Pinstar's new Apocalypse challenge

[GayJohnScarritt]

I'm not sure i agree with your viewpoint.   True, i'm still a complete newbie when it comes to playing Sims, but this wouldn't be a 'hands-off' type challenge like the Asylum would be.  You have total control when they make their one meal a day, if a fire starts, woudn't you still be able to have your sims(s) get out their own fire-extinguishers?

[J. M. Pescado]

I was thinking that this challenge would be pretty difficult, but if you can handle your Sims reproducing a lot in one generation, it wouldn't be tough at all.

Isn't that already "hard" as it is?

The main problem would be making sure your Sims didn't burn to death; the founder would pretty much have to be Captain Hero, as far as I can tell.

I don't really think fires represent a real risk when you rule with an iron fist like I do.

[neriana]

I was thinking that this challenge would be pretty difficult, but if you can handle your Sims reproducing a lot in one generation, it wouldn't be tough at all.

Isn't that already "hard" as it is?

Well, I thought it would be until I started doing it. Now it's just sort of irritating trying to remember all the kids' names. It's true that they don't each end up with the same skillset and time in platinum as they would if there were only two of them, but they're all growing up platinum and getting many scholarships to college. It comes down to how long you can stomach raising baby after baby after baby. It is a pain, but not really "hard". No elixir of life would complicate things, of course.

The main problem would be making sure your Sims didn't burn to death; the founder would pretty much have to be Captain Hero, as far as I can tell.

I don't really think fires represent a real risk when you rule with an iron fist like I do.

John: Sims can get out their own fire extinguishers. The problem comes with getting them to actually stop screaming long enough to do so.

So how would you avoid fires if you could only cook on the cheapest grill, then? They can't visit community lots, so no stealing food. They can't have a fridge, so they can't just eat lunchmeat sandwiches and instant meals all the time. They would have to eat at home sometime. What am I missing?

[J. M. Pescado]

John: Sims can get out their own fire extinguishers. The problem comes with getting them to actually stop screaming long enough to do so.

If you play with Firemod, sims will not moth the fire and will eventually learn to quit screaming and put it out themselves once they get used to the idea of things being on fire.

So how would you avoid fires if you could only cook on the cheapest grill, then? They can't visit community lots, so no stealing food. They can't have a fridge, so they can't just eat lunchmeat sandwiches and instant meals all the time. They would have to eat at home sometime. What am I missing?

You can visit community lots if you unlock Military. And the answer, obviously, is that there is no food. Simple. Eating food is a barbaric practice anyway.

[Ivy]

So how would you avoid fires if you could only cook on the cheapest grill, then? They can't visit community lots, so no stealing food. They can't have a fridge, so they can't just eat lunchmeat sandwiches and instant meals all the time. They would have to eat at home sometime. What am I missing?

Why can't they have a fridge? Fridges are in a seperate category, and in fact the rules for culinary give hints about turning the fridge around after the one-meal-per-day has been used up.

I highly recommend gelatin for its long shelf life.  lol


Ivy

[GayJohnScarritt]

   LOL, just to show everyone how far i am from awesome, i can't even figure out what to do without showers/baths.  As a test, i started a sim in univ, 0 neat, 10 outgoing, 9 active, low in last two, Knowlege Sim.  I'm only on the morning of the 2nd day, and his constant yelling at me because of the flies buzzing around him is irritating.  Would being in hygiene desperation have any side-effects?   Increased chance of illness/disease for instance?  Or is it just something i'd have to put up with.  I've already tried having him washing his hands, and it took too long just to bring it up.
   And yes, i know the starting Sim CAN use a shower, just trying to look ahead.

[J. M. Pescado]

I think you need LESS WHINY.

[rohina]

I was thinking that gen 1 would clearly be the jello generation because of the fire risk and the food restrictions. This is fine. I can see a strong argument for unlocking military as soon as possible, because if you leave it for a generation, that means none of gen 2 can go to uni, right? As far as the other one goes, I am not sure. Given the need for skilling, and the restrictions on skilling objects, it might be fairly important to get some smartmilk.

[SaraMK]

I've already tried having him washing his hands, and it took too long just to bring it up.
   And yes, i know the starting Sim CAN use a shower, just trying to look ahead.

Your sim can bathe at the sink (it's an autonomous action, so leave him alone and see if he'll do it). Serial hand-washing will bring hygeine up eventually, but does take a long time.

[J. M. Pescado]

I was thinking that gen 1 would clearly be the jello generation because of the fire risk and the food restrictions. This is fine. I can see a strong argument for unlocking military as soon as possible, because if you leave it for a generation, that means none of gen 2 can go to uni, right? As far as the other one goes, I am not sure. Given the need for skilling, and the restrictions on skilling objects, it might be fairly important to get some smartmilk.

Yeah, but you don't actually need to unlock smartmilk to use it, since aspirational rewards you already possess can continue to be used, you just can't buy more. A smartmilk holds 5 rounds, so two dispensers should effectively satisfy your smartmilking needs for a goodly chunk of the game.

[GayJohnScarritt]

Reply to J. M. Pescado  "I think you need LESS WHINY. "

lol, trust me, i thought of that at first, too bad this isn't a More Awesome Challenge.

"-Cheats, mods or hacked objects that would give you an unfair advantage over a player who didn't have or use them may not be used."

I adore all of my mods (especially most of yours), it just piqued my curiosity and i wanted to satisfy my own mind IF i was to attempt this.   Heck, i can't even bare to give up the very first hack i every got, 'nospoiledfood' by Monique.

I will say this tho, afternoon of the 2nd day, i had my very first ever Sim to take a sponge bath.  It seemed almost as effective as a mid-priced tub, so that does ease my mind.

[J. M. Pescado]

I wouldn't qualify it as giving you an unfair advantage, since it doesn't actually improve things. Your sims will still be just as angry about it, they just won't bother annoying you. Also, it's an important fix, so you can't avoid it anyway.

[Kokopelli]

Well I for one am looking forward to treating my sims to this awesome challenge.

[ElfPuddle]

"-Cheats, mods or hacked objects that would give you an unfair advantage over a player who didn't have or use them may not be used."

Since there is a page with free samples, I don't feel any MATY hack/mod is an unfair advantage. I can't help that not everyone uses all the resources at their disposal! *evil grin*

I'm thinking military first, then culinary, and hoping for an alien technology near the begining...to unlock the aspirations.

I do have a question about the spouses. The rules don't state whether or not the spouses need to be CAS sims. So, what's to keep my founder from marrying Morty (retired Scientist), and using him as the reason to unlock restrictions? As long as he knocks up the founder before he keels over (and provides the heir...), it seems perfectly legal to me!

[J. M. Pescado]

Because Morty never actually did the Science Career. He was just set as autoretired from it, and didn't actually *DO* it.

[Pinstar]

Yes you can buy and use a fridge, any fridge. In fact the one GOOD thing the Life of Crime restriction does for you is re-fills the fridge every time you pay protection. The mob is kind enough to bring you food on pay day... so you can live just long enough to pay them next week.
Once you unlock the Crime restriction, you'll have to make sure you have some other way of obtaining food.

Here are a few other clairifications posted on other boards:


1. Regarding spouses: Only 1 spouse per generation can unlock a restriction, period. This spouse must contribute to the birth of the next generation. You may unlock the restriction before the next generation is born, but they must be the one to help bring on the next generation. The only exception to this rule is if the next generation is brought by alien pregnancy.
2. Spouses can keep their current job if they have one. If they are at the top of their career field, they instantly unlock that restriction (provided they are that generation's one spouse)
3. Regarding Law enforcement. I realize my goof. Yes teens can still go to school. They just can't get part time jobs or visit community lots without a 10 body.
4. The items that spouses bring may be added to the house. In fact, unless you have unlocked the athletic restriction, you must place those items until the spouse is holding 3 or fewer. It doesn't matter if you can use those items or not. If you place them on the lot, they'll begin to depreciate and you'll have to pay more protection money on them. Every spouse you move in could be a liability (Picture a spouse that brings 2 pianos and 2 DJ tables) until you unlock athletic (so they can hold onto all the items they bring) or business (so you can sell all the excess items).
5. Aspiration Reward objects may be among the 3 that the founder takes home with them. The reward objects would have to be purchased with the founder's own aspiration points. Career reward objects, found at the secret society lot, may NOT be taken back, as your founder did not earn them.
6. You can woohoo all you want in college, since the medical restriction (or any other restriction for that matter) doesn't apply to your founder in college.
7. Kids who return to college in later generations ARE under the restrictions.
8. Since there are no 'weeks' in college, Sims (other than the founder) attending college that have not lifted the life of crime restriction must pay protection once per semester, immediately after finals. If you have more than one family member attending at the same time and in the same lot,  the household only needs to pay protection once per semester.
9. The "Can't Leave Lot without a 10 body" restriction on Law Enforcement applies to teenage sims who wish to attend college. The challenge is designed to make it hard to return to college. After all, higher learning isn't possible until society as restabilized a bit.

[GayJohnScarritt]

Once per semester?  I can see twice during the time being at Univ, but...     lol  That 1200 they get won't go THAT far, at least for the sims i normally send thru.  Looks like i won't be sending kids to Univ until several restrictions have been lifted.  4th gen maybe, for me anyway.    lol

I'm given to understand, that while at Univ, only going to class would be allowed for future generations/YA's until Military was unlocked?

I was thinking to unlock Slacker first, as that would open up changing careers as much as needed, also allowing someone to get a career just to use a reward i might already own.  I always have terrible luck when it comes to those chance cards.

[Pinstar]

"-Cheats, mods or hacked objects that would give you an unfair advantage over a player who didn't have or use them may not be used."

Since there is a page with free samples, I don't feel any MATY hack/mod is an unfair advantage. I can't help that not everyone uses all the resources at their disposal! *evil grin*

I'm thinking military first, then culinary, and hoping for an alien technology near the begining...to unlock the aspirations.

I do have a question about the spouses. The rules don't state whether or not the spouses need to be CAS sims. So, what's to keep my founder from marrying Morty (retired Scientist), and using him as the reason to unlock restrictions? As long as he knocks up the founder before he keels over (and provides the heir...), it seems perfectly legal to me!

Oh bugger. Forgot to put the "NPCs or Townies" restriction in the main rules. Thats going up on the next update.

Only townies or NPCs can join the family. It's too easy to make player sims at the top of the careers you want unlocked with maxed skills to allow player sims to be married in.

[rohina]

But we are free to make mutant townies, right? As long as they are random CAS sims (well, except for the mutant facial features).

[ElfPuddle]

Oh bugger. Forgot to put the "NPCs or Townies" restriction in the main rules. Thats going up on the next update.

So, we're you're guinea pigs, hm? Do we get bonus points for that?
 

[Ivy]

Well now if it wasn't in the rules to start with when posted, it doesn't count    No fair changing the rules after the game is in play!

hehehe

Ivy

[ElfPuddle]

Here's a strange query: where might one find the apocalyptic homes that Pinstar mentioned...since any links in there names seem to be AWOL.

[Pinstar]

You can make townies, as long as their careers, skills and friend totals are all random.

You can find the safe houses plus some stock zombies to download at my simpage
http://thesims2.ea.com/mysimpage/mysimpage.php?user_id=131247

[Frankenbeasley]

So, basically, my first port of call would be the natural science restriction first. It's one of those start at the top jobs and immediately unlocks Snapdragon Bouquets. From then on lots of the restrictions are pretty meaningless.

[GayJohnScarritt]

You wouldn't be starting at the top job, you are limited to lvl 1 jobs from the paper as the only thing you can do with the computer is 'write novel', until Science Career is unlocked.  And remember, there are some difficulties there, you can't sell the output from that workbench, tho i'd imagine you can delete them from your inventory, and you need to make sure you have room in your inventory to hold that arrangement.   It would definitely be one of those things you'd need to already have done while the Founder is in University, and hope for no bad chance cards.