The Sims 3 Immortal Dynasty Challenge

[Shirin]

@Metro - Awesome, thank you.

@Ricalynn - Aye, I was considering that. Mostly it would be to make room for some of the new EA-buildings from the expansion, but of course it would need to be mapped out first who is buying what.

Also, is there any actual benefit to Immortals and significant others marrying? Other than the bed space, of course. (My interpretation of the rules indicate the Immortal doesn't have to marry the other parent of their offspring.)

[Ricalynn]

Shirin - what town are you considering if you don't mind me asking?   The reason I ask is because I just made a new game in Sunset Valley and as long as you aren't looking to make things gorgeous.  I was able to put every building from every EP into Sunset Valley without converting any of the rabbit holes (other than the stadium) and still had one of each bar.   Like I said it wasn't pretty, but it covered every building/park.

As for marriage, I think that is purely up to your playstyle.  Although, I do admit that having a child out of wedlock since Generations/Late Night is a bit annoying sometimes.  Just make sure the other parent is in the house before you conceive the next generation.

[Metropolis Man]

Just remember that some of the bundled rabbit holes could start to cause problems when it comes to dynasty challenges.   Bundled rabbit holes tend to only count as one building being bought which means you could end up removing the number of buildings needed to complete the dynasty.

Absolutely. That's a very good tip.

[Shirin]

Shirin - what town are you considering if you don't mind me asking?   The reason I ask is because I just made a new game in Sunset Valley and as long as you aren't looking to make things gorgeous.  I was able to put every building from every EP into Sunset Valley without converting any of the rabbit holes (other than the stadium) and still had one of each bar.   Like I said it wasn't pretty, but it covered every building/park.

I'm completely burnt out on SV, so I'm using Riverview at the moment. It's much flatter than SV, so I have less of the "unroutable terrain" issues I seem to have in SV.

So far, I've been able to convert existing empty lots, and can use the Big Park/Stage, the Big Venue, Private Venue, Live Venue, Coffeehouse. I was able to squeeze in the smaller Equestrian Center, smaller Horse Ranch, add the Pet Shop, a Small Park, the smaller Movie Set, a Laundromat (and correct the alignments of the Consignment Store and Junkyard). I should theoretically be able to add the bars, but Mixology doesn't particularly interest me, so I haven't actually tried.

So I shouldn't need to bundle rabbitholes, but if I do need to, I certainly would want to keep that option open.

[Ricalynn]

I'm completely burnt out on SV, so I'm using Riverview at the moment. It's much flatter than SV, so I have less of the "unroutable terrain" issues I seem to have in SV.

So far, I've been able to convert existing empty lots, and can use the Big Park/Stage, the Big Venue, Private Venue, Live Venue, Coffeehouse. I was able to squeeze in the smaller Equestrian Center, smaller Horse Ranch, add the Pet Shop, a Small Park, the smaller Movie Set, a Laundromat (and correct the alignments of the Consignment Store and Junkyard). I should theoretically be able to add the bars, but Mixology doesn't particularly interest me, so I haven't actually tried.

So I shouldn't need to bundle rabbitholes, but if I do need to, I certainly would want to keep that option open.

Smaller movie set?  I have only ever seen 1 movie set and that's the large one from Bridgeport.  Remember - you're not allowed to place player made lots you have to use the ones that EA made.    If you wanted to make a movie set that was smaller than the large one from bridgeport you would have buy a park or something that was large enough and then place the community lot while it was owned by your dynasty family.

[Shirin]

It's an EA made - when you go into build/buy mode for community lots, there's one in the first row or two (I'm at work, so I can't specify where). It's pretty much a metal barn with a small set just outside. It goes onto 40x40 lots, but the size is a little less than that.

Or do those buildings/objects not count as rabbitholes?

(I'm confident if not, I can put the 64x64 one up.)

Edit: Because I sounded stupid about "EA made" when it obviously is.

[Ricalynn]

They count as rabbit holes but they do not count as EA made lots which is what I was probably not getting across very well.  My interpretation of the rule (and anyone who wants to argue with me on this is welcome) is that what is to be placed must be EA created lots.  That means the entire thing - land & all. If you place a rabbit hole shell on a piece of land that's not very EA made at all - that's player made. We're not allowed to go into build/buy mode while in Edit town to place a rabbit hole on a piece of land not owned by the family.  So the only EA made movie lot is the one in the community bin like the picture below.

[Shirin]

Fair enough.

But if I wanted, I could leave an empty community lot, set to No Visitors allowed, and purchase it later. Then plop that set on?

Would that then count as a building/property purchased, or is that just an extra thing you did on your own?

[Ricalynn]

That is a call for Metro but I don't think an empty lot set to No visitors will be available for purchase. 

This is what BellaClo came up with for this problem though.

I mercilessly bugged Metro yesterday with the same question. Here is what he let me do:

1. Can I have more than 1 occurrence of a specific Rabbit hole or venue lot in a town? (EX: 2 diners)
Metro: Yes. There's nothing in the rules stating you can't do this as in the Tournament rule set, so you're fine. The only thing is they have to be bonafide EA buildings.

So, like Lasnien, I added the small Equestrian Center (Petite Pony Eq. Center). You can find it in the Lot Library and it comes on a 40x40 lot. I also grabbed the Diner lot from Twinbrook, it's a 20x25 lot and there is the Brunton's Boxcar Diner on it.

2. Can I add a Rabbit hole building to a venue lot that my household buys?
Metro: Yes. Again. There is nothing in the rules preventing you from doing so.
I asked this because of the Movie Studio. It's a huge lot (64x64) and I couldn't find any suitable place to plop it. The only free areas are behind the Fox ranch house and the Adventure Landing beach. The ground is rather sloppy there and this mega lot looked absolutely obnoxious. Moreover, there aren't any street access.

My idea is to have my Sim family buy a venue lot, enter build/buy mode to make room for the movie studio Rabbit Hole and plop it. The Sims will lose the ownership of the venue lot used, but there will be a studio in the town. I placed the small equestrian training lot (Pump it up Pony Training) on the empty 40x50 lot next to the wealthy houses at the top of the town.


This could be useful for Decadynasty players too, since they need 10 purchasable Rabbit Holes.

[Shirin]

That might work, I'd have to play around with Riverview a bit more (when my computer isn't locking up during saves!).

Thanks much for that, Ricalynn

(In the interest of my unending curiousity, I wonder how those objects would be classified - as rabbitholes or not.)

[Ricalynn]

I do believe they are called rabbit holes because they are the actual object that you disappear into.   For the purpose of my sanity I think of it like this:  you buy buildings (which are placed rabbit holes on lots) or properties (which are lots with various purposes but no rabbit hole to enter).  I can be wrong though.

[Kai Heilos]

Might want tp update the rules regarding town editing in the original post, especially on the point regarding the sunset valley lot already having a building in it and what to do about it.

I thought I remembered reading back in the thread that we could demolish it and place a smaller one somewhere, but I don't seem to have any 40x40 lots free.

[bluebelle]

Hi, I found this site and challenge about a month ago and I love it. I was reading the stories to get a grasp of it and decided to try it and see how far I could go. I expected to go far, my founder completed all his requirements, money was good, second generation was doing great, and the lullaby let us know the third generation was on their way. Then I checked the museum and found something missing, my founder had no elder portrait and he ate ambrosia. 
Of all the things that could go wrong I did not expect that I would make such an obvious mistake. So I have to start again maybe a new town will help.

Do you have to write a story to get into the HOF?

[Shirin]

Ok, now my next question, Ricalynn -

Is there a place other than the lot library or buy/build community mode to find buildings? The reason I ask is based on BellaClo's example of having 2 diners. I know that in my lot library, I don't have diners of any sort - so I would have thought I'd have to get them out of the community buy/build mode. Where else would I find them?

(I read the 2nd question as being completely separate from the 1st.)

I'm very sorry if I'm sounding argumentative or contrary, I promise I'm not trying to be, just wanting to sort out my understanding after 6 failed attempts at HoF.

[Seabody]

Do you have to write a story to get into the HOF?

Welcome to the forum

Nope, if you look at the HOF entries, there is at least one who didn't write a story, and I am fairly sure there is also a second.