[Request] Please adjust the Goofball trait
As previously reported in this post archived-goofballs-obsessed-with-mischief-and-etc the Goofball trait doesn't work as it should, Sims instead of queuing up funny conversations most of the time ...
Forum Discussion
@GiardiniDiMarzo Agreed! I rarely use goofball, because apparently Sims thinks goofball = mean.
Honestly, even if I wanted a mischievous Sim, I find the available actions skewed towards mostly just mean. I feel like there should be some more innocent mischief available. Then if they want goofball Sims to use mischief as well, fine, keep them to the innocent ones. And go ahead and let mean Sims enjoy the rest of the mischief interactions, which is almost everything there currently.
Honestly, even if I wanted a mischievous Sim, I find the available actions skewed towards mostly just mean. I feel like there should be some more innocent mischief available. Then if they want goofball Sims to use mischief as well, fine, keep them to the innocent ones. And go ahead and let mean Sims enjoy the rest of the mischief interactions, which is almost everything there currently.
I play a lot of goofballs, but it’s because I’m playing a lot of premades in my current save. Paka’a Uha in particular is one of my favorites. I’m also playing Johnny Zest and Zoe Patel as a married couple in entertainment (Comedian and Actress).
I like all these Sims, but it’s a trait I seldom give my own Sims. Mechanically, it seems to be random playful buffs and an obsession with toilet-pranking. My Chief of Mischief Sim is a Genius, Self-Assured, and Romantic.
As to “is mischief mean?” this is a debate I remember from my Harry Potter days. There was debate as to whether Fred and George were funny or mean. The Sims 4 seems to lean into the Fred and George definition of mischief that people like and find funny. When I did Chief of Mischief, I found the “be disliked” step almost impossible! I had to stop mischief and start giving mean gifts. But those were the only mean interactions I ever had her do.
My goofball Sims do joke with each other a lot, but… honestly, it’s kind of a meh trait for me.
(Edited to add: On one occasion, I had to stop a Goofball Sim from pranking the holiday presents ten times in a row, and finally locked him in the bedroom. 🙄 )
@xochiquetzl_xkvn That's an interesting point, because I don't think all mischief is mean and never really thought of Fred & George as mean. There's mischief with no one hurt and no permanent damage... and then there's "mischief" that's malicious. There's pranks where both prankster and pranked laugh... and then there's bullying. (And getting Umbridge, but we all forgive Fred and George that, don't we?)
In the Sims, I feel the mischief interactions skew towards mean, and the pranks towards bullying. I would consider all of the following to be plain mean, more the actions of a bully than a goofball:
Give fake bad news
Instill with false confidence
Invite to fake party
Noxious cloud
Scare
Slap em silly
Troll teh forums (think about who we consider an internet troll)
Prank toilet
Clog drain
Spam money request (okay less bullying and more...scam?)
Voodoo dollsAnd also to some extent:
Trick with hand buzzer (looks like it hurts)
What's that spotThis is only looking at mischief actions on packs I own too, there may be more from the packs I don't.
And then of course there's "Ask about prized possessions" under mischief for kleptomaniacs. That's not lighthearted mischief, that's criminal mischief!
- @PipMenace I agree and I think the Goofball trait should more or less follow the path of the Jokesters from City Living.
I don't really care for pranks at all, but I am a big silly goofball, lol.- @LadyAofPineapple I'm a Goofball myself lol. I only play one prank and that is an elaborate Gnome kidnapping scheme I'm running as my bestie next door will insist on placing the little horrors in her yard (but not for long if I have anything to do with it). Other than that it's just the occasional gag gift. But I detest meanness.
My Goofball Sims often do the Scare interaction and the Fake bad news. Which I find mean. I'd think of a Goofball as more of a jokester too. I'd find funny story, outrageous story, impersonations, knock knock joke, etc, more appropriate and my personal favourite... Impossible Sausage Mime! Always a classic! 🤣
I think the autonomous nature of it bothers me more as I mentioned before because I have to marshal the queue even with autonomy off and it's difficult the more Sims you have, so if you have a few Goofballs. But I also have a Goofball mother in a household with a serious little boy and she was constantly offending him.
It's another problem that could be solved for me with autonomy toggles being more rigid.
