Re: What do you spend your time on?
by SheriGROriginal Post
@AndyZhang2896 No, if someone uses cc to build their sim or lot the cc does not download with the item from the gallery. If someone added cc hair to a sim, for instance, or a cc couch, if you did not already have that particular cc installed in your game when you download the sim it will be bald, and if you download the room or lot with the cc couch it will be missing.
No, I never use Mods or CC. I did begin using moo (the 'move objects on' cheat) and hidden objects in my builds within the last year. I drank the kool-aid and there is no going back. I am very careful, though, about how I use it, and it does make both my placement testing and play testing much more difficult. I spend days on testing to make sure that every aspect of and item in the build will place correctly for someone without moo activated or having to do any tricks/cheats/etc. to place it correctly, plus to make sure every aspect of the game is usable correctly to the sim in the game. I like to challenge myself by adding aspects to the build that are creative, budget-challenges, terrain height (which can be tricky) or other aspects that make it more fun or practical for the player using the build. I don't even play them any more much beyond the testing process, but I am absolutely driven to work way more hours on builds than I would want to admit just for the satisfaction of others downloading and enjoying them. This is the 'wind beneath my wings' so to speak. My motivator. 
And I usually add photos &/or paintings from other players to my builds and #tag them so others can find their artwork which makes them happy, and I even get to do some creative things like grow, nurture, and add to my gallery and builds plants for cooking during play, so that gives me a fun use for the work I put into those items in my game.
So... @PristineInsanity There is absolutely no need for you to be 'into' or enjoy building or making sims... If you enjoy playing them and want to download builds and households other players have made and shared in the gallery, you will find many thousands of players like me out there who are thrilled if you will try out our creations, because this is our favorite way to play! Symbiotic relationships abound here. :eahigh_file:
SheriGR 
– I play on Mac, no Mods or CC, & backup daily. I don’t work for EA.
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@PristineInsanity, I'm sorry I wasn't clear...
while creating Sims is one of my favorite aspects of this game, I do play the game in Live Mode more than I do anything else! 
Also, only 3 or 4 people have answered your question, so it you were to get 3 other people, they would most likely give you totally different answers! 
And like @SheriGR said there is no wrong way to play your game. I have a relative that started playing on console last year. She never uses the pause button and plans each Sim's activities in real time. She also never speeds up her game on her own , so she has the speed on the slowest speed while they are doing eating or going to the bathroom. But she is playing the game correctly for her! (It just drives me nuts to watch her since she tried to juggle a mulit-Sim household without using pause, which is something I haven't done in since TS1! ) But she might find my way of playing to be odd. 
Also , you will see people look down on others for using cheats... this is ridiculous since you aren't playing against anyone else!
I use cheats because I don't want every single household to be the same!
It gets old fast for me. I like a mix of income levels, skill levels, goals, etc. So, I often will use the free real estate cheat and maybe kaching several times and then I can give my Sims a nicer house, but when I want to play a struggling Sim starting out in her or his career, I do that as well, but just don't use cheats for them. And sometimes I use motherlode, especially if I'm exploring a new pack and want to test all of the objects in that pack! It isn't anyone else's game so I don't have to play by their "rules"! I will never cheat at a board game, or any game I'm playing with/against someone else, but TS4 isn't that kind of game! I do encourage experimenting with a few different gameplay types, but nobody should play in a way they don't like.
So, @PristineInsanity , you are playing the game right for you! 
@AndyZhang2896, Yes, I do not use CC or Mods! (I did some in TS2 and TS3, but in TS3 I had some major problems
and I never went back to using them. I don't like the problems Mods and CC create in your game, I don't like the upkeep involved, and the time I used to spend looking for CC could have better been spent playing the game! So in TS4 I never used either CC or mods. I also find that since I spend a lot of time helping others, it is best if I don't have Mods/CC because if I test something for them, I know my results are with a "vanilla" game and not something in which some mod could be interfering with!
With the Sims of mine in the Gallery, I usually upload fresh out of CAS... but I really need to place my more skilled Sims in the Gallery! I keep forgetting though! 
I also don't tag them a lot. I see the usefulness of tags, but some people put tags on them that are just trendy and don't really fit. For example, tagging the dog breed, or tagging that your household is a single parent household are useful tags, but tagging #cute or #sexy are annoying since what is considered cute or sexy is an individual thing and is really annoying. to me. But I probably should use some more tags than I already do!
@AndyZhang2896funny, I also put multiple outfits in several categories. Like you, I put multiple outfits in the Everyday outfit category, but unlike you, I only (usually) put one formal outfit in the Formal category (If the Sim is single, I might put a general Formal outfit, and also add a Formal outfit for a wedding if I plan on having that Sim get married!). But I usually do multiple outfits for the categories that are worn the most... Everyday, Sleep, Hot Weather, and Cold Weather, with usually only one outfit in Formal, Athletic, Party, and Swimwear. (Although, with Island Living, I started giving my Sims multiple swim outfits! ). :eahigh_file:
Yes, putting socks on my Sims with shoes that you would normally wear socks with it something I always do, even if you can't see the sock! Same goes for earrings.. If a Sim wears earrings, I consider their ears pierced, and I put earrings on for each outfit (sleep and exercise will get small earrings, though. With Swimwear on females, I often put on big hoops because some women really dress this way... they might dress more for "poolside" then actually dress for swimming! ) I also have a pet peeve about married Sims always wearing a wedding ring with each outfit! It really bothers me that the rings for the athletic and sleep categories don't' include rings, so I get rid of those tags and then I can put wedding rings on my Sims in those categories!
I also like to experiment with makeup .. especially if my Sim has the creative trait, I can go really wild with their makeup and clothing!
@stbnchristine, wow! You gameplay technique is very impressive! :eahigh_file: I might have to try that one of these days! My TS4 stories are more isolated. (To be honest, my best stories were with TS2, though). I love that your stories span so many households in complex situations!
And I'm glad you mentioned Renovating as a play style, since no one here has mentioned it!
@SassiLassi, no you would still have to get that CC item from whomever makes it. It just won't show up in your game, so if it is a shirt, you Sim might not have a shirt on, or if it is hair they might be bald.
