A Friendly Play Through-Investigator Profession

[Agathon]

Could be CC or Mods, I have a truck load of both and most of the Store installed too. It's not a big deal, I don't class glitches like this game stopping and I could solve it by evicting Jaxon and then placing him back in his home...only that will reset his case count on in LTW back to zero..so yeah, not going to do that! I'm playing in 1.69 too pretty sure (will check tomorrow as I just closed own my game for the night) but the glitch happened because I had two 'sneak here' interactions queued up and exactly as I cancelled the second one his phone rang, and that was enough to cause him to be stuck in 'sneak mode'. 

The constant sneaking can be easily fixed by Nraas Debug Enabler: Click on the sim, Options Sim - Reset Walk.

[Playalot]

Thanks @Agathon     don't have that installed right now and evicting is an easy fix too, just not for this particular play through. 

Also I'm playing in 1.67  can never remember which game build I use lol.

[Deklitch]

So I decided to take part in the playthrough.

This is Bill Christie ... he's a PI so we can't show you his face in case he needs to stake out the library using some very expensive scenery. He's currently reading all about logic.

I can share that he is friendly, perceptive, eccentric, charismatic, and a genius. He wants to be a pervasive private eye. I'm playing with make needs static.

His house, I have subsequently replaced the front door with the frosted professional door. This is the Tish Cottage at 27 Lost Willow Drive.

A case brought him to the Yuri Ivanov house where Jon Lesson was chatting up the daughter. He's had to dig through their rubbish and their mail twice - perhaps they really do have something to hide!?!
Week 1 Tuesday in game - at 5 cases completed, level 4 career, 4 Logic and 2 Charisma. Rewards - Frosted Professional's Door; Honor Trophy (3 cases reward); Magnifying Glass; Finger Print Kit. Also got a Mysterious Mr Gnome (which was sold) for completing a case. Got him observant LTR.

[Playalot]

Welcome along Bill Christie 

[Nindigo]

Great to have you aboard, Deklitch. Good luck with Bill

[Deklitch]

I'm loving this!
I really don't have much experience with Charisma in game, and my sims almost never get a point in that skill as a result. I am using this as a bit of a run through re that for my current Sims 3 ID.

It does seem to me that this would be a useful unique career for one of the Sims 3 Dynasty Challenges that requires multiple unique opportunities, as each case takes up the career opportunity slot.

Currently he is at Tues Wk1@8:28pm Level 4 PI; 4 Logic, 4 Char; 6 cases

[MrsFlynn]

Calista doing the Smustle while waiting for Billy Caspian to get home, so she could finish a case.



Date: Week 2 Day 5 - Thurs.
Levels: PI Lv10, Logic Lv8, Handi Lv5. 12/35 cases done.
Funds: $19,183.

Didn't do much this playthrough other than do some low-level work at the police station for some quick cash, a couple cases and a steak out.

Question - Is there repeat cases? Or is it my game just being odd?

Calista got a case about something to do with a toothbrush early on in her career it completely just fine. Then got a call to complete the same one from a different client. Started going to interview the client and then stopped got out of her car and stood on the side of the road. The option was still there, so I clicked it again to interview client. And she grabbed out her phone and called the client and boom it was done?

Now that I'm thinking about it more, it doesn't sound like it fully completed as we usually get notices from when cases are completed.

[Playalot]

Yes, definite repeats on the cases. My sim did the one about tomatoes twice and the missing toothbrush/floss? a few times. I'm a bit guilt of not actually paying attention to their titles sorry. I also had a case where a phone call completed the last step of a case, but it definitely did count against his LTW.

[Playalot]

The Mayor awarded me The Investigators Keepsake and the Ribbon of Bravery in the same day. Loads to celebrate but at the back of my mind I was starting to piece together the evidence.



I couldn't ignore what my gut was telling me. I put aside the fact that I was about to accuse my Best Friend. Just had to man up and get it done. He denied all knowledge, I knew he wouldn't go down without a fight. I needed that one last piece of evidence that would nail him to the crime scene.



Finally I had it. The last butt print that placed him at the crime scene categorically.



I confronted him. He came clean and explained that he'd stumbled across the Shrouded. Intelligence. Military. Secrets. as he was attempting to download some mods for his favorite game. In his panic he's deleted his browsing history and hoped for the best.



Case closed. After a quick check I could see his story was the truth. I knew it was out there somewhere.



I wasn't quite ready to quit this town, it had grown on me. As had it's quirky inhabitants. I'd had my eye on a sweet little property down by the river. Time to take a break and enjoy the good life.



Strange noises woke me up that night.



I guess it was time to hit the gym, this good life was starting to hit my waist line.


Welcome Xavier!


Day 17 completed the LTW
Received the Key to the City, Investigators Keepsake and The Ribbon of Bravery Service Award the same day
2x Festus 44's
3 more Magic Gomes
Minty Breath Moodlet, Charitable and Nauseous again.
Had $75,177
Purchased and moved into 509 Riverview Road, had $1413 remaining
Charisma L9
Logic L10
Cooking L5
Gardening L3

I enjoyed this a lot. Love the way TS3 throws you a curve ball every now and then and super pleased to have had an alien pregnancy to finish with!

[MrsFlynn]

I wanted to answer these questions Dek had.

The Help Investigate using psychic powers is bugged. It doesn't matter what outfit the Sim is wearing when they are sent to the police station. I tried it this morning with a test game with my Sim in an Everyday outfit and in their PI uniform and still would register as completed.

I don't think the supernaturals have any impact on the PI career. I don't think the game is that "smart" if that makes sense.

For example, I don't think being a fairy and sneaking through the keyhole would do anything. As the game seems to be programmed to basically kick the Sims off the lot if the owner is not home.

You can have your Sim kind of search through the mailbox and rummage through the garbage can. They'll still try to go home. But you can easily cancel out of that to stop them from leaving and not completing that part of the case.

However, if your Sim tries to break in and dust for prints or search for clues eventually the Sim will teleport out and try to go home.

From what I understand it's a conflict in the game programming.

Edited to Add: I understand that the ones where you have to use your psychic powers are somehow bugged. Something to do with the actual interaction between the PI Career and the Police Station, if I remember rightly. And yes, the only way to get around it that I know of is to cancel the case and try for another one. And a thought that just occurred to me ... does the clothes you wear when going to the police station impact on whether the steps can be finished or not?

Edited to Add 3: Any restriction on becoming a celebrity vs not becoming a celebrity? And what about the different lifestates? Would the vampire powers, for example, have any impact on getting people to talk to you ... would changing to a werewolf and howling at the moon cause them confess? Would changing to a fairy and sneaking through the keyhole enable you to steal from them without the victim being any the wiser? Am I just being overly silly now?

[MrsFlynn]

Ah Thank you for letting me know. I thought I my game was a goner again.

Hmm.. I wonder if that's partly what happened in my game, that the phone call completed the last step of the case, but didn't count towards the LTW.

Yes, definite repeats on the cases. My sim did the one about tomatoes twice and the missing toothbrush/floss? a few times. I'm a bit guilt of not actually paying attention to their titles sorry. I also had a case where a phone call completed the last step of a case, but it definitely did count against his LTW.

[Playalot]

In some ways playing as a supernatural state would be to your advantage. Witch sims would be able to use powers (depending on their hidden skill level) to top up needs etc, and as they level alchemy faster could also use potions to make instant friends etc Other sims can also use potions, my human did but he was restricted to whatever was on sale at the Consignment Store.

But as for having a direct impact on the profession, no I agree with you MrsFlynn, there is nothing in the code for that kind of game play. Really, being a supernatural would be a greater benefit if you were to play with all needs dynamic and have already leveled up some of the supernaturals unique skills.

The conflict to go home while searching bins/mailboxes etc was very minimal. Perhaps it was because I had purchased the Inappropriate But In A Good Way Lifetime Reward early on in my play-through. But once cancelled for me, it stayed cancelled as long as my sim was actively doing something and not just standing around on a residential lot while the owners were out.

My sim broke into many houses and never teleported away, nor tried to leave the lot if busy. Be worth testing if it is the Inappropriate reward making that difference. I'd just assumed it would make a difference, which is why I choose to purchase it as soon as possible.

Leveling up charisma skill is great. Once you hit that sweet spot where a charming introduction grants you instant friends, makes life easy for any sim.

[Nindigo]

@Playalot Congrats on the alien babe

Miraj only had the Profession Simoleon Booster LTR since I chose bribes over befriending. He had no problem searching mailboxes and bins while nobody was home. There was only a problem when he tried snooping around and/or dusting for fingerprints if nobody was home.

He also had quite a few repeat minor cases. My guess is that there are about a handful of these to act as a filler between the bigger special cases.

[MrsFlynn]

Feeling stuck on a case - (The Great Clap Trap of an Art Heist)

Everything is completed so far of this particular case except for Confirming suspected Sim. I have to wait till they're at work. Thinking that means waiting till Mon, after 8am to confirm criminal's presence.

Date: Week 2 Day 7 - Sat. 6:23pm
Levels: PI Lv10, Logic Lv8, Handi Lv5. 14/35 cases done.
Funds: $23,823.

Update: Canceled the case, as the option to confirm criminal's presence disappeared. It may have conflicted with the other opportunity (Not related to PI career) that came up at the science center.

I can't tell if that means that case is bugged or if it's just oops my bad.

Date: Week 3 Day 2 - Mon. 3:26pm
Levels: PI Lv10, Logic Lv8, Handi Lv5. 14/35 cases done.
Funds: $33,123.

Has anyone else run into this case? If so what was your experience? I tried to find out more information about the case via this site - https://sims.fandom.com/wiki/Investigator/cases ; but it doesn't have anything on this particular case.

[Nindigo]

I believe I did, but I have nothing of use to add since I don't remember how exactly it went. I do recall, however, that it was a bit of an odd situation, and I think the case completed when the suspect simply showed up for work (business tower), but Miraj wasn't there when it happened.