[FIXED] Sims Stop Writing to Read [ Edited ]

[MisplacedMel]

Product: The Sims 4
Platform:PC
Which language are you playing the game in? English
How often does the bug occur? Every time (100%)
What is your current game version number? 1.62.67.1020
What expansions, game packs, and stuff packs do you have installed? All
Steps: How can we find the bug ourselves? Place a desk with a computer and any of the groups of books that act as bookshelves on them. Tell your sim to write a book.
What happens when the bug occurs? The sim will sit down to write the book and within seconds cancel the book writing and grab a book from the mini bookshelf to read.
What do you expect to see? My sim writing the book I told them to write.
Have you installed any customization with the game, e.g. Custom Content or Mods? Never used.
Did this issue appear after a specific patch or change you made to your system? Yes
Please describe the patch or change you made. The update that turned the book decorative objects into bookshelves.

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This happened with the first household I played using the small book decoration named "Vintage Books" from base game after the update. It happened again today (05/30/2020). This is a new save, with a new family in a new home in a different world. I know I've repaired the game and there have been updates between the first issue and this one. I've attached a video showing the amount of time it takes for them to go from sitting down to write to getting up and grabbing a book. It's a cycle after that. You can cancel the read interaction, have them sit back down to write, and within seconds, they'll cancel the write action and pick up a book again.

If you place the books anywhere else in the house, even in the same room, it doesn't happen. It only occurs if the books are on the desk with the computer. This will also happen if they're on the top shelf of the City Living desk.

Edit By Crinrict: Added Tag to Title

[crinrict · Accepted solution]

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Talking of procrastinating, when your Sim sits down to write a book or term paper they should do just that and not pick up the nearest book and start reading instead. Now, where is our basketball?

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Fixed in Patch 1.102.190/1.82

Please create a new thread if you're still experiencing this issue,

[SqueamishNerd]

I also have this exact problem with the vintage books when placed on the same desk as the computer, and the problem disappears when placing the books anywhere else.

[SimDarlingYT]

This happens to me as well but not just when writing a book. It also happens when my University student sim sits down to write a term paper and when my business career sim sits down to do his "paperwork".

At one point my sim was in a rush to finish her term paper in time and I just had to put the books in the household inventory because she wouldn't stop trying to read!!! It was very frustrating.

[Ardnaxela56]

Thank you for figuring this out! I had no idea why only one of my sims couldn't seem to sit still at her desk and kept stopping to read.

[PandoraTO]

Wow, old thread, but this just happened to me. The sim stops writing at the computer to grab a book to read if there's a mini bookcase on the same desk. It seems to happen no matter which type of bookcase you place there. I moved the books somewhere else, and the problem was solved.

[pineappleyness]

I've had this problem for a while too, and noticed it more broadly in terms of activities: the sims will stop doing other activities on the computer like programming as well as writing in order to read books instead. I do tend to use the vintage books a lot, but i can think of at least one occasion where the Sim would frequently stop and walk to a bookcase in another room in order to read.

I've found that by queuing the interactions (eg. tell them to write twice or program twice) they will sit and do the activity without stopping.

[ArthieLefort]

I'm having this issue after the last patch (1.90).

Platform:PC
Which language are you playing the game in? Portuguese
How often does the bug occur? Every time (100%)
What is your current game version number? 1.90.358.1030
What expansions, game packs, and stuff packs do you have installed? All 
No mods.

[mrstank30]

I am new to this problem as of September 2023. I have not had any issues with a sim not completing tasks but the current house is a studio home with a desk and books on the desk with a laptop. She will not stay at the laptop for any length of time outside of 10 seconds. She gets up, grabs a book, walks outside and sets it on the table.

I took out the books and she will sit and complete her task (so far).
This has been a really annoying problem and seems like the dumbest glitch so far. Thanks to those in this thread who knew the issue. There was a small patch a few days ago and that's when this issue started for me.

[crinrict · Accepted solution]

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Talking of procrastinating, when your Sim sits down to write a book or term paper they should do just that and not pick up the nearest book and start reading instead. Now, where is our basketball?

---

Fixed in Patch 1.102.190/1.82

Please create a new thread if you're still experiencing this issue,