About writing children's books

[DarkSerge]

Does the level of the painting skill effect the stripped pay you get from children's books?  Meaning if you have level 10 in painting you'll get more stripped pay from if painting is level 4?

[Schipperke]

Welcome to the forum, DarkSerge.  I've had a lot of writers doing children's books - it's my preferred genre - but to be honest, I have no idea if a higher level of painting contributes to higher royalties or not. 

Has anyone tested this?

[Wai]

I always have my writing sims specialise in children's books because they are so quick to write.  I can't say that I have noticed any difference in book quality with high artistic skills.  I have noticed small benefits with the childish and perfectionist traits, but find that it is not significant enough to make taking these traits worthwhile.

[ArianaJade]

I find the benefit of taking the childish trait is quite a lot actually, it always seems to boost royalties by a fair amount. But I've never seen a difference with high artistic skills. Maybe I need to do some more testing.

Hopefully someone who's good with the code will come along!

[Wai]

the benefit of taking the childish trait is quite a lot actually, it always seems to boost royalties by a fair amount

Fair comment. I did not write my comment specifically enough.  What I meant was that you need to balance the benefit of taking the childish trait against the benefit of other traits.  If you could have six traits, childish would almost definately be my last choice for a writing sim.  I always take bookworm for this career and my others are usually, ambitious, over-emotional, loner and loves the outdoors.  All bring benefits to LTH which outweigh,  for me, the extra cash from childish.  (Obviously, I have to make my sim write in the garden. 

[Seabody]

Hopefully someone who's good with the code will come along!

Although the logic makes sense, I can't see anything in the XML's that would indicate a higher royalty level. And now we wait for a script modder...

[Sarah1992]

Fair comment. I did not write my comment specifically enough.  What I meant was that you need to balance the benefit of taking the childish trait against the benefit of other traits.  If you could have six traits, childish would almost definately be my last choice for a writing sim.  I always take bookworm for this career and my others are usually, ambitious, over-emotional, loner and loves the outdoors.  All bring benefits to LTH which outweigh,  for me, the extra cash from childish.  (Obviously, I have to make my sim write in the garden. 

I find that Neurotic is a better choice than over-emotional for my writer sims. The "Freak Out" action gives an 8hr positive moodlet and I believe it stops fun from decaying over that time.

Back on topic though, I used the childish trait for the writing challenge earlier in the year, or was it last year? (played it after it closed though), I didn't notice any difference in royalties compared to the test file I made where she ended up at level 8 painting I think it was, instead of childish.

[Lytaren]

In regards to the childish trait, I find it helpful in writers because they can head to the library and read all of the children's and toddler books in a very short time. Since the number of books read has an impact on value of books i find it very worth while! And gets some skills out of it if I remember correctly.

[Schipperke]

In regards to the childish trait, I find it helpful in writers because they can head to the library and read all of the children's and toddler books in a very short time. Since the number of books read has an impact on value of books i find it very worth while! And gets some skills out of it if I remember correctly.

Yes, that's correct, Lytaren.  If a childish Sim reads the toddler skill books they will start at level 3 in writing, painting and logic.  And that gives them a nice start on painting and writing, both of which are necessary for writers of children's books.

[drift9999]

Although the logic makes sense, I can't see anything in the XML's that would indicate a higher royalty level. And now we wait for a script modder...

I'm not really a script modder, but I had a look in the Sims3GameplaySystems.dll.

Short answer: Painting skill does not seem to have any influence on the quality of children's books written by a Sim.

The module that sets the value is this one:

Code: [Select]

private void SetWritingRoyalty(WrittenBookData writing)
{
    int min = 100;
    int max = 150;
    this.GetMinMaxRoyalty(writing.Genre, out min, out max);
    float @int = RandomUtil.GetInt(min, max);
    float num4 = @int * ((((float) base.SkillLevel) / ((float) base.MaxSkillLevel)) * kRoyaltyMaxWritingSkillMultiplier);
    float kRoyaltyMaxPercentHiddenSkill = NumCompleteWritingsOfGenre(base.mSkillOwner.CreatedSim, writing.Genre) * kRoayltyMultiplierChangePerHiddenSkillPoint;
    if (kRoyaltyMaxPercentHiddenSkill > Writing.kRoyaltyMaxPercentHiddenSkill)
    {
        kRoyaltyMaxPercentHiddenSkill = Writing.kRoyaltyMaxPercentHiddenSkill;
    }
    float num6 = @int * kRoyaltyMaxPercentHiddenSkill;
    float traitBonus = this.GetTraitBonus(writing, @int);
    @int = ((@int + num4) + num6) + traitBonus;
    switch (writing.Quality)
    {
        case WrittenBookQuality.Flop:
            @int *= kRoyaltyQualityMultiplierFlop;
            break;

        case WrittenBookQuality.Hit:
            @int *= kRoyaltyQualityMultiplierHit;
            break;

        case WrittenBookQuality.BestSeller:
            @int *= kRoyaltyQualityMultiplierBestSeller;
            break;
    }
    @int += (@int * this.OpportunityRoyaltyIncreasePercentage) / 100f;
    if (base.SkillOwner.TraitManager.HasElement(TraitNames.HighRoller))
    {
        @int *= TraitTuning.HighRollerRoyaltyMultiplier;
    }
    writing.Royalty = (int) @int;
}
The value of a Sim's writing is determined as follows, based on the code:

• Depending on the genre, a 'base' minimum and maximum value for the royalties are set. A random whole number between these 2 (inclusive) is picked. This happens when the variable '@int' is initialised.
• Then, this random value is multiplied by a multiplier that scales proportionally to the Sim's writing skill. The normal value is probably in the XML files, not hard-coded here. This is 'num4'.
• There's a multiplier based on the number of books in a genre the Sim has written; the initial random value is multiplied by this multiplier to give 'num6'.
• There's a trait bonus based on the traits your Sim may have that are "relevant" to that genre. The initial random value is multiplied by a multiplier that increases linearly with each trait.
• The base value is then the sum of the 4 variables above. In the code, this new value replaces the old value of @int.
• The quality of the writing is set by another module and is some function of the skill level, the perfectionist trait, the number of completed writings in a genre, the Sim's specialisation, whether he's a prolific author and whether he's completed some opportunity in the journalism career.
• Multiply the summed @int value with an appropriate multiplier for the quality (set in XML, I think).
• If the Sim has completed any opportunities to increase royalties or has the 'High Roller' (Lucky?Acclaimed Author) trait Lifetime Happiness Reward, apply the relevant increase at this point (the end).

There isn't any step where the painting skill enters the calculation, it seems.

[Schipperke]

• If the Sim has completed any opportunities to increase royalties or has the 'High Roller' (Lucky?) trait, apply the relevant increase at this point (the end).

That's very interesting, drift.  Thank you for sharing it.

But are you (or is the information you posted) saying that the Lucky trait increases the value of written books?  I've never heard of that before.  Not saying it isn't so, just that I haven't heard of it.

[drift9999]

That's very interesting, drift.  Thank you for sharing it.

But are you (or is the information you posted) saying that the Lucky trait increases the value of written books?  I've never heard of that before.  Not saying it isn't so, just that I haven't heard of it.

Oops - I went to look at the XML files and it seems that the "HighRoller" trait mentioned in the codes refers to a 30,000 point lifetime happiness reward, not the Lucky trait which is just "Lucky". Since there's nothing along the lines of "Author" or "Writer" that I can find in the XML files, I guess it is probably Acclaimed Author (though I think it's a very strange choice of internal name).

However, the XML tuning file seems to disagree:

Code: [Select]

   <kHighRollerRoyaltyMultiplier value="1.33333">
      <!--Range: Float values above 1.0f. Description: Multiplier applied to royalty check amounts for sims with the Multi-Tasker trait.-->
    </kHighRollerRoyaltyMultiplier>

Based on the code though, I'd say the "High Roller" thing is probably Acclaimed Author - not Multi-Tasker and definitely not Lucky. Sorry for the mistake.

[Schipperke]

Oops - I went to look at the XML files and it seems that the "HighRoller" trait mentioned in the codes refers to a 30,000 point lifetime happiness reward, not the Lucky trait which is just "Lucky". Since there's nothing along the lines of "Author" or "Writer" that I can find in the XML files, I guess it is probably Acclaimed Author (though I think it's a very strange choice of internal name).

However, the XML tuning file seems to disagree:

Code: [Select]

   <kHighRollerRoyaltyMultiplier value="1.33333">
      <!--Range: Float values above 1.0f. Description: Multiplier applied to royalty check amounts for sims with the Multi-Tasker trait.-->
    </kHighRollerRoyaltyMultiplier>

Based on the code though, I'd say the "High Roller" thing is probably Acclaimed Author - not Multi-Tasker and definitely not Lucky. Sorry for the mistake.

Yeah, that makes a lot more sense.  Thanks for clearing that up. 

[Seabody]

Oops - I went to look at the XML files and it seems that the "HighRoller" trait mentioned in the codes refers to a 30,000 point lifetime happiness reward, not the Lucky trait which is just "Lucky". Since there's nothing along the lines of "Author" or "Writer" that I can find in the XML files, I guess it is probably Acclaimed Author (though I think it's a very strange choice of internal name).

However, the XML tuning file seems to disagree:

Code: [Select]

   <kHighRollerRoyaltyMultiplier value="1.33333">
      <!--Range: Float values above 1.0f. Description: Multiplier applied to royalty check amounts for sims with the Multi-Tasker trait.-->
    </kHighRollerRoyaltyMultiplier>

Based on the code though, I'd say the "High Roller" thing is probably Acclaimed Author - not Multi-Tasker and definitely not Lucky. Sorry for the mistake.

Just reviewing the code you posted, I'm inclined to think it is indeed the Multi-Tasker LTR. EA refers to LTR's as traits often, and I haven't yet seen them refer to something that isn't true (if that makes any sense at all).

By the way, you're more of a script modder than I am - I've been meaning to get into the core code (.dll's) but I don't know yet if I have all the tools.