Re: And the Winner Is..The End of It All - Graveyard Please

[Joria]

First, your questions are not pointless.  They often get me thinking in a different way and that is good, so keep it up please.  I didn't think you were trying to force a marriage between them.  I just never really thought of it but it could be a good idea.  While Malcolm IS a helper with the Retail bloodline, once that heir moves out the helpers should move out as well so they don't age up.  Or maybe they won't age up anyway.  I don't know.  It's pretty confusing to me as to how it will work.  I think it would be cool if he and Maalke got married because then my Sims could go visit them.  I'm considering having Maalke stay though and have Meghan and her heirs go over to her Mom's house for portraits.  Just haven't decided yet.  There's nothing in the rules that says they can't marry.  Helpers don't follow the rules and requirements the founder and heirs do.  It's open season for them.

I would think age has something to do with it.  Consider that the heir has so much more they have to do than the founder does AND they cannot even begin on their bloodline requirements until they move out.  For me, I don't like the idea of having to figure out how to move them out while a teen since they can't even get a real job then.  My plan is have the child do as much as possible while a child, all the child aspirations, (if possible, only one is required), get a TON of reward points and/or rewards allowed, and max whatever would be helpful in adult skills while still a child.  Then move on to teen and work on whatever will be helpful toward the career I'll choose for them and finish all the teen requirements.  Maybe have a happy birthday party as YA and move out the same day.  When they move out they are not allowed to bring anything with them that they haven't created, found, or harvested so part of the child/teen years for my gang is collecting and creating as much as possible so they will have funds for a nice house or store.  I figure every simoleon counts so they are even saving their childhood drawings.  According to the rules, you CAN move them out as teens if they have finished all the child/teen requirements and only have career and bloodline requirements left, so it's individual choice.

Now you all are probably wondering what the hold up is here with updates.  I keep getting pulled away from being able to play, and I'm finding myself getting increasingly bored with the lack of content in TS4 so it's hard to stick with it.  I'm committed so I will continue till either the end or failure but there just isn't anything to write at the moment.  Off to play!

[LenaLJ]

Joria about your age confusion
Its only the active household that will age in the settings for this type of Dynasty.

[Joria]

*Sounds of chopping and off key singing*

" Ohhhhhh, solllllle  meeeeeoooo, dada dada......."



What has you so chipper and happy this morning, Bob?

"Hmmm?  Oh.  Good morning Watcher.  How ya been?  Slackin' off on telling our story eh?"

No, I have NOT been slackin' off.  I've been very busy as you well know.  So, how come you're so happy?

"  Just a beautiful day is all.  Beautiful day, beautiful wife, good job.  What's not to be happy about?"  *tosses fruit salad*



So, good evening with the wifey, eh? *smirks*

"I just think today is a beautiful day and probably the day I receive my next promotion is all.  Moving right along with the ol' job.  Before you know it I'll be a master chef and can open my own restaurant."

You really want to do that?  It's a lot of work and responsibility you know. Better watch the time.  You don't want to be late if you're up for promotion.

" I'm almost ready.  Just want to get this cake in the oven.  We've got birthdays comin' up you know.  The little one is growing like a weed."



Here comes the family.  Guess I'll just go hide in the woodwork or something.  Good luck on the promotion, Bob.

*****************************************************************************************************

Jamie: "So what's every one doing today?"

Essie:  "Home work.  Skills to master.  I'm really nervous about completing ANY of my aspirations.  Everything got all messed up."

Star:  "Just because we're aliens we get ignored and our bloodline has to suffer with everything being last and late.  Profiling if you ask me."

Jamie:  "You're aliens?  Who knew?"

Star:  "This fruit salad is pretty good.  Needs a bit of quill fruit though."



Matty:  "Well, family, best get at it.  So who's up for some building today?"

Jamie:  "Count me in.  I'll just get my hat.  Gotta be better than sitting at that blasted computer all day."

*************************************************************************************************

Matty:  "You know, Jamie, that computer thing may seem like an awful chore to you, but you knew when you signed up for this that there would be a lot of hard work and that your job would be writing books, right?  I don't think you are anywhere near being able to write a Book of Life for anyone and it could have serious consequences for some of us.  None of us are getting any younger, you know."

*bangs on ship with hammer* 



Jamie:  "Yeah, I know.  It's just pretty lonely being cooped up in my room all day.  I think the Watcher.............wait, is she listening?  No?......as I was saying, I think you know who is a slave driver and really doesn't care.  She's like a jailer and I've never been one to be all cooped up like that."

Matty:  "Well, if you'd just finish even ONE book and quit wandering off to paint and stuff she wouldn't lock you in.  Do you hear me complaining?  How many days have I been hammering on this ship?"

Jaimie: "Ok, ok.  I'll get back at it.  You're right.  Happy building, buddy."

***********************************************************************************************

"And the mysterious voice from nowhere oozed into his brain like a thunderstorm.  The night was..............



**************************************************************************************************

Hmmmm.  I haven't even had a chance to play with my castle today.  Maybe just a few minutes.  I wonder if this will count toward a skill?  Social maybe?  Ahhh, who cares.  Time for a kid to be a kid!



So, you're going to be the fair alien from Sixam and Sir Heartsong is going to come and rescue you from the mean, red headed kid we met.  Ok?  I'll write up a whole story about you.  You're the fairest in the land and never have to sweep floors or live in ashes and there are no stupid birds flying around.............(sigh)  I wish I had a real friend.  You're ok and all but .............wait!  Got it!!



UNI!  You are my best friend in the whole simiverse!  Ready for a big huggaroony?



Thank you for being my friend, Uni.  I love your stories about your past and the other magical creatures.  I think I will always love you, for ever and ever.  You and me.  Best pals, right?  Got it?



*distant voice calling*   Essie!!  Estrella where are you?  Time to get that homework done.

See ya later, Uni.  Gotta go do my homework.  Don't worry, I'll come back for more stories......Bye.....



Matty:  "It's good to see you buckling down sweetheart.  I'm sorry Watcher messed up and cost you your A but with a little hard work we'll bring that C up again."



Essie:  "Sure Daddy.  I don't see how though.  I gotta take vacay time to skill up and if I'm not even IN the school how am I going to get another A?"

Matty:  "Just get that science report done and we'll take some time to do some fun skills together.  Ok?  All you need is a B to keep the bloodline going so don't fret about it too much."

Essie:  'K!  Done!  Chess time?"

Matty:  "You betcha.  We both need some logic and this is a fun way to get it.  And no cheating this time. *wink, wink*

Essie:  I never cheat and I am NOT turning pink.  Good little warrior alien girls never turn pink if they lie.  *giggles*



Matty:  "I'm worried, Watcher.   That was quite a mess up there you know.  Not that I'm blaming anyone.   Cost us all our club points, cost Essie her A,  this has really set this bloodline back."

Watcher: I know Mat.  I'm really sorry.  Things just kind of got away from me, ya know?  I'll do my best with you guys, but you do realize part of what goes on is between you three familes?  Sometimes you take it into your heads to just do whatever you want no matter how it messes things up.  Right now no one is really ahead.  Each bloodline has things holding them back a bit.  Retail needs to get her job maxed and her heir doesn't even have a job yet.  Plus, she lost two of her best helpers!  Mansion is not doing much better work wise, although her heir is moving right along.  You guys have it the toughest, although I have to say Star is doing a bang up job with her skills and job performance.  Guess we'll just have to play it as it goes.  Here, take a look at this picture I snapped. 



NONE of you guys are doing what you were told to do.  Jaimie is tinkling along at the piano which is what Zesty is supposed to be doing, while Zesty and Star are both at easels which is what Eliza is supposed to be doing.  Say, where is she anyway?  Come to think of it.....where did Mat go?  Nothin' like talkin' to myself, and I don't even have the insane trait.  Do I?

Eliza:  "So you just walked out while she was still talking?"

Matty:  "Yep. She never even noticed I was gone.  Tell you what, this is really getting tough now.  Thanks for helping me out, Eliza."

Eliza:  "No problemo.  Gets me out doors for a bit.  I was getting tired of all that oil paint smell anyway."



Matty:  "So how's it goin?"

Eliza:  "Actually, pretty good. I'm about ready to do some portraits now.  Not too sure how valuable they will be but at least I'm good enough to do.  Plus the income has come in handy.  I heard Watcher has some plans for remodeling the place."

Matty:  "Well, we could use more fun stuff around here, not to mention just plain fun time.  This push, push, push to win the challenge is getting mighty old.  I've actually been thinking of having our helpers talk to "their" helpers and see if we couldn't all take a break from the challenge and just have a "fun and stuff" week.  Might make it more interesting to Watcher too."

Eliza:  "Good idea.  I'll see if I can casually talk to someone, or maybe Johnny can while he's at the club where he works, and Bob works with that Simburn person."

Later that night.......

Johnny:  DAD BLAST IT!  I am SOOOOO over this.  Sorry, little blue bell. I'm not yelling at you.  It's that darn Watcher.  Slave, slave, slave and then she moves stuff around downstairs and all you guys get shifted around too.  I wouldn't have to be planting you again is she hadn't lost your momma plant.  Ok, you just rest a bit now while I go slave at the piano some more.  I'll be back.



"Blue moon, of Kentucky keep on shinin'......  Ah, what's Elvis got that I don't?"



Watcher:  "A voice?  Good looks?  Charisma?  Sex appeal?  Everlasting fan girls?  At least you're still on this plane of existence.  Ahhh, those were the days.  Say, did you know I was one of first ones to make a fan club for him?  Yep.  Got autographed photos, a hand written personal letter and a bunch of stuff to share.  Sure wish I had all that now.  I'd be one rich Watcher for sure!  That was what made me and Grim less than friends.  He took the one and only.  (heavy sigh)

Johnny:  "Gee, thanks, W.  Sure appreciate all the support.  NOT!"

Watcher: Sorry, Zesty.  Keep pluggin' away at it.  You'll do just fine.  At least you got a promotion. 

Johnny: (ignores Watcher)....Wellllll.....that's all right there Mama.......

Watcher:  That' is.  I'm outtie.  One last pic for the family album.  Star's aging up party.........



W:  Tomorrow's gotta be a better day...........

For some reason several pictures are not displaying.  They are all there with the appropriate URL and are safe and showing up elsewhere.  Just not here.  I've tried modifying, tried preview first, just can't seem to make them show up.  Sorry about that.

[oshizu]

*Gasps 
And I thought my sims were acting up! I find my writer sim is a little happier if I put a Good Vibrations Wall Speaker above his head so he can listen to music while he writes (in fact, I even made him a Music Lover...).
I give all my sims Never Weary but last night while I was playing I thought, "Won't you guys just all go to sleep so we can fast-forward a bit?"  Micro-managing gets exhausting!

I was a little confused about what happened to this family? Was there a lost or corrupted save file which caused this bloodline to lose progress? Oh dear!
I love Papa Matt and Essie's interactions! And poor Johnny--waiting for his big moment!

[Joria]

I just use "Rally the Troops" to keep my Sims awake and alert.  The music speaker is a very good idea though.  He does always seem to want to listen to music.  He's a townie so I had no control over his traits or he would have had music lover or art lover.

What's worse for Johnny is he is currently trapped in a job he doesn't really want.  He wants to be an astronaut or scientist.  It's weird. 

What happened was when I had them all in separate files it simply didn't work right for a rotational game.  So I had to move them all into one, big file.  When I did that they all lost a lot, but Alien bloodline was already a wee bit behind and it lost the most.  They are right on track now, as you'll find out in my next few updates.  The next one is going to be almost all pictures of the build.  I did a lot of remodeling.

[oshizu]

How fabulous that you got everyone back to where they had been!

*claps hands in joy
I love Joria's house tours!

[Joria]

"So, Zesty, how do you like your make over?"

"Not too shabby Eliza, although, if I had known I looked so much like my father I might have tried to talk Watcher out of it.  Yours, on the other hand, came out great.  Who knew you were that pretty?"

"Yes.  It's right.  I'm gorgeous.  I think our outfits are much nicer too.  Not too sure about her taking Bob's beard away and leaving that awful 'stache though.  I thought he'd be much handsomer without it.  Oh well."

"Hey, it's the personality that counts babe, and he does adore you.  Love this inspired room though.  Makes it so much easier to level up.  I must say though I'm pretty ticked at her losing all my garden plants!  Every time she moves something down here they disappear."

"Don't they just go into inventory?"

"Nope.  Just all gone.  I had to replant all of them.  What's worse, they were all ready to evolve again.  Ah well, at least I had a higher level of plant to work with."



"Star, would you like an amygdelight before you go off to work?"

"Thanks, Bob.  I'm good.  I've got the weekend with no work except skilling some more and being with family.  You do make a great drink though."

"Well, it's a lot easier to keep the frig stocked with amygdelights now that you've got a bar and fridge in the focus room.  Watcher really set it up well for all you focus people.  I gotta go elsewhere to do our prose and pop."

"It works though, Bob.  Most of us need the focus mood for work and school so it's all good."





********************************************************************************************************

I'll leave our residents to their skilling and what not and just continue with a house tour.  These rooms were added or changed after Estrella aged up to teenager, (next update), so all the kid's stuff is now gone.  You might notice a sneak peek of her in the shot above this note.

Overview of the basement:



Sitting/reading/tv area.  This is actually the other end of the inspired room but no inspired works near by.



Essie's room.  Haven't decided whether or not to keep that desk there or put a tv there.  Any computer oriented stuff is in the focus room or upstairs in Eliza and Bob's room which has an inspired mood.  Jaimie's room also has an inspired mood but he's usually locked in it working on writing.  I suppose one more computer wouldn't hurt but her aspiration has nothing to do with a pc.



Game and party fun areas.  I'm considering removing the upstairs kitchen completely.





Dance floor/dj area.  Note the invisible walls the new patch hopefully fixed.  This was taken before the patch.



Gym/yoga and massage area.  Both the dance floor and massage areas are Maxis rooms.





Future museum room, currently a hold all for collections and camping gear.  Essie's aspiration is Outdoor Enthusiast so she, and probably the family, will be spending some time in the woods. 



Overview of the ground floor and lot.  Eliza and Bob have their room up here plus this is the kitchen/dining/lounge area.  Nothing changed here yet except some landscaping.



Front of house:



Rear of house.  Notice the empty garden beds!  This was so frustrating for me.  Once I had finished downstairs I went up to work on the yard and found most of the fruit and veggie plants were gone.  Thankfully the alien ones, some of them anyway, were still there.  I imagine it's some sort of glitch, like what caused the invisible walls, so in the future any lower level remodeling I do will be AFTER I harvest and move the plants to inventory!

Hope you enjoyed the tour.  Next update will be more substantive.

[oshizu]

You are such a tease! Telling us about the makeovers but only giving us distant glimpses!
Wow is that Bob in the red shirt?

I love how you went ahead and stocked the focused room with a bar. So handy!
Your entire house looks so spacious. I wonder what the lot size is.
What an amazing layout downstairs. You have everything and yet it still looks roomy!

Can't wait to see what your alien bloodline does next!

P.s. Several images showed up only after I posted. I adore the cottage look of the ground-floor rooms and the water Windows you've provided for the basement rooms!

[FrancescaFiori]

Wow! Another amazing basement! The water all around is lovely. There's no need to go outside or even upstairs when you have a nice view out the windows underground.

I'm very excited to see how Bob looks with just a moustache. I removed his beard for half a second when I moved him into my dynasty house and then put it right back on. Eliza is totally gorgeous with a makeover, though.

[Joria]

Thank you ladies!  Your comments are much appreciated.

@oshizu :  Yes, that's Bob in the red tee shirt.  I know, it was an awful tease, but I wanted to post something for you guys yet not get too far ahead.  I have two more, (possibly 3), updates in the Alien bloodline which will at least give you Zesty's new look in the first update and all the others in the second.  Bob has such an awful jawline it is hard to make him look good.

I try to have more than enough bathrooms, (at least toilets), and usually one bar.  It got really old trying to get my mixologist in a focused mood so they could make amygdelight, so in the Mansion Bloodline I stuck one in Romeo's room which was a focused room.  Worked great so that made me think to put one in my focus area. Not so bad for prose and pop because I could just put a bar in the kitchen area which I usually make inspired.  There is also a bar in the dance/party area which probably will have an energized aura.  Not sure about that yet.  I'll probably add shelves to the party area and put those My Sims on them so if I need a playful mood it will be just a matter of turning them on and off again at need.

The lot size is 40x30.  That was a requirement for the founder's lots if I remember correctly.  I could be wrong but so far all the bloodlines have that size lot.

It is a huge basement!  It covers almost all the lot except for where the water is.  My original intention was to have a "moat" around the lot to keep the aliens that lived there from being harassed.  lol  Also, it brings daylight into the basement which I prefer.  Only I think I kind of went overboard and didn't plan it out very well.  It feels kind of clunky to me and certainly takes a long time to get from one space to another.

The images showed up because I fixed the problem.  It seems Firefox and Flash don't always work well together.  I had sent a ticket to Mediafire with the problem, they told me what to do, (use Chrome or update Flash), so I updated and voila.  I have problems using the Guide because of flash/Firefox as well.

@FrancescaFiori :  Unfortunately, Bob actually looks better WITH the beard than without.  I wish it was legal for us to totally modify our Sims while in a challenge but that would break the rules.  I rather like using water/windows in basements just because I hate for them to be drab and enclosed feeling.  Can we say claustrophobic?

Ok, next update soon.

[Joria]

Where do I start telling you how special and precious this child of mine is?  She is beautiful, talented, creative, and best of all, my best friend.  Here is a picture I took of her while she was busy at her art desks.  When she finished her last drawing today she had maxed her skill, but not her aspiration.



It's not all work for her.  Some times she has time for some fun.  It doesn't matter if it also helps her work on skills now does it?


Did I mention "talented"?  Here her "audience" has come to the outdoor theater W. made for her, ready for her first puppet show.



She had made the most adorable puppets and her narration of the story was really quite well done.  I wonder if she will become a famous author some day, or maybe an artist?  We loved the show!



We all applauded wildly when the villain was defeated and the fair maiden won the handsome prince.



Who knew playing puppet theater would also help her max her social skill?  After this she started on charisma, but again, never finished her Social Butterfly aspiration.  Just not enough time left before she was to age up.  With her life bar bubbling away, we packed up a cake, just in case, and went to the park in hopes of her finding some other children to befriend.  She did meet this cute young fellow:



Try though she may, she just wound up having some fun with him.  No other child showed up at all!  As time went on we were all getting a bit nervous.  Did we really want to try doing the birthday thing here?  In the end we decided to invite her new friend back with us and we all traveled home.  At least she had finished up her Rambunctious Scamp aspiration while there.  Only one, but better than none considering the circumstances!

Back home we put her cake on the table.  First try was a bust.  The candles simply would not blow out!  But on the second try, out they went.



Amidst cheers, confetti and off key music, our beautiful butterfly emerged from the shining bright sparkles.





Not totally tragic in our opinion but definitely needed a few wardrobe changes.  Off she went to check herself out and in the meantime, we thought her new friend would like to age up as well.  He even had his very own cake!



That adorable little boy turned out to be a fairly attractive young man.  Too bad for him that he has the mean trait.  No romance for him anyway as our Estrella can only marry another Sixamite.



I don't have any really good pictures of our girl just yet, but meanwhile here are some shots of the rest of the gang who had a make over.  First up, Eliza;



Who knew she could be such a cutie?  Next is Bob.  Not a very good shot but there will be more.



And last but not least......heeeeeerrrrrre's Johnny!



He rocks that rugged cowboy look for sure.  As for me, well, Liz finally is good enough to do portraits.  Here I am posing for my disguise portrait:



A fine work of art!



This one looks more formal.  It will be great to have these done.  I hate having to sit still like this.



Ooops!  Company has arrived.  Guess I'll have to type at you tomorrow!

[oshizu]

Your little girl grew up to be a very lovely teenager! Her looks are perfect, but then she has gorgeous parents so not that surprising.

I would never have recognized Bob Pancakes, never in a million years! lol
Too bad the little friend aged with a Mean trait--he is terribly cute with his little pouty face!

Is Jamie or Johnny a pollinator? Or are pollinators not useful in an RDC?

[Joria]

@oshizu :  She can still be friends with that guy but she couldn't ever be romantic with him in any case because one rule is aliens must marry only aliens. 

She did turn out lovely didn't she?  Looks a lot like her mom so it only took a nicer hair do and some clothes for her.  Minimal make up in order for her to still look like a teen.

My biggest mistake so far, other than messing up the files, was not investing heavily in pollinators for all 3 bloodlines.  Little Essie simply could not find any other children because they were all taken by the other bloodlines.  Had I had pollinators filling the town with housed children it would all have been good.  I debated adopting in the alien bloodline just so she could have friends, as I did in the manor bloodline, but it was too late already.  When I came back to play this bloodline she was well on her way to becoming a teen, and while I can justify aging up a townie whose life time I don't know, I couldn't honestly age up a house member who wasn't ready.  So short answer is, I believe pollinators are extremely important.

[Nettlejuice]

I still need to read up on the rules and questions asked by readers regarding this challenge, as someone who hasn't attempted it it all looks so complicated. Hopefully you have pollinators in future.

Poor Essie her only friend grew up with the mean trait but let's hope that doesn't stop them being friends. As always, I love your builds, how you can have diversity for three homes is awesome. I end up with homes that look similar and I'm too comfortable with it to change, lol.

[Joria]

@Nettlejuice :

I still need to read up on the rules and questions asked by readers regarding this challenge, as someone who hasn't attempted it it all looks so complicated. Hopefully you have pollinators in future.

There probably is a spread sheet to make it easier, but I don't do well with spread sheets so what I did was take three separate pads of paper, (like half size legal pads), and wrote down first the requirements for the founders, which is a bit different than that for the heirs, and added my own sub-titles, like spouse and his/her traits and job and same for helpers.  Next pages were for the heir.  I really HAD to do this because my short term memory is so poor now that I literally forget the names of my Sims.  So for the heirs after their names, traits, and general info I did a heading for Child requirements and achievements, then teen, and finally YA when they start their own house.  It just made it easier to not have to constantly go back and recheck the rules!  Once I did that it became really easy to do.  I followed Nutella's plan and modified as I went along.  For instance, she hates to sleep in a tent so one aspiration she opted out of was Outdoor Enthusiast.  I hate doing the Criminal aspirations so I substituted Outdoor Enthusiast, which I happen to love doing.  So between her plans and my notepads it's not hard at all.