I was playing this challenge, and had a really good start going long and long ago...
Stopped for several reasos..

one, I had used Gelatin, and found out I shouldn't have.. (but that seems allowed again?)
2 I messed up on some other rule... minor...

3, and most importantly, I got a new ep and couldn't figure out how to continue playing it around said EP...
By the time the rules came out I'd forgotten what I'd unlocked, and what my plans were...

So, I still really really want to do this challenge, (although I dread it now too, after reading about how bad pets rules are.. I may go the 'ignore everything pets' route.. I don't think much was added with pets that can't be ignored)

But I want to start with all the rules.

I have all the EPs including Free-time..
Does anyone have any idea if freetime rules are in testing yet?

Thanks!!

I hope I'm Ok asking this question... I'm not very familiar with this site, and last time I posted here I got a RTFM reply telling me to look in comapability lists I didn't know were there... that I again don't know where are since I lost my bookmarks between OFB and now..

Anyway...
Is this still needed or critical since the pets patch came out this month?

I have barely played since pets came out, and am only just now thinking to look here to see if anything horrid is happening with it... 

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.

That sounds cool... I may have to look up said hack.

When it's not broken, I tend to prefer keeping standard game behavior, because otherwise it's too tempting to make things too easy... But I despise the fact that young adults, the age group most likely to have lousy part-time jobs, can't be hired.
 I do also dislike the fact that you can't actually hire ANYONE part time... everyone you employ is actually full-time, as you see when you play a family with one member emplyed by a business. - any hack to address this? yeah.. I know.. doubtful. But I'd love to employ, say, teens, and then find they work 3-6 instead of 9-5.

The person earlier in the thread had the community skilling hack, and had forgotten to remove it, if I remember correctly.

And no, gender changes don't happen while you sleep...  Isn't that when you drink a yellow potion? 

(PS...  I remember gender changes in some game...  Not the sims... but that SURE would be a fun addition as a backfire!)

You could also ... I don't THINK it's prohibbitted? but it MIGHT be.. I'll look later..
Bring a "too cute" cake back from college?

That's going by the assumption I've seen here that things the founder brings from college do not count as going against the rules.
Just pull it out as needed... that's a lot of twins.

I'm glad this thread is finally back!

Anyway...
I was finally able to get the mom her job...  3 days prior to elderhood.
During the end of that day, and her next 2 days off, and the day she was supposed to go to work, she worked on her body.. I'd HOPED I could get her to work LATE with 10 body points...  but no such good luck. She was still 1.5 short when I got the 'you missed work' notice and she had to quit.

That night, her son grew from teen to adult, and while he flirted with the new sim I'd decided he'd marry instead of the original I'd planned on, her husband got abducted. If he'd been abducted ONE DAY earlier, she could have made her 10 body!! Energizers and thinking caps would have made it a non issue.  oh well.

The next morning, her son married his new bride, and got the 3rd generation started. (good, cause dad wants 6 grandkids.)
That night HE got abducted, and got member #2 of generation #3 on the way.

Days later, no births quite yet, but he STILL doesn't have a job... and his wife has managed the top of the politics career.

He's still trying to get his job in militarty.. he was originally going to do politics, but SHE was already high in politics when he married her....  The paper hasn't yet offered either military OR politics. I missed having him look one day, because as he looked at the paper to get a job, it disappeared again...  Dang Zombie Mutant paper teleporting abilities.

anyway.. my sims are enjoying the recharge offered by the energizers, and the fast learning offered by the thinking caps. my heir has even obtained level 10 body for his lazy 2 point activity self.

I've either been very lucky, or too limitted in my playing time to develop the really serious bugs. I've had sims 2 since day 1 and never encountered most of the horrible bugs I've read and dreaded about... I DID have the bugged car portal that prevented jobs and school busses from arriving several times, however. (cursed buggy Maxis Book Cleanup code!)

Can I get a link to this fabulous, can't live without it hack/fix?

3 jobs is normal for a newspaper.
Tired Sims, the normal is "I'm NOT in the mood to do that! Uh-Uh!".. not opening up the paper, looking into it, folding it up, and putting it back down.
Not unless my game is NORMALLY ab-normal.

I also tested with her having full bars with the same result. Even with the computer. She'd sit at it, and lose the 'look for job' interaction.

I might start doing that.. but I generally make my sims do everything for themselves, instead of moving things around for them, which has occaisionally resulted in a bugged object for me.

Maybe..

Amen Amen!! LOL

I don't have the lot debugger... actually have never heard of it.. I currently have a fresh install of the game with NO additions, after having to reinstall due to defunct hard-drive.

I'm not sure it's worth fixing her at this point. she most certainly does NOT have a level 10 body, and due to the glitch and zombie issues has been unemployed about 2 weeks, and ages to elder in 4 days. In order to get her LTW of Mayor, I'd HAVE to use the computer...  Then again, she would have had it by now if it wasn't for the bug. I'll have to think.

It was really weird how the newspaper was working. (or NOT rather)

The first day she had a problem, there was only *2* jobs in the paper...  I thought that was odd, but that it might be a 1 time glitch due to it wanting to offer a college job, and her being a non-grad adult.
The next day, she was tired and I thought when she looked at the paper and then put it away without it showing job offers that she was just too tired to job hunt.
The next day or several a zombie stold it out of the yard before she could look for a job.
The next day, as she carried the newspaper into the house a zombie walked by and picked the paper off the ground, and it disappeared out of her hands. (THAT was annoying)
By that point i'd forgotten that the paper had glitched on me previously, and only rememberred after another day of thinking she was simply too tired.
When I realized what had happened, and verified by testing that my other sims could look for a job, I was going to try the "delete her and reload the house" fix, but A) I had a sim once that hadn't worked on, and B) my Mother called me needing a favor done ASAP, so I exitted the game.
I may try tomorrow.. and see if I can race to get her 9 body points with the radio in 3 days. (yeah, right.. even though she does have 5 or 6 lazy/active points.)

Yeah. I bet she'd have been mayor by now. All appropriate skills are maxed.

I DO hate bugs.

Actually, he's probably going to do politics. Maybe slacker. Something that doesn't require body points.
His younger siblings have more activity points, so should be able to build a 10 body.
His dad (now an elder) HAS 10 body.
His Mom doesn't, but is bugged so she cannot get a job anyway. (sigh) I even tried on the computer to see if it was just the newspaper that was bugged, after she'd tried repeatedly to get a job.

Or else you're smelling like you didn't read the previous post where I spoke of this.


Followed by:
I can see the confusion.. but as you see, no hack is involved.. I simply omitted the word 'future' as an 'understood without saying'.

He's now friends with his FUTURE spouse, working on best friendship, so that he will be able to invite her over, flirt, and propose within a day or 2 of adulthood.

I have 2 careers unlocked, and (admittedly I made an error and used the PC to get his job) my founder wasn't permaplat... neither is his spouse. their firstborn is a teen.

I haven't had any issues with their aspirations. Even tho they can't date any longer, if you pick an 'attractive' spouse, flirt/check sim out generally will add at least one acheivable want that can add more as it's done. my sims have rarely hit green.

--As per the aspiration rewards from the backpack.. I did think only the founder could use those... no one else. - smartmilk could be used if he made the bottles, but otherwise I thought other sims couldn't benefit.

It may be however that the same rules don't apply to them as apply to the personal electronics.

Ah! Gotya.

I thought you were referencing the "can't retire, must quit" rule without remembering the "If they want to stop working" part.

Yeah, to go to college, they need either Military and 10 body points, or military and law enforcement.
As I said, since my teen's spouse is to unlock military for me, I wasn't worried about body points...  But I do need to remember he can't get a job either. His dad wanted an overacheiver, so I thought I'd get him a job at about 4 days to adult.

Now to decide if to torture him trying to get body, or just let him wait until he's an adult before getting a job. (except maybe for getting a criminal job on his day off so he can get some creativity, If I'm lucky. His mom's going to get a criminal job to get him the reward, I think.)

Here's a clarification from pinstar in this thread...
So, unless you are ignoring it because it's not on the official site yet... You made an oopsie.

ALSO

Someone else mentioned they hadn't gotten their sim up to the top level of a career before they turned elder, and that they'd forgotten the elder would have to quit the job.
Untrue.
Elders can KEEP their job... they just can't RETIRE. It's keep the job, or quit.
That is actually clear enough in the original rules as I have them printed off the site.

I'm glad I perused the rules today... My simteen firstborn CAN'T go to college.. But I'd planned to get him a job and actually let him attend. I'd forgotten about the 10 body requirement applying for jobs too. (I rememberred it applied to college) I don't think that lazy (2... and both his parents a 6 or above) good for noting can build up to 10 body points in his LIFETIME much less how much (a week maybe?) teenhood he has left...  I'm trying to get him a spouse that already has body to unlock military for his much younger siblings.

I'm still going on this challenge... I'm actually continueing with my first family.. I decided while the results won't be 100% valid due to my error with my founder using the PC to get his first job, that I was having too much fun and didn't want to restart.

I got tired of the same old Zombies wandering around trying to find brains, stealing my papers, and eating out of my trash can, so I made my own lot full of them.

- Then I made them available for download. - so if you want more annoying zombies shambling around, punching your sims when they look through the telescope, enjoy!
http://thesims2.ea.com/exchange/lot_detail.php?asset_id=435197
These Zombies are actually set up with everything they'd need if you wanted to start play with them, if you wanted to do more with them than simply have them shamble around.

(note.. since they do NOT have to worry about zombies, their home is not an 8x8 area...  but they ARE limitted in their tech and running water. They've taken over the basement of an old ranch, and use part of the corral for brains-on-the-hoof as they can catch them.)

If you check them out let me know what you think.

Thanks for all the answers...

I played my test family a bit today to remind me, because I KNEW there was an improtant question I was forgetting.

When you're inviting a best freind over (you have a car) and that freind wants to BRING a freind along? Can you say YES?

Almost everyone I've invited has wanted to bring their pals, and since I didn't know the answer to this, I kept saying 'no'... but If you think about it.. if that freind is already visiting your best freind and you're driving to their house to pick them up anyway... why can't you pick up their other freind whomever it may be too?

Another couple things I've been wondering... I'd like the answer before I restart the challenge.

1) - The Toy Oven. Allowed? or Disallowed? I don't see it in the rules, but I assume it's like an EasyBake oven that uses a light bulb to cook....  But then again, it COULD be Solar Powered...  Did you know you can make your own with a cardboard box and some aluminum foil?

2)- Things such as the Stairway up to your home... The 'empty space' at the end of the stairway, does it have to be part of your 8x8? Or is it like the military reward, where the 'empty space' can be off the 8x8 because it doesn't really exist?

3) Pinstar stated that College age Bloodline siblings can move into the same Uni Lot... He didn't really answer someones previous question about if succeeding generations can move into the empty lot with a tiny house built by their predecessors. I don't see why they should be unable too... The place existed AFTER everything else was burninated. All objects are gone, presumably stolden by the other survivors, and have to be replaced, but the walls should still be there. (and I hate building houses repeatedly)

4) When using this as a stand-alone challenge, I think there are a few rules missing that are 'assumed' to exist...  For instance.. everyone keeps mentioning the chancecards as if they HAVE to take them... but I'm not finding in the rules that they have to be taken. I treated it like they did, just in case, and my unskilled level 9 not qualified for promotion downtownie spouse chanced her way to level 10 in a career I initially did NOT want to lift. (I ended up liking it better than expected though) - I'd appreciate any 'assumed' rules to be added to the rules if the indeed exist and are not just assumed.

5) IS the hot-tub allowed? I'd assumed it as NOT because of the shortage of clean water/electricity both of which are used in a Hot Tub...  Then again, the Electrical part could potentially be Solar again...

6) The other questions I asked in another post on this page.

I'm sure I'll come up with other questions... But I found a lot when I looked through here last night.

Now to try my 'first day of toddlerhood' first try, now test family again to see if my toddler can survive childhood without plummetting hygene/visit from social worker today.

(sigh)

I love tough challenges...
But this one is
A) too hard to sort out and remember all the rules
B) the rules are too unclear.
(C- Kinda) I searched google, etc for the Lots and Zombie families mentioned in his rules, but not linked for some stupid reason, and couldn't find them anywhere
PLUS

I started the challenge yesterday, and when finding a rules omission or discrepensy was picking what seemed sensible to fill it in.
I searched google, etc for the Lots and Zombie families mentioned in his
I printed the rules around a week ago. I come HERE and Pinstar posted LOTS of rules clarifications that are NOT in the rules I printed out, despite the fact that rules that ARE in my printout are from AFTER the ones that aren't. (sigh)

I would keep going with my original challenge, which is going wonderfully and just ignore the things I've done that don't match the rules (Deciding the driveway, since there was no way to have it completely on your 8x8 lot, since it had to intersect the road, and it didn't need to be kept clear of possible ground pollutants anyway, counted the same as the mailbox/trash can/newspaper/homework and could be not counted in the 8x8 section, for instance.) except there is ONE rule I goofed up on that is severe enough to fail me on my first try. I forgot, and used the computer (AKA Typewriter) to get the founders jobs...  he reached the top of my chosen career in 3 days.
So... I guess I need to restart. (*I DON'T WANNA!!!* {cry} I have little enough time to play as it is! and I know I'll give this up and never come back when they introduce pets!)

I have another couple of questions though...
---Other than the snapdragons, is there ANY way to raise a childs hygeine?
After I realized I'd goofed up, I played a little bit without bothering to produce snapdragons (both flowers and business were unlocked) - When my toddlers hygeine was so low all he'd do was scream, only a slight problem...  Take away the potty so he'd wet his diaper, then change his diaper... Even without the changing table that gets you halfway up the hygeine bar.
But.
Once that toddler became a child, he was screwed. He would not spongebathe like his parents... he would 'wash hands' but even repeating the handwashing for an hour, it wouldn't make enough of a dent in his hygeine for him to be willing to do anything... it never made it from the red end of orange.
He wouldn't do his homework, failed school, and was taken away by the social worker.
(again, how do you explain THIS in a post apocalyptic world? Pinstar explained the need for constant supervision meant 'death' to the unsupervised child...  But what about not doing homework? what's the explaination there?)
Since this was a quick runthrough, (that ended up not quick, since I fought the boys hygeine the entire 3-4 days it took him to be taken by the social worker) I quit without saving, and now have a first day toddler again. (sigh)

-- Also, Is everyone playing towhere only the black grill can be used? I didn't realize until today that the grill that's only a couple simoleons more is the cheapest grill that can make ribs... I still followed the stipulations.. but since both it and the cheaper one was HUNGER 1, I wondered.

Must go sleep now...
but, for pinstar..

PINSTAR!!! PLEASE!!!!
Make sure all your clarifications get put in the rules!! And fix the NOT printer friendly version of your rules page so that the HERE's on the SS houses actually POINT to a way to find them!!!