1.6: Shop Struggles
Sunday, Week 6, Year 1 (late summer)
Renato: Last week, Pheobe and I had a science baby we named Winona.
Our twins aged up to toddlers on Monday and clever Winona caught up to them on Thursday night.
We enjoyed several firsts: Phoebe became a Master Maker and I won my very first wand.
I remain every hopeful of receiving the Smog Vacuum blueprint. This week for sure!
The Propellor Monument behind us appeared last week as Port Promise's Modern Development NAP.
From L to R: Phoebe holding Wangari, Chico, and me holding Winona.
Yep, I have a work-from-home task to "Present an Eco Invention Concept."
Nothing good for sale at the Flea Market, so Phoebe and I travel to the Fashion District.
The plan was for her to have some Sweet & Sour Eggplant, but she's at the bar yakking. That Phoebe!
After presenting 3 feedback-less concepts, Thomas Watson finally offers constructive feedback!
Cross your fingers!
I've been reading about an activist named Dawn Makey and decide to take a page from her book.
Instead of doing my work-from-home assignment on a for-sale toilet, I visit my neighbors.
Cloud Rainstorm and his family moved into The Portsmouth Promenade after the Greenburgs.
Installing a composting container on their toilet ensures my L9 promotion tomorrow.
That Dawn Makey's one brilliant cookie!
Despite queuing up twice at the Chinese food stall, Phoebe never learned any recipes there.
If you want to get something done, you've got to do it yourself.
Fine! I prepare an 8-serving platter of Sweet and Sour Eggplant for the family.
Once Phoebe has a serving, she'll be able to prepare the dish, too.
Monday
Winona actually maxed her remaining toddler skill last night.
While trying to decide when's the best time to age up the kids, I'm whisked away to work.
Since I got a promotion this morning, I received no option to choose to work from home.
I phone Phoebe from work, advising her not to wait until the twin's birthday notices this evening.
Phoebe: I'm happy to say that our toddlers will all earn the Top-Notch Toddler trait!
After making two cakes, I start by helping our firstborn Wangiri blow out her candles.
After that, I help her twin Chico and our youngest Winona age up, too.
Wangiri is Good, Chico is Adventurous, and Winona has a Love of the Outdoors.
Renato: As soon as I'm home from work, I'm ready to start renovating.
Now that we don't have toddlers in the house, it's time we live in a large home!
Aesthetically, the house won't be winning any Architectural Digest awards.
And it has only the bare minimum of furnishings.
But it checks off all the boxes except for a pool. We can furnish it gradually.
Renato: Now kids, your only task during this Weiner Roast is to roast one hot dog each, got it?
A gold-medal Weiner Roast earns us a chess table, which you'll need to complete Whiz Kid.
Phoebe: What about me?
Renato: You and I will handle all the other party goals.
Wangiri, Chico, and Winona: Yay, we did it!
Tuesday
Renato: When I go to do my daily task on the Fabricator, I discover I can make the Smog Vacuum.
Huh. I must've missed the notification yesterday because I was busy renovating our house.
As soon as I craft an Eco Upgrade Part for my daily task, I craft my long-awaited Smog Vacuum!
My most valuable scorched item is this Malificent Bed, originally worth §8,000.
This Smog Vacuum really makes dumpster diving worthwhile!
And it requires "bananas," which I can easily obtain by recycling harvestables.
This sparkly blue tile in our backyard? It marks where I plan to eventually build a pool.
Phoebe: Now that Renato has finally crafted a Smog Vacuum, I have a new task.
Of course, Renato will continue dumpster diving but can now repair scorched items.
With my maxed Handiness skill, I'm in charge of damaged items that only need repair and cleaning.
Hey, I've discovered that I'm Neat!
Renato: I go to work at the office today instead of working from home.
What a surprise when the boss grants me my final promotion to L10 Master Expert!
And that means I've also completed my Eco Innovator aspiration.
My only remaining task is the build a pool.
Wednesday
Winona: This morning, I notice I can check Patchy's pockets for sees.
Papa says that he and Mama only get three normal-quality seeds from Patchy, if they find anything at all.
But me? I find three perfect-quality snapdragon flowers. Patchy must think I'm special!
Watcher: He must, Winona! None of my sims have every found anything but normal-quality seeds!
Renato:: I've been repairing all my scorched finds using the Smog Vacuum.
Phoebe helps out, as usual, by repairing and cleaning the unscorched but otherwise damaged items.
At the store, I build a basement where I move all the furniture and appliances.
And I build a small room for the kids in back where they can do schoolwork and work on Artistic Prodigy.
All that's on sale in the shop are the cheap stuff: Frogs, Decorative Eggs, MySims Trophies, and so on.
Caleb and I greet and answer customers' questions, while Phoebe only rings them up.
Five minutes before closing shop, I praise Caleb and allow him to leave early.
At 5% markup, we sold 20 items but only earned 360 perk points.
Friday
From Wednesday morning to Friday afternoon, we opened the shop three times with a 5% markup.
And here's what happened: (Rally the Troops, ftw!)
Session 1: Sold 20 items in 10 hours, 360 perk points
Session 2: Sold 26 items in 14 hours, 455 perk points (815 total)
Session 3: Sold 28 items in 18 hours, 620 perk points (1,435 total)
Our 3rd session was long, and I sent Caleb home after 9 hours.
We did manage to buy the Faster Checkout (Large) perk for 1,400 points.
We'd bought activity tables and a swing set for the kids.
We put them in family inventory so the kids could use them either at home or at the shop.
It's no surprise that Winona's the first to become a Llamacorn Scout.
(We'll be recycling the swing set and two of the activity tables later.)
No more shop business until next week!
We travel to Desert Bloom Park so the kids can work on Rambunctious Scamp and Playtime Captain.
While fishing at the back of the park, I not only catch a Seed Crystal but also become an Angling Ace.
Winona: At 6 pm, we visit San Myshuno for the Spice Festival.
While everyone else is attempting the Spice Curry Challenge, I'm harvesting plants.
You'll know why soon enough! *winks
By the way, our whole family fails the Spice Curry Challenge!
Renato: I've only found two computers so far, but all 3 kids want to "Practice Typing."
It makes perfect sense for them to do that at the Willow Creek Library.
They keep at it until they finish that task plus get a high score in the Key Commander game.
Meanwhile, Phoebe and I go fishing behind the library.
Saturday
It's nearly 2 am when the kids are ready to tackle their last Rambunctious Scamp task.
For that, we travel to Magnolia Blossom Park because it has two sets of monkey bars.
When they complete that aspiration, we head home for some well-deserved sleep.
After breakfast, I'm ready to show you our home's very symmetrical layout.
The living room is flanked by a study and a hobby room on each side, accessible via the hallways.
Those hallways also provide access to bathrooms on either side of the kitchen and dining room.
On the second floor, there are three bedrooms that share a veranda overlooked the backyard.
Stairways on each side of the house lead up to the verandas.
The bedrooms are an odd size. I guess I could make them shorter to increase the veranda's width.
Then, I could move the chess set and even a game table up there. Well, that's a next-week problem.
Lastly, I downsize the fishing spot and add a pool.
The pond's much smaller now. But Phoebe can still go fishing just fine.
I think I'll just enjoy floating on my back a bit while the children sleep in.
It feels great to be done with all my requirements!
Progress: End of Week 6 - Requirements completed ?day, Week 6, Year 1
Residence:: The Shipping Views, Port Promise (EH)Renato Costa: Gen1 founder - YA
Traits: Freegan, Maker, Loves the Outdoors (+Adventurous, Outgoing)
Spouse: Phoebe; Children: Wangari & Chico; Winona
Tasks - Requirements completed on Saturday, Week 6, Year 1
🥢Start out as a teen with zero funds on an empty lot in Evergreen Harbor
🥢Lot challenges: Reduce & Recycle, Off the Grid (may remove upon completing all requirements)
🥢Aspirations: Eco Innovator, Freelance Botanist, Nerd Brain, Painter Extraordinaire
🥢Skills: Fabrication, Gardening, Handiness, Painting
🥢Become a Llamacorn Scout and Graduate (high school) with Honors
🥢Career: Civil Designer/Green Technician 10
🥢Marriage requires: 1 bedroom (double bed, light), 1 bathroom (sink, toilet, bath or shower, light),
and 1 dining/kitchen (fridge, sink, counter, stove, table, chair, light).
🥢Marry a Green Fiend who must complete the Master Maker aspiration
🥢Name your children after celebrated environmental activists
🥢Receive the Smog Vacuum blueprint and craft one
🥢Final home: 3 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms, Kitchen, Dining, Living Room,
Study, Pool, Garden. (Wall/floor coverings in every indoor room 9/9)
Phoebe (Ramos): Gen1 spouse - YA
Traits: Green Fiend, Perfectionist, Good (+Creative, Foodie, Neat)
Wangari: Gen2 spare - Child
Traits: Sunny/Silly; Good (Top-Notch Toddler)
Toddler quirks: Wanderer, Good Appetite, Loves Being Held
Chico: Gen2 spare - Child
Traits: Calm/Angelic; Adventurous (Top-Notch Toddler)
Toddler quirks: Light Sleeper, Messy Eater
Winona: Gen2 heir - Child
Traits: Calm/Charmer; Loves the Outdoors (Top-Notch Toddler)
Toddler quirks: Good Appetite, Messy Eater, Aggressive
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Baker's Cousin Display Case: Not gonna lie! I've really missed using this.
Since it works like a fridge but can't be found in dumpsters, I've decided Renato may buy one.
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Gold-medal Weiner Roast: Renato really wanted to "earn"--not simply buy--a chess table.
With that aim, I temporarily edited Desert Bloom by adding a campfire, cooler, and benches.
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Rocket ship kit: This item can be placed and built on the Futures and Past Museum's balcony.
But it couldn't be placed in parks. I noticed a few days ago that I could place it Desert Bloom Park.
My sims haven't tried building it yet, but we'll let you know.
A mission-ready rocket ship in Desert Bloom Park would be handier than going to GeekCon.
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The Shop: Phoebe is most useful when she sticks to ringing up customers.
Due to her low Charisma, she's not that helpful answering customers' questions.
Plus, she tends to go off track, drop her queue, and start socializing.
Regarding retail perks, I can't exactly duplicate Nutella's strategy because Renato's not allowed to restock store merchandise.
Instead, after the store closes, he and Phoebe go around to "Remove Sign" on all sold items.
Phoebe will be recycling the "small, cheap stuff" that remains.
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Too many customers!: Dealing with customers at a low markup is extremely easy.
They only need 1-2 interactions before they're ready to make a purchase.
Now that Renato has the Faster Checkouts (Large) perk, he'll try to sell his big dumpster items.
I wonder if things will go more smoothly or if he'll end up only making 2-3 sales every session. *sighs
Would he have fewer customers at a time if he had fewer items on display for sale?
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Bicycles: I like all child sims to learn to ride a bicycle.
Is it even possible to find bicycles for children in the dumpsters?
Renato has found four bicycles so far, giving one of them to Phoebe.
He'll be trading in his other three "grownup bikes" for ones that support children.
Does that seem fair to you?
