Help with Architectural Designer

[Carl]

Good idea. I decided to start a thread in the corrections/suggestions board here. Together we can complete it. I'll try to update as frequently as I can to reflect what's already been posted.

[Sophea33]

I was wondering if anyone has compiled a list of all available job names. I'm wondering, because my portfolio is only 43% complete, and you can't take pictures of renovations if you've already completed that title as I understand it (meaning you can only take a picture of your FIRST man cave job).

Anyone? If not, maybe we could collectively start one?

I spent a lot of frustration and time with architect and actually can clarify this statement.

You can take a picture of any great job you have done and add it to your portfolio, but only one picture for each job type will count towards the percentage.  Basically, you can have 5 pictures of a kitchen job, remove any of the 4, and the 1 picture which remains in the portfolio will count towards the percentage regardless if it was the first or fifth time you did a job.

The game will not cue you take a picture, as it does the first time you completed a job, but you can still take a picture and add it to your portfolio.

[Carl]

So Sophea33, would this mainly apply if they had failed a job before and got a great score the second time around? In short are people missing out on filling their portfolio because I don't mention that dynamic? Would this happen naturally in that case?

[Sophea33]

So Sophea33, would this mainly apply if they had failed a job before and got a great score the second time around? In short are people missing out on filling their portfolio because I don't mention that dynamic? Would this happen naturally in that case?

You are cued to take a picture the first time you receive a great rating on a job.  If you do not choose to take the picture with the cue, you can take a picture of the room later and add it, but I haven't tried to add any pictures more than a few days later, so I can't confirm when or if there is a cut off time, or if you can take a picture until your sim dies.  If you receive less than a great rating, they won't cue you for a picture and if you do take a picture and add it to your portfolio it won't help (only great jobs count towards completing your portfolio).

The only way people are missing out on filling their portfolio is when they ignore the cue and don't take any pictures of a specific job.  Let's say my architect completed a man cave and received a great rating.  If I ignored the cue and then completed another man cave, I wouldn't receive another cue to take a picture, but I could still take the picture and add it to my portfolio.

Does that clarify it, or did I just muddy the waters even more?

[Carl]

No that's just what I was looking for. I see how it works and see that what I have is "enough". I will try to add a caveat that if they miss taking a picture on a great job they can take it again later if they do well yet again. Thanks for that!

[SJ]

Well, this hasn't been the case for me. I got a great rating on a job, was NOT prompted to take a picture, took a picture anyway, and could NOT put the picture in my portfolio.

I will try "opening" the portfolio and dragging it in THAT way, but I doubt it will add to my percentage.

Also, reading this thread indicates that there are only 14 jobs so far (and I honestly don't think there's many more left).

If only ONE of each job type will be counted in the portfolio, and each one is worth 3% or 4%, is it even POSSIBLE to reach 100%?! And if not, what the heck?!

[NickRod]

Well, this hasn't been the case for me. I got a great rating on a job, was NOT prompted to take a picture, took a picture anyway, and could NOT put the picture in my portfolio.

I will try "opening" the portfolio and dragging it in THAT way, but I doubt it will add to my percentage.

Also, reading this thread indicates that there are only 14 jobs so far (and I honestly don't think there's many more left).

If only ONE of each job type will be counted in the portfolio, and each one is worth 3% or 4%, is it even POSSIBLE to reach 100%?! And if not, what the heck?!

Im assuming you already did that type of job before and you cant take a picture of the same type of job twice.

I quit this profession early due to some bugs in my game but there could possibly new jobs later in the job like rank 9,10 but im not sure?

[SJ]

Nick, while that's true, this was a job I hadn't done before (Baby Room). I think my Sim is a 9 or 10 right now and I haven't seen anything new. 

And the question still remains: How to fill the portfolio?

[Saltypaws]

From my experience, whenever it prompted me to take a picture, after I took the picture, the prompt came up and said, "the photo was added to your portfolio and then gave the percentage done" .  I have not had to add a photo myself from taking a picture, but I have added my sketches to the portfolio.  Sketches do not add percentages, but, I do it anyway.  When the sim shows another sim the portfolio, those sketches can be seen if you look real close when they show it.  On another note, someone had said that the only time you get the opportunity to take a photo is when the job is "great or better", I usually always get prompts to take photos no matter how they feel about the job, unless they did not like it all. 

[Sophea33]

Take the picture with your cell phone and just drag the picture (you might want to clear out all other photos in your inventory so you aren't dragging another picture) in your inventory into your portfolio.  (As for the percentage counting towards your portfolio, I said that I only looked at one job and would look more closely at it with my architect and keep better records - it's possible that each job has a different percentage to it.) If it isn't counting towards the portfolio percentage, two things happened, either there's a nursery picture already there, or it wasn't rated great good or higher.  

Pictures are automatically transferred to portfolio, regardless of camera type (I tested this out with two cameras that are purchased and the cell phone), as long as they are your first qualifying picture of a remodel.

I found it frustrating that I could not easily see a checklist of rooms I had done before and the highest rating I received, nor could I see what rooms were in my portfolio and my notes are not fully complete on what rooms I may have completed or haven't completed.  For instance, I could have sworn that I had completed a study before, but when I finished I was given a prompt to take a picture.  When I thought about it a little more, I think I was given a study, but it was something like Writing Room, or Reading Room.  Just like the Man Cave and the Entertainment Room might be the same, they have different names and therefore count as two different jobs.  Essentially what I am saying is that there are more than just 14 jobs because it's their names that make them unique, not what area you are redoing.

Quick sidebar, I was able to take a picture of a "good" remodel with a fresh architect, so it would appear that a good rating is able to be added to your portfolio.  For my next remodel, I am planning on not taking a picture and then will go back a few days later to see if I can still take a picture and add it to my portfolio.  So I mistyped earlier - a remodel needs to be good or higher to be added towards a completed portfolio.


(Edited to clarify some information)

[SJ]

I am planning on not taking a picture and then will go back a few days later to see if I can still take a picture and add it to my portfolio..

I have been told, here and elsewhere, that if you decline to take a picture on the prompt (the "I will do it myself later" option), you are told by the game that you MUST take the picture before you exit the lot.

Haven't tried this yet, though.

[mtglady]

To keep track of the remodels you do, once you take a picture open your portfolio and name your picture for the remodel.  Then you can keep track of what you have done and what you still need to do. 

[Sophea33]

To keep track of the remodels you do, once you take a picture open your portfolio and name your picture for the remodel.  Then you can keep track of what you have done and what you still need to do. 

This is a great tip - Carl might consider adding it to the guide.  I never thought about that, instead I have been using pen and paper and nothing is worse than going on a cleaning binge and not being able to find that pen and paper list a few days later.

[SJ]

To keep track of the remodels you do, once you take a picture open your portfolio and name your picture for the remodel.  Then you can keep track of what you have done and what you still need to do. 

Good call. I'll keep that in mind next time.

[ClayMask]

I'm stuck on doing a booknook design for a snob with a lowish budget.  Her name is Monika Morris, and she doesn't have any other traits that should affect whether she likes a design.  I started out within the budget (barely), and have been upgrading everything until now I'm way out of the budget, just trying to get her to accept the job.  Every time she says "I cannot live in this squalor!  You need to at least give me enough to live with before I let you finish this!"  I didn't remove anything that would be vital or I'd think she'd miss, so I'm very puzzled.  This job doesn't go away at the end of the day either, so I guess I can't just skip it.  Anyone else have this problem?

[ClayMask]

I finally got the job to go away by removing all the items I was supposed to be adding, or maybe it just expired, I'm not sure.  If anyone has any ideas in case this kind of thing happens in the future, though, it would still be nice to hear them.

[wildredchild]

With the snob trait, you have to use the entire budget.  I have done a couple different sims with this profession and found that if you go just over budget the first time, then they love it right away.  Also, try adding a personal touch like a drawing or painting, it really brings up the bonus and their mood.

[bshag]

This career is probably my favorite.  Although I had a rough beginning, my little decorator is now getting great reviews...at lvl 10, she should.

I found that going to the junkyard and salvaging stuff, then calling the repairman to make it all new again, then adding that to the houses she redecorates can free up the budget for other stuff.  Also, going to the consignment shop to pick up those widgets, floating duck, drinking llama, etc. and adding those to decorating rooms will definitely impress clients.  She doesn't invent but does sculpt and paint and those really count.  I loved it when she got a $5000 bonus from Thornton Wolff. 

[RoyalPlumbob]

This is the only Profession I have pursued since buying the game, and so far, I love it!

My Sim, Leonardo, has the Descendant of da Vinci LTW,(judging by the name ) and it really pairs up well with this profession !
Also, I've been thinking, what is your favorite customer? I like doing works for Sims that have traits that affect the result. For example, I like doing works for Jamie Jolina, because she is: Party Animal, Artistic, Virtuoso, and bookworm, and I always get a 5,000 bonus, do you have a way to make this happen with Sims without "relevant traits"?

[CanterFanatic]

This job is driving me crazy!!!  Has anyone else run into the following problem??

I accept a job in the afternoon.  I do the normal things: taking measurements, discussing the renovation with the client, I start the renovation, everything is going fine.  But when I finish the job, it turns 6pm before I can turn in the job.  But whatever, I can turn it in the next day, right?

Well, that's the problem!  Sometimes, I have no trouble at all turning it in the next day.  But most of the time, I can't turn it in at all!  It's as if I never had the opportunity to work there at all!  All my hard work is wasted!

I'm getting really frustrated.  This has started to happen a lot, and now I basically just don't start a job if I'm not 100% sure I can finish before 6pm.  It sucks, 'cause that means I usually only have time for one job a day!  Can anyone please help me?  I'd at least like to know if anyone else is running into a similar problem so I know my game isn't just glitched.

[lucidsounds13]

CanterFanatic

I had basically the same problem but I was able to turn it in the day after. I was interested and looked into it, and found out that it was a glitch that most Interior Decorator Lovers are coming across and having major problems. The best advice they give is to just all out avoid getting done around 6, finishing the job or even let the job spill into the next day. The patch I heard that was supposed to fix it caused more problems and the chance for something less avoidable to occur is a lot higher. I hope this helped lol no one answered and you probably figured it out on your on

ALSO! A Question for Anyone
I love the whole interior decorator, but I just can't seem to get a great review for the life of me! I've been adding homemade things but it doesn't seem to make much difference (as well as adding the traits and measurements). People keep saying that they keep getting great reviews and I just feel  If anyone can MAYBE post a picture of what a great review room looks like or just.. describe something beyond the basic advice of giving a lot of space and considering traits that would be amazing!

[Pam]

Welcome to our Forum, lucidsounds!

I haven't successfully played this profession, but wouldn't it make a difference in your scores when you gain higher levels?  What level is your Sim currently?

[Saltypaws]

You would think that would be true Pam, mine reached level 10 and has not gotten anything but good reviews.  I too have put in little extras and paitings and sculptures.  They are always happy with it, but that is it.  I guess the thing is to keep going, but I would like a great review sometime.  I have spent alot of time in a couple of these houses, making sure everything is just right, but nothing, oh well, will keep trying.

[lucidsounds13]

Ha, thanks! I'm glad there is a forum that is really nice with actual grammatical replies that happen pretty darn quick! Pam, my Sim is at level 8. I was hoping it would be like that, but like Saltypaws says, I am just going to have to keep going with it  It is after all a pretty fun job with or without the great review. Lol It just stinks because my Sim's lifetime goal is getting so many great reviews. I'm going to take the suggestion about getting the reward Professional Booster and see if that makes much difference, but I suppose I'm pretty content with the game  . Hopefully it isn't some glitch! Thanks! 

[Pam]

There are other Lifetime Rewards that might help, too.  Entrepreneurial Mindset, for example.