How to Beat the CBU

Version 1.12

(Copyright 2002-2003 Tatterdemalian)

Introduction

The Core Business Unit (aka the Code Machine), in The Sims Online, is an 
interesting device.  You have to have three people to work it.  One person 
contributes Body skill and picks the first letter of each code, the second 
contributes Mechanical skill and picks the second letter of each code, and the 
third contributes Logic skill and picks the third letter of each code.  After 
all three have chosen their letters and worked their respective machines, the 
device tells the group how many letters they got right, and if all three letters 
are right, they win an amount of money based on their respective skills.  Since 
The Sims Online Patch 1.172.1.0 was released, the code machine makes a 
reasonable amount of money (around $50 - $200 per code cracked depending on 
skills).  It's still no pizza machine, but then most Money places like to have 
only one pizza machine on the premises, due to the amount of chaos created when 
two sets of four players are calling out ingredients at the same time.  It's 
something to do while waiting for an opening.

In any case, with the information in this FAQ, you will easily be able to punch 
in codes as fast as you can click your mouse button, and you are guaranteed to 
crack the code in five tries or less.  All you need to do is take note of the 
number of correct letters the machine tells you each time, and compare them to 
the table I've put below.  The table is formatted so it should be easy to tell 
where you are and what your next move should be, if you print it out on a single 
sheet of paper.  (Tip: those reading this FAQ on GameFaqs using Internet 
Explorer need only select the text in the table, hit Print..., and choose "Print 
Selection," which should be a check button somewhere in the Print dialog box 
that pops up.)


START - AAA
         |- 0 - BBB
         |       |- 0 - CCC (win)
         |       |- 1 - ABC
         |       |       |- 0 - CCB (win)
         |       |       |- 1 - BCC (win)
         |       |       |- 2 - CBC (win)
         |       |
         |       |- 2 - ABC
         |       |       |- 0 - BCB (win)
         |       |       |- 1 - CBB (win)
         |       |       |- 2 - BBC (win)
         |       |
         |       |- 3 - (win)
         |
         |- 1 - AAB
         |       |- 0 - BBA
         |       |       |- 1 - CCA (win)
         |       |       |- 2 - BCA
         |       |       |       |- 1 - CBA (win)
         |       |       |       |- 3 - (win)
         |       |       |
         |       |       |- 3 - (win)
         |       |
         |       |- 1 - ABC
         |       |       |- 1 - CAC
         |       |       |       |- 2 - BAC (win)
         |       |       |       |- 3 - (win)
         |       |       |
         |       |       |- 2 - ACC (win)
         |       |       |- 3 - (win)
         |       |
         |       |- 2 - ABB
         |               |- 1 - BAB
         |               |       |- 2 - CAB (win)
         |               |       |- 3 - (win)
         |               |
         |               |- 2 - ACB (win)
         |               |- 3 - (win)
         |
         |- 2 - ABC
         |       |- 0 - BAA
         |       |       |- 2 - CAA (win)
         |       |       |- 3 - (win)
         |       |
         |       |- 1 - AAB
         |       |       |- 1 - ACA (win)
         |       |       |- 3 - (win)
         |       |
         |       |- 2 - AAC
         |               |- 1 - ABA (win)
         |               |- 3 - (win)
         |
         |- 3 - (win)
END

I hope there isn't very much confusion as to how to read the table.  Think of it 
as a flowchart, and follow the paths labelled with the number of correct letters 
in each code.  There are hundreds of other methods that can be used to crack the 
Code Machine, but all three people working it need to agree to use the same 
chart, or obviously there will be utter chaos.

Anyhow, hope this helps!

Version History:

v 1.12 Added the post-patch (172) payout information.
v 1.1  Corrected the name of the CBU, and added info about the Test Server's 
update.