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Skills As Hobbies

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This is something I've been doing for quite a while and with the imminent release of the University pack, I thought it might be an interesting time to ponder this one in more depth.
We haven't had an *official* hobby pack since Sims 2, where Freetime brought in a variety of activities and 10 different hobbies. However, I've been using the expanded skills in Sims 4 to create the hobbies for my sims and most of them fit very nicely into one of the original ten categories from Sims 2.

Arts & Crafts
• Painting
• Photography
Cuisine
• Baking
• Cooking
• Gourmet Cooking
• Mixology
Film & Literature
• Acting
• Writing
Fitness
• Fitness
• Wellness
Games
• Video Gaming
Music & Dance
• Dance
• DJ
• Guitar
• Media Production
• Piano
• Singing
• Violin
Nature
• Archaeology
• Flower Arranging
• Gardening
• Herbalism
Science
• Logic
• Robotics
• Rocket Science
Sports ~ No specific skills but activities instead
• Basketball
• Football (Soccer)
Tinkering
• Handiness
• Programming (?)

I've missed off a few, I know but these are the ones I'm currently using in my game (in the case of some, will be when the new pack release) plus some, like the Selvadoradian Culture, didn't quite fit into those categories. So with each new pack that adds new skills, I'm adding to the list of hobbies.

I also use the club system from Get Together to create hobby groups and that's where things like the bowling can come in.

So I was wondering if anybody else uses the skills and clubs, or any other method, to provide their sims with hobbies? a054.gif
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Comments

  • Sigzy05Sigzy05 Posts: 19,406 Member
    Supernatural:
    • Vampiric lore

    Music and Dance:
    • Pipe Organ

    Games:
    • Bowling
    • Mischief (?)

    Film and Literature:
    • Comedy
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  • MissyHissyMissyHissy Posts: 2,022 Member
    edited November 2019
    Thanks for the vampire ones. I don't have the pack, I had no idea what came in it. I was wondering about the mischief one too. I think it probably does work under games, because they tend to pull pranks and such. Comedy for film and literature is a good idea <3
    Post edited by MissyHissy on
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  • annaliese39annaliese39 Posts: 2,797 Member
    Yes, I use skills as hobbies too. My main sim is a good vampire who likes to keep himself busy to help him manage his thirst. He enjoys singing and playing the piano and guitar, playing chess, jogging and working out, yoga and meditation, dancing, cooking, baking, skating, and archaeology. He also enjoys writing and is a member of the Avant Gardes book club. Once he becomes their leader they will also play musical instruments and chess together. He will probably develop an interest in painting as well once he becomes a student at Britechester. My sim's partner enjoys fishing, gardening, herbalism, sparring, upgrading/repairing objects and woodworking.

    I really hope we get more hobbies and skills in the near future. I would especially love knitting/sewing and embroidery so my sim can make cute little decorations, toys, blankets, and warm clothing for his loved ones. Origami, dominoes, horse riding and fencing would be perfect for him too. I would also love more hobbies/activities for younger sims, particularly ballet.
  • happyopihappyopi Posts: 1,355 Member
    edited November 2019
    Fishing ! is a really good nature hobby.

    Far fetched but I feel like fitness could be broken down further: some sims are into boxing, others like rock climbing or martial art.
    Handiness has a sorta sub category in sculpting, both wooden sculptures and pumpkin carving (clay isn't linked to handiness, but still fits. Although I wish we could bake the result and keep it forever).
    Same with logic, could be interest in astronomy or chemistry, could be chess aficionado.
    Skills covering broad subjects have several hobbies within them, and that helps me with making sims even more unique.

    And not a skill (it's not dependant on herbalism I think ?) but one of my sims is really into entomology with Outdoor Retreat. Plus walking sticks make adorable pets for kids.
    If only spawners weren't limited to Granite Falls. Making interesting gameplay niche is the surest way to ensure your players forget about it.
    Post edited by happyopi on
  • MissyHissyMissyHissy Posts: 2,022 Member
    @annaliese39 I love your ideas for other hobbies. I'd love to see knitting/sewing too, I think they'd add a lot of items to the game.
    @happyopi It's funny because I often break down the skills in my head to give more customised hobbies to each sim. Like you say, most can be broken down to provide extra hobbies. You've got some lovely suggestiosn there a025.gif
    *All my mods can be found on The Daily Plumbob*MiAqoAE.png
  • Phantasi33Phantasi33 Posts: 181 Member
    I've always been saying that players can literally use the skills we have in the game as hobbies, so I'm not sure why a hobbies pack would be necessary. I whole-heartedly agree with this post.
  • SimmervilleSimmerville Posts: 11,644 Member
    I never thought of categorizing them into the 10 hobbies from TS2. Seems to be a good spread! I might have put Archaeology under Arts & Crafts instead of Nature though, but I guess both might work.

    I do have hobbies for some of my sims, but I use it more like defining interests than to actually build skills. In my online residents registry I programmed the script to consider each sim's skills and traits etc, and then to suggest a hobby for them based on all that. Of course a sim can choose whatever hobby they like, one point of a hobby might even be to do something new and different.
    Simmerville on Youtube | My blog is updated weekly: Simmerville's Sims<br>a.jpg
  • sirguylittlesirguylittle Posts: 776 Member
    edited November 2019
    I do have hobbies for some of my sims, but I use it more like defining interests than to actually build skills. In my online residents registry I programmed the script to consider each sim's skills and traits etc, and then to suggest a hobby for them based on all that. Of course a sim can choose whatever hobby they like, one point of a hobby might even be to do something new and different.

    Wow, that's quite a lot of detail you've built up!
  • SimmervilleSimmerville Posts: 11,644 Member
    I do have hobbies for some of my sims, but I use it more like defining interests than to actually build skills. In my online residents registry I programmed the script to consider each sim's skills and traits etc, and then to suggest a hobby for them based on all that. Of course a sim can choose whatever hobby they like, one point of a hobby might even be to do something new and different.

    Wow, that's quite a lot of detail you've built up!

    Thanks! I always made lots of notes for my sims games, so I figured I could just a well organize it in a script. Most info is simplified, like I only count reaching level 5 of a career as a promotion, and skills are updated only when someone in the household has a birthday, etc. Wish the game would have these kind of registries, though. It gets tedious to visit each and every household to check on details.
    Simmerville on Youtube | My blog is updated weekly: Simmerville's Sims<br>a.jpg
  • IlkavelleIlkavelle Posts: 41 Member
    Nice categorization :) I also use skills as hobbies in combination with club system :smiley: because why not? it's normal that if we do something as hobby usually we become better in it with time. Yoga is hobby and in the same time it's a skill.
    I think better than hobby pack they would do adding some talent system.
    My site: SimsQuest | Twitter
  • DaepheneDaephene Posts: 1,760 Member
    You could add a category of learning or discovery and lump together vampire lore, selvadoradan culture and maybe archaeology. And the research and debate skill coming soon.

    I do think that there's almost too much already in the game for a whole hobby pack, but I would really like the toy making and sewing activities back, so hopefully they'll fit in with another theme.
  • alan650111alan650111 Posts: 3,295 Member
    edited November 2019
    I desperately think that Sims 4 needs a pack like Freetime! We need to bring back hobby enthusiasm and a pack of at least 8 fleshed out skills of different variety. This pack wouldn't need a new world so all their time could be focused on making fun skills for gameplay! I really really hope we get a pack like this next year! There are literally thousands of hobbies/skills that could be added into a pack like this. It also would be a way to develop Sim personalities.
  • alan650111alan650111 Posts: 3,295 Member
    Daephene wrote: »
    You could add a category of learning or discovery and lump together vampire lore, selvadoradan culture and maybe archaeology. And the research and debate skill coming soon.

    I do think that there's almost too much already in the game for a whole hobby pack, but I would really like the toy making and sewing activities back, so hopefully they'll fit in with another theme.

    Too many skills in the game??! Never! There literally are so many different activities people pursue in real life and Sims needs to mimic that as often as they can. Skills are one of the best things for any Sims game. They give you variety and flavor for each character you make. The best ones are those that have good progression as you rank up and give you progressively stronger benefits from the prior step. Anyway, long story short, I don't think there can ever be too many skills in the game! :)
  • WallSims4everWallSims4ever Posts: 755 Member
    edited November 2019
    Great post! To me, a hobbies pack would be completely unecessary. They should just add more activities and skills, as they do with most packs. Combining those with the club system, we have a great hobbie experience.

    I understand not everyone owns all the packs or Get Together, so a hobbies pack could be handy for them. I'd be fine with just more things to do and skills.

    Like, instead of a hobbies pack, we could have bands added to the game in a Showtime time of pack, sewing could come in an elders pack, canning could come in a Farming pack etc.
  • babajaynebabajayne Posts: 1,866 Member
    I like the idea of them having a natural talent for certain things, that would be fun to find. I don’t lump skills together in categories like this because even great musicians have their specialty in say, piano, but don’t necessarily have a talent for guitar. As my sims find themselves with extra time on their hands, I decide what hobby they might enjoy and I try to stick with it. Sometimes it’s influenced by a career reward that gives an aura and I narrow it down from there. For instance, if I have lots of items that I can put it an office that give the focused aura, someone should take advantage of that and do some programming or video gaming. Or if I collect a bunch of extra elements I’ll add them to the garden for a focused boost and add a chess table and woodworking bench nearby, too. I love to find excuses to make rooms or areas dedicated to a certain vibe.

    I’ve started putting mini representations of the hobbies up on shelves in their bedrooms (especially kids and teens) to remind me. It helps use up extra cash too when you put a second grand piano in the house just for looks. My sims are always swimming in cash.

    I wish more lots on the gallery had more nooks carved out for activities. There’s a lot of great builds but some of the decor is just for show.
  • SimmervilleSimmerville Posts: 11,644 Member
    babajayne wrote: »
    ... I’ve started putting mini representations of the hobbies up on shelves in their bedrooms (especially kids and teens) to remind me. It helps use up extra cash too when you put a second grand piano in the house just for looks. My sims are always swimming in cash. ...

    I try doing this too, decorating their room to match a hobby. It is still hard to remember the next time I play their house.

    Maybe all we need is a mini hobby-tab in the sim UI, where we could just write their hobby? Like the Job registry feature allows us to describe a CC job. If I could easily see their hobby (if any) when in game, it would attach more to their personality as it might affect some of their choices in life, even.

    I really miss the Interests they had in TS2. Whatever they did back then, affected what they would talk about to others. What they did/talked about most often, would easily become their top interest, and seeing their highest interests would be useful when finding them a hobby.
    Simmerville on Youtube | My blog is updated weekly: Simmerville's Sims<br>a.jpg
  • calaprfycalaprfy Posts: 3,927 Member
    I'd like to see more hobby objects sims can do together, eg. playing foosball.
  • alan650111alan650111 Posts: 3,295 Member
    babajayne wrote: »
    ... I’ve started putting mini representations of the hobbies up on shelves in their bedrooms (especially kids and teens) to remind me. It helps use up extra cash too when you put a second grand piano in the house just for looks. My sims are always swimming in cash. ...

    I try doing this too, decorating their room to match a hobby. It is still hard to remember the next time I play their house.

    Maybe all we need is a mini hobby-tab in the sim UI, where we could just write their hobby? Like the Job registry feature allows us to describe a CC job. If I could easily see their hobby (if any) when in game, it would attach more to their personality as it might affect some of their choices in life, even.

    I really miss the Interests they had in TS2. Whatever they did back then, affected what they would talk about to others. What they did/talked about most often, would easily become their top interest, and seeing their highest interests would be useful when finding them a hobby.

    Like I mentioned about about Free Time, hobby enthusiasm would be a great feature to bring back. I am glad you mentioned the conversations they had about their hobbies in TS2 because I'd like to see that back again in a hobby pack too. It really does add another layer when you can actually see your sims discussing hobbies they enjoy. I love that. I think most simmers would be gleeful if they announced a hobby/Free Time pack and it would sell well.
  • DenimChloeDenimChloe Posts: 58 Member
    I think this would be a great idea. I've only played Sims 2 a little bit and I don't think I ever had that pack. My own few hobbies are already listed as skills in the game so, as of right now, I use the skills as hobbies. If they had a hobbies pack, I would definately buy it, it would be something completely new to me.
  • Livin in SimLivin in Sim Posts: 1,145 Member
    edited November 2019
    calaprfy wrote: »
    I'd like to see more hobby objects sims can do together, eg. playing foosball.

    There is a foosball table that came with Get Together.

    I really miss Playing Catch. And the Frisbees that came with Uni in TS3, I think it was. They were just so easy to keep in the Inventory and do anywhere, with another Sim. The keepie-uppie game that is coming in DU will be good, but that game is just for one Sim. Edit: Oops, I was thinking keepie-uppie was for one Sim, but I saw two Sims playing it together in Deli's vid! It looks great.
    Post edited by Livin in Sim on
  • MissyHissyMissyHissy Posts: 2,022 Member
    edited November 2019
    If they did do a hobbies pack, it would be lovely to go with @alan650111's idea of having some new fleshed out skills. I think some sports ones would be handy - I can only think of football and basketball right now and they're not even skills.
    Things like the knitting, sewing etc would be wonderful, especially for any stay-at-home mums or dads (or grandparents, come to think of it).

    icemunmun has made a few other objects, with skills, that could also be included as hobbies, if you're not averse to CC:
    Canning ~ comes with 10 level skill in canning.
    Candle Making ~ comes with a ten level skill in candle making.
    Nectar Making ~ once again, a 10 level skill in nectar making. <3
    Post edited by MissyHissy on
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  • babajaynebabajayne Posts: 1,866 Member
    edited November 2019
    If they do add knitting, I just hope they do it justice. When I finally saw the yarn bombed Foxbury statue (in a GC video) I thought -Yes! That’s a good depiction of it. (Well I am sure some of that would be crochet too) 🧶

    Knitting/crochet projects are very portable and I don’t want to be stuck at a table while doing it. There should be a project bag that can go in one’s personal inventory so they can knit anywhere. There should also be a cabinet for their stash. Can you tell I am a knitter? 😆
    And of course whatever they make should look good and make sense, too.
  • SilentKittySilentKitty Posts: 4,665 Member
    I do not like it when so many athletic skills are tied to fitness. If you have high fitness from running then swimming and skating is easy even if you never have done it before. It makes all the active sims feel the same instead of being rewarded for spending time learning a skill. Just my own little thing that I am irritated about.
  • invisiblgirlinvisiblgirl Posts: 1,709 Member
    The Freetime expansion is one of my favourites in all the Sims games. I loved ballet, and the misshapen little plates our Sims would make early in the pottery hobby. I'd love to see that one come back.
    I just want things to match. :'(
  • SimmyFroggySimmyFroggy Posts: 1,762 Member
    babajayne wrote: »
    If they do add knitting, I just hope they do it justice. When I finally saw the yarn bombed Foxbury statue (in a GC video) I thought -Yes! That’s a good depiction of it. (Well I am sure some of that would be crochet too) 🧶

    Knitting/crochet projects are very portable and I don’t want to be stuck at a table while doing it. There should be a project bag that can go in one’s personal inventory so they can knit anywhere. There should also be a cabinet for their stash. Can you tell I am a knitter? 😆
    And of course whatever they make should look good and make sense, too.

    All of this please and thank you.
    My personal hope for this is that knitting/crochet will come with craftable items of some sort, either ones added to CAS for that household or scarves or hats that a Sim could have in their inventory and choose to wear.
    Love the idea of a stash cabinet :D (probably tells you what state my own yarn stash is in lol)
    But definitely hope it's something they can do anywhere they can sit down. I'm not holding out hope that it'd be something they can do standing up, that's hard enough in real life, but couches, chairs, beds, lounge chairs etc should be an option to sit and do yarn things.

    I haven't seen the yarn bombed statue yet! I'm glad to know it looks right :D
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