Keeping our lips sealed? Yes, I agree that some aspects of this challenge are better kept secret for now. But I do want to share something and - to an extent - I'm ready to answer questions too.
Why? Well, many of the tactics I used, simply won't work for Rica's Asylum Challenge.
I played this file in Moonlight Falls. Bibi and Belle Brainiac are sisters. Bess is their horse.
Bibi started off as a genie. She ensorcelled Mr Van Gould who promptly 'gave' her a car worth $105,000. This funded 12 brain enhancement machines. Both sisters had the 'Swimming in Cash' LTW. Bibi kept cash low by investing in sculptures until such time they would have wish enhancement serums.
Bibi then 'magically cleaned' Branch Timbley to become a best friend and asked him to move in. Bibi went on to use the brain enhancements machines to max the guitar skill. She did this well before the day was over. All needs were made static.
Belle started off as a witch, and remained so, until she maxed alchemy. She became a gem collector on day 1 and completed two consignment challenges. The first buydebug buy was a Chinese incense holder to speed up her learning. On day 3 she maxed alchemy and also received the 'Master Alchemist Opportunity'. She had a brief spell as a werewolf thereafter. She gained the ability to hunt for specific items in under ten hours by howling at the moon repeatedly. All in all, it took very little time to complete Metal Collector, Firefly Collector, Beetle Collector and Butterfly Collector.
Soon, both girls became immortal vampires and they upheld that life state for the rest of the challenge.
Branch Timbley played a very important role. To start off proceedings, he bought the wish enhancement serums and a midas touch elixir.
He is a fairy and learned to 'bloom' early on. Belle did every skill challenge in both gardening and nectar making. She basically planted and harvested items. Branch fertilized and bloomed the plants for her. This saved her considerable time.
Branch used personal programming several times. He was most endearing as a technophobe sabotaging 10 televisions for Bibi's electrician skill challenge. He also cleaned up after Bibi during her mixology quest.
Branch was Bess' caretaker. Bibi maxed riding, but never rode her pet. Belle never had anything to do with the horse either. Bess, naturally, very much trained her self. But Branch took her to all competitions. Bess supermaxed both jumping and racing.
He also adopted, bought and sold horses. This allowed Bibi to become a 'Horse Friend'.
And finally, Branch secured a pink diamond by breaking space rocks (Belle had not found one while being a werewolf) as well as life fruit for Bibi's 'Ultimate Invention' opportunity.
The girls did not tackle skills one by one, but rather mixed and matched as time went on.
Bibi for instance did charisma, photography and social networking all at a same time.
Belle wrote, but stopped as soon as she had made $10,000 royalties per week - only to pick it up again two weeks later when she completed 'speed writer' quasi automatically.
As for their stays abroad, I had the girls travel separately. It allowed me to concentrate on the individual and play on higher speed levels. They each had 2 days in France to start with. Then, thanks to 'Prepared Traveller', they had each a stay of six days in China twice.
Bibi used two days in France for photography and perform with all four instruments. She performed 32 times per instrument. Upon return, she used a subway station to play for tips. With 32 performances, it takes 5 hours to complete the 'Money Maker' skill challenge for a given instrument there.
Bibi used her first stay in China to become a 'Martial Arts Grand Master' and to complete 'Timber Terminator'. She also became 'Personable' (charisma) and completed 'Human Form' (photography).
On her second stay, she became a 'Chess Grand Master', a 'Marathon Runner' and a 'Fitness Nut'. She also learned handiness there and repaired four plumbing items. (The latter was a waste of time, because she never completed the 'Plumber' skill challenge. We were short of two items in the end.)
Belle used her stay in France to become a 'Specialist Sports Book Writer'.
On her first stay in China she maxed fishing and caught 319 from 350 fish needed towards 'Commercial Fisherman'.
On her second visit there, she super-maxed cooking and writing. She also maxed the science skill and became a 'Free Range Scientist'.
I suppose a breakdown of the skill challenges per person is in order. You already know the household maxed every skill except for the new diving skill, so here we go.
Bess:
Racing: super max
Jumping: super max
BibiPhotography: super max
Charisma: super max
Logic: super max
Athletic: supermax
Instruments:
Master [Guitar, Piano, Bass, Drums]
Money Maker [Guitar, Piano, Bass, Drums]
Martial Arts: Timber Terminator, Grand Master, Sim Fu Queen
Social Networking: Professional Greeter, Match Maker
Handiness: Tinkerer, Electrician
Mixology: Master of Mood, Poseidon, Cool Creator
Inventing: Scrap Collector, Diabolical Detonator, Ultimate Invention, Widget Wonder
Riding: Horse Friend
Belle:
Consignement Challenges: all
Collecting Challenges: all
Alchemy: super max
Writing: super max
Gardening: super max
Nectar Making: super max
Fishing: super max
Cooking: super max
Street Art: super max
Painting: supermax
Sculpting: Chiselmeister, Prolific Sculptor
Science: Free Range Scientist
Well, that's it. I hoped you enjoyed reading this and good luck to all for Rica's Asylum!