http://bbs.thesims2.ea.com/community/bbs/messages.php?&openItemID=item.82,root.1,item.43,item.61,item.23&threadID=f6f04892d5bed8b185b89d69e8936002&directoryID=82&startRow=1
Part 1 of 2 - The Genetic Diversity Challenge: Welcome to Diversityville!
This is a challenge based on Sim genetics, which should result in a very interesting, multicultural neighbourhoods. (The challenge is also specifically designed to help avoid NPC/slowdown bug conflicts without penalty.)
How to Play
1. Create a new neighbourhood. (We'll refer to it as Diversityville for the rest of this explanation, but you can of course name your neighborhood anything you like!)
2. Make sure there are no Sims in your Sim bin. If there are, temporarily move them to lots in one of your *other* neighborhoods.
3. Enter your new neighborhood, Diversityville. Open the command box with Ctrl+Shift+C. Type "deleteallcharacters." Press Escape to close the box.
***Make sure you move all Sims out of your bin before step 3, or else they will be deleted. This step deletes the NPC*'s (*NPC = Non player character, i.e., the autonomous characters in the game) from the neighborhood, and the game will spawn new ones. This step is to add some interest to the neighborhood and to prevent planning in advance to matchmake your Sims with standard NPC's.
Podcast Suggested Empty Neighborhood Templates
4. Create a couple in CAS, ("Adam and Eve Diversity"--but again, pick any name you like). They must have the same skin tone, hair colour, and eye colour. Choose the darkest skin tone; choose brown or black hair; and choose brown or dark blue eyes (the most dominant traits).
5. Move in your Sim couple, on any size lot, and start their family.
The challenge is over when you have every Maxis-issue eye colour, hair colour, and skin tone, present in two subsequent generations; i.e., all variations are present across a generation, and then repeat again in the next variation. All descendants must be able to trace their blood line back to Adam & Eve Diversity (of course, again, name them what you wish). A generation is defined as all Sims the same number of steps from the original parents. Sims must be direct descendants, not "married in" Sims, to count for scoring purposes.
Update: the challenge has proved longer and more difficult than I originally thought. Reaching a full display of all genetic types across just one generation is really more than enough!
Part 2 of 2 - The Genetic Diversity Challenge: Welcome to Diversityville!
Rules
- You can only marry NPC's.
- You can move Sims out and move houses as often as you wish.
- The only pregnancy cheats allowed are for same-sex couples (Adam & Steve's are welcome!). Otherwise, no pregnancy cheats, no abduction cheats, no twins cheats, no cheats to increase relationship scores.
- Children born out of wedlock still count. This is about genetics, not birth certificates.
- Adopted children and their offspring/descendants are not blood relations of Adam & Eve and do not count in the score.
- Money cheats are not allowed. So, in addition to breeding, your Sims will need to concentrate on earning money so they can afford to feed all those children!
What you can do:
- use any size lot
- use downloaded houses or community lots
- have any career
- When a child ages up to teenager, look at the time on the Sim game-clock. Pick their aspiration according to the last number in the time:
1 or 6 = fortune
2 or 7 = knowledge
3 or 8 = family
4 or 9 = romance
5 or 0 = popularity
- Neighbourhoods hold around 75 lots. If you happen to fill up your neighbourhood, you need to kill off your elders to make room.
Scoring:
- You start with a score of 100 points.
- Deduct 10 points for every generation it takes to reach the diversity goal (your first set of children count as minus 10).
- Alien Bonus A: Add 10 points if your last two generations have alien skintone; and add 10 points if your last two generations have alien eyes. [**Update: make this just the last generation]
- Alien Bonus B: if you have a Sim with alien skin *and* eyes in each of your last two generations, instead of the 20 points in Alien Bonus A, add 50 points. [**Update: again, just last generation]
Hints
- Don't use custom skins, eyes, or hair. They tend to be genetically dominant in the game, and will make it almost impossible to successfully complete the challenge.
- Community lots will make it easier to meet NPC's. Build your own or download them.
- Each Sim family can have as many or as few children as you wish; but obviously, the bare minimum number of descendant Sims in a generation to complete the challenge is 5--and odds are you will need more than this, unless you're a genetic genius or very lucky. It's a good idea to start your first family with 2 or more children.
- If you don't know much about how genetics work, this is a great time to learn as the information will really help you make strategic choices in the challenge. A good start is to search the BBS for posts on Sim genetics or else take a look at some of these great posts:
* Pyrmnclgrl on genetics: http://tinyurl.com/4452a
* redchuckles22 on dominant genes: http://tinyurl.com/5wn4p
Enjoy the challenge, and enjoy your new neighborhood!
Clarification on Aliens:
Since this challenge is about game genetics, the aliens need to be born to a male who is genetically linked to your original parents; aliens born to an NPC male who has married into your family do not count for the score or for continuing the family line. (Ouch! I know...but it's a genetic diversity challenge after all.) Likewise, if a married-in NPC has a baby with someone who is not blood-related to the main family, that child and its descendants are not part of the official family tree. (We're not xenophobic, we're just obsessed with genetics.) You can have children out of marriage or with aliens, but not "off the bloodline."
Housing for Your Growing Diversity Family:
In the course of this challenge, you will have Sims continually moving out to start families of their own. On one hand, constant movement should help prevent developing bugs on your lots. On the other hand, you will need a large number of starter homes under 20,000 Simoleons.
When I first posted this challenge, I asked around for good starter homes, and the many helpful replies are in this BBS post:
http://bbs.thesims2.ea.com/community/bbs/messages.php?&openItemID=item.22,root.1,item.43,item.61,item.23&threadID=8f95e067309736c09065f99252c88325&directoryID=22&startRow=1
Several builders who specialize in starter homes also left messages in my guest book:
http://thesims2.ea.com/mysimpage/guestbook.php?user_id=918418 (scroll down)
And, I have built and uploaded several starter homes as well:
http://thesims2.ea.com/mysimpage/guestbook.php?user_id=918418
~D2K
Empty Neighborhood Templates
More Awesome Than You Forums
TS2Enhancer - Character and Neighborhood Editor
Mod the Sims
Show notes for The Sims 2 Challenges Podcast http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=5905
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Wednesday, February 09, 2011
EPISODE105 - The Sims 2 Challenges - Improval Challenge by fluffydevil04
Improval Challenge by fluffydevil04
This challenge may seem very long, but that is only because I wanted to take a lot of time to explain the challenge carefully, to avoid confusion. To help you, it's been divided into the aim, setting up, playing, rules and points.
Aim: To earn your sim enough money to work their way through a range of houses, from cheap to expensive.
Setting Up: Make a sim in CAS - any looks, any aspiration (a fortune sim is good because all they ever want is to earn more money ... so they can achieve goals while doing the challenge) and leave them in the Family Bin while you set up the houses.
To do this challenge, you need the complete set of pre-shipped Maxis houses in the Lots Bin, plus a large house from Pleasantview. However, it's unfair to cut it off to only people who have these, so I've done a bit of research and collected the lots you'll need - they're listed from least expensive to most expensive; I'd like to thank Sithaiixyl for uploading these houses; all links will take you to his/her simpage, with the exception of Hellua Hacienda, which is brt9588's lot:
Sithaiixyl's Sim Page
Ranch Retreat (§10,852)
Just Right (§)
European Townhouse (§14,760)
Bonny Bungalow (§14,996)
Tidy Tudor (§20,512)
Victorian Value (§23,877)
Cape Cod Classic (§25,859)
Modern Masterpiece (§29,889)
Craftsman's Pride (§32,189)
Family Farmhouse (§35,664)
Helluva Hacienda (§55,383)
Federal Fortress (§77,874)
210 Wright Way (§108,379)
Download the lots you need and place them in your neighbourhood; I'd recommend using a new neighbourhood with a long road, putting the houses in order along that road ... but whatever works for you.
Playing: Move your sim into the cheapest lot, which is Ranch Retreat; a simmer of average intelligence has probably noticed that all lots between and including Ranch Retreat and Bonny Bungalow are under the default §20,000 a new sim have. So, by common sense, you could move your sim into Ranch Retreat, then move them out again into Just Right, then move out again into European Townhouse and then move out again to Bonny Bungalow. This isn't the correct method of gameplay, so to prevent cheaters doing this, I'm imposing a rule that I'm going to write here and not in the 'Rules' section: between the lots Ranch Retreat and Bonny Bungalow, the sim must get at least one promotion before they can upgrade the house.
This means that - well, I'm going to use an example here: Sammy Sim has moved into Ranch Retreat; he could move directly into Just Right, but has to take a job - say, in the Business career track (it's not important what career, I'm just using Business as an example.) He must get at least one promotion in it before he can move to Just Right, then once in Just Right, he must continue getting at least one promotion until he reaches Bonny Bungalow, because after Bonny Bungalow, the houses are over the default §20,000.
Continuing with 'Playing': once your sim has reached Bonny Bungalow, they no longer need the promotion rule, because Tidy Tudor is above the §20,000 he/she still has. Therefore, just keep your sim making money until they have enough to move from their current house into the next one along ... and furnish it. Keep up this gameplay until you've reached Federal Fortress; this is as far as the founding sim can go, playing by the rules I've imposed.
Somewhere after European Townhouse (it's important it's not before, because European Townhouse doesn't have two bedrooms and you can't modify any of the houses; see the rules below) the founding sim (in my example, Sammy Sim) must meet an NPC/Townie of the opposite gender (I'm going to use Sally Sim here.) Sammy and Sally must get married and have at least one child to continue the family line, as it's important to the future of the challenge.
Once Sammy, Sally and their child(ren) have reached Federal Fortress, Sammy and Sally can no longer move. However, they must continue to earn money because the ultimate aim of the challenge is to be able to move their eldest child (if there's more than one child, have the second eldest move out with all the younger ones) into 210 Wright Way the moment Sammy and Sally have both died ... or the moment their eldest child (for example, Steve) has become an adult ... or, if there's more than one child, the moment the second eldest has become an adult to move out, taking any younger children with them - it's important not to move Steve out, because he will go back to the default §20,000 and you will have lost the challenge.
If Steve can move into 210 Wright Way without having to earn any money as an adult (he can get a teenager job, because I doubt it'll make much difference), you've won the challenge. If he can't, then you've lost ... but you can always start again.
(Note - any sim names I have used do not have to be used; I was merely using an example. Also, if the eldest child is female, that isn't important - again, I only used Steve as an example.)
Rules: I have imposed some rules to make sure that cheaters can't slip through the net; however, use your imagination - if I haven't posted it, it's not forbidden, therefore you could find a way through the proverbial net.
Rule One: The Promotion Rule, for those who missed it during 'Playing' - Sammy Sim has moved into Ranch Retreat; he could move directly into Just Right, but has to take a job - say, in the Business career track (it's not important what career, I'm just using Business as an example.) He must get at least one promotion in it before he can move to Just Right, then once in Just Right, he must continue getting at least one promotion until he reaches Bonny Bungalow, because after Bonny Bungalow, the houses are over the default §20,000. Once he's reached Bonny Bungalow, the Promotion rule can be forgotten. (Note - names and career track were only used as examples.)
Rule Two: The Federal Fortress Rule - the founding sim and his/her spouse can only get to Federal Fortress; it's up to their eldest child to move to 210 Wright Way.
Rule Three: 210 Wright Way Rule - the eldest child of the founding sim and his/her spouse has to be able to move to 210 Wright Way as soon as Sammy and Sally (founding sim and wife) are dead, he/she is an adult or, if there's more than one child, the second eldest has become an adult to move out with all younger siblings. The heir must be able to move to 210 Wright Way using their parents' fund and not earning any money of their own; if they can, you've won. If they can't, you've lost - but you can still get points (see 'Points'.)
Rule Four: No Cheats Rule - it's all in the name; there are no cheats to be used, especially boolprop or either money ones. Move_objects can be used for building and bugged objects, but not the 'make me happy' way.
Rule Five: Don't Modify Houses Rule - the idea of the challenge is to upgrade to a different house, not re-furbish their existing house. Therefore, you may decorate visually (new carpet and walls), but all walls, windows and doors must remain the ones that came with the house.
Rule Six: The Diva or Mr Big - yes, these sims can be married, but if you choose to have them marry (they can't move in), then the promotion rule is back in place until you can no longer afford to promote to a new house.
Points: As soon as your heir (Steve Sim, in my example,) has moved into 210 Wright Way, count up his/her good memories and give yourself 10 points for each of them; minus 10 points for each bad memory.
As a bonus point system, if the heir moved into 210 Wright Way without earning any money, add an extra 25 points; if they had to earn money of their own, minus 25 points (optional.)
And there ends the challenge instructions; you're free to reply now.
This challenge may seem very long, but that is only because I wanted to take a lot of time to explain the challenge carefully, to avoid confusion. To help you, it's been divided into the aim, setting up, playing, rules and points.
Aim: To earn your sim enough money to work their way through a range of houses, from cheap to expensive.
Setting Up: Make a sim in CAS - any looks, any aspiration (a fortune sim is good because all they ever want is to earn more money ... so they can achieve goals while doing the challenge) and leave them in the Family Bin while you set up the houses.
To do this challenge, you need the complete set of pre-shipped Maxis houses in the Lots Bin, plus a large house from Pleasantview. However, it's unfair to cut it off to only people who have these, so I've done a bit of research and collected the lots you'll need - they're listed from least expensive to most expensive; I'd like to thank Sithaiixyl for uploading these houses; all links will take you to his/her simpage, with the exception of Hellua Hacienda, which is brt9588's lot:
Sithaiixyl's Sim Page
Ranch Retreat (§10,852)
Just Right (§)
European Townhouse (§14,760)
Bonny Bungalow (§14,996)
Tidy Tudor (§20,512)
Victorian Value (§23,877)
Cape Cod Classic (§25,859)
Modern Masterpiece (§29,889)
Craftsman's Pride (§32,189)
Family Farmhouse (§35,664)
Helluva Hacienda (§55,383)
Federal Fortress (§77,874)
210 Wright Way (§108,379)
Download the lots you need and place them in your neighbourhood; I'd recommend using a new neighbourhood with a long road, putting the houses in order along that road ... but whatever works for you.
Playing: Move your sim into the cheapest lot, which is Ranch Retreat; a simmer of average intelligence has probably noticed that all lots between and including Ranch Retreat and Bonny Bungalow are under the default §20,000 a new sim have. So, by common sense, you could move your sim into Ranch Retreat, then move them out again into Just Right, then move out again into European Townhouse and then move out again to Bonny Bungalow. This isn't the correct method of gameplay, so to prevent cheaters doing this, I'm imposing a rule that I'm going to write here and not in the 'Rules' section: between the lots Ranch Retreat and Bonny Bungalow, the sim must get at least one promotion before they can upgrade the house.
This means that - well, I'm going to use an example here: Sammy Sim has moved into Ranch Retreat; he could move directly into Just Right, but has to take a job - say, in the Business career track (it's not important what career, I'm just using Business as an example.) He must get at least one promotion in it before he can move to Just Right, then once in Just Right, he must continue getting at least one promotion until he reaches Bonny Bungalow, because after Bonny Bungalow, the houses are over the default §20,000.
Continuing with 'Playing': once your sim has reached Bonny Bungalow, they no longer need the promotion rule, because Tidy Tudor is above the §20,000 he/she still has. Therefore, just keep your sim making money until they have enough to move from their current house into the next one along ... and furnish it. Keep up this gameplay until you've reached Federal Fortress; this is as far as the founding sim can go, playing by the rules I've imposed.
Somewhere after European Townhouse (it's important it's not before, because European Townhouse doesn't have two bedrooms and you can't modify any of the houses; see the rules below) the founding sim (in my example, Sammy Sim) must meet an NPC/Townie of the opposite gender (I'm going to use Sally Sim here.) Sammy and Sally must get married and have at least one child to continue the family line, as it's important to the future of the challenge.
Once Sammy, Sally and their child(ren) have reached Federal Fortress, Sammy and Sally can no longer move. However, they must continue to earn money because the ultimate aim of the challenge is to be able to move their eldest child (if there's more than one child, have the second eldest move out with all the younger ones) into 210 Wright Way the moment Sammy and Sally have both died ... or the moment their eldest child (for example, Steve) has become an adult ... or, if there's more than one child, the moment the second eldest has become an adult to move out, taking any younger children with them - it's important not to move Steve out, because he will go back to the default §20,000 and you will have lost the challenge.
If Steve can move into 210 Wright Way without having to earn any money as an adult (he can get a teenager job, because I doubt it'll make much difference), you've won the challenge. If he can't, then you've lost ... but you can always start again.
(Note - any sim names I have used do not have to be used; I was merely using an example. Also, if the eldest child is female, that isn't important - again, I only used Steve as an example.)
Rules: I have imposed some rules to make sure that cheaters can't slip through the net; however, use your imagination - if I haven't posted it, it's not forbidden, therefore you could find a way through the proverbial net.
Rule One: The Promotion Rule, for those who missed it during 'Playing' - Sammy Sim has moved into Ranch Retreat; he could move directly into Just Right, but has to take a job - say, in the Business career track (it's not important what career, I'm just using Business as an example.) He must get at least one promotion in it before he can move to Just Right, then once in Just Right, he must continue getting at least one promotion until he reaches Bonny Bungalow, because after Bonny Bungalow, the houses are over the default §20,000. Once he's reached Bonny Bungalow, the Promotion rule can be forgotten. (Note - names and career track were only used as examples.)
Rule Two: The Federal Fortress Rule - the founding sim and his/her spouse can only get to Federal Fortress; it's up to their eldest child to move to 210 Wright Way.
Rule Three: 210 Wright Way Rule - the eldest child of the founding sim and his/her spouse has to be able to move to 210 Wright Way as soon as Sammy and Sally (founding sim and wife) are dead, he/she is an adult or, if there's more than one child, the second eldest has become an adult to move out with all younger siblings. The heir must be able to move to 210 Wright Way using their parents' fund and not earning any money of their own; if they can, you've won. If they can't, you've lost - but you can still get points (see 'Points'.)
Rule Four: No Cheats Rule - it's all in the name; there are no cheats to be used, especially boolprop or either money ones. Move_objects can be used for building and bugged objects, but not the 'make me happy' way.
Rule Five: Don't Modify Houses Rule - the idea of the challenge is to upgrade to a different house, not re-furbish their existing house. Therefore, you may decorate visually (new carpet and walls), but all walls, windows and doors must remain the ones that came with the house.
Rule Six: The Diva or Mr Big - yes, these sims can be married, but if you choose to have them marry (they can't move in), then the promotion rule is back in place until you can no longer afford to promote to a new house.
Points: As soon as your heir (Steve Sim, in my example,) has moved into 210 Wright Way, count up his/her good memories and give yourself 10 points for each of them; minus 10 points for each bad memory.
As a bonus point system, if the heir moved into 210 Wright Way without earning any money, add an extra 25 points; if they had to earn money of their own, minus 25 points (optional.)
And there ends the challenge instructions; you're free to reply now.