Alright... I started this with a new sim named Trent Kao. I feel so bad for him. He's already been sick twice, has to walk everywhere to make hot-dogs and roast mellows and never has enough energy to do anything but complain about having no energy.

Here's hoping today he'll be able to earn some money without having to rummage through the trash can like the hobo that he is.

ok this sounds like fun, but I have one question how can I play on a lot that has no building? I tried and the game would not let me play it automatically makes me go into build mode and I can't play until something is built on the lot?

Um - have you moved your sim onto the lot? You should get a sim standing by a mailbox looking at empty grass and rolling wants to buy a refrigerator, get a job, meet somebody, and generally fill the lot up.

no that is not what happens

instead it goes right into build mode and I can not even select play mode until I build something and even just a wall or two it will not allow me to go into play mode with out building a house first as in 4 walls and a roof. (Maybe I can delete the house after ward not sure I'll be trying that later) All I know is when I tried this I was dumb founded by it. So what am I doing wrong?

And yes I moved the family in to the lot (LOL) I'm not a noob I know what I'm doing. I've been playing for a long time and pretty much know all the cheats (though I do not use them any longer they take the fun out if it) \

Maybe this is the result of having a newer version on some kind of up date? If any one knows please let me know.


Never mind

I figured it out.

There's lots of homeless people living along the river here in Sacramento; they often have radios and dogs (lots of them have shopping carts full of junk)! Pets wouldn't work here - cost too much to feed, but what about the radio? Even "no talent" Sims can make money "performing" (I have a number of community lots with band instruments), but can't win a dance contest (worth a lot more $) unless they have some dance skills. This sounds really hard..

But you can earn dance skill by dancing on a community lot. (also keep in mind this challenge was designed back when there were only one or two EPs)

I live in a large city, too, and I've never once seen a homeless person who owned electronics. Or anything beyond a couple of blankets, actually.

Doorknob, would you mind telling us what happened? Because it sounds like a really frustrating glitch, and one of us may run into it someday.

A short, fun challenge

INTRO.

Welcome to the Vagabond Challenge. A vagabond is characterized by continuous travelling while lacking a fixed home, temporary abode, or permanent residence. Vagabonds are not bums, as bums do not work at all and aren't known for travelling, preferring to stay in one location. Vagabonds are instead considered bohemians, adventurers, and wanderers. They practice an unoconventional lifestyle with very few permanent ties while constantly trying to find work, even if temporary.

SET UP.

Create a Sim.

Buy any size lot, then reduce funds to $0. You’re poor, remember?

Call a cab and go Downtown. Forget about that lot you just purchased, THIS is where you'll live your whole Adult life. You will need the Sleep On Community Lots hack to be able to complete this challenge.


GAMEPLAY.

As you may have assumed, your survival depends upon using the community lots well.

Most community lots will have sinks and toilets you can use, others will even have showers. As for food, you can use grills, fish, or visit the numerous restaurants available. Sleeping is permitted anywhere you can find a sofa, loveseat, recliner, or hammock. You can use this hack for sleeping on the floor.

Dates and outings are allowed and actually encouraged.

Since you can't get a real job, you'll obviously have to come up with some creative ways to make money. Work as a bartender, barista, or DJ. Sell paintings. Hustle at pool. Gamble on the poker table. Freestyle for tips. Make your own band and perform.

Your allowed to purchase anything you want, such as cellphones or jewelery, as long as you have the money for it.

Obviously, you won't be able to have children on a Community Lots so Family sims are not recommended.


RULES.

Since Sims can't age on Community Lots, you must count down the days of an Adult lifestage yourself: 29 Sim days. That's when the challenge will officially be over. Or, you can keep it going for however long you like! This is meant to be a short, fun challenge and the time limit is really up to you.

There are no cheats allowed. No boolprop. No money cheats. No hacked items that affect mood or game play. You are, however, allowed to use any custom clothing, skins, hair, etc.

Even though you will always have to start off on your Home lot, you must immediately call the cab and go downtown. Once there, you can NEVER go back to the Home lot. Never.

You mean vagabond. Seems a lot like the Homeless Challenge, except for a few differences. I'm assuming your sim is allowed to move around from lot to lot, correct? Also, are you allowed to propose a move in as long as the roomie moves out immediately? That could also be a way to make cash.

Can you buy things from the Buy Menu before your sim actually starts the challenge? There's no way a sim can sell paintings without the easel, and you have to buy that on a residential lot, seeing as you can't buy anything on a community lot.
Then again, you can't even access your inventory while on a community lot, so how are you supposed to extract the easel from the inventory during the challenge?

Does that mean that we have to set everything up on the community lot before sending the sim down there (i.e. place an easel on the community lot before putting your sim there)?

Sorry for all of the questions; I just want to clear things up before I even attempt a challenge.

Yes, this is a lot like the Homeless Challenge but very different at the same time. Move ins are not permitted and yes, you are alllowed to move lot from lot, that's the whole point of the challenge. And you WILL have to set up all your lots how you want them, since you obviously cant use Buy Mode when your on a community lot.

I started up this challenge again last night, and am finding it absurdly easy. I'm even denying myself Lifetime Aspiration benefits, but really, all I've used so far is Nightlife and community lot timehax. Both the Sim Center parks in Downtown have all that is necessary to keep Liselle the Changeling going fairly comfortably-- coffee bars for energy and part-time employment, grills for cheap hotdogs, bathroom facilities with sinks/showers for hygiene and toilet, and passersby to socialize and play with (she's friends with a Count, a Contessa, a Good Witch, an Evil Warlock, the barista NPCs in both parks, and four other muggles). She's even eyed a few romantic interests.

Technically Liselle has been at this for three and a half weeks, but thanks to community lot timehax she still has yet to age a day. :p

Incidentally, how do I judge Liselle passing the 20k mark? She's made over 6,000 simoleons (probably almost to 7,000 by now), but spends so much on coffee that she might only have 15k when she gets the 20k want/memory. Does she have to have 20k cash, or does the memory suffice?

ETA: Liselle's also quite well off in aspiration points. Something about continually getting interrupted from coffee-slinging to chat, which fulfills "talk" and "make friends" wants, then going back to work right as she spins "earn some money" wants...

What's the aim of the challenge? To get enough money to settle down? To fulfill your sim's LTW? Oh, and you'll be able to return to your home lot to save your game, won't you?

I started this challenge again after I finished my first one two years ago, this time with a little bit of a scifi twist. My homeless sim, Isha Lo'xena, is a blue-skinned alien who was taking a spin around the galaxy in her private craft when her ship crashed in downtown Strangetown, of all places. I'm seven sim days into the challenge and she's doing quite well. She's saved up about $12,000 so far, become an accomplished artist, and even has a 3-bolt boyfriend who'll be moving in with her once the challenge is over. She's quickly becoming one of my favorite sims.
Spinning some tunes earlier this evening:

Question: If you manage to move someone in, do they also get tile items of their own? Because that would significantly change the outcome of the money situation. And end the challenge quicker; if you had two Sims making paintings they could get the money twice as fast. Also, I wondered about the children rule---since the characters are homeless, the babies would just go straight to the social worker anyway so wouldn't that be realistic (and a better outcome than anything else)?

I LOVE playing homeless. It's so much more interesting and challenging! I'm trying this.

The is one of the most interesting challenges I've seen. I think I'll try it.

Meet Marilis Valentine!



Marilis is the sim that I made for the Sims 2 homeless challenge. She has just purchased an empty lot in the small town of Celestia Beach and only has 100 simoleans to her name. Hopefully with a little luck and strategy she can beat the odds and earn enough money for a home.

Update on Marilis, my homeless sim:

We find Marilis stuck on an empty lot with no money and nowhere to go. She spends most of her spare time thinking of ways to earn money because she is a fortune sim after all. She considers working for tips by selling coffee, so Marilis walks to Epicurious to find work making espresso at a barista.



After standing at the barista for 3 hours, Marilis has earn 144 Simolens. While ejoying her new found wealth she smells something delicious. She looks across the room and notices that a cooking contest in underway and Mimi, one of the first people she met in town, is in the contest. She eyes the plate of blackened catfish that Mimi has prepared licking her lips. She can't stop herself. She leaves her spot at the barista to get a closer look.



Mimi is ecstatic as her blackened catfish is chosen as the winner. Marilis congratulates her and asks if she can try the prize winning dish. "Take all you want" was Mimi's reply. Marilis took a plate full and devoured it. Who ever said there's no such thing as a free lunch?



She returns to her meager, empty lot when night falls and starts to rework her plan to earn simoleans. Marilis figures out how to have fun and make money, too. Be a DJ! So she walks to the Hub and starts working the turntables.



After DJing for 2 hours, the dance floor starts to look kinda empty. Maybe it's because Marilis is lacking in DJ skills. With only 75 simolean made, she notices the packed bar area and gives bar tending a try.



That's all for now. I'll try to post more pics as I progress through the challenge.

Fed up with the bad attitudes of the general public, Marilis uses most of her savings to by an art easel. Maybe she can make some money selling her paintings.



After a long day of doing odd jobs and painting, Marilis is hungry again! She smells the scent of grilled hot dogs coming from Celestia Park. She makes her way there and helps herself to the goodies.



While eating her dinner, Marilis spots her friend Bella and sits beside her. They soon strike up a conversation. Marilis asks Bella if she knows an easy way to earn a few simoleans. She said her cousin Jonah who is always broke makes money by freestyling for tips. Desperate enough to try anything, Marilis gives it a try even though she's afraid of facing public humiliation.



After spending most of her time bartending, DJing, freestyling, and painting. She gets a good idea when her friend Suzie asks Marilis if she would paint her. "You could sell these and make money," Suzie said with an impressed look on her face after seeing her portrait. Maybe that's a good idea.



After hours of painting portraits, no one seemed to be interested in buying them. Feeling dejected, she runs into Mimi. She asks her if there's any way to make easy money. Mimi said, "Cooking contests! I won 500 simoleans the last time I won. You should try that!" So after a few words of advice from Mimi, Marilis takes out the book she got from the library and studies cooking. She then heads off to Epicurious with a recipe for grilled cheese.



When she got there, she spent 40 simoleans for the ingredients and prepared the food. Feeling a little nervous, she takes her entry to the judging table. Unfortunately, Marilis didn't have enough cooking skill to come out victorious. Her grilled cheese had been bested by Rex Artemis's berry pie. She strikes up a conversation with Rex for some hints. One thing led to another and they ended up in each others arms.



That's all for now I'll try to post more photos soon!

Update on Marilis, my homeless sim.

Even though word of Marilis's freestyling skills has spread through Celestia Beach, she was a bit surprised when she started freestyling in the park and lots of people showed up. Also to Marilis's surprise, they were great tippers. She couldn't believe that she could earn 900 simoleans in on night just by freestyling for tips. She goes home very happy.



When she get back to her lot at dawn, Marilis is exhausted. After all of the things Marilis has tried to keep herself going, Marilis finally passes out.



After she awakens, Marilis goes to the hub to seek shelter from the rain. While she was there, she decided to try freestyling on the dance floor. Everyone in the club loved it. She got so many tips that she fulfilled her want of earning 7000 simoleans.



Marilis was walking by the Rec Center when she had a great idea. Since her body skills are so good, she should be a personal trainer. She walked into the workout room and asks anyone if they need a personal trainer. Melissa Fancey said "Yes, please'.



Marilis returns home excited about all the money she has made. So far, she's saved up 12000 simoleans. Her good mood is broken however when she returns home to find more bills waiting for her.



Marilis had gotten tired of DJing, freesting, and being a personal trainer, so every night she would study cooking determined to win a cooking contest. Finally, after 2 nights of studying dilligently, Marilis finally got the courage to enter the cooking contest at Epicurious again. She had found this good recipe for crepes suzette. She was feeling a little anxiious when she placed her entry on the judging table and couldn't believe it when the food judge awarded her with the blue ribbon.



With the prize money won from the cooking contest, Marilis has finally earned over 20,000 simoleans. Here's a pic showing Marilis's funds and aspiration points.



Here is a pic showing the contents of Marilis's inventory: a book, an easel, a chair, and a cooking contest plaque.



Here is my final score: 85,280

100 pts for every friend 100 x 4 = 400.
500 pts for every love: 500 x 1 = 500
+1 pt for every aspiration point 82,500 x 1 = 82,500
1000 for every 10,000 at the end: 1,000 x 2 = 2,000
-10 for every day it took to finish: -10 x 12 = -120

Once the challenge was finished, Marilis got to build a house with the money she earned. Rex and Marilis soon got married. What a happy ending!



This challenge was really fun. I enjoyed attempting it.

Could I bend the rules a little? Like say they found an abandon shack. Could they live there? I only have Nightlife and Apartmentlife. I can't stand it when sims sleep hours beyond hours on the ground.

I apologize in advance for the political hailstorm this is going to create, but...

Ever heard of Obamaphones?

So cool...I must try this! :D

This sounds so much fun! My turn!

This is Olga Bennett. She is extremely sloppy so that she can eat out of trashcans and do sink baths, super active for less sleep and very serious for less need of fun. That made her super nice aswell. More friends, yay.



She livs on a small plot of land in the outskirts of my custom neighbourhood, around the forest. We got some community pizza shops, pool with showers and stuff like that. She got some freckles and a cute sunburnt nose from the outdoors, sporting her ol' mamas vintage dress. It's got a few years on it.

Her first task is to do some barista work to buy a lawn chair. I'll post some more pictures on her progress later.

Olga has now finished! This was an awesome challenge, I really enjoyed it and Olga has become one of my favourite sims, ever!

Here's her progress for anyone interested.



You know, if you smile you might get more customers.



Olga and her amazing lawn chair. In the rain. Poor girl.



At the local pizza shop is where she found her first friend, and later on, love! They just sort of hit it off, with 2 whole lightnings for chemistry.



Olga's main ways of getting cash; painting (maxed creativity & enthusiasm for arts in the mean time), playing jazz and.... freestyling! Aww yeah.



This is just such a funny picture. Stinky, homeless lady proposes to guy at local pizza shop (and she got fat! That's what you get for living on pizza, hot dogs and coffee I guess). Hey, she doesn't have a phone, I had to take the opportunity when I saw the guy again.



Isn't married life amazing? I bought a hammock for Olga for the money she earnt, I don't know if that's against the rules - I couldn't find it. But hey, in my opinion a homeless person can definetly buy a hammock and roll it up in her backpack.



Well. Eventually, after a lot of freestyling and painting, she did it. Congrats Olga! It took me half her adult life, I wasn't very quick lol. The beginning was dreadful with the lawn chair, at least the hammock gave her some decent sleep. Her inventory was only the hammock, the easel, reward for hobby enthusiasm and Humble's computer that was never used.



Oh yeah, she also got really famous. Bonus points, riiight?! But seriously, I don't feel like adding scores, but I managed the challenge at least - and it was a lot of fun! Now I'm gonna move the lovebirds in and let poor Olga enjoy life a little.

Bonus pic. Her best friend! It must have come to the lot 3-4 times lol. Coincidence?