I've had OFB since it came out, but I've just recently started playing more with businesses. I'm trying to fulfill a lifetime want of owning 5 top level businesses, and I don't think I will make it! Anyway, here are a few things I'm wondering about.

1. How is a top-level business defined? What is the maximum business level?
2. How can I get my employees to fulfill their needs on breaks? I send them on break while they're yellow usually, sometimes in red, and they never get back to green. I always have food, fun (TV, pinball, etc), washroom... they just don't seem to feel better, and always end up quitting. Sometimes they won't come in the next day because they're still in a bad mood!
3. Does the Assess... Desire interaction ever work? Whenever I show a buyer something that they apparently desire, the never ever like it. What other strategies are there for dealing with really cranky customers who only get negative interactions?
4. Regarding servers - I can't send them on break, the pie menu rarely shows for them. I can't remember exactly what happens, but I know I can't manage them like all my other employees.

I'm sure I'll think of more questions later. Thanks for any insights.

A top level business is level 10 - and you can check the level in your business info console, top right of the screen.

Not sure for the rest of the questions! Where possible I run family businesses, so all staff are controllable, and I don't need to worry about staff needs.

Originally Posted by StarrySim

I've had OFB since it came out, but I've just recently started playing more with businesses. I'm trying to fulfill a lifetime want of owning 5 top level businesses, and I don't think I will make it! Anyway, here are a few things I'm wondering about.

1. How is a top-level business defined? What is the maximum business level?
2. How can I get my employees to fulfill their needs on breaks? I send them on break while they're yellow usually, sometimes in red, and they never get back to green. I always have food, fun (TV, pinball, etc), washroom... they just don't seem to feel better, and always end up quitting. Sometimes they won't come in the next day because they're still in a bad mood!
3. Does the Assess... Desire interaction ever work? Whenever I show a buyer something that they apparently desire, the never ever like it. What other strategies are there for dealing with really cranky customers who only get negative interactions?
4. Regarding servers - I can't send them on break, the pie menu rarely shows for them. I can't remember exactly what happens, but I know I can't manage them like all my other employees.

I'm sure I'll think of more questions later. Thanks for any insights.

I downloaded the OFB Guide and it says that desire interaction will work best if you have a sales person with higher talent badges in sales. If they have a bronze or lower, they may get rejected for the sales conversations they have. If you have a silver or higher, you chances will be far greater in reaching that sale. Like Moza says, it is better to have a family to run a restaurant as you can controll them better. That is what the quide also says. Restaurants are not easy to begin with and they seem to make the least amount of money. I am not sure what is happening with your sims not taking breaks. Make sure the food is free for one. Let them use a grill that is only accessable to the employees. Make sure that the washroom has more than one stall so they will have the privacy they need and make sure the area you have for the employees is restricted for employee use only. Make sure they have an expensive couch to sit on when they watch tv and have the tv be one that offers the most fun. I hope this helps you.

Another thing I forgot to mention is that there is a reporter who will come in and make a review of your business. If you get 3 good reviews, your sims will recieve a plaque saying the best of the best. Each seperate review will also help determine the factors of your business in reaching the top level. So will the accumulation of positive stars for customer loyalty, along with having adequate staff that runs registers, sales,etc. Cheers!

Originally Posted by StarrySim

2. How can I get my employees to fulfill their needs on breaks? I send them on break while they're yellow usually, sometimes in red, and they never get back to green. I always have food, fun (TV, pinball, etc), washroom... they just don't seem to feel better, and always end up quitting. Sometimes they won't come in the next day because they're still in a bad mood!

Without hacks, Employees will not fulfill their needs efficiently on breaks. You can genrally count on them to use the bathroom, but they won't drink coffee unless there arre actually cups waiting for them, and they won't use grills to prepare their own food.

Some time ago, I decided I wasn't going to deal with that, and started putting Snapdragon Bouqets (Produced by a Sim with the Gold Flower Arranging Badge) around the store. When properly made, they put out a pink mist that refreshes theneeds of Sims within range... execpt for Energy.


With sufficient snapdragon Bouquets, you don't have to give Sims breaks at all. Just send them home when they turn red, because (as mentioned uppost), they won't efficiently do anythign that refresheds Energy even if you do give them breaks...


...without Hacks. If you're looking for a hack that will make Employees satisfy their needs on breaks that they automatically take, as well as providing smarter logic to make the business function without changing the underlying actions that are being performed (No crazy magic refreshing of needs, or auto-success with sales interactions, etc), I'd reccomend J.M. Pescado's Business Runs You Hack, availiable at Moreawesomethanyou. A properly-configured lot can run indefinitely under that hack.

Plus it also letrs you assign a Playable Sim to Sales (assuming he has the Gold Sales Badge), so you don't have to micromanage them all the blasted time.

Originally Posted by maltesh

Without hacks, Employees will not fulfill their needs efficiently on breaks. You can genrally count on them to use the bathroom, but they won't drink coffee unless there arre actually cups waiting for them, and they won't use grills to prepare their own food.

Some time ago, I decided I wasn't going to deal with that, and started putting Snapdragon Bouqets (Produced by a Sim with the Gold Flower Arranging Badge) around the store. When properly made, they put out a pink mist that refreshes theneeds of Sims within range... execpt for Energy.


With sufficient snapdragon Bouquets, you don't have to give Sims breaks at all. Just send them home when they turn red, because (as mentioned uppost), they won't efficiently do anythign that refresheds Energy even if you do give them breaks...


...without Hacks. If you're looking for a hack that will make Employees satisfy their needs on breaks that they automatically take, as well as providing smarter logic to make the business function without changing the underlying actions that are being performed (No crazy magic refreshing of needs, or auto-success with sales interactions, etc), I'd reccomend J.M. Pescado's Business Runs You Hack, availiable at Moreawesomethanyou. A properly-configured lot can run indefinitely under that hack.

Plus it also letrs you assign a Playable Sim to Sales (assuming he has the Gold Sales Badge), so you don't have to micromanage them all the blasted time.

Thank you for telling us about the snapdragons! I knew you could make them in OFB, but I did not know about the pink mist! That is a great idea! Thank you!

The reason I need employees is because I'd like to promote some to manager, so I don't need to play each lot. Five would be a lot to play if I want to fulfill my sim's LTW.
Also, do home businesses count towards the 5 to fulfill LTW's? Home businesses are definitely easier.
The snapdragons are a good suggestion, I will try that. I may look into the hack as well. Thanks!

Originally Posted by StarrySim

The reason I need employees is because I'd like to promote some to manager, so I don't need to play each lot. Five would be a lot to play if I want to fulfill my sim's LTW.
Also, do home businesses count towards the 5 to fulfill LTW's? Home businesses are definitely easier.
The snapdragons are a good suggestion, I will try that. I may look into the hack as well. Thanks!

I believe home business count. I don't see why they wouldn't cause it is still a business.

Originally Posted by StarrySim

The reason I need employees is because I'd like to promote some to manager, so I don't need to play each lot. Five would be a lot to play if I want to fulfill my sim's LTW.
Also, do home businesses count towards the 5 to fulfill LTW's? Home businesses are definitely easier.
The snapdragons are a good suggestion, I will try that. I may look into the hack as well. Thanks!

You can actually do it with one.

You get the business up to level 10, let it drop to level 9, repeat.

Originally Posted by deagh93

You can actually do it with one.

You get the business up to level 10, let it drop to level 9, repeat.

Are you kidding? That's kind of stupid. Easier, but I don't know why they would've made it that way.... Thanks for letting me know