First of all, this mod requires Lot51's Core Library 1.32 or superior, I won't be giving support to people if it's clear they did not install this dependency.

Custom Venues have finally arrived, but not without a few disappointments. As I anticipated following the 1.118.242 patch released in September, several issues surfaced, particularly around staffing. Most “employee” or service roles are not assignable by default, which significantly limits venue functionality.

To address this, I’ve taken it upon myself to update and expand the system, enabling proper role assignments and restoring the flexibility these venues deserve.

Compatible with patch 1.121.342

Changelog

Version 1.0.6

- Added a new "Spa" custom venue preset.

- Added Reflexologist, Massage Therapist and Spa Clients roles.

Version 1.0.4

- Added a new "Don't Do Home Chores" activity.

Version 1.0.3

- Added a new "Don't Cook" activity.

Version 1.0.2

- Added the remaining messages from the message table.

Version 1.0.1

- Corrected an issue that prevented Sim to paint if their skill was less than 2 autonomously.

Version 1.0

Release version

Tattoo Tables

If you own the Businesses & Hobbies EP and have been hoping to run an unattended tattoo parlor, this mod makes it possible. By default, EA excluded this activity from the custom schedule menu, as the interaction was hardcoded to function only within Small Businesses. However, I’ve added it to the list:

Once assigned to a role, Sims will autonomously tend the table and offer paid tattoo services. They will primarily focus on this task; if you assign additional activities, they may ignore them. This behavior is intentional, as it prevents Sims from leaving the table unattended.

As expected, when the Get Tattooed activity is assigned, other Sims will autonomously request services from the tattoo artist, just as they would in a Small Business setting.

Your active Sim can also request a tattoo by clicking on the Tattoo Table or directly on the Tattoo Artist.

Recommendation

Assign only the tattoo table activity to these Sims. If you want them to take breaks, schedule those in specific timeslots.

Known Issues

Occasionally, the interaction to request a tattoo may appear grayed out when clicking on the table. If this occurs, simply ask the artist directly for a tattoo.

Spas

Although EA included a Spa Activity in the custom schedule, it simply allows Sims to roam the lot using spa-related objects. This means you couldn’t assign specific roles for massages or pedicures, until now.

This mod introduces four new activities, available exclusively in custom venues:

Offer Massage Therapist Services
Offer Reflexologist Services:

Designed for staff members who will tend the massage table and massage chair, respectively.

Request Paid Spa Services
Enjoy Free Spa Activities

Designed for spa clients.

Important:

If you assign these new activities, do not assign the vanilla Spa Activity. The original activity causes Sims to autonomously ask for and offer massages, which disrupts the flow of designated Therapists and Reflexologists.

Setting Up a Spa in a Custom Venue

Create three roles (names are irrelevant):

Reflexologist: Assign the Offer Reflexologist Services activity. Sims in this role will focus exclusively on tending Massage Chairs. You can assign multiple Sims, but I recommend no more than two at a time.
Massage Therapist: Assign the Offer Massage Therapist Services activity. Again, multiple Sims can be assigned, but two is a good limit.
Clients: Assign Request Paid Spa Services and optionally Enjoy Free Spa Activities. You can be more generous with the number of Sims here, though I recommend keeping it under 8 to 10.

Important: DO NOT ASSIGN BOTH THE MASSAGE THERAPIST AND REFLEXOLOGIST TO THE SAME SIM.

You can also add the Spa preset from the Schedule selector if you want a plug and go approach.

Once the setup is complete and you visit the spa, clients will begin requesting services such as pedicures, manicures, foot massages, hand massages (via the massage chair), and full-body massages (via the massage table) if you assigned the Request Paid Spa Services activity

And will only use items like yoga mats, saunas and meditations stools if you assigned the Enjoy Free Spa Activities activity.

Your active Sim will not autonomously request paid services. However, you can manually request them by clicking on the massage chair, massage table, or directly on the specialist.

Recommendation

For spa therapists, assign only the tending activities in each timeslot as shown in the images above. Assigning other activities may result in them being ignored or disrupting the intended flow.

Known Issues

~~Some massage types are currently unavailable at the massage table: fertility, sports, and three aromatherapy options.~~ Added on update 1.0.2
Autonomous meditation sessions and yoga classes are not yet supported. I’m working on adding them as future activities, but you can still initiate them by yourself.
While requested services generally run smoothly, NPC interactions may occasionally misfire. Sims might stand up mid-service, two Sims may request the same specialist simultaneously, or interactions may stall due to waiting conflicts. I've done my best to minimize these issues, but some quirks remain due to the nature of custom interactions.

Oversights & Fixes

This mod addresses several oversights in EA’s activity system:

DJ Activity
When assigned to NPC Sims, the DJ Activity is bugged, Sims are unable to perform songs due to coding issues. This mod resolves that, allowing NPC DJs to perform properly for the crowd.
Tend Coffee/Tea Bars and Counters
By default, Sims will not tend Coffee Counters, Espresso Bars, or Bubble Tea Counters in custom venues. EA’s code only supports Small Businesses, leaving custom venues unsupported. This mod corrects that oversight, enabling Sims to tend these objects as expected.
Food Purchasing Behavior
Even when the Eat activity is assigned, Sims won’t autonomously buy food from counters. This mod adjusts behavior so that Sims will purchase food from Espresso Bars and Coffee Counters when assigned the Drink Coffee or Eat activity, and from Bubble Tea Counters when assigned the Drink Tea or Eat activity.
Painting
After reviewing a report on the forums, I discovered that the painting activity wasn’t functioning as intended. Upon closer inspection, I found that EA had omitted a required test, which prevented the activity from working with any Sim. This issue has now been corrected.

If you notice any other activity that requires attention, please let me know in the comments section.

Don’t Do X Activity

If you’ve noticed that Sims assigned as staff are neglecting their duties because they spend too much time socializing, the Don't Socialize activity is designed for them.

Any Sim assigned to this activity will neither initiate social interactions nor be targeted for them while it is active. In rare cases, Sims may still socialize with said Sim if they are using modded interactions that bypass the game’s standard social functions, but most options will be blocked.

This activity is useful for staffing roles that tend to abandon their assigned tasks in favor of chatting.

Important

Do not assign this activity to Sims that have the “Tend Tattoo Table”, “Offer Massage Therapist Services” or “Offer Reflexologist Services” activities from this mod. Those activities already include a built-in solution to prevent socialization.

After spending some time with the EP, I also realized that Sims were obsessively cooking even with just the Eat activity assigned. To stop that behaviour, assign the new "Don't Cook" activity. Be aware that custom cooking interactions are not taken into account.

Another adition to this family is the "Don't Do Home Chores" activity

Sims with this activity will be discouraged from cleaning and repairing objects. Please note that if Sims don't have anything else to do, they might clean from time to time.

Custom Venues Fixes