require finishing the bodybuilder goal, only spellcasters can do the magic tricks, etc.
And if you'd have the Journey to Batuu expansion sims could also perform a sword fight with lightsabers instead of regular swords.
Pet tricks could also be possible if you have the pack that adds the required animal.
