Pinstar's new Apocalypse challenge

[J. M. Pescado]

The townie/downtownie draw in my game really sucked.  For the first two unlocks in the 2nd generation I wanted to lifted science and medical, but none of the townies/downtownies were high in either of these.  Most of them were in slacker or culinary, or were very low in their careers thanks to sadorandomness.  So I unlocked slacker earlier than I'd planned to, with the heir's spouse.

The obvious answer is to simply murder them until one shows up. Just keep killing, and you'll get a level 9/10 in the right career eventually. Your acts of murderous mayhem can even be performed during the Uni phase. Who says violence isn't the answer? The Gypsy is useful for this, since she will summon townies for you to murder. Pay minspec, query job, if wrong, murder.

[Sagana]

Add in running a couple of relationship builders. If they don't know you, stupid sims get all pissy if you ask them what their job is, like it's a state secret or something.

[rohina]

The obvious answer is to simply murder them until one shows up. Just keep killing, and you'll get a level 9/10 in the right career eventually. Your acts of murderous mayhem can even be performed during the Uni phase. Who says violence isn't the answer? The Gypsy is useful for this, since she will summon townies for you to murder. Pay minspec, query job, if wrong, murder.

This would make a hilarious story plot. It's also useful for finding the gen 2 spouse, and townies who don't make the career grade can then provide cowplant food and its health-giving milk.

[J. M. Pescado]

Takes too long, especially when your score is dropping as you drag it out. You'd want to commit your murders in advance to line up the eligibles before leaving Uni. Borrowing the SS cowplant would help, too.

[Jelenedra]

*laughs* Would make it very Fallout/Mad Max esque.

"You're not useful?! OUT TO THE WASTES WITH YOU!"

[Aggie]

What I was wondering is what other players are doing with these households in the early stages when fewer restrictions have been lifted.

Heh. I'm going to have my elders that have just moved out die of old age on another lot and thus give some much-needed inheritance money to their broke relative in Uni.

Just another angle to consider on this challenge...suck your way to the top!

It worked for Pamela Anderson. 

Actually, a lot of the OFB dead exist in an indeterminate state of not-quite-deadness. I saw one of them walking around and was like "Wait-a-minute, isn't she supposed to be dead?", and flagged her properly dead this time.

That sounds like a MST3K movie I once saw, Red Zone Cuba.

I've also had the problem of townies not wanting to 'disclose' what their job was; however, some of them made their career field pretty obvious when they walked past the lot in their work uniforms. That's how I got Brandon Lillard (Business) and Goopy (Military) without having to ask them.

[Treehugger]

I've restarted this challenge for the third time (last time I made it through in 66 days) but this time I'm going to play my founder household as a Legacy family (with the additional handicaps of Patriachy, Strict Family Values and True Love for that particular family) and I have also added some additional families:
The Larsons (from OFB)
The Jacquets (also from OFB, the household also includes Gilbert's employee/girlfriend from the bakery - They escaped from Big Shit Happening together)
The Dantes (downloaded from this site - http://www.jennthesimmergirl.com/fellowship2.php)
The Burtons (downloaded from the same site)
The Vegas (The second Vega family on the site)
Malcolm Landgraab IV (zombified and stripped of his wealth)
I will be playing those families by Prosperity Challenge rules (including playing a strict rotation of those households, the Legacy family and any other spin off households from those households) and any apocalypse restrictions not already lifted by the legacy family will apply to the other households in the neighbourhood.

So in other words I am playing a combined Apocalypse/Legacy/Prosperity Challenge.

I must say that playing the other families have changed my priorites for what order to lift the restrictions. My founder was going to lift Natural Science and his wife to be was going to lift military but having played the other household under the full list of restrictions I might have gone for a medical/culinary combo instead.  However the OFB sims all have snapdragons in their inventories all ready to pull out when NS is lifted (and so does my founder's future wife) and the downloaded families are going to acquire some once NS is lifted.  Law and Paranormal are also much higher on the list.

The downloaded families are all rather, um, interesting families to play even in a normal hood.  I challenge you to add them to your Apocalypse hood!

[GayJohnScarritt]

   Hello all, i'm obviously missing a hint/trick.  All of my YA/Knowledge sims that i start out at College, (with the LTW of Max 7 Skills) other than the first few skills, they rarely roll up any more after the first day.  Is there some trick to set their personalities a certain way that i'm missing so that they consistently 'want' to learn new skills, and there-by keep those asperation points rolling in?   I've tried various allocations, serious/active/etc?

[rohina]

It's not all that good a rule, but usually, if you fulfill skilling wants, they will continue to roll them up.

[daedreem]

   Hello all, i'm obviously missing a hint/trick.  All of my YA/Knowledge sims that i start out at College, (with the LTW of Max 7 Skills) other than the first few skills, they rarely roll up any more after the first day.  Is there some trick to set their personalities a certain way that i'm missing so that they consistently 'want' to learn new skills, and there-by keep those asperation points rolling in?   I've tried various allocations, serious/active/etc?

Strangely enough, I consider college to be the worst time to be a knowlege sim.
Once a sim's an adult, they get the 'gain logic skill 5' '6' '7' train going... but in college, they get points for 'earn a skill point' but I never get them 'on a roll'.. I think they have too many other distractions that roll easier for them, like do homework, go to class.

What I tend to do now, I start them as my second to least favorite type of sim... Popularity... they learn a little, get good grades, make friends and best friends, and get the points for doing it... then when college offers an aspiration change I change them to knowlege.  - now they have the friends already made they need for SS or just to invite home later, and they can start learning skills. I max out the most critical and hardest to earn skills, then easier things like cooking, creativity, logic, I have them max at home. that puts the telescope 'abduct me please' time to best use... and gives good aspiration boosts with minimal effort when they're really needed.

======================UPDATE=======================
Hi everybody, rather than perform Necromancy, (even though this is a good thread, well worth resurrecting..) I decided to put an update in this thread....

I think this was my last post in the thread...  hence where I'm putting the update.
Earlier, my challenge was going very well, when my hard drive crashed...
I completely lost all my hoods. 
That's been a while back.

I'm now considering restarting the challenge... and have been looking through the pets additions and seasons playtesting changes.
(skimming more than studying so far.)

I have a few more mini challenges to finish first, but then this will be my next challenge I'll do.
I was really enjoying it before.

If anyone reads this update, I have had a thought that raises a question, however.

We all know the 'no food in inventory' rule that would cause nice green cheesecake...
One thing I'm wondering, however...

Someone a page or two ago mentions selling snapdragons to potential mates so they will be in their inventories.

Well, with the update of no business owned by the YA founder, (If it exists, I'll have to look later... too tired to verify now.) you can no longer SELL the flowers..

But you can 'GIVE GIFT'.

It seems it would be nice for future spouses to have snapdragons AND cheesecake in their inventories..
Sure, the food would need removed the first day if the proper restriction is not lifted, but lets say your sim is a female..
She gets preggers BEFORE marriage..
as she is about to get really sadly hungry, she marries her mate.
She then stuffs herself with cheesecake.

2 good things brought about. Food, and Twins.

Legal, or not?

Oh.. and the PETS restrictions look.. fun.

[rohina]

Fortune sims are also quite good in college because they will have lots of big power wants to get good grades.

[J. M. Pescado]

   Hello all, i'm obviously missing a hint/trick.  All of my YA/Knowledge sims that i start out at College, (with the LTW of Max 7 Skills) other than the first few skills, they rarely roll up any more after the first day.  Is there some trick to set their personalities a certain way that i'm missing so that they consistently 'want' to learn new skills, and there-by keep those asperation points rolling in?   I've tried various allocations, serious/active/etc?

Knowledge sims are effectively broken in college. After the initial round of grade-related wants is done, expect to get absolutely nothing purposeful worth doing.

[Alvaron]

Knowledge sims are effectively broken in college. After the initial round of grade-related wants is done, expect to get absolutely nothing purposeful worth doing.

J.M.'s right so what I do if I need to keep their aspiration meter gold+ is find them a lover. One dream date/day will put them into platinum and provide sufficient aspiration points to drive the thinking cap and eclectic energizer. They'll usually roll up "Do Term Paper" at the start of the semester and "Do Assignment" after attending class so that'll provide any additional aspiration points that you might need. With this technique, it just doesn't matter whether they roll up skill gain wants or not. Sure, it's mechanical. Sure, it's about as romantic as a hike through a garbage dump but points is points. Without breaking a simulated sweat, it's no big deal to permaplat a "Max 7" LTW Knowledge CAS Sim before the end of their first semester as a junior.

Oh, and here's a silly trick you can pull when they spin up "Buy Drum Kit" or "Buy Bass" or something similar. Buy the item and stuff it into their inventory. When they spin up the want again, buy a new one and sell off the one you've stashed. Stash the new one then rinse and repeat. Lots faster than running a date when you've plenty of aspiration points built up and just need to zoom back up into platinum.

[J. M. Pescado]

Without breaking a simulated sweat, it's no big deal to permaplat a "Max 7" LTW Knowledge CAS Sim before the end of their first semester as a junior.

You take that long? By then you miss your free change-asp. I like to max out before then, so I can pick another ASP if I want. Crack that whip!

Oh, and here's a silly trick you can pull when they spin up "Buy Drum Kit" or "Buy Bass" or something similar. Buy the item and stuff it into their inventory. When they spin up the want again, buy a new one and sell off the one you've stashed. Stash the new one then rinse and repeat. Lots faster than running a date when you've plenty of aspiration points built up and just need to zoom back up into platinum.

Junking an object from your inventory incurs no ASP hit and returns your money immediately, no need to keep it there. This is a great technique for children, also, since children often have nothing but stupid, unsatisfiable wants.

[Aggie]

Is the ability to delete items from your Inventory an OfB feature? I've never been able to do it, and I only have Uni and Nightlife.

[J. M. Pescado]

Yes.

[striker]

A couple questions for you apocalypse players.

1. There is no restriction on the orb while the founder is still at Uni, is there?

2. Is there any way to get a car and the obstacle course(military career reward) placed at the same time?  You can't place either one of them anywhere but the ground floor because of the 8x8 rule until politics is lifted.  Do you have to make a choice of one over the other?  Do you just keep the course in someone's inventory until you need to get a sim up to 10 body?

3. When using the crafting tables after business is lifted, do you have to stick max 3 items in inventory?

[Aggie]

1. There are no restrictions on the founder while they're at Uni.

2. If you can fit them both under the 8x8 house on pillars, then yes you can. I personally haven't tried building a house on pillars yet, though, so I can't tell you for certain if you can.

3. Yes, unless you've already unlocked *goes to check* Athletics.

[Sketch Elder]

The driveway is 8x5. The obstacle course is 8x3. If you put them side-by-side, that's 8x8 which will completely fill the area you're allowed to use, leaving no room for stairs or elevators. You'll have to use teleportation to get in and out of the house. Sims aren't allowed to sleep outside. Babies and Toddlers will need to sleep, so your Sims will need to give birth inside the house. Children can't teleport, so they'll be stuck inside and miss school, leading to poor grades and a visit from the Social Worker.

It might be practical to use both the driveway and the obstacle course for a short period of time but you'll need to get rid of one or the other after a few days. Go for the punching bag, it's much more practical.

[striker]

Thanks for all the responses.

To me, the obstacle course is the best skill builder bar none.  Since I can't find a way to put the course and a car beneath the house, i'm going to have to play around with them switching them back and forth.  The car(as I understand it) is basically so you don't miss a day of work by being late.

I have a female founder and my plan for her is to unlock the natural scientist, and have her spouse unlock business.  The next 2 I plan on unlocking are science and military in that order.  I plan on getting thinking caps when I unlock the science restriction unless I get abducted first.

I'm trying to figure out what 2 items I should bring back from college.  I am thinking about 2 snapdragons or 2 smart milks or 1 of each.  I need to unlock science and military as quick as I can so should trying for the stuck smart milk emitter be my main goal?  I usually have great luck in getting it.  Only 1 or 2 babies that my sims have had, have not had it.  What do you think?

[striker]

My founder knows the Count.  I haven't decided if I want to make her a vampire or not but it's a definate possibility before she graduates.

What is the best way to determine which of the townies are near or at the top of their career track?  I want to pick out my spouse before I leave uni.  I know you can ask them what field they are in, but I want them near the top of it.

[J. M. Pescado]

What is the best way to determine which of the townies are near or at the top of their career track?  I want to pick out my spouse before I leave uni.  I know you can ask them what field they are in, but I want them near the top of it.

They will tell you their specific job. If they're not at the top, either L9/10, kill them and get another one.

[Sketch Elder]

The car(as I understand it) is basically so you don't miss a day of work by being late.

The main purpose of the car during the early part of the challenge is allowing you to invite Best Friends. This means you can wait until after college to choose a spouse, which means you can change plans after you've had some actual experience with the restrictions. Without a car, you can only invite Loves (even Crushes don't qualify) until the Military restriction is lifted. That makes it essential to choose your future spouse and fall in Love before leaving college if you plan to start without a car. If you don't have a Love or a car, you'll have to take whoever walks by and hope to get lucky.

A car also makes it possible to go back to work after some promotions in order to get a second promotion the same day. This is possible whenever you have at least two hours left in the new job schedule.

Switching back and forth between a car and the obstacle course isn't something you can do very often but you can do it a few times. You need to lift the Athletic restrictions before you can put either a car or the obstacle course into your inventory. You need to lift the Business restrictions to sell them. Since you plan on lifting Business early, so you can probably start with a car and earn the obstacle course with your founder before she gets a job in NS or after she finishes the career. The founder's spouse could also earn the obstacle course after finishing Business. That would give you two obstacle courses to use for the second generation. Sell the car and put in one course. Train everyone you can. Sell the course and get another car. One of the Sims you trained should go on to finish the Military career and then the car won't be needed, so you can sell it and put in the other obstacle course. Keep in mind that anyone using the obstacle course before the Military restrictions are lifted has to have a Military job and if they don't stay in the Military, they can't come back to it later until the Slacker restrictions are lifted.

[Treehugger]

I'm sorry!  I forgot to mention previously that to fit the drive, obstacle course, and stairs under the house (with moveobjects on) requires a house on pillars (or stilts or whatever you call them).  I think the obstacle course is great, too, because the kids learn so quickly from it and are able to leave the house when they become teens because their body is maxed.  I like to unlock military as one of my first two careers so I can get it.

I had great luck bringing back 2 snapdragons from college and unlocking natural science first.  I just can't seem to keep the family happy once kids join because all they do is complain about being stinky (slow promotions, poor skill building...).  A snapdragon strategically placed in a bedroom shared by everyone works wonders.

I didn't have great luck with a woman founder as I couldn't seem to produce enough children by the time she hit the top of her career.  I've done well with a male founder and a strategically selected townie for the first spouse.  The car doesn't just help if you are late for work, it also allows you to send your pregnant sim to work.  If she's due to have the baby while she's gone, she won't leave, but as soon as she has it, you can send her off and still not miss work.  The bar that counts her time at work toward the next promotion doesn't increase this way, but you don't have to schedule the pregnancies or miss work.

Good luck with the challenge.... I find this one enjoyable, and I actually like all of the restrictions and things to remember because it adds to the challenge!  :-)

If you have lifted NS you can replace the pillars/stilts with walls just making sure you keep the ends of the obstacle course and driveway free.  The best place for the staircase is on the right hand side.  It will block the passenger door of the two door cars.  What happens is that any passengers will stand at the back of the car and do a weird hop into the car.  I'm sort of cool on that, in reallife my sister's car has way more junk around it (she's staying at home after her marriage broke up and my step dad is a real pack rat) standard stragedy for anybody wanting to sit in the passenger seat next to the driver is to stand to the side and back of the car while she gets in the car and backs it out two metres and when she has backed it out hop into the car.

As to getting snapdragons into a house once NS is lifted and business hasn't remember that the founders inventory is not the only inventory contributing items to the household, the psouse has one too.  Pinstar is agnostic as far as to how other households of playable sims should be treated in the Apocalypse neighbourhood, the only comment fromt he creators on the topicis that not having neighbours seems rather silly.  So having other playable sims in the neighbourhood is alright.  what I did was while my founder was in college I got one of the Bluewater playables (Florence Delarosa) up to a gold badge in Floristry.  She and her husband (I married her off to Chester Gieke) checked out all the townies and downtownies and sold snapdragons to the high flyers.  After all this intelligence gathering I was going to get Florence to introduce my founder to the most likely candidate but he run into her on his first trip into downtown.  They turned out to be a three bolt couple...  With the aspiration boost my founder got from dating her he only slept once while he was in college.

She had three snagdragons in her inventory when she married my founder

[rohina]

Very sneaky! And clever.