Findings on Sims TV channels (Interest thread)
When giving out fun facts on this thread, I took a look into tuning files to find out what sim prefers what channel and what really is the effect of each channel.
Here are the findings
First, each channel is preferred by certain sims. Usually, it's only by age (child to elder), but few also draw in sims with certain traits. Here's a list of what channel is preferred by which sims (+ for prefers, - for opposite):
- Action
- Child ++
- Teen ++
- Young Adult +
- Elder -
- Cooking Channel
- Child -
- Teen -
- Comedy
- Teen ++
- Child +
- Young Adult +
- Romance
- Teen ++
- Young Adult +
- Adult +
- Child -
- News
- Elder ++
- Snob trait +
- Teen -
- Child -
- Sports
- Teen +
- Young Adult +
- Kids Network
- Child ++
- Childish trait +
- Adult -
- Elder -
- Fireplace Channel
- Elder ++
- Child -
- Teen -
- Young Adult -
- Adult -
- Music TV
- Teen +
- Young Adult +
- Alien Channel (!#*%&$@%) (Get to Work)
- Same neutral 1 for every age.
- BEtween TV (Kids Room Stuff)
- Child ++
- Teen +
- Adult -
- Elder -
- Civic Public Access (City Living)
- Teen +
- Young Adult +
- PolitiSim (City Living)
- Young Adult +
- Adult + (though stronger than Young Adult's)
- Elder ++
- Child -
- World Culture Network (City Living)
- Child -
- Teen -
- TV Classics (Vintage Glamour Stuff)
- No special modifiers at all.
- Weather Forecast (Seasons)
- Elder ++
- Adult +
- Teen -
- Child -
- Holiday Countdown (Seasons)
- No special modifiers at all.
- Dream Home Decorator Network (Dream Home Decorator)
- Creative trait +
- Teen -
- Child -
- Brainchild Learning (Growing Together)
- Child ++
- Teen -
- Young Adult -
- Adult -
- Sitcom Central (Growing Together)
- Young Adult +
- Adult +
- Elder +
- ScareMax (Growing Together)
- Teen +
- Young Adult +
- Child -
- Pony Up Kids Channel (Horse Ranch)
- Child ++
- Horse Lover trait +
- Teen + (weaker than Horse Lover trait)
- Adult -
- Elder -
- Wild West Channel (Horse Ranch)
- Horse Lover trait +
Secondly, let's go over what each channel does.
All traits satisfy Lazy trait autonomy.
Channels are not autonomously watched by werewolves with Sensitive Hearing temperament and when a movie is playing.
They add progress to Indoorsy, Sedentary, and Techie lifestyles while taking away from Adrenaline Seeker lifestyle.
- Action
- Nothing special, only for fun and special animations
- Not autonomously watched by Sad sims.
- Cooking Channel
- Slowly builds Homestyle Cooking skill.
- Satisfies Foodie trait autonomy.
- Comedy
- Slowly builds Comedy skill.
- Gives +1 Playful Moodlet "Hilarious Show" for 3 hours.SpoilerPlayful +1
Hilarious Show
(From Watching TV)
This comedy channel is hilarious!
3 hours - Not autonomously watched by Angry and Sad sims.
- Romance
- Gives +1 Flirty Moodlet "Watched Romantic Comedy" for 3 hours.SpoilerFlirty +1
Watched Romantic Comedy
(From Watching TV)
The flirtatious inclinations are strong after viewing that steamy romance!
3 hours - Adds progress to Hungry for Love lifestyle.
- Satisfies Romantic trait autonomy.
- Not autonomously watched by Angry sims.
- Gives +1 Flirty Moodlet "Watched Romantic Comedy" for 3 hours.
- News
- Gives a special Happy moodlet for Snob sims (they dislike other channels):SpoilerHappy +1
Classy Content
(From Snob Trait)
Snobs appreciate television programming that doesn't rot the brain.
3 hours
- Gives a special Happy moodlet for Snob sims (they dislike other channels):
- Sports
- Gives a special Confident moodlet for Bro sims.SpoilerConfident +1
Sports Rule!
(From Watching TV)
Watched other bros being awesome on the sports channel.
4 hours - Satisfies Bro trait autonomy.
- Not autonomously watched by Sad sims.
- Gives a special Confident moodlet for Bro sims.
- Kids Network
- Gives "Pirates and Pineapples!" Playful Moodlet for child sims.SpoilerPlayful +1
Pirates and Pineapples!
(From Watching TV)
Exploring time with everyone's favorite wacky cartoon crew!
3 hours - Gives "Kid Stuff..." Bored Moodlet for older sims not watching together with their child.SpoilerBored +1
Kid Stuff...
(From Watching TV)
Some of them wear pants, but others don't. What's going on there?
3 hours - Gives "Childish Viewing" Happy Moodlet for sims with Childish trait.SpoilerHappy +2
Childish Viewing
(From Watching TV)
Shows on the kid's channel are always better than that serious stuff.
3 hours - Satisfies Childish trait autonomy.
- Autonomously watched more with Family Bulletin Board on lot.
- Gives "Pirates and Pineapples!" Playful Moodlet for child sims.
- Fireplace Channel
- Can only be watched during winter or when the TV is upgraded.
- Gives "Feeling the Heat" Happy Moodlet when watched at winter. This will warm the sim up.SpoilerHappy +1
Feeling the Heat
(From Watching TV)
The digital flames look so real that [Sim Name] is instantly warm!
3 hours
- Music TV
- Can only be watched on an upgraded TV.
- Slowly builds Guitar skill.
- Sims with Music Lover trait have slightly more fun.
- Alien Channel (!#*%&$@%) (Get to Work)
- Requires a Satellite Dish on the lot (Scientist invention)
- Can give one of two Moodlets to aliens watching:
- "Reminded of Home" Happy MoodletSpoilerHappy +1
Reminded of Home
(From Watching Images of Home)
Looking at home through rose colored glasses.
4 hours - "Feeling Homesick" Sad MoodletSpoilerSad +1
Feeling Homesick
(From Watching Images of Home)
The fond memories of a home cooked meal, hanging out with friends, and not having to wear this disguise. Feeling homesick is terrible.
4 hours
- "Reminded of Home" Happy Moodlet
- BEtween TV (Kids Room Stuff)
- Gives "Watched BEtween TV" Happy Moodlet to sims watching (children and Childish sims are supposed to get it though).SpoilerHappy +1
Watched BEtween TV
(From Watching TV)
Too mature for kids, too cool for adults. Just right for [Sim Name]... BEtween!
3 hours - Satisfies Childish trait autonomy.
- Gives "Watched BEtween TV" Happy Moodlet to sims watching (children and Childish sims are supposed to get it though).
- Civic Public Access (City Living)
- Gives "Public Access Weirdness" Playful Moodlet when watched between 11 PM and 6 AM.SpoilerPlayful +1
Public Access Weirdness
(From Watching TV)
Was that a guy in a bear suit giving a speech about the benefits of pescatarianism?
3 hours
- Gives "Public Access Weirdness" Playful Moodlet when watched between 11 PM and 6 AM.
- PolitiSim (City Living)
- Nothing special it seems...
- World Culture Network (City Living)
- Nothing special it seems...
- TV Classics (Vintage Glamour Stuff)
- Nothing special it seems...
- Weather Forecast (Seasons)
- Watching the channel for too long makes the sim Climate Change Woke (allows talking about climate change) and gives them "Climate Change is Real!" Tense Moodlet for the first time.SpoilerTense +1
Climate Change is Real!
(From Watching Weather Television)
Let's talk about Climate Change, shall we?
3 hours
- Watching the channel for too long makes the sim Climate Change Woke (allows talking about climate change) and gives them "Climate Change is Real!" Tense Moodlet for the first time.
- Holiday Countdown (Seasons)
- By default on New Year's Eve holiday.
- Required to watch at 11 PM to complete tradition.
- Can be sabotaged during that time.
- Dream Home Decorator Network (Dream Home Decorator)
- Slowly builds Handiness skill.
- If your sim is in Interior Decorator career, the tooltip can change depending on how the last job went:
- Good: Watch Ace of Space on Dream Home Decorator
- Bad: Watch Failures 'N' Flops on Dream Home Decorator Network
- Gives a Confident Moodlet to sims in Interior Decorator career:
- If they're Creative:SpoilerConfident +1
A Home Decorating Show!
(From Watching TV)
I see what they were trying to do. I know that I can do that!
4 hours - If they're not Creative:SpoilerConfident +1
A Home Decorating Show!
(From Watching TV)
That was an interesting home makeover. I'll bet I can do even better!
2 hours
- If they're Creative:
- Gives an Inspired Moodlet to other sims.
- If they're Creative:SpoilerInspired +1
A Home Decorating Show!
(From Watching TV)
I never considered that room arrangement. I have so many new ideas I want to try now!
4 hours - If they're not Creative:SpoilerInspired +1
A Home Decorating Show!
(From Watching TV)
What a beautiful room. I want to try it!
2 hours
- If they're Creative:
- Brainchild Learning (Growing Together)
- Slowly builds child's Mental skill.
- Gives "Screen Smarts" Focused trait to child sims.SpoilerFocused +1
Screen Smarts
(From Watching TV)
Entertainment and education all happening in perfect harmony has helped sharpen [Sim Name]'s mind!
3 hours - Gives "Teaching to the Choir" Bored trait to older sims not watching it with their children.SpoilerBored +1
Teaching to the Choir
(From Watching TV)
[Sim Name] already learned all of this stuff as a child!
3 hours - Gives "Childish Viewing" Happy Moodlet for sims with Childish trait.SpoilerHappy +2
Childish Viewing
(From Watching TV)
Shows on the kid's channel are always better than that serious stuff.
3 hours - Satisfies Childish trait autonomy.
- Sitcom Central (Growing Together)
- Gives "Laughing Along" Playful Moodlet to sims.SpoilerPlayful +1
Laughing Along
(From Watching TV)
It's hard not to laugh along when a show has a laugh track!
3 hours - Gives "Laughing Along Together" Playful Moodlet to sims watching with their family members.SpoilerPlayful +2
Laughing Along Together
(From Watching TV)
That family is just like ours! Well, maybe not exactly, but sitcoms always seem funnier when watched alongside family.
3 hours - Not autonomously watched by Sad sims.
- Gives "Laughing Along" Playful Moodlet to sims.
- ScareMax (Growing Together)
- Can make sims run away from the TV.
- Can give a Scared Moodlet to sims:
- Gives "Yikes!" Sad Moodlet for Toddlers. They are also more likely to have a nightmare that day.SpoilerSad +2
Yikes!
(From Watching TV)
That scary channel was too much for [Sim Name].
2 hours - Not autonomously watched by Scared sims.
- Pony Up Kids Channel (Horse Ranch)
- Gives "Spurred by Drama" Happy Moodlet to children and Childish sims.SpoilerHappy +1
Spurred by Drama
(From Watching TV)
Tales about dangerous adventures, friendship, and Horses always tug at the heart!
3 hours - Gives "Can't Rein It In" Energized Moodlet to Horse Lover sims.SpoilerEnergized +1
Can't Rein It In
(From Watching TV)
How those kids and their Horses always manage to escape trouble leaves [Sim Name] feeling just as daring as them!
3 hours
- Gives "Spurred by Drama" Happy Moodlet to children and Childish sims.
- Wild West Channel (Horse Ranch)
- Gives "Ready to Ride Tall" Confident Moodlet to Horse Lover sims.SpoilerConfident +1
Ready to Ride Tall
(From Watching TV)
[Sim Name] might have learned a thing or two about wrangling Horses from watching Wild West TV! Watch out world!
3 hours
- Gives "Ready to Ride Tall" Confident Moodlet to Horse Lover sims.
Finally, there are four channels that can be unlocked (under spoilers):
- Super Reception upgrade unlocks Fireplace and Music channels.
- Fireplace channel is also temporarily unlocked when it's winter.
- Alien channel (!#*%&$@%) is unlocked by having a satellite dish on your lot (invented by scientist). You don't need the dish to be upgraded or have an alien in your household.
- Holiday Countdown channel is temporarily unlocked during holidays with Countdown to Midnight tradition.
Finally, if you have Movie Night stuff pack, besides the favorite movie genre declaration, traits also affect movie enjoyment. Here's a list on that too (+ for likes, - for dislikes)
- Action
- Active +
- Geek +
- Bro +
- Lazy +
- Self-Assured +
- Comedy
- Cheerful +
- Goofball +
- Clumsy + (Potion of Luck failure outcome included!)
- Gloomy -
- Family
- Childish +
- Family-Oriented +
- Good +
- Evil - (Begonia Scented flower gift included!)
- Hates Children -
- Horror
- Evil + (Begonia Scented flower gift included!)
- Gloomy +
- Erratic +
- Loner +
- Foodie -
- Romance
- Art Lover +
- Music Lover +
- Romantic +
- Jealous +
- Loner -
- Non-Committal -
Favorite movie declarations will also affect what genre of movie will your sim enjoy more in the cinema in San Sequoia (Growing Together). Well, except the family genre, as the cinema there shows kids genre rather.
And that's with TV stuff!
Also fun fact, when it's snowing and sim is near a fireplace, the sim will have more fun watching TV.
[SalixCat - Modified the title for clarity]