Skill of the Week

[Sonshine]

Sorry, I'm out! This is just too much when you're expected to do a challenge, but there's absolutely NO information allowed! This makes me wonder about future challenges. Maybe I'll just not participate in any of them. I have read the money making tips in the other thread in the forum and have tried to follow it, but when your sim is not allowed to do anything in between except that that skill, then no. Right now, she's not allowed to write, not allowed to paint, not allowed to do anything. I just feel like all instructions are banned.

[Playalot]

Hi sonshine, I'm sorry you are frustrated trying to figure this challenge out. I am to. I've had three test files so far and I'm not happy with any of them. This is why challenges are challenging though... they force you to play in a style you wouldn't usually. Maybe just choose one skill and stick with it for an entire sim week and see what happens.
At least when the challenge is closed you will be able to read what the winner did and pick up new play tips.

[Teresa]

I know I don't generally play with the right mindset to win these challenges, but it is fun to try and then see what I didn't know afterwards.  I have learned so much about the game reading how the high scorers approached the challenge.  I get really excited when I realize I had the right strategy but my execution was off.  Even though tips and hints can't be given during the challenge, there are so many resources to use that can answer a lot of questions.  Using that in addition to test files can lead to lightbulb moments.  But it can definitely be frustrating and boring depending on the rules of a particular challenge - and I have to constantly fight the urge to have them make babies 

 

[Magpie2012]

Yeah, I definitely had one of those "lightbulb" moments in my 3rd week of my test file! Let's just say my whole outlook on my 1st week changed drastically!

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[reggikko]

It takes diligence and quite a bit of time reading and researching, for me, anyway. I think I did 5 or 6 partial test runs, just to figure out which skills I wanted to use, and in what order. I still think I could have done a few things differently and had a higher (unofficial) score. I had $884,918 at the end and I'm certain some of the power players will easily beat that.

[Playalot]

@Teresa I have to constantly fight against making them into fitness gods! Nothing worse than looking at my sims after a long challenge where fitness hasn't played a part! *snort*

[kirstydalgleish]

Hi Sonshine, I am really new to doing challenges too and only did my first one with the New Years Resolution. I am doing a test file and not doing very well. It makes me realise i need to do more researching. Keep going, who cares if you don't do very well. Like the others say, read how really experienced people have done it when the challenge ends and you will learn a lot.

[Tigerskin]

Hi Sonshine, I am feeling your pain too! I thought this challenge would be relatively easy to obtain money, boy was I wrong! Ha ha.

I've done a few test runs and not got much past 40k simoleons either.

Doesn't help for five whole working days I got hit by the non promotion bug - my sim had the checked circle with performance, he took it easy etc and still no promotion. That was seriously frustrating but I sorted it in the end thank goodness.

Still going to carry on testing though, would like to complete another challenge (this will be my second).

[Metropolis Man]

Sonshine, please do not give up. Sometimes I can come across as a bit blunt especially when it comes to rules. So I am sorry if I offended you. The bottom line is the Tournament challenges are all about fun. Rules are there to keep the playing field as level as we can. Some players take the events incredibly seriously and others participate and have no ambitions of winning - they just want to have fun and be a part of the community competition that the forum offers. Whatever you want to get out of the events, it's all good. So, jump back in and give it your best and then learn from the masters when they post their strategies when the event is over.

[Eighty8Keys]

My sims finished with a whopping $87,669.

At this point, I'm squarely in the category of competitors that "just want to have fun and be a part of the community competitions" that Metropolis Man mentioned above.

[MarianT]

My sims finished with a whopping $87,669.

At this point, I'm squarely in the category of competitors that "just want to have fun and be a part of the community competitions" that Metropolis Man mentioned above.

Congrats on finishing this challenge! And by the way, I've been in the "fun" category of competitors ever since I started doing these in 2011. The only way I get to the top of the leaderboard is if I finish before anyone else.

[tjtemple]

I'm another just for funnier and am loving these challenges. I'm SO excited to hear the power players strategies for this one. Such brilliant ideas.  At the moment I am using loads of @playalot 's  strategies in my dynasty and it's going brilliantly! My gen 4 is getting promoted almost daily.


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[Joria]

Sonshine, please do not give up. Sometimes I can come across as a bit blunt especially when it comes to rules. So I am sorry if I offended you. The bottom line is the Tournament challenges are all about fun. Rules are there to keep the playing field as level as we can. Some players take the events incredibly seriously and others participate and have no ambitions of winning - they just want to have fun and be a part of the community competition that the forum offers. Whatever you want to get out of the events, it's all good. So, jump back in and give it your best and then learn from the masters when they post their strategies when the event is over.

But for some of us, it isn't fun when it gets too restricted or too hard.  Me?  I like the easy button, so while I truly appreciate the skills and attitudes that go into doing the challenges, I rarely participate in them.  I follow them like the fan girl I am, and often will give them a shot AFTER all is over.  Why?  I am the world's worst strategist but am so competitive I would just totally stress myself out doing the challenges.  I even had to have two excellent mentors to be able to do the immortal dynasty I had going.  I simply don't know how to play Sims that well, but reading the results and strategies the different players have used teaches me more and more.  So grats to all you who give it a shot whether you are the top of the leaderboard or the bottom.  My hat's off to you all.

[oshizu]

@Sonshine  Please keep playing the tournament!  The more players, the more fun for us all!

And I assure you, you weren't the only one who got thrown off by the amazing score of @reggikko even though it was only for four weeks!
I did 3-4 partial practice runs, thinking I should be able to get near the that score, but found I'm just not that good a player yet (being optimistic).

@Teresa @Playalot  I laughed at what you said about your personal tendency to have your sims make babies or transform into fitness gods. For me, the one of the main reasons I enjoy these challenges is that they take me away from my usual style of gameplay. I have to try really hard not to build a super garden if the challenge doesn't center on gardening. I also wanted to experiment with a few new strategies (well, okay, in my case, they're just approaches, haha). I loved last year's Baby Boomer challenge and hope that we'll have another this year!

We're lucky that the Challenges team has put together these amazing challenges and that we have the leisure time to participate.

Edited to be shorter. Sorry Lena!

[Magpie2012]

Well, I'm not done yet, but I did make 11K in my first week (only to choose a stupid skill for week 2, drat) so I'm eagerly awaiting the strategy talk after this challenge is done! I know I'm going to end up at the bottom (or very near to it) of the log, which drives my competitive heart mad, but at least I'm going to learn something once this is done, and it is fun to play counter to my usual style!

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