[FIXED] Sims Obsessed with Workbench [ Edited ]

[FutureGildaR]

Ever since I installed City Life, sims that have a workbench in their households become obsessed with it, to the point that they will neglect their needs and cancel out actions in their queue in favor of sculpting. I noticed that at the museum in the Arts Quarter, NPCs now autonomously make sculptures. Maybe this is where the issue came from? I don't mind if my sims like to sculpt autonomously, but right now it's just way too much. 

[crinrict · Accepted solution]

Fixed in Patch 1.28.25

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• Sims will no longer woodwork to the exclusion of all else.

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[crinrict]

On a unmodded, vanilla game ?

EDIT: Can't seem to replicate this. Are you living in a house or apartment ? Do they need a certain skill level to become obsessed ?

Mine does use it quite often but she does a lot of other things too and does take care of her needs.

[dolldrms1]

@crinrict , in my existing pre-patch, pre-install CL save this is happening in in my game, too.  I don't think skill level affects this.  I've about decided that positioning of the object on the lot might.  On a small lot with the workbench set up right outside the back door, the obsession is constant.  I also have one on the Villareal lot in WB that is placed much farther away from the house.  Although autonomous use there is quite frequent, it isn't as bad as the house where it is outside the back door.  My sims aren't neglecting their needs, either.

If you want to see the obsessive behavior in progress, try downloading Highlander Crest 1 house by Buttonsginger. I use it on the empty 30X20 lot in WC.  Even when NPC sims are over visiting, they are obsessed with the workbench as well.  One instance was quite humorous.  A household of 4 on that lot had 4 visitors over and it suddenly started to look like a contest for workbench control, lol.

After that workbench free-for-all, I found 4 incomplete projects in the household inventory.  Probably because I would have a household member interact with whichever NPC was using the bench breaking off usage, only to have another sim fairly quickly exit the house and start a project.  Also, the sim father had autonomouly started yet another project and I directed him to go to bed.  I tried to have his son scrap the project after watering the garden.  The son gave the swiping motion to it to scrap it but it didn't disappear from the workbench.  I had to get the father back up to successfully scrap the project so there may be a secondary issue other than just the appeal.  I haven't tried to replicate that yet.

I now put the workbenches in the household inventory and pull them out when I want to direct a sim to use one. The workbench just seems to be broadcasting a really strong appeal, especially when placed really close to a house.  I don't mind autonomous use of objects like the workbench by sims at all.  I've even hoped to see more autonomous usage of fun objects like the foosball table and dart board by NPCs.  I don't want to see usage stopped, just toned down a wee bit for balance, if possible.

I haven't placed a workbench in an apartment.  In my new save I'm in the smaller less expensive units so there isn't really any room for one.  However, based on the old save's happenings, I don't think I'll be putting one into an apartment setting, lol.  Sims can just go to the new Arts Center

Edited to Add:  Unmodded, vanilla game.

[crinrict]

Well, there's a lot of obsession over objects. Mine do that with many things and I wouldn't call that a bug. It's just something that needs tweaking and more something for the feedback section.

What bothers me about this, was the neglecting of needs, which in my opinion would make it a bug

You're saying you don't see that part @dolldrms1

So, unsure what to do with this.

[dolldrms1]

I actually agree with you @crinrict , which is why I didn't file a bug report when I first saw the issue.  I, too, feel the usage is more a feedback issue.

It bothered me when another household sim couldn't scrap the project.  I shouldn't have had to get the sim up who started the project to do so.  It was as if the game was treating another sim trying to do it like he was trying to "swipe" it as opposed to scrapping it, although he doesn't have the Klepto trait.  I will be trying to replicate that.  I would consider another household sim unable to scrap a project a bug but am unsure yet whether or not that was a one time glitch.  Have to get back to that household to check because it happened right before I saved to rotate to another household and is on my list to recheck.

Also agree if usage causes a sim to ignore needs that's a problem but still seems more like feedback.  I didn't seem to have that issue, at least not yet.  If I do, I'll post back.  I can see why you are unsure of what to do with this now. 

[crinrict]

I've added this for now

Let's see if we can get some feedback from other people as well.

[helenthehunter]

I'm also finding the woodwork bench is too attractive.  The sims haven't yet neglected their needs but they do drop queues to use it.  Same result with and without mods.

Outdoor Retreat, Get To Work, Dine Out, Get Together, City Living, Spa Day, Kids Room Stuff installed.

ETA, Distance doesn't seem to affect attractiveness, they will go down 2 floors or all the way to the other end of the lot to use it.

[Joria]

I have this issue as well.  It's not a fix but what I did was put the workbench in my inventory.  A locked room would work as well.  Yes, it's a pain but it keeps the Sims off the bench.

[tommynocker001]

Spoiler

There is quite a long list of things that seem to suffer with this same issue;

Adults that have the childish moodlet will cancel out queues to play with toys exclusively, to the point of starvation.

The computer tournament obsession. One that I have documented on in another thread.

...

The inability to read more than two pages of a book before putting it down. Authors who have to read their own written books!

... I'm sure there are more, I've just forgotten most of them!

[stockingfeet]

also more than one sim can use it, I'll tell Bob to make a sculpture cancel it before finished and get him to shower for example, But then Eliza will go and make her own sculpture over Bob's. Later Bob can finish his.  Now I don't mind this glitch, except when a neighbour then uses it over one or both of theirs, when delete object the whole lot goes.