How to remove plumbobs and other overhead effects in The Sims 4?
Do you love taking screenshots of your Sims, but find the constantly appearing plumbobs annoying? Or perhaps you're recording gameplay videos, and the intrusive plumbob doesn't fit the aesthetic? We have a solution for you, and not just one!
So, there are several ways to remove plumbobs in The Sims 4:
1. Using a cheat code
Access the cheat console by pressing Shift+Ctrl+C, then enter the developer code testingcheats true and the code headlineeffects off to remove the plumbob.
To restore the effects, you can enter the reverse code headlineeffects on.
Note: This setting removes all headline effects and only lasts for one gameplay session. This means that every time you exit the game, it will reset, and you'll need to re-enter the code.
2. Using the Wicked Whims/Wonderful Whims mod
Navigate to the Sim menu or any other menu where the mod appears:
In the mod tab locate the Settings option
In the Settings tab scroll down to the bottom of the list, find the tab named Headline Effects Settings
Select Disable, if you want to remove them, or Enable to bring back all headline effects.
Note: This method removes all headline effects completely, including thought bubbles and other elements, and remains disabled even when re-entering the game. It is convenient for screenshots or videos. However, if you only want to remove the plumbob, proceed to method 3!
3. Removing the plumbob like a pro
This method allows you to keep Sim information panels, thought bubbles and other headline effects while removing the plumbob and group/club icons, etc.
First, you need to navigate to the root folder of The Sims 4 game.
Your Disk\...\...\The Sims 4\Game\Bin
For another version: Your Disk\...\...\The Sims 4\Game-cracked\Bin
Alternatively, right-click on the game shortcut, select Open file location, which will take you directly to the required folder.
In the folder, you will find a file named Default.ini. Open it.
In the file, locate the second paragraph under the heading [Plambob].
Below is the original configuration settings with explanations:
playeractivecolor = 0.43, 0.78, 0.12, 1.00 # green [green plumbob]
motivestatered = 1.00, 0.00, 0.00, 1.00 # red [red plumbob]
motivestateorange = 1.00, 0.50, 0.00, 1.00 # orange [orange plumbob]
motivestateyellow = 1.00, 1.00, 0.00, 1.00 # yellow [yellow plumbob]
socialgroup = 1.00, 1.00, 1.00, 0.50 # white translucent [group icon]
club = 1.00, 1.00, 1.00, 1.00 # white [the icons of your sims' clubs]
npcclub = 1.00, 1.00, 1.00, 0.50 # white translucent [the icons of NPC clubs]
ensemble = 1.00, 1.00, 1.00, 1.00 # white [the performers' group]
If we want to remove all the listed overhead effects, we change the last value (highlighted in bold) in all lines to 0.00.
If we want to remove specific effects, we only change the value to 0.00 corresponding to the effect we want to remove.
In the end, we get something like this:
After we've changed what we want to 0.00, we save the file and close it.
Note: When restoring the game through Steam/Ea app and other applications, this file will return to its original values, and you will need to set your desired settings again.
That's it! Choose the method that works best for you and enjoy the absence of unnecessary overhead effects.
If you encounter bugs or errors in your game, you can always reach out to our Sims 4 Help Bot for assistance – consultations with a manager are completely free. Additionally, you can take advantage of our services for cleaning/updating or assembling your Mods folder from scratch, among other helpful services.
