Learn-to-Read Mod 1.0.49v
December 2, 2021: Updated to no longer include University among the blacklisted “jobs”, as the way in which courses are slotted seemed to be throwing LEs. Please redownload.
Update log:
December 3, 2021 (1.0.49v): Added French translation by kimikosoma
December 2, 2021 (1.0.48v): Updated to no longer include University among the blacklisted “jobs”, after a report of it throwing LEs. It might have something to do with the way the courses are slotted in the career panel, so better safe than sorry. Sims enrolled in University will still receive the buffs when on the relevant lots and face the same difficulties when doing homework as younger Sims in school do.
November 25, 2021 (1.0.47v): First version completed for release.
Worth noting: I tested this out in a modern setting, but keeping in mind historical gameplay, specifically in the context of peasants who likely wouldn’t have been taught in school. This should be usable in any time period, but there’s a relevant note in terms of historical gameplay where applicable.
Required: Base Game, though two buffs require University to be experienced.
Ever been surprised by how those Sims you never bought books for somehow grew up perfectly capable of reading? Well, I haven’t been, but still decided to do something about it. Gone are the days in which you can raise your children within a raised platform without raising their skills – so long as you care for the consequences, that is. The game already provides the option for toddlers to “learn” to read at Imagination level 4, but nothing really goes wrong if you don’t get there. You’ll get benefits if you reach top-notch toddler, sure, but not increasing imagination (or any skills, for that matter) doesn’t really mean anything. There are no consequences.
Not normally, that is. So, introducing a Learn-to-Read Mod (originally dubbed the Literacy Mod before I decided that wasn’t a clear enough title). No longer will your Sims be able to pick up a book and miraculously gain the ability to read. They’ll have to actually learn to read.
Pre-existing and newly-generated Sims of any age (toddler+) will have the Never Learned to Read trait. But don’t worry, it’s perfectly possible to get rid of.
Easiest way to go about it? Reach level 4 Imagination as a toddler. The in-game learned-to-read notification is no longer meaningless, as toddlers will then gain the Learned to Read While Growing Up trait and reap all the benefits that brings.
The Learned to Read While Growing Up trait grants Sims:
So many books! (+1 Focused) buff while on libraries
It comes naturally (+1 Inspired) buff while writing
Homework is a joke (+3 Focused) buff while doing homework
I see… (+1 Focused) buff while reading
They don’t have any boosts to skill gain from this because, well… Let’s be real, that would be a bit too OP, and I don’t mean for this to be that game-changing. Just a bit.
And if you don’t teach your toddlers to read? Well, the main consequences start as soon as they age up into a child, and will continue being applied so long the trait remains.
Sims who are still carrying the Never Learned to Read trait will experience:
I don’t like this place… (+3 Sad) buff while on libraries
Not fair… (+3 Tense) buffs while on the UBrite or Foxbury lots
What does this say? (+50 Uncomfortable) buff when performing interactions that shouldn’t be viable*
*Autonomy score for actions such as
Reading
Writing
Playing video games
Doing homework
Studying
is multiplied by zero, so Sims who haven’t yet learned to read shouldn’t perform them automatically, and for example, the writing interaction will be stopped by the discomfort even if selected intentionally.
In addition to this, Sims with the Never Learned to Read trait will be fired from jobs that would require literacy in order to be performed. They will not be physically prevented from joining those jobs, but they’ll be fired when moving lots or reloading. You could thus try to keep them in a job like Engineer, for example, but they wouldn’t last long.
It’s easier to list the careers that aren’t affected by this, so here they are:
Sims who never learned to read are free to work within these career paths:
Athlete
Criminal
Culinary
Entertainer
Freelance Crafter
Painter
Gardener
Babysitter (Part-time)
Barista (Part-time)
Fast Food Employee (Part-time)
Manual Laborer (Part-time)
Diver (Part-time)
Fisherman (Part-time)
Lifeguard (Part-time)
Civil Designer**
Salaryperson**
**These are meant to also be blocked, but I legitimately couldn’t find them anywhere in order to block them, so they are currently still available.
This doesn’t take into consideration whatever jobs may come from packs that I don’t own (like Interior Designer) since, well, I have not looked into it since I don’t have the packs. If you disagree with any of these careers being allowed, or think any other career should still be allowed, feel free to say so and explain your reasoning, as I am perfectly willing to listen and make changes if need be.
Now, now. If your Sim didn’t reach level 4 in imagination as a toddler or otherwise spawned from the depths of CAS, there is still hope. There are ways to remove the Never Learned to Read trait and replace it with another, regardless of your Sim’s age.
Method 1: Learn-to-Read Aspiration for Children
(found under the Mental category)
This is a rather simple aspiration for children to complete, since they would still be in their learning years and presumably have access to outside sources like school etc.
For the first tier of the aspiration, your child will need to:
Read with an adult for 2 hours
Own an activity table
(You don’t have to use the activity table, but for justification’s sake let’s pretend your child Sim is learning to write or something on it, and that’s why they need it.)
And for the second tier:
Reach level 5 of the Mental skill
That’s it. It’s a child aspiration to obtain the Can Read trait, after all, and they’ll likely want to finish another during their childhood years. But still, it isn’t as easy as learning to read while being a toddler.
Method 2: Learn-to-Read Aspiration for Teen+
(found under the Knowledge category)
Even past their childhood years, Sims will still have the opportunity to learn to read, since intellect is unrelated to access to education and thus they could never truly be denied the opportunity. That said, it does take more effort than learning it earlier.
For the first tier, your Sim will need to:
Reach level 5 in the Logic skill
Be at level 3 or higher on 2 skills (can include the above)
For the second tier:
Own a computer***
Own a bookshelf
***Here’s where what I said about historical gameplay comes into play. This action should target items that have the function of a computer, not specific computers. Thus, you could (for example) have your medieval Sims own a book computer or other pieces of custom content like that, to fulfill this condition without breaking immersion.
And for the third and final tier:
Go to a library
Attempt to read a book
Attempt to write
Then your Sim will gain the Can Read trait.
What does the Can Read trait do?
It removes the Never Learned to Read trait upon addition. That’s it. Unlike with the Learned to Read While Growing Up trait, this trait will simply take the place of the previous trait upon being obtained and will not provide additional benefits. Same goes for having it on top of the Learned to Read While Growing Up trait, it doesn’t make a difference, and you only need one.
You could hypothetically remove the Never Learned to Read trait with cheats but fair warning, from the limited testing I did on removing it with cheats, it’s just going to re-apply itself upon reloading the game if it wasn’t replaced by either the Can Read or Learned to Read While Growing Up traits.
If you want to use this mod for your new toddlers and above, but don’t want to waste much time getting rid of the limitations for your pre-made Sims, I recommend cheating to complete either aspiration rather than cheating to remove the trait, since this way it should be properly replaced.
Languages:
English
Spanish
French (by kimikosoma)
Known issues:
Not really an “issue”, but (as previously mentioned), if you cheat to remove a trait, the Never Learned to Read trait will reapply itself whenever it has the chance to if it wasn’t replaced properly.
