The Ten-Gen Townie Dynasty Challenge

[Metropolis Man]

I find it easier to just choose a different aspiration for each heir so I don't have to worry about an accidental completion. To be honest, I don't generally even worry much about them completing an aspiration or even getting a lot of satisfaction points at all since with toddlers and the additional time and points they bring, it's hard not to get 50 points too soon. I've even deliberately stopped working on completing childhood aspirations unless I can do it on a free day to avoid the points.

The one thing that I would LOVE is if we could grow heirs up as soon as we have 50 points. The addition of toddlers makes the challenge just a bit too long.

Early age-up is an idea we might consider, reggiko. I'll bring it up with the team.

Yeah, we never want to have players feel that any challenge (Tournament or Dynasty) is too long because that can result in dropout. So, I am okay with early age-up as long as requirements are finished.

[oshizu]

(1) Regarding skill-based points:
I understand that, for the founder and heir, any levels gained in Homestyle Cooking and Handiness are ignored from the standpoint of earning points.
Does this also hold true for the other household members? They earn no points for autonomously leveling these two skills?

(2) Household funds:
I'm finding the tracking of household funds a bit troublesome.
Whenever I buy anything, I subtract that amount from the starting amount (when my founder moved in), then I earn a point when it's that most recent base amount + $30,000?
Yes, I'm being math-challenged, even though I'm tracking purchases using Excel...

(3) Designated skills:
I'm still unclear about how this works. If, for example, my founder has selected Rocket Science as her designated skill, she's not allowed to build any other skill until it's maxed?
Or is it that she can't start working on a second "for-points designated skill" until the first one's done but, meanwhile, she can do parenting, make friends, and so forth (without earning points for any skill level-ups)?

(4) Maxing a non-designated skill
If she won't be counting Logic as her designated skill, can she level it whenever she wants to? Can she level Logic alongside Rocket Science?
My founder will never be able to complete her Nerd Brain aspiration, but I'd still like her to earn some satisfaction points.
If Logic won't be her designated skill, she can still earn 2 points if she maxes it,  right?

(5) Dynasty museum
In an Apocalypse Challenge game, the kleptomaniac fiance stopped by the house and swiped the founder's portrait. This was merely inconvenient since portraits aren't required for that challenge.
What I'm wondering about, however, is whether I should set my museum lot to "Generic" to prevent non-household sims from visiting.
Do I need to worry about visitors stealing or consuming the museum items?

My apologies if some of my questions have already been answered earlier in this thread.
I'm just trying to understand how the different aspects of this challenge play out within the context of my own game.

[MarianT]

(1) Regarding skill-based points:
I understand that, for the founder and heir, any levels gained in Homestyle Cooking and Handiness are ignored from the standpoint of earning points.
Does this also hold true for the other household members? They earn no points for autonomously leveling these two skills?

Anytime anyone maxes a skill, including homestyle cooking or handiness, that's 2 points.

(2) Household funds:
I'm finding the tracking of household funds a bit troublesome.
Whenever I buy anything, I subtract that amount from the starting amount (when my founder moved in), then I earn a point when it's that most recent base amount + $30,000?
Yes, I'm being math-challenged, even though I'm tracking purchases using Excel...

Don't worry about subtracting funds for purchases. Whenever your household funds is at $30,000 more than what your household started with, that's 2 points. It goes up by 30,000 increments, and if you drop below base + 30,000 and get to base + 30,000 again, then you can't count that. So if your household starts with $10,000, you can get 2 points and $40,000, $70,000, and $100,000.

(3) Designated skills:
I'm still unclear about how this works. If, for example, my founder has selected Rocket Science as her designated skill, she's not allowed to build any other skill until it's maxed?
Or is it that she can't start working on a second "for-points designated skill" until the first one's done but, meanwhile, she can do parenting, make friends, and so forth (without earning points for any skill level-ups)?

The latter. Your founder or heir can work on all the skills available, but can only earn a point at each level for one. When that one has been maxed, she can choose a second "designated" skill, but not a third. She can get 2 points for any maxed skill, including ones that were designated skills for previous heirs.

(4) Dynasty museum
In an Apocalypse Challenge game, the kleptomaniac fiance stopped by the house and swiped the founder's portrait. This was merely inconvenient since portraits aren't required for that challenge.
What I'm wondering about, however, is whether I should set my museum lot to "Generic" to prevent non-household sims from visiting.
Do I need to worry about visitors stealing or consuming the museum items?

I've not had a problem with portraits being stolen, but if it can happen, I'd suggest keeping a copy of each of your founder and heirs in personal inventory, to be passed along to each generation. Or you can make it a generic lot, in which case it needs to meet the requirements for a Museum before being made generic. As for other items, I wouldn't worry about them. As long as the collections and portraits are complete when placed, that's good enough.

As for the rocket ship, Liberty could buy a retail lot or restaurant and set the rocket there.

[oshizu]

Thank you so much for your detailed responses to my confused questions.

The subjects of skill-based points and tracking household funds are both very clear to me now.
As for the museum, I'll need to decide whether I like visitors to roam the museum or not, since I only need to document each museum collection with a screenshot.

What a terrific solution to my Nerd Brain dilemma! My founder will need to make a lot more simoleons before she can afford both the rocket ship kit and an empty lot.
Nevertheless, it's a great workaround for apartment dwellers!

Thank you very much!

[Shewolf13]

So... I have an odd instance.  My founder and her spouse both had to go to work.  I hired a nanny for the day.  But after the Nanny arrived, the spouse wouldn't go to work.  He got dressed in his uniform and everything, even headed toward the door, but then came right back to tend to his toddler.  Now, my question is... I still count the -1 for the nanny right?  I've never seen a sim not to go work like that before...

[Metropolis Man]

So... I have an odd instance.  My founder and her spouse both had to go to work.  I hired a nanny for the day.  But after the Nanny arrived, the spouse wouldn't go to work.  He got dressed in his uniform and everything, even headed toward the door, but then came right back to tend to his toddler.  Now, my question is... I still count the -1 for the nanny right?  I've never seen a sim not to go work like that before...

You would count it, yes, but you also have permission to rewind to your last save if you want to do that given it might be a weird bug, and we don't want you to possibly get a demotion due to a bug.

[Shewolf13]

@Metropolis Man
Thanks for the quick response!  Luckily, he was high enough in his performance bar that it didn't affect his performance overly much.  Was just weird.  I wouldn't have hired the nanny if I had known he'd just stay XD Then again, if it is a weird bug or glitch, wouldn't really know it would work that way.  I've just never had that happen before.  I mean, I have the odd sim that might sleep too long or something, but unless I cancel an action, never seen them stay home on their own heh.

[oshizu]

Lot traits for community lots:

Is the rule for choosing lot traits identical to that for residential lots? That is, we may only select one skill-boosting lot trait plus two others?

That is how I've set up my simverse (one skill-boost lot trait per community venue) but, when rereading the rules on community venues, I find no restrictions on lot traits for community venues.

I'd just like to make sure I'm in the clear here.

[MarianT]

Lot traits for community lots:

Is the rule for choosing lot traits identical to that for residential lots? That is, we may only select one skill-boosting lot trait plus two others?

That is how I've set up my simverse (one skill-boost lot trait per community venue) but, when rereading the rules on community venues, I find no restrictions on lot traits for community venues.

I'd just like to make sure I'm in the clear here.

It's up to you what lot traits you give to community lots.

[oshizu]

Thank you!

[oshizu]

I have a few more questions so I've created a new post:

(1) Early age-ups

Yeah, we never want to have players feel that any challenge (Tournament or Dynasty) is too long because that can result in dropout. So, I am okay with early age-up as long as requirements are finished.

Are early age-ups for teenage heirs (but not non-heir teen spares or helpers) officially allowed now? Or is the jury out until after the holidays?[/quote]
We still haven't decided.

(2) Satisfaction rewards
Can any non-founder/non-heir household member buy satisfaction rewards on a free day, or only the current founder/heir?

Anyone can buy satisfaction rewards on a free day. Only the current founder or heir can buy them on a non-free day, but they'll cost -1 points.

(3) Traits for premade or pre-existing children/teens

Traits for children born into the household must be randomized, but you may choose their aspirations.

What about premade teens or children already living in a household when the founder/heir moves in? 
I'm thinking specifically of Darling Walsh. On her birthday, do I randomize her YA trait or may I choose it myself?

Randomize, the same as the others.

(4) Who can an heir move in?

The only exception is that heirs can move in a family member after they've married.

Does this mean, literally, that an heir can only move in a single former household member after they've married?
My current heir is a triplet so I'm just wondering.
May I assume that we use "Ask to Move In" rather than simply move that sim during the heir's post-marriage move-in screen?

Yes, you would use "Ask to move in." While the rule says "a" family member, I suppose both siblings would be okay.

[oshizu]

Thank you for your responses, MarianT. (I believe it must be you who responded.  )

[lesleyj42]

Happy holidays, everyone!

I've been lurking on this thread for a while. Loved playing this challenge through and actually completed ten generations (first time ever for me in any sim family I've played), but could never say goodbye to my next heir's families when it was time to move (just brought them with me), so I never posted my score. In fact, I loved it so much, I've started it again and intend to let go this time. So far so good.

I just wanted to share that I was playing last night and got 10 points in less than 6 sim hours. It was the fastest I had ever done it. Two of my sims completed their aspirations by maxing a skill (one also happened to write his last bestseller) and two others got promoted. One of my normally uncontrollable sims hadn't even finished the endurance run I told him to do on the previous free day, and I was already on the next free day. I've never had that happen before.

I know this thread is mainly for questions, but I had to tell somebody who would understand.

Thanks for coming up with this challenge! I am still enjoying it the second time through.

[MarianT]

Happy holidays, everyone!

I've been lurking on this thread for a while. Loved playing this challenge through and actually completed ten generations (first time ever for me in any sim family I've played), but could never say goodbye to my next heir's families when it was time to move (just brought them with me), so I never posted my score. In fact, I loved it so much, I've started it again and intend to let go this time. So far so good.

I just wanted to share that I was playing last night and got 10 points in less than 6 sim hours. It was the fastest I had ever done it. Two of my sims completed their aspirations by maxing a skill (one also happened to write his last bestseller) and two others got promoted. One of my normally uncontrollable sims hadn't even finished the endurance run I told him to do on the previous free day, and I was already on the next free day. I've never had that happen before.

I know this thread is mainly for questions, but I had to tell somebody who would understand.

Thanks for coming up with this challenge! I am still enjoying it the second time through.

Amazing! 6 hours might be a record. Glad you're enjoying this. And I do understand about not wanting to let go of family members.

[oshizu]

A question about switching aspirations:

Whenever an aspiration is maxed, we get a message notification in the upper right of the screen.
If an uncontrolled sim completes an aspiration outside of a free day, may we click that message notification to switch to a new aspiration?
Or do uncontrolled sims need to wait until the next free day?