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Forum Resident
Original Poster
#1 Old 8th Dec 2018 at 1:41 AM
Default How Would You Fix: WITCHES?
It's time for our next "How Would You Fix" installment, and this time we're going to focus on WITCHES!! The Witches (and Warlocks, or just witchcraft...covering all my bases so as not to offend!) were introduced in TS2: Apartment Life. They gave the sims the abilityto bend the molecules of time, space, reality and the fourth dimension to their will and whims... Or some junk.

So what is it about sim witchcraft that you would've liked to have done differently? Are there things you think they should've had? Items and objects? Skills? Needs, wants, desires? Obviously MORE spells, right? Well, dont just say "more spells!" Enlighten us, which spells, and how would you make them fit into the game mechanics? Anything that'd make them more playable? More enjoyable? More realistic (or more fantastic)? Anything you'd wished were done different! Consider this your wishing well. Cast your coin and hope for the best!! No limit on the number of ideas you can post or coins you can cast! ...but please make all checks payable to grinEvilly... >=)

Remember though: this is not a request thread... it's merely a discussion thread, to share ideas. But if any adventurous creator would like to take hold of any of the ideas and run with them, please: FEEL FREE!!

So let your best, your worst, your craziest, your most impossible ideas fly! Tell us what you think would've made Witchcraft better! Be sure to "Like" your favorite ideas, and as always, please continue your contributions to the previous "How Would You Fix:" discussions for Zombies, Vampires, Servos, Werewolves, Plantsims, BigFoot, and Genies!

And thanks again to each of you for playing along!!


-grinEvilly
>=)
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Mad Poster
#2 Old 8th Dec 2018 at 1:41 AM
The first thing I'd add was a throne for the neutral witches.

I'm secretly a Bulbasaur. | Formerly known as ihatemandatoryregister

Looking for SimWardrobe's mods? | Or Dizzy's? | Faiuwle/rufio's too! | smorbie1's Chris Hatch archives
Theorist
#3 Old 8th Dec 2018 at 1:56 AM
That spell from Making Magic that can turn a Pet into a Sim (and possibly one that does the opposite)

Magic Duels

An Alchemy Set especially for witches, creating potions, magical plants and magical toys.

Physical transformation spell that also alters genetics.

A proper Magic Sub-Neighbourhood like in Making Magic with a custom lighting system to make it appear magical and where you can also live.

A spell that magically restores all plants on the lot.

Do away with the "Golden Sweat" for the Good Witches and the poison green skin for the evil witches.

That's all I can think of right now.

Avatar by MasterRed
Taking an extended break from Sims stuff. Might be around, might not.
Mad Poster
#4 Old 8th Dec 2018 at 1:59 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Orphalesion
That spell from Making Magic that can turn a Pet into a Sim (and possibly one that does the opposite)


Hopefully in a manner that doesn't produce a doggler. Perhaps it could work by adding an "I am dead" token to the pet and spawning a new random Sim with their name and similar personality.

I'm secretly a Bulbasaur. | Formerly known as ihatemandatoryregister

Looking for SimWardrobe's mods? | Or Dizzy's? | Faiuwle/rufio's too! | smorbie1's Chris Hatch archives
Lab Assistant
#5 Old 8th Dec 2018 at 2:40 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Orphalesion
A spell that magically restores all plants on the lot.

Do away with the "Golden Sweat" for the Good Witches and the poison green skin for the evil witches.


The latter can be found here. As for the former I don't know of any custom spells that do quite that, but the "grow" spell from pandorasims can at least make an individual plant healthy. I also posted alternative versions of the pandorasims spells that don't require reagents and are enabled for neutral witches, should that be more your style.

AKA Midge the Tree
simblr // LJ // dreamwidth
Mad Poster
#6 Old 8th Dec 2018 at 3:24 AM
There are lots of alternative overlays for the witches. Some give them normal looking skin, some give them tribal tattoos or gothy looking makeup. (Supernatural characters are near the bottoms of these linked pages.)
Maxis Match - https://sims2defaults.dreamwidth.org/333689.html
Semi & Realistic - https://sims2defaults.dreamwidth.org/333947.html

In addition to the mod at MATY that gives the witches normal skins, HP did one with a similar effect.
http://modthesims.info/d/299163
Field Researcher
#7 Old 8th Dec 2018 at 3:26 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Orphalesion
Magic Duels
An Alchemy Set especially for witches, creating potions, magical plants and magical toys.
(...)
A spell that magically restores all plants on the lot.

Apartment Life hasn't even been installed yet and I already miss Magic Duels. Let me duel merchants for a chance to get their goodies! (Since there isn't any special currency in TS2.)
And Holy Cow you don't have a garden spell in the Sims 2? That was one of the most useful spells in the first game!
I'll also miss magic kiddies. I liked that they had their own charms and spells and I'll especially miss that silly wand charger they got. And the fairy dust!
Alchemist
#8 Old 8th Dec 2018 at 4:00 AM Last edited by Sunrader : 9th Dec 2018 at 3:45 PM.
I can't stand my witches flying on brooms automatically. I want them to walk to lots like everyone else. They are supposed to be realistic in my game and not have the whole hood know that they are witches. I already rewrote all the spells and menus into plain English and slightly better poetry. I always get rid of the hats, name titles, and glowing, but I like the sparkling skin, so if they could just choose to walk....
Instructor
#9 Old 8th Dec 2018 at 4:09 AM
I would actually love to have witches like in the modern witch series on amazon. Where they all had different abilities like some were earth, air, water or fire or could do precog or astral project, telekinesis, some are good at potions etc. And some had alot of skills but were better at others.
Field Researcher
#10 Old 8th Dec 2018 at 10:59 AM
I like the witch outfits but I also liked how you had total freedom in The Sims over how your witches looked. I had an old-fashioned wizard in robes living in a tiny tower next to a modern witch in a black suit next to a modern-day detective who was 'investigating' the Magic Town business. The outfit will be nice as a sort of 'traditional' uniform sims get and can choose to use, kind of like how judges will still wear the traditional garb even if it isn't legally required.
Also, can you imagine children's spectral assistant just be puppies and kittens that will play with them?

Going over the list on the wikia page I think there's actually a decent amount and variety of spells, but I also see most of them not being very useful in a sim's daily life.
I guess we don't need a money spell because money is easy to come by, but maybe a learning booster would be nice to help getting the promotions. Or a spell were your job performance will be good if you go to work in the next 5 hours or so. That would be a nice Evil spell I think, most of the 'Evil' spells don't do much for gameplay, just storytelling and some fun for the player. There should be more 'egotistical' spells for Evil witches, instead of just making life inconvenient for others. Like the spell equivalent of the aspiration reward skill-sucker. Yes, the reward already exists, but there's no harm in having multiple ways to do stuff and this spell you can bring to community lots. Or swapping a relationship score with a third sim, thereby stealing someone's hot love interest.

One thing people talked about in another topic is the reagents. I think I won't mind the reagents, but I do mind that you get only 1 use out of a spell for 3-4 reagents. That makes practicing magic a lot more difficult then it needs to be.
Mad Poster
#11 Old 8th Dec 2018 at 11:05 AM
I got annoyed with trying to remember all the reagents needed for each spell, so I used the mod to remove the need for them. (The Cordials still sell them at Arcane Affinity, their witchery shop. Must make nice paperweights.)

I'm secretly a Bulbasaur. | Formerly known as ihatemandatoryregister

Looking for SimWardrobe's mods? | Or Dizzy's? | Faiuwle/rufio's too! | smorbie1's Chris Hatch archives
Theorist
#12 Old 8th Dec 2018 at 12:21 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Isa-WP
Evil spell I think, most of the 'Evil' spells don't do much for gameplay, just storytelling and some fun for the player. There should be more 'egotistical' spells for Evil witches, instead of just making life inconvenient for others. Like the spell equivalent of the aspiration reward skill-sucker. Yes, the reward already exists, but there's no harm in having multiple ways to do stuff and this spell you can bring to community lots. Or swapping a relationship score with a third sim, thereby stealing someone's hot love interest..


It gets worse: The Evil banishment spell can't actually send away intrusive NPCs like the Burglar, the Social Worker or the Repo Man. The only Sims you can banish from your lot are Sims you have invited or walkbys you have greeted.

So all your evil witch/warlock can do is invite their friends over and then poof them back home with their "nasty ebil" banishmen spell. "Mwahahahaha....?"

I like your ideas for spells.Especially the relationship swapper.

Avatar by MasterRed
Taking an extended break from Sims stuff. Might be around, might not.
Mad Poster
#13 Old 8th Dec 2018 at 1:13 PM
NPC (not necessary high ones) good witches should cast their good spells on sims they had befriend, while evil ones on enemies. Could be even vice versa: good will even love ones they hate, evil ones will hate on those they hate.

P.S. Sorry for my bad english.
Alchemist
#14 Old 8th Dec 2018 at 1:53 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Isa-WP
Going over the list on the wikia page I think there's actually a decent amount and variety of spells, but I also see most of them not being very useful in a sim's daily life.
I guess we don't need a money spell because money is easy to come by, but maybe a learning booster would be nice to help getting the promotions. Or a spell were your job performance will be good if you go to work in the next 5 hours or so. That would be a nice Evil spell I think, most of the 'Evil' spells don't do much for gameplay, just storytelling and some fun for the player. There should be more 'egotistical' spells for Evil witches, instead of just making life inconvenient for others. Like the spell equivalent of the aspiration reward skill-sucker. Yes, the reward already exists, but there's no harm in having multiple ways to do stuff and this spell you can bring to community lots. Or swapping a relationship score with a third sim, thereby stealing someone's hot love interest.

One thing people talked about in another topic is the reagents. I think I won't mind the reagents, but I do mind that you get only 1 use out of a spell for 3-4 reagents. That makes practicing magic a lot more difficult then it needs to be.


I haven't tried but it seems like it should be pretty easy to mod the actual spells to some degree. I know PandoraSims has a new spell system (and a lot of other cool witchy things), but I haven't tried any of them. Here's the link but it does seem to have some NSFW ads. http://pandorasims.net/sims2_objects_sets_fant.html

I, too, like the reagents. I like having my witches having a magic spell book and a cauldron hidden away somewhere in the their otherwise normal-looking suburban house. I usually just have them spend time studying and making reagents so they always have plenty in inventory, anyway. But, I think it's pretty easy to modify the reagents in SimPE if you just want to tone it down some.
Lab Assistant
#15 Old 8th Dec 2018 at 3:07 PM
It'd be good if the magic neighborhood lots had visiting witches/warlocks come in and make use of the cauldrons and spell books that are there rather than the place just being mostly empty.

I'd also add more useful evil spells such as draining mood, skills or aspiration from other sims to boost their own or another sim. Or forcing another sim to go to work for them.
Forum Resident
Original Poster
#16 Old 8th Dec 2018 at 4:51 PM
Just a quick word to the wise... use Pandora's downloads with caution. In my experience, I've found them to be, at times, a bit wonky. They've glitched, or broken other functions of the game and had to be removed. Not saying all their stuff is bad, or even that any of their witchcraft stuff is bad -- i haven't used it. Just saying I've had bad experiences with some of their other stuff. So you may want to install them and do some testing, and if other things in your game start going glitchy, maybe pull those first... Just use caution!

Anyway, seems silly to me that evil witches sound more like nuisance witches. And what's the point of banishing, if you can't banish the burglar or the repo man? ...or even the cop, when he comes to break up your New Years Eve party because it's after 10pm, when the New Year doesn't start until midnight??

Evil witches should be more concerned with "self"... Good witches, with "others". Their spells ought to reflect that. Maybe some of the bigger, more powerful spells should drain lifetime aspiration points, too... Hmmm... Like youth spells. Reverse a lifestage, but lose a hunk of the aspiration meter. I dunno... maybe catastrophically evil spells should drain life, as well.

thinking out loud...


-gE
>=)
Mad Poster
#17 Old 8th Dec 2018 at 5:05 PM
I don't believe it's possible to cast any spells to 'on-duty' NPCs. I was able to cast the bee-chase spell on the cow mascot on occasion, but other times it failed. (It's pretty damn funny when it works, though.) If it were up to me, I'd allow spells to be cast on the safe NPCs.

I'm secretly a Bulbasaur. | Formerly known as ihatemandatoryregister

Looking for SimWardrobe's mods? | Or Dizzy's? | Faiuwle/rufio's too! | smorbie1's Chris Hatch archives
Mad Poster
#18 Old 8th Dec 2018 at 5:32 PM
Neutral witches are for their self. Evil witches don't have any motivates other than to be awfully mean.

P.S. Sorry for my bad english.
Field Researcher
#19 Old 8th Dec 2018 at 7:36 PM
I personally would ditch the alignment system completely. I never liked the idea that one person can be completely good or evil, so I use a bunch of mods and defaults to remove things like the overlays, outfits, alignment requirements for spells, glowy auras, and the titles that get added to Sims' names - also to make spectral cats spawn as any breed, because the "white cat = good, black cat = bad" thing disgusts me. (Now, if only someone could disable the glowy aura for spectral cats...)

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Home of my Kulo Seeri Test of Time and a lot of worldbuilder rambling. You have been warned.
Forum Resident
Original Poster
#20 Old 8th Dec 2018 at 9:36 PM
Quote: Originally posted by nuidyaforever
the "white cat = good, black cat = bad" thing disgusts me.


Why on EARTH would an unlucky black cat being associated with a bad witch "disgust" you?? Black/white, Ying/Yang, day/night, good/evil, positive/negative...

You know what? Maybe it's better I don't know.


-gE
>=)
Field Researcher
#21 Old 8th Dec 2018 at 9:39 PM
Quote: Originally posted by nuidyaforever
I personally would ditch the alignment system completely. I never liked the idea that one person can be completely good or evil, so I use a bunch of mods and defaults to remove things like the overlays, outfits, alignment requirements for spells, glowy auras, and the titles that get added to Sims' names - also to make spectral cats spawn as any breed, because the "white cat = good, black cat = bad" thing disgusts me. (Now, if only someone could disable the glowy aura for spectral cats...)

To be honest, yes, the good/neutral/evil system is a bit clunky. (Have you noticed that in Pets most of the cats in adoption are black or dark grey? I think at least someone in Maxis was aware of this problem.) But to be fair, Good witches can still be awful outside their casting, can't they? The game doesn't keep track of whether they're nice overall.
Good witches should be able to take care of themselves too I think. Few things annoy me more in characters than giving themselves away frequently to the point that it harms them or others have to save them from themselves. If we're supposed to think as readers/watchers/players that the person in question has mental health issues I'm okay with it, but acting like it's an okay thing to do annoys me to no end.

Quote: Originally posted by Orphalesion
It gets worse: The Evil banishment spell can't actually send away intrusive NPCs like the Burglar, the Social Worker or the Repo Man. The only Sims you can banish from your lot are Sims you have invited or walkbys you have greeted.
So all your evil witch/warlock can do is invite their friends over and then poof them back home with their "nasty ebil" banishmen spell. "Mwahahahaha....?"

At first I laughed in near disbelief, then I sighed.
...why?
Mad Poster
#22 Old 8th Dec 2018 at 9:47 PM
Quote: Originally posted by grinevilly
Why on EARTH would an unlucky black cat being associated with a bad witch "disgust" you?? Black/white, Ying/Yang, day/night, good/evil, positive/negative...

You know what? Maybe it's better I don't know.


-gE
>=)


FWIW, in some other parts of the world black cats are considered lucky.

I'm secretly a Bulbasaur. | Formerly known as ihatemandatoryregister

Looking for SimWardrobe's mods? | Or Dizzy's? | Faiuwle/rufio's too! | smorbie1's Chris Hatch archives
Forum Resident
Original Poster
#23 Old 8th Dec 2018 at 10:07 PM
Bulbizarre to the rescue!!
Mad Poster
#24 Old 8th Dec 2018 at 10:20 PM
Err, I don't understand.

I'm secretly a Bulbasaur. | Formerly known as ihatemandatoryregister

Looking for SimWardrobe's mods? | Or Dizzy's? | Faiuwle/rufio's too! | smorbie1's Chris Hatch archives
Field Researcher
#25 Old 8th Dec 2018 at 10:58 PM
I suspect you don't know this, grinevilly, but black cats have been so vilified in Europe (and by extension in the V.S. and Canada) for so long that shelters have a disproportionate amount of black cats. People are afraid to adopt them or can't get anyone to take their black kittens and have to take them to the shelter. It's superstition of course, but it indirectly kills a lot of otherwise perfectly friendly and fine cats.
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