Apartment Life: Butler vs. Servo Robot

In the Apartment Life expansion pack is a new NPC character, the Butler. He does many domestic chores, much like the Servo or Robot does for a family. So the question is: Which is best? Hiring a butler for a base fee of $20 and $25 per hour, or getting a Servo (Open for Business) to join the family?  First of all, it is more difficult to get a Servo. You can build up the Robotics badge and build one yourself, you can become friends with an existing one and invite him/her to move in, or you can go to another Sims’ store to buy one that they have built (and pay the specified price). The butler can just be hired over the phone. One disadvantage to the Butler is that he seems to arrive around 10 am and leave sometime in the late afternoon or early evening, while the Servo is a part of the family and is there all the time. The Servo is controllable, so you can tell him which chores to do, and he doesn’t need to sleep much. He also has fun and social needs, so he will not do chores all the time. But he may play with the kids or pets. The Butler will cook and serve food, while Servo will make food but not serve it. This means children won’t be able to eat until another family member serves it. The Butler can also order groceries or hire repairmen/exterminators when needed, which is very useful. I read that he will also greet guests that arrive. I believe both will clean and do the gardening. What are your thoughts as to which is better in which circumstances?

Sims Witchcraft – List of Magic Spells and Reagents

Here’s my current list of magic spells, whether good/bad/neutral, and the reagents needed to cast.

Neutral:
Aqua Deletus (clean up puddles) – 1 mystic dust, 1 moonbeams
Cleanius Corpus (increase hygiene?) – 2 mystic dust
Folium Deletus (clean up fallen leaves) – 1 eye of newt, 1 mystic dust
Corpus Athleticus (get thin) – 1 dragon scales, 2 mystic dust
Corpus Fleshicus (get fat) – 2 dragon scales, 1 mystic dust
Magivestigium (transport to spot on same lot) – none
Creatum Nutrimens (summon food) – 2 dragon scales, 1 mystic dust
Expello Simae (Make sim disappear) – 1 dragon scales, 1 eye of newt, 1 mystic dust
Appello Cattus Amicus (summon cat) – 1 dragon scales, 3 mystic dust
Purgomagus (remove curses/spells) – 2 dragon scales, 2 mystic dust
Appello Simae (summon sim) – 2 dragon scales, 2 mystic dust, 1 moonbeams
Magus Mutatio (teach magic) – 1 dragon scales, 2 eye of newt, 1 mystic dust, 2 moonbeams
Tempus Interruptus (stops time) – 2 dragon scales, 1 eye of newt, 2 mystic dust, 1 moonbeams

GOOD
Benemoodus Simae (good mood) – 1 Dragon scales, 1 mystic dust
Creatum Insecto Volucris (butterflies and fireflies) – 1 essence of light, 2 moonbeams
Exflammo – (put out fire) – 1 dragon scales, 1 mystic dust
Remedis Simae (heal sickness) – 1 essence of light, 1 mystic dust, 1 moonbeams
Beautificus Locus (beautify lot) – 1 dragon scales, 1 essence of light, 1 mystic dust, 2 moonbeams
Compello Acceptus (compel to accept socials) – 1 dragon scales, 1 mystic dust, 2 moonbeams
The next five socials directed at the target sim will count as having maximum mood and relationship scores
Appello Servantus (summon servant) – 1 dragon scales, 2 essence of light, 1 mystic dust, 1 moonbeams
Benemoodus Populus (make lot nice) – 2 essence of light, 1 mystic dust, 2 moonbeams
Mactoamicus (easier to become friends) – 1 dragon scales, 2 essence of light, 1 mystic dust, 2 moonbeams
Expello Mortis (save from death) – 2 dragon scales, 2 essence of light, 2 moonbeams

BAD
Spiritus Poultria (act like chicken) – 1 eye of newt, 2 mystic dust
Mellifera Attackum (bees) – 2 eye of newt, 1 Viper’s essence
Inflammo – (start a fire) — 2 eye of newt, 1 mystic dust
Heavus Ho – (make sick) – 1 eye of newt, 1 mystic dust, 1 vipers essence
Corruptus Locus (Storm, cockroaches) – 1 dragon scales, 2 eye of newt, 1 mystic dust, 1 viper’s essence
Compello Discrepo (Compel to reject socials) – 1 dragon scales, 2 eye of newt, 1 mystic dust
Next five socials directed at target will act as though has minimum mood and relationship scores.
Servantus Attackum (Summon Spectral Attacker) -1 Dragon Scales, 1 Mystic Dust, 1 Eye of Newt, 1 Viper’s Essence
Tabula Rasa (Clear all memories and relationship scores) (Permanent)) – 1 Mystic Dust, 2 Eye of Newt, 2 Viper’s essence
Extractum amorus (Remove love)- 1 Dragon Scales, 1 Mystic Dust, 2 Eye of Newt, 2 Viper Essence
Vivificus Zombiae (Raise zombie of a Sim) – 2 Dragon Scales, 2 Eye of Newt, 2 Viper Venom

Some of these I got from this great reference/guide: http://www.gamershell.com/faqs/thesims2apartmentlifewitchguide/1.1/

Sims Serve Food in Common Area

I installed Sims 2 Apartment Life today! Some features sound really neat, like witches and magic. Others like the actual apartment living and roommates sound very similar to the dorm rooms in University. The first bug I’ve found that is starting to get annoying is that the sims will serve food on tables in the common area of their apartment, in addition to the tables that may be in their own apartment. The common area is usually far away, down some stairs! I think the first thing I’ll try to do is make sure I have enough open table places so that all the dishes are served inside the apartment. I think there’s only about 6 servings per meal.