Please help! I have a question about my Sims aging.

[Sunshine]

I really need help. I feel like I can not let my Sim move out until I solve this and that is making it to where I can't play the game. So, here it is. I have my very first Sim family that I made on Sims 3. I have Josh and Brittany (Mother and Father) and their children Max the oldest and Mary the youngest. Mary is still a teenager, but Max is now a young adult. My question is, if I have Max move out will Brittany, Josh, and Mary continue to age even though I am playing Max? If so What can I do to stop that from happening? Also I keep seeing people talk about apocalypse, or apocalypse challenge. What does that mean? One more thing, what are people referring to when they talk about legacy family's? I would be so thankful if someone could help me! Like I said I feel like I can not play the game until I know and I am starting to go through withdraws! Lol!

[Sunshine]

I am going through Sims withdraw! Somebody help me! Please 

[wildredchild]

I really need help. I feel like I can not let my Sim move out until I solve this and that is making it to where I can't play the game. So, here it is. I have my very first Sim family that I made on Sims 3. I have Josh and Brittany (Mother and Father) and their children Max the oldest and Mary the youngest. Mary is still a teenager, but Max is now a young adult. My question is, if I have Max move out will Brittany, Josh, and Mary continue to age even though I am playing Max? If so What can I do to stop that from happening? Also I keep seeing people talk about apocalypse, or apocalypse challenge. What does that mean? One more thing, what are people referring to when they talk about legacy family's? I would be so thankful if someone could help me! Like I said I feel like I can not play the game until I know and I am starting to go through withdraws! Lol!

If you turn aging and/or story progression off in the options menu, then you will be able to play Max without the rest of the family aging or continuing on without you.

Apocalypse is a challenge on the official Sims 3 site forums.  I personally have not played it nor reviewed the rules for that one.

A legacy family is where you start with a founder and play that character and its children, and on through 10 generations.

Welcome to the forum Sunshine

[Sunshine]

Thank you so much wildredchild! That really helps! So if I don't turn the aging thing off they will keep aging up without me? And again thank you!

[Pam]

Hi Sunshine and welcome!

Yes, if you don't turn aging off, everyone in the town will continue to age.  And if you leave story progression on and play Max, the rest of your family will continue with their lives.  Including changing jobs, having kids, getting married, and even moving to another house or out of town.  That's always a risk when you switch active households, which is what you'll be doing if you move Max out and stay with him to play.

As for challenges, there are several of them around.  We have a thread about the Apocalypse Challenge. The Legacy Challenge is a strict challenge that spans 10 generations.  The rules can be found on the official Sims 3 site.  We also have some challenges unique to our forum.  The challenges from 2009 are somewhat looser with their rules and the 2010 challenges are part of a world ranking tournament that we're hosting.  Check out our Challenges Board if you're interested in partipating.

[Sunshine]

Thank you Pam! I will check it out. I guess I could just let him stay at home for a while. I will just let the game take me where it may. At least now I know what to do either way it works out! Thank you Pam and wildredchild! You guys helped me a lot!

[Pam]

You're welcome!  You also have another option for Max.  You can kick him out.  He would move out of the house and take possession of an empty house in town and just live there on his own like the other townies.  To do this, you have him use his cell phone or computer and select Move.  When the moving screen comes up, you'll be able to choose who leaves and who stays.  On Max's side of the screen, click the box for Kick Out.  It won't cost your active household anything to do this.  You'll have to be sure to follow him to see where he ends up.  You'll have to use the pause feature to keep up with him because they usually jump into a car and speed off to their new house.  If you're like me, it's hard to let go of your Sims.  But this is a decent option if you need to get some out of the house.  Plus, if your other Sims have a good relationship with him, you can invite him over any time and hang out.

[Sunshine]

Thanks Pam! I did not know about that. I am just like you! I get very attached to my Sims! I just can't kick Max out. What do you think is my best option? Moving Max out and turning the age thing off, or letting Max live at home and start his family while still living with Mom, Dad, and Sister?

[Pam]

It's a tough decision.  If you're going to play this family for several generations, you'll run out of space.  You've got at least 4 Sims living there now and the maximum is 8.  So, if Max gets married and has a couple of kids, your house will be full until the parents die.  Each generation will grow and you'll always have a full house, which is difficult to manage.  You could keep your house as the homestead and always let at least one of the children live there and move the others out.  It's hard to do, but it's fun in its own way because then you start to see your family around town and doing their own thing.  I really like it when the ones I move out have children of their own.  It helps if you know from the start that you'll be moving some of the kids out because then maybe you won't get so attached to them.  If my family is wealthy, I'll get them married and sometimes pregnant and then purchase a house for them to live in with their new little family.  I even use Edit Town to modify the houses in town so that they have nurseries and rooms for kids.

It really is the hardest decision I have to make when playing Sims 3, but if you're going to play this same family for a long time, it's one that has to be made.

[Sunshine]

Oh boy! Like you said it would be better for me if I had known from the start. I am planing on playing this family for many, many generations. I think I know what to do! I will continue to play Max and Mary and I will let the parents (Josh and Brittany) go. Thank you so much for your help! Without you I would have moved Max out and been really sad when I realized Mary and the parents had moved on without me! Yep that's what I will do! Thanks again!

[Sunshine]

What would be the best way to get the parents out? Or, should I move Max and Mary out? I am sorry I have so many questions! I am such a newbie!

[Pam]

It really depends on how much you like the house and how much money you have.  If you love the house and want it to be the family homestead, you'll have to get the parents to leave.  And if you don't have the money to buy them another house, you'll have to just kick them out and let them find their own place.  To move Max and Mary out, you'll need to have enough money to buy them a new house without selling the old one because the parents will still need to live in the old house, so you can't sell it.  It sounds a little complicated, but when you see how it works in the game, it will make more sense.  And no need to apologize about the questions.  We were all newbies with the game once! 

[Sunshine]

Thanks Pam! They only have $13,695. Maybe Max can marry a nice rich Sim. Lol. That could work. Right?

[Pam]

Marrying a rich Sim wouldn't do much if the new bride moves into the house with Max.  She would bring a certain amount of money, but not as much as you'd think.  However, when you marry someone who also has a house, you've got the option to choose which house you want to live in.

Have you looked on the Carl's Guide site?  There's lots of great information in a lot of areas that would be very helpful for you, I'm sure.

[Sunshine]

You bet! I have been on Carl's site more then I have been on the game it's self. Lol. This is great! Thank you for your help!

P. S. I have like four girls chasing Max and they are all very pretty! He will be married in no time!