A Portrait of My Hometown

[lvrugger]

I'll have to put in for a DNF. Thanks to the challenge team for helping me out, but the file is just toast.

[_Annika_]

This event did initially look like a lot of fun to me. I hope the challenge creators don't mind a little bit of feedback - but I think the rules might be a little bit too prescriptive. I definitely appreciate ruling out the luck factor, but it is possible to "work" the opportunities. Also, disallowing a lot of the EP game content takes the fun out of having those EPs, and also from the contest. Learning about EP content and how to use it adds to the challenge. Sure, Advanced Technology might provide some advantages, but, like all skills, it's a time investment, and you have to balance that with what the challenge is really focused on. Do you actually have time to put into levelling that skill just to get the bonuses it provides? Do you have time to pursue those wishes to purchase the motive mobile? That kind of thing. It adds to the challenge of time management, which I think is more challenging than regular motive management.

[Metropolis Man]

Before setting up Sims 3 challenges back in 2009 (sheesh — has it been that long?!) I ran Diablo II tournaments for four years. That was a totally different scenario. Everyone played the same mod (Eastern Sun) and so the game experience was identical. A totally level playing field where we are all doing the same thing. Trying to come up with fair events in Sims 3 is a much different animal. Here you could have a skilling event where potentially a player with only the base game and playing a human is trying to compete against someone playing a fairy and/or a vampire and their uber skilling speed. Or another player might have access to elixirs and all of their benefits. So, the team tries to come in and do the best we can at banning certain stuff to try and level things a bit. I totally get where you're coming from — I mean why have all the expansions if we end up banning a lot of stuff anyway? I get it.

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EDIT: Just to add one more thought on this — when Sims 4 comes out it will be great at first. Why? The first challenges will be just like my old Diablo II experiences of setting up fair events because everyone will be playing only the base game. But, word of warning...as the expansions come it will get more and more complicated. EA will put in stuff that inevitably will completely slant the game and make it a cakewalk for players of certain expansions hehe. So, the team will deal with it as that happens.

[Red the Wolf]

Ugh...Post me as a DNF. I had no idea I would be so busy...I got on TS3 a total of twice in the past two weeks.

[_Annika_]

Thanks for understanding I guess it must be very hard to know where to draw the line. I'm just speculating here - Do you draw it as CC? Premium store content? Any store content? Stuff packs? Expansion Packs? I think drawing the line at EA only content seems quite fair, as most avid simmers will have everything that they want/need to complete a challenge. But then, as this is a forum for younger simmers, there may be kids with limited allowances and less access to those things.

I think that so long as there is a 'what on earth was that strategy!' element to a challenge it will keep things interesting.

PS I look forward to seeing what you come up with for Sims 4! I'm not actually sure if I will invest in a Sims 4 collection (I don't know if I'm kidding myself here or not, since I own nearly the whole franchise so far), but I expect that I will be reading a lot about it.

[kearn76]

I have to report DNF for this challenge.  Fell and broke my right wrist last week, only halfway through the challenge.  I'm not too good at left-handed mousing... Hoping to participate next month!

Karen

[Metropolis Man]

Karen, feel free to report your score at this point if you wish,. Remember no one is saying you have to go to the end of four weeks. If you stop at the end of two weeks or whenever due to circumstances beyond your control then you'd add up your 10 most valuable portraits at that point and however many portraits you had done for the multiplier.

Hope your wrist heals soon.

[LenaLJ]

Ohh I nearly forgot to post the score now because I have to get used to these new working times. Ohh I love the painting skill but I cant stop thinking there is a bit of luck involved too, because it was really not to predict if my sim could paint as good painting as she did in the training runs, but I got lucky and she did well

Top 10 Paintings: 52747
Portraits Painted: 46

Total: 52747 *1,46 = 77010

[MomOfMany]

I think I did pretty well for myself. Thanks this one was a lot of fun. Can't wait for strategy as I have no idea what I could have done differently.
Top 10 Portraits: 42,163
Portraits Painted: 34
Total: 56,498

[CynKuy]

Nineteen portraits with the top ten worth 36683.
1.19 X 36683 = 43652.

[kearn76]

Well, thanks Metro!  Probably a partial score is better than none, right?

So I had 14 total portraits, with a value of 23517 for the top 10.  So, 1.14 x 23517 = 26809 for the final score.

This was fun, and as always I will look most forward to reading the strategies of the top scorers!!

Karen

[susiesue]

Wasn't sure if you were looking for the appreciated values of paintings or not so here are my score either way.
Leo D Painted a total of 41 portraits.
The top 10 valued at 46508 base value and 47604 appreciated value.
 x 1.41 = 65576 based on the base value or 67122 appreciated value.

[Metropolis Man]

Wasn't sure if you were looking for the appreciated values of paintings or not so here are my score either way.
Leo D Painted a total of 41 portraits.
The top 10 valued at 46508 base value and 47604 appreciated value.
 x 1.41 = 65576 based on the base value or 67122 appreciated value.

It's the value on the last day.

[Sarleenia]

Finished at 5 minutes to midnight! What a stress!
Top ten paintings - £39254
Number of paintings - 33
Score - 52207

[CeresIn]

Top 10 portraits: 34,468
Total of portraits: 22

34,468 * 1.22 = 42.050