Kayden’s plugin nets him §14. It’s not much, but he’s just getting started. As he builds the Programming skill, Kayden will be able to tackle more complex programming tasks which will bring in more income. The Programming skill is designed to mesh with the Tech Guru career, but like many skills in The Sims 4, your Sims can also make a comfortable living at home by selling the fruits of their labour.
The level two skill notification didn’t mention this, but it appears Kayden can also hack now. Let’s give that a go and see what happens. Right now, Kayden can only hack the Llamacorn Listserv but more hacking opportunities will open up to him as he improves the Programming skill.
Kayden hacks Llamacorn Listserv and pockets §34, slightly more profitable than the plugin, but also slightly less legal. Shhh, don’t tell anyone!
Hacking brought Kayden up to level three in the Programming skill. He can now mod games. This should be fun. As Simmers, we can’t get enough of all the great mods out there to enhance our playing experience! Now our Sims can become great game modders, too!
While hacking into top secret government databases and creating viruses that devastate millions of computers can be a thrilling experience in The Sims 4, we don’t really advise doing this in real life. Keep your illegal activities to the world of The Sims and explore the darker side of computer programming without any of the unpleasant legal consequences in the real world.
I quite literally laughed out loud when I went into the Program option on the computer’s pie menu and hovered over the new Mod Game interaction. It seems the Sim Gurus snuck in a little jab at themselves! There is humour hidden behind every corner in The Sims 4, but this was the first time I noticed that little gem. Aw, we love you and all the hard work you do, Sim Gurus!
I decided to have Kayden mod Sims Forever (of course!) and after he was finished, he could “Play Sims Forever with Mods” on the computer. “Mod Game” is an interaction that doesn’t make your Sim any simoleons, but opens up new ways to play video games. Since Kayden is a Geek and gets Tense if he hasn’t done any gaming in a while, I let him indulge in some modded fun with Sims Forever.
Another surprise! Kayden got a Happy moodlet from playing a modded game! Happy moodlets boost other positive emotions so this will help him stay Focused while programming.
Modding games with the Programming skill ties into the Video Gaming skill. Max out the Video Gaming skill with the Programming skill at level three to mod every computer game.
After taking care of Kayden’s motives, he’s back at work at the computer and reaches level four fairly quickly with his Focused decor to help him. He can now make viruses. If Kayden was a teenager, he’d also be able to hack his school grades.
Now we all know making viruses is not a very wholesome way to make a living as a programmer, but we’re here to explore everything this skill has to offer so let’s have Kayden work on a virus and see how he does.
Kayden’s virus infects thousands of computers and gets him a crisp §398. I guess it pays to be a criminal in The Sims 4! While working on that virus, Kayden levels up again. He’s already halfway up the Programming skill ladder! Now that he’s a level five programmer, he can do freelance work. That’s a much more respectable way to make simoleons. Maybe it’s time Kayden gets on the straight and narrow and starts doing some honest work.
Kayden gets to work on fixing the coding for another Sim’s robotic mixologist. As Kayden did more freelance work, he got different popups explaining a variety of computer-related problems other Sims were having, each more hilarious and absurd than the last, which made working on these tasks more enjoyable and immersive.
Doing freelance work improves Kayden’s skill to level six. He can now hack his work performance. Kayden doesn’t have an official day job. He makes his living programming from home, but Sims in the Tech Guru career will benefit from this. The Tech Guru career puts a lot of emphasis on building the Programming skill. A skilled enough Tech Guru could take a little shortcut to his/her next promotion by hacking work performance.
Kayden continues to do freelance work, pocketing a tidy sum of simoleons in the process. Being a stay-at-home programmer can be a very lucrative career option for those players who don’t like confining their Sims to a strict nine-to-five day job.
But it’s not always fun and games. Kayden experiences several computer meltdowns during his long hours behind the screen. Luckily, he makes enough simoleons from programming to be able to hire a professional to come and sort out his problems whenever he’s faced with the dreaded blue screen of death. Thank you for your services, kind repair lady!
Kayden’s Focused emotion combined with his high motives and long hours of hard work pay off and he reaches level seven of the Programming skill. He can make mobile phone apps now. This is another Programming skill feature that can make simoleons for your Sims. Both Kayden and I are burnt out from doing freelance work for so long. It’s time to try something new and work on a mobile app.
Don’t forget to take care of your Sim’s motives while building a skill. Kayden’s been getting a healthy amount of bathroom breaks, sleep, food, showers, and fun off-camera in between his long programming sessions. Sims with low motives become Uncomfortable and Uncomfortable Sims build skills at a snail’s pace. Keep their motives high and maintain positive emotions in order to get the most out of skill building.
