ORIGINAL FAQ DATE: Friday, April 6th, 2001 _______ _ _____ _ |__ __| | / ____(_) | | | |__ ___ | (___ _ _ __ ___ ___ | | | '_ \ / _ \ \___ \| | '_ ` _ \/ __| | | | | | | __/ ____) | | | | | | \__ \ |_| |_| |_|\___| |_____/|_|_| |_| |_|___/ _ _ _____ _ | | | | | __ \ | | | |__| | ___ _ _ ___ ___ | |__) |_ _ _ __| |_ _ _ | __ |/ _ \| | | / __|/ _ \ | ___/ _` | '__| __| | | | | | | | (_) | |_| \__ \ __/ | | | (_| | | | |_| |_| | |_| |_|\___/ \__,_|___/\___| |_| \__,_|_| \__|\__, | __/ | |___/ [-----------------] [ FAQ/Walkthrough ] [-----------------] Author : JPaterson Platform : Windows PC Last Updated : September 7th, 2004 Version : Final E-Mail : == See "[A] Contact Information" == Website : http://www.jpatworld.com/ GameFAQS CRP : http://www.gamefaqs.com/features/recognition/8939.html For more of my FAQs, as well as full HTML strategy guides with screenshots, check out CHEAT HAPPENS at: http://www.cheathappens.com/ =============================================================================== UPDATE & REVISION HISTORY Sep. 7th, 2004 - Finally updated my copyright information. Websites are now free to use this, and other guides of mine, without asking for permission beforehand, just as long as the content isn't changed and it's not passed off as your own work. Jul. 5th, 2004 (Final) - Registered a new domain name, so I wanted to change my FAQs so people know where to find them (outside of GameFAQs, of course). Added new section to "Other FAQs Written". Apr. 10th, 2004 (v1.02) - Needed to update my contact information, so I did this for all of my FAQs. I ran a spellcheck, and went through the guide by hand so I could try to find any errors and fix them. Yes, I'm anal that way. Mar. 18th, 2004 (v1.01) - Added new website to "Where This FAQ May Be Found" section. Mar. 17th, 2004 - Added new section; "Game Vitals". If you are a parent, or just someone who is concerned about the game content, check this section. It can be found at the end of the guide. Mar. 15th, 2004 - Changed the look of the "Other FAQs Written" section again, because the last changed I made look terrible. One of these days I'll find one that makes me happy! Shaved off a bit of excess text. Removed "Credits" to make the FAQ slightly smaller in size. Mar. 14th, 2004 - Changed the order of the FAQ vitals at the top of FAQ; altered the look of the "Contact Information" section. Mar. 11th, 2004 - Changed the layout of the "Other FAQs Written" section. Mar. 9th, 2004 - Changed ASCII to something more readable. Mar. 5th, 2004 - Updated contact information; added ASCII art. Re-did the layout, again, so that all the copyright, contact and miscellaneous stuff is at the bottom of the FAQ. Feb. 24th, 2004 - Minor corrections. Feb. 3rd, 2004 - Fixed corrections; changed cheat codes a little, as some were wrong. Jan. 31st, 2004 - Brought format up to date with current FAQs. Ran a spellcheck and made some corrections. Apr. 7th, 2001 - added the FAQ section because of an e-mail I received Apr. 6th, 2001 - Began writing FAQ =============================================================================== Table Of Contents [1] System Requirements [2] Installing The Sims: House Party [3] Neighborhood [3.1] How To Switch and Control Different Neighborhoods [3.2] How To Create Extra Neighborhoods [4] New Non-Playable Characters [4.1] Campfire Ghost [4.2] Caterer [4.3] Entertainer [4.4] Mime [4.5] Party Crashers [4.6] Secret Celebrity (the celebrity is.....) [5] Building A Good Party House [6] Preparing Your Sims For A Wild Party [7] How The Game Scores Your Party [8] Keeping You And Your Guests Happy [9] Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) [10] Bugs [A] Contact Information [B] Webmaster Information [C] Where This FAQ May be Found [D] Other FAQs Written [E] The Sims: House Party Copyright Information =============================================================================== |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | [1] System Requirements | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| - Windows 95/98/98SE/ME/2000 - The Sims installed (Livin' Large not needed, but you will NOT get LL objects, careers, etc. unless it is installed BEFORE installing House Party) - 233MHz Intel Pentium or AMD K6 processor - 32 MB RAM - 4x CD-ROM/DVD-ROM drive - 255 MB free hard disk space plus space for saved games (additional space required for Windows swap-file) - High Color (800x600 resolution) capable 2 MB video card with DirectX 7.0 compatible driver - DirectX 7.0 compatible sound card; Keyboard; Mouse =============================================================================== |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | [2] Installing The Sims: House Party | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| 1. Start the Windows 95/98/98SE/ME/2000 operating system. 2. Place The Sims: House Party Expansion Pack CD in the CD drive. The Autorun menu appears. NOTE: If the Autorun menu does not automatically appear, click the START button on the Windows Task Bar, then click Run... At the Dialog Box, type D:\start.exe, then click OK. The autorun menu appears. If your CD-ROM drive uses a letter other than "D", please substitute the letter of your CD-ROM drive for "D". 3. Click the Install button to install the expansion pack. NOTE: You may exit the setup program at any time by clicking CANCEL. 4. Read the General Installation Information, then click NEXT. 5. Enter the serial number from the back of your CD-ROM case. Click NEXT to install The Sims House Party. 6. After the installation has finished, you are given the choice to register the product. 7. Choose whether or not you would like to install AOL 6.0. Make your selection to continue. 8. Click FINISH to exit the install wizard. NOTE: After you install House Party, the House Party CD is the only CD you need to insert into your CD drive in order to play The Sims. Even if you install The Sims Livin' Large Expansion Pack, the House Party CD is the CD you use to play the Sims. =============================================================================== |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | [3] Neighborhood | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| A Neighborhood is where your Sims live. They play, work, and obviously party with other Sims in the same neighborhood. Each neighbor can support up to ten houses on ten lots. |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | [3.1] How To Switch and Control Different Neighborhoods | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| With House Party, you have a total of eight neighborhoods at your disposal, for a total of 80 houses! To switch between neighborhoods, use the left and right arrow buttons at the top left of the neighborhood screen. The number in the center displays the neighborhood you are currently in. You can have ten houses, which equals ten families, in one neighborhood. When you create someone in, for example, Neighborhood 1, they are only useable in Neighborhood 1. They cannot be switched to 'hood 2, and they can only interact with other Sims in the same neighborhood. |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | [3.2] How To Create Extra Neighborhoods | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| Make sure you have a totally empty neighborhood, with no houses or Sims what-so-ever, otherwise you will make an exact duplicate. Go to your Sims root directory, which is usually, if your hard drive is C:. C:\Program Files\Maxis\The Sims\. Once there, you will see folders which are labeled "UserData1" through "UserData8"; each number corresponds to it's neighborhood. Your families, pictures, houses, etc. are stored within these folders. Highlight the folder that has an empty family by left-clicking on it. Press CTRL+C to copy the folder. Return to the desktop and press CTRL+V to paste a copy of the folder. Right-click the newly copied folder and click "Rename". Rename the folder to "UserData9" or any such number up to 50. Left-click on the folder once and press CTRL+C again. Return to the \The Sims\ directory and paste the new folder. When you go to the game, you will now have a ninth neighborhood in which to run or ruin the lives of more Sims. =============================================================================== |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | [4] New Non-Playable Characters | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| There are six new NPC's that I have encountered so far. There may be more; there may not. If I see any other then the ones listed here, I will add them to the FAQ. |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | [4.1] Campfire Ghost | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| When you have a group of Sims gathered around a fire, order a Sim with a Charisma rating of six or higher to "Tell A Story". When a story is being told, there is a 1 in 10 chance the Ghost will appear and haunt your Sims. The haunting lasts until the fire burns out. |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | [4.2] Caterer | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| The Caterer is the main item at your party. He will fill your Punch Bowls and Buffet Tables, and re-fill them when they get low. Although you can direct your Sims to perform aforementioned tasks, the Caterer does a better job, and you may forget to tell your Sim to re-fill due to the fun you're having. The Caterer will work until 11:00pm, then he will empty the punch bowls and buffet tables, and leave so he can get his "beauty sleep". The downside to the Caterer is he costs §350 for the day, and when he's not busy cleaning or filling, he will talk to your guests, and most guests will lose relationship points with the host or hostess of the party, as he has really bad social skills. He will occasionally go to your Costume Trunk (if you have it and it's opened), look at the clothes, and make a rude remark. If he is no longer needed before 11:00, you can "Dismiss" him, and being the gentlemen that he is, he will clean up before he leaves. If he's mingling with your guests, direct one of your Sims to perform the action "Back To Work". |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | [4.3] Entertainer | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| The Entertainer pops out of the Fancy Feet Cake Treat, and is either Male or Female, depending on which you choose. They will do a little dance for you, while the entire party watches. When the dance is over, the Entertainer will stick around and party for a while. Sometimes, she may even grab a Sim, fling him backwards, and kiss him, giving him her number as well. If another Sim is in the same room and has a heart for the relationship, they will not take that kindly and either slap the Entertainer, the kissed Sim, or both. |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | [4.4] Mime | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| When your party is doing bad, the Mime will show up. He will mingle with your guests, perform stupid mime tricks, and steal things. The first two, even though your party is bad to have attracted him, have a positive effect, and will slowly raise the party mood. If you ask him to leave, he won't. The guests need to be entertained before he will leave. |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | [4.5] Party Crashers | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| When your party is doing good, you may have a Party Crasher show up. The crasher is either male or female, and the female crasher looks like a frickin' goth zombie. Anywho, the party crashers add to your overall mood. They will participate in the campfire, bubble blowing, dancing, etc., and most group activities. If the party starts sinking while the crasher is there, they may break things, such as a dishwasher, your DJ table, TV, etc. You can ask the crasher to leave whenever you like, but expect a nasty remark about it. |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | [4.6] Secret Celebrity (the celebrity is.....) | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| When your party is doing exceptional, a black stretch limousine will show up outside your door. Who is this secret celebrity? Here's a few hints for you: a) he's fat (not really fat, but he ain't skinny) b) wears dorky black glasses c) has two TV shows (a comedy and hosts a comedy improvisation show) d) has friends named Kate, Lewis, and Oswald e) hates his boss' secretary (who dress wild and wears inhuman amounts of makeup) Any idea yet? No?! Where have you been living??? Drum roll please.... (da da na num) Thank you. Mr. Drew Carey! That's right folks! Old Drew himself will show up at your door when your party is the talk of the town. He will stand outside your door for one hour, while all your Sims flock to him with pictures of Drew in their thought bubbles. If your party continues to escalate for one hour Sim-time, Drew will phone up his agent and tell him to take off, as he has a night of wild partying to do. Drew will come to your house, dance, eat, and do all other group activities. He will stay for a maximum of four hours, and for most of that time, your Sims are thinking nothing but Drew. After he leaves, they are STILL thinking about him. When Drew shows up, you know you can throw a good bash. =============================================================================== |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | [5] Building a Better House | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| I won't go into too much detail here. Build a house like you would in The Sims or Livin' Large, but for House Party, take care when designing the party area. Make sure your guests have access to other forms of entertainment, such as a pool table or television, preferably within the same room. Create a kitchen with dining tables and chairs, and be sure to have one or two Buffet Tables (more depending on how many people you want) and a punch bowl or two. Make sure there is plenty of bathrooms, as your guest Sims may not like each other enough to use the bathroom while someone else is in it. Without the proper bathroom set up, your party can go sour fast. Build two tile bathrooms, with nothing but a toilet, and designate these as bathrooms with the two new doors Men and Women. Your Sims will obey the door signs, and will not enter a bathroom of the opposite sex. Make sure all these rooms are connected together somehow, so your Sims have less travel time, which keeps them happier, and possibly keep the party running later. NOTE: If your party goes past 11:00pm (same time when the Caterer leaves), th police will show up at your door explaining that neighbors have complained about the noise (doubtful since they're probably at your house right now). If more then five people (not including the resident sims) are still in the house when 12:00am rolls around, the cop will show up again and fine you. Here is a checklist of items you should have for the ultimate party, with the amount of that item in brackets: - DJ Turntable (1) - Dance Floor (5-10) - Buffet Table (2+) - Punch Bowl (2+) - Go-Go Cage (2+) - Club Code Thrill Light (4+) - Pool Table (1) - TV (1) - Furniture, such as couches, for the Comfort rating (5+) - Dining Table (2+) - Toilet (6+) - Hot Tub (1) - Pool (1) =============================================================================== |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | [6] Preparing Your Sims for a Wild Party | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| Here is a checklist of things you should do with your Sim(s) leading up to the party. This will ensure their in the best of moods: 8:00am to 9:00am - The Sim with the highest cooking skill should "Serve Breakfast" 9:00am to 10:00am - Have your Sims partake in a Fun Group activity (TV, Pool, Hot Tub, etc.) 10:00am to 11:00am - Send Sims to improve the Hygiene and Bladder motives 11:00am to 12:00am - Nap (either on bed or couch for four hours) 4:00pm - 5:00pm - Wake up your Sims just before 5:00, and take care of any motives that are less then half, then call the Caterer. 5:00pm - Use the phone and select the option "Throw Party". Five random guests from the neighborhood will show. Although some may ring the doorbell, don't greet them; they will walk in within the hour. 6:00pm - Make sure your first set of guests are eating (if not, grab something to eat, as they almost always follow the hosts' actions) 7:00pm - Use the phone and select the option "Throw Party". Five new random guests will come. After each hour, choose the same option, as new Sims are brought when the hour passes. 8:00pm - Purchase a Fancy Feet Cake Treat and hire an Entertainer. 8:30pm - Look for unhappy guests and dismiss them, as they drag down the party score. 10:00pm - Start asking your guests to leave, so the house will be quiet before the cop arrives. Unless, of course, you don't care about the fine, in which case let your guests stay. 11:00pm - Caterer will approach the Sim who phoned him and will tell him he is ready to leave. After 11:00pm - Your house is a mess. Phone the Maid (if you don't already have one), use the bathroom, take care of any other red motives, then go to bed, dreaming of your next party. =============================================================================== |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | [7] How the Game Scores Your Party | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| As soon as your house has five Sims (not including the resident Sims) and a Caterer, the game engine activates a toggle that tells it a party is underway and to begin keeping score. The game bases your party mood on the overall mood of all the guests in the house, including the resident guests. HINT: Buy the Moosehead and place it in the party room. The position of the antlers gives you a rough idea of how the party is. The higher the antlers, the better the mood. When 90 minutes game time have passed, the engine decides whether or not to send the Mime to your house. If your party score is 20 or less (there is no in-game way to determine the numerical value of your party) the game will send the Mime. As soon as your party is above 20, the game will tell the Mime to leave. When 120 minutes game time have passed, the engine decides whether a party crasher will make an appearance. If your score is 40 or higher, a crasher may show (sex of crasher is random). You can boot a crasher from the party by asking him/her to leave, and they will, but not without making a nasty remark to you first. If your score drops below 40, the crasher will leave on his own. When a party is going on, the game will drop the Fun factor of each sim by two points every five minutes, in addition to the regular drop. When there is less then five Sims in the house, the game says to itself "Okay, the party is over, so I'll stop tracking." and your score is no longer counted. The game refreshes your score every 20 game minutes, which is how it tells whether to send an NPC or not. The game adds two mood points per guest, so the more sims you have, the harder it is to keep your party score going up, as on unhappy sim can seriously deter the party score. However, having more guests who are happy increases your party score. =============================================================================== |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | [8] Keeping You and Your Guests Happy | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| This is a no brainer. Use the motives of your Sims to determine the needs of the guests. If one of your Sims is hungry, then there's a good chance some or all of the guests are. Getting low on Comfort? Sit down, watch TV and invite someone to join you, as they are getting tired too. Need some fun? Play pool go in the hot tub, and invite the guests to join, because they most likely need some fun too. =============================================================================== |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | [9] Frequently Asked Questions | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| Q: I call the Caterer, but he stands outside my house, doing nothing, and I can't dismiss him. What's wrong? A: You do not have a Buffet Table or a Punch Bowl, or you have them, but they are positioned so that no one can access them. Flip the items around and wait one Sim-hour. The reason you can't dismiss him is because he's not activated yet, since he has nothing to work on. Your Sim will have the option to "Dismiss", but as soon as you select it, it disappears from your action queue. This is also a bug, which you can find below. =============================================================================== |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | [10] Bugs | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| A) Caterer won't work, and just stands outside. Please read the FAQ above for the common solution. However, this is also a bug, and if the solution presented in the FAQ section doesn't work, you have to exit to the neighborhood screen (without saving), then reload your house. =============================================================================== =============================================================================== |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | [A] Contact Information | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| To contact me, send an e-mail to the following address: jpaterson000 [at] msn [dot] com Replace [at] with @ and [dot] with the period. Please do not add me to your MSN Messenger list. All friend requests will be denied. When e-mailing me, include the name of the game, or an abbreviation of the game in the subject. Most other e-mails will probably end up not being read, and immediately deleted. Thank you. If your e-mail contains any of the following, I will not respond to it: - Help for something that's already covered in this FAQ; please look over it before e-mailing me - Help for something that has nothing to do with this game; do not ask me how to kill the final monster of a game if you're reading my MVP Baseball FAQ - Serial numbers, CD keys, registration codes, or where to find a pirated version If you need help with a technical problem, such as your game not loading or you're encountering errors, contact the developer and/or publisher of the game. I cannot help with technical problems. =============================================================================== |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | [B] Webmaster Information | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| Attention webmasters: You are allowed to host this document and display it without asking for prior permission. All you have to do is the following: - Do not charge people to see it or otherwise make a profit from it. - Do not alter it. - Give proper credit to the author. - You may not sell, rent or lease the document. If you want to use one of my guides _IN_ a guide of yours, like an item guide of mine in a general guide you're writing, feel free to do so, as long as you still follow the above. All I ask in addition to that is that you let me know when your guide is online so I can check it out. =============================================================================== |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | [C] Where This FAQ May be Found | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| JPatWorld http://www.jpatworld.com/ GameFAQs http://www.gamefaqs.com/ Cheat Happens http://www.cheathappens.com/ All other websites have permission to use this document, but they may be out of date or incorrect versions. The latest, newest versions can always be found at the above websites. =============================================================================== |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | [D] Other FAQs Written | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| This section may not always be up-to-date, as I'm not going to update every single one of my FAQs after making a new one. http://www.gamefaqs.com/features/recognition/8939.html ==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=== GAME GUIDE TYPE ==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=== Clock Tower 3 || File List Deus Ex: Invisible War || Walkthrough/FAQ ESPN NFL 2K5 || Milestones/Crib Unlockables ESPN NFL 2K5 || Strategy Guide/FAQ ESPN NHL 2K5 || Challenges & Unlockables Grand Theft Auto III || Walkthrough/FAQ Grand Theft Auto III || Song Guide James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing || Walkthrough/FAQ Madden NFL 2004 || Challenge Checklist MVP Baseball 2004 || Strategy Guide/FAQ MVP Baseball 2004 || Unlockables Guide Nocturne || Walkthrough/FAQ Red Faction || Walkthrough/FAQ RoadKill || Walkthrough/FAQ RoadKill || Song Guide Serious Sam || Walkthrough/FAQ SimCity 4: Rush Hour || Object Guide Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow || Demo Walkthrough Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic || Walkthrough/FAQ Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic || Item List The Sims (PC) || Item List The Sims (CONSOLE) || Item List The Sims: House Party || Strategy Guide/FAQ Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2X || Song Guide Tropico || Walkthrough/FAQ Unreal Tournament || Walkthrough/FAQ WWE RAW 2 || Move List/FAQ ==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=== Total FAQs: 27 I have also written several strategy guides, in HTML format with screenshots, for the website Cheat Happens (www.cheathappens.com). ==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=== Hitman: Contracts Spider-Man 2 The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay Unreal Tournament 2004 ==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--==--=== Total Guides: 4 =============================================================================== |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | [E] The Sims: House Party Copyright | |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------| © 2001 Electronic Arts Inc. The Sims, EA GAMES, the EA GAMES logo, Maxis, the Maxis logo, and Electronic Arts are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All rights reserved. EA GAMES and Maxis are Electronic Arts brands. =============================================================================== This document is copyright by US and Canadian copyright laws. This FAQ is for personal use only. This FAQ may not be altered or used for commercial use. Websites may use this document without permission, but they must give proper credit to the author and musn't alter it any way, shape or form. All websites, excluding GameFAQs (www.gamefaqs.com), are prohibited from renting, selling or leasing this document, whether it's for personal or commercial gain. Thank you. =============================================================================== End of The Sims: House Party FAQ/Walkthrough. Copyright 2004. All rights reserved. The author of this FAQ is in no way affiliated with Maxis, Electronic Arts, or any member of the The Sims: House Party development team.