2013 Tournament General Rules (Read This First)

[WJMill]

For Challenges that don't allow vacations (Baby Boomer, etc.), would we be able to use buydebug cheat to purchase the Martial Arts equipment for unique LTWs? I know you can find a camera at consignment stores, but I have not found any evidence of the same for the Board Breaker or Training Dummies. I don't use the consignment shops much in my regular gameplay, so I'm not sure if other items like the nectar making machine are available either. Otherwise I would assume those LTWs would be off-limits. I couldn't find anything in the rules about it and it really only effects specific challenges.

Thanks! I am having a lot of fun prepping for next year's challenges.

[ratchie]

Buy de bug is not permitted for any challenges.

Rachel

[WJMill]

Buy de bug is not permitted for any challenges.

Rachel

That is what I figured. Thank you for the quick response.

[Chuckles_82]

Just to be sure, that is premium content from the store as opposed to normal store items?

[ratchie]

Yes it is premium store content. Obviously if you feel that a normal store item could give an advantage in a challenge it is best to contact one of the challenge team just to make sure it is okay to use it.

Rachel

[MarianT]

People might find it helpful to set up a file just for challenges, by doing a factory reset. Instructions are here.

This way you have all your options for the challenges set, so that you're not going back and forth between your dynasty if you are playing one and any challenge. The options stay the same for each game in the file, so you can have lower graphics and set aging to long, options you might not want in other games. I also decided not to download any of my store content, so as not to have to worry about whether I use premium content by mistake. I realize this isn't related to the rules, but it seems like useful advice for someone at the beginning of the tournament year.

[Ricalynn]

Yes it is and thank you for saying that Marian.   

Another benefit to add to what Marian said - without store content being installed, this means the games will sometimes load faster as well which can help when you're in the mood to maximize baby moodlets versus work the long game.   It also means if you load the wrong folder, it won't take forever before you can shut down and reload from the other folder.

[lvrugger]

I do about the same thing. I have three users on my computer: me, Dynasty, and Challenge. Each has its own settings and its own user folder and I can do what I want with each.

[ve1ocity]

A small question : I know sharing strategy isn't allowed.

But its ok, isn't it, to post a story we created on the challenge once the final date for the challenge is done?

My fingers are twitching to get started and I have a great story in mind!

[sarcasticsuperherogirl]

Question about Supernaturals and festival lots! Are we allowed to make our sims supernaturals (save for challenges such as baby boomer where age of the sim is in play) and can we replace the park in town with a festival lot when it isn't done automatically?

So happy you guys are doing this again this year! I played in 2011 (even won a challenge, yay!) but wasn't able to in 2012 because of family health problems :/ Can't wait to start!

[Pam]

A small question : I know sharing strategy isn't allowed.

But its ok, isn't it, to post a story we created on the challenge once the final date for the challenge is done?

My fingers are twitching to get started and I have a great story in mind!

I think it would be ok to post a story on the Miscellaneous Stories board once the challenge is finished if Metro and his team don't object.

[Metropolis Man]

Question about Supernaturals and festival lots! Are we allowed to make our sims supernaturals (save for challenges such as baby boomer where age of the sim is in play) and can we replace the park in town with a festival lot when it isn't done automatically?

So happy you guys are doing this again this year! I played in 2011 (even won a challenge, yay!) but wasn't able to in 2012 because of family health problems :/ Can't wait to start!

Hi Sarcastic...nice to hear from you again. Your particular life state choice for your Sims is totally up to you for a given challenge. If you cannot choose a specific one, then it will be clearly noted in a particular ruleset.

I am not sure if your Edit Town request is allowed under the current General Rules. Edit Town stuff is admittedly a weakness of mine. Rica and/or ratchie can chime in with their opinion.

Good luck with the 2013 events.

[Ricalynn]

If you have Seasons installed and you start a new game file (which you have to do for every scoring file), then festival lots are already placed.  The only two towns that this doesn't happen is Monte Vista (which isn't allowed in the tournament) and Union Cove.   So I think placing a festival lot isn't actually an issue as you only have to manually do it in one allowed town.   As far as I can tell based on the current ruleset that it would be allowable to choose one to place in Union Cove as well as it would be considered a missing lot and they are EA provided in the lot library.

Metro - is that ok with you?   

[Metropolis Man]

If you have Seasons installed and you start a new game file (which you have to do for every scoring file), then festival lots are already placed.  The only two towns that this doesn't happen is Monte Vista (which isn't allowed in the tournament) and Union Cove.   So I think placing a festival lot isn't actually an issue as you only have to manually do it in one allowed town.   As far as I can tell based on the current ruleset that it would be allowable to choose one to place in Union Cove as well as it would be considered a missing lot and they are EA provided in the lot library.

Metro - is that ok with you?   

Definitely

[brennan068]

The edit town rules confuse me... regarding:

You cannot bulldoze existing structures to do so — these must be placed on empty lots, but you can bulldoze completely empty lots. This will let you free up space to create new empty lots of adequate size with the Edit World tool;

If I play in Moonlight Falls, can I bulldoze the empty 64x64 "small park" to place a copy of Verde park? - I tried just changing it to big park and it would not let me, the only way I could figure out to get a copy of this big park in was to bulldoze once, then place.

In a similar vein, am I allowed to bulldoze one of the empty small parks to place a coffeehouse? or do I have to find clear land, place the appropriately sized grid and put the coffeehouse on that?