In this guide, you’ll learn about programming and all the fun things that you can do with it.
Level 1
Before your sim starts programming, you will need to give your sim the fast internet trait which will increase the rate at which you train the programming skill.
The ideal mood for programming is being focused and it will also boost the rate at which you train up the skill.
Pitch black tea is a very easy way to make your sim focused on his/her work.
Level 2
At level two of the programming skill, you can make plugins that take around an hour to make. You can sell them for a small number of simoleons.
Level 3
At level 3, you can mod games by choosing which game you want to mod. Once you’ve modded a game, then you’ll be able to play the modded version of the game. But there is not that much of a difference between normal and modded games.
Level 4
You can make viruses at level 4 that are perfect for more criminally minded sims. It will take just under 4 game hours and give you a few hundred simoleons.
If a teenager has level 4 programming, then they’ll be able to hack school grades. But it has a chance to succeed or fail. If successful, your sim will move up a grade such as from c to b and if it fails, then the sim will move down a grade. There’s also a 24-hour cooldown on this interaction but it’s super useful in getting your sims to be that star student.
Level 5
You can take on side jobs at level 5 which will take around 6 hours and get you a few hundred simoleons.
Level 6
You can hack work performance at level 6 which takes just a few hours on the computer. And if it fails, your work performance will take a hit. There’s also a cooldown on this interaction. You must set yourself up to make hacking as successful as possible before attempting this.
Level 7
You can make mobile phone apps at level 7 which takes just under 24 hours. It provides a decent lump sum of a few thousand simoleons and ongoing royalties of a few hundred simoleons a day. If you have the get famous expansion pack, then your sim will gain a little bit of fame.
Level 8
Your sim will become a better hacker at level 8 and it means that they’ll perform hacks faster.
Level 9
Your sims can make computer games at level 9 and it takes a little over 24 hours to around 30 hours. Making apps will provide you with a few thousand simoleons and ongoing daily royalties but making games will provide more money than apps. If you have the get famous expansion pack then you’ll get a fame boost too.
Level 10
At level 10, you’ll get the ability to hack both the crumpled bottom servers and the supercomputer. All the hackable systems will unlock as you level up your programming skill.
Hacking takes a couple of hours and the hacks requiring a high programming level will generally make a little bit more money than those requiring lower levels. The supercomputer at level 10 is interesting as it can only be hacked every 7 days. And if you fail, it can even break your computer. It can be a fun little challenge but the payout isn’t huge so go for it if the idea of hacking your supercomputer is for some reason speaking to you.
Some things to know before starting Hacking.
The first thing is that if your computer breaks while you’re in the middle of a hack, you’ll lose the progress you made. So you need to have an unbreakable computer such as the ghost rider disappearing desktop
You can also upgrade your computer with the ECC Ram upgrade to make it break less.
If you have level 9 handiness, then you can consider the IP spoofer upgrade for your computer too.
It will make hacking a bit faster and will also increase the amount of money you make from hacking.
It is worth going into the oracle branch of the criminal career. So that when you reach level 7 in your career, you’ll unlock the ability to hack the mainframe on a computer. If successful, you’ll upload an uplink to the mainframe.
It is a fancy way of saying that you’ll gain eight hours plus one focus moodlet and gain some extra money from using your computer to hack when this moodlet is active.
If you enter the freelance programmer branch of the freelance career, then you’ll unlock the ability to overclock computers when you max the performance bar in this career.
It will help to complete all the programming tasks a little bit faster while using a computer.
Your sim will also gain a very powerful focused moodlet when using an overclocked computer. A freelance programming career can be a lot of fun and it allows you to take on various programming tasks.
In this career, you will need to study security systems, perform more hacks, create a website or product landing pages, and much more.
Also, keep an eye out for the redacted gig which requires level 7 programming. It’s quick to complete and pays extremely well.
Now let’s talk about the computer whiz aspiration which ties in very closely with programming. you’ll need at least level 7 programming to create an app and complete this.
You’ll also need to reach at least level 5 in the tech driver career and spend at least 100 in-game hours on a computer if you’re going for this. But you also want the hack the mainframe career ability. Then you should complete this aspiration first in the tech group career before switching over to the criminal career completing the aspiration will give your sim the webmaster reward trait.
It unlocks the ability to internet stalk in the socialized section which allows your sim to learn all of the traits of a known sim without even meeting them.
You can earn money working in the web section.
This interaction takes around two and a half in-game hours and your sim will gain 75 simoleons at the regular interval while being performed
Finally, head into the web section and click on the research, you’ll find that you have the ability to undertake a research binge.
This will start training up all your skills that you’re at least level one in.
In very random and sporadic intervals it’s hard to keep track of what’s being raised at any given time but you’ll notice lots and lots of level gains and with that, you’ve reached the end that’s a complete guide to programming in the sims 4.