Inventing is a skill that appears in the Ambitions expansion pack for The Sims 3 and The Sims 3: Pets for console.

This skill benefits from the eccentric trait. As an inventor, Sims can create either brilliant or destructive gadgets. There is a new junkyard lot where inventors can collect scrap using detonation packs. Inventive Sims can provide scrap as a medium for Sims developing their sculpting skill. There is a new inventions log that lists all the inventions a Sim has created and the travels they had in the time machine. Inventing will also increase Sim's handiness skill. Players can register as a self-employed inventor if they have at least a skill level in inventing.

Upon reaching skill level 10, the active household receives an award certificate.

Inventor Sims use the Scraptronic™ Workbench to build inventions. While inventing on the workbench, there is a chance that a Sim might accidentally shock themselves or cause an explosion that sets them on fire. In addition to working at the Scraptronic™ Workbench, Sims can also raise inventing skill by reading books and detonating objects. Before being able to create an invention at will, a Sim must use the "Invent" interaction and accidentally stumble upon making the object first. After that, they can reproduce the object at will so long as they have the required amount of scrap metal.

Children can become inventors as well, although the option to use detonation packs will not be available to them until they become young adults.^[1]

Statistics

• Amount of Scrap Collected
• Number of Widgets Made
• Number of Toys Made
• Number of Big Inventions Made
• Number of Objects Detonated
• Number of Underground Adventures
• Number of Travels through Time
• Percentage of Inventions Discovered.

Challenge

Skill challenges related to inventing:

• Widget Wonder: A Widget Wonder has created 250 Widgets. As a result, all Widgets the Sim makes will be Improved Widgets and will have a bonus value. Widget creation time is shortened as well.
• Diabolical Detonator: A Diabolical Detonator has detonated 150 objects. As a reward, it cost them less to Detonate stuff, they get more Scrap out of it, and they're less likely to get fined!
• The Scrap Collector: The Scrap Collector has personally collected over 1,000 Scrap and, as a result, can dig through junk piles faster and find more Scrap!
• Master Inventor: A Master Inventor has created 100 Big Inventions. As a reward, all Invention creation times and Scrap costs are reduced. All Inventions are now "Master" inventions with a higher value and Master Big Inventions will never fail!
• Discover how to make The Ultimate Invention!: Reach level 10 of the Inventing Skill and then wait for a special phone call. Follow the opportunity chain and you'll soon discover how to make the Ultimate Invention!

Abilities

Level	Ability	Notes
0	Dabble	Sims tinkering with scrap, doesn't really make anything.
1	Invent	Sims can now actually make something with scrap, replaces "Dabble" interaction.
1	Make/Make Many	Appear after successfully invent something, allows Sims to make the discovered invention.
6	Detonate	When Sims reach level 6 of the inventing skill, they gain the ability to detonate the workbench or any other objects.

Inventions

Widgets

Level	Name	Invention	Scrap
1		Smasher	x2	[1]
1		Drinking Llama	x2	[1]
2		Claw Dipper[2]	x3	[2]
2		Rotational Pull	x3	[2]
3		Tentacled Wind Up	x4	[3]
5		Air Bender[2]	x5	[4]
5		Localized Static Tester	x6	[5]
6		Floating Duck	x7	[5]
7		Flying Fighters	x8	[6]

Crafted Toys

Level	Name	Invention	Scrap		Making Cheap Toy
2		Dog Toy	x3	[2]	x1	[1]
3		Cow Toy	x4	[3]	x2	[1]
4		Whale Toy	x5	[4]	x2	[1]
6		Robot Toy	x6	[5]	x3	[2]

Big Invention

Level	Name	Invention	Scrap		Other
3		Floor Hygienator	x10	[8]
4		Harvester	x25	[21]
5		Ghost Zapper[TS3PETSC]	x9	[6]
6		Ghost Positioning System 2.0[TS3PETSC]	x6	[4]
6		Pet Hygienator[TS3PETSC]	x12	[9]
6		LI-RVX2K Teleporter[TS3PETSC]	x15	[11]
7		Body Sculptor[TS3PETSC]	x14	[10]
7		Subterranean Detector[TS3PETSC]	x7	[5]
7		Miner[TS3A]	x50	[42]
8		Collection Helper[TS3PETSC]	x9	[6]
9		Food Replicator[TS3PETSC]	x14	[10]
9		Time Machine	x75	[63]
10		Moodlet Manager[TS3PETSC]	x9	[6]
10		SimBot	x100	[100]	x1 x1 x10

Methods for obtaining a SimBot

See Game guide:Methods for obtaining a SimBot.

Opportunities

Opportunities related to inventing:

Scrap Cleanup
Requirements	Availability	Rewards	Timeout
Inventing skill level 1-2 Bookstore rabbit hole	Repeatable	§ (Unknown sum) Increased relationship with workers at the Bookstore	N/A
(Unknown)
(Unknown)

Scrap For Toys?
Requirements	Availability	Rewards	Timeout
Inventing skill level 1-2 Abandoned warehouse rabbit hole	Repeatable	§ (Unknown sum) Scrap (Unknown amount) Increased relationship with workers at the Abandoned warehouse	N/A
(Unknown)
(Unknown)

The Great Invention Convention
Requirements	Availability	Rewards	Timeout
Inventing skill level 2-10 Stadium rabbit hole	Repeatable	Gain skill: Inventing Invention blueprint	1 Day
"Attend Convention" at the Stadium before it ends to earn an inventing skill boost and potentially an invention blueprint.
Scientists and Inventors from all over the world are flocking to (Rabbit hole's name) for The Great Invention Convention. The convention features robots and vehicles to astound the mind and boggle the senses. (Sim Name) should go and check this out -- maybe there's something to be learned?

Target Practice
Requirements	Availability	Rewards	Timeout
Inventing skill level 2 Science lab rabbit hole	Repeatable	§ (Unknown sum) Gain skill: Inventing Increased relationship with workers at the Science Lab	N/A
(Unknown)
(Unknown)

In The Name of Science!
Requirements	Availability	Rewards	Timeout
Inventing skill level 2 Science lab rabbit hole	Repeatable	§ (Unknown sum) Gain skill: Inventing Increased relationship with workers at the Science Lab	N/A
(Unknown)
(Unknown)

Tons of Toys
Requirements	Availability	Rewards	Timeout
Inventing skill level 2 School rabbit hole Stadium rabbit hole	Repeatable	Gain skill: Inventing Increased relationship with workers at the School and the Stadium	N/A
(Unknown)
(Unknown)

Intelligence Through Environment
Requirements	Availability	Rewards	Timeout
Inventing skill level ?-10 Office building rabbit hole	Repeatable	Gain skill: Inventing Increased relationship with workers at the Office Building
Build 10 Widgets and deliver them to the Business Office for a cash reward, an inventing skill boost, and relationship boost with the Business associates.
One of the up and coming business at (Rabbit hole's name) is interested in improving their looks and tech savviness. They would like (Sim Name) to build them a bunch of cool looking Widgets that they can strategically place throughout their offices to bolster their image. (Sim Name) will be paid well for the work and may even be shown some trade secrets.

Standing In To Save The World
Requirements	Availability	Rewards	Timeout
Inventing skill level ?-10 Abandoned warehouse rabbit hole	Repeatable	§ (Unknown sum) Scrap (Unknown amount)
Go to the Warehouse before time runs out to "Stop Professor Malevolent" to receive a cash reward and some Scrap.
Professor Malevolent is stepping up to the plate with another crackpot threat to instantly vaporize all llamas from the face of the planet. The bad news is that all of the local Mad Scientists are busy stopping Mr. Doom Handler and his moon exploding experiment. City Hall understands that (Sim Name) is a master Inventor and can possibly end this threat. Will (Sim Name) help save the llamas and, thereby, the world?

Technical Arguments
Requirements	Availability	Rewards	Timeout
Inventing skill level ?-10 City hall rabbit hole	Once per Sim	§ (Unknown sum) Increased relationship with workers at the City Hall
"Convince Technology is Good" to 5 Sims then report to City Hall for some Cash and a relationship boost with City Hall employees.
The Society for the Conservation of Technological Improvements is worried about mounting criticism of excess technology in town. They'd like (Sim Name) to canvas the neighborhood and make sure Sims know that technology is cool, fun, and mostly safe. It would really help if (Sim Name) could convince 5 citizens to not vote against the Society's tech initiatives. When finished, report to City Hall for a reward!

Master Invention

Completing this questline allows the Sim to build SimBots.

Master Invention (Part 1)
Requirements	Availability	Rewards	Timeout
Inventing skill level 10 Science lab rabbit hole	Once per Sim	§682
"Deliver" 1 piece of palladium to the Science Facility.
The Science Facility has contacted (Sim Name) with some amazing news. They've discovered a way to create a self-sustaining and compact energy source. (Sim Name) has been waiting for this breakthrough to make his/her master invension. They'll need materials to build a prototype. Bring 1 piece of palladium to the Science Facility to start.

Master Invention (Part 2)
Requirements	Availability	Rewards	Timeout
Inventing skill level 10 Science lab rabbit hole	Once per Sim	§2,560
"Deliver" 10 pieces of life fruit to the Science Facility.
This is a good start. The scientists will begin purging the metal of impurities. There is still more to retrieve, though. Bring 10 pieces of life fruit to the Science Facility so they may continue their work.

Master Invention (Part 3)
Requirements	Availability	Rewards	Timeout
Inventing skill level 10 Science lab rabbit hole	Once per Sim	§ (Unknown sum)
"Deliver" a heart-cut pink diamond to the Science Facility.
These are good specimens. It will take the scientists a little while to extract of the gruits. While they're working, they've asked (Sim Name) to locate a heart-cut pink diamond and bring it to the lab.
Notes: Since the game looks for a heart-cut gem, it won't look for raw pink diamonds, thus any collectible raw pink diamonds won't show up in map view.

Master Invention (Part 4)
Requirements	Availability	Rewards	Timeout
Inventing skill level 10 Science lab rabbit hole	Once per Sim	(Unknown)	N/A
"Deliver" 100 units of Scrap to the Science Facility.
(Unknown)

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Wishes

Wishes related to inventing:

Icon	Name	Lifetime Happiness	Description	Trigger	EP
	Learn Inventing Skill	500	Your Sim seeks to learn something new to enrich and enlighten! Have your Sim refine a talent to perhaps pick up a new skill!	Orb of Answers[TS3:SN]	&EP02
	Improve Inventing Skill	Varies	Learning is an exciting pursuit many Sims enjoy. Your Sim wants to improve a skill so they can do more things with the knowledge! Practice the skill until your Sim gains a level.		&EP02
	Dig Through a Junk Pile	250	Precious Scrap hides in the rusty wreckage of a junk pile. Your Sim would like to Dig Through a Junk Pile to salvage whatever they can.		&EP02
	Discover a New Invention	1,000	Discovery is the newborn baby of inventing ... or so they say in some eccentric circles. To kindle that creative spark, your Sim would like to discover a new invention using the Inventing WorkBench. Make sure there's plenty of Scrap to work with.		&EP02
	Build a Crafted Toy	200	What better way to hone your skill than by crafting untested toys for small children. Your Sim would like to build a Crafted Toy on the Inventing Workbench.		&EP02
	Build an Improved Widget	750	Just when it seemed his Widgets couldn't get any better, your Sim discovered a trick or two to improve them. He would like to build an Improved Widget on the Inventing Workbench.		&EP02
	Detonate [#] Objects	500	What's more exciting than an explosion? Multiple explosions! Your Sim has the urge to Detonate [#] Objects.		&EP02
	Master Inventing Skill	5,000	Mastering a Skill takes great patience and dedication, but your Sim aspires to be the best. Have your Sim practice the skill and complete Opportunities, and great things happen.	Having high Inventing skill level.	&EP02

Trivia

• There's a chance Sims will get Magical Gnome of Invention while inventing or making crafted items.
• In The Sims 3: Pets for console, all inventions appear to require substantially less scrap than in Ambitions. Consequently, the Efficient Inventor lifetime reward is less effective.
• Having both the Efficient Inventor and the Master Inventor Challenge not only reduces the number of scraps, but also allows the Sim to make the Smasher and the Drinking Llamas without using any scraps.

References