Ethiopian Challenge! Because E-Mail Was Too Easy!

[skandelouslala]

Well...slighty..not much to make any real difference, but it would appear to make a difference between life & death in this case.  Since it has a teeny value that is why I asked.  But I still insist that it is not REAL food   

Oh yeah...

1. Ethiopians are starving! No food or food items may be purchased. This includes cakes, buffets, fridges, grills, muffin ovens, pizza, smartmilk dispensers, restaurants etc. None of these items may be used by your sims on any lot they live on or visit. Items featuring real food are similarly forbidden (Energizer has potatoes and pizza slices!), even if the food is not used. Stealing food from other sims is permitted, but you cannot purchase or make the food. Eating from the garbage is permitted.

^^If these items can't be used on the lots they visit..then wouldn't taking them to a resteraunt and skipping out on a bill still be banned?  Or is it that they can't pay for food at a resteraunt? 

[FatedCircle]

Well, seeing as how the wording says that food may not be "purchased", I would think not paying for food at a restaurant would be within the rules.  If you skip out on the bill, you have never purchased the food...right?

[skandelouslala]

Ehh it doesn't matter..I've figured out how to keep the adults alive with nothing but their trashcan if need be..just barely..but they've been alive about 10 sim days and I think I have it down.

I refuse to believe the baby thing is possible.  It does appear having the nanny there keeps the social worker from coming, rather its fed or not..but I can't keep the timing right to keep one always there and the moment she leave up rolls the social worker.  I have one more theory to try but if that doesn't work...I admit defeat and refuse to believe it's possible until somebody proves otherwise 

*stumbles off to be a sore loser and go make dinner* 

[BlueSoup]

I refuse to believe the baby thing is possible.  It does appear having the nanny there keeps the social worker from coming, rather its fed or not..but I can't keep the timing right to keep one always there and the moment she leave up rolls the social worker.

Umm...me thinks you stumbled onto something that will help you beat the challenge there...keep at it. 

[Oddysey]

Hmm. Once had a nanny get stuck on the lot. More than once, actually. That was . . . er . . . interesting. Old lady wandering around in her underwear, collapsing in the nursery, and peeing on things.

And by the way. Pescado, you are truly an evil individual. This challenge is the most twisted, diabolical thing I have seen in a long time. I applaud you!

[Sagana]

If any of Pescado's hacks are legal as intended, doesn't that mean the security system is? It won't stop all social workers but seems like it'd help at least when waiting for a nanny.

Some of the rules confuse me (I'm easily confused) - can the 0 generation CAS sim marry a townie/NPC? (The 1st generation can, but can the 0?) It says you can't create children in CAS, all of them must be natural and one can only adopt a baby (no toddlers) so does adopting an infant count as a natural birth and a 1st generation sim? It says a 2nd generation can marry a 2nd or a 1st generation but a 1st generation can't marry a 2nd - does that mean the 2nd gen can or can't marry the 1st?

[aussieone]

If any of Pescado's hacks are legal as intended, doesn't that mean the security system is? It won't stop all social workers but seems like it'd help at least when waiting for a nanny.

Some of the rules confuse me (I'm easily confused) - can the 0 generation CAS sim marry a townie/NPC? (The 1st generation can, but can the 0?) It says you can't create children in CAS, all of them must be natural and one can only adopt a baby (no toddlers) so does adopting an infant count as a natural birth and a 1st generation sim? It says a 2nd generation can marry a 2nd or a 1st generation but a 1st generation can't marry a 2nd - does that mean the 2nd gen can or can't marry the 1st?

LOL Sagana...sorry but I couldn't help thinking of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello with your question!! Who's on first?? 

[BlueSoup]

The security system is considered electronic.   The 0 gen Sim can marry a townie/NPC...they just can't marry another player Sim (one that's been created in CAS, unless they are both created at the same time as married Sims).

Basically, the generations have to match.  You can't have a Sim that should really be dead marrying someone theoretically much younger than him/her.

[Sagana]

What about adopting? That would at least save you the dang pregnancy and birth thing. And if you create a single male sim and adopt, no females at least til the baby grows up and no more babies for awhile.

[Oddysey]

Ah, but if anything in "More Awesome Than You!" is allowed, then that means that "pregnancy for all genders" is allowed. Of course, adoption is still probably the best way to go.

[J. M. Pescado]

Ah, but if anything in "More Awesome Than You!" is allowed, then that means that "pregnancy for all genders" is allowed. Of course, adoption is still probably the best way to go.

That qualifies as a cheat. It's just like how the lot debugger is allowed, but you can't cheat with it, as cheats are banned. Besides, pregnancy for all won't benefit you anyway.

[Sagana]

huh? how is using pregnancy for all the way it's intended cheating? I mean... not that I want to, I was looking for a way out of pregnancy and I assume "allowed" doesn't meant "required" but...

I did assume if I wanted my CAS sim to be gay, I could use the joined union equals marriage one (as only marriage is allowed to bring another sim in) and am now wondering if that counts as cheating too?

<even more confused>

Actually, I'm still having trouble with what counts as electrical anyways or at least what is or isn't self-contained. How come the security system is considered electrical... does that mean say the medical career reward or the science one are? How do you know if they're self-sustaining (battery or whatever) when there's no power grid to plug into? I think I'd need a list (imagines that isn't going to be forthcoming)...

Edit: Actually, the security system is specifically mentioned as allowed.

Examples of legal hacks include "No 20K Handout", "No Cheering", "Authorized Personnel Only", etc. Anything in "More Awesome Than You" is legal when used as directed.

So it is actually ok, yes?

[BlueSoup]

Pescado partially copy/pasted Email challenge, so that's why it's listed.  It's not allowed though, since it's electronical.

The medical career reward is electrical as well.  You just have to think about it - if it seems electric, it's not allowed.

[J. M. Pescado]

EDIT: Asking Pescado to make a ruling on the pool. It does not require running water, but in the real world it would have required it when being built.

As I recall, pools generally have some kind of pumping apparatus responsible for filling, emptying, and filtering it. So those are right out.

As for this "Swimmable lake" business, this is explicitly not mentioned in the manual, nor can I find any tool for doing this. I therefore conclude it either DOES NOT EXIST, or is a product of combining Atlantean House Construction with....regular pools.

[Torkle]

Do Ethiopians have propane for the flame jet thingy?  And if so, are they allowed to toast marshmellows with it?

[Sagana]

well, he needs to change it then, because it specifically says it is allowed, so how're we supposed to know? and it's not so simple as "thinking about it" - cell phones and cars both have electric systems, they just have batteries. It'd be almost like saying (as custom content is allowed) if I make my own generator, I can put up a whole lighting system. There's no power grid in the sims, so there's no way to know what's running on a battery and what requires plugging in. I don't know what powers the medical career reward - could be a battery...

[BlueSoup]

He did change it after I told him it stated it was allowed. 

He does say that things that are powered by a personal source (like batteries) are allowed, and Ethiopians apparently have cell phones and cars (although their cars aren't very good). 

Lights aren't allowed, unless they're of a torch-type (Kewian just asked this question.)

[Sagana]

He does say that things that are powered by a personal source (like batteries) are allowed

Yes, I understand that. So how do you know what is powered by a battery and what isn't? The batteries on cell phones and cars don't run out, so you can't use charges... there's nothing to simulate "plugging in"... How do you know the medical career reward doesn't have a "personal source"?

[gali]

[Rohina]
"The bar doesn't seem to be banned, but do the drinks have any food value?"

Yes, - 1.
But beware, In one of my weddings, my sims made a lot of toasts, and after that they all were drunk. It was funny to see them simulate a drunk person....

[BlueSoup]

Well, the medical career reward has an electric light and so it is assumed that it is electrical, not battery.  Really, the only two things I can think of that aren't electrical, but still have a power source are the cars and the cell phones.

[Sagana]

You (in real life) own a cell phone you don't periodically have to plug in to recharge? I'd like one like that

bah - I actually downloaded and put in the security system, as it said it was allowed :p <gives>

[J. M. Pescado]

Do Ethiopians have propane for the flame jet thingy?  And if so, are they allowed to toast marshmellows with it?

Maybe, and no. No free marshies, sorry.

[taichikitten]

I think I'm assuming that if it's portable, then it has its own power supply.  Like the electronic gadgets, yes, and the car (while not portable, it is mobile).  So, things like the Simvac and the fingerprint scanner and the helmet-thingy would also be allowed?  Or the remote control car if anyone still dared to use it.

By the way, after my Sim failed to sneak out on his bill at the restaurant, he learned how to steal people's food properly.  Simply lie in wait while others are ordering, and then click on their plate after the waiter brings it and before the other Sim starts to eat.  If your timing is right, your Sim will walk right up and take the plate out from under another Sim's nose!  Ha!

Not sure how many days my Sim's been alive now... maybe four or five, not quite a full Sim week yet.  But I can tell you this.... he's been spending a lot of time taking sponge baths in public restrooms!   

[BlueSoup]

Legal Career and Aspiration Rewards

Money tree
Noodlesoother
ReNuYuSenso Orb
Cool shades
Thinking caps
SimVac
Elixir of Life
Political Teleprompter
Execuputter
Exerto Punching Bag
Military Obstacle Course
Fingerprinting Scanner
Cow Plant
Antique camera

Illegal Career and Aspiration Rewards

Smart milk
Energiser (although not electrical (battery-operated), it does have food on it.
Love Tub
Counterfeiting machine
Medical Career Reward
SensoTwitch Lie Finder
Hydroponic Garden
Chocolate Manufacturing Facility
Biotech Station
Cosmetic Surgery Machine
Resurrect-o-Nomitron

[reggikko]

So, the Medieval lighting is allowed, right? Those are candles.