New Beginnings ChallengeThis challenge gives you the structure you need to build districts and neighborhoods of your choice, based on your own gameplay preferences and moods. You may want to make sims today; tomorrow you may be inspired to build houses or decorate a lot from the Gallery; you may get bored with playing the same sim for too long; or maybe you just need a little more order to your gameplay. If so, then this challenge is for you - you get to decide what type of lifestyle your sims will live (whether they live in poverty with only basic facilities, live in expensive apartment buildings or elaborately decorated homes) and what kind of districts and neighborhoods to develop. You do not have to build all of the lots to complete the challenge - you only need to do the tasks required for the careers and lots you want in your world.
We have infrastructure and power/water so we can live as normal, no starting over, but the lots are empty here. No houses, no workplaces, no schools, no stores, no police etc – kids have to travel out of town for school and any homeless sims with jobs also work out of town. We need to start filling our world with everything a new town needs – sims, homes, jobs, shops, schools, entertainment – so our sims have everything they need.
Since it is not based on a scoring system, you can keep your mods, if you choose. However, this challenge does assume you have this Turbo Careers Mod by zerbu (if you do not want to use this mod then it just means you won’t have to build the career lots when you unlock the career).
Game OptionsSet “aging on for active household only", since you will be playing different households and you will not want them to die of old age before you get to play them.
Lifespan can be set to normal or long, depending on how easy or difficult you want the game to be.
Turn OFF “populate empty houses”
Make sure to keep a track of which sims have been played, what lots you need to unlock and which method you are using to play (for example, pre-building a whole neighborhood** or one house at a time; whether you will control other sims; whether lifespan is normal or long etc)
All existing sims can remain in the game with their own jobs etc (as this won’t impact the game, even if careers are not unlocked), but they must remain homeless. Feel free to make over existing townies or make some new ones – I have 20 homeless families (so hopefully the game won’t try to generate more).
Only sims you create can move into your world (be sure to turn off “populate empty houses”). However, you can introduce a homeless townie into a family (and play that sim) through marriage only (no adding to family or moving in). Since random skills can increase for existing or unplayed sims, any skills gained whilst not being played will not count to unlock.
You need to start your world empty - except for the 3 special lots in Windenburg; these have been granted Conservation Orders and have been declared Historical Sites of Interest, which you can visit at any time.
Create your first family in CAS – any number of members (or you can use a randomiser to decide if you prefer). You may have children/teen in these families to make it easier to unlock schools, but having a mix of singles, couples and families will make the game more challenging (meeting a new spouse, having babies, babies aging up to children etc). You may set your own aspirations and traits or use a random generator.
Your sims can have a max of 3 everyday outfits but only 1 of everything else and cannot change appearance. You need to unlock the beauty/fashion/clothing store before you can buy more clothes, get new tattoos or get makeovers.
Start in any neighbourhood** with 4 or 5 pieces of land – build 4 houses (lot value not important) but, if you choose a neighbourhood with 5 lots, then leave 1 plot for a community lot to be built later. It is more challenging to play with 4 pre-built houses as you have to then create families to fit in the houses you have built (for example, building a 1-bedroomed house means you will have to create a single person or couple without children, even if you need more children to unlock a particular lot, such as a school). If you would rather, you may build your house after you have created a new family so the house will be sufficient for that family. If your sims outgrow a house, you must first unlock another family who will then move into your old home before you can vacate.
The homes you build can be any value, with all the facilities you wish to provide for each household, so you will need shift+ctrl+c and use “freerealestate on” cheat to buy your homes. However, once the property has been purchased, each household may only start with $2,500 in bank (use “money 2500” cheat to set family funds).
Until you unlock careers and businesses your sims will not be able to work so you will need to earn money by selling paintings, selling collectables, selling woodwork projects, selling fruit and vegetables etc.
Choose 1 sim from your current household to reach a goal – only this sim’s achievements will unlock your chosen goal. You may leave other family members with full autonomy, to make the game more interesting, or you can still control other sims in the household but they cannot contribute towards any goals.
When a sim (adult) gets to level 5 of any skill you can make a new family and move them in as your neighbour.
Once unlocked, any of your households can be played in order to achieve goals.
Once the current goal is met, you MUST use a different sim (you may choose a different sim in the household or select a sim from a different household to unlock the next goal). Remember, any skills gained by other sims whilst not playing, are not counted. If you choose to play one particular family or sim for the entire challenge then you can only work on one goal at a time, before moving to a different skill and working on another goal.
NOTE:
*Districts include Willow Creek, Oasis Springs, Magnolia Promenade, Newcrest and Windenburg;
**Neighbourhoods refer to the 4-5 plots of land within a district, for residential use
- once you have 5 children (not including homeless families) you will unlock the Elementary School (build an Elementary School on any lot within any districts* you have).
You will want your children to advance their knowledge - once you have 5 teenagers (not including homeless families) you will unlock the High School – build a High School in any lot within any districts* you have).
NOTE: if you set a school uniform as the first outfit for a child/teen, they will change into this outfit when they leave for school.
If you do not have the ‘Go To School’ mod then you can use the Get Together club system to create a school club, where your club will do activities on the “school” lot. In this case, set the school buildings as a library lot (or any type of lot but generic, generic lots cannot be set as a club hangouts). Search #schools on the gallery, if you don’t want to build your own.
Children/Teens will still go to school before schools are unlocked, but we will assume they have to travel out of town and you cannot go with them. If you choose not to unlock a school then children and teens will continue to go to school out of town, but you will not be able to travel with them or have a school club.
Unlocking more familiesMore jobs need workers, so more families will be needed - after your first neighbourhood is filled you will have 2 options for unlocking a family, but you must continue with the same task either way.
You can unlock a family when your sim reaches level 5 of a skill they are trying to max, but you must return to the original sim and continue maxing the skill after you have moved in your new family (this means you get a break from maxing a skill and it breaks up the tasks you have to do in option 1).
You need to build new homes for your new sims (value not important) – more sims means more homes.
As you unlock more sims/families you can also play these sims to achieve goals.
Each time you complete a neighbourhood you may choose to pre-build homes in a new neighbourhood, for new families, or build houses for the families you create one at a time (I prefer to pre-build a whole street/neighbourhood and make sims to fit those homes, which is more challenging).
Moving OutGrowing out of your original home will require sims to move, which also brings in more gameplay. You will need to unlock another family and move them into any home you vacate before you can move. Any new home you build for an existing family MUST be within their budget, as they will accrue the value of their old home – so no “freerealestate on” this time.
Unlocking new Neighbourhoods
You may build work/retail lots anywhere within the 5 districts. However, residential areas (neighbourhoods) must be built and filled before moving to the next residential area. You can, of course, leave spaces that you’d like to assign as community lots (work/retail/parks) etc.
The Wishing Well (OPTIONAL)Every now and again a random event happens that affects our lives: will it be an unexpected love? a promotion at work? an unplanned child? winning the lotto? Whatever the response of the wishing well, it may have a small or significant impact on your current household and stir up your game (remember some wishes backfire). At the start of playing a new household, one sim from that household must make a wish (any age group allowed). You may choose any sim in your household or use a randomiser to choose the sim.
Earn a Cash Lump Sum (OPTIONAL)
Sims should be rewarded for achieving lifetime aspirations and may find a cash lump sum handy as they decide on their future plans (ie. owning businesses, restaurants, moving house or owning a holiday home)
Each time a sim completes their lifetime aspiration, before becoming an elder, their life insurance policy will mature and they will receive a lump sum payout of $100,000 (or another amount decided by you or determined using a randomiser).
Add the payment using the cheat panel and type ‘Motherlode’ twice (each motherlode cheat adds $50,000 each time you use it).
Unlocking Careers & LotsThere is no point in unlocking careers or lots until there are more residents. Therefore, you cannot start unlocking careers/lots until your first neighbourhood is complete.
These can be done in any order, depending on what career, store or community lot you want next. Lots can be placed in any district* (or within a residential neighbourhood) and assumes you have the careers/politics mods and GTW. If you do not have the careers/politics mod then you will simply unlock the career but you won’t need to build anything.
You do not have to build all of these lots to complete the challenge. You do the tasks required for the careers and lots you want in your world. Store types are also optional (you may change any store to something you would prefer, except a bakery and a beauty/fashion store)
Unlock a ParkChildren need a place to build their creative and social skills but not all neighbourhoods have a play area – get 5 children to reach an “A” at Elementary School to unlock a community park.
Get 5 teenagers to achieve and “A” at High School to unlock a second community park.
Optional: After unlocking 2 Parks, you may unlock a new park for every 5 A-Grades achieved (whether child or teen), to ensure your kids continue to excel at school.
Unlock Science CareerAll science starts with knowing how things work and grow: max the gardening skill, to unlock the Scientist career;
Build a Science workplace.
Unlock Medical CareerYou need a basic knowledge of herbal medicine in order to develop cures: max the Herbalist Skill to unlock the Medical Career;
Build a Hospital workplace.
Unlock Criminal CareerNo one is born bad, they build up to it: max the prankster skill to unlock the Criminal Career;
Build a Criminal Den workplace.
Unlock Law Enforcement Career
No police are needed where there is no crime: get to level 5 of the Criminal Career to unlock the Law Enforcement Career;
Build a Police Station workplace.
Unlock the Cafe
A fundamental knowledge in health and safety and basic cooking is necessary for even the most basic food-related retail outlet: max the homestyle cooking skill to unlock the café;
Build a café.
Unlock Food CareerA chef needs to cook the best quality food: max the gourmet cooking skill to unlock the Food Career;
Build a Food workplace.
Unlock the BakeryMaking bread and creating cakes for the neighbours will eventually pay off: max the baking skill to unlock the bakery;
Build a bakery.
Unlock Writer CareerSuccessful authors have spent years honing their skills: max the writing skill to unlock the Writer Career.
Build a Writers Studio workplace.
Unlock the Library
A library needs many books: max the Author branch of the Writing Career to unlock the Library.
Build a Library.
Unlock the NewsagentThere are no newspapers without reporters to report the news: max the Reporter branch of the Writing Career to unlock a newsagent.
Build a newsagents store (mine is in a railway station lot).
Unlock the Beauty/Fashion StoreYou need to take beautiful photos to promote fashion: max the photography skill to unlock a Fashion Store.
Build a Beauty/Fashion/Clothing Store.Now go and get a makeover for your current sim (hair and clothes). All sims can now own any number of outfits, get a make-over and get a new tattoo at any time.
Unlock Painter CareerArtists get little reward when they first start out, but keep on creating: max the art skill to unlock the Painter Career;
Build an Art Studio workplace.
Unlock the Art Gallery/MuseumYou need well known, professional art before you can open a gallery: max the Painter Career to unlock the Art Gallery/Museum.
Build a Gallery/Museum.
Unlock the Furniture StoreYou need to be able to make high quality furniture to sell: max the woodworking skill to unlock a furniture store.
Build a furniture store.
Unlock Athlete CareerThere are no sports without athletes: max the fitness skill to unlock the Athlete Career.
Build a Stadium/Athletic workplace.
Unlock the Gym
Professional bodybuilders require a place to maintain their high level of fitness: max the bodybuilder branch of the Athlete Career to unlock the gym.
Build a gym.
Unlock the PoolAthletes need a place to build stamina and a place to relax - max the professional athlete branch of the Athlete Career to unlock the Pool.
Build a Pool.
Unlock Entertainer CareerNo entertainers, no entertainment: max the comedy or music skill (any instrument) to unlock the Entertainer Career.
Build an Entertainer workplace.
Unlock the LoungeOnly headline acts get to perform on stage: max the Entertainer Career to unlock the Lounge.
Build a Lounge.
Unlock the Bar/PubYou need to be able to pour a proper drink and juggle a cocktail before you can work behind a bar: max the bartending/mixology skill to unlock the bar.
Build a bar/pub
You can open a further bar for each sim that maxes the bartender skill.
Unlock the SpaSkilled masseuses and yoga instructors must be well trained: max the wellness skill to unlock the spa;
Build a spa.
Unlock the Nightclub
No spinning discs, no music to dance to: max the DJ skill to unlock the nightclub.
Build a nightclub.
Max the dancing skill to open a second nightclub.
You can open further nightclubs for each sim that reaches level 5 in both the DJ mixing and dancing skills.
Unlock Granite FallsThere’s not much to do on a wilderness vacation but collect bugs and fish: max the fishing skill to unlock Granite Falls and vacations.
Build in Granite Falls, as required, and take a family on vacation.
Any family may now visit Granite Falls at any time.
Unlock Secret Agent Career
Spies need to be quick thinkers and strategists: max the logic skill to unlock the Secret Agent Career;
Build a Secret Agent Base.
Unlock Astronaut Career‘cause you gotta believe in aliens in order to visit them: max the rocket science skill to unlock the Astronaut Career.
Build a Space Station workplace.
Unlock the Computer Store
With so many kids playing computer games creates a real need for high qulity computers and games: max the Gaming skill to unlock the Game/Computer Store.
Build a Gaming/Computer store.
Unlock Tech Guru CareerSpending hours overclocking and hacking government databases shows a real talent in computers: max the Programming Skill to unlock the Tech Guru Career.
Build a Tech Studio workplace.
Unlock Business Career
All successful businesses are created by entrepreneurs: max the entrepreneur branch of the Tech Guru career to unlock the Business Career.
Build a Business Centre workplace.
Unlock Own Your Own BusinessYou will need to find a good investor to start out on your own: max the Investor branch of the Business Career to unlock owning a business.
Open a business of your choice.
Unlock Politics Career‘cause you gotta be able to lie for a living: max the Charisma Skill to unlock the Politics Career.
Build a Town Hall workplace.
Unlocking the Restaurant IndustryA great deal of knowledge in all aspects of the food industry is required to succeed in the restaurant industry. Only a true foodie will have what it takes in this very competitive industry.
Unlock the RestaurantRestauranteurs must know a great deal about food to open a restaurant: complete the food aspiration to unlock restaurants;
Build a basic family Restaurant.
Once you have unlocked restaurants, you can unlock more themed restaurants, as follows:
Unlock a Romantic RestaurantSuccessful romancers should be rewarded with a special place to woo their dates: complete the Romance Aspiration to unlock a romantic restaurant.
Build a Romantic Restaurant (Lock doors to children).
Unlock a Fast-Food Restaurant
Only the basics of food knowledge is required to flip a burger: have a teen or elder complete the fast-food part-time job to unlock a fast-food restaurants;
Build a Fast-food Restaurant (includes burgers, pizzas etc).
Unlock a Gourmet RestaurantOnly the best chefs can cater for a 5-star restaurant experience: have a sim max both homestyle cooking and gourmet cooking skills to unlock a gourmet restaurants;
Build a Gourmet Restaurant.
Unlock a Sea-Food Restaurant
Fresh fish and a basic knowledge of cooking is required to open a sea-food restaurant: have a sim max homestyle cooking and fishing skills to unlock a sea-food restaurants;
Build a Sea-Food Restaurant.
Unlock a Vegetarian RestaurantA knowledge of cooking vegetarian dishes and the value of all vegetables is necessary to open a vegetarian restaurant: have a sim max the homestyle cooking and gardening skills to unlock a Vegetarian restaurants;
Build a Vegetarian Restaurant.
Unlock Own Your Own RestaurantA sim must know all aspects of the industry before they can own a restaurant of their own: complete the Food Career - chef branch - to unlock owning a restaurant;
Open a restaurant of your choice (assuming you have unlocked restaurants and types of restaurants first).
Unlocking Part-time JobsFor this section you will need to control either a teenager or an elder sim (although these can be controlled for unlocking normal careers/lots).
Unlock Manual Labor
You need to be able to swing a hammer if you want to be a handyman: a teen/elder must reach level 5 of the handiness skill to unlock the part-time manual labor job;
Get your sim a manual labor job.
Unlock BabysittingParents would not let a stranger take care of their children: a teen/elder must be friends with an adult from each neighbour in their neighbourhood;
Get your sim a babysitting job.
Unlock Retail
You need to be friendly and polite to work in retail: a teen/elder must gain 5 new friends;
Get your sim a retail job.
Unlock Fast-Food Employee
You need to have good grades to get a proper job, or this is all you have to look forward to: a teen must obtain a failing grade;
Get your sim a fast-food job.
Unlock Barista
Every budding entertainer has worked as a waiter/waitress in a coffee shop when they were “in-between jobs": a teen must get to level 5 in any musical or comedy skill;
Get your sim a barista job.
Optional Extras:
If you want even more of a challenge, then we have included more lots that can be unlocked. If you would like to save on lot space, but still have lots of stores, you can build multiple stores on one lot (or a Mall).
Unlock Supermarket/Grocery Store
Our supermarket sells only local goods: get the same sim to level 5 in gardening and level 5 of fishing to unlock the Supermarket/Grocery Store
Build a Supermarket/Grocery Store.
Unlock Exclusive Country ClubOnly the best hosts/hostesses will get an invitation to the Country Club, where food is catered and the members are exclusive: have a Gold Star Party, of any kind;
Set up an “Exclusive Country Club” club;
Build an Exclusive Country Club.
Unlock Gift/Jewellry Store
Love is in the air: have 5 new romantic relationships between any sims;
Build a Gift/Jewellry Store.
Unlock a Seasonal LotThere is a fayre for every season:
have every house in a neighbourhood decorate the front of their houses to unlock a Christmas/Winter lot;
have every house in a neighbourhood decorate their homes for Halloween to unlock a Autumn/Fall or Halloween lot;
have a sim produce 5 perfect fruits or vegetables to unlock a Harvest Festival/Spring Fayre lot;
have a sim produce 5 perfect flowers to unlock a Summer Fair.
Build your seasonal lot.
Unlock Baby/Toy StoreWhen you have kids you want your baby/child to have the best of everything: have 5 babies been born in game, by any sims, to unlock a baby/toy store;
Build a baby/toy store.
Unlock Music/Record StoreWith DJing being so popular, people are looking to use records again: max the guitar skill, to unlock a music/record store;
Build a Music/Record store.
Unlock Apothecary/Pharmacy Store
When people get ill they need a cure: cure 5 sims in the Doctor Career, to unlock an Apothecary/Pharmacy store;
Build an Apothecary store.
Unlock Cinema/TheatreThe perfect place for first dates: have 5 successful dates, to unlock a Cinema/Theatre;
Build a Cinema/Theatre.
Unlock Community Centre/ClubhouseClubhouses have facilities for a number of clubs: create 5 NEW clubs, to unlock a Community Centre/Clubhouse;
Build a Community Centre/Clubhouse.
Unlock Church and/or Wedding Store
Most long-term relationships end in marriage: have 5 engagements/marriage proposals to unlock a Church/Wedding Store;
Build a Church and/or Wedding Store.
Unlock Beauty Parlour/Perfumery
Everyone wants to look good and smell good on a first date: have 5 first kisses to unlock a Beauty Parlour/Perfumery;
Build a Beauty Parlour/Perfumery.
Unlock Hotel (if you have this mod)
You need a nice romantic place to seduce your love: get 1 sim to woohoo with 5 different sims, to unlock a Hotel;
Build a Hotel.
Unlock Ice-cream/Candy Store
Your children deserve to be treated from time to time: have 5 children age up to teens, to unlock an Icre-cream/Candy Store;
Build an Ice-cream/Candy store.
Unlock Chocolate/Gift Store
Treating your dates will surely get you brownie points: have 1 sim go on 5 dates with 5 different sims, to unlock a Chocolate/Gift store;
Build a Chocolate/Gift Store.
Unlock Garage/Car DealershipCar salesmen are very friendly and will say anything to sell you a car: get a sim to level 5 charisma and have 10 (unrelated) friends to unlock a Garage/Car Dealership;
Build a Garage/Car Dealership.
Unlock Cemetary
We all need a place to remember our dead: have 2 deaths (old age or accidental), or you can unlock with just one death if it’s a death by MURDER;
Build a Cemetary.
Inherit a Mansion
We all know when a gold-digga when we see one: have an adult marry and kill off an elderly spouse to inherit a mansion and keep all the cash from your existing home.
Build a Mansion and purchase using the ‘freerealestate on’ cheat.
