WCIF something to manage townie clothes better - Done and Dusted

[ladymiriam]

Hi all,
Rubbish title I know, this is a WCIF/help thing really.  I've spent ages reclothing all the pre made sims in the game, I use Christianlov's clothing rack and the no npc revert hack to keep them looking the way I want.  It seems to work ok, except they still keep running past my houses in tracksuits and stuff.  I really cannot be bothered to give them all a full wardrobe (I was going to sell them other types of clothing once I got a clothing shop up and running).  So I'm looking for a hack that will stop non playable sims changing into anything other than everyday or something that will stop them doing the running past my house thing.  
While I'm here, is it still the case with the game that if you get level 10 in creativity through painting, you automatically have the ability to play the piano?  (I'm only really now getting back into playing, rather than just building for fun).  That's always annoyed me, is there a hack that differentiates?  So that to being able to paint does not make you a master of music and vice versa.  
Thank you all for your time.

[rwills]

Insofar as the creativity skill is concerned, doubtful that there is anything to decouple the easel from other creativity-building objects (though that is something, IIRC, introduced in Sims3).

If a Sim gets maxed in creativity through just painting though, when he/she thereafter goes to play the piano (or drums, guitar, bass, violin or synthesizer, or via the hydroponic garden, lie detector or karaoke booth) that Sim won't necessarily be interacting at the peak level, but will advance to the peak level faster than if there were still creativity points to be gained.

That said, there is also a hidden skill* in painting in the game (which can be accessed and increased or decreased using Insimenator or similar mods) which advances a bit differently than does the creativity skill (related, again IIRC, to both the number of paintings completed and the number of higher-quality paintings a Sim produces), and which affects the quality and the initial selling price of paintings.

Some other (but not all - varies dependent on EPs installed) hidden skills:

Homework
Pool table proficiency
Dancing
Alien abductions
Meditation
Writing

Many fulfilled hidden skills can also open up additional scholarships which a teen can be awarded prior to entering college.

[sunni9676]

For the creativity issue - I always use the little mod Luv to See Them (http://simsky.wz.cz/ensimsky.php) as it allows you to easily modify many aspects of your Sims. You can fix their needs, aspirations, personality, skills etc. any time you want. When I want them to be more creative I just max their creativity and have them paint a picture, then I put the creativity back down where I want it. I can't stand to make adult Sims that have absolutely no skills and then waste time training them. It doesn't make sense because in real life most adults (hopefully) have the ability to feed themselves and do basic chores at least. I couldn't play the game without this mod. Its very easy to apply and remove it by dropping it in the EA Games folder.

As for clothing...Have you checked MATY? I seem to recall this issue was addressed there. I'm considering making a medieval neighborhood and this is an issue for me too. I want to be able to have all my npcs and townies dressed appropriately. I know that MATY does have blank neighborhood templates where you can then add your own Sims instead of wasting time on pre-made ones.

[ladymiriam]

rwills: Your knowledge never fails to amaze me-you're a resource in yourself.
Sunni: If there is anything at MATY, I can't find it.  I'll try for a bit longer before I post there.  I did find a hack by the Mighty Squinge that stops sims changing into athletic wear altogether when working out, that may suffice but I'm not sure if it will stop them running by in tracksuits-so out of place in an historic hood.  Stopping them running past would be better I think. 
Thanks for your replies, off to keep searching.

[Paden]

You could simply download vintage swimwear or underwear from All About Style and change the category on that to make it work-out gear, couldn't you?

[ladymiriam]

Paden,
I take it you mean so that I can change them into suitable athletic attire?  I may have misunderstood you but it's not that I'm lacking the right clothes (except for kids, there's not a lot of kids athletic wear that's old fashioned, as in medieval, and when I tried to change the category of some kid's swimwear to athletic, that option didn't show) but that I can't be bothered to change them all having just replaced everyone's casual wear.  I've just started the hood for the RKC so I've got plenty of time to sort them all individually if I have to.  Thanks for the suggestion though.

[Paden]

Yeah, that's what I meant. Sorry it didn't pan out for you, it really sounds like you're having a heck of a hard time. Hope you're able to find what you need.

[sunni9676]

ladymiriam, I have seen a hack somewhere that does stop the jog/walk by on the lot. I just cant remember if it was here or MATY. I will look for it today.

[ladymiriam]

Happy to say I think I've found the hack/s needed on this page at The
Laden Swallow, http://www.nectere.net/smf/index.php?topic=1140
Hacks by Dizzy including the ability to tweak the walkbys.  Thanks to all who helped.