Gathering Sims for a party every once in a while is a great way to improve your relationships or fulfill a party-related wish. To throw a party, you choose the Throw Party interaction from the Telephone menu.
Once you have the Party menu onscreen, you can designate the invitees, type of party, time of party, and dress code.
There are five types of parties in Bridgeport:
House Party: The house party is just a nice occasion for friends to come together and socialize.
Wedding: A wedding party is an occasion for celebrating the impending marriage of two Sims. Sims can either get married at a wedding party or have a private ceremony.
Funeral: If a Sim has died, family members can have a wake at a lot to get together and mourn the dead. This is a lot like a house party, but many of the social interactions are based around remembering the deceased, such as Talk Highly About.
Birthday: When it is time to make an age transition, throw a birthday party. Birthday parties are like house parties, but with a birthday cake that causes the Sim being honored to age up.
Campaign Fundraiser: This party is very similar to a house party, but it is only available to Sims in the Political career. Campaign fundraisers are formal parties where, if successful, Sims do not get relationship boosts, but donate cash to a campaign fund.
When you choose to throw a party, expect to see your guests start arriving right around the designated time. (Thankfully, you get a warning an hour before the party starts.)
Before guests arrive, make sure your lot is clean, provide plenty of food, and extend some form of entertainment.
For entertainment, you can have objects around your house like a guitar or drums, party balloons, or videogame system for guests to play with when not being wowed by your social skills. Fun objects increase the likelihood that a party will be a success.
Will everybody you invited show up? It’s possible—that depends on your long-term relationships with the Sims you invited and whether or not any of them have to work.
Sims will not come to a party if it takes place during their designated work shift. There is a chance they will show up after work, though. Some Sims will even bring presents.
If a Sim brings a present to the party, a note will pop up and tell you what was brought.
Once the party is under way, you need to manage it in order for it to be a success. Make sure that food is out and is plentiful.
Late Night offers a new interaction with food that helps make sure your guests are sated. The Bring To interaction allows you to serve food and drinks to specific guests (as long as the guests are of age).
This interaction is never rejected, so don’t worry about hurting a relationship by offering another Sim something to nosh on during your party.
Be sure to socialize! Talk to your guests so they feel welcome. Mingle and move around. Be positive. Late Night introduces a new series of socials to use during parties, turning you into a matchmaker for other Sims or coaxing them to have a good time.
For example, you can use the Talk To and Dance With socials to get two Sims (not your active Sim) to hopefully interact. You cannot use a romantic suggestion on Sims without feelings for each other.
When the party finally draws down and Sims file out the front door, it’s time to find out if the party was a success. If Sims left your party because they thought it was lame, you get no benefit and suffer the Threw a Lame Party moodlet.
If the Sims liked your party, you get relationship boosts with all attendees and enjoy the Threw a Great Party moodlet.