The Sims 2 Opportunity Pack Reading Desk & Accessories

Title: The Sims 2 Opportunity Pack Reading Desk & Accessories



UPDATE December 16th, 2016: Routing Improvement

Enthusiastic listeners will now go to the front of the class to attend the talk, rather than the rear.


ACCREDITED December 10th, 2016:

a) With the major upgrade, all the teaching items in the Reading Desk set are now University and grade school accredited, meaning that school and college students will earn grade points while they attend the talks. Their educational progress will be displayed at the beginning and end of each tutorial session.

b) To support this more serious purpose, a proper dress code is now enforced for all teachers - no more lectures in pajamas or swimsuits! In the case of the Mystic Icon, children and teens who are not magicicans will dress in private school uniforms.

c) Lecturers who teach autonomously are now more likely to stay on the job.

d) For users of the Mystic Icon, a student's magic alignment and skill status is displayed at the beginning and end of each learning session.

e) The placement rules for the Reading Desk are changed to prevent the back of the object (where the Sim stands) from being occupied, but to allow the front to be placed next to a railing such as might exist on a raised stage.

f) A bug that caused listeners not to use audience seating has been fixed. My thanks to gazania for confirming this problem.

g) In checking for valid audience seating, bar stools are now approved for use.

If a Social Worker NPC is teaching at the Mystic Icon on a residential lot, ideally she should be dismissed before installing this update. However, if you find that if the Social Worker ends a teaching session without disappearing as she should, this release allows the Social Worker to be recalled and then dismissed properly.



Purpose

To produce a simple reading desk that supports a comprehensive group of skill, interest and enthusiasm building accessories.


Description

Together with the five microphones released with the Decorative Lectern, these speech making accessories provide for all 18 of the basegame interests. Additionally, two bonus interests included in the microphone set (Fashion and Politics) are supplied here as illustrated books. As well as the reading desk itself, the uploads also include two invisible recolours and a "Lost Opportunity" object to suppress the functionality of the set.

For witches and warlocks, the Opportunity Pack Mystic Icon has the additional benefit of increasing the Magic skill of both the teacher and the student.



Contents

Each item in this set is available from the Hobby/Knowledge section of the catalogue. The Reading Desk costs §87, the Wood Falcon and Pony cost §88 each, and the rest of the set sells for §89 each.

1) Opportunity Pack Reading Desk - this book stand has five slots on the top surface that are designed for holding Opportunity Pack Books & Notes, Collector's Editions, Opportunity Pack Accessories, Lady Ravendancer's Magical Arcana, as well as the texts, carvings and Mystic Icon included in this upload.

Opportunity Pack textbooks that are in the Reading Desk's lower numbered slots have functional priority over functional books and microphones in higher numbered slots. In the picture below, an Almanac is placed in Slot #0 - the slot closest to the speech maker - so all speech making objects in the other slots will be disabled. Also, any texts or mics that are on the same tile but not slotted into the Reading Desk will be similarly suppressed. This is a design feature that allows additional texts and mics to be used for decorative purposes while eliminating any autonomous Sim usage conflicts that would occur if more than one of these devices were allowed to be active on a particular tile.

Apart from the two wood carvings, all the speech making objects in this set each contain two slots to hold small objects. By design, if any of the textbooks, the Icon, the wood carvings or the Opportunity Microphones are placed on one of these speech making objects then only the device in the highest numbered slot - the top of the stack - remains enabled. The base object and any other object in the stack are disabled. In the picture below, the Tech Manual is at the top of the stack so that it takes priority over the Almanac: in this case the Tech Manual will be enabled but the Almanac will be disabled.

Note that a speech making accessory or stack that would be otherwise functional can be Deactivated by menu option. This will cause all speech making objects in that stack to be deactivated and the code will try to enable a mic or text in a higher number slot, if available.

The Reading Desk uses the recolour sets provided for the Opportunity Pack Lectern.

If the Reading Desk is placed on a stage or in a raised pulpit, an Extension Speaker will be required to relay the talk to the audience below.



2) Opportunity Pack Alamanac - like the Opportunity Pack Desk Mics, this practical reference book enables a Sim with at least 3 points of Logic to "Forecast" the weather, increasing Charisma and making some money while doing so. The public will pay for the forecast and raise their own Logic Skill. Those in school and college will earn Grade Points. Additionally, all Sims involved gain Weather Interest and FreeTime Nature Enthusiasm.

Those who "Forecast" will increase Charisma skill at the same rate as the basegame Teleprompter and listening to a talk will increase Logic Skill at 80% of that rate (the same rate as an indoor chess table). Sims can "Ask For" or "Offer" Charisma speech lessons if the Almanac is placed on a Reading Desk or Decorative Lectern.

Sims will Listen to satisfy their Fun and Social needs, but if the speech maker is moderately Charismatic then Sims will continue listening until their needs or mood becomes too low. The book will satisfy the "Practice Speech, "Read To", "Be Read to by", and "Went to Class" wants.

The book is college accredited for those majoring in Philosophy, but regardless of what major they may be specializing in, attending a lecture at the Almanac will grant Grade Points to all those registered in university or school.

College and school progress is displayed at the beginning and end of each student's learning session. If a school student earns an "A+", additional study will earn Extra Credits which allow a child or teen to take time off without losing a letter grade, or can be saved for advanced placement (one full term for 1000 points) in college.

The Almanac uses any of EA's built-in basegame book recolours as well as those from the Opportunity Pack Books and Collector's Editions.

Additionally, the Almanac uses the basegame Fourth Element Tapestry recolours for the graphic on its left-hand page. Many recolours are available, including those provided for the Opportunity Pack Lectern & Accessories.



3) Opportunity Pack Cookbook - similar in features and function to the Almanac, this impressive heirloom and at least three points of Cooking Skill you will be ready to "Teach" a cooking class, raising Charisma and earning an income as you do so. Students will gladly pay to increase their Cooking Skill, and every Sim present will gain Food Interest and FreeTime Cuisine Enthusiasm. Those in school and college will also earn Grade Points. This object uses basegame book recolours only.

The Cookbook is also college accredited for those majoring in Philosophy.


4) Opportunity Pack Fashion Journal - having the same footprint as the Orator's Epic (below) but much thinner, this pictorial guide to the essentials of style enables Sims with at least 3 points of Creativity to gain Charisma and earn an income as they "Discuss Fashion". Listeners will pay to preview the latest trends while developing their Creativity Skills. Those in school and college will also earn Grade Points. All participants gain Fashion Interest and FreeTime Arts & Crafts Enthusiasm.

The Fashion Journal uses basegame book recolours for its text and any of the many available basegame Lady on Red (Bella) recolours for its picture, including the Rossetti prints available here and here, as well as the pre-modern artwork available here and here.

The Fashion Journal is college accredited for those majoring in Art.


5) Opportunity Pack Guidebook - this guide may inspire adventurous Sims with three points or more of Mechanical Skill to "Share Travel Secrets", enhancing their Charisma and raising money for future trips. Members of the audience will "Learn" practical and Mechanical Skills, while offering support. Those in school and college will also earn Grade Points. Every Sim at the meeting gains Travel Interest and FreeTime Tinkering Enthusiasm.

The Guidebook uses both the basegame book recolours and The Sims 2 Opportunity Pack Ticket (Note Card) recolours. Please be sure to use the latest version of the Ticket recolours, released August 1, 2015.

The Guidebook is a secondary master for the Ticket recolours, so it not necessary to have the original Ticket file in a Downloads folder for the recolours to work.

This book is college accredited for those majoring in Economics.


6) Opportunity Pack Legal Tome - this weighty volume is ideal for Sims concerned with the science of law. Sims with a minimum of 3 points of Logic Skill may "Discuss a Case" to increase their Charisma Skill and receive compensation. Listeners will pay to raise their Logic Skill, and all participants gain Crime Interest and FreeTime Science Enthusiasm. Those in school and college will also earn Grade Points. The Tome uses basegame book recolours only.

The Legal Tome is college accredited for those majoring in History.


7) Opportunity Pack Lost Opportunity - by default this little piece of paper will disable any skill gaining microphones, extension speakers, texts and other objects from this set that it finds on the same tile, giving them a purely decorative function. The Lost Opportunity can be disabled by menu option.

In the screenshot above, the presence of the Lost Opportunity on the Reading Desk will actually disable all the speech making objects on that tile, unless the Lost Opportunity is itself turned off.


8) Opportunity Pack Manifesto - much thinner than the Almanac, but with the same footprint and using both the Fourth Element Tapestry and basegame book recolours like the Almanac, Sims with at least 3 points of Logic can "Discuss Politics" to increase their Charisma and receive contributions. The listening public will hone their Logic Skills and likely offer donations to the cause. Those attending school and college will also earn Grade Points. All Sims at the rally gain Politics Interest and FreeTime Science Enthusiasm.

The Manifesto is college accredited for those majoring in Political Science.


9) Opportunity Pack Minute Book - this financial document occupies the same surface area as the Sims 2 Opportunity Pack Open Book but it is much thinner. This financial document enables Sims with at least three Logic points to "Teach Bookkeeping" to raise their Charisma and receive a stipend. Students will increase their Logic Skill, and everyone in attendance gains Money Interest and FreeTime Tinkering Enthusiasm. Those in school and college will also earn Grade Points.

The Minute Book is college accredited for those majoring in Economics.


10) Opportunity Pack Mystic Icon - placeable almost anywhere, this esoteric symbol will give almost any Sim with at least 3 points of Creativity an uncanny, almost magnetic ability to fascinate a crowd. Those who "Share Wisdom" increase Charisma Skill and receive donations from the gathering. Those who "Study" increase their Creativity, and all who participate improve their Paranormal Interest and FreeTime Arts & Crafts Enthusiasm. School and college students also earn Grade Points.

If the teacher is a witch or warlock, the teacher will gain Magic skill while teaching with the Mystic Icon. Magic users in the audience will also increase their occult abilities, about 30% faster than by studying the Appartment Life Grandiose Grimoire. The Mystic Icon is usable by witches and warlocks of any alignment and it will not cause a shift in the alignment of either the teacher or the student. Magic skill and alignment data is displayed at the beginning and end of a student's learning session.

If "Invite" or "Auto-Invite" is enabled the new teacher will be the Social Worker NPC rather than a qualified Townie or playable Sim.

In the case of children and teens, those who are not magicicans will dress in private school uniforms.

The Mystic Icon is slaved to the basegame Fourth Element Tapestry and will use any of its recolours, such as those provided for the Opportunity Pack Lectern & Accessories.

The Mystic Icon is college accredited for those majoring in Psychology.


11) Opportunity Pack Orator's Epic - this large illustrated volume may be placed on almost any surface, including the ground. A Sim with at least 3 points of Creativity may "Tell a Story" to increase Charisma and receive a gratuity. The audience will pay to attend and raise their own Creative Skills. Those in school and college will also earn Grade Points. In addition, all Sims involved gain Culture Interest and FreeTime Film & Literature Enthusiasm. Like the Fashion Journal, the Epic uses both basegame book and Lady on Red recolours.

The Orator's Epic is college accredited for those majoring in Drama.


12) Opportunity Pack Salvaged Page - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle! Sims with at least 3 points of experience in Cleaning can "Discuss" life-cycle concepts with a page recovered from an old book, rasing their Charisma and receiving an honorarium. In turn, members of the community increase their own Cleaning Skill while they offer support. Those in school and college will also earn Grade Points. Everyone involved gains Environment Interest and FreeTime Nature Enthusiasm. The Salvaged Page uses basegame book recolours, like the majority of objects in this set.

The Salvaged Page is college accredited for those majoring in Biology.


13) Opportunity Pack Schoolbook - smaller in size but otherwise similar to the Almanac, Sims with at least 3 points of Logic Skill are qualified to "Teach" using this textbook. Teachers increase their Charisma Skill and earn a salary. Students pay to "Learn" and raise their Logic Skills - and those in school or college also earn Grade Points. Both teacher and class will gain School Interest and FreeTime Games Enthusiasm.

The Schoolbook is college accredited for those majoring in History.


14) Opportunity Pack Science Journal - identical in footprint and recolour usage to the Guidebook but much thinner, scientists with at least 3 points of Logic Skill can "Lecture" from this research journal to increase their Charisma Skill and receive a salary. Their students pay tuition to raise their Logic Skill, and everyone in the lecture hall gains Sci-Fi Interest and FreeTime Science Enthusiasm. Those enrolled in school or college also earn Grade Points.

Like the Guidebook, the Science Journal is a secondary master for the Ticket recolours, so it is not necessary to install the original Ticket file.

The Journal is college accredited for those majoring in Mathematics.


15) Opportunity Pack Tech Manual - this wide format reference source enables Sims with at least three points of Mechanical Skill can use this reference to "Lead" a technical seminar, raising Charisma and income in the process. Attendees pay to increase their Mechanical Skill, and all Sims at the seminar gain Work Interest and FreeTime Tinkering Enthusiasm. Those enrolled in school or college also earn Grade Points.

The Tech Manual is college accredited for those majoring in Physics.


16) Opportunity Pack Toy Pony - this wooden model may inspire Sims with at least three points of Mechanical Skill to "Teach Shop", which raises their Charisma and earns an income. Students will increase their Mechanical Skill, and all Sims participating will gain Toys Interest and FreeTime Arts & Crafts Enthusiasm. Those enrolled in school or college also earn Grade Points.

The Pony should normally be placed facing left, its default position. If the Toy Pony is rotated then the Sim intending to teach may try to route to the pony in an odd or impossible way.

The Toy Pony is college accredited for those majoring in Art.


17) Opportunity Pack Wood Falcon - Sims with at least three points of Cleaning Skill may use this handsome carving as a prop to "Teach Animal Husbandry" while earning a stipend and raising their Charisma. Class members pay to learn Cleaning Skills, and all participants gain Animals Interest and FreeTime Nature Enthusiasm. Those enrolled in school or college also earn Grade Points. Like the Toy Pony, the Wood Falcon should normally be placed in its default position, in this case facing right.

The Toy Pony and the Wood Falcon are slaved to the basegame Teleprompter and use the recolours provided for the Opportunity Pack Decorative Lectern set.

The Wood Falcon is college accredited for those majoring in Biology.


18) Invisible Recolours - for occasions when you do not want these objects to draw attention to themselves, I have created invisible recolours for the basegame book and the Lady on Red painting. For convenience, I have also included the invisible Teleprompter and Tapestry recolours from the Decorative Lectern set so that the Reading Desk, wooden carvings and Tapestry related accessories can be made to disappear.



Downloads

This set is distributed in two downloads, as follows:

a) sdOpportunityReadingDesk_WithAccessories.zip - this archive contains all the mesh files from this set, including the Reading Desk, books, sculptures, Icon and loose pages.

b) sdOpportunityReadingDesk_InvisibleRecolours.zip - this download contains the invisible recolour files you may find useful when using this set.


Terms of Use

You may include any item from this set in uploaded lots, whether for free or pay. It is nice but not necessary to provide a credit and link to this page.


Recommendation

I suggest using Pescado's Community Lot Skilling and Enthusiasm patch so that these and all other skill building objects are fully functional on all lots.


Additional Credits

GIMP 2, IrfranView, Microsoft Paint and Microsoft Photo Editor for graphics editing, file conversion, processing, sizing and titling
Jfade's Compressorizer for minimizing file size
Milkshape 3D, Ultimate Unwrap3D Pro and UV Mapper Professional, for 3D modeling and mapping
Numenor's AnyGameStarter, used for testing this project in several game environments
SimPE, PJSE, and CEP for Sims 2 object creation


Polygon Counts

Opportunity Pack Almanac: 99 faces, 141 vertices
Opportunity Pack Cookbook: 99 faces, 141 vertices
Opportunity Pack Guidebook: 99 faces, 141 vertices
Opportunity Pack Fashion Journal: 99 faces, 141 vertices
Opportunity Pack Legal Tome: 99 faces, 141 vertices
Opportunity Pack Lost Opportunity: 20 faces, 16 vertices
Opportunity Pack Manifesto: 99 faces, 141 vertices
Opportunity Pack Minute Book: 99 faces, 141 vertices
Opportunity Pack Mystic Icon: 20 faces, 16 vertices
Opportunity Pack Orator's Epic: 99 faces, 141 vertices
Opportunity Pack Reading Desk: 54 faces, 108 vertices
Opportunity Pack Salvaged Page: 20 faces, 16 vertices
Opportunity Pack Schoolbook: 99 faces, 141 vertices
Opportunity Pack Science Journal: 99 faces, 141 vertices
Opportunity Pack Tech Manual: 99 faces, 141 vertices
Opportunity Pack Toy Pony: 301 faces, 338 vertices
Opportunity Pack Wood Falcon: 566 faces, 383 vertices