The Sims Hot Date Death and Disaster Guide Copyright 2002 Wraith10 wraith_10_@hotmail.com Version 1.9 ============================================================================== Distribution Info ----------------- You may use this FAQ for yourself personally, make copies for your friends, or host it on web pages provided NO MONEY is made off this FAQ. If you choose to post it in a public domain (webpage) please send me an email detailing the Webpage location and a contact email for yourself so that I can ensure you will always have the most recent copy available. I reserve the right to ask for the removal of this FAQ from any page deemed offensive. ============================================================================== Purpose ------- A record of all the disasters that can befall you sims, how to prevent them and what to do if they happen. Also all the ways you can die and the proper prevention or triggers. I make no effort to compile a list of codes, cheats, or hints for this game. That is the purpose of other FAQs and guides that were developed for that purpose. My guide covers simply what I have stated above and nothing else. ============================================================================== Your Job -------- Send in any information that you have that belongs in this FAQ. Including corrections, additions, and observations ============================================================================== Contact Me ---------- Let me know if you if you find any mistakes in the guide, or if you have anything you want added or clarified. Please write "Sims FAQ" or something like that in the subject line of your message or most likely it will be deleted as junk mail. If you do not receive a reply within 2 weeks this likely happened and you can resubmit the tip. Questions, Comments, Corrections: wraith_10_@hotmail.com ============================================================================== Version History --------------- 1.0 First Edition 1.1 Spell Checked and Submitted 1.2 Small change to the Roaches section 1.3 Addition of the "Getting Fired" section, and "Child Services" added "important note" 1.4 "New Notice", LL and HP tags (see notice), "Random Demotion" minor changes to some of the sections 1.5 Sims with higher cooking skills can still cause fires-- See Fires (Anime Prince) 1.6 Burglar alarms only cover 5 squares in any direction, tip for placement of burglar alarms, fridge has no food if you're broke, no comfort from sleeping on the floor, bills explode when overdue (all: Anime Prince) 1.7 New section "tech support and serial numbers", changes to "spontaneous combustion section and getting fired section, burglars alarms cover a whole room inside and only 5 squares outside 1.8 Changes to Grim Reaper, Floods, and Random Demotion (all: Anime Prince) 1.9 If you go swimming w/ low energy bar you could drown (Jodraporiaj@aol.com) ============================================================================== Technical Support and Serial Numbers ------------------------------------ I would like to state that I am NOT a technical support person. All of my sim games run fine and I likely do not know how to fix your problem. If you have any problems with a sim game you should read the manuals and documentation that came with your name, visit the official web site, or find a support board. Secondly I will NEVER EVER give ANYONE ANY serial number for ANY reason. I am tired of telling people this and will no longer be sending them a politely worded email to this effect, any additional requests for serial numbers will be forwarded to Maxis' piracy department! I don't care why you say you need a serial number, if you have a genuine reason technical support should be able to help you. If you have a pirated copy and that's why you have no serial number I am not about to help you by giving you mine! ============================================================================== New Notice ---------- Some of the things that are refered to in this guide came from expansion packs other than hot date. (livin' large, house party) I will use the symbol LL next to things that are from livin' large and HP for house party. If you think there is an item or concept that I missed marking with these tags please let me know as I'm sure it's frustrating looking for something that is not in your game. Thanks to SpLaShInJaNeY87@aol.com for pointing this out to me. -------------- Important Note -------------- It is possible to solve many of the disasters in the game by using the move_objects on cheat. I will not discuss this cheat in detail in this guide as a solution to disaster situations. The use of this cheat is cheating and it is up to you whether you use it or not. Also there are risks involved if you try to delete default objects or people. Be careful, if you decide to use it you are doing so at your own risk and whatever happens is not my fault. Note: Be careful when using the move_objects on cheat, if you are unsure of how this cheat works please find out! Never delete or move your main garbage can, mailbox, or carpool as this, while fixable, can lead to problems. ============================================================================== Disasters --------- A disaster is anything bad that can happen to your sims or their property in the game. Some disasters cause death, some destruction, and some just do their best to make a mess of that perfectly crafted lifestyle you worked hard for. Some disasters are not hugely destructive but they are all annoying. ============================================================================== Floods ------ Caused by broken appliances like dishwashers, sinks, bathtubs, showers, and toilets. Basically if it uses water and it can break, it can cause a flood. Floods may be only a few tiles but can quickly spread if the broken object is continually used and not repaired. Messy sims can also cause mini floods (puddles) when they get out of the tub or shower. The messier a sim is, the more likely he or she will make a mess after bathing or showering. To fix a flood you can click on each water tile and have it cleaned up, hire a maid, or turn on Servo. If a broken appliance was the cause you should fix it yourself, call a repairman, or turn on Servo(LL). Asking the genie(LL) for a water wish may reward you with a fountain or cause a flood too. Floods will evaporate in about 3 days. ============================================================================== Fires ----- A fire can be caused by ANYTHING (even dirty dishes) being placed directly in front of a fireplace. If a sim with low cooking skill (under 2) tries to use a grill, barbecue, microwave, stove, or light a fireplace they are more likely to start a fire (it can still happen even with higher cooking skills.) Fires can be extinguished or held a bay by nearby sims however there is a danger of death if you are too close to the flames. Place a fire alarm in all areas that contain fire causing equipment, and if there is no alarm in the room, call the fire department immediately when a fire starts. The landing of fireworks(LL) where they shouldn't (like on stuff or in the house) can also start a fire. The key to fire prevention is cooking skills, object placement, smoke alarms, and safe use of fireworks. ============================================================================== Burglars -------- Burglars come when every sim is gone or asleep. It appears to be a random event. The burglar must enter through a door so place an alarm by EVERY door to the outside as well as one in each room. You can also attempt to call the police but it will often be too late by the time they get there. A burglar will stuff as much of your most expensive belongings into a bag before he takes off. If you catch a burglar you get a reward. If you have a burglar alarm that goes off, you receive compensation from the insurance company for the CURRENT value of stolen items not the replacement cost. (items depreciate in value over time, except some art) Burglar alarms only cover 5 squares in any direction outside (covers the whole room inside) so if you have long walls you might need to put up several. Anime Prince says that "If you want to be really safe, you can put a wall segment with a burglar alarm on it close to where your Sim enter the lot and the burglar will hopefully get caught before he takes anything." ============================================================================== Roaches (LL) ------- A sign of a dirty house. Roaches will lower the room score and multiply over time but they will not otherwise do any damage. You can click on a roach to spray them, but if they move the spray order will be cancelled (this problem is fixed if you install the livin' large patch or a newer expansion like hot date, house party, or the sims vacation. If a maid sees a roach she will kill it. ============================================================================== Flies (HP) ----- Another sign of a dirty house. Flies will buzz around without actually being directly in contact with something like a dirty dish. If you clean your house they may go away. ============================================================================== Overdue Bills ------------- If you forget to pay your bills and they turn red for a couple of days, then they will explode. After that then Repo man will come and take away items in your house equal to the debt you owe. The solution is simple, pay your bills. ============================================================================== Getting Fired ------------- If you don't show up for work one day you will receive a warning phone call. However, if you miss work for two days in a row you'll be fired and have to get a new job. This simple solution would be to not miss work for two days in a row. There was a bug in early versions of the game (resolved with the patch) that if one of your sims missed work and the other sim took the carpool at the same time, then they would both miss work and this could lead to your getting fired easier. There was also a bug that if you had a night job and you took a day off work, it counted as two days and you were fired. ============================================================================== Random Demotion --------------- Sometimes randomly when you have reached level 10 in a job field you will be called and told that something has happened that caused you to lose your job. They will give you a job at level 6 in a different field. There doesn't appear to be any discernable cause for this happening. There is a 1 in 30 chance ot this occuring once you have reached level 10. ============================================================================== Child Services -------------- If you have a baby and you fail to take proper care of it child services will come and take it away from you. You need to have one of your sims staying home from work to care for the baby and make sure its hunger level does not reach such a state that it is taken away from you. ============================================================================== Broken Objects -------------- Most objects can be broken and repaired. Click on an object to select repair, hire a repairman, or turn on servo(LL) to solve your problems. Some broken objects may also cause floods. ============================================================================== Dead Plants ----------- If you leave plants to long without water they will eventually wilt and die. You can prevent this by hiring a gardener to water your plants of taking good care of them yourselves. A truly dead plant can only be thrown out and can't be watered anymore. Plants that are just wilted can be revived. ============================================================================== Dead Fish --------- Left neglected for too long fish can die too. Their water gets scummy, they haven't been fed for a while and sooner than you think they're floating belly up. Now you'll have to start over with new fish! ============================================================================== Death and Failure States ------------------------ Your sims can die! There are multiple causes too and some are not even preventable. So read on you morbid folks. ============================================================================== No Energy --------- It won't kill you but if you sim gets to the point where the energy bar is completely red he or she will just fall asleep where they are. You will be able to click on them and get them to wake up after the bar gains a bit. Sims that fall asleep on the floor won't gain any comfort. If you go swimming when you have low energy there is a risk you could drown. ============================================================================== Bladder ------- Maturity people, maturity! If your sim's bladder bar is fully red they will have any accident on the floor that needs to be cleaned up. Their comfort and hygiene levels will drop too. Have a heart--give them a bathroom break. ============================================================================== Spontaneous Combustion ---------------------- A very rare phenomenon where your sim will burst into flames with no apparent cause and die. There is no cause or prevention for this type of death. This is extremely rare and very few people will EVER even see this happen so don't worry about it. Your sim will start twitching, burst into flames, and melt down to ash. If you don't have the patch installed there is a bug that will prevent you from seeing the flames. ============================================================================== Guinea Pig Plague (LL, downloaded, hot date) ----------------- If you do not feed the guinea pig and clean its cage it may bite you when you try to play with it. This will cause the sim to get sick and may lead to death. Quarantine is essential, as this virus is contagious. There are three ways to cure the plague. 1) get lots of rest and food, keep energy levels high 2) buy the forgotten guinea pig painting for the room the sick sim is in and they will be cured in 16 hours 3) use the chemistry set(LL)to mix the white potion, this can only be done by the sim that is actually sick If you don't care for a sick sim they will die. ============================================================================== Electrocution ------------- If a sim with little mechanical skill tries to repair a broken appliance or to replace a light bulb they can be electrocuted. If you are standing in water at the time you have an even greater chance of being killed by it. ============================================================================== Burning To Death ---------------- See more information under fires. ============================================================================== Drowning -------- If a sim is trapped in a pool with no ladder or a ladder that is blocked they will eventually die from exhaustion. This is the best way to kill a sim on purpose. Note the grim reaper will not come for this kind of death. If you eat turkey before swimming you will die sooner. If you have a low energy bar when you go swimming you increase the risk of drowning. ============================================================================== Starvation ---------- If there is no food in the fridge or you trap a sim in an area with no access to food they will eventually starve to death. It takes on average about 4 days for this to happen. They will cry and whine the whole time as well as falling asleep and wetting themselves. The light green potion cuts down on the time it takes to starve. It is a lot easier to starve a baby (child services takes it away) and if you aren't careful it may happen by accident. If you have no money there won't be anything in the fridge either. ============================================================================== Insect Swarm (?) ------------ Very Rarely if a visiting sim brings over a gift of flowers and they rot for a few days before you try to clean them up, an insect swarm may attack and kill your sim. This is also very rare and it is unlikely you will EVER see it either. ============================================================================== Gnome Cough (LL) ----------- If you use the wood working table in an enclosed space with no windows for an extended period of time your sim may develop a cough that could lead to death. The mourning period for sims is usually 24 hours. ============================================================================== Tombstones and Urns ------------------- If you move a grave marker outside it will be a tombstone. If you move it inside it will be an urn. You can sell both of these for around §5. ============================================================================== Note when killing guests ------------------------ If you kill a guest they will die in your other house too so be careful who you kill off. ============================================================================== The Grim Reaper (LL) --------------- The Grim Reaper may bring back a sim who has died as a zombie. He will not do this for sims who drowned. If he doesn't bring you back you will be a ghost. The Grim Reaper may refuse his services saying, "I have other people dying today." If you beat him in a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors, he will fully bring you Sim back to life. ============================================================================== Ghosts ------ Each tombstone and urn on a lot has a 12% of causing a ghost to appear at around 11:00pm. Ghosts will also appear when Sims are exhausted, starving or very depressed. You will hear strange music play and ghosts can disturb the sleep of any sims on the GROUND floor. Selling all tombstones and urns eliminates all the ghosts on the lot. ============================================================================== Credits ------- EA games and Maxis: For making this game GameFAQS: For posting this guide You: For reading this guide Me: For writing this guide AsdfgA3@aol.com : For pointing out the livin' large patch fixes the cancellation of your "roach spray can order" when the bugs move SpLaShInJaNeY87@aol.com : For pointing out that some concepts in this FAQ started with previous expansions. Anime_Prince : For pointing out that sims with higher cooking skills can still cause fires, you don't get comfort from sleeping on the floor, burglar alarms only see 5 squares in any direction when outside, tip on placement of burglar alarms, overdue bills explode, the fridge has no food if you are broke, floods evaporate after 3 days, there is a 1 in 30 chance of a random demotion, the grim reaper can refuse you his service, saying, "I have other people dying today." If you beat him in Rock, Paper, Scisors, he will fully bring your Sim back to life. Jodraporiaj@aol.com : If you swim w/ low energy increase risk of drowning. ============================================================================== This Guide can be found at: --------------------------- www.gamefaqs.com www.neoseeker.com www.gamespot.com www.cheathappens.com www.cheats.de www.actiontrip.com/cheats/ http://DLH.NET http://faqs.ign.com