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Field Researcher
Original Poster
#1 Old 28th Apr 2014 at 6:50 PM Last edited by Sanypsia : 2nd May 2014 at 11:42 PM.
Default The Hard Hat Challenge
You and your spouse have done it! You've worked hard, saved up, applied for a loan and bought the perfect piece of property, but, there's only one problem. Your perfect piece of property doesn't have a house for you to live in and you didn't sign the next lease for your rental space. The property left you no financial room to go rent another place... looks like you're going to have to bite the bullet and live on the land while construction is under way. At least they have hard hats, right...?

Welcome to the Hard Hat challenge, a magical place where houses are built in steps and money is always tight. In this challenge, you face gradual progress with the construction of your house as time goes on. You’ll start with the floor plan, move onto the foundation and the shell, complete the "insulation" of the house, install windows and doors, and finally move in when construction is complete. I'll be your host. You can call me San. Let's get started.

Oh the woes of sleeping bag toes!

To setup this challenge:
Enter CAS and create a couple. Gay or straight doesn't matter. At least one of the two should be financial/wealth aspiration.
Find them an empty lot, 3x2 no bigger or smaller. Lot placement is super important and covered below.
Hold Ctrl + shift down at the same time, tap C. Type in: "familyfunds (your sim family's last name here) 10,000." For the Thomas family, it would be, "familyfunds Thomas 10000".
Move your CAS family into their designated lot and immediately pause the game.

Enter buy mode and select your furnishings; below is a list of items you are allowed to buy for the duration of the construction. You can buy as many or as little of these items from the list as you want; you can not deviate from this list. Stay within your means as money cheats are not allowed in this portion of game setup.
► 1 Oven.
► 1 Fridge (If you have University ep, use the small, stand alone fridge.)
► 1 Counter space.
► 1 Bed compatible for two people. (If you have Bon Voyage, this is replaced with a tent.)
► 1 Single bed. If more than one child is present, they'll have to take turns sharing this bed. (Also replaced by tent if Bon Voyage is present.)
► 1 Portable Skilling Item. (Easel, small telescope, if Uni: guitar, if Freetime: violin.)
► 1 Book. (Buy a bookcase, have a sim select a book to study from by clicking on the case and selecting "study... Cooking/Mechanical/Cleaning". When the book is off the shelf and in the sim's hand, delete the bookcase.)
► 1 Portable mirror.
► 1 Small love seat.
► 2 Cribs (max unless you have Trips ‘N’ Quads and get over 2 babies)
► 0 Diaper stations.
► 1 Toddler Toy.
► 1 Child Toy.

Some cheats you're allowed to use:
► boolprop allow45degreeangleofrotation true
► moveobjects on
► boolprop snapobjectstogrid false
► roofslopeangle
If it's a build or design cheat, in other words, feel free to use it. Cheats to make your life easier are, as usual in challenges, not allowed.
-Should the need arise to delete sims, reset glitches or otherwise fix borkiness, feel free to do so.

What is that thing? It's a lean to. Yes, I said lean to.
This is the Only portion of game setup you are allowed to use a money cheat in. After the Portapotty and Lean-to are built, using kaching 5 times, set your familyfunds back to 500.

In order to provide restroom amenities for your imaginary* construction crew, you are permitted to build a small “portapotty.” You can achieve this by creating a small building with enough space to house a public toilet stall and a public shower stall. If you are playing without expansion packs, be sure to wall the toilet, shower and sink off from one another so people may use the amenities in privacy. These amenities, although created for your “construction crew,” are open for access by the resident sims.
-If you have University, be sure to use the Dorm style showers.
-If you have Nightlife, be sure to use the bathroom stall.

If you have the Seasons expansion pack and therefore need to protect your sims from the elements, you may build a small lean-to. Traditionally a sturdy building with three walls and a roof, your lean-to will be a small building no larger than 4 tiles wide and 5 tiles deep. You may have a front wall with a door in the winter, but come spring, summer and fall you must delete the wall. I only say that you may have the front wall in the winter is to protect your sims from the freezing cold. As rainy seasons roll around, your lean-to will only protect your sim from hail or lightning.
-The only item allowed in the lean to is the bed, all other items must endure the weather of the world.

If you have Bon Voyage, your lean-to will instead house the tent in the winter when it's too cold to camp out. This is because I don't know how the hot/cold system works with the tent in the winter.
If the tent protects against weather, your lean to is null and void. Meaning you don't get one. This is the same for games without seasons. You only get a building to live in if you have weather that can be fatal installed. Sorry. :P

*I say the crew is imaginary because, unless you use the method described below, your construction crew doesn’t exist. The amenities are there “temporarily” until the construction of the house is complete.

This land is my land, it is not your land. From the Pleasantview forest, to the Strangetown highland!


Seasons Specific Lot Placement Details
Not every piece of land is a fertile Eden in which to plant, therefore you'll have to seriously consider where you place your sim's lot. If you want your sims to be gardeners the lot must be as close to a non-salt body of water as is possible for the neighborhood map you're using. This simulates being able to tap into fertile river ground suitable for the veggies your sims wish to grow. (For the sake of the game, veggies include: Pole Beans, Peppers, Cucumbers.) Fruits (Tomatoes, Strawberries, Eggplant) will not grow without the ample nutrients of Mountain soil. This is achieved by getting as close as is possible to a hill or "mountain" in your neighborhood map. Fruit Bearing Trees (Apple, Lemon and Orange) will only grow in the plains, simulated by being landlocked and as far away from water or hills as is possible in your map's terrain.
-Yes, Tomatoes can only be grown when you don't have a badge in gardening at all. For the sake of this challenge, you will consider tomatoes as "Peppers" should you choose to be on the river until Peppers, Pole Beans or Cucumbers are available for your sim to grow. At this point, you must dispose of all tomato plants and replace them with the proper veggies.

Lot Location is Everything! These characteristics apply to both games With and Without Seasons.

Location is everything and will mark the characteristics that determine the level of difficulty in your challenge. As such, you have three locations to choose from. Each is unique in benefit and detriment and as such has slightly different rules in regards to Added cost, Planting (covered above) and, of course, benefit or detriment. As soon as you pick your location, you can forget about the other two.

Mountain locations are simulated by getting as close as is possible to a landlocked hill, or "mountain," on your neighborhood map. There should be no bodies of water, salt or fresh, nearby. Mountain is this challenge's equivalent of the "hard" difficulty.
Benefit: Privacy - Your sim is suburbia-burnt out and moving to the mountains provides privacy! As such you may build 1 additional complete wall from the fence to the edge of the property (free of charge) and give it a door to keep strangers from encroaching your camp set-up.
Detriment: Added Cost - Privacy comes with a cost, and that cost is particularly high in terms of shipping. You'll find inflation is higher in this area and takes a bigger toll on the bank account. (This is covered below.) Spotty Service - Being in the mountains is great! Except for the fact that cell towers aren't always working at their finest. Simulate this by randomly deleting your phone, smoke or burglar alarm for 24 hours once a week. (When these items are unlocked, also covered below!)

Plains locations are simulated by getting as close as is possible to a landlocked field, or "plains" type area on your neighborhood map. There should be no bodies of water, salt or fresh, and no mountains nearby. The plains are this challenge's equivalent of the "normal" difficulty.
Benefit: Close range to town (or quicker range to town.) - Your sim chose the Plains for ease of access to town and, as such, will earn their phone, smoke and burglar alarm much more quickly than the other two locations.
Detriment: Slightly higher added cost - you might be nearer to town but there's still a little inflation on your building supplies!

River locations are simulated by getting as close as is possible to a fresh, non-salt body of water as is possible on your neighborhood map. There should be no hills or plains nearby. The river is this challenge's equivalent of the "easy" difficulty.
Benefit: It's Cheap! Because of this location's detriment, supplies are cheap as manufacturers figure you'll have to "replace the materials more often."
Detriment: It's prone to flooding. Being on the river can be a dangerous thing, your lot will "flood" at least twice a week. To simulate floods you have three options. First, you can use Freetime "tinker" to break water appliances in the public restroom to get puddles or, with Uni, you can install 1 Sprinkler system and play a prank on it twice a week. Second, you can simply leave broken water appliances broken without fixing them (compatible with all game set-ups). Third, you can play pretend and, once weekly, deduct 1000 from family funds to repair flood damage. Flood water must stay on the floor for 24 hours before you can mop it up (unless, of course, your sim does it automatically. Cancel the "mop up" action from the que.) If you have seasons and are therefore gardening on the river, overwater your plants once a week to simulate the flooding.


Choose your location wisely as the location of the house will be permanent.


Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither was this house!
The construction of the house your sim family is trying to build is the main goal of this challenge and is broken down into several steps; some steps are based on job promotions, some are based on family funds, some are just there to ease the bank account. Because your sim family is building this house with their future in mind, it will be of great benefit to build with the ideal family size in mind – teens are not allowed to share bedrooms in this challenge! Therefore, you will need a three-bedroom house for a family of four; a four bedroom house for a family of five, so on and so forth.

◘The Basic Overview of Construction:
Your fortune sim is the primary breadwinner in the house. If both in the couple are fortune sims, you must pick one to work and the other to stay home and "keep an eye" on the construction crew. The one who stays home will be in charge of flooding homes that are on the river or maintaining lot cleanliness. As your fortune sim climbs the corporate ladder, your house will grow in size and will develop through the stages below. You cannot build out of order. This means that you must be content with each stage before you move onto the next; there is no going back and changing something. Get your sim a job in any field, other than Criminal or Construction. (If you do not have the Construction career path, you can instead use Politics.)

-Your lot must have a “construction zone” set up – doing this is simple. Fence off a large portion of your lot, do not leave a way for your sim to get into the fenced in area. This zone is otherwise too dangerous for your two average Joe, non-hard hat wearing dumbos to enter. The only "safe" areas are the tent/lean to and surrounding area where personal possessions will go.

Step 1: Planning your house layout.

◘Getting a little more detailed: Entry Levels. Levels 1-3 in your job.

Congratulations, you can flip a burger. You must feel very proud. The first 3 levels of whatever job your Fortune sim enters will entail planning the layout of your house (this is where it’s most important to consider family size in the future.) Each promotion in the entry-level positions unlocks exactly 15 tiles worth of flooring types, like Hardwood, Carpet, Linoleum, etc. Buy these from the catalog and put them straight onto the land, as you do so begin mapping out the layout of the house. View mapping out the layout of your house in the same way you would view a child’s coloring book: you are creating the lines that you will fill in with color, later. In order for a room to be considered complete, it must have three borders drawn out through the use of the flooring type you picked for the room. Shared borders between other rooms do count toward the limit. In order for your floor plan to be complete, you must have the complete basic shape of your house mapped out with the floor tiles. You must have at least two complete rooms for your basic shape to be considered complete. You cannot move onto step 2 before this step is complete. By the end of the Entry Level positions, you will have unlocked 45 total flooring type tiles to work with, use them wisely.
To get a general gist of what I’m asking, here is a picture of a fully mapped out house:


◘Getting a little more detailed: Mid Levels. Levels 3-6 in your job.

You got a promotion? Congratulations! We're all really happy for you, except, not really. Financial promotion bonuses don't exist from here on out. Every promotion bonus is to be removed from the family funds via the familyfunds cheat demonstrated above. Subtract the bonus pay and the day’s pay from the family funds. Instead, each promotion in these levels gives you 10 additional tile floors to complete your floor plan if necessary. At the end of the Mid Levels, you will have unlocked 30 additional flooring type tiles to use; utilize these tiles to complete the house’s layout if necessary. You will promptly subtract the bonus AND the day's pay from your family funds as soon as your fortune sim gets home from work. These deductions are the construction worker's fees for building your house.
If you have a completed outline, you may trade these flooring type tiles for foundation; however, in this case, 10 tile floor types = 1 block of foundation. The foundation and wall segments have special prices and costs, listed below.

After reaching level six in his first job, your fortune sim decides he wants to take over construction of the house and quits his old job (you must stay home from work until you're fired as electricity only runs your fridge on this lot.) You will then get a job as a cement mixer; the rules above still apply, however.
If you do not have the construction career path, you will get a job in politics and use your imagination.

Step 2: Building the Foundation.
With your floor plan complete, you’re now free to move onto step two of the building process: Laying Foundation. The floor tiles you unlock in this step are actually Foundation Squares, and the amounts you unlock have changed slightly:
► Entry Level: Was worth 15, now worth 10.
► Mid-Level: Was worth 10, now worth 5.
► Upper-Level: Did not exist, now worth 3.
Due to moving into the construction career path (or politics career path, if you can’t get a job as a cement mixer in your game) your sim now gains a benefit for any promotion past level 6 in the career path.
Additionally, moving onto step 2 introduces added cost of building. The added cost of building is tacked onto the cost built in game; foundation will take a dent out of your funds. (Not literally because, by this point, you've likely got a decent sum saved up.) Remember, at this point you cannot go back and change your floor plan/layout.
► Mountain Foundation Added Cost: 500 per piece of foundation in addition to total cost automatically built into the game. I told you, more pricy.
(EX: I have 10 pieces of foundation unlocked from promotion between levels 2 and 3. I build five pieces of foundation. 500 x 5 = 2500. My funds are currently 5000. 5000 - 2500 = 2500. Therefore I must knock the family funds down by entering into the cheat: "familyfunds Thomas 2500.")
► Plains Foundation Added Cost: 250 per piece of foundation in addition to total cost automatically built into the game.
► River Foundation Added Cost: 100 per piece of foundation in addition to total cost automatically built into the game.
- If you have the stilted foundation (it looks like flooring that is on stilts) it is mandatory for the River Houses due to the flooding. If not, just use the terraced deck foundation instead; added cost still applies and for the same amount of 100.
You’ll be building your foundation over the floorplan you laid out using different floor types; if you would like to transfer the flooring up to the top of the foundation so that you can still see it, go ahead and do so by deleting the floor type tile under the foundation, and copying it back on top of the foundation.

Step 3: Building the Shell.
Building your shell is not based on your Fortune sim’s progress through promotions; it is instead based on the total amount of money his family has in the bank, saved up. When you reach this stage, you can build as much as you can afford; however, walls are not cheap. Added cost in this section is per segment of wall. So, if you build one wall in the mountain region, you are going to pay 1500 in added cost after the game subtracts the amount of money from your bank account. Two walls would be worth 3000, so on and so forth.
► Mountain Walls: 1500 per wall in addition to total cost automatically built into the game.
► Plains Walls: 1000 per wall in addition to total cost automatically built into the game.
► River Walls: 500 per wall in addition to total cost automatically built into the game.

It is at this point you'll want your fortune sim relatively high in the construction (Or politics, if you don't have construction) career path. Walls are expensive to say the least.

Step 4: "Insulation."
Step 4 is not promotional based and comes with no added cost.(YAY!) This step in building your house is as simple as picking the paint you like, completing any floor tiles (without losing unlocked tiles) and putting them in your house. However, due to resources being spread thin you may only paint and floor one room a day. So you may choose to lay the flooring in the bathroom and paint the kitchen; but you cannot simply shift+click your way through step 4. This step is all about letting your bank account build back up. If you plan carefully you can finish this step in about a week. Exterior painting is NOT included in the "one a day" rule; you can paint it five different colors every day if you want.
If you are in the Plains, it is at this point that you may add a phone, smoke alarm and burglar alarm to the house. If you do not apply for the lean-to, these devices must go into the portapotty. If you do apply for the lean-to, you may choose between the portapotty and the lean-to.

Step 5: Doors and windows and stairs OH MY!

This step is back to the steep prices. It’s all about the size of your wallet, however, and not based on your fortune sim’s promotions.
► Mountain Window + Door Shipping: 800 per window or door in addition to built in cost.
► Plains Window + Door Shipping: 400 per window or door in addition to built in cost.
► River Window + Door Shipping: 200 per window or door in addition to built in cost.
► Stairs are of regular cost and installation fees.
If you are in the Mountains, you may add a phone, a smoke detector and a burglar alarm to your portaptty or lean-to, if you did apply for the lean-to. Spotty service will be simulated by randomly deleting the phone, smoke detector or burglar alarm for 24 hours.

Step 6: Move in Day! Hallelujah!!

This day is the best and most pleasant step of them all, it's satisfying. Delete the fence around the house and move in the pieces of furniture you have. At this point it's time to start saving for furnishing the house, however, your Fortune sim has been fired for malpractice. He must now turn to the life of a criminal. (Stay home from work until you're fired if you’re not in the Plains or have good service in the Mountains.) You are not allowed to progress past pick-pocket, and if you do you must quit promptly and reapply for the position again when it's next available. In addition, your finances have been taxed and you must now deduce your family funds to exactly 1100 dollars. This will allow you to challenge yourself to save up and buy what furnishing you need. But by now, your sims will be ridiculously used to living the life of little pleasures.
-At this point, the items list restriction is lifted and your couple may buy anything they want and can afford.
The Rivers are not allowed any of the services already provided to the Plains or Mountains until the house is completely furnished.

I started a home business. It's in my home. And it's a business!

I just know that those of you with OFB, Freetime and Bon Voyage will be itching to make money off of the sim who never leaves for work. Unfortunately, that is not permitted until the house is completely built. Before the house is completed it’s a liability and dangerous to start a home business (especially since you have no home to operate out of!) Affording a community lot would be a little difficult too, as you have to save money for building the Shell. You can, however, stock up on supplies to sell after you have completed the house.
Seasons players may sell their produce to the local farmer's market, but that is all! No, fish don't count as produce either you sneaky sneakies.

But I wanna baaaaybee!

There’s no real reason these sims cannot have children and I have made amendments to the items list at the start of the challenge to cover children. There is a very real chance that your Founding Sims will be elders by the time the house you built is complete and suitable to live in; it may just wind up being a gift to their children. Teens are invited to get a job to help with the family funds to afford walls or foundation as well. However the sole responsibility of promotions lies on the fortune sim. This torch can be handed off to any other fortune sim in the house, including teens.
Seasons players, you might consider having children sleep in the portapotty if the lean-to cannot hold their bed.

I have spring fever! And cabin fever! And cat scratch fever! ... wait, what?

What to do about visiting friends, birthday parties or random house guests. Given that you cannot operate a business on this lot, it should make sense that friends are prohibited on the land as well due to liability. So for the sake of sanity (and friend-making to earn promotions) you can assume that:

► Friends brought home from work have signed a waiver stating they will not sue your family for any injury.
► Children brought home from school have parents who have signed the same waiver mentioned above.
► Birthday parties will not be happening on this lot; you'll have to keep it in the family when no walk-bys are present. If you have a mod that allows parties on community lots, you're more than welcome to host a group and party there. The party cannot be brought back to your place however.
► Random walk-bys are snooping around trying to see what's been built; do not greet or invite them in as they have NOT signed a waiver.
-This rule is null and void if said walk-by is a friend from work who has already signed the aforementioned waiver.
► You're welcome to spend any free time you have at community lots, making friends as is necessary. However as you have no phone you'll likely be spending quite a lot of your free time at community lots, hoping your buddy will show up.

Remember life is still happening; it's just happening at a gradual pace when it comes to having a house to live in.

Mom, mom! I saw a floaty black thing with a hood and hula girls!

In the event of your fortune sim's death, if there are no other fortune sims on the lot (aka your fortune sim is dying prematurely, before old age) you may use the stay-home sim to get a job as breadwinner and continue on with the challenge, even if this sim is not a fortune sim. However.

► This sim gets half the construction bonuses. If in Job 1, promotional bonuses are not 15 and 10; they are 7 and 5. If Job 2, promotional bonuses are not 10 and 5; they are 5 and 2. These sims also do not get additional slots awarded to fortune sim who reaches over level 6 in the construction path.
► You cannot change this sim's aspiration; it is what it is.
► You must strive to find them a new spouse (it MUST be a spouse) that is a fortune sim.

In the event of the stay-home sim's premature death, your fortune breadwinner must marry another sim. However.
► Your sim may not conduct dates or sleepovers at your lot unless the sim you're dating is considering moving in.
► This sim must stay the aspiration it randomly spawned with, much like in the rules above.
► For the sake of the challenge, whatever sim you decide to date will also have signed a waiver stating they will not sue you so that they may visit the property.

If either of these sims has different desires for the family that require an extra room you are acquitted with one revision to the floor plan; however you will still have to unlock the floor tiles through the various steps and All progress on the house will stop until the new room is up to the same step as the rest of the house. This revision is extremely expensive and only exists in the event of a premature death.

If your sim dies before Step 2 is complete:

► Mountain Revision Added Foundation Cost: 1200 per piece of foundation in addition to built in cost.
► Plains Revision Added Foundation Cost: 1000 per piece of foundation in addition to built in cost.
► River Revision Added Foundation Cost: 600 per piece of foundation in addition to built in cost.

If your sim dies before Step 3 is complete:

► Mountain Revision Added Wall Segment Cost: 2000 per wall segment in addition to built in cost.
► Plains Revision Added Wall Segment Cost: 1500 per wall segment in addition to built in cost.
► River Revision Added Wall Segment Cost: 1000 per wall segment in addition to built in cost.

If your sim dies before Step 5 is complete:

► Mountain Revision Added Window and Door Shipping: 1000 in addition to built in cost.
► Plains Revision Added Window and Door Shipping: 500 in addition to built in cost.
► River Revision Added Window and Door Shipping: 300 in addition to built in cost.

If your sim prematurely dies while you're in step 1, none of these additional fees will be charged as you don't have to pay extra for items to be re-shipped to your address.

-All prices will return to normal as soon as your Acquitted Revision has been caught up to the rest of the house. Revisions are only applicable in the case of premature death.

You'll want to convince your sims to compromise on family plans if at all possible.

---

For a slight added challenge, create a "construction crew" of Hard Hat Lad. This will be a crew of four brothers created in CAS and moved into the opposite side of town. Construction will only be allowed on the lot (including the floor planning and Insulation steps) when one of the four brothers autonomously visits the lot without your interference. Befriend them to get them to visit more often; but you may not call them or invite them to any functions. You'll be relying on them to decide when to show up and complete work on your house. It is in this case that you need to monitor your promotional progress and what advancements you have to spend. You'll need to keep track of your promotions and what floor tiles you have to spend from what level. All added cost prices remain the same with the addition of the Hard Hat Lads. Therefore you will have to do careful calculations in order to afford such large amounts of work at one time. If you overextend your budget, you MUST delete 20 tiles worth of your flooring purchases to pay them back and reduce your family funds to 0 to simulate being in debt.

Do understand that, unless you're in the Insulation step (step 4), you must unlock floor tiles to build them; this is especially true for those who want to create a second story, or third story, on the house. This is why it's so important to monitor and keep track of what tiles you've unlocked thus far.

-In The Construction job, you are ONLY allowed to use the "Upper Levels" bonus tiles for foundation. They do not get you bonus floor tiles for anything else. As such these bonus tiles will not roll over into other aspects of the challenge.


--

Things to know:

► It is very possible to have a second floor built onto this house; however, doing so will force your family to move back outside while you work to complete it. You will have to follow the same process for unlocking floor tiles as you did the first time, however you will be able to skip step 2 altogether.
► Driveways DO count as floor type tiles spent and they must be mapped out in the same way the house must be. However you only need to create two borders instead of three for it to be considered “complete” and be able to “pour concrete” to create the driveway. Because pouring concrete is not dangerous, this may be done outside of the construction zone.
► Extra unlocked floor tiles cannot roll over to a different story should you decide to build it; therefore you will have to go through all of the steps again, with a different fortune sim.
► The Life of a Criminal holds no benefits in the way of construction. Once your main fortune sim has entered the criminal career path he cannot exit it, however you may use a different fortune sim to build up their portfolio and earn floor type tiles for the second story if you desire.
► More than one sim may have a job in the household, only one sim may earn bonuses in the way of construction at a time. (one adult must always stay home to monitor the construction crew. This sim IS allowed to join some community lot outings, however.)
► Those of you with Uni who have the option to have cell phones: they are not allowed in this challenge.
► The Humble Computer gift that comes with Freetime may not be opened or sold until Step 6. Simply take the pink box and plop it in a sim's inventory.
► Use of the Paranormal career reward is prohibited; once a sim is dead, they're dead.
► This challenge is slightly more couple-oriented; your sim must strive to be married in some way, even if both of your founders were fortune and one dies.
► If you have Freetime, secondary aspirations do not qualify your sim to be a torch holder. Therefore you cannot have a Family primary and Fortune secondary and use that sim as a breadwinner; Fortune must be the primary aspiration of your breadwinner sim.

(Will add more as questions pop up.)

--

Score Keeping:

+50 for a complete floor plan.
+75 for completing the foundation.
+150 for completing the shell.
+ 15 for completing Insulation.
+ 50 for completing Windows. Doors. Stairs.
+ 25 Per child born.
+10 per successful potty train.
+ 5 for successful learn to walk.
+ 5 for successful learn to talk.
+5 for successful learn nursery rhyme. (Freetime necessary.)
+ 10 for A+ report card (1 time deal per child despite age.)
+ 10 for 1(per child/sim) completed hobby enthusiast.
+ 20 per maximized skill.
+ 100 for reaching top of Construction/Political career.
+ 2 for staying out of debt.
+10 per family Best Friend.
+ 150 for completing the house before Founding Sims are elders.
+ 50 for completing the house before Founding Sims are dead. (One or the other, both not applicable.)
+ 5 per tasty harvest sold. (Seasons only -therefore not worth too much in case some don't have.)

- 5 per bad harvest sold/dead plants.
-150 for uncomplete house before Founding Sims are dead.
-40 for uncomplete house before Founding Sims are elder.
-10 per family Enemy.
-2 for going into debt.
- 50 for bad chance card/getting fired without it being part of the challenge.
-50 for an incomplete floor plan.
-75 for incomplete foundation.
-150 for incomplete shell.
-15 for incomplete insulation.
-50 for incomplete Windows, Doors, Stairs.
-25 for birthing/adoption no child.
-20 for unsuccessful potty train.
-5 for unsuccessful learn to talk.
- 5 for unsuccessful learn to walk.
- 5 for unsuccessful learn nursery rhyme. (Unapplicable w/o Freetime.)
- 10 for failing grade. (1 time deal per child despite age.)
- 10 for lost Hobby enthusiasm.

(Score Keeping will be beefed up as point possibilities arise.)



This is my second challenge, if you have questions, comments, concerns, additional ideas or you find flaws in this challenge please post them and I will try to answer them or take them into consideration.
I do not have Pets or Apartment Life and therefore have NOT included them in this ruleset.

I would love to hear about and see your challenge progress.

Update Monitor:

4/28/14 - Overhaul: Tweaking Building rules; making entire post prettier on the eyes.
4/29/14 - Additions of Cabin Fever and Floaty Black Thing Sections
5/1/14 - Addition of Update Monitor; category change from City Building to Main Character to Survive This; clarified lot placement info.

Take the Hard Hat Challenge. A relatively quick challenge designed to be added into almost any established hood.

Hollow Tune - Brick 'N' Mortar.

{San-Yip-See-Ah}
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#2 Old 28th Apr 2014 at 9:20 PM
This sounds like fun and definitely something I can incorporate into my main neighborhood. I do have harder skills hacks, so getting promotions are more difficult. Added challenge :D.

The only question I have is about the outlines. I get a bit confused about what needs to be down before you can move to the next step. In your explanation, it reads like rooms have only three walls instead of four; but if I understood correctly wherever you'd put a wall, that wall would have to touch laid down tiles on at least one side, correct? And also, because teens can't be in the same bedroom, you're basically tasking us with building a three bedroom house if there need to be 4 sims living in the house, right?
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#3 Old 28th Apr 2014 at 9:57 PM
Quote: Originally posted by samantha_kathy
This sounds like fun and definitely something I can incorporate into my main neighborhood. I do have harder skills hacks, so getting promotions are more difficult. Added challenge :D.

The only question I have is about the outlines. I get a bit confused about what needs to be down before you can move to the next step. In your explanation, it reads like rooms have only three walls instead of four; but if I understood correctly wherever you'd put a wall, that wall would have to touch laid down tiles on at least one side, correct? And also, because teens can't be in the same bedroom, you're basically tasking us with building a three bedroom house if there need to be 4 sims living in the house, right?


Good questions and I'll definitely have to fix that tidbit in the original post at some point this evening. (Reading back now I'm finding a lot of typos and syntax errors I missed in the last edit - whoops!)

What I mean is this: until you have every room planned out via dragging floor types in your patterns, neither Foundation nor Wall Segments can be built on the land. The Outline as I called it, is a little like .. a blank picture in a kid's coloring book. The characters are printed on the page and left blank to be filled in. Your job for Step 1, is to print a basic floor plan into the dirt using whatever floor types you want (floor types like hardwood, brick, carpet, linoleum). In order for a room to be considered complete, it must have three "walls", or rather, three solid lines that definitely form the shape of the room. So if a Bathroom and a Living room are right next to one another, two lines of flooring would have to form borders other than the one that is shared between the two rooms. It should be easy to tell the rooms apart from top down view: blue flooring is one room, white flooring is another room. The blue and white rooms are next to each other, but it's obvious that, when the Foundation is laid and the Shell is being built, these two rooms will be divided by a wall (or rather that these two areas are not one in the same.)

When I get a chance to load up the game next time I will snap a picture to show what I mean, if this doesn't help (though I do so hope it does!) I will also touch up the building section of the challenge.

And yes, you are correct. Your sims (if they plan a family) are to amply plan for the size of family they want. So three bedrooms for four sims, four bedrooms for five sims, etc. The more kids you want, the harder the challenge in that sense.

I'm super excited you're willing to try and do so hope to see some pictures if you'd be willing to share!

Take the Hard Hat Challenge. A relatively quick challenge designed to be added into almost any established hood.

Hollow Tune - Brick 'N' Mortar.

{San-Yip-See-Ah}
Instructor
#4 Old 28th Apr 2014 at 10:13 PM
Great sounding challenge, San! Looking forward to seeing your tweaks later tonight, I agree with Samantha_Kathy: this would be fun to incorporate into my current hood, which is sometimes nice to have so that you don't have to start a whole new hood every time you want to do a challenge. You've done an awesome job thinking every stage through and tying things in -- Well done!

Find all of my Challenges in MTS Sims 2 Challenges "Ye Olde" Section:
Vllygrl's By George! Regency Play Style/Challenge; Regency/Victorian ROS;
The Medieval Charter Challenge & ROS for MCC;
The Crown of Laurels Challenge; & Besieged! New Medieval Challenge & Medieval ROS.
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#5 Old 29th Apr 2014 at 2:42 AM
Thank you vllygrl! I agree; I often look for a short little challenge to just pop into my BACC. A BACC is a big enough challenge to take on, I don't need to try and do another whole neighborhood around a challenge!

I've touched up the guidelines for the challenge, they look much prettier now and *hopefully* are much easier to understand. I'll get the pictures I meant to use to demonstrate as soon as possible! (If we still feel like they're needed.)

Take the Hard Hat Challenge. A relatively quick challenge designed to be added into almost any established hood.

Hollow Tune - Brick 'N' Mortar.

{San-Yip-See-Ah}
Instructor
#6 Old 29th Apr 2014 at 9:38 AM
Lab Assistant
#7 Old 12th May 2014 at 1:49 AM
I love how much work you put into it. . .but, sorry, it just seems a bit complicated. . .
Instructor
#8 Old 12th May 2014 at 9:52 AM
Quote: Originally posted by smartclip
I love how much work you put into it. . .but, sorry, it just seems a bit complicated. . .


I'm playing it right now, and it's actually not that complicated. The only thing my poor sims have to deal with on top of the challenge is the rules I have about skilling/promotions as well as taxes every 3 sim years(= 3 sim days). Along with a harder skilling hack and higher bills (and maybe even a harder jobs hack, I don't rightly remember), they're having a harder time getting those promotions needed to continue building.
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#9 Old 12th May 2014 at 7:55 PM
@smartclip May I ask what seems complicated? Maybe Sam_kat and I could help?

@samantha_kathy I'm hoping you're enjoying it and super glad you've taken the challenge!

Take the Hard Hat Challenge. A relatively quick challenge designed to be added into almost any established hood.

Hollow Tune - Brick 'N' Mortar.

{San-Yip-See-Ah}
Mad Poster
#10 Old 13th May 2014 at 6:42 AM
Since I like building, I should try this. Just because it's so long, it looks complicated. I'll read through it tomarrow when I have move brain cells firing.

Stand up, speak out. Just not to me..
Lab Assistant
#11 Old 13th May 2014 at 11:18 PM
@Sanyps
The challenge is really creative. It just seems hard. It takes a long time to get promoted, and it'll take a while to build.
Check out my challenge:
http://www.modthesims.info/showthre...d=1#post4381836
Field Researcher
Original Poster
#12 Old 14th May 2014 at 6:15 PM
Ahh, so all of the rules and such make sense? If not just let me know what needs a touch up and I'll work on it!

And yes, it'll take a long time to build the house. But in the sense of length, this is one of the shorter challenges. (It can be completed in one generation)

Take the Hard Hat Challenge. A relatively quick challenge designed to be added into almost any established hood.

Hollow Tune - Brick 'N' Mortar.

{San-Yip-See-Ah}
Lab Assistant
#13 Old 15th May 2014 at 2:05 AM
The challenge is fine. People can see how much work is involved in building houses. It's not click-click, there's a room. You must lay it out.
I'll try it but i might not finish it (or start it. I'm busy )

Hope you'll try my challenge!
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