Storytelling players: Do you ever use cheats to set up your stories?

Absolutely, especially freerealestate. I use less money cheats now than when I started and only if I really need to, but otherwise I cheat most of the time. At the start of a save I might give my sims some skill points if the story calls for it and I fix their relationships for them. Plus I usually end up maxing out their needs a few times.

I set up a lot of pre-existing relationships throughout the world - established families are established with skills, jobs, relationships, and clubs with aging off. Sometimes I take control of those Sims to play an arc from their view point - especially if they need to do something nefarious and specific. My core families usually only have cheats applied that harm their position, usually cheats that doc them money for actions that would take money in the real world (traveling long distances, entry fees*, etc.), but their friends will get a helping hand at age up, otherwise they'll be elders with cooking 1 and still be burning their house down every time I visit. Core families also have skill progress slowed via MCCC since they get a ton of playtime per age category, and a cheat enforced cap on skills per age category, unless the skill is their one singular focus.

Every now and again I'll play out some unrelated story with those cheated premades - like Raj murdering his mom by pufferfish, with the assistance of his neighbors. It doesn't bother me that loads of cheats were applied to set up Raj's bad relationship with Mom or for everyone involveds financial situation.

Not exactly a cheat, bit along the same vein I add filthy to almost every house lot I play in or visit, just so there's some chance Sims will need to clean something - everything breaks too often, but gets dirty too uncommonly by default for my taste.

* LittleMsSam has a mod for this, but it uses a lot trait, which is very coveted on commercial lots, and the prices are more compatible with high rollers than dingy nightclubs and bars my Sims frequent, so I just cheat my cover charges.

I used to do this for TS3 and I have done this in TS4, but not as often. I think it's safe to guess that if one is playing the Sims, they end up with having some kind of story, whether they share it or not. I'm not a full blown story teller but I do share what's happening in my game on a different platform. Some, like myself prefer to just let the game unfold and adapt my story to it-with a little "intervention" when called for.

It depends on the household and save.

My strict storytelling save is basically just lots and a lot of posing done, so I'll have to cheat money for any other little items I might've forgotten when I made/edited the lot.

For my actual gameplay save, I don't use cheats with my super sims, gameplay, or legacy heirs. I use cheats for my townies, however; I have to cas.fulleditmode my townies or else I'll lose my mind lmao

I nearly always use the money cheat when starting a new game. Part of my enjoyment is building the house that will suit my Sims, and I don't want to be hampered by limited finances. Sometimes, I'll use cheats in BB to get access to things that can't be purchased, or that only come with certain careers. I'm more interested in the challenge of keeping motives full, learning skills and advancing in careers or (for kids and tots, learning).

Unapologetic cheater here, but I don't really see it as cheating, since we're not keeping score or playing against each other, and there really are no rules to this game. I see it more as using the resources I have at my disposal to advance my story the way I want it to advance. I mostly use the fill motive cheat, usually in the mornings when they're scrambling to get to work or school, or if they have a lot of toddlers in the house. I also typically marry my sims in CAS, since weddings often take so plumming long, and I'm also not above genetically engineering a toddler or two for the family in CAS either. I also use TwistedMexi's mod to toggle off Strangerville mystery of it's not relevant to the story & cheat through some aspirations, especially the children's, as long as they've reached the skill levels needed.

I like to think that I don't use cheats, but I do use mods to increase the bills. I also use mods to see Sims' traits and to summon them to specific lots.

Also, when children move out, I cheat so that they can afford whatever house I've built for them and then cheat again to remove that amount from their parents' family funds.

I like to use cheats to set up the starting point for my played sims. I usually move them into whatever house I want with freerealestate (usually a big house or special style with only few and basic furniture inside) and then cheat their money back to 100. That way I can set up a specific feel for a story and have them build up their lives with very little savings but higher bills due to the big house.

And of course for setting up neighbours or cousins to visit. They get houses, jobs and a few skills that suit them. But this is only for 'supporting cast' as in sims I like to have around but never intend to play.

Interesting to see I am not the only one who cheats regularly. I also sometimes use UI Cheats Extension to cheat needs up or down. I often run into the problem that the energy need fills way too fast so my sims are completely rested after only 6 hours of sleep.