When I first started my Sims 2 Let’s Play series on Youtube years ago, all my parties failed and ended up a “real dud.” (It was embarrassing.) I finally figured out how to have a roof raiser every time, and now I’m sharing my knowledge with you.
So how do you have a good party in The Sims 2? Start your party no later than 5:00 PM, socialize with your guests, decorate, have food and entertainment available, and perform the main scenario activity before the party ends.
I’ll explain these more in-depth below. Read on to find out how to make your parties the talk of the town!
Party Scores
In The Sims 2, there are six possible party scores – three positive and three negative.
| Positive Scores | Negative Scores |
| Roof Raiser (Best) | Disaster (Worst) |
| Good Time (Better) | Real Dud (Bad) |
| Not Bad (Good) | Snoozer (Not Good) |
To have the memory of throwing a great party, get a final score of Not Bad, Good Time, or Roof Raiser in the positive category. That’s not hard if you know what to do.
As the party progresses, you’ll receive frequent notifications of your party score. It fluctuates depending on how well you’re doing. If it starts to drop, look for ways to increase your guests’ fun and socialization.
How Parties are Scored
Parties are scored based on the amount of socializing among the guests.
Every 15 minutes for the entire party, the net change in everyone’s collective daily relationship scores is calculated and compared to the previous amount. If there’s an overall increase, the party score rises. If there’s a decrease, it falls.
The number of people at a party also impacts how its scored. Small parties with two or three guests are scaled (to two-fifths or three-fifths) because it’s too easy to get a high score with fewer guests.
With four or more guests in attendance, score is based on the total number of daily relationship points gained divided by the number of people on the lot.
Invitations
Inviting guests is no guarantee that they’ll show up. The likelihood of an invited guest coming to your party depends on their relationship with the Sim throwing the party.
Have the Sim with the highest relationship to the most Sims throw the party to ensure guests attend. If no one shows up, your party score decreases big time. Your party will still go on, but it won’t be a good one.
The number of guests in attendance doesn’t matter as long as least one Sim shows up. (That still sounds like a sad party to me, but the game doesn’t care.)
Timing Matters
If your party hasn’t ended by 11:00 PM, the police may come break it up. The final party score will be whatever the score is at that time. This can ruin a party if you’ve only recently started it.
To get the best score, start your party by 5:00 PM. Once a party starts, it lasts for five hours. This ensures everyone is on their way home by 11:00 PM. Every minute after 11:00 that the party goes on, there’s a chance the police will come.
Also, be prepared to entertain for the full five hours. There’s no way to end a party once it starts (unless it gets shut down by police), and sending all your guests home early results in a large drop in your party score.
Try to throw parties when your household members are in a good mood and their motives are mostly full. I’m guilty of throwing birthday parties for my Sims when they’re exhausted, and they end up sleeping through the whole thing.
Socialize with Your Guests
This is the most important part – and the part most people neglect. Have the members of your household interact with your guests as much as possible. Talking, joking, and group activities are best, but romance works to (if applicable).
As soon as your party starts, send each member of your household to greet a different guest. If your Sim lives alone, have him rotate through the guests, chatting and joking with them all as much as possible.
If you have group activities on the lot, have your household members start those and invite other guests to join. Remember, having a good party depends on two things – socialization and fun!
Decorations
Decorating for a party is not required, but it does increase Environment Score, which may make your visitors stay longer. Balloons are a great choice. Just remember, they pop after the party ends and decrease environment score if they aren’t cleaned up.
If you have the Celebration Stuff pack, it includes a variety of items you can use to decorate for parties – especially weddings.
Entertain & Feed Your Guests
Guests may leave early if they are tired, hungry, or bored. If too many guests leave before the main event (birthday age up, wedding, etc.) it will decrease your party score.
If you’re throwing a party that doesn’t require cake (house, sports, etc.) make sure you have food available for your guests. Order a pizza or set out a buffet table. Sims will also autonomously grab snacks from your fridge during a party.
If food runs out before the party ends, guests may leave unhappy – so a buffet is ideal.
If you’re low on funds, a cheap stereo provides all the entertainment you need. Turn on the music as your guests arrive and they’ll dance all night.
But if your Sim has the money, the best way to get a good party score is to put as many fun group objects on the lot as possible. These fulfill guests’ fun need and increase social interaction at the same time. Fun group objects include:
- Hot Tubs and Bars
- Myshuno Party Game
- Card Table
- Don’t Wake the Llama Game
- Mahjong Table
- Maxis Game Simulator
- TVs and Stereos
- Dartboard
- Pinball Machine
- Pool Table
- Swing Set
- Basketball Court
- Soccer Net
Party Scenarios
There are nine types of parties in The Sims 2 that Sims can throw themselves:
- House Party – Standard party that Sims can throw at any time.
- Birthday Party – Main activity is age transition (blow out candles or automatic).
- Wedding Party – Main activity is getting married under the wedding arch.
- Golden Anniversary Party – Available when a couple who married/joined as adults both become elders. Same as house party, but with formal clothes.
- New Year’s Bash – This party always starts at 8:00 PM. If the police don’t break it up, Father Time shows up to cause a ruckus.
- Sports Party – Same as a house party, but the main activity is watching sports with your guests.
- Toga Party – Only members of a Greek House in University can throw this party.
- Graduation Party – College graduates can throw this party before they leave campus, and college students will wear graduation clothes.
- Building Party – Party Sims living in apartments can throw for apartment residents and other Sims.
When you throw a party that includes a scenario activity – such as aging up or getting married – do this as soon as possible after you start the party.
It can take a while for your guests to gather round a cake or wedding arch. If you wait too long, the party may end before the activity is completed. This usually results in a terrible party score.
Your guests came to see some action, so make sure you give it to them!
For parties with no specific event required, simply socializing with your guests as much as possible and ensuring they’re fed and entertained are all you need to have a great party. Good luck!
