Trait Tips

iamsweetmystery

There are a number of Traits that are age-restricted. These Traits can be very beneficial, but Sims created as adults can never earn them on their own. The following Traits fit into this category. The "Cut-Off Point" following the Traits in the list refer to the youngest age at which a Sim can no longer earn the given Trait.

1. Top Notch Toddler (Cut-Off Point: Child)
2. Creatively Gifted (Cut-Off Point: Teen)
3. Mentally Gifted (Cut-Off Point: Teen)
4. Physically Gifted (Cut-Off Point: Teen)
5. Socially Gifted (Cut-Off Point: Teen)
6. Responsible (Cut-Off Point: Young Adult)
7. Good Manners (Cut-Off Point: Young Adult)
8. Compassionate (Cut-Off Point: Young Adult)
9. Mediator (Cut-Off Point: Young Adult)
10. Emotional Control (Cut-Off Point: Young Adult)
11. Scouting Aptitude (Cut-Off Point: Young Adult)
(#6-10 require the Parenthood Game Pack, #11 requires the Seasons Expansion Pack)

While the fact that older Sims can't earn these Traits might seem unfair if they were created too old or the appropriate Pack was downloaded after they outgrew them, there is a solution of course. There are cheat codes for all of these traits that can allow you to simulate the proper upbringing your unfortunate Sim may have missed out on. Said cheats are as follows...

1. traits.equip_trait Top_Notch_Toddler
2. traits.equip_trait CreativelyGifted
3. traits.equip_trait MentallyGifted
4. traits.equip_trait PhysicallyGifted
5. traits.equip_trait SociallyGifted
6. traits.equip_trait lifeSkills_Responsible
7. traits.equip_trait lifeSkills_GoodManners
8. traits.equip_trait lifeSkills_Compassionate
9. traits.equip_trait lifeSkills_Mediator
10. traits.equip_trait lifeSkills_EmotionalControl
11. traits.equip_trait ScoutingAptitude

Simmerville

Thanx. I never paid much attention to this, but especially sims being too old when a pack is released is quite sad. Might use a few of those cheats.

ShadyLady89

Thanks for putting this information together. I've run into this situation where I'd like to have certain traits for sims who missed the boat, and this will help.

iamsweetmystery

You're quite welcome. I'm glad this helped someone. I know it bugs me when a Sim can't earn certain key traits just because of their age. Top Notch Toddler and Scouting Aptitude increase Skill learning speed and Responsible is very useful as well. A Responsible Sim goes to work with their activity selection defaulted to "Work Hard" instead of "Work Normally" and they come home with their Daily Task already completed. To miss out on helpful Traits like those is almost tragic as they make managing a household that much less hectic.

simgirl1010

This is quite helpful. I've always thought the daily work task was monotonous so having it completed at work sounds good.

GalacticGal

iamsweetmystery wrote: »

There are a number of Traits that are age-restricted. These Traits can be very beneficial, but Sims created as adults can never earn them on their own. The following Traits fit into this category. The "Cut-Off Point" following the Traits in the list refer to the youngest age at which a Sim can no longer earn the given Trait.

1. Top Notch Toddler (Cut-Off Point: Child)
2. Creatively Gifted (Cut-Off Point: Teen)
3. Mentally Gifted (Cut-Off Point: Teen)
4. Physically Gifted (Cut-Off Point: Teen)
5. Socially Gifted (Cut-Off Point: Teen)
6. Responsible (Cut-Off Point: Young Adult)
7. Good Manners (Cut-Off Point: Young Adult)
8. Compassionate (Cut-Off Point: Young Adult)
9. Mediator (Cut-Off Point: Young Adult)
10. Emotional Control (Cut-Off Point: Young Adult)
11. Scouting Aptitude (Cut-Off Point: Young Adult)
(#6-10 require the Parenthood Game Pack, #11 requires the Seasons Expansion Pack)

While the fact that older Sims can't earn these Traits might seem unfair if they were created too old or the appropriate Pack was downloaded after they outgrew them, there is a solution of course. There are cheat codes for all of these traits that can allow you to simulate the proper upbringing your unfortunate Sim may have missed out on. Said cheats are as follows...

1. traits.equip_trait Top_Notch_Toddler
2. traits.equip_trait CreativelyGifted
3. traits.equip_trait MentallyGifted
4. traits.equip_trait PhysicallyGifted
5. traits.equip_trait SociallyGifted
6. traits.equip_trait lifeSkills_Responsible
7. traits.equip_trait lifeSkills_GoodManners
8. traits.equip_trait lifeSkills_Compassionate
9. traits.equip_trait lifeSkills_Mediator
10. traits.equip_trait lifeSkills_EmotionalControl
11. traits.equip_trait ScoutingAptitude

And here, I chose to start my rotation game save just to incorporate Parenthood, and then Seasons! Face/palm. Thank you so much for the cheat list.

kalaksed

there are actually a few more hidden traits like these, too. though all are for sims born from various 'try for baby' attempts

trait_OccultVampire_BatBaby (from vampire parents trying for baby in bat form. the young vampire will automatically have batform for free when they age up to teen)
trait_OccultVampire_DarkLeyLine (from being born from 'try for baby' on a lot with dark ley lines. means can be a vampire even if neither parent is)
trait_HolidayTradition_FatherWinterBaby (from a sim trying for baby with father winter. the child apparently gets satisfaction points at twice the normal rate)

and then there's the recently discovered:
trait_Hidden_LighthouseConception (not sure what, if anything, this trait gives. but a handful of people are very slowly working on testing it!)

also editing to add that there are also negative traits related to parenthood values, if you want to make challenging sims with them
trait_LifeSkills_UncontrolledEmotion (throws tantrums if things don't go their way)
trait_LifeSkills_BadManners (like the slob trait turned up to 11)
trait_LifeSkills_Unfeeling (...not actually sure what gameplay changes this does, but it's from negative empathy)
trait_LifeSkills_Irresponsible
trait_LifeSkills_Argumentative

the keye family, used in the parenthood trailers, i gave the mother all the good parenthood value traits and the father all the bad ones. it's actually quite funny to watch in action. since a parent with the bad manners trait can actually cheer their kids on for using bad manners interactions, reinforcing the bad values. if you want them to

ShadyLady89

@kalaksed thanks for adding these! Just as useful for gameplay as the positive ones.

kalaksed

unfortunately, some of the parenthood traits (both positive and negative) work...oddly with other things, especially certain careers

like, i made a mobster type sim in the criminal career. both responsible and well-mannered, because that's often how the 'good' mobsters are portrayed. yet, because of those, he'd always get tense at having to do mean or mischief interactions for his job/ambition

ShadyLady89

@kalaksed that's unfortunate. However, you could purchase the carefree reward trait which keeps sims from ever getting tense again. Or just cheat that moodlet away I guess.

calaprfy

In a previous game, one of my teens kept trolling forums and landed the negative empathy trait. It did affect him once he aged up as he was mean and fought anyone.

I have heard the irresponsible trait though will make a sim tense every time they go to work so I avoid that one.

iamsweetmystery

@kalaksed - I didn't know about the DarkLeyLine Cheat. thanks. That could be useful. I'll have to add it to my cheats document. Keep us posted if you find out what that Lighthouse one does. I'm super curious.

iamsweetmystery

I just tried the DarkLeyLine cheat and it didn't seem to do anything. I don't know if I'm doing it wrong, or if there are certain rules I'm not aware of. I could use more info about this.

invisiblgirl

The Compassionate trait allows a Sim to 'calm emotions' and 'share burdens', which is rather useful with the death notifications being a bit overwhelming. The 'calm emotions' interaction is rather cool - the Sim sends a shower of golden light over the sad sim.

iamsweetmystery

Calm Emotions is pretty nice. I wound up in a conversation recently with a Sim who was Angry before the conversation started. I didn't know he was Angry at first, as I was introducing my Sim to them for the first time. I used that interaction to turn the chat pleasant.

paradiseplanet

iamsweetmystery wrote: »

I just tried the DarkLeyLine cheat and it didn't seem to do anything. I don't know if I'm doing it wrong, or if there are certain rules I'm not aware of. I could use more info about this.

I don't think it actually does anything unless you actually make sims conceive a child while in a lot with a dark ley line trait. That trait is probably just an indicator that the child was born out of a very dark conception.

x4m1r4

paradiseplanet wrote: »

iamsweetmystery wrote: »

I just tried the DarkLeyLine cheat and it didn't seem to do anything. I don't know if I'm doing it wrong, or if there are certain rules I'm not aware of. I could use more info about this.

I don't think it actually does anything unless you actually make sims conceive a child while in a lot with a dark ley line trait. That trait is probably just an indicator that the child was born out of a very dark conception.

In my game, I have this trait for the lot. One of the twins that were born here is a vampire.

iamsweetmystery

Right. The Lot Trait works, but the cheat to give that Trait to a Sim doesn't seem to have any effect. It's likely a hidden indicator Trait but it doesn't actually turn the Sim into a Vampire. However, if you remove the "_DarkLeyLine" part of the cheat, it does. I suspect DarkLeyLine and BatBaby are simply Hidden Traits that say how a born vampire was conceived but will have no effect on a human Sim.

kalaksed

hmm...i haven't been in the game for a little while (again), but does giving 'batbaby' hidden trait to an existing vampire without bat power give them the bat power for free?


ok, editing to say i tested this out. created a brand new vampire sim with no powers, gave them the batbaby trait (with and without the 'trait_' in front, to double check) and they didn't get the power added. i also aged up my one child sim who was conceived by two vampires in bat form. she doesn't have the trait listed, even when i check with a mod that shows hidden traits, yet she has the bat form ability automatically (and 3 points to spend instead of the usual starting 2)

iamsweetmystery

Very strange business, these vampire cheats. Maybe they truly are occult...