Things Sims Will or Won't do Autonomously

[Schipperke]

I've never seen a Sim write autonomously - all mine ever want to do on the computer is play games.  What traits did your writer have, Salty?

[Saltypaws]

I will go back in and let you know.  I think he had the genius trait for one, not sure of the other traits.  I took a pic and put it in the gallery of the youth doing that.  I too have only had them chat, play chess or play games by themselves, so I thought it was kinda unusual.

[grimsoul]

I've never had a sim answer the door when someone visits, even if it's someone they just invited over using the phone. They react to the doorbell looking around like wonder what that noise was then go do something else.

[RunAmokSims]

I was playing an older game file last night and was doing something with one sim and was trying to find the youth.  I found him downstairs practicing writing  and he did this on his own.  I can't remember if I have ever had a sim do that particular skill on their own, so I thought that was pretty neat that a youth would do that by himself.  He actually sat there and got 3 skill points, until I finally had the poor thing go to bed.

That reminds me of something else my Sims have done "by habit". Doing homework. Once I have them do it once or twice they seem to do it on their own. Even when they go to a friend's house after school.

[Hosfac]

My children sims will often do their homework on their own after their first day school.  Somewhat odd, seeing as how kids aren't supposed to like homework lol.

[KrispyNickyB]

I didn't think about adding homework. All of my Sims are good kids I guess. They refuse to do anything else until the homework is done! I always play with high freewill also though.

What's odd is that on two machines with two games set exactly the same (High freewill) each game behaves differently. My sims will do all kinds of things on their own. My younger sister's game (separate computer) they will stand and do nothing.

Also my firefigher Ronny will go to the firestation randomly at all hours of the day. I just noticed that.

[TheChronicR]

Even the Sim kid with worst traits will do homework after the first day of school. I speak from my own experience. Hosfac is right - being a schooler myself, I never do homework by my own desire. Never ever.

[Leto85]

I shall tell you something. Today I've made a little timelapse clip in The Sims 3 and I needed sims to walk down the street. Because it was a closed lot nobody except for my family could walk somewhere so I placed all the things they need (bed, refrigerator, shower, toilet) all in different buildings so they had to walk all day to fulfill their needs. I had turn the freewill to high so they had to do everything on their own.
And guess what? They did. They literally survived without my interruption. All of them were neat so they made sure to be clean, and to clean their environment.

So in short, the basics of a sims life they can do on their own.

[Veldmuisie]

And guess what? They did. They literally survived without my interruption. All of them were neat so they made sure to be clean, and to clean their environment.

So in short, the basics of a sims life they can do on their own.

You're right, Leto.  In Sims 2 I loved playing the challenge "Surrounded by Idiots" where you are only allowed to control one sim until his child is old enough and then you relinguish control for the child, and so on.  This had hilarious results, a house full of sims and one frantically trying to help everyone meet their needs.  With Sims 3 the AI is much smarter.  Kids do their own homework, grab food when they're hungry, and so the challenge is not much fun anymore.  I suppose I could tone down the free will, but alas, the magic is lost. 

[Saltypaws]

I've never seen a Sim write autonomously - all mine ever want to do on the computer is play games.  What traits did your writer have, Salty?

I was wrong about genius.  He has computer whiz, loner and perceptive.  Maybe the computer whiz has something to do with it, not sure.  When I went in to play earlier, after school, he did it again.  That is just strange, neat, but strange.

[jeanamariex3]

Losers will cry all the time autonomously. They cry even more than over-emotional sims.

@Leto: I notice insane Sims will yell and argue with themselves all the time when talking to themselves, as well.

[Anushka]

Yesterday I had Sim chose training dummy over easel on home lot in home town, but that was insane neurotic computer whiz photographer eye and perfectionist. He had 2 level atletic and 3 level painting skill.

Except for taking photo of celebrity (which you never see in cell phone), I never saw them taking photos or painting portraits and still life - cause you have to control most of that action. I noticed once they chose one activity, they'll tend to do it all the time, if it is fishing, playing with sprinkles or swimming, or playing chess or painting, or drinking coffee. I also have situations when Sims will go continue writting novel, but never start writting new one.
Sometimes children would stay in front of the school and finish homework instead of coming home, but often will not finish it cause of low needs after school, or other distraction.     
High level athletic Sim wil train others all the time ( I had 3.gen in dynasty torturing all immortals on treadmill).
When I find out more, I'll post it here

[Cheezey]

I noticed once they chose one activity, they'll tend to do it all the time, if it is fishing, playing with sprinkles or swimming, or playing chess or painting, or drinking coffee.

Oh, yes! Teach a sim to fish and have a pond on your lot, and they'll go there all the time, even when they're tired or have homework to do! Especially if they have the loves the outdoors trait. I guess that's better than constantly playing in the garden sprinkler at least (which my loves the outdoors sims always seem to hone in on!) since it builds a skill!

[Veldmuisie]

I never play insane sims so this was a big surprise to me.  In the Upgrade challenge, I made 4 sisters who are all handy and insane, thinking they would fill their social need with talking to themselves.  Well, that's not the only thing insane sims do!  They will autonomously eat every single piece of high quality dried food in their inventory!  Every piece!

[Alexandria_]

They move laundry from the washing machine to the dryer on their own, as well as taking it out of the dryer when it's done.
It was funny to see 7 sims rush to the dryer in my game, trying to be the first to remove the clothes

They also absolutely love playing in the sprinklers. I swear that playing in the sprinklers, reading and playing computer games are what my sims love the most in life.

And if you have a nectar rack (at home, or at the nectary) or a bar (from the base game), the sims will continuously go back and drink nectar or juice! You would think they would get sick of it after a while

I never play insane sims so this was a big surprise to me.  In the Upgrade challenge, I made 4 sisters who are all handy and insane, thinking they would fill their social need with talking to themselves.  Well, that's not the only thing insane sims do!  They will autonomously eat every single piece of high quality dried food in their inventory!  Every piece!

Luna did that with the fruit in the Copernicus Immortal Dynasty!
She literally ate just over 40 pieces of fruit, one after another, until they were all gone. I was very shocked - she was meant to use them as bait! Hahaha