The No Buy Mode Project - Update for Dining Out

[grimsoul]

Looks like Jenny is enjoying her new radio. I still think it's odd you can pull something like a radio or violin from the water and it's not even waterlogged. I could see pulling a radio from a lake and taking in home and plug in it to see if it works.
As for using the klepto trait from what I've seen I don't really see it being a big game changer where it's tied in with the mischief skill. You have to work at getting that skill up before being able to take anything good. Starting off you can only get small decor items like a roll toilet paper and some candles. It takes awhile to get the mischief skill up high enough before you can start getting TVs, radios, couches, etc. Time better spent on woodworking and careers to get those items in my opinion.

[Joria]

I love your rules!!  Challenging, yet not so tough you want to give it a pass.  Once I finish with the one I've been working on, (my "Easy" rules), I'm going to give it a go with following your rules.  I think this should be an "Official" challenge, like the RD is.

[MissTrips]

The Journalism career is now topped out and I've added a nice assortment of items to the house including a bookcase, desk and various decor items.  Aspirations are falling fast now and my sim has been spending them on lots of rewards.  I think I'm going to slide over to the Tech Guru career next to get my big screen TV.   

Most of Jenny's day consists of playing with the cow plant, painting at least two paintings looking for high dollar pricetags to add to the value of the house, working on skills and occasionally throwing a party or two.  I still need to throw them at places that have bars and kitchens, I found that pre-cooking a black and white cake and taking it to a party thrown at a museum doesn't count as a cooked cake.  But I've earned a silver reward, which is a chess set, and built a little playing area out by the pool.

My current lot value is at 140k and steadily rising.



Yes, Marcus and Jenny are still dating and she invites him to the parties for flirting time.  She needs people in a flirty mood a lot!




The lovely chess set by the pool!




And the current state of the upstairs.  Filling out the wall area with the couch, rug and TV rewards from the Tech Guru career should make the house 'complete', and then the goal is to push up value!

[Joria]

Your house is filling up so fast and so nicely!  I'm jealous.  lol  All my guys do is work, work, work.  I love the little chess area.  So cozy. 

[MissTrips]

I've had Jenny quit the Journalism career and started up with the very strenuous task of learning to videogame.



It's very stressful.  All that sitting at the computer.



It was clear that she needed to go camping.  And work on her outdoor enthusiast aspiration.



But what she really needed was to get at a woodworking bench for a very long period of time.



A really long time.



All these little guys have added almost 100k in the value of the house!


And I've set up a little at home campsite for gatherings.

[Joria]

Lol!  That's just what I planned on doing!  More woodwork, more fishing, (still haven't caught anything other than fish, potions, fruits/veggies and a violin!), and more camping out plus a "sleepover" campground for friends and club members.  Have you done a Weinie Roast party yet?  Mine failed.

[oshizu]

I love your new chess corner with the purple butterfly chairs that match the hollyhock landscaping!

Fantastic that she recovered from her video gaming session. What a chore that much have been, lol.
Why had she been in the Journalism career, may I ask?  Bookcase?

[MissTrips]

Why had she been in the Journalism career, may I ask?  Bookcase?

The desk mostly.  It's a really nice looking one, plus you get the bookcase, the globe and a typewriter decor item (that one is in the basement right now, I don't have a spot for it!).  But of all the reward desks from careers, I like that one the most.

[MissTrips]

Jenny's been a busy girl these last few days, but while she sits and has a chat with a few friends over coffee, let's recap!



Work is steadily continuing on Mansion Baron, at this stage I'm about 60k away from completing it, which will mostly be done through paintings.  I've been doing a lot of work in the basement, mostly to tuck away the excess so I can leave the topside for more landscaping.  Those pillars aren't the prettiest, but at 500 simoleans a pop, they are great for pushing up house value!



The outside of the house and grounds have also been poked and decorated.  That interesting little walled section to the right is the marked out area for where the final reward for the astronaut career is going to go.  The actual rocket will be in the basement, but it does need a way out!



And finally, Jenny has completed the Tech Guru career and is basking in the reward of a truly epic television.  Functionally the house is now complete.  Jenny is going to head off to do the astronaut career and then hop over to scientist to get a Sim Ray and start zapping things until she gets her second sink.  That's the one downfall to a solo Sim no buy mode... only one sink!  I've really missed having one up in the bathroom.



I'll come back again with the mansion baron achievement wrap up!

[Magpie2012]

I find the sinks annoy me. The only thing they're good for is washing dishes. Otherwise, your sim takes double the normal toilet time because of washing their hands.

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[reggikko]

What a great challenge! I think I'll give it a go. I like the very simple rule set.

EDIT:

When you're building painting skill, head on over to Windenberg and paint on one of the easels out in the world. Before you leave, make sure you leave an in-progress painting on the easel. That way, it's reserved for your Sim when they come back. I have terrible luck with the Museum easels. It seems they are always occupied. I did notice a funny thing. It seems like other Sims get quite angry if they come to use the easel your Sim is painting on. I had it happen three times and, twice, the angry Sim went off and started a fight with another random Sim. It was pretty hilarious. If not for this challenge I probably would never have seen that little scenario play out.

Also, your Sim can carry a My Sims trophy and an element in their inventory. These can be placed in the world and used for an immediate playful or focused mood. I had my Sim place the My Sims trophy, enable the aura, and complete one of her emotional paintings. The element can be similarly placed at the the Hermit's house next to the woodworking bench for a focused mood. As far as I can tell, there isn't any other way to get focused on that lot. When your Sim is done, put the item back into inventory.

I had my Sim buy a book at the campground kiosk. It stays in her inventory and can be pulled out for fast fun anywhere.

Now, if I can only find a way to make myself stop playing and get to bed at a reasonable hour! This challenge is quite fun.

[MissTrips]

Thanks for your tips.  And yes, Jenny did go to Windenburg for a lot of her early painting, especially painting from reference.  Once she got her first easel reward though, she went and painted from home exclusively.  If you level up herbalism, you can make clear mind tonics, which give you a little focused boost, or do what I did and just chugged a reward potion for maximum focus!  I'm definitely uncovering a lot more nooks and crannies and interesting quirks by laying off the purchases!

Another good way to gain focus is if you have spa day, to trot over to the spa and have a yoga session!  And once you can carve your own tubs, there's a soak that gives you a nice long lasting focused boost.

[reggikko]

I always forget about the reward potions since I rarely use them. DUR!

I did get the connections reward but didn't go through all the careers. My Sim got the bed from the detective career and the stereo from Entertainment but now I wish I hadn't purchased the reward. It makes it too easy to get the lower level rewards. She is close to maxing both fishing and handiness and is a couple of frogs away from completing Curator. I haven't been terribly focused in my playing. I've jumped around aspirations and worked on whatever I felt like at the time so she has several aspirations in various stages of completion. I kind of want to complete the nature aspirations before starting on careers.

[oshizu]

As far as I can tell, there isn't any other way to get focused on that lot.

@reggikko

I'm not playing this challenge, so I'm going to suggest something I've never tried myself, but wouldn't it be possible to carry some space prints (+7 Focused) in your personal inventory and hang it on the outside wall of the hermit's house, near the woddworking table?

[reggikko]

Yes, but I haven't done the Scientist career yet, so I don't have access to the observatory. I made a "Pancakes" club and made one of the activities woodworking. I got the last couple of points needed to max that skill.