Power of 10 - What Pries Glory? [Completed 16 Feb 2020]

[sdhoey]

Okay, I am loving this from a lurker point. But spill one how you are getting the splashes to show up and I can't? *drums fingers*

Lol, I know how much you and I love our splashes! So disappointing that we can no longer get splash shots easily with the "C" key!!!
If you're on a PC, though, you can hold down the Windows key then, at the moment you want to capture, quickly press the PrtSc key.
Ugh, I often press the F12 or ScrLk key instead of PrtScr.  I'm sure we'll be seeing the return of splashes to your Knoxes!
[/quote]

UGH!!  So many steps, just why?

[oshizu]

2.9: The Dock of the Bay

Sunday, Week 9

With a jolt, I realize that today marks the first day of autumn.
I dash off to Desert Bloom Park, where I'd upgraded the Weather Machine a few weeks ago.
The season has been advanced to spring. Mwahahahaha!


Vicente had sheltered the entire garden, moving the spring plants to the front of the garden.
Even though I'd advanced the season before 5 am this morning, our plants still look horrible.
Oh well, the spring and all-season plants display as "in season."


Kaci Neal is not only a renown food critic but also my tenth good friend.


Vicente Pries, Father of the Year.


Vicente chats with Brise on the back porch.
And yes, we won that monstrosity on your left for our gold-medal toddler play date.


Fynn plays pirates with Vicente.
You wonder where I am? On the computer, of course, drumming up more followers.


Brise has the Pries hair, which reminds me that I must invite Papa over more often!


After the twins go to bed, Vicente and I head out to Rattlesnake Juice Bar.
As soon as we arrive, I update my status before I forget. 175 new followers!


Our plans tonight might be a little too ambitious.
We try combining my 10th community lot visit with a gold-medal Soulmates date.
Bear Night is not the best evening, however, for a romantic date…


Wave your hands in the air like you don't care!


He's just sittin' on the dock of the bay, wasting time.


The next morning, Papa phones Vicente and asks to come over.
Papa's feeling sad for some reason, but his good friend Vincente consoles him.


Vincente: Watch closely, Papa Erwin! This is how we chase away the blues in Selvadorada.
Erwin: Oh yeah, I'm feeling better already! What did you say is in these bubbles?


Wynn: Papa hangs out with us all day. After dinner, he helps us build a rocket ship.
By the way, it is absolutely criminal that toddlers can't interact with their grandparents!


Today is Thursday and I'm working from home for the second day in a row.
Our twins are still toddlers and I'm currently a Level 7 Account Executive.
So, what's the big rush?


Every toddler heir deserves, at the very least, either a bath shot or an airplane shot.


When Papa visits the next day, Vicente asks for help upgrading the rocket ship.
What a shock to learn that Vicente can ask Papa to mentor him in Rocket Science.
I guess Papa must have maxed that skill after I moved out.
Note to Watcher: Rocket Science can no longer be a unique skill.


Do cowplants reproduce?
This evening I notice that our cowplant has matured so I go to store it away.
Look, there on the ground! It spawned a cowberry!  Weirdness…


After I get home from work Friday, Vicente and I head for Selvadorada.
The twins maxed all their skills two days ago, so we leave them at home. Shocking, right?


Vicente and I have a good system for working through the temple.
He examines the first three traps while I excavate, then we switch tasks.


We return home just in time for the twins' birthday. Happy birthday, boys!


And here they are, my little gentlemen.
That's Fynn on your left and our heir Brise on your right.


- - - - -

Move-out requirements:
📌 1. Career: Social Media/Public Relations 8 (9,418 followers)
     2. Unique skill: Vampire Lore 15/15
     3. Earned 10,000 satisfaction points: 10,000/10,000 sp
     4. Earned $10,000: $10,000/$10,000
     5. 10 good friends: 10/10 (including 2/2 non-human)
     6. 10 freelance gigs or odd jobs: 10/10
📌 7. 10 parties: 1/10
     8. 10 whims for 10 different emotions: 10/10 whims
     9. 10 different community lots for min. 2 hrs each: 10/10
📌10. 10-item collection: 0/10 Vampire Cures
   
Watcher's Notes
*Cowplant: I swear I didn't put that cowberry in front of the matured cow plant!
  It's the first time I've ever seen that. Just my game trolling me as usual?

*Age stages: Speaking of being trolled, the twins' toddler stage lasted 9 days and their child stage will last 14 days (based on their age bars).
  According to Carl's Guide, the usual lengths are 7 days and 13 days, respectively.
  Has anyone noticed this in their game? Their age bars and calendar birthdays match.

*I never knew that Rocket Science could be mentored. I guess all my heirs will be doing Nerd Brain now, lol.
  A real-life day later, I realized that Erwin maxed Rocket Science because Vincente had asked him to help build the rocket ship. D'oh!

[reggikko]

You made it through the toddler stage!And now you've got an extra day tagged on to the child stage? UGH. The last thing we need is extra days. The boys are very cute, though.

I didn't know that rocket science was added as a mentorable skill. I know that with fishing a Sim that doesn't have level 10 can sometimes mentor. In one of my tournament practice runs, Bjorn Bjergsen was able to mentor my my Level 0 Sim, even though I think Bjorn starts out at Level 3. I haven't tested that to any real degree, but once my Sim reached Level 4 Bjorn couldn't mentor her. So, Erwin may or may not have Level 10 Rocket Science Skill. The only way to know for sure is to invite him back over when Vicente has Level 9 and see if Erwin can still mentor. For the purposes of the challenge, I agree that it's best to make rocket science a shared skill since you can't definitively say whether Erwin has maxed it.

Too bad about the garden. Unfortunately, it's probably going to take a week (give or take) before your plants are green again if you're playing 28 day seasons. I hate the brown plants, too. So ugly!

[oshizu]

When Wynn moved out, Erwin's Rocket Science level was 9.5. He didn't even do a single space mission.
Vicente had already maxed Rocket Science at the time he saw the "Ask Erwin to mentor" option.
Since Erwin seemed to be mentoring Vicente (albeit unnecessarily), I took it to mean that Erwin had maxed Rocket Science, too.

I hope you will have the chance to experiment with rocket science mentoring, too.
It might be another instance of my game trolling me. *sighs

Oh, nice! I was worried that I would have to deal with a brown garden for the rest of my dynasty! Thank you!

[reggikko]

Hmm. It's weird that Erwin could "mentor" a Sim with a maxed skill. I think when they added more mentorable skills the implementation was a bit wonky.

It might be best to advance the season on Saturday going forward. Protecting your garden plants will keep them green (usually) but when I sent you that PM I wasn't thinking about landscape plants and plants out in the world. It probably wasn't noticeable before since your first world was Oasis Springs.

[Meg]

Aw, the boys were such cute toddlers. It’s hard to tell with kids but Brise looks a lot like Wynn and Erwin to me, it’ll be interesting to see how long the founder’s looks last. Out of curiosity, why is Wynn’s unique skill going to be vampire lore? Or is that something that will be revealed later in the story?

[oshizu]

@Meg
Brise isn't as droopy-eyed as Wynn had been, but I'm thankful that the red hair has been passed on!
Wynn's unique skill has everything to do with her collection and nothing at all to do with any narrative elements.
No plans to play any vampires in my Power of Ten dynasty.

I plan to skip the dark, gloomy town of Forgotten Hollow altogether, so Vampire Lore isn't tied to the 10 towns I plan for my dynasty households to live in.

[oshizu]

2.10: My Evil Twin

Sunday, Week 10

Our next heir, Brise Pries, striding seriously off to scouts.
In German, Brise is pronounced as two syllables.
But we all just pronounce it like "breeze."


Papa has invited the four of us over to his place.
Can you believe it's already 8 pm here in Oasis Springs?
Still so sunny, still so green!


Brise and Fynn started Social Butterfly this afternoon after school.
How perfect that they can befriend three of my siblings.

Oh, I have to remember to make Fynn quit his part-time job as a teen.
Look at Zoe! 9 days from her adult birthday and she still flips burgers!!


While everyone else is socializing, I go on my five space missions for Nerd Brain.
Everyone's shocked that the Green Man gives me a UFO Plant on my very first mission.
I remember that Mama and Zoe both made dozens of missions in search of that plant.


Three days have passed since I advanced the season from fall to spring.
Our in-season plants and flora around the Spice Market are slowly greening again.


The next morning, Vicente returns to Papa's house to take a Bird of Paradise cutting.
He says it looked as if he took a cutting but none appeared in his inventory.
Returning home, he spends $20,000 on rare seed packets and finally gets a Bird of Paradise.

Oh, that means Vicente and I have completed The Curator!


The other day, we saw our nanny busking in front of Skye Fitness Gym.
That's why Vicente decides to ask Omar to mentor him in guitar.


I did it! Today I earn my final promotion to Level 10 Spin Doctor!
Since my Represent perk gives a job performance boost, I'm going to keep working.
But I'll quit a few days before Brise's young adult birthday.


Entering our home, I confirm that Sister Zoe is a bonafide hussy!
Who stands that close to listen to someone playing guitar?
She's practically rubbing up against Vicente's back! Hmmpph!


Once our sons have befriended Zoe for Social Butterly, she is soooo outta here!


I thought you might enjoy seeing how my other siblings have grown.
That's creative Mathew and hotheaded Mark (center), with art-loving Stella.
All three have Papa's droopy eyes, but Mark resembles Papa the most.


For comparison, here are Brise (left) and Fynn (right).
Surely, nobody would mistake all five of them as siblings, right?
Seeing them all side by side, our boys don't have droopy eyes at all.


I'm off today so Vicente and I set up a patio for hosting the parties.
Yes, I've stolen papa's ideas for an outdoor patio and guest bathrooms.
But, hey, we have this fantastic view of the bay!


Our plan is to throw a few quick parties while the twins are finishing up Rambunctious Scamp.
We earn gold for both a Dinner Party and Black & White Bash.

But we almost fail the second party. Why aren't our black & white socials working?
Aha, it's because we've been doing some socializing with Zoe who isn't an invited guest!
She's our hired entertainer who never touches the brand-new piano we bought for this party.
Typical Zoe!


I give her another chance and hire her to entertain at our house party.
Again, she's a total slacker!
Intercepting Zoe on her way to sit next to Vicente, I ask her to leave. So there!


Zoe's behavior has me so upset that I don't notice Vicente's hysteria right away.
I tell Vicente to calm himself down at a mirror, but it's too late.


When the Grim Reaper arrives, I give him a Death Flower and beg for Vicente's life.
What are the chances that Vicente will be spared?


Will wonders never cease? My beloved Vicente breathes once more!

I quickly ask Papa about his day to complete our last party goal and earn another gold medal.
Sheesh!


Vicente feels fine, he says, so we all head over to the Spice Festival in the evening.
I fail the Spice Challenge miserably, but Vicente and both our sons ace it.
Vicente's Selvadoradan blood must flow in the boys' veins!


Later that night, first Brise then Fynn become Llamacorn Scouts.
I have them both quit right away so we can make family plans this weekend.


Brunch at Chez Sul Sul to celebrate Brise and Fynn completing all four aspirations plus scouts.


At Desert Bloom Park, Vicente surprises Papa by summoning some elementals.
They aren't happy with Vicente at all.
I gather it's hard to win the elementals' approval without living in Sulani.


No partying tonight, folks.
We're all still recovering from Vicente's near-death experience.
After spending a few hours working on skills, we all hit the sack early.


- - - - -

Move-out requirements: 8/10
      1. Career: Social Media/Public Relations 10
      2. Unique skill: Vampire Lore 15/15
      3. Earned 10,000 satisfaction points: 10,000/10,000 sp
      4. Earned $10,000: $10,000/$10,000
      5. 10 good friends: 10/10 (including 2/2 non-human)
      6. 10 freelance gigs or odd jobs: 10/10
📌  7. 10 parties: 5/10 (Toddler play date, dinner party, black/white bash, house party, kava party)
      8. 10 whims for 10 different emotions: 10/10 whims
      9. 10 different community lots for min. 2 hrs each: 10/10
📌10. 10-item collection: 0/10 Vampire Cures

Watcher's Remarks
*This is the first time I've ever had a sim use a death flower to plead Grim for a dying sim's life.
  Is there a 100% chance of success with a death flower? Or did we just get lucky?
*Going forward, I will be much more vigilant after completing a "Tell Jokes" party task.
*Guess what happens in the next update? Teenagers!

[reggikko]

Wow, what a crazy update! I'm glad you were able to save Vicente. Wynn is just flying through her requirements and the boys are such high achievers. My kids generally finish 2 aspirations and Scouts. I can't be bothered to do more than that.
I usually do the "tell jokes" with three different Sims both telling and hearing. I've been burned more than once by hysteria. This update kind of gave me flashbacks.

[oshizu]

The party task was just to tell two jokes, so I had Wynn and Vicente each tell one joke.
Probably, Vicente's conversation partner decided to be funny back. I almost missed noticing Vicente was hysterical.
As soon as he clicked on the Calm self down interaction, I heard that ominous music that announces impending death. So nerve-wracking!!!
That's when I paused the game, googled how to plead for death, and learned about giving Grim a death flower...

And yeah, I hate that sims at their happiest moments are most at risk of dying from hysteria.

[Meg]

Close call with Vicente, I’m glad pleading with grim worked. I’m surprised to hear hysteria is such a common death, I’ve never had a problem with it before even with comedian sims. Brise and Fynn are doing well, as is Wynn. The bits about Zoe make me laugh! She’s probably resentful that Wynn is so successful and she’s still living at home and making fast food.

[oshizu]

Close call with Vicente, I’m glad pleading with grim worked. I’m surprised to hear hysteria is such a common death, I’ve never had a problem with it before even with comedian sims. Brise and Fynn are doing well, as is Wynn. The bits about Zoe make me laugh! She’s probably resentful that Wynn is so successful and she’s still living at home and making fast food.

@Meg
I've lost two sims in different multi-generation challenges to death by hysteria; they both had the goofball trait and died on their wedding night.
Perhaps I should wait until the kids become teens to throw parties since teens can't die from emotional excess.
Haha, Zoe is always hanging around Vicente if they're both on the same lot. I don't know why.

[oshizu]

2.11: Curses and Blessings

Sunday, Week 11

Our next heir, Brise, is no longer BFFs with his brother.


When Fynn enters a Bear phase, we join him in solidarity.
As you've surely guessed, I'm the sexy purple bear.


With nothing else to do, Brise plays with his doctor kit.
But he claims that becoming a doctor isn't his life dream.


Party time! That handsome man behind me is my brother Mark.
On the other hand, can anyone guess at Fynn's costume? I haven't a clue.


Vicente is Mr. Wonderful: he is both bartender and caterer!
But, for some reason, we never changed for the kava party.

Ugh, we struggle to complete the kava toast task until the next morning.


Another dinner party, with fingers crossed for no hysteria-inducing party tasks.
How sad to see that Uncle Erwin is an elder now.


Since Vicente and I can both teleport, we want to return to Selvadorada.
We arrive Thursday morning, thinking to stay until Saturday afternoon.


The boys don't seem to be enjoying themselves much.
Fynn, especially, often gets tense due to lack of fun.


After breakfast, Vicente and I visit the marketplace for exploration supplies.
So this is how the boys entertain themselves while we're gone?
No fishing?


Vicente has been marked for death by electrocution twice during our trip.
Both times, he's cursed after finding a rare treasure in a chest.
Both times, he immediately returns to Madre Cosecha to have the curse lifted.
He's been terribly unlucky lately.


Back home, all of the extended family comes to celebrate the twins' birthday.
Well, except Zoe, because why would I invite her?


Right after their makeovers, Blessings of Ancient Joy spread to each boy.
I initially caught this blessing during my first temple exploration with Vicente.
Just think, the boys were only toddlers then!


Teenagers and their phones!
Don't you think Brise looks a lot like Vicente?
It doesn't help that Watcher unintentionally gave Brise the same facial hair.



Sunday, Week 12

We spend most of Sunday preparing Brise for his future role as heir.
After the boys read a few skill books, they ask us to mentor them.
Handiness is always, well, so handy.


Brise: Basically, Mama only waited to throw a spooky party so we'd carve the pumpkins.
Fynn: Hurry and finish your pumpkin, bro, so we can make merry.
Brise: Why? There's nobody here our age except our uncles and Auntie Stella.


Thanks to the boys' grudging support, my tenth party is a resounding success!
All I have left now is my collection, which I'll wait and do just before Brise leaves.


By the way, remember how my garden and Spice Market all turned brown a while ago?
After a week, our in-season plants and local flora turned green again.
But our out-of-season plants remained withered for an additional week.


Brise returns from school suffering from a mood swing on Tuesday.
The twins' new job as retail employees starts this evening.
His very sad mood will definitely affect his job performance!


As expected, Brise takes a day longer than Fynn to max his retail job.
I hope they remember to leave for work in the right mood!


Brise: Just 10 more days until we're young adults and I can move out!
Fynn: After you move out, are you gonna shun me like Mama shuns Auntie Zoe?
Brise: Are you gonna constantly hit on my future wife like Auntie Zoe does with Papa?
Fynn: Of course not!
Brise: Then we're good, bro.


Coming next: Brise moves out!


For details on the dynasty households' traits and requirements, see the Meet the Pries (Dynasty Stats) post on Page 1.

[reggikko]

Ah, now for the looonnngggg teen stage. How did you summon Elementals without the Child of the Islands trait? Is it because of the Kava Party?

I'm very impressed by your garden. Do you try to complete the plant collection in every household?

The boys are looking great.

[oshizu]

Wynn's spouse Vicente has the Child of the Islands trait.
Before Seasons, the garden was my go-to collection for The Curator. Haha, two generations have now failed to complete the Egg collection.
Maybe I just need to schedule more holidays?

10 more sim-days until Brise can move out. I can't wait!