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Test Subject
Original Poster
#1 Old 19th Feb 2019 at 4:30 PM

This user has the following games installed:

Sims 2, University, Nightlife, Open for Business, Pets, Seasons, Bon Voyage, Free Time, Apartment Life
Default Apartment Neighbors Will Only Stay Out Of Apartment For A Few Seconds.
I've had this issue for several months. I have the Ultimate Collection. Whenever I load a Apartment, the neighbors will only come out of their Apartments for a few seconds and do one interaction with a sim or an object, and then go back into their apartment. They won't talk to their neighbors and get to know them or anything for longer. I have fixed it before, but it happened again. And I've tried regenerating the game files and putting the same folders back in and that didn't work. I'm sending a zip file with a clip of an example family. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.
Attached files:
File Type: zip  The Simsâ„¢ 2 Mansion and Garden Stuff 2_19_2019 11_15_34 AM.zip (31.67 MB, 15 downloads) - View custom content
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retired moderator
#2 Old 19th Feb 2019 at 4:58 PM
I think this is normal game behaviour; the sims are programmed to either return to their apartments to fulfill needs or else disappear off lot to 'run errands'.

You need to make sure you have fun things for the sims to do in common areas of the apartment, for example a radio to dance to, and that may help. If all else fails you could try some mods- the Apartment Hack from Moreawesomethanyou addresses this but has some other features that may not be desirable.
Mad Poster
#3 Old 19th Feb 2019 at 7:25 PM
I had mods in my game when I got AL so I don't think that I've ever seen the vanilla Maxis behavior for apartment neighbors. I do think that Pescado's apthack might make neighbors less likely to leave their apartments to visit the common area depending on the objects available in both the apartments and the common area.

Here are two of the items on Pescado's list of apartment fixes. The first item means that if the neighbor has a way to satisfy needs in his apartment, he'll stay in there to do it. For example, if he has a TV in his apartment, he won't use a chess table in the common area to fill his Fun need. If you use apthack, you may need to temporarily evict your playable so you can edit the rest of the lot. Place objects in the common area that will fill needs and make sure that those same needs can't be filled inside the apartments. For example, place a TV or chess set in the common area and then remove any Fun objects from inside the apartments. If the apartment furnishings are able to fill all needs, your neighbors might never leave home except to go to work or perhaps if their Social is low.

Quote: Originally posted by Pescado in the readme file for his apthack
1. Neighbor behavior in apartments now depends on furniture installed inside
their apartments and common area: Motives restored on going into apartments
depends on what furniture that the neighbors have in there, and neighbors
leaving their apartment will do so to resolve motives based on things
located in the common area.
3. Neighbors will not emerge and stand around for hours with nothing to do.

I watched your video and I wonder if you might already have this or some other mod that affects apartment neighbors in your game and that's why your neighbors are hiding in their apartments most of the time.
Alchemist
#4 Old 20th Feb 2019 at 1:22 AM Last edited by Sunrader : 20th Feb 2019 at 2:46 AM.
My sims are out all the time, but I have their apartments pretty empty. There are communal eating areas, restrooms, skilling items, fun stuff, hobby items, and virtually nothing in the apts except for a few personal items. They will go back in (to bed, I guess, even with no beds), about 10-1030 if they aren't selectable, but I'm not above making them selectable, occasionally.

EDIT: Looks like you have plenty of stuff out for them to do, though, unless that's an apt off to the left? Of course, they clearly don't like THAT guy.
You do have a lot of mods (love the look), though, so, yeah, maybe a mod?
Mad Poster
#5 Old 20th Feb 2019 at 2:38 AM
The only thing I see to do in the common area is pizza and a stereo. Give them some more stuff to do.
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