Step into a time-bending adventure with The Sims 4’s “Inventing the Past” quest, where uncovering hidden clues and mastering new skills unlocks a mysterious narrative woven through a series of engaging challenges. From reading theoretical electronics in the library to repairing gadgets and exercising your Sim’s logic, this quest is a captivating journey that rewards curiosity and clever gameplay across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox platforms.
Here is how to unlock and complete the week two “Inventing the Past“ quest in the “Blast from the Past” event in The Sims 4. Since the quest involves a lot of specific steps, this guide will also explain how to level up Logic, how to level up handiness, and how to find plathinum and ironyum in The Sims 4.
How to unlock the ’Inventing the Past’ quest
To unlock the “Inventing the Past” quest in The Sims 4, you must first complete three preceding event quests: “A Strange Visitor,” “Missing Clues,” and “Echoes of Time.” Once you finish the “Echoes of Time” quest, the game will automatically trigger the “Inventing the Past” quest, allowing you to begin its tasks and progress through the event storyline.
To unlock the “Inventing the Past” quest, you must complete three other event quests prior: “A Strange Visitor,” “Missing Clues,” and “Echoes of Time.” Once you complete the “Echoes of Time” quest, the game will automatically start the content for “Inventing the Past.”
’Inventing the Past’ quest walkthrough
The “Inventing the Past” quest in The Sims 4 is part of the limited-time “Blast from the Past” event and unlocks after completing three prior event quests: “A Strange Visitor,” “Missing Clues,” and “Echoes of Time.” Once triggered, the quest begins with tasks such as reading “Theoretical Electronics” at a library, repairing an object with a Handiness skill of level 2 or higher, and exercising logic skills. Players must visit locations like the Willow Creek Archive library, interact with bookshelves, and complete various skill-based activities. The quest involves a detailed checklist of objectives that unfold sequentially, rewarding players with unique event items upon completion.
As you start this quest, you’ll start with three tasks off the bat:
- “Read Theoretical Electronics at a Library”
- “Repair Something while Handiness Level 2 or Higher”
- “Exercise Your Mind while Level 2 or Higher in Logic”
The first task is pretty straightforward: Press M to pull up the map and travel to any neighborhood library, like Willow Creek Archive. Go into the library, click on a bookcase, and select the option, “Read Theoretical Electronics.” Wait a moment, and that task will be complete.
The rest of the quest is like a long to-do list of random tasks. The rest of the guide goes into detail on how to complete all the other tasks.
How to level up Handiness in The Sims 4
To level up the Handiness skill in The Sims 4, the most effective method is to use a Woodworking Table, which can be purchased from the Activities and Skills section for 750 simoleons. Your Sim can craft sculptures like horse or knife sculptures repeatedly to quickly gain Handiness experience; typically, crafting just a few sculptures can raise the skill from level 1 to 2. Additionally, repairing broken objects around the house also grants Handiness skill points. Sims gain Handiness faster when they are in a focused mood. For quicker progression, players can also use the cheat code “stats.set_skill_level Major_Handiness X” to set the skill level instantly, where X is the desired level from 1 to 10. As the skill increases, Sims unlock the ability to upgrade and craft more complex items, making this skill valuable for both gameplay and completing quests like “Inventing the Past”.
To start on the Repair “Something while Handiness Level 2 or Higher” task, you need to level up your Sims’ Handiness to level two or higher. If you’re playing from an existing save file, it’s likely your Sim has already reached a high enough level. If not, here is how to level up Handiness in The Sims 4.
An easy way to level up your Sim’s Handiness level is by putting a Woodworking Table in its home. It’s a piece of furniture in the “Activities and Skills” section of the objects menu and it costs 750 simoleons. Once you have one and placed in your home, it’s time to use it. Click it and select “Horse Sculpture” or “Knife Sculpture.” Continue to create sculptures until you level up. We only had to make three to raise our Handiness from level one to two.
Now we need to repair an object. To do this, you can continue to live your day-to-day life until any object breaks. To speed this process up, AELGAMES bought the cheapest sink and used it a ton by cleaning dishes and having our Sim use it to wash its hands. When an object breaks, click it, select the “Repair” option.
How to level up Logic in The Sims 4
To level up Logic in The Sims 4, the most effective and accessible method is playing chess, either at home by purchasing a chess table or at public parks where chess tables are available for free. Playing chess not only improves the Logic skill but also often generates a Focused moodlet, which accelerates skill gain. Additionally, reading Logic skill books, which can be bought from bookshelves or libraries, helps increase the skill, especially when your Sim reads books appropriate to their current skill level. Other ways to boost Logic include using a microscope to analyze plant and fossil samples, stargazing with a telescope or observatory, and engaging in logical social interactions. Keeping your Sim focused during these activities maximizes the skill progression. For faster leveling, players can also use cheats to instantly raise the Logic skill to the desired level.
Now the game asks you to “Exercise Your Mind while Level 2 or Higher in Logic.”
The easiest way to level up your Logic in The Sims 4 is to play chess. If you don’t have a chess board, you can buy a basic one for 450 simoleons or you can use the public ones for free in Magnolia Blossom Park. Go to a board and continue to play until your Sim’s Logic level increases from one to two. Once your Sims has Logic level of two, play any chess game again, and it will satisfy the quest request for, “Exercise Your Mind while Level 2 or Higher in Logic.”
How to get plathinum and ironyum in The Sims 4
To get Plathinum and Ironyum in The Sims 4 during the “Inventing the Past” quest, head to outdoor locations with rock collectible spots such as parks or community lots in worlds like Willow Creek and Oasis Springs. Look for protruding rocks or dirt mounds where you can use the “Dig” option. These metals are found exclusively by digging rocks, not other collectible spots. You may need to dig several rock spots until you find both Plathinum and Ironyum. Pausing the game to scan the area can help locate these spots more easily. Once both metals are collected, you can use them to build the Time Travel Component and progress in the quest.
Now you need to find two kinds of ores: plathinum and ironyum. They’re different items, but you use the same process to find each one. Here’s how to find them.
Hit M to pull up the map and travel to an outdoor area like Magnolia Blossom Park. Now look around outside until you find the spots to mine for the ore. Pause Live Mode if you want, and scan the surrounding area for protruding rocks that mark where you can mine for plathinum and ironyum. They look like the image below.
Click on each rock and select the “Dig” option. Continue to dig in these marked spots until you unearth plathinum and ironyum.
After completing that long to-do list, the game now instructs you to “Build the Time Travel Component.” To do that, pull up your inventory by pressing I and scroll down to “Shard of Time” icon that looks like a purple crystal. Click it and select, “Build Time Travel Component.” Do that and the quest is done!
What secrets does the ’Inventing the Past’ quest reveal about The Sims 4’s limited-time events
The “Inventing the Past” quest in The Sims 4 reveals that the game’s limited-time events, such as the “Blast from the Past” event, are designed as multi-week narrative experiences where players unravel mysteries involving time travel and missing objects from the past. These events unfold through a series of quests that encourage players to explore various venues like libraries and museums, interact with Sims of different ages, and complete tasks that blend storytelling with gameplay challenges. Successfully completing these quests not only advances the story but also rewards players with exclusive items and event points, highlighting how The Sims 4 uses limited-time events to deliver fresh content, deepen player engagement, and celebrate milestones like The Sims’ 25th birthday.
What hidden story or lore does ’Inventing the Past’ uncover about time travel in The Sims 4
The “Inventing the Past” quest in The Sims 4 uncovers a hidden story about time travel that ties into the broader “Blast from the Past” limited-time event. It reveals that shards of time are echoes from the past that can be collected and used to build a time travel device, as explained in a fictional book called Theoretical Electronics by Nikolai Volt. Players must gather rare materials like Ironyum and Plathinum and improve their handiness and logic skills to construct this device, suggesting a scientific approach to time travel within the game’s lore. The quest also hints at mysterious disappearances of Sims and objects, adding intrigue to the narrative.
Moreover, there are fan theories linked to this event suggesting that characters like Alexander Goth may have traveled through time to alter events, such as preventing Bella Goth’s disappearance, weaving the quest into a larger Sims multigenerational mystery. The event and quest subtly expand the lore by implying that time travel is possible and has impacted the Sims universe in unexpected ways, blending gameplay with narrative depth.
