The SimTech Dynasty Challenge

[Joria]

I think my Sims are the most contrary ever!  Give them a plate of food and they want to "roast" over the fire every time.  Just takes perseverance.  I'm so worried they will die from lack of having their needs filled and the toddlers are a learning experience since I'd never played with them before!  Stubborn, willful and contrary is their special "aspiration"!  I'm having a hard time reconciling the bright pink potty chairs and beds with all the rock stuff!  I don't do cc and don't even know where to get any.  (1)

I'm wondering if some of the toys that could have possibly been whittled or sculpted would be ok?  Like the hippo, a cat, the butterfly.  I already nixed the llamacorn as it "talks". (2)

 Also, did not get an answer on the garbage can.  Do we just leave the plates and stinky stuff laying around?  (3)

 Townies seem to flock to my Sims and while they do their best to ignore them and do not respond to them they sometimes wind up in "group" conversations.  Is this ok? (4)

Thank you for your patience!

[callycat]

@Joria if you can't use any of the bins, you can always put the dirty dishes in the family inventory. I remembered someone doing that in a challenge, and if it bugs you they can always be cleaned out later. I started on a lot next to picnic benches and a grill (not in a lot, I removed them all, they were just part of the world). That makes it easier to clean up too (and sometimes all the sims you ignore will do it for you!)

[MarianT]

I think my Sims are the most contrary ever!  Give them a plate of food and they want to "roast" over the fire every time.  Just takes perseverance.  I'm so worried they will die from lack of having their needs filled and the toddlers are a learning experience since I'd never played with them before!  Stubborn, willful and contrary is their special "aspiration"!  I'm having a hard time reconciling the bright pink potty chairs and beds with all the rock stuff!  I don't do cc and don't even know where to get any.  (1)

I'm wondering if some of the toys that could have possibly been whittled or sculpted would be ok?  Like the hippo, a cat, the butterfly.  I already nixed the llamacorn as it "talks". (2)

 Also, did not get an answer on the garbage can.  Do we just leave the plates and stinky stuff laying around?  (3)

 Townies seem to flock to my Sims and while they do their best to ignore them and do not respond to them they sometimes wind up in "group" conversations.  Is this ok? (4)

Thank you for your patience!

Joria, this is really not the challenge for playing toddlers the first time. That said, they don't stay toddlers long because you're playing on short. All you have to do is keep them fed until they become children.

[crstasse]

I did put an outside bin on the lot.  At least then the Sims could throw away the dishes.  Toddlers are stinking by the time they age, but like Marian said, it's only for a short while and it doesn't seem to overly affect them all that much.  Just as long as they get fed.  In fact, pretty much everyone was stinking  I was so glad to reach low tech so I could finally get a bath tub.  Fun challenge though!!  I found building the skills, especially parenting and charisma from level 8 to 10 to take soooo long!

[crstasse]

I had the same problem with my sims wanting to roast over the fire pit instead of eating grilled food.  In the end I actually got rid of the fire pit in the no tech gen, or else, I had to constantly click on them to eat the grilled food.  Not only that, but I had to have another child so the mother could reach level 10 parenting skill, because that took so long!  A tough gen.  The low tech gen I've really enjoyed though.

[Joria]

Can your toddler Sims age up to child before you transition to low tech or do they have to be toddlers?

So far this is my "test" run and I am learning a lot, mostly of what NOT to do and what is necessary for now and the immediate future, (transition to low tech), and what is not.  Toddlers have been a revelation as this is my first time with them.  I must say I'm enjoying it and can hardly wait to do my real time game!  The dirt has been a real challenge to me as I am personally very persnickety with keeping everything very neat and tidy.  A personal learning curve?

Keeping track of time has been another big challenge as I usually play on long or normal life and this one gives me a "tense" moodlet.  Lol.  I think in my "real" game I might not get my Sim wife pregnant right away and definitely not with twins!  What a story to tell this will be!

[MarianT]

Can your toddler Sims age up to child before you transition to low tech or do they have to be toddlers?

So far this is my "test" run and I am learning a lot, mostly of what NOT to do and what is necessary for now and the immediate future, (transition to low tech), and what is not.  Toddlers have been a revelation as this is my first time with them.  I must say I'm enjoying it and can hardly wait to do my real time game!  The dirt has been a real challenge to me as I am personally very persnickety with keeping everything very neat and tidy.  A personal learning curve?

Keeping track of time has been another big challenge as I usually play on long or normal life and this one gives me a "tense" moodlet.  Lol.  I think in my "real" game I might not get my Sim wife pregnant right away and definitely not with twins!  What a story to tell this will be!

No one can be aged up with cake during the No Tech era. But toddlerhood should only last 3 or 4 days, as it's a week on normal age length.

[callycat]

I think in my "real" game I might not get my Sim wife pregnant right away and definitely not with twins!  What a story to tell this will be!

@Joria  I definitely recommend spreading the kids out as that also lets you be more flexible when you want to add the next generation. And you definitely have my sympathy - as soon as I had to deal with one toddler I was very glad it hadn't been twins.

In More Tech the introduction of careers has slowed my game right down, possibly because none of my sims went to school. The one I let age up to have the Irresponsible trait is (predictably) the worst. I had planned for her to complete two careers in High Tech but I think I'll let someone else take that on!

[callycat]

Wow, I only just added Get Famous (early Christmas present - I've playing a lot of Sims as I am on week 3 of a nasty lurgy) but it makes a huge difference once you can add the fame perks to them for High Tech. The slow grind of More Tech turned into a sprint and even Bronwyn the Incredibly Irresponsible managed to get hers done in no time.

Finished with a total of six sims, with all but the founding two surviving until the end. Phew.

[MarianT]

Wow, I only just added Get Famous (early Christmas present - I've playing a lot of Sims as I am on week 3 of a nasty lurgy) but it makes a huge difference once you can add the fame perks to them for High Tech. The slow grind of More Tech turned into a sprint and even Bronwyn the Incredibly Irresponsible managed to get hers done in no time.

Finished with a total of six sims, with all but the founding two surviving until the end. Phew.

Wow! Can you break down your numbers for each era? I'm guessing you might have 0 for one or more eras.

[callycat]

Wow! Can you break down your numbers for each era? I'm guessing you might have 0 for one or more eras.

Yep, if I've filled in the numbers as 2, 2, 1, 1, 0, if that's correct. I just put the number of new sims that joined in completing the objectives each era. More detail below.

The two founders completed No Tech (Adele and Abbie). Adele completed the Parenting and Fishing skills, Abbie completed Charisma, Singing and Comedy.

In Low tech their first two children helped (Billie and Belle). Adele - Fitness skill, Angling Ace aspiration. Abbie - Cooking, Gardening and Flower Arranging skills, Freelance Botanist and Curator aspirations. Billie - Soulmate and Serial Romantic aspirations. Belle - Violin skill.

Mid tech child 3 of gen 2 joined in (Bronwyn). Billie - Wellness and Handiness skill, Bodybuilder aspiration. Belle - Painting and Logic skill, Painter Extraordinaire, Friend of the World, Super Parent, Fabulously Wealthy aspirations. Bronwyn - Guitar skill.

More Tech - Clara (only child of gen 3) joined in the fun. Obviously they all became Vampires right away. Billie was an elder, Belle an adult, Bronwyn and Clara young adults. They gained Fame points but didn't buy any perks. Billie - Baking and Mixology skill, Good Vampire aspiration, Culinary (chef) career. Belle - Veterinarian skill, Vampire Family aspiration, Painter (Master of the Real) and Criminal careers. Bronwyn - Vampire Lore skill, Musical genius and Master Vampire aspirations, Gardener (Botanist) career. Clara - Piano skill, Joke Star aspiration, Entertainer (comedian) career.

High Tech - all were at or close to full celebrity status when cured of Vampirism. Their ages reset to the start of their current phase and obviously the long life span helped too. Billie - Leader of the Pack aspiration, Gardener (flower arranger) career. Belle - Mansion Baron, Renaissance Sim and Celebrity aspirations, Culinary (Mixologist) career. Bronwyn - Archaeology, Selvadoradian Culture and Pipe Organ skills, Archaeology Scholar aspiration, entertainer (Musician) career. Clara - Photography and Dancing skills, Writer and Painter (Patron of the arts) careers.

I've a lot of save files so if you need any more detail I'm happy to break it down as to when they completed everything as best I can!

[Joria]

Oh no!  I think I have to start over.  Did not see the "no clubs" for No Tech and figured since I can ONLY relate to immediate family/household why not make them a club?  (Made swimming for cleanliness much easier!).  Soooo, is this a do over?  It already was a different trial so no babies yet.  I think I was thinking of clubs more like a "clan", as it would be also in Low Tech.  Families all together for the common cause but no outsiders allowed.

[MarianT]

Oh no!  I think I have to start over.  Did not see the "no clubs" for No Tech and figured since I can ONLY relate to immediate family/household why not make them a club?  (Made swimming for cleanliness much easier!).  Soooo, is this a do over?  It already was a different trial so no babies yet.  I think I was thinking of clubs more like a "clan", as it would be also in Low Tech.  Families all together for the common cause but no outsiders allowed.

Sure, you can start over. This isn't like the tournament where you have only one save file after you've done a practice round. I'm on my 3rd start already.

[Joria]

Thank you!  At least it was just at the beginning.  Still dreading all that bulldozing.

Wait.  Before I go too far; you said no travel.  Does that mean you can't go to the grotto?

[Felicat]

Getting ready to do a dry run without GT or JA.  Since mine is a post-apocalyptic setting, I'll be utilizing leftover playground equipment if it's close enough.   I wanna get a feel for the challenge.    I do have a couple of questions.

1. So we can build a basement cave for our sims to keep them out of the weather?  Is this low-tech only or is it allowed in no tech as well?
2.  Do we need to bulldoze ALL 'hoods, or just the one we live in?