Supermaxing Nectar Making

[Alexandria_]

I've never pursued a career in nectar making - in fact I've only ever tried nectar making for an adventure in France.
I was wondering whether it's easy to supermax or not.
I've read about the journal challenges involved in it (making 200 bottles of nectar, squishing 40 lots of fruit, making 15 different combinations and make nectar from 400 home-grown grapes) , and they sound easy, but I'm not sure if I want to try it in my dynasty game or not.

Also, are there any associated problems with this skill or journal challenges?
And with the 400 home-grown grapes challenge, does the sim that makes the nectar have to plant and harvest the grapes?

Thank you.

[Naga]

I think the part that takes longer is the 15-combinations one. I haven't heard of any problems about the nectar making skill, ever. I believe it doesn't have to be the same sim that plants to make the nectar, for the home-grown grapes challenge, but I'm not sure.

[Alexandria_]

Thanks for that.
Also, what counts as a different combination?

For example, if I made a 50% apple, 50% lime nectar then a 70% apple, 30% lime nectar are they counted as two different combinations?
Or do you need completely different fruits to make a different combination?

[Schipperke]

Alexandria, Molly (Generation 7) in the Clan Douglas Dynasty SuperMaxed Nectar making.  The only problem I had with it was that she didn't get credit for the skill challenge that requires use of 400 home-grown grapes.  Somewhere in the forum there is a thread about this skill challenge being bugged.  What I did was just make a note of the grapes she used and when she reached 450 (just to be sure) I gave myself credit for it.  As for the different combinations, I'm pretty sure different proportions did count.  Aside from that one skill challenge being bugged, it wasn't a hard skill to supermax.  Oh, and the grapes were harvested by another clan member.  Hope this answers your questions.

Edit:  I just noticed that your first post mentions "a career in nectar making."  Just be aware that if you go the route of self-employed nectar maker, you will likely have a very hard time getting your 6 Blackops.  I don't think there are any opportunities for nectar making other than in France - my nectar maker never got any.  I had her take a job in Business and do nectar making in her spare time.

[Hosfac]

For example, if I made a 50% apple, 50% lime nectar then a 70% apple, 30% lime nectar are they counted as two different combinations?
Or do you need completely different fruits to make a different combination?

While it's been quite some time since I've made nectar, I believe that is indeed the case...but you have to use grapes instead of regular fruit. 

But if I'm not mistaken, I think that's the challenge that's bugged:  if you travel with that sim, the counter resets itself.  But if it's for the Immortal Dynasty, Metro has said that so long as it's been completed, it still counts.

[Leto85]

I was wondering whether it's easy to supermax or not.

Easy? Well, it depends how you look at it. I find it very easy. But it takes some time to complete. Just make as many combinations as you can (and combinations are ment to be different fruits, not the % of it).

[Alexandria_]

Thanks everyone.
I'm thinking of relying on nectar making if one of my other immortals accidentally maxes the logic skill.

[Lilygirl]

I think I read in a story somewhere that the 400 grapes one works if you have your Nectar-making Sim harvest the grapes and then use them in the nectar. This Sim doesn't have to plant or care for the grapes, just harvest them. I can't verify this though.

[mtglady]

I think I read in a story somewhere that the 400 grapes one works if you have your Nectar-making Sim harvest the grapes and then use them in the nectar. This Sim doesn't have to plant or care for the grapes, just harvest them. I can't verify this though.

This is true if I remember correctly too.  My Sim harvested all the grapes that were growing in the family garden and also havested all of the grapes growing in France for each of her trips.  She did sell the grapes from France though, since they were of a lower quality then what was grown at home.

Just make as many combinations as you can (and combinations are meant to be different fruits, not the % of it).

If you make, for example, 60% grapes and 40% life fruit for one combination, you can make 60% life fruit and 40% grapes as another combination.  You don't have to use grapes in all of the combinations to meet the challenge.  It does take quite a few Sim weeks for the bottles to age to any value though, so it did take time to make lots of money.    

I had one Sim that completed the LTW and all challenges, but she started as YA and her mother was already a level 10 gardener to help with the growing of perfect havestables.

Go here for all the information you ever wanted to know about nector making.  Also check each of the sub-titles at the bottom of the guide.

[Hosfac]

You don't have to use grapes in all of the combinations to meet the challenge.

As I recall, grapes has to at least be part of the combination for it to count.  The challenge in question is called "The Vizard of Vine" and the benefits of completing it only affect the harvest of grapes.

[mtglady]

As I recall, grapes has to at least be part of the combination for it to count.  The challenge in question is called "The Vizard of Vine" and the benefits of completing it only affect the harvest of grapes.

The "The Vizard of Vine" challenge does need to use grapes (400 to be exact) but the "Mix Master" challenge can use any fruit combinations.  "The Vizard of Vine" challenge, once completed, will yield more grapes to each grapevine variety you have planted.

Once you complete the "Mix Master" challenge, there will be a new option when you click on the nectar-making machine that will tell your Sim if the Nectar combination will be any good or not.  Then you can always change the fruit combination before squishing.

[Leto85]

As I recall, grapes has to at least be part of the combination for it to count.  The challenge in question is called "The Vizard of Vine" and the benefits of completing it only affect the harvest of grapes.

Which makes this one an excellent combination with a gardener sim.

@Alexandria_: Now you're busy with nectar making, why not maxing your sim also in gardening so the fruits are even tastier, in fishing so he can catch the best fertilizer, in inventing so he can make a masterfull collection sucker (forget the name) to do some easy fruitsucking, which is way faster than harvesting and in handiness so he can upgrade the sprinklers and the nectar machine?

Nectar making is my all time favorite skill in The Sims 3 and it actually made me drink wine in real life. I've made a farm in The Sims 3 just for making nectar with all it's benefits. I will upload it to the Swap Shop once my computer is connected again.

[Pam]

@Alexandria_: Now you're busy with nectar making, why not maxing your sim also in gardening so the fruits are even tastier, in fishing so he can catch the best fertilizer, in inventing so he can make a masterfull collection sucker (forget the name) to do some easy fruitsucking, which is way faster than harvesting and in handiness so he can upgrade the sprinklers and the nectar machine?

It's called a harvester.

[TheChronicR]

Which makes this one an excellent combination with a gardener sim.

@Alexandria_: Now you're busy with nectar making, why not maxing your sim also in gardening so the fruits are even tastier, in fishing so he can catch the best fertilizer, in inventing so he can make a masterfull collection sucker (forget the name) to do some easy fruitsucking, which is way faster than harvesting and in handiness so he can upgrade the sprinklers and the nectar machine?

Nectar making is my all time favorite skill in The Sims 3 and it actually made me drink wine in real life. I've made a farm in The Sims 3 just for making nectar with all it's benefits. I will upload it to the Swap Shop once my computer is connected again.

I think you'll need another Sim or SimBot to get this working. If the particular Sim wants to concentrate only on Nectar Making, then marrying or (if you don't want that stuff) then, buy a SimBot as a Lifetime Reward. Though, you can read the Handiness, Inventing, Gardening skill books while nectar is being produced. In my own experience with my supermax-all-skills Sim, Katy, she first maxed the basic skills, such as Gardening, Logic, Cooking etc. with skill books, and only then moved to Nectar Making. Last skills to max are Photography (lvl 8.) and Fishing (lvl 0.).

[Hosfac]

The "The Vizard of Vine" challenge does need to use grapes (400 to be exact) but the "Mix Master" challenge can use any fruit combinations.  "The Vizard of Vine" challenge, once completed, will yield more grapes to each grapevine variety you have planted.

Once you complete the "Mix Master" challenge, there will be a new option when you click on the nectar-making machine that will tell your Sim if the Nectar combination will be any good or not.  Then you can always change the fruit combination before squishing.

Yes, you're right.  I was confusing the two for a minute.