Controlling sims on different lots?

[MomOfMany]

Does anyone know how to control your sims when they are on different lots? I always have actions queued up and when I switch to my other sim who is on a different lot the first sims always stops doing what I told them to do and pretty much does nothing until I return! Is this a bug or is this intended? I don't like it so I really hope it was not intended! I at least would like them to continue to finish the items I have queued up for them!

[ClayMask]

It's intended.  You can't control what Sims do on other lots.  The only thing you can do is select from the drop down menu what general thing you want them to "do" while you're gone.  Maintaining their needs is selected by default, but you can change this to skilling up a skill that they already have some skill in, tidying up, tending the garden, socializing, and maybe some other things.  I'm not sure if tidying up and tending the garden work.

[MarianT]

Sad to say, it's not a bug. They won't continue to do what you queued up for them. You can, however, click on the little arrow in the upper right corner of their picture. That will give you several options -- besides bringing them to where your sim is, you can have them tidy up, tend the garden, socialize, or work on skills. In order to get the last option, you'll need the sim to have at least 1 point in the skill and a skill object on the lot. They should go to work or school if you're playing another sim away from the lot, but that doesn't always happen, so you need to check.

However, if you're in a public area in the same neighborhood as your house, the sims that are left behind will continue to do what you left them doing, and you can switch back to them without a loading screen.

I see Clay Mask beat me to it.

[MomOfMany]

Thanks! I was hoping there was someway that I was just missing!

[Mack]

I did the same thing as you MomOfMany, queued up actions for my Sims who stays home while I play another one somewhere else. And yes, when you returned none of the actions were done. At one point, I decided to click on "work on skills" for the Sims at home. What I noticed is that the skill goes up in percentage although your Sims does not do the actual action related to a skill.
 
As an example: Home Lot: I queued a few actions for SimsA including start painting a small classic paint. Then left the lot to play SimsB at the park. While I was at the park, I clicked on SimsA and clicked on "work on skills (painting)". If you click on SimsA's skill tab, you can see the skill go up. However, when I returned home, no painting was started.

So although you can not control the absent Sims, you can achieve some progress regarding their skills.

Even after months of playing Sims4, I terribly miss being able to control and see every member of an household doing their stuff as in Sims3.

[Steellace]

I couldn't agree with you more, Mack.  Not being able to control every member of the household across different lots has to be the thing I miss the most from Sims3.  Telling them to "work on skills" works to a point, but I find the options and results quite lacking.  I really wish that their ques would "stick" when you go with a sim to another lot.

[dodi90]

They wont stick sadly, I was having my other sim eating breakfast when my main sim go to work as Scientist. When I come back home he didn't even finish his breakfast although thankfully the needs is filled.