June 8, 2024
AccessibilityinfoTS4 Access

TS4 Access: Controls & Settings

This guide covers the everyday controls for TS4 Access. If you have not installed the mod yet, start with Installation & Getting Started. Object placement has its own Build Mode Guide.

You can have the controls read aloud in-game! Press Ctrl + Alt + H and choose Keyboard shortcuts from the accessibility menu.

World Scanner

Turn Scanner mode on in the mod's settings, or press Ctrl + Alt + Space. Keyboard navigation and the scanner feature must also be enabled. Scanner mode starts off by default.

Wait until you hear "Scanner", then use these keys without holding Ctrl or Alt:

  • Up / Down: Previous or next item in the current list. Hold the key to keep browsing.

  • Right: Enter a category or subcategory. On an individual item, repeat its description.

  • Left / Backspace: Go back one level.

  • Enter: Enter a category or open a Sim or object's interactions.

  • Space: Repeat speech.

Your place is remembered when you return to a category. The scanner updates when you switch Sims and hides objects that have no interactions for the active Sim. Objects with unavailable interactions can remain listed so you can open their menu and hear the requirements.

Some checks happen in the background, so a newly found object may appear briefly before the scanner filters it. Press Ctrl + Alt + S to refresh. Ctrl + Alt + W reads your location.

In Live Mode, the camera follows your active Sim and the arrows do not pan the camera. Scanner mode does not change the Build Mode camera. Escape closes menus; it does not turn Scanner mode off.

Menus, Dialogs & Panels

When a menu opens, its controls take over from the scanner. The scanner resumes when the menu closes.

Simplified menus are enabled by default. Up and Down move through supported options one at a time, including choices displayed in several columns. Create a Sim and Stories keep their existing controls.

  • Tab / Shift + Tab: Next or previous control. From the world, Tab begins browsing the game's interface controls.

  • Arrow keys: Navigate controls or adjust values. Hold a key to keep moving.

  • Enter: Activate the focused control or confirm a choice.

  • Space: Select or toggle a choice.

  • Escape: Go back, close, or cancel.

  • Backspace: Return from a picker footer button to its item list.

  • Ctrl + Alt + R: Read the current control or stop speech.

In a text field, the arrow keys edit the text. Use Tab or Shift + Tab to leave the field.

Cooking & Drinks

Use the arrows to choose a recipe, then press Enter. If it opens serving sizes, press Down to browse the sizes and Enter to choose one. If the game is paused, resume it so your Sim can start preparing the food or drink.

Unavailable recipes remain readable so you can hear requirements such as a missing appliance or ingredient.

Shopping & Delivery

In purchase lists, including Zoomers Food Delivery, Left and Right change the quantity of the focused item. Press Right to add one, then continue browsing if you want other items.

Enter on an item moves to Done; another Enter confirms the purchase. Tab also reaches Done. Check the total, including any delivery fee, before confirming.

Pizza delivery uses a recipe list instead: focus the pizza you want and press Enter.

Choosing Sims

For a single choice, Enter confirms an available row when Simplified menus is on. For multiple choices, use Space to select or clear a row, then choose Done. The game still applies its selection limits and other requirements.

Splitting or Merging Households

Use Space to select a Sim, then choose Transfer Sim(s) to move the selection to the other household.

To transfer funds, navigate to the amount field, press Enter to edit it, use Ctrl + A to select the current number, and enter the new amount. Tab leaves the field. Choose the appropriate Transfer Funds button, then Done to confirm the household changes. Escape cancels the dialog.

Quick Access

Close open menus and text fields before using these shortcuts:

  • Ctrl + Alt + H: Open the accessibility menu.

  • Ctrl + Shift + N: Read needs.

  • Ctrl + Alt + C: Read the current day and time. Also announces when the game is paused.

  • Ctrl + Alt + E: Read mood and moodlets.

  • Ctrl + Alt + G: Read wants and fears.

  • Ctrl + Alt + P: Open a waiting call or text. With Simplified menus on and nothing waiting, open the phone action list.

  • Ctrl + Alt + 1 through 8: Switch to a household Sim.

  • M: Open travel.

The accessibility menu also gives you access to skills, career, inventory, relationships, calendar, household funds, known contacts, and other information.

With menus closed in Live Mode, Shift + Tab toggles first-person view. Inside a menu or panel, it moves to the previous control instead. The scanner still works in first-person view, and its camera follow resumes when you leave that view.

Phone & Travel

With Simplified menus on, open Phone from the accessibility menu or use Ctrl + Alt + P when no call or text is waiting. Choose a category, then an action. Back to the phone returns to the categories; Escape closes the list.

For travel, leave Travel list and Keyboard enabled in Settings. Press M, choose Go alone or Choose who comes, then choose a world and destination. Some buildings offer an additional list of units.

Travel from the phone goes directly to the destination lists. To choose companions, use M and Choose who comes. If the game is paused, resume it after making your choices so the Sim can travel.

Back to worlds and Back to places return to the previous lists. Escape cancels the trip. Open the map instead continues using the game's map; some destinations require this.

Vacation travel uses the same setting. Read the stay length and price before confirming a rental.

Optional Numpad Controls

Enable Numpad navigation in Settings and turn Num Lock on. These keys navigate menus and panels, rather than the world scanner:

  • Numpad 4: Previous control.

  • Numpad 6: Next control.

  • Numpad 5: Activate.

  • Numpad 8: Read the current control or stop speech.

  • Numpad Period: Back or close.

Additional scanner shortcuts and the read-only Live Mode lot grid are listed in the included CONTROLS.txt.

Speech Modes

The mod includes four speech modes:

  • Hover: Reads supported controls and interface elements automatically as you hover over them.

  • Manual: Waits for you to use the read shortcut for captured interface text.

  • Beeps: Uses short audio cues for automatic interface announcements.

  • Off: Disables automatic narration and its audio cues.

These modes control automatic narration. Some explicitly requested announcements, such as command feedback, can still speak. Choose the speech mode from the accessibility settings or in the configuration file.

If speech is coming through NVDA, JAWS, or another supported screen reader, that reader controls its voice and speed. The mod's voice settings only affect the fallback Windows voice.

Changing Settings

Press Ctrl + Alt + H and open Settings. This is where you can change options such as Scanner mode, Simplified menus, Build controls, speech mode, and braille output.

Simplified menus and Build controls start on. Scanner mode starts off. You can turn Simplified menus off if you prefer the original menu navigation. Sim action announcements are also enabled by default.

For additional options, open TS4_Access.cfg next to the mod files in Notepad. The file is generated by the mod; it is not included in the download. Save your changes, then restart the game or open the cheat console with Ctrl + Shift + C, enter a11y.reload, and press Enter. Close the console before navigating menus again.

The included CHEATS.txt lists optional settings and help commands. You do not need to use these commands for normal gameplay.