Like A Good Neighbor

10 Ways On How To Be Your Friend's Favorite Neighbor

Hi, all!  I'm Coz and I'm delighted to now be contributing to The Sims Social Info. You may have seen my house in a recent posting.  Of course, it's changed a bit over the last 24 hours as I'm constantly tinkering with things, but it's still basically the same.

For my first article, I'd like to point out some tips on how to be a good neighbor in The Sims Social.  They're important to remember because you need your neighbors to be good as much as they need you.

Now, I know some of these things can only be achieved if you have the money to do so (like having a couch), so just keep them in mind for when you are in the position to follow them.

1. Have a couch in front of your TV (Also, have a TV)
   I can't tell you how many times I've tried to interact with my neighbors by watching TV with them only to find out they don't have enough room for the both of us to sit down on.  This also became pretty frustrating when, during a quest, I needed to watch TV with 6 friends.  This quest would have never been achievable if they didn't have a TV or the couch for us both to sit on.
2. Have a radio
   This gives your friends the ability to dance with you and the more things you can do with your neighbors when you come over to visit, the less boring it gets.  Be sure to put it in a place that two people can stand close to, too… which brings me to #3...
3. Be aware of your interactive objects' surroundings
   Don't place a canvas or musical instrument in between two other items.  Your friends will not be able to paint a portrait of you or play for them.  I have not been able to figure out which side needs to be open.  It may differ for each thing (which seems like a bug to me). It seems in some places, I can't paint someone's portrait if the left side is blocked but at another friend's house, I can. So leave both sides open, if you can.  On a similar note, make sure your couch has enough room to walk around it.  And finally, make sure anything you have that can break has one side open so you or your friend can repair it.
4. Have a bare counter in the kitchen
   If you're going to have an oven, leave a counter-top bare.  This will not only help you with your cooking, but also allow your friends to cook you things while they're visiting.
5. Be aware of your doorways
   Make sure all your doorways are usable and you don't have anything in the way of them.  Also, make sure you HAVE doorways to all your rooms.  I had this one friend who made his front door lead into a room with nowhere to go and flowers blocked the pathways to anywhere else outside, too.  I couldn't interact with him for days.  Then I finally told him about it.
6. Have garbage cans and/or trash bins
   They seem pretty useless at first, but part of my daily 5 ritual (when using up my 5 daily bonus energy on my friends) is to rummage through their garbage cans.  This gives me 10 XP, 5 Simoleons, and sometimes an Energy bolt.
7. Let your romantic friend Woohoo! you
   If someone wants to Woohoo you, why wouldn't you do everything possible to allow them to?  Am I right?!  So if you have a romantic relationship with a friend, make sure your bed is big enough for the both of you.  You can still Woohoo in the shower or tub, but y'know… sometimes we need a soft place we can bounce on.  (I've never had this problem because I've always had a full-size bed, but I heard this was an issue.  If Woohoo'ing is not a problem on a single bed, then disregard this)
8. Help them complete quests
   You'll really be appreciated when you have these other items, which will help them complete quests… even if you have no use for them.
   • Mirror: A necessity for a quest.  Your friends will appreciate that you have a mirror they can use, even if you never use it.
   • Phone: Also needed to complete some quests which require making phone calls.  It's nice to go over and use free energy on a friend's phone.
   • Garden plots: They will help your friend when they're sent on quests to water and/or revive crops.
9. Keep up your end of the relationship
   Relationships are a two-way street in real life, just as they are in The Sims Social.  If I'm spending my daily 5 on you and you're not spending them on me, then our relationship begins to deteriorate pretty quickly.  Ever get those reminders pop up from your friends saying they haven't seen you in awhile and our relationship status is grey and dropping?  But you were just over there yesterday?  Yeah.  It's not your fault.  I'm currently trying to keep 4 or 5 friendships afloat all by myself right now and I'm sure it's because they're not coming over to spend time with my Sim.  tsk tsk tsk.
10. Let them know you've visited
    OK!  So now that you're keeping up your end of the relationship and visiting your neighbors every day, it gives you the option to tell your friend that you've visited… do it!  You give them money and stuff!  Don't you like when your friend does that for you?  :)

That's all for now!  Be sure to leave your tips in the comments below if I missed anything.  They may even end up in the inevitable part 2 to this article. 

Now let's get ready for that land expansion which appears to be coming any day now.