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The Sims 2is full of secret lots unlockable only by playing through certain game mechanics carefully, with clubs being one of them. Completionist Simmers especially won’t want to miss out on unlocking hobby clubs, as there are ten of them in total, making up a whole hidden neighbourhood of lots to choose from.
Hobby clubs are a chance to meet other Sims, explore hobbies, and try new things. With one for each hobby, Sims of all walks of life can find a club that works for them, whether they’re arts aficionados or sports stars. Here’s how to get invited to FreeTime’s hobby underground.
What Are Hobby Clubs?
Hobby clubs are secret clubhouses thatonly Sims with the keenest interestin the pastime get to join. Every hobby has one, and they’recrammed with all the hobby and skill itemsthat a Sim passionate about that hobby might want to use.
These clubs were added with the FreeTime expansion pack, so they’re tied up pretty tightly with the hobbies system.
They’re on secret lots, meaning they aren’t visible from a neighbourhood’s overview or map. Therefore,you can’t edit them in Buy or Build Mode. You also won’t be able to visit them unless your Sim has been expressly invited.
Who Are Hobby Instructors?
Hobby instructors are NPCs that hang out at hobby clubs. They canoffer mentoring to Simsin their designated hobby tohelp build enthusiasm.
This isn’t always especially useful for the Sim who received the original invite, since they’re already pretty far along their hobby journey. But,Sims can bring their less enthusiastic guestsalong who might benefit from it.
As well as their dedication to their hobby, they have alsomaxed out a relevant skill. This meansthey cantutor other Simswho aren’t as proficient in that area.
Arts & Crafts
My Muse II
An art studiowith items like drafting tables, sewing machines, pottery wheels, and activity tables for the little ones.
Cuisine
Sue’s (Secret) Kitchen
A home forall kinds of appliances and kitchenware, including a chocolate manufacturing facility, and a resident cooking judge for contests.
Film & Literature
Desirable Discourse
A combination of movie theatre and libraryfor Sims who prefer to get lost in fantasy. There’s also a kitchenette and bar.
Fitness
Platinum Gym
A sports complexfeaturing a swimming pool, gym, and obstacle course which can only normally be unlocked through the military career.
Games
Games of Glory
A rec centre completewith an arcade, pinball machines, PCs, a swimming pool, and other games like chess, and billiards.
Music & Dance
My Muse I
A multilevel venueoffering music rehearsal spaces on the ground floor and a ballet studio upstairs. There are pianos, synthesisers, and a DJ booth.
Nature
Peerless Park
This secret hideaway is a haven of luscious green foliageand outdoor space for Sims to enjoy. There’s a koi pond, hydroponic garden, and birdwatching opportunities.
Science
Aspirational Laboratories
An unusual lotfeaturing a telescope, ant farms, and a variety of career-unlockable items from the medicine and science career paths allowing Sims topractice surgery and science.
Sports
Dreamy Fields
This indoor-outdoor sports centreoffers football pitches, basketball courts, mini golf, and a boxing gym. It also has a grilling area and shower facilities.
Tinkering
Will’s Garage
Mechanically gifted Sims can come hereto enjoy a huge train set table, remote-controlled toys, computers, and a range of appliances to tamper and trifle with.
How To Join A Hobby Club
Sims will be given the opportunity tojoin a hobby club once they’vereached level five enthusiasmfor a hobby. An unexpected visitor will swing by your Sim’s home and invite them once they have enough enthusiasm.
You don’t have to do anythingto accept the invitation to join, and in fact, you may’t turn them down. Once this Sim has visited, you’ll automatically become alifetime card-carrying club member.
Chance cards relating to careers and school can also invite some Sims to join hobby clubs, depending on which career track they’re in and which hobby it is. This is rarer and happens less reliably than just levelling enthusiasm.
How To Visit Hobby Clubs
After joining the clubyou’ll be able to travel to it wheneveryou want using a car, helicopter, or by hailing a cab. You can travel there in the same way you would head to any community lot.
Select your car or helicopter anduse Go Somewhere. This will bring up a list of all neighbourhoods and community lots available. A new neighbourhood will be available in the left column labelled Hobbies.Select it and choose the club.
If you’re calling a taxi then grab your phone anduse the Call interactionfollowed by Call Taxi. If you want to bring Sims with you, select them from the menu. Then,find the club in the listof lots and confirm.
Sims can also get their steps in by going to a club on foot. Click on the active Sim you want to travel with andselect Walk To Lot, followed by Community Lot. This will bring up the same menu that using a taxi, car, or helicopter will.
How To Check Hobby Enthusiasm
You can check how much enthusiasm your Sim has for a hobby at any time in Live Mode. This can be a useful way ofkeeping track of how close you are to being invitedto join your desired hobby club.
Go to the Simology panel, which is shown with an icon of a Sim’s head. Click it and thennavigate to the kiteicon. Select this to bring up thehobby enthusiasm panelwhere you can see how much enthusiasm your Sim has and learn more about their hobbies.
Clicking on one of the hobbies allows you to check if you’re already a member of the relevant hobby club.
How To Build Hobby Enthusiasm
Every hobby has its own ways of building enthusiasm. For example, cooking raises the cuisine hobby while the fitness hobby grows from working out. However,there are a few options that are common to all hobbies:
you’re able to buy a lot of hobby items in Buy Mode if you have the expendable income for it. You could also try heading to the FreeTime Recreation Center, which can beadded to any neighbourhoodfrom the Lots and Houses bin.
Benefits Of Joining A Hobby Club
There are a lot of different reasons why you might want to join a hobby club, includinghavingaccess to more skill items, chances to indulge in their enthusiasms, and meeting Sims with similar passions.
Access To Career Rewards
Most secret hobby lots have items on them that can only normally beunlocked by advancing through a careerthat is closely related to it. A Sim would have tohave a long careerto unlock every reward in the game, so clubs are a great way of trying them out instead.
Some of the career rewards available at clubs include the:
And more. As well as these items being fun and quirky, they alsogive the chance to build hobby enthusiasm and skills. Some also have buffs, making them more efficient for levelling skills or enthusiasm than some other options.
Meet Hobby Instructors
If you really want yourSim to level their skillsor enthusiasm thenhobby instructors are invaluableSims to know.They can both mentor and tutor your Sim, which grows their enthusiasm and skills respectively.
you may also befriend them tohelp increase your overall number of family friends. Family friends are an important part of getting promoted at some point in most careers, so keeping Sims in your good books is in your Sim’s best interest.
When you find the resident hobby instructor, interact with themusing the Ask function. Then,choose For Hobby Instruction. This will open up a menu with any hobbies they can instruct your Sim in.
Hobby clubs are useful for maintaining the social need and making family friends in general, as other Sims with similar interests and hobbies are also members. Visits from the social bunny will soon become a thing of the past.
Unlock Talent Badges
Spending a lot of time participating in particular hobbiesand skills gives your Sim the chance toget talent badges. In turn, the badges unlock the ability to do more things. Having more robotics talent badges unlocks more options at the robotics bench, for instance.
Some clubs have itemsthat let you work towards new talent badges. My Muse II, the club for the Arts & Crafts hobby, has a sewing table and pottery wheel where you’re able to get badges. Using those badges lets your Sims craft more interesting things to keep or sell.
