The Sims 3 4x4 Dynasty

[Metropolis Man]

Thank you so much, Nutella for stepping in and helping out with fielding questions. And thanks to everyone else too. It's greatly appreciated. Diablo 3, Rift, and of course my family still sap a good chunk of my time hehe.

[samoht04]

Anyone willing to share their plans so far? It's such a large Dynasty that I'm almost not sure where to start, Lol. I'll share what I have so far though.

First I made a note of all the collections I could think of, and highlighted the profitable ones (Paintings, Sculptures, Gems etc.) Then using my list of rewards I noted the top four careers with the most rewards, I came out with: Firefighter, Ghostbuster, Private Investigator and Inventor. I think these all have 4+ rewards available/possible but not sure. So then I put numbers 1 - 16 down, split into four groups for the four worlds and assigned one of my top four careers to each world.

Then I started filling in the extra gaps. For the rewards I thought it would be best to have built up some wealth and have a moodlet manager or so by then, so my first reward career as I'm calling them will be Gen 2.

I've decided to start with Painting, it's a fairly easy skill that can be sped along with small paintings, plus by the time it's moving time there will be four very valuable paintings - due to a death and appreciation.

It's going to be quite difficult skill wise, hopefully I won't need any certificates which will allow some heirs to max the same skills especially Logic, Athletic and Handiness. I may have the moving heir of a world be a Ghost Buster, use those rewards and then they will birth the Investigator Heir so that heir is tutored in Logic, maxed early on and then able to take up a second skill for the challenges..

I have a long way to go - need to make sure each skill will have the right number of challenges etc. ! Any thoughts on my plan so far? All welcome - especially criticism as that may stop a failure, Lol. 

[Snufflesxx]

My plan: just dive in and see what happens. 

I'm terrible when it comes to planning. I do have a rough idea of which skills and LTWs and careers I might want to work with and which ones I don't. One of the only things I had planned for a long time was my starting town: Aurora Skies. I recall that the properties are particularly cheap there which will certainly help.

Another thing I've planned is that every heir will have the Ambitious trait due to it giving extra happiness points for wishes. Also along that route, I'm going to try and go for lifetime wishes that have careers attached because that is one of the requirements. If not, I'll be going for wishes that are easy to complete, such as the money based ones. My founder has the fishing LTW so I can keep him out the way while I focus on Generation 1's requirements.

My lack of planning will probably cause me problems later on, but once I get past the first couple of generations, I should know what I'm doing and be able to plan the rest from there. I can't wait for the story board to go up so I can post my story 

[MarianT]

So far I've decided to use professions and self-employment careers to satisfy the requirement to max a career. I've paired up careers and skill challenges, and plan to use the instrument and collecting skill challenges to fill in any gaps. I also plan to use the rabbit-hole jobs for opportunities if I don't get them from the skills.

I didn't realize that the Inventor received so many career rewards -- thanks, Samoht!

One question regarding the rules -- would it be all right for spouses and spares to buy gems and metals from the Consignment Shop to be sold or used in elixirs? Or is the ban on anything that might be included in a collection, even if you don't use it for that? (My thinking is that the spire-cut tiberium would really help with purchasing some properties.)

[betabee]

I've started with painting too. 

I've planned the skills, collections, careers and career rewards for each generation. Hopefully there'll be no clashes with skills too much. I'm sticking with rabbit hole careers since then the workaholic trait may assist. I agree with snuffles on using ambitious.

I picked a townie house with a spare so the spare can make useful elixirs and potions to keep everyone alive and awake. Hopefully this means I can avoid the founders completing any skill challenges, though I'll have to keep an eye on a few skills since I want a few skill certificates for career rewards later on (though I'll try to keep those to a minimum). If i can, I'll try to keep a spare in each world to create young again potions for everyone who needs them, though since they can't move across worlds at moving time, they'll need replacing. But I won't need to worry about that for a while yet . . .

Here's hoping the story board goes up soon. Maybe we can create a tips and tricks thread on there when it goes up to do more strategy discussion!   

[maisie]

My generation 1 is now a teen, two days to YA and that are my thoughts so far:

Very early, I decided to give every heir the ambitious trait since that fit in with that family's history (my dynasty is based on the Targaryens from Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire). I only realised through Snuffles' comment the advantage. ^^"
Then, almost every child born into that family will get the genius trait. That really helps through the toddler days.

My founders are both family orientated. The woman has the Surrounded by Family LTW (many happiness points through all the children) and is the one to care for the kids. They will help with the money in their adulthood. Her husband got the LTW that is associated with the ghostbuster job. He is the main-moneymaker in the early days.
Later, they adopted two dogs. They already found two Plutonium. 
In the other worlds I will maybe marry a rich spouse and/or move in rich sims.

My first heir is going to be a world renowed surgeon and will do the three most time-consuming Logic challenges. To give him the time, I will send him to University.  I intend to use most of the travels to get more time for completing the challenges (e.g. the writing or sculpting challenges).

As for the other challenges and rewards: I'm doing a little overview for myself. ^^
By now I can say that I won't use any skill certificates so no skill would be limited.
And another career with many rewards would be Jockey with all that trophies.


One question in the end: the potions from Generations do count as a collection, don't they?

[Metropolis Man]

One question regarding the rules -- would it be all right for spouses and spares to buy gems and metals from the Consignment Shop to be sold or used in elixirs? Or is the ban on anything that might be included in a collection, even if you don't use it for that? (My thinking is that the spire-cut tiberium would really help with purchasing some properties.)

Absolutely. I have no problems with you using consignment store purchases to help your household get money as long as the purchases are not tied to the Family 4x4 Collection.

[KRae]

I'm only using 3 EPs so I have to be really careful, only letting my politician learn charisma, for one. It would be so easy for anyone with the charisma skill to invalidate his skill challenges.
Also keeping use of skill certificates as career rewards to the bare minimum and only ones that are easily controlled (guitar, writing).

[Nutella]

I may have the moving heir of a world be a Ghost Buster, use those rewards and then they will birth the Investigator Heir so that heir is tutored in Logic, maxed early on and then able to take up a second skill for the challenges..

The logic skill has 5 skill challenges, you could have your ghostbuster do 3 challenges, and your investigator do the other 2 challenges in logic + 1 skill challenge from collecting maybe.

Also I try to avoid maxing a skill before they hit Young Adult because opportunities doesn't really occur often when you max the skill during Teens. 
That's my experience, not sure if others have the same problem.   Plus with investigator career, you won't have a lot of opportunities from work.

One question in the end: the potions from Generations do count as a collection, don't they?

Yes potions do count as a collection.  Please note potions value is at $0

[samoht04]

I didn't realize that the Inventor received so many career rewards -- thanks, Samoht!

According to my list there should be the following, as far as I know they are all being considered unique? Although I could be wrong.
- Honor Trophy
- Epic Hero Medal
- Hero Medal
- Key to the City
- Inventing Certificate
- Handiness Certificate
- Inventor's Accolade

I just had a major doh moment, gave my Founder the wrong LTW that is money related. I gave him the 100k net worth rather than the 50k that would have been completed by Agnes and her car. *Sigh* Although seeing as how many times it took to even get the puking going I just can't be bothered to start over just to change a LTW. 

[RainBeau]

Anyway, I'd say that Ambitions is necessary for this dynasty, especially if you have Seasons. I'm not sure a female heir can max a rabbit hole career before becoming an elder unless you have the workaholic trait.

Not sure if I'm drawing a connection here you didn't intend, but it should be noted that workaholic is a base-game trait and so Ambitions is not needed for that. And as others have pointed out, it doesn't matter how old she is as long as she's still alive.

As far as the Inventor career--I have not yet been able to max it and I have tried. It's hard and a lot of work. I would much rather combine two careers for the rewards such as Culinary and Film--when you have four or five people to use it shouldn't be a problem to get four rewards.

In the cases of professions, it is advisable to wait to learn the skills necessary until the heir has the career. Tom, not sure if you mean to have the Ghostbuster heir tutor the Investigator heir as a child or a YA, but I would suggest the latter. So much of the career can be done by simply mastering the skill. Especially Firefighter, which has two skills!

Handiness Certificate would not count for the Inventor career. Only skills that are directly tied to the career count, not just anything they learn along the way. The rest are acceptable and unique as long as they all come form Inventor and no other heir does that career.

[hazelnut]

Strategy-wise, I'm heading much the same way as everyone else (professions and self-employment mainly, with the faster rabbitholes once I get used to the speed; firefighter, ghost hunter and private eye in different towns).  I'm keeping the playing-for-tips guitar challenge free and planning to use the high-earning Sims as the moving heirs.  My founders are both Renaissance Sims for all of the lovely big wishes.  Given that I'm starting in Hidden Springs, I ought to be moving in all the seriously rich Sims but I probably won't.  Yes, crazy, I know.  Gen 1's about to age up to toddler so this may finally be a real attempt

Samoht, I'd agree with Rosa about the inventing career, unless you're going to use the exploit.  I used it (Edit: the career, not the exploit) in the Immortal and DecaDynasties but it was horribly slow and I'm not at all sure it's possible on medium.  (Although motive mobiles might make enough difference.)  I was planning to maybe use it for one or two rewards and opportunities but not as a maxed career.

Edit: Metro, what is the final ruling on founders and careers/opportunities/challenges?  Can they do what they want or will they invalidate them for heirs?  I know I've already asked this but the rules have changed quite a lot in the meantime.

[samoht04]

As far as the Inventor career--I have not yet been able to max it and I have tried. It's hard and a lot of work. I would much rather combine two careers for the rewards such as Culinary and Film--when you have four or five people to use it shouldn't be a problem to get four rewards.

In the cases of professions, it is advisable to wait to learn the skills necessary until the heir has the career. Tom, not sure if you mean to have the Ghostbuster heir tutor the Investigator heir as a child or a YA, but I would suggest the latter. So much of the career can be done by simply mastering the skill. Especially Firefighter, which has two skills!

Handiness Certificate would not count for the Inventor career. Only skills that are directly tied to the career count, not just anything they learn along the way. The rest are acceptable and unique as long as they all come form Inventor and no other heir does that career.

Ah, that could be an issue then if it's hard to reach level 10 on a normal life span.. Hmm. May have to go Military on that one but then will have to find rewards in there somewhere. I have inventing pegged for my fourth world so maybe by then I'll know which skill certificates can still be used if any.

Good point, hadn't thought about the performance boost, am I right in thinking tutoring is often faster anyway?

Oh right, it was early when I made my list (as in I woke at 4.30am). Still that leaves six options there to choose from.

Typically for me the hardest part so far has been trying to build the house.. 

Samoht, I'd agree with Rosa about the inventing career, unless you're going to use the exploit.  I used it in the Immortal and DecaDynasties but it was horribly slow and I'm not at all sure it's possible on medium.  (Although motive mobiles might make enough difference.)  I was planning to maybe use it for one or two rewards and opportunities but not as a maxed career.

Yeah, last time I played an inventor with that career she did max it but then it was a legacy and well.. life extending was quite common in that file. I've never played the career under pressure so now is probably not a good time to try!

[Metropolis Man]

Edit: Metro, what is the final ruling on founders and careers/opportunities/challenges?  Can they do what they want or will they invalidate them for heirs?  I know I've already asked this but the rules have changed quite a lot in the meantime.

The "uniqueness" tag of the various requirements for heirs means those things must be unique...period — i.e. if a founder maxes a given career or completes a certain opportunity, then it no longer would be unique for an heir.

[KRae]

I've completed the inventing career pretty quickly using the motive mobile and having a spouse sell everything through consignment. 24/7 inventing!