Glazey's Ten-Gen Jumble - 5.11 Prepping For the Future (7/21/24)

[GlazeyLady]

I know from chatting with you on Discord about the many hours and efforts you poured into your Bachelorette house.
The results are fantastic! What a gloriously fabulous mansion!
Now I understand why you persevered in uploading your original build with all its cc intact. 

Loved the setup for this challenge including the intros to all the candidates.
The girls seem to believe that "Size matters," so I recommend that they check the candidates' shoe size.
Wait, was that about big hands?
Whatever, I'm looking forward to seeing how your challenge unfolds and how you have tweaked the rules.
You know what they say about big feet. 

Thank you for your kinds words about the house - there was much use of TOOL's elevate and scale (sizing) functions, which can be quite tedious. For example, those two bookcases on either side of the front door  - those spaces all come empty, and very few items fit in them. I tried sizing the bookcases up but had more trouble with the spaces then due to how items would snap, even when using TOOL to try to place them - someone better at TOOL might have been able to do that, but I couldn't. Still, everything in there had to be sized and elevated using TOOL. It took me over an hour just to get those two bookcases placed and filled. 

That said, it was a lot of fun building this house. I found many many items that have been there for a long time that I have never used. It's like when you go through a closet and find something awesome and think, "I forgot I had that!"

About tweaking the rules - I think the most challenging part of a Bachelor/Bachelorette challenge for the Watcher is making sure they aren't just deciding who they want to "win" and then making it come out that way. Some require no Watcher involvement at all - literally the Watcher just watches. Every action is autonomous.  I'm not interested in that. Others restrict what activities are allowed at all so that those activities can't be different from one bachelor to another. But that can result in very little difference in the relationships between each of the bachelors and the bachelorette, so figuring out who should leave is very difficult. So I've tried to make my rules such that there isn't favoritism to any bachelor, but the Watcher can still make sure bachelor needs are filled and that bachelors don't just spend all day working out and not interacting with the bachelorette - as I saw in one of the You Tube videos I watched. I think it's going to be fun to play; I hope it's also fun to read about.

[oshizu]

Watcher, I am sitting at the edge of my seat in anticipation of your next update! 

[GlazeyLady]

5.02 Getting To Know You


Previously, in our Ten-Gen Jumble . . .

Much to their surprise, Ivy and Anna moved into the Bachelorette Mansion. Watcher instructed Anna to learn to cook, as she would be cooking for a full house soon. The girls explored their new digs, and were a bit overwhelmed by the size and contents of the mansion. They were puzzled by the six identical bedroom/bathroom suites, and wondered who would be moving in. On Friday, Watcher provided the answer when she supplied pictures and dossiers of the six bachelors who would soon be joining them and vying for Ivy's attention and heart.


Ivy: The bachelors showed up one at a time. Zyaire was first. I’m observant, so I was able to learn his traits right away. He’s a perfectionist, a music lover, and a dance machine. Perfect for tonight’s New Year’s Eve party! I was impressed with him and felt like he’s a person of good taste and knowledge.


Ivy: Christopher is an outgoing foodie who loves the outdoors. He seems like a fun person to be around. He was friendly and easy to talk to.


Ivy: Andrew is an active, family-oriented bookworm. He seems really interesting. I don’t know what it is exactly, but something about him just seems to vibe in a way that I like.


Ivy: Henry is a neat, adventurous romantic. He seems like a solid responsible guy. And we were really in sync with our toasts - we pulled them out at exactly the same time. I wonder if he’ll get romantic right away or wait and get to know me first?


Ivy: Dr. Nathan Beck is a materialistic, self-assured genius. Honestly, he annoyed me. He kept looking around, seemed bored, and I guess he didn’t know what to say, because he suddenly started singing. I have no idea why. And then he just walked away while I was trying to talk to him. I don’t know about him. We’ll have to see.


Ivy: Tyler is a creative art-loving bro. That makes sense, because he just seems . . . imaginative about how he sees the world and interacts with it. I wonder if his painting skill is high enough to mentor me . . . I’ll have to find out.


Ivy: After meeting the guys, they all went off to claim their beds and get ready for the party. Anna hired a DJ and Mixologist. The DJ showed up on time and got the party started, but the mixologist was more challenging. The first mixologist went to the bar by the pool. Watcher put the bar in household inventory, and it took awhile but finally the mixologist came up to the third floor party room . . . and joined the party! Anna had to fire her and hire a new mixologist. This one went to the bar in the main room on the first floor, so Watcher put that bar in the household inventory also and Anna fired her. But the third time was the charm - this mixologist came right up to the party room, went behind the bar and started mixing drinks. We didn’t even have to order them! He just made them and we all went over and picked the one we wanted.


Ivy: My first slow dance was with Henry. He didn’t have any dancing skill when we started, so maybe that’s why he led me off the dance floor and over to the side. To his credit, he never stepped on my feet!
I’d be slow-dancing with each of the guys in a random order, so as each dance ended, Watcher whispered in my ear the name of my next dance partner.


Ivy: I wasn’t all that excited that Nathan was second. But I figured at least I’d get it over with early. He also had no dancing skill. It wasn’t awful, but the dance did nothing to improve our relationship and I wasn’t sorry when it ended.


Ivy: Tyler was next, and he straight-up told me he’d never danced before. So his dancing wasn’t great, but he smiled at me and made a joke about his two left feet, and I felt comfortable with him even if we did barely move on the dance floor.
After Tyler was Zyaire, and wow, talk about a difference! Zyaire’s dance machine trait was spot on! I danced a lot with my family growing up, so my skill is level 5. Zyaire is a level 4, and I tell you, we OWNED that dance floor. He was the most fun to dance with of all the guys.


Ivy: Chris had little dance skill too, but I think the real reason he wanted to dance off to the side was so that Henry wouldn’t feel weird about having done that. Chris is that really nice ‘boy-next-door’ type that thinks of others and cares about them. I like that about him.
Andrew had a bit more dance skill, but nothing like Zyaire. It was getting late by this time - we were on our second DJ. We danced under the disco ball and lights, but no one was really watching us, not like earlier in the evening. I don’t know if that’s why it felt so comfortable dancing with Andrew, or if it was something about him. But it was a nice ending to an evening of dancing.


Ivy: At first I wondered why Watcher put a tv in the party room, but then I realized it was so we could watch the countdown. It was a little awkward though, because usually there’s kissing at the end of the countdown, but tonight . . . no kissing. We did talk about our resolutions though. Funny - we all made the same resolution - to improve a skill.


Ivy: The DJ was still going strong after the countdown. I guess that was because she only arrived about an hour before. We’d all been going since 6 pm, and my feet were starting to feel it.


Ivy: I didn’t want to be rude, but I did want to sit. So I pulled out my cross-stitch to see if I could level that skill. Did Zyaire go for a cross-stitch hoop because he likes to do it, or was he just doing it because I was?


Ivy: I walked past the Art and Music room, and was really surprised to see Henry cross-stitching, Nathan with a hoop in his hand, and Andrew on his way to get one. What was this about?


Ivy: I followed Andrew down the hall to ask him why he wanted to cross-stitch and saw that Tyler was at work on his own design. Andrew poked himself just as I tried to ask what was up, and Tyler was so focused he couldn’t talk to me. Hmmm . . . I’m tired tonight so I’ll let it go, but if this continues, and all anyone wants to do is cross-stitch, I’m going to have to do something.


Ivy: I started to go downstairs but then I heard music coming from upstairs, so I went to investigate. Zyaire has some magic fingers to go with those magic feet. He really is talented. And not sucked in by the lure of the cross-stitch hoop!


Ivy: Sunday we went to the Flea Market. Well, the Flea Market area. I don’t know why, but I was compelled to pull out my cross-stitch. As you can see, I wasn’t the only one.


Ivy: Henry and Andrew went into the pub and got a snack and watched tv. No one was interested in anything being sold at the Flea Market.


Ivy: I’d seen Tyler run across the street, but even he wasn’t interested in anything for sale.


Ivy: I finished my cross-stitch and went into the pub. I was feeling the need for exercise, so I pulled my soccer ball out of my pocket and started kicking it around. What a surprise that Nathan wanted to join in. So we juggled back and forth for a while, and it was actually fun. It also improved our relationship a lot. Maybe because we could do something fun together without talking to each other.


Ivy: We got home and hit the pool, but I was beat. It’s a good thing it was late in the day or I’d have gotten cooked out there.


Anna: I thought I’d get off my feet and watch a little tv while the others were in the pool, but the next thing I knew, Zyaire was plopping down beside me. Great! Just what I wanted. NOT!
Zyaire: I don’t know what to say to Anna. Why am I feeling this way about her when I’m supposed to be here to get to know Ivy? I wonder what will happen to me here if anyone finds out how I’m feeling. Should I just do something to get sent home? But if I do that, I might never see Anna again. I wonder if she feels the same way I do?

Watcher: Let’s see how our bachelors are faring so far.


❤️ Despite his amazing compatibility with Ivy, Andrew has yet to become friends with her.
❤️ Christopher also has amazing compatibility with Ivy, and he’s made more progress in the relationship.
❤️ Henry and Ivy have good compatibility and a positive first impression of each other, but don’t yet consider themselves friends.
❤️ Nathan didn’t get off to a good start, but that autonomous soccer juggling helped him make up a lot of ground.
❤️ Ivy had a good first impression of Tyler, but that was not returned. They have amazing compatibility and have become friends, so we’ll have to see if Tyler’s negative first impression of Ivy can be overcome.
❤️ Ivy and Zyaire see each other as sophisticated. They have amazing compatibility, but as we saw, Zyaire also has good compatibility with Anna, and that seems to be where his heart is leading him. I don’t know about you, but I’m very interested to see what happens when Ivy and Zyaire have their first 1:1 date.
Details of the scoring up to this point can be found under the Spoiler tag.


Watcher Notes:
I've added Lumpinou's First Impressions mod, so that's where the First Impressions are coming from. They each have more text with them- here are the ones that apply in our story:
❤️ Interesting Sim: There’s just something about [that Sim] that seems to vibe in a way that appeals to [this Sim].
❤️ Sophisticated: This Sim seems to be a person of good taste and knowledge.
❤️ Fun to Be Around: Immediately upon meeting this Sim, [this Sim] has the distinct feeling that they’re good-tempered and fun to be around!
❤️ Responsible: [This Sim] appears to be a very responsible person, capable of taking care of stuff and willing to care for others
❤️ Annoying: Well, [this Sim] has barely met this Sim, but already finds them notably annoying
❤️ Imaginative: There is something creative and imaginative about the way [that Sim] appears to see the world and interact, which makes them interesting.
❤️ Clingy: From very first meeting [that Sim], [this Sim] got the distinct feeling that this Sim is a little too clingy for his tastes.

Scoring

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Scoring (more to be added as we go)
   ● Ivy's first impression of the bachelor: Positive impression = +2; Negative impression = -2
   ● Bachelor's first impression of Ivy: Positive impression = +2; Negative impression = -2
   ● Compatibility: Amazing = +2; Good = +1; None indicated = 0; Bad = -1; Awful = -2
   ● Relationship: Acquaintances = 0; Friends = +1; Good Friends = +2; Best Friends at any point = +3
      Note that Best Friends will only occur if there is a want for it or the friends bar is maxed

(alphabetical order by first name)
Andrew: Total Score +6
   ● Ivy's first impression of Andrew: Interesting Sim (+2)
   ● Andrew's first impression of Ivy: Sophisticated (+2)
   ● Compatibility: Amazing (+2)
   ● Relationship: Acquaintances (0)

Christopher: Total +6
   ● Ivy's first impression of Christopher: Fun to Be Around (+2)
   ● Christopher's first impression of Ivy: Responsible (+2)
   ● Compatibility: Good (+1)
   ● Relationship: Friends (+1)

Henry: Total +6
   ● Ivy's first impression of Henry: Responsible (+2)
   ● Henry's first impression of Ivy: Fun to Be Around (+2)
   ● Compatibility: Amazing (+2)
   ● Relationship: Acquaintances (+0)

Nathan: Total +1
   ● Ivy's first impression of Nathan: Annoying (-2)
   ● Nathan's first impression of Ivy: Responsible (+2)
   ● Compatibility: None indicated (0)
   ● Relationship: Friends (+1)

Tyler: Total +3
   ● Ivy's first impression of Tyler: Imaginative (+2)
   ● Tyler's first impression of Ivy: Clingy (-2)
   ● Compatibility: Amazing (+2)
   ● Relationship: Friends (+1)

Zyaire: Total +5
   ● Ivy's first impression of Zyaire: Sophisticated (+2)
   ● Christopher's first impression of Ivy: Sophisticated (+2)
   ● Compatibility: Amazing (+2)
   ● Relationship: Friends (+1)
   ● Crush on Anna; gets flirty when around her (-2)

[oshizu]

I absolutely love all your attention to detail regarding Ivy's relationship with each of the candidates.
I'm so curious whether the candidates will develop personality likes/dislikes in the course of the challenge.
Sometimes, my sims will meet someone new and immediately get a popup about liking/dislike a particular personality type.

I feel bad for Zyaire. I feel like he was entrapped because Anna shouldn't have been interacting with the bachelors. Wasn't that the rule?
Or is she allowed to behave autonomously around them?
Oh well, Zyaire might as well leave now and save himself the trouble.

On the other hand, I like Andrew a lot.
Do the candidates autonomously interact with each other? If yes, please keep Zyaire away from Andrew.
How fascinating that Nathan made such a poor first impression but somewhat salvaged his relationship with Ivy through a common interest!

Really looking forward to the next stage of the race for Ivy's heart!

[Granny Lawlor]

Yay! Henry is equal 2nd on scoring. Although being seen as Solid and Responsible - doesn't exactly get the heart racing, does it?

Tyler thinks Ivy is Clingy? Wow - his heart won't be in it. Oh, Zaire will want to stay in to be near Anna! Being annoyed by Nathan - isn't that how all Romance novels start?

I'm loving this. I don't usually watch reality shows because I get so judgemental about real people and it makes me unkind. Being judgemental about Sims is OK, right?

I also love your first impressions mod. I must note that down. Oh no! @oshizu really has lured me onto the dark side! 

#teamhenry

[oshizu]

I also love your first impressions mod. I must note that down. Oh no! @oshizu really has lured me onto the dark side! 

@Granny Lawlor
You're very welcome!

[GlazeyLady]

I absolutely love all your attention to detail regarding Ivy's relationship with each of the candidates.
I'm so curious whether the candidates will develop personality likes/dislikes in the course of the challenge.
Sometimes, my sims will meet someone new and immediately get a popup about liking/dislike a particular personality type.

I feel bad for Zyaire. I feel like he was entrapped because Anna shouldn't have been interacting with the bachelors. Wasn't that the rule?
Or is she allowed to behave autonomously around them?
Oh well, Zyaire might as well leave now and save himself the trouble.

On the other hand, I like Andrew a lot.
Do the candidates autonomously interact with each other? If yes, please keep Zyaire away from Andrew.
How fascinating that Nathan made such a poor first impression but somewhat salvaged his relationship with Ivy through a common interest!

Really looking forward to the next stage of the race for Ivy's heart!

Anna can't flirt with any of the guys (hence her new Unflirty trait), but she's allowed to talk to them. That said, if I see her interacting with them, I send her off to do something - her social is lower than everyone else's, so I make sure she and Ivy have time to chat. I probably should have made her a loner so her social won't decrease as fast. I'm not trying to isolate her from the others, though, just trying to keep her from taking anyone's attention from Ivy. In this case, they'd returned from the Flea Market and I instructed all the guys to "swim here" in the pool, I told Ivy to nap on the pool lounger thingy because her energy was low, and I told Anna to take a bath with lavender soaks because her hygiene was low and I like lavender. Everyone did what I told them to do except Anna and Zyaire - they both went to watch tv. I don't know if Zyaire already had that crush or got it then - I was actually just running through each one looking at their mood and moodlets (with the camera on the pool) and I saw the Crush for Zyaire and thought it was on Ivy. I was quite surprised to see it was on Anna . . . but we do want some drama in the house, don't we?

It's too early in the scoring to presume anything . . . I thought Nathan was a goner with no chance - who knew some autonomous soccer juggling would raise him from barely a green nib to friends so fast? I didn't. And I don't know why he and Ivy even started juggling - neither are active, and they didn't have a relationship. I don't usually let my Sims just go - but now that I'm giving them freedom to do what they want, they are surprising me. Still, Nathan barely has a score, so we'll see.

Full autonomy is a requirement, so yes, they do interact with each other. I did set their gender preferences though to indicate that all the bachelors are only interested in women and are not exploring - they are here to compete for Ivy's heart, so any candidates that were interested in meeting other bachelors would have been weeded out and wouldn't have been chosen as one of the final six to come into the house. So Zyaire and Andrew may become friends, but they won't become romantic with each other.

[GlazeyLady]

Yay! Henry is equal 2nd on scoring. Although being seen as Solid and Responsible - doesn't exactly get the heart racing, does it?

Tyler thinks Ivy is Clingy? Wow - his heart won't be in it. Oh, Zaire will want to stay in to be near Anna! Being annoyed by Nathan - isn't that how all Romance novels start?

I'm loving this. I don't usually watch reality shows because I get so judgemental about real people and it makes me unkind. Being judgemental about Sims is OK, right?

I also love your first impressions mod. I must note that down. Oh no! @oshizu really has lured me onto the dark side! 

#teamhenry

Responsible may not get the heart racing, but it's a good thing for a long-term relationship. I noticed that Ivy was smiling a lot when interacting autonomously with both Henry and Christopher - I don't have any score for that because I haven't figured out how to score for it, but I'm watching that more closely now and we'll see if something that can be objectively scored comes up.

Zaire and Ivy have a great relationship - if it weren't for that crush on Anna, he'd be tied for first place.
The only thing lowering Henry's score is that he hasn't yet made friends with Ivy - which means he hasn't autonomously initiated conversation.
The next activity is a group event in the house's game room . . . where there will be a bit of directed activity with each of the guys, but mostly autonomous activity - anything could happen.
After that will be 1:1 dates - I randomized the order of the guy's names using a list randomizer, then put 8 possible dates on a wheel and spun the wheel for each guy in the order of the random list, and removed the date as it was picked. So all the dates will be different. Interestingly, Zyaire, Henry and Christopher happened to get dates that are very appropriate given their traits.     Andrew, Tyler and Nathan don't have dates that specifically match their traits, but they aren't at a disadvantage as all the date types have good opportunity to interact and have fun.

I'm glad you're loving it - I am too!
And I will say - I won't go back to playing without mods. They add so much to the game. And fix so much.

[GlazeyLady]

I forgot to mention in my last post that I added the rules I'm following to the Generations 1-5 post. If you have any questions about the rules, just let me know. 

[GlazeyLady]

5.03 Games and Dates


Previously, in our Ten-Gen Jumble . . .

Ivy met the six men who would be vying for the chance to propose to her. Their first impressions of each other were mostly positive, although Ivy did find Nathan annoying at first and Tyler thought Ivy to be clingy. Some free time before the New Year’s Eve party found everyone obsessed with Cross-stitch. The party that night gave Ivy a chance to socialize and dance with each of the men. They all spent the next day at the Flea Market, although most of their time was spent in the surrounding area and not at the Flea Market itself. Ivy’s friendship was lowest with Nathan until she autonomously began juggling the soccer ball with him, which raised their friendship bar noticeably. At the end of the third day, the scores were close except that Nathan lagged behind the others, primarily because of Ivy’s negative first impression and their lack of compatibility.


Ivy: Monday was Game Room Day. Watcher locked everyone except Anna in the Game Room and gave me a list of games to play in order, along with which man I’d play each one with. First up was Christopher with Video Gaming. We played Space Invaders. It was fun, but rather quick, and I’m not sure who won. It didn’t really matter who won, but still, it’s nice to know.


Ivy: Next up was Andrew, who barely beat me at Foosball. This was a much longer game than Space Invaders, but Chris is too nice a guy to complain, and I’m actually thankful for that. I’m not sure what could be done about it anyway. It’s the luck of the draw. Foosball was really fun. I’d like to play more of it, but I don’t think I’ll have time for repeats, and how would I make that fair?


Ivy: We got a notice that Nathan is now a Bro. He also added Cheerful, but we didn’t get a screenshot of that. I wonder if these two new traits are the reason for my Compatibility with him improving from Neutral to Good?


Ivy: Zyaire was very enthusiastic about his success at Don’t Wake the Llama. Just look at his face! And yes, I did lose at that. I don’t really mind; I’d have probably won the next one . . . if I could have had a next one.


Ivy: I did win at darts, although in all fairness, I have to admit that Henry seemed a little . . . . distracted.
Watcher: “Ahem . . . Mr. Banwell . . . that’s not the dartboard you’re eyeing.”
Henry: “Mmmmm . . . huh?  . . . Hey, don’t you have some wants to attend to or something?”
Watcher: Actually, I did. Nathan had a want to buy something for §1,000 and Henry had a want to watch Romance on tv, so I added a tv above the bar.


Ivy: Chris lost three games of ping-pong, but as soon as he won one, he gained the Overachiever trait! Is that because he has such a bright outlook on life?


Ivy: Evidently Henry’s Romance movie gave Tyler a want to flirt with me, so Watcher queued it up, but by the time it happened, he was no longer feeling flirty, so there was just the one flirt followed by friendly chit-chat.


Ivy: Given that Nathan is a genius with pretty high logic skill, I expected to lose to him at Sabacc. I’m not sure why, but we actually finished the game without knowing who won. Does that mean we tied? At least I don’t find him as annoying as I did at first.


Ivy: I was ready for a break before juice pong with Tyler. So I chatted with Henry while he was dancing, and happened to notice his great reputation. Several of the guys have Good Reps, but Henry’s the first to reach Great. As soon as I started chatting with him, he stopped dancing and sat down to talk to me. It was really nice, but I don’t want to read too much into it.


Ivy: The video game was busy pretty much all day. It seemed everyone wanted a turn on it. I’m surprised it never broke. To be honest, Andrew’s Generous trait didn’t come while he was playing. Watcher was filling wants, and by the end of game day, Andrew was the only one left who hadn’t had a want filled. He could have used a Want Refresher since one of his wants was to get into a committed relationship,  which he can’t do now, and the other was to Volunteer with Family, which takes us all off the lot. But when Game Day was over, and everyone else had a want fulfilled, Watcher decided to let him take us all volunteering at the Soup Kitchen, and that’s when he became Generous. There just wasn’t room for another screenshot, so Watcher added his Generous notice here. But what about the rest of us? I mean, sure, it was Andrew’s idea, but we all helped.


Ivy: Okay, given Tyler’s previous wins at Juice Pong, I admit it was a little dramatic and cocky of me to throw that last ball with my head turned away and my hand over my eyes. But hey, it went in! And that’s what counts in Juice Pong! But . . . part of me wonders if Tyler wasn’t really trying that hard. Do you think his love of juice made him want the chance to drink more, so he let me win?  Naw! I sunk those balls fair and square! It was a legit win.


Ivy: With Game Day over, it was time to go volunteer. I counted heads and we were missing one. We were locked in the Game Room, so someone must be in the loo or out on the balcony. Oh! And here I thought everyone was done with cross-stitch since Watcher put the basket in Family Inventory where we can’t get to it.


Ivy: We got some sleep after volunteering, and Tuesday started the 1:1 dates. Henry drew the first spot and was randomly assigned the Snow and Hot Springs date. As soon as we got there, I initiated three flirty actions - that was my first responsibility - same three for each man: Flirt, Pick-up Line, then either Bold Pick-Up Line (if it’s an option) or Blow a Kiss. I must have caught Romantic Henry off guard, because as soon as I completed those, he ran off to ski. We went for the Easy Slope but still landed in the snow and that brought on the Snow Angels idea.


Ivy: Next was sledding. I threw my hands in the air on both bumps, but the second one was a little scarier than the first. If I’d started to fall off, do you think Henry would have been able to catch me and keep me on the sled? Or would he have tried and landed in the snow beside me? I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t just let me fall off and sled on down without me. He wouldn’t have done that. Right?
Anyway, we decided we’d had enough of the cold and went to warm up in the Hot Springs. I needed/wanted to do three more flirty interactions before the end of the date: Compliment Appearance, Confess Attraction, First Kiss. I couldn’t do them in the Hot Springs, though. Maybe it was because we weren’t alone there? I politely asked the guy watching us to Just Go Away, but he refused to leave. So I asked Watcher to use MCCC to delete him. Seriously, what other choice did I have? She did as I asked, but I still couldn’t be flirty in the hot springs, despite the fact that we looked darned good together there, don’t you think?  It was nearly time for the date to end, so I had to rush through the flirties and there wasn’t much time for Henry to react before we had to head home. We had to stay on schedule, 8 hours per date, because Watcher scheduled two dates per day. Good thing I have a stockpile of Plentiful Needs potions and Moodlet Solvers!


Ivy: Zyaire took me out to a restaurant that served Experimental Food. After we ordered, I Flirted, used my Pick-up Line, and then used my Bold Pick-up Line, which made me flirty. We chatted in a friendly way until our food arrived. I had the Artisan Fish Trio, which was as beautiful as it was delicious, and I nearly wolfed it down. Zyaire was eating more slowly (politely?), and I know I should have waited until he was done, but  . . . well . . . I didn’t. Wait, that is. I pulled out my mistletoe and kissed him right there in the restaurant. Watcher didn’t expect it, but she didn’t disapprove. Turns out I can initiate autonomous flirty actions whenever I want. Good thing to know.


Ivy: After dinner we went dancing at The Stargazer Lounge. Zyaire is quite the dancer! I had my plan set: after this dance I would ask him to slow dance with me, and after that I would do my remaining three flirties, ending with First Kiss, because a Mistletoe Kiss doesn’t count as a First Kiss. But before the song even ended, look who showed up! It’s not like I hadn’t told them “Mom, Dad, listen - this is important - If you see me out with a guy, pretend you don’t, and go the other way!” But do they do that? NO! They come right up on the dance floor to introduce themselves! Can you tell how pleased I’m NOT to see them? Fortunately it didn’t take a really long time to get rid of them (deleting them was, of course, NOT an option). But my flirties were, again, rushed. I thought about trying to extend the date just to make up for the time Mom and Dad cost me, but Watcher gave me the look that said if I didn’t end it on time, she would. I did get all my flirties in though, there just wasn’t time for any follow-up.


Ivy: Wednesday morning Andrew took me to Newcrest Park. We played some basketball and kicked the soccer ball around. Then we “rested” a bit at the chess table. I’m not sure who won, but neither of us tried to cheat, so that’s something. Watcher told me the Founders of the Sandoval line, Leo and Lily, played chess together at this very table when they were dating. I wonder if they are watching over us now, and if so, I wonder what they think.


Ivy: It warmed up as the day went on, and we were ready to get active again, so we hit the waterslide. It was a great idea because I was able to show off my moves and see Andrew in his swimsuit. Unlike Christopher, Andrew doesn’t walk around the house in his skivvies, so I appreciate the opportunity to admire his muscles. And the water had a helpful “cooling off” effect. But I need to get better at time management . . . I keep having to rush First Kiss.
Watcher: I need to remember to get Mr. "Great Kisser" Steel some pajamas!


Ivy: When Chris told me we were going Fishing for our date, I wasn’t sure what to think. But I actually had fun. There’s something really peaceful about it. We went to a quiet spot in Willow Creek and had the whole area to ourselves. When we got hungry, Chris grilled us a great dinner and we ate by the lake. Then we did a little stargazing, and it was really pleasant, just being there together. When he said he wanted to take me somewhere special, I thought sure, why not?


Ivy: The next thing I knew, he was talking to a tree. I didn’t know what to think, but then it opened up and he stepped inside. I wasn’t sure what to do, but then I felt a tug and suddenly I was beside him in a beautiful place I’d never known existed. It seemed almost magical. The waterfall was the perfect place for my last three flirties, and for the first time, they weren’t rushed. Even so, he lost no time in taking my hands and gazing into my eyes. I immediately had a want to kiss him again. So I did! We stayed there by the waterfall talking for awhile, until it was time for the date to end. Fishing and talking aren’t as exciting as racing down the slopes, dancing to the beat, or tricking your way down the waterslide, but it was a wonderful evening nonetheless.


My date with Tyler was here in Sulani. We went to the beach and built sand sculptures and snorkeled. The weather was perfect, and the fish and coral were beautiful to see. They are so much more clear when you see from below the water’s surface. I was hoping to see a dolphin, but no such luck.


We went to a beach bar for a drink, and heard about a nearby waterfall. So we decided to check it out. It was beautiful and romantic, as, I think, all waterfalls are. We played in the water a bit, kicking and splashing and laughing at each other. But I was mindful of the time and began my remaining flirties so as not to be rushed. As soon as I First Kissed Tyler, he returned it with an autonomous kiss! So maybe he no longer thinks I’m “clingy” - what do you think?


Ivy: My last solo date was with Nathan. We went to Brindleton Park, which I’d never been to and which was really very nice. It has water running through the middle of it with a lighted bridge over it connecting the two sides of the park. When we arrived, we both had wants to play chess. I was able to start my flirties there, but fulfilling my wish to play chess took me out of Confident and put me in Focused. So my third one was Blow a Kiss instead of Bold Pick-Up Line. Nathan also had a want to win at chess, but, well, sorry Nathan . . . not today. I’m not sure if Uncle Aayan (at the table next to us) didn’t see me, didn’t recognize me, or was just playing it cool by NOT saying hello or introducing himself to Nathan. But knowing Uncle Aayan, I’d say it’s the latter, and I’m grateful to him for that. It just makes me love him all the more! As a side note, he and Aunt Amber have three kids now! Glenn is a teen, Kristina is a child, and Braxton is an infant.


Ivy: After chess we went to watch a movie. Diamonds Are For Sims was playing. I’d seen it before and I guess Nathan had too because we talked all through the movie. We did some roller skating next, and I can call it that because you aren’t seeing the screenshots that indicate it was more like floor-rolling than roller skating. I thought the bridge was the perfect place for the remaining flirties, but honestly, it was a challenge keeping Nathan interested. In between each one, he changed the subject . . . to something friendly, but still . . . he didn’t seem very interested in flirting with me. Right after our First Kiss, he took off for the chess table. I made him fish with me for a bit, but it just wasn’t the same as when I was fishing with Christopher, and I wasn’t really sorry when it was time to end the date.


Watcher's Notes:

• I’ve decided that going forward, I won’t share each guy’s actual scores. I think it will be more fun if you don’t know in advance who will be going home, although I don’t think the first one will be a surprise. After this, it might not be so easy.
• I will say that, at the end of the first round, the scores are 6, 9,10,11,12,12.
• Points are still being awarded for increases both in the Friendly Relationship and the Romantic Relationship, but the differentiator going forward will likely be the wants and the autonomous actions.
• Romantic wants/actions initiated by Ivy will get the guy 2 points each; Romantic wants/actions initiated by the guy will get him 1 point each. They will get the points for the wants even if, as in the case of woohoo, it can’t be fulfilled.

Coming Next:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

• First Elimination
• Group outing to the Via Romanza Rec Center (where Black Widow Grandma Jasmine romanced her second husband, lottery-winner Harley Burnette)
• House activity - Arts and Music
• Group outing: Romance Festival (what will the Guru have to say to our five remaining bachelors?)
• Another round of solo dates (random order; random activities)
• Group Outing: Humor and Hijinks

[oshizu]

First of all, I'd like to say that Ivy is supremely lucky that her Watcher made such great choices in the contending bachelors.
They're each attractive in different ways and Ivy seems attracted to them all at this point.

Kudo to the Watcher for designing the daily activities.
The overall challenge seems really complicated to implement but, obviously, highly entertaining for we readers.
I appreciate how you roll which bachelor will do which activity/date so as to keep everything fair and balanced.
Poor Nathan! Such a dedicated, talented doctor and yet he seems to be lacking in the romantic chemistry department.

I'm becoming quite a fan of Andrew!
And I absolutely can't wait for your next update, Watcher!
Fantastic epsidoe!

[Granny Lawlor]

Oh - I've been so looking forward to this update. But looking at all the activity you have to shoe-horn in, it's not surprising each update will take time!

I'm glad to see that Henry has a Great Reputation. Although I never doubted he would

I think Nathan will be outta here, but maybe I read that wrong. I do get the sense that his heart's not in the competition.

There were 2 (?) really sweet dates. I do hope Ivy's heart is strong enough. Oh - the emotional roller-coaster!
Can't wait for the next update!

[GlazeyLady]

First of all, I'd like to say that Ivy is supremely lucky that her Watcher made such great choices in the contending bachelors.
They're each attractive in different ways and Ivy seems attracted to them all at this point.

I've been perusing the gallery and picking potential candidates for literally months. 
I actually had all 6 picked and then @Granny Lawlor generously shared her Banwells, and I knew I had to have Henry for this.
Then you generously shared Zavier, and I had to have his twin.
I already had Christopher Steel because of his popularity in Sims 3 as a Legacy Spouse - I know that doesn't mean anything to those who didn't play Sims 3, but I still thought it would be fun to have him in the mix.
Nathan, Andrew and Tyler were gallery finds that I particularly liked for different reasons.
I'm glad you like Ivy's options - can't wait to see who she ultimately chooses!

Kudo to the Watcher for designing the daily activities.
The overall challenge seems really complicated to implement but, obviously, highly entertaining for we readers.
I appreciate how you roll which bachelor will do which activity/date so as to keep everything fair and balanced.
Poor Nathan! Such a dedicated, talented doctor and yet he seems to be lacking in the romantic chemistry department.

I'm becoming quite a fan of Andrew!
And I absolutely can't wait for your next update, Watcher!
Fantastic epsidoe!

Scheduling the daily activities, especially with considering the holidays and festivals, has been it's own little challenge! I'm also trying to figure out how many screenshots for the various activities in advance so I can determine what will fit into each chapter before I play it. The reason for that is to make sure there are enough activities for movement in scores so that the next thing will be the Rose Ceremony (elimination). I was only thinking 1 screenshot for that but quickly realized that doesn't work. Now that I've played through the first Rose Ceremony, I see that I have 13 screenshots just for that, and I don't want to skimp on it - the Rose Ceremony is such an important part of the show. Although I don't have a way to include the very dramatic long pauses that the show includes (and which I personally find comical), hopefully there will be a little suspense. I've decided the Rose Ceremony, at least at first, will be its own little mini-chapter. Later, when there are fewer bachelors remaining and therefore fewer screenshots, maybe it will come back into the regular chapters.

[GlazeyLady]

Oh - I've been so looking forward to this update. But looking at all the activity you have to shoe-horn in, it's not surprising each update will take time!

I'm glad to see that Henry has a Great Reputation. Although I never doubted he would

I think Nathan will be outta here, but maybe I read that wrong. I do get the sense that his heart's not in the competition.

There were 2 (?) really sweet dates. I do hope Ivy's heart is strong enough. Oh - the emotional roller-coaster!
Can't wait for the next update!

I'm sorry it took so long - I appreciate the patience.
It is detailed playing, and getting more so now that I'll need to catch every autonomous flirty action happening so it can be included in the score. There weren't many before now, but with all the pink bars now I expect them to increase.
But it wasn't all that - I also had the Season 4 start of Diablo IV, which I also play - I dedicate a few days to killing monsters and saving the world when a new season starts. 😉
I also had a big change at work - the role I had was eliminated, along with another role; a couple of new roles were created (but not very thoroughly defined) and I am now in one of those - so trying to learn new process, new software, new responsibilities with a lot of open questions and many unfilled positions as many people were let go. Fun times . . . and by "fun" I mean chaotic, stressful, and exhausting. 

This has all been really fun to play - the party was fun, as were the dates. I just have to be organized and roll all the random variables up front so I can keep things happening within their timeframes. It's really going to get good now, with all the pink bars coming along.

Just a little teaser . . . we've already had two autonomous flirty actions occur in front of other bachelors . . . and someone has added the Jealous trait. (According to the rules, every popup for a bachelor has to be accepted.) I think you're right about the emotional roller-coaster!

[GlazeyLady]

5.03.5 Rose Ceremony #1


Watcher's Comment. . .

I realized as I played through the first rose ceremony that there would be too many screenshots of the ceremony to fit them into a post with all the activities that will occur between the first ceremony and the second one. So I've decided to give the first two or three Rose Ceremonies their own mini-posts.


Anna: “Ivy, your gentlemen await in the Rose Room. Are you ready?”
Ivy (deep breath): “As ready as I’ll ever be. Let’s not keep them waiting.”


Anna: “Gentlemen, since this is our first time in the Rose Room, I’ll explain the process. We have five roses here on the table. One at a time, Ivy will present each rose to a gentleman whom she wants to keep in the house and get to know better. The order of the presentations is random, so please don’t read anything into that. You have the choice to accept or reject the rose. If you accept it, I will assist you to snip the stem and pin your rose on your lapel. If you reject it, you must leave the house immediately. Are there any questions? No? Very well, let’s get started.”


Ivy: “Henry, will you accept this rose?”
Henry: “With great pleasure.”
Ivy: Of course, I have to keep Henry around and get to know him better. I love that he’s romantic, but doesn’t come on strong with it. I think the best is yet to come with him, and I’m quite looking forward to it. I wasn’t expecting him to give me something back, but he did, and it came with a note. How thoughtful!


Henry: I know the order doesn’t matter, but still, it feels great to be first. Look at the way the other guys are looking at me. Did they think I wouldn’t be picked? Or are they just feeling a little envious that I was first and I don’t have to stress about it? At least for now.


Ivy: “Chris, will you accept this rose?”
Chris: “Yes, of course I will.”
Ivy: I must keep Chris around and have more opportunities to experiment with that Great Kisser trait. But it isn’t just that. I know our date was simple, just fishing and stargazing and eating at a picnic table, but it all felt so special with him. And when he took my hands and gazed into my eyes, it was just so . . . . real. I need time to see what that’s about. After I gave him the rose, he also gave me a gift with a thoughtful note. Watcher didn’t say anything about this. Did the guys plan this together?


Ivy: “Zyaire, will you accept this rose?”
Zyaire: “Yes, indeed I will.”
Ivy: I know, Zyaire had a first impression crush on Anna, but she didn’t feel the same way, and he never acted on it other than to get flirty that one time because she was around. He doesn’t actually have a crush on her, just that first impression. So I’m not going to worry about it. What matters is how I feel about him and how he feels about me. That impulse Mistletoe Kiss has to mean something and I love it that he’s so smooth on the dance floor. It did throw me a bit when Mom and Dad showed up, but Zyaire never missed a beat. He introduced himself like running into my parents on our date was the most natural thing in the world.


Ivy: “Tyler, will you accept this rose?”
Tyler: “Nothing could make me happier right now.”
Ivy: Tyler is somehow refreshing. When we danced on New Year’s Eve, he wasn’t self-conscious about not being a great dancer and just joked about it. Then he surprised me in the game room with that flirt and he was such a good sport about losing at juice pong even when I was showing off with my blind shot. And he was really playful at the waterfall, splashing around and laughing and just having fun. I’m curious and want a chance to spend more time with him.


Anna: “Gentlemen, there is only one rose remaining. If you don’t receive this rose, you’ll be leaving the house. You’ll have a few minutes to speak with Ivy and then you will be given a Potion of Youth, which will reset your age to the beginning of the Young Adult life stage. You will retain all your memories of your time in the house and your skill gains and friendships made here; only your age resets. You will also be given the opportunity to join a career if you like. After that, you will be removed from this household and will move into a house that has been purchased for you.”


Ivy: “Andrew, will you accept this rose?”
Andrew: “Yes, Ivy, and I look forward to more time with you.”
Ivy: Andrew and I had fun together. He really gets into whatever he’s doing - basketball, soccer juggling, even water-sliding. He has a really great outlook and is almost always smiling. He’s also very physical, and yes, I do want to see what that might mean as we get . . . closer.


Anna: “Gentlemen, if you were given a rose, please exit the room and go prepare for a group outing to the Via Romanza Rec Center.”


Ivy: “Nathan, you and I didn’t get off to the greatest start, but I feel like we’ve become friends. I just don’t feel like we’re going to be more than friends.”
Nathan: “I understand, Ivy. I’ve enjoyed my time in the house, and I respect your decision.”
Ivy: “So we can be Just Friends?”
Nathan: “Of course.”


Nathan: “Thank you for the Potion of Youth. It never hurts to reclaim a few days. Now let me just call my workplace and let them know I’ll be coming back, and I’ll be on my way.”


Nathan: So I spent almost a week living in a beautiful mansion, attended an awesome New Year’s Eve Party, spent a whole day playing games, made several new friends and got this sweet house for free. And I’m the loser? Huh. Go figure.