Rookie mistakes you made when first playing the Sims 3

[Fellly]

I've been playing sims for about 9 years...?
I started with The sims (1), then The Sims 2 and now The Sims 3.
The first time I ran the sims 3 I couldn't figure out how to play a family. I remember there were no 'selectable' homes to choose from (i hadn't seen the choose household option). I thought the game was broken..After some time I realised what I had to do..For a while I was still really slow at choosing and changing households.

[Katluvr]

I finally found out yesterday that you can pause the game and que up 'to do' lists.  I thought clicking something else would cancel what they were already doing duh!

Wait, what?!  I've noticed that if a sim is about to do something (e.g., eat something, use the toilet, go to bed) and you click something else for them to do (e.g., clean the shower, weed the garden, etc.) the first action will get cancelled.  If I let the sim actually start eating or sit down on the toilet then I can queue up other actions without cancelling the current action.  I always do this without pausing the game.  Are you saying that pausing the game prevents the current action from being cancelled when you queue up additional actions?!  How cool! 

I guess I'm still making rookie mistakes...
I prefer to think of it as just fine-tuning my game, though.   

[Hosfac]

Wait, what?!  I've noticed that if a sim is about to do something (e.g., eat something, use the toilet, go to bed) and you click something else for them to do (e.g., clean the shower, weed the garden, etc.) the first action will get cancelled.  If I let the sim actually start eating or sit down on the toilet then I can queue up other actions without cancelling the current action.

It will only cancel autonomous actions like you described.  Anything you cue up yourself will not cancel the action before it.  You can cue up to 8 actions in a row that the Sim will complete unless their needs would prevent them from doing them. 

If a need starts getting low, the Sim will autonomously insert an action into the cue after the action in progress that will fulfill the need, and will continue with the rest of the actions once it is handled.  However, if you cancel the autonomous action, the need may drop to the point to where the Sim would be unwilling to perform the cued actions, and will drop the rest of the cue when the need hits that point.

[jessiethedog]

I only just discovered you can click on some moodlets (e.g. the hunger-related ones, the energy-related ones) and an interaction for it will be added to the queue

[ClayMask]

When I first got The Sims 3, World Adventures was already out, so I got it too.  I installed them both but thought I'd try playing my first sim without traveling.  I ended up with an opportunity to turn in some renoit grapes, but had no idea how to get them.  I kept growing normal grapes and trying to turn them into renoit grapes somehow.  I also thought I had to cancel the sleep interaction to make my sim wake up, so I never got the well rested moodlet.  The third big mistake I made was I didn't realize that I should select an option from the drop down menu when my sim went to work, so they always had business as usual selected.  Because of this I couldn't figure out how to meet coworkers, which were important from my sim's career since she was in culinary.

[Sportsfan]

I literally didn't realize that the world editor existed until a week ago.

[Audren]

It must have taken me over a year before I realized that the max number of people able to live in one household was eight. (I don't think I knew that until I found the Immortal Dynasty Challenge) For the longest time, I was quite confused as to why I couldn't have my Sim marry her boyfriend.

[chemeia]

I've been playing a few months and have no clue about the dresser and mirror.  I have used the mirror to level up on charisma, however.  I guess that goes to show you how well I pay attention.

[MarianT]

Chemeia, if you go to the dresser, you get an option to "plan outfit." Click on that, and you can get a new wardrobe for your Sim. With the mirror, if you click on "change appearance," you can get a new hairstyle or make-up. This works for toddlers, too.

To keep this on topic, my first half-dozen toddlers looked dreadful! Bald little girls in diapers and t-shirts, shoes that didn't match their outfits, or no shoes with their "formal" clothing.

[AnnBeiFong]

My very first rookie mistake was telling my mom that I didn't want Sims 3 because Sims 2 had everything I wanted and more... And then I went to play Sims 2 and my entire family burned to a crisp in a house fire. It's like the universe was telling me to GET SIMS 3. I didn't get it until the next Christmas. So glad.

For a while, building just went over my head. I would place furniture fine, but making a whole new house had to be completely outside. Walls eluded me. I am so glad that's over. 

[CowgirlBlues]

I had similar attachments to my Sims 2 game. It was only when the computer died, and I bought a new laptop, and my boyfriend bought me The Sims 3 when it came out. I was pretty rusty when I finally started playing again, but I played day and night with enthusiasm and mostly played with the families.

I didn't realize toddlers could use the mirror or dresser, because I thought it would be too high for them. So they only used the long mirror that reached the floor to change hairstyle and makeup, but never clothes, until I read about it on the guide.

Also, I was playing the game on my laptop on the couch late one night, and fell asleep. My house caught on fire, and several Sims died. My boyfriend saw the carnage on the screen, and took a screenshot, and paused the game. I was sad and surprised when I woke up and found the house burnt down and littered with urns!

[MoMoll]

Also, I was playing the game on my laptop on the couch late one night, and fell asleep. My house caught on fire, and several Sims died. My boyfriend saw the carnage on the screen, and took a screenshot, and paused the game. I was sad and surprised when I woke up and found the house burnt down and littered with urns!

I hear you. I forgot to pause the game when cooking and came back to find everyone in the house dead from starvation. At least my real family ate well.

[Fellly]

Don't laugh at me but I've recenlty found out that:
1) sims can actually change the doorbell..How amazing!
2) there is a second voice for children that I've never heard before..Really the only way to have a kid in the town with the 2nd voice is to make them yourself as CAS??!I LOVE this voice.So cute.

[MarianT]

I'm not laughing -- I didn't know either of these. So I can change the doorbell so it doesn't sound like our RL doorbell? Great!

[AnnBeiFong]

I'm definitely not laughing. I had no clue that I could change the doorbell, and I haven't made a kid in CAS in forever...